The new addition to the family

Welcome Baby Meg!

We are so deprived of sleep and rest but happily so. Little Meg is definitely a bundle of joy. Read about her birthing story here.

Family Update

Check out our latest family photo. That's me at 37 weeks. Huge as a hippo with whole body aching like an 85-year-old lady. With Sandy, I wasn't in pain like this but maybe it goes with age? We're talking about giving birth four years ago when I was in better shape. Also now, I wasn't as diligent in exercising in the treadmill so that could be a reason as well. I just hope it will be as easy this time around when labor starts!

Sandy's Oceantrip Field Trip

Just sharing some photos from Sandy's recent field trip at Oceanpark. I loved the place even if it's too crowded for my taste. For the kids, they might get tired or bored because of the crowd. However, they will surely love the mermaid show and the almost magical appeal of the marine life.

Baby Invitations For My Girlfriends

Still on Baby Invitations for Baby Shower. I have three friends who are throwing a baby shower this November and December so we're scouting for the perfect company, in terms of unique design and affordability where we can have them printed. Having a baby is one of the most important things that can happen to a woman. We always try to celebrate the arrival in style and capture every moments as much as we can. From the invitations to decorations, photos to videos, even gift wrappers and small giveaways.

 

At Birth-Cards, you can get really cute baby shower invitations such as the one above. Just browsing through their designs at http://www.birth-cards.com makes me excited to celebrate the arrival of my friends' babies. You can also personalize the designs by adding a photo of the soon-to-be parents, change the font style and color. They offer instant preview of your personalized design before you order to be sure that there are no more corrections.

Technorati Tags: Invitations,Announcements,Personalized Stationery,Greeting Cards,Thank You Cards,Baby,Baby Shower,Pregnancy

Getting Your Toddler to Listen

Get on her level. Either squat down to her level or pick her up so you can look her in the eye.

Be clear. State your message clearly and simply. Your child will zone out if you harp on topics too long.

Follow through - quickly. Don't make threats or promises you won't keep.

Reinforce your message - follow up your verbal statement with other kinds of messages. When you say "eat your lunch", show her you mean it by sitting on the table yourself or eating beside her.

Give warnings - before you try and take her away from a very enjoyable activity, let your kid know that you're leaving in a few minutes.

Realistic instructions .

Motivate.

Model good behavior.

Read full article here.

Printable Baby Shower Invitations

Baby Shower Invitations from Cards-411 are not only cheap but very unique too. You won't find any of their baby shower invites anywhere else. They are specially designed with new parents in mind. And although it could be your 2nd or 3rd baby, having a baby will always be as special as the first one.

The printable baby shower invitations are customizable too. You can upload a photo of the mom, change the color, font style and words to fit your requirements. And to those who just don't want to spend, http://www.cards-411.com also offers free baby shower invitations so you can celebrate your child's arrival in style.

Technorati Tags: Invitations,Announcements,Personalized Stationery,Greeting Cards,Thank You Cards,Baby,Baby Shower,Pregnancy

The Halloween Carnival at Shangrila Edsa Mall

We're booked, thanks to my friend Lorna. Now we'll just have to figure out what costume Sandy will wear. We may be able to find some Gryffindor robes at SM Makati this weekend. If not, then DIY will be the best we can do.

Where: Shangrila Edsa Mall - Grand Atrium
How much: Php500 / kid
When: October 24, Saturday and October 25, Sunday | 1:30 - 4:30 PM

Fun with Photo Invitations

Photo Invitations have always been a popular choice among parents when it comes to announcing the latest addition in the family. After all, nothing can be more beautiful as your newborn's first smile. Photo invites are not just limited to photo birth announcements alone. I've personally used photo birthday invitations before and loved how you can keep it as a memento of your child's first birthday celebration.

Looking at CardsShoppe, you'll see that a photo invitation can be used for a wide range of events. From your best friend's 30th birthday to baptism to wedding invitation and graduation announcements. I found a great idea from http://www.cardsshoppe.com about using an embarrassing or hilarious picture from the past and use it as a shower invite for a friend of mine who's tying the knot. Of course, she has good sense of humor so it will definitely work to her advantage. We can just personalize any of the unique designs available by modifying the colors, words and of course, adding one of her "fun" photos back in our wild days.

 

Technorati Tags: Invitations,Announcements,Personalized Stationery,Greeting Cards,Thank You Cards,Photo Stationery,Party,Baby

Ordering Baptism Invitations Online

I'm pretty excited about the baptism of my friend's baby. They've been waiting for their little princess for so long and now going all out for her. I'm so happy for them that I've volunteered to order and pay for their Baptism Invitations Cards. It's no big deal on my end really because these christening invitations from Announcements-Shoppe can be purchased online. You can even receive the proof via email within one hour of ordering during business day.

The more time I spend browsing through Religious invitations at http://www.announcements-shoppe.com, the more I like what they have to offer. I have my own share of ordering business cards and other printing materials online and it's not everyday that you can receive the prints the same day you approved it. So if it's efficient service and affordable prices you're looking for, I suggest you book mark this site for your future birthday invitations, baptism needs.

Technorati Tags: Invitations,Announcements,Personalized Stationery,Greeting Cards,Thank You Cards

Organizing Kids Closets

**From the site of Martha Stewart:
Hanging Stuff
First, employ a two-rod system. The lower rod allows small arms to reach shirts or jackets; the upper one holds next season's clothes. Since kids have very little to hang up, the closet requires short rods only. To hang lower rod, cut two pieces of strap webbing (each twice the length plus overlap). Wrap both straps over top rod, overlap ends on the bottom, and staple-gun through all the layers.

To achieve an extra-neat appearance, use a single style of hanger (we chose inexpensive plastic) in just one or two colors.

Shelf Storage
Bookshelves provide at-a-glance storage for pants, sweaters, and T-shirts. Stack sweaters, pants, and T-shirts on their own shelves so your child can find what he's looking for without rifling through every piece of clothing in a drawer. Use the bottom cubby to keep the backpack out from underfoot.

Peg Board
And what to do with belts and skateboarding helmets? Use a peg board to hang them neatly on the wall, where they'll be in clear sight. With a variety of hooks and a few well-chosen containers, you can help things find their way back home, ready to go for the next day.

Paint peg board a bright color to add a splash of energy to the inside of the closet. Affix it to the back wall of the closet with mounting hardware, and use simple hooks to dangle all manner of paraphernalia. Set the bookshelves in front of it and anchor to the wall.

Step
A two-drawer cube provides ample storage for socks and undies. Plus kids can reach high-up things all by themselves.

Mirror
A useful and lightweight plastic mirror can be cut to any size; ours covers the side of the book-shelves above the cube. Attach easily and securely with heavy-duty double-sided mounting tape.

Sock Drawer
In the brightly painted drawer interior, baskets intended for kitchen cutlery keep socks in tidy rows. A small jar made for peg boards corrals ponytail bands. A ribbon with a loop for hanging displays hair clips so they're ready at a moment's notice.

Tomorrow's Outfit
Install a hook on the inside of the closet door and reserve it for one thing only: the next day's clothes. Your child can pick them out before bed each night.

Birthday Girl

The princess is turning four next month and we still don't know what to do on her birthday. We have decided not have a party for her because she will have her big party when she turns 7. She still hasn't told us what she wants as a birthday gift. I'm sure it will be a very quick preparation for her celebration. And since she is turning four, maybe we can start talking about giving her a baby brother. I just said talking - planning and the actual baby making will still take two years :).

Tuesday's Tip Jar

For mommies who are groping for ways to keep your children entertained during summer while they are always at the house, here are some tips:

[1] Movie Matinees
When we went to see the latest release it was always in the early afternoon when the prices were discounted. Each child was given a limit as to what they could spend on snacks. While I know bringing food into the theater was frowned upon, I often did it. I had a special purse that was large enough to hold candy, cookies and sippy cups. The kids would get excited when they saw that bag on the kitchen counter because they knew it was movie day.

[2] Make Your Own Water Park
Kids are the best at having fun with a water hose and a piece of plastic. A slippy slide isn't expensive but it's small and when you have multiple children all wanting to use it at once, it can become a fight to the finish as to who gets to slide first or more often.

[3] Search the Internet for Local Fairs and Festivals
Children love to explore, so going to a local event is the prefect place for that. I used the buddy system when taking the children to fairs and street festivals. They were to always be together, no matter what. Mostly until they were in their mid teens they had to be within my view but the buddy system worked well for me at all age levels.

These are cheap too, if I might add.

Eight medicines you shouldn't give your preschooler

Young children are much more likely than adults to have adverse drug reactions, so giving your preschooler prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medication – even "herbal" medicines – is serious business. Here are some medicines you shouldn't give your 2- to 4-year-old
1. Aspirin
2. Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines
3. Anti-nausea medications
4. Adult medications
5. Any medication prescribed for someone else or for another condition
6. Anything expired
7. Extra acetaminophen
8. Chinese herb ma huang (ephedra or ephedrine)
Cautionary note: Chewables

Title: Way to Raise a Confident Daughter

1. Encourage assertiveness.
2. Be specific in your compliments.
3. Make your praise match reality.
4. Help her understand why she sometimes gets left out.
5. Encourage competence.
6. Encourage her to play sports if she wants to.
7. Don't make assumptions about her strengths and weaknesses.
8. Encourage a healthy body image.
9. Prepare her for sexism.
10. Point out positive female role models.

Little Misses

Here's another reason why baby girls rule! They're just so fun to dress up. It's like having a moving barbie doll except they poo and cry when they get tired.

Still, if ever our next baby will be a boy, I'd be more than happy to dress him up in cute little capri pants and checkered polo shirts. Plus I'm really hoping for a boy (two years from now!) so the husband will have someone to play ball with. :)

Disney Playhouse - Lifesaver

I know kids are not supposed to watch TV the whole day. But my daughter does and I know you might question my parenting skills but that's the only way I can work. Besides, Sandy just like having her TV shows playing in the background while she's drawing. Or if she's in the mood to watch, someone needs to be with her because she'll want to bombard that person with her endless questions. Aside from her Papa, Barney and Hi5, she learned half of her vocabulary from Disney Playhouse TV shows. If you feel like letting your toddler watch TV, I highly suggest the following:

Little Einsteins



Higgly Town Heroes


Mickey Mouse Clubhouse


Imagination Movers, Hi5, Tigger and Pooh, Handy Manny, Dibbo the Gift Dragon

Don't forget. Talk to them while they are watching. Ask questions and mimic whatever the character is doing. Interaction is the key. Which is why the above TV shows work. They ask questions, teach good manners and solve problems with the viewers so the kids won't have to just stare at the TV set.

Princess Sandy

It's been awhile since I posted photos of my little princess here. She's so big now that I can't help but miss her small feet and chubby hands. Not to mention that her hair smells so bad now after playing for hours. It's hard to decide which is the best age because I kept saying she's getting better and more adorable every month. I wish she won't grow too fast though. Or else, I really have to start planning for baby #2!

Everything Zen

That's what I've been trying to do for the last couple of weeks. However, I don't think my mind is made up that way because I just couldn't seem to take it easy. I worry about the smallest things and on my downtime, I list things that I need to do on my head. I'm either holding my phone to jot down things or compute expenses or read a book. Maybe I should let go of all electronic devices so I'd have no choice but to meditate. And when I say meditate, I really meant sleeping.

I hope tomorrow is a different day.

To Be Single Again

Not that I want to be. It's just that my single friends seem to be going anywhere. For this year's annual big trip, they've decided to hit Las Vegas. It's all they can talk about when we chat via email. From the cheapest yet funkiest clubs to affordable hotel to shopping areas, you can bet it's the first thing that I'll see on my inbox. I'm happy for them though. I even helped them search for a las vegas strip map so they'd know where to go. They invited me too but going on a holiday, and out of the country is not something a mother of a three-year-old can do without at least six month's worth of planning. Plus it's not like I have the budget for it given all the things that I've been buying for the last two months. So, go ahead, my "young" and carefree friends. Paint the town red and make sure that you bring home a nice purse for me. I heard there are plenty of great sales there now that the holidays are near.

Friday Fill-Ins #91

Check out this week's Friday Fill-Ins

1. Trick or Treating and a friend's wedding out of town are some of the things I'm most looking forward to in October.

2. Sometimes I just get too tired from working that I wish I can lie down in bed forever.

3. I tell my husband that I never get sick but last week proved me wrong and that's why there is a saying, "never say never"!

4. When I'm down, I read a book or watch my favorite TV show.

5. In front of the computer is where you'll find me most often.

6. A rainy day is good for curling up in the sofa and watching movies. (does it show how lazy I am)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to finishing my book, tomorrow my plans include doing nothing and Sunday, I want to rest the whole day!

I'm such a slacker but I'm not usually like this. I blame it for spending four nights in the hospital. We need all the break we can get.