Worth reading Indeed

I found this well written article worth reading for first time parents. For me, the best part of this article is

3. Your baby is not like the other babies.

"Your baby is the only one of herself who has ever been, and you and your partner are the only experts on her. Your baby will not behave like the books say, won't like what she's supposed to like, won't do what she's supposed to do when she's supposed to do it, and that's normal and great and perfectly OK. The best thing you can do is put down your literature and get to know your baby. What does she like? What makes her laugh? How does she best fall asleep? What does hungry sound like? The discovery of these things will serve you so much more than any stranger's care instructions ever will. You don't have to make your life or your family look like any particular model -- you don't have to follow the rules. You just have to create a life that works for you and fosters love and security and a whole lot of laughter. If that looks like 2 a.m. pancake parties, I'm not going to tell on you. I might actually admire you and be just a little bit jealous. "

So without further ado, here is the link to the article 10 True Things About the First Year of Parenthood

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Cutie Baby Shoes!

I was looking for some gift ideas for the holidays. Then I found these cutie baby booties. I want them for my baby fiefie. Pinterest is really a good place to find awesome stuff.

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I'm Back!

Hey everyone! Yes I'm back again. I've been very busy at home.  So I just want to clear that this blog is still active. :) Anyway, I am excited to share a lot of stuff! Hope I can finish them on time. Lots love :)

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The Devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines

I know this is off-topic, but I can’t help but write about Super Typhoon Yolanda and its victims. In my 27 years of existence, Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) is the strongest typhoon I have ever witnessed. Although it did not make direct landfall in our region, we still experienced its wrath, and it left some damage to our beloved city. The scene in Tacloban, one of the cities hit hardest by this destructive storm, is truly heartbreaking. The city lost nearly everything—houses, people, buildings, and more.

Super Typhoon Yolanda, or Haiyan, was described as the most unusual, strongest, and most devastating typhoon worldwide this year. It targeted the Visayas and its surrounding areas due to its massive size. National Geographic even referred to it as a "megastorm." You can read more about it here.

I’ve also seen a few videos that will leave anyone in shock. Here are some of the footage captured by our country’s brave media professionals.

Here are the links


Super Typhoon Yolanda Video 1


Super Typhoon Yolanda Video 2

In the city where I live, we also experienced strong winds and heavy rain. This isn’t the first time I’ve gone through a powerful typhoon. Typhoon Reming, though not as severe as Yolanda, was similar in strength. It may not have been a "perfect storm," but it was still one of the strongest, leaving behind many casualties. We were also flooded and lost our home, so I know how it feels.

I am praying for the fast recovery of the affected areas. I know it will take a long time to rebuild and that this event will leave a deep scar in our hearts and minds, but life goes on. We have to stay strong and be thankful that God saved most of us from this typhoon. Bangon Pinas! Kaya natin 'to.

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Helpful Resources for Toddler Separation Anxiety and Clingy Baby

(photo credit: Parents.com)

Recently, my 17-month-old baby has been getting very clingy. She cries almost every day, and I have no idea what triggered it. After researching online, I found out that I’m not alone—many moms around the world are facing the same issue. On one website, Parenting.com, I found an article titled Make Your Clingy Baby Confident. It explained that this clinginess is called separation and stranger anxiety.

One part made me smile: "Babies who are the most connected early on have such strong trust in their parents that calm reassurance from mom and dad gives them the comfort to try new things or explore unfamiliar territory, knowing that help will be there if they need it."

If you want to know more about the article, you can read it here.

Now, I am already aware of the clingy part, so I tried to find tips that will help me get rid of it. And here are the helpful links I have found:

• Calming your Clingy Child
• Very Clingy 12 mo old - it is a forum discussion of moms worldwide giving tips and advices. A must-read.
• 10 Ways to handle a Clingy Kid
• 7 year old clingy, can't play alone, becoming disrespectful - if you have a kid like hers, you must read the doctor's advice in this Q&A.
• Attachment Parenting - How to break free - Some people believe that being clingy is a result of attachment parenting, but experts say 'it’s just a myth.'

  So there you go—I hope these links help you as much as they helped me. But honestly, there’s nothing to worry about because being clingy is just a normal phase. We just need to understand it and gently explain to our children why it’s not always ideal.

  UPDATE: She’s okay now! It seems that teething was the cause of her mood. Whew!

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Bored? Check out these cool links NOW!

The internet is such a huge place to wander. If you don't know where to go, you'll find yourself trap in the middle of crappy websites. And yes, it can be stressful too. If you know how to dig in deeper in the world wide web, you'll find tons of websites that will help you guide through life. Yes, you read that right. Well, aside from this, you will also learn and have fun. So without further ado, here is my first set of cool links that will free you from problems, stress etc.

Unstuck
Relevant Magazine
Thought Catalog
Mind Body Green
Good Net

Hope you liked it! Please comment if you want to add more sites here and I will update the list. Thanks a lot.

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How To Be More Confident

Happy Wednesday everyone! Be confident! love lots :)

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Missin' Single-hood?

To all the mommies and even daddies out there, have you ever found yourself missing your single life? I do, sometimes. I think it's normal for first-time parents to feel this way. I feel guilty whenever I think about it since I chose to have my own family.

The memories of my single life come back when things aren’t going well. I even catch myself wishing things were different sometimes. I can’t even have my "me time" because my daughter is so energetic and always wants to be held.

My hubby and I used to go on late-night food trips and explore different places to eat. After the baby arrived, we rarely get to do that anymore. But despite it all, we are truly blessed. Our baby has brought us endless joy. Whenever we're feeling down, she lifts our spirits.

Yes, single life gave me a lot of freedom to do things my way, but having my own family is the best experience, gift, and blessing. Why? That inexplicable joy you feel when you’re with your family or loved ones—that’s what I call a blessing. There are things in life we need to give up for something even more meaningful. And that’s how we let go of singlehood to welcome the joy of having our own family.

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The Break up Script - I want to Find Myself

Recently, I’ve encountered a lot of breakup stories from my friends, most of whom have been in long-term relationships—those 6 to 8-year relationships we almost thought would end in a wedding. And the reasons? Guys with their "I need to find myself" script. If you’re a girl, it’s devastating, right? I don’t see any good reason for wanting to find yourself after so many years. In fact, you can still find yourself with your partner's support. Or better yet, find yourself first before settling down or entering a relationship. I think that’s a better approach than hurting others, especially if you and your partner already have a child.

What’s even more painful is when that guy who says, "I want to find myself," ends up hooking up with another girl. That’s just sad. To the girls currently in this situation, remember that you are strong and blessed enough not to be with someone who cheated on you or played you for so many years. God has reasons for giving you that love story; He wants you to learn something. He has different ways of showing us what He wants us to do. Just trust Him—He’ll lead you to a happier life than the one you had with your previous partner.

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Product Review: Human Heart Nature Baby Wash

Many moms are complaining about the stinky smell of sweat on their babies. Yes, even our sweet little angels can develop a not-so-good odor! I’m one of those moms—Fiefie is a very active baby; she plays a lot and sweats a lot. I’ve tried various branded shampoos and soaps found in stores, but they haven’t been very effective. Until a friend recommended Human Heart Nature Baby Wash, I purchased a 50ml bottle to try, and I love it!

HHN Baby Wash is an all-in-one product made from organic ingredients. It has a heavenly lavender scent that is soothing. What’s great about this product is that, no matter how sweaty my baby gets, she still smells good. The scent doesn’t easily fade, so you don’t need to use baby cologne or anything else.

I primarily use it as a shampoo since it makes Fiefie’s hair smooth and shiny. However, as a liquid soap, it can make my baby’s skin a bit dry, which is a downside. Every baby’s skin is different, so it might not work well for my baby, but who knows—it might be great for your little one! What I’ve done is use it solely as her shampoo and stick to Dove Baby Soap for her body.

closer look to the ingredients

As you can see, the ingredients are mostly natural. Here are some of the ingredients:

• Decyl Glucoside - Decyl Glucoside is a natural, non-ionic surfactant, ideal for all foaming and cleansing products.  Our Decyl Glucoside, obtained from renewable raw materials, is a combination of plant based fatty alcohols (coconut c8-16) and glucose (corn starch).  Decyl Glucoside is a mild surfactant and because it does not dry it is ideal for the formulation of personal hygiene and toiletry cosmetics.  (Source: Ingredientstodiefor)


• Coco Glucoside - is an non-ionic surfactant that can be used as a foaming agent, conditioner or emulsifier. It is derived from renewable raw materials such as coconut oil and fruit sugars, and is completely biodegradable. It contains no diethanolamides, lauryl sulfates, laureth sulfates, parabens or formaldehyde. (Source: newdirectionsaromatics.ca)


• Gkyceryl Oleate - Glyceryl Oleate, also called, Glyceryl Monooleate, is obtained from naturally occurring oils and fats. It occurs as a clear amber or pale yellow liquid. In cosmetics and personal care products, it is predominantly used in the formulation of lipsticks, eye shadows, makeup bases, and skin care products. (Source: cosmeticsinfo.org)


• Sodium Lactate -  a 60% concentration in water, and is the sodium salt of natural L(+)-Lactic Acid, produced through the fermentation of sugar, an alpha hydroxy acid that occurs everywhere in nature. (Source: Ingredientstodiefor)


• Sodium Gluconate - is sodium salt of gluconic acid that is produced by the fermentation of glucose. PMP Sodium gluconate comes in a fine granular or powdered form. It is soluble in water, non corrosive, non toxic, biodegradable and biorenewable. (Source: pmpinc.com)


• Sodium Cocoyle Isethionate- is a sodium salt ester, or a fatty acid derived from coconut oil. It is used in cosmetics and personal care products as a surfactant and is often seen in hair care products like shampoos because of its ability to help water to mix with oil and dirt, allowing them to be more easily rinsed away, according to CosmeticsInfo.org. Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is also seen as an ingredient in a variety of soaps and cleansing products. As a surfactant, it creates a wet feeling, it solubilizes oils and reduces surface tension, and can aid in foaming as well. (Source: Truthinaging.com)


• Xantham Gum - Xanthan Gum is used by people who are allergic to gluten to add volume and viscosity to bread and other gluten-free baked goods. It is made from a tiny microorganism called Xanthomonas campestris and is a natural carbohydrate. (source: bobsredmill.com)

There you go. I would say this is perfect for my baby Fiefie. Now, my 50ml bottle (44.75 pesos) is empty and I purchased a bigger size 200ml which is worth 129.75 pesos . :) For me it's affordable.

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Welcome to Mommyhood

Sleepless nights, exhausting days... but a rewarding job—that’s motherhood. I started to appreciate my mom even more when I had my own child and experienced everything that comes with taking care of a baby. I told myself, "So this is how I gave my mom headaches and how I made her cry from exhaustion back then." But she loved me even when I was giving her problems.

It’s the exact feeling I have for my daughter, who is currently giving me a hard time sleeping and tiring me out during the day. However, I know this is just the beginning. My daughter won’t always be a baby, and there will come a time when I’ll miss those days of holding her when she’s crying, playing, kissing her endlessly, and cuddling her when she’s sad.

Now I realize that the hardest job in the world isn’t being the leader of a country or anything like that; it’s being a mother. :) I salute all the mothers out there who are trying to balance life as a mom, a wife, and just being themselves.

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