Tummy Bug.

Yesterday, we had Asher checked up by his Pedia because of the series of vomiting and diarrhea that he had at midweek. We were supposed to do the visit on Friday but since he improved and got a lot better in the morning (just one vomiting episode), we postponed it to yesterday instead since we're spending the weekend in Frisco anyway and CMC is much nearer here. Besides, commuting to QC from Makati and back on a payday would be such a torture.

It all started last Wednesday lunch time. He refused to eat his lunch initially but with yaya's persistence, he finished his meal up to the last spoon. A few minutes before his afternoon nap time, he started throwing up. I noticed since then that he vomits mostly every after his formula feeding. He still vomited the next day twice, I think, but it was more of the diarrhea that bothered him. I called his Pedia and was instructed to keep him hydrated at all times with an ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution), lessen his milk intake to half of his usual feeding, then adjust the feeding time keeping in mind not to make him eat or drink within 30 minutes after a vomiting bout as this would only induce him to throw up more. I also monitored his body temperature because fever may suggest that he has an infection, and a lab test must be taken ,his doctor said. His appetite decreased but he kept on asking for water. It's now that I only learned through Wikipedia that these are all symptoms of Gastroentiritis or more commonly known as stomach flu or tummy bug.

His pedia said that it could be a case of brief Gastro attack since he got drastically better in just a couple of days. Just to be sure, she also changed his milk to a lactose free one. Thankfully, he hasn't thrown up nor passed out watery stools anymore for 48 hours now. His appetite has improved also but it hasn't got to its full swing yet though. Nevertheless, I'm thankful that he's a lot better and is continually getting well.

Mommy Moments: Haircut.

Actually I have just blogged about Asher's first haircut earlier this month. It's actually one proud moment again for me and his daddy because he didn't cry at all. He was a bit fussy at first but later on, he enjoyed the "car ride", which is actually the Cuts 4 Tots' kiddie seat for its baby customers. Thanks to Barney and the bubbles toy, he was entertained very well..much to the barber's delight who did his almost bald cut.

Comfort Nursing.

I just love how Asher looks calm and relax everytime he comfort nurse.


His smile, relaxation, contentment, the look of trust in his eyes that he's giving me...everything's just priceless. It's a nice feeling that I'm able to comfort and reassure him. And with that, I'm really determined to breastfeed him, albeit tough, for as long as I can.

I know that by giving him my breast milk I'm not only passing him the nutrients he needs to thrive physically in his childhood but the comfort he needs to thrive mentally and emotionally into his adulthood.

What I Love About The Online World.

The internet surely has its own pros and cons. But since I'm an internet junkie, I'd craze on what I love most about the internet.

1. I get to earn at the comfort of our home while being a Stay-At-Home-Mom.
2. Even though I am just confined at home, my social life isn't suffering because I have my online friends to interact with everyday. They've become my closest confidantes these days.
3. I have the means to get in touch with my family who are based abroad and friends worldwide whom I haven't got in touch with for the longest time.
4. I can shop without toiling the heat outside and spending money on transpo.
5. I learn a lot about anything in this world from parenting to technology to health, etc. Gone are the days when you have to open encyclopedias to research.
6. I am abreast with new techniques about my current interests and hobbies: digital scrapbooking and photography
7. I can access and transfer funds through online banking without falling in line and waiting for my turn in the bank. I pay my bills and insurance online even so banking at my home is one of the smartest thing that the internet can do.
8. I can download and watch movies online for free. Thanks to symbianize for that very cool access.
9. Lastly, I get to chronicle, journal and share my experiences and thoughts as a Mom here in this blog.

How about you, don't you just love the internet?

Asher at 14 Months Week 4.

My toddler this week according to Baby Center:

Does your toddler sometimes hurt other children? It's not surprising — many toddlers act out in this way. The good news is that he doesn't mean to inflict pain on his playmates. When he pulls another child's hair, he's either fascinated by the reaction it provokes or copying another child's behavior. Making a fellow child yell or cry seems like great fun at this age. The best response is to gently but firmly stop the hurtful behavior and redirect his attention. The more he gets a rise out of you, the more likely he is to repeat the behavior.

Sadly and sometimes frustratingly, Asher's in this stage. He's starting to misbehave, throw tantrums whenever he's prohibited from doing what he likes. Often times, he's being called "sungit" because he has this way of pouting with two eyebrows meeting even while shouting when he isn't in the mood to coo back at you. Fortunately, he doesn't hit other kids naman, only, he avoids them whenever one gets near him or attempt to hug him. Glad to hear it's just pretty normal...but it surely is tough to handle such situations.

Well Baby Checkup.

Asher had his well baby checkup last Friday. He now weighs 10.5 kilos...a half kilo gain from last month. He also received his Hepa A vaccine and he's due to receive his typhoid vaccine next checkup. We were advised to continue his food supplement and vitamins at the same dosage and give him more variety of table foods. She was amazed with the number of teeth he has now and said that they develop a bit faster than the average of his age. The pedia didn't bother to ask how he's developing mentally and physically because Asher was so in the mood and showcased his antics. He walked and roamed around the room and showed how he can expertly balance and walk on his own. She asked about how Asher's doing with his speech development if he's now able to imitate sounds and syllables of real words. I reported that he has a number, like "di" for daddy, "ish" for fish, "bu" for ball, "baba" for bye bye (which he did when we're readying to leave the clinic as he waved) and so on.

I also told the Pedia about my worries in the past weeks...Asher's inconsistent diarrhea (wet and frequent poo). One day he's passing out up to five times a day then the next day, back to his normal. She assured that as long as he's appetite is well and the diarrhea isn't associated with fever, vomitting or any unusual stuffs in the feces, he's just fine. Diarrhea is really common during the hot, summer days.

My Second Mother's Day Celebration.

I celebrated my second mother's day this year. If you're going to ask how was it like? It's definitely as fulfilling and delightful as my first but this year's much enjoyable especially that Asher, at 14 months, enjoys out-of-town trips and adventures. Together with my in-laws and my SIL's family, we trooped towards south and spent the mother's day weekend at Laiya. I've blogged about our experience and stay here. Although, we didn't have that much comfortable and relaxing stay because of the heavy rains, no dinner, getting lost on the way and other things that peeved us, I still was overly happy because I was with my boys. Asher enjoying the beach and playing in the resort's mini playground (set up's similar to rv parks), it was such a lovely sight to cherish. On the morning of Mother's day, they woke me up and greeted me with a kiss and gave their surprise gift to me..a Three and A Sun I love Pinas Black Shirt. I wasn't expecting this because we've agreed beforehand that our common gift (because hubby celebrated his birthday on the 14th) is the new lens for Nikky. Little did the husband know, my surprise birthday gift also to him was a Three and a Sun Black Defender Shirt. Terno!

Then I was as happy as a bee because hubby gave in to my wish that we attend the Mom Expo in Rockwell. It's such a blessing that the ride back to Manila was fast so we were able to attend the expo at its last 2 hours. We got my expo loot bag, roamed around the venue, bought Prokids diapers (plus we got a free toy) and Cycles powder soap. We also bought 2 copies of Baby Magazine's May issue..why two? Because we saw that our (Asher and I) pictures are included in the Me and My Sweet Mama Gallery..what a sweet mother's day surprise, isn't it? One copy goes to the number one fan of Asher, his Lola Liz. We didn't hang around that long in the expo since we were still tired from the long drive besides I don't have enough money to spend on those tempting cute baby stuffs. I did have fun though window shopping.

We didn't dine out anymore because we set it on another day later that week in time with hubby's birthday. Thank you to my dearest hubby and especially to my little Asher, for continuously letting me enjoy motherhood. I love you both!

Gymboree Memorial Sale.

Gymboree is holding another sale ongoing through May 25th with savings up to 60% off. What a good deal, isn't it? I've browsed the on sale items and these are the shirts I wanted to get Asher. Take note of the huge discounts! Aren't they a great steal?


Unfortunately, I don't have the extra moolah to splurge right now. Perhaps, I'll wait for the next sale period then.

Online Drugstore.

We visited Asher's pedia last Friday for his well baby checkup. Since it was a Friday, patients on the corridor were scarce and in fact, we didn't wait for our turn when we arrived as we were right away attended. The corridor was true enough empty with patients but the first clinic on the hallway was so crowded with newly delivered medical stuffs and supplies. I used to work for a company's purchasing department so I had an idea how is it like to handle deliveries and the like. The one in charge, I'm not sure if it's the assistant but she has a stethoscope around her neck, was a bit troubled counting and checking the deliveries and even a bit complaining at the delivery man. I've overheard that there are some orders missing or that sort, difficulty in ordering and delayed deliveries issues. Well, it reminded me about the advantage of ordering medical equipment and home health care supplies from Allegro Medical. For more than a decade now, they've been serving millions of customers in the US. Ordering is an easy task since all one has to do is browse their categories, select the items and just wait for a quick delivery turnaround time.

10 Ways to Love our Kids (& our Spouses)

I got this from the breastfriends e-groups. And they are absolutely good words to live by.

1) listen without interrupting. (Proverbs 18)

2) speak without accusing. (James1:19)

3) give without sparing. (Proverbs 21: 26)

4) pray without ceasing. (Colossians 1:9)

5) answer without arguing. (Proverbs 17:1)

6) share without pretending. (Ephesians 4:15)

7) enjoy without complaint. (Philippi ans 2:14)

8) trust without wavering. (Corinthians 13:7)

9) forgive without punishing. (Colossians 3:13)

10) promise without forgetting. (Proverbs 13:12)

Toddler Journal Book.

Check out these My First Five Years Journal Book from Anne Geddes. It's actually a baby book but since it covers the first five years of the kid, it's more of a toddler journal book. And for just $19.50, chronicling your tot's milestones, development and growth is never as easy and colorful as this.



Description: Hardbound for longevity and filled with Anne Geddes images, this journal has been carefully and thoughtfully designed to help you record the milestones and special moments in your baby’s life from birth to age five. The journal includes: my birth, my first birthday, tooth fairy, a lock of hair, my footprint, and other special milestones.

* Measures approximately 10.5" x 7.5" or 26.5 cm x 19cm
* You may choose from 3 different cover editions:
Cover 1 – Red Rose
Cover 2 – Lotus
Cover 3 – Moth Orchid

The 2-in-1 Gift.

So here's what I got for Mother's Day.

It's actually a 2-in-1 gift since hubby and I share this in celebration of 2 special occasions which were just days apart...mother's day and hubby's birthday. And yes, we've been longing and yearning for this ever since we got our Nikky last December. We have already got the feel of having a SLR through its kit lens and we think that it's about time to explore and enjoy the other lenses' wonders. There were surely other items in my wish list for mother's day like a sterling silver bracelet, an amethyst (my birthstone) earrings or a watch but I decided to forego any of these for the mean time. Perhaps, these items will sit on top of my Christmas wish list this year. I've already bookmarked the Holsted jewelers' site so it would be readily available if in case the husband will use the laptop and who knows he might take a hint what I want. Clever idea, right? Holsted Jewelers are the makers of designed jewelries, gifts and accessories with the highest standards in terms of quality, craftmanship and style.

Back to the 2-in-1 gift, check out my flickr gallery for the recent shots taken by our new 50 mm f/1.8 lens.

Slacking.

It just dawned on me that I haven't updated this blog of mine much in the last 7 days. (What?? Just one entry in between two Mommy Moments which is a Friday weekly prompt?) Bad bad bad blogger and what a slacker, huh. Oh well, that's the effect of being empty-handed with tasks for days now.

At any rate, I'm going to list down first the things I'll be blogging about this weekend just so I won't forget:
1. Mother's Day celebration
2. Asher's well baby checkup this month
3. Updates about Asher
4. Birthday Party Photobook updates
5. Hubby's birthday celebration and the pig out session we had that now requires some Decaslim to drive the unwanted fats away.

Sheesh, I just hope I'll be able to find time to accomplish all these this weekend or else, it'll be another update-less week ahead again.

Mommy Moments: Silly Moments.

Asher is definitely one happy, giddy little boy. He's just 14 months yet he certainly knows how to goof around and he enjoys it when everyone around him laughs at his silly face-making antics.

WW: Fun In the Sand

Just a sneak preview of our Laiya getaway.

Mommy Moments: Happy Mommy Moments.

Belated Happy Mom's Day to all my Mommy friends out there. Pardon the late greeting because we were out of town the whole weekend to celebrate.

Anyway, here's my take for this week's Mommy Moments prompt.

I have tons of happy mommy moments but I'd like to share this particular photo because this is the pic that got published in this month's issue of Baby Magazine under the "Me and My Sweet Mama" Gallery. Cute, isn't it?

Asher's First Haircut Experience.

After we kept on postponing Asher's first haircut since his 1st birthday, it finally pushed through last May 1..a day before he turned 14 months. We set off early last Friday since we kinda expected that the malls will get crowded due to the storewide weekend sales. We arrived at Cuts 4 Tots in SM The Block at 11 AM. Asher was third on the queue so to kill time and while we waited, we went to nearby Toy Kingdom to buy someone's baby a birthday gift. Asher saw the balls and he kept on pointing to it so his Daddy bought him a pair of small plastic balls for Php 50 just to pacify him and to have something to keep him occupied while having his haircut. When we returned at the barber shop for kids, we just waited a few more minutes before Asher was asked to sit down on the car-designed chair. We let Asher had a feel of it first and as expected he liked it. He got kinda fussy when he was being prepped up as he looked at me and was requesting that I pick him up. Thanks to the Barney DVD they played, his attention was diverted to it. The first cut was done by the Daddy following the old belief that the first ever haircut should be done by someone who's brainy so the baby will likewise grow smart. Although I believe that even if it wasn't the Daddy who cut it first, Asher will grow smart still because it's in the genes (naks!). Generally, the barber didn't had a tough time cutting or should I say shaving his head with a razor. He was so behaved and still and he didn't cry at all until the session ended. We'll be contacted by Cuts 4 Tots if the Certificate of First Haircut is ready for pick up in 2 weeks. We availed the certificate package (Php 150 + Php 280 for the haircut) sans the before and after photos since we have our own cam naman. We're just after the cute certificate where the first cut lock of hair will also be included. Here are a few of his first haircut pictures.


The Before and After Look

Click on the image to view my Flickr set
Now a lot is asking why an "uno" haircut. Actually my in laws, ever since, were suggesting Asher to go bald on his first haircut para daw kumapal ang buhok and we (husband and me) on the other hand were adamant about it because, personally, of fear that Asher wouldn't look good with it. But when the barber showed me pics of the "uno" style which he suggested by the way, Paul and I agreed. He looks good naman in a shaolin look di ba? All the more that he looks a little Chinese baby now.

The Ideal Mother's Day Gift.

Clueless what to gift your mom, wife, aunt, grandma this coming Mother's Day? Before resorting to weight loss pills, household items or any thing that pops into your mind, consider the following guide of Mother's Zodiac so you'll have an idea the possible gifts that the Mom you're gifting will surely appreciate.

And for my husband who's an avid reader of this blog, consider yourself lucky. Read on about my zodiac, isn't it it's so me? (Yes, even the gift suggestion). :)

Pisces Mothers
Feb 19-Mar 20

Pisces mothers live in their own world of fantasy, dream and creativity. Pisces mothers are good hearted and compassionate. They live their life in their own style. Fancy and creativity are their support systems and on this special day, you should help her to daydream and fantasize. Take her to a place where reality is on the edge for sometime, helping her to express her childlike purity and inquisitiveness. Make her feel that you truly understand her real nature and you will get to know that your mother is truly enjoying herself.

Ideal Mother's Day Gift: As Piscean mothers are daydreamers and live in the world of fantasy, they should be gifted something which is calming and soothing. It will help her to escape for the time being. The idea of going to a peaceful place can be a very good present for the lady.

Thanks Aggie for the tag in Facebook.

14th Month Updates.

Asher turns 14 months today and as always, here are his 14th month updates and notes:

1. Finally had his first haircut on May 1, 2009.
2. He still has a set of 8 teeth. Still no signs of any uprooting teeth.
3. Can mimic the "Mukhasim" portion of Wowowee and makes his sourest face.
4. He hates to see Mommy crying. He puts away my hands to uncover my face then he kisses me on the lips so I'll stop crying na.
5. He knows how to say and hand signals "lagot" when a thing falls or crashes on the floor even if he was the one who caused it.
6. Definitely had a bigger hearty appetite. He's getting heavier real fast.
7. He abhors eating meat unless it's grinded very well. He can't seem to swallow it even if it's minced to tiny strands. On the other hand, he loves every veggies we give him: eggplant, malunggay, upo, patola, squash.
8. He can imitate some sounds that we ask him to say like "Kylie"..he says "ayeee". With Asher, he can say the first syllable "ey" but with the "sher", he'd say "sshhh" or "je".
9. Fears to come near cockroaches but loves searching for them.
10. Since he can walk on his own steadily, he loves pulling his wheeled toys as he roam around the house.
11. New favorite commercial is Camella Homes "Bulilit" and Payless.
12. When asked, how do you kill a cockroach? He stomps his left foot very hard with matching "hmph" sound.
13. When asked, how do you kill a mosquito? He claps his hand one time and say "hmph".
14. Then his newest trick that he just learned a few minutes ago..if you ask how old is he, he makes a number one hand signal and says "wooo".

All Inclusive Cancun Resort Experience.

Summer's mid-through already and if you're like us who haven't gone to the beach still, now's the best time to do so. If you have the means to explore the beaches of the other side of the world, the Mexican Riviera Maya is the place to see and experience. Karisma Hotels offers affordable and discounted all inclusive cancun resort packages for the jetsetter families. Great resorts, delectable food, unique amenities, outstanding service - what else not to craze about their Riviera Maya vacation packages? They promise nothing to their guests but a one of a kind and truly relaxing vacation experience.

Moms, What's A Day In Your Life Like Contest.

Just answer this question and you could win yourself some prizes from Mommy Matters and Expo Mom '09 Sponsors. This is still in line with Expo Mom 2009 (A Discovery Expo for Moms & their Families) on May 9 and 10 at the Rockwell Tent.

Post your answers on this page on or before May 6. They will choose 5 of the best answers to win a special gift from Expo Mom.

Winners will be announced here and on Mommy Pages Online on May 7. Prizes may only be claimed at Expo Mom.

Mommy Moments: Doctor, Doctor Am I Sick?

November 8 - 11, 2008 were the days when, as a Mom, my faith was tested to the limits. These were the days when Asher, at 8 months old, got confined in the hospital due to bronchial asthma. Few weeks earlier, he contracted a stubborn cough that went on for weeks. Later, he didn't have the appetite to eat nor drink his milk from me. And actually, that also worried his Pediatrician that he ordered for his immediate admission since he was passing out watery poos, vomiting then doesn't drink milk. He needed to be kept hydrated, thus, the IV. Further he needed a more intense nebular treatment.

Here's an excerpt of the blog post I made about this experience:

The IV insertion was the moment that I dreaded the most. It was the most difficult and if I may add, traumatic part for me. I mustered all my guts to see and be with Asher while the doctor inserted the IV on him. He was "wrapped" helplessly with a blanket (to control his expected rowdiness and reaction) then afterwards, he was shrieking and bawling as soon as a needle poked him. To make matter worse, the first attempt on his left foot was unsuccessful (it wasn't placed in the arms because they can't locate a nice vein to insert to) so they had to poke and try again on the other foot. It's really a heartbreaking experience seeing him in pain. I was hugging him and touching his face all throughout this ordeal, whispering words of love and comfort. The husband, who's as shabby as I was, went to a corner and tried to avoid the whole scene. I told him later that he has to be strong because Asher could feel his weakness, all the more it'd be difficult for him. The husband perhaps realized what I said and he stood beside us and joined me in consoling Asher who was still shrieking because it took some time before the whole IV thing got settled.

I bet everyone will agree that it's such a heartbreaking experience to witness your child suffering and crying for help and the least you can do is just hush, embrace and assure him that everything will be alright. As we went through this ordeal, I realized that it's really tough being a parent and the only armor you have is to anchor deep your faith in Him.

Count On Them.

Nowadays, more and more road accidents are unceasingly featured on the daily news. Motorcycle accidents, car mishaps, collapsed tankers and so on often involving casualties and sometimes, even claim lives. Accidents do happen no matter how much we avoid it. However, we can manage to escape with the least impact and injuries if only each and every drivers exercise utmost care and vigilance. Life can be very tough if one gets involved in an accident and sustain an Austin personal injury . Good thing that there's O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath in Texas that the oppressed can turn to in times of injury no matter how great the damage is. This law firm will take charge in handling your case giving nothing but the best service and assurance that you will get what you deserve and the justice that you are aiming to have. They're the firm to count on.