Our Wednesday White, wordless!

Stand up and walk!

My happiness... to see my baby getting herself ready to face and walk with the world. 

 

We will always be at your side:) cheering you up every time you fall...

  When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, 
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, 
When the funds are low and the debts are high, 
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, 
When care is pressing you down a bit, 
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns, 
As every one of us sometimes learns, 
And many a failure turns about, 
When he might have won had he stuck it out; 
Don't give up though the pace seems slow-- 
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than, 
It seems to a faint and faltering man, 
Often the struggler has given up, 
When he might have captured the victor's cup, 
And he learned too late when the night slipped down, 
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out-- 
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, 

And you never can tell how close you are, 
It may be near when it seems so far, 
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-- 
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
- Author unknown

Dear Ivy,

you are growing so fast! Look at you...

I hope someday (when tough days are already part of you life) Remember this poem and remember these days--when learning to stand up is the hardest thing to do, these days when falling down over and over won't stop you to learn. Stay brave! and never quit...because you are strong from the very start, and you will always be!

Moments like this one... is a perfect Mommy Moments for me 

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Wipe it all!

Apart from looking for a perfect diaper for baby (Diaper: To change or not to change), we also hoped to find a brand of a baby wipes that we could use other than our trusted brand, Johnson's.

Johnson's baby Skin care wipes ultra sensitive fragrance free cost us 159.00php for 80 pieces of cloth wipes that will only last for a week or less. Despite the price, it took us months to risk other brands because Johnson's brand proved their quality especially when it comes to moisturizing baby's skin and strength. Cloth wipes made by Johnson's are soft and moist making it ideal to use in cleaning baby's bottom. We are also using Johnson's baby messy times that is gentle for cleaning sticky hands and face during meal time. one of the items listed on my post "Must-bring"

In search of  a new brand of baby wipes, we wanted it to be just exactly like of Johnson's--soft, moisturizes baby's delicate skin, strong, not so thick; but cheaper :)

A few months ago, we bought Unscented Nursery Baby Wipes. One pack has 66 pieces of alcohol-free and silky soft cloth wipes. Each wipes are thick and strong but not as soft as Johnson's, they're not as moist either. They can be ideal for home use but not for baby's delicate skin. I am actually using them to clean toys, cribs, spills, and even in dusting my laptop keyboard *grin*

Yesterday we bought another brand to try on. Pure Joy, one that is formulated with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E. Its cost is less than a hundred pesos (~89php, correct me if I'm wrong, I lost the receipt) for 80 pieces of alcohol-free powder scent cloth wipes. They are thick and are strong enough that I cannot tear then into half. I usually tear-off Johnson's wipe into two  to maximizes its use. One piece of cloth from any brand is quite big that you can't actually use all sides because when you clean baby during diaper change you only wipe once, you don't wipe repeatedly to and fro; you have to pull another piece if needed to avoid spreading baby's poo and wee. The most common of infection among baby's is using only one piece of cloth wipes, rubbing the same wipe to clean the whole area.

Pure Joy baby wipes looks reliable. I'll find out if buying a pack of baby wipes that is cheaper than Johnson's can help us save. Today, our dispenser tub of Johnson's Baby Skin Care wipes needs a refill, we will use Pure joy :)

Disclaimer: The author did not receive any compensation or cash payment in writing this post; the author does not mean to persuade readers and has no intention to promote either. This is an honest opinion.

Wordless Wednesday

Diapers: To Change or not to change

Disclaimer: The author did not receive any compensation or cash payment in writing this post; the author does not mean to persuade readers and has no intention to promote either. This is an honest opinion.

Diapers become part of our everyday life; becoming a parent only means adding diapers on the list of our basic needs other than supplies of milk formula and baby wipes. For modern young mothers”, gone are those days of extra work loads for caretakers in washing soiled cloth diapers—unlike with disposable, all you have to do is to roll the diaper into its backsheet, fasten to keep it close and dispose! Gone are those days of a smelly baby room because you got one pail of wet and dirty cloths in one corner, gone are those days of beds soiled of urine and poops, gone are those days of using safety pins that is still risky for active babies.

However, Cloth diapering has gone a long way and it is rather becoming more popular nowadays.  We actually wanted to try using cloth diapers. My partner asked me once “what can we get from cloth diapering?” I told him “they’re cute! They come in prints!” *grin* More than the stylish prints, I know cloth diapering can save us a lot. I sometimes free baby from wearing diapers for an hour or two (only after she poops) because she wears diaper 24/7! Wearing wet diapers is actually bad despite what the diaper companies promised us with a 12-hr dryness and great absorbency. We don’t actually wait for 12 hours before we change one diaper after another;  we change every time the baby poops, after bath, we change when going out, we change when baby woke up from a nap, we before bedtime—making us consume an average of 10 diapers in 24 hours, spending nearly a hundred everyday just for baby’s diaper. That is too much already.

Other reason why we want to consider cloth diapering includes:

• Environment-friendly and with than it can lessen feeling of guilt for filling the landfills with materials that will take hundred of years to break—our daughter is not the only baby who wears disposable diaper and I am not the only mommy who does the throwing.
• Washable/re-usable
• They’re no longer use safety pins or diaper clips, cloth diaper also comes in buttons and tapes
• Using cloth diaper gave us and the baby a reason to potty train earlier

However, we are still using disposable diapers because it will cost us a bit in order to get started. The last time we checked it will cost us around 600php for a piece of cloth diapers and we cannot be using only one piece J it will worth a try though.

We resolve to find a disposable diaper that has all the quality of the one we used to have but only cheaper. During her first month, Ivy used Pampers New Baby. They are soft, perfectly fit for baby thus; we never had problems with leaks.

We then switched to Pampers Active baby (I copied product description because it is factual)

• It absorbs fast, keeps baby dry, no leaks
• Made with an extra-locking layer that keeps baby dry even under pressure
• It has a soft cotton like outer cover with the needed breathability to help prevent irritation
• expands and contracts for comfortable fit around the waist to help baby move freely
•  it contains skin Care ingredients ( Hypo allergenic lotion with aloe Vera extract) that helps gently protect baby skin and reduces rashes

First pick: "winny diaper" we heard from a friend. Accordingly, it is more of the “active diaper” likened to that of pampers product and it is 1.50php cheaper than pampers. I tried searching search engines and I was lead to winnie the pooh products and diaper bags *grin*.  Its no popular. We bought three pieces to try on.

Our first impression:

• It looks bulk—yes! baby became a bumble beeJ
•   It got cute prints, a teddy bear.  Although one piece of it has, a teddy bear printed upside down J not a big deal.
• Not so soft back sheet cover, likened to a thin paper
• I have no idea of the product, it is for me to find out J

Ivy’s impression:

Instead of playing Ivy keeps on touching and pulling the diaper to the point that she unfasten the tape of the diaper by herself, it even tear-open when she moves a lot. wearing this diaper made Ivy madly irritated. 

My view:  

• It also absorbs fast! And it keeps baby dry
• It is not meant for Ivy because Ivy isn’t the child who will just sit down in a corner to play, she moves a lot. The diaper easily tears off as she plays.
• That bulky look I mention above became even bulkier and creates lumps, I mean LUMPS! hard ones! A lot of lumps making it uncomfortable for baby to move
• It only took an hour and thirty minutes (even lesser) for urine lumps to developed
•  It’s not cheaper actually. A 1.50pho cheaper to be used for an hour is way too expensive when I can use pampers active baby for a longer period. I tried three pieces and each of them lasted for only an hour. Failed.

We ended up buying a bag of Pampers Active Baby the next day.

We’ll try other brands next time.. I'm open for suggestions. I'm looking for a diaper that could make baby comfortable but cheaper J 

Ivy Around the Circle

The Beta Sigma Fraternity UPHSL Chapter

BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY

early this afternoon members of the Beta Sigma Fraternity gathered to talked for this night's event, 35th Anniversary to be held at our place...

Nothing is actually unusual, we are surrounded by frat men thus to hang out with them is like part of our daily routine. They've became our "neighbors" in a sense they're always around us. Everyday we talked to them, laugh with them, hang-out with them because we are part of them.

Some tend to call Ivy a Betan Baby although there is no such thing as that. Having a Betan father and mother (even grandfather and Uncles,yes we are all members of Beta Sigma Fraternity) will not make Ivy a Betan in an instant, and I am praying she will never be one of us. Joining a fraternity will neither make you less or will complete you a person. I hope I can make her believe that joining a fraternity has nothing to do with her life, and how can i possibly explain to her when we are all members. 

"Summer is hotter with Banana Boat Sunscreen Lotion, Shick, & Nuffnang"

My ideal “Nuffnang summer” is to spend a week kissing the sun; that I wake up every morning excitedly because we are having a sunbath by the beach, and in the afternoon just before the sun set we will have a lazy walk down the shore.


This is what I'm believing: 


Summer is not just about being sun at its highest, its not actually about the time to clean the filter of our air conditioner unit for it to function fully, and most of all its not about a blushing cheeks because it is way too ho. Summer means kissing the sun and going places. There is a breezy-windy warm life beyond an air-conditioned room.

When sun is at its highest that is when the fun peaks!

 

Let not the sun stop us from making fun!


Making good memories under the sun calls more a maximum skin protection. “Banana Boat Sunscreen Lotion. We’ve got you covered” can be of great help. We may enjoy summer even without this kind of products, but summer can be a well spent summer when after the fun we don't worry over sun burnt skin. 

In addition, we can't spoil our own summer adventure just because we forgot to shave the night before our activities, too much excitement can make us forget. Years ago during one of our summer  vacations my friend tend to shout "whoever fails to raise their hands forgot to shave" and we all burst out with laughter! It was funny but this kind of summer disaster is too common. "Schick. Free your skin." and free you from worries as well:)

Love summer! Make it cool! 

And again, my ideal Nuffnung Summer is exactly like this one, only this time I want it to spend with my own family.  

Random summer fun pics

Dora Canister

Dora went home before lunch time with a Dora the Explorer Canister free of Mister Donut when you buy a dozen of smidgets

but it turns out that she is rather interested with the Smidgets! yummy yum!
we didn't give her a bite of the smidgets though...Mom and Dad ate them all!!!
Thanks Daddy!

Saturday's Top 5 Laugh

Week is about to end; after lblogging on how thankful I am being a stay-at-home mom, I might as well join this blog hop Saturday's Top 5 laugh.

Because it is indeed a week filled with laughter and fun...

The Top five moments that made us laugh this week:

1. The pillow game never failed us. My daughter loves it when I encircle her with Pillows. She burst out with laughter every time we play this kind of game. Her faces during the play make me laugh each time I remember. To read about our pillow game CLICK HERE.

2. She is such a tease. Our neighbor find our daughter adorable that she tend to hug our baby so tightly, rock her hard, swaying her, and touch her all over! In return, Ivy would rather turn away every time she is near or by just hearing our neighbor’s voice, sometimes pull her hands off when she is touched.  It can drive my daughter mad that she scream rather than cry in fear.  This morning after Ivy cried because of our neighbor, because of "you are so adorable baby" Ivy seems to find way to get even J She called neighbor’s attention by raising her hand as if she wanted to tell, “Get me! Get me”, but every time neighbor gets near Ivy would turn away and giggles. WE all burst out with laughter

3. I recently personalized our wall with her name making use of a Barbie Alphabet Flashcard we got from the nearest bookstore (CLICK HERE). Yesterday I caught Ivy talking to one of the Barbie cards, she simply stare at one nearest her crib and babbles continuously. I find that too funny, oh my! I’m seeing a little girl who will someday become a best friend of an imaginary kids J

4. My daughter doesn't want to be disturbed every single time she poops.  So yesterday, I intentionally put my child in her crib so she can play without me worrying that she will fall from bed and to give her a silent moment as well. Suddenly I sensed her she is poop-ing. When I went near, she readily holds to the crib railing like saying “no! Don’t disturb me, I’m not done yet!”

5. These facial expression made it to my top 5 laugh: Some of our “Today I eat" moment/ her first to eat the following solid food:

how to play with Lily the Frog

Indeed, Phonic bus is not just to learn ABC's (read post about our Phonic bus HERE)
Let Ivy demonstrate ways to play with Lily the frog of leap frog
1. Look for Lily the Frog, you got to find her first!

2. Try to put Lily the Frog where she is supposedly be at

3. Eat her while you watch your favorite TV show?

Enjoy Everyone!!!

Related articles

• Phonic bus is not just to learn ABC's (tim-charlotteivymarie.blogspot.com)

A Thankful Stay-at-Home Mom

It is not how life is; it is how we see our life.  Being thankful is a good start to make our lives even more meaningful. 

There is no such thing as "SMALL thing". Some photographs are meaningful even it is just a plain stone or it was a worn-out stuffs mainly because most photographer know which side/angle to capture. Life is beautiful, the world is beautiful, and every day single day is a blessing. Small details left unappreciated although in reality they are the ones that made GOOD-BIG-THINGS possible.

First, I am thankful that I joined the Blog Hopping weekend last night that I ended up reading a blog post “thankful Thursday” this morning.  It got me thinking on what are the things that I should be grateful as a stay-at-home-mom.

My thankful Thursday starts with my daughter; and everything else follows J

For the past months, I have been considering to pursue my post-graduate studies and practice medicine in the nearest future. I only have to complete two major subjects to become a medical clerk but for some good reason I finally decided not to. I just have to deal with “losing my identity” issues  as well as being alienated from the outside world for staying at home and be satisfied with life just by watching a baby grow, noting all her “first-time-moment”. With that, it is not actually about losing identity. It is more of switching identity from a supposed professional working mother to a certified stay at home mother who is available 24 hours in seven days a week—no day-off!

I am thankful that God is renewing His Gift to me every time: A heart filled with acceptance, so that instead of being doomed, I am not; Instead of feeling incomplete that I was not able to fulfil my dream to become a physician, He has given me a promised that I am always complete because I am a mother.

I am thankful that instead of getting frustrated with loads of laundry and endless washing of feeding bottle, I am happy and overwhelmed by the beauty of being a mother.

I am thankful that I am always willing to make ordinary days extraordinary. At the end of the day, I am giving a chance to smile—my baby is sleeping peacefully every night (almost) as if she wanted to tell me she had fun. I am thankful too that because of this, we are always looking forward for another fun-filled day.

I am thankful that my baby is not sick, is not grumpy, and is always happy.

I am thankful that God provides.

More blessing to each and everyone! 


I'm also joining Mommy moments today :) Lately, I realized meeting other mom is rewarding...My first time to join! 

I provided link to the stories of what happened to us this week:

• This week Ivy turned 7 Months: @Seven Months

• I Noticed that Ivy is fascinated with Mickey Mouse: Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse

• and how she loves our Pillow Game:  Our Own Version of Pampers Play play Everyday

Thanks God for this wonderful week!