Mommy BLoggers Philippines' Spooky Circus Halloween

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Mommy Bloggers Philippines' Spooky Circus Halloween

Last October 17, 2015, Team Hernandez braved Typhoon Lando to attend Mommy Bloggers Philippines' Spooky Circus Halloween in Sky Ranch Tagaytay. We're thrilled since it was Baby Charley's first Halloween and Trick or Treating Party ever.

Sky Ranch  in Tagaytay offered a perfect venue for the event since it was attended by many mommies and their cute babies and kids in their loveliest costumes ever. Plus Mommies and kids also enjoyed Ride-All-You-Can at Sky Ranch that day!

Each guest enjoyed a delicious meal from Kenny Rogers before the actual program started. We were all served with 1 pc chicken, rice, muffin, a side dish, and iced tea. It was perfect after travelling from Makati to Tagaytay with a restless baby on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Mommy Bloggers Philippines' Spooky Circus Halloween was hosted by the amazing, talented, and super funny, Magic Meister, Poch Albiso. He was a man of many characters! He was the magician, the balloon twister, the host, the game coordinator, the ventriloquist, and the ultimate entertainer in the event. We all had a great time with all of his funny antics. I could say that all of his jokes were super benta! Oh, if only we had not yet settled Baby Charley's first birthday, we would surely invite him!

(c) http://pocholo.synthasite.com/

A parade of costumes followed after. Babies and kids with adorable costumes lined up on stage so that mommies could vote for their three favourites. There were many cute kids in the event - ghosts, ninjas, Disney princesses, fairies, bees, mermaids, Buzz Light Year, Ninja Turtle, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, witches, crayons, and many more. 

Baby Charley on stage and she's nailing it! :) 

With the other babies

Third place winners were Mariel Lutz as Snowwhite and Jelvin Alvarado as Ninja. 

Second place winner was Rafael Plaida as the Ninja Turtle. 

Baby Charley as Princess Leia from Star Wars was the First Place winner! She got to take home a donut tower plus 24 pieces of Krispy Kreme donuts! 

Of course, all kids enjoyed the games and Bring Me's presented by the Magic Meister. Not to mention those kids and mommies who won in the raffle like the tickets to Disney on Ice and other goodies from our sponsors.

Indeed, it a was fun-filled day for every one. Mommy Bloggers Philippines Spooky Circus Halloween was made possible by our generous sponsors (Nodo 3+, Krispy Kreme, Araneta Center, Summit Media, URC, Yeah Shoot Photobooth, Lock and Lock, first Vita, JArdine Distribution, and Jollibee)  and a team of mommies who love this blogging community. 

See you next year, Mommies! 

Baby Charley's Halloween Costume

Baby Charley's Halloween Costume 

It's Halloween once again, and this year is very special because it's Baby Charley's first! What makes it more special is that it's also her first Trick or Treat as our family is part of Mommy Bloggers Philippines' 2nd Spooky Circus Halloween at Sky Ranch Tagaytay this October 17.

The Options 
We prepared and personalised each treat for the kids. Baby Charley may be too young to enjoy the treats, but she's cute enough to join the costume contest. My first choice for her was Madeline, the little French girl. I was thinking Baby Charley would look so cute when she wore the little blue dress with red ribbon and yellow fedora. However, Madeline has short hair while my daughter is sooo kalbo. 

Our first choice, Madeline. (c) Pinterest 

Perhaps she could be Charley Brown instead? She'd just wear a yellow shirt and a pair of brown shorts and shoes. I must say, I like the pun, too.

Option # 2: Charlie Brown

Her Ninang Ella then bought her a fish costume, Baby Charley looked so cute and fat on her costume, she'd be cutest and chubbiest clown fish ever!

We were already prepared to make her a fish when I told her Ninang Debbie about it. She said the fish and the Madeline costumes were too simple, and if I wanted, she could even make a fairy dress for Baby Charley!

It was then that an idea struck me. Maybe she could make a costume for Baby Charley? I really wanted the Madeline costume (the literature buff in me), but I also wanted her to be unique so she could stand out.

Please make her a Star Wars costume, I said. Maybe a Girl Yoda or Princess Leia.

But my roommate (my husband, btw) was very firm that Baby Charley wouldn't be Yoda. She has often been mistaken for a baby boy several times, and he'd prefer it if the costume would be a girl. Princess Leia it is.

The Dress 

Princess Char-leia

There's no problem making Baby Charley's dress, It's just a long sleeve ankle-length white dress. It was then accessorised with a grey snap-on belt with white crystals. Actually the material used for Baby Char-leia's dress was just extra from the dress made for another customer. How tipid was that?!

The Hair 
Princess Leia has these cute rich buns on each side of her head. These buns are her ultimate trademarks. However, Baby Charley doesn't have much hair, so it was big problem for us because she couldn't be Princess Char-leia without those buns. They gotta be there!

After much experimenting and googling we finally found a solution, DIY! With three plastics of dark brown yarn, an old baby cap, and some dark threads, Ninang Debbie worked on her magic. After jsut a few days, our Princess Char-leia's costume and headdress were ready the Trick or Treat.


R2D2, not the lunch box
Princess Leia's favourite sidekick, R2D2, would surely complete Baby Charley's costume. Although it could still be made, it might take time and might not make it to the event.

Tita Cecille to the rescue! 

My good friend and Baby Charley's loved tita, fortunately, loves Star Wars, so it was no surprise that her lunch box is no other than R2D2. It even makes this crazy robot's beeps and blinks. It was the perfect sidekick for Baby Charley during the event.

R2D2 lunchbox

The Force Was With Us
On the day of Mommy Bloggers Philippines' Spooky Circus Halloween at Sky Ranch, Baby Charley wore her Princess Leia costume. She was sooooo cute and became an instant hit with many mommies there. I was happy that Baby Charley cooperated and was in a good mood all day. There were also many cute kids in the event - ghosts, ninjas, Disney princesses, fairies, bees, mermaids, Buzz Light Year, Ninja Turtle, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, witches, crayons, and many more. I could say that Baby Charley was an obvious product of geek parents.

The happiest contest on stage! 

Princess Snowwhite won third place while the Ninja Turtle won second place .

The force was strongest with us because Baby Charley won first place!

The cutest Star Wars Princess ever! 

Yay! We got to take home a huge donut tower and 24 honey glazed donuts - all from our favourite Donut place, Krispy Kreme! Plus some bragging rights that Baby Charley won best in costume, which would last until the next halloween! :D

Our prize plus 24 donuts! 

Here are some Baby Charley's cuteness as Princess Leia. We can't wait for the next Halloween while Baby Charley doesn't have the vocabulary to argue with us.

With Bumblebee 

withe one of the ghosts! 

Perfect Long Weekend Getaway: Hello Kitty Town Malaysia

Perfect Long Weekend Getaway: Hello Kitty Town Malaysia  

For mommies here in the Metro, I'm sure the APEC long weekend holiday will excite you and the your kids - it could only mean one thing: travel time! For families with young babies like Baby charley, you might want to consider visiting Hello Kitty Town in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

As the name suggests, Hello Kitty Town is filled with lots of our beloved Sanrio characters dominated by the cutest cat ever, Hello Kitty. Okay, I'm gonna be a little bias here because I just love cats, but I promise you that Hello Kitty Town won't be a disappointment.

Going to Hello Kitty Town, which is in Johor Bahru, is easier if you're coming from Singapore instead of coming from Kuala Lumpur. We decided to book our travel thru Sistic Agency that offered Hello Kitty Town + Little Big House (for little boys), two-way coach transfer for S$70 or roughly Php2,500. The pick-up and drop off point was at the Singapore Flyer, a dinosaur-ish Ferris Wheel. There we checked in, verified our tickets, and grabbed a seat at the coach bus. It took us around 30-45 minutes to travel from SG Flyer to Malaysia.

After a couple of minutes from the Malaysian Immigration, we finally reached Hello Kitty Town! Other guests were dropped off at Legoland nearby. As we entered Hello Kitty Town, we were given two pink and blue sticker bracelets and a pink activity card.

Hello Kitty Town Malaysia is the very first Sanrio theme park outside Japan. It offers a teacup ride (the only ride actually in Hello Kitty Town; there are several others in the Little Big House on the second floor), Hello Kitty's house, Black House, and an entrance to Wishful Studio.

Hello Kitty House is a small cute house of Hello Kitty filled with every possible Hello Kitty stuff! Collectors and avid fans will surely drool on Hello Kitty cabinets, beds, stuff toys, picture frames, and Hello Kitty furniture and appliances. It was totally cuteness overload!!

The Black House is a dungeon-inspired attraction where we went on a special quest to save Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel. Upon entering, we received a lamp so that we could play and look for our symbols. As we exit, we needed to give the correct 5 letter code so that we could receive a certificate showing Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel free. Otherwise, our certificate would show them still imprisoned.

Inside the Wishful Studio, we enjoyed different activities like nail polish, cookie making, necklace making, costume party. Young girls will surely enjoy the activities here.

At 2 pm, there was a quick dance show featuring all our beloved Sanrio characters in colourful fiesta costumes. Young girls scream with glee as they watched Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel, Bad Badtz Maru, My Melody, Little Twin Stars, and others performed right in front of them!

The Little Big Club could be found on the 2nd and 3rd floor - a fun place for little boys that featured other beloved children's characters Barney, Pingu the Penguin, Angelina Ballerina, and Bob the Builder. Just like in Hello Kitty Town, these characters made appearances once in a while for photo ops for the whole family.

Soon, we got hungry so we had the cutest snack ever at the Hello Kitty Cafe downstairs. Hello Kitty inspired foods like waffles and icecream were just too cute to eat!

Beside the cafe were the Toys r Us and the Sanrio gift shop where they sell Sanrio items.

Two of my favorite Sanrio Characters 

It's good to note, though, that there were no Money Changer at Hello Kitty Town, so we had to pay everything with MY Rupee or using our VISA credit card except on the 2nd floor where they only accepted cash.

Hello Kitty Town is more Baby (Charley) friendly compared to other attractions and theme parks in Singapore. Here, young children could appreciate just being surrounded with cuteness, and the crowd and the heat would not overwhelm them.

When you bring your little ones here, prepare your wallets already as they (and you) could be tempted to bring home some Sanrio cuteness!

The First Birthday Party Debate

Baby Charley has a lot of batchmates; 8 babies in Assumption, 1 in our Apartment, and 2 cousins were all born on the same year as Charley's. Yes, so that means 11 first birthday parties this year! Baby Charley is the youngest among all, so my roommate (my husband, btw) and I could see how each of their first birthday parties went to help us answer,

"Are we throwing a first birthday party for Baby Charley?" 

First birthday parties are fun, especially if there are a lot of baby attendees! However, I personally don't think it is for everyone - especially if the mommy is as kuripot as me. Since there are still less than 3 months before Baby Charley's first birthday, my roommate and I could still discern well and hard whether or not Baby Charley would be having a party in December.

Here are our thoughts so far.

• There will be a lot of baby attendees! Imagine having lots of cute one year olds in the party, and it'll be the cutest day ever! However, since Baby Charley is just a baby, she probably won't remember much about her party and so would the other baby attendees. Therefore, we'll be spending for the entertainment of mommies, daddies, and titos in the party, and if that would be the case, we should have a drinking party instead. :)

• Babies, and parties, and baby parties are expensive. We have asked mommies of Baby Charley's batchmates about an estimate of how much they spent on their parties, and it was pretty big for some. Even if we're gonna DIY most of the party needs, we're still gonna spend lots on food, drinks, party favors, and entertainment (?). 

• We wish to personalize the event. Okay, I have big time issues about being a guest in my own event *cough! wedding!* and I wish to claim Baby Charley's birthday to be totally ours. So far, if ever, a birthday party will push through, we have thought of the simplest themes yet. A) Cat in the hat, and B)Blue and Yellow #weddingwhogoat 

Baby Charley oblivious of the
planning happening around her 

• It's a celebration of life! Friends and families know that we have long waited and prayed for Baby Charley, and her first birthday is indeed a celebration of our thanksgiving for this wonderful and super kulit na blessing. There's no better way to celebrate it than with families and friends who were one with us in prayers before.

• We're a simple family and wish everything to be intimate. If you have read my wedding story, you probably know by now that there were only a handful of people I could truly say I personally know, and this time, we really wish Baby Charley's event to be a simple, intimate affair. However, you guys probably don't know my mother and how she deals with parties. *sigh* 

• Baby Charley would probably not enjoy much. Unless the party involves making a mess, destroying furniture, and eating Bibions, Baby Charley would probably ignore the whole event. She got scared of the Grimace Mascot on one party we attended, so she probably would curse us if we bring one on her first birthday. 

So far, Team Hernandez has not reached any decision whether or not Baby Charley would be having a first birthday party. We still have 3 months to think about it, but if we ask Baby Charley, she'll probably say... 

Things that have Changed when Baby Charley Entered the Picture

Having a baby means huge changes for most couples, and we're one them, too. Here are a few things that have changed in our relationship and in our lives since our little kitten, our judgmental princess watermelon, and bedspace invader Baby Charley came.

1. Our Bodies
Unlike my roommate (my husband, btw), I was not particularly conscious with how I look and would always go for comfort over fashion. However, my body has undergone a drastic change in a span of one pregnancy. I have one of those ugh muffin tops, my PUPPP's scars are STILL there (thank heavens no kamot for me), and of course my C-section battle scar is unbearable to look at. Yeah, I have gained a few (maybe more) pounds, too.

My roommate, though has gained some beer belly, still remains his charming aura. Look at him. Just look at him, and you can say there is something wrong with the equation here. Yet he, God bless his MME Awardee soul, keeps reassuring me that I still look beautiful (even if I don't fit in my old skirts anymore) because I am a good wife and an awesome mother to Baby Charley. Tissue please. 

2. Where our Money Goes 
Whenever we shop for groceries, which are mostly for Baby Charley, we often kid her that we used to frequent the Chips section before, but now 99% of our money is spent on her Huggies Dry, Nan HW 2, and Mustela products. Before, we would save hard to catch the latest promo of PAL or Jetstar, but now we have to save (and work) harder for her monthly immunisation bills at Makati Med.

Indeed, our priorities on where to spend our money has changed big time! Often, my roommate has to say goodbye to his vanity rituals like foot spa, pedicure, and massage, and me on books and school supplies and cat stuff so that we could save up for Baby Charley's expensive monthly needs.

We're not complaining, though, because whenever there's extra in the budget, we splurge on Ruffles and Mt. Dew!

3. Our Social Circle 
Raising a child is also time-consuming, especially if it's just you and your partner in the house. Since we live alone in Makati and have decided not to have a yaya yet (somebody, save me!), my roommate and I could not say "yes" to all social gatherings we're invited to even if we really want to. Even if we desperately need to. Often, we find ourselves hanging out with married couples, too, sharing tip and experiences of raising a "feeling" toddler. We have also watched our girl friends and bros grow up and raise mini "thems" of their own.

However, we still understand that it could not just be us all the time. That's why we make sure that he still gets to hang out with his boys and I with my girls and avoid talking about Baby Charley unless they ask first because she's sooo cute and nomnomnomnom.

4. Our Routine 
During the first year of our marriage, we follow a simple routine: I work from 6 am to 8pm while he works from 6pm to 4am.That's why we're basically roommates to each other because we barely see each other. We would go on occasional drinking and movie dates on weekends and travelling on long weekends. All these changed when I got pregnant and when Baby Charley was born.

Regardless of the day of the week, Baby Charley wakes up at 5am and demands playtime until 9am for her naptime. When she wakes up, 30-45 minutes later, she has to go outside for some people and cats watching. Then she would eat her meal, have more playtime, crawl, climb, practice walking, destroy furniture until she's ready for her afternoon nap at around 2pm. We will then have a tiny window of opportunity to watch Naruto, read a book, chat, or sleep.

This.happens.everyday.

It may sound tiring and boring, but since we're already used to it, it has become fun time for us, too! Suddenly, watching people and cars pass by and cats fighting and making out has become entertaining, if not interesting. Naptime mid morning could be a bliss since we, too, have to wake up at 5...sometimes 4am. Finally, seeing Baby Charley grow right before our very eyes is simply heaven.

5. Our Hearts 
The biggest thing that has changed when we finally have Baby Charley in our lives is our heart. I'm not exactly a very patient person, yet I find myself waiting peacefully and calmly at the long queue by the doctor's clinic as I entertain an already inip child. Charley could be such a rascal at times and I'm sure she meant to test her limit (and my limited patience), but I would still snuggle her lovingly (and whisper, Humanda ka pag di ka na baby..joke!) and forgive her endlessly. We would also read with her over and over and over and over gain the book that she likes despite it lacking artistry and having a predictable plot. Seriously, could not even be considered literature! 

My roommate even has a bigger heart of making ultimate sacrifices for our family. Moreover, he doesn't get tired to pick her up when she cries for no apparent reason, play with her from dusk till dawn, and bring her outside even when he's tired, too.


We're not counting our sacrifices for her (or how much sleep I've been deprived of when she came), but rather, we're noting how blessed we are to have Baby Charley and how our lives and we have changed for good.

No Yaya, No Problem

Baby Charley is 8 months old, and my roommate (my husband, btw) and I have been married for 32 months, so that means we have been together for that long without a helper around. We both grew up with one, so it's a big adjustment for us, for me mostly, when my roommate decided that we're gonna try to live here in the big city with just us. Yikes!

Many are surprised that we seem to be pulling it off just fine. Nobody could have believed that I would survive that long since I have zero (0) domestic skills. But we're fine. We're fine. 

Living without a yaya around could pose a big problem for many household, and we understand them really well. We're just very fortunate because our schedules are tailor-fit for our family.

No yaya? No problem! 

First, we do all the chores ourselves while rearing a baby who's fuelled with millions of energies, so that could be a little tiring. Nope, a LOT tiring at times. Imagine coming home deadtired from work and the traffic, and you still have to wash the dishes and put the baby to sleep. Of course, we still have to clean the flat, fix the bed, cook, and wash the clothes. Therefore, to minimize our chores, my roommate and I just send our dirty clothes (minus the undies and baby Charley's dresses) to the laundry and simply buy our meals from our friendly neighborhood carinderia (except baby Charley's meals, of course!) 

Second, our couple time sometimes mean couple + Charley time. It's hard to go on a date with just us because we just can't leave baby Charley alone in the house because it's illegal...and it's not safe. and it's illegal. Even if we wanna watch a movie or hangout with friends, we have to schedule it really really well because no one will be left with Charley, and there's NO WAY I'm gonna make her bilin to the kapitbahay. To solve this, we sometimes use "lola time" to get away, I mean to have a break from baby Charley. Recently, we went on an afternoon date and watched the "Love Affair" with just us. And boy, it feels good! 

aaaww, we've seen this little seed grow! 

Third, we're usually affected with a curfew, baby Charley's curfew. Whenever we go out with friends, we have to explain to them that we gotta end whatever date we're having at 6pm because Charley has to sleep at 6pm. Otherwise, she's gonna be grumpy and would turn exorcist mode. If only, we have a yaya around, we could have stayed a little bit longer and a few drinks more. 

Fourth, sometimes we're just being lazy or sleepy to move that it would be nice to have someone to take care of Charley especially when she wakes up at 4:30 in the morning. There's no doubt that baby Charley is a morning person because no matter what time she goes to sleep the night before, she's gonna be awake at 4:30 or 5:30am, and she'll be in full energy until around 10am for her morning 30 minute power nap. Unfortunately, my roommate and I love to sleep...at least an hour longer. However, because we dont have a yaya, we have to wake up with her and put her out of her crib; otherwise, every one who lives in the 4th floor will be awake because Charley would be talking and screaming nonstop. 

Although our lives would have been so much easier with a help around, I think there are also a number of advantages of not having a yaya. 

We're happy with just us! 

First, we know everything about Charley. Besides her schedule, we also know what Charley likes and hates to eat, her favorite toy, her poop schedule, and basically all about her. This has proven to be very helpful especially when we had to bring her to the doctor when she got sick. Because we're the ones taking care of her, we could tell and explain in details everything that has happened to Charley. Oh, not to mention, I'm super OC pa, so our beautiful pedia, Dra Pam Caedo of Makati Med, got surprised when I gave a tabulation of Charley's temperature, poop, and actions we took for a 24 hour period. Should we have a yaya, we would be getting these pa from her, and mommies, we could not be sure if she could record data as OC as we could. 

Second, we're raising baby Charley the way we want to. Gosh, we have received a number of advices on how to raise a child, and some have doubted the way we're taking care of and raising baby Charley, but she's our kid so it's okay if she doesn't co-sleep with us, thank you very much. Also, we're instilling in her the values we want her to grow with; for example, the mano po and praying before meals and before going to sleep. We read her books, talk, and play with her, and we make sure she'll get zero or at least minimal screen time (from gadgets and TV's). I've heard many horror stories about kids raised by yayas who grow up not the way their parents want them to be and kids who are glued to TVs with their yayas because that would keep them quiet. I'm not saying all, but let's be realistic, there are some. 

Third, we're not afraid to let Charley be Charley. Our child is a very curious persistent individual. There are no cabinets and drawers left unchecked and anything new must be inspected then chewed. We also allow her to crawl and cruise her way around the flat. Sometimes, she would bump her head or fall while trying to walk, but they're just fine with us. Because of these, I could say that as a baby, she's confident and is not afraid to try on new things and explore her world. The other baby I know, who's raised by his yaya, hasn't even learnt to crawl or stand up on his own yet. His yaya is afraid that if he gets bukol, she'd be scolded. Sadly, that's a reality for some. 

there are dishes to be done, but selfie first! 

Fourth, we are baby Charley's comfort zones. Oh it feels so good as a parent if you know that your child would run to you because he/she feels safe to be with you. Baby Charley is like this to us, and I'm happy that right now, we're number 1 to her (okay, prolly I'm # 2 next to her daddy); some kids kasi would prefer their yayas over their parents and I have seen this personally with some of our girls in school. 

Fifth, we only have to deal with three different personalities everyday. A yaya is another personality in the household, and since it's just us, we would only be dealing with each other. At least, we don't have to make pakisama with another person. It's liberating actually to be ourselves all the time in the flat. 

Sixth, it's cheaper. Yaya's service is quite expensive, and I'm a bit of a kuripot. Imagine paying Php 3,500 to Php 5,000 (+ PAGIBIG, SSS, Philhealth, etc.) to a yaya whose job is to feed Charley, give her a bath, change her diaper, and put her to sleep. Our flat is a small, so she won't be having difficulty cleaning it. She won't be cooking or doing the laundry as well. Thus, I don't think it's practical or economical to hire someone to do the things we enjoy doing...except the poop part. 

Finally, we literally see baby Charley grow right before our very eyes! My roommate and I have been pretty hands-on with Charley ever since she's born, so we have seen how she's grown from a tiny infant who couldn't move much to an active likot toddler she is now. We were there when Charley first said a word, (opo) till now that she won't just stop talking gibberish. We saw when she first made dapa on her own, when she first started crawling and standing up and when she first tried to walk on her own. We're there when she lost a few lbs when she got diarrhea and when she gained them all again and a few more in just days! And these things are priceless. 

Life without a yaya isn't for anyone. Some families can't live without one, and they have their own reasons. I'm just very happy that right now, we're good without one. :)

Warning: Flu Season's Coming!

The brrrrr months are on their way, so Mommies and babies better prepare for the "big chill", which usually results to flu and flu like symptoms like fever, cough, an colds. Unfortunately, #teamhernandez is one of those who got buena manos with flu. It started with my roommate (my husband, btw) who got high fever two weeks ago. Fortunately, he got well right away.

However, Baby Charley got "hawa" with colds (thank God, no cough!) immediately yesterday from her cousin, Ate Vanna. She, in turn, made hawa to her other cousin, Ate Hailey, who slept in a shared room with her. Oh noes! And this happened a month before her scheduled Flu vaccines! 

At first, my roommate and I were pretty chill about it. Children get sipon, it's a given. Besides, the last time Charley got sipon, she was pretty okay. Unfortunately, this was a different kind of sipon. After an hour of exposure, we already noticed that she already had a runny nose and would sneeze a lot of times. She's cranky and her eyes were teary. She would still eat and play lots though.

At night, it was when the worst of sipon struck. She would toss and turn and couldnt seem to find the perfect spot to sleep. She would sniff lots and leave traces of sipon on her pillow. I went defensive mode when she was warm to touch; that's why my roommate ran to Mercury Drug Store even late at night for Paracetamol Tempra ( a trusted brand by the family since it worked wonders when Charley had LBM), a thermometer (we left ours in Makati), and koolfever kids (the one for baby wouldnt stick well).

We checked her temperature regularly and wiped her sipon with Sanicare Wipes instead of lampin to avoid irritations. But still, she was having a miserable time. It was sooo painful to watch. 

My roommate then decided to just carry her the whole night just so she could sleep. She still couldnt sleep long though, so you can say my roommate and I were a bunch of mombies and zomdads the following morning. 

The next day, our pedia, the pretty Dra Pam Caedo of Makati Med, texted and informed us that we could try giving her Disudin drop @ .75ml. We did, and she finally went to sleep. 

We're still praying that she gets well soon right away. 

Here are the meds we gave her:

• Celin drops 

• Paracetamol Tempra

• Disudrin 

• koolfever

You can just check the label to see how much you should give your baby. These are over-the-counter medications, so you dont need any prescriptions from your pedia (to save consultation fees! :D)  

"How to Create Your Own Children's Storybook"

Mommies, teachers, students, and aspiring writers, mark the date: September 5, 2015! A best friend tagged me a link from Story Writing School  about a 3-hour crash course on "story writing and  illustration for young audiences". This will be held from 2 - 5 pm at The Forum 4F Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street.

The course promises to give lectures and demos so that attendees can create our very own 32 page picture book! In fact, we can print or export whatever we're gonna be creating as a PDF ebook! I think this will be the best seminar give-aways ever - a book made by me for Baby Charley. Because the course will deal with everything basic (art and writing), it's a perfect date for anyone who loves kids - mommies especially! 

As a writing teacher and a mommy, I'm pretty excited to attend this because I think this is a first of its kind that I'll get to attend. Usually, I attend seminars for teachers, so I'm really looking forward to this because it'll benefit me both as a teacher and as a mommy. 

Soon, Baby, you could be reading Mommy's books

And oh, I'm happy that teachers get a 20% discount from the 1500 published rate. More yay's! :) 

The course will be led by Dr. Joem Antonio, who is a children's book author himself and a (kapit, mommies!) 6 time Palanca Awardee. He has a PhD in Creative Writing in UP, and I'm kinda wondering if we could invite him also to give a seminar in our school. Or if I could enrol in one of his classes. Hmmmmnnnn... You can read more about him here. 

The event was organized by Blue Backpack Events Management who will also hold other writing seminars  this year like "How to Write Love Stories" and "How to Write Plays for Theatre". 

So, Mommies and teachers, see you on Sept. 5 @ Fullybooked, BHS. 

What's in Our Baby Bag

We're not celebrities, and people might not really be interested with what's inside our baby bags. However, real-life mommies and wifeys could learn a thing or two especially since travelling with a baby, who acts like a toddler, can pose a great challenge to many moms and dads. One way to avoid any inconvenience while travelling, if it's ever possible actually, is to pack well... as in really well.

Here are the things we usually bring whenever we go out with Baby Charley. Rule of the thumb is that if we're staying for two hours or more, we carry the pink bag. Otherwise, we'll just bring a bottle milk and a lampin.

1. The Essentials. 
These are matters of great consequences. Charley's survival and our sanity usually depend on these.

A. Food 
We usually carry at least 4 bottles with 4 oz of Wilkin's water each, milk container with 4 scoops of Nan HW 2 each, and a sippy cup. Philipps Avent is so pang-maharlika so Charley's bottles are Precious Moments from SM and Richel, a freebie from my breast pump from youji and me. We've finally found a great sip cup from Fisher Price.

B. Nappy Dep't 
We usually bring Huggies L by 4's and a wet wipes (we recently love the organic, __) just in case. Huggies Extra Dry is comfortable in its bikini style fit.

2. Extras
These, although essentials too, are just additional of what we already have.

A. Clothes
Charley is an active, dirt magnet, spiller baby so it's quite important that she has a set of extra clothes. Usually, we bring her Carter's dress (we love the comfort Carter's brings!), her pink posh ballerina style bonnet (a personal favourite), socks that can go with any outfit, and jacket (either her Carter's cardigan or her Jumping Beans sweater with hoodie) - all are hand-me-down from her elder cousin and family friend. Yay!!

B. Food
One thing you must know about us is that we.could.never.be.hungry. or else it's fatal. That's why besides her milk, Charley needs some extra snack, and she likes Rebisco Bibibon's best. It's tasty and healthy.

3. Add-ons
These are just the things we like to bring, but not exactly essential for survival.

A. Sandals 
Charley prefers to practice walking barefoot (and we have let het her did this several times), so she hates wearing any shoes or socks on. However, sometimes it looks awkward in photo-ops whenever Charley is barefoot. "Super lakas maka-M", according to my Mom, so we always bring her usual Ipanema sandals (hand-me-down, too!) because it is the pair she could comfortably stand on.

B. Entertainment 
Although Charley loves people in general (Brgy Captain of San Lorenzo), she's still my daughter, so it's not surprising if she's getting anti-social at times (especially during her naptimes). That's why we bring her usual favorites: a pacifier, a pacifier lace from Sesame Street, a teether (otherwise, she'd be nibbling on people and chairs), a toy, and a book she can look at eventually eat.

C. Lampin and travel size spoon and fork. 
Ever since she was 7 months, Charley loves to eat all the time. Sometimes, she would join us in meals, too. Her own set of utensils are super helpful, especially for an OC praning mommy like me.


These are the usual contents of our pink baby bag (oh my G, hand-me-down, too!) that we find very helpful.