Babies are not made for beaches

Just recently, my family from my husband's side, decided to head to Lobo, Batangas for an overnight swim. It was unplanned, and we were just informed a good 25 minutes before we left for Lobo.

our commute on our way to Batangas

Since I'm more of a planner, this kinda triggered my amygdala for 25 minutes, too.

How many clothes should I bring for Charley? How about water? How about diaper? Mosquito patches? PJ's? And the list went on and on and on and on.

Charley didn't even have a swimsuit yet. Not that it was a problem I learnt later on.

Princess Watermelon

It's quite fortunate that my husband's family has a house there so accommodation was not a problem anymore. So was the transpo going there. We took an Innova, where the mommies and kids are, and our old reliable owner type jeep, where the dads and the yayas are.

beach means sleep

After an almost 1 hour drive, we reached Sitio Danlagan where our house is. The beach is very accessible from the house, so that pretty much excited our rambunctious nephews and nieces. By this, I'm talking about a 6 year old, two 4 year olds, and two 11 month old children...plus our 3 month old Baby Charley. So you can say we almost literally brought the house down.

The following day, 6 children, 4 mommies, 3 daddies, 3 yayas, and 3 titos headed to the beach. Baby Charley didn't wear a swimsuit and she didn't care. She made it clear from the very start that she hated the water. Prolly because it was around just 7 am and the water could be a bit cold. However, right after we dried her and changed her clothes, she went straight to slumberland.

The wind was cold and fresh and it was very good for Baby Charley. Sure, she might be too young to enjoy the water right now, but I'm not worried that she would love it when gets a little older. And when she has an appropriate swimwear already.ü

The beach just across the street 

One and Done. (We think)

We can't say that this is our final answer, but as of the moment, my room mate (my hubby, btw) and I are 99.9% certain that we're happy with just having Baby Charley.

Yup. that means having a sibling or siblings for her (as of the moment or any time soon) is totally out of the question.

We just want her. Just her.

Period.

Many (including my OB) have been surprised when we tell them that we just want to have an only child. One and done ika nga. This is a decision I am thankful that my room mate and I share.

Why give the river when she
can have the entire ocean? 

We wish to give Baby Charley the world.

Okay, so does this mean spoiling her and giving her her heart's desire? Absolutely not!

There is such a thing as responsible spoiling. It means you provide your child with almost everything, but not all the time. Only when she deserves it.

Okay, I kinda made this one up, but that's what I have in mind.

Give me good grades, and I will let you watch those hormonal boyband "sing" and "dance". Something to this effect.

Responsible spoiling. 

My roommate and I want Charley to experience the things we enjoy and also the things we weren't able to experience - traveling the world; not waiting for our birthdays to eat in a fancy restaurant that serves good food, really good food; being able to study in a really good school; going on a Disney Cruise (okay, maybe it's me who want it); watching Disney On Ice at Smart Araneta; and having her own car by her 18th birthday.

With just her, we'll be more financially stable. I hope.

Pregnancy is not a walk at the park. So is giving birth.

Since my roommate and I are both in our 30's already, we are really considering my health and our next baby's health since studies show that it is quite risky to give birth by the late 30s. This could be a case to case scenario though, but as much as possible, we don't want to take the risk.

Besides, we will have been 60 by the time Charley is 30! Gosh, I would have been so wrinklish by the time I will have gotten my first apo. Totally not cool.

Since we're seriously considering this "One and Done" option as of the moment, we have to make sure that we prepare Baby Charley to face the world with just her.

Bbbbbuuuuutttt, that's another topic for a different post. Right now, we're simply enjoying having just Charley and keeping up with her alien-ish antics.ü

Baby Gastos - Shots! Shots! Shots!

Shots! Shots! Shots!

Sorry, daddies, but I'm not talking about your favourite shots; I'm talking about babies' not-so-favourite shots -  Immunisation shots.

Yesterday, on my birthday (16 Mar 2015), we brought Baby Charley to Dra. Pamela Caedo in Makati Med for her monthly check-up and to catch up on her immunizations. You can check Dra. Caedo's Makati Med profile here.

Dra. Pam Caedo is love!

Baby Charley - facepalm! 

She's very accommodating and is no-nonsense in giving advices. She noticed that although very malikot and bibo (alien in Team Hernandez' terminology), Baby Charley is a little light for her age. She also needed to catch up on her immunizations since she wasn't given anything on her 2nd month by her old pedia. (rawr!)

Therefore, she recommended that Baby Charley take additional Ferlin drops with her Tiki Tiki and Ceelin drops @ 0.5ml. Ferlin contains Ferrous Sulfate (iron), Vit B1, B6, B12, and Folic acid; and this is prescribed for prevention and treatment of iron deficiency in infants and toddlers. She also recommended taking Heraclene which helps form and repair body tissues and stimulate appetite. We just mix the content of the capsule to a 5ml milk before giving it to Charley. We tried mixing it with water, but she hates it. :D

Charley needed to catch up on her Immunizations, and this is the sad part. She was supposed to have received her first shots when she was 2 months, and I don't know why her old pedia didn't require us to have it.

Rawr! Super rawr!

Anyway, Baby Charley received Rotarix orals first. This is a 2-dose immunization that protects babies against rotavirus that could cause feve

r, vomiting, and diarrhea. (NOTE: this does not protect babies from other viruses causing diarrhea; example, amoebiasis)

Afterwards, Baby Charley got her first dose of her 3 5-in-1 vaccine (Pentaxim). It is an active immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and infections caused by influenza. The shot was given on her right thigh.

We were also given PAracetamol as a preventive measure. We used Baby Kool Fever on her, too, because we felt she was a little feverish when we got home.

Next month, she will receive PCV13 # 1. Yes, that means more gastos for us. *sigh*

Of course, these shots ay ang lakas maka-maharlika, but are completely necessary to protect Baby Charley from various diseases. *yay!*

Baby Charley is only 3 months old, and we still have a looooonnnggggg way to go. Yes, that means, we will be frequenting Makati Med on a different reason this time, and will be seeing more of our pretty pedia, Dra. Caedo more.


Dra. Pamela C. Caedo
Rm 226 Makati Medical Center
Mon - Sat; 9am - 3pm
#888.8999 loc 226
0917.5396.785

Rm 1224 MAB St. Luke's Global
MWFS 3:30 - 6pm
#664.4890 and 789.7700 loc 5224

Follow charley_and_her_teddy in IG