the best gifts

As a mom, I would sometimes think about the future of my children, what they would be like when they grow up, their hobbies, likes and dislikes, their goals and dreams. I know they have different personalities and every day I’m discovering something new about them. I just pray that they turn out to be responsible and loving kids as my hubby and I do my best to educate and train them as they grow up.

For now, they’re still young and so dependent on their dad and mom, but I know they will develop to be creative and courageous individuals. They’re not big enough yet to give us personalized gifts on special occasions, but their smiles, hugs and kisses are the best presents ever, they make me feel like I’m on cloud nine. 

online reunion

Last Friday I was online in Facebook when one friend, a former classmate, EA, in college messaged me.  He said that some of our friends were also online.  I suggested to him to transfer to YM coz FB doesn’t have a conference chat.  

It was fun meeting the guys again.  Most of them are working in the Middle East; four are in Saudi and one was in Dubai while the other one was in Canada but he used to work in Saudi too.  There are a lot of construction works going on in Middle East, especially in Dubai.  You might have heard of their grand metal buildings and amazing architectural works.  Well, some of my college buddies are part of their construction.  One was even an interior decorator for a certain king. I didn’t have a clue before that these guys would do well in their chosen career.

EA was so happy to have met us all even when it was just online that he wanted us to have another conference the coming Friday. hehe  

her workout

My little girl has this peculiar habit of slumping her tummy on our sofa’s armrest and would sway her legs simultaenously like scissors. I joked that it’s her workout coz she’d sweat a lot after her routine.  She doesn’t need a  fitness equipment for her exercise; that’s all she needs, an armrest. I don’t know why she’s really fond of doing that especially when she’s watching TV.   At 2 years old, she already knows the importance of exercise!  hehehe 

celebrity fashion

While some people look for ways to meet family expenses, such as paying the bills, or worrying about future funeral costs, others are more concerned about being fashionable. Yup, some people are just so fashion-conscious, to the point of watching and keeping an eye on what their favorite celebrities wear. They imitate celebrity style and fashion, purchasing the exact brand and type, or anything similar-looking, clothes and accessories. Well, I’m not really that concerned about celebrity fashion, as long as I don’t look like a weirdo. For me, there are many ways to look and feel good, and I’m more mindful about my waistline than dressing up like Angelina Jolie or some other celebrity.

too much time for playing

Are you addicted to Facebooks’ (FB) games?

Majority of my friends enjoy playing games from FB.   Some really take it seriously, spending more time probably than Mesothelioma lawyers would in their legal cases.

Yesterday, two of my friends were in a deep conversation about needing woods and bricks and I was wondering if one of them is building a house somewhere back home.  It turned out they were talking about their online farm from Farmville. Heh!  I told them about what I thought, and we all laughed about it.

I couldn’t imagine myself playing those FB games.  I don’t even have enough time for resting, how much more time to waste for playing online games.  Geeezzz!  I’m a bit jealous how some people can have so much extra time for playing when here I am not even getting enough sleep for more than a month already.

real beauty

With the cosmetics industry very much alive, even those carrying the most expensive beauty creams, we can conclude that money indeed can do wonders. The rich can buy the best anti wrinkle crème without regard to cost, but of course personally, I believe that the best beauty is the one which radiates from within, coming from the goodness and simplicity of heart, coupled with a God-fearing character and a principled life. A person who is contented and not envious of what others have is joyful and peaceful, and these result to a healthy body metabolism, making one young, stress-free and beautiful.

tough job

Being a parent can be exhausting sometimes. I experienced this more after giving birth to little A. I do take that much needed rest when both my kids are sleeping. I wonder how other parents are coping up with house work and  taking care of their kids. Do they feel tired too? Do they consider getting professional massage treatments or buying the best joint supplements to ease them physically? Me, I just take my daily dose of Vitamin C, eat well and synchronize my resting time with the kids’ sleeping time as my way of combating exhaustion. 

on motherhood

Last night my little baby cried a lot, I felt helpless doing everything I can trying to comfort him but he just kept on crying for hours. It was really a frustrating experience it made me cry too. Taking care of a new baby can be challenging and mothers need to be more patient at this stage. Motherhood is a big responsibility but when the going gets tough, a baby’s cute smile or laugh can really ease the tiredness. No depression treatment needed for tired moms, just a kiss or hug from their kids would do.   

childhood memories

Last Christmas, I gave a huge doll house as a gift to my goddaughter. It caused a dent to my budget but it made me happy knowing that she wanted to have a doll house as a Christmas gift. My sis sent me a pic of the doll house which was complete with miniature furniture for the living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and other parts of the house. Of course, there are toy dolls that came with it—a dad, mom, a little girl and a pet doggie! Cool, isn’t it?

Looking at the doll house made me reminisce about my childhood days when I would also play doll with my sisters. We didn’t have a big doll house that time, but we had fun and made dolls out of the extra foam materials in the house. Our ‘doll house’ that time was the lower compartment of one of our bedroom closets. We had fun even with the simple things and made use of materials that were available at home. What mattered most to us that time was the enjoyment we got from playing and being creative with the stuff that we have. Those were the childhood days of being imaginative and carefree, with no worries about finances or concerns about age spot removal or having a big tummy.

sexy mommy

After giving birth to baby A, I feel I really need to lose weight especially the excess tummy fat. I’m planning to exercise again, maybe put on my dance DVD, since I am keen on losing abdominal fat. Well, I’m looking forward to wearing my non-preggy clothes again and maybe add some new ones to my wardrobe. Yup, I want to be a sexy mommy again!

facebook ads

Have you noticed those appealing advertisements on the right side bar of Facebook? I would sometimes click on them as they would perk up my curiosity. I admit those ads can be enticing especially when they promote products that can reduce belly fat or reverse infertility. Even my dad who happened to read my sister’s Facebook account (as she showed him some family photos) also clicked on an ad and was taken to the advertiser’s site. My sis was amused as she saw him browsing over those ‘before and after’ photos and testimonies of people that read the advertised diet book. 

safety at home

As a stay-at-home-mom, I’m wary about knocks on the door and cautious when I hear the doorbell ringing especially if I am not expecting visitors. It’s for safety reasons of course as I know when my friends visit me and when they’re coming, and my hubby also has his own key. Thus I don’t entertain unexpected knocks on the door. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

my condo investment

One of our family investments, a condominium unit for lease, will soon be ready for occupancy. Since we are on a budget, the unit is just spruced up with the basics in the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, dining and living areas. I’m still planning to put office furniture, such as a computer desk with upper shelves, on the space between the living and dining areas so I can work on my laptop during our stay there. So far, the contractor is still working on the divider with built-in shoe cabinet. I’m praying that our condo unit will have a tenant immediately so our investment will be returned soon.

just imagining the not-so-distant future

I’m now back from the hospital, after giving birth to our second child, a baby boy. Looking around the house to re-orient myself, I tried to imagine how it will be with two little souls to care for. Would it be more topsy-turvy this time with the additional little boy? Oh, it seems this would be too far ahead. The baby will still take time to grow up and really make a difference. For now, he would just sleep, feed himself with my milk, cry or smile. It will still take a long time before he can make a mess on the floor tiles or the walls. Everything will be fine, I assure myself. I will surely have angels to help me—my Mam, my Dad of this far-away place and of course my ever-supportive loving hubby. Yeah, everything will be all right with God’s help.

technology and kids

It’s amazing how the little ones easily discover things around them especially when it comes to techie stuff. Yup, they can easily learn how to turn on the PC or move the mouse confidently. I bet pretty soon kids would want more aside from watching their favorite TV shows, they might even insist on a Slingbox so they can watch Barney or Dora on a laptop or mobile phone while out of the house. I remember little C setting the alarm of my sister’s watch. We really don’t know how she did it but my sis noticed that the daily alarm started sounding off after little C played with her watch. My sis had to read the manual to get directions on how to turn off the alarm.

healthy food for the kids

Does your kid have that preference for candies and desserts? Do they whine over some lollipop, pastry or chocolate bar? Just like some grownups craving for Swisher Sweets, most kids have the penchant for fancy, attractive and sweet treats.

But you can help your kids curb their cravings by doing some sort of “censorship”, i.e. don’t expose them to unhealthy food. Here are few of my personal tips, you can add some of your own:

1. Choose the foods you buy, be mindful about your kids’ meals and snacks when stacking up your grocery items. The kids won’t be asking for some unhealthy food if they don’t see them on the refrigerator, on a jar or the grocery bag.

2. If you want to eat food you don’t want for them, e.g. softdrinks or ice cream, you can pour them while they’re not looking and use a ceramic mug so they won’t see what you’re drinking. It’s best not to let them see instead of telling them “no” as some kids tend to whine more if refused, and most of them don’t understand why.

3. While out in the malls, avoid passing by candy stores and if necessary, don’t bring them with you while doing your grocery.

4. Put some fruits and healthy snacks on the table or on attractive containers where they can be easily accessed by your kids.

As for little C, I’m glad she loves fruits and veggies. And while she loves sweets, ice cream and other desserts, I have no problem feeding her with healthy food as she is not choosy when it comes to eating.

supermom?

I can be super busy at home, doing some work in my computer while taking care of little C. I do get tired sometimes and look forward to my afternoon resting time as well. I’m definitely not Doctor Octopus with his many hand clamps (remember Spiderman 1?) who can reach out for this and that object simultaneously. My two human hands do get full of work sometimes, with little C on one hand and the other typing on the keyboard. That’s because I’m used to multitasking, so I guess that’s what makes me a supermom.

on monitoring your kid’s computer use

While the Internet is a good source of learning for your kids, it’s an investment on your time to also have a system of monitoring and controlling on what websites they’re usually connecting to. Well, my little C may still be too young to do some surfing but she is quiet smart when it comes to computer use and easily learns how to operate techie stuff like opening a CD drive, turning the power switch on, or clicking the mouse.

For kids more than 7 years old, they already know how to play online games so parents should closely observe them. Who knows what scandalous or malware-infested sites they might come across? I’m glad Microsoft’s newly-released Windows 7 operating system has parental controls for children. Aside from monitoring the websites their kids usually visit, the Windows 7 parental control features can also be enabled to put time limit on computer use.

Yup, it’s best to guide and educate our kids about Internet use. They won’t be browsing about relationship advices, shopping deals or joint pain relief for now and their interests are worlds apart from us, but it also pays to know and appreciate the things they want to browse online, be it playing with a virtual bear or having fun with dress up games. 

skin care for kids

As a mom, I’m a bit choosy about skin care for my little C, e.g. her bath soap, baby cologne or baby powder. Of course I don’t want her skin to get irritated or damaged by cosmetics which are not intended for children. I know she’s still too young to think about facial creams, acne skin products and other women’s cosmetics. I hope she won’t have problems with her face when she becomes a teenager though. For now, I’m just keeping my beauty creams and cosmetics away from her as I caught her one time smearing her face with my moisturizer. Uh-oh! 

little C’s new mom

My big sis and her hubby and kids spent their Christmas vacation here and after they left, our home is back to being the usual quiet place again, except for little C’s baby talk and playing in the background. Little C cried when they left as she treated big sis as her new mom, “sticking like glue” to her and kept calling her Mama. Lol. You can just imagine C following big sis anywhere she went.

The day of their departure, little C glued herself to my sis… I guess the little girl sensed that they would be leaving that day. Big thanks to big sis for the help in taking care of my little C while they were here.