Mommy Moments: Grocery Day

I have not attempted bringing Jared with me to go grocery shopping again after this episode last year (he was 19 months here) when he tried to stuff whatever we place in the cart in his mouth, or pretended he's arranging stuff on the shelves (think everything falling down on the floor), or trying to push the very heavy grocery cart.

Tummy Display

My son found a perfect playmate in Tisoy. He's not mean like the other kids are. I sometimes have to restrain myself at playgrounds because some kids would really push and shove and am even more pissed at the parents for not watching their kids and if they were, for not reprimanding them.

They played all afternoon last June, sharing toys, watching tv, looking at doors together, jumping and shouting.

I loved how the photos of them, both shirtless, turned out.

And Count He Does

He counts now from 1-20.Then in increments of 10, as in 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 then jumps to 8,000!

He knows 100, 300, 800, 1,000, 3,000 and 8,000 and shouts them out loud, sometimes randomly throughout the day.

Just a random note now than I'm still feeling a bit sick.

A Tub of Creamy Goodness

Oh my, oh my! For lunch recently, we strolled in a nearby mall and I’ve made a most wonderful and sweet discovery.

For those who love pastillas, the creamy, milky goodness is now in a tub.

Imagine not having to peel off the paper wrap? You can just stuff as much as your mouth can handle. =)This is actually less sweet as there is no sprinkling of sugar on top of every piece.

I couldn’t be happier. Each scoop takes me to heaven, then back again on earth to have another heaping spoonful of this ultimate dessert.

Sari Sari Sitsirya Stall ( in malls)
Special Pastillas De Leche
Big Tub: P180
Small Tub: P100

Of course I bought the big one.

And of course we ate it all before I can get a proper photo.

The View from Upside Down

Well, I've never watched TV this way. Must try soon. =)

My son has taken to watching certain parts of his favorite DVDs and TV shows upside down. That is his newest "difficult" word by the way.

Must give him a whole new perspective.

p.s. sorry baby for showing a pic of your butt. mommy just couldn't resist.

A Different Kind of High

Just today on the phone, I heard the sweetest sentence from my son. He said(with some prodding from my sister) "You're Best Mommy!" which in all probability means You're the Best Mommy!

It gave me a heady feeling and affirmation that I am doing an okey job as a mom.

(I know he isn't 100% sure of what he blurted out, but nevertheless, it brought me to mommyhood-high!)

At the Hospital Again

It's his second hospitalization this year and it was our choice to have him confined. He wasn't eating for about 48 hours, only taking sips of water and wasn't speaking. For someone who only stops talking or singing or shouting when he's asleep, that is disturbing.

Well, the cause was tonsilitis.

After 3 days at the hospital, the swelling in his throat is almost gone and he is one happy, hungry and talkative boy again.

I wish we can go home today.

Milo Marathon 2010

This is his second marathon, the first being at the Mommy Milkshake Marathon last 2008. This time though, we came as observers and not as participants.

We went around, cheered on some participants, and Jared gulped down 3 cups of free Milo. What a way to start the day.=)

Fascination with Thomas the Train

It all started with this shirt. Then came the DVD, which in my humble mommy opinion is so boring. The boy says otherwise though. He thinks the world of Thomas and his Friends, pretending our legs are bridges, our faces and hair (hello tangles!) railroad tracks. He can watch this the whole day, if we let him.

Now,mommy is off looking for great Thomas finds online. Gotta keep my little one happy.

A 20 year old Toy

My mom recently unearthed an old toy. Perhaps, this is the only remaining toy I had when I was a kid.

It's makes me a little nostalgic, seeing the blocks I played when I was about 2 1/2, the same age my son is now, being enjoyed by our baby.

Healthy Home Baked Muffin

For the past year, my son has been picky with food. He eats what he likes a lot, and often but isn't easy to coax him (or threaten or bribe) to eat new food.

So, when he gladly devoured the trail mix bar I brought home one day, I felt it's time to introduce healthy food to his diet again.

The original menu is here. I stuck close to the original but substituted/reduced some ingredients to make it healthier and the tweaked version is here:

Ingredients

* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 cup whole wheat flour- bought mine from Baker's Depot at Rob Manila
* 1 cup washed sugar- this is the one lighter than the brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 2 tablespoons wheatgerm
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups shredded carrots
* 1 cup raisins- i love this
* 1 cup chopped walnuts
* 1 apple - peeled, cored and shredded
* 1 apple and 2 ripe bananas- blend until smooth
* 3 eggs
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 18 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, wheatgerm and salt. Stir in the carrot, raisins, nuts, and chopped apple.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil, and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into the carrot/flour mixture, just until moistened. Stir in the blended apples and bananas. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

I'm so excited to try other new, healthy recipes. I cooked green pea soup a few weeks back but he sadly didn't like it. Can't blame him though, the color is a shocking avocado green. =)

I just don't let these failures in the kitchen front keep me from trying to prepare healthier stuff for him. It's the little success experiments that I celebrate.

So, here's to a healthier us!!!

Play Areas for Kids in Manila

Parks are scarce, not to mention too far from where we live, the mall is always crowded. So, where do we take the kid for some play time?

Mall of Asia San Miguel by the Bay
Peso Power: Free! There are temptations though like the hotdogs and taho being sold by vendors, Starbucks (but they open around 10 already, thereby missing the morning crowd), and fruitas and zagu stalls.

We don't really like taking Jared to the mall because he hates the noise level but thank you Mall of Asia for that strip of walkway by the bay. This is located at the back of MOA with a row of restaurants and hooray for kids and mommies, a play area at the center (there is also one at the far end, near Microtel and Dampa style restos and it is less frequented so all the better). If you are going here, better bring the kids early. We are usually there by 6 or 6.30 am. It gets pretty crowded by 7.30am and we're usually off to eat breakfast around this time. It is very, very crowded in the afternoons. It is breezy and cool around 8.30 pm though when we managed to stop by one evening.


Active Fun
Peso Power: P200 unlimited play, accompanying adult is free

Since we discovered this place, we keep a pair of socks in Jared's bag for we never know when our feet will bring us to this place again. It's along that strip of restos at the back of MOA. If you want to look for it, it's between Gilligan's and Starbucks. The size is just right so you'll know where your kids are at any time. Kids who love to run and climb will have a super time here. Plus pint is they allow food to be brought in.



Home Depot
Peso Power: Free

This one is a revelation. When our house was being renovated, we often visit the Home Depot along Alabang-Zapote Road. We always bring Jared with us. It's not really a place for kids but they were considerate enough to allot a small play area for the kiddos. There is a small slide and a toy car and the floor is padded.

McDonald's Play Area
peso Power: Usually P200 for our breakfast

I know, I know. The area must probably be less than spotless. But our son loves it here (McdO Alabang Town Center) where the play area is separate. This is a very busy outlet on weekends but the play area is actually a quiet spot (save for the happy chirps of the kids, which I don't consider as noise at all) where we can have a leisurely breakfast as we watch our son play. It's bigger than most play areas and cooler as well. We spend about 2 hours on a saturday or a Sunday here ans last last week, I actually saw a staff clean the slides.

Next time, I hope to bring the boy to Nuvali and to the UP Oval.

How Many Bags Does a 2 year old Have?

To repeat the title, just how many bags does a 2 year old have? or need?

Red bag on chair: a gift from his godmother. A nice, colorful cars backpack, small enough for him to carry. This was his school bag.

Blue, small bag on the floor (behind the green one): a Graco small bag we got for free when we bought his crib. Something we used for short trips from birth til one year old.

Green bag: Polo bag, not something originally for Jared but I liked the many compartments outside so we claimed this as ours already.=)

Red bag on the floor: a red messenger Jeep bag. Pretty roomy but no compartments. We bring this when we'll be out the whole day. A gift.

Black and White checkered bag: An RL duffel which we've had before Jared was born. Also a gift.

So, to answer my question... as many as the bags he's gifted with, or as many as mommy wants. haha.