Baby Showers

Channelling my inner Martha Stewart for these...because every mom, especially the new ones, deserve a baby shower!

Theme: Baby animals baby shower
Color: Aqua blue
Aqua is a refreshing color for a baby shower!

We did away with the usual tarp and made cute circle cut outs

Our makeshift buffet table
Advice for the new mom and well wishes for the baby

A cute welcome to guests
These are really french fries holder but they can hold anything that fits. We put in chocolate crispies. 

Theme: Quen bee double baby shower
Color: Yellow and Black
The mom is really the queen bee at home, but the queen bee needs extra pampering, love and attention when the hormones threathen to rage every now and then during this 9 month period

All the yellow food we can think of

Isn't this the most striking? Note to self: I want a black and yellow DIY soon for the house


I was too busy with the program I didn't take too many pics. I did yellow paper flowers and placed them in a bayong box and voila, instant centerpieces.

The yellow cut out circles hanging from the ceiling was a nice touch, too.


Momma and Baby Bird Shower
Colors: Pink, pale yellow and brown


I Hope cards for the baby

Iced tea in jars. Cute stickers. You can't see from this angle but the bottles are arranged in a heart shape. Sweet! One pink drink for the momma and the rest are iced tea.

Pink biscuits in plastic canisters as giveaways to the ladies, a baby girl standee and more candies. I want a baby girl of my own.

The complete set up. Paper flowers turned out nice (only I didn't do them--have to learn how to make one as nicely)

What I Learned at the Memorial Park

This is obviously too late to be of any use to anyone braving the November 1 crowd at memorial parks. But maybe, it's going to come in handy for me for our visit next year.

We usually do the rounds of visiting dearly departed relatives on November 1, but this year's 4 day weekend made it possible for us to actually enjoy our day at the (memorial) park earlier. Less crowd, less traffic= a happier clan.

Here are my learnings that day:

1. For a park deprived Metro Manilan, memorial parks are nice, well kept areas with the needed patches of green!
It's a good place for reunions. Admit it, a lot of people (us included) hold mini reunions during this time. Our big family converges at the tomb of our mamang, each ladden with food more than enough for his or her own family.


2. Almost anything can be made into a tent! We have no manpower (being female dominated)and no patience and thus, we were sheltered from the heat with just blankets thrown into wires and strings fastened to nearby trees. Just be sure to bring the nice ones.
You can even play lovey-dovey under one


3. For families with lots of kids, bring entertainment. I forgot to bring enough toys for my son.
Sharing a blackberry with his cousin Johan
crayons
books
Serious truck play (not his)


4. Ask what food will be brought by who--we had 2 versions of pansit!

5. Make everyday and every place you visit an opportunity and venue for learning.
How to blow candles the right way
How to walk (my cousin and her son Johan)
How to climb trees
How to pick up things w/o toppling over

6. We remember our grandparents all the more when we reminisce about our happy childhood--they were a big part of it. Now that we have kids of our own, and our parents are now grandparents, we hope to make our kids' childhood as memorable and happy as ours.

Sinful Lechon

This lechon kawali has been made with lots of love, lots of research but was the easiest recipe I have had the pleasure of doing in recent months.

Set the slow cooker on high and cook for 4 hours. I used lechon kawali cut from the supermarket, added water and lots of salt.

Then, once tender, transfer to the turbo broiler, rub a bit of olive oil on the skin and turbo away.

Took just 30 minutues to achieve this crispness at the highest setting.

Less sinful because this isn't deep fried (excuses, excuses)!

Homemade Clay

I strive to do one craft a week with this curious little boy. But, sometimes errands and stuff get in the way. So, when time permits we have fun with things we can find in the house.

Last weekened while cleaning the kitchen, I found a semi opened giant box of cornstarch. Was about to throw it away when I turned to pinterest for inspiration. Such a waste to throw out this box.

So, we came up with that week's craft: safe and definitely toxic-free clay.

Ingredients: cold water, cornstarch, salt and food color


Mix water and a cup of salt.

Stir until the salt melts.


Pour salt solution on cornstarch. Add a few drops of color and stir.

Once it cools a bit, start kneading.

Form into shapes and have loads of fun!



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Moving Day

The reason for lack of posts? This...





I think the pictures will speak for themselves. =)

I'm moving to a new place here at the office and I am hauling more than 11 years worth of stuff. Sigh.

Breastfeeding Room Story

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (November). For this month, participants share their experiences on extended breastfeeding. This includes tips to moms with young babies, as well as barriers and myths which discourage extended nursing. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

It’s a happy, happy day! We’re strolling without errands or a definite agenda for the afternoon. I might be able to buy a stuff or two for myself. Thinking about all the possibilities make me giddy. But within 10 minutes after this thought bubble in my head, my baby is suddenly hungry. Thank goodness this mall has a breastfeeding facility. We walk faster. Oh, there it is! He is getting fussy and wants to be fed.

We open the door and greet the lady at the desk. “We’re here to use the breastfeeding room”. The lady smiles. She smiles and asks “where is your baby, ma’am?" “Ah, this is my baby”. And together, we pushed the door leading to another room inside.

My ‘baby’ is walking, pushing doors and talking… a lot. He was 2 years old then.
After that long walk, he was tired and cranky. Wanting to appease him, I immediately pulled up my top to give my peace offering. He latched on, but there proved to be distractions in the same room. The inquisitive boy got down, left my boobies exposed, and walked to check on the other babies.

Inside, I still get stares from other moms because while their baby feeds peacefully, mine keeps getting down and playing peek-a-boo with theirs. He keeps on inspecting. Yes, inspecting every baby, making other new moms uncomfortable in the process.

The first 6 months were the hardest in this breastfeeding journey. That was when I was stressed the most on my son’s weight gain, my output, and when I got back to work, on my pumping schedule. Breastfeeding him after his first birthday was relatively easy. He didn’t feed that often, I’m more comfortable in little baring episodes (my son sometimes will just push my shirt up, or put his hand inside my to), I can leave him for longer periods without worrying on what he's going to drink. It is actually quite convenient, too. Imagine I'm al groggy from sleep and he askes for milk at 4 am. When I'm too sleepy to do what is needed, he'll usually be the one to pull up my shirt, drink until he's satisfied, then go back to sleep on his own.

With that story, what can I share to all moms who chose to breastfeed longer than what most people know and think is possible? Breastfeed as long as you can. You can never go wrong.

Jared breastfed until he was almost 3 years old. His favorite expression is "Oh, there it is!" He stopped on his own, without fuss and drama, after the author was away on a week-long business trip. This mama considers those times the most precious and to this day, does not forgive herself for not having a nice enough breastfeeding picture for all the world to see.