Neo – My Little Shokoy

Why do kids love water? 

I will never find the answer to that question.  Kids just act so excited whenever there is water.  Our Neo is not an exemption.  He loves water.  So whenever we have spare time, he and Leo would take a dip in the pool at our clubhouse.  He enjoys it a lot.  I think if he can swim the whole day, he will do it.   But being the worrier mommy in me, I only allow him for 30mins.  And the baby would surely squirm and be angry when you get him out of the water.  Parang little shokoy. LOL

(Enjoying the water with Papa Leo)

(Ayan, galit na sya kasi umahon na)

I don’t know how to swim.  Before, I was firm to the fact that any child of mine will not learn to swim.  Why?  Because ang mga nalulunod ay yung marunong lumangoy.  Sila kasi ang malakas ang loob pumunta sa malalim na part ng dagat.  But after so many incidents of sinking ships here in the Phils, I think, accidents really can happen, and Neo needs to learn to swim.  Kaya lang, isn’t it too early for him to do swimming lessons?  What do you think, mommies?

Random Thoughts

I have a lot of things on my mind lately… like

Why do lots of people rave about Mamy Poko diapers?  We tried it and leaks so much.  There was even a time we were walking at the mall then suddenly Neo stopped walking.  When we looked at him, his Mamy Poko diaper was lying on the mall floor.  Good thing wala kaming kasunod. Nakakahiya…Hay…

I have to think positive.  With the new provincial bus terminal nakikipagbalyahan ako with a lot of people, added expenses on fare, I get all the alikabok of EDSA, nakikipagpatintero ako with a lot of manyakis, mandurukot and snatcher.  But since I have nga to think positive, I get to walk like 1km going to work and 1km back home so I lose weight.  Like what Mommy Fleur said: Balik Alindog project thanks to MMDA Chair Tolentino.

I gained so much weight in the past months, like 3-4kilos… I’ve heard lots of comments about this, the worst being: “tumataba ka…buntis ka ba?”  I have to exercise all my self-control not to strangle that person.  Wala naman ako kasalanan sa kanya, bakit nya kailangan pasamain ang loob ko? How can I lose weight agad????

Our neighbor, a foreigner, passed by our house to discuss something.  He was with his wife, a Filipina.  While I was busy chatting with him, Neo’s Mamita told ate Marlyn: “dapat ung babae na lang kumausap kay Nerisa”. Ouch! Minamaliit ni Mamita ang aking English-speaking prowess… L

How can people be so greedy?  I am talking about the Pork Barrel scam.  Hindi ba pwedeng kumuha lang ng konti?  Bakit pagnagnakaw, bonggang  bilyones? Masarap ba sa pakiramdam humiga sa pera?  When opportunity comes knocking, go grab it!  Even if it’s stealing…

Photos form Google.

On Saving

How do you guys save?  I read this principle long time ago and I try my best to follow it.  It’s challenging, yes…but the feeling is very rewarding once you see your money grows and goes to the right place.

When you receive your salary or income, divide it in the following with the given percentage:

Ø  Necessities – 50% - this will consist of all the bills you pay for.  From monthly amortizations, to electricity, to groceries.  Anything that is necessary for you to live.

Ø  Financial Freedom – 10% - this is your emergency fund.  A lot of people will tell you to save as much as 6 times your monthly income as emergency fund.  I’d say, save as much and add more.  Don’t stop saving for it.

Ø  Educational – 10% - this is of course for education of your kids.  As early as now, we give this amount to Neo’s savings account.

Ø  Long Term Savings – 10% - this is for investments and items you want to buy.   If there are things like LED 60” Television that you wanted to buy, you can save up using this and buy when you have enough money.  No need to buy on credit.

Ø  Give – 10% - this is tithing.  We allot 10% of our income to tithes.

Ø  Play – 10% - you have to live below your means, but it doesn’t mean you have to live a deprived life.  Use this to unwind yourself and reward yourself for working hard.

Hope this helps you in saving J

Baby Neo’s Mama

Mommy Fleur Day

I was one of the lucky readers that Mommy Fleur invited in her 4^th year anniversary party which is dubbed as Mommy Fleur Day.  What can I say about the party?  One word: lovely.

I received Mommy Fleur’s invitation last Monday, the same time she posted Neo as This Kid Is It!  I was so excited.  I live in Cavite.  I have been persuading my husband the whole week para ihatid ako.  The party was held at Taguig.  Please do the math, Cavite to Taguig then back to Cavite – I really don’t want to commute.  But Leo’s been hinting that he will bring home some work since he was out of office for 3days last week due to the Habagat and TS Maring.  So I texted Mommy Fleur asking for instructions how to get to the party place.  She’s very accommodating.  She told me she doesn’t commute but has asked her staff so she can inform me.  Such a sweetie J  I relayed the info to my husband – who became anxious that I will be commuting that far – and since he loves me so much, has agreed to become my driver for the day.

I arrived on time, with Mommy Fleur greeting me with a beso and asking if I was okay with the commute.  The party didn’t start yet.  So I busied myself looking at the view (you will forget you are at Taguig when you’re at Royal Palms, the venue.  It looks like a Village Resort.  Simply wow).  Then my eye feasted with all the people in Mommy Fleur’s blog.  I was smiling at them like I know them personally.  From Wowa, who is very gorgeous, to Alvin, to Anika, to Faye, to Arnaiz and Pineda, even Yaya Ellen haha.   

(photo grabbed from Mommy Fleur)

Mommy Fleur Day was really chillax.  We started the party with us eating yummy foods.  Then there’s the raffle of prizes plus the game: How well do you know Mommy Fleur.  I was thinking madali lang ito, I read Mommy Fleur all the time, I’ll be able to answer.  But nakakaloka was, there are more avid readers than me, akala ko, ako na ang pinaka hahaha :P  ang nasagot ko lang: how many years married sina Alvin and Fleur: answer? 3! J

I met a lot of friendly people in there.  Bloggers like Maqui of FamiliaKiki, Louise of Mommy Practicality, Sha of Kikay Mommy Sha, Krisna of Life as aCEO, Cai of Apples and Dumplings .  I have gained friends too, readers of Mommy Fleur, Lally from Bacoor, Mari from Marikina, Abby from Taytay, Riza from Pampanga and a lot more. Such a happy day.

I wasn’t able to take lots of pictures, I was so starstrucked e.  Feeling ko, mababali ang leeg ko kakatingin sa mga tao.  I’ll just share you some pictures I was able to take.

View from the car park of Royal Palms. Beautiful place.

My raffle prizes.  Mouse pad, planner, Sparkles & Sprinkles goodies, a shirt for Neo, and a very nice cake.

And, I am the very lucky reader who got this very beautiful book from The Soshal Network.  Don’t worry guys, I’ll try to post every bit of it hahaha :P

And my most memorable pic of the day J

Thanks so much Mommy Fleur for that wonderful day.  I’m now excited for Mommy Fleur Day next year hahaha :D

Ciao!

Baby Neo’s Mama

Our Yaya Stories: Woes and Stress

We’ve had several yayas already.  We had our share of sakit ng ulo because of them.  But it’s not all sadness and stress; there are times that we feel blessed din with some.  I blogged before that our trusted yaya, ate Marlyn, will be leaving na.  Now the search for a new yaya is on.  We have list of qualities we look for a yaya but before I go on that list, I’ll tell you some stories about our previous yayas.

Yaya #1:  Rona.  She’s by far the worst.  We had her during my maternity leave without so much requirements as we really needed a yaya since I’ll be returning to work.  She’s older than my mom.  Our first day together was spent not by us stating our house rules but instead by her telling us stories of why she doesn’t like all her former Amos.  She points her fingers at us and shouts at Leo and me.  She can stay out of the house for hours just making chismis with the neighbors.  She would give Neo water only to drink as she doesn’t want to be disturbed by preparing milk. She clearly told me that she doesn’t want relatives over our house since she doesn’t want to serve them. She makes us eat kaning lamig and left over ulam.  One time, she didn’t came back from her day off telling us she’s sick but my mom’s laundry lady, who recommended her, told us she’s just at her daughter’s house.  When we ousted her in our house, our neighbors told us that she’s making stories like: we don’t give her food, we are maarte, we are palautos, etc etc… We finally let her go without a replacement.  We can’t stand living in the same roof with her.  She stayed with us for 3months.

Yaya #2: Forgot her name.  She’s in her early 30s.  She agreed to be our help only if her 2yr old daughter is with her.  We were yayaless for 2weeks, so we agreed.  She stayed with us for less than 12hours.  Her daughter is a handful being 2yrs old.  The daughter would squeeze Neo’s face and tried to kiss Neo’s lips hahaha.  Neo’s Mamita got angry.  So ending, they just slept over our house then got off at 6AM in the morning.

Yaya #3: Marlyn.  Well, she’s by far our favorite.  When she started with us, she and her husband are separated (sumakabilang bahay ang asawa nya).  She loves Neo.  She doesn’t clean well, but we’re not maselan naman.  She’s like a family to us.  However, her husband tried to woo her again – and now, she’s like a teenager in love.  Actually, I pity her.  Her husband is my dad’s nephew in a malayong kamag-anak, and my dad knows that the husband is still with the other woman.  But what can we do…?  She’s in love.  Love is blind.

Yaya #4: Risa.  She arrived last Wednesday.  Remember, we fetched her at MOA? When we met, we ate at Chowking but tinusuktusok nya lang ang food, telling us, she’s not hungry.  When we arrived at our house, we asked her to eat dinner.  She’s not hungry daw.  So come Thursday, Leo and I are off to work.  We received a text message from Neo’s Mamita who is staying with us for the week at 10AM, that Risa is crying since morning, that she didn’t eat, that she wanted to go na daw due to different reasons (her reasons varies per person she tells it…such lies…).  Ate Marlyn was so worried because Risa didn’t eat dinner, then didn’t eat breakfast, then didn’t eat lunch.  Hunger Strike ang peg.  What if she collapsed in our house and her family blames us?  I asked Leo to go home early and talk to that person.  We paid for her fare from Cagayan and gave her salary in advance for one month.  Now we want that back.  Luckily, when I arrived home, she’s no longer around.  I was honestly worried that Neo would be traumatized by a crying lady inside our house.

Lord, please give us a new yaya in replacement for ate Marlyn who is as caring as her.  Who will love Neo to bits.  A yaya who we can call heaven-sent.

Breastfeeding Pinays and Their Miracle Stories

When Leo was busy picking the lock of his car together with the SM MOA’s guards (thank you to all of them who helped), I was also busy roaming around MOA’s Music Hall.  I chanced upon an exhibit about breastfeeding entitled: Breastfeeding Pinays and Their Miracle Stories.

Mommies, were you able to breastfeed your babies?  I did, for 2 and a half months only – and it’s not exclusive but mixed.  Christmas 2011, when Neo was 2weeks old, I experienced binat and was brought to the ER.  There, I was given antibiotics prescription.  Needless to say, I need to stop breastfeeding Neo since the antibiotics would combine in my breastmilk. Neo had to take formula while I pump so that my breastmilk will continue to flow.  After a week, I continued breastfeeding Neo with the combination of the formula.  During my maternity leave, I would pump breastmilk and store it in our ref so Neo would still have enough when I return to work.  When it was time to return to work, I have to stop.  It was a painful journey.  I was feeling guilty that Neo stopped breastfeeding at 2 and half months.  I feel envious of moms who were able to breastfeed their children until 2 yrs old.

When I roamed around the exhibit of Breastfeeding Pinays, I was in awe.  I wasn’t able to take lots of pictures but I will narrate why I was amazed of these mothers.

Ø  One mom who was latching her infant for 2months unsuccessfully didn’t stop.  Instead she pumped breastmilk for her baby to drink.  Last Habagat 2012, when they were flooded, she was so worried that there would be no pump, no fridge to store the breastmilk, when her son successfully latched from her breast.

Ø  One mom who was not able to breasfeed her firstborn was so devastated she vowed to breastfeed her second child.  When doing the process, her firstborn, already 5yrs old, asked if she can breastfeed from her mom, which the mom happily agreed.  Now the mom is breastfeeding a 2yr old son and a 5yr old daughter which she called “Catch up breastfeeding”.

Ø  One wet nurse, not a mom of those children, successfully breastfeed 150 infants from the NICU department of the hospital she serves.

Ø  One mom, whose child was premature and has contacted a rare illness which the pediatricians predicted that the baby will need to be in the hospital for 2months, has been breastfeeding her child continuously.  Her baby got off the hospital in 3 weeks.

Ø  One working mom, a directress of her own school, with PhDegree, a super busy woman can still find time in breastfeeding her son who is almost 2yrs old.

And a lot more success stories of breastfeeding PInays… very wonderful exhibit.

Ask the Audience

Nope.  They’re not carnappers.  The guy in blue is Papa Leo and those other men are guards of SM Mall of Asia – both uniformed and undercover.  So what are they doing?  They’re on area when Papa Leo looked for someone to helped him unlocked his car door because he left his car keys inside the car for the second time.

We went to MOA yesterday to fetch Neo’s new yaya.  Sosyal no? MOA pa.  It's midway kasi from Pasig and Cavite.  Papa was thinking a lot of things when he parked that he left his car keys inside.  He can’t use his Call a Friend lifeline as his friend, my dad, is at Cavite enjoying the bed weather.  So he used another lifeline, Ask the Audience. Harhar.

Habagat the Second Time Around

Have you experienced Ondoy?  I didn’t.  I was safely home when it happened.

Have you experience Habagat last year August 16-18, 2012?  I did.  I was at work.  I was still working in a call center, night shift.  Leo and I decided to take the car to my work, at SM Bacoor.  We haven’t forecasted that it would rain so much. The surroundings of SM Bacoor experienced waist-high flood.   I worked in the 4^th floor and SM personnel were intelligent enough to put sandbags in every SM entrance, so the flood water didn’t reach inside the mall.  Leo fetch me from the office the following day and we went home when we saw that the flood waters were only knee-high na lang.  The car?  We left it for 2days at the parking lot of SM Bacoor, lucky car the flood didn't reach its makina.

Another round of Habagat + Tropical Storm Maring.  Yesterday, we decided not to go to work and just be safe inside our house.  Now, I braved the rain.  It was raining so hard that even though I am sitting beside the bus driver – I still can’t have a clear view of the roads.  I was at Tambo, Paranaque, when the driver decided not to push through going to Baclaran.  The flood was more than knee-high and as he says: titirik ang sasakyan ko dyan.  Funny thing was, my colleague texted me that we don’t have work today – wow, after I braved the rain, wala pa lang pasok.  So I didn’t got off the bus when the driver said he will just go home.  When we passed by the small flyover at Kawit and Gen Trias intersection, there were lots of fallen trees and bushes and to add: dalawang magkapatong na nitso sa gitna ng kalsada.  Wow.

It is said in the news that this Habagat is worse than Ondoy.  Ondoy reached 455mm rainfall in 24hrs, 2012 Habagat reached 472mm rainfall, while 2013 Habagat + TS Maring reached 600mm rainfall.  Read news here.

Be safe everyone.

Rainy Days

It has been raining nonstop since Saturday.  We braved the rain last Saturday to escort ate Mae to the airport.  She went home to Cebu after 5months here in Manila.  Then come Sunday, we just went to church and rested the whole afternoon, so we would be ready for another work week ahead.  But overnight Sunday, the rain didn’t stop.  It was pouring so hard here in Cavite.  When it was time to get ready to work, Leo and I just decided not to go – and it was one good decision.  When we checked our spare bedroom, it has water all over the floor.  Binaha ang second floor namin.  The rain came from the roof trailing to the walls.  It was not too much water (mga 1 balde after cleaning).

Leo was lucky he brought home his laptop so he was able to work from home.  But I didn’t bring home mine, so ending, I was just resting and bonding with Neo.  Come 9AM, we decided to watch TV.

Ate Marlyn: Bebe, tara, manood na tayo ng Sailor Moon.

Me: Kaloka ka ate!  Yan ba ang pinapanood mo kay Neo pag wala kami???? Mahahighblood si Leo nyan!

Imagine our baby boy, who has fair skin and has always been mistaken as a baby girl when he was younger, is led by his yaya in watching Sailor Moon. L  so we just bonded in our room.

Neo doesn’t want Mama kissing him so much… oh, he grows so fast…

Here, Neo massaging Mama’s head as Mama pretends to have headache.

Mommy Fleur's This Kid Is It

Guess who’s featured in Mommy Fleur’s This is it Kid today?

Yes, none other than our cute baby Neo J

Throwback Thursday: Kaloka-like

Look at that!  Someone really looks like his Mama when she was his age.

I hope I don’t get violent reactions from the Papa if he sees this.  LOL

Marital Rape

I heard a shocking news yesternight.  That is Sunshine Cruz filed a case against ex-husband Cesar Montano.  Read news here: Pep.ph.  The case is a violation of Republic Act 9262 o Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act.  The case against Cesar also highlights physical abuse and rape.  Wait, rape?  Aren’t they married?

So I searched the internet about rape inside marriage, and yes there is such a thing.  It’s called Marital Rape.

From Wikipedia:

Marital rape, also known as spousal rape, is non-consensual sex in which the perpetrator is the victim's spouse. It is a form of partner rape, of domestic violence, and of sexual abuse. It can be equally, if not more, emotionally and physically damaging than rape by a stranger.

From About.com:

Marital rape is any unwanted sexual acts by a spouse or ex-spouse, committed without consent and/or against a person's will, obtained by force, or threat of force, intimidation, or when a person is unable to consent.

These sexual acts include intercourse, anal or oral sex, forced sexual behavior with other individuals, and other sexual activities that are considered by the victim as degrading, humiliating, painful, and unwanted.

In case there is truth in Sunshine Cruz’s claim, she will be a voice of women who are victim of this kind of violence.

Sample Room: Colour Lipstick

Has anyone of you tried Sample Room?

This is a website wherein you get free samples of beauty products.  Their motto? Try Before You Buy. 

When I came upon their site, I instantly registered to try it.

They gave me 100 points for me to use for free shopping.  You get to add more points by giving a review to the item you sampled.

I used the points to shop for a lipstick from Colour Collection.  The item is free but I paid for the shipping fee which Php150 for Luzon area.  After 2days, I received the item via Xend.  And here it is.

I haven’t used it yet so I owe Sample Room a review. L

Ham Roll Ala Leo

Since it’s a long weekend, and we decided not to go out, Papa just cooked something for Mama and Neo.  He doesn’t cook a lot of times, but he can cook – unlike his lovely wife (ehem…) who really can’t. 

Here’s his recipe of ham roll which we all enjoyed today.

Loaf of bread

Cooking oil

Pack of ham

Cheese slices

Eggs (beaten)

Bread crumbs

1.       Fry ham in medium heat.

2.      Flatten slices of bread using edge of glass.

3.       Put sliced cheese and ham inside the flatten bread, roll, and seal using water.

4.      Dip the rolled bread in beaten eggs first, then next to the bread crumbs.

5.       Fry bread rolls until golden brown.

And tada! Here’s the finish product. 

Have a delicious weekend J

Is This a Legal Marketing Strategy?

I have been working at Pasay for quite a while now but haven’t been to Harrison Plaza.  So last week lunchtime, I took my quick lunch no more than 10mins, and off I go to Harrison.  Harrison is a big place with little attractions.  It is now house to SM Harrison, a 3 level department store.  I bought Neo a pair of clothes in there. 

When I was about to go out, a lady cut my way to tell me I won a free face massager because it’s their store’s anniversary.  I shrugged her off because I know these kinds of deals.  But she quickly grabbed my arm and told me to help her as her last client para makapaglunch na sya.  She was literally dragging me to their store area. 

There, she asked me to sit in a massager and asked me to input details in a piece of paper.  I put in my name, address as Cavite, and a wrong cellphone number.  She keeps on asking me details about myself and keeps on going in hysterics (that’s how I describe her way of chatting) joined by another lady in their store, going on like: “ay, tama!”; “pareho tayo”; “galing galing naman!” with matching apir sa hands.  They asked some identification cards of mine, which I told her I don’t have one with me that time. 

The ending part was, they give me a face massager, and then let me pick a prize.  The prize being Php2,000 GC of their store and a free chair massager, utensils, whatever (there were a lot of items) which costs DAW more than Php100k.  And I get all that if I buy their products costing Php60k, one of which is the induction cooker that Kris Aquino uses in Junior MasterChef.  Now that got me thinking, isn’t it Judy Ann Santos in Junior MasterChef?  The real catch?  I get to use the GC that day alone. 

I’m not sure if this kind of marketing strategy is illegal or is this some kind of scam, but I think they can fool lots of people by doing this.  I remember the store’s name as GDU Enterprises.

Here’s the photo of the face massager. 

And Neo massaging his face. :P

Reader question: How can I love another baby when I love my only child so much?

Remember last week I posted this question with the title: Jack n Jill Wafrets Commercial, and I told you I asked a popular mommy blogger to answer this as well?  She did – and she has a very wonderful insight.  After reading her emails and post, I realized that she’s right; you will have room in your heart for loving more kids.   

Go to Topaz Mommy’s blog to read her beautiful post: Reader question: How can I love another baby when I love myonly child so much?

Ciao!

Baby Neo’s Mama

When The Yaya Has To Go…

Ate Marlyn has been with us for over a year.  She is a very loving yaya to Neo.  Initially, she was separated with her husband, who had another woman.  Now, she was courted back by her husband and they are together again.  When she told us this fact months ago, Leo and I already predicted that she would not stay.

When she was not yet reunited with her husband, she has lots of issues with finances being a single mother to six children.  She asks for advance of salary a lot of times, which we indulge.  She needs money, we have some, and we give.  She is like a family to us.

Now that she is back together with her husband, there are a lot of times that she’s preoccupied.  She texts and calls a lot.  She is in love all over again.  I also blogged about her leaving Neo in a locked room.  Even though, she has lots of misses, we like her and would love for her to stay long with our family.  She loves Neo so much and takes care of Neo as if he was her own.

When she told us she’s leaving, we seem at lost.  We are sad that someone we trusted so much will leave us, though we are happy that she wants to have a happy family life.  We are sad and worried.  Can we ever find another yaya who would take care and love Neo as if he’s their child? 

Throwback Thursday

Not an old photo though.  Just old memories.

Remember eating this stuff when you were young?  Nakatingkayad ang paa, nakatingala ng matagal, palingalinga sa ibabaw ng puno hinahanap ang maliit na pulang bunga.