DIY Lady Bug Costume

Our nanny worked like an elf working through the night to prepare Baby G's Lady Bug Costume. (Reference: The Elves and the Shoemaker)

She only used a roll of electrical tape, scissors, a few scraps of paper, cotton and food coloring.

1. The Red Pajama set is Baby G's existing pantulog. She just used electrical tape to make the dots.

2. The antennae was done using a black head band with rolled up paper wrapped in electrical tape. The tip was cotton dipped in food coloring.

To complete the look, Baby G will we wearing a Beatrix Lady Bag backpack.

See! Our nanny is so talented. I also consider myself lucky to have her.

Xoxo,

L

Friends and Acquaintances

In life, we will meet many people. Many of whom will become our acquaintances. These are people with whom we will have shallow relationships with. These are people who we can only discuss the weather and other superficial current events.

Only a few will become our friends. 

Friends are those who we can share our joys and sorrows with. Friends are those we can run to when we have good news to share and those we can run to when we need to be comforted.

In friendship, it is not the good times that will lay the foundation of the relationship. It is the most unfortunate events that will determine the status and the future of our friendship.

Many people will not know what to say or do to a bleeding heart or a troubled soul. 

I will remember to the grave all those people who stayed and comforted me during the difficult times of my life. I have had plenty of those times.

To those who said the wrong things or did nothing, I think it's best if we keep a little distance between us. 

Like what I said, "mahirap mag move on"

How about you? Do you remember the people who were there for you at your lowest? Make sure you don't forget them during your moments of happiness.

Xoxo,

L

Nips Limited Edition

By now, you already know that I like Nips and it's my trademark Halloween Giveway.

I went to the grocery store to buy Nips for the trick or treat event in our Condo. And I saw these interesting two new variants from Nips.

This is my favorite. Nips Chocomint Delight. I really like anything minty. Even my favorite tea is mint!

The Berries  n' Cream, I got for my husband. I personally don't like fruity and chocolate combinations.

And the best part is...each bag only costs 18 pesos!  

Now, excuse me. I need to go back to my chores.

Xoxo,

L

Mahirap Mag Move On

I've always found it hard to forgive those who have annoyed me.

I've always found it hard to forget the bad things that have been said to me.

In fact, when I pray the "Our Father" medyo hinihinaan ko ang volume ko when I say, " Forgive us for our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us."

Now, I'm finding it hard to forgive myself that I ate at Applebee's. 

Kanina was my first time to eat at Applebee's in BCG.  My husband asked me to join them at Kindermusik...possibly to meet the parents I gave Nips to. Students of Kindermusik get a 20% discount at Applebee's.

Since I noticed that my breastmilk supply becomes surprisingly abundant everytime I eat a burger, I ordered one. It was so expensive but I figured baka naman masarap kasi US chain ang Applebee's.

Bad trip!

Masarap lang tignan!

It was the worst burger I have ever tasted in my life. It was malansa! Even the nanny said so. I would like to think that my tastebuds are more sophisticated than hers. Pero jusko, even the tagabukid found it malansa. She said, "Ma'am kahit mga taga barrio ko indi kauyon sini!"

I asked my husband if malansa. He said...ok naman daw.

Since divided ang opinion, I decided not to complain. 

So, I put a lot of ketchup so that I could had to finish eating my 425php Applebee's burger.

425 PESOS!!!!

After that, I felt really bad about it.

What a waste of money and calories. 

I couldn't move on from my bad burger. After our Kindermusik class, I started ranting about it to anyone who was willing to listen. That went on from 4 pm to 8 pm. 

It's almost 9 in the evening and I'm still reeling about the worst burger of my life.

I do not exaggerate.

Xoxo,

L

The Nanny's Son and his Iron Man Costume

Yesterday the maid excitedly showed me pics of her son wearing the "costume" I gave.

Sharing with you a couple of pics. Medyo maluwag yung tshirt pero pwede na. Notice the hair! Nakakatwa.

Since ang pangit ng resolution ng pics that were sent to her, I took the liberty of editing it para Facebook worthy naman.

She told me na she's hoping her family will go to Gaisano so that he can go trick or treating. Wow! Meron na palang trick or treat kahit sa bukid.

Kamo ready na for your Halloween?

L

How To Be Close

One can't simply say, " We are family, let's be close."

Cordial and civil, yes. But "to be close" is a different matter. It takes effort, chemistry and time to develop a close relationship with someone.

In real life, I draw a clear line to differentiate friends from acquaintances. Friends are those who you can viber at any time of the day and share your joys and woes with. Acquantainces are those you say hello to when you bump into each other in the mall.

One of my close friends is a reader of this journaL. She just started emailing me and we have been friends now for more than a year! 

That being said, how can one develop a close relationship with a person.

1. Ask questions to get to know him or her better. 

    Ex: 

    What's your favorite color? 

     Yes! Parang slam book lang! These useless tidbits will come in handy in time. Trust me.

2. Keep in touch

    Libre na po mangamusta thanks to viber and social media platforms.

    Easy lang naman to message, 

    Ex: 

    Hey! Kamusta?

3. Be thoughtful

   A.  Remember the useless info you gather from #1 

    Ex:

    I saw this pink toilet paper and naalala kita. Hope you like this!

   B. Remember birthdays and other important occasions.

   

   C. Check up on them when they are sick.

4. Listen

    This is the hardest part because there are times that you will not  like what the person will be saying.

    Do not say cliches like, "Don't worry." just to cut the conversation short.  If you really want the   

    person not to worry, find something meaningful and hopeful to say.

5.  Be there during the happy and the tough times.

     It's easy to be physically present when there is a celebration. But people disperse during difficult      

     times. They stay in the sidelines, not knowing what to do or desperately trying to maintain their

     own sanity or happiness.

6. Be patient

    Strong relationships take time to develop. Rome was not built in a day.

Xoxo,

L

    

Silence

""Only open your mouth if what you have to say is more beautiful than silence."

                                                                                                                                     Arabic Proverb

As a new mom, I get a lot of well-meaning comments/suggestions on how I can mother my own child. Most of these unsolicited suggestions , come from those who don't even have kids of their own.

I realize that when you don't have kids yet, you have this idealized standard of how motherhood should be and you judge people based on your stock knowledge or views.

Honestly, naiinis lang ako with these "suggestions". 

They range from how I should carry my baby down to what time and how I should play with her.

As far as I'm concerned, if you didn't push one out, best to keep quiet. 

But if the suggestions come from other mommies, I really value it. The more babies you pop out of your vajayjay, the more credible you are.

L

Cheapangga Halloween Loot Bag

My husband asked me to buy the treats that they would be giving away in Kindermusik. He told me to prepare 15-20 bags.

 Before I left, he said, "Wag masyadong mura ha."

Pero naisip ko, babies don't eat candies naman. 

Baka it would just be their siblings or their yayas who would eat the sweets. My nanny also told me that dati her amo would just buy cheap candies lang.

And so I went to Rustans with a mission to spend only 500 pesos for 15-20 small loot bags. 

Para naman hindi masyado get cheap, I bought 3 bags of Kit Kat. Tapos, I got Jelly Ace, Marshmallow and Nips. NIPS! 

Ay jusko, when they got there andun pala si Marian Rivera at si Baby Zia.

And Ang sosyal ng mga giveaway ng Ibang mommies.

Look! One mommy gave a book. One gave a toy.  Quite a few gave organic stuff. Several gave expensive candies. Then there's me...I gave away Nips and Jellyace. And dahil may sobrang XO candies sa bahay, dinagdag ko pa un.

Di pa ako na contento. I put a sticker pa.. "Love Baby G".  

For sure hindi talaga nila makakalimutan na...na cheap si Baby G. 

Bwahaha. Afterall, you will only remember the best and the worst in anything and everything.

I think the other mommies spend 150-200php per bag. 

Jusko! 187php ang isang kilo ng manok noh! 

Our nanny told me medyo nahiya raw asawa ko to give the loot bags I prepared. Hehehe.

Ay keber! I'm sure masaya ang mga yaya kasi sa kanila mapupunta yun!

Since Wednesday is my day off and the baby's time with my in-laws, I wasn't there to experience their humiliation. Pero pag-uwi nila and nilatag nila lahat ng goodies na nakuha from other mommies, ay sus na guilty ako sa ka-cheapan ko.

Bawi ako next time. Mamimigay ako ng isang kilong manok!

L

Tipid Tips: Halloween Costume

I went around to look for a costume for the baby. She has a Halloween party in Kindermusik. Everything costume I saw costs 700-up.  I just couldn't bring myself to spend on something she will wear only once. Buti sana if good quality ang tela ng costume pero hindi e! Wear once and throw away talaga and hitsura.

So, I went to Toy Kingdom and bought a princess hairpiece for 150 php and a pink dress in SM. Nice naman di ba? Atleast she can still wear the dress after Halloween.

I also got the nanny's son something to wear for his first Halloween.  Mura lang naman. 150 for this Iron Man Mask and 200 for the Iron Man T-shirt.  

The nanny was so happy.  

Naisip ko, imagine mo nalang ano feeling mo na mag asikaso ng costume ng ibang bata samantalang walang  costume ang anak mo.

I mailed the costume plus some treats. The parcel should arrive in Negros next week. And since walang trick or treat dun...bongga ang anak nya...naka Iron Man Sa cementerio.

Oh sya. Baboosh!

L

Our Baby Nursery

On my baby's 6th month,  she finally has a nice room all for her.

The crib and the changing table came from the house of our in-laws. They were delivered there because we initially intended to stay with them for 6 months. When left on our 2nd month, much earlier than planned, we left without our baby furnitures.

See that gray sofa, that's the nanny's bed. We got that from SM for 4,500 pesos. Mahal din pala. Maganda kasi foam. I want the yaya to sleep well.

For nearly 4 months, Baby G slept beside her in our guest bedroom because our bed is on the center of our room and we were worried that the baby will roll off. Aside from that practical reason, my husband also couldn't sleep if she's around.  Sinasabunutan nya daddy nya. 

Now that she's crawling and attempting to jump off the bed, the crib really gives us a peace of mind especially when we are all in the kitchen or living room doing our chores.

She's still not used to sleeping inside her crib though. At night "sisilip" and "tatawa" sa nanny nya.  Eventually she'll get used to it.

How have you all been! Drop me an email to say hi! I've missed you all!

L