Here’ s Sky lavishing his favorite chocolate cake!
Happy 3rd Birthday Sweet cheeks! Mommy and Daddy loves you more than you’ll ever know! ❤❤❤
WOW! Time sure flies by fast when you’re having fun. Last January 27, marked my second year in blogging!
THANK YOU for everyone who continually drops by to see what goes on in this side of the woods. I sure am glad that some of you learn something fruitful from some of my posts. 
It is very amusing how this blog started and how it has developed into something people actually learn from. This is my aim in 2010. To share more insights on marriage, parenting and family life – that you might discover some bits and pieces that can benefit you in little ways… And in turn, please do drop a comment or an email – so I may learn from you too!
HAPPY FEBRUARY EVERYONE!
When I was in my twenties, I used a slice of tomato as my facial mask every week. It worked wonders for me, but the smell of tomatoes and the seeds that sometimes finds its way into my eyes was a real bummer.
I was online researching for organic products that we can use around the house, and I found Human Heart Nature by accident. What caught my eye was the tomato & lemongrass facial wash and toner they were selling. A TOMATO skin product in a bottle! Yipee! And it turns out, they had a branch just near our house! I did not waste anytime. I went…with Sky in tow of course!
I was quite overwhelmed with the number of products they had on hand. Not that it was too much, but almost all seemed very effective and the price was NOT BAD AT ALL.
I made a list of the stuff I wanted to take home for the family. It added up to about 750 pesos. Then, the girl asked if I wanted to be a distributor. It would have some trial sizes of their best-selling products. I get a discount, and I can sell too… I said YES.
It’s been three days since I started using their products. And I definitely see and feel the difference. It’s also nice to use products created by companies who are socially responsible, not just for the environment, but for also creating organic farms – giving the Filipino farmers a chance to earn as well. Buying Human Heart Nature products is actually a win-win situation when you think about it… It’s environmental friendly, helps out the poor and it is more NOURISHING to use than the chemical-laden ones.
So far, I am loving their products. But, after a couple of weeks – I’ll give a review for the products I used.
That’s all for now folks! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
If you are interested in buying or becoming a dealer yourself. You can browse through their list of products at their website, and you can email your orders at TheFitMommy@yahoo.com or text me at 0917-5210207.
You can pay through G-cash and through Paypal.
I was playing with Sky in the playground pictured above when a little girl asked me, “Where’s your son’s yaya?”
“Oh, he doesn’t have a yaya..” was my reply.
“Wow, really? I didn’t know that mommies can do that.”
Sure, we have ate Ging now that helps around the house…. But I suddenly remembered how I lived without any help during Sky’s first year of life. Right after I gave birth, I only spent five days living my parents while I familiarize myself with the art of motherhood. After that meager five days, I was catapulted to the level of domesticity that I never thought I would achieve. It was a mind boggling time for me.
I cooked, did the laundry, iron our clothes, cleaned the house and did errands with Sky in tow in a carseat. Aside from that, I breastfed every two to three hours, pumped milk out of my already sore breast for additional supply for Sky for moments that I was not producing milk and slept only three to four hours at time every night for a whole year.
There was even a time that I had a high pile of laundry right beside me, and Sky just cried every time I put him down in his crib. I was getting so frustrated then. But in the end, I just surrendered and we slept soundly together amidst the mess in the house and amidst the laundry that needed washing. Ironically, it was one of the best naps that I have ever taken ever. And I smile whenever I remember that afternoon. I don’t even think that I took a bath that day. But I didn’t care.
After three months, I actually got the hang of it. It was all about time management, and learning to choose what really matters in life. Miraculously, the house was less cluttered, the food cooked on time, the clothes all clean for daily use and I still had enough supply of breast milk for the days when my own supplies were low.
Doing the errands with a baby in tow, also became easier. If I needed to go to the bank, I was there promptly when they open. I did the grocery early too. I just plopped in the infant seat in the push-cart, and I am all set. I even found myself enjoying an ice cream cone in a corner of SM mall of asia, when D is out on a long flight.
There are times though that Sky became impossibly cranky during those times, and again by God’s grace – I got through it all in peace. Sure, my hair was always tied in a pony tail and I always wore jeans and comfortable rubber shoes and no trace of make-up then. But, I was genuinely happy!
One late afternoon back then, I was sweating quite a lot while attempting to place Sky in his infant car seat inside the car at the parking space of festival mall, and just outside the cars door was a couple of bags of groceries and a stroller that needed to be packed away in the trunk. And to top it all, Sky was crying incessantly. I had a hard time getting him buckled up properly. Sky was five months old.
“IT’S WORTH ALL THE SWEAT EY? EVERYTHING YOU’RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS WORTH IT, MAYBE EVEN MORE.” Boomed an American grandpa at me, who was parked right beside our car.
I gave him a smile through my sweat-laden face. And he drove off.
It sure was worth doing everything that I can for Sky. For being hands-on. A lot of friends and family always wondered how I (and my sisters) can live without household help or a yaya (nanny) if we choose too. It takes a lot of dedication I think, and you live for another human being for awhile.
Besides, when they grow up – you can always have your life back. As they live theirs without you, but with the values you imprinted on them.
Even if you have household help or a yaya (nanny) in the house. Stay hands-on in taking care of your children. Save the yaya for the times that you need a date with your husband or the occassional breather that you might need when things get a bit overwhelming. 
D turned 40 last January 15th of this year.
Yep he’s forty but he sure doesn’t look or feel like it.
He is just insanely happy these days! And we all are too! Woohoo!
Happy Birthday Dad! We Love you A Lot!
Hello world! I’m alive!
We have been busy and lazy during the first few days of January 2010… Busy with work, with learning, with growing… And lazy hanging around together watching DVD’s or reading a book. It was quite a pleasure just being home and concentrating on what really matters in life. Time with family.
Unofficially homeschooling Sky doesn’t only teach him to learn new things – but us (D and me) as well. Sky’s penchant for dinosaurs is quite overwhelming. Knowing that an animal was a dinosaur will not suffice for him. He has to know WHAT KIND of DINOSAUR it is as well.
Thank goodness for books and the internet. I get to know the kind of dinosaur there is when he sees one in his picture books or toy figurines. If I didn’t know – Sky will continually beg me to know the name “on my computer”. In turn, I learn the same time as him. I just never thought that I would come to know the kind of dinosaurs out there.
A couple of helpful websites on dinosaurs that I have bookmarked are www.KidsDinos.com and the dinosaur page at Enchanted Learning. Both provide an index of dinosaurs with corresponding images. An educational lifesaver for me and D! Anything for Sky to learn and grow.
- From Left to Right (Top): Big Parasaurolophus, Diplodocus, Pteranodon.
(Bottom): Small Parasaurolophus, Turtle, Stegosaurus. -
On most days I have a schedule of activities for the day… Study from 4:00 to 6:00AM. Run at 6:00AM. Prepare breakfast at 7:00. Morning prayer with Sky at 7:30 to 8:00AM, followed by reading two books and singing one song. And then fix the bed, and so on and so forth.
And on the most days, I am my cheery happy self. I mean, who wouldn’t be? We are all healthy and complete. We live comfortably. And most of all God is up there, guiding us all the time. What else can you ask for?
However, there are times that I get a bit overwhelmed with just being around my son. I love Sky to bits and I would do anything for him. There are just those moments that I need to breathe when everything gets too claustrophobic… So I salute all the mothers who have a handful of kids and they just seem to just wing it.
I read a lot of information online and on print on how to raise our child the best way we can. And I realize that it is just not my son who is growing and learning. But, us parents as well. A lot of people have been amazed on how Sky can converse at such a young age. And when I think of it, my incessant conversing with him – has helped a lot on building his personality.
And the biggest challenge of all is building his character. Because I, myself will rebuild ours (D and me) to guide him to be the best man that he can be. I am not perfect, at least I know most of us aren’t. I know my weaknesses – my impatience my bullheadedness will have to be tamed and controlled for both of us to grow better as a person. And everyone thought that being a mother or a father is just “taking care” of their children. But, it really is not. Being a parent is more than that. Parenting is a life-long process on making yourself to be a better person for your son. And in the end for yourself.
Nasty habits need to be changed for the better. Kindness. Love. Respect. Gratitude. All of these falls under the umbrella of learning that we all need to strive for. Although I am studying and D is working to give Sky the ability to survive in this world. I think what’s more important is giving him the necessary values that really matter. Not to be a God-fearing person, but a God-loving person. And everything else will follow through.
So when there are times that I get a bit overwhelmed with all the mommy duties. I let myself cry. I run outside. I talk to my friends. I let myself feel what I am feeling and then I keep myself together… And go back to mommy mode, because I know what I am doing is the best thing any parent can bring.
Be The Best God-loving Person He Can Be.
Thank you 2009…
…for keeping us healthy and safe all-year-round.
…for teaching us the life lessons D and I both needed to learn for us to grow.
…for bringing out the high bound energy and loquaciousness in Sky.
…for giving me the strength and patience to keep up with him!
…for giving us perseverance to teach ourselves to become better parents for our little man.
…for helping me pass my Physical Therapy board exams last July, finally after 12 years!
…for giving D the opportunity to run a fast 24:00 5K at the San Francisco Marathon , also last July 2009.
…for letting me finish two half-marathons, the Greenfield and the Quezon City International Marathon in May and October respectively.
…for giving me the courage to not continue on with my attempt on my first full marathon, otherwise I would be toast at the end.
…for all the blessings that you entrusted us with. We will do our best to pay God’s love with paying it forward for 2010!
…for keeping the love in our extended families and friendships alive!
…for God’s guidance in EVERYTHING that we did, and we will do yet for 2010!
…for paving the way to a brighter and better 2010!
“Can I touch this one? I’ll be gentle mom.”
“Can I go up there?”
“Can I use the camera?”
Whenever Sky asks any of the above questions or anything in the lines of asking permission to do something different, we try our best not to say NO. Except of course if the situation is too dangerous, that’s the only time we say the N-word.
We believe if we give him free hand to do some of the activities that sparks his interest – it will initiate creativity on his part. So here are just some of the photos he took with our camera… Nice to see things from a child’s perspective, don’t you think?
The month of December was both delightful and daunting, hence the infrequent blog posts. Nevertheless, all is well and good from our home. We are spending our holidays in the Queen city of the South, Cebu. We also spent Christmas last year in this no-frills city.
We’ll be getting dressed now for our Christmas eve dinner and for the most important part of tonight’s festivities – to celebrate the mass for the birth of Jesus!
Have a Blessed Christmas to all of you! I will post again soon!
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