I considered myself very lucky with Phoenix because he was a very easy baby. Yes, I still have a lot of sleepless nights because of pumping and feeding but overall I still had it good compared to other mothers with newborns because I didn't have to deal with a temperamental baby. Phoenix has been very good and hardly cries, except when he's hungry. But even then, my hubby & I considered his cries cute since they were so soft.
I think I may have spoken too soon. This week was tough. Phoenix has been constipated on and off for a month now and I he's gotten really irritable this week. There was a day that I had to put two suppositories in him since the first one didn't work. I guess this was very uncomfortable and painful for him because it was when he started to cry really hard. I think that this was the day he actually found out that his voice could be that LOUD! I said to myself that he would probably cry like this only on that day because of the high amount of discomfort he had. Sadly, I was wrong again.
I think that since he discovered the magnitude of his voice, he has every intention of letting people hear him whenever he's irritated. Before, I found his cries so cute that no matter how tired I was I couldn't get irritated at him. Now, I get goosebumps hearing his screams and I find myself pleading with him to calm down. I am secretly hoping that this is one of those experimental stages that toddlers go thru and that he'd grow out of it (crossing my fingers with this plea!)
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Mommy takes a night off
Last wednesday, I went out to dinner in The Goose Station with some of my girl friends. I admit that I was craving for this time off for a long time since my life has been centered around taking care of my newborn and my family ever since I gave birth last February. I asked my hubby to take care of the kids for a couple of hours while I try to unwind.
I organized everything--I got my hubby to babysit, pumped and stored milk for the time that I'll be away and was actually able to fit in one of my favorite jeans. I was ready for a "night off" and come wednesday morning I was all of a sudden feeling anxious about leaving Phoenix. I even toyed with the idea of bringing him along with me that night. When I broached the subject to my hubby he of course told me not to do that because I was going to a fine dining place and that I needed some time off for myself. In the end, I told myself that he was right.
I met up with my hubby in Rockwell and "surrendered" the kids to him and then I left for Goose. I was happy that I took his advice and had some me time. Afterall, it was my first time to do something for me. The girls were fun to be with...usual cheezmax and exchanging notes about breastfeeding and taking care of kids.
The food was excellent, as usual. It was my first time to try the express menu & their summer offerings. I just kept on eating that my friends kept on asking if I wasn't full at all with the amount of foie that I put in my system. I told myself that fat is good for Phoenix when I breastfeed him. hahaha!
It was nice to take a breather but I found myself missing all my boys before the night ended. It's weird how I would crave for some alone time when things are just so stressful and chaotic with the kids but when I get it, I end up missing them. At the end of the day, no matter how tired I get from taking care of my family I truly am the happiest when I'm with them :)
with my "manangs"
I organized everything--I got my hubby to babysit, pumped and stored milk for the time that I'll be away and was actually able to fit in one of my favorite jeans. I was ready for a "night off" and come wednesday morning I was all of a sudden feeling anxious about leaving Phoenix. I even toyed with the idea of bringing him along with me that night. When I broached the subject to my hubby he of course told me not to do that because I was going to a fine dining place and that I needed some time off for myself. In the end, I told myself that he was right.
I met up with my hubby in Rockwell and "surrendered" the kids to him and then I left for Goose. I was happy that I took his advice and had some me time. Afterall, it was my first time to do something for me. The girls were fun to be with...usual cheezmax and exchanging notes about breastfeeding and taking care of kids.
The food was excellent, as usual. It was my first time to try the express menu & their summer offerings. I just kept on eating that my friends kept on asking if I wasn't full at all with the amount of foie that I put in my system. I told myself that fat is good for Phoenix when I breastfeed him. hahaha!
welcome snacks
pea soup
Caviar
My Favorite--Seared Foie Gras
Roast Chicken & Lamb
Bread Pudding
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Trip to DFA
Our whole family will be going to the states this December for my father-in-law's 70th birthday so I needed to get Phoenix a passport asap so that I could also apply for his US visa. Applying for a passport was different this time. You aren't allowed to use Travel Agencies anymore so you have to apply on your own either via their website or using their telephone hotline.
It wasn't easy to make an appointment. Their website could not process my application for unknown reasons and their hotline was sooooo hard to get in touch with. It took me a couple of days before I could lodge my application. The good thing is that their operator was very well mannered and knowledgeable. I thought that DFA was becoming very structured and organized so I thought that getting Phoenix's passport would be easy.
On the day of his appointment, I really got scared because there were soooo many people that they were already outside of the premises. When we entered I told the guard that we had an appointment and he told me to line up to go to a certain table. The line was LONG!!!!! when I got to the table they told me that I shouldn't have lined up because the applicant was an infant and they get the special treatment. They even said na kawawa naman yung baby. I wanted to hit the guard who told me to line up on the head. It was very disorienting for Phoenix when we were lining up because the wind was so strong and there were just so many people and they didn't give much regard to us that they just kept on cutting and passing us when they could see that I was carrying an infant in front of me.
Thankfully, that was the hardest part that we had to go through because we did get special treatment so we didn't really have to line up that much and when we had to wait to be processed, it took them just about 15 minutes. I highly recommend that all families renew or apply for their passports with a newborn because it will make your life a whole lot easier. If you're just a regular person, be prepared to wait wait wait and line up and stand up. You could easily be there for a whole day with the amount of people applying or renewing their passports. If that's the case, don't forget to bring stuff for your own entertainment ;)
It wasn't easy to make an appointment. Their website could not process my application for unknown reasons and their hotline was sooooo hard to get in touch with. It took me a couple of days before I could lodge my application. The good thing is that their operator was very well mannered and knowledgeable. I thought that DFA was becoming very structured and organized so I thought that getting Phoenix's passport would be easy.
On the day of his appointment, I really got scared because there were soooo many people that they were already outside of the premises. When we entered I told the guard that we had an appointment and he told me to line up to go to a certain table. The line was LONG!!!!! when I got to the table they told me that I shouldn't have lined up because the applicant was an infant and they get the special treatment. They even said na kawawa naman yung baby. I wanted to hit the guard who told me to line up on the head. It was very disorienting for Phoenix when we were lining up because the wind was so strong and there were just so many people and they didn't give much regard to us that they just kept on cutting and passing us when they could see that I was carrying an infant in front of me.
Thankfully, that was the hardest part that we had to go through because we did get special treatment so we didn't really have to line up that much and when we had to wait to be processed, it took them just about 15 minutes. I highly recommend that all families renew or apply for their passports with a newborn because it will make your life a whole lot easier. If you're just a regular person, be prepared to wait wait wait and line up and stand up. You could easily be there for a whole day with the amount of people applying or renewing their passports. If that's the case, don't forget to bring stuff for your own entertainment ;)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Dr. Romeo Nuguid
I believe that choosing the right Pedia is very important. Having the right doctor for your children is having a lifeline to sanity. Dr. Romeo Nuguid has been a life saver to me and my boys. As I have mentioned before, Cairo has been sickly the past couple of months and it feels good to be able to get in touch with his doctor 24/7. Dr. Nuguid really gives out his cell number so that parents can have some peace of mind because you can call on him anytime you are unsure of what to do. I honestly don't know how I would have survived without him.
Apart from being on call, he has become Cairo's idol and wants to be a doctor like him when he grows up because of the way he takes care of him. Cairo loves going to his office because Dr. Nuguid never fails to amuse him and he even lets him play with his latest gadgets. Dr. Ome has truly endeared himself to our family because he always shows us that he truly cares for the well being of not only our children but also of us parents.
It's rare to find people who are so dedicated to their job nowadays so it truly is refreshing to see Dr. Ome's dedication to his "little" patients. He makes you really feel that he's looking out for your family and as a parent, I believe that this is vital in choosing the doctor who will take care of your kids until they are 18 so choose well and never settle for an "ok" doctor because you are putting your child's life in their hands.
Apart from being on call, he has become Cairo's idol and wants to be a doctor like him when he grows up because of the way he takes care of him. Cairo loves going to his office because Dr. Nuguid never fails to amuse him and he even lets him play with his latest gadgets. Dr. Ome has truly endeared himself to our family because he always shows us that he truly cares for the well being of not only our children but also of us parents.
It's rare to find people who are so dedicated to their job nowadays so it truly is refreshing to see Dr. Ome's dedication to his "little" patients. He makes you really feel that he's looking out for your family and as a parent, I believe that this is vital in choosing the doctor who will take care of your kids until they are 18 so choose well and never settle for an "ok" doctor because you are putting your child's life in their hands.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Mother's Day
I've been a walking zombie pretty much ever since I gave birth so hubby and I agreed to not celebrate Mother's Day today and just do it next sunday to avoid the sea of people celebrating this occasion. I simply do not have the patience to go out and be harassed by traffic and noise on a day that's supposed to be for me.
This day started a bit rough for me since Phoenix and pumping didn't really make me sleep. Then when my yaya came back from her day off she was sick so I couldn't count on her today. The scenario is that everyone in the house is sick except for our new cook and our house girl so I basically couldn't rely on anyone to help me because Phoenix would get sick. So I got one of my treasured carriers and placed Phoenix there so that I could at least do other things while carrying him. Eating was a bit of a challenge because I had to be careful not to spill food on Phoenix(who was in the carrier). Pumping was harder when he was awake since he would cry and I can't really carry him so I had to rely on one of my hands and my voice to soothe him, which didn't work all the time.
Admittedly, the day was a bit tough because it was also sooooo HOT! The only cool part of the house was Cairo's room(his aircon is on 24/7 now bec. he's sick and temperature changes make him worse). I hung out there for brief periods during the day so that I could be with Cairo and at the same time cool off with Phoenix. I had to leave the room when Phoenix started sneezing a lot, not a good sign because he might get sick as well. We left Cairo's room and the heat was truly a pain. It was the first time that I've seen Phoenix sweat that much so he became a bit moody.
This day was not much different from my usual routine and my hubby's comment during breakfast was that he was sure that I was feeling motherhood most especially this year because we already have two. I agree with him, I do feel it not only because of the challenges that I go through everyday taking care of the kids but also because of the happiness I feel when I do things for them no matter how hard they may be.
The good parts of my day was being able to spend time reading & playing with Cairo, being hugged by Cairo as he greets me happy mother's day, taking a video of Phoenix smiling and laughing, having my hubby tell me how much he loves me and being able to keep Phoenix asleep long enough for me to have and enjoy a massage. Some people would probably not find these things such a big highlight of their day but it fulfills me. I live for these little joys in my life. My body and mind have never been more tired and worn out but I've also never felt this much loved. Motherhood has made me feel very loved.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! We never get a day off but we also get the best treasure in life, our family :)
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Every Parent's Nightmare
I am living every parent's worst nightmare, having a sickly child. For over 3 and a half years, we have been proud of how strong Cairo's immune system was because he never really got sick except for the pneumonia that he got when we came home from our US trip when he was almost 3. We didn't have to worry about him catching a cold if we brought him with us out of town because he hardly got sick.
Things changed last september when he got a flu then he also got pneumonia while he was still down with the flu. It was his first time to be admitted to the hospital and he was there for about a week. We thought that the worst was over. Little did we know that his being healthy would be short lived.
2010 has been a struggle for us. He has been constantly sick. On and off colds, fever, uti and pneumonia twice! His doctor told us that his immune system is really just so low inspite of the steroids that he's been given so we're trying something new again in the hopes that it would work better. I have stopped sending him to swimming classes, school and any other activity for the summer because he tends to get sick more often.
I'm frustrated and I feel bad for my son. Why is this happening to him? How could he have gotten so sickly in such a short span of time?! What will this mean for him? So many questions in my head and yet no answer can be given? How can my little boy enjoy and play?
Seeing your child sick is probably one of the hardest things a parent can go thru. Having a newborn is also not helping my situation because Cairo's contagious and I'm having a hard time being with them both because I have to keep them apart and I have to make sure that when I go to Phoenix, I wouldn't infect him with viruses.
I just want my boys to be healthy. Please, I want this nightmare to end.
Things changed last september when he got a flu then he also got pneumonia while he was still down with the flu. It was his first time to be admitted to the hospital and he was there for about a week. We thought that the worst was over. Little did we know that his being healthy would be short lived.
2010 has been a struggle for us. He has been constantly sick. On and off colds, fever, uti and pneumonia twice! His doctor told us that his immune system is really just so low inspite of the steroids that he's been given so we're trying something new again in the hopes that it would work better. I have stopped sending him to swimming classes, school and any other activity for the summer because he tends to get sick more often.
I'm frustrated and I feel bad for my son. Why is this happening to him? How could he have gotten so sickly in such a short span of time?! What will this mean for him? So many questions in my head and yet no answer can be given? How can my little boy enjoy and play?
Seeing your child sick is probably one of the hardest things a parent can go thru. Having a newborn is also not helping my situation because Cairo's contagious and I'm having a hard time being with them both because I have to keep them apart and I have to make sure that when I go to Phoenix, I wouldn't infect him with viruses.
I just want my boys to be healthy. Please, I want this nightmare to end.
Monday, May 3, 2010
More than cupcakes from Sonja
It was the baptism of Phoenix last Sunday and one of my great joys in preparing for any event of my children is choosing the cake and souvenirs/give-aways. For Cairo, I have remained loyal to Baba Ibazeta for over 4 years. I thought long and hard about who to use for Phoenix and I decided to try out Sonja.
I have been a loyal customer to Sonja even before she opened her store in Serendra so I decided to try her out in terms and have something done especially for Phoenix. I got in touch with her and inquired about her rates and asked her for suggestions regarding the cake and give-aways. I was so happy that she was also able to think of a gift/token for my ninongs and ninangs.
After a couple of emails, we were able to come up with a theme and she designed something suuupppppeeeeerrrrrrr cute for Phoenix. Check out the pics below:
I have been a loyal customer to Sonja even before she opened her store in Serendra so I decided to try her out in terms and have something done especially for Phoenix. I got in touch with her and inquired about her rates and asked her for suggestions regarding the cake and give-aways. I was so happy that she was also able to think of a gift/token for my ninongs and ninangs.
After a couple of emails, we were able to come up with a theme and she designed something suuupppppeeeeerrrrrrr cute for Phoenix. Check out the pics below:
Drawing of Phoenix's Cake
His Actual "safari" themed cake
Sample Baby Block Actual Baby Block for Ninongs & Ninangs
Surprise inside the block :)
Sample Cupcakes (the actual cupcakes had 3 colors for the icing-blue, pink & yellow)
I can't wait for the next event that I can use her because everything doesn't only look cute but they're also so delicious! Thanks so much again Sonj!
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