Busy Busy Long Weekend!

No vacation for us! No rest, no down time.
It's all about Y's upcoming birthday party!


Our weekend was all about packing the party favors, making cupcake toppers, wrapping tokens for godparents, sending out of invitations, ALL ABOUT THE PARTY!


We bought candies this weekend. I washed and sterilized all 90 spice jars! Yes, I sterilized them to make sure! I filled all ninety jars with candies and chocolates. Stick labels to the lids. It was sort of fun actually hahaha!


BOS made the cupcake toppers. We also DIY-ed the toppers. If you follow me on twitter, you most probably saw them. He sticked fifty toppers, one by one. He's OC, so it should be perfect. We even bought this scallop puncher just for this.


I bought craft boxes at National Bookstore for the godparent's tokens. It so cute! We also sent out invitations we haven't sent out yet!


We bought outfits for the day itself! Haha.. I'm tired and stressed but also can't wait for the day of the party! :D

Preparing for My HK Trip

I'll be going to Hong Kong for a 4-day trip with my mom, aunt, and my brother but Y is not going with us. She's staying here with her papa. I haven't stored milk for Y yet for that trip! I supplement with formula milk whenever my supply is down, now I might supplement with formula during that 4-day trip or I could look for someone who's willing to donate her extra expressed milk but I don't think hubby is ok with that idea. So I'm still hoping I could save enough milk for her...

On the other hand, it will be my first time to express milk while traveling without a baby so I'm reading on how would I do it. I saw to blog post on this. I took notes already!

Here are the links! It might help you! :)
http://www.chroniclesofanursingmom.com/2010/07/tips-on-expressing-milk-while-traveling.html
http://glamomamas.com/2011/03/pumping-in-style/

I will definitely document this and give tips after the trip!

Bittersweet

Ok, in two weeks Y will turn 1. I still can't believe that she's gonna be 1! It seems like I was just pregnant yesterday!


Just thinking about the day she was born, the first time I held her, the first time she rolled over, and all of her milestone.. I get emotional every time I think about it.



Oh my.. It's bittersweet.

In two weeks, we'll be celebrating Y's first birthday, first year of parenthood, first year of motherhood, a year of breastfeeding! So many things to celebrate! Yay!

Cienta Shoes

I'm now on the look for a new pair of Y's walking shoes. She's not walking yet but I want to get her a pair of nice, sturdy, and lightweight shoes when she practices to walk. Cienta is perfect!

What is Cienta?

•Little feet love CIENTA! Cienta is an internationally recognized brand of cool and stylish children's footwear made in Spain.The brand specializes in making shoes out of vulcanized rubber and other natural materials that make each pair comfortable, breathable, durable and flexible enough to conform to the natural movement of children's feet.

Exploring Cienta's History

For over 25 years, Cienta has been specializing in creating high-quality vulcanized footwear for children. Founded in 1982, the family-owned company Calzados Cienta started the kids' canvas and slipper brand with generations worth of expertise in shoe-making.

The factory is located near the wine region of La Rioja in Spain, a region that is deeply rooted in the process of vulcanizing natural rubber, and has been the only manufacturing source of Cienta shoes.

Dedicated to promoting the natural development of children's feet, the entire production and design process of Cienta is centered on quality and comfort, making use of only natural materials and the most advanced technology.

Cienta Shoes are perfect all year round!

•Cienta shoes begin with the careful selection of raw, natural materials appropriate to each season:

•Only the finest cotton, wool, linen and rubber are used to guarantee freshness in the summer, warmth during winter, and comfort all-year round without weight pulling kids' feet down.

Cienta is comfortable and hygienic!

•All materials used are porous, making the shoes lightweight and breathable from all sides, even at the inner & outer soles.
 Each pair of shoes is further enhanced with scented in-sole paddings for cushioning and for the absorption of moisture.

Why Cienta?

•Cienta Kids' Shoes give playful mothers security and ease in letting their kids learn, explore and be active in developing their own identities and lifestyles without sweating the little stuff. After all, every stride a child takes is a step towards his own journey around the world.

Cienta Shoes Look Good!

For Girls!

For Boys!

Even Hollywood Celebrities are a fan of Cienta Shoes!

Cienta kids shoes are available in the Philippines through the exclusive online store at http://www.cientashoes.ph

• •Styles for boys & girls are available
• •Sizes for 1 to 6 year olds
• •Different styles, designs & colors
• •Slip-on, velcro and laced sneakers
• •Espadrilles
• •Low and high cut shoes

(Free of shipping charges for deliveries within Metro Manila. Visit the website to see the latest styles and learn more about upcoming promotions. Like us on Facebook for a chance to win a free gift!)

Cienta Kids Shoes

Website: http://www.cientashoes.ph

Email: cientashoes@gmail.com

Cel #: +63916 479-0113

Contact person: Joanne C. Palileo

Maud Momma

I told you about the shoes I won from a blog giveaway right?

Well, they came in the mail last Tuesday! And I'm a proud Maud Momma! They are so pretty! :) This might be the highest (in heels) shoes I ever own! I don't wear heels a lot even before I was a mom. But when I saw what Denise is giving away, I just can't let it pass and not join! And I WON!

I LOVE that it is a platform and has thick heels!
It's a tad bit bigger but it's okay. I have wide feet so an allowance is good. I wore right away after opening the package haha! I gave Y a piggy back ride while walking in heels! O diba?

I have yet to take this baby out for a spin. But I just have to say it again, I LOVE IT!

Thank you again to Denise and Shoe Etiquette! I hope I win more blog giveaways!



P.S. I emailed Denise that the pumps were a tad big and she was nice enough to exchange it to a size smaller! Yay! I haven't sent it back yet but will do today or tomorrow! :D

Quick Update...

I got 2 posts on queue but one entry won't save.. Sucks!


Met with our new party planner, and it's looking good!


My yaya slipped in our laundry area. I don't know if it's serious so I told her to get an x-ray tomorrow. She has to rest, while me and hubby will have a family time with Y.


Not so much to be blogged about. But please do visit the blog carnival for this month! Check my post below!

Communication and First Time Breastfeeders

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (August). For this month, we join the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action in it's "Talk to Me!" theme where participants will share personal experiences, insights or recommendations in communicating breastfeeding intentions and goals to their support system. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

While I was still pregnant, my first dilemma was can I breastfeed and work at the same time. I didn't have a support system at first (of course my husband is my number one supporter!) because we were living independently so I had to do research on everything from the breast pump, storage system, how to properly store breast milk, and the whole shebang. Kellymom, Chronicles of Nursing Mom, and forums were my source of information.

When I got back to work after my maternity leave, there were two things I had to discuss, one with my yaya and the other is with my our HR Department. I already had three yayas, I oriented all of them on their first day how to handle my expressed milk. I printed a guideline from Kellymom and posted in on our ref. It was easy breezy with my yayas.

At work, we don't have a breastfeeding room/station, only an "executive" bathroom which only the bosses are allowed to use, all of other employees use the common bathroom outside of our office. On my first day back, I talked to our HR manager that I'll be expressing milk for my baby and asked which room I can use to have my pumping sessions and that I needed an outlet because I'm using an electric pump. She told me I can use the executive bathroom, so that's where I pump until to this day. I actually had a problem the second day, one HR personnel locked that bathroom! I think she did that on purpose because well, I'm not a boss and she saw me using it. Tinarayan pa ako! I had to explain to her that I was breastfeeding and I'm pumping milk for my baby. She said she wasn't advised about me using the bathroom and I should ask permission from the HR manager. I told her that the HR already know. Grrr! That shut her mouth! It was smooth sailing after that.

 

With my family, I'm the first one to breastfeed, so I really need to explain why I'm doing it, why I'm exclusively breastfeeding, why is it important to breastfeed for the first six months and no supplementing of formula milk and water. I've got into arguments and debates with my mom and grandma on why I don't want Y to wean and just drink formula. She has the occasional formula milk when my supply is really really low and can't keep up with her demands. My husband is a breastfed baby, he was breastfed until he was four and he rarely gets sick!

In my case or in any case, communication is one of the keys to breastfeed successfully, at home or in the office. With my family, they don't know anything about breastfeeding, so I have to be the one to have all the knowledge and information. I have to be armed with answers to all their questions. I also made sure to tell my family that I intend to breastfeed for as long as I can. Even if my mom and my grandma had told me to wean now or wean when she reaches 1.5 years old, I made my stand. One thing I learned from my sister's failed breastfeeding experience is that she didn't really communicate her breastfeeding intentions to her husband and her MIL. She's living in the province and me being her only support system, I really can't do much but give advice and suggestions. In the end, she was not successful.

Communication, having an open minded support system, and having a supportive support system are important in breastfeeding successfully. I'm no expert on this so advice and insights from other breastfeeding moms would be welcome. :)


Happy Breastfeeding Month!

Check out other participant's entries:
DaintyMom's Creating a Pro-Breastfeeding Culture in the Family (Facebook and Twitter: @Dainty_Mom)
Wifely Steps' On Breastfeeding: Say It, Claim It, Get Support! (Facebook and Twitter: @macaronigirl)
Truly Rich Mom's How To Get Others to Support You in Breastfeeding (Facebook and Twitter: @tinasrodriguez)
EthanMama's My Best Breastfeeding Support System - My Husband (Twitter: @ethanmama)
Raising Baby Lia's A Shoutout to my Breastfeeding Buddies
Jen CC Tan's I'm Breastfeeding, and That's That! (Facebook and Twitter: @next9baby)
Project Blog by Kate's Talk and Make it Happen (Facebook and Twitter: @kate_demetrio)
My Mommy Kwentos' How I Recruited my Top Breastfeeding Buddies (Facebook)
Apples  & Dumplings Communicating and First Time Breastfeeders (Twitter: @apple_dumplings)
I'm a Newbie Wife's How I Taught My Family to Breastfeed
TouringKitty's Communication Through Breastfeeding (Twitter: @Touringkitty)
Mec as Mom's Pre-Natal Pediatric Consultations Are Necessary
Escie's World's Ready, Get Set, Go! for Breastfeeding (Twitter: @Escielicious)
Nanaystrip's BreasTALK : Text, Retweet, Share your Knowledge and Experiences (Twitter: @bunsonimaestro)
Superwomom's A-S-Ks (on breastfeeding questions, help, support)
Go Help Yourself's “6 persuasion tips for breastfeeding moms and advocates”
Legally Mom's Breastfeeding Talk Between Me and My Formula Fed Daughter (Facebook and Twitter: @legallymomPH
Handy Mommy's Couple's Communication and Decision: Key to Successful Breastfeeding
Chronicles of a Nursing Mom's Effective Communication Bucket List (Facebook and Twitter: @mamababylove)

The Partygoer!

We attended a neighbor's 6th birthday party last two Saturdays ago. It was held in our compound's admin hall. It's a small and simple party for the kids in our compound. I think Y is the youngest attendant!

Mommy, put my shoes on, let's go party! 

The theme as PvZ, there was a Nachos food cart, Dirty Ice Cream, and a candy corner! I think party decors, food cart, loot bags and host were from kiddie-party. Food was Jollibee! I let Y ate some ice cream, few bits of nachos, and Jolli Spaghetti which she enjoyed eating! I didn't get to take picture of Y eating because she was sitting on my lap while I fed her.

She was clapping along with the kids while watching the magic show. There was one game where the host asked a bunch of kids to shout "Happy" to which Y replied with a very loud "HAAAAAAAA!" Nagulat ako! Haha.. She did that twice. Naintindihan nya sinabi ng host? Haha! My yaya was so bibo at the party. Sumali siya sa pabitin at piñata to get candies and a prize for Y! Para naman daw meron ang alaga nya. Haha! She even let Y touched the doves na part ng magic show!

I enjoyed the party! Y enjoyed the party! Now I sort of have an idea how will the party go on Y's birthday. I had no idea what to buy for the game prizes. Now I think I know what to buy na din. It's less than a month away na lang!!! Y, you're 11 months na! How did that happen???

One Month To Go.. One Year Ago..

I can't help but feel nostalgic and reminisce that one year ago, we were still living in a condo, I was pregnant with Y, I was busy buying things for the little unborn Y, had a maternity photo shoot and now she's eleven months turning one year old next month. Hay... how time flies!

And now three weeks into her birthday, with all the party preparations, I'm stressed. Well, not really. Just a bit. We got the invitations, cupcake labels, giveaway labels, some prizes.. Acckkk! This doesn't feels like a small party. Haha.. well, we invited just family and friends only. But we also got a host, face painting activity, dessert table (which I'm excited about!), nice decors, the whole shebang! Waahhh... I'm really excited!

With all these things happening, life has never been good! Y added so much life and happiness to our marriage, our family, and to our home! Love you, Y! Looking forward to more adventures and mishaps!

I Won a Blog Giveaway!!!

I won a blog giveaway...

I won new shoes...
I won new pumps...


Yes! Me, me, me! Hindi naman ako masyadong masaya noh?! But I did win! Woot woot!!!!

I joined the Shoe Etiquette's blog giveaway about a week ago. The mechanics are so easy, so I said why not?! I actually joined her previous giveaway so but didn't won, so I tried again this time!

I joined a lot of giveaways but never won! When I saw Denise's tweet that she announced the winner on her blog, my heart went bog, bog, bog! While waiting for her blog to load, I said ako siguro nanalo... (Kapal eh noh?) But I really won!!! So yay for me!

I'm just waiting for the shoes to come home to it's momma!!!

Thank you again Denise and Shoe Etiquette for the lovely shoes!

Photos from Shoe Etiquette

A Week of Baby Love!

Shobe and my nephew G came for a five-day stay-cation at my parent's house this week! Excited kaming lahat! Yay! It was full of baby love at our house!


Y was not making pansin her cousin G at first, but I think she got comfortable a day later. Here are photos! I'm lazy to kwento...

Looking to more weeks like this!!! I miss G already!