Rockstar Themed Party: JABE's 1st Birthday

Last Saturday, June 2, LA went to his baby-friend's 1st Birthday.

JABE is the son of my mommy friend, Mommy Liv Emetrio. We were blessed to be a part of JABE's rockin' party! Though it was a rainy day, the party was still well attended. Everyone had a great time. Here are the details:

When: June 2, 2012
Where: Casa Camba, New Manila, Quezon City

There was a registration area at the entrance of the party. You will see this sign upon entering the venue.

LA and his cousin, Leean took their rockstar nametag at the registration area. They also received a claiming stab for JABE's giveaway at the end of the party.

Tiny Buds was a part of the event and they provided us with a sample of their products. The Black Pencil Project was also a part of the party. It was a great privilege to be able to help the less fortunate children by sharing some school supplies for them to utilize.

LA wearing his nametag

Leean wearing her nametag and showing her glitter tattoo

The VENUE

Casa Camba is located at New Manila, Quezon City. The place was huge and can accomodate a large group. The tables were arranged according to the theme. There were balloons in the ceiling and in the centerpiece of each table. The stage had an extravagant backdrop that would really catch the attention of the audience. The atmosphere was very pleasant and you could see the excitement in each guest.






The FOOD

The table full of sweets!!Yummy!!

The food was in a buffet set up. There were pasta, fish, meat, chicken, and rice. There was also a separate section for sweets and desserts (yum!). The food was GREAT! My husband and I really enjoyed it. There was also a separate menu for the kids. They had fried chicken, spaghetti, and hotdog.






The PROGRAM

The Program was well organized. The host of the party was a pro! He really did a great job in handling the crowd. The games were new and exciting. There was also a mini magic show for the children. They chose the best rockstar from infant to adult. The prizes were educational and the toys are nice.

the party host

doing his fire trick

The birthday family

The Booths


There were different activities around the area. There was a photobooth near the stage, a corndog stand, an icecream stand, and a mobile bar for the adults

mobile bar

We really enjoyed JABE's party. I had a great time together with my other mommy friends who also attended. My son was able to bond with his baby-friends. My niece enjoyed the program as well as the sweets. JABE's 1st Birthday truly ROCKed!

My Breastfeeding Journey: The First Latch

(This is the first part of my breastfeeding journey. There are other parts that will discuss my challenges and tips based on my personal experience as a breastfeeding mom. I hope that through these series of posts, I would get to encourage young moms as well as first time moms to choose breastfeeding for their baby.) 

When I was still pregnant, there were a lot of people that influenced my decision to breastfeed my baby. I was very blessed to have a mom who's pro breastfeeding since I myself was a breastfed baby up to 3 years old.

LA at 2 days old

I also had a support group that encourages me to go for breastfeeding.

So there I was, very sure that I am going to breastfeed my son. 

Then, he was born.

I wasn't able to experience the "unang yakap" since I became unconscious after he came out. The resident doctor and nurses told me to breastfeed my baby, and so I did. Unfortunately, no milk came out of my breasts!!I was so sad but I didn't gave up. We tried to latch him again and again but he cries even louder.

Luckily, his pediatrician came and checked us. She taught me how to properly latch my baby. She even encouraged me to continue on breastfeeding because eventually, the milk will come.

We went home and everytime LA's hungry, we'll breastfeed. The first week was very challenging. I almost gave up because we are not latching properly and it hurts.

After 3 days, we went back to our pediatrician for LA's check-up. While waiting for our turn, we tried breastfeeding LA. My husband was holding him while I breastfeed. To our surprise, LA had milk falling from the side of his mouth!! At last, my milk came out and it was abundant!

From that moment on, I was determined to breastfeed LA whatever trials we'll go through. As long as LA wants my milk, I'm willing to give him everything I have.

Simple tips for new breastfeeding moms:

* Always make sure that your baby's mouth is wide open. (it's part of their reflex to open their mouth when you offer your breast)

* Offer a big portion of your areola to your baby and not just the nipple. (the reason why some moms are scared to breastfeed because of the thought that "it's painful". It is easy for babies to suck the nipple alone that's why it hurts. When your baby learns to latch properly with the areola, your breastfeeding experience will be a whole lot better)

* Your baby's lips should be in a "fish-mouth" position. (to know if you're baby is latching properly, he/she should have lips that are turned out)

*RELAX! - like your baby, you should also be relaxed. do not think of breastfeeding as a "job". Think of it as your own personal way of showing your baby how much you love them. Take time to caress your baby and sing him/her lullabies. This is your best form of bonding that no one can take.

HAPPY BREASTFEEDING!

Smart Parenting Breastfeeding Video

I, together with LA and my husband, went to a home store, IDeas for Living, at 2100 Chino Roces Ext., Makati City for a video shoot.



LA and I became a part of Smart Parenting's Breastfeeding video which aims to encourage future moms to choose breast feeding for their baby.

There were three other breastfeeding moms with us during the shoot. I had the opportunity to mingle with other moms and LA had his time to "talk" to other babies.

Everything went well, I had a great time because I learned a lot about breastfeeding.




Here are some of the knowledge that I learned from Ms. Nona (Nanay Nona):

1. Most of the time, moms forget that breastfeeding is NOT only good for their babies. It's also good for themselves. As a breastfeeding mom, I am less prone to breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis!!!

2. The reason why my baby is always sweating, is because I eat a lot of food rich in seasonings.oops! my fault!

3. Breastfeeding moms should be aware of their food intake. We are advised to eat at least 8 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

4. Our breast milk has antibodies that is very essential for our kid's health. Each teaspoon of breast milk has millions antibodies! It's like having a drugstore right in front of you!haha

5. Breast milk is like the best ointment for your baby's insect bites! It's actually effective even for adult's itchiness. Try it!

6. When feeding, make sure you have a glass of water, a bowl of soup, or a piece of fruit beside you. Breastfeeding can make you really hungry and thirsty.

7. Do not tolerate any pain during breast feeding. A minor pain can lead to something worse. Try changing the position or the latch.

8. Breastfeed up to 4 years of age. This will make your child loyal to you.:)..I hope I can do this...

9. Your breast milk becomes thicker in consistency during feeding. This makes a signal to your baby that it's time to stop drinking milk. (cool huh?)

10. Breast fed baby girls are also less prone to breast cancer. (Yey! I was breastfed too)


There are a lot more things that she shared to us. You can add her on Facebook if you have any questions about breastfeeding.

Thank God I fought for breast feeding. I almost gave up, but learning how great breast milk, I am encouraged to continue breastfeeding until I can and until LA wants to.

Some photos from today's shoot.:)..can't wait to see the video!!

LA's playing inside the crib

change location. LA's too young for the shot:))

After the shoot, we had a little token for participating. I got a book from Smart Parenting! "150+ fun and creative activities for kids" by Ciara Lazatin Mapa.

I can't wait to use these activities with LA. But for now, It'll be of great help when I teach pre-schoolers!

Talking to your baby

My three months old baby is still too young to speak, but we start communicating with him already. I have read articles about the benefits of talking to your baby. Based on the testimonials of other moms, their babies were able to speak earlier than others because they took time to bond and talk to their little ones even if they still can't respond well.


According to Kevin Osborn, author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Bringing up Baby", Your baby will learn language more quickly from her primary caretaker than from anyone else. Because your baby knows you best, she's learned to recognize the way you speak: your tones, your inflections, your facial expressions. So talk around your baby and talk to your baby. Speak naturally and clearly.


I always make time to talk to LA whenever he is awake. He loves to talk to people. He stares at your face and waits for your next move. I smile every time he looks at me to create a positive connection between us. I never show him negative vibes whenever he sees me. 


At first, I was having a hard time talking to babies since it's like having a monologue all the time. Babies couldn't reply to all I am saying, but now, I am much more comfortable talking to LA. He makes silly sounds too! "cooo,cooo" "abooo abooo" "aaaaw awww" and many more.


Here's a video of Lewis talking to his Opa (grandpa)

Mums and Tubs Club presents Lactacyd Baby Care Village @ SM Megamall

December 11, 2011

Mums and Tubs Club presents Lactacyd Baby Care Village @ SM Megamall

We were so excited to go to the event. The call time for participants in the fashion show was 1pm, but the event will start in the morning around 11 am. I wasn’t able to watch the first part of the program because we got stuck in traffic.

We were able to arrive 1:30 pm and Thank God they haven’t started the fashion show yet. We went to the backstage and changed our clothes. They said that the sponsored make-up artist was not able to come so we have to do our own make-up and hair. (Good thing my baby’s a boy with no hair. No need for make-up and hairstyle, haha)

After we got dressed up, we went inside the Baby Care Village and watched the show. We were given passport that we need to fill-up to get a gift pack from Lactacyd and have a chance to unlock the code for a special prize (too bad someone already won ahead of us).

We first went to the “Bathing Demo Station”. I was really looking forward for that demo since LA is having a hard time during his bath.

Next was the “Pre-school Teacher Consultation Booth” and “Play area”. This is where I did my breastfeeding since they removed their breastfeeding lounge to accommodate more people for the show.

We went to different sections like the ff:

Weighing Station

Healthy Snacks Station

Nutritionist’s Consultation Booth

Nutri Wheel

Photobooth

The program was hosted by Christine Jacob. There was a talk show, puppet show, cooking demo, magic show, fashion show, story telling and more!!

I had a really great time during the event even though there are some glitches. I am very happy that LA and I were chosen to be one of the participants for the fashion show of “Pois Belly and Kids”.

I was able to meet some of my mommy friends there and was also able to mingle with other new moms.

Lots of learning, Lots of fun!

Coming from Las Pinas City, it was really a rough journey but it was all worth it. Thank you to Mums and Tubs Baby Care Club for this wonderful opportunity. It is something my son and I will cherish. Hope to see you again on the next event!

Lactacyd Baby Bath Baby Care Village

Tomorrow will be the last leg of the Lactacyd Baby Bath Baby Care Village at SM Megamall event center.

The event will start at 10:00 am up to 8:00 pm.

Weeks ago, they asked for the participation of mommies and kids to their fashion show.

"Mums and Tubs Club

Hello Mommies! We are going to have another Lactacyd Event on December 11 in SM Megamall and it will have a fashion show. If you are interested to join, please email the photo of you and your kid at info@mumsandtubsclub.com. Thank you!"

I emailed them a photo of myself and LA (just trying our luck). Good News! We were chosen to be a part of their fashion show. According to Mums and Tubs Club, they will be giving us a Lactacyd Baby Bath gift pack as a token of our participation.

I am so excited because it's going to be our first time to join such event.

Seeing photos from their previous events made me ever more thrilled.

Lactacyd Mascots Cid and Lucky

Here's a link to their fan page: http://www.facebook.com/mumsandtubs

They have a lot of activities for moms and babies. I expect a lot of learning from this event. I am looking forward to learn more about bathing your baby and other baby stuffs. 

I will be sharing my experience tomorrow in another post.

♥young mommy, Lolly

MomCenter Philippines

It’s been a while since I last updated this blog. So here I am again, full of stories to share, I will try my best to keep this updated.

Today, I registered in www.momcenter.com.ph

It is a website that provides information about pregnancy to caring for your baby. I’m curious on what this site has to offer, so I gave it a try.

As soon as my account was activated, they gave me a gift.

A free download of their “Life Stages and Guides” YEY!!!

Now, I can easily check on the milestones and development of LA every week. It’s so exciting to see what he is about to do or what are the things he knows already.

The first tab that caught my attention was the “Interactive” tab. I tried my luck with the MomCenter Pic of the Week. I have such confidence with my little boy so I send one entry, still waiting for the results.

I have yet to explore everything from this site. I believe they have a lot more to offer, especially for a first time mom like me.

Here's the Pic of Baby LA that I submitted. If you think this handsome little boy deserves to win their Pic of the Week, Kindly vote for him. I will be writing another post if ever he becomes a finalist.

Photographed by Sofia Shalaby

♥young mommy, Lolly

LA meets his grandpa

Yesterday, November 28, LA celebrated his 3^rd month of life. We started the day with our normal routine and headed to the airport at around 9:30 am to pick up his grandpa. It was my father’s first time to see baby LA and he was really happy.

He had so many gifts for LA

Baby Onesies with cutie statements

Stuff toy monkey

German coloring book, Ball and Yoyo

In return, LA gave him his sweetest smiles and giggles. While papa was looking at baby LA, he said “He’s a miracle from God”. 

Truly, LA never fails to make everyone around him smile with his innocence.

Singing songs for my baby

Years before I had a baby, I was already fond of listening to different children's songs as well as Disney songs. I'm a Disney fanatic and most of their movies, I already memorized the lyrics! (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Little Mermaid, etc.) I'm also an education student which made it easy for me to learn new nursery rhymes that i can use to teach pre-school children. I may say that I have a wide range of selection when it comes to singing songs to my little one. 

photo from google images

One of the cutest nursery rhyme that I've always wanted to sing to my baby is
"This Little Piggy"



This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed at home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy went... 
"Wee wee wee" all the way home...


YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b_wac0wtrM&


Every line you sing, you touch one toe of your baby..and on the last line, you get to tickle your baby "wee wee wee" all the way home!




When I first saw LA's tiny feet, I immediately sang this song to him...Sadly, he's still unable to laugh at that time but I know for sure that he felt my tickle. He just can't express it yet.
Whenever baby LA cries, I hum "Jesus loves Me" and he'll relax and fall asleep. Since then, I always sing to him this song. 


I read an article about singing to your baby and they suggested a song that'll help the baby learn about God and the people around him. "He's got the whole world in his hands"


According to Babycenter.com, Babies recognize oft-repeated words long before they're ready to say them, and familiar names are the friendliest verbal cues of all.

Grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, pets, babysitters, and daycare teachers – your baby will love to hear you name them all. One of the most natural ways to do this is with a song like the old spiritual "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." The words are simple and repetitive: "He's got the whole world in his hands" repeats four times, and then the verses go on to name general categories: "He's got the wind and the rain in his hands..." "He's got the tiny little baby in his hands..." ending with four lines of "He's got everybody here in his hands." But instead, try substituting your baby's favorite folks: "He's got [baby's name] and Papa, in his hands..." "He's got Grandma and Grandpa in his hands..." and go on from there.

Source:  http://www.babycenter.com/0_lets-play-up-up-and-away-song-of-myself_1498436.bc

It's fun to play with your baby. Sometimes, we are not aware but they are able to learn new things through bonding/play time. Take time to talk to your little angel and share with them how wonderful our world is. It'll stimulate their senses that will help them understand in the near future what is happening around them.

♥young mommy, Lolly

Latch A Babe Nursing and Maternity Wear Giveaway

It has been almost 3 months since I started breast feeding LA. I am really proud of myself because it's such a great blessing to be able to give my son the best gift in the world, mother's milk!

It wasn't much of a problem since I'm currently a SAHM (Stay At Home Mom) and I am directly feeding him. But of course, there are times that we have to leave the house and go to public places such as malls. I will never forget the first time we went to the mall and LA got hungry. Since I'm a first time mom, I didn't see it coming. I haven't tracked his feeding routine yet because he was just 3 weeks old that time. He cried and cried and I couldn't feed him on the spot because I didn't have any nursing cover so we hurried and looked for the nearest breast feeding station and that's where I fed baby LA.

It's right there and then that I realized how important it is to have nursing wears on hand. I'm still in search for nursing wears and tops that could help me breast feed LA with ease.

Latch A Babe Nursing and Maternity wear is just one of the many shops that offers clothing that is suitable for breastfeeding. It was very timely that they are having a pre-Christmas giveaway together with TheLazyMama!


There are actually 3 prizes that Latch A Babe is giving away to three (3) Lazy Mama readers:

1 Latch A Babe nursing top of your choice

2 Discount Coupons worth 20% OFF  quoted price from Latch A Babe

This Giveaway runs until November 30,2011

If you want to join, just follow the instructions in The Lazy Mama blog post.

CLICK HERE to join!

♥young mommy, Lolly