"Tour de Manila" on our two-wheel machines

So we have been discussing this for quite some time now. Since I've been bugging hubby that we should bike more often, he finally relented. Actually in hindsight, its probably just the case of right timing - us waking early enough to warrant a morning bike ride. But where to? Our old route was CCP-MOA; we'd drive to the area, park the car and unload our bikes (travel + loading and unloading took all of an hour) and what for, to bike for a measly 20-30 minute elliptical ride? If you ask me, it'd be worth the trouble if we at least had my favorite (FAVORITE!) Aristocrat Breakfast Tapa with Eggs and Hot Chocolate (salivating nowwww) but for him? Nah...so he made a proposition. Why not bike all the way to where we want to go?

As an amateur biker/cyclist, the thought actually frightens me. Living downtown, there are already PUV's immediately outside our gate! But what scares me most was going through the Quiapo / Quezon Blvd. underpass..yikes!!! Jeepneys and buses stopping abruptly without much of a signal, heavy smog, dubious people, but most of all - I wasn't sure I had the guts to traverse the underpass itself - baka major 'semplang' moment! I was kind of rusty and still re-learning the gears and the proper braking and as hubby said, "gliding" gracefully as I prepared to descend the bike versus my normal screeching halt!

So off we went, making our way on the fly. The route became P. Noval near UST, Morayta, Recto, an obscure street leading to San Sebastian Church, another obscure street leading to Ayala Bridge, Finance Road, and then finally got to the walled city that is Intramuros. All the while calling to Jesus and Mother Mary to keep us safe, and to keep other motorists aware of us and especially safe from me! Not only were the wheels in motion, my nerves were also on major overdrive! How fun it was and yet, how dangerous! As a parent, I try my best to remove myself from very risky situations and it's only now that I fully realize how truly dangerous it could have been. There were times I almost fell off, when I couldn't stop as I was waiting for the motorists to give way (what a principina! lol!) - and hubby would say, "you really couldn't stop even for a bit?"

When we reached Intramuros, it was another very beautiful moment - like the ones straight out of a post card. We made a quick stop at the San Agustin Church, then made our way to the ruins and then around Muralla Street. Of course, of course, the obligatory Taho drink (yum!). Then we made our way to the fort nearby Bayleaf Hotel. We met a Kiwi with his wife. He complimented our bikes, especially hubby's. And how he enjoyed that feeling. We also saw a pedicab driver - tour guide, hopelessly trying to convince a foreigner to be taken around the area - to which she vehemently said no. And because we only brought his iPhone as camera, I will forever commit to memory the scene that almost takes me back to my childhood - days of freedom when I didn't have a care in the world. There before the newspaper office, five kids aged 4-7, riding their tattered bikes as if it's the most natural thing in the world, as if they have given their everything to that small race of theirs, the burst of energy was almost almost magical. Even now, it's just there in the corner of my mind, something I could replay over and over and would definitely make me smile :) 

Then we made our way back and decided to do a Binondo route. From the Mexico ferry station we took some more pictures but had to make a detour and a shortcut across a park because of the closed road. Counterflow on the bridge's side walk then we crossed to Escolta. Ahhh...another beautiful place evoking memories past. Just then, we saw Carlos Celdran also biking around in the area, but we were too shy to approach him for a picture. Again to the streets with furniture shops, then left to Sabino Padilla then right to a street by the new condo, right to Ongpin, left to Salazar and we found ourselves in Johnson's feng shui shop. We said our hello's. While hubby went inside, I just took in all that that Sunday morning had given us - while I tended to my "saddle sored" bum! Finally, Benavidez, right to Recto, left to Masangkay and off we went to the direction of our home.

So many things we have seen and learned and I guess the most important part, aside from exercise, aside from removing the dust that gathered on my bike - what I truly appreciated was us going back to our roots. Simple people who love the simple things. Take away the car, take away the fancy gadgets, take away the mall and you might as well take away Aristocrat too. What was left was a nice, bumpy, happy ride, the Old Manila feel, and us with taho in hand (hopefully? haha) feeling in love (the kilig love like when we started dating), feeling young, feeling happy, feeling content.

Yes, we live for moments like these :)

Merry Christmas everyone! :D

How do you train your child's yaya?

Not all yaya's are built the same. Some come with years of experience and are quite experts in their field of childcare while some are barely out of their teens and are children themselves. So how do you make sure that the person you will entrust your child / children with are well-equipped for the task? 

As a first-time mom I've been generally lucky in the yaya department. Even at 20-ish age, Z's 'ate' really knows a lot about taking care of babies as she has cared for her younger siblings in the past. She would always draw knowledge from how they do it in the province and at times would also advise me the kaugalian ng matatanda (practice of elders) in their place. Baby is grimacing? Oh, she's finding it difficult to poop. Baby is still crying after being nursed / fed, burped, changed, rocked, etc? She probably has gas! Baby is teething? Pin a dried squash bottom on her shirt. ...And things like that.

However - I also know that I shouldn't expect her to be perfect in every sense. And it wouldn't be fair to expect her to know how to deal with every scenario with child care, same with myself. And there's the baby factor too! No matter if you're on your first or your tenth child, there's no guarantee that you'll be breezing through with the next one. All babies are different, but there are basic needs that are the same across the board nursery. 

Take for example when my baby bumped her head, on a wall. On a wall! And she shrieked and shrieked in pain. My hubby saw it first hand, the yaya heard it (the thud) while washing dishes but no one rushed to get an ice pack. Whaaat?! Another would be about food safety. Coming from having to refrigerate / freeze my expressed breastmilk, I had to learn how to handle my milk to keep it safe for Z. How long it should stay in the ref before going to the freezer, the maximum time it could stay in the freezer, how long it would be good after thawing, etc etc. And because breastmilk is essentially food for the baby, then these would also apply to regular meals we cook. Oh just imagine my surprise when I found out that for a couple of days, the squash she boiled and fed Z was just kept there on the saucepan the entire day...hello bacteria! I shudder at the thought. I explained the dangers of bacterial contamination if we keep doing that to which she replied, "nakatakip naman po. (it is covered)" ay caramba! 

So there, since I figure we both will get a lot out of trainings, we will be investing in this one sponsored by Medela Moms on Toddler Care from 9-11 am and Basic First Aid from 1-4 pm this Saturday, December 13, 2014 at the Medela House. 

I thank God for initiatives such as this. Super sakto ang timing and it's just what we need. Additional practical information for yaya and peace of mind for me, knowing Z is in good hands while I'm at work. Naks, level up ang yayas! :) And because we bought our pump from them, we'll enjoy discounted rates pa!

Okay so this is marketed as 'for yayas' but as a mom I know that there are times that yayas will come and go. So I'd rather attend with yaya and gain additional knowledge myself, be better equipped too to take care of my child (and future children) and give my hubby peace of mind too that I'm getting better with this aspect of mothering. Hahahahaha :) See you there! :)