Babytown Special Moments Milestone Cards

Hello there! Since I haven't found the time to blog on my weekly post-partum updates, allow me to share with you a nice Mommy Meowmeow find -- Baby Milestone cards.

I've always felt drawn towards baby milestone cards - mainly because they're cute and also because I'm someone who likes to document life as it happens :) Oh, and just someone who spends outrageous amounts of time creating photobooks for the kiddos ;)

When I was still pregnant with E, I searched the net & some mommy stores for these milestone cards. I found some at Mothercare and also at The Parenting Emporium (formerly Medela House) and saw not only milestone cards for baby but for pregnancy as well. But the price (usually at PHP 1,000.00+) was something I couldn't justify. So I decided to wait it out or maybe I could just make one myself hehe :)

Luckily, as I was looking around Fully Booked in Greenbelt 5, I found something that was more reasonably priced right smack on Christmas Day...what a treat! As if going through aisles of books wasn't a treat in itself, haha :) It was just days before I gave birth so I guess it was really meant to be! 

At only PHP 299, Babytown Special Moments Baby Record Cards is quite a steal. It has fun prints to help parents document a baby's milestones in a light yet totally heart-warming fashion :)

You can of course, write down the date for each moment or if you want to "extend" the use of these cards, then you can also just snap a photo for posterity and save the cards for the next little bub! :)

Good thing we brought this to the hospital. Our guests all had a chance to take a photo with E and their own special moment card. Too bad I wasn't able to remember a couple of cards we could've used during the first week (my excuse: foggy mommy brain) like the just got home or the first car ride. But you know what I'm really looking forward to and definitely not forgetting next time around? That "special moment" when Baby has slept through the night for the first time :D

Includes 30 Special Moments Cards:

-This is my First Bath

-I came Home from hospital Today

-I am 1 week old

-I am 1 month old

-This is my First Car Ride

-I can Take Off My Clothes

-I just met my Aunty

-I just met my Uncle

-This is my first Outing

-I just said my First Word

-I can Sit Up on my Own

-I just Laughed for the First Time

-I know how to Wave

-I can Roll Over on my own

-I just met my Grandpa

-I just met my Grandma

-I just Smiled for the first time

-I can play Peekaboo

-I can Feed myself

-I am 6 months old

-Today is my 1st Birthday

-I can Stand on my own

-I just ate my First Solid Meal

-I just Crawled for the first time

-I know how to say "Mama"

-I know how to say "Dada"

-I have started Babbling

-I slept through the night for the First Time

-I just took my First Steps

-I have my First Tooth

Now to learn more about basic photography so I can better, so to say, capture these special moments :)

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Things I "should have" brought to the hospital for labor and childbirth

Looking back to some twenty months ago, God gave us the best gift ever - our baby daughter. While we did our best to plan and prepare, there are still some misses in terms of our preparedness. As Frank Sinatra sang about in My Way, "..regrets, I've had a few but then again, too few to mention.." Well don't we all have regrets in life? In my case, I think it's good to mention a few of my labor kit regrets - the "shoulda woulda coulda's...should have brought 'ya!" items. So here's from me to you, a supposedly clearer hospital bag inventory from hindsight.

Oh I can just hear Daddy A saying, "What? Ang laki na ng mga bags natin nuon, may kulang pa pala?"

Patiently waiting..

Yes dear mommies and daddies, despite my long list in my previous post entitled What should go in your Maternity Labor Kit, there are a few items I found, that should have been there in the first place. Please take this to heart as they are some of the essential ones that may just provide that much needed comfort after the rigors of childbirth. 

1. Belly Wrap or Binder

After my CS operation, I woke up feeling a little bit weird in my tummy area. Like my body was about to collapse and fold by my incision, if not for the binder. The binder was really (for me) more of a comfort thing. And how come nobody even told me to bring one? Luckily the hospital provided a Long Bone blue binder but it can get itchy and uncomfortable for long-term use.

It's best to research about this ahead of time as there are binders that have better materials. During times of extreme discomfort, a more breathable material can really make a lot of difference.

The generic ones from local drug store companies cost less but can get uncomfortable. What the nurses suggested was for us to use the lampin (thin towelettes) as buffer and to also use baby powder on affected areas (usually the back side) to alleviate the rash or itching.

My suggestion is to have at least two wraps or binders. You know, the first post-partum days can get really dirty with stains of all kinds. This way you can ensure that you always have a clean one every time you need it.

I used the binders extensively for a month and used it sparingly for the next two months. The weather in the Philippines as it is, is really hot! Wearing a binder plus the baby it's doubly warmer. But because I really needed it, I did my best to persevere in using the binders.

Since the Long Bone was provided by the hospital, we bought the Mamaway Postpartum Bamboo Charcoal Belly Band as my spare and I really loved using it! It's available from Mamaway Shangri-la Mall, the price was in the range of PHP 3,000.00 - 4,000.00 when we purchased last 2014. Aside from the bamboo-charcoal material which makes it more breathable and renders anti-bacterial properties, I loved its 3-step compression fastening - makes me feel really comfy as I adjust it to my body.

2. Breastfeeding Pillow

Even if we have already decided (way way before giving birth) that we wanted to breastfeed our child, we shied away from purchasing a breastfeeding pillow because - what if we failed or what if we can't breastfeed? Sayang naman..

Luckily or unluckily, again I woke up to see one in our hospital room. I just found out belatedly that we were also billed for it for around PHP 1,500! Gaaah..if only I knew then I should have purchased the highly rated breastfeeding pillows in advance!

Breastfeeding with the help of our pillow during Z's monthly check-up

What I didn't like about the hospital-provided BF pillow is that it's too stiff and not as stuffed. We ended up having to use additional pillows whenever we tried to breastfeed in the earlier post-partum days. I understand now that these are minor adjustments but to a new mom, any extra complication could add to their pressures of making breastfeeding work.

Of course there are pillows available in SM Baby Company and also in Mothercare outlets. The brand I was rooting for because of many rave reviews, but have not tried, was the Boppy Nursing Pillow and Positioner together with the Boppy pillow slipcover .

Actually, there are a lot of options now! There are those with extra recliner [Leachco Adjustable Nursing Pillow] and even those with arm & back support plus extra nooks for toys and remote controls [My Brest Friend Original Nursing Pillow]!

Okay, some would say that our grandmothers have breastfed our parents without these accessories but come on!!! Any additional help or support for breastfeeding mothers, anything at all that can make it easier or at least more bearable is a good investment in my opinion! Besides, you can use it as a positioner for when baby is learning to sit and also as a regular pillow thrown in the mix!

3. Baby Wearing Sling / Wrap

Slings or wraps intimidate me! They look so complicated and it wasn't something I was confident to use back then. That's why I really admire those moms who were able to do it early on. I mean, I felt we were kind of late in the game, only getting comfortable to use the Saya or the Baby K'tan in the 3rd or 4th month post-partum. Thank goodness really for hybrid wraps because I really don't know how to work out those really long ones (e.g. Boba, Moby, etc.)

The moment I finally got the hang of it, I immediately wished I have done it sooner! It was really a life-saver for those times when your child impossibly needed to be carried all the time and you also HAVE to do other things to keep your sanity!

SAYA Baby Carrier - This is a locally made cloth baby carrier. I chose the SSK or semi-stretch knit (cotton or close to cotton?) model because it's cheaper and I was scared of the extra give from the fabric of the Versa-Tekk blend. They have really nice designs and best of all, it's a quality product that's proudly Philippine-made. #SupportLocal

Since they were not offering the stabilizers last year, we used this primarily at home. I purchased our Saya locally from their stockist Mama Baby Love. Note: make sure to inquire about the right size for you.

she was really peaceful when carried in the Saya

Backside with the Saya

Baby K'tan Baby Carrier - This is another carrier similar to the Saya. I chose the Black Breeze model. It's half mesh (yung butas-butas) and half cotton. For me this is nice because it helps baby stay cool while inside the carrier. This has added built-in features (compared to the Saya) such as the adjuster and the stabilizer which also doubles as a bag.

I also chose the black breeze k'tan because it can weather dust and dirt more (hindi dumihin) and  the color could relatively be matched with my very limited post-partum/breastfeeding outfits.

Aside from the Original, Baby K'tans now have different variants such as Breeze, Organic and Active. Our Baby K'tan Breeze was purchased at PHP 2,850 in 2014 from Cebu stockist Ms. Gretchen Choa-Uy of Modern Mama Baby Shop (MOMA). 

This was the carrier we used all the time until Z got heavy enough and we had to transition to an SSC or a soft-structured carrier like the Tula.

Note: make sure to inquire about the right size for you.

Sleeping in a noisy restaurant

Having my cake and eating it too...while wearing my baby!

These are really great commodities especially for first-time parents who are not used to taking care of babies. Daily chores and tasks from simple to relatively complex ones can be done easily even with baby in tow! :)

Other families will benefit greatly from carriers especially when they need Kangaroo Care all the more! Plus I really believe this would've significantly lessened the crying fits and help baby become calmer as she's closer to mommy or her care giver.

4. Breast Pump

We owe a lot to Medela House now called The Parenting Emporium for making us aware of a lot of things related to breastfeeding especially the benefits. So when the time came to finally purchase a breast pump, we bought from them vs. buying from the mall. We loved the personalized service and the fact that the horns / flanges are fitted to a mom's actual size.

NOTE: A pump is not necessary to ensure successful breastfeeding. Even if you only do hand expression (Marmet technique), you will still  be able to get milk.

So if mommies can just rely on hand expression, why did we still buy that pump? Basically, it's for when we're on the road or travelling and while at work. If you know how horrible traffic can get here in Manila, you'd definitely want to invest in a good pump.

Pumping in the wee hours - a story of engorgement and a sleeping babe

That's the reason we chose Medela's Freestyle Breast Pump. Precisely for the kind of lifestyle we have right now as well as the nature of my work.

We were told during breastfeeding seminars that pumping should be done on the 3rd week post-partum and not earlier. But due to some complications, I had hubby bring in the pump on the second day instead!

P.S. Always check the wattage compatibility before purchasing anything online.

5. Breastmilk Collection / Softshells for Nipple Protection

And lastly, before I turn this post into a novella, I really wish I knew about these softshells for nipple protection because I was oh so sore! The good thing about this is that while you're breastfeeding on one side, it helps air out your other nipple after a feeding. Y'know, because contact even with your shirt will definitely make you say yeoooouuuucchh!!!

This also doubles as a breastmilk collector (the collected milk is not for consumption) for those times when we continuously leak with liquid gold. We bought ours from Medela House, now The Parenting Emporium, for about PHP 1,000.00 a pair.

So there's my list...I know most of these are utterly expensive or for some unnecessary but really if I had to do it all over again, these 5 items would definitely be in our maternity bag! :)

Did I miss anything? Let me know what your "shoulda woulda coulda's...should have brought 'ya!" items are! 

And if you missed it, here's the list of our ORIGINAL Maternity Bag / Labor Kit contents.

**In the spirit of full disclosure, there are affiliate links on this post, which means that I may get a commission if you decide to purchase anything from Amazon. I only recommend products & systems that I use and love myself, so I know you’ll be in good hands :)

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Happy 18th month, dearest Z!

“Babies are such a nice way to start people.”

-Don Herold 

We didn't really have anything to celebrate Z's 18th month with over the past weekend (oh, we did celebrate with a goddaughter's 1st!) . Although I had it in mind to at least get a small cake, Daddy A thought it's unnecessary. So let me just mark this milestone (it is, for me!) with this blog post. 

If you noticed, I stopped giving a month on month update about Z. That's on account of her growing to be her own person, and respecting her privacy and sense of self. Well I really am not sure she'll be thrilled to see her mom document every fart or tantrum, this side of the web! Hahaha :) 

But Z being 1 and 1/2 years old, to this mom, feels like the cusp of finally graduating to full toddler hood. It is indeed a milestone worth remembering, worth documenting. I don't know what this really entails. I just feel happy, proud and a bit melodramatic that we seem to be entering a new phase.

On a personal side, there are some dynamics of our baby care that's probably about to change. I dunno how soon but let me just assume that it's SOON enough, to treasure every bit of these special moments. 

BABY WEARING

Okay, we love our Tula baby carrier, still do! But, Z is getting heavier (and that's a good thing) and her Tula is getting smaller for her (even with the free-to-grow extension). I'm just worried that in a few more months, my back won't be able to take babywearing anymore. 

At this point, I'm seriously contemplating getting a Tula Toddler carrier, an umbrella stroller or maybe just bring back her Safety 1st stroller (which I think we haven't used in a year). Or all of the above!

BED-SHARING & CO-SLEEPING

Yes, as I shared in my previous post, we're still a bed-sharing and co-sleeping family. Sometimes it's a PITA especially when she decides to go perpendicular to us (if you have a little one, you'd understand why we dare not move her back -- baka magising!). King sized bed, really a good decision ---- no, this is the BEST decision ever! Hahahaha. Oh and if you want to know, we've taken out the bed frame to prevent falls, and of course (of course!) laid out colorful rubber mats around the mattress, in case she accidentally rolls to the floor.

What about her crib? Yup, what crib??? I guess she'll only take to it if she's really passed out asleep from her day's activities. Otherwise, I try for a "successful transfer" at least 3x a week so she'll get used to it. But 3-4 hours tops she'll be up and let us know (read: cry) that she wants to go back to our bed...maybe she thinks it's her bed?!?

BREASTFEEDING

Yep, still at it! Though I really wonder, does she still get a lot / something from it? It's not a 24/7 thing anymore but anytime we're out, I still have to be in breastfeeding clothes. I guess this is the major reason we're still bed sharing and co sleeping, it is by far easier to just lift the shirt than to get up in the middle of the night and prepare milk.

Right now I'm researching how to ease into weaning, both for her and my sake. I hope she doesn't get withdrawal anxiety and I won't get mastitis or anything remotely related. But, do I have to pump? Or maybe just get a weaning for dummies book...hehe, kidding! :)

Another consideration is how long will it take before she self-weans? My dad is betting Z will have me go to school when she wants mommy milkie! Hahaha..So while occupied with those thoughts, my mind wanders into this territory: what if, on the flip side, she suddenly stops..suddenly weans completely, cold turkey? Afraid!! You see, Daddy A himself considers this as a special power or gift of moms to babies. Both for the nutritive part and also for the ability to get her to sleep, to behave, etc.

Anyway, I just hope that it'll be a smooth transition when the day comes. I'll forever cherish that I was able to breastfeed at least this long!!

So what else is up?

We recently finished her Bert Lozada Swim School (BLSS) My Baby & Me program. She likes it so much I guess we have to enroll again :) Also loving her Gymboree Play & Learn sessions. I'm so glad that she's able to and actually wants to make friends with other kids :) --->stay tuned as I blog on these

We're training her to always be in the carseat when we travel. So far, 20-30% progress! Yikes! Aaaand, thoughts about school/education are being especially considered...double yikes! :)

If you want to talk with Z, here's your ultimate guide

Right now, Z is really a talker --> and I mean that in the best positive sense of the word. If you say anything to her, 98% chance she'll be able to parrot repeat it back to you. [Proud and gushing parent alert] Not only that, she's actually able to make small talk / communicate with us. And memorized a book (to her Lolo's pride), and sing-hum-babble nursery rhymes in tune, and remember people's names, and so much more!!

So without further ado, here are some words from Z's baby dictionary:

a-awi - go away; as in the rain rain go away song
abu - love you!
a-e-i - jollibee
ambum - album; yes we pore over the wedding and birthday album almost every night hihi
apul - apple
badet - violet; her Leap Frog stuffed animal
banens - violence. which she says while covering her eyes when she knows the TV is on
bigat - heavy
bijou - video
bikit - biscuit
bimbim - driving
bishet - bracelet
buntun - belly button
ding ding ding - hindi / no
duwing duwing - drawing as a verb or when she sees a pen
edi yaw - ayaw or no; i don't know who taught her this but that person probably wanted her to say "edi wow!" instead
edu - hello
haaak - hug
ingkong - aircon
kanggang - karga / carry
klay klay - suklay / comb
mamay - Mama Mary
mang - ninang / godmother
me-me - sleep
mina - Davina
minggo - Bingo (was his)
nimu - Name-o!
nonna - lola
nonno - lolo
one tu ti...maaaaaii - one to three smile!
pata - garapata / dog tick
pooot - fart
sary - rosary
shism - excuse me
tititititar - twinkle twinkle little star
umbowi - Gymboree
wiko wiko - hickory dickory
wiwim - swimming

and so much more! :)

Oh I just love this child....dearest Z, know that we are sooo proud of you and we love you always! Happy 18th month my (not so) little one! Looking forward to more (shopping? haha) adventures with you and Daddy A! Haaaaak! <3

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Happy First Birthday, Z!

And now she's officially a toddler! Ang bilisss!!! :)

Okay so rounding up how she's doing so far...parang report card lang ang peg! Hahaha!

Walking - still tottering around and cruising on furniture and our headboard. Sometimes she does let go for a few seconds before she's happy to crawl and climb back up again. She's such an active baby and while we would have been thrilled to have her stand/walk during her birthday celebration, we're okay to wait a little bit more. I'm sure in a few more weeks / months, she'll let us in on this newfound skill :)

Talking - Super YES! Maybe it helps she has a chatterbox for a mom..or that she's always surrounded by family. Or quite possibly our nightly reading habit is really paying off. She's very good at mimicking too and she's doing this funny thing when she overemphasizes some syllables.

    APPLE - Ahhhh (while rounding her mouth) - Pu! (with the lips pursed)

    DOG - Du! or Di!

    MILKIE - Dede (Pinoy na Pinoy!)

    CAT - Meow

    BALL - Bu!

    MOMMY - Papa (hay naku anak, you're sooo funny!)

    and many more!

Gesticulating - okay this is the part that has us all wrapped up in her tiny fingers. She's just tooo cute when she does her actions! She can already do 'BLESS' while reaching out for our hand and putting it to her forehead. She can do her 'AMEN' but sometimes it ends up in 'APPLAUSE'. She likes to show her grandparents her 'KILI-KILI' and can do a sweet 'SLEEP' pose while putting together her hands to one cheek and tilting the rest of her tiny head. She can't quite follow us with the 'YES' but her 'NO' is so emphatic! She'll continue doing her 'no, no, no, no, no' even if we were actually saying it to her. :p Hay kids these days, sometimes I feel like a grandma, super nakakaaliw talaga si baby :) Oh and before I forget, she can already identify the nose from the mouth and eyes and points at our faces with much gusto!

Okay so a few times she got sick (see here) and I hate it when it happens because she looks like a poor baby, mostly inconsolable when it hits hard; therefore, hardly any sleep for this mommy! And of all the times it had to be on her first birthday? Ayayay...what will the grandparents say?

So on the day of her [actual] birthday, we planned a small salo-salo among her closest family members only. It was supposed to be a no-fuss dinner but I couldn't help but get a few party knick-knacks when I was doing a last minute shopping at the mall. That explains the Sophia the First decors :) And since we had a few other decors from her Baptism day, we used it also for this get-together.

Arch't A, Ninang B and Baby Z a,k.a. styling supervisor hahahaha..

We ordered the cake from Estrel's and we decided to just order our food rather than inconvenience ourselves to do the groceries and cook.  I searched online for reliable and yummy suppliers of party trays, something that would cater to less than 20 people. What I found is ALGO or Almost Gourmet. When I saw their ALGO SALO menu, I knew instantly that I would be ordering from them!

Courtesy of Almost Gourmet's FB page (https://www.facebook.com/almostgourmet)

Daddy A wanted the Mac & Cheese but because we were having mostly adult guests, we changed it to Spinach Lasagna (no meat). I also wanted to try their Beef Salpicao but we decided on the Spicy Beef Caldereta. And finally, a non-negotiable for me was the Creamy Chicken Shiitake. The food was delivered (for a fee) at the appointed time. My only regret is that we should have used chafing dishes to keep the food warm. Because some guests came late, the food was a bit cold na. But all in all, super yummy talaga and I was happy because they were really taste and for the leftovers, (bwahahahaha) which became my baon for the week :)

ALGO Spicy Beef Kaldereta (but not too spicy)

ALGO Spinach Lasagna (no meat)

ALGO Creamy Chicken Shiitake ---- I'm such a mushroom junkie!!

The rest of the food we served came from favorite and suking restos/ihawan :)

Garden Salad, Barbecue all the way from Mandaluyong, Lumpiang Shanghai from Terry's, Hotdog and Mallows on skewers:

My mother in law also kindly provided from UNO Restaurant in Binondo - yummy yummy Kiampong and Spicy Oyster (sisig?)

Brownies from SM's Brownie Station:

Aggy's Mini Cupcakes all the way from BF Paranaque:

Salted Caramel Mini Cupcake

Are you salivating over these yummy goodies yet? Hahaha...in the middle of writing this I'm pulled to the thought of why I'm actually blogging this entry -- food post ba or first birthday? Teehee :D :D

Anyway, perfect attendance from everyone in the family..yahoo! Music was provided by Ninang B and Tito P, photos were taken also by Ninong A and Tito K :)

With Lola, Ninang V and Tita V getting her measurements for her birthday party dress

Over-all it was a fun night! We had her blow the candle on the exact time she was born (errr, yanked from my tummy #tmi). Was it tiring? A bit...at this point I could only imagine that it would probably be x10 of what we will experience on her bigger celebration. 

But the important thing, regardless of how simple this particular celebration was, it was full of love. Flashes of our early days at home come to mind but some of them are hazy now. The days of fear, discouragement, not knowing what the future holds. Being new parents was a new territory we weren't sure we could handle well. But with the help of our loved ones and especially the guidance of Jesus and Mama Mary's intercession, I think we managed fine..don't you think?

Dearest Baby Z, you don't know just how happy you make mommy and daddy. We are very thankful that God gave you to us to take care of. We love you so much, we love every minute of our first 12 months..yes, even the challenging parts of it. We're so excited to see you grow more in beauty and faith and love. May God bless you always and may He help us guide you to reach your full potential. Hugs and kisses and warm cuddles for you our princess. You'll always be our baby, no matter what :)

Photo courtesy of Ninong A

Photo courtesy of Tito K

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Zara's Eleventh Month

Ho ho ho..belated Merry Christmas! Oh our December was a blur..but Christmas has never been so full of meaning and life for us. Daddy A was busy with work, finishing major items with the clients, Mommy is busy as well preparing for her teaching assignment (and also seriously considering if she should return to PhD studies next term) and Z our baby is busy being as cute and as smart as can be!

"All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth." --> Well she beat me to it. The little lady has almost a mouthful of teeth! Well, she got her four front ones, alright. She eats better now, I guess we're quite lucky to find baby recipes that she loves! She's also waaaay more talkative and taking after mommy with the singing bit. She can follow her fave songs to tune and tempo, Twinkle twinkle little star, especially.

Less fussy, more funny..mommy likey! :) This one's definitely a charmer, never fails to put a smile  to our faces (or even a hearty laugh!) at the breakfast table. Makes me think now why we did not have a baby sooner?!?

Here she is in her Santa outfit (thanks to Auntie Diane Lao), our little Christmas helper ---yup! helping undo the decors! Hahahaha...

Happy eleventh month, Z!

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