Homecooking: 'Japanese' Baked Dory

I can't wait for dinner time so I can have me some of this dory goodness! :)

Been queued for months in my to-cook list and finally, today's the day the dory is baked. Let me make it clear, I'm not sure if there's really a Japanese dish like this but since there's a whole lot of Japanese Mayo (I used Kewpie) that went on to make this, then I guess we can call this "Japanese" 

＼(^o^)／

Of course, partly the reason I'm able to do more kitchen stuff -- the littlest boy can now be "back carried" Yay!! ☺️ #lilleletsme cook again, and I love the feeling :)

I know you want to try this out so here's how it's done (credit to: The Eating Room blog). I followed majority of the instructions, and just tweaked a little :)

Ingredients

2 Cream Dory fillets

2 Lemons (sliced thinly & de-seeded) 

3/4 cups Japanese Mayo

5 cloves Garlic (minced)

1 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp dried Rosemary

3 Tbsp Breadcrumbs 

3/4 cups Cheddar cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350c. Season fish with salt and pepper. Freshly cracked peppercorn imparts better flavor, try it :) Set aside.

2. In a baking ware, bed  lemon slices vertically. Lay dory fillets on them.

NOTE: I bought my lemons from Rustan's supermarket, was surprised they have no seeds at all! :)

3. In a bowl, mix mayo (I used Kewpie), honey, rosemary and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. 

NOTE: Adjust rosemary quantity if using fresh herbs.

Don't panic! That's the manufacturing date :)

4. Top fish with mayo mixture. Sprinkle cheese and breadcrumbs on top. I used Panko brand for my breadcrumbs and Emborg cheddar toppings for the cheese. Guess you really can't go wrong with Panko, I've been looking for a long time and luckily found it in Lander's Otis :) The original recipe calls for Parmesan cheese, but the kids (and big kids haha) don't like it too much so I substituted with cheddar cheese.

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese become bubbly hot. Serve warm.

NOTE: Adjust baking time / temperature if using a convection oven. 

VERDICT:

In my book, this is simply a winner! Quick, easy and sooo tasty! The only thing I should have done is to make 2 batches or 3! Hahahahaha...that's how yummy it really is. Serve with brown or black rice para hindi masyado nakaka-guilty if you end up going unli-rice with it :D

Mmmmmm....just blogging about it makes me want to do it all over again...aaaahhh!!!

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Momzilla Fair at Century City Mall

Trying my 'bestest' to cease & desist from shopping, I purposely didn't make a schedule for Momzilla Fair in Century City Mall. Hahaha, that's all I can say 😊

One thing led to another..an invitation, lunch with family and I find myself (and my wallet) 'dangerously' entering the Momzilla Fair premises. 

I browsed the list of sellers and made a mental note of stalls to visit. At this point, I just wanted to maximize the PHP 100 entrance fee by checking out products I've been stalking on Facebook or Instagram. I go further to justify my purchases in the fair that at least I get to save on shipping fees I would otherwise incur if they were bought individually online. :) Lusot na ba? Hehe :)

Overall it was a tiring day but I still had fun eating with the fam at Hole in the Wall. So glad I got to order my all-time fave Bad Bird chicken with yummy Mexican corn..aaaahhh!!! And babywearing at that! :p Let's pretend for a minute that that's my secret superpower...woooosaaahh!!! :p

E sleeping soundly while being worn in the Baby K'tan Breeze

We also bumped into our classmates from Ms. Rome Kanapi's birthing class. I'm inggit because MG's slim na! Well, she always has been naman :) Means I need to start thinking about my diet and exercise plan 👍🏻

Babywearing moms, FTW! :)

Here's a look at the Momzilla Fair. Not a very flattering shot because --> baby, tired & toddler..get it? Hahaha :)

I don't know if it's just me or the lighting was really lacking..... 

Now onto my loot:

1. SNUG A HUG PILLOW CASE (P350)

Yep, just the pillow case hehe. I was a bit disappointed with what I originally chose, the one that came with the pillow I bought online; because although I love the look, the fabric was too thin. So it was good that I was able to see the fabrics in person and I got to choose something thicker. :)

Please excuse my foot! Yikes! Hahahaha..

2. CHUNKY CHEWELRY (P500)

I know they're cute but I really wouldn't spend for this, if not for the prodding of my daughter. I was asking the seller which one was the cheapest and they had one that cost P300. But our little miss was bent on the colors and design she really wanted. So rather than spending on a cheaper item she probably doesn't like that much and maybe wouldn't get worn as much, I decided that for P200 difference, to just get the one she fell in love with. Major thanks to the jolly seller who gave a bracelet freebie too! :)

3. MOTHER NURTURE 7-in-1 CHOCOLATE MIX (P140 for a pack of 8)

This is something I keep on reading about in mommy forums so I decided to just go for it. I love that I get my fix of daily hot choco while at the same time receiving lactation benefits from the following ingredients:

-Gotu Kola | the most spiritual of all herbs 

-Ashitsba | with power to supply vital nutrients

-Stevia | healthy substitute for sugar

-Malunggay | "nature's medicine cabinet"

also has: non-dairy creamer, calcium lactate and cocoa powder, of course

I like the taste because it isn't too sweet. I think I just might try the coffee variant on my next purchase.

4. BUENO NIÑO Book | Pockets for Corduroy (P350)

The Corduroy book is a staple in our rotation. We discovered it as part of our BFIAR / Before Five In A Row purchase and my daughter loved the teddy bear's mini adventure inside the mall, as well as the friendship, love, and companionship he has immediately forged with Lisa. On my end, I'm just as amazed with the illustrations that depict the era when those books were written. I guess I just really love all that old world charm and the simplicity that comes with it.

That's it pancit!

P.S. They had credit card terminals but I "went rouge" and bought cash-basis hahaha :) My hubby and our bank account would be proud?! Yizzz...I'm actually reforming myself from using 'plastic' and buying non-budgeted items (no matter "how much I want it").

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Wishlist for Baby & Pregnancy #2

A couple of months ago, a young relative asked me when I was having a baby shower. Well actually at that time, I haven't really thought about it. And now that I AM thinking about it, my thoughts are along the lines of "is it necessary, for a second-pregnancy?"

Well who knows, right? But between me and Daddy A, we feel that it's mostly not very important at this point. You see, we (sige na nga I na lang hahaha) have been OA parents with our first born, trying most nice things we have read about. And and and....our families & friends have been so incredibly generous that we feel we really don't lack much. Crib, push chairs / strollers, baby carriers, infant clothing, I think we're pretty much set ;p

But there are things a mother could still wish for. Not necessarily material things this time. 

So whatever I'm blogging about right now are things that would definitely make this pregnancy and new birth a little bit more comfortable :) 

1. VBAC

...or Vaginal Birth after CS. This has been my #1 wish ever since we started planning for our new baby. Of course, conditions on the day and our doctor's instructions would greatly influence whether we'll be successful with VBAC or have to resort to CS; after all, safety of mom & baby are of prime importance. But please Lord, we're really praying for a successful VBAC. 

Note: Recovering from a CS operation is really hard (huhubells) so it's not something that I would voluntarily choose, if given an option for this second birth.

I'm currently reading Ina May Gaskin's book on Childbirth and am very inspired with all the birthing stories. Also learning a LOT from the 'midwifery model' of labor and delivery especially how to best "flow" with nature's design. Gosh! I wish I have read this too for my first pregnancy :)

P.S. I really love my Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon. Most nights back in 2014 it was the only thing that kept me awake while breastfeeding little Z! 

We've also attended our second round of birthing class, this time with Ms. Rome Kanapi. These were some of the best 6 Sundays of my pregnancy wherein we just relaxed with the rest of our classmates but still learned a good deal about pregnancy and childbirth. In our case, it was so much more than a refresher course...and I'm so glad we invested time in this again. I also love the support group with the rest of our classmates, sharing along as some of them have already given birth :)

Dashing Dads from our Birthing Class with Ms. Rome Kanapi

Please pray for our success in this endeavor :)

2. Packing efficiently for 2 kids!!

Admittedly, I'm an overzealous packer and I try to provide for every contingency hehehe...this is something that perhaps my dad and my hubby would never get about me. Yeah, why can't they understand the need for 3 bags for me and 3 bags for Z??

Though I've realized the folly of my ways, I can't promise to be content with just bringing 1 bag. 1 bag?!?!?!?! Kidding! Yes I know, tiis ganda ang peg just to calm my mind that I'm not missing anything. 

Since we'll be having 2 kiddos soon, a toddler to be carried by Daddy A and an infant to be strapped on me..well, why don't we just consolidate their things in 1 bag and let Daddy A carry it on his back? Great idea, right?! :D

Seriously now, this may have been one of the best ideas I've gathered from mommy communities in the net. And quite practical here in the Philippines too!

Right now it's a toss up between the truly cute and big Jujube BRB or a North Face Recon backpack. I like the designs of the Jujube, as well as the thoughtful pockets, organizers and accessibility to our things, while babywearing. But it's too expensive for a bag and I have read mixed reviews about it's durability. The North Face pack doesn't at all look like a diaper bag but certain models have proved to be quite roomy as well and many reviews attest how sturdy it is. Bonus points is that if it the bag survives past the toddler stage, we may very well be able to use it for day trip hikes with the kiddos!

Jujube Be Right Back

Northface Recon

Well I'm stil doing research about this very small dilemma so if you have any recommendations, feel free to leave a comment. And please leave tips on how to really pack efficiently for 2 kids without having to bring the whole house!! :D

For the meantime, we'll be using Z's old diaper bag to bring with us to the hospital :)

3. Cloth Diapering (CD)

Of all the things we weren't able to soldier on with our stint as first-time parents, we definitely failed in this aspect. Yes we tried it and we have about 8-10 cloth diapers in total but from my research (and I don't intend to hoard or be addicted to it), there should be at least 21 daw (tama nga ba?) for 1 child due to the nature of cloth diapers (wash & wear and tell me, how often would we really be able to do the washing hehe).

Admittedly, cloth diapering can be intimidating at first especially if you have to research the different kinds, suppliers, methods of care, etc. And probably cumbersome during the course of using - just imagine the difference between handling poop from cloth diaper and disposable diaper use. But if you really really think about it, using it multiple times, passing it on to the next baby, or maybe even destashing/reselling in the future...not bad at all!

Not because it's cute, not because it's in...we have been doing disposable diapers for almost 3 years and very partially on the cloth diaper stash. I feel guilty already for our contribution to the local landfill..besides, it's a gift that would keep on giving through poop and bad times hahaha..I know, not funny :p

So I guess we have to do more research to be more successful CD'ing this time around. ;)

4. Woven Baby Wrap

Okay here's my disclosure, we really love babywearing!!! We might not have an enormous stash but what we have right now (Mamaway sling, Saya SSK, Baby K'tan Mesh, Lillebaby Tie The Knot, Tula Baby-sized carrier, Lillebaby Toddler-sized carrier) would definitely be able to tide us over for the different seasons of baby #2's first year. 

So why am I still putting this here? (1) There's something that I seriously want to try which can be used from birth till toddlerhood - and that's the woven wrap (2) so we can have more wash days and ensure cleaner carriers for both babies. Which I'm sure will be used 24/7 especially for baby's clingy days (i.e. the whole first year) (3) It just looks so magical - diwata levels, ganern! Hahahaha :D

Oscha Slings Roses Vanilla <3

Oscha Slings Evenstar Undome from the LOTR collection

***Hint, hint Daddy A! This could be your Christmas or Valentine's present na hahaha :) ***

5. Breastfeeding Success

Despite our initial challenges in breastfeeding when Z was a newborn, I think we pretty much exceeded our goal then. There were days when Daddy A would give me the option of buying formula milk but with God's help, we were able to manage one day at a time until we reached 28 months of our breastfeeding journey.

There were many things, big and small, that we had to sacrifice but in retrospect, it really is worth it. I just hope that our upcoming new breastfeeding journey with baby #2 would be successful too. That I would also be able to give our baby the best possible nutrition especially during the most crucial stages.

We kindly request your prayers to this request. Our Lady of La Leche, please pray for us :)

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Oh boy, today marks the 37th week of our second pregnancy!!

Which means we are now term, so anytime from here onwards will come a new addition to our family and changes to our family life. I honestly don't know what to expect anymore - save for crazy sleepless nights, crazy sleep-deprived days with newborn+toddler in tow and crazy breastfeeding 24/7.

I used to think that when Z becomes a toddler, my life can go back to "normal". That's so silly of me to expect hahaha, it will never go back to what it was before and maybe that's what life is all about. Moving forward, meeting new challenges, living & loving every moment.

I guess when Daddy A and I are 80 then we'd both look back and just smile at these crazy and happy times :)

Hay sus, hormones...making me cry now :) Happy tears...wish us luck! :D

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Upcoming Review: Lillebaby Carryon Airflow

So we've transitioned to a Toddler carrier. Another Tula? Nope, not this time...we ventured into a different SSC (soft-structured carrier) altogether - fabric make, size (it is big!), and if you'd notice a different brand. 

We've had this Lillebaby Carryon Airflow since May of 2016, have used it sparingly in between but only put it to the test today. Did it pass? We'll let you know in our follow up post. 

For now, we're sharing some photos we took while we tested the Lillebaby Carryon Airflow out in the trails of La Mesa Ecopark..on a very h-o-t Sunday morning! :)

P.S. Thank you so much to my friend, Atty. I, for lovingly bringing the Lillebaby carriers for us from the US! Mwaaaahh!!! :D

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Oh my teething child...that and other ails :(

[LATE POST: This happened before her 1st birthday...]

I thought we were done with the ouchies in her 9th month...not quite, not quite!!! The little one's teething again and it looks worse than the previous one. During those times she's just beyond fussy...I just look up and pray to God to help me find out what's wrong, help me soothe her. 

So I turned to the one thing I knew that would give her the best comfort - breastfeeding! Haha..it's actually like a comfort blanket for the both of us, especially when this mommy doesn't know what to do anymore. According to my hubby, it's my 'agimat'. But that particular night, breastfeeding didn't do it's usual magic. Fact is, I feel her gums were really tender and sore to even allow her to latch. She'd just come really close to the breast, attempt to latch and then back away while shaking her head and still sobbing ;(

Baby wearing before sleeping

I just wanna 'hang out' mommy...

Hey daddy please stop taking photos..

 I tried to cradle her and sing a lullaby but she was fighting the cradle hold. At that point I really did not know what to do. I know she's not hungry so food is ruled out. She's definitely sad and sleepy but our usual sleep routine didn't seem to hold. What gives?

As a last resort, I reached out for our Tula baby carrier. She did not refuse. I belted out a few of my "best singles" hahahaha and she seemed to like it :p I carried her to the living room and the kitchen, talking to her, even reciting her Muddypaws story. Okay at that point I tried to gamble taking her out of the Tula, crossing fingers and hoping she had been pacified enough. 

I really hoped she would sleep by then. We were after all, trying for an earlier bedtime...

So after removing her from the carrier and placing her on the bed, she latched well and it was the start of a better night for us. Oh babies, sometimes we'll never guess..now I'm truly convinced that toys and more toys are not the important thing...when it comes to comfort we can truly rely on a parent's love, powered by babywearing and breastfeeding :)

Oh, it's mommy's request pala

The following morning we went to have her checked by the pedia. Turns out this is a complicated case of teething, fatigue from the holiday travels, colds and a bacterial infection. Gaaaaahhhh!!!!

Since this is a late post, I'm now able to tell you that Z's well and good. After a round of antibiotics, nebules and the gum-soothing paste (which we weren't able to use), and well-deserved rest the little lady was back to her old self. She just lost a few pounds but she got it back again with a better appetite.

So here are the things that this episode taught me:

1. Breastfeeding is best for babies but it isn't a cure-all. Every now and then, they can get sick too!
2. Always check with baby's pedia. All the while we thought it was just another teething phase but through the eyes of an expert, other problems were uncovered. And because of that, we were able to act quickly to nurse her to health.
3. Holidays are fun times, the holidays are family time but babies are still babies. Their little bodies can't take too much travel, late night outs, being around smokers (who are not necessarily smoking, but there's still an effect). They'll hardly complain if we keep tagging them along. We should respect that and put in mind that we are their caregivers, we shouldn't let them down. 
4. Okay on a practical note, I sorta learned how to administer meds via dropper to a hesitant (to put it mildly) baby.
5. Make sure that we follow doctor's orders especially with the dosage and times. Yes, even with a sleeping baby!

The morning after: Nebulizer time

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First look: Unboxing our Tula Baby Carrier!

Okay, I couldn't help but make a blog post about this because I've been sooo excited since I got the USPS advise that it was already shipped to Johnny Air's US office! :) We finally received the much-awaited package yesterday..Yipeedoooodles!!!! :D

Sharing with you some "first look" (naks!) pictures of Tula love and my Baby love! :) 

All the way from Poland. My, my...have you traveled far!

Johnny Air Cargo (JAC) Kuyas just delivered our fluffy mail!

Tula packaging. Such an exciting feeling to peel off the courier's plastic wrapping! Hahaha...is this really what motherhood does? I normally just pass by without much care for the mall's baby stuff in the past. Now most of my breastfeeding time is spent reviewing baby products online! :)

Oooooohhhh the anticipation. As I uncovered it step by step, I saw Z's yaya smiling and giving out an "ano-ba-yan-si-ate" look hahaha! :)

Yes to more baby wearing days..or should I say, years!!! :) I'd like to say "THANK YOU!" to Daddy A for giving the go signal for this purchase! I know I have allocated a portion of my earnings for this but because we're married, it's no longer just 'my' money but "our family's" money. Besides, I don't think it would be a good 'surprise' for him to see a box of Tula without much of an explanation. Haha..di ba? Thank you Daddy-love for supporting baby wearing! I'm excited to share this special baby bonding moment with you! *kisses!*

Are you happy Baby Z?! :)

This package made me sooo happy even if I was still saddled with 4-day fever & colds

We're so pleased with our Tula Standard Gray Zigzag Baby Carrier! :) Did you guess right from my last post? Now to test it out with Daddy A & Baby Z! :)

Please stay tuned for more of our baby wearing adventures with a Soft-Structured Carrier (SSC) now! :)

Questions? Let me know in the comments section. Happy baby wearing! :)

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Tula Love!

Aaaaggghhhhh....I can't wait (and obviously I can't contain my excitement!)!!! :) Our Tula is coming to town! Hahahaha...the little girl in me thinks Christmas is coming early!! :)

Oh the changes that motherhood brings. If clothes, make-up and gadgets used to make me giddy in the past, kamusta naman ngayon that baby carriers are now UP there in my mommy shopping list! 

The past 7 1/2 months have been all about learning and using our ring sling (Mamaway) and hybrid carriers (Saya & Baby K'tan Breeze). And just when I feel we're getting the hang of it, Z is getting too heavy to be worn in those carriers. The Saya & K'tan are actually supposed to be good up to 35 lbs.; but at 15+ lbs., ackk, my lower back is terribly in pain after babywearing. But, I won't stop babywearing just yet because I see the benefits for my child. And the obvious benefits for us especially when we venture outside...it's the only thing that'll help her sleep! I hate to admit it but in this department, the stroller definitely just won't cut it (Oh but it's useful to haul our bags and shopping finds!).

So the natural course of action is to transition into a more comfy (both for baby & me) carrier that we can use well into toddler years..say up to 3-4 years? And the great thing about it is I get to share the joy of babywearing with hubby A..yay!! :)

The nice thing about Tula carriers is that they offer 2 sizes - Standard and Toddler. Based on most reviews, the Standard (their smallest) is wee bit bigger than Ergo, Beco and Bjorn. Tula Standard can last you up to 45 lbs, and if you so wish, you could also buy a Free to Grow extension accessory. According to their site, the free to grow "attaches to the panel of the carrier and allows you to comfortably wear your older children." The Tula Toddler carrier is for bigger children. It's designed for children from 18 months (or about 25 lbs) to 4+ years old (up to 50 lbs.); and they don't recommend it until the child reaches 32 inches or taller. 

Because I want our Tula carrier to be future-proof (i.e., we can use it for longer, hence savings also for us), I initially thought of buying the Tula Toddler. But then reading their specifications, it seemed that we are currently 'between sizes'. So I sent them an email inquiring about this dilemma and let me just say that they are so helpful and customer-oriented! I love that in companies I support. Cassiopeia of Tula carriers directed me towards the Standard Tula and the option of getting a Free to Grow extension accessory, so that's what I chose! For Filipino parents, you can shop on their website or find stocks in Amazon and ship to the Philippines using Johnny Air Cargo (JAC) service. I finished the transaction last August 27 and now I have received their notification that it is ready to ship! :)

And have I mentioned that they have awesome, cutesy and cool prints? Here's a sneak preview of our soon-to-be baby carrier. I'll be posting some of the designs I like, but if I could...oh I'd love to sample all of these!! Maybe for a Tula Toddler in the future? Abangan!

Find out more at: tulababycarriers.com

Chloe

Gray Zig Zag

Billow

Hot Air Balloon

Folk Birds

NOTE: All photos are from Tula Baby Carriers website.

Can you guess which design we're having?

How soon did you transition from sling, hybrid, wrap to a soft-structured carrier (SSC)?

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