Wednesday, September 28, 2011

HK 2011 - Toddler Boot Camp, A Review

It has been a week since our 5 day HK escapade.  We won this trip courtesy of a game at the lovely Chua-Ng wedding, and are very grateful to the host families for the opportunity to travel and bond as a family.  We started the trip very excited and went home tired but very happy (especially our little master).  I honestly think that Bry and I became stronger as parents because of the experience.  Here are the tidbits of what we learned :)

RESEARCH, MAKE A LIST, CHECK IT TWICE !

We prepared a list of the stuff we had to bring, as well as out itinerary.  For our flights and lodging, we made our bookings and checked-in online to save time.  We checked out websites do we know what to bring in terms of the facilities and the weather.  Don't forget the medicines, too!  Our lifesavers were the Ipad and the stroller.  Most areas in HK have lifts so bringing the stroller along was helpful even if it was bulky.  We we were able to use it for our bags even during the times Ben felt like walking.


BE FLEXIBLE
As much we tried to prepare, we had to adjust some of our plans depending on Ben's schedule.  We had to prioritize which places we really wanted to go.  Both my boys were troopers!  They gladly accompanied me to Ikea even if it was such a long trip there.  But we had to skip visiting another shopping mall because we were so pressed for time.  (PS. We bought an easel from Ikea when Ben is enjoying right now so the trip wasn't a waste, hehe! )

DIVIDE and CONQUER
Bry and I split up parenting duties during the trip.  From feeding, baths, naps and making sure we don't leave stuff behind.  We also had instances when one took care of Ben while the other has some alone time (or at least that was the plan, haha)  Kudos to daddy for being an expert utensils /clothes washer!


HAVE FUN!
My boys were always there to remind me that we took this trip to have fun.  As a wise mom once shared "I'd rather me a happy mom than a perfect mom" ... so what if your schedule is off a bit, or what if you end up feeling a little stressed along the way?  The most important thing is you end up with happy memories despite the imperfections.  Also, try to make most of your time in the new place you are in,  you'll surely be tired but won't regret being productive.

A NOTE ABOUT BREASTFEEDING IN HK

I had to gather enough courage to breastfeed Ben in public during our trip.  I had to feed him in a bus, in the train,  and inside a restaurant.  Thankfully, there are parents' rooms available in malls where you can breastfeed your baby.  Some are more comfortable than others.  I was able to feed Ben inside the HK Disneyland breastfeeding room.  It had two rocking chairs and the lights were dim so very conducive for getting a toddler to settle down.  For me, the trick is to find the right nursing clothes and to remind yourself that you are nourishing your child.  Better to have a quiet feeding child than a loud crying cranky one, right?

LOVE LOVE LOVE DISNEYLAND PARK AND HOTEL!!! Can't wait to do it again :)

Monday, September 12, 2011

Ben Update at 20 months :)


September seems to be our Little Master's breakout month.  He's been learning to be more confident and independent.  Here are his milestones:



1. He's able to float on his own during swim class.  This was a victory for coach Angelo and I.  I'm proud of him for keeping up with his older classmates.  He's becoming more attentive to following instructions as well.  I'm sure his ability to understand when we tell him to stay put will come in handy outside the pool as well.

2. I'm able to stay outside the classroom during his classes.  I actually thought it would take a long time before we get to this point. But one day, his teachers, class yaya and I decided to give it a try.  He still cries a bit when I say goodbye but stops when I leave the room.  It's bittersweet but that's what school is for.  I'm glad he has learned to trust other adults.

3. He says "bye-bye" when he doesn't want to be disturbed from his current activity.  This is my favorite because it means he is starting to be able to articulate when he doesn't want something rather than cry.  I want to encourage him to express himself so it's hard not to respond accordingly even if he does it when he doesn't want to eat, bathe or sleep yet. Oh well, lets see how we progress in this area.




Oh and he can climb in and out of his playpen now ... Uh ... Oh.. Hehe

so there you have it :) a dose of Ben for family and friends who I know read this to see how he's doing.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

US Fall TV Series Premiere Schedule!

Finally, the long wait is over! September is here!!!  Which means the premiere of some of our favorite TV series.  I am a TV buff and I look forward to the new seasons of my favorite shows.  Here's the schedule of some of the popular series, hopefully one of your favorites are on the list.
Enjoy!


2011 Fall Premiere Schedule
*All times based on eastern standard time, meaning they are available for download during the afternoon of the following day*

Tuesday, September 13
Parenthood - NBC
90210 - The CW

Thursday, September 15
The Vampire Diaries - The CW


Monday, September 19
Castle - ABC
Hawaii Five-O - CBS
Two and a Half Men - CBS
How I Met Your Mother - CBS


Tuesday, September 20 
NCIS - CBS
NCIS: Los Angeles - CBS
Raising Hope 
Glee - Fox

Wednesday, September 21
Criminal Minds - CBS
CSI - CBS
Harry's Law - NBC
Law & Order: SVU - NBC
Modern Family - ABC

Thursday, September 22
Grey's Anatomy - ABC
The Big Bang Theory CBS
The Mentalist - CBS
Community - NBC

Friday, September 23
CSI: NY - CBS
Blue Bloods - CBS
Fringe - Fox
Nikita - The CW
Supernatural - The CW

Sunday, September 25
Desperate Housewives - ABC
The Good Wife - CBS
CSI: Miami - CBS
Boardwalk Empire - HBO

Monday, September 26
Gossip Girl - The CW
 
Thursday, September 29
Private Practice - ABC



Sunday October 2
Dexter- Showtime

Monday, October 3
House - Fox

Monday, October 21
Chuck - NBC


Thursday, November 3
Bones - Fox

Friday, September 2, 2011

win a pair of Butterfly Twists Satin Flats from Chronicles of a Nursing Mom

Now that we have successfully pulled off our giveaway,  I thought I'd try my luck in joining one by my favorite blogs, Chronicles of a Nursing Mom, haha!

I've been in search of the perfect pair of shoes ever since I was pregnant with Ben.  Being a fan of heels since I'm short,  I still have yet to explore the world of flats.  A pair of Butterfly Twists satin flats seems so promising.  I hope that this will finally break me from my spell of wearing flip flops.

So here's how you can win a pair of Butterfly Twists Satin Flats:
1. Like Butterfly Twists Philippines on Facebook and leave a comment on the page on why these shoes are perfect for ‘moms on the go!’ 
2- 
Follow @cleversoles and @mamababylove on Twitter, and tweet this giveaway: "RT @mamababylove: Win a pair of Satin flats from @cleversoles http://bit.ly/pM7HR2."
3 - Blog about this giveaway.

For more info about the giveaway, go to the link here :)

Announcing the winners for our L.A.B giveaway! :)




Alright ladies, as promised, we got Ben to pick the lucky winners.  Looking back, maybe we could have tried a different approach since we couldn't get him to sit still, hehe! The video and photos are very candid so our apologies that we didn't edit them.  We had to upload the low-quality video but we thought it was alright as long as it doesn't take time to load


So here are the winners! Congratulations, ladies! LAB and I will contact you soon! Muwah!

Didi Tiu Tang - 20% gift voucher

Pevi Dalope- Dela Cruz - 20% gift voucher

Julieanne Velasquez-Dimaano - WINNER OF FREE L.A.B. Nursing top!!!