"Kuwentong Barbero" also known as " Ben and Mang Roy, the Barber"

Our Ben has come a long way since his first haircut.  We've been taking him to monthly haircuts every since his first birthday.  We took him to toddler salons during the first few months until one time we decided to try bringing him to the nearby barbershop, Gent's Place at Shaw Blvd, where Bry gets his haircut.  We've been going back there ever since.  I think it's cool that Ben and Bry have the same barber.  As you can see, Ben likes Mang Roy and look forward to his haircuts.

well behaved ... so far .. :)

All smiles because he's almost done

reading the newspaper like a big boy

oh, that's why he's interested.  the article is about his
favorite Avenger, hehe!

Preparing for breastfeeding: Helpful start-up tips

I didn't get a chance to attend a breastfeeding class when I was pregnant with Ben. I wish I did. Luckily I was able to get in touch with supportive mommy friends who helped me get through the first few months.

Attending a breastfeeding class is important. As a pregnant mom, you might be telling yourself "I'll just see what happens when the baby is born and just cross the bridge when I get there." , but knowing what you're getting into can be a big factor in ensuring you breastfeed successfully. Of course, there are no guarantees. However, I do know quite a number of moms who attended classes after giving birth that wished they attended earlier.

In line with this, I am inviting everyone to attend the LATCH Best Beginnings class this Saturday, May 12, 9am at the Medical City. The class tackles most of the topics that we studied as breastfeeding counselors. I highly encourage that you attend during your last trimester. You can opt to attend after giving birth but you might miss the opportunity to practice what your learn during the first few days of your baby's life which is very crucial to breastfeeding. Please do take note that this breastfeeding class is conducted every other month so you have to wait until July if you can't make it this month.

For soon-to-be parents who won't be able to attend the seminar but are serious in giving breastfeeding a shot, you might consider researching (or better yet, take a few moments to talk to a breastfeeding counselor) about the answers to the following questions. Think of it as a checklist :)

1.) What exactly are the benefits of breastfeeding? What's the difference between exclusively breastfeeding and mix-feeding?

2.) What can I expect in the first few weeks of breastfeeding my baby?

3.) How does my body produce milk?  How do I know I am producing enough?

4.) How can the people around me help me and my baby breastfeed successfully?

5.) How can I check if my baby is positioned and latching properly when feeding?

6.) What should I know about storing my milk for future use?

7.)  Is it really painful? What are the common breastfeeding problems and how can I handle them.

It has been a while since I wrote a breastfeeding post, and hopefully this will be helpful to new parents.  As they say in GI Joe, "Now you know, and knowing is half the battle "  Good Luck to all future mommies and daddies ! :)

Daddy Bry's Birthday Giveaway ( and our Blog Anniversary, too!)

Finally, May is here !!!

Our family has a lot to be thankful for this coming month, and since it's daddy Bry's birthday month, it is time for another giveaway, yipee!!!

Let me honor Bry by saying how much he has grown as a father to Ben for the past two years.  Between the two of us he is the more efficient diaper changer, has more patience and the stricter disciplinarian.  He has been a super dad while working 6 x a week, driving 1.5 hrs per trip to and from the office at Laguna.  Ben and I are lucky to have him in our lives.

One of Bry's latest superdad powers is getting Ben to sleep on his own - with that I mean, no feeding, no carrying, etc.  He (Ben) seems to sleep earlier and without any delaying tactics if it's just the two of them.  Right now, our current set up is Ben sleeps at the mattress by the floor.  He would lie down in the middle of mama and papa and lots and lots of pillows!!!!  (Then the first one of us who wakes up in the middle of the night first, gets to transfer in our big bed)

So that is the story behind our latest blog giveaway.  To celebrate Bry's birthday, we are raffling off two Jean Perry Ultra Soft Pillows to one lucky winner.  They are exclusive distributed here in the Philippines by my brother JP and his good friend Kelvin of Casa La Armonia, Inc.  Please do check out their products at Blims Fine Furniture (Alabang Home Depot, Makati Home Depot, Ortigas Home Depot and Greenbelt 2) and HK Hardware (Connecticut Greenhills and Shangril Mall) Stores

We have 4 of these pillows at home and I personally love them.  They're soft and fluffy and don't easily clump up.  As parents, sleep is such a luxury and anything that can help us is most welcome right? :)

So here are the mechanics of the giveaway :)

(1) As a comment under this blog entry, say " Happy Birthday , Daddy Bry! "  and tell us why you need a new pair of pillows.  Also state your full name and email address.  The name that you leave at the comment should be similar to the name you use at Facebook.

(2) Be a fan of Casa La Armonia at Facebook.  Check out the link here.

(3) And since I am also celebrating my blog's first anniversary this month, I will give plus points if you do anyone of the following: (a) suggest a topic for the blog along with your entry (b) follow my blog so you can be updated with the new entries.

* You must be willing to pick-up the pillows at the Casa La Armonia office in Mandaluyong to join this contest :)

You have until May 31 2012 to submit your entries.  Our birthday boy will pick out the winner and will be announced by second week of June.

Good Luck!

PS. I can't believe I've been blogging for a year now.  Thanks to everyone who have been dropping by.  It warms my heart when I get messages from friends and even complete strangers that they've been reading my posts.  Cheers!!!

Ben loves taking photos

Ben likes being in pictures but enjoys taking them even more.  His favorite subjects are mommy and daddy.  I thought I'd share some of the photos he took in the hope that they will bring a smile to your faces.  Have a happy week ahead from the Tans!

obviously, this photo wasn't taken by Ben, but I just had to add it
because he looks so happy in it ... :)                  

My favorite Mommy De-stressers

This month has been quite a ride for me (  hopefully more stories about the reasons why next time).  I've been quite stressed in so many different ways that I'm honestly glad May is just around the corner (after watching The Avengers, of course!)  I've been stressing about what to talk about for this entry when it occurred to me that I can share what I have been doing to keep me sane these past few weeks.  So, here are my favorite mommy de-stressers, hehe! Hopefully you guys can share yours as well =)

1. Say a prayer - whenever I find hard to put Ben back to sleep at night after waking up for the nth time, I'd try to lull him to sleep while praying the rosary.  It's the only thing that keeps me from going crazy when he wakes up crying just as I was about to go into deep sleep

2. Watch a good movie or a TV show - When I'm not in a really good mood, I try to cheer myself up by watching an episode of my favorite sitcom.  It usually makes me feel a bit better even for a little while

3. Chat with a friend - Sometimes, all you need is some adult conversation with someone you trust and genuinely listens to you

4. Sing and Dance - Videoke, Dance Classes, Xbox Kinect Session.  Who can resist those? Hehe

5. Enjoy Nature Outdoors - How about a walk at a park?

6. Write, Draw or Paint - My Blog and playing Draw Something helps me focus on other things

7. Read a book - This month, I finished both the Girl with a Dragon Tatoo and Hunger Games trilogies.  I love the way books transport me to another world, most especially stories written in the first person point of view.

8. Eat something yummy and healthy - For some weird reason, my favorite comfort food is Nilagang Baboy.  Funny story, just last week, we had this dish and it lasted me for two consecutive days.  I've  actually been saving my favorite part for one last serving for the third day but the maids must have thought I needed to eat a new dish because they ate the last person and cooked something else for me.

9. Sports - I miss swimming, yes I swim with Ben twice a week but there's nothing like doing a few laps on your own.  It's the only sport I know ( it's a mystery to me how I passed volleyball and badminton during collage) and it's perfect for the summer heat

10.Take a Nap - I always feel better after a nap, even if it's just 20 minutes

11. Take a trip to the Salon - Have you ever had one of those days when you just want to have a new look? All throughout this month, I've been tempted to highlight my hair, curl it or maybe get a pixie cut! My fear of eventually regretting what I do with my locks had me settling for a mere trim, but who knows? Maybe someday I'd have enough courage to drastically change my look.  Anyways, just having someone make you look good even if it's just your toes is such a nice feeling.  ( PS. Salon referrals are welcome :)


Hope this entry brings a smile to you face.  Have a stress free week ahead!

Mommy Friends are the Best! =)

Being a mom is not easy, there are times when you question yourself with even the simplest parenting decision you just made. I am lucky to be surrounded with mommy friends who help keep me sane, and I dedicate this entry to them (naks!)

Mommy Friends are the best because...

You can learn from their experience.
When I feel stuck, I'd ask advice from moms of older kids who've been in my shoes

You have someone you can impart your words of wisdom to
Just as there are moms who are more experienced than you, there'll always be newbies who need your encouragement. It's always an honor being asked by new moms about how I handled things when Ben was a newborn. Sometimes, all you need is someone to tell you that things will eventually get a little better.

You have someone to have adult conversations with.
Being with a child the whole day can really test your patience. One of the things I used to look forward to when Ben was still at school is that I get to chat with the parents of his schoolmates. They always make me feel better even when I feel harassed.

Playdates, both for the adults and the kids!
Having friends with kids close to your age means you get to help your child socialize while having some quality time among yourselves. Bry and i enjoy organizing playdates whenever we get the chance.

They remind you that each child is different and not to compare
As you get to know more parents and their child, you'll get to realize that each child is unique. Yes, there are developmental milestones to watch out for but if if you shouldn't panic when your friend's baby rolls over before yours does even if they have the same birthday. Believe me, this is easier said than done. Ben is already 2 and I'm still learning this lesson every day.

How about you? What's the best thing about having parent-friends? :)

Mommy Prays via Pins of Light's Online Lenten Retreat

In the spirit of Holy Week, I'd like to encourage all my fellow Catholic Techie Friends to check out the online retreat prepared by Fr. Johnny Go, SJ.  It's a great way to take time to reflect on the real reason why we're all taking a break this week.

I'm a fan of Father Johnny and find his online retreats (usually available for Lent and Advent) very enriching to the soul.  This is perfect for moms like me who are not able to take time out to go on a retreat house for the weekend.  I like his approach because the reflection points are timeless but at the time he adds a modern touch into them.  If I remember correctly, he even used Bruno Mars' songs for the Lenten Retreat last year.  Cool huh? :) I am quite excited what's in store for us this year, hehe.  Oh, the past retreats also has a feature where you can share with your reflections with other readers if you wish. :)

The retreat itself will start tomorrow, Holy Thursday.  But the site has already uploaded a pre-retreat exercise to get us in the mood.  Here 's the link :)

Have a blessed Holy Week to everyone! Stay safe and God Bless you and your families.