Pensive Thoughts

Mommy Moments: Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:46:00 +0000

This picture was taken last Saturday before my son and his Dad went to Cityland office in Makati. My son is wearing light green shirt and dark shorts and is seen here strumming his green toy guitar, and oh, that’s his green Ben 10 car on his lap, one of the gifts he received last Christmas. Isn’t this a very green day?

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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Sumptuous Lunch at Max’s Restaurant!

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:17:00 +0000

Eating out during weekends is one of our family bonding activities. Two Saturdays ago, we found ourselves having lunch at Max’s Restaurant in Robinsons Galleria.

Eagerly awaiting our order
We had a really delicious lunch consisting of Family Fried Chicken, Pinaputok na Tiyan ng Bangus and Sizzling Tofu.

Family Fried Chicken, Half, Php220.00
The original, classic fried chicken that made Max's popular. It is cooked to golden perfection, processed in a very unique way which gives this product the unforgettable “sarap to the bones” quality

You wouldn’t believe that fried chicken this good is totally MSG-free. Yes, it’s true!

Pinaputok na Tiyan ng Bangus, Php229.00
Deboned milkfish belly stuffed with chopped tomatoes, onions and garlic. Grilled inside a banana leaf and topped with fresh tomato salsa.

I love milkfish, and this one’s super yummy! I almost finished the entire plate! LOL!

Sizzling Tofu, Php166.00
Tofu cubes with chopped onions, red and green bell peppers glazed with a special sauce topped with chilis. Good for 2-3 persons

You should really try this one! This dish is slightly spicy, which added to its already flavorful taste.

This is the second time in two weeks that we had lunch at Max’s Restaurant. The first one was at Harrison Plaza after our unplanned trip to Manila Zoo. Max’s Restaurant is the place to go if you’re looking for sumptuous Filipino foods at prices you can afford.

Doll Joy Factory Field Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 02:23:00 +0000

Last February 22, 2011, my son’s school had an educational field trip to Doll Joy Factory in Pasig City. I wasn’t able to join my son because I had a commitment on that day, too, but I made sure his yaya was there to see to his needs and to take pictures of what they saw inside the factory. I had to pay Php150.00 each for my son and his yaya for this field trip.

There were so many different dolls inside: sports dolls, clown dolls, ballerina dolls, Christmas dolls and dolls from around the world. The kids also had the chance to dress up the dolls on their own.

I particularly like the dolls wearing different school uniforms. They’re so cute!

That’s my son holding his newly bought robot (Php180.00) from the factory.

It took them almost two hours to tour the entire factory. My son was too tired when he got home that he didn’t have time to eat lunch anymore. He really enjoyed this educational field trip to Doll Joy Factory and he said he wanted to go back there.

Safety in the Workplace

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 12:01:00 +0000

Don’t you just love it when everything in the office is spic and span? It feels so good to be working in a place where everything (telephones, desks, chairs, computers, etc.) is in its right place. It’s also so much safer when cable protectors and cord covers are used in the office. Rubber or plastic cord covers keep employees out of harm’s way. Because no loose wires are lying around, accidents and injuries are prevented. Do you feel safe and secure in your place of work? Does your office use cable cover, too?

Mommy Moments: Orange

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 01:18:00 +0000

Here’s my son in orange polo shirt with his orange Nemo stuffed toy. This picture was taken this morning before he went to school.

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Prescription Drug Coverage

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Medicare Part D is a program of the U.S. Government that subsidizes the cost of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries. Persons eligible for Medicare Part D plan are those who are entitled to benefits under Medicare Part A and/or enrolled in Medicare Part B.

How I wish PhilHealth offers prescription drug coverage, too. This will be helpful to PhilHealth members like me whose parents are on maintenance medications. Both my parents are taking maintenance drugs for high blood pressure. My mother also takes maintenance drugs for diabetes. Their medications are classified as prescription drugs, and because they’re not taking one but a number of different tablets a day, they’re spending a lot for their maintenance medications.

I help them financially with their medication needs, but I wish they could buy other things than just their medication drugs with the money I give them every pay day. That will only be possible if prescription drugs will be covered by PhilHealth.

Share an Eco Tip and Win a Pair of Ipanema Gisele Bundchen Hot Sands!

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 02:03:00 +0000

Yes, you heard that right! Just log on to www.ipanemaphils.com, click on Slip an Eco Tip tab and share how you can help the fight against climate change. The most helpful answer of the week wins! This promotion is open to Philippine residents only and will run until March 31, 2011.

Brazilian-born model Gisele Bundchen is the designated Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). As Goodwill Ambassador, Gisele Bundchen helps UNEP raise awareness about the major threats to our planet-- such as climate change and environmental degradation--and move people to do something to help protect the environment.

The Ipanema Gisele Bundchen’s latest summer collection, the Hot Sands Collection, supports the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA), a Socio-environmental Institute in Brazil, with its Fight Against Climate Change Central Strategy, a program that proposes that we all think about what we can do right now, in practice, to improve our lives.

Sweet and Thoughtful!

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 02:52:00 +0000

When I posted my Mommy Moments’ entry last Friday, I mentioned in my post that my four-year-old son (soon turning five) is such a sweet and thoughtful boy. Because I work at home and see what he’s doing all day after school, I’m the willing recipient of his hugs, kisses and I Love You’s.

From time to time, he would approach me and tell me: “Mommy, hug me and kiss me.” Of course, I would oblige. Then, he’ll hug and kiss me, too! He also says so many “I love you, Mommy” in a day! These things really make my heart melt!

And when he’s in the mood to write, he’d come up with “I Love You” notes for Mommy. Where he writes his love notes doesn’t really matter; sometimes, he writes on cardboard paper, sometimes in my notebook that I use when I work and sometimes on pad papers.

This was his Valentine’s Day card for mommy. He was in a hurry to do this because he wanted to give it to me right away. He asked his yaya for the spelling of “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

He actually writes nicely when he’s in the mood, like this most recent love note he gave me.

Isn’t he the sweetest? Now that I’ve just received my end-of-the-month salary, I want to buy something special for him. Would personalized gifts for kids do? What do you think?

Ipanema Launches Gisele Bundchen Hot Sands Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 02:53:00 +0000

Ipanema, the world’s most fashionable Brazilian flipflop brand, has launched its latest summer collection--the Gisele Bundchen Hot Sands Collection--at the SM Prestige Lounge in SM Megamall last Tuesday, February 22, 2011.

Event host Ms. Shanen Torres

Mr. Patxi Elizalde, Managing Director of ELRO Corporation

The new collection was launched via a fashion show featuring young models wearing Coco Cabaña’s summer outfits complemented by colorful, summery and stunningly beautiful flipflops from the Ipanema Gisele Bundchen Hot Sands Collection.

“The collection embodies the best of Brazil and its locals: warmth, optimism and great joy in living, a country that keeps its eyes on the future and always reinvents itself. This carefree and joyous lifestyle is the inspiration behind the collection—each piece celebrates the beauty of nature, making it the footwear to complement the sunny season of summer,” said Patxi Elizalde, managing director of ELRO Corporation. ELRO Corporation is the exclusive distributor of Ipanema in the Philippines.

Hot Sands Kirey Fem (White Gold)

Hot Sands Thong Fem (Black Silver)

Hot Sands Fem (Purple Lilac)

Hot Sands Fem (White Clear)

Hot Sands Plat Fem (White Gold)
Gift packages were given to ten lucky raffle winners after the fashion show. Models Bianca Valerio, Kelly Misa and Ornusa Cadness were also spotted at the event.

Ten lucky raffle winners

Patxi Elizalde, Bianca Valerio, Kelly Misa, Ornusa Cadness and Eugene Saw (Vice President of SM Department Stores Ladies, Teens and Bags Group)
Other mommy bloggers were also present, which made attending the event more fun and exciting. I tell you, when mommies are around, unending chit-chat abounds. LOL! We can talk about almost anything—kids, work, beauty tips, latest showbiz gossips and even cheap auto insurance--but that’s beside the point.

Tetcha, Czaroma, Lynn, Teacher Julie and Pehpot

Tina, Michelle, Pehpot and Tetcha
The Ipanema Gisele Bundchen Hot Sands Collection also supports the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA), a Socio-environmental Institute in Brazil that advocates the Fight Against Climate Change Central Strategy, a program that proposes that we all think about what we can do right now to improve our lives.

Know more about these stylish nature-themed sandals by visiting www.ipanemaphils.com. Visit also Ipanema Philippines on Facebook and send an eco-saving tip for a chance to win a free pair of Ipanema GB footwear.

Ipanema Gisele Bundchen Hot Sands Collection is available at SM Department Stores, Bambu and other leading boutiques and stores nationwide.

An Unplanned Trip to Manila Zoo

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:19:00 +0000

Last Saturday, February 19, we went to Makati Medical Center very early for my husband’s routine checkup with his endocrinologist. We were done by 9am, but because malls would not open until an hour later, we had to make an impromptu decision: where were we taking the little boy after this? Hubby suggested Manila Zoo, and because the little boy liked it, off we went like giddy children!

My first trip to Manila Zoo was before I turned 7 years old. I have no recollection of that trip; in fact, I only learned about it through a picture of me at the zoo that I brought to school for an assignment. This was also my husband and son’s first trip to Manila Zoo, so we were all excited.

There were lots of students having an educational field trip at Manila Zoo that day, and that added to the festive mood at the zoo. Entrance fee for adults is Php40.00, while for kids below 4 feet is Php20.00. Below are some of the animals we saw at Manila Zoo.

Aside from looking at the animals, the little boy became preoccupied with a lot of things. He blew bubbles, played the flute, rode the swing at the playground and ate ice cream.

There were also a lot of merchandise being sold inside the zoo mostly catering to kids. Silly me for thinking they have tattoo removal cream, too. After eating ice cream, the little boy went to a nearby stall to see what he could buy (as if he has money! LOL!). He finally found what he wanted: a mechanical winged horse. Too bad, I wasn’t able to take a picture of my son playing with this toy inside the zoo.

As we prepare to leave the zoo after more than two hours of endless walking and picture taking, we chanced upon this photo booth that offers souvenir pictures with an albino Burmese python for Php100.00. We were all afraid, but we had to try it for experience sake.

On the way to the mall, I asked the little boy if he enjoyed our trip to Manila Zoo, and he responded with a resounding “Yes!” and he followed it up with this question: “When are we coming back?”

I therefore conclude that our unplanned trip to Manila Zoo was a success!

Cardiology Checkup

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 23:09:00 +0000

In a couple of weeks, I will have to visit my cardiologist again for the results of my repeat lipid profile done last January. By then, I hope all the bad cholesterol I ingested during the Christmas season has been flushed out of my system already. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

I’m also contemplating on having a repeat electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG). Being hooked up to EKG machines isn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, but hey, it pays to have our heart checked, too, right? So yes, that will be included in my agenda, too.

How about you? Have you had your cholesterol levels checked lately? How about your heart? Have you experienced undergoing EKG before? What was your experience like?

Mommy Moments: Dear Daddy

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:19:00 +0000

Our four-year-old son (five this July) is a very sweet boy. He likes to hug and kiss, say “I love you,” and write love letters for both Mommy and Daddy. Here’s the most recent love note he’s written for his Dad:

His Dad is the one buying our son toys whenever we go to the mall. Justin charms his way into his Dad’s heart whenever he wants a new toy, like he’d tell his Dad he’s behaved today or he did well in school or he packed away his toys on his own. Ergo, my son is not only sweet; he’s also smart!

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Occasions of Joy’s First Blogversary!

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 03:01:00 +0000

I was one of the lucky mom bloggers who were invited to the first anniversary of Joy Mendiola’s blog Occasions of Joy last Sunday, February 20, at Baby Nathan’s Kitchen, One San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City.

The invitation said we needed to be there by 8am because it was supposed to be a “Pandesal Party,” but I arrived a few minutes late because I still had to wait for my little boy to wake up and give mommy a good morning kiss. I know Mommy Joy could forgive me for that!

That’s me and Joy!

Mommy bloggers at the photo booth courtesy of Jes

Group picture from Jes
True enough, there were lots of yummy pandesal for breakfast courtesy of Walter Bread, and those pandesal went well with tasty frozen foods (ham, sausage, chicken nuggets, etc.) from Mom’s Breaktime and freshly brewed coffee from Love Blends.

To start the celebration, Jem Garcia gave a lovely violin rendition of “The Prayer.” Guest speakers, such as Pehpot Pineda and Jonel Uy, likewise graced the occasion. Pehpot talked about how she manages to blog (Note: She has more than 10 blogs!) and care for her 4 kids at the same time. Jonel, on the other hand, discussed the etiquettes for bloggers.

Jem Garcia with her violin rendition of “The Prayer”

Happy 1st blogversary, Joy!

Pehpot on “The Diary of a Mommy Blogger”

Jonel Uy of NomNom Club
Of course, an event is not complete without games. Two couples were called on stage to play the “Eat my “P” (Pandesal)” game, then the mommies participated in the “Pass the Pandesal” game.

Honey and Arnold vs. Jeff and Melody during the Eat My “P” (Pandesal) game

Mommy bloggers playing the “Pass the Pandesal” game

Joy with Josie, the winner of the “Pass the Pandesal” game
The following event sponsors were also acknowledged: Walter Bread, Svelte, ELRO Corporation, A-Z Direct Marketing, Clarity, Love Blends, MOD Magazine and Doña Maria Premium Quality Rice. Other sponsors include Funlipix for the photo booth, Enjoy, Me and U, Johnson & Johnson's, Nesvita and Mr. Rafael Mendiola, Joy's better half, who shouldered the expenses for the food and venue.

Ms. Shirly Balgua, Walter's Marketing Officer

Ms. Ruth Fungo, Operations Manager of Svelte

Ms. Cel Mabalot of ELRO Corporation

Timmy Del Agua of A-Z Direct Marketing

Julius Barbero of Clarity

Joy with Ryan De Vera, owner of Love Blends

Imee Plateja, intern writer of MOD Magazine

Joy with Doña Maria Premium Quality Rice
Joy also gave a special gift to the first guest to arrive, Ms. Nora Aquino.

Joy with Nora, Early Bird awardee
Joy also gave away gift certificates to all moms present for one free session of Intense Diamond Peel at Clarity, which costs Php1,000.00 I like this very much, and can’t wait to have it done right away!

Then it was chow time again! As much as I’d like to get a second serving of the sumptuous foods, I resisted the urge to do so because I didn’t want to be looking for the best diet pill afterwards. Moderation is key, right?

Lunch time!
Before going home, the guests were given loot bags, too!

All in all, Occasions of Joy’s first blogversary was a success! Everyone had a great time, and I’m sure the guests present are already looking forward to the second year anniversary. What do you think, Joy?

Protect Children from Disease-causing Germs: A Safeguard Hand Washing Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 09:30:00 +0000

I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. I’m a paranoid mom! When it comes to my son, I worry about everything, especially when he gets sick. I’ll do everything in my power to keep him from getting ill.

Aside from taking him to his pediatrician for his vaccinations and giving him multivitamin, I always remind him to wash his hands well when his hands are dirty because that’s one way to prevent him from getting germs that can make him sick. I’m also glad that in his school, kids are made to wash their hands after doing artwork and before having their snacks.

When I heard about the Safeguard hand washing campaign from Earth, I volunteered to write a post about it because aside from being a long-time Safeguard user, I’m also an advocate of frequent hand washing.

Germs are everywhere-- in schools, in churches, in malls, and even in our homes. We all know, too, that germs can cause diseases and children are the ones easily affected when contagious diseases, like colds, cough and flu, spread. That’s because children’s immune systems are not as strong as adults’, which make them the primary victims of disease-causing germs.

We can put a stop to the continuous attack of germs on children through frequent and proper hand washing. This, however, is easier said than done. While many people know the benefits of hand washing, only a few actually take the time to do it. In fact, a lot of people believe that covering their mouths with a tissue is enough to stop the spread of germs. Many are not aware that the only way to stop germs is by killing them.

Safeguard advocates hand washing and its benefits by encouraging Filipinos to start grabbing hand soap, instead of just using tissues. To advance this cause, Safeguard recently created a fictitious tissue brand called Sneeze n Sniffles.

Sneeze and Sniffles look like ordinary boxes of tissue that once opened reveal faces of different kids printed on each tissue. Below each kid’s face is a caption that reads: “This won’t stop germs from reaching him/her.” Sneeze n Sniffles have been distributed to different people at different places for free since December; the dissemination of these boxes will continue until the end of this month.

The aim of this campaign is to persuade more and more Filipinos to make hand washing a national habit so that Filipino children are spared from germs and diseases.

We surely don’t want our children to get sick, and we can prevent that from happening by simply washing our hands. The choice is ours to make: Will it be tissue or hand soap?

Snack Time at Johnny Rockets!

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 09:42:00 +0000

Three Saturdays ago, we decided to have snacks at Johnny Rockets at Veranda, Robinsons Galleria.

I made a mental note before to try this restaurant because the staff dancing to the delight of the diners were a teaser. At that time, we were dining at the nearby Papa John’s Pizza.

We ordered Philly Cheese Steak and Kids Grilled Cheese with Root Beer Float, Chocolate Kid Shake and Lemonade.

Philly Cheese Steak, Php395.00
Philly Cheese Steak is thinly sliced steak, grilled to perfection and topped with grilled onions and choice of cheese. This is served on an authentic hoagie roll. This comes with French fries, too.

The grilled steak was tasty, but it would have been better if the meat was more tender. The grilled onions also perfectly complement the steak. Because the hoagie roll is big, this order is good for sharing; it took three adults to finish the entire bread. Besides, since hubby and I are on a diet, we had to cut down on meat consumption, especially beef, so we won’t be needing fat burning supplements later.

Kids Grilled Cheese, Php215.00
This is cheese (cheddar, American or Swiss cheese) on white bread. This also comes with French fries.

We actually ordered this for the little boy, but he only took one bite and a few French fries, and that was it! I ended up eating the rest of this sandwich. There’s really nothing special about it. The server didn’t ask us, too, for our choice of cheese for this sandwich; I think what she served us was plain cheddar cheese.

Chocolate Kid Shake, Php105.00; Root Beer Float, Php175.00; Lemonade, Php110.00
I took a sip of my son’s Chocolate Kid Shake, and I found it too sweet. Hubby didn’t say anything about his Root Beer Float, so I assumed it was okay. He also liked receiving a root beer refill on his glass. The lemonade tasted like lemonade served in a large glass. LOL!

The prices of food at Johnny Rockets are too steep! All in all, we spent Php1,200.00 for our snacks. Probably, we won’t eat here again, not in the near future anyway.

Weekend Blog Follower Caravan #8

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 22:49:00 +0000

Welcome to my blog!! Please leave a comment and I will surely follow you all back!!

Weekend Blog Follower Caravan is a simple online blogger-helping-blogger weekly meme. It was designed for bloggers to help each other in terms of blog followers either through Google Friend Connect and email subscribers.

Here are the simple rules:
1. Make sure you follow your hosts: Pinay Mommy Bloggers and Pinay Mommy Online.
2. Every Saturday, you make a post to welcome your new followers with any of the badges above. Submit the LINK of your post to our weekly post.
3. Once added visit other players’ post and leave a comment telling them that you have followed them from the Weekend Blog Follower Caravan. Then don’t forget to place the link of your blog to where you wanted to be followed back.

Mommy Moments: A Pre-Valentine Date at Chefs’ Quarter, SM Megamall

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 22:28:00 +0000

Because Valentine’s Day 2011 fell on a Monday and because both my husband and I had work on that day and our son had school, we celebrated Hearts Day two days earlier, February 12, at Chefs’ Quarter at SM Megamall Atrium.

That day was also our helper’s day off, so it was only the three of us celebrating. Having that in mind, we didn’t order much. Besides, hubby and I are on a diet, so we didn’t need too much food in our bellies. This assured us, too, that we won’t be looking for the best weight loss pills after our pre-Valentine date. We just had Memphis Barbecue and Ube Cheesecake Brulee.

Memphis Barbecue (Family Platter), Php595.00
This is a combination of U.S. beef back ribs and pork riblet (1,100 grams), served with marble potato and house salad. This is already a complete meal, but being rice lovers that we are, we ordered two cups of plain rice to share among the three of us. We don’t like potato that much. LOL!

The pork riblet was tender and flavorful. We liked it better than the beef ribs!
Because this family platter is ideal for 3 to 5 persons, we weren’t able to finish everything, so we had take-out food when we left.

Ube Cheesecake Brulee, Php130.00
This one was a hit with our son, especially the chocolate toppings. Hubby and I loved it, too. It’s soft, creamy and not too sweet.

Photo taken outside Chefs’ Quarter
On Valentine’s Day itself, we just had ice cream at home.

Where did you and your loved one/s spend Valentine’s Day?

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Valentine Candy Exchange

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:57:00 +0000

Nope, what you’re seeing in this photo are not envelopes for cash advances. The three small envelopes are part of my son’s school’s Valentine Candy Exchange. To celebrate Love Day in school, the preschoolers were given 3 small envelopes last week with the following instructions:

1. Complete the love sentence in each of the envelope.
2. Sign your family’s names on it.
3. Put a piece of candy or chocolate inside.
4. Seal the envelopes and send them back to school by February 10.

We came up with the following definitions of love that we wrote on the three small envelopes: (1) Love is sharing; (2) Love is giving hugs and kisses; (3) Love is going to the mall with Mommy and Daddy. Instead of our family name, we wrote our son’s full name on the envelopes. We also put two small chocolates inside each envelope.

Last Monday, Valentine’s Day, the children exchanged envelopes with one another. My son said he received 4 chocolates and one lollipop. Those made my little boy really happy!

What did your kids do in school on Valentine’s Day?

My Little Charmer!

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 23:23:00 +0000

Last February 4, I received an email from Robinsons Department Store Marketing, giving my son a Certificate of Appreciation for having participated in the 2010 Smart Parenting Model Search that was held at Robinsons Galleria last October 10, 2010.

My son didn't win, but he had fun, and he sure made us proud!

So what can you say about my little charmer?

Look, Mom! I’m Not Afraid of the Dentist Anymore!

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 00:46:00 +0000

Last January 22, 2011, we went to Dentista, Inc. at Shangri-la Plaza Mall for our dental prophylaxis. It was my turn first then hubby then Justin. Last year, we already found a male pediatric dentist who my son liked very much, and that’s Dr. G., so we made sure he’d be the one to attend to Justin again. As usual, Mommy was inside the clinic, too, to assure my son that everything’s going to be okay.

Nope, we didn’t bribe Justin with a PS3 to convince him to have his teeth checked this time. He is a braver boy now, and he feels comfortable with Dr. G., so the whole procedure was done in a jiffy. Unlike last year when Justin had to sit on my lap while his teeth were being examined and cleaned, he agreed to sit on the dental chair on his own with Mommy sitting on a separate stool nearby.

With the progress he’s showing, I think my son is ready to undergo dental restoration, so we’re going back to the clinic around March to have some of his baby teeth fixed.

Mommy Moments: Dear Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 23:21:00 +0000

Dear Justin,

You’re turning 5 this July, but I still call you “Baby.” That’s because you are and will always be my one and only baby. You are a miracle baby, too! Your Daddy and I never thought we’d have a child of our own because of my medical condition, but God gave you to us after 9 long years of waiting. Thank you for bringing joy and happiness into our lives. We love you so much, Justin!

Love always,

Mommy and Daddy

Kung Fu Justin!

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:41:00 +0000

This picture was taken last Thursday, February 3 before Justin went to school. They were celebrating Chinese New Year in school and the kids were asked to wear Chinese costumes. His old Chinese suit doesn’t fit anymore. We couldn’t find anything for him to wear on this day at Robinsons Galleria. The night before Thursday (talk about last-minute preparation! LOL!), I called up his Dad and asked him to look for a Chinese outfit for our son at SM Megamall, which is very near his office.

Luckily, hubby found this one. As you can see, the robe is still too big for our son. We improvised a bit because instead of the pants that went with this robe, which is way too long, we made him use his old black slack pants, so he could still move freely while in school. This costume also came with a Chinese hat with long braided hair. The hair, however, isn’t visible in this picture, sorry, folks! And oh, did you notice, his hands are ready for Kung Fu fighting?

Anyways, there used to be an area rug on the spot where this picture was taken. We had it removed because when Justin was just two years old, he would crawl on that rug and would develop skin rashes afterwards. Gee, he’s got sensitive skin just like mommy, but that’s a different story!

So there, that’s the story of my Kung Fu kid.

ParenTIN.tv Presents “I Love My Family!”

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:04:00 +0000

“I Love My Family!” is ParenTIN.tv’s Valentine event, which was held at The Podium Mall last Sunday, February 6, 2011. I was there, together with other mommy bloggers and members of ParenTIN.tv. ParenTIN.tv is the first Philippine online parenting show created and hosted by Ms. Tin-Tin Bersola-Babao. For this Valentine event, the show was hosted by Ms. Rosell Velasco-Taberna.

Ms. Tin-Tin Bersola-Babao with mommy bloggers and ParenTIN.tv members

Ms. Rosell Velasco-Taberna and Ms. Tin-Tin Bersola-Babao
The first guest speaker, Ms. Maribel Dionisio, talked about the emotional needs of men and women. Willard Harley, Jr., a marriage expert, identified five emotional needs of men and women in his book His Needs and Her Needs. According to Ms. Dionisio, fulfilling these needs is crucial in maintaining a healthy and happy married life. Men’s emotional needs are attractive spouse, recreational companionship, admiration, domestic support, and sexual fulfilment. Women’s emotional needs, on the other hand, include family commitment, financial stability, affection, conversation, and honesty and openness.

Ms. Maribel Dionisio, family and parenting expert
The next guest speaker was Dr. Arvin Faundo of CordLife Philippines. He talked about stem cell research and the importance of cord blood banking.

Dr. Arvin Faundo of CordLife Philippines
Then, marriage consultants Tibbs and Vangie Evalle talked about the Five Love Languages according to Gary Chapman. These five love languages are (1) Words of Affirmation, (2) Quality time, (3) Receiving gifts, (4) Acts of Service, and (5) Physical Touch. According to Tibbs and Vangie Evalle, we must be willing to know our spouse’s love language if we are to be effective communicators of love.

Marriage experts Tibbs and Vangie Evalle
Finally, Crystal Henares, Dr. Vicki Belo’s daughter and General Manager of Belo Essentials was there to discuss how to properly care for the skin with the help of Belo Essentials’ skin products for both men and women.

Ms. Crystal Henares, General Manager of Belo Essentials
Here are the intermission numbers during the show:

One of the Ainon Baby mascots dancing to the delight of the kids

Winners of “Mom and Me Art Contest”

Launching of Baby Company’s Mom Card that lets cardholders earn points for every purchase

Child artist Angel Hukom did on-the-spot painting. She is shown here with her finished product (in front) of her and some of her previous works.

Eureka Performance Arts doing a stage play

The Rainmakers
Earlier in the show, three mommies were chosen to receive a beauty makeover worth Php5,000 each based on the letter that their husbands sent to ParenTIN.tv. They went to David’s Salon first for manicure, pedicure, hair styling/color, then to Bayo to select clothes that match their new look, and they were given Belo Essentials gift packs for more pampering.

Mommies before the makeover

Mommies after the makeoever
We enjoyed the show, the chitchat with mommy bloggers, and of course, the photo opps!

Mommy bloggers

With Ms. Maribel Dionisio and her husband

With Ms. Tin-Tin Bersola-Babao
We’re all looking forward to the next ParenTIN.tv event!

Mother Goose On the Loose! Reading Recital

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:59:00 +0000

Last Friday, February 4, 2011, the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes in my son’s school had their reading recital entitled “Mother Goose on the Loose! at AIC Gold Tower Penthouse Level. My husband and I missed our morning work to make it to this important event.

The pre-kindergartners were given their reading piece around the middle of January, so they had a few weeks to study it. My son’s reading piece was the nursery rhyme “If All the Seas Were One Sea.” It didn’t him long to master his piece; one of his teachers even told me twice before the recital that Justin is a good reader.

The pre-kindergartners had their reading recital in the morning and the kindergartners in the afternoon. The kids also prepared production numbers before and after their reading recital. The pre-kindergartners’ opening number was the song “You Are My Sunshine.” Here’s a video of that performance.

Then, the reading recital began. My son was the second pre-kindergartner to read. Here he is reading his piece.

The pre-kindergartners’ closing number was a medley. We have a video of their performance, too, but the file is too large to upload. And before going home, we had our family picture taken at the stage!

Say cheese!
Because he did well in his reading recital, I’m thinking of buying my son an Elmo bath towel for kids, just a little reward for a job well done.

Mommy Moments: Favorite Love Song

noreply@blogger.com (Tetcha) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 22:29:00 +0000

When we were just boyfriend-girlfriend and when we eventually got married, hubby and I didn’t have a relationship theme song. Usually for couples, their relationship theme song is their favorite love song.

I do have a favorite long song, though, and I’m sure everyone is familiar with it. The title of this song is “How Did You Know,” and this song was popularized by Ms. Chiqui Pineda. Gary Valenciano did a remake of this song, too, but I like Chiqui Pineda’s version better.

How Did You Know?
I remember so well
The day that you came into my life
You asked for my name
You had the most beautiful smile

My life started to change
I'd wake up each day feeling alright
With you right by my side
Makes me feel things will work out just fine

CHORUS
How did you know
I needed someone like you in my life
That there was an empty space in my heart
You came at the right time in my life

I'll never forget
How you brought the sun to shine in my life
And took all the worries and fears that I had
I guess what I'm really trying to say
It's not everyday that someone like you comes my way
No words can express how much I love you
This song articulates the feelings of someone in love. The person clearly remembers how she met the love of her life and how he transformed her life into something beautiful. Isn’t that lovely?

Come to think of it, this song can also be a love song to God and to our own children, too.

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