Journey to Motherhood

"I'm Super Sorry, Mom"

2012-02-10T17:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my daughter uttered one of the most touching things that a mother would love to hear. Actually, touching and at the same time, funny. "I'm super sorry, Mom." It's the word "super" that changed the whole meaning of her words. As far as I know, she only knows "super" from "super chicken." It's her Dada who taught her about "super chicken" with matching chicken sound. That's why I was so surprised when she used the word when she asked for sorry.

The Scenario

She was sitting on my lap watching her Little Einsteins show, while my hands were busy typing the laptop keyboard. Suddenly, I felt something warm on my left leg. She peed and it leaked through my pants. We are currently potty-training her. Instead of using her regular Pampers pull-ups, she's using a Gerber training underpants. The outer side is made of plastic, but the inside is plain cloth. So, she'd usually leak when she pees, and that's what happened yesterday. Unfortunately, I got wet too. When she saw the disappointment in my face, she looked so concern and told me "I'm super sorry, Mom" twice. I couldn't help but chuckle. My heart was touched. It's funny how she uses the word of which I don't think she knows the meaning of. But the way she used it was right (grammatically). I just don't have any idea why she used such word—what made her? I wish I know.

Well, since yesterday, everytime she does something that doesn't make me happy, she tells me the same thing. "I'm super sorry." Makes me wonder why. It's amazing when our little learners start to know new words and use them to communicate with us. One day they'll just surprise us in a beautiful way. Sometimes in a funny or touching way.

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club

2012-02-04T20:00:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a big fan of Walgreens. I usually purchase my prenatal needs such as vitamins and skin care products (for the stretching belly) on their website. I also order my daughter and husband's vitamins and stuff they need that I see at Walgreens.com. They have almost everything I need in their online store. Their prices are very reasonable (a lot of times I get a buy 1 get 1 free offer). It's the most convenient way for me, I get lots of savings, and they ship free when I order $25 or more. They also deliver my orders so fast which I really like.

Well, if you are a fan of Walgreens or someone who's looking for a good pharmacy to cater your regular prescription needs, here's a new way to save more bucks in your prescription drugs. Walgreens currently offers a special discount on annual membership for its Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. For the amount of $35 a year, your immediate family members are included in the coverage—can be your spouse, your dependents ages 22 or under, and guess who else? Your pet! Yup, even your pet is covered in the savings plan. This is really a great deal for Moms like me whose family is getting bigger. If you register as an individual, you only pay $20 for the whole year round.

Some of the benefits you will reap from becoming a Walgreens Prescription Savings club member include:

savings on thousands of brand-name and all generic medications
amazing discounts on flu shots, nebulizers, pet medications, and diabetic needs
great bonuses for buying Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services.

For old members of the savings club, you can always renew your membership and continue to enjoy the awesome deals in your prescriptions.

As a fan of Walgreens, I continue to support the pharmacy by liking Walgreens on Facebook. If you want to keep updated of their latest deals and savings programs, you can like them as well and follow Walgreens on Twitter @Walgreens.

June 6, 2012 is the Day

2012-02-04T12:04:00.000-08:00

I got a call from my OB's office yesterday morning and told me that they already have a schedule of my C-section—6th of June. Hospital has been booked on the said date.

So, that is the scheduled day for us to see our precious little one and hold her in person! It's presumed that June 6 is going to be her birthday. That if she doesn't come earlier than June 6. At least now, we have a date to look forward to. But everything still depends on the Maker. He's the only one who knows when.

OB's Third Appoinment

It was my third time to go back to my OB's office last Wednesday. We were inside the building for more than 2 hours. Glad we took Evie to her grandparents, or else she'd get so bored and become whiny.

I had my Level 2 ultrasound. Everything looked so great. Baby was moving a lot inside the tummy, giving the technician a hard time. There was a time when she wanted to get a picture of her hand open, but the baby kept her fist closed. That took a while. Also, the baby let the technician sweat when it came to confirming the gender. She won't open her legs at all. I got a lot of poking on my tummy (which I didn't really mind). Well, the second ultrasound confirmed that she's a GIRL! Glad to get the confirmation. That way, I can finally keep some of Evie's clothes for her little sister.

I was so happy to know that this time, I do not have placenta previa which I had in my first pregnancy. Having the placenta previa, I was prohibited to carry a certain weight and sexual activity was halted for a few months. Glad to know that this time, I can still pick up and carry my 30+ lbs energetic girl and my husband and me will continue to enjoy each other in our intimate moments.

After my ultrasound, I got to meet my OB, Dr. Shelly Messer after 2 and a half years. She was the one who conducted my C-section with Evie. She's a nice doctor. But I still don't feel the warmth I am looking for in a doctor. There's no personal connection. I honestly feel more connected with their nurse practitioner, Michelle Carnes. She is very warm and I can see she cares for me more of as a person and not just a patient. It's also weird because I met a doctor before in their office for the first time and immediately, I felt the care she had for me as her patient. I believe that doctor was Dr. DeAnna Bullaro-Anderer. She left Oasis few months before I gave birth. Well, what can I say. People have different personalities.

Dr. Messer told us that they usually schedule the C-section a week before the estimated due date (EDD). Since my EDD is June 12, she said that most probably they will schedule my operation on June 5. But this has to be coordinated with Banner Gateway Hospital (of which I was just told that they already scheduled the date on the 6th of June with the hospital).

All in all, our little girl inside is doing great (thanks to God who takes care of her inside). Nothing more gives me peace of mind than to know that the precious life I am carrying inside is perfectly well.

Awakeeeey

2012-01-25T02:25:00.000-08:00

Here I am awake at two in the morning. I wonder if this is a "preggy thing." I've been like this for a few times now wherein I wake up in the earliest time of the day and having a hard time going back to sleep. I usually get out of bed and move to the couch in our living room because my system stays as alert as my toddler if I linger on bed. I learned this technique the last time it happened to me. It worked after 30 minutes of so—I'd fall back to sleep.

Can't remember if I had the same problem with my first pregnancy. They say that pregnancies are different. Well, it's absolutely right. I noticed a few differences with this one compared to when I was pregnant with my eldest. One major difference is the morning sickness which I didn't have with the second one (except for one instance where I threw up). It is such a sweet relief compared with my first child where I battled morning sickness for almost two months during the first trimester. Not my favorite part of pregnancy at all. This one though is the opposite. I love to eat and get hungry so fast. Also, I mainly crave for Filipino food. So, we have frequent grocery trips most weekends to our nearest Asian supermarket, Mekong Plaza. Thanks for these type of grocery stores that satisfies my pregnancy cravings!

Moreover, the other very noticeable dissimilarity I am experiencing with my second child is the physical exhaustion. I get so tired most afternoons that I have to have a nap with my daughter, joining her in the dreamland. This is the total opposite with my Evie. I was up and about the entire day (mostly). Nap was not my best friend. I even wondered before why I didn't feel lethargic in the afternoons because I usually heard that when you're pregnant, naps keep knocking at your door. Not to me. Well, I meant—my first child.

So, perhaps what I am going through as of this moment (sleeplessness in the middle of the night), is one of the pregnancy "thingy" that I have to deal with. I'm pretty sure that if I couldn't go back to sleep so soon, a long nap this afternoon is an absolute necessity. I honestly do not like this sleep interruption at night, but, it's part of the changes for the completion of the most beautiful miracle I am carrying inside. Time to go back to my dreamland. Let's see if my trip towards there would be successful in few minutes (I hope). Signing off...zzzzZZZzzzz...

Evie Learns to Pedal Her Trike

2012-01-19T16:27:00.000-08:00

My daughter showed me that she already knows how to pedal her tricycle! I decided for us to go out in our neighborhood street yesterday with her trike after she saw 2 girls riding on their bikes while we walked around our neighborhood. It was her first time to go out in the street with her new toy. So, I was totally surprised of this new skill she just learned. I didn't expect that she can already do it because she didn't show it inside our home. Well, our house has a very small area where she can maneuver her trike. She can only use our kitchen which is crowded with counter, table, and chairs—very limited space. I am so proud of her. She learns so fast!

Before she had the trike, she'd go crazy everytime she sees one at Target or Walmart. She won't let go of the trike after we let her try it. Thanks to her Nana and Gampa for the trike! They gave it to her on Christmas and she absolutely adores the wheels. Now that she already knows the right way to ride it, she'll get to enjoy more of their present.

Helping out baby brother

2012-01-19T15:35:00.001-08:00

Guest post written by my buddy Royce Heath

My brother just moved into his first apartment and is the most clueless person I know. He is the youngest of my family and I think this has worked against him. Being the baby, someone was always there to help him accomplish what he needed. He always had someone to hold his hand or talk him through something. This event has been no different. While he did find the apartment on his own, I had to help him find roommates, set up a banking account and even set up his utilities. I told him where to go to get the water turned on and where to go to set up the power. I told him to set up EXPERTSATELLITE for his television and helped him find an internet provider. I honestly feel I have done more for this apartment than he has. I wish I could say no to him and teach him tough love, but he is my baby brother and I think I will be helping him through life for the rest of my life. He’s family and it’s hard to turn your back on family.

Outgrowing Strawberry Allergy

2012-01-19T10:41:00.000-08:00

By the grace of God, my daughter has finally outgrew her strawberry allergy. Hooray! After two and a half years, she now can eat the luscious strawberries!!!

Evie was very young when we found out that she is allergic to strawberries. Probably before she turned one. We discovered the dilemma after we gave her a strawberry-flavored soy yogurt. She got rashes on the outsides of her mouth after she ate half a teaspoon. With her who's allergic to some food, we always see to it that we only give her a small amount during her first time to taste on food which we think she's allergic to. Her allergies to dairy products made us more conscious of what we put in her mouth, specially if it's her first time. We are also mindful of a list of food that some family members are allergic to and see to it that she always gets a small portion when we introduce it to her. My husband's mother is allergic to melons and kiwis. So far, Evie's not allergic to watermelons. We haven't tried giving her kiwi yet. This might be the next fruit that we will give her after knowing that she's no longer has allergic reactions to strawberries.

Well, my daughter was so happy with her first taste of strawberries. She loves them so much. She would say "uuummmm, delicious!!!" after she put strawberry in her mouth and munch it. I am quite happy that in her list of food allergies, one is crashed out! Hooray indeed!!!

It's a SHE!!!

2012-01-10T11:58:00.000-08:00

It's a GIRL! Yup, another girl is on the way to rock the home. The ultrasound conducted today revealed that Evie is going to have a sister. She's 18 weeks old with an estimated due date on June 12. That date is quite significant to me. It's my (deceased) foster father's birthday and the Philippine's Independence Day. Although I am sure yet if we'd go for the said date because I will be undergoing C-section, so most probably, the doctor will give us date options. I might go for it too. I'll see how things go as this journey continues.

The little one was moving a lot during the ultrasound. Actually, she has been moving around so much since last night. Perhaps too excited that her Dada, Mama, and Ate Evie will get to see her the next day. I'll be undergoing a Level 2 Ultrasound on the 12th of February to find out more of the baby's anatomy. Ultrasounds are perhaps the most precious activity I get excited about with pregnancy. It's just amazing for me to see the tiny miracle thriving inside of me.

Have a Name Yet?

We haven't really come out the final list of names that we will give our daughter yet. Few weeks ago, I came out with the name "Felicia." It's a combination of my grandfather and mother's name. My husband gave me the honor to name our next baby because he chose our first daughter's name (and I chose the middle name). However, I am still undecided. There are still more months to come, to think, and to come up with the final name. Although, it seemed like we agreed for the middle name as "Hope." We thought between "Grace" and "Hope," but the latter sounds the closest to our hearts. it's not as common as Grace, and besides, we will complete the three important things that the Apostle Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:13— faith, hope, and love. Evie's middle name is Faith, and now Hope is on the way. Love? Our family as a whole symbolizes "love—" the ultimate instrument that binds us together. Who needs "Love" as middle name? Not us. We already have it. Sounds a little bit corny, but that's how it goes. :)

Sulking Toddler

2012-01-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

My daughter was upset with her Dada this morning. When he told her that it's time for him to go to work, she ran to her room and locked it. This scenario is not the usual "goodbye" when her Dada goes to work. She'd give him a hug and a kiss, always—well, that's when she's in a happy, great spirit. But this morning she wasn't.

The theory of her sulking mood is: her Dada locked the bathroom door when he took a shower and she couldn't get in. That didn't make her happy at all. So, when Dada said goodbye before going to work, she locked the door on him too. Of course we always have a key ready to open locked doors specially for a toddler alone in the room. When he got inside, she ignored him. She was pouting, upset, sulking. We can tell by the look of her face and her body language. When her Dada got out of the room, she closed and locked the door again. So my husband had to unlock it, and once again bade goodbye. No luck at all. She completely evaded him. Absolutely not in the mood.

My husband just chuckled and said how funny her reactions were. I went inside her room and talked to her but she was in complete silence, lips pouting. He told me to leave her alone for the meantime and let her cool off. It's funny indeed how a toddler can already sulk.

Toddler Fever Reducer: Advil or Tylenol?

2012-01-07T13:43:00.000-08:00

My daughter had up to 101°F fever yesterday. She had runny nose and a slight breathing problem (which she usually gets when she has a cold). We noticed her fever around 4 in the morning. Children's Advil is what we had at home. The last time she had fever, this over-the-counter children's fever reducer was satisfactorily effective to bring her temperature down, and so when we ran out of it, we decided to get another bottle.

We gave her the recommended dose for a toddler. Her temperature decreased a little bit. Unlike the last time we used it on her, the children's Advil this time had not really help her feel better. Her temperature was noticeably hot (99°F - 100°F), making her feel tired and preferred to just close her eyes for a long nap. When my husband got home from work and found out that she still has high fever, he made a trip to the store and got her children's Tylenol. Amazingly, the medicine worked in just few minutes. Her temperature significantly dropped. She was acting her "not-sick" self, was playing, and even eating! What a relief for us parents!

We thought that her fever will come back after the medicine loses its effect. Surprisingly, she had normal temperature all throughout the night and until she woke up in the morning. Right now, she's back to her normal self—the girl who's got the whole energy in the world.

So, which is the best children's fever reducer? Children's Advil or Tylenol? When I told my husband how effective Tylenol was, he said that we can't really tell because the Advil worked best in her the last time. Well, I couldn't agree more. He's right. This time, it's just that Tylenol did the best work for us. We do not know the medical explanation why (I'm sure there is). It's best that we both have these OTC medicines in our kit when needed, and next time, find out which one does its wonder to a fever-stricken toddler.

Old, Familiar, Beautiful Sound

2012-01-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

We heard our little one's heartbeat for the first time today. Yeah... that old, familiar, most beautiful sound to a mother's ear. I couldn't be more happy but to hear the nurse say that the baby's heartbeat sounds great. Thank God, that little, precious peanut inside Mama's tummy is doing well.

Evie will be an "Ate" (big sister) soon—most probably by early June. Another summer baby. Having an addition to the family is another exciting journey for me as a mother. Knowing that Evie is going to have a playmate in months and years to come, brings joy to my heart. I am sure that she will be a responsible, loving, and affectionate big sister.

Next week, I have an ultrasound appointment. Nothing is more exciting than to see that tiny life growing inside of me. I wonder how Evie will react when she sees the baby. I do not know if she will understand or not. Most probably, she'll remain this curious little monkey inside the laboratory like what she did this morning at the doctor's office.I am hoping we will be able to know the baby's gender in this appointment. I have a feeling that it is going to be a boy. We'll see. :)

Animal Lover

2011-10-12T14:12:00.001-07:00

Guest post written by my buddy Bernardo Graham

I love animals more than anything else in the world and since I work part time as a volunteer at the pound I’ve ended up bringing home more than my fair share. I try to get them adopted out but if I can’t I just end up keeping them since I can’t stand to take them back to the pound. I’ve got 6 dogs now and three cats and who knows how many more are on the horizon! We had a scary thing a few months ago where someone broke into the pound and tried to steal all the dogs so I got security choice for my house in case the same thing happens there. I guess since there are so many purebreds in the pound it’s just an easy target but to be honest, they’re all adoptable for free so why not just go through the process? I don’t know why people do what they do but if I can make a difference in these animals’ lives than I feel good about myself.

The Bible and Jesus

2011-09-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

My daughter did something again yesterday that melted my heart. We were in the backyard (because she demanded to go bye-bye) and I took the Bible with me. I was reading aloud a passage from Revelation and she blurted "Amen!" How in the world she knew I was reading the Word of God?

Because of that, I asked her what I was holding. She enthusiastically answered, "Bible!" I followed my question with "Who's in the Bible?" Without a second thought she responded "Jesus! Jesus in Bible!" Oh really, she knew that? After all of not sitting still during our Bible story in Sunday school, she's actually paying attention to what we said? I was impressed. What she did truly create in me a joyful heart.

Evie is in our Sunday school class for an hour. My husband and I are teacher-volunteers for the two year olds at 11 in the morning. Because she's already 2, she's obviously under our care for the said schedule. Before this, my husband and I wondered how she will behave when Mama and Dada is in-charge of the class where she belongs. We only got the answer to our questions when we started the Fall session.

Well, she doesn't sit still during the Bible Exploration time. While most toddlers are on their chairs, my daughter walks around and play. As a parent and teacher at the same time of the class, it's challenging. We do not know what goes through her mind. Does she feel too secure and comfy because Mama and Dada are here? Is she acting out? Whatever it is, the scenario has been like this for 3 Sunday schools now. She will only settle down if either me or her Dada holds her on our lap.

Showing the Bible to kids and asking them what and who is in it is the typical introduction in our Sunday school class. This is the time when she tries to roam around the room and shows no interest at all—reason why I was surprised yesterday when she knew what I was holding and who's in it. I do not know what's in my daughter's mind. What I do know right now is that she knows what a Bible looks like and Jesus is in it.

Band-Aid

2011-09-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

My silly daughter showed me her band-aids yesterday—three heart stickers lined up on her leg! What big laugh I had when I saw what she did. Well, she peeled off the sticker from a box. It's the box we once used in our Sunday school with two year olds. I wasn't paying attention on her, but I heard her say "band-aid" so many times and later showed to me her leg with heart "band-aids." What a crazy one!

Evie loves band-aids. We started putting band-aids on her when she kept picking the scab on her leg. To stop her from doing it, band-aid was the solution. And it's not just the boring plain beige band-aids, it's the ones with cartoon characters in it. It works really well. She stops picking a scab and gets so happy whenever we put band-aid on her. The downside of it is that, she still asks us to put band-aid on her leg even if it's not necessary at all. So, sometimes, she gets what she wants.

"Salamat Mama. Opo."

2011-09-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

I noticed that my daughter has been using this new trick lately. She will tell me "Salamat Mama. Opo." when she asks for something and she gets a clue from my facial or verbal expression that she's not going to get what she wants. For a Mom whose native language is not English and hears her child speaks it too (at least a few words), the words she utter sound like a sweet melody in my ears. I have been teaching my Evie few basic Tagalog and Visayan words. Words like "salamat which means thank you," "sarap which means yummy," "opo which is a polite and respectful way to answer an older person," "bato which means rock."

It is so amusing to hear everytime she says these words to me. Of course, I could not say "no" to her whenever she tells me these words (only if she can actually have the thing she wants). I love the fact that she is learning my language. Unfortunately, in a tricky way. :)

Memories of Scouting Days

2011-09-10T17:01:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boy Scouts of America for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hi there, Riza's husband here. When i was younger I was one of the Boy Scouts of America. I recall camping with my friends and learning about all sorts of things like wilderness survival and building things with wood and rope. I also remember that we took courses in civic responsibility, sports and even financial responsibility.

Scouting for me was a family experience, because my dad was one of the scout masters. This was a day each week where my dad and I could spend time together learning and doing new things. He ould take us on our outings and we'd camp together and have fun.
Those days of boy scouts are a long time in my past, but it seems to me that learning as a group of boys to become a team, learning leadership and responsibility, and getting out into the world around you, instead of sitting at home behind the computer is a necessity for kids these days. If i had a boy, I'd definitely ask him when he comes of age if he wants to Be A Scout.

I have heard that the merit badges now focus on science, technology, engineering and math, I almost wish that those had been as prevalent in my day as I was very good at those. But learning the other stuff I as taught through the Boy Scouts of America program has helped me in situations later in my life.

The Fashionistas

2011-09-02T22:43:00.000-07:00

So my daughter found her new buddy when it comes fashion—her Dada! It's funny how she kept giving her Dada her other sunglasses and demand him to wear it. The funniest thing of all is how her Dada looks wearing those very tiny sunglasses. When he saw the pictures I took of them, he said that his head looked 3x bigger because of how small the glasses are. We'll, my daughter and father had so much fun last night wearing sunglasses. Evie thought it was cool that she and her Dada were both wearing cool stuff for their eyes. Pictures say a thousand words.

Keep Your Computer Files Secure

2011-08-29T01:01:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carbonite for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Nowadays, we tend to depend so much in our computer when it comes to storing very important files. Knowing that our computers have the latest and updated version of anti-virus software, we become so complacent and think that the files we saved in our computers are safe and secure. The truth is, even if our PCs have the latest versions of anti-virus software, there is still a possibility that a virus could get into the system and crash our computers. What happens after this? The files we saved are corrupted and everything is gone. computer backup nowadays is vital and necessary. One of the ways to backup our computer files is through storing them online. Carbonite is a good example of this alternative. Whenever your computer is connected to the Internet, Carbonite automatically and continually back your files up in the background. You didn't have to save the files yourself. Leave it all to the software because it does the work for you. Your files will be stored in one of their highly secure, state-of-the-art data centers.

Moreover, you can access and share your backed up files wherever you are by simply using your smartphone, iPad, and iPod. With unlimited backup for your PC or Mac, this software sounds promising. If you're interested, you can try a free trial for 15 days, no credit card required. If you like it after the trial period, you will only pay $59 a year, and will immediately get 2 free months if you decide to buy using the promo code BLOGAD. So, check out their website to avail this great deal.

As a computer user, backing up my files online using Carbonite is a big advantage for me because there is always a possibility that our computer can crash. And if I don't have backup files of what I saved in my computer, I can lost everything. But thanks to online backup software like Carbonite, I can prevent this horrible thing to happen in the future.

She's 2!

2011-08-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

My little girl turned 2 last week! I can't believe I already have a 2 year old girl who continues to amaze me each and everyday.

Last week was a busy week for her. Half of the week, she went "ba-bye." Her Dada decided to take off work from Wednesday to Friday, so, we were able to take her outside the corners of our tiny home. She loves to go ba-bye. It's one of her favorite things to do. And since it's her birthday week, she got to spend most of her days outside the house. We took her to the play area in various malls and Disney Store in Arizona Mills. Obviously, Disney Store was a hit. She got to see her favorite characters from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and filled her little hands as much stuffed toys as she can.

On Saturday (August 20), family and friends joined with us to celebrate her birthday at Tempe Town Lake Splash Playground. It was the perfect venue for her birthday that falls on a sunny and warm weather. All kids had fun running around and playing with the water fountains, as parents did all the chasing. Evie most of all had an awesome time in the water. She's like her Dada—water lover.

For food, we prepared grilled chicken, grilled corn, and hot dogs. All-American chocolate cake was the dessert. Evie's Dada did a great job in hauling all the stuff that we needed to bring to the party and of course the food preparation. But at the end of the day, he was dead tired.

Family and friends were so generous to bring gifts for the birthday girl. More things to add to her collection of toys and clothes. Luckily this year, she's already interested to open and rip off presents. I remember when she was 1, she didn't care much of the wrapped presents she got. Well at 2, she already knows what's going on around her and discovered that ripping off papers is as fun as playing in the water.

Everyone went home happy—and worn out. Evie fell asleep on our way home and slept for 2-hour straight. It may be a tiring day, but absolutely magnificent. We are so blessed that we have our daughter in our lives. God has been so generous, as always.

The next day, we discovered the tan lines on her body that were not covered by her swimsuit. We didn't applied sunblock on her. Thankfully she's not like her Dada who gets burn under the sun. :)

MORE PICS!!!

Back-to-School Shopping at Bealls

2011-08-13T07:02:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bealls for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

One of the things that kids are excited about going back to school rituals is shopping! From school supplies to uniforms and new clothes, kids couldn't help themselves but pick up what they like to have and sometimes demand for things that they think they need. Back-to-school shopping rituals may sound like an exciting activity for our children, but for parents? Let's admit it—it doesn't sound so good for our pockets. The good thing is, many stores offer great saving deals at this time of the year and Bealls is one of the best example when it comes to amazing back-to-school necessities. If you check the store's website, you will find everything that you need for your kids' clothing fashion in preparation for school opening. From school uniforms, shoes, socks, backpacks, underwear, to shirts and pants, Bealls has tons of stocks that you can choose from.

One of the ways to save by shopping at Bealls is avail their promotion of free shipping and $10 off purchase of $50 promo! And here's another good news, from Friday to Sunday (August 12 - 14) all apparel and footwear item is tax free! How cool is that deal at Bealls? So better grab this awesome deals to save more. Not only you and your wallet will be happy, but most of all your children who cannot wait to wear the newest clothing fashion on the first day of school. Time to go online shopping!

"Open Door Keys:" Putting Words Together

2011-08-11T18:30:00.000-07:00

My almost 2-year old daughter has already been putting her words together to convey a thought through a sentence. There's a lot of examples I can give, but the very recent one which really amused me was when she said "Open door keys?"

Standing by the closed bedroom door, I asked her to open the door instead of me doing it. It's her naptime that's why we're there. She looked at me and gave me a wide grin, her eyes fully closed from smiling so widely. Perhaps she thought that Mama was playing a game. So, I asked her again. She smiled again and blurted "Open door keys?" I cracked into a big laugh. She knows the purpose of keys and trying to convey what she thought of a closed door. Until she was convinced that we didn't need a key to open the door, that's when she grabbed the knob. Oh my precious little one. She's not only getting big physically, but also mentally.

Favorite Flip Flops that Fit Delivered

2011-08-08T16:42:00.000-07:00

Finally got the second order I made of Buster Brown flips flops I made on Shoes.com today! Yes, it's the second order. I actually got my first order of the same flip flops, but unfortunately, it didn't fit. It was very small for her. I thought she's a size 6. But when I checked the old slipper she had, it was a size 7! What??? As far as I knew, her shoes size is 5.5 and how come her size just jumped onto 7? So,I returned my order. Thankfully, Shoes.com offers a free return shipping through UPS. I only had to print the shipping label and dropped it in a UPS store. I made another order again. Was so glad that they have size 8 available. One of the things I was so glad about was the 20% discount that was still available. It was expiring in few days. So, I got the shoes in the same amount as the first order.

So, she finally have the shoes and the size is perfect with a half-inch room to grow of. She should be able to enjoy her flip flops for several months.

$20 Target Gift Card When You Buy Pampers

2011-08-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

I got a newsletter from Pampers today about a great savings deal and want to share it to Moms who use Pampers for their babies. You will get a $20 Target Gift Card when you buy 2 of the following products:

160-ct or larger Pampers Swaddlers
92-ct or larger Pampers Cruisers

Obviously, this deal is exclusive to Target only. But getting a $20 Gift Card is a huge savings. When you purchase the above-mentioned product, you will save more if you have with you a manufacturer's coupon. This promotion won't last that long. It starts today 8/8 and ends on 8/13. So, better hurry and grab the opportunity!

Cool New App for Sprint TEP Subscribers

2011-08-06T07:02:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you are a Sprint customer, check out this newest and coolest Sprint Total Equipment Protection App (TEP). TEP has the ability to locate a misplaced or stolen phone, save and sync contacts, lock phone, and sound an alarm. There are some things that are inevitable when we own a phone. We either lose it or a busy hand steals it. Worst case scenario, our personal information are stolen too and all our contacts are lost. But with the TEP app, there's nothing to worry about these problems anymore. TEP can locate and recover everything that you saved in your phone. That way, you don't end up cursing and scratching your head because of losing vital information from your phone. TEP makes it very secure and easy for you to deal with these kinds of problem. To know more about this app and how to enroll, visit www.tepenroll.com.

For Sprint's current customers, if TEP sounds like a great app for you and have not added it in your phone yet, you have to check out and download the app before August 30. Sprint are giving their new customers a chance to add this feature in their phone from August 1-31, 2011. TEP costs $8.00 a month. And by the way, TEP is available for Blackberry, Android, and select feature phones. Sprint will also quickly replace phones that are stolen, lost, damaged, or malfunctions after the warranty expires.

Trip to the Toilet Twice

2011-08-04T05:56:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of my daughter today. She went potty twice in the toilet! The first trip to the toilet today was a tiny one. But the last one was a LOT! :) What a joy to a mother's heart knowing that her little girl is starting to get more attentive of what her body tells her to do and how to act on it! Her last trip to the toilet was actually amusing. I didn't expect that she will got potty again because she already went once. So I asked her if she's done. I had to go back in the bathroom three times to check on her. And three times she said "no." Whenever I leave, she closes the door. Maybe she's telling me she needed some privacy because when I came back, she's back on the potty seat. The last time I checked her, she was already on the floor and was holding the toilet paper's roll. When I looked in the toilet, alas! There it was—the surprise! I couldn't stop smiling when I think of it. She's growing up, not only physically but as well as mentally and emotionally.