SuperMOM in Training

halloween '14: #treats, #fambam, and #thewalkingdead

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 12:42:00 +0000

So E's been watching "The Walking Dead" with me lately and no matter how much warning I give him (that the show's too gruesome for kids his age), he still seems to "enjoy" the show. So naturally, it was no surprise that he wanted to dress up as a walker for Halloween this year. And since his mom is too busy lately to scout a budget-friendly costume, DIY it is.

With an old white shirt and some makeup (powder, lipstick, eyeliner), E got the get up and look he wanted. :) I know it doesn't look much and nowhere close to the ones from the show but it was a start. And he was happy. Isn't that what this whole thing is about?

Anyway, my siblings' kids also suited up. We had a zombie, a princess, a superhero, a cute version of mickey mouse, a korean schoolgirl, a pirate-ish, and of course a cute little devil slash red riding hood.

So yeah, we had the whole gang. ;) Btw, the little devil/red riding hood was E's first halloween costume when he was one. And since then, it has been pass on from generation to generation. lol Here, lemme show you.

E wore it in 2008 when he was a year old; this year Henry had it on, still a year old. In 2011, Zooey just turned one when she wore it, while Haly had it on in 2012 also a year old.

Anyway, unfortunately, after hitting just a few stores, E lost his pumpkin. Good thing, Halygirl managed to collect a big stash so they all shared treats. :)

All in all, it was a fun day! We all get to hang out, eat, and of course play arcade. My siblings and I used to do this every year when we were younger, now we get to do it together with our kids!

Guess some good things never change...

The grown ups even get to play dress up too! Well, kinda.

Mommy Rose of #OHLIFEISGOOOD

Hope you had a load of treats and fun too! 'Till next year!

catch-up post: ezra's 7th! (012714)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 16:12:00 +0000

you will always be my baby, though. :) Loooove you!

full post to follow. :)

hi there, dimples. :)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 07:52:00 +0000

Bonding Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:39:00 +0000

After a few months of busy weekends and low cash, Ezra and I finally went out again for some Sunday bonding time. What we usually did before was, we just go out and play and eat. Fine, he plays and I eat. ;) And yesterday was no different, 'cept that "I" also did much of the "play" part. We had some snacks first. Fortunately, I had some discounted vouchers for Dunkin Donuts DunkCoctions. I was hoping I could try their Coffee or Mocha drink but kiddo wanted the strawberry one. And since it was his day, mommy did what she does best -- give in.


strawberry it is. (Image from Google)

Good thing, I'm a sucker for anything strawberry-flavored too. :) Must be the genes. perhaps.

After the eating part, we went straight to the GameZone area. We had a handful of WOF (World of Fun) tokens, which we won during the JolliEaster Event at Parkmall, so we just went and played on almost every game machine. One of the interaction games that got us hooked was the "Pang Pang Paradise". Yes, I said "hooked" because as embarrassing as this may sound but, my arms really felt sore afterwards. Yes, kina-reer ko talaga and I think Ezra did too, so we had a lot of fun :) Anyway, for those of you who don't know what game I was talking about. It looked like this:

Image from Google

So yeah, to play you just grab those balls and just start hitting your targets in that touch-sensor flat screen. And if you're anything like me, expect those big arms to hurt too. :)
Since Ezra is short for that wide target, he had to stand in that space (where the balls are) to be able to aim and hit his targets. BTW, the machine at GameZone was slightly different from the one in the picture so he actually has a bigger space to stand on.

After we exhausted our tokens, we then went for a few drinks (yes, we were really thirsty!) and then we noticed a new play area right inside the GameZone. I'm not sure if it has been open for awhile now but it was "new" to me 'coz I'm pretty sure it wasn't there the last time we visited the place. Anyhoo, the recreations and mazes inside are quite similar to the PlayMaze at Parkmall. The rates are more or less the same too. It was already getting late so I registered Ezra for an hour only (Php180), and Ezra just couldn't wait to get in. :) And like any other play area, parents/ guardians are welcome to go inside so I did. hehe

Again, we both had fun and we both got hungry afterwards. But since it was already late, most restaurants and fast food chains were already closing up. Fortunately, KFC still accommodated late eaters. Before we left, Ezra just had to have his picture taken. (He insisted, I swear!)


Na-ihas sa photo booth :)

See the empty tables? How about the closed counters? Yes, we're among the last customers to leave.
Nevertheless, we went home happy and full. :)

wordless wednesday: quiet afternoon

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:46:00 +0000

a good time for some "me" time

who moved my cheese?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 04:54:00 +0000

a few months ago, i promised to share with you some of the ebooks that i've read. i've been so caught up work and everything that i wasn't able to follow through with that promise. (sorry) truth is, i hadn't even updated this blog for a long time. sigh.

anyhoo, the first on the list is entitled "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson.

Image from Google

it's actually more of a self-help kind of read. it is a very short (the hard copy is real thin) and simple story but can have a profound impact on the reader. "who moved my cheese" is a storybook on dealing with change/s in our lives. and i have to say that this book has a way of uncovering your desires and questioning your beliefs.

so if you're up for the read, click me so you can get it. Enjoy!

wordless wednesday: oh summer!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 02:51:00 +0000

i shall return :)

TT: boys, your turn!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:54:00 +0000

you know what day it is, so here are the tracks i've been humming in the past few days.
this time, we have some guys who're trying to get their messages across. :)

till next week's tracks!
ciao for now!

this is not a birthday post (since technically, my birthday was yesterday.)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:19:00 +0000

...but this one is a birthday pose!

pardon the photo quality AND the mess

yes, that photo was taken on my birthday, at home, after a loooong day at work. (nope, no birthday leave for me). and there was no handaan so there were no handaan pics. BUT we did have ice cream! and my whole family (plus pamangkins!) were there. :-) so, all was well and it was indeed a happy birthday for me!

now 27, bring it on! :D

the reader in me

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 02:22:00 +0000

supermom fact 81: i love reading a good book!

i could just happily spend an entire day with a thick book. but don't get any wrong idea coz i won't even dare call myself a bookworm (i do wish i can). so it's a shame to admit that i actually haven't crossed the threshold of the so-called literary masterpieces. nope, not even the classics.

wait, what? i suck? yeah, i know.
in my defense though, i did read Around The World in 80 Days and i seriously think it was good.
so you see, my taste in books is not that bad. (heh!)

anyway, i'm not a big fan of science fiction either. (okay, seriously, lower down those eyebrows and pick up your jaws!) i understand that a lot of people love science fiction stuff but i'm really more into stories that have a hint of reality in them. stories that were set in real places, real cities. stories that depict the real world, real events, real people --and the realities (bliss and crisis) that we, ~~mortals~~ ~~creatures~~ humans , are most likely to face (or are facing) in our every day ~~existence~~ lives.

so i enjoy a variety of book genres from courtroom drama (John Grisham), murder, mafia, con suspense (Sidney Sheldon), romance/love stories (Nicholas Sparks, Jude Deveraux), romantic/comedy (Jennifer Weiner, Sophie Kinsella), to a bit of fictional history (Dan Brown). i also read self-help books, the ones that tackle parenting, motherhood, health and the like. recently though, i also started indulging in business and entrepreneurial ebooks.

also, an extra supermom fact: this may sound really biased but i have the tendency to pick and flick through books (esp. those with authors that i haven't heard of) based solely on their titles and cover designs. it's just that i think that if it's really an awesome book with an awesome story, then it should kick off with an awesome cover, you know? :)

and yes, the same goes with my food! (again, if it really taste THAT good, then it should look that good too!)

what can i say, i'm a very visual person. O.o

ps: i was hoping to attach a few ebooks of the authors i mentioned above but i didn't realize there was no "attach file" option for the posts. i guess i would have to upload them first somewhere and then just attach the links (to the ebooks) in the post. *sigh* sorry. :( i'll just update the post as soon as i can.

i am beautiful (no matter what the mirror say!)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:34:00 +0000

after the blog revamp, i was able to spend some time revisiting my blog list. i've been following most of these bloggers since i started while some i added just weeks ago.

i started blogging around 2007 (on and off) but all these years, not once have i blogged about BEAUTY. not a single topic even remotely related to it. beauty products like make-up, care lines (y'know like facial care, nail care, hair care, the works), clothes, and fashion. not even accessories! nobody knows this but i like beauty and fashion (shhh!). maybe much less than other people do coz it may seem like it isn't my sort of thing but yes, i enjoy looking at them (window shopping and catalogue browsing) and reading about 'em too (oh, beauty blogs!). the only two things i rarely do are 'TRY them' and 'BUY them'.

that's right, i almost never try stuff out. for the same reasons i don't play dress up.
and FYI, these supposed reasons do NOT include the fact that most gorgeous clothes don't fit me.
no, really.

anyway, the point of my rambling is this: there's an awful lot of beauty and fashion blogs out there.
and I CAN'T WAIT TO READ ~~ALL~~ SOME OF THEM! :)

ps: if you have a beauty or fashion blog, or you follow one, please, PLEASE, do share them!

TT: youtube wonders edition!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 02:27:00 +0000

it's time again for the tuesday tracks!
for this week's hits, lemme share to you this unusual duo that has captivated the public (and youtube) with their ~~amarteur~~ amazing and heartwarming performances.

so with less talk and more music, here they are:

right? RIGHT? :)

so, if you're hungry for more or if you want a complete taste of their performances, need i tell you where to go?

Random words of wisdom. or not.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:26:00 +0000

1. If you're too open minded, your brains will fall out.
2. Age is a very high price to pay for maturity.
3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you a mechanic.
4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
5. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.
6. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.
7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
8. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.
9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.
10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.

11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
12. A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.
13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.
14. Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
15. No husband has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
16. A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.
18. Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.
19. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.
20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.
21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.
23. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.
24. Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
25. Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused.

tuesday tracks! (TT)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:36:00 +0000

i'm not actually the type who sticks to one particular genre which, i guess, explains the wide range of music and songs that i listen to. and although i'm pretty much challenged in the vocal department, i love music and i enjoy singing a lot! i sing in the shower, in the office, in the streets, you name it. i may not have the vocals of an AI but hey, a girl can dream! :) and with that said, i think it's only fair to bring in some music fun into this blog! :)

so for this week's tracks:

if i die young (the band perry)

someone like you (adele)

self-esteem (garfunkel and oates)

--and the featured LSS song:

skyscraper (demi lovato)

note: the songs that will be listed in this feature may vary a lot, so they may range from ballad to pop to rock or from the oldies/classics to the newest hits!

another go!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 06:58:00 +0000

Photo from Google.com images

my numerous attempts for weight loss isn't

exactly news to many. i've had my fair share

of painful hours spent at the gym lifting stuff

till my arms ache and doing aerobics till i

found it hard to breathe. yup, good times!

anyway, i still receive daily/weekly weight loss

newsletters from different health and wellness

groups online that i subscribed to years ago

and although i rarely read any of them now,

there are still some great contents that proved

to be useful and inspiring. one particular entry

i stumbled upon the other day stressed on the

importance of external motivation--family and

friends, most especially--in winning one's
battle towards weight loss. apprarently, high
statistics and countless success stories were said to have proven this.

well, personally, i found that to be true.

i've started quite a few weight loss journeys in the past but i always had a hard time following through. oftentimes i stopped after just over a month. i've always blamed my discipline issues but i realized that above anything else, the main reason was my lack of MOTIVATION. i lacked the vital support group. i lacked company during those journeys. my siblings were all in the slim side and my friends too. i do have cousins who also wanted to lose weight but our schedules don't fit and they feel that they had more important agendas.

what could be more important than your HEALTH?! your health = your life

well, i realized that for me to succeed in this personal journey and to kick off the healthy lifestyle that i've been meaning to have, i need to form my own support group. however, pressing people to cheer for me is not gonna do the trick. i may need someone (or a group) who has the same goal and is willing to work for it, exercise-wise. now, i never had problems with exercise (there are others who seem to be allergic to it). going to the gym is the most popular weight loss plan, however, not everyone is a fan. i remember someone referring to it as "the biggest rip off" (which is quite true, in some sense, i think). you pay tons of amount TO BE TOLD what to do and what to eat. YOU EVEN PAY THEM so you can lift heavy stuff (heh). seriously, i don't have anything against gyms. like i said, i enjoyed several weeks there (i even lost almost ten pounds). i might even be tempted to join one again. but my point is, i ALSO realized (i think a lot, don't i?) that the form of exercise that want is one that would take me outdoors, one that would make me really move (not just lift!) and one that would make me active. and would give me time to think (told ya, i'm a deep thinker). hence, the decision to take up walking and running. i could walk miles with no problem. i even used to walk around without any real destination, just letting my feet do its thing. but with the running thing, i don't wanna fire up so fast since it is an intense aerobic activity plus it demands serious endurance.

so yeah, running (with walking) it is! now, if only i can find someone to...

oh well... wish me luck! :D

for REAL this time!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:22:00 +0000

my deep apologies for the false impression MONTHS ago. :(
i seriously tried very hard to make time for the blog but with ezra in school,
bills to pay, job to save, and sanity to keep, everything's just plain chaos.

anyway, if you've been here before, you probably noticed some changes in the
design, layout and well, the blog's overall look.
if you must know, time has always been a luxury for me but from now on,
i'll be working my big ass to make sure it is regularly updated. :D
(actually, this is part of the "how to keep my sanity" plan. sssh.)
also, i've been doing a lot of thinking so i've come up with some really great
ideas for the site so i'm really excited to be in the blogosphere again!!!

so if you have any thoughts, ideas --wild or not, please don't hesitate to
send them my way. you can find my email info in the profile page.
and yes, i have high tolerance for spam.
or you know, there's always the "tagged" box on the right so go ahead. :)

ciao for now!

i'm still heeeere!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 15:47:00 +0000

That's right guys, I'm baaaaaaack!!!!!!

Posts to follow soooooon! :)

shredding it: day one (hello jillian!)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 May 2009 06:42:00 +0000

first off, MY LEGS ARE KILLING ME!

i started Day One of jillian michaels' workout dvd yesterday
and i gotta say this, she DID kick my butt!
i was at the gym for almost a month before i even started with jillian's
workout so i didn't actually expect to have a hard time with her
routines.
but when i started with her moves, i gotta admit...it burns.
her routines were not even hard at all. they were actually pretty
simple and basic.
but what keeps it burning is that she never let you stop.
i can't even believe how she managed to workout AND talk at the same time!
its a continuous 20+ minute workout that alternates cardio, strength
and abs.

on the other side, i realized that maybe i was using the wrong hand
weights. i currently have a pair of 3-kg weights that is roughly equivalent
to around 6.6 lbs.
of course, with a body like mine, those are just pretty okay and light.
but when i used them while doing the shred moves, dang!
seemed like they're more than enough.

but i dunno. i'll be shredding again tonight so we'll see.
and this time, i hope i'll be shredding in peace ---without a
two-year old screaming on the side or riding on my back while
i do the push-ups!

so help me God...

ME? getting married?!? hmmm...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:39:00 +0000

warning: emo post ahead... =) you have been warned.

every now and then people would ask me,
"don't you wanna get married someday?"
and almost all the time, they won't get a straight answer.

oftentimes, i would give them some long, excruciating
details why i don't ever want to get married.
and sometimes i would tell them some of the many
reasons why i want and need to get married.
but most of the time, all they can get from me is some
form of body language...

a sigh
a nod
a confused look
a wink
a raised eyebrow
rolling eyes (my faverit)

or simply a shrug.

'coz no matter what type of body language i used in a particular time,
i realized that at the end of of the day, the real answer all comes down to...

I DON'T KNOW.

you know, God has blessed me with so many things.
some of them were great, while the rest are just what others
would consider petty stuff.

but for me, life is so good right now.
of course there are STILL those times
that i get pissed off with this or got freaked off by that.
but i didn't care. at least not for long.
trust me, almost ALL the time i worry about
cash and food and (future) school and stuff.
and on some random emo moments i worry and find
myself lonely and unloved.

but then when i look up,i see a roof over my our heads and
around us is a loving family for E, i dunno. but during these
times i just find it hard to complain.

i mean, OF COURSE there are still times that i longed and
wished and hoped for a man* to sweep me off my (calloused) feet. ;)

...a man to sit beside me while we take pictures of E and his firsts
...a man to hold E's hands and guide him while he learns how to bike
...a man to taste and fall inlove with the recipes that i'll make
...a man to hold my hand everytime i cross the street
...a man who'll hold E while they run up to me when i come home
...a man to kiss me on the cheek, call me at work and hold me
in his arms while we sleep
...a man who'll grow old with me

...and a man who'll look into my eyes and whisper those 3 words...

trust me, i can go on and on with this but i wouldn't 'coz i know
you got my point. :D

what im trying to say is that, there are those times that i do want a man.
and even more times that i need a man.

but don't get me wrong. i didn't say that i needed a man to
MAKE ME HAPPY.
what i need is a man to share MY HAPPINESS with. to share the joys,
the pains and everything about life itself.

so if you'll ask me again, do i wanna get married someday?
still, i don't know.

E is my top priority so unless i find a man who would love and take
good care of E (and me) and who would truly respect me and would
stand up for me and be true to me and would make us laugh (hard!)
and sweep us off our feet, maybe i won't be getting married. ever.

maybe im (we're) better off without another man.

but still, i don't know. WE"LL NEVER KNOW... =)

*if u noticed, i used "man" instead of "guy" or "boy" or sumtin', it
is because that is EXACTLY what i need/want...a REAL MAN. hehe

...things that changed

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:58:00 +0000

...when i became a mom

2. i became a shopaholic. (slight)

for kid stuff!
trust me, LOTS of things changed when i became a mom.
but never in a million years did i imagine this to be included in that list.
i was never into shopping before.
i even had some personal stuff and clothes from waaay back in college that i still use and wear,all because i don't shop for new ones AND i don't have the luxury to do so.

but the thing is, when it comes to E (ezra) i tend to spend way MORE than i can afford!
like i said, i was never into shopping before so im used to having just a
little cash everytime i go out. and guess what? i didn't have any problem
with it whatsoever.
but now, i realized, a little cash won't do no good everytime we go out.
i need to have at least more than enough for transpo, food, kiddie rides,
rent for car/stroller ride, snacks here and there, and for some random
kid stuff/clothes/toy that we might lay our eyes on along the way. (heh!)
so with all that, sadly, some little cash just won't do anymore.

lemme tell u story...
yesterday, as usual we went out for our usual sunday bonding time.
we heard mass first then went to the usual kiddie friendly mall in town (sm)
take note that i made a shopping list before we went out, that way i won't
go over budget (im starting to follow this trick in the hopes of achieving one
of my primary goals...to save.)
anyway, we had dinner first (included in the budget, good)
and then he had a few kiddie rides (ok, still in the budget :D)
and then we had some snacks afterwards (good, still there.)
went to the grocery for the usual stuff (milk, etc.)
and then we went on shopping for some stuff that he needs (still included)
and then, i went on and checked some other stuff...
...then i had him fit on some more stuff...
and then, before i know it, i found myself in the counter paying for SIX more items
than what i initially planned to buy.
all of which were NOT included in my initial shopping list! :(

so there guys.
when i became a mom, i turned into a shopaholic. tsk, tsk...
oh, well. lets just hope that E won't grow up so fast.
that way he can still wear those stuff much longer! hehe

ps: if you want more proof, check out my credit card bill! hehe
we can't help it. sometimes we find ourselves at the right place
(with a lot of stuff on sale or sumtin')
but at the wrong time, i just couldn't help but charge it!
damn! writing that made me feel even worse! ugh. :((

Confirmed!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:35:00 +0000

YEP! it was confirmed.
i DID lost five freakin' pounds! (yay!) and not just that, i think i lost MORE than 5 lbs.
it wasn't a digital scale so i find it hard to get the exact reading.
whew! those breath-taking aerobics and cardio plus program did work out for me.
anyway, like i said, im gonna try this workout program in a few days for 30 straight days
and also, im gonna be posting some regular updates on that one, so better stick around!
til then... ciao! :)

Getting Fit: An update

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 May 2009 05:03:00 +0000

alrightee. im gonna keep this short and sweet. :)

i know i didn't give you my starting stats when i started this getting fit
journey (sorry 'bout that)
but still, i wasn't able to get those numbers ready.
when i enrolled at the gym, they took my measurements and all but
unfortunately, i don't remember them.
but don't worry, il try to take get them soon and post 'em here, alryt?

anyway, off to the update.
i stepped on the scale last night and if the scale wasn't playing with me,
im happy to share that i lost almost five freaking pounds (5 lbs!)! hehe
my starting weight was taken mid april (april 17)
and being at the gym (although, off and on) for almost a month
took five pounds off my bod! (yay!)

anyway, since work is hard and ive been having problems sneaking off
afterwork to visit the gym, i decided to try another form of workout.
so, by next week, im gonna try the most talked-about jillian micheals
30 day shred workout!
what's great about it is that each workout session takes only about 20
minutes of your precious time.
and this, my friends, is especially important for me as a busy working
single mom.

so anyway, i am sooooo excited to try it out already.
and il be getting my tools by the end of the week (weights, yoga mat, etc.)
and since this is a 30 day shred, il be doing this starting next week
for the next 30 days (duh), and we'll see about the results by then! heh

and don't worry, il be posting some pictures too, if i can. :)

so that's it. my random update! 'till next time. ciao!

throw that tantrum!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:55:00 +0000

lemme share with you an article i stumbled upon earlier tonight.
all parents get to experience this behavior at certain stages of our child's
development.at some point, we find ourselves so helpless and short-tempered
that scenarios like these often end up ugly for both the child and the parent.
personally, i am guilty of this. oftentimes, i just give in to the punk's demand just so he
would stop whining and shut up. and i admit, there's almost always the guilt afterwards.
but anyway, here's one of the thousands of articles online that can help you deal
with those dreaded tantrums.

-------
by Gopi Patel of Ebeanstalk

The truth is tantrums are a LEARNED behavior. Even if it just happens once
the child learns that when I cry, scream, throw myself on the floor—kicking
and arms in every direction, “I WILL GET MY WAY”.

Tantrums usually occur when a child wants something and is frustrated because
she can’t have it right away. When this happens parents usually give into the
tantrum because they feel helpless. The problem is that as time goes by, with each
episode the tantrums often get worse in their intensity, duration, and frequency.

To rid our world of tantrums, we as parents need not only learn how to deal
with them once they occur, but identify a potential tantrum before it has begun.

Before the tantrum: The tell-tale signs of an on-coming tantrum are often
whining, talking in a baby voice, repeating phrases over and over again, all with
the intention to get his or her way. When the signs first appear say to your child
(in business like voice),

“use your big boy/girl voice and then I can talk to you”. If your child then asks
for the same thing simply state, “you cannot have that right now. We are done
talking about this now.” Repeat this as many times as necessary. Do not give in
to them.

The tantrum has begun: Once a tantrum has begun walk out of the room or
area you are in and ignore your child (if at home it often helps to go in a room
where she cannot join you such as the bathroom/bedroom). If your child grabs
on to you simply ignore them and go on with your task. If the tantrum starts
getting severe in intensity where the child could hurt herself, others, or the
environment— immediately remove her to a safe time out area. Then, simply
state to her, “when you are quiet and ready to be with me I will come get you”.
(It should be noted that a child should always know what your time out procedure
is, before this is attempted).

Never give in because you feel your child has been in the time out too long. You are
not a horrible parent if you let your child tantrum for a long period of time. Your
child, just like you, is learning a new way of dealing with behaviors and consequences.

After the tantrum: once your child has been quiet for a couple minutes go to
her and say “I am glad you are ready”/”I am glad to see you happy again”. At this
point parents often get caught up in talking about the episode that triggered the
tantrum, instead of dwelling on this, move on to the next activity or task. If she
begins to cry and tantrum again—simply start the process all over again.

Here are some suggestions that have helped many of the families that I have
worked with. It should be noted that the parents who were most successful in
preventing tantrums dealt with these events in the most CONSISTENT manner.
Every family is different, and unique, but every child needs LOVE, CONSISTENCY,
and a POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT to grow in to his/her fullest potential.

Helpful Hints for Dealing with Tantrums:

Before doing a time a time out have a clear procedure for this place.
Make sure it is in a safe place.
Parents should be in control of the situation, not their child
Both parents should work together to achieve results faster. (No good cop bad cop.)
Do not start talking about the tantrum as soon as it has ended — talk about it
at a later, if you must.
State things a little bit differently—rather than stating what your child should
NOT be doing, state what they can be doing (a child running around—instead
of: “STOP running” say: “Use your walking feet”)
Tell your children before the task or activity what the rules are, what you
expect from him or her.
Be calm and in control of yourself — these situations can at times get intense.
The best way to eliminate tantrums before they even begin is to
positively reinforce your children. Tell them as often as you can
what a great job they are doing—even if the task is simple.

-----

there you have it.
but remember, although consistency in a child's behavioral training is an important
point for good results, your unconditional love and endless patience will always be
your most vital tools.

pursuit of happyness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:33:00 +0000

last night, i've read a few inspiring stories that i thought were too beautiful
and inspiring not to share.

some of you (who have read my posts) might have noticed that most of my past
entries were grounded on life's anxieties and worries. some were even focused
on complaints and (unnecessary) rants.

take for example this post.

but now, after some inspiring stories and posts from one of the most inspiring
preacher i know, i've come to really accept and believe a well-preached
and known fact:

happiness is, and always be, a CHOICE.

no matter what you have or where you are or what you are or whatever life
throws at you, the choice to be happy is totally yours. and under any
circumstance you can be happy if you allow yourself to feel it.

lemme tell you story...
-------
One morning, a woman was sad when she faced the mirror. She discovered
she only had 3 strands of hair on her head. Suddenly, she smiled. “Today,” she
said, “I’ll braid my hair!” And after doing so, she walked out of her home and
had fun, fun, fun.

The next morning, the woman woke up and felt sad as she saw the mirror.
She discovered she only had 2 strands of hair. Suddenly, she smiled. “Today,”
she said, “I’ll part my hair in the middle.” After she did that, she walked out of
her home and had fun, fun, fun.

The next morning, the woman woke up and felt sad as she saw the mirror. She
discovered she only had 1 strand of hair left. Suddenly, she smiled. “Today,”
she said, “I’ll wear my hair in a ponytail.” After she did that, she walked out
of her home and had fun, fun, fun.

The next morning, the woman woke up and felt sad as she saw the mirror.
She discovered she had zero hair left. Suddenly, she smiled. “Yeepee!” she
shouted in glee, “I don’t have to do my hair today!” Immediately, she walked
out of her home and had fun, fun, fun.
-------

see? it is (supposed to be) NEVER about what you have, or what you DON'T
have. it is how you see and perceive and take what is infront of
you. it is (supposed to be) never about having less or wanting more.

from what i've learned, all the good things that might make one happy are just
what we call pleasures. they are there to make you feel good or comfortable,
to make you less stressed or less worried (like wealth, or example). but attaining these
pleasures doesn't necessarily equate happiness. happiness is an inner choice.

having said all that, i would like you to know that my views have changed. a lot.
im not saying that im totally cool with getting stuck in this corner of the earth
for the rest of my life. OF COURSE, i still want to travel. to go places and exprience
things. that didn't change. but what changed is the way i SEE things. the way i
see this wanting. i no longer see this as a crossed-out thing in my to-do-list,
or a dream that will be shift-deleted.

what i see now is a great pleasure that i want to experience. and whether or not
achieving this pleasure will bring me joy and make me happy is all up to ME.

another thing i realized is that, i dont really need to fly to far away places to
achieve this bliss. well, maybe it'll be more fun but that still doesn't ensure me
happiness, does it? i don't really need to go to singapore or rome in a blink of an
eye for me to realize this wanting, right? what i'll do is to just take it one step,
one place, at a time. which brings me to another great lesson,

bite-size your dreams

yup. no matter how big or great your dream or wanting is, sometimes all it takes
for you to fullfill them is by resizing them. bite-size them.
this doesn't mean you have to lower your goals or your dreams, it means attaining
them piece by piece. you can't eat a whole pizza in one take, can you? you
practically have to take them one slice and one bite at a time. of course it will
take longer than what you have wished for but still, the fact that you achieved it
is what matters. and besides, think of the fun, the lessons and the great things
you experienced along the way, wouldn't they be all worth it? =)

so there you go...
just a piece of my mind. my two cents. hehe
and just for the record, ive already found my happiness. life's little pleasures are
no match to this ultimate creature that puts a smile in my heart everyday. hehe
these little pleasures are just there to add more spice and fun to this happyness.
also, i realized we don't have travel the world within 80 days, but instead we'll travel
it for the rest of our lives! :) im talking years guys. think of all the people we'd meet,
places we'd go to, ferrys and flights we'd be in, markets and shops we'd explore,
et cetera. :D

why do we have to fly straight out to the Bahamas if we have yet to see for ourselves
the sugarwhite sand beaches of boracay...or bantayan? RIGHT?

and guess what? we're off to bantayan tomorrow! WHAT UP???! (haha!)
i know you guys have been there N times but so what? it'll be our (mine & ezra's)
first trip to bantayan. hehe :)

remember guys, one step, one place at a time.
oh, and bora might be next. hehe we'll see... :D

Have a blessed holy week guys!!!! =)

ps: btw, i love that movie! hehe

pps: sorry that was long! :D

goals, goals, goals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:45:00 +0000

wanna keep these on the record.
at least i'll have a reminder in black and white.

1. save.

ive had this savings account that i wanted to dedicate for emergency/child fund.
i did saved up for a moment, but before i know it almost all the money's gone.
better start saving up again ASAP.

2. pay debts

i have credit card debts. im not ashamed to admit it. (well, slightly. )
you can't blame me. im a single mom and my pay sucks.
sometimes i ran out of cash. it happens. and it happens a LOT.
so where do you think i ran to? the magic card.
but im gonna pay off those debts before its too late. hopefully.

3. lose weight, be healthy, stay fit

again, im a single mom. and my baby is two years old.
and i can't even begin to imagine if something not good will happen to me.
gotta do it. and besides, a lighter and sexier me looks much better right? :D

okey. that will be all for NOW.
il get back to you when i can think of some more.
as if these 3 are not enough... :D

goodluck to me!