MOMI MUSINGS/ I, too, am truly rich and blessed. Thank you, Tina.

December 21, 2015 · Leave a Comment

This mother attended an advent recollection last Saturday. She yearns to be liberated from her guilt– not having enough patience to be the loving mother her boys deserve. Oftentimes, she lets stress eat her up, thus spoiling her relationship with her children. She thinks her boys follow her not out of respect and love but because of fear. And she does not like that. She needs to do some reflection. And very timely that Tina of Truly Rich and Blessed was then scheduled to conduct an advent recollection for moms at The Parenting Emporium.

She made confirmation only the night before the recollection. And on the day itself, she backed out because the rain kept on pouring. She had to commute with a four-month baby in tow.

The husband must have felt her sadness as she withdrew herself from them. A minute after, he knocked at the bedroom door and told his wife he will accompany her and the baby at the recollection venue.

The recollection lasted for about an hour. Though short, she was able to grasp the idea of “how to decorate her heart with joy and hope instead of negative comments and discouragement. That she could only fully appreciate her boys if she first makes a room in her heart for Jesus. That she has to thank Jesus for the gift of children because without them, her life will surely be empty.

The recollection ended with a prayer she now recites every morning and evening or anytime she feels the need to remind herself that she is a loving parent and not a critic to her boys.

adent copy

I thank you Lord for this experience. And I must say that like Tina, I am also truly rich and blessed.

MOMI COOKS/ Have a hassle-free Noche Buena preparation with GLAD

December 17, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Everybody wants to partake in a delicious Christmas feast but not everyone wants to be in charge of its preparation. Whipping up several special dishes at once can be messy, tiring, and time-consuming. Indeed, those who emerge smiling and in single-piece from the kitchen after a day-long battle deserve all the salute in this world.

This Christmas, let GLAD help with your holiday dinner preparations with two easy-to-follow recipes. First is Madman Meatloaf, which can be your main entrée for your family Noche Buena or as part of a large feast, followed by a delightful dessert recipe called Chunky-Cherry Walnut Fudge — a surefire hit for both adults and kids.

With the right kitchen aids, preparing these simple but delectable recipes would definitely be a breeze. That is why GLAD products are always on hand to make your kitchen-time easier so you can spend more time for other Holiday tasks. GLAD Non-Stick Aluminum Foil has a special coating on one side to make grilling, baking and roasting a joy because it prevents food from sticking to the foil. GLAD Cook ‘n Bake paper also has a special non-stick coating which makes baking so much easier with no need to add fats or oil — so lesser mess plus no waxy taste.

Try doing any of these recipes at home and make your loved ones’ Christmas merrier by sharing with them extra special meal treats that you yourself made.

madman meatloaf

Ingredients:

500 gms ground pork

500 gms ground beef

½ cup chopped carrots

½ cup chopped green bell pepper

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

2/3 cup chopped mushrooms

1 tbsp minced garlic

2/3 cup minced onions

250 gms chopped ham

100 gms chopped pepperoni

100 gms chopped bacon

½ cup dried cranberries

100 gms diced cheese

½ tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp dried sage

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbsp Tabasco

1/8 tsp pepper

1 egg

2 egg yolks

2 tbsp flour

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350oF.

2. Place all ingredients in a large GLAD FREEZER ZIPPER BAG.

3. Seal and massage ingredients to blend well.

4. Place mixture in a GLAD OVENWARE 9 x 12.

5. Cover with GLAD NON-STICK ALUMINUM FOIL.

6. Bake for 35 minutes.

7. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

8. Let cool before slicing.

Chunky Cherry-Walnut Fudge

Ingredients:

¾ cup butter

1 ½ cups sugar

¾ cup cocoa powder

4 eggs

½ tsp salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup chopped dark chocolate

1 cup maraschino cherries, quartered

½ cup chopped walnuts

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325oF.

2. Line an 8”x 8” brownie pan with GLAD COOK ‘n’ BAKE.

3. Melt margarine over medium heat in a saucepan.

4. Add in cocoa powder and sugar and cook until cocoa powder is dissolved.

5. Remove from heat and whisk in eggs, salt, and flour until well blended.

6. Fold in half of cherries, chocolate and nuts.

7. Pour into prepared pan.

8. Top with remaining add-ons and bake for 45 minutes.

9. Let cool and chill before slicing.

There you go. Hope you be able to try any of the two or both. They are not for Christmas dinner alone but are perfect as well as baon for your school kids.

How about you, any easy-to-follow recipe to share? Would love to try them, too.

Kris Kringle at the Small House

December 17, 2015 · Leave a Comment

We have a Kris Kringle at the small house!

exchange gift copy

Each member of the small house (the queen mother at the big house included) will take part in our first ever Family Secret Santa. The three boys are excited and same goes their parents. Even the four-month old baby joins the fun (with his consent).

Also, the boys have their Santa Socks ready with their Christmas wishes.

santa socks

Can’t wait for the eve of Christmas!

Happy Christmas, everyone!

BABY DIARIES/ LOVE mark

December 16, 2015 · Leave a Comment

mark of love

I guess for moms out there, this kind of mark looks familiar to you. Mine is our Yael’s left ear mark for hours of holding him in my arms. He just does not want to be put down (or this mother enjoys the moment so much she doesn’t want to put her son to bed).

MOMI MUSINGS/ In this House… WE DO FAMILY

December 15, 2015 · Leave a Comment

In our house, we follow these rules. These are not exactly rules though but more of a reminder for the kids and their parents.

house rules

Not that the people in the small house have hard-to-teach behaviors, this mother just finds these wall stickers a great idea to constantly remind them to be appreciative of one another.

For this mother, it helps her a lot to deal with her frustration and impatience. When tempted to lose patience with the boys, she reminds herself of the wall decals. She pauses and from there, somehow manages to stop herself from being pissed off. It has always been her intention to avoid hurting any of the boys’ feelings.

She likewise hopes that the boys will be more open and vocal of their feelings– That it is okay to say sorry than let ego swallow them. It is okay to make mistakes because that is how we all learn. That inside the small house, we always give second chances, but one must never repeat the same mistake twice. That we are always open for more hugs, kisses, and fun than being distant, quiet, and rude.

And why stairs of all places? Because as we go up to retire for the night, we are reminded that we are a family. Before we hit the sack, it is better to settle any differences and wouldn’t hurt as well if they kiss their mother good night. And in the morning when the boys go up to change clothes after their bath, they would be again reminded that they have a family to run to and again, a mother who loves to be hugged and kissed before being left at home.

Hope these house reminders will not just be some writings on the wall, but will help the people in the small house be more loving and forgiving.

How about in your abode, do you have some house reminders, too? Would love to hear them, please.

MOMI TIPS/ 5 advantages of a play gym

December 14, 2015 · 18 Comments

Advantages of play gym

Our Yael loves to kick and straighten his legs when on his back. At this age, he could very well appreciate his play gym. It is always a joy to see him kick his new mat gym in order for it to light up and make sounds.

Just like any mom, I am guilty of overspending for my boys. We tend to hoard cute onesies and rompers which our babies could wear for only a few months. We have the tendency to overstuff our children with toys they would only play for a few months or weeks.

BABY DIARIES/ Baby rolls over & some facts on SIDS

December 10, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Our little munchkin can now roll onto his stomach and would end up sleeping on that position. And though rolling is an important milestone for him, it somehow scares me. This anxious mom would end up re-positioning her baby.

I have been reading a lot about child development and I remember encountering details regarding risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

SIDS is defined as the sudden and unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant. (http://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/sids.aspx). It occurs when the baby suddenly stops breathing because of the lower level of serotonin in his brain stem. Serotonin controls an infant’s breathing and heart rate during sleep. Incidents like getting tangled up in a blanket or sleeping onto his belly are contributing factors which make babies harder to wake up, thus suffer from SIDS.

To prevent SIDS, allow me to enumerate some tips I have compiled from many readings:

Co- sleeping. Though there are a number of support groups who are against sharing bed with babies, still I let my darling Yael sleep beside me. This way, I could breastfeed him easily whenever he demands for milk and check on him regularly.

No bolster pillows around. Keep soft or hard toys and even bolster pillows out of the bed as these may cover the nose and mouth and interfere with breathing. Typically, a baby at age 3-4 months begins to learn to grab anything they see and touch and these stuffed toys and pillows may cover his face and suffocate him.

Back position is safest. I always put our Yael to sleep on his back. Main reason: to help keep airways open.

No fancy clothes or beddings. Specially at night time, our baby only wears a simple pair of pajamas and his booties. Overdressing would only make him uncomfortable. Same goes with using too many pillows, comforters, and blankets. This mother always makes sure that the comforter is tightly tucked before putting the baby in bed.

Well-ventilated room. I have read that using an electric fan reduces the risk of SIDS. We use fan during our sleep. If the temperature is too unbearable, we opt to open the air conditioning unit.

No to smoking. Any poison that denies oxygen increases the risk of SIDS. Cigarette smoke is one of them. Smoking during pregnancy, smoking near an infant, and even smoky places should be avoided.

Breastfeed. Breastfeed. Research says that breastfeeding may lower the risk of SIDS, so when able, breastfeed.

Any parent is overjoyed seeing his baby develop over the months. And rolling over is one of these baby milestones. But we as parents should also be extra attentive of our babies activities as they may bring harm than more joy.

As always, enjoy your baby. Babies grow astonishingly fast! Seize the moment especially the newborn days; they will be gone before you know it.

*This is our Yael at 3 months old.

BABY DIARIES/ Something hand-me-down

December 9, 2015 · Leave a Comment

This shirt is about thirteen years old already. Been worn by his three kuyas and is still in very good condition.

We have given or donated most of the three boys’ clothes and toys. After all, we do not have a baby who could use or play with them. Then our Yael comes.

Good thing this mother kept a few for sentimental reasons. And this shirt is one of those.

Sometimes, it pays good to be sentimental. How about you, mommy? Do you still keep something for years because of some sentimental ties? I would love to hear them, please.

BABY DIARIES/ No to pacifier

December 8, 2015 · Leave a Comment

development no to pacifier copy

I tried to give Yael a pacifier. My purpose is for him to stop “eating” his hands and see if a pacifier will satisfy him.

I have doubts though if he would accept the binky since he rejected bottle feeding and would only prefer to be nursed. Still, I tried.

Sucking on a pacifier and on a breast are done differently. I have also read that introducing a pacifier may cause nipple confusion. Still, I tried.

But I failed. He preferred his hands than the pacifier.

*Yael at 3 1/2 months

BABY DIARIES/ able to reach for his toy at 110 days old

November 27, 2015 · Leave a Comment

development reach

I have read that a baby has an innate ability to grasp things. Our Yael would grab and pull my hair unintentionally, of course, and it really did hurt.

On his third month, he was able to open and close his hands, and displayed great interest to grasp his hanging stuffed animal. Yesterday as he reached three months and 19 days, he was able to reach and hold his toy for a long period. And thank God I was able to record that progress.

Our Yael is now more responsive and shows interest on things around him. I know he will make leaps with each passing month, and I will be there to guide him and clap for his progress.

* Yael at three months and 19 days old