First Tooth

Finally, after weeks of anticipation, Miguel's first tooth is out. It looks a bit weird, though. Like a grain of rice on his lower gum. I don't remember the exact date, but it came out around two weeks after his sixth month birthday.

I feel bad not being the first one to spot it. His nanny did. She used an infant toothbrush (the one you put a finger in) to check. Then there, a single white tooth.

Most people say kids his age would have to have fever to get the first tooth out. Not true. No fever. No chills. Just a lot of biting.

We had a checkup a few days ago. I asked for Do's and Don'ts from his Doctor and I was surprised to be told that there aren't any. She said kids don't get their permanent teeth until they're about six, so I can expect them to still fall out anytime between now and six years from now.

I haven't gotten any prescription for special toothpastes or things like that so until I do, i'll take the biting. ;)

Playing Dressup

This is the first time I've had the chance to update my wardrobe since giving birth, six months ago. As I usually do, I Google photos of Hollywood Stars' everyday wear and copy them, less the stress on my part to think of what to put together for an outfit.


I like basic colors. Greys and navies and blacks, whites, and even red. I can't not go purple at least once a week, so I consider the color as one of my basics.

I normally don't go with the trend. Unless it's too nice to pass up on. The flared jeans, for instance. The problem with trends is that the piece of clothing has a limited shelf life. After which, we'll have to store them, sell them or just give it away. It makes sense to invest in pieces of clothing that will last long. Whether we're talking about the durability or the style.

Here are a few of what I've spotted online that might work for young moms (in a country like the Philippines where we only have 2 seasons).

1) Katherine Heigl's gray knit over a white top and faded black jeans. Her shiny silver ballet flats gives the outfit the needed shine and her beautiful red Valentino handbag kicks color into the "greyness" of it all. Loving her shades, too.










* Try Kamiseta, Bayo or Candy (in Robinsons Department Stores).



2) Reese Witherspoon's petite figure is complimented by her dark denims. Reese mixed and match a gray long sleeved shirt with a black short sleeved cardigan.

* Try Kamiseta, Bayo or Candy (in Robinsons Department Stores).

Our Quest for a New Vehicle

They say that in the world of car sales, August is the "Ghost Month". In the chinese calendar, sales are expected to drop and so promos are developed as contingency plan.

So, my husband and I went from one showroom to another with a plan: low down, long term.

We originally planned on getting another SUV. Our first car as a couple was a 1998 Honda CR-V. But a few months before we had the baby, we sold it off and drove a Toyota Rav-4. We recently gave it up and now we're in search for a sedan.

We test drove a few units and honestly, each car felt the same as the other. A few minor differences, but nothing major we were willing to put extra bucks on.

We thought that if we were to consider a Toyota, we'll go for the Corolla Altis 1.6E. Manual transmission, where you'll have more control. Toyota has problems, though, with the production. Units are getting sold fast and so right now, we'll have to wait for a unit to be available. It retails at around P780k excluding LTO registration, Insurance, O.M.A (One month deposit) and Processing Fee. The next to the 1.6E is the 1.6G (available in manual and automatic transmission), which retails at around P833k. But we found a good deal from an old friend who works for the Toyota Branch we were eyeing on getting a unit from.

Next in line would be a Mitsubishi. I had one when I was in college and not once did it ever let me down. It never spent a night or a day in the Casa, not just that it was well maintained, but performance? Superb. Price? Reasonable. The Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6 GLX retails at P685k and the higher end, the 1.6 GLS CVT retails at P745k.

Finally, we test drove a Honda Civic. Sporty and fast, the Honda Civic not only fulfills its promise of ultimate driving pleasure, but a price tag that fits. The Honda Civic 1.8 V Manual Transmission retails at P858k and the automatic version is at around P898k.

For us, one of the most important things to consider when buying a vehicle is the rate. Whoever offers the best terms and whichever can accommodate a stroller, a car seat and an active baby, wins. The driving experience comes with it, still. But then if we think about it, they're all wheeled and can take you places, anyway.

We decided on the Corolla Altis 1.6E. We're releasing it first thing in the morning.

Baby Shopping in Manila

Since he was born, I think I've only bought my son less than 3 pieces of clothing. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law do the shopping.

There are good stores to do baby shopping in Manila. There's SM's Baby & Company, Gingersnaps (i love their baby vests), Orange Juice, Big & Small Company, to name a few. One personal favorite is Kids of Bayo, where the baby clothing are perfect for those who are fond of dressing up their kids as their "mini-me". I'm not sure but I think I heard Baby Gap is coming soon. 

Also, almost every mall now has a department for their own line of baby clothing and items. You might want to check those too. Most malls are also authorized retailers of certain brands, such as, Hannah Montana and the like.

If you're planning to do online shopping, there are networking sites that have a collection of business profiles by category that offer brand new to hand me down baby items. 

There's ebay.ph, multiply.com, sulit.com.ph and more. when you do your shopping online, though, you will have to handle the shipping charges besides the price of the item you're buying. 

Babies grow really fast, though, so do your baby shopping wisely. 

Working Mom: Updating Your Wardrobe

When I cleaned my closet a year ago, I had a closet full of all the good "women stuff". From dark denims to slacks of khaki, white and black, argyle sweaters (my favorite), collared shirts of different hues, perfect white tees, and a shoe collection of all kinds, shapes and colors to fit every wardrobe. 

But when I cleaned out my closet the other day, a was appalled to see they were all gone. Where'd they go?! Oh, right. I gave them away without thinking I could actually get back to my pre-pregnancy weight after giving birth. 

So headed to the mall to go shopping. I started with the basics. I'm not about to spend my life's savings on this one. I've set a side an emergency fund and well, this is kind of an emergency, at least to me.

I first went to the shoe section (yup my feet grew an inch bigger after having my baby). I was lucky my working shoes brand had a sale. I buy from one store for all my working shoes. I took a white, a black and a brown pair in 3 somewhat-alike-yet-somewhat-different styles. Now that I have the basic colored shoes, I won't have a problem choosing the when I plan my wardrobe. They're all flats by the way. In my job, I need them to be so. 

I then went straight to by jeans and slacks. I took 1 dark denim in straight cut-slim fit style (always a safe choice), 1 black slacks in semi-bootleg cut, 1 white and a khaki semi-flared cut. Like I said, basics.

I got 3 basic white tees (i wear them inside jackets all the time) and a black one, too. 

Next time, I'll shop for more colors. For now, I plan to perk my outfits up through the right accessories, Now those are something I didn't give away! 

Switching Nannies

I've had my kid's nanny for almost 6 months now. She's separated with three children that she left to her mother in the province. This is why when she told she wanted to try her luck working overseas, I did not find it a surprise. I wouldn't want to stop her in finding better opportunities to give her kids a better life.

I have a new nanny now and she's being trained by the 1st nanny (weeks before her planned departure from our home). My son is adjusting quite well. He's turning 6 months on the 11th of August. Of course I had to make sure the replacement was going to be as dedicated to her job as the first one, if not better. 

Finding a good nanny isn't difficult if you know what to look for --- depending on your family's needs. I'm lucky our household help (dedicated to household chores) was able to refer a friend to us. I used the same steps I took when I hired my first nanny.

As a working mother (my husband works full-time as well and is often not home than I am), my primary concern is the safety of my son at all times. My previous blog entry on hiring a yaya (nanny) helped me a lot.

Bored and Pregnant

When I was pregnant, I was bored sick that I spent my days doing all sorts of "projects" at home. During the Christmas season, I was 7 months pregnant. My doc advised me to try to not be a couch potato and move around so I did.

I did a lot of baking. Since it was Christmas season, I even got orders from family and friends. I had to watch out, of course, so when I started to feel tired, I no longer accepted orders. I think I must have made around 30 boxes of cupcakes or close to that.

I made the Baby Room my "special project". I spent a lot of time in that green room! I had to keep myself busy. I couldn't get out of the house because of the pregnancy rash, so I had to make myself useful in other ways besides grocery shopping.

Being pregnant is not an excuse to be lethargic. So move it!

Wedding Day

I got married at 23. In my country, culture and family, that's not young. That's way too young. It took a while before my mom learned to accept the idea --- I think she's pretty much still in the process. 

I was married December of 2006. We began the planning December of 2005. I did not really have professional help with the planning, by that I mean no professional wedding planners, event stylists and the like. That was my first rule to getting the wedding that I want without spending my life's savings.

I had a wedding diary. Nothing fancy, just a Starbucks 2006 planner I got from buying what must have been a thousand liters of Frappes in a month. I made sure my wedding diary was thick enough to handle all the notes and sturdy enough to handle all the post-its and would last a year until the wedding day's last minute reminders. 

My wedding theme was pretty generic. 1940's America. There's this convenient store in a gas station my husband and I go to for a late night snack. We always see a line up of classic vintage cars parked in the station's lot every Saturday night. That one night we asked the gasoline boy what was up with that and ended up with a name of some guy who leads a club of vintage car collectors. The guy (whose name was Charlie) does not really rent out his cars for events such as weddings. But to ours, he said yes. PHP10,000 for a "His and Hers" 1939 Jaguar. That's 2 cars -- in the price of 1. If that's not a bargain then I don't know what is!

My wedding's master of ceremonies was a friend who worked as a professional DJ for a radio station. We were classmates in graduate school. Instead of monetary compensation, I gave him a Ralph Lauren cologne from my honeymoon shopping. 

One thing i did not scrimp on was food. My husband and I did taste tests to 3 different caterers and came down to a decision to choose a caterer called Auffrance. Not only did they have good food, their packages were reasonable, too. We came down to 7 dishes exclusive of the desserts. We had 200 guests and everyone had tiffany chairs in silver. They gave me a wedding cake. 3-tiered fondant and even let me choose the color. Take note that this cake was given for free. I chose a plain white - all white cake and just had my florist put flowers to it. It looked amazing.

Photographers and videographers were also chosen by me, personally. I let them take care of the ceremony's photos while candids and shots during the event, the dancing, the drinking and laughing, were all taken by my friends. I asked everyone I could to bring a digital camera and shoot away. They gave me the pictures in CD form while some emailed them to me. I edited some myself, making some black and white, others in sepia (aged brownish color). This way, I was able to choose the cheapest package since I did not need them to take as much pictures as they would if I chose the expensive package.

All the other details of the wedding I had the help of my friends on. Such as choosing flowers and the right florist (referred by a friend) and choosing designers (a good friend of an uncle and therefore got a good discount). I let my bridesmaids choose their own gown designs, as long as the design fit into the color motif of the wedding (silver and baby pink). My gown, on the other hand, has been designed in my head since I was twelve so I encountered no problem with that one.

Picking the church was a breeze. It was the only air-conditioned church nearest to my home. It made it easy for my family to run back and forth the venue. Reservations were done as early as February. 

The reception was held at this place called The Big Tent, also close to where I live. They accept reservations for different events. It ran around PHP45,000. I considered doing the reception in a hotel, but i figured everybody does that, plus it drains out the pocket! So I thought of renting a venue that allows caterers to get in.

All in all, I'd say planning a wedding is extremely exciting and exhausting. But as all newly weds say, it's all worth it. Our best man said "Think of your wedding day as the day you loved each other the least. And everyday after that, you love each other more and more." 

We strive to make wedding days as unforgettable as we possibly can. And as you plan it, remember that weddings lasts but a day. Marriage, on the other hand as they say, lasts as long as you both shall live.

Mom and Ma'am

I'm off to a mid-shift meeting at 3:00 am today. It's a client call.

I was informed earlier that I will be handling a team of 41 people for a new campaign / account. As if that's not news enough, my work schedule will probably change big time. My normal schedule in the office is 10pm-7am (night shift). But starting tonight, I'll be on a 12am-9am shift. However, I've heard that this account will be having a 12-hour workday with a 6-day workweek. I've been shaking my head for ideas on how to deal since.

I'm supposed to being my son to the Pediatrician for his 5th shot and check-up. That's way overdue (his schedule was on July 14th). Now I won't be able to do that now that i have to stay in the office until 12 noon today. I'm rescheduling it on Saturday. I'll make a really early house call to Doc for that.

I'm pacing. Pacing around my workstation repeating in monotone "this is good. This is okay. This is good. This is okay. I love my job. I love my job. I love my job." --- and I do. I really, really do. But family comes first. Always does.

So now, the Spidermom will turn into another one of her multi-million characters. Mom and Ma'am both at the same time. Not to mention my online business (another baby of mine) is really picking up. Lots to do!

I'm not sure how I'm going to do it, but I know I'll do it. I do what I can when I can where I can.  And if I can't, then I can't. Some things will, some things won't, so what. Makes me laugh now when I remember that movie where my blog name was inspired by. Grandma says "you do too much. You're not Superman, you know."

Yup, that's right. Just spidermom. ;)

Homemade Baby Food

Like all moms, I'm careful about what I feed my little tyke. I still do feed him baby rice cereals from the box, I mean, why not? But then I make sure he it's not all that he eats.

Once a day, I make homemade baby food made from veggies and fruits. I don't add sugar and let him enjoy the good stuff as it is. He loves carrots. I mash them with this baby food maker I bought from Baby & Co. (3rd level at the Podium in Ortigas).

I've also tried feeding him avocados. He likes them, but he developed rashes the day after, so I figured he's allergic to it. I might try feeding him avocados again, just to see if the rashes were really a result of that. Doctors say we should feed babies 1 kind of food for 3 days straight to figure out if it's an allergen.

I also feed him pureed mangoes (I use the blender or just mash them with a spoon). I use fresh mangoes. I have no intentions of feeding him anything from the can anytime soon (canned peaches, pineapples, etc.)

This way, I'm sure he's getting enough vitamins because he's no longer breast-feeding. I plan to move on to mashed squash (loading him up with vitamin A for strong eyesight). I think I'm raising a future pilot.

Housekeeping Diva

I wrote this note about 2 or 3 months ago on my Face Book account. I got it out of reading home decorating magazines and some are charged to experience and mom's old tricks. 

1. For Sealed Envelopes - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed. (hmmm...) 

2. Ants, ants, ants everywhere ... Well, they are said to never cross chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march and see for yourself. 

3. Vinegar kills weeds. Spray full strength (undiluted) on weeds - be careful not to spray it on the surrounding grass as it will kill that too. 

4. Place bay leaves in kitchen drawers to keep crawling insects away. 

5. Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least six feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.

6. Use baking soda and water mixed together (1 part baking soda to 3 parts water) for white-cords-turned-gray to make them white again. (I personally do this on my MacBook's cords--they work great). I also use it to restore my husband's white cortez sneakers to its original color.

Cleaning Out the Closet

I'll be cleaning out my son's closet today. And by that I mean getting rid of the "old" stuff --- although they're not really that old. 

Miguel celebrated his 5th month a week ago and to my surprise, most of his clothes don't fit him anymore. Of course these are infant clothing, those that we've had months before he's even arrived. I have an office-mate whose wife is giving birth in August. He asked me if I had things, clothing and toys that I might want to sell him. So i said, yeah! Why not!?

Now that I'm thinking, I actually do have some stuff that I want to get rid of already. That carrier we bought has gotten too small to hold him. And those side-tie shirts he used to wear to sleep can't even be tied anymore. Socks and mittens that either no longer fit or no longer needed. And a lot more.

I can use the funds to get him a new bouncer (I'm getting rid of the bouncer he got as a gift, he can actually twist to the side and make it tumble over). He needs a bigger one now.

Lots to do! I'll be taking photos once I gather the stuff and post them on ebay or email a catalog to my friends. One way to make my Saturday night fun without having to wear a dress, put on make-up and go to a pub. Plus, it gets rid of the clutter and I get to earn extra cash. Now that's way cooler than a drink!

A Desperate Housewife

I've watched every single episode of ABC's Desperate Housewives from Season 1 to 5. Every episode has a theme, and each theme will leave something for one to think about. 

I have a DVD Collection of all seasons of Desperate Housewives. As a mother and wife myself, I see me in more than 1 character of the show. I see me in Bree van De Kamp, a domestic goddess, queen of the kitchen and Fairview's number 1 homemake

r. And I see me in Lynette Scavo, a tough soccer mom, smart career woman, and Tom's partner in love and crime.

However, most of all, I see me in Gabrielle Solis, in the latter seasons of the show. 

Gabby is the youngest of all housewives, an ex-model and was a very independent woman who had to hand over her freedom of thinking and choice when she marries millionaire businessman Carlos Solis. She goes through a lot in the show. She experiences culture shock and a change in lifestyle drove her nuts to the point that she could hardly keep it steady. She struggled to prove herself and everyone that she can do, whether she's with her man or not. Through these experiences she learns and becomes stronger. Gabby proves that nothing else teaches better than hands-on experiences. And yes, Mary Alice was right when she said "someday we all must become responsible adults. And no one knows this better than the young."

Love the show. Can't wait for the next season.

Dinner for Ten

For the first time in a long time, I'll be serving dinner to ten people on Saturday. My Uncle and his family from Detroit is home for a visit.

Planning the menu wasn't really difficult. I like serving and feeding people. I like entertaining. And part of the planning is making sure they don't get fed the same food they have been eating since they got here. They spent 2 weeks in Ilocos Norte, a province in the north before they hit Manila. They're actually asleep as I blog away. (3:25am Manila Time)

I plan to do grocery shopping on Friday afternoon. My menu is all set. No "adobo" --- they must have eaten that 13 times in 14 days. Entertaining people includes making sure they feel that the hostess exerted a little --- if not all effort to make it special for them. Especially when they visit once in 5 years and fly 19 hours to do it.

Nothing fried --- my recipe for my Proud Chicken perhaps (blogged about it in a previous entry). It's roasted.

Mashed potatoes instead of rice. I'll give it a French twist, so spices are all listed down.

I plan to get mushrooms. Not sure what to do with them yet, perhaps I'll look up a few recipes and take it from there. Mushrooms go well with anything roasted. I think.

Vegetables? Maybe spinach if i can get them fresh. But then there's always the household favorite broccoli, carrots and baby corn --- Kenny Rogers style.

When it comes to preparing for an occasion, I always do "half planning" instead of getting everything ready. It gives me space to make mistakes and then adjust on the way. Better than getting everything ready and ending up wanting or changing something. It saves me more time than messing the plan up and starting all over again.

Same rule applies to picking what to wear to this dinner. 

1st Birthday Theme Ideas

My son won't be celebrating his 1st birthday until February next year (2010). But I've started thinking of themes as early as now. 

Here are a few ideas I've come up with so far:

1. Soldier Party 

2. Aviation Party (baby as Pilot)

3. Football Theme Party (2010 is FIFA World Cup year)

4. Sesame Street Party

5. Cars (cartoon) Party

If I go with the Sesame Street Party, no one will have trouble thinking of something to wear. We'll just color-code it. Yellow, blue, red and green shirts and dresses only. Oooohhh the kids are all going to look like M&Ms!!! And the photos are going to come out great!

If I go with the football theme party --- and my son does not end up playing or even liking the sport, his 1st birthday won't have as m

uch significance to him when he gets old and looks back --- but it's a fun theme to put up

 and prep for! Plus, it's an all-man's game!

I can go with the Soldier Party, my grandfather was with the US Army. That will have a bit of significance, it's a theme that's all-man, too. Plus, a point comes when most boys (not all) wish or imagine themselves as soldiers or heroes of some kind. 

The aviation theme party also sounds like fun. We can have guests dress up with costumes 

different countries, the venue may be dressed up as an airport where different nationalities meet and someone may win a prize as best-dressed. Parents may also participate by dressing up as their children. Daddy and son, Mom and daughter. Cool!!!

I remember the years when themed birthdays were not a thing. I never had a themed birthday --not even as an adult. Now, planning a themed birthday (even for kids) is not only done for the memories but simply because it's fun to prep for it. 

Although there are always the challenges in planning a themed party. Will write soon about these challenges, so do watch out! 

Barbie Doll Princess Party

On Sunday, my son is about to attend the 1st birthday party he was ever invited to. The theme is: Barbie Doll Princess Party. The invitation says: Come in your best Barbie costume. 

I have a feeling that there will be a lot of pink. What is he supposed to wear!?

This is one of those mommy problems I haven't really prepared for. But then again, I never expected my boy's first party to be "girly" themed one. Obviously i will want him to dress up as Ken. Pink dress shirt with a white bow-tie, perhaps? White or gray shorts or slacks? White leather shoes? Won't he look like a mini-me of Frank Sinatra or something? Hopefully  not. 

Squeezing my brain to come up with a picture in my head of an outfit that won't make my little man look like a little old man. This is so not fun.

OFFICE FUN

The other day, my friends at work (4 gay men) and I were online during our lunch break. We came across this site that allowed you to take a quiz to find our your gay name just for fun. Without hesitation, my friends took the quiz. I did too. The names were hilarious! But no pun intended...

According to the quiz, my gay name is Andasa Potilyachenes. I don't remember whose name is which but I remember equally funny ones such as, Merlat Shulupi and Cassandra Bumabarney.

Work is exhausting. But when you have times like these with friends like these, it becomes funner than you can even imagine.

My Mom's 2nd Shot at Motherhood

My relationship with my mother can be described in many different ways.

But one thing is for sure: our attitude towards almost everything is the same. And instead of complimenting each other, we clash. Although we laugh about it, most often we do not.

Since I gave birth to my son, my mom has become extra "everything". Extra strict, extra hot tempered, extra careful, extra watchful, like I said, extra everything. But I think I have an idea why. I am an only child. And it has been 26 years since she felt like a mother who is in control of her child's life. As we bud, our parents gradually let us go to let us grow.

I realize that my mother is not trying to stick her nose to how I'm raising my son. She's not meddling with my parenting style or contesting it. She's not trying to cross the line. She's drawing another one for herself. Which, is perfectly fine.

Being a grandmother is my mother's --- every mother's 2nd shot at motherhood. This is their 2nd chance to do things right. Every mother may have regrets of what kind of parent they were or they became. At some point, they have thought of "could have beens". "I could have been this and that", "i should have done this or that" or "if only I were this and that".

This --- being a grandparent --- is their chance to be parents again. This is their 2nd chance at motherhood. She misses it. She misses being needed. She misses hearing "Mom, I want more food." or "Mom, read me a story."

So I will let her. Because someday, when my son is grown and is a dad, I know I will want the same 2nd chance my mom wants right now.

Baby Toys' Pricetags

I guess most of not all babies won't really be playing (with a toy) until their 2nd month. They're happy enough playing on their own. My son's playtime involved stretching his arms as if punching in the air. Before his 2nd month, his only toy was a soft rattle (a small caterpillar from Brightstarts). He was happy sitting on his bouncer to watch TV (the colors and moving objects on the screen distract --- and entertain him).

But sooner or later babies will have to play with something else. We only started buying toys when he turned 3 months. We didn't even spend as much, since most of the gifts he got for his Christening were toys, clothes and more toys. So far, here's to give us an idea of how babies' toys cost nowadays (in the Philippines)

1. Brightstarts Musical Play Gym: Hop Along theme (available in other themes) - P2,000.00

2. Brightstarts Tummy Time Turtle Prop - 1,000.00

3. Fisherprice 2-in-1 Turtle Gym - free when you get a Rainforest Jumperoo at Toy Town in Eastwood City Mall

4. Fisherprice Rainforest Jumperoo (available in Precious Planet & Galloping fun themes too) -P11,999.00

5. Fisherprice Cover N' Play Bouncer - P2,700.00

6. Fisherprice Teether - P288.00

7. Brightstarts Soft Rattle: Yellow Caterpillar - P280.00

Eventually he will outgrow these and the rest of his toys. But we plan to keep some of them as memorabilia of his childhood, while others, we may give away or even sell. :)

My Proud Chicken!

The first perfect roasted chicken (at least for me) that I made as an adult was made with McCormick Zesty Garlic Marinade. Alavet!!!

I bought a medium whole chicken from the supermarket, drizzled it with olive oil, sprinkled it with the Zesty Garlic Marinade powder, popped a bundle of Lemongrass (Tanglad in the Philippines) into its insides to help the chicken absorb the flavor. I stuffed about 2 slices of lemon for a little more tang. Left it for about 30 minutes then popped it into the rotisserie I got from my wedding. I let it sit there for 45 minutes at 230 degrees and flipped it to cook the other side for another 45 minutes without changing the temperature.

It was an experiment really. The chicken turned out to be really tender and really juicy. Full of flavor --- my husband thought I bought it from somewhere and claimed all the fame and glory.
Finally, a recipe I can call "half my own".

Oh, and I took the leftover juice from the rotisserie tray, heated it up in the stove, added a bit of flour and presto --- I got sauce!

;)

The Boy Pilot: A Story of Reincarnation

One night when I was checking out videos on Youtube, I saw an amazing story of an 8-year old boy who started remembering things when he was 2 years old. Things that never happened to him --- at least not in this lifetime.

James Leininger is a little boy who has a peculiar passion and interest in planes. Particularly, war planes. James is the first son of Bruce and Angela Leininger of Baton Rouge, LA.

At first glance, James seems like a typical boy. Playful, imaginative and curious. However, when his deep fascination with war planes suddenly started giving him nightmares, his parents were alarmed. James, then about the age of 2, did not know how to read. He would flip through books and could only appreciate the photographs. One instance, when his mother brought him to a small World War II Museum, he pointed to a green plane and said, "That's a corsair".

One instance, Angela bought him a toy plane. While playing, his mom said "Oh look sweetie, there's a bomb in the belly of the plane." But James corrected her, "No mom that's not a bomb. That's a droptank." Much to her mother's surpise, little James' claim --- at that time barely 4 , had no idea how to read and had never seen or heard of any World War II stories before, turned out to be correct.

This baffled and worried Bruce. One night. he decided to talk to his son before he went to bed, while he was very, very sleepy. Little James started to tell stories that had so much detail. He said he once flew a plane, a corsair. His plane got shot in the nozzle by the Japanese and crashed in the ocean. He remembers a good friend, Captain Jack Larson and their planes took off from a big ship in the middle of the sea. Little James said they called it "Netoma".

His parents were concerned all right, but not until James was almost 5 and started doodling, writing his name with a number 3 (James 3) did they decide to do something about it. Bruce started to research on whatever he could to get answers to where his son might be getting his stories, memories, claims. The results of his search, according to Bruce, shook him to the core.

Bruce and Angela found out that there is a very huge possibility that their son James was reliving the life of Lt. James McCready Huston Jr., a 21-year-old Navy pilot who died in March 1945 during World War II when his plane was shot down by the Japanese. His plane took off from a battleship called Netoma. And it turned out that Captain Jack Larson, the friend James was talking about, does exist and actually is still very much alive.

This possibly was the reason why James wrote 3 every after he writes his name. He always says "because I'm the 3rd James." Lt. James McCready Huston --- was a Jr.
Experts say children remember their past lives the most in clearest detail when they are between ages 2 -7 and gradually fades after they start attending school, when they start to get exposed to other stimulus. I am a mother of a young boy, too. I'm not saying I believe reincarnation now. But then again, I don't have a reason not to, either.

Daddy Time

My husband works night shifts like I do, but I get off work on schedule while he usually leaves early and gets home late because of the workload and demands.

However, I make sure that Fridays (1 of his 2 rest days) is dedicated to Daddy Day. This does not mean that he's in charge of taking care of our son, diaper duty and so on but just quality time with him. They watch TV together, spend time playing, he feeds him lunch, and go out for a stroll.

I think it's important that he grows up knowing his father, no matter how busy he is. During normal workdays, we spend time with the little man no more than 3 hours a day, and that's divided: An hour before we leave, about 2 hours before we doze off. One of our primary concerns as working parents is that we may be raising a parentless child. To make sure we don't, one way is to strictly follow our scheduled Mommy Days and Daddy Days.

Activities during these days do not have to be expensive, tiring or strictly planned. Just spending time with our little one, no matter the activity (sometimes when I make dinner, I make my little man sit on his bouncer to watch me as I talk to him), what's important is that we are visible and he feels us.

We have a nanny that looks after him during the days and times when we can't. But when we can, we make sure we DO.

;)

Supermarket Secrets Revealed

I like grocery shopping. Especially in big supermarkets. It's a great workout. I get to walk an estimated 2 kilometers (depending on the size of the place) per shopping day.

I don't shop in just 1 supermarket. No particular reason, i just don't. This is what made me notice a few things.

1. All the supermarkets I shop at have their on-sale items by the entrance, and these on-sale items are of the Supermarket's own personal brand. To give you an idea, my favorite SM Supermarket's "Bonus" items, which are really good buys, are always placed by the entrance near the shopping carts. Hmmm, i wonder why...

2. In the Candies and Chocolates aisle, the interestingly packaged and colorful ones are placed in the lowest shelves where they're within kids' eye level and easy for them to grab. They put the expensive and high-end chocolates and candies at the middle to the top shelves, where they're easily seen by adults. So watch what your little one tosses in your shopping cart!

3. Impulse Products - while waiting for your turn at the checkout counter, you tend to review your shopping cart for anything you've missed out on. So while waiting in line, you see a stack of products that you don't regularly buy ---such as batteries, toothbrushes, shavers. Then we think as we wait "do i need to change my clock's batteries? When was the last time I changed them?Yeah, i think i do..." --- lo and behold, they're right there.

4. The items that we do regularly buy, such as meat, fish, chicken, vegetables, laundry detergents, shampoo and soaps, are put in the far most lanes. Almost at the end of the supermarket. Ever wonder why? I have. I think that's to make us go between the lanes of items we did not really go to the supermarket for (and end up buying them) ---- before reaching the lane of items we really planned on buying. Talk about technique! :)

Best Bet for a First Pet

My sweet Shih Tzu Diego used to live with us when my husband and I were still living at a condo unit. We didn't have our son then. Diego was our baby. He even behaved like one. Very quiet, always sleeping, and loved to ball up on the couch as I watched TV.

We had to give him away after I gave birth to my son. Shih Tzus are a great breed, but they can be very jealous. At least from my experience. Diego never liked it when I play with the neighbor's dogs.

I guess if I were to choose my son's first pet, it would be a Golden Retriever. I hear they're great with kids. Friends who've experienced having one say that they don't get annoyed easily and although they're a large breed, they say they make a good company. Maybe not as "lightweight" and "portable" as a shih tzu, but less manageable.

Price ranges from P8,000 to a whopping P35,000 or even higher depending on the quality of the breed and the sire.

Playpen VS Crib

They say that traditional wooden cribs are more sturdy, lasts longer and are heavy duty compared to the what now seems to be a more popular alternative, the Playpen.

They cost almost the same, price ranging from P5,000 - to the higher class P19,000 --- depending on the brand.

Let's do Pros and Cons, shall we?
PLAYPEN
1. Playpens are made of softer materials --- steel legs are hidden over cushioned covers of colorful patterns. So no worries of baby bumping his head when inside the playpen. Some playpens also have musical toys to entertain the baby or put them to sleep.

2. Playpens are nicer to look at --- especially with the wide variety of color choice, themes and prints to match the baby's room and even gender.

3. Playpens are 2-in-1--- may be used as a crib and when the bassinet is lowered it turns into a playpen. Some playpens come with a changing table for changing diapers as well, although they cost a bit more.

4. Playpens fold - yes, they are easy to dismantle and simple to pack. Playpens from brands like Graco come with carrying bags.

5. Playpens have weight limits - Yep, playpens are not made of hard wood so there is a weight limit on how much it can carry. Although some playpens may be used from birth to 3 years of age.

6. Playpens' bassinets may dip - My son's playpen has been around for only 4 months and its bassinet (where the baby lies down to sleep) has already dipped in the middle where most of his weight is on when lying down.


TRADITIONAL CRIBS
1. There are 2 kinds of cribs we mostly choose from--- convertible baby cribs and the standard baby cribs.

2. Convertible baby cribs have adjustable features that last until the childhood years.

3. Standard baby cribs and convertible cribs are most of the time made of hard wood, therefore more durable --- even if the child is a bit on the heavier side or is very active. But then this depends on what wood it is made of. It may be sturdy --- yet heavy and lightweight --- yet easily broken.

4. Because they are made of wood, they may be decorated and matched with different colored beddings, and will match most furniture at home or in the baby room.

5. Traditional cribs are very easy to find -- or to have made by a good carpenter --- and they cost just a bit less than the modern Playpens. (Wooden cribs are all around Caloocan's furniture strip!)

6. Standard cribs may convert to a toddler bed or a day bed with a headboard and a footboard ready.

7. Traditional cribs may be heavyweight, therefore not very easy to carry from room to room and may require extra effort and time to pack.

When choosing the right place to sleep for your little one, always consider their age, your lifestyle, the space or room, their attitude (active, reserved, etc.) and of course, your budget.

Good Luck!

The Guide to Yaya Hunting

I won't say "I have no idea how my mother raised me without the help of a Yaya", because I do.

For the first month after giving birth, I was hands-on on everything. Not a single help from anyone, not even my mother (who did not live with us then but was in the process of moving in). Our household help is only dedicated to doing household chores and she was over fifty years old, so I did not really expect her to do more, since she's got her hands full with the housework alone.

It took me 30 days looking for the ideal Yaya and I've learned a lot from the process of Yaya Hunting. Here are a list of things I prepared for before starting the hunt:
1. Have a biodata sheet ready. - You can just make a biodata sheet of your own and have it filled out by your potential Yaya prior to the interview. You can just put questions you want to know the answers to. For instance, if it matters to you that she knows how to speak English, then have a question there that asks what languages or dialects she speaks. Make sure you have her completely filled out biodata with you when you do the interview. Having this file also allows you to verify her identity and claims later on.Believe me, you want to know what the biodata reveals ---- such as underlying illness, civil status, number of children, religion, etc.

2. It pays to know what exactly you're looking for. - Have a list of things you expect your Yaya to have moderate experience on and things you expect her to be an expert on. Do you prefer a married Yaya with children or would you rather hire someone who does not have a dependent? Once you have the list of your Preferred Yaya, make sure you have it with you during all potential Yaya interviews. If they fit the criteria, then it will be easier for you to make the decision whether to hire them or not.

Don't forget to consider the following factors when setting the criteria:
a. How old is the ward? (new born, 6 months, 3 years old, etc)
b. Will you be giving allowances? (load allowances, clothing allowance/uniforms, etc.)
c. Full-time Yaya or just assistance to the mother?
d. Will there be benefits? (SSS after a year, health, etc.)
e. Do you prefer the ones from provinces far away or just hours away from where you live?
f. Will you consider relatives and family of your existing household help or not?

3. Have her job description ready. - Some yayas expect to only take care of the kid and nothing else. However, some Yayas also wash the kids' clothes. Some Yayas prepare everything day-in to day-out, while some only takes care and assist the mom. Make sure it is clear what the Yaya's schedule is and what her tasks are. For instance, bottle feeding, diaper duty, wash the kids' clothes on Saturdays and Day Offs on Sundays. Don't forget to specify her salary, allowances and bonuses. Again, it helps to have these things listed.

4. Have them sign. - Once you and your yaya have agreed on the terms of her employment, you can make a contract of your own. Something that proves her understanding of the job description, conditions, and requirements. One thing that I put in my Yaya's 'mini-contract' is that she needs to advise us 30 days before she plans to leave to give us time to look for a replacement and she must not have any existing advances at the time of her separation.

5. Make copies to give away. - I photocopied a blank biodata and list of the criteria of my preferred Yaya and gave few copies to chosen and trusted friends and relatives to help me find and set up a pool of potential Yayas. It's easier to spot the right one when you have choices.

One thing I learned from fellow mother friends, avoid hiring a Yaya from an agency as much as possible. Not only do you not know their real background, but you also will have very little idea of their attitude, behavior and work ethics. These things are normally not found on biodatas. But if the agency you're looking at hiring from is an agency you trust and know, then perhaps it's okay.

Also, if you are considering the idea of referrals, make sure the Yaya is from a trustworthy source. A "friend of a friend of a friend's yaya" is not really a safe bet. Since you will have to find the "friend of a friend of a friend's Yaya" before you can confirm your Yaya's identity, claims and background. And sometimes, because of the long process of the search, the confirmation never gets done. You still end up not knowing the person you leave your child with for more than half the day.

Try not to be too desperate during the hunt to the point of putting signboards on your gate saying Wanted Yaya. Walk-in Applicants or those who knock on your door to apply are possibly the scariest and the most dangerous of all. You don't know them --- at all.

Good luck !!!

Pregnancy Rash

It's a last trimester pregnancy rash called P.U.P.P --- Pruritic Urticarial Papules of Pregnancy. 70% of pregnant women who suffer from this rash carry a boy and it breaks out during the last trimester of a pregnancy. 1 out of 200 women suffer from P.U.P.P and unfortunately, I was 1 out of 200.

I was on my 32nd week when I started having stretch marks on my tummy. Something i did not really freak out about. I was pregnant, it was natural and there were very little of them. But then I started experiencing a weird itch on my tummy, right where my stretchmarks were. I didn't really pay attention, i just scratched when i itch, thinking it was my skin stretching. That was until I noticed small wheels on my tummy, wheels that looked like mosquito bites. It itched like crazy, I ended up with scars below my bellybutton.

After a week, the rash started appearing on my legs and I thought that it would stop there. Oh but it didn't. The rash eventually spread to my thighs, arms, legs, even my hands and feet. Only my back, neck and face were spared. I'd wake up crying in the middle of the night. I drove my husband crazy asking him to fill the tub with ice so I can dip myself into it to numb my skin, which makes the itching stop ---- for about 10 minutes. In short, 85% of my body itched 24 hours a day.

I suffered from this morally damaging rash until my 38th week. It disappeared almost instantly an hour after I gave birth to my son via normal delivery.

When i still had it, I religiously saw my dermatologist everyweek for a checkup. Although there's really no cure for P.U.P.P, except to give birth to the baby (the baby's male DNA is the allergen), she had to do something to help control the itch. She worked hand-in-hand with my OB-Gyn to make sure that whatever medication I had to take would do no harm to the baby. They both let me take steroids starting with 20mg once a day during the first big rash breakout. They took the dosage down to 10mg and then to 5mg as my due date neared. Honestly, the steroids did not really help. Nothing did.

Now, looking back, I am glad that phase is over. It actually made me kind of a stronger mom, like i can take on anything. Of course I'd rather not go through that again, but it's okay that I did. Another reason I'm Spider-Mom. ;)

Big Toy for the Small Boy

It's true. Shopping for baby is a lot more fun than fitting fancy dresses that end up too tight.

We were looking for a developmental toy for our 4 1/2 month old son. I wanted something that would help him discover "cause and effect".

The Jumperoo is an Award-Winner. From http://www.fisher-price.com/, the Rainforest Jumperoo is described as: A place full of wonderful sights and sounds. The Rainforest Jumperoo brings it all down to size for little explorers! Still tons of safe jumping fun (which will activate rainforest music and lights!), but now there are toys all around the rainforest—and overhead—with a spinning seat that helps baby explore them all. This baby jumper features a bobbing elephant, swinging monkey, spinning lizard and more that baby will just “go wild” for! Baby spins drum to activate lights and music (Mom can activate for four minutes of continuous play). The baby jumper's soft spring covers keep little fingers safe and three-position height adjustment ensures a custom fit for your child.

The Jumperoo's price tag in Toy Town, Eastwood City Mall is P11,999.00

When we took the Jumperoo, Toy Town gave away a free Fisher-Price 2-in-1 Turtle Gym, which works kind of like the play gym but is ideally used when the baby is on his tummy instead of his back.

Because of this giant cause and effect toy, I had to rearrange furniture in his room to give space to the Jumperoo. It is quite big. I'm 5 foot 4 and it's about as high as my hips. It is foldable, though, but it doesn't fold as small as other toys do. That's understandable, given that the Jumperoo has a height limit of 81 cm (32 inch babies) and a weight limit of 25 lbs. (11.3 kilo babies). But it should only be used for a child who is able to hold his/her head up unassisted but who is not able to climb out or walk.