Gadgets Limited

Hubs and I have been learning where to toe the line on gadgets use for Yakee. I got really annoyed when he let our son play Angry Birds one time with only "Sunday mornings" as condition because I felt it took away from actual bonding time for them and can prove too long as that would be till 11:59 AM. Good thing he was quick enough to adopt my idea of "long drives" instead to keep Yakee off his back while driving and we'd have relative peace in the car. The price of this, however, is that our son now is usually bent on the touch-screen phone instead of watching out for backhoes or flyovers with us. There goes opportunities for getting kisses.

Now, reading off the tablet PC is allowed only when it's weekend mornings or at bedtimes away from home, when we don't have books on hand. Hubs has also tasked me to come up with a playlist for our son already to listen to on long drives, so he'd get more familiarized with lyrics and songs. Soon enough, I just know it, we may be arguing Ipod accessories and requests for own tablets. Sigh.

My only rule is... gadgets shouldn't take away from actual interaction. So, when I let Yakee 'paint' at the Jackson Pollock site, I make sure I am there to still talk him through what he's doing. It's just so easy to lose them in a virtual world... I have to be vigilant.

Sick Kids = Sick Mom

It started with Yakee getting hives, getting better, then getting hives more aggressively which resulted in a trip to the ER, and a follow up with his main pedia.

Then, getting colds and starting to cough, and now with hives again. And the hives appeared after we were at the HMO pedia for his colds/cough. Stress!

And then Yamee exhibiting what seemed to be allergic rhinitis last Saturday. He is getting better and can eat and feed now but upon consultation with the HMO pedia, we found out phlegm in his lungs. So, now, it's antibiotics time (which, weirdly enough, he likes. But most vitamins, he hates).

But all these has cost me stress and sleepless nights... and maybe, a cookie binge. And I also had to go to the ENT in case what I have isn't allergy and is actually a virius. But alas, I lost him at 'breastfeeding.' You can actually see him want to get rid of me asap. He never discouraged me from breastfeeding, more like, he acted as if he couldn't do more than double my decongestant dosage because I was breastfeeding.

Ah well.

This too shall pass.

Ready for Trick or Treating

This is a long overdue post on cuteness.





Sophia's party is the only party, so far, that Yakee truly enjoyed. He joined the games and sat along with the other kids in front to watch the show. And he was game enough to come in costume! Two costumes, even! Haha.

I just hope Yakee won't outgrow these costumes so he can go around Alabang with his cousins as a tiger. The lion costume is just so hot, you see, even if they're only dishing out halloween party favors to trick or treaters from my BIL's garage.

A Boob Job Present for a Birthday Gift

I will not include a link here to the news site but just feel free to Google or Bing "Sarah Burge, Human Barbie, gifted her daughter with a boob job voucher for 7th birthday" and you're sure to get many hits.

My initial reaction was "Ewww." and my friend's, "Disgusting." And I guess we're both referring to both the Human Barbie's face (who looks soooo unnatural) and the implication of the gift. And I don't really care if the mother says that she's just giving her daughter the option, should she someday want her boobs fixed, enlarged, changed, etc., because it still screams inappropriate to me.

Heck... heels for little girls are inappropriate, this is verging on perverted and abuse. After all, why would a 7-year old scream with delight over a future boob job if she's not being raised with the notion that she's need or want one?

Now, i'll just get back to searching appareils photo numériques and silently thank my happy problem of not having their money, which seems to be tied to their poor self-image as well. And I soooo won't ever take pictures of that scary-looking Sarah Burge.

Pumping Momma

I have been real busy. And yes, because of pressing social expectations and Yakee attending day care, I have had to pump every day for the past two weeks or so. Twice a day for this week too.

And weirdly enough, I felt a weird sense of accomplishment looking at all the filled milk bottles in the ref. Hehe.

But I think my Yamee is feeling shortchanged that I have had to leave him with a bottle every day this week too. Sigh. I really hope I maximize the time Yakee's away to just fully enjoy Yamee in ways I did with Yakee.

Preparing for School

Not only do I still have a list of things to prepare and buy for Yakee, I am also psyching myself up for the 3-day-a-week commute to and from Rockwell area. I dare not even think of the risks of being out and a possible need for a social security disability insurance, having been homebound for almost four years. More than that, of course, I hope Yakee and I will always be safe.

I must also maximize the time Yakee is away on productive endeavors like blogging more and better, maybe an Odesk job, and bonding with my infant (who is no longer an infant really).

I am also storing up frozen milk now. Stress!

Mom Bloggers for Play Pilipinas

‘Play’ includes activities of children that are not controlled by adults and that do not necessarily
conform to any rules. Source

Play Pilipinas will be the country's first Play Festival. It's happening in October 21-23, 2011 and I just really can't wait!

But wait... I must tell you first that Play Universal, in a drive to promote its Active Play movement and Play Pilipinas, has invited mom bloggers for lunch. Unfortunately, only three of us were able to come. It was still great though because we managed to really interact. Leirs, Joey and I all have two kids each... but Ms. Sigrid has eight (all age ten and below) so it made for a really interesting exchange. And yes, I was texting my friend Laya about how Ms. Sigrid can manage her legion and still establish Play Universal and manage Project Brave Kids so we (laya and I) should stop ranting, haha.



Free and active play, a basic right for kids, is now being hindered by the following:
1) Adults that are unaware of the importance of play and parents themselves restricting play opportunities
2) Unsafe environments and limited play space, especially for children growing up in the city
3) Parents' Fears, that can run the gamut of social (bullying) to physical (germs, falls
4) Inadequate play policies (like barangays will construct a basketball court that may only benefit big kids, or construct playgrounds that are generic but don't really promote active play)
5) Excessive pressure for educational achievement and lack of provisions for play in school
6) Structured, programmed leisure time (play that is generally free of rules actually help facilitate better IQ and EQ)
7) Technology and the commercialization of play (e.g. instead of using their imagination with boxes and plastic containers, little girls now need miniature play kitchens and boys are hunched over gadgets instead of jumping off beds)
8) Marginalization (girls aren't encouraged to climb walls; the poor don't really have playgrounds)

So, yes... it was a very informative, however brief, encounter.

Needless to say... I am looking forward to Play Pilipinas (details of the play festival here). I don't have the P15k for the 3-day conference (and the topics, though interesting, are really targeted for academe people) but I might be forced to come up with the P3k or so for at least one of their mini workshops. I'm thinking, the one on traditional Filipino games. They're also considering a mini workshop for Play and Special Needs Kids.

The 3-day forum will cost P10,500 only and the mini-workshops P1k, thanks to more sponsors for the event.

But I am really excited about the playground installations they will be setting up (winning designs from the playground design competition) because kids will be able to move from one setup to another. And this won't be the generic slides and swings!

And then there will be the fairs on toys, books and magazines, nutrition, fashion, school and world toys. Like I told hubs, it might end up as a major shopping spree for me, haha.

Play Pilipinas is happening on October 21-23, 2011 at the SMX Convention Center. For more information and inquiries, just contact:
Play Universal Co.
9F Pacific Center, 33 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Telefax: +63 634 0416
Email: playnow@playpilipinas.com
http://playpilipinas.org/

I think this is a perfect venue for a grand EB and playdate, haha!

End of Summer

My son is now enrolled at St. Michael's incoming 'school term' (months of June to October). I, however, ended up deciding not to pursue my FSL classes (3rd level). I am intimidated by all the pumping I'd have to do and all the ferrying to and fro with Yakee. I want there to be enough time for me to take advantage of Yakee being away for a while to bond with Yamee and do some work.

It sort of feels a little sad that Yakee's going to 'school' now. I know it's a Waldorf day care but it really brings home to me that the days when I alone can provide what he needs is gone... is past... is through.

Soon, we won't just be identifying trucks but actually comparing (yes, I have to keep up and really learn!) cars and what Polaris Accessories are best for ATVs. And yes, he will be drinking beer too.

End of Summer. Not yet the end of childhood for him... but really the end of babyhood. For both of us.

Congrats Mommy Laya and Cristine

After much deliberation of the wonderful entries by the seven moms who joined my Mommy Me-Time Blog Contest, we have reached a verdict and the winner is Mommy Laya's Good Parenting is Being Good to Yourself entry :)

But because we also really loved her mashed lyrics, we're also giving Mommy Cristine a special prize. Congratulations to both moms and thanks again to Unilab for the prizes. I love your Lulur Whitening Body Scrub by the way, haha.

Now, I shall get back to checking spotting scopes just because I am considering new activities to do with Yakee. That, or I resume my Game of Thrones marathon.