Salute to the Graduates... and Parents as well!

Barely days before the so called Graduation month, I wanna say congratulations to all the graduates and special mention to the parents. You see, it's not only the graduate that we'll give our commendation but to the parents who labored all the way until their children finish school. It's not at all easy knowing that tuition hike is an annual thing unlike the salaries of working parents who send their children to school. Salary increase is not annually implemented so it is really hard for an average working parent who make ends meet for a family of 4 or 5. I remember when I was still in school, it is my desire to finish my education so as to give myself not only a bright future but to be able to get a decent job that will help me survive in this urban society I am into. Both my parents are working so I am just lucky that we 3 siblings are sent to a prestigious school with quality education. We may not be rich but my parents prepared us for the real world.

Once my father told us that they can only give the best education for us since they do not have all the material wealth to subdivide to us. We were not spoon-fed as to choosing what path to take but they where there to guide us by helping us create a niche in the field we chose. I am thankful that we are not very rich in money or in property because it drives us to aim for the best and finish school with flying colors. I believe that part of our parents success, achievement and fulfillment is seeing their children getting the diploma of their dreams and making it to the list of the graduating class. Getting their children's ambition is yet another story. It is a bonus after all to be able to see their children succeed in their lifetime endeavor.

So children do not waste your parents effort to send you to school because they are just preparing you for your own future. Even when they are gone, they'd be at peace to know that you can carry on your own. #schooliscool #justsaying

Amazing February!

The Love month is about to bid as farewell in 5 days. Honestly, I love how time flies so fast because of a long time dream my hubby is planning for the two of us. Anyway, we are still praying and wishing for that this year to happen. And my hubby is positive about it! Well, let's see... So much about this month that I feel so much blessed and loved because of the so many things that happened and still about to take place. Indeed the Love month didn't fail. And as always, it brought so much special events that is meaningful and extra special next to the Yuletide Season.

These are the Valentine giveaways which I told you guys that kept me busy after the holidays. I'm glad that the girls loved the treats. (Cappuccino bars, tea bags, my zodiac sign mug and a rose)

After which, we had dinner with my hubby and went out for coffee afterwards.
I didn't get flowers and chocolates or a special gift from him,
but time spent is more than any material thing can give.

These are surprise treats given to me from special people.
Not in the picture are cupcake goodies given by a friend.

We attended a Christening from an officemate who is a proud granny.
What a wonderful month to welcome a new member in the Christian world. 

Next, these two cousins are celebrating their birthdays, 2 days apart from each other.
They turned 3.
(Flashback: I gave birth 2 days before my older sister. Parang pinlano na sabay kaming magbuntis.
Amazing! The room that I occupied was the same room my sister occupied too after giving birth. Good thing because my baby was extended in the nursery due to Jaundice so I was able to stay in the same room with my sister with no additional charge from the hospital, hehehe...)

These are the separate celebrations we had for the birthday girls.

Tomorrow is another birthday (children's) party we'll be attending to be held at Jollibee. I love children parties now as I appreciate it even more when I already have my own kids. I enjoy seeing my kids happy. And come Friday is another birthday celebration to be hosted by my boss. See? February for me is all about merry-making and fun. How about you guys, how did you spend your love affair with February? #februaryislove

The Apple of my Eye turned 3

Now that you're officially 3 years old anak, I thank God for giving us the privilege to be your family. Your papa and me, your mama, alongside baby Nique will always be here for you and we'll always be together until God knows when.

Thank you Mariella for always the light whenever everything else seems gloomy
and for cheering up the whole place in our house.

Thank you Mariella for genuinely loving us in your simple yet most heartfelt gestures.
We are so proud as your parents whenever everybody cuddles and praises
how lovable and adorable you are.

Thank you little one for charming us with your talent such as dancing, singing
and you've got an inch of a mow-del my dear. Ma-ibenta nga kita, hihihi!

I pray to God that as time pass by, when you have your own life to choose,
I still wish that papa and mama can borrow a little time from you
to have a moment such as this...

And when your papa and mama is not around anymore, I pray and wish
that you and your baby sister Nique will be there for each other,
loving and supporting each other. Take care of each other and you have to be
a good older sister to Nique, ha?

With all the abundance around you, may you use it wisely and selflessly.

Soon you will learn to dream, aspire and wish on your own,
may you always call on to God for everything your heart desires and not.

And for every dream, aspirations and wishes you have in your life,
I wish and pray for it as well. Blowing candles every year on your birthday means
giving up everything to God your life each year may bring.

Happy birthday again anak!
You don't know how grateful we are your parents to have you as our child.
We are lucky that God bless you with good health, mind and body,
loving family and friends and most of all a cheerful persona that bursts with energy
day by day.

A Disheartened Mother: Update

See my related post here? This morning I heard over the news that the girl was finally turned over to the Women and Child Protection desk here in our city last night. The girl was brought by a lady who I guess is aged in her 40s or 50s. The girl looks fine and unharmed but her hair was cut short. Asked why she got the girl, the old lady said she was charmed by Keighla and found there's nobody with her around. She'll just wait for any contact number where she can return the girl. Reports said that it's unbelievable that the lady stole the child and that someone else did it.

Oh well, what's important is the girl is safe and is finally back in her parents arms. Lessons learned: never leave children unattended.

A Disheartened Mother

The recent news going around the social media particularly in Facebook saddened and broke my heart concerning a missing child. Her name is Keighla Alexa Quiñanola, 2 years old and found out that we live in the same subdivision. The incident happened just this Monday, February 10, in a mall. Our neighbor relayed to us that the girl is with her mother that time. They were in the cellphone area while her mother is in search of a phone, she let little Keighla sit in a bench or a chair. Then when they were about to get Keighla, she's no where to be found. I am upset about the negligence of the mother. How could she leave a 2-year-old child sit in a chair alone? Why didn't she think if she might fall if unattended? I was talking to my husband last night about this and I was ranting how complacent, irresponsible and careless the mother is. I have children both are girls and I know how kids move at this age. Every second is important and one move might endanger one's life. You now how curious kids are nowadays and how evil people are. Toddlers especially girls are not spared by abuse, molestation and rape. They scared me a lot this days. And fear that their organs are sold for donation. That's why even if I react over way about looking at the kids roaming around especially when we are in the mall, I see to it I won't lose sight of them. As much as possible I keep close to them all the time at arms reach. It's our responsibility as parents to keep our kids safe all the time. It'll bring more stress, anxiousness, sleepless nights, morbid thoughts, blaming on oneself and guilt if unlikely things will happen such as this. An ounce of prevention is better than cure as the saying goes.

As of press time, the police didn't consider kidnapping as a possible reason for the abducted child since there was no ransom being asked by the detaining party. The CCTV of the mall showed that unidentified woman was seen holding the girl and the police also suspect that the woman is not a stranger to the girl since there was no struggling happened. I pray that the girl is in good hands and is safe who ever holds her now. I am affected on this incident because I have a 3 and 1-year old girls. I just couldn't imagine if that would happen to me. I think I'll be insane.

Inday Sara Duterte on her Facebook via the instagram is giving a P50,000.00 reward whoever finds little Keighla. Call or text at number 09206312222. Or to her mother's contact number, Meliza Quiñanola at 09434431717. Please let us include in our prayers the safety of the kid and the she'll be rescued right away. 

From Inday Sara Duterte FB page

Valentine's treat by Euro Baker

Wow! Can't believe Valentine's day is tomorrow and this post of mine is 6 days late. I haven't tracked the time huh! That's fast. Anyway, you still have 2 days I guess to catch up on this. Last February 8, 2014, Euro Baker in Gaisano Mall (GMall) of Toril opened for the public and I loved that it opens at the same time as the grocery of GMall which is 8 o'clock in the morning. Hmm! What surprised us during we visited last Sunday is that as their Valentine treat to their walk-in customers, whenever you order a cup of brewed coffee, you get the mug for FREE! Yes, it's yours. I was delighted more since it's the Love season, they had their mugs in hearts where you can choose two designs of their mugs. We had this two as our mugs. It's just the other design is out of stock already. 

If I'm not mistaken their brewed coffee is worth 50.00 pesos. Since I asked mine to have milk, the total bill we got is 115.00 pesos. But I don't mind because their serving of the fresh milk is generous enough and their sugar is not the plain one but it's mascuvado sugar they 're using. I love Euro Baker. I love their generous serving and I loved their spaghetti bolognese ever since. Even in GMall in Davao, if I'm craving for some french food and pasta, I'd straight away proceed to their quaint resto. Aside from bread, they have a wide array of meals to choose from. Me and my hubby are now looking forward to do our early grocery as early as 8 in the morning to start our day here in Euro baker, to eat breakfast with leisure. Isn't it exciting to have a different environment while taking the first meal of the day together with your love one? Lol. #valentines2014 #eurobaker #gmalltoril

40°Celsius

A sponge bath of tap or lukewarm water and an (Opigesic) anal suppository (a paracetamol) are all it takes to manage a very high fever to a kid says the on-duty ER (Pedia) doctor when we rushed my baby girl to the hospital on early dawn last Sunday. You would not let to spike up its fever or else it will lead to convulsion which is very dangerous to the brain cells. I had this fear the day after Chinese New Year after my 1-year old daughter experience 2 days of very hot body temperature. I gave her paracetamol Tempra but still it won't go down to 37°C since Friday. (My mom, a retired nurse, believed on the accuracy of a mercury thermometer over the digital ones because digital thermometers, if the battery is weak or not very new, cannot read the exact reading. We wouldn't want to miscalculate body temperature, right? Though mercury thermometers is not recommended anymore due to safety reasons of the mercury in it (e.g. accidental dropping of it is dangerous to health because of exposure to mercury), one should handle it with utmost care if your are using it. Experience wise, I rely on the readings of the mercury thermometer. Though I want to have the ones used by doctors to get the temperature on the ear (Braun is a recommended brand), it's much expensive and don't have budget for that yet. I discovered somebody blogged about thermometers here and I find it very informative and useful for us mommies who have a toddler or infant babies.) Anyway, after I had my daughter checked-up yesterday, it is found she had Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) as ruled by my kid's pediatrician after getting the laboratory results. Her urine had pus cells and red blood cells which read from 6-8 compared to the usual 0-1 result. I'm not happy with the outcome of the result but I'm thankful that it's not Dengue since her blood platelet is between the normal values. 

For those who are not familiar what suppository is, this is what it looks like (photo below). One capsule is equivalent to 125mg which was given to my 1-year old baby as first aid in the emergency room (ER). I bought this around 18 pesos/each in the hospital where we went to.  

Photo source

Its texture and appearance looks like a hardened glue. It's smooth and jell-like in texture so it's easy to insert and push inside the anus of the baby using the tip first. Just push it slowly until you can't see any white thing peeping at the opening of the anus. But before putting it, we were told to give her a sponge bath first in tap or lukewarm water. By sponge bath, the doctor told us not to rub the cloth on the body but by patting or just wrapping the cloth on the baby's skin especially on the head part, the armpits and the "singit" area. Rubbing would cause redness if rubbed too hard and during fever the skin is sensitive and is painful if done the wrong way. Even if I rubbed it gently, the doctor executed it for me to just wrapped it at my baby's skin is enough.

Photo source

I'm just too anxious about fever on kids nowadays. Before, in my time, my mother would just give us Naprex, or a Royal Tru Orange softdrinks mixed with fresh egg (I still don't know what's the reason behind this) and we will be okay. But now, a simple fever should not be taken for granted because it might lead to something worst (e.g. Dengue, Measles, Chikungunya, or any viral infection that could lead to Pneumonia) and it might be too late. I will spend for my kids health rather than just shrugging and guessing that she/he looks fine naman kaya no need to go to the doctor. I had another experience of this when my almost 3-year old kid when she was still a year and 3 months, she was hit by Pneumonia without any signs of her coughing. She just had the same high fever and I was crying already. I had to bring her to the hospital because she was just calm and her skin color is pale already. She was just sleeping the whole time.

This time, I won't take any chances. No need to wait for worst thing to happen. I'll just use my mothering instinct and it will give me peace of mind. #sickkid 

February is Love and Giving

How fast time flies the second time. I can't stop saying this because it's indeed true like a roller coaster thing. Now it's the Love month and just yesterday we celebrated the Chinese New Year where we welcome the year of the wood horse. Everything just happens in a fast forward pace but still the season of giving is not yet over. We all know that February is the month of Valentine's day wherein we Filipinos celebrate it for the sake of love which really means a lot for us. And I think because we really are loving people, the gesture of celebrating it comes naturally within us. Like the Christmas season, a lot of establishments mostly malls and restaurants decorate its place with hearts and playing love songs in their sound systems. Isn't it heartwarming? Because Love signifies giving, we also think of gifts to give our love ones. Thus, we see vendors selling flowers and stuff to give to the love of our lives which I find really cute and mushy in an endearing way... ;-)

This month excites me because of 3 things. Well first, it's Valentine's day. Me and my hubby makes it a point to have a fancy dinner. It's just a once in a year occasion where we make a deal to dress elegantly and dine NOT just in any budget friendly restaurant. We look for a fine-dining restaurant where we haven't eaten in there yet. Now we changed plans. We planned to have a stay-cation in a hotel just within the city. It's the in thing now and we vow not to bring the kids with us. Just me and him alone. We want to hang around and be in each others arms without the kids getting our undivided attention from each other. It's kind of mushy though but in reality, married couples need this and I believe in that too. My hubby is not very vocal but he really frequently verbalizes it that I don't have time for him anymore. I know he understands because there are 2 kids that needs my utmost attention. But being a wife I should give him what is due for him. True girls? It's the time that we can spend quality time with each other and just recharge and renew away from our everyday routine.

The second thing that looks me forward to this month is our Valentine's day giveaways here in our office. Years back, the owner of the company where I'm working now, who is also my boss, gives chocolates and Valentine's tokens to single ladies. But now, every girl, single or married, gets one. What excites me is I am in charge of planning what to give for every single lady in the office. This part makes it exciting for me since I'll be getting one of it, I search for the best stuff. Months ahead, as early as Christmas season, I'm already dreading on thinking for possible giveaways. Challenging yet fun huh! Everything is all worth it especially if you see the ladies giggling as they receive their presents. Flowers and chocolates are girl's BFF same with diamonds too. Agree!?

To give you a picture of what I received in 2012, see photo below. I got this from Papelmelroti. See their link here. They have great stuff perfect for any occasion giveaways.

Paperweight

For this item, we just customized it. We bought wooden clips and glued it at the back of the "Guardian Angel on duty" sign. This serves as a double purpose now. A memo holder cum paperweight. Below, we added the caption "Happy Heart's Day!" to fit the occasion. This is a good way to hone and play one's creativity that's why I enjoy doing this annually. Last year our giveaways were envirosax bags which we got from Daiso and assorted brownies from the Fudge Factory. With the help of my ever crafty and visually gifted officemate, the giveaways makes it more alive, presentable and meaningful. Check out her blog here.

The last reason of my love for this month is my daughter's birth month. I never knew the genuine meaning of love until the birth of my first child. All the more I appreciate the meaning of giving, unconditional love, sacrifice and looking at my kid's needs first than mine are all worth it because my great joy are their happiness and comfort.

How about you? What are your thoughts on #Valentinesday? #love #family #chocolatesandflowers