OWSEE MOMMY PART II- THE BASKETS

Hi there! It's been some time since I posted my last blog. I've been busy with my job, my business and of course, my family. So here's the continuation of my previous blog. I'm an OC mom, and I'm proud of being one!

How do you organize your baby's essentials? Some moms find it easier to just grab these things over when they need them. But for me, I find it more helpful to put everything in one container so I always have them handy and so, it's easier for me to grab. I use Baskets, those plastic baskets that you can buy in homeworld stores or even in the market. They're very affordable and easy to clean.

 I use this basket for my baby's bath and body essentials: powder, alcohol, lotion, cologne, oil, liquid soap, shampoo. I always bring it with me whenever I take him to bath.

I also use another basket, a wider but also handy one ( I forgot to take the pic though). It is where I put my baby's everyday essentials: 2-3 pcs of diaper, wipes, feeding bottles, milk dispenser, powder, etc. I always tell my son's nanny to make sure everything's in the basket on the start of the day 'til night time. This also saves us time like if my son needs feeding, everything will be on hand.

OWSEE Mommy Part 1: The Hangers

Being a woman, I always see to it that my things are always in the right place and well organized. Well, not being an OC (Obsessive Compulsive) type of person, it just feels good when I see my things in order. And when my little one came, I always make sure that his things are well kept so I won't have a difficult time looking for them. Here's the first part of my OC OC mommy needs.

HANGERS- I know they are on the basic things that we need to keep our clothes organized. But this time, I found myself buying for baby hangers. And I have tons of them now. Haha! These cute little plastics makes my baby's clothes wrinkle free and neat. I even enjoyed looking at their different bright colors. 

                                                                       Cute Design

                              Baby Hangers in bright colors (SM Baby Company 59.75/pack of 6)

 Since my baby is just 3 months old, I only have his onesies hanging. I still keep some of his shirts folded 'cause he still won't be using them and they're still new. I couldn't resist buying these hangers because they also give me more space for his "pambahays" and sleepwears which I just store folded on his big plastic box container.

                                                       My baby's onesies on their hangers :)

This is only the first part mommies. I still have a lot of OC OC mommy needs that I would like to share with you. Check out my next post!

BAGS...For Me or For Baby?

I'm a BAGaholic! And yes, I admit it. From handbags, shoulder bags, party bags, big bags, name them all- I have them! Even if asked what gift would I want for my birthday, I would ask them for a bag. My hubby also knows how addicted I am. I would even ask him to buy me one or two when we go shopping. But when my baby was about to be born, a different kind of bag came to my mind- Diaper Bags! Oh no! I need them ASAP! 

So what I did was, I added a diaper bag on my baby shower wishlist. And I got it! Presto! I now have a Baby Couture Diaper Bag in Baby Blue. Thanks to my friends Sofie, Malou and Angel for checking this out. It's really a space saver.

This bag has a great space inside which can accommodate baby necessities for an overnight stay out. I used this as a hospital bag to put my baby's newborn clothes and things. I was also able to put some of my pajamas in it. It also have inside compartments and outside pockets where you can put some of baby's little needs. It also comes with a diaper changing pad and a small clear organizer.

Baby Couture Diaper Bag in Baby Blue (SM Baby Company 1299.75)

But oh, I think this bag isn't enough yet. I still need another one. Well, not as big as this bag, but something that's just enough for baby's needs when we go out. I mean, when we need to go to his pedia for his monthly well-baby check up. Or when we want to go to the malls, or just when we want to go out with him for at least 2 to 4 hours. So I think I need a smaller bag now. Haha! 

Then I found a little but okay diaper bag. Little compared to the one I already have. Okay, since I can put baby's enough things inside. Here comes Graco, a bag that we can bring most of the time.

It's not as big as what my usual diaper bag is, but we can definitely bring this when we go out and when it's his check up time. It can simply hold around 3-4 feeding bottles, 1-2 diapers, milk dispenser, baby wipes, diaper changing pad, alcohol, burp cloth. Just enough space for a 2-5 hrs of being away from home. It also has some small pockets outside that can also hold feeding bottles.

Graco Circa Small Diaper Bag in Baby Blue (SM Baby Company 399.75)

My Diaper Bags, is it really mine or my baby's? 

Have you noticed that both of them are in baby blue? So I think they're my baby's bag. Not mine. Haha! :)

Baby Yale is a Rash-Free Baby!

Keeping our little ones as comfortable as we want them to be is a very crucial thing that every mom has to deal with. Mainly because we won't know what would keep them out from crying so often and how we can protect their baby-soft skin. Being a first time mom, this has never been a so-so difficult situation for me. I just thought of giving what my baby demands, and what I know would keep him comfy.

From the time that baby Yale was born, I wasn't able to experience dealing with cloth diapers ("lampin", curity or whatever we call them). I bought a pack of Huggies Newborn Diapers in 24's from SM Baby Company 202.75 and I find it very good (quality-wise) for my baby's use. I even tried using Pampers and EQ Dry, since most moms would advise me to be budget wise. But nah, I wouldn't sacrifice my baby's comfort for a little coin difference. I shifted back to Huggies and now, my baby uses Huggies Dry Comfort.

For changing my baby's diapers, I use these: Cotton Pleats and warm water when he poops, Pigeon Baby Wipes when he's wet. I also apply some Johnson's Baby powder to keep him fresh.

 My baby's diaper changing essentials: Pigeon Baby Wipes (SM Baby Company 109.75/pack of 90 wipes), Cotton Pleats (SM Baby Company 59.75), Johnson's Baby Powder in a puff container

                  Huggies Dry Comfort in Medium size in 42's available at SM Baby Company 344.75

                                                            A closer look at the diaper

It will be one of our nightmares when our babies experiences diaper rashes. Well, it wouldn't keep them from being comfortable anymore. So what I do to prevent them is I apply Vandol Cream at least twice a week after giving him a bath. My pedia even recommended me to apply it every diaper change and don't ever let my baby's diaper stay for more than 6 hours. Luckily, my baby didn't experience having diaper rashes. I also use Cutivate Cream when my baby has pink or red spots on his face or body. Those were not rashes though and every baby experience them especially when they're newly born.

These are the samples of my Pedia: Cutivate Cream and Vandol Ointment (I haven't bought them yet so I still don't know the market price)

Giving the best for our babies doesn't mean we have to spend a lot, we just have to feel what our baby needs and what our budget says. There is still no substitute for our precious babies comfort.

            This is what my baby looks like when he's so comfy...so adorable...Isn't that priceless? :)

My Baby's Bath and Body Essentials

Hi again! I just want to make a review on my baby's bath and body needs. Things that I think are most essential of keeping his skin soft and smooth. 

As a kid once, I had a good experience with Johnsons products since my mom used that for all of us. Well I think that is the only dependable baby product available in the market at that time. Checking out on today's products, Johnsons may be one of the most affordable ones. We now have Pigeon, Chicco, Nivea, Farlin, etc. But then, I still decided to give what I've already tested to my baby. And I was never wrong.

I damp him enough Johnsons baby oil on his chest, feet and back before giving him a bath. This keeps his body warm while taking a bath. When he was born up until his 2nd month, I used Top to Toe Wash also from the same brand. But I noticed that his getting dry scalp. So my pedia adviced me to use Johnsons Baby Shampoo (the original bottle in yellow) and I use Cetaphil Liquid Soap for his body to keep it moisturized, also to keep his body free from red spots or rashes. 

The products I use on my baby: Cetaphil Liquid Soap (available at Watsons 279.75/250ml), Johnsons Baby Powder Original ( SM Baby Company 86.00/300grams), Johnsons Isopropyl Alcohol 70% solution (SM Baby Company  77.00/500ml), Johnsons Baby Top to Toe Wash (SM Baby Company 199.75/500ml), Johnsons Baby Shampoo (SM Baby Company 104.00/200ml), Johnsons Baby Oil Lite (SM Baby Company 73.00/125ml), Johnsons Baby Cologne (SM Baby Company 63.00/125ml)

After bath, I apply some Johnsons Baby Powder on his genitals, butt, underarms, back and his chest. A little amount of Johnsons Baby Cologne as well to keep him smelling fresh. I'm still not using lotion on his skin right now, but will definitely on his 4th month. I will then give him Johnsons Baby Milk Lotion to keep his skin soft and smooth.

Have you ever noticed your baby's dry scalp since they were born? According to researches, that is called "cradle cap" and would go away sometime until their 1st year. So my pedia adviced me to apply a small amount of Mineral Oil (of any brand) on his scalp 5 minutes before taking a bath every day. So I do it using a piece of cotton, but be sure to wash his hair thoroughly with shampoo and water so there will be no oil left. Leaving oil on his scalp will cause clogging of his pores. Well, I found this mineral oil very helpful since I can see improvement on his dry scalp. 

And also, I don't forget to apply some oil on his stomach, scalp and feet by 6:00 pm to keep him warm. I use Aceite Manzanilla for this. It would also prevent babies to get colic. So less crying at night. :)

Helpful Oils I use on my baby: RHEA Aceite Manzanilla (Available at Mercury Drug 32.25/120ml), Apollo Mineral Oil (Watsons 67.00/120ml)

Every baby is a precious gift from God. These tiny people we nourish deserves only the best. As the old Johnsons slogan says, "Ikaw lamang, wala nang iba"...

MOM CARD: A Must-Have To All Moms!

Diapers, clothes, toiletries, feeding bottles, toys, and everything that our baby needs. Where do you buy them? Well, not being a "maarte" kind of mom, but I think my baby deserves only the best that I could ever think of. So I decided to buy everything that I need for my baby only at SM Baby Company. Why? Mainly because they sell most of what I need for my baby and also because they have a MOM Card, like the SM Advantage Card, you earn points every time you use it.

            I got this card on May 2011 before my baby was born, when I was shopping for baby things


How to Avail?
For 500 pesos worth of purchase at SM Baby Company, you can get a card FREE of charge. You just have to show your receipt and fill out a form. And presto! You now have your MOM Card which is good for 3 years.

The good thing about this card is the points you earn. Unlike the SM Advantage Card (which gives you 1 point for every 200 pesos you spend), MOM Card gives you 1 point for every 50 pesos you spend. Like when we purchased our baby's first stroller from Irdy, it costs Php 2,199.75 plus a stroller pad for 599.75 so it earned us 55.99 points. That's a great deal! Earning points is so easy if you will buy all your baby essentials at SM Baby Company. The good thing about this is you can even use this card at SM Dept store, SM Supermarket and Watsons. But I think the points you earn is like the normal point of an SM Advantage card which is 200 = 1, but still very helpful to earn more points right?

So I make sure that everytime I need something for baby, I would desperately run to use my Mom Card. I can use it to purchase anything from Baby Company when I want to redeem my points. Isn't that great?

To all moms, make sure you get this card. It's really a MUST!

Greyam Yale's First Holy Sacrament...BAPTISM

Baptism, the first holy sacrament that all of us Catholics must have. It is said that the Original Sin (which was committed by Adam and Eve) will be washed out once it was given.

From the Date, Church, Food and Sponsors...I did all the planning. I only got a little time to plan since we decided to have our baby's baptism on his 3rd week of life. Why? Simply because we need to head back to the City, hubby wants us to go back home so he can be with him everyday. I gave birth in Pampanga so he can only go there twice a week, when he's off from work.

Date: June 5, 2011 - Baby Yale's 3rd week of life.

Church: Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando, Pampanga - This wasn't actually my first choice, I really wanted him to be baptized at the same church where I was, Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Camp Olivas. But unfortunately, the officiating priest was out of the country. So then, I decided to give him a mass baptism, wherein all babies to be baptized are there and only one priest. But it's fine, I realized that we only spent a little not more than 700 pesos for the church, inclusive of registration, candle, long dress and sponsors. Not bad huh? :)

                My baby's Baptismal Barong Pair bought at SM Baby Company for only Php 299.75

                                                        Yale on his Baptismal White Dress

Our Family Picture

Food: We had 5 different dishes cooked by my mom, one lechon and a little candy corner. I think for the food and drinks, we didn't spend more than 12,000 pesos which is already good for 100 persons. We really didn't want to spend too much on this since we know that we would be spending more on the next couple of months for our baby's check-ups and boosters. But everything went well and the food was great even on a budget.

  Yale's little candy treats that served as giveaways to guests. Hubby took the photo when we were setting up                  

                                Mom's cake gift to Yale, it's a moist chocolate cake, super yummy!

        Too bad, we were too busy with the guest and weren't able to take pictures of the buffet table. :(

Sponsors: Our baby's ninongs and ninangs were composed of our relatives and close friends.Some of them even travelled to Pampanga to be there. We really appreciated everyone who came.

         With the Ninong and Ninangs (mostly Ninangs since the Ninongs were unavailable due to work)

                                               Baby Yale with his gifts. Thank You so much!

We were even surprised that we didn't spend much on this. We only spent around 14-15k pesos. Not bad for a good luncheon reception. I didn't have printed invitations but I just tagged an online invitation to my guests. No personalized giveaways but our little candy corner served as giveaways to guests for them to enjoy. My mom bought a baptismal cake as at Sweet and Fancy as a gift. It was indeed a very special yet simple celebration of our son's Christening. 

Next Big Celebration: Yale's 1st Birthday. I'm already thinking of the concepts and planning now so I still have 10 months to do it. I want everything to be perfect on his Big Day!

Nappy, Nappy, Nappy...What should I use on my Baby?

Hi there fellow moms! After giving birth for the First time, how did you decide on which diaper should you use on your baby? Maybe some moms recommended you branded ones like Huggies, Pampers, Drypers and the like. Or some might have told you to use EQ since it's budget friendly. But did you ever think of deciding on your own? I mean, as a mom? On what you feel is best for your baby?

It was such a dilemma for me as well, like any other moms. Before baby Yale was born, I bought a pack of Huggies Newborn (they come in 24's) costs 202.75 at SM Baby Company. My mom told me that it's the only brand available for newborn, but then we found out weeks later that EQ also have theirs. But still I decided to use Huggies. When I ran out of nappies, I asked hubby to buy another pack for me but unfortunately, there's no available near our place. So instead, he bought Pampers Dry (comes in 19's) costs 199.75. Tried it but I didn't like the smell, it smells like a sanitary napkin. It's thinner than Huggies so I decided to just consume the pack and buy Huggies again. I don't usually stock up nappies because I'm afraid that it won't fit my baby anymore.

On his first month, I shifted to Huggies Small (in 16's) costs 139.75 at SM Baby Company. I prefer to buy there since I got a Mom Card, which earns me points for the things I buy for my baby. But my bad, I wasn't able to stock up much so I need to run to the grocery nearby to buy another pack when I ran out. And again, I wasn't able to find one so I tried EQ Dry Small (travel pack comes in 20's) costs 134.75 at Robinsons Supermarket. I thought I was able to save money since it's 4 diapers more than Huggies for almost the same price. But then, one morning, I noticed that our bed is wet. Oh, no! My baby Yale's diaper just leaked out! So I thought it's EQ DRY??? His nanny even told me that he would always cry whenever he feels that he's wet. I even noticed that he's very irritable when he pooped and diaper sags. So again, I shifted him back to Huggies which makes him more comfy and less worries for me.

If budget is not a problem for us moms, let's not sacrifice our baby's comfort. I still stick to Huggies. It's still the BEST for my baby!

Our Little Angel...GREYAM YALE

The big day is finally here: I'm Gonna Be A Mom!

May 14, 2011 at around 9:30 in the morning, I was induced at Manabat Maternity Hospital, Sto. Tomas, Pampanga. No labor pains for the couple of days and baby was still hanging high, my cervix was approximately only 2cm dilated. So I decided to induce my labor so I can finally see my little baby boy, I was even so excited though my sister-in-law told me that having an induced labor will be very painful compared to natural labor. But still, I decided to have it. At exactly 9:45 in the evening, I gave birth to a very loveable baby boy, weighing 3.2 kgs...Greyam Yale.

It was the biggest day of my life: having a new life. At first, I can't believe that I'm already a mom, 'cause everything went fast. I never even knew that I already gave birth since I had a painless delivery. All I can remember is that I was trying to push my baby out and when I woke up, I was already at my room, very dizzy and thirsty. I can hear my baby crying and all I wanted was to stand up and see him...My precious angel, my little boy.

A Dream Come True

Finally, the big day came. My dream ever since I was a little girl came true...To get MARRIED!!!

Of course, all of us ladies have this dream- to find the perfect man, fall in love and get married. But I never thought of finding a perfect man, I just came to realize that there isn't a perfect guy. Yes, I met him. He could not be the perfect man or any other lady could dream of, but he was the PERFECT man for me...Someone REAL.

Our wedding is simple- TROPICAL THEMED WEDDING in the METRO. Our venue, California Gardens Square Poolside in Mandaluyong. I compiled every detail of the wedding- from the theme, food, entourage, program, dresses, photography...everything. We got some help and assistance to my husband's high school friend Knoll (owner of Knoll Lounge) to coordinate the wedding cause it will be very stressful for me since I'm pregnant. Photographers were also my husband's friends so we really saved much on our wedding. I didn't wore a wedding gown, I bought a dress which will accommodate my 7-month tummy at that time and will suit our theme. My husband also bought a pair of tropical clothes and slippers. We provided our families with their dresses according to our wedding theme. We even asked our guests to wear their most comfortable tropical attire and slippers- we didn't require them to wear shoes (it's summer anyway).

March 30, 2011- that was the BIG DAY! I walked down the aisle as the bride of a loving man. Together with our families and friends, we shared our "I Do's" and gave each other our vows. Promised to take care of each other and be loving parents to our soon-to-be son. Yes, I am pregnant when we got married and I'm proud of it. There's nothing to be ashamed of. We a re both proud and our families are all excited for our bundle of joy. It was a memorable day for me. A simple wedding given by a loving man, and a promise of love that I will forever cherish.

NEW!

Hi! Due to privacy reasons, I deleted my previous account and just created this one. I missed writing things about my new life now as a wife, and of course as a mom. So now, here is my new account...wishing to create more from life's wonderful gifts. Happy reading!