WANTED: Good Night Sleep for Baby and Mummy

 One of my greatest achievements as a mummy  is successfully establising Aki’s bedtime routine and schedule. Sleep training is important to me because if Aki’s up all night playing or crying, that means  I was also up all night playing or crying too. I love spending time with my son but since I go to work during the day, making sure that we both get enough rest at night is a priority.  

I tried to read as much as I could on sleep training. The most helful material was from Elizabeth Pantley ( she just came out with a new book on Separation Anxiety, btw)  

So what exactly did I do  

1. Watch out for cues and patterns. For Aki, sleepy means yawning and rubbing his eyes. Whenever I saw these signs which were around 6PM when Aki was still on his 2nd month, we’d immediate go inside our room and start our routine.

2. Set the stage. The room should be quiet, dimly lit and distraction-free

3. Practice a consistent bedtime routine. Ours consisted of  

• last diaper change for the day
• pajama
• a short story
• turning on the night lamp
• good night kiss
• shushing and patting of the bum

 By Aki’s 4th month, I did not wait for cues anymore. I just start the routine consistently, doing it at the same time every day. At 5 months, he can already sleep thru the night!  

Here are more helpful tips from Elizabeth’s website:    

A Froggy Half-y Birthday Party for Aki

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April 11 will go down on the Endaya history book as the day we first hosted a celebration at home. There were a lot of things to be thankful for. First, we have finally moved in to our own house. Mega thanks to the OC-ier and more praning version of me, my mom, for helping out. Even if the turn over of the house was delayed for almost six months, and imperfections are all over the place, the house is not so bad after all. The sun rays pass thru our windows in the morning, allowing us to sunbathe Aki in vitamin E.  We get to spend lazy Sundays at homebecause it is malilim and mahangin in the afternoon. Second, there is a new addition to Familia Kiki. Jane, our very first helper and yaya  is really masipag and learns fast. Aki did not even experience any stranger anxiety when she arrived.  Third, although bad men broke into our house 6 days after we moved in, no one got hurt, and nothing really valuable was stolen.

But main reasons why we had a mini celebration were

–         Aki is six months old!! And

–         We got the go signal from our pedia to start feeding Aki with solid foods! Yipeeeey!

 

 

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Riiiiiibit…… Riiiiiibit……Riiiiiibit….  

 

The frog prince will be having a Half Birthday Party and his first taste of  (fly) solids!  

“Hop” you can join us  in this toad-ally fun celebration.    

 

Aki’s Swamp

April 11, Sunday 3PM    

 

Don’t frog-et to wear brown! 

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Dita Sandico Ong Birthday Sale

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Dita Sandico Ong will be holding her annual birthday sale this weekend, May 22 and 23. Dita is known for her colorful wraps which were perfect for my 2008 Pink Filipiniana wedding.

 

When she turned 49 last 2008, all the items in her shop, were on 49th % off. How cool is that?! Her birthsay sale saved tons of money. We did not just buy wraps for our entourage. I also got my bridal bag, a funky summer hat which is now with my tita, and not just one but two wraps for myself.

 

And I am happy to report that one of my ento was able to wear her DSO wrap again, for a Filipiniana-themed office party.

 

 

Aki’s 1st Swim

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This post is for my sister who said two weeks ago that we should start working on Aki’s happy childhood memories. At the tender age of 6 months, my little man has yet to meet Jollibee or go malling. The last time he went to church was for his baptism last Febuary. I don’t mind really and I don’t think Aki minds either. It’s our choice not to expose Aki to people we do not know. And I’m sticking to my decision because unlike other kids, mine hasn’t never been sick.

You, Yes, You! Thank You!

This blog, my 2.5 month old baby, received it’s 1000th visit today. Yehey! Thank you for dropping by. I hope you find something useful or interesting here.

And while you are here, pls leave a comment. I know you want to… pleasie pleasie please

Before I forget, special shout out to the visitors who googled cherry poopers, whatever that is, but were somehow directed here.

Sale and New Designs At GoogooandGaga

 

Adobo Week Starts Today

It’s already Sunday and Jane is still not here.

Sadly, my mom, Ate Che her helper, and my niece Jyl, already went home to Elbi. Before they left, I had a quick trip to Benjie’s, Better Living’s neighborhood talipapa to buy 1.5 kilo of pork strips. Ate Che turned them into adobo and stored them in small microwavable containers so we just need to heat one up when we get hungry.

 

The adobo week started at 5:30 when Aki woke up and decided to gigil pinch his daddy’s nose and suck his mummy’s knee. Franky indulged in his new fave hobby, drowning our newly landscaped garden using his new garden hose sprayer with 8 settings. Because I was busy preparing our breakfast, including Aki’s boiled squash, and Aki was being his fussy self, my favorite gardener had no choice but to wear Aki using my sling.

By 10.30, we were done eating, washing the dishes and Aki’s bottle, feeding and bathing the baby, sweeping and mopping the floor.  When you have a baby who always wants to have a good view of what you are doing else be fussy, it’s difficult to multitask. We , actually I, had to let go of the small to-do’s like cleaning the stove top and  wiping the kitchen sink dry.

 

Exactly Two Years Ago

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We had our engagement photos taken at the colorful Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon!

 Photog – Mangored

OTD coordinator-  Camz of Fab Occasions

HMUA – Chichi Sotomil

The photos were later published in Roam, a travel magazine. 🙂

The Jejemon is on AWOL

 

Jane jane jane. 

 

Just when I thought we were so lucky to have a great yaya and all around help..

Just when I have decided to give you an increase next month..

Just when I have already started researching on the livelihood programs that you can enroll  in when Aki starts school..

Just when I have started checking which banks have lower maintaining balance and fewer requirements so you could have your very first bank account

Just when I have already earmarked which pre loved blouses to give you..

Just when we have established a system that not only works but is also convenient for  both of us 

 

You, you, you, you little jejemon you..

Start to show your true colors

You are not so perfect after all

 

Contest Alert

HairinManila is giving away some beauty loot!

Crayons for little fingers are up for grabs from the FabNaima blog.

Check out their sites for details.

I hope you don’t win! –> because I want to take home the prizes.