My Breastfeeding Journey

I have long wanted to write about my breastfeeding experience but life got in the way. In celebration however of World Breastfeeding Week (update: okay, I started this before August and never got around to finishing it - story of my blogging life - but since it technically still is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month here in the Philippines, you know what they say right, better late than never), I am finding the time to buckle down (read: blog when the baby's asleep using an iPhone in the middle of the night) and share my journey.

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The ABCs

Mama: Say apple
M: Ahh-pull
Mama: Ball
M: Bol
Mama: Cat
M: aht
Mama: Car
M: Cawh
Mama: Dog...


M: Arf! Arf!

Such a laugh trip. It's really about the simple joys. M now interacts a lot more at 15 months. He mimics a lot and just really entertains us to no end. (click read more)

Call Me Maybe Introducing.....

*To full enjoy the video below, please allow to stream fully before pressing play.

Here's a weekend treat! First there was Bieber and friends, then the Harvard Baseball Team, the Abercrombie & Fitch boys and now introducing... (click on read more)

M.I.A

In the past few weeks, we have celebrated our grandmother's 90th birthday, my mom's birthday, my niece's birthday, Mother's Day...
and those were the big moments.

In between and on top of that we had family get-togethers and mini reunions, M's days out, the random night out with friends, playgroups, children's parties, faced some personal battles, gotten busy with work, work, work and even endured another cycle of the common cold. How I wish I could blog more often. But any free time is best spent with the little one and okay fine, catching up with the Gs- Grey's, Game of Thrones and Gossip Girl. Forget the latter. That show jumped the shark a season ago when everyone started dating everyone and their best friends and best friend's partners *cough* Dair *cough*. Gotta still love the fashion though. I digress. Realistically, the best I can do for now and in the interim is post daily photos on instagram (@jajarama).

These last few weeks have felt like a lifetime. But such is life and like I always say, being busy is always a blessing and with each day comes new experiences and learnings. (click on read more)

Havin' A Ball!

I've always thought security blankets were cute. But Manu did not really take to having one. Some time ago, when we brought him to his pediatrician, we noticed him holding tightly to this from the house all the way to the clinic and back, without letting go or dropping it once. Yes, that means he held on to this from the house, in the car, up the stairs to the clinic, while getting his vaccine shot, down the stairs and well, you get the picture. It was the cutest thing really.

Here's a photo of his pedia Dr. Limchiu doing his routine check up. Notice M's right hand.

...still holding on to that ball. Oh on a side note, we finally got him his first flip flops in time for summer. Aren't those baby Havaianas just lovely on my little superman? 


Back to the tale of the traveling balls. He finally let go when we got home, then took another one when we left shortly thereafter for the mall. (click on read more)

Tricks of the Trade (Video Version)

It has been a blessedly crazy few weeks at work and at home hence the lack of posts. 


Here's a little quick treat to make up for it.


If you read about Manu's newest trick, check out the video version below. 




And since we can all do with a little more smiles in the world, here's an extra dose of cuteness to get you over hump day.



So which look do you like more- his blue steel or magnum pa-cute or gigil?

Tricks of the Trade

At one year old, Manu can...

Wave bye-bye

Give you a flying kiss

Give me five

Take his first few steps

Get off the bed feet first

Act out the song "I have two hands"

Scrunch up his nose 

Sign Milk

Make "Gigil"

Say mama, papa, yaya, ba-loon 

Clap

Do Hip Hip Hooray!

and now this:

That's his make "pa-cute" look.

And here's the encore performance

 

Ah, the joys of motherhood.

Happy Weekend!

Manu's 1st Birthday Carnival

Planning a party is stressful enough. But planning your child's birthday party, and a firstborn's first birthday at that, now well, that's just a whole different level of madness, and just like your very own wedding, you want every detail to be perfect. 

I started planning more than a month back but I hear some parents even plan six months in advance. Having been in marketing for about a decade now, I would like to think doing events comes naturally to me. However, those who know me well enough, dear hubby most especially, know how obsessive I can get when it comes to these things. In anything I put my heart and mind into, I always give it my all and never like doing things half-baked. Add to that merry mix a full-time job/s and being a full-time breastfeeding momma, and it's an even crazier party! 

Suffice to say, stress and frazzled nerves aside, I had the best time planning my son's first birthday. Must give credit to the hubby who chose the theme which was vintage carnival and we took it from there. It was madness alright, but of the best kind. Wish I could do it all over again. (click on read more)