It’s that time of the year again and like birthdays, mother’s day makes me feel old but happy. I am celebrating my 2nd year as a mom as Ashton turns 2 this May. I still consider myself a newbie mom and realized that being a mom is not an easy feat. We all have moms but we don’t realize how much courage, faith, and hard work it is to raise kids until we become mothers ourselves. My message to everyone and to my son Ashton is that mothers are human too, not created equally, and are imperfect. I have yet to hear about a “perfect” mom who never made mistakes. Most of all, hardworking moms need to work like men and it’s our love for our children that gives us super power strength.
This mother’s day, I salute my fellow moms out there and wish that all moms become like you. Loving, caring, hardworking, and make smart choices for their children. Mother’s day also remind me of children who grew up without moms, are orphaned, or who have irresponsible parents. I pray everyday that children around the world experience a mother’s loving care and I salute every generous moms out there who extend their love to other kids and not just their own.
Fantastic moms, you deserve a break today. Happy mother’s day!
Sorry for the late blog greeting but I want to wish our baby girl a Happy 9th Birthday! I still remember walking around with my then pregnant sister inside a mall. We were waiting for her tummy to get ready to deliver Anya into the world.
Moments like that are so special to me that I remember it like yesterday, even after 9 years. Anya’s first two years were spent here with us and I honestly thought of her as my own (until now!). It’s difficult to maintain our closeness as we are continents apart now but thanks to Skype (we also want to try video conferencing from ActConferencing.com), we get to talk like we’re in the same room. Anya is so smart just like us haha but she likes to play with dinosaurs and not barbie dolls. I can’t wait to see her again, last time was two years ago when they visited me and baby Ashton.
I am so proud of Anya who at 9, has so many achievements already. May it be awards from school, from playing a role in a stage play, to sports like swimming.
It’s challenging to breastfeed in public when you are a new mom but not with the right clothes. Aside from a breastfeeding friendly bra, you can get extra privacy with these cardigan shawls. I see a lot of them now as they are trendy to wear by everyone. It looks like a shawl but has the convenience of a cardigan where you can put your arms inside and keep it snug all the time.
When I was a newbie mom, I tried scarves etc. but they only add to the hassle until I learned how to use clothing like these that keeps my privacy even when breastfeeding in public. Most of the time, the cuts are really flattering – choose light material and neutral colours like beige or gray. Neutral colors can easily go well with your existing wardrobe.
Check out other designs at cashmere gifts where I think they are also sold but you can get these at the nearest flea markets like Greenhills or your favorite department stores
Saturday was a big day for us, it was Ashton’s first time to see Barney live! Little did he know until we entered a theater full of kids and in front of us, was Barney in “doll” mode waiting for our imagination to make him real We got there just in time about 10 minutes before the show and I was really pleased the kids did not have to wait long or else…
Ashton was obviously overwhelmed and in disbelief, when Baby Bop and BJ appeared I could sense he wanted to cry tears of joy! Seriously! And serious was Ashton during the entire show but not during the half-time break when he dances to Barney songs while waiting. I was anxious to bring him alone, as in without any help as it was just me and Ashton sitting there. Thank God he was behaved the entire time and the show’s length was just right.
The setup was simple and the story revolved around visiting the perfectly purple planet where the King and Queen awaits Barney and friends. I like the stage setup for the purple palace which reminded me of French furniture, especially the royal thrones. When Barney and friends started to sing the I love you song, the toddlers went awww and I even saw a baby crying because Barney had said good bye. Ashton on the other hand, was excited to get out of the theater and boast of his experience.
He was really hyper inside the car and when we got home, the trip was worth it and we can’t wait to watch another show next time!
Last week, Ashton finally learned to do the grocery. Previously, he would not even sit still on the push cart and just ask to be carried the entire shopping time. Now he’s learned to enjoy pushing one of the smaller carts (with our help of course) and he now inspects whatever I put inside the basket. I hope this trend stays for long so that we can enjoy a more peaceful time at the grocery. I never like leaving Ashton at home and want to spend as much of my free time with him – and that includes marketing errands.
One of the funny moments we had was when Ashton stopped on his tracks to look for Hansel biscuits, those mocha filled cookies we loved during grade school – he now loves them too. We had to explain that we already grabbed one from the racks and at the cash register – Ashton personally removed that item from the cart to be paid. He also likes staring at the toys section with plastic cars and miniature harley davidson motorcycle accessories.
I love spending time with Ashton more than ever but I also miss those days when he was so tiny and tantrum-free haha I guess it’s all part of parenthood and I really look forward to spending more time together – so please don’t grow up so fast!
Ashton loves to sing and I am very lucky he does. When your child sings the most funny lyrics, it melts all stress and worries away. I love how children can sing and dance anytime they want without any inhibitions. Most of the time I am working so I only get to “participate” during bed time. We’ll pop our Barney DVDs and sing lots of songs. Some of Ashton’s favorite are Mr. Sun, and the I love you song which gives me the best excuse to receive hugs and kisses
If your child doesn’t watch Barney, you should give it a try because it’s just so fun to sing and dance with your kid. It’s always one of our favorite bonding moments and sometimes, Ashton improvises musical instruments from his toys. drums from containers, a Peavey Bass from his plastic guitar, and a trumphet from his broken plastic flute.
It’s very important for me to nurture Ashton’s freedom of expression, without laughing at him or making him feel embarrassed. I think this is one of the reasons why kids suddenly stop dancing and singing, not to mention how awful they feel when they are compared to other kids.
So good luck mommies in nurturing your happy and talented children!
Sorry for the late blog greeting but I want to wish our baby girl a Happy 9th Birthday! 
