My son has been confined two times now, and it seems to happen every year. The first culprit was E.coli which according to my research can invade the body in several ways. From your child’s soiled diaper, comfort rooms, and even food. Just thinking about it makes me cringe and mind you, our house is the cleanest one you’ll ever see. Everyone wears house slippers, table tops and furniture are dusted daily, marble floor swept, kitchen kept tidy and cleaned during evenings, and comfort rooms are always sparkling white. My son takes a bath daily and his carer makes sure he is clean & neat when I am busy. We barely even have visitors.
Bacteria is something that can invade your family unsuspiciously, albeit it is almost impossible to avoid!
I now make sure that all the food we eat are safe, and that includes medicines. Anything at all we put in our mouth to enter our systems. Especially after Ashton’s second confinement – just weeks ago. The culprit was streptococcus bacteria which is really hard to tell if it’s there. Me and my son had fever for three days and then it was gone. We thought we were fine until the blood test result showed up. I was vigilant enough to have tests undertaken and seek professional help from the doctors. Both types of bacteria could have led to serious complications including kidney damage.
Although we can’t live in a bacteria-free environment, it’s always better to be protective of our kids and families. Gone are the days we should believe in hearsay, old and unproven medicine, and products that mask themselves as safe and effective. I am willing to pay for quality and prevent more expensive trips to the doctor.
I was recently talking to fellow moms (thanks to social networks) and we agreed, we’d rather be mistaken as snobby by not letting our kids be touched by relatives, strangers, and other kids who might pose bacterial infection. Same goes with not frequenting places that are crowded and practice poor hygiene. Even more importantly, being meticulous when it comes to food products, toys, etc. we all have to make sure everything that has to do with our children is free from contamination.
Some more tips to protect your kids from bacteria:
Frequently change diapers and wash every time kids pee or poop
Be careful in food preparation and avoid cross contamination by using proper and safe containers
Practice proper hand washing
Be mindful of food & medicine sources – look for quality and ensure manufacturers conform to standards especially when buying common cough medicines
Use a face mask when you feel you are sick to prevent being contagious
Always seek doctor’s advice if you suspect something is wrong. Fever of up to 3 days usually mean you’ll have to take your child to the pediatrician.
How do you protect your kids from harmful bacteria?
Join Executive Pastry Chef Sebastien Coquery and his team as they teach Daddy and his kids how to decorate a two-layer heart-shaped Red Velvet Cake that they will take home to Mommy for Valentine’s Day. The Cake Decorating Class comes with a merienda. PHP1,600* for a group of three (one adult and two children under 12), PHP400* for every additional participant. February 12, Sunday, from 2:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon at Old Manila.
Good deal! I’m considering if Ashton will already enjoy this or are we going to end up with a food fight? hehe
Okay let the love bugs bite, Valentine’s is not just for man + woman but for the entire brady bunch! So when it comes to gifts, you may be stuck at what to give your husband or children. Except if your other half expressed he wants pipe wrenches for V day. I had some ideas of what to give for this special occasion:
Cupcakes – but not ordinary ones. Buy heart themed cupcake cups and toppers. I saw some at Rockwell last Sunday, they really are lovely and will save you heaps if you just bake your own.
Pictures – Instagram is all the rage these days, so why not get crafty with your iPhone or digicam and let your creative flare shine! Have photos printed because these are now rare yet always appreciated for keepsakes.
A special lunch or dinner at home - Ah you know I’ll mention this! Cooking relives so much memories and I’m sure food is always a part of your lovey-dovey relationships with family & friends. So, do your marketing now and concoct yummy desserts that will make this day even more sweeter! Don’t forget to remember the favorite food of your loved ones and try to satisfy each family member’s taste buds.
I married my complete opposite and despite our petty cat-dog fights, I am lucky to at least have a supporting spouse whose always around for me and our son. He makes me laugh when I’m so busy and serious at work. I don’t have too many acquaintance now and seldom go out. When I do, it’s almost usually with him and Ashton. One thing I am thankful for is that we seem to have graduated from having wars of worldwide scale and agreed to compromise.
Last year, he and my 9 month old Ashton surprised me on Valentines:
This was not the first surprise, I remember how embarrassed I was when Az met me at the mall with flowers in tow. Ewww! So this year I can’t help but feel excited (or anxious). Sad that Feb. 14 is a weekday but that means my birthday will be on the weekend : )
Weekends have been our dating day as husband and wife, sometimes (most of the time) we go with Ashton because we feel guilty whenever we leave him at home haha : ) Like last Sunday, we went home right away after our brunch at The Marriott. When you’re a mom, you’ll seldom find yourself primping on a vanity stool. The only way to push yourself back to how you once were is to drag yourself out for a date (hopefully with your husband or with friends). House clothes grow really comfy when you stay at home most of the time : )
So this Valentine’s day, why don’t you plan a well-deserved night out for you hardworking parents?
It’s the weekend and I always have a big smile on my face because weekend means 100% time for my mini family. Last week, we spent Saturday afternoon in Global City. We first went to Saint Alp’s Tea House where everyone enjoyed some drinks and snacks.
After a satisfying snack we drove to Bonifacio High Street, we like making Ashton walk around the area to chase dogs and play with other kids. We also checked out Mothercare and Toys R’ Us in another building, it was our first time to go there and Ashton enjoyed trying out all the toys although we never bought any of it
And off we went to stroll around towards the new High Street Central where a real fun fountain is, again it’s our first time to be in this area as it’s fairly new and only a few shops are open. Ashton enjoyed watching other kids get wet. For dinner, we went to the newly opened Aria restaurant – famous for their pizzas from Boracay.
It was a perfect night, Az and I took turns taking Ashton outside when he gets bored waiting for food. The view was excellent and I love how the area is not too crowded unlike the other parts of high street. I’m sure soon, many more will flock to high street central. Beside Aria was a chocolate shop and if I wasn’t trying to get healthy, I would have taken everyone there for dessert. But, the night was perfect as is.
That’s until we discovered our car keys was missing x.x We all had to take the cab and someone returned to high street to pick up the car we left. I managed to keep my cool and I’m thankful for the weekend memories. Tomorrow, we shall plan a new adventure and enjoy another weekend to its fullest!
I believe all babies love music, isn’t it one of the first few things they enjoy? Some moms believe music soothe babies and make them smarter – I do! So when Ashton was but days old, I gathered Baby Einstein albums and played it non-stop. It was great for moms who just gave birth too. Music is relaxing and sets the mood whatever you want it to be.
Now I know what every mother feels like upon seeing their child trying to play a musical instrument.
I like having musical instruments at home but if you don’t, you can always bring your child to a guitar center where other instruments are. Tune in with your child’s interest or simply enjoy the sight of them trying to make music! It looks real cute and adorable
Ashton also likes his Brainy Baby DVD, the volume that’s all about music. I never really understood the difference between tempo, rhythms, and harmony until I became a mommy and had to watch these dvds!
