A Momma's Life

Germany's best mom-and-baby skincare brand comes to the Philippines, chooses Philippine celebrity sweetheart as new ambassador Last Wednesday, The Momma Club was invited to the Baby Shower and Brand Ambassador Reveal of Sanosan PH held in Ibiza Beach Club in BGC.  And the ambassador is no other than  talk-show host and celebrity mom Camille Prats-Yambao.  She credits her h ealthy, glowing to having a healthy diet and of course to Sanosan products.    Created by Mann & Schröder, a German company with over 60 years of experience developing high-quality skin and hair care products — Sanosan's skincare solutions are effective because they are based on two pure and natural ingredients: olive oil and hydrolyzed milk protein. Olive oil is rich with powerful antioxidants and vitamins E, A & D, and has been used since ancient times as an effective yet gentle cleanser, moisturizer and protector of skin and hair. Milk is known...

Having a young family of three, I was excited to get my copy of Family Goals, Embracing the Imperfections of Family Life by Ms. Michele Alignay.  Just the same with our health, prevention is better than cure when it comes to our relationships.  I was interested to read this book because I thought it could help prevent issues and other problems in our family; it is better to be enlightened and prepared than wait for things to go wrong, right?   And wouldn't it be nice to read the advice of someone who is an expert in family life?  Ms. Michelle, or Ichel, is a registered psychologist and a registered guidance counselor.  Not only that, she is also a speaker and a columnist of Kerygma magazine. Tell you what, I was not wrong about this book.  It really is full of wisdom, and as I browsed through the pages, I was amazed by Ichel's expertise on the subject.  At the same time, even though the topic was serious, she wrote it in an engaging manner, witho...

Kids are back to school again.  I remember how excited I was at the start of every schoolyear because of my new school supplies.  I would smell my new erasers and play with my bulky pencil case.  It was amusing to play with the magnets on its  lid. I would repeatedly open and close it.  Oh and the crayons, I was happy with my 24-crayon set, even if the other kids had bigger ones.  I did not mind back then since there was never an artistic inclination in me.  It's heartwarming to think about those days when the simplest of things could make me happy.  When the possessions that I had interest in acquiring were just a box of crayons, cute pencils, and wonderfully scented erasers.  Now, I am into this full blown "adulting".  And the proof of that is my 6-year old nephew who is already in big school this month. Look at his school essentials, which he personally picked. Seems like it was only yesterday that he was this sweet lit...

I thank God for giving me a good partner in life, and for blessing Arya with a wonderful dad.  You have loved Arya even before she was born. You sang and talked to her and she responded with excited kicks and somersaults.  From the start, you've always been a hands-on dad.  You are very patient and kind to our little one, even more now that she acts like a legit little human.  After a long day at work, you still make time to play together.  You excitedly call me when you discover a new antic of hers, only for me to shrug it off and say- oh yes, I've seen it.  But please know it is the purest joy when we get to witness this kind of things together.  Just like in your work and everything that you do, you are acing this thing called fatherhood. It is indeed the best "hat" that you could ever wear. Have a happy Father's Day tomorrow, my dear husband. Arya and I love you to the moon and back.

Sometimes, even if we try to be a positive and a good person, we might still encounter or be caught up in conflicts.  The sad thing about it is that we have no control over these issues or to people around us who might have caused these problems, intrigues, and gossip. Conflicts can make us tired and leave a heavy feeling in our chest.  There are some people who thrive or might be indifferent to arguments and conflicts.  On the other hand, most people that I know do not like being dragged into drama and negativity. How should we deal with negative emotions? Bottling up our feelings will not do good to our health.  At the same time, lashing out in anger and saying hurtful things is definitely not the way to go.  We need to acknowledge our emotions and at the same time, not dwell on it.  Confusing, right? What works for me is doing breathing exercises and distracting myself with worthwhile activities.  It also helps to  channel our energy on a...

The rainy season is here. We mommas, especially those with young kids who go to school, must take the necessary precautions to keep our kids from getting sick  .  As we all know, there is a higher incident of infection and sickness during rainy days.  Kids can get sick due to mosquito bites, floods, and simply due to the change of weather. One precaution against sickness and epidemic is to remove the breeding ground for mosquitoes.  We can prevent dengue and other infestation if we all do our part in keeping our surroundings clean.  My top find for the rainy season is an indoor insect trap from Hanns Philippines.  It is very handy, water-resistant, and dust-proof.  We bring it when we go to my in-laws' house.  It is also odor-free that's why I like it, plus it has a nice design, too. One time,  we went on an out of town trip and failed to bring the insect trap.  Arya got bitten by an insect.  She kept on scratching the insect...

We moms should be the rays of sunshine in this sometimes crazy world. The world is harsh enough and every day, we are faced with bad news and sad news.   Things can get gloomy and nasty.   And if that’s not enough, sadly, even in the mommy world, there are conflicts and hatred going on.    We moms must treat each other with understanding and respect.  If we do not have anything nice to say, we better keep our thoughts to ourselves.  We can always express our disagreement in a diplomatic way.  There is no need to shame other moms. If we would like to give an advice that may benefit another mom, we may opt to discuss it privately to avoid embarrassing the concerned party.  I must admit, before I became a mom, I was less kind, less forgiving, and more judgmental.  I am just grateful that somehow motherhood has given me a little bit more patience and wisdom.  I am not saying that I am perfect and that I am nice all the time.  S...

Our little ones depend on us for almost everything.  They rely on us to feed them, bathe them and a bunch of other things.  They cannot choose nor decide for themselves so we mommas have the  responsibility of picking what's best for them.  When it comes to their skin care, we have to be meticulous.  There are some babies and kids who are more prone to allergies and irritation.  If your child is among them, you have to be always mindful of product labels and formulation.  A common skin problem  is diaper rash, which causes too much discomfort and sometimes pain for our little ones.  Sad to say that Arya also went through this when she was a baby; there was a time when she would always cry during her diaper change.   Arya is still using diapers now.  And a diaper spray is helpful to keep her clean and smelling fresh especially when we are out of the house.   Look at this diaper spray from Voila.  I know you...

Don't you think it's awesome to be a parent nowadays?  There are cool activities in the metro that our kids can attend.  During a bazaar stint, I came across Kiddie Art Kart.  They caught my interest because I saw the students happily doing their artwork.  The art teachers seemed nice, too.    "Kiddie Art Kart is a traveling art room that brings fun and educational arts and crafts activities to children's parties, family gatherings, and play dates.  Kiddie Art Kart Creativity Coaches will put up an art station and facilitate art activities for your kiddie guests." Arya's Hand and Kiddie Art Kart's Coloring Kit  It would be great to have Kiddie Art Kart at Arya's birthday party next year.  Okay, I know I am such an over-eager momma because Arya just celebrated her birthday last month.  But I know she and her guests will definitely enjoy working on hands-on art projects.  I am always on the lookout for activities that ...

There are so many things to discover and experience when one becomes a mom.  As for me, I can say that everyday is a learning experience with my kid.  Who would have thought that brushing teeth could be challenging at times?  Oops, I am not talking about myself here, it's about my little girl.  I have no memory of myself not wanting to brush my teeth, ever! I remember it was my little sister who always refused to do so.  Yes, I was such an easy kid.    Fast forward to today, my sister has a beautiful set of pearly whites, thanks to my dad who always made sure that my sister brushed her teeth after every meal.  He was like a #ToothPatrol- he really used to monitor my sister's dental hygiene during our grade school days. Here's our family pic with my nephew Jaden.  He has a very good set of teeth. So now, I can very much relate to my dad. With Arya, I try my best to make brushing fun for her.  I sing her a song, I make funny faces ...

It's hard to put in words exactly what being a mom means to me.  Being a mom means being strong and weak at the same time.  As a mom, there are instances when I put on a strong facade when deep inside I am so achingly vulnerable.  Being a mom is a constant struggle between being hopeful and fearful.  I try my best to be hopeful that all things will go well for my child, but there are times I can't help but worry that this world may not be a good place for her to grow up in.  Being a mom means learning about kindness, compassion, and patience all over again every single day. Most of the time, being a moms means being dog-tired but happy.   Last but not the least, being a mom is a GIFT and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Feels like yesterday when Arya was inside my tummy. In a few days, she's turning 2. Time indeed flies.  And I realized, this could not be truer, when I became a mom. To Arya,   It is amazing how your features and physical attributes have evolved over the 24 months.  I am always in awe of the changes you undergo.  I am thankful to you beyond words for giving me the gift of motherhood.  I love you forever, my little one. Eventhough you test my patience, and has become a little naughtier, at your beauty I will always marvel.  Even though, you try to push me to my limits, and you choose Daddy over me, I will still choose you over and over again.  I love how smart you have become- and I knew from the start you'll be witty just like your dad (or is it Momma?).  Thank you for flashing your lovely smile when you wake up in the morning.  And for being the sweetest when it's just the two of us together.  I'm sorry if I feel pressured when yo...

Pigeon has been one of our favorite brands since Arya was born.  If you check one of my blog entries in 2015, you'll see my purchase included a lot of Pigeon products.   Among our must-haves is their baby wipes.  One time,  a friend gave us a pack of baby wipes from a different brand.  I found it too sticky, so I decided I would use it on my skin instead of Arya's.   What I like about Pigeon is that Arya has been "hiyang" to it.  And I think that we mommas should stick to our tried-and-tested brand, instead of experimenting especially when it involves our babies. How about you, Mommas?  Hope you can also share your favorite brands.   I'd love to hear about it.  

"Creative play was never lost - perhaps drowned in the digital sea - but has always been around. We just need the right medium. We provide the flint, you do the play." I was never crafty and I don't consider myself creative, either.  I always wished I was both.   As a mom, I would like to encourage creative play for my child.   I think  one of our jobs as parents is to help our kids fulfill their creative potential.   I really wish Arya would grow up creative.  I believe that being creative and thinking out of the box will make you go places.  Creativity is crucial to success. Good thing there are products like Oli's Box Ship. It is a subscription box that offers a surprise theme every month.  Being a busy mom, I don't have the luxury to scout for  crafting materials and activities for my little one.  I know there are available resources online on arts and crafts; but with so many errands and business admin stuff to do, moms like me ...

Parents should read this.  Repost from thethinkingmomblog.com Being the parent your child deserves… A few of the notions of the past decades are: Children should do as they are toldChildren should obey their parentsChildren should like all the relatives and kiss them every time they say hello and goodbyeChildren should generally listen to all adultsMom and dad knows better and they don’t need to know whyToo much cuddling is not goodToo much kissing is not goodToo much of anything is not goodCo-sleeping is not goodChildren should ‘learn’ the hard wayIdeally, children should behave in every given situationChildren should be left to cry at school cause that’s how they learn to be independentChildren should not embarrass us in publicChildren have no say in anything, reallyOnly if they are good they deserve a treatWe shouldn’t spoil themParents can use any method they think appropriate to punish their childrenChildren are their parents reflectionsOur children belong to usChildren...

Bought some stuff from Baby Fair and Enfant last January.But some items are still lacking like the stroller.  Hopefully,  we will be able to get one at a good deal. Here's a closer look pigeon wipes- 598.75 to 535 x3 pigeon baby shampoo- 1099.75 to 985 pigeon cleanser- 999.75 to 895 pigeon baby powder- 379.75 to 300 pigeon bath sponge- 299.75 to 235 pigeon sterilization tongs-479.75 to 380 pigeon 2 way sponge brush- 329.75 to 265 pigeon nose cleaner- 269.75 to 215 pigoen nipple cleaner 269.75 to 215 pigeon nail cutter 399.75 to 315 safety first bath tub- 1099.75 to 875 safety first baby carrier- 2299.75 to 1820 sleeveless bodysuit 119.75 to 95 sleepsuit 219.75 to 175 cardigan 129.75 to 100 short sleeve 129.75 to 100 pajama 3pcs 249.75 to 200 shorts 3pcs 179.75 to 140 tie side sleeveless 3pcs  219.75 to 175 x2 binders 3pcs 94.75 to 75 x2 mittens 3pcs ...