I am Clarice

Last Friday, upon getting out of bed (we sleep in the kids’ room these days), I passed by J’s home office first and slipped a “Love you” note in his wallet. I then went down to our bedroom where he was preparing to leave. He mentioned that he and a client had plans of going out that night. Okay, I said.

A couple of hours after, I received a message from him. He was asking me if I was free that night for a simple dinner and coffee. I was so kilig! I thought he must have been so touched by my note that he invited me out.

That afternoon, after lunch, while preparing to run errands, he called me. He said that he found my note when he was getting money from his wallet for lunch. Apparently, he didn’t invite me because of the note. He really did invite me out so we can reconnect. He was worried that I will think that he just invited me because of the note. Kilig!

It was supposed to be a simple dinner but my husband insisted that we eat at The Goose Station in BGC. We’ve been planning to eat there for so long but because I’m not a fan of Chef Rob Pengson (I find him too arrogant on TV), I haven’t really pursued it.

Upon arriving, we were seated at our table by the wall. It was a simple restaurant, will not give the impression of its lofty Miele Guide status (it was Number 3 overall in the Philippines last year, Number 1 in Metro Manila). Service was good. The waiters were very friendly. It was an expensive restaurant but without a smug uppity ambiance. Because of it being a Miele rated restaurant, I didn’t bring a camera. Nakakahiya eh! Hahaha!

J and I both ordered the Signature menu – their degustacion (you notice how “The Goose Station” is a play on “degustacion”?).

Here is the menu:

SNACKS
Foie Gras Cone, The “Chip”, Lychee Mojito

CAVIAR SURPRISE
Alaskan King Crab, White Asparagus Flan, Prawn Jelly, Avruga Caviar

EGGS BENEDICT
Slow Cooked Egg, Hollandaise Foam, Truffle Oil, Bacon Tuile

CARROT & BEET SALAD
Hazelnuts, Goat Cheese, Pickled Vegetables

FIDEUA NEGRA
Roasted Scallops, Morcilla, Angulas, Peppers, Lemon, Aioli

24 HOUR USDA SHORT RIB STEAK
Worcestershire Jus, Truffle Oil Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Onions

DESSERT
J had strawberry something while I had lemon meringue.

The meal was A-MAZ-ING! It was really good. J even commented that now we know that Chef Rob has a reason to be arrogant (well, not really but when you taste their food, you’d realize what we mean).

I’m not a food blogger so I don’t know what words to use to describe the really good wonderful delectable superb meal we had. It was a feast for the palate and the eyes. We were so excited every time the next course would arrive and throughout the whole meal, we were exclaiming how good everything was. When the salad came, J and I looked at each other and he said, “Now you wish you have a camera with you.” Hahaha!

So because I did not have a camera, I am lifting three pictures off the net (I hope they don’t sue me for this) to be able to share with you our experience.

Foie Gras Cone (photo from Anton Diaz’s Our Awesome Planet- Anton’s blog is my go-to food blog)

Foie Gras is duck liver and I have never tasted foie gras as good as this (and I’ve tasted several really good foie gras dishes). It was literally melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Carrot and Beet Salad (photo from En Route – Do drop by her blog. I got there by accident looking
for other reviews of The Goose Station and I really enjoyed reading.)

The salad was a feast for the eyes. J and I super enjoyed how the flavors came together in the mouth. Yummy!

24 hour 24 USDA Short Rib Steak (photo from The Goose Station)

This was the entree. I cannot remember how they call the way of cooking it but it was wrapped and then put in hot water for 24 hours. After which, it was pan fried. Masarap siya!

After dinner, J and I stayed to talk more. I love spending time with my husband. Last week, he admitted to me that when he knows I am in a meeting, he feels empty knowing that he should not disturb me – not that he needs something from me all the time but he said that just the thought of me not being… available… saddens him a bit.

After 11 years of being together, I am so happy that we have not grown tired of each other and we still get to enjoy date nights just talking and discussing our life and the memories we’ve created and our dreams. Bliss.

I love waking up next to the kids. If there’s something that I would really miss if I go back to work, it’s that moment in the morning when they wake up and they see me and they smile. Next thing you know, whoever is awake would crawl to whoever is sleeping and try to wake that person up! Haha!

I love mornings!

Hahaha! Ang corny ng title ko! But really, we had so much fun during this trip.

This is my travel kwento for our Davao trip last April 28-30. We booked it to celebrate Joya’s first birthday. I was not planning on going to Davao but during the February travel fair, I found a good deal and I grabbed it immediately. LOL!

Day 1

Our flight was SUPER early. When I was booking the trip, I just told the girl that I wanted an early flight, I didn’t realize I booked a 4:00am flight! We actually almost didn’t make it as the counter closed right after we arrived. LOL!

The flight was uneventful (thank, God!). The kids didn’t make a fuss so okay naman. When we got there, we were picked up by the hotel driver. When we got to Casa Leticia, I was so happy to know that the rooms were already available. Hay super thank you talaga. So after a quick breakfast at the hotel cafe (taste was okay – normal tapsilog and enough naman para mabusog), we went up to refresh (and sleep).

The van I booked picked us up before 8am. Itinerary for the day was the Eden Nature Resort and the Philippine Eagle Center.

Eden Nature Park and Resort is nestled at the foot of Mt. Talomo, 3,000 feet above sea level, while the majestic Mt. Apo serves as the background.

I really wanted to be early in Eden because I wanted to catch the guided shuttle tour at 830am. And it turned out to be a really good idea! I don’t think I would have appreciated Eden as much without the tour. The place is 80+ hectares and 95% man-made! It was started by a couple in the early 1970s. It was initially just 8 hectares and was just a logged-over land. They replanted most of everything! Ang galing! Ang galing!

What touched me most was, during one of the stop overs, because Joya was feeding, I stayed in the shuttle. I started a conversation with the driver who turned out to be a long time employee in Eden. He told me that the original owners, the Ayala couple who started Eden, passed away last year. The husband passed away last April and the wife last July. The sadness in his voice and eyes was palpable while he was talking about them. Somehow, I knew they were good people and going around the tour, I felt like I owed them something for actually doing something tangible – a man made nature park – for the country.

After the tour, we went straight to the restaurant and waited for the buffet to be served. The lunch was okay. It was not super duper yummy but okay enough. The highlight was the lettuce used for the salad. They were so fresh! Eden grows hydroponic lettuce and they just put the lettuce, still on their “pots”, on the salad table and the clients would just pick the leaves. Aliw! The homemade ice cream was also super yummy and not to be missed.

After lunch we tried the Indiana Jones ride. Ang saya!!! Hahaha! We went to the horseback riding after. Jia super enjoyed it. After the ride, she even asked if she could have another go. Grabe!

The Philippine Eagle Center was our next stop. No doubt about it, the Philippine Eagle is MAJESTIC. Period. Seeing them way up close will convince you to really do something to conserve them. I think both J and I were really in awe of the eagle that we bought to many stuff from their souvenir shop knowing that the money will go to the Philippine Eagle Foundation. Hahaha!

From the Eagle Center, we went back to the hotel. Since we didn’t know where to eat dinner yet, I scoured the net for the best Davao restaurants. Medyo career ito ha considering that the Smart connection was not so fast. Anyway, after reading so many reviews, J and I decided to go with the Tiny Kitchen. I called the restaurant and asked if they accepted reservations. First come first served daw. Okie then. We left the hotel around 730pm and by the time we got there, the restaurant was filled to the brim with people that they already closed it! Haaaaaay! Di ba nakakainis? Di ba? Buti na lang the owner, Donna Rodriguez, was in the counter and motioned for us to go inside. I told her I read so many reviews before we decided to go to their restaurant and super sayang that they are not accepting diners anymore. She asked if we’re from Davao or Manila. When we said Manila, she allowed us to stay. Yahooo!

Hay! Tiny Kitchen’s food was so yummy! We ordered the small Paella Mariscos (para mas cultured ang dating, should be pronounced ‘paeya’ LOL!), Casa Espanol (which is basically beef in tomato sauce with olives and potatoes), and Maya Maya a la Basque with Potatoes (this was Mayamaya with mixed seafood)  Hay! I should have been more insistent that we order the medium Paella. Nabitin tuloy ako. Their food was really yummy. I loved their paella and ala basque while J super liked the Casa Espanol. Then there was dessert. Yummy red velvet cake!!! And believe me, I am not a fan of red velvet cake at all so when  liked their cake, super talaga ako natuwa!

On the way home, we passed by Davao People’s Park and just walked a bit. Kakatuwa kasi to enter the park may security check to make sure na hindi magulo sa loob. Galing! Bilib ako.

All in all, Day 1 was a blast! As Jia repeatedly said “I’m having fun! This day is just so fun!”

Day 2

Day 2 was just fabulous! After days of checking the resorts in Samal Island where we could go, we settled with Paradise Island. Why? Well, basically because they have good online reviews, a friend who is from Davao said this is their go-to resort in Samal, Pearl Farm is way too expensive (we had two yayas with us and the day tour costs Php2,500 per person!), and the girl I talked to when I called Paradise seemed to know what she was talking about.

From the hotel, we took a taxi to the Paradise jetty port in Lanang Road.From there, we took the pump boat to Paradise Island. The boat ride was okay. They had life vests which they required everyone to wear. The boat was large enough to accommodate 30+ pax so it was pretty safe.

Someone told me that the sand in Samal is not as fine as Boracay’s so I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was! We quickly settled in a table in the restaurant (because that’s only place day tourists can stay). We wanted to rent a room but the room will be available at 4pm that afternoon (eh hanggang 5pm lang ang day tour so walang saysay di ba?). The problem was since we were told that towels will be provided, we did not bring any (towels will be provided if you have a room). We bought towels from the souvenir shop and it turned out to be really bad towels with LOTS of lint. I realized that when, after I used one on Jia, she turned pink from the towel lint! LOL!

The beach  was very narrow (probably  about 2 meters from the restaurant) because it was high tide. The staff I talked to said we have to wait for the water to recede so the beach will appear. No problem since Jia really just needed a square meter of sand and we just needed water to swim in so all was good.

Ang galing talaga ng sand! When I first led Jia to the sand and she started scooping up sand, I was afraid that she’d get bored with just scooping sand into the pail and scooping them out again. Then the play therapist in me surfaced and I remembered that kids can play HOURS in the sand and it’s very therapeutic even. Natawa nga ako sa sarili ko eh. It turned out  that she did play in the sand for hours and she didn’t get bored at all.

At around 11am we ordered lunch. Food was relatively cheap and yummy for the price. Or maybe it’s because I’m used to resorts having exorbitant food prices since the guests are captive customers?

After lunch, I approached an F&B supervisor and asked where I could rent a boat to go around the island. He said there was none. I asked if there was a way I could go to other resorts. He said there was none unless I go back to the Davao City side again and board another boat to another resort. Another option he told me was to ride habal habal (you know, single motorcycles? anubah!). I then went to the sport shop and asked if they rented out snorkeling gears. They did not. Haaaay! But they did direct me to the dive shop. Hay salamat, progress!!! I went back to J first and asked him to accompany me to the dive shop. When we got there, we inquired about snorkeling and we were told me could rent the gears for Php200 and we could just snorkel in the beach. I was pretty doubtful that there’s anything significant to see in the beach! Pero dun lang daw kasi. Hay! Ang problema sa mga taga-Davao, they don’t know ho to sell their own province! Buti na lang I got a flyer and when I turned it over, they do have snorkeling packages with a boat! Meron naman pala! We got a speedboat for 3 hours so we can snorkel in other areas.

It was soooo worth it! Ang ganda ganda ganda ng sites na pinuntahan namin. The water was very clear and you can really see the corals even if they’re 30 feet deep. (Oh yeah, the boat package included many stops but we decided to forgo most and just go to the top 2 best sites.)

We went to the giant clams area and we were amazed to see clams as big as a meter! Basta GIANT talaga! Yun lang si J was wounded by a clam because he kicked and he didn’t know we were in a very shallow area. It was a minor wound in the toe but because it was in the toe, blood was oozing. Haaaay!

The giant clams area was a sanctuary and it’s actually a center for the conservation of the clams, an endangered species. Seeing them was pretty amazing.

Next stop was the Coral Garden. Super worth it ito. Ang GANDA! You could see fish of different colors and corals of different shapes and sizes. Basta ang galing. Super bad thing though was we did not have an underwater camera with us. Kakainis kasi yung manong sa speedboat sabi sa amin, “Ay meron pong camera sa dive shop, Php800 lang po unlimited shots na. Sa CD na ibibigay sa inyo.” Di ba nakakainis?

I forgot to bring bread but girl-scout-me had Sky Flakes for Jia so we got the crackers and gave them to the fish. Ang saya ng fish feeding! It’s just so amazing when the fish come to get food.

After the Coral Garden, we went back to Davao as it was already 5pm. The ride back was pretty rough and I was so thankful that Jia was sleeping (and couldn’t feel the waves) and Joya was breastfeeding (so he was just content).

That night we had dinner at Claude’s Le Café de Ville Restaurant, also reputedly one of the best restaurants in town.The place was really cozy and the ambiance was very relaxed. They recently transferred to one of Davao’s ancestral houses (the Oboza house which was built in 1929) and now it’s the owner of Claude’s (that’s Claude, of course, and his wife) who are taking care of the house. I for one am grateful that a Frenchman decided to take it upon himself to preserve an old house. Kakatuwa!

Claude was there when we arrived and he was very friendly. He even made sure that Jia had crayons and a paper.

We had tomato soup which was good. For entree, J ordered the rib eye steak  (medium) while I had the tenderloin (well done because I’m still breastfeeding) – both with pepper sauce (the pepper sauce is their specialty). Ate May ordered seafood pasta (which she said was good) and Ate Pauline ordered the roast chicken (which we don’t think she enjoyed). My tenderloin was good. It was juicy and tender. I am not particularly fond of pepper sauce but I enjoyed theirs so I guess that says a lot. J thought his rib eye was okay. Good enough but not spectacularly good. But he did say that Claude’s made him fan of pepper sauce.

Service was superb. They even got Joya for a while so yaya can eat. But of course, Jia, the ever protective ate, did not like this so I had to show Jia that Joya was safe with the Claude’s supervisors.

We went home that night really happy with the day.

Day 3

We slept in on Day 3 because we were just so tired. Plus we had to pack all our stuff before we started the day so we really needed the time off from touring. LOL!

Day 3 was a blur. We went to the Butterfly House, Crocodile Farm, Japanese Tunnel, and Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague.

Jia super enjoyed the Butterfly House. She was fascinated with the different colored butterflies.

The highlight of the crocodile farm was feeding liempo to the crocodiles. J enjoyed taking shots of the jumping crocodiles trying to devour their food.

The story behind the Japanese Tunnel was goose-bumps-inducing. I felt so sad thinking of all the Filipino slaves who were forced to build the tunnel. Nakakainis. Nakakaiyak.

Lunch was at Penong’s. I don’t have a picture mainly because J told me not to take any. Nakakahiya daw kasi parang nag picture ako sa Mang Inasal! Hahaha! The chicken was super yummy, as in! Ang sarap sarap sarap. I dunno why it’s still not here in Manila. If I were Jollibee, I would have gotten Penong’s instead of buying Mang Inasal (which, in my opinion, is so not tasty AT ALL!).

The rest of the day was devoted to buying mangosteen and durian and marang and other pasalubong.

Our flight back was around 9pm and we were at the airport before 7pm. I was impressed with the Davao Intl Airport. The place was well kept and they had a breastfeeding station and toddler play center. Ang galing!!!

Flight home was uneventful (thank you po, Lord) and we got home after midnight.

Pagod? Yes!!! Worth it? SUPER!!! And now, I realize why Davao-enos have this intrinsic pride in their hometown. Ang GALING!

P.S. Joya was in cloth diapers the whole time we were in Davao. Check out my related post here.

Dearest Joya,

You are now 1 year old. That means we have been together for 366 days. That’s 366 days worth of happiness you have given me, your dad, and your Ate.

I always tell you I love you. I tell it to you every chance I get. I hope you grow up knowing that the essence of my being is all about loving you and your Ate and your dad. I never thought I would say this to anyone but you, my baby, complete me. The happiness you have brought to my life is beyond anything words can express. Seeing you and your Ate together brings peace to to my heart – peace that I did not know before you came into my life.

The past year has been an adventure for you and me and your Ate and Daddy. I remember waking you up in the hospital because you needed to drink more milk. You kept on sleeping, anak! Hahaha! I did not know what to do because you did not want to wake up to eat. I was begging you and I kept turning you over and over so you will eat. But now you keep on eating and eating and eating! Hahaha! You love your fruits and your veggies and your cookies and you even ask for more when you finish what yaya gives you. You’re adorable!

When you were a little baby, you were always with mommy. You liked resting your head on my chest. You slept so soundly amidst all noises as long as you were ensconced in your sling, listening to my heartbeat.

When you were a little older, I let your yaya take care of you because I needed to focus on your Ate but I was confident that the bond we shared will not be broken. EVERY TIME I put you in my bosom, I am in awe at the sense of connectedness I feel with you. When you get older and you read this, you would probably laugh at how exaggerated you would think I am. After all, milk was just your food, it wasn’t something extraordinary for you. But it meant so much for me knowing that I was able to nurture you the best I could.

You are such a happy, happy baby. Your smile lights up your whole face. You love being tickled so much you look up so we can kiss your neck. You would get that expectant look on your face and then once tickled, you would laugh your heart out. I remember once I asked you “How big is Joya?” You raised your arm high and I kissed and tickled your armpit! You laughed so hard. Then I asked you again, you raised your arms again, and I tickled you again! After that you refused to put your arms up anymore while laughing so hard. Haha! You learned so fast. I will forever not get tired of hearing the music of your laughter.

I can feel how much you love us – especially your Ate Jia. Your first word being “Ate” speaks volumes about how much you care for her. And Ate loves you so, so much, baby. She protects you and puts your needs first before her own. When you get to read this, I do not know what kind of relationship you two will have but I pray that you will still know the love and the connection you have now.

From the time I first knew I was carrying you up to this day, I thank God that He has trusted me with you. You are so precious. I pray that you never know life’s hardships and yet learn how to be strong. I pray that you discover your own person and learn how to be independent. I pray that you and your ate will forever share your special bond. Most of all, I pray that you grow up happy and content and at peace with your life.

I love you, Joya. Life without you is unimaginable.

Always, always,
Mommy

Jia is turning four in July and she’s going to school in June. I am sure most moms will be able to relate with me when I say I spent SO MUCH time scouting for the perfect school for her – reading school reviews, brushing up on the theories of education (yes, I know I’m such a nerd! LOL!), visiting schools, etc. Fortunately I was able to find the school which I think will fit her perfectly.

After Jia, it will be Joya’s turn. (Sigh! My babies are growing up so fast! Huhuhu!). Because of what happened with Jia, one of my fears (which I don’t think is unfounded) is for Joya to also be diagnosed with a delay. And because of our journey, I try to be more conscious with how I deal with Joya. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there is a baby event on April 22 focusing on the importance of early childhood development. The event is a part of the Early Head Start (EHS) program – which is a program which originated in the US which basically aims to to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women, to enhance the development of very young children, and to promote healthy family functioning (Thanks to the EHS website for this info. Haha!). Anyway, the event is called the Baby Blast Year 3: It’s More Fun in The Family. It’s a one day thing (from 10am-7pm) to be held at the Trinoma Activity Centeron April 22, 2012, Sunday. There will be talks on health, parenting, and education from experts, parents and teachers; educational material demos; parent and baby exhibits; and booths and activities.

I have already pre-registered (Haha! Excited!). Since they’re accepting kids infants up to three years old, I pre-registered both Jia and Joya. It promises to be a fun day. They even have games like this:

Jia is turning four in July and she’s going to school in June. I am sure most moms will be able to relate with me when I say I spent SO MUCH time scouting for the perfect school for her – reading school reviews, brushing up on the theories of education (yes, I know I’m such a nerd! LOL!), visiting schools, etc. Fortunately I was able to find the school which I think will fit her perfectly.

After Jia, it will be Joya’s turn. (Sigh! My babies are growing up so fast! Huhuhu!). Because of what happened with Jia, one of my fears (which I don’t think is unfounded) is for Joya to also be diagnosed with a delay. And because of our journey, I try to be more conscious with how I deal with Joya. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there is a baby event on April 22 focusing on the importance of early childhood development. The event is a part of the Early Head Start (EHS) program – which is a program which originated in the US which basically aims to to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women, to enhance the development of very young children, and to promote healthy family functioning (Thanks to the EHS website for this info. Haha!). Anyway, the event is called the Baby Blast Year 3: It’s More Fun in The Family. It’s a one day thing (from 10am-7pm) to be held at the Trinoma Activity Centeron April 22, 2012, Sunday. There will be talks on health, parenting, and education from experts, parents and teachers; educational material demos; parent and baby exhibits; and booths and activities.

I have already pre-registered (Haha! Excited!). Since they’re accepting kids infants up to three years old, I pre-registered both Jia and Joya. It promises to be a fun day. They even have games like this:

Haha! See you there!

When I was around six or seven years old, my mom went overseas to work. I am sure I was prepared the right way for it. I am sure my mom explained to me numerous times that she was leaving. I knew where she was (Riyadh, and then later on, Jeddah). I knew what she was doing there (working). I knew that her being there assured me of having toys (and believe me, she sent us so many!). I knew she still loved me. I had the letters and voice tapes to prove it. But I guess knowing all those things did not make it easier on my young self. I remember crying myself to sleep every night. I remember playing back the voice tapes over and over again while crying, listening to Mama singing “You are my sunshine”. My dad let me watch TV as much as I wanted, hoping that I would not end up crying. No such luck, I always did.

I thought I had it hard until one day I mistakenly heard my dad’s recording on the voice tape and he was saying “Ma, miss na miss na kita. Parang nasisirain na ako ng ulo dito.” Even at my young age, I could hear and feel the raw pain in my dad’s voice. Because he was doing a good job taking care of me and my sister, I didn’t realize that my mom’s absence affected him so much.

Eventually, my mom returned. She also had a hard time. We were complete once again.

But for some reason, ever since she left, even when she had already come back, whenever I saw an airplane in the night, I felt sad. Really sad. Tears would well up in my eyes and I didn’t even know why. I was in college when I  finally understood. Seeing an airplane made me remember the pain of having my mom away. To me, night airplanes brought memories of all those nights when I cried myself to sleep. I think it was only during the time I was taking my Masters that I had overcome the sadness. I realized that an airplane in the sky did not necessarily mean a child being left by her mom; it could mean a mom going home to her child.

Now, I have two kids of my own and I have the hardest time leaving them for even one whole day that I cannot imagine living away from home. I am just starting to build my own family’s roots and I am so blessed that neither J nor I have to work overseas and be away from our kids.

My mom, on the other, with my dad, is almost in the empty nest stage. We are all grown up. Our youngest had already graduated college. Basically, my parents are both “free” to do what they want. And last week, my mom left for the US and my dad is following after a few weeks. My mom got a very good job offer and she and my dad will be staying there for a few years. You see, my mom, she belongs to the generation of nurses who all went to the US to work. I think, in her class, only three, including her, remained here. And although she has a good life here, I think working in the US will forever be one of her dreams just so she can say that she also did it.

I am already in my 30s and I tried very hard not to feel sad and especially not to cry. I almost succeeded until my mom explained to Jia that she and my dad will be leaving. Jia was actually okay with it at first. My mom promised that they will talk to each other through the computer anyway. The day of my mom’s departure, while we were at my mom’s house, Jia had a fever and we had to bring her home. She refused. She told me I promised that we would wait for Mama to leave for the airport. I told her we could not do that anymore as she was sick and we needed to go home. She said “Okay, but we will come back here and Mama will be here right?” I could not help it and I started to cry. I explained to her again that the next time she would see Mama would be in the computer. She seemed to understand and finally, she consented to go home.

Really late that night (or rather, really early the following morning), we (J, my Dad, my brother, my sister, and my BIL) all brought Mama to the airport. I knew that I would not cry every night anymore but it still made me feel sad knowing that I would only be able to see her “in the computer”.

And because I already have kids on my own, I now have a glimpse of how hard it must have been for her to leave us when we were kids. And how hard it is still for her to leave her apos now. But such is life. You have to say goodbye to be able to say hello to a new life.

My mom is adjusting to her new life now. She said that primarily, it is her curiosity which motivates her to stay (and preventing her from packing her bags and coming back). I know my mom and I know she will do one hell of a good job in her new work. I also know that she and my dad will enjoy their lives to the fullest there, well, until such time that they come back home to their apos. Until then, we will see them “in the computer” and I will be saying a silent “Bye bye” every time I see an airplane at night.

A few months ago, my friend Abie (my partner in tickled moms) said that she found it sad that her nieces do not eat Pinoy merienda like kamote-Q, banana-Q, etc. They only like burgers, fries, etc – basically food you can get from fast food. That made me think and I told myself I will make sure that Jia eats “simple” merienda food. I find it sad that Jia will grow up not playing patintero or chato in the streets (as no one plays these games anymore), pati ba naman pagkain hindi nya pa matitikman?

So I make it a point to serve Jia Pinoy merienda food. So far, she has tried banana-Q (which she loves), palitaw (which she doesnt), biko (she likes), puto (she likes), turon (she likes), kutsinta (sometimes she likes, sometimes she doesn’t), and her most favorite of all, kamote-Q (or more aptly called sweetened kamote because we do not use a skewer anyway). She likes it so much that I always buy kamote so she can have it at home anytime.

Yummy!

Belated happy Easter!:)

Jia has been sick the past week (she caught a virus and super kawawa siya – she had an on and off fever for 7 days, which went as high as 38.7deg , plus she had cough and colds and inflamed eyes and excessive eye discharge much like sore eyes) so thoughts of celebrating Easter was so far from my mind. I was pretty disappointed actually because this was the first Easter when Jia could already appreciate holidays so I was looking forward to this for many months now. Thankfully, the day before Easter, Jia felt better (which just means that she didn’t have fever anymore but she still had cough and colds) so I called my Dad and asked him and the whole family to come for Easter dinner.

Dahil inggitera akong tao (hahaha! aminado!), I was super envious of my friend Tisha’s Easter eggs which I saw on FB on Saturday night. You see, Tisha is super creative, crafty, and talented and her Easter eggs were so cute that I decided Easter morning to also have an Easter egg hunting for Jia and Uno (my gwapo nephew).

Maye (my sister and Uno’s mom) and I decided to make them look for the eggs in turns and we would give them clues where to find them, muck like I Spy. That way, they will not compete with each other (in fact, they could even help each other with the clues). We also decided that we won’t have separate prizes for them. Finding the eggs was the prize. We didn’t want them to think that you need a prize (e.g. money) to do something. Having fun is enough of a motivation. Kudos to my sister for being decisive about this.

Anyway, here were the Easter eggs that we made. I don’t have pictures of the kids playing the game because… hmmm… we were busy playing. LOL! Sayang pala wala ako picture ni Uno. Oh yeah, Tisha’s eggs were way cooler but that’s okay. Inggitera lang ako, hindi naman competitive (at tsaka I know when I’m beaten. LOL!).

Jia excited to start.

Eggs dipped in dye solution (20 drops of food color, 1 cup warm water, 1 tsp vinegar)

Drying time

Egg creatures *LOL! They look so lonely!*

Jia requested to have a pic taken with the eggs.

Jia LOVES hard boiled eggs and here she is eating the eggs RIGHT AFTER the game. LOL!

I came across an article about a toddler who passed away because he drowned in a washing machine and thought it best to share to remind parents to always, always be vigilant. My prayers go out to Tiffany and Chris Hebb and their boy, Ollie.  This is so sad.

1-year-old Ore. boy drowns in washing machine

OREM, Utah (AP) — At 21 months, Ollie Hebb was his mother’s helper on laundry day, climbing atop a bin so he could toss clothes into a top-loading washer.

On the morning he went missing for a few minutes, Tiffany Hebb went through her house calling for him but got no answer. She found the toddler in the washing machine, submerged in a full tub. He died a day later.

His mother, recently moved to Oregon from Utah, says she never thought the washing machine would be a danger to her child and is telling the story to make parents aware of the danger.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission, a federal agency, says such deaths are rare — two children under the age of 5 died in washing machines between 2005 and 2009, according to a 2011 report.

“I ran through my whole house, calling his name and couldn’t find him anywhere,” Tiffany Hebb told The Deseret News, “not ever thinking that he would be in my washer.”

Tiffany and Chris Hebb will likely not face charges, Hillsboro, Ore., police spokesman Michael Rouches said Monday.

“Detectives don’t believe that this was an intentional crime or that anyone stuck the baby in the washer,” Roushes said Monday morning. “We have the DA’s office look into it, just to make sure there wasn’t a degree of negligence.”

Rouches said detectives looked but couldn’t find other cases when toddlers drowned under similar circumstances.

“She was 30 feet away in the living room, reading a magazine,” Rouches said. “It wasn’t like the mother had this kid unattended at the time.”

The 2011 report says two children under the age of 5 died in washing machines between 2005 and 2009. During that timeframe, 350 children died in bathtubs, and 77 drowned in something else, such as a decorative water feature, a cooler or a septic tank.

The boy died after a day on life support. His organs were donated.

The couple had recently moved from Orem, Utah, to the Portland suburb where Chris Hebb had found a job. The newspaper reports the boy was buried over the weekend in Utah.

“Every night when I go to sleep, I start feeling sick,” Chris Hebb told the newspaper. “Every time I wake up, I think this is a nightmare and then realize it’s real. . You hear a baby crying in the night from a neighbor’s house. You wake up, hoping it’s your little boy, and then realize he’s not there.”

Click here for the original article.

Then this is a follow up article on how Ollie’s parents are now trying to educate other parents about the dangers of washing machines.

Toddler’s Tragic Washing Machine Accident Sends Warning to Parents

An Oregon family is devastated after a tragic accident took the life of their toddler. Tiffany Hebb was doing laundry, while her 21-month-old Ollie kept her company. When she left the room briefly, he crawled into the washing machine and drowned.

A frantic Hebb found her son minutes later trapped in the water-filled basin and tried desperately to resuscitate him. After suffering severe brain damage, he died the following day in the hospital.

“It was the worst day of my life,” the grieving mother told a local Fox affiliate through tears. Now Tiffany and her husband Chris are on a mission to educate parents about the dangers of the seemingly innocuous household appliance.

“I want to make mothers and fathers aware that it’s a possibility,” she said.

Between 2005 and 2009, two children under the age of five lost their lives in laundry room accidents, according to a report by the Consumer Product Safety Commision. In a 2003 review, two deaths and an estimated 500 other injuries to children were attributed to washing machine-related accidents. Most kids were between the ages of 1 and 2, and fell victim to a range of injuries including fractures, amputations and even drowning.

Some of potential washing machine hazards, according to the report:

• Drowning after getting locked inside the machine
• Injuries jumping or falling off the top of the machine
• Heated water from the machine causing burns
• Getting limbs caught in the motorized spinning basin

The biggest problem when the CPSC conducted their review back in 2003, is still a problem now: lack of education. The report at the time acknowledged that more public education is needed so parents can prevent these kinds of injuries. Ever the vigilant mother, Hebb spent the first year of her son’s life guarding him from every household danger she was warned about. She said she never expected the washer would be the biggest threat.

Despite improved safety functions on automatic washing machines, the best prevention from injury is keeping kids far away from the laundry room altogether. (Even if the washing machine is avoided, the scalding hot dryer can be just as dangerous.) Unfortunately many parents aren’t aware of the risks.

“Believe it or not, a small child can drown in as little as an inch or two of water,” warns Home Safety Council’s Mary Kay Appy in a safety video featured on Good Housekeeping. “They’re top heavy — their head goes into the bucket but they don’t have the upper body strength to pull themselves out.”

Appy encourages parents to invest in washers and dryers with built-in child safety locks. Another safety measure: install locks or child safety knobs to the laundry room door. A little extra child-proofing could save a life.

Click here for the original article.

Be safe, everyone!

If your kid is like Jia, he or she also LOVES french fries. And if you’re like me, you cringe at the thought of your kid gobbling up all those bad fats and trans fats. (Ay I read what I have written. Parang advertisment yung dating. Haha! Don’t worry, this is not a pay-per-post thing. I don’t do that.) I mean, I love french fries as much as the next person but I also know how bad it is so I really do not want Jia to grow up eating fries (especially the fast food ones). So as a substitute I make her this Herbed Potatoes (which I got from Ms. Cynthia). She loves this and the good news is, it’s totally healthy!

Ingredients:
potatoes
olive oil (healthier if cold-pressed)
salt
Italian Seasoning

Procedure
1. Heat pan.
2. Slice potatoes thinly and evenly.
3. When pan is hot, put potatoes (yes, without oil).

4. Cook potatoes (yes, it will cook even without oil.). Flip.
5. When cooked, transfer potatoes to a plate. Cool a bit.
6. Drizzle with olive oil. (What I do is I drizzle and then toss to evenly coat the potatoes with oil. And you only need to add a little. I made a mistake here and added a lot! LOL!)
7. Sprinkle with salt (I use sea salt because we don’t use iodized salt at home but iodized is also okay.) and Italian seasoning (Italian seasoning is a blend of herbs which you can make yourself – just put together basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme – or buy bottled. Note that the McCormick bottled version has sage which, in large quantities, is not good for breastfeeding.)
8. Serve.

It’s totally healthy especially if you use cold-pressed olive oil.

We had this for lunch yesterday, together with seafood pasta (ahem, ahem! this was so good, promise, even if it doesn’t look like it! LOL!)

and home-brewed iced tea (I LUV LUV real iced tea!).

Yummy!

Hope your toddler likes it as much as Jia does.