The Pretty Little Girls in Pink

DD and I always hang out at the library on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  She always loved books from the minute she was born.  In fact, she would do anything for a trip to the library.  I have no complaints, she learned how to read by the time she turned two. I especially like taking her on Weds because the library would have a small farmer's market  from the local growers and some booth for specialty food items.  It also means we have the library almost to ourselves.

Kiosk from local farmer's market

We have library to ourselves

She picks her own books

Excited to start reading it

Mommy lugs most of the books

She settles on the couch and  just loves reading anything about princesses

Mommy sits with her the entire time, even if seat is made for little kids

She always writes her name before she colors
 

Two hours later, we get ready to meet up with her friend at the park. She was so excited! she runs as fast as she could to look for Isabel.  We were there a little early so I told her to wait on the swing.

When her friend arrived, she was so happy.  They were inseparable. 

A beautiful friendship that started from dance class

They adore each other

Mommy was craving some ice cream so we decided to head off to Coldstone Creamery.  I don't really eat a lot of ice cream but ever since I was pregnant with Mads, this was one place I go to for my ice cream milkshakes.  They have all sorts of flavors and toppings to choose from.

And for this pregnancy, all I want is cotton candy ice cream with yellow cake.  Yum!

I almost forgot to take a picture, halfway through digging I realized I should have taken one first,lol

The girls were still stuck at the hip. They decided they both want strawberry ice cream.  Only reason? because it's pink.  These girls love pink.

I wonder what they are whispering to each other

We had a fun day, we decided to head home before dinner as both moms need to make dinner before the dads get home. I already overheard my DD concocting a plan to eat out for dinner with her friend just to prolong their time together so I instantly said no before it went too far. I was beat. Nevertheless, we all had a good time and it was time to say goodbye. Good thing about these girls, they just turn around and give each other a big hug with no problem.

I'm Taking a Break

Yes, I'm taking a break, temporarily. From blogging and domesticity but never on parenting.
These will just be for a few days until I get my old self back.

I'm now 10 weeks gone with this 2nd  pregnancy and just this middle of the week I started to have light brown discharges and cramping.
I'm alarmed!! Very alarmed.
This has never happened with Little Girl before.
I immediately sat back and relax. I must be doing things over bit.
You see, with this pregnancy I never felt any morning sickness (although it's a bit similar with Little Girl before - but I can say there were more signs of increasing pregnancy hormones before than with this one now).
I must have taken it for granted (unconsciously) that I'm pregnant and carried on with things as I had (2nd pre pregnancy days)- house chores wise.
And the incident this week might be my unborn child's way of saying calm down mummy, relax and take a rest.

Both doctor and midwife informed me that discharges and cramping are not really unusual especially on the early stage of pregnancy.
As long as there's no blood and the pain is still  endurable, there's not much to be done but to take a break and relax. So relax I did!
I was literally in bed all day and night.
Parents-in-law came round to look after Little Girl and took her yesterday to her Thursday toddler group.

I'm cancelling everything over the weekend because I just want to take precaution.
We are suppose to go to Leeds tomorrow for a birthday party.
 Little Girl's been invited to a princess and pirate party by the daughter of my classmate back from  university days.
As much as I'm looking forward to it, the 2.5 hours drive might be a big risk to take that I don't want my baby to be compromised with.
 Even shopping couldn't convince me either. Dearest Husband has been telling me to go out shopping once I started feeling better.
I've never been out of the house since Monday.
We didn't go to Little Girl's Tuesday Toddler group and I've cancelled  on the Wednesday evening girlie night out.
But as madsaboutu said to me last night, everything can wait.
Yes everything can definitely wait. Even the washing can wait. (I'm just so tempted to do several loads of washing because of the sunshine we've been having).
But yes everything can wait. For now, it will just be all about my baby #2.

Have a very happy weekend everyone and hoping I'll be back soon.

TGIF!

Thank God it's Friday! Not because I am celebrating the last day of the work week before the weekend but because I am so excited to see my little angel...tom is my next check-up!
I was on MC (medical condition) since last Tuesday and today because of my cough, colds, and vomiting. (btw I'm 14 weeks and 1 day as of today, Finally! im within the 2nd trimester)

But today, I feel a little bit better, so I decided to go out and get some air.
So, my first stop..

Hot chocolate for breakfast at Mc Cafe

2nd stop...Browhaus at ION Orchard

with Evelyn for my Classic Brow Threading

3rd stop...Lunch and home sweet home to sleep first then continue packing....


Hope everyone is having a great Friday!

When mommies think they need a break

I can say I am a full time working mom.  I don't think I ever get a break.  I used to think that once I start going back to work, I get to at least have some time to myself.  I work every other day, 4 days a week 10 hours shifts all through the weekend.  DD goes to pre-school three days on weekdays and hubby gets to have her all day one day on a weekend.  It wasn't a tough choice for me to decide to embark on a new career as I was ready to go out after being a stay at home mom for over 2 years.  Now mind you, I loved staying home and taking care of my little one.  But just as DD wanted to get some social interaction with other kids, so did I.  I needed some adult conversations that does not revolve around what I did in my home all week.   On those three days that I am actually home with DD , I don't get to stay in bed as long as I want to.  I have chores to do like every other mom who stayed home all week.  Except mine are all piled up until I find the time to get to it.

Today,  DD runs to my room at 8:00 AM, I told her mommy needs to sleep some more because I was sick all night with a bout of morning sickness.  Yes, for the first time in this pregnancy, I was nauseous in the middle of the night.  DD cooperates and snuggled in bed for a few minutes and got bored so she looked for the remote and turned tv on to Disney channel.  Now, there is no way I can sleep with Jake and the Neverland pirates overhead.  Plus my bladder was telling me it's time to stop holding it.  I get up and tell DD it's time to go down for breakfast.  Not having it. Too busy with Jake.

Being stubborn about getting off my bed

I warn her that baby in mommy's belly is really hungry.  She gets up in flash.  As soon as she finished her favorite breakfast of mush ( cinnamon oatmeal), the first thing she did was to look for remote again and settled on my favorite glider.  This time Mickey Mouse clubhouse is on.

Watching Mickey mouse club house

I told her to help me clean up the house.  "Ok Mom, when my show is over." I know this channel runs 24/7 so I calmly refused and told her that we must finish cleaning up otherwise we can't leave the house to go to the library.  That did it.  She started picking up the puzzle pieces she left the night before.  I know my kiddo too well. lol

Cleaning up her own mess

I started dusting off  the shelves.  We get a lot of dust even when our windows are never open. I live in around Los Angeles and that is one thing we live with day to day.  Here's my favorite household cleaning products aside from vinegar that I use for my kitchen and bathroom tiles.

 I always try to be good to my environment

 I go to DD's tiny playroom.  It is not really an actual room.  It used to be a coat closet that we converted into a storage area for all her toys.  I hate to see any toys in our living room so this was a perfect remedy because it was located near our living room giving her easy access to take out and put things away.  I dump every toy in here until we get time to organize things.  I already gave away most baby toys and kept just the ones that she still plays with and those small enough not to clutter our space.  I know that will change the moment baby #2 gets here. 

A 6x4 feet coat hanger room turned into toy storage

This room is small enough for a 4 year old to clean on her own without being overwhelmed, but look at what happens when I tell her to put toys in order.  She decides to take them out to play.

Oh well, that should keep her busy while I finish my chores and get ready to take ourselves to the library.  I am still not feeling so great but there's stuff to do and places to go to. I hope everybody is feeling a little better today than yesterday!:)

The Authors Connection

Let me tell you a beautiful story of friendship that surpasses time, distance and career (and powered by technology).
This started when I embarked a beautiful journey in the Pharmaceutical industry.
I was a very young and an inexperienced lady when I moved to a different city for work.
This was how I met for the first time madsaboutu . She was exactly the same. We clicked on right away.
We would have sleep overs, synchronized work itineraries, lunches, shopping, partying, and a lot more you can think of  2 very young ladies  - all doing things together.
We had about 2 beautiful years together in Cagayan de Oro City when we both decided to move forward with our careers - Madsaboutu moving to a different company and city; and me  - moving as well to another company (in fact I replaced her!)
This was from  year 1999-2002.

Madsaboutu moved to Cebu City in 2001  and a year after I followed her.
We did again all the same things together and at one point lived in the same house.
But a year after we felt we have to move on.
She left the industry and packed  her bags and went to the USA  to venture for a new and better life.
At the same time I also went back to my hometown, Davao City, as that was what I had always wanted to do.  I was still working for the same company. This was in 2003.

me and madsaboutu in Boracay, Christmas 2002

with another friend still in Borcay Christmas 2002

Bacolod New Year 2003

Madsaboutu and I  might not be physically together for girlie adventures but we still  kept in touch and updated each other thanks to the technology - cellular phones and that time Friendster.


We never saw physically each other again  until 2007 when I went to the USA for a business trip. Madsaboutu was already starting a  young  family and I at the time had already changed careers - from the Pharmaceutical  industry to the Manufacturing and Exportation.

madsaboutu and me, 4 yeats after. Redondo Beach, California August 2007

I saw again Madsaboutu on June 2008 when they visited Philippines.
At that time, I was very busy with my engagement and wedding and for a whole new life ahead in England.


All these time throughout my friendship with Madsaboutu I was also building a beautiful friendship with 9to6mom.
I could not exactly recall how I've met her but certainly  it would be in one of those National Conferences in Manila our company would often have.
This would be somewhere around the start of my career with my 2nd Pharmaceutical company, year 2001.

me and 9to6mom at our company Christmast Party, Pearl Farm 2003

And just like with madsaboutu, 9to6mom and I hitted on right away.
We shared the same interests  - bags, shoes, movies, clothes and including the world of dating.
We often  shared and compared notes in our fields of interests.
We don't see each other often times because we were on the opposite sides of the country but we do get plenty of opportunities through conventions and conferences.
And everytime we had the chance/s, one can expect plenty of shopping. Mango brand was one of our favourites.

Boracay, April 2005

Career wise,  both I and 9to6mom wanted to progress internally so we joined the specialist team of our company. 

Although she joined the team earlier than me.  

This gave us more opportunities to be together.

The Faverin SpecialistTeam

Madsaboutu and 9to6mom at one time  had met and known each other.
This must be prior to 2001 because that was the year Madsaboutu left the company and me replacing her.  9to6mom joined the company earlier than me.

2006  was the year that  both 9to6mom and I  bade farewell to the Pharmaceutical industry.
I did it on March and she  followed suit a  few months later.
I moved to the printing industry (for a very brief stint)  and she moved to Singapore.

Our last national conference together with our previous company - Edsa Shangri-la, January 2006

We still kept in touch through emails, chats and of course Facebook.

Four years after, we saw each other again.
It was on December 2010 during my family's Singapore holiday.

I was already starting my family and 9to6mom was already very much settled in her new life in Singapore.


And a few months after 9to6mom came to  visit us here in England in July 2011.

Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire England- July 2011

The three of us are all friends with each other on Facebook.
We still share and compare notes on our fields of interests.
Although these has already expanded (from shoes, bags, clothes)  to more about parenting and housekeeping and life in general as a mother and wife.
We do it oftentimes (everyday actually) on our private conversations.
We long for the day where we can  finally synchronize our home coming and our families can finally meet each other.

Now, the three of us are pregnant (with 4 and 2 weeks apart  respectively between us three) and are expecting our babies in the Autumn. Now, isn't that more than CONNECTION??

I've Got Mail

What a joy of receiving a mail from your friend on the other side, telling that they remember you and acknowledging that she also took the time to carefully fold it,  put it in an envelope and  walked to the postbox to mail it, all of this because she thought of me! Thanks MommyNors!

Handcrafted cards from Marks & Spencer
Taken with Instagram

And let’s be perfectly honest, who doesn’t like getting mail that isn’t a bill nowadays?

My darling little lady and my cute little bump

This morning, I went to work late and decided I'll take my DD "darling daughter" to school.  I wake her up and told her to pick her outfit while Mom gets ready.  In a few minutes, she runs back to my room with an entire ensemble.  I didn't know what to say, "Are you sure you are allowed to wear a tutu to school?" The frantic nod gave me the answer.  "Ok.  You look really cute, I'll braid your hair so it's not a mess".   She was happy.

Ready for school

Playing with her toy spiders while waiting for breakfast

While I was getting dressed, I noticed my rings doesn't fit right on my finger.  I stopped wearing them for a while because I wear gloves at work all the time and I am always scared I'll lose them.  So I decided I'll wear them as a pendant for a necklace.  I remembered my rings use to fit me until I was 8 months pregnant with Mads, this time, its quite early.
 Here is my usual outfit to work.  Scrubs.  I can't say much about it, only that I am required to wear one.

 

  I come home early because I wanted to make dinner before hubby gets home.  I am sooo tired, but I am more hungry than tired.  When I am hungry I can think of meals I want to make rather easily.
We are vegetarians by choice at home, mainly because hubby is vegetarian and I hate to cook two different meals.  However, I do get the chance to eat meat from take-out and when we dine out so I don't mind.

Cauliflower, egg, and carrots fried rice still cooking in the pan

Grilled eggplants with parsley and basil

Potatoes in tomatoes

These are all meals that can be done easily within 30 minutes, one pot on boil (potatoes), one pot grilling (eggplants), one pot on saute ( fried rice).  One just needs to know how to micro manage.  I still had plenty of time left so I told hubby I am picking up DD from school as well.   Before I do that, here's a picture of my cute little bump at 11 weeks and 2 days.  Hardly anything, but enough to make me not fit into my skinniest of jeans.

 

 To my two yummy mommies, I am tagging you on the "show me your baby bump" picture. I hope everyone is having a nice warm day!