At early months, Chesska  knew only mama, papa, tete, baby - just to name some, but as days, weeks, and years passed,  she had already learned lots of words, which I am very proud of.  How fulfilling, right?

Like all babies/toddlers, Chesska's means of communication starts first from cooing, crying,  making noise, or even whining. But when she reaches 6 months old and onwards, she begins uttering a handful of words.  I can tell that lots of factors can make a baby to begin utter words. What she hears and sees around can stimulate her brain to talk - music, toys, sounds, or even conversations.

As tips for moms,  this is how I encourage my baby to talk. I would always name the objects anything she held or pointed to. For instance, when she wanted to drink her milk, I would point the bottle first before I handed over to her and would associate with a question, "Want to drink your milk?".   Or sometimes, I would make a command like, "Get your Dora inside the cabinet.", or "Please pick up your toys".This way, she could easily understand what I am trying to tell her, and vice-versa.

Hello mommies! Hope you're doing great.

This week, I notice Chesska is not pooping regularly - means she moves her bowel every two days, which I find unhealthy. One time, I caught her in one corner, holding at the sofa,  and straining so hard with her sweat dripping all over her face. I found out then that she wanted to poop but she couldn't. I peeped her diaper and saw her stool. It looked hard, unable to move from her anus. By then, she kept crying - maybe her anus got sore.I pity her so much because I knew how it felt when constipated.

So before anything got worse, I right away did interventions on how to relieve her constipation. 

Due to our tedious work and busy life, my husband and I thought of a cozy vacation to treat ourselves once in a while and to dedicate our time exclusively with our daughter, Chesska. Why not we'll spare our vacation at Eden,  we thought.  Also, our 3rd wedding anniversary was approaching so it was a double-fun celebration - family vacation and wed anniversary.  One month before November 15 (our wedding anniversary), I went to MTS,  where the Eden office was located,  to book a room good for 4 persons.(my husband and I, my daughter Chesska, and my mother). Great! Eden had offered as much as 50% off on rooms, so I had no second thoughts of availing it. I chose Aster room good for 2 persons plus you can add one more extra bed. My 2-year-old baby is free.  Here's the price.

Aster Room:
Weekday Rates - 1, 620   extra bed - 825
Weekend Rates - 1, 700   extra bed  - 825

Inclusions: dinner, breakfast, complimentary entry to the swimming pool and fishing village.

How time flies! It seems like it just happened yesterday when Chesska was a baby, and soon in January, she will be turning two.  Chesska's first birthday was just held at our home, and from our experience, it was so tiring. So my husband and I have decided to look for another venue. Weeks ago, I got a chance going to downtown, and  I was able to drop by on two popular food chains here in Davao namely KFC which is situated along Quirino and Mc Donalds in Matina nearby MTS so I would be able to know the details about their birthday party packages. I also asked flyers from both of them, and I would like to share these with you.

KFC Birthday Packages:

Chesska would mumble "Nam-Nam" when got  hungry or even thirsty.  Can you relate? Or maybe, your baby has another way of saying it (whatever...),  but generally most babies would say "Nam-Nam", when hunger struck them.  Now you know that for some babies, "Nam-nam" is pertaining to "tsibog"- eat or nibble, so you must get ready to hand her foods.

Chesska’s first pair of teeth started to sprout when she aged five months old, and more and more teeth were appearing gradually as she got older. Since she also started nibbling solid foods, there were some food particles which stuck between her teeth (yuk!), so it started to bother me, and asked myself, “When could I ever start brushing her teeth“?

Perhaps most of you have come across this in TV ads ,"Bibibons" , a 2-in-1 biscuit nibbler and cereal for 6 to 24 months old babies. What makes "Bibibons" interesting to me is that,  it can be a "finger food" for teething babies,  and the fact that my 18-month-old baby girl didn't like cereal at all, so I thought she might like this food.

Babies grow faster than we'd like to think. As they grow older, they have milestones to discover and achieve to develop their gross motor skills,  by engaging them through stimulating and age-appropriate games and activities.

One quiet afternoon, I saw my 18-month-old baby inside our room, knocked down on her pillow, looked tired,  after pulling out all things inside our cabinet. Our room is completely scattered and messed up! It's like, it was hit by a typhoon, signal no.1 (lol). In fact, she is adventurous but buggy. She likes to learn every part and corner of our house. Everything she sees catches her attention. She tastes and bites anything she holds. Grab the things and throw them anywhere.When I pick them up and return to the place  where they belong, she again grabs them and throws them back. I try to discipline her by telling her to put the things back to the proper place,  she follows for a while,  and I affirm by clapping my hands for becoming obedient but later, she does scattering again. She also tries to reach everything in sight, like our calendar hangs on the wall. She rips it like a confetti.

January 14, 2012, I gave birth to a cute baby girl, named Chesska. Since she was a breech baby, I delivered her via CS-section.  (Ouch!) Normally, babies born in hospitals have to undergo Apgar Test and Newborn Screening (NBS),  until the Pedia notified us that Chesska had to stay a few days in the nursery room due to Bacterial Blood Infection (Sepsis),  and she would be treated with Antibiotic for 5 days.

One of the challenging behavioral stages of our children is to surpass their toddler years. A mother’s patience is tested during this span of years – one to three. Most common but less adorable behaviors of toddlers are hitting, biting, hair pulling, interrupting, lying, running away, screaming, throwing tantrums, tattling, teasing, throwing things, whining, kicking

Who would not believe that "stay-at-home-moms" could not earn while taking care of their baby at the same time? There are actually many ways which you can monetize your skills in the internet, depending where you can maximize your ability.

Baby from 6 months onwards must be given fresh, natural, and indigenous foods.  In addition to breastfeeding, I gave my baby natural foods such as papaya, banana, watermelon,  mashed potato, and mashed squash, etc. I do not rely too much on instant food which you can buy from the mall. "The fresher the better".

I know preparing foods yourself is tiring, but when it comes to your baby's nutrition, you don't think twice to prepare it. Here, I will share with you how I cook mashed potato and mashed squash.

Mashed Potato - My Baby Loved it!

Ingredients:
a. Potato
b. Butter
c. Cheese
d. Milk(evap)


Procedures:
a. Cut the potato into quarters
b. Boil the potatoes until tender then smash them. Or after boiling,
    I used blender for fine texture.
c. Melt butter in the sauce pan, and add the potatoes.
d. I put the milk slowly into the potatoes. Mix well. Be sure to lower the heat.
e. Lastly I put the cheese, then mix, mix, and mix.

Be sure that your baby is not allergic to cheese, butter, and evap. But my 10 months old baby
loved it so much.

Mashed Squash

Ingredients:
a squash
b.butter
c.cheese
d.milk (fresh milk or evap will do)

e.garlic (little amount finely chopped)

Procedures:
a. Cut the squash into small
b. Boil the squash until tender. The same process as above, you can blend it for
    fine texture.
c. Heat the pan, then melt the butter.
d. Saute the garlic
e. Put the smashed squash, then slowly put the milk. Mixed together.
f. Lastly put the cheese, then mix, mix, and mix.

My baby loved it too.Take note that  squash is a good source of Vitamin A for good eyesight.

Disclaimer: The information shared on this site is based on my personal experience. Health condition and nutritional needs of a baby differs from other babies,therefore,  it should not be considered  medical advice. Always consult your baby's pediatrician before taking action after reading this blog.

Maternity check-up, hospital bills during delivery, vitamins, and supplements before and after pregnancy for a mother’s health maintenance are one of those essential expenses spent in the early stage of motherhood. What's next to this list? Well, expect more expenses especially in bringing up your baby’s needs. Infant milk, diapers, vaccines, vitamins, and other necessities will be already included in your budget.

Amidst life's difficulties, I embrace practical ways in order to economize expenses. Here are my true-to-life story tips.

Are you planning for a classy getaway that fits to your budget? If your answer is yes, Camp Holiday is a perfect venue for any occasion without spending much. It is far different than the other resort,  simply for its mesmerising ambience which makes you forget the hustle and bustle of a city life.  It was not crowded, knowing that it was summer time the last we visited.  I loved their wide and greenish landscape, suitable for a  nature-lover person like me. I highly recommend  Camp Holiday for your "rest and recreation".

Immunization program differs in the availability, here in the Philippines, our Government offers free immunization of selected vaccines for infants. I went to the Health Center of our Barangay for Free Immunization if the vaccine is available rather than going to private doctor, it is quite expensive. Now, here's  the list of  a Baby’s Vaccination:

Do you feel happy when your baby started to mumble? Of course, it’s a YES, our feelings are mutual. My baby girl Chesska began to mumble in the mid 3-4 months by simply expressing "okoh". She started to mumble one-syllable words like pa-pa and te-te when she started crawling. She had been saying these constantly everytime she woke up early in the morning. I envied my husband because Chesska could already say pa-pa. (lol). I wanted her to say mama but it was not happening yet, despite teaching her every morning that sound. I knew that was only a baby talk, just mumbling without meaning and comprehension.


When my baby reached 6-7 months,since prior to these months, she was exposed to watch an educational cd entitled "SOUNDS" of different animals, it seemed it’s easy to stimulate into her brain to baby talk more words. She started to mumble shhhhhh sound of a snake; other words like eeffff, mmmmm, and erf – these uttered sounds gave me no idea what she meant. Playing that cd constantly in the morning and afternoon, she began to express emotions like being excited and happy. I was also awed of her focused- attention watching the cd for 15 minutes.Always remember, babies have short span of attention, right?

When she was in her 8 -10 months, I noticed that she began to refuse watching the cd. I thought she was tired watching it over and over again, so I switched the cd to Barney and Friends and played it constantly. As time rolled by, she was already interacting by giggling when the dinosaurs giggle, and jumped jubilantly when her favorite scene was viewed.

On her one year of age, she received a gift, a Dora doll. When you press her tummy, she talked. She was fond of listening to her, most especially when Dora sang a song. She rocked her head and shook her body with the melody. It was really enjoyable to watch my baby rocks with her Dora doll.


Now, she is one year and one month old, she can understand when I say “NO” and she simply nods her head. When she cries, at times, she says ma-ma. Sometimes, her gestures like waving hands for expressing “bye” as well as clapping her hands when she is happy – these are some of the behavioral manners she imitated from me.

Final Words

A mother plays a vital role in child's development in any aspect of learning. Provide him/her quality time by  playing together, baby talking together, eating together, bathing together and most importantly,  provide a happy, love-filled and interactive environment. Start to teach good examples, simply because, babies are great imitators. The onset of learning of a child during this stage is very crucial, pampered the child what we think is best for the baby’s exploration, discovery, and learning.

Crying is normal for babies for a reason. It is the only immediate communication a baby can do. In the early weeks, it's hard to recognize yet what your baby is telling you, and you may feel distressed and panicked when you hear him/her crying out loud.

I have experienced a similar situation as described above, but as time passed, I was able to determine reasons why she often cried. Here are the following reasons:

Could you ever wash the dishes, do the laundry, cook food, or clean the house while your baby is awake? Yes, you could,  if you'll use your common sense. Just like a game of chess, plan wisely to make your pieces cooperate and coordinate.

Don't wait for “last-two” minutes to complete the things you need before delivering a baby. Based on my mom-to-be experience, I seldom went to malls after I gave birth to my unica hija.  So it is convenient to prepare all the things you need.  Here's the checklist:

• Baby Powder - I use Johnson Mild baby powder. I apply it moderately all over her body to make her feel refresh. I often apply this when she is sweating.

• Diaper - I prefer Pampers more than any other diaper brands. The design is very comfy as well as my baby’s comfortable too.

•  Alcohol - I use Green Cross 70% solution. I pat gently with  cotton balls to clean her umbilical cord and navel. I suggest not to tie your baby's umbilical cord for fast drying. The stump will just fall off about 2 weeks.

•  Petroleum Jelly -- I apply small amount of this oil around baby's butt to prevent diaper rashes.

• Baby Oil -  After bath, I gently massage her cradle cap with Johnsons baby oil. I also use soft hairbrush to loosen the flakes. Her cradles started to show about 5 days since birth. Do no attempt to scratch to avoid rashes and infection. This will disappear in due time.

• Wipes - I don't use specific brand for this. Wipe is used when my baby poops. However, I wash her butt with running water when at home. I usually use it during our travel.

• Baby Lotion - Johnsons baby lotion helps moisturize my baby’s skin. I apply this every after bath. My baby smells fresh and kissable, of course!

• Liniment Oil - Don't you ever forget to include Manzanilla in your baby kit. Mostly, babies are prone to gas pain. I have this ready all the time in case of gas pain discomfort. Before sleeping, I rub gently a generous amount of Manzanilla to my baby's delicate tummy and head. Why I chose Manzanilla more than any other brands like Efficascent?, simply it has mild menthol content.

• Baby Bath- Aside from Johnsons baby bath, I use Lactacyd as an option. It is good to use for prickly heat and diaper rash.

• Cotton Buds - I remove ear wax from her outer ear not in the inner ear to avoid infections.

• Nail Clippers (for baby) - My baby finger nails grow fast, I carefully cut her nails.

Beddings:

• Crib - It is the most important thing for me, I feel at ease when my baby was put in a crib when I have to do other household chores.
• Mattress
• Two infant Pillows
• Mosquito Net
• Pillow Cases

Traveling Accessories

•     Baby Carrier
•     Baby Bags with Many Compartments for bottles, etc
•     Blankets (ones with the hood in the corner)
•     Extra Clothes
•     Powder, cologne, and infant's milk

Feedings

• I have at least 5 bottle-fed of different sizes. The smallest which is 2-ounce/60ml of bottle was used when my baby was a week old; 4-ounce/120ml of bottle from 1mos.-3mos. and increased in ounce, as she gets older.
•  Baby plates, cups, and spoons are provided when she started to eat solid foods and drink water on her own.

Bathing Needs

• Baby towels - I have bought two, smaller towels for her.
• Small basins
• Sponge or wash cloth - Choose a smooth cloth to ensure that the baby's skin will remain soft and smooth avoiding irritation.
• Toiletries –Use baby soap or top to toe wash, baby powder with powder puff case, cotton swabs, baby oil, alcohol, hair brush, nail clipper, etc.
• A soft-bristled hairbrush 

Clothing

• Tie Side-Shirts
• Pajamas
• Mittens
• Bibs
• Socks
• Cap

My newborn baby sleeping pattern especially at early weeks was very odd. She slept as much as 16-18 hours at daytime and stayed awake more for the rest of the night which interrupted my sleep. It was very rare if she slept a lot at night. I tell you, this kind of stage was the most sacrificial time I've ever encountered.

According to the research about newborns sleep, babies don't know the difference between day and night yet — and their tiny stomachs don't hold enough breast milk or formula to keep them satisfied for very long. They need food every few hours, no matter what time of day or night it is.(source: http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/sleep/sleepnewborn.html)

1. Plan Ahead

Plan at least two or three months before the birthday party to avoid “last minute” preparation that leads to messy outcome. Keep in mind that this is a party for your baby, not for the BIG ones. Prepare what are needed for the children to enjoy the party. Then, consider the important thing, the budget that would cover everything according to the parents’ desire and affordability.

Most babies are vulnerable to rashes because of their delicate skin.  However, it can be prevented if we keep baby clean.  My newborn baby had also experience rashes due to weather temperature- too hot that made her sweat a lot.