Hello, dudes! Summer is officially here! And the sun's heat seems like scorching our back, and we can't help but think of a getaway to temporarily refresh us from a very hot climate. By the way, how do you spend your Holy Week? Us? My family and I went to Camp Philips Bukidnon - the focal point of Del Monte Plantation - which provides lots of jobs to its immediate community including my brother. Camp Phillips's climate is cool the entire year, so it is a must-see destination for everyone when it is hot and dry.

How to get to Camp Philips from Davao City?

We left Wednesday early dawn to avoid congestion at Ecoland Terminal. It took us 8-hour trip getting to Camp Philips via Rural Transit Bus. Yes, 8 hours! That long, which made our butts and feet cramp due to prolonged sitting. Just imagine, carrying a 2-year-old toddler and with all the baggage along, huh, It was super dooper exhausting. Ok back to my story hehe. So we dropped off in "ALAE", one of the barangays of Manolo Fortich, also a stopover for buses and vans.  Then, we rode a jeepney going straight to Camp Phillips,  approximately 10-15 minutes. So before I will tell you what happen next to our adventure, first, I'd like to share with you our expenses.



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Finally, we arrived safely to my brother's house Wednesday afternoon. Ronan and I were totally drained so we decided to spend the rest of the day to relax in order to get extra energy for the next day adventure. On following day, we woke up very early to take a walk around Camp Philips along with my brother's wife and her children. Everyone was excited, especially Ronan.  Every time we passed by a nice view, we took pictures.

At the main entrance of Camp Phillips, you will see this signage - WELCOME CAMP PHILLIPS!

One can look around the camp without seeking any permission from Del Monte. However, taking picture of houses is strictly not allowed because of the previous NPA attacks. Since then, the camp was surrounded by numerous security guards (they called them Kadre) to secure the place.

Upon entering Camp Phillips,  you will see the biggest replica of pineapple, perfect spot for picture taking.

Picture taking in front of Del Monte Pineapple field.

Ok, I ran out of ideas what to write on my blog. But when I pondered upon Chesska's activities all this day - running back and forth tirelessly; cluttering our sala (living room) with toys of any kind; watching her favorite music videos;  munching her favorite snack, etcetera, instantly,  I came up with bright ideas (ting!) what to write. Since she's already two and obviously a big girl,  there are a few random things about Chesska that you should know:

1. She is a risk taker. 

I'm unsure if other babies/toddlers do the same. But Chesska is a risk taker. One time, she had tried putting her fingers over the lighted candle despite my previous orientation of "HOT". (It was brownout then, that's why we used a candle). She had also tried banging her head (in slow motion) on the concrete wall, finding out how painful it was.  Have her fingers caught in between every time I closed the door. (fortunately, I was always in alert mode to stop those from happening )

 Warning. Don't allow your child/ren to do the same.

2. She never smiles to new people. 

I bet. If you are new to her sight, she will never smile at you.  Even if you throw candies and confetti trying to amuse her. She would just sharply stare at you from head to foot until you melt. Promise!

3. She has a good memory. 

At age 2, she can already identify the parts of her body; count and identify numbers from 1-10; almost memorize and identify ABC (but getting there); sing a few lines of a certain song; tell her name and age in complete sentences when being asked;  perform dance steps from famous dance songs (Waka(2x), Kiyomi, Gimmie2x, Loca, etcetera)

Note: The paragraphs in italic written below are updated one month after this post for the sake of recording my child's progress.

At age 2 years and 3 months, she can completely say our complete address, and finally, sing ABC song with confidence. Though I don't expect the correct pronunciation of the words, I can tell that she say and sing them correctly.  She continues to surprise me every day and makes me even prouder of her.

4. She is also Kikay (fashionable) - Pictures coming soon! 

Unknown to many that Chesska is also Kikay. Yes, definitely she is! She loves tinkering her closet; and picks clothes herself to wear. Any clothes combination will do. Swimsuit with leggings underneath. Sleeping wear with a skirt. (fashionably fierce!)

5. She is cranky.

When pressed toys get malfunctioned, she will throw them away. When building blocks toys suddenly collapsed after piling up, she will freak out.  I can tell that she wants them fixed or arranged without mistakes.

6. She is a breastfeed addict.

I know it looks awkward seeing a toddler, as half of your size, breastfeeding to his/her mom. But not with Chesska. She likes breastfeeding better than formula.  Isn't it healthier seeing a baby breastfeeding than holding a cup of cola?

7. She is a fruitarian. 

One of her favorite food trips is munching with fruits. Banana, apple, papaya, guyabano, mango are among the fruits she likes most.

8. She is well-behaved when outside of her territory.

Don't get me wrong. But most kids are very hyperactive and naughty when in certain venues or events (birthday party, public places, malls, etc.) But I'm proud that Chesska is opposite. She will just behave and observe what has happened around her.  But when in the house, she's mobile.

9. She cannot sleep without her pillow.

Pillow is her favorite buddy. Anywhere she goes, or before she sleeps, she will bring her pillow along with her. But I promise her to buy a new one, replacing her saggy and old pillow. (lol)

10. She is a Papa's Girl.

I envy my husband. Chesska is much closer to her father than me. As we all know, fathers are "spoilers",  while mothers are "antagonists" (Kontrabida) again.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post, and I'm pretty sure that some I have listed are your baby's character/s too. I wrote these things so when Chesska is older, she'll read this, and become proud or maybe surprise of herself.

Last December 16, 2013,   my OB gave me my first DEPO - an injectable contraceptive to prevent pregnancy. I was told that the said contraceptive would wear off for about 3 months, and there would be likely an absence of menstruation.

However, on 1st week of Feb (one and a half month later after DEPO), I was spotting,  but not that heavy like menstruation, so my theory was that maybe it was just part of DEPO SIDE EFFECTS. During the next few days, I was alarmed when spotting continued to persist, and much worse about it I suffered from dysmenorrhea (ugh).   I was dismayed because I believed DEPO should work well as it supposed.

By then, I checked back to my OB and told her of my problem. I got ULTRASOUND, but she had not seen any indications or problems on my ovary. From then on, I made my mind to stop DEPO, because of the thought that I might not just compatible with the contraceptive. So I shifted to PILLS in the hope that my spotting would stop. After taking several pills (I think I took about 15 pills already),  still, my menstrual bleeding was getting heavier and severe. It bothered me so much since  I felt nauseous already and I couldn't concentrate on household tasks, and much more on my online job.  If I would count the days from the start of bleeding, it is almost 1 and 1/2 months.

In the fear that I may suffer anemia due to blood loss, I went back to my OB and asked advice how to stop bleeding. She prescribed me two medicines.

1. Hemostan (Tranexamic Acid- read more about Tranexamic Acid) . I was advised to take 2 CAPSULES three times daily. Meaning, I had to take 6 capsules daily for two days. I know that's a lot of medicines but I did not anymore complain. I wanted to get well very soon. First of all, she's my doctor ever since and I had so much respect on her.



2. Sorbifer (anti-anemia).  I had to take two capsules daily for 15 days.

After 2 days of taking Hemostan, bleeding had finally stopped (thankfully). The effect was very quick than I thought. I am now very very careful of what contraceptive I should take. Maybe it just so happen that I am not just compatible with DEPO..

Disclaimer: The information shared on this site is based on my personal experience. My health condition differs from yours, therefore,  it should not be considered  as medical advice. Always consult a licensed doctor if you have questions or concerns related to your specific health condition. 

It is undeniable that the majority of us struggle in handling finances.  What we are not aware of is that we lack discipline and lack know-how in managing money. We spent our money extravagantly like a one-day-millionaire. And at the end of the day, we kept wondering where our money had gone to. Well, I'm not exempted from this situation. During my 20s, when I started earning,  I'd been a slightly compulsive buyer.  I couldn't help but buy the things I wanted - it could be clothes,  sandals, or other useless stuff. My friends thought I was stingy, but  I was not.  I realized I had a tiny amount in my bank account after I resigned from work. I should have then 6-figure savings.

source: www.etmoney.com

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this review.

Finally, Chesska's 2nd birthday was successfully celebrated last January 14, Tuesday,  at KFC along Quirino Avenue here in Davao. I can't believe she's already two. Time flies so fast, right? By the way, Ronan and I chose KFC as a party venue for our dearest daughter, for a change. And speaking of a party venue, I knew, most guests especially the kids had been anticipating either Jollibee or McDonalds, but then,  we decided to go for KFC to give a little surprise and excitement to the kids.

But you know what? Chesska was so quiet and not even smiling all throughout the birthday party as if she didn't care - well she's just too young to understand what's happening around her. But she looked great with her Angelina ballerina attire but then she wore a frowny face. tsk... tsk...

Nevertheless, the party ended up smooth, and brought more excitement to the kids! KFC did not disappoint us. The party started at exactly 6:00 p.m. hosted by KFC's staff. Here's the flow of the program with a little tweak as suggested by myself.

*Opening Prayer
*2 Games
*Dinner
*2 Games
*Mascot Appearance
* Candle Blowing
*Giving away of Loot Bags






Their total package costs 4, 500 including party decor, themed loot bags, party hosting, invitation cards, party hats, cake, venue, themed prizes, cake, and mascot appearance (foods are not included). Click here for more details

Loot Bags for Girls- Lunch Box with Giant Puzzle Inside

Loot Bags for Boys- Lunch Box with Giant Puzzle Inside

Cake

Angelina Ballerina-themed cake was not available so it turned out to be Chuckie Design. (chucks na!)

Mascot Appearance 

They danced, giggled, and took pictures with Chuckie.

Foods

via: http://www.kfc.com.ph/menu

From their menu packages, I ordered 30 pieces "Adult Meal Package" for 150 pesos each", consisting of:

*1-pc Chicken w/ Rice
*Any regular fixin
*Mushroom Soup
*Reg. Drink
*Brownies

For kids, I ordered spaghetti + fun shots for 105 pesos. I just brought ice cream since you are allowed to bring provided that you sign their waiver.

Expenses: 

I spent less than 12, 000 pesos for 32 adults and 18 kids. A bit pricey but it's worth it!

Final thought:

If you want something new,  surprise your guests with nice prizes, loot bags, and mascots, then KFC is a fantastic and great venue for any occasion that suits your budget. Two thumbs up for KFC.

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.