Lunes, Disyembre 31, 2018

Sunsets



Everyday I find myself chasing the sun, not because I'm always in a hurry but because I had this little moments that I feel I haven't done enough for the day. Ever since I was little it may not have shown in my academics or in mostly things that I do but I tend to push myself to my limits. I make decisions and make sure to get the things I needed and wanted to do to make all things work. At some point in my life, I've gone through a tremendous change that I have learned to accept and deal with such things I have never planned of and have always dread to seek a validation from my Dad. 

Sixteen years ago, I lost my Dad. Just like that, a blink of an eye, a snap of your fingers, a two minute phone call; hearing from the other line a crying, choking voice telling you, your Dad is gone. I have learned to accept the facts of it but every single day, I still mourn for him.

Every morning, when I drink my cup of coffee, I think of Dad when he was so thrilled then with all the new flavors of Nescafe.

Every Sunday meal when I take a bite of Mom's cooking, I think of Dad when he was always so dedicated to make his special dishes for us.

Every time my husband sends and fetch me to and from work, I think of Dad when my sister or my brothers or my Mom and I ride his motorcycle just to get in time to school.

I have quite some special moments with my Dad that I wish that it wasn't just memories now. I have so many points in my life that I wish he just stayed longer but it all happened for a reason. It may have been sixteen years without him but my Mom did such an amazing job in making us who we are now. Not to brag and all, but a lot have something to say with how I am doing an amazing job raising my lil girl. And I thank my Mom and my Dad for that. 

Learning to accept that I was defeated by such things like I would never have known what my Dad would think, or if he approves of what I am and have done every single day, is like learning to love the sun setting. 

It must have been why I loved sunsets because it always reminded me that at the end of the day, after all your shortcomings, all the deadlines you have missed, all the borrowed time you could never take back, there will always be a beautiful sun waiting for you to set and I thank God for that.

Year 2018 have been a roller coaster ride for me. I cried a lot this year for things I got sad and happy. I shared victory with my husband how my daughter have grown to be a witty kid. I learned and discovered many new things at work that only my Philtrust family could taught me. I shared so many memories with my family that are for that I am mostly grateful for this year, especially times when we were all together with our own little families in a deserted resort. Such a fun experience!

For all my shortcomings as a wife and as a mom, I wish to make up for it in 2019.

Year 2019, bring it on! We are so ready for you.

Biyernes, Nobyembre 30, 2018

Make your Kids the Happiest this Christmas

Long weekends give us a time-off from daily whereabouts and gives us some time to catch up with our husband and kids. I have a helper that takes care of my daughter whenever I work and I don't make her come over during weekends and holidays so we could have a solid bond. I find this very effective especially now that she can now understand that there are days I needed to work and days that I am free and can tend to her. I find it such a hard time to give my daughter the best bonding days because I always ran out of things to do with her. A two years old is very hard to please since they have very short attention spans, they tend to make there own decisions and are very hard headed at a times.

So in order for us to bond and keep her entertained and at the same time she would learn new things, I found myself scrolling through Toytink on instagram. I've known the brand since I gave birth to my kiddo in 2016. I've been following the account since I want to give my daughter the best of both worlds, having fun and to learn. Upon scrolling the account I came across their Christmas giveaway, I got all giddy about the educational toys and mom-kiddo goodies they are giving away.

Toytinkr have partnered with Santa's Sack, BrightBrands Lifesyle Store, Bubba Doodles, Copii Kids, Fun Nest, Hiraya Tree, Lily and Tucker, Ma'am and Mom's Educational HubOli's Boxship, Peekaboo and Company, Pottery Barn Kids PH, Pumplepie Books & Happiness, The Kiddi Company, QT Baby, Trunk Show, Tonic, Bambina Philippines, and Beluga Dreams Books and Educational Toys. All generous online sellers will be giving out items they're showcasing from their brand. It's so easy to join just click any of the brands to check out the full mechanics. All links go straight to there official posts you could place your entry. 

I am sharing all these information because sharing is caring and it is very timely for the Holiday season. Head on now to your phones and instagram accounts to join the giveaway, it ends on December 9, 2018  and make your kiddos the happiest on Christmas day, making us the happiest moms all the same.


Have a wonderful, crazy and fun Christmas rushing to everyone as we count only 24 days 'til Christmas!


That is all for this post.


Toodles!
Love, AnDi

Sabado, Oktubre 20, 2018

Wallflower


As people age and get mature, the choices that we make, the changes we embrace, the failures we regret, the hardships we surpass, the standards we set, the fashion trends we follow, all revolves around our lifestyle. We learn to live in a whole new world once we finally step in to adulthood. I was at some point in a verge of denial until my lil girl pinched me while we sing and dance to nursery rhymes all day long, enjoy shopping for her clothes than mine, and most of all, staying at home and sharing moments only a daughter could give. It was all overwhelming at first but finally got the hang of it with the help of my loved ones. And with so many changes that happened, my style also evolved. Wow! What an evolution! Haha! I’ve finally invested on darker hues for my wardrobe as I have been a total pastel lover. I regret on not starting early on but loved collecting them all now. I am such a sucker nowadays with navy blue and maroon ensembles. Also, I’m now a certified white sneaker-head. Yes. A big emphasis on the color white, since I invested on one colored sneakers and I had a hard time to pair them with my wardrobe, so I stopped with one colored pair which is in pink. So I stuck to white sneakers that I use and abuse all through out since they are always so comfy and practically works with everything. It also helps that I spend lesser time to put together my OOTD, now that I always have workable wardrobe for all occasion. I tend to be dressier for church and family gatherings, just like my OOTD a few Sundays ago.




I wore this dress on my birthday last February and totes forgot to take my OOTD. Once I buy a new dress for a certain occasion, I always make sure to make use of it for church day then slowly using it for casual days. That way I won’t let the dress feel that I took them for granted. Hahaha! This dress gave me this bohemian vibes that I felt that it was the right time to finally use the bag that equally screams boho, my fringes sling bag. Aahhh! I was so happy when I got this from my cousin. I love how it is just so subtle but also an eye-catcher in a good way. It worked so well that when I know I will no longer get the chance to get a decent photo of it at home I just dropped everything and get my photo taken at the parking basement of the mall before riding the car. I was also able to finally capture it in action, all thanks to boomerang. I got this dress from Knitty Gritty Manila. It’s an Instagram shop that sells high quality ukay clothes and coats at an affordable price. You get bragging rights if you shop from their store since the first person to comment on the photo gets the item, making me all frantic with my husband to stop using the internet for a while whenever I shop. I paired it with my fringes bag and my nude block heels shoes from Primadonna. It’s the only pair I got for dressing up, need to invest in a new one ASAP. Also, I’ve been wanting to have a wrap dress for so long, even though it’s not the legit type of wrap dress, I was so happy with this purchase. It is actually a maternity dress that’s why so many people judged me that I was pregnant daw. OMG! I was not informed. Hahaha! Anyway, I love this dress because of the color and the print. Since, I am so in to navy blue and it has this beautiful pastel floral prints made me want to buy the dress. Also, the length of it was just perfect, not too long, not too short, that fits to my husband approved outfits. The style is also timeless that I might be able to use it in the future. *Wink* Dressing up made me feel like a wallflower all over again. Not just because of my floral dress but I kind of blend in with all the moms dress to the nines clutching diaper bags all the same.



This was the second time I’ve finally posted an OOTD after so long and makes me want to post some more. It also helps that my husband is in full support of my return to OOTD blogging that I sometimes let him check my grammar whenever I am not pretty confident with the content and he sometimes direct me when to stop breathing just to get a decent photo of me with my happy tummy, which is btw overwhelmed with food. Hahaha! On a more serious note, I want to raise the issue that I find it super duper rude and never okay to ask someone if they’re pregnant, especially when you don’t have this close relationship with them or if you do have, you should have checked on your facts first, like, I don’t know, a flashy baby announcement on social media because that’s what everyone else does. I was always so pissed at first that I went to a point that I break down and cried a lot, but now I have embraced my happy tummy and do some exercising once in a while because apparently it is still my fault that I’ve gained so much weight and haven’t gone back to my pre-natal body. My fingers are still crossed, I haven’t lost my hopes yet. But still, it is rude to ask especially when you’re asking someone who’s in a pretty good mood, it just rottens the whole day ahead. Put yourself in other's shoes and ask yourself how you'd feel if you're not pregnant and someone asked you the same question. A lot of new moms and even the one's who have two or more children go through a lot when getting pregnant, and giving birth and I feel like a lot of people doesn't take postpartum blues seriously. It saddens me that I've read a lot of articles about moms who had worst scenarios of this ending up losing themselves. I wish people would be more sensitive to one another especially to women who recently just gave birth or is a new mom. I could feel myself unloading a lot of unwanted baggage after writing this all down (typing, in this blog’s case).  

That is all for this post. Please do come by my Facebook page and hit the like button for more updates on new blog posts and also on my Lookbook page to give my looks some heart and hypes. I do hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts, you may leave some comment(s) below.


Toodles!
Love, AnDi xx

Biyernes, Oktubre 5, 2018

Day to Night Baby Essentials

When it comes to our baby’s comfort it is always on top of our list. We don’t want to get the baby furious all the time, it would be at our disadvantage, too. Whenever my lil girl gets the slightest hint of discomfort I am always worried with what is making her feel that way.



The first time, my baby was a few days old. She was crying so much, my husband and I couldn’t make her stop. I was changing her diaper when she had this blot of blood on her nappy. I was so worried I could our pedia at a very inconvenient hour, it was prolly 12 midnight then. Luckily, our pedia was kind enough to accommodate us and explained thoroughly that it was caused by a hormone that I passed on when she was still inside me. Felt a bit relief then. But my lil girl still would not stop crying until my husband tried applying chamomile oil on her tummy. She was relieved. Chamomile oil is on my list. This relieves tummy aches of baby who are bloated.


There was also a time when my daughter had a fever after getting her vaccination. She was burning up with fever then. I already gave her paracetamol but she was still hot. And the cooling patch was such a big help then. It made her feel normal despite the 38 degrees C body temperature. This is included on this list. It is quite helpful also if the kid doesn’t want the idea of taking medicine. But I still let her take them though.

Until now, my daughter who is now 2 years old, still gets diaper rashes once in a while even when using the best diaper brands. I deal with them with diaper rash cream. Get yourself with a trusty one. I make use of this tea tree remedy; it’s an all-natural salve that helps soothe rashes, cuts, and burns. It’s very effective with my daughter. When I put it on her rashes before she sleeps, the next day it already fades.

Another baby essential is the mosquito patch. I stack on these since I don’t want my daughter to get sick from mosquito bites. I put one patch on her back in the morning and two at night. It is readily available in drug stores and grocery stores. It helps protect kids from insect bites, plus it smells really nice.

I also have with me always a bottle of clear spray sunblock especially when we are in the outdoors. It helps protect the baby skin especially from UV rays that our bare eyes couldn’t see. I also bought the hypoallergenic type, to avoid unwanted allergic reactions.

Of course, how can I forget? I don’t think anyone needs reminding of this particular essential. And these are the baby wipes. These are lifesavers, when your baby’s hands are dirty, there face got food all over them, for changing nappies, for cleaning toys. It is always best to wash anything properly with soap and water, but if worse comes to worst, they are my go-to especially when we’re always on the go.


That is all for this post. I hope you guys find this very helpful. 


Toodles!
Love, AnDi 

Huwebes, Setyembre 27, 2018

Back to Classics


Upon strolling the mall after a very long time, I got all giddy that the classics are back. I am seeing my childhood fashion trends. I remember when my Mom bought me and my sister some matchy ensembles. We wore leather clogs, mules, Mary Janes with matching metal buckles, striped shirt dresses, turtle neck tops, button down denim skirts, etc. I can now dress up the nerdiest way possible with the blazers and trousers trending look. They are so in nowadays and you can score the cheapest yet with good quality ones with your fave online shops. Cullotes and square pants are also making a comeback. I am so happy we are now back to the comfiest ways of dressing up. We can all follow trends and not compromise style and wear something laid back all at the same time. I am going to bring out all of my button down shirts and collared dresses with a winning grin knowing I’ll finally blend in. Come to think of it, it was called classics for some reason, uhm, maybe because they can never go out of style. I am so back in posting OOTDs on a regular basis if these goes on.


Bag: Mango, Sneakers: Zalora, Socks: Singapore

Speaking of OOTDs, I finally have something to post after so long. I can’t even remember when the last time was. I am so happy to share this one since it is a husband approved OOTD plus he was the one who took the pictures while we sneaked out of sight of our daughter.  




Classic and comfort wear are things on my list when it comes to dressing up especially that I always run errands with my lil one. And this ensemble hits my criteria of classic and comfort. This dress stresses out how far a classic striped dress shirt could go. I mean look at it. You can pair it with an endless list of shoes and accessories. I’ve already paired it with a denim vest, a scarf and now I tried my luck on a crochet vest and it actually worked for me. I made use of my trusty white sneakers to top off my look.

These pair is pretty special among my white sneaks because of the satin material of the shoes. I love how it looks soo shiny from afar. (This pic did not give any justice to it though. SMH) The downside of this material is that it is pretty much prone to dirt. But I already have a new fix for this. You can always make use of wet wipes to wipe it all off. I’ve been using it with my daughters jelly shoes and it works perfectly with my shoes as well. I was very happy with my pictures all thanks to my husband for directing me while taking it. This outfit was both perfect for a Sunday mass and a gathering with my family and relatives.

That is all for this post. I hope you enjoyed my post. I soo miss posting OOTDs and will do make more of this. Please do drop on my lookbook account here.

Toodles!
Love, AnDi

Sabado, Agosto 4, 2018

How to Cure Overnight Heartbreaks



As I have become a wife and a mom, a couple of times I'd feel sad one night then feel great the next. My mood swings have gone so much worse especially when I had to deal with my postpartum blues. I never believed in them until I experienced one myself. My confidence was pretty low seeing my postpartum body, when I was left all alone dealing with my nappy changes and other baby routines while my husband goes to school, when I couldn't go to my usual whereabouts because I already have my daughter. It was a complete change of lifestyle in a snap. But at the end of the day, it was all totally worth it especially when you look at your baby sleeping soundly, your husband happily helping you out at home, and that touching feels when you see your baby grow up in to a good kid.  Many would ask, how did you deal with all those up and downs? I have a few listed down cures to overnight heartbreaks. 

The first on my list is to get yourself a new series to watch. I have watched long time series like Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, etc. when I was in college. I also got hitched with K-Drama series like Princess Hours, Dream High, The Heirs, etc. Also, who wouldn't want to watch reality TV shows like The Kardashians, Date with your Mom, Sweet Sixteen, Pimp my Ride, etc. I'm such a TV junkie then. I could totally survive a week without internet just give me a cable TV. It helps you get distracted with time. It makes you think about other lives' rather than sulk how to loose your postpartum weight.

Second on my list is to get a book to read. I'm also a sucker for book series. Harry Potter Series on top of my list, followed by The Hunger Games Series, The Selection Series, and a lot more. I have yet to read a few more famous series to add to my list. Reading lets you enter a totally different world that makes you feel away from reality. Also, it makes you feel a little obsessed with the characters sometimes that you'd want to research more about them that makes you preoccupied at times which is good if you're bored with your daily routine. 

Third is to have a weekly movie date with your husband. My husband and I always watch a movie once or twice a week. It helps you catch up especially when you don't get to be with each other 24/7 because of work and school. 

Fourth is to get an old indoor hobby of yours back. Mine was getting back on track with my blog. I usually just post about my OOTDs but motherhood brought me to a whole new world I need to tell everyone about. It also helps me to remind myself of the things I ought to do and not to do. 

Fifth is to get yourself a feel good playlist. This works miracles for me. I made myself my own playlist that I would play whenever I feel lazy doing my daily chores. When I pop my playlist on I just sing the night away then I am good to go. In a few hours I'm done washing and sterilizing the bottles, getting my daughter's things ready for the next day, fixing her toys away, choosing my work outfit, etc. 

Sixth and definitely not the least is to give yourself a break and make yourself feel good on how you look. A few weeks ago I've got myself a bangin' bangs. I've cut them myself and felt good on giving myself a new look. Recently I tried bleaching my hair and tried dying it pink with a tempo dye. The bleached work but the pink tempo dye didn't but I love keeping my bleached tips. They're underneath though since we are not allowed to sport shocking colors at work. Also, once in a while I dress up and look for clothes in my closet that I haven't used yet. I try them out, mix and match with old ones, and create outfits. I also made sketches of them or list of new combos and tape it on the door of our closet to remind me of them.

I have more things to share but I'm afraid anyone who reads it would snooze out. Also, one might ask how is the pic related to my post, well, if you haven't seen it yet, the cloud forms a mom holding her baby. It reminds me that at the end of the road it all falls on how much you value your family to make it all work.


That's all for this post. I hope you guys find it helpful. Let me hear from you guys on your ways to cure overnight heartbreaks.

Toodles!
Love, AnDi

Linggo, Hunyo 24, 2018

The First of my many Mommy Diaries


For my first Mommy Diaries post, I’ll be writing about something very close to my heart. It actually became a part of my daily routine. I’d never last a day not doing this chore. I tried and tested a couple of things that I finally found the ONE. I’m actually laughing while reading my intro that shows my cheesy passion for bottle cleaning.

When it comes to bottle cleaning I know a lot of moms are very particular. We make sure to use the washing bottle soap that kills 99.9% of germs, we probably use water at a maximum just to make sure there are no excess soap left in the bottle and lastly but definitely not the least, we look for the best and suitable washing bottle brush.

For almost two years, I’ve actually tried several types of bottle brush. I am going to discuss that later. I just wanted to share how happy I am with what I have recently discovered. Also, I find it very crucial when it comes to proper bottle cleaning. Despite the fact that after washing them, we still sterilize them, I find myself very careful when cleaning my daughter’s bottles. Making sure there is no milk residue left at the bottom of the bottles. They should be rinsed properly leaving no soap. It must smell clean but not too much that makes the water or milk tastes like soap.

A big factor of this is choosing the right type of bottle brush. It always depends on the type of bottle your kiddos are using and will always come down to your own motherly gut feel and experience. This is just a mere personal opinion, no way promoting an existing brand. It is all base from my experience. I have actually tried and tested four types.



Bottle Brush with Sponge Head


The first is the bottle brush with sponge head. This was a very effective brush for me especially on the first few month of bottle cleaning. I had difficulty when we switched to bigger bottles though. I had to exert more effort so I could clean the bottom of the bottles properly. The sponge was helpful but the more effort I make, the more I tear the sponge apart from the brush. Also, the stem between the handle and the brush keeps on bending. So, I switched to a different type. It ranges from 40-70 pesos. The longest I had this brush was for three (3) weeks, the least I broke the sponge in just a week. Boohoo.



Brush Flat Head


The second one is the brush flat head. This was also effective since the handle and head of the brush is one and the same, no to bending stems and tearing up sponge. The bottom is also slightly bent replacing the miracle of the sponge head.  This is the brush I had to replace the longest. It lasted for 4-6 weeks. The only problem I have is it is quite pricey. The price ranges from 120-180 pesos.


Basic Bottle Brush


The third one is the basic bottle brush. There was a time when I had no choice but to grab this type since there were nothing else available in the grocery store I went to. The problem I had is that the metal part of the brush is rusting. The stem is also very flexible like the bottle brush with sponge head. I also check the bottle twice after rinsing since I always have a bottle or two left with milk residue at the bottom. Talk about hassle. I clean it all over again. The only thing good about this brush bottle is that it’s the cheapest of the bunch. The price ranges from 20-40 pesos.


Self-rotating Brush Bottle

The last but not the least, the brush I called the ONE is the self- rotating brush bottle. I am totally biased to this brush since it had been my best-est buddy with bottle cleaning. With the mechanical angle that it has helping the brush to rotate on its own, I need not to exert extra effort. The best part is that it also comes with the sponge head feature minus the easily tearing part since I don’t need to effort that much. There’s actually more to that, it’s not that cheap and not too expensive. It’s just the right price. It ranges from 60-120 pesos. I’m using the cheapest type. I bought it at a department store.

There you have it folks. All you’ve read are just from my own experiences. I am not promoting any particular brand. It just boiled down to how I carefully chose what is suited for my daughter’s needs. For the first time mommies out there, you can consider trying them out yourself and for the veterans, please feel free to comment below if you guys have some suggestions and comments about this post.

Also a tip, I clean the brush itself once a week by soaking it with soap and water for 15 minutes, then rinsing it with boiling water. I make sure that the brush is dry and clean before keeping it. I make use of the hard plastic cover that comes with the bottle brush when you buy them.

That is all for today’s post. I hope you guys find it helpful especially the new moms out there just like me. Again, it still goes down to what is best for your kid but a lil reading of others’ experience are great help as I have also experienced all this before when I started at ground zero.


Toodles!

Love,
AnDi


Linggo, Abril 22, 2018

Mommy Diaries: An Intro

It was a windy Sunday afternoon. We were in a farm. I was holding my daughter as she just fell asleep. She wasn’t able to take a nap this morning as we went to church. She’s heavier than usual. I could feel my muscle pumping in my arm as her head rests. I looked at her hands and fingers. They’re no longer the small baby hands I once held. Then it hit me. My daughter is no longer a wee little baby but a toddler. She just turned one (1), half a year ago. And I can’t grasp how much more she’ll grow over the coming days, months and years.

Being a first time Mom, every single day is a learning experience even when I read newsletters weekly and books for expectant moms beforehand and babysat a couple of my nieces and nephews. I still feel that I have no idea in what I’m doing. There are so many things to remember, wishing I could just list it all down. I had a light bulb moment. I’ve been thinking lately; why not share them here on my blog? I could just re-read when I needed to. I feel like with my age, I’m in the mommy zone now even my readers. That’s probably the best blogging idea I’ve had for this year. 

So there you have it folks. This page is now a style and mommy blog feat. Me and a lot of my mommy diaries I have been keeping for a year and a half now. My style diaries are no longer limited to my own ootds but are now extended with my daughter’s and husband’s as well. And that made me even more excited!

But for now, I’ll be sharing to you a very first of my own Mommy OOTD. I find it really hard at first to dress up considering I’ve gained a lot of weight. And it is just now that I had the courage to post something like this.




Since, summer is now on its full blast. It is quite the right timing for my style have transitioned into something more comfortable, breathable and both convenient for me and my daughter. As for the colour palette of my wardrobe, I haven’t grown out my love for neutrals and pastels yet. I still consider myself a classic dresser though; I can’t help but notice how I am so into embroidered ensembles. That’s why this number caught my attention. I got this Zara embroidered dress from Knitty Gritty MNL an online shop on instagram. (P.S. It is such a proud moment if you get to purchase from this shop.) I imagine myself wearing this dress in so many possible ways. This time I 've worn it with my lace sneakers from SHEOSMANILA. Also, I used my sling leather bag from Forever 21.


Dress: Zara, Bag: Forever 21, Shoes: Sheshe


Considering that the length of it is slightly out of my comfort zone, I could actually wear it as a top layered with a skirt. The versatility of this dress is limitless that I can actually pair it with sneakers, sandals, ballet flats, heels, wedges and even boots. 

That's all for this post. I hope you guys are as excited as I am with my upcoming posts.


Toodles!


Love,
AnDi