Potty Training Trouble

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

In a quiet desperation of potty training my now three-year-old daughter, I had to take drastic measures. I've read some mommies having no trouble at all and I envy them. I've read a lot of articles on how to potty train but I don't think we are getting there.

I've tried putting her in cloth diapers but it doesn't seem to work. Yes she feels the wetness but she doesn't mind. She tells me "u-u", her words for peeing but then too late. she peed on her diaper before I could take her to the bathroom.

I've tried asking her every 2 hours if she wants to go to the bathroom but she doesn't want to.

I've bought her cute toilet seat but sometimes she doesn't want to sit in it.

So, I decided to just let her wear an underwear without any diapers. At first she kept holding her underwear. Maybe she was a bit uncomfortable. I've noticed how she was holding it in. No more peeing just about anytime she wanted to. I'm hoping that sooner or later she would tell me she wanted to pee in the toilet. That would be a great achievement for both of us.

How Daddy G Tame the Kids

Sunday, May 29, 2011

My husband has this thing for snacks in the evening. Soon it was rubbing on to my kids. This is one way of them bonding together since hubby is home not most of the time.





Happily eating away while sitting in their favorite spot:)

Mini Chocolate Pancake

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Last sunday I went out with the two loveliest ladies, my mom and my lil' sis. By 3 pm we were hungry and happened to be near Pancake House so we decided to eat there. I was surprised to see they have new menus, one of which is the Mini Chocolate Pancake.

I really didn't know what to expect and I was craving for anything sweet so I ordered one for the three of us. When it came, each of us had to try it.

My lil' sis Esh and my mom's hand. She wanted to be included in the photo.

Mini cupcakes...yum!


It was like eating Milo:) I enjoyed it more and was able to finish it off by myself:)

Are Gentlemen Getting Extinct?

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

I was standing in line in a lotto ticket outlet waiting for my turn. I saw this man paying for his ticket. My daughter was trying to get my attention so I had to make a glance at her without leaving the line. Mind you there were two lines and he was in another line. The next time I looked up, he was filling filling out another lotto ticket and was still in the other line next to me. I didn't mind him since he was in the other line. My daughter was still talking to me so from time to time I had to glance at her. When it was my turn, that man tried to cut me off. So I said, "Excuse me, nagpila ako."  (Excuse me, I'm standing in line). He said, "Naglinya man sad ko." (I'm also standing in line). Then I said, "Pero didto man ka nagpila sa pikas." (But you were in the other line). To which he answered, "Sige ikaw una." (Okay you go first).

I can sense that he was irritated. But I didn't back down. I insisted I was next in line. After the incident, yaya asked me what that was that all about. She also saw him and was also wondering how he got in my line. The nerve of some people. I don't mind that he didn't consider a pregnant woman but what irritated me was that I was a woman. Just because of a lotto ticket he lost his manhood.

Another incident was when I went to a photo studio. When I was about to enter the door, another couple was also about to enter the door. I wanted to see if the young man would open the door for any other woman besides his girlfriend, especially a pregnant woman. This was what amazed me. I don't know what their parents taught them but certainly if it was anyone in my family, I would have told them right there and then.

No, he didn't open the door for me. After his girlfriend went in, he went in and I was left holding the door. I don't think he learned being a gentleman in school. And I don't know if he was taught by anyone older how to be a gentlemen. It irritated me of course. When hubby came in I told him about it and even he was irritated.

Are gentlemen really getting extinct??? Is it not taught in school anymore? I can still recall the lectures during my elementary years. What is happening with our men?

It's a Boy!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Last saturday, I finally had the courage to go on an ultrasound. Why I've been keeping this off is because I wasn't afraid to be told that it'a girl. Sure I don't mind if it's another girl, every baby is a blessing from God. But what I was afraid of was that my husband might not sign my BTL.

I didn't tell anybody where I was going except for the driver. I went their early. No doctor's request. I waited for my turn. When my time came, I didn't know what to expect. I understood what the doctors were discussing since I am a doctor myself, but they didn't know I was a doctor. When the sonologist said it's XY, I wanted to jump out of the bed. When she told me that it's a boy, I just had to smile.

I texted everyone and as expected, they were all so happy and excited. So here's my little boy...



See you soon! Kisses from mommy xxx

Home-for-the-Aged???

Monday, May 23, 2011

I remember a conversation I had with my parents while we were on our way to a certain mall. It started out with conversations regarding our home, how they are having difficulty going up and down the stairs. My parents are in their mid-50s and are heavy built which would contribute to the difficulty. They were telling me that when couples are young, they want to build a three-story house. But when age catches on, you'd rather have a room that all on the ground floor.

I understand how they feel since I've seen how they go up and down the stairs. But that's not where the conversation ended. They were then saying how there's no home for the aged here in the Philippines, and how easy life would be if they were in that institution when they grow old. They were describing how old people in other countries seem to enjoy being in that kind of place.

I'm not a foreigner. Though my grandparents, who raised me, are pure Chinese, I was never taught to abandon old relatives no matter how insensitive they tend to be when they're very old. My great grandmother lived with my grandparents. And as far as I could remember, she sure wasn't easy to live with. But not a day goes by that I've seen her neglected. Her room was always clean. Her food was always on time. Everybody respected her despite her behavior.

I wanted to tell my parents then that I would NEVER put them in some home for the aged and let somebody else take care of them. I wanted to tell them that one reason why I was having a hard time on deciding whether to build a home of our own for my family is because of them. I didn't wanna leave them since both have medical conditions that needs attention. Whatever makes them comfortable I'm down with it. Sure they'd be shouting sooner or later, they'd be very demanding. But weren't we when we were still young? They didn't give up on us so why would I give up on them?

Restroom Dilemna

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Did you ever find yourself in a situation that when you entered the cubicle, you find this shoe prints on the toilet bowl and some drops of yellow liquid (forgive me for being so gross but I just had to describe it!)? What do you do? Do you sit on the air while doing it? Do you squat on the floor and do it there? Or do you also squat on the toilet seat, not minding how the next person is going to react once she sees the dirt you leave behind?

I've seen this movie starring Sigourney Weaver where in she was about to go into court but decided to visit the ladies room first. Do you now what she did? She wiped that toilet sit down. When it was dry, she covered them with piles of toilet paper and sat on the throne like a queen. Isn't that awesome??!

After seeing that movie (I forgot the title), I always have tissues papers with me. I also bring 70% (not  40%) isoprophyl alcohol, liquid soap and wet tissue. That's why I'm not able to use small bags. My items won't fit in it.

Why go through the trouble of sitting on the air, squatting on the floor or squatting on the toilet seat when you can just comfortably sit on the throne??? Think about it.

Have you also noticed how some don't wash their hands after going? Do they really think that their hands are clean? Between sanitizer and soap and water, I'd choose soap and water anytime. Between sanitizers and alcohols, I'd choose alcohols anytime. I just don't find hand sanitizers very reliable, unless it's sterilium.

Another thing that bothers me are drops of face powder or strands of hair on the sink. I find it unlady-like. So maybe that's your preference. But maybe you can step back from the sink while you retouch your make up and comb your hair. The sink is made for washing hands.

I do hope that this little post of mine might help not everyone but at least someone. This is my own point of view and meant no disrespect to anyone who feels offended.

My dear Yaya

Saturday, May 21, 2011

At times I enjoy the sound of silence in my room when the kids are with my parents. And since I'm 5 months pregnant with my third child, I find it hard to move and play with my kids. This makes the yayas so useful.

I've never wanted to get one but my mom insisted. Maybe she knew I was meant to be a working mom like her. At times when the kids want to play or roam around the house, I call the yayas to do it for me. Climbing up and down the stairs have been so horrible these few days that I dread it. My butt and back hurts and I feel like my legs are gonna give way soon.

Everyday I face different problems at home. Living with my parents and siblings while being married and having kids, isn't exactly a walk in the park. There's the salaries, the bills, the cash advances, the feud between the maids, and so on. Sometimes I just wanna leave the house and find a place of my own where my thoughts are focused only on my kids. But with my hubby's salary, that would be quite impossible. To finish my everyday task, I rely on yayas to watch the kids for me while I finish making checks for the bills and tallying the maids salaries. Yes, there's too many of them that I actually have logbooks for them to sign in.

Then here comes what every mom dreads. It's when these yayas start to miss days of work because of some silly excuses. I don't mind that they go on their day offs, they have one each week. But I do mind when they start missing a day because I don't like when some things don't go as planned. I never liked surprises so I don't like it when they tell me, at the last minute, of their unscheduled day offs.

My kids are still small and needs all the attention. While wanting to be constantly near them, I then have to think of ways to provide for them. As for the moment, it's hard to juggle different things when there's just way too much to handle. Sometimes I am thankful for the yayas, at times I despise looking at their faces. Is this me or just being hormonal? Nevertheless, they do make things easier for me, despite the troubles that they bring.

Someday though, I wish to have only one helper and one driver. That would be a bliss!

How about you, what does your yaya do for you?

My New Obsession: Cambridge Satchel

Friday, May 20, 2011

Yes I know everyone is trying to have one. Just look at it. Leather hardware. Beautiful. In my years of shopping experience, paying so much also means that the quality is good. Somethings are just worth the money.



What color do you like???

P-Noy as Guest Speaker

Thursday, May 19, 2011

I'm not really the type of person who gets so hyped up when celebrities come to town. I was not really excited to see The President either when I knew he was going to be the guest speaker for our PMA Annual Convention... until he was in the room.

Sure I was not able to see him in person because I was already on the second floor and they had this projector set up in the room. The room on the first floor were already filled so we had to take the rooms in the second floor. It was like watching manny fight, only it was the President giving his speech.

He talked about what achievements he had done since he sat as president. One was "Iligtas sa Tigdas ang Pinas." Another was how pollution in NCR has lowered since his term. He also touched bits and pieces regarding RH Bill. In the end, it was like he's saying his PRO-RH.

Iphone Apps That I like

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

These are some of the applications that I like.

Instagram

It takes absolutely beautiful photos.






Lemeleme Cam





Retro Cam



It's making me not want to leave my iphone behind. Even my daughter loves to take pictures with these apps.

Sunday Fun at Tsuru

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

It's not too often that our family goes out and all the members of the family, including girlfriends and boyfriends are present. Since some of us works even on weekends, times like this needs to be cherished.

This one was even an spontaneous decision. But everyone had so much fun, including the kids.



My sister E, and her boyfriend A.


My brother I, and his girlfriend C.


My brother B, and his girlfriend C.


My parents J and J. At the background is yaya L, yaya E and yaya MJ.


My daughter K with yaya E.


My daughter R.


and yours truly. Hubby was late, wasn't able to get a photo of him.

Coconut Milk: My Hair Moisturizer

Monday, May 16, 2011

Being pregnant makes me scared of using just any products in the market. Sometimes I turn to organic products but somehow they don't deliver the promises they make. With all the hormone surging, my hair tends to be more dry. So I turn to my trusted and cheap alternative to hot oil, the coconut milk.



I've used this method since I was in my teens. It was way cheaper then but it delivers the same result every time... more moisturized hair. Once a week is good enough for me. I just add this to the list of groceries every week, and every week it's like going to the salon.

Here's what to do:

When buying coconut, ask the tindero to have it grated/scrape for you to avoid the hassle. At home, transfer the shredded coconut meat to a bowl and pour a small amount of hot water to extract the milk. When you are able to hold it, squeeze the juice out from the meat.

You can either repeat the process to get more juice or you can use it already.

Shampoo and wash hair. Apply the milk on hair and leave for 10-15 mins. Or you can leave it longer, depends on you. Wash it with water. You can shampoo again or you can just wash it thoroughly and dry your hair.

I wouldn't advise you do this in the morning though. You'll end up having a limp hair. Do this at night or on the weekends when you do not have important meetings the next day.

Go ahead and see for yourself.

104th PMA Annual Convention

Sunday, May 15, 2011

May 17 to May 21 marks the 104th convention. I was thinking of not going at first. But what am I going to lose if I go… right? Sure I have to pay P1500 for on site fee, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be learning a lot. Here’s a list of program activities:


May 17, 2011, Tuesday

6:00 am                                         1st PMA President's Golf Toumament
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm                        Registration
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm                        Board of Governors Meeting
7:00 pm - 11:00 pm                      Welcome Reception

May 18, 2011, Wednesday

8:00 am - 5:00 pm                        Registration
8:00 am - 10:00 am                      Opening Ceremonies
10:00 am - 11:00 am                    Ribbon Cutting, Opening of Commercial Exhibits
11 :00 am - 12:00 nn                    Plenary Session
12:00 nn - 2:00 pm                       Simultaneous Luncheon Symposia
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm                        Simultaneous Scientific Sessions
7:00 pm - 11 :00 pm                     Fellowship Night

May 19, 2011, Thursday

7:00 am - 5:00 pm                        Registration
8:00 am - 5:00 pm                        General Assembly
8:00 am - 5:00 pm                        APMA Convention
8:00 am - 10:00 am                      Plenary Session
10:00 am - 12:00 nn                     Simultaneous Scientific Sessions
12:00 nn - 2:00 pm                       Simultaneous Luncheon Symposia
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm                        17th PMA-GSK Resident's Case
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm                         Presentation Contest

May 20, 2011, Friday

8:00 am - 12:00 nn                        Registration
8:00 am - 12:00 nn                        47th Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Lecture & 20th Dr. Jose Rizal             Awarding Ceremonies
10:00 am 12:00 nn                        Simultaneous Scientific Sessions
12:00 nn - 2:00 pm                        Simultaneous Luncheon Symposia
2:00 pm- 4:00 pm                          PMA Awarding Ceremonies
5:00 pm- 6:00 pm                          Thanksgiving Mass
7:00 pm- 12:00 nn                         Closing Ceremonies and Induction of New Officers

May 21, 2011, Saturday

9:00 am - 12:00 nn                         Board of Governors Meeting

See you there!

My Own Little Nook

Saturday, May 14, 2011

By the month of June, I might start working here in our province as a rural health physician. That means transferring most of my time from being an urban mom to a rural mom. That would also mean that I have to bring some of my stuff here in the province.

My parents’ house has three bedrooms. There’s the master’s bedroom and the kids’ (that’s us) bedrooms, which was further subdivided into male and female quarters. But over the years, as I have started a family, we can’t seem to fit in our room. I end up sleeping in my parents’ room, which is bigger than the kids’ rooms combined.

Since this is my parent’s room, my mom likes to reorganize things as she pleases. She takes out the tables and chairs and then she replaces them with another set of tables and chairs. I don’t mind. I’m used to it.
Today she decided to place one set of tables and chairs on the far side of the room. As I was watching her transferring things around, I couldn’t help but giggle inside because I was planning to put a small table for my things. And when she did set a table, I knew that this was going to be my little space. And so here it is, my own little nook.





It’s not much but it’s a space I call my own:)

Our Time in the Bookstore

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

My daughter was fascinated with so many new books she saw. She had fun by the looks of it.


Stubborn Neighbors

Last year i had the most irritating encounter with our neighbor. It was the height of the dengue season and people thought that by burning dried leaves, mosquitoes would die.
So there he was, an old man with his teenage nephew burning what i pressumed was rubber. I was so furious. My kids were playing in our living room and they were inhaling the smoke. I never imagine myself marching into a neighbors house to confront them. But at this point, I just had to do it. When I took a peek through the railings, they were burning one whole tire. I just had to tell him to stop. But he wasn't willing to, telling me that it's just a small fire. I told him that if he didn't stop, I'd call the police. I also told him that there are lots of kids nearby and it's not good for their health. He kept insisting on wanting to scare the mosquitoes away. If I weren't raised well i could have punch him in the face right then. With a lot of convincing from other people, he finally put out the fire.
You might think that that was the end of it. But no! Until now, he still burns his dead leaves. And guess what greeted me when I got home yesterday afternoon...






Smoke!!!

How I Celebrated Mother's Day

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Last Sunday, while everyone was celebrating Mother's Day, we on the other hand went for a medical mission... operation tuli. This was headed by BRO (Batang Responsable OK!) which was founded by my younger sister. Through the cooperation of my husband's small group Doctor Cares, we were able to finish 85 operations. This was way more than the expected 50 patients. We finished at around 9pm but nevertheless, tired as we were, we were happy. These are some of the photos taken during the mission.


Hubby (in blue) talking to the parents, kids and BHWs.


Me and my daughter Reese before the surgeries.


Hubby demonstrating it to other members of the team.





Members of the team. Without them, nothing would have been possible. Thank you guys!

Book Finds

Since my orders online were cancelled, I had to pleasure of scouring bookshops for other great finds. And here's what I got. This where not the same as the ones I was suppose to order but I'm still happy with it.



These are for my kids.


And this is for me. I started reading Bob Ong's books since 2005. I wonder what this book is about. I would love it if there were a book club where we could exchange books or sell our books at a cheaper price. I would love to join those.

Anybody knows anything about it?

Update on my online book purchase

They finally emailed me and confirmed the cancellation of my orders. I wasn't happy that I didn't get the books but I was glad that they cancelled my orders. I wasn't willing to wait for 2 weeks. I think they should have an information on their shipping schedules and the availability of their products.

Disappointed with Fullybooked

Monday, May 9, 2011

I was sad and disappointed when i received an email from fullybooked regarding my orders. I was told of a price increase and an additional shipping charge. I was also told that it would take at least 14 days for my orders to arrive since some of the books have to be scoured through other branches. In response I asked why the prices weren't changed before posting the item. I also informed them that I was expecting for the books to arrive today. In the end I just had to ask if I could cancel my orders altogether. I'm still awaiting for their reply.

Sent from my iPhone

Happy Mother's Day to Us, Mommies!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

I received a most wonderful message from my husband early today. 

"Happy mother's day pi, I'm very proud of you to be the mom of our children. Love you so much."

Hmm... Happiness!