I've posted my entry early just in case I won't be able to use our PC tonight.

Justin had his first two haircuts done at different kid’s hair salons to make these a fun time for him. His first haircut was traumatic for him, though, as he cried the whole time his head was being shaved. That was done when he was only 1 year old. We failed to take a shot of the actual haircutting, but this was how he looked like afterwards.


Justin’s second haircut happened when he was 2 years and 4 months old in preparation for a playmate’s birthday party that he was going to attend the next day. While he was still hesitant to let the barber touch his hair, he was more cooperative this time around.


Before


After
These days, I only bring Justin to the hair salon at the lobby of our condo where I also have my hair done. It’s more convenient for us, and it’s a lot cheaper than kid’s hair salons.

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The colon is that part of our digestive system that eliminates wastes from our body. Many of these toxins come from the foods we eat, the drugs we take, and other environmental factors. Over time, these toxins build up in our colon, which eventually affect our total well-being. An unclean colon often leads to various diseases, such as candidiasis, obesity, and constipation. That is why colon cleansing is a must.

To start with this detoxification process, we need to choose an effective and reliable colon cleanser. Dual-Action Cleanse is a fiber-based colon cleanser that eliminates accumulated wastes from the colon. Getting rid of these toxins from our body offers wonderful benefits, such as a decrease in gas or bloating, healthy hair and skin, and increased vitality, just to name a few. Because of its natural herbal formula, many people have benefited from using Dual-Action Cleanse.

My husband I were at Makati Medical Center yesterday for my perimetry test and follow-up checkup with my eye doctor. As I handed the results of my perimetry test to my doctor’s secretary, I noticed there weren’t many patients that day. As we sat on the couch waiting for my turn, my husband motioned for me to look to my left. I did, and I was surprised to see one of our country’s finest actresses, Miss Coney Reyes.

The first thought that came to my mind was that I needed to get her autograph. Forgive me for being childlike here, but it’s not every day that you get to meet a celebrity in person, so I looked inside my bag for my planner and pen, all the while pretending I’m looking for something else. Then, I looked to my left, once, twice, until I mustered enough courage to ask Miss Coney Reyes for her autograph.

Me: (Whispering) Miss Coney…

Of course, she didn’t hear me because I was whispering. LOL. Again, I waited for the right opportunity. After she was done texting, I summoned all my guts to ask for her autograph one more time.

Me: Miss Coney, pwede pong magpa-autograph? (Miss Coney, can I ask for an autograph?)

Miss Coney: Sure. What’s your name?

Me: Tetcha.

Miss Coney: T-E-C-H-A?

Me: T-E-T-C-H-A.

Then, she wrote in my planner the following words: “Dear Tetcha, God bless you more than you can ever imagine. Coney Reyes”


Miss Coney: Pasensiya ka na. Medyo Malabo ang mata ko. (I’m sorry I couldn’t see well.)

She was apologizing she might not have written as nicely as she would if her eyes were not dilated. She was actually the next patient to be examined.

Me: Thank you, Miss Coney.

Miss Coney: You’re welcome.

I’m totally in awe primarily because she was a star but she did not act like one, and that had made her an even greater star in my eyes.

Does country living appeal to you? If you are a person who loves communing with nature but doesn’t have the time or the means to travel, there’s still a way you can experience the joy of laid-back, stress-free living. All you need to do is to bring nature into your own home. Fill your home with rustic furniture to achieve that feeling of comfort that relieves you from the stress of everyday life. Scenicfurniture.com offers a wide variety of rustic furniture made from woods like cedar, hickory, oak, walnut, and maple and fashioned by seasoned craftsmen. Their great collection of rustic furniture items are built to last for generations.

Yes, I admit, I’m a paranoid mom. When it comes to my son, I worry about the littlest details. Minor cuts or bruises, head bumps, or broken lips always make me frantic. I remember when he was 10 months old, he fell from our bed and sustained a large swelling on his forehead. I was at my wit’s end as my husband and I prepared to take him to the hospital. I called his pediatrician first to let her know what happened and to ask for advice on what we should do next. She told us to observe our son for the remainder of the night and to take him to her clinic first thing in the morning the next day.

When we woke up the following day, the swelling was gone. His pediatrician checked the spot where the lump was supposed to have been and said it didn’t look like the swelling was anything serious, so we could take him home and not worry anymore. But I couldn’t be persuaded. I urged Dr. O. to let my son undergo a CT scan for my own peace of mind. The doctor said there really was no need for it, but realizing a mom’s deep concern for her only child, she relented. And yes, she was right, nothing bad happened. Justin’s CT scan results were normal. Only then did I bring my son home.

If only there’s a way I could prevent my son from getting hurt, then I wouldn’t be a paranoid mom anymore.

Thanks Niko and Laine for this marvelous award.


Rules
1. To receive this award your blog must be exceptional in design and content; presenting us with new knowledge, a sense of style, or at times just giving us a smile!

2. Each recipient of the award will acknowledge the person who honored them with the award and then go to http://overthetopaprons.blogspot.com, copy/paste the award : Your Blog is Over The Top. (located on the right sidebar, scroll down)

To keep the ball rolling, I am now passing on this award to the following amazing blogs: Moments of My Life, Moms Lifestyle, My Pastime, iTravel and Hue and Hysteria.

What would you do if someone gains access to your personal information, such as your name, bank account or credit card number, or email address? Identity theft happens when someone steals someone’s identity and uses it for his own economic gain. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States and in other countries as well. The truth is there’s no stopping these identity thieves from perpetrating this crime. So how do you prevent yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft?

Your best line of defense against these expert scammers is prevention. You should always keep your wallet safe and other number combinations private. Another way to prevent identity theft is to seek professional help. LifeLock is the leading identity theft protection company whose services include preventing identity theft and providing fraud alerts and free credit reports from 3 credit bureaus. LifeLock also backs its claims up with a $1 million total service guarantee. This means you get reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses lost up to $1 million dollars if your identity is stolen while your LifeLock program membership is in effect. So what are you waiting for? Enroll with LifeLock now and be protected.

Justin has only one set of living grandparents, and that’s on my side of the family, his lola and lolo whom he fondly calls Nanay and Tatay.

Since Nanay and Tatay don’t live with us, Justin only gets to see them on special family occasions, like birthdays, Christmas, etc. or on those times we would ask them to look after our son while my husband and I would attend to other things.

Here are my favorite photos of Justin with Nanay and Tatay.


Five-month-old Justin with Nanay; Nanay's term of endearment for Justin is "Abujing"


Three-month-old Justin with Tatay; Don't they just adore each other?
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As a mother, I can’t help but be concerned for my little boy’s safety, especially since we moved to a new neighborhood a few months ago. You might not know it, but there might be a sex offender lurking around schools or parks in your area or living in the same community as yours. Since child sexual abuse is quite rampant these days, parents should be vigilant at all times. It also pays to be well-informed about potential sexual deviants in your neighborhood. I am glad to know that there is help available for parents like myself when it comes to protecting my child from sexual predators. Freesexoffenderreports.com is a website that provides updated reports of sex offenders in your neighborhood. Their innovative new system will provide you with a round-the-clock family protection service at its finest. With freesexoffenderreports.com, I know my child is safe and protected.

Lap Band Surgery is a medical procedure which is proven highly effective in helping significantly overweight patients lose excess weight. This surgery is performed using a Lap Band, an adjustable silicone belt that is placed around the top of the stomach. The Lap Band is inflated with saline solution through an access port placed under the skin, which makes the passage to the lower part of the stomach smaller, thus, restricting food intake. This controls the patient’s ability to control his hunger and achieve a feeling of fullness. Since Lap Band Surgery is a minimally invasive procedure, it causes no large incision or scarring and significantly less post-operative pain. For a free consultation on lap band surgery, you may go to 1800GETSLIM.

I got this tag from Cee of Living A’ La Mode, Seiko of Seiko's Diary and Jacris of Mom's Special Diary.



What is Plagiarism?

According to Dictionary, Plagiarism is the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work.

To all Bloggers who exert effort to create noteworthy entries and who continue to maintain a Blog which is a reflection of who she / he is, " Good job! "

To those who have the desire to Blog but are merely scraping contents from other people' s materials, " Whether you are monetizing your site to help you with your basic needs or to satisfy some of your wants, do it the proper way. Stop making money out of someone else's work. Otherwise, you are nothing but a common thief! "

I urge everyone to spread the word around. Stop plagiarizing others’ works. BE ORIGINAL!

Justin’s five-week summer class officially ended last Friday, May 15. Because Justin never missed a single day of school, never pooped in school, and gamely participated in their classroom activities, his Dad thought of rewarding him with toys.

Justin already owns a Thomas tank engine, but he wants to have the other tank engines as well. They’re quite expensive, so his Dad thought of buying him miniature tank engines so he can have three, instead of just one regular-sized tank engine.


James, Percy and Edward

Justin is also very fond of cars, and though he already has quite a number in his toy box, he simply can’t get enough of them, so again, his Dad gave in to his son’s wishes and bought him this set of race cars.


Race cars

Justin had a blast playing with his new toys at home. Last night, he went to bed way past his bedtime because he still wanted to play.

How about you? How do you reward your kids?

Last December 2008, I prepared a list of things I intend to accomplish in the coming months as far as my son Justin is concerned. That list included the following activities: potty training, bottle weaning and less TV watching. Here’s a quick update on that post.

Potty training – Justin is not completely potty trained yet, although he has shown considerable improvement in this area. He has gotten accustomed to wearing briefs, and he doesn’t wet or soil his underwear anymore. When he feels the urge to pee, he asks to be taken to the toilet. He wears a diaper only when he’s about to take his nap or at bedtime, when we go out of the house and when he wants to poop. He doesn’t really want to poop in the toilet, and this started when he was constipated a few weeks back. He finds it easier to do it on his diapers.

Bottle weaning – Justin sometimes drinks milk from a cup, but more often, he drinks milk from his bottle. But he consumes less milk now. He can actually last a day without milk. When we’re out of the house, he doesn’t usually ask for milk anymore, but on the rare occasions that he does, we simply offer him juice instead, and he seems quite content with it. He also goes to bed sometimes without asking for milk. I am actually relieved because less milk at bedtime means less baby bottle tooth decay.

Less TV watching – The two hours Justin spent attending his summer class (9am to 11am) meant no TV watching for two hours every weekday for the past five weeks. And because he was tired from school, he usually just slept in the afternoon, plus, we don’t watch TV in our bedroom anymore before he sleeps at night. I hope this trend won’t change now that his summer class is officially over. I just have to find ways to keep him busy and prevent him from watching too much TV.

This post is long overdue. Sorry, Niko, it took a while for me to post this on my blog, but it’s better late than never. Thanks, dear, for tagging me.


RULES:
1. Link with the person who tagged you.
2. Copy above images.
3. Post this on any or all of your Blog/s.
4. Answer the two-part questionnaire following these Rules. (Feel free to elaborate your answers. For questions 8 - 14, post only the one (1) which you believe best describes your choice.)
5. Share this with at least seven (7) friends on your Blog Roll.
6. Come back to Living A’ La Mode (DO NOT CHANGE THIS LINK PLEASE.) and leave the URL of your Post in order for you/your Blog to be added to the Master List.
7. Have Fun!

~ Parenting Style ~
1. Do you exercise full or minimal control over your child’s / children’s behavior?
- Minimal. There are times my son doesn’t listen, especially when he really likes what he’s doing. I can’t help but give in to his wishes sometimes.

2. Do you expect your child / children to obey 100% or let her / him / them do what pleases her / him / them?
- If what pleases my son won’t pose any harm to anyone, then that’s perfectly fine with me. It’s a different thing when he does something disrespectful or hurtful. This is when he has to obey mommy 100% or else…

3. Do you welcome discussion or you simply set rules?
- I set the rules, but I am open to discussion.

4. Do you reprimand?
- Certainly.

5. Do you use spanking for punishment?
- Yes, I do. This will teach my son a lesson that bad behavior doesn’t go unpunished.

6. Do you use some kind of a reward System for motivation?
- When my son does something good, I shower him with praises, hugs and kisses. Sometimes, I tell him we’ll buy a toy he wants or we’ll go to the mall if he’ll obey mommy.

7. Do you enjoy being a Parent?
- Yes!!! I wouldn’t trade being a mom for anything.

8. Are you a hands-on Parent or do you have a full-time Nanny?
- Though I’m a working mom, I make it a point to be a hands-on mom to my son whenever I can. I’m the one who gives him his bath in the morning and evening, administers his vitamins, cuts his fingernails and takes him to his pediatrician.

9. At what age would you let your child make simple decisions for himself / herself?
- As soon as I feel he’s mature enough.

10.Do you and your Husband have the same Parenting Style?
- No. I easily give in to my son’s wishes, especially when he’s crying, but my husband
sometimes lets him cry until he gets tired of it.

~ Wife Style ~
11. How long have you been married?
- 13 years this August.

12. How do you feel about being a Wife?
- It's not easy being a wife, especially in our culture. A Filipina wife is expected to be a lot of things rolled into one: a perfect homemaker, a caring wife, a loving mother, etc. This becomes doubly hard when you're a working mom. So, to answer this question, sometimes I enjoy being a wife and sometimes I don't.

13. What has been your typical sleeping attire since you got married?
- T-shirt and shorts.

14. How do you show how appreciative you are of your Husband?
- I cook his favorite dishes.

15. What do you do when your Husband annoys you?
- I do something that annoys him back.

16. You are buying or planning to buy your first house as Husband and Wife.
- We already bought our first house.

17. How does your house look like at the end of the day when Hubby gets home?
- Neat and tidy.

18. How do you feel about running a household?
- It’s stressful sometimes, but I get a sense of fulfillment when everything is in order.

19. What is the sweetest gift you have given your Husband so far?
- Our son Justin.

Now, I’m passing on this tag to all the mommy bloggers who visit my site.

Today is the last day of Justin’s summer class. I should be relieved that five weeks of accompanying him to and from school and having to adjust my work schedule is finally over. That’s exactly the opposite of what I’m feeling. I’m actually a bit sad for two reasons.

First, I have grown accustomed to seeing and talking to the parents and/or yayas (nannies) of Justin’s classmates every day for the past five weeks, his teachers, and the teacher’s aide assigned to their classroom. I feel like they’re our family away from home.

Second, I feel sad for my son because he wasn’t aware that he won’t be seeing his classmates anymore unless they all enroll in the same school come June. Although I told him earlier that it was his last day of class, he didn’t seem to understand that. Besides, Justin seemed to be really having a great time in school, despite the occasional cries and clinginess to mommy.

On a happier note, the teachers tried making this last day of summer class exciting for the kids as they gathered all preschoolers in one big room and made them dance to their hearts’ delight. The kids were given lollipops, too. Of course, the parents had their hands full taking pictures of their little ones.


Justin performing with kids from the other classrooms


Justin with his classmates and teachers


Justin with Teacher Gretchen


Justin with some of his classmates before dismissal time

I didn’t realize it’s only a few minutes before Friday until I remembered it’s my son’s last day of summer class tomorrow morning. I was so unprepared for this week’s theme I almost thought I won’t have an entry posted.

According to dictionary.com, “silly” means any of the following:
1. stupid or foolish
2. absurd; ridiculous; irrational
3. stunned; dazed
4. lacking seriousness or responsibleness; frivolous

Will the following photos be considered silly? You be the judge of them.


This was taken a few days before Justin turned 1 month old. We actually thought this was a funny pose for father and son. Justin was really asleep, but his daddy was just pretending to be asleep. How’s that for a good actor?


This photo was taken when Justin was 1 year and 4 months old while waiting for our order of Jollibee treats. I think he’s getting a wee bit impatient. He looked so adult-like in this picture, parang “mama” (a grown man).


Taken last year when Justin was 2 years and 3 months old while waiting for the elevator to open. He’s looking kinda lost here. “Where am I, mommy?”
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Have you ever felt naked in front of everyone? I did. I went to Sunday mass yesterday all by myself feeling strangely exposed. That’s because I wasn’t able to wear earrings. You heard that right. I felt so vulnerable being seen in public places without earrings. I couldn’t go inside our bedroom to look for a pair of studs because my son might see me, and I wouldn’t be able to leave the house if he did. And so reluctantly I left the house, feeling uneasy on my way to church and during the one-hour mass. Nope, I’m not really materialistic or anything, but there are things I simply can’t do without, especially when I’m out of the house.

For one, I can’t leave the house without dabbing pressed powder on my face and putting on lipstick. This is actually part of good grooming for me. I always believe in making a good first impression, and what better way to impress but to look presentable at all times. Besides, I look pale without lipstick, so that’s another reason I make sure I apply lipstick before going out.

Next, I can’t leave the house without my eyeglasses for obvious reasons. I have been donning eyeglasses since I was in high school. Without eyeglasses, I can’t really see far and wide, so that won’t really get me anywhere. As Velma in Johnny Bravo says, “My glasses! I can’t see without my glasses!”

Third, I can’t step out of the house without a watch. In fact, I used to sleep with my watch on. This gives me easy access to time, which is quite important for a working mom like me. Since I have to juggle a full-time job and homemaking, including taking care of the baby, I need to always know the time, so yes, watch is an important accessory for me.

Finally, I can’t leave the house without wearing a pair of earrings. I don’t really have a logical explanation for this other than I got used to wearing earrings ever since I can remember that it has become automatic for me to don a pair whenever I have to go out of the house. I don’t know, I just feel so incomplete without them.

So, there, these are my idiosyncracies? What about yours?

I came across this wonderful poem about how often we take our mothers for granted. The author Del "Abe" Jones couldn't have said it any better. If we're the lucky ones whose mothers are still with us, let's not pass up the chance to tell them every day that we love them.

IF SHE'S STILL WITH YOU
by Del "Abe" Jones
(In Memory of Margaret Rader Johnson)

Just a few days ago
A friend lost her Mother
And as we all know
There will never be another.

She's one of the few things in life
That can never be replaced
She's led us down those life's paths
That can never be retraced.

Too many take their Moms for granted
And think they'll always be around
They don't know how She'll be missed
When, one day She's Heaven-bound.

Why we celebrate this special day
Only this one time a year?
When everyday our Mom is special
And we should tell Her, make that clear.

So, if you are a lucky one
Whose Mom is still with you
Tell her everyday you love her
For, that's the least that you can do.

Enchie of Sweet Nothings has created a new meme for all mommies!

Here are the rules:

1.Grab the badge.
2.Share your story as an Xtraordinary Mom! It may be through pictures, videos, poems, letters. Anything that your heart desires.
3.Let other moms know where they can grab the badge.

Only in my 9th year of being married did I become pregnant with my son. This is because I had a medical condition known as prolactinoma. After I underwent surgery in 2004, everything became normal, and I conceived in October 2005. So, yes, Justin is our miracle baby.

I used to be competitive and career-driven, but I soon realized I had to make major adjustments in my life because I am now a mother. So, while the rest of my colleagues are climbing up the corporate ladder, I was learning and mastering and enjoying the art of motherhood. I have decided to become a work-at-home mom so I can attend to my son’s needs all the time.

Being a mom has changed me in more ways than one. I have learned to set aside my own personal needs and wants for my son. I also found my life’s purpose and meaning, and that has made me happy and content. I thank God every day because He’s given me a wonderful opportunity to become a mother and to make a difference in a young boy’s life, that of my dearest and precious Justin.

Every day I spend with my son is a happy moment for me. Nothing compares with the joy of loving someone unconditionally and getting loved back in return. Now, more than ever, I can honestly say that being a mommy is my biggest accomplishment and motherhood is the happiest phase of my life.

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One thing I noticed about my son Justin when he started going to his summer class is that he likes working with his hands. When it’s time for artwork, whether it’s coloring, finger-painting, or gluing cutouts, feathers, cotton balls or popcorn, he’s one of the firsts to sit around the table where they’re supposed to perform this activity. He doesn’t really mind if his hands get dirty in the process for as long as they get cleaned afterwards.

Some of Justin’s finished artworks

During one of the scenes from the primetime telenovela that Justin and I were watching, an actress was crying. Curious, Justin asked me.

Justin: Bakit sya cry, mommy? Spank sya ng daddy nya? (Why is she crying, mommy? Did her daddy spank her?)

I Heart Mother Earth
Thanks, Jona, for this wonderful tag.



Here are the rules:

~Click the badge and get the code then put the logo on your blog sidebar and post.

~Tell us what is your contribution to our planet. You live here for sure you've got something to share!! Post any pictures or share some of your ideas on how to help and save our planet Earth.

~Post these rules.

~Share this meme-tag to as many bloggers as you can think.

How do we help save Mother Earth?
In our home, we make it a point to unplug unused electronics when they’re not in use. We don’t just switch them off; we unplug them. This is because electronic devices that are turned off, but not unplugged, still use energy and contribute to global warming.

Now, I’d like to share this tag with everyone in my blog list.

2009 Friendship Award
Shy and Chris gave me this awesome award. Thanks so much, guys!


Rules:
1. Take your award here.
2. Put the logo on your post.
3. Link the person who awarded you.
4. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
5. Add links to those blogs on yours.
6. Leave a messages for your nominees on their blog.
Now, I’m passing on this award to Evan’s mom, Kaye, Lis, Genejosh, Vivian, Abie and Katherine.

My warmest thanks to my top Entrecard droppers for April. I hope to see all of you again in May.

My Review - 30 drops
Kids Toys - 30 drops
Zero - 29 drops
Cacai's Step and Journey - 29 drops
The Frugal Housewife - 27 drops
Things That Are Me - 25 drops
MARKFE - 25 drops
I Learn Online Marketing - 24 drops
Momspective Reviews - 24 drops
Mother by Design - 24 drops

We’ve been regularly going to Justin’s pedia for two years after he was born to make sure he received all the vaccines he needed and for his regular checkups. However, Justin’s dad and I never really thought of taking pictures of our son during any of these visits.

Justin was hospitalized when he was 10 months old for bronchitis where I took shots of him using my cell phone at that time, but for some reasons I wasn’t able to download those pictures to my computer, and sadly, that cell phone was no longer in my possession.

Luckily, I was able to rummage through one of my son’s old photos stored in my PC showing Justin with his pedia. This was the day I gave birth to my son, and naturally, Justin’s pedia came to check on the baby. The diagnosis: a healthy bouncing baby boy.


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