The Little Troublemaker

He pulls my hair. He bites my feet. He dives on my belly while I’m sleeping. He headbutts my face. He throws everything to the ground. He screams. His farts stink to high heaven. He makes a fuss when I change his diapers. He smashes my laptop.
He just drives me crazy!
WHATEVER. I LOVE HIM TO BITS.
Happy Friday, everyone! Have an awesome weekend!
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Throwback Thursday: July

How are you, mommies?

I’ve decided to do monthly throwbacks so I could show you guys how much Ethan has grown in the past year. I still can’t believe that more than a year has passed since I gave birth to this little troublemaker!
A year ago, he was only a month old.
In a swaddle, I’d call him Caterpie!
“Not another picture…”
He was almost two months here. Notice the chubbier cheeks!
Ethan was a happy, healthy baby during his first month. He was already smiling and he was always making funny faces (most likely unintentionally). Though I was always tired from the sleepless nights, I found his smiles to be very rewarding. You’ll notice his face covered in tiny acne in the last two pictures, those got me worried at first but they faded eventually. As for milestones, well, he was starting to lift his head around this time and he was also vocalizing, not frequently though, because he was always busy sleeping!
Here he is today.
WHERE DID TIME GO?
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Family Fanatics

I was given the opportunity to participate in the Family Fanatics initiative by sharing how sports have brought my family together. Fanatics is the leading online retailer for anything and everything sports – from NBA jerseys to World Soccer gear.
My husband was bitten by the biking bug sometime last year and he managed to get a good deal on a mountain bike online. I remember him pushing me to get my own bike too so we could ride together, but at the time, Ethan was still a few months old and with my hands full I couldn’t find the time to squeeze in a sport. With so many mommy duties on my plate, taking up a sport was the last thing on my mind.
My husband’s bike
I have never been the sporty type of person, and I blame it on my asthma. Back in high school some teachers tried to get me to take up a sport but I was always discouraged when I was held back by an asthma attack. I remember this one teacher who asked me to try out for the track team, and no matter how fast I ran I was always two laps behind. I realized then that sports weren’t for me.
My husband, however, is the type of person who likes to stay active. When he got the bike he would ride from Pasay all the way here to Cavite (we were staying in between homes at the time). He absolutely enjoyed it, and to be honest I envied him and before I knew it, I found myself pedaling too.
You guessed it right. I finally got a bike earlier this year.
I just love being on a bike. Compared to most sports, riding a bike does not require you to be on your feet, so you don’t have to support your body weight. Since I currently have medication to manage my asthma, I don’t get asthma attacks when I ride. Though it is a physical activity, I really find it relaxing especially when I ride through a nice scenery. I guess that’s what I love about biking. What makes it all special though is the time I get to spend with my husband. I absolutely enjoy biking with him because he always looks out for me and he always cheers me on when I need to pedal harder, especially when we ride uphill! We normally bike along Daang Hari and if you’re familiar with the road you might have noticed that there is this steep uphill going to Evia from Molino. I always used to stop half way because I always felt like my chest was going to explode, and I’d feel embarrassed when other bikers and cyclists would pass me and give me funny looks. My husband, however, would keep with my pace and encourage me to make it to the top and I somehow, I’d always find a teeny tiny ounce of strength to get me through.
My husband and I after a long bike ride.
We get along with most things but we never enjoyed a sport together until we started biking. Weekend bike rides have definitely given us the chance to bond more, especially when we had to live separately (I was staying at my moms and he was staying at our old apartment until the lease was over. Long story!). Biking together always gave us something to look forward to after a week of not seeing each other. It definitely is a good break from the usual dates at the mall, and it keeps us active! I’m really happy that my husband convinced me to start biking and I seriously wouldn’t be able to pedal 35 kilometers without all his encouragement. I can’t wait for Ethan to grow up so he can join our weekend bike rides! That would be an amazing way for us to bond as a family!
Our little boy is off to a good start!
Have you checked out the Fanatics website? I was surprised to find that they carry infant and toddler clothes too! They’ve got tons of cool stuff from apparel to collectibles, something for each member of the family.
Do you and your family bond over sports, mommies? Feel free to comment and share how sports bring your family together!
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My All-Natural Cleaning Day

It’s Saturday! Happy weekend everyone!
Last Thursday was my rest day from work, so I decided to do some major cleaning around the house. Before doing so I was regularly searching for all-natural cleaning tips because I wanted to avoid using too many chemicals, especially on the floor. So let me share how I managed to clean my house with next to no chemicals.
When Typhoon Glenda decided to visit we stayed at my mom’s house for a week because, well for one there was no electricity (and it took seven days for the power to come back), and second was because I was dead scared of being alone with my son during a blackout while my husband was at work.
So anyway, when we came back I noticed how messy the house was but could not find time to clean in between taking care of my son and working at night, so after putting Ethan to sleep last Thursday evening, I thought to myself:
“There’s no better time than now”.
Armed with a mop, broom, several rugs and a good Spotify playlist, I decided to get to it.(Though I did clean at night, I took these pictures the next morning, I figured you’d appreciate bright pictures)

Goodness! Pardon the dirty phone! I’m not a fan of pop music, but the Mood Booster playlist has got a lot of good tunes.

 

I decided to start with the living room, where Ethan spends most of his time. The first thing on my agenda was to clear out my son’s crib and put it away for good. He doesn’t sleep nor play in it anymore and we turned it into a temporary toy box which has now become an eyesore. I bought this big plastic basket at Ace Hardware for P149 to replace the bulky crib. This will make it easier for me to pick up his toys since I can carry the basket anywhere in the house. With the crib gone we have so much more room in the house, but then it made me realize how fast my son is growing up! *tears*

 

I also decided to clean the toys so that they would be nice and clean the next morning for my son’s playtime. For plastic toys without batteries, I simply took a basin and filled it with water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid and left them to soak for a few minutes. I always use Human Nature’s Dishwashing Liquid on all of my son’s things, from his plates and spoon to his bottles.. and now his toys! After giving them a good soak I rinsed them all and left them on a towel to dry. As for his plastic toys with batteries, I simply wiped them with a clean rag dipped in a mixture of water and vinegar, avoiding the mechanisms. Vinegar is a staple in most natural cleanser recipes as it disinfects and deodorizes. If you’re skeptic because of it’s smell, don’t worry because the sour smell dissipates as it dries! I promise!
Next, I worked on cleaning tables and shelves in the living room. I’d normally use Pledge to wipe surfaces but this time I used this natural Homemade Pledge recipe I found online.. where else but Pinterest! This recipe worked well and smelled clean and fresh because of the lemon juice (yes, you can use it in place of the lemon oil, but I’d recommend not to store it for a long time).
(I didn’t get to take a picture of my DIY Pledge, but you can check out Pinterest for tons of recipes with pictures. The one I used was this one)
After rearranging some furniture and displays, I moved on to the kitchen and dining area where Ethan also likes to hang out (they’re connected to the living room). I always keep the kitchen clean, so I didn’t have to do much here. I simply arranged some of the plasticware and cleaned the greasy stove with some baking soda and dishwashing liquid. And as for the dining area, I decided to get rid of some clutter and store them properly in the cabinets. I also used the Homemade Pledge on the dining table.

Greasy no more! Apply a mixture of baking soda and dishwashing liquid, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe with a damp clean cloth!
After I was done with the kitchen and dining area, I was already feeling tired so I decided to end my cleaning day by sweeping and mopping the floor. I used to mop the floor with a mixture of water and bleach, but I’ve grown to hate the smell. Then I came across this recipe on Pinterest (again) and decided to try it out since I had all the ingredients in my kitchen.Click here for the recipe.

Most of these type of recipes require distilled vinegar, but I am yet to come across it in our local supermarkets. I find that common vinegar brands work fine.

Stash these in your kitchen the next time your floors need a good clean! Baking soda, dishwashing liquid and vinegar!

 

I found this mixture to be very effective in removing dirt and it did not leave any strong smell. The smell of the vinegar was evident at first but as it dried only the scent of the dishwashing liquid remained. I will definitely use this again!
Though it was tiring I was glad that the few hours I spent were productive and the house looks much better! I’m planning to tackle the bedroom on my next rest day, especially the cabinets! I’ve come across a few awesome organization tips and I’ll be sure to share them once I try them out!
Have you tried green, natural recipes to clean your home? How did it go?
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My Thoughts on the New Kidnapping Modus Rumors

I recently chanced upon this article which narrates a seemingly attempted kidnap modus here in the South. Now I’m sure you’ve come across kidnapping stories and various modus warnings shared on Facebook, ones that take place in malls, but the chilling twist to this story is that this modus uses children to lure their little victims.
Although this is not 100% confirmed to be a kidnapping attempt given that it was not successful (thank God!), this incident should still remind us to be vigilant.
When my husband came home from work I told him about this since we regularly go to the mall mentioned. We agreed that this new modus could be true and we reminded ourselves to be alert at all times when we’d go out with Ethan. While I was washing the dishes I suddenly remembered a news feature about kidnapped kids that I saw on TV some years ago and I just cringed at the thought of someone kidnapping my son. My husband suddenly said, “That would be hard, right? Not knowing where your child is, you’d start to worry he might be hungry…”. I teared up at what he said! It would just crush me, and I’m sure any parent would feel the same way.

“…I just cringed at the thought of someone kidnapping my son.”
Despite how I resent the people involved in such operations, we can’t neglect the fact that they are using children to do the dirty work. This is indeed alarming, and the first question we may ask ourselves is “Where are the kid’s parents?”. A number of answers come to mind, but one that disturbs me the most is the possibility of the parents’ involvement, and this is not unheard of. What would happen to the little girl if she didn’t successfully bait a child? Will she be beaten up? Would they let her starve? The mere thought is heartbreaking.
I sincerely hope the authorities are taking action to avoid these kidnappings, not only for the sake of our children but for the children involved as well. As for us parents, we play a huge role in ensuring our child’s safety. Let’s not let our children run around unaccompanied, whether they’re going to the toilet or to play a few feet away. It would be best to reiterate how they should not talk to nor follow strangers. We must also be careful when other children approach our child, let’s always check to see if they have an adult with them and take note of any suspicious behavior, just like the mommy who shared this story.
What do you think about this modus?
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