• For Lent I've given up Facebook and sugar. That means no syrup on my pancakes, no honey in my tea, no sugar on my buttered toast and of course no cookies, brownies, cakes, chocolate bars, or ice cream. The biggest challenge so far has been the champorado mix and champorado ingredients my mom brought from the Philippines which I immediately put in the back of the highest cupboard where I keep baking supplies. Just a few more weeks to go and I'll be enjoying champorado again :)
• Bea's doing very well with my work schedule. The first week she would cry when I'd hand her off to my mom (but she'd immediately stop after I close the study door, so I don't really worry about her). Now she'll even go to her lola of her own volition. Yay! Will start going to the office once a week, I think she will be fine.
• This evening, barring any natural disasters or kid-related emergencies, Edward and I will visit the movie theater for the first time in two years. We're going to watch the 6pm screening of Alice in Wonderland (this will be my first 3D experience), will be bringing sandwiches into the theater, and will be rushing home afterwards. Dates just aren't the same when you have kids!

1. https://www.myayala.com/ayalafoundation/ayalafoundation.asp - Ayala Foundation
2. https://www.kapusofoundation.com/donate - GMA7
3. https://www.txtpower.org/2009/09/philippines-help-typhoon-victims-in-luzon-philippines/ - ABS-CBN
4. Here is the BEST link I've seen so far for online donations!  An anonymous donor will match UNICEF donations up to $100,000! Please spread this link: https://secure.unicefusa.org/site/Donation2?df_id=5960&5960.donation=form1&gclid=CJrO0tqvlp0CFR4Hagod4C15_w

• SoCal Pinoys who want to donate: Our goal is to fill up a 40ft container in 1week with new or used clothing/shoes/blankets medicines,canned food items,etc. Our house is temp drop ...off point for now. We'll facilitate immediate shipment to Manila. 16622 Amberwood Way Cerritos, CA 90703 or call Jan at (562) 338-4737.
• To all Pinoys in SINGAPORE, if you would like to help our kababayans impacted by the floods, the drop off point for relief goods is Afreight Cargo, #03-09 Lucky Plaza, Orchard Road. Contact Person: Maureen Schepers 6235-1011/9111-7855. Please pass this info to fellow Filipinos and Non-Filipinos who would like to help.
• For friends in BANGKOK who would like to help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana):The Philippine Embassy will be receiving only donations in kind (ie., used clothing, shoes, blankets, and the like, and canned goods) anytime between 9am-5pm... until Fri. For queries, please feel free to contact the Philippine Embassy at (02) 259-0139 up to 40 or (08) 992-65954, or at bangkokpe@gmail.com

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; big men and small character; steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce; fancier houses but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember to say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember to say "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Dr. Bob Moorehead is former pastor of Seattle's Overlake Christian Church. He retired in 1998 after 29 years in that post. The essay appeared in 'Words Aptly Spoken,' Dr. Moorehead's 1995 collection of prayers, homilies, and monologues used in his sermons and radio broadcasts.

It's almost a cliché to say that breast is best. The nutrients in breastmilk are more easily absorbed by the body than formula. It contains disease-fighting antibodies; reduces the risk of the child developing asthma and allergies, ear infections, and reactions to vaccinations; and it even benefits the mother's post-partum emotional health and reduces her risk of getting several types of cancer.

The question is, if everybody knows all this, why are Pinays not breastfeeding enough?

One factor is aggressive formula marketing in the Philippines, but we can’t put all the blame on pharmaceutical companies. My belief is that mothers have the best of intentions and try their very best to breastfeed their newborns, but do not know that it is challenging and difficult, and thus get discouraged when they encounter problems. Lectures and pamphlets focus too much on the benefits of breastfeeding, the bond formed between mother and child, etc. in order to inspire pregnant women and new mothers. That's all well and good, but I'm afraid they paint such a rosy picture of breastfeeding that mothers think pain and milk supply issues are not normal and conclude that "I was not meant to breastfeed". So in this article I will focus not on the "good" of breastfeeding, but on "the bad and the ugly". Prepare yourself, because it’s not going to be pretty.

#1. Breastfeeding looks like the most natural thing in the world but it sure doesn't feel like it. Oh, maybe it will in the delivery room, just after the baby pops out of you and you're as high as a kite (on hormones, or the epidural, who knows?) and your brand-new little infant nurses for a minute or two then goes to sleep. But there's a lot more to it than putting the baby to the breast. Engorgement is a four letter word - it hurts to raise your arm, or to sleep on your side - and the only thing that will get rid of the engorgement is to let your baby nurse as frequently as he wants, which is agonizingly painful at first. When your little angel latches on like a ravenous piranha, you will stamp your feet and stifle a scream, and curse all those books that describe breastfeeding as the most wonderful feeling in the world, because how can it be possible to find pleasure in the midst of all this unholy pain? Even after you and baby seem to have perfected the latching-on process, breastfeeding could still hurt because your nipples simply aren't used to this yet; but trust me, keep working on improving the latch and find out what works for you and your baby, and the pain will gradually disappear.

My tip: the internet was my savior during the first difficult months (yes, that's plural) of breastfeeding. Clogged ducts? Milk blisters? Mastitis? I found it all on some helpful sites, and was reassured that these were normal and not a reason to give up breastfeeding (see Resources below). You can also hire a lactation consultant for one-on-one help. Your doctor should be able to recommend one, or for moms based in the US, go to the La Leche League website to find a consultant in your area; for moms in the Philippines, there’s the Perfect Latch website.

 #2. Nursing is not just feeding; it's also the reassuring warmth and unique scent of Mom that babies love so much. That's good, right? Yes, if you enjoy having a baby attached to you 12 hours a day, or more! My daughter loved breastfeeding so much that she could do it for an hour or longer. The worst time was when she was 6 weeks old and going through a growth spurt - it was nonstop feeding, especially in the late afternoon and early evening. Some "childcare professionals" (such as Gina Ford, Tracy Hogg, Gary Ezzo... if you read their books, I highly recommend you take their BF advice with a huge grain of salt) say that babies get all the nutrition they want in the first 15-20 minutes and after that are just sucking for comfort, and should be removed from the breast and given a pacifier. In fact, having my daughter nurse for so much of the day and night made me feel like a pacifier sometimes.

 My tip: it's your choice if you want to restrict your baby's feeding, but keep in mind that demand builds supply, and the more your baby nurses in the first few weeks, the more your milk supply will grow. And remember that...

"You are not a pacifier; you are a Mom. You are the sun, the moon, the earth, you are liquid love, you are warmth, you are security, you are comfort in the very deepest aspect of the meaning of comfort.... but you are not a pacifier!" -- Paula Yount

 #3. Well-meaning relatives will tell you that your milk is not enough because your baby always wants to nurse (see number 2). My mom in particular was eager to bathe, rock, and also feed her first grandchild. When my daughter would cry just 30 minutes after having nursed, she would say helpfully, "baka kulang ang gatas mo, bigyan ba natin ng formula?" ("Maybe your milk isn't enough, should we give her some formula?") I would reply that bottle-feeding too early could cause nipple confusion and that babies need to breastfeed often in order to build up the milk supply, and my husband backed me up. She was clearly dubious but fortunately, respected our decision. A few months later, she read my copy of The Baby Book and acknowledged that there was a lot she didn't know about breastfeeding. So Lola's experience may help a new mom cope with her infant's needs, but their generation didn't have the research and resources that we do regarding breastfeeding.

My tip: find tactful and respectful ways to turn down your mom or mom-in-law's offer to feed the baby formula. Promise that when breastfeeding is going well and you can introduce the bottle, you will let them have the honor of feeding the baby pumped milk or formula. In the meantime, research ways to increase your milk supply, and read this very inspiring story of a Filipino mom who had a breast surgically removed but was still able to produce enough milk from her remaining breast to nurse her daughter - and she's still breastfeeding now, 26 months later. Most importantly, enlist your husband’s support by having him read the links below… his belief that you are doing the right thing will give you the courage to stand up to your relatives ;)

Breastfeeding is not a walk in the park – and I haven’t even mentioned what will happen when your baby gets her first teeth and starts biting! But believe me when I say that the pain and discomfort are all worth it. If even one new mother comes across this article and it helps her find the confidence and determination to continue breastfeeding, I will be very happy indeed.

Recommended Breastfeeding Resources:

La Leche League

Kellymom

Dr. Jack Newman's breastfeeding videos

Ask Dr. Sears

Mom.exchange.ph (Filipino attachment parenting blog)

Pinoyexchange.com breastfeeding thread (Moms and the occasional dad answering BF questions since 2003)

1. Hotsling - we purchased this from Sling Sisters when Annika was a little over two months old. At the time she was becoming dependent on nursing to sleep, and Edward was having a difficult time putting her to sleep by rocking. With the help of the sling, Edward quickly became the expert at getting Annika to take naps, and when he would pop her in the sling she would automatially close her eyes and sleep for 2 hours or longer.
2. Baby Björn Active -. we LOVED this when Annika was 3 months-8 months. We took many happy walks around the neighborhood and the city without bringing a stroller. They say this can be used from birth onwards, but we're waiting another month or so before placing Bea (5 weeks old) in it because the Björn's neck and back support doesn't seem adequate for a newborn.
3. Mei Tai - I'm currently using this for Bea because she's gotten too heavy for the sling (at her 1 month checkup she weighed 5.3 kg). It's a nice extra carrier to have but if you were only buying one or two carriers, I wouldn't recommend this because of the steep learning curve - it can be daunting for new babywearers to put their baby in one - and because men may prefer carriers that are less, umm, flowy :D so if you want daddy to share in the baby carrying duties, better go for the Baby Björn or Ergo, or even the sling.
4. Ergo Baby Carrier - now this is my favorite. If you buy the infant insert you can use it with newborns (bought it second hand, so I don't have the insert). I'm looking forward to using this for Bea when she's old enough. It's a formed backpack-style carrier, and like the Mei Tai you can wear your baby on your front or back, but you can't wear the baby forward-facing on your front.

1. The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon. Math, science, history, unraveling the mystery, it all started with the Big Bang! When I hear these words I have to suppress a giggle of anticipation because I can already imagine how Sheldon's going to make me laugh again with his socially ignorant questions and out of this world observations. With the great lines the writers give him and his impeccable comic timing (not to mention those priceless facial expressions), Jim Parsons steals every scene he's in.



2. Dirty Sexy Money's (Former Rev.) Brian Darling. Politically incorrect, cheats on his wife and tells her his illegitimate son is a Swedish orphan (and persuades the boy to pretend not to speak English) and has an irrational hatred for the main character who he thinks wormed his way into the Darling family. It turns out he's as much of an outsider - saw that twist coming a mile away, it was so obvious - but he remains fiercely loyal to the family. Unsolved mystery: forget about the whole Who-Killed-Nick's-Dad question. I'm more curious about why Brian became a priest in the first place?



3. How I Met Your Mother's Barney Stinson. Because he's played by the awesome Neil Patrick Harris, wrote The Bro Code, and has a heart of gold beating for Robin underneath that bimbo-chasing exterior. Unsolved mystery: why is he so determined to become Ted's best friend?



4. Chuck's Sarah Walker. Because she's the one saving the hero most of the time, instead of playing the damsel in distress waiting for her knight in shining armor. Because no matter how much we find out about her (e.g. she went to high school with Nicole Richie!), it is always a cover... but like Chuck, we realize we don't need to know her real name in order to know that she's a good person. And because we want her to have her happily ever after - a normal life with the geek who stole her heart.




5. Prison Break's Alex Mahone. I don't know what it is about Prison Break, but the antagonists Kellerman and Mahone are far more interesting than the escapees. From the first episode he appeared in, Edward and I have been awestruck by this character, even when he was killing teenage convicts and doing other ruthless things in order to get to Scofield and Burrows. After they humanized the character by giving him a weakness (drug addiction) and a soft spot (his cute-as-a-button son), he became the only reason we kept watching this show. 

• my first pregnancy was free of any complications whatsoever, but now that I have a lot more on my plate (Bochie + chores +  a much busier schedule in general) I get hyperemesis gravidarum and an infection.
• I'm the most un-girly woman in the world, but the good Lord in His infinite wisdom chose to bless me with two little girls. Wala akong matuturo sa kanila when they come asking about makeup and nail polish. I've probably put on nail polish only 2 or 3x in my life, and just clear polish at that, and the last time I put on lipstick or any sort of makeup was... hmm... Sept. 2005? when we were candle sponsors at Bryan and EJ's wedding. As for fashion? I buy only basic clothing, live in my Nikes and have never bought a bag worth more than a couple thousand pesos, so they can't expect any advice from me in that area either.
• when we found out I was pregnant again I thought we wouldn't have to buy too much stuff because I plan to breastfeed and co-sleep like I did with Annika, and her old stroller and baby clothes are still in decent condition. But now that my due date's drawing closer, I'm being tempted to buy a Bugaboo Bee (it faces both ways, Annika's old Brio only faces outwards) and the Amby Baby Hammock (for the baby to nap in, hopefully).