Travelling with a Toddler

Well, our vacation is almost up. We've got two more days left, to be exact, until we fly out and head back down under. Our little girl has grown so much that I think it will be a major adjustment for all of us when we're all settled in our quaint little home in the hills.

Preparing for that big trip can be quite stressful especially when you've got loads of stuff to pack into your not so huge luggage. Over two months, we have accumulated a significant amount of belongings, mostly for Erin as these are gifts from relatives here in Manila. We can't just leave them all behind, so it will be a challenge for the designated packer of the family (that's me, by the way!) to get all our stuff into those bags, without going over the baggage weight limit. Lord, help me! :)

One of the things I've learned when preparing to travel is to draw up a list of all the things that you would want to bring. This makes it more organised and therefore easier for you not to forget anything important. But, with a toddler in tow, the preparation is more so for the diaper bag. Her needs are numerous and we would have to make sure that we don't forget all of her stuff. Check out Babycenter's checklist so you are sure to bring all you need to keep your kiddo entertained and comfortable.

Basically, that's that. Also hope and pray that baby is well and not ill to help make the trip a little easier on you both. Other than that, try to enjoy the whole experience as much as you can and do take lots of pictures!

PPBC 6th Edition: What type of parent are you?

I've been absent in Joey's carnival for some time now as my schedule just won't permit me. Nevertheless, I would still like to spread the word about the current topic being undertaken on the next carnival.

The topic is: "What type of parent are you?" This month's host is Guardian Angel of Happy Family Matters. General guidelines include the following:

1. This is open to all English-only submissions.

2. No limit number of words, but I prefer valuable entries. I will disapprove entries that are obviously created to promote a product or a blog. No affiliate links allowed.

3. Mention that your post is an entry to Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival (PPBC) 6th edition and provide a link to this post.

4. Leave a comment to this post and include a link to your entry. Please make sure that the link is live.

5. Deadline of submission is on July 30 @ 12 midnight, SHARP!

For more details on the sixth edition, head over to GA's blog.

Why Kids Don't Like Vegetables

I am sure all of us, when we were little kids, remember the time when we'd have to endure the hard task of eating our veggies during meal time, with our parents watching to make sure we clean up our plate. I can clearly recall how much helpful a big glass of water was to help me swallow all those kangkong leaves and what-nots. LOL. I am sure you all had your own tactics too. Those were the days. :)

But I guess it is actually all a matter of getting used to. I remember feeding our little girl just veggies for solids, and she'd eat them with so much gusto. That was of course, when she knew so little and was just a cute infant then. Now, though, she has a mind of her own and asserts what she wants and what she doesn't. We're just glad we have the appetite stimulants and multivitamins to help us with any feeding problem.

However, I recently found out that there is a biological reason why kids naturally don't like eating their veggies, which made so much sense. Dr. Oz of the Oprah show explains why.

He says there's a very good biological reason why it's so hard to get kids to eat their vegetables. In fact, they are hardwired to not like them. Dr. Oz says when our prehistoric ancestors searched for food, their children were most susceptible to poisons, which often taste bitter. So instead of liking something bitter—like broccoli—children tend to crave sweet and bland foods like dairy or chicken nuggets.

Children also have a biological reason not to like certain foods. Flavorful fruits and veggies may actually taste differently to kids than they do to adults. "An older adult has 3,000 taste buds," Dr. Oz says. "A kid has 10,000."

Read more »

There you go. So next time you serve those greens and yellows on the dinner table, don't be too hard on your kid. Be a little more understanding. It's up to us parents to be more creative with the food that we serve our little ones so that they can get the most nutrients out of them.

I've been tagged.

Fellow mommy blogger Joey tagged me with this meme. I know it's kinda late so I am tagging all visitor mommy bloggers out there.


--------- START HERE -------------
Instructions:
1. Copy and paste this tag from "Start Here" to "End Here". (don't forget the image)
2. Place your blog's name with your URL at the end of the tag. If you have more that one blog, please add them too! Just make sure that you post this tag in all of your blogs.
3. Tag 5 blogs that is not yet in this post (just to avoid duplications ^_^ )
4. This is the twist... Go to the 5 blogs that you tagged and comment on any of their posts. Why? So that search engines can crawl to your site. ^_^
5. Return to the Momhood Moments blog and leave a comment saying that you joined the tag together with the URL of the tag.
I'll be checking on it and add you in the master list.Momhood Moments
Tags You List:1. Momhood Moments 2. Business Mars 3. Concealed Mind 4. Once in a Lifetime 5. The Sweet Life 6. Tsinay...Between Cultures 7. Mommyhood 8. You're next! =)

--------- END HERE -------------

I am back!

You would have to forgive me for not updating this blog of mine a little sooner. We are on holidays and it is only now that I am able to catch up with things on the internet. It's so good though to be back home with relatives and friends! Plus, we also get a breather from the daily chores and responsibilities as there are household help available who can tend to the small things.

I'll be posting hopefully more articles in the coming days. In the meantime, I'd just like to let you know that I won't be playing host to this month's Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival. Our schedule just won't permit me to do my duties as the host as we will be flying to Cebu on the week of article submission. My sincerest apologies to all! I requested Joey to postpone hosting the carnival at a later time (when we're back in Oz). So for those who were keeping an eye out for the third and fourth editions, please refer back to Joey's blog for further announcements.

Breastfeeding 101: Beginning Breastfeeding

I have been informed that there is going to be a free breastfeeding class for all interested mothers-to-be and new mothers. Details are as follows:

The Breastfeeding Club would like to invite you to our upcoming event:

Class: Breastfeeding 101: Beginning Breastfeeding
Date: Sunday, May 24, 2008
Time: 3:00-5:30pm,
Venue: Gymboree at Trinoma Mall, Philippines
Speaker: Abbie V. Yabot - Certified Breastfeeding Consultant and La Leche League Manila Leader

This class is specially designed for pregnant and nursing moms & dads.

Topics to be discussed are:
-Advantages to Mommy, Daddy & Baby
-Basic Position & Latch
-Law of Supply & Demand
-What to Expect After Childbirth
-Hurdles During the Early Weeks
-Setting up a Breastfeeding Plan
-The Importance of Support
-Breastfeeding Resources
-Daddy Speaks - 1 dad will be sharing his experiences

This is a free class to all Breastfeeding Club members. If you are not a member yet, you can sign up to be a member on that day before the class starts. However, if you just wish to attend the class, the fee is 400 pesos.

Slots are limited! Please register at 09228292268 or 09228751030 with your complete name, aog or age of baby to get your confirmation number.

PPBC's 1st Edition: Becoming a Parent

The first edition of the Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival (PPBC) is finally out!

Currently, there are 14 entries from mothers who have participated in this event. For a complete list of all participants and the links to their entries, please head over to Joey's blog, who plays host for this month's two editions.