Author: Abigail

Paksiw na Isda

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Last week I received the award for drama queen, was feeling really sad, alone, tired, and didn’t want to talk to anyone. My poor husband was left guessing what was wrong, he would find me crying along with our baby. Really missed my siblings, mom, and friends back home. I miss being in the office and earning but my heart breaks at the thought of leaving my kids with a nanny while I go back to work. V saw me crying myself to sleep and my husband suggested that he accompany V till the bus came so I can get more sleep. They both kiss us bye and V whispered “Don’t be sad na Mama. Let’s eat fish later okay.” He greeted me at the bus stop with a kiss “I’m home mama. You’re happy now?”  We talked about school and what kept me busy that morning. V showered me with hugs & kisses. Re-assured me that everything will be ok. We shared our favorite fish dish – Paksiw na Isda. Eating using our hands we …

Chloe Isabelle – 4 months old

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Oh October what a busy month that I almost forgot to post that our Chloe turned 4 months old. Time is flying fast but each day we are full of joy. Chloe is such a happy baby that just lights up a gloomy day! His Kuya V loves to cheer her whenever she tries to roll to her tummy and back. Although she would sometimes shower her brother with vomit kisses he just adores and love her to bits.     We have been attending a baby massage class and she just loves every stroke. It’s also our first mom-baby group activity, there’s just some joy when you are around babies and listening to stories of other Mum assures one that we are doing the best thing we can for our babies.     At four months old: Weighs 6.2 kgs and is 63.5 cm long Received her 2nd dose of DTap, PCV, and Rotavirus vaccines Manages to sleep on her own (I put her down on the crib half awake). Sleeps on her back …

Pwera Usog

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Usog is a similar concept to a evil eye hex which usually affects a child who is greeted/praised by a visitor or stranger. According to our elders once affected by usog the baby/child gets sick or would just become restless and would cry for hours. To prevent this visitors are requested to (“lawayan ang bata” ) put his saliva in a finger and rub this on either the baby’s tummy, forehead or feet and say “pwera usog” before leaving. I just find it utterly disgusting to mark a baby with saliva! Whenever someone did this though I would secretly (didn’t want to offend the elders)  wipe the area with antiseptic wipes. Another practice is to let the newborn where a red bracelet (some a mix of red & black) called corales (beads are made from corals).  The beads is believed to catch/block away the usog and would draw the visitors attention to the bracelet first before the baby. When Auntie Bing found out that baby #2 is a girl she suggested to let the baby wear a corales bracelet, I requested a gold corales but …

Drowning in dirty clothes

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We are a family of four and I have to our dirty clothes everyday and I still can’t keep up. I was almost in tears when my ever reliable 4 year old washing machine gave me 7 blinks (telling me that something is wrong), the handy mommy in me walk to my husband’s tools took the long nose pliers and cleaned the filter. Turned it on and it gave me a loud chug. My usual fix didn’t do the fixing! Patiently I waited for the service guys to come only to deliver the sad news that they have to take my friend back to the warehouse and replace the motor. I feel so helpless my friend is leaving me (for a while) I don’t really know how to wash clothes by hand and don’t have the time to do so with a demanding baby in my arms.  Since we are celebrating the Eid holidays I have to wait for 6 days till she comes back home. I’m drowning in dirty clothes and stinky cloth diapers! …

Speculoos

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Ever since I received a bottle of SpeculooS from Lyke I’ve been addicted. According to Wikipedia Speculoos is a type of shortcrust biscuit traditionally bake for consumption on or before St. Nicholas feast. In 2007 a new version of speculoos was formulated by making it into a paste known as a “cookie butter”.   This spread I tell you is a good pair to almost everything! cookies, bread, pancakes, and oh eaten on its own! Have you tried speculoos? What is your favorite spread?

Vierte clowning to 5

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V chose a clown cake design to celebrate his 5th birthday. He gave me specific instructions on how his cake will look like. We asked him if he wanted to have a big party or special gifts from us. All he wanted was clown cake for school, chocolate muffins, Oreo bites and special gifts. Baked a chocolate cake on a bowl pan so the face wont be flat but the cake turned out to be dry so I decided to use round 6″ inches baking pan thus a flat face for this clown. So sorry for giving you a flat face happy clown. Before leaving for school V made us promise that we bring his sister to school as well. The joy on his face when we revealed the cake in front of his friends was priceless. “My mom made that for me!” We learned a lesson from last years 4th birthday dragon cake to not make a mess on the classroom. Instead of slicing the cake for the kids to enjoy each one had a vanilla …

Chloe’s Tummy Roll

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A  baby milestone happened today. While I was preparing her clothes and water for bath. I came back with a sight  of our little princess on her tummy. Shrieked with joy and clap my hands, she laughed along with me. I rolled her back with a camera on my hand and waited for her to do it again. She just stared at me as if saying “What’s the big deal Mum?!”