The JOYS and PAINS of having TWO SONS!

I grew up in a household full of girls, our Papa was the only male figure I had my entire life! I'm the youngest and I have two sisters. We had an organized household, there was peace and quiet. All the rooms were clean, tidy and everything had its place.

Fast forward to thirty-six years later I never imagined I would have two sons!  Two very active, adorable, lively, happy and did I mention “VERY ACTIVE” boys?! Everyday is an eye-opening experience for me and everyday I feel for all my fellow moms out there who like me have BOYS instead of GIRLS!

My boys! Miguel is 5.4 years old while Jaime is almost 3 years old :)

      Let me share with you MY list of the JOYS and PAINS of having TWO BOYS:

PAINS: If you have a son BE prepared to get hurt! Of course not intentionally but it’s guaranteed that they will accidentally hit you, kick you and even punch you! My sons almost always step on my hair when we are lying down! 

That's me under attack! This is a typical day in our household :)

JOYS: In their eyes I’m the QUEEN BEE, my boys cling to me whenever they see me. It’s always MAMA, MAMA, MAMA and I love it! I know this won’t last forever so I am enjoying it as best I could!

PAINS: My boys are very active even when they sleep! I’ve learned to sleep with a king size pillow covering me from my chin down to my hips. My boys reach out for me while they sleep and sometimes reaching out turns into punch like wallops that can really hurt! Thus the big pillow!

PAINS: I don’t know if it’s just my boys, but they seem to never run out of energy! They can run around continuously for hours and hours without getting tired.

PAINS: At just 5 years old and barely 3 years old, Miguel and Jaime can fight like there is no tomorrow! I’ve seen them pull each other’s shirts and wail as if their life depended on it!

JOYS: My boys can show their affection in ways that can make any mother’s heart melt. Miguel would chase me around so he can kiss my armpits! Something I can never get used to, but it’s something he loves to do! Jaime would give me a surprise shower of kisses that usually end in a giggle fest because I would eventually want him to stop since my whole face is already covered in his saliva!  Boys really know how to love their mom!

PAINS: With boys I think “accidents” can never be avoided, we’ve tried everything we could so they won’t get hurt but the occasional “bukol” and  wounds still occur.

PAINS: Our household is never quiet, there is always a boy laughing loudly, playing loudly, crying loudly, or asking for something, very loudly! 

 I woke up thinking Veegee must have called the carpenter to make repairs but then I saw the boys hammering away at our wall with their "fake" but still very noisy hammers! :)

JOYS: Anytime they get hurt, scared or worried my sons always look for me.  They don’t reach for their father or their yayas; who cared for them most of their lives, they ask for ME!

JOYS: My husband is having the time of his life! The boys look up to him and they have their father and son bonding moments, he looks at his sons as his “mini me’s!” 

Papa Veegee and his BOYS! :)

PAINS: Now that the boys are bigger it also means they are becoming stronger! Miguel at 5 is almost 4 feet tall and weighs 60 pounds! Jaime at barely 3 is 3.5 feet tall and weighs 45 pounds! They accidentally hit my nose the other week and I had to go see a doctor because my nose hurt and bled for days!

PAINS: Now that Miguel is going to a big school, I am realizing that teaching a boy is quite different from teaching a girl! Sometimes when we are doing his homework I feel I need to be as animated as I could so I can keep his attention. 

JOY: We have in our midst the opportunity to raise “sensitive and kind great men” that I as a mother wish would at least try to make a difference in this world.

I always pray that Veegee and I will be able to do a great job at raising these two boys!

MY FAVORITE THINGS!

In this post I will feature my “current favorite things” these are things I am “loving” now. I want to share them with you! Everything on this list are tried and tested by me, I hope you will discover something you’ll love too! I’ve always loved Oprah’s list of Favorite Things so I made up my own list below:

1. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer- I’ve been using this moisturizer for the past 15 years! One big bottle will last around six months. You don’t have to use a lot, one pump is enough to cover the entire face. It can really moisturize my face without it feeling too heavy or oily. I use it immediately after I step out of the shower and it sinks in almost immediately.

The best moisturizer for me! If you have relatives abroad ask them to buy for you there. They cost half the price abroad than how much they sell them here.

2. St. Ive’s Apricot Scrub- I’ve been a fan of this product for 20 years! It’s the best facial scrub there is; I use this thrice a week. It’s non-irritating and I don’t break out when I use it. Just make sure not to over scrub, the beads can irritate sensitive skin so it’s best to apply gentle pressure.

My favorite facial scrub! It gets the job done and each tube is sold at just around P295.  One big tube will last around three months! 

3. EOS Lip gloss- This is the best all natural lipgloss that heals my dry lips and prevent chapped lips. I’ve been using it for three years. I use EOS lipgloss many times a day. The container is so cute and easy to use. The flavors all taste and smell great; it also works as a great base for any lipstick. Just let it settle first and don’t apply lipstick right away. I usually discover an amazing lipgloss and then my lips seem to dry up after a few months of continued use, this did not happen with the EOS lipgloss range that’s why I love all of them!

The best basic lipgloss out there! EOS lipgloss are super moisturizing and they nourish my lips perfectly every time I use it!

4. Merrry Moo Sea Salt Caramel Ice Cream- My nephew David and my niece Marielle discovered this amazing range of homemade Artisan all-natural ice cream when we went to one of the food fairs in Quezon City. From then on we were all hooked, the SEA SALT CARAMEL flavor stood out from the rest of their flavors and it has been my favorite since the first time I was given my first ever Merry Moo cup of creamy, dreamy wonderful goodness! I’ve tasted a lot of SALTED CARAMEL ice cream there after but I keep coming back to this! Super yummy and truly a must try!

Sea Salt Caramel Ice cream by Merry Moo!! Super yummy and delightfully creamy you will keep coming back for more!! Visit their page faceboook page:  www.facebook.com/Merrymoo.icecream
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WHAT CHANGED WHEN YOU HAD YOUR KIDS??

A dear friend of mine asked me this when we were having one of our reunion lunch date. I stared at her and smiled not knowing where to begin! Her question truly made me think and I realized that my sons turned my life around in a good way.

So here it goes:

1. I no longer jump in shock when they enter the bathroom while I am taking a bath. Something I never would have been comfortable with when I was single! I use to hate it when people bother me when I am taking a bath, now my kids and I chat while I shampoo my hair!

2. I now know how it is to feel extreme pain without “actual” physical pain. I feel extremely HURT every time I know my kids are in pain! Seeing my kids hurt or in pain tears me up inside, I can’t describe it! 

Miguel just after his final Urinary Corrective Surgery, he was such a brave boy! I'm sure even braver than me, I was so scared!

3. I used to never drink from other people’s glass and use other people’s utensils. My closest friends know this and they ridicule me for it. But now that I am a mom I eat and drink my kids leftovers and yes sometimes I eat food they spit out!! Come on admit it you’ve done that too right?!? 

I was the one who finished Jaime's half eaten, sloppy and soggy ice cream cone! Something I never thought I would be able to do when I was single!

4. I now believe that a bond and love so strong could exist between a mother and her children, it’s unexplainable.

5. I have truly become a superwoman! I can dress up, put my makeup on, reply to at least ten emails and PM’s, pack my orders and be out the door in under an hour. Since I've become a mother I have developed talents I never knew I had! I used to breastfeed while replying to my emails and pump milk while processing my orders!

6. I have become a GERMAPHOBE! I spray alcohol everywhere and anywhere I know it will stick! The grocery cart, high chairs and public playgrounds freak me out! Now I make sure everything they touch is clean! Jaime is a thumb-sucker so I need to make sure his hands are always clean.

These grocery carts are cleaned "hospital grade style" by Yaya and me before we let the kids use them!

Perfect Parents Don't Exist!

When my boys were a few months old I would spend hours sniffing and kissing their feet and hands! I would think "if only they could stay this way forever then life would be perfect!" Babies truly are a gift from God! Being a mother has turned my life around in a wonderful way and I am grateful. Nothing beats the heart warming feeling I get when my sons look or smile at me. I read somewhere that mothers hold the hands of their children for a while but their hearts she keeps cradled forever. I truly believe this!

But that doesn’t mean they can’t drive me half insane and test my patience to the limit! Add in lack of sleep; the pressures of running a business, and daily life, of course you’re bound to do or say the wrong thing on occasions. I believe perfect parents don’t exist! So I won't waste my time trying to be one. There are times I admire my husband Veegee because he really makes an effort to say sorry to Miguel even if he is just five years old. Sometimes when he would scold him and snap at him, he sees to it that after everything Miguel understands that he was merely teaching him and not getting mad for no reason. 

As a parent I'll accept that I'm going to be less than perfect most of the time. Then, make every effort to do the best job I can. At the end I believe that a parent's job then, is not to attain perfection. Rather, it is to raise our children as best we can and enable them to leave home one day confident and believing in themselves, able to make their own way in the world.

If at the end of each day we are all still alive, still love each other and are still talking to each other then that means I've done a great job!

Just wanted to take a pic of Miguel and Jaime's feet and hands because they will never be what they are now.

Taking a picture of Miguel ( 2 years old ) and Jaime's feet and hands for me is a reminder of how quickly it all goes and just how precious each day with my children is!

Jaime's tiny hands and feet when he was around 4-months -old :)

Jaime when he was 4-months- old!

During my breastfeeding days 2.5 years ago!! This is how I looked like everyday! :)

BEAUTY on a BUDGET!

You don't have to  go broke just to look beautiful!  I'd like to share with you my "BEAUTY TIPID TIPS" these are tips that worked for me and helped me maximize my cosmetics and make-up. As well as how I save up on treatments and cost of beauty services. Read on:

1. Don't throw away those cosmetic tubes that you think are already empty just because you've squeezed them to the last drop. The best thing to do is cut them in half! You'd be surprised at how much product is still left inside. Check out my pictures below. :) 

See how much product is still left inside the tube! Don't throw them out yet even if you think they're empty.. cut them in half first!

2. If you buy the same brand of cosmetic and frequent a certain stall try to be friends with one of the sales person so you know who to look for every time you visit. This same person will give you free invites on events as well as give you samples of their latest products. They will also give you free stuff every time you purchase something! My favorites are Henry of Kiehls Trinoma, Shia of Shu Uemura Rockwell and  Emma of Christian Dior! :) They are all so nice, easy to talk to and generous with freebies! :)

Shia is my favorite SA at Shu Uemura Rockwell branch, she is nice and easy to talk to! She is also honest about which suits me or not and very generous with freebies! :)

If you are lucky and if you are already chummy chummy with the sales person then you can get free makeovers anytime you want. 


3. If your schedule permits, try to get a haircut the same day you will attend an event or special occasion. This will hit two birds with one stone, you will get your needed haircut and then have your hair styled for free.

My favorite duo at Trinoma Piandre, hair stylist Cecile and Enso. Cecile is great because she follows her clients and does not go about doing whatever she wants.  Her haircut gets better as my hair grows! I usually get free styling after a haircut so I make sure to schedule one when I have an event after :)

4. GROUP BUY! Not on any group buying sites but have a self imposed group offer. I remember when my sisters and I would walk into a salon and tell them how much would this and this cost if we have it all done now for all three of us?? Of course they will give you a great price since there will already be three customers and for sure they won't let the sale slip away. This won't work on all salons but it's worth a try :)

The Oldest Purse I own! :)

I absolutely love shoes and bags; I truly think it runs in the family! My mom has a lot of bags and shoes too. I’ve seen her come home with a pair of new shoes and a new purse almost every time we go out when I was a little girl. In the 80’s Rustan’s Cubao was our second home; we never got lost there, we knew the sales staff and they knew us! My mom would often say SHOPPING IS THE SECRET TO LONG LIFE! My grandmother; IMA as we fondly call her, is exactly the same! She has a small room where all her bags and shoes are displayed and every time we visit she was always in that room. 

In this short post I’d like to show you the oldest bags I own which I still use since “what’s old is new again” these days. These bags are hand me downs from my Mom and some from my Ima!

Like most Moms I find shopping very therapeutic! I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I rarely go out, so this is my one and only vice… that’s how my husband justifies it and I truly thank God for him! :)

The oldest bags I own are mostly hand-me-downs from my Mom and my Ima! I absolutely love them since I feel I am the only one who has them these days! :)

Black vintage Gucci Signature GG Logo shoulder bag which I use as a body bag since the straps are too long!

Another Gucci vintage shoulder bag, I love the neutral color of this purse, the red and green detail is so 80's!

It comes with a hidden wallet! So clever.. you can use just the wallet or you can attach it to the purse as an accent!

My Latest Makeup MUST-HAVES! :)

I love discovering and searching for new things to try when it comes to makeup. I edit my makeup must-haves at least once a year. Oftentimes when I discover something I like I stick to it and buy backup stocks in case they are discontinued. I am sharing with you some of my latest make-up staples all of which I've tried, tested and loved so much I already have backup supply! :)

1.YSL Rouge Volupté and YSL Rouge Volupté Shine Lipsticks- These offer great coverage, goes on smooth but feels so light, like butter! Another phenomenal product from YSL! Not for matte lipstick lovers but great for those who want glossy long-lasting luscious looking lips! The packaging makes this product so worth it, I just love looking at it!

I've tried other shades but I keep coming back to these two: Rouge Volupté Shine in Nude in Private and Rouge Volupté in Pink Caress. These are intensely pigmented, long-lasting, and contain comforting formula that leaves lips visibly smoother, plumper and more radiant. 

 2. Majolica Majorca's Brow and Lash Colorist- I am also a fan  of MAC's GIRL BOY Brow Set but lately I've been using this more often. Its a tad bit lighter and it doesn't have as much glitter as GIRL BOY. It stays on longer and it evens out my unruly thick brows! Majolica Majorca is a sister company of Shiseido, they have lots of great products worth trying! 

My current favorite brow product!

3. 1 DAY TATTOO REAL LASTING EYELINER-  These eye liners are the best!! They really do stay on and does not budge at all! I'm not an expert at applying eyeliner but the fine tip soft brush makes it easy for me to draw a fine line every time I use it. Unlike felt tip liners these remain pointed even if you use it over and over. I've tried SUPER BLACK and DEEP BROWN and I love them both!! :)

These eyeliners are wonderful! They stayput, are easy to use and also easy to remove! :)

4. Dior Blush Poudre Couleur & Lumiere- This Glowing Color Powder Blush is amazing! I have it in shade 821 Pinky Beige and it is the perfect shade for me. It looks really natural on me and when I use the highlight I feel I am lit from within! :) I love it because it's subtle and not too intense yet it stays on the whole day even if I have oily skin. It's a bit pricey but I've been using it for months and it still looks new! The brush that comes with the compact is terrible, just use your standard slanted blush brush and it's all good! :)

I use this to create a natural, healthy glow with a subtle sparkle! :)

5. K Palette Zero Kuma Cover Control Concealer in 02 Yellow Beige- Yes another eye concealer.. I know! This is a great under eye concealer but you need a little time, practice and patience to master it. I've learned I only need very little of it to conceal the appearance of puffiness, dark circles, and tiredness. Yellow Beige (02) is the shade I personally prefer for my own eye issues. It blends out fairly well and naturally without caking and creasing into my fine lines.

This is a VERY concentrated concealer so a little goes a long way because it's very pigmented! I can get a fair 12 hours without it fading, disappearing, or creasing into my eyes.

17 WEIRD Things I do as a MOTHER!

Ever since I had my boys my days have become pleasantly chaotic and surprisingly unpredictable. The past five years I have done weird things I never would have done before. Because of this I now realize I have truly becomea MOTHER! Read on...

1.Veegee  and I “pretend play” with the boys and we let loose and just be plain silly with them. This can be a great stress reliever, just being kids with our kids! Just make sure nobody sees you! :)  

Silly.. but very happy times spent with the boys! :)

2. When they have diaper rash I make sure to air out their skin and watch over them while they sleep without their diaper. I'd rub Calmoseptine on the affected area and turn on an extra fan aimed at their butts. This works for us and always heal most of their rashes over night! 

3. My husband and I always enjoy hearing the boys fart! Yes another simple pleasure that we cherish! Since they know we will laugh they now laugh with us! 

4. I can cut my sons fingernails and toenails in the dark while they sleep. With the use of my trusty led light and favorite kid's nail cutter. I can expertly cut and trim the nails of my boys in three to five minutes. It’s a new found talent!

My LED flashlight and favorite reliable nail cutter for kids! Very easy to use!! :)

5. I smell their heads, napes and armpits before they take a bath. They each have distinct scents only a mother could appreciate! :)

6. I watch them sleep. This is one of my simple joys in life!

7. I sometimes check if they are “really” breathing! SIDS ( Sudden Infant Death Syndrome )  freaked me out when I gave birth and it still haunts me now that the boys are bigger.

Sometimes they sleep too soundly that I need to make sure they are breathing. Paranoid.. I KNOW!!

8. I clean their ears, nose and teeth when they are in deep sleep! Yes I am an expert at this too! To make a child open his mouth while sleeping you just need to gently rub his jaw.

9. I give them “SPA BATHS” at least once a week. These are long baths where I clean every nook and cranny of their tiny bodies! This is the time when I check if they have insect bites, bruises and scratches. I thoroughly shampoo their hair and use conditioner after. A vain mom equals vain kids!!

Taken after one of our "SPA BATHS" they look sleepy!! :)

HOW I SIMPLIFIED MY LIFE

Sometimes life can be very overwhelming! As a wife, mother and a business owner I have to deal with a lot of things all at the same time.Over the years I've gathered a few tricks and tips I'd like to share with you, these are simple ways on how I feel I simplified my life.

 A simple life has a different meaning and a different value for every person. For me a simple life is all about getting rid of the many useless things I do so I can spend more time with the people I love and do the things I cherish the most. Here it goes:

1. I had a towel rack installed inside our shower cubicle. This made fresh and dry towels available for anyone taking a bath. I no longer had to deal with a messy wet bathroom floor! Every time we stepped out of the shower we are already at least halfway dry.

A towel rack installed inside  our shower cubicle made my life so much simpler! :)

2. Invest in a fireproof vault or safe and have it installed by someone you trust. All important documents and valuables are kept inside the safe at all times. Make sure the vault is anchored or mounted to either concrete or wood floors and walls. Never let anyone know the combination. This gives me peace of mind when I am away from home. Really valuable items are still better off kept in the bank.

Having your own vault inside your home will give you peace of mind! Mount it on a concrete wall and never share the combination! :)

3. For home cooked meals we sometimes use the turbo broiler, pressure cooker and electric grill. This saves time and gives us a chance to try different dishes instead of just always cooking from the stove.

Excuse our tiny spring chicken hehe!! But really the turbo broiler, electric grill and pressure cooker made meal planning simpler for me!

4. Ask your household help to maintain a rolling grocery list and put it somewhere everybody can see. Ask them to write down whatever it is they need from the grocery. I bring this list with me when I am at the supermarket and it helps me know what I need to buy first. This list cuts my shopping time in half and helps me know which items we still have on hand.

Our TO BUY: list is always posted at the door of our refrigerator!

5. Backup your phone directory and save all important pictures and videos in one hard drive. If ever you lose your camera or phone at least you know you have a copy of all the important files, pictures and videos. This will save you a lot of heartache especially if the baby pictures of your kids are involved.

This external hard drive contains all our important files and memories!! :)

6. ONLINE BANKING!! This helped me save a lot of time and effort! Imagine having to go to the bank just to check if a buyer already paid or not. Online banking made things so much simpler for me. I can pay our bills, transfer money and pay for our credit card statement anytime online.

Online banking made life so much simpler for me as a mother and a business owner! I can check each transaction made online anytime, anywhere!

7. De-clutter at least twice a year. We may not notice it but we accumulate a lot of things over the years. If we don't learn to let go, keeping a lot of things we don't need can be very overwhelming! Weigh your options: you can donate; have a garage sale, or simply give away some of your things to people who really need them.

Bromance in Action!

Yes, bromance is very much alive in our household! A few days ago I was deleting pictures on my cell and I came across these pictures of Miguel and Jaime being sweet to each other. These pictures made me smile and I realized it's great that they have each other. As a mother I hope for Miguel to always be the Kuya that Jaime can depend on. For Jaime to be the little brother who will standby and always be there for his Kuya too.

I've witnessed so many sibling fall-outs, where squabbles seem to last a lifetime and brothers and sisters fall farther apart because of different issues and misunderstandings.We are continually surrounded by hatred and violence everyday. Nowadays the value of life seem to be underestimated. Because of this I always pray and hope that my sons will grow up knowing the importance of love, kindness and family. That blood will always be thicker than water! For them to know and understand that we will all stick together through the good and bad times. 

My single wish as the mother of these two adorable boys is for them to love each other this way forever! 

Miguel adores his brother! Yes they do fight just like any other kids but it is during these unguarded moments that I can truly sense their love for each other as brothers!

Kuya can be very sweet when he wants to be!

BROMANCE in ACTION! :)

Goodbye Wedge Sneakers!

Do you know the feeling of wanting something so much but then you postpone buying it for so long, you just lose interest?  This is exactly how I feel about WEDGE SNEAKERS! It's been months but I am still fascinated by them and whenever I see pictures of ladies wearing them on the web I still want to get a pair!

I just feel these shoes are so great to look at if they are worn by other ladies but they just seem too much for me. Every time I try on a pair I always end up not buying them. Is it because I'm in my thirties or is it because I rarely wear kicks?  It seems that most of the women wearing these sneakers have super long and slim legs! I'm afraid if I wear them I will look like an elf!

Nonetheless, do checkout the pictures below and see how cool these Wedge Sneakers can be!!

Due to the hidden wedge, these sneakers will make your legs look a little longer and leaner than if you were wearing flat shoes. They look so comfy too!

Super stylish!!

They can make simple outfits look so COOL!

50 REASONS WHY I LOVE MY HUSBAND :)

I've written so much about my sons on my blog, I realized I haven't written much about the person who gave them to me. My husband Veegee!

Veegee and I have known each other for 19 years! I met him during our freshman year in college. He seemed like the cocky guy from Ateneo and I didn't want anything to do with him at first. But before I knew it he was friends with my friends, offering to bring all of us home and asking if we wanted to go anywhere after school. We had a very long and eventful courtship that eventually led to a happy marriage. Maybe someday I'll write about our love story here. 

The reasons I've listed below are just simple things he does for me and the family that make us all realize we are lucky to have him! 

50 REASONS WHY I LOVE MY HUSBAND VEEGEE:

1. He loves being a Father and he really makes an effort to take care of the boys. When Yaya is already sleeping he is the designated "pwet" washer! 
2. Since we've been together I've never had to peel my shrimps and crabs he does this for me every time no matter where we are.
3. He provides for all our needs and wants, he always puts my wants and needs above his own.
4. He is loyal, honest and trustworthy and he knows the repercussion of his actions. I've never doubted his faithfulness to me and our marriage and not once did he ever give me a reason to doubt him.
5. He tries his best to help me out in everything I want to do and pursue, it was him who really gave me the courage to push through with TINY TOTS . Even if at first I didn't have an idea of what it is I was doing. He is my personal cheer leader, he has faith in me and in what I can achieve.
6. He has a great sense of humor and he can always make me laugh.
7. He understands my moods and know the right things to say when I am down.
8. He knows exactly what I'm thinking even if I don't say a word, we can also communicate just by looking at each other.
9.  He believes in me and accepts me for who I am and I've never felt he compared me to anyone else.
10. He Believes in the power of prayer and he has strong faith in God.
11. He takes part in all our family activities  and accepts my whole family the way they are.
12.  His love for me hasn't changed, he is an amazing lover and he can be very sweet and romantic when he wants to be.
13.  He still takes me out on dates.
14.  He values family above all else, he would often say that our kids mean the world to him.