what's in your lunchbox ?

HELP NEEDED: Baby Rafael

2011-11-24T22:41:00.000-08:00

Hi yummymummies, below is a letter from my friend Richie whos son needs our help. Feel free to forward this blog to friends in media, tv and press who may also help.

Indigobaby will be pledging a percentage of this month's sales to the family. I will also be putting a ticker in our order form if you want to donate an amount to them upon making your order.

Let's send lots of love and prayers and I know the Big Man up there is in charge and watching over Raphael:)

xoxo,

yummymummy Denise

Dear Denise,

It's me Richie.

Raphael Carlos was born 6 months premature on August 22, 2011. He is still in the hospital since birth. Still lot of procedure need to do to him.

We really need any kind of HELP.

Thanks!

Richard Bautista
09172095323
richardbautista26@yahoo.com

FLOW Turns 2!!

2011-11-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

Oh sweet November!

It was just two years ago in 2009 when three passionate yummymummies and friends Monica, Noelle and myself got together to organize the first FLOW Surf Yoga Samba Weekend Retreat in La Union.

The micro-vacation concept was brilliant and participants loved the fact that they could tick of three things from their bucket lists in just two days. People went home to Manila feeling refreshed, sunkissed and eager to share their newly learned skills with their circles! We did too!!

Now, on it’s 6th run, things just keep getting better and bigger! The recently concluded FLOW Weekend Retreat took place last November 18-20, 2011 in San Juan Surf Resort with participants from Manila, Cebu, Prague, Columbia and the United States..and couple of backpackers from France that were in the mountains of Sagada that decided to join us for some surf and sun!

After a 6-hour van ride, we were welcomed with lunch at Lola Nanny’s- the next-door resort that serves healthy meals and has lots of options for vegetarians.

Surfing lessons were done throughout the weekend in batches and each participant got one-on-one tutorials from San Juan Surf Camp’s local instructors, including their very own Luke Landrigan, a Billabong sponsored pro-surfer. This was the perfect introduction to surfing 101.

November’s waves, as well as the weather, are excellent for beginners and pros. Noelle, being a surfer chick herself, was there to assist and take nice photos of these milestones along with our official photographer and sunshine smiling surfer chick for this retreat Elaine Abonal.

I taught the participants some samba no pe (samba on foot) moves while Toni Bernardo, diretoria de bateria (drum director) and Bogey Bernardo played batucada and samba reggae live percussion beats on their authentic Brasilian instruments to get those hips gyrating. All three of us are founding members Escola de Samba de Manila, the country’s first and only Samba school.

A repeat during sunset by the shore was an awesome way to conclude the afternoon.

Yoga teacher and Raw Goddess Imee Contreras also joined and shared her raw-food love by making uber healthy (and yummy) green smoothies and snacks for the entire group. Participants were eager to hear about raw food and its benefits for health and wellness.

To add to the celebration, we also invited my good friend Martin Lugtu- resident DJ of TIME and Frequency and producer from LA/ London- to play his deep, tech, proggy, moody house music during chill times at the retreat.

Monica and him partnered up to do a Rave Yoga class for the participants under the moonlight on the 19th. It was a first for most of us, but Monica reminded us to just feel the music and allow your body to move and dance. She is currently teaching at Tomas Morato's newest yoga ashram Beyond Yoga as well as Pulse Makati.

Each participant had their all-natural Para’Kito wristband to keep them protected from mosquitoes especially at the end of the yoga class in shivasana (corpse pose) when participants relax in a meditative state. Made of all natural ingredients and no harmful chemicals, Para’Kito pellets last for fifteen days and are waterproof to withstand rain, sweat and swimming- perfect for the FLOW weekend!

Being a green mommy myself- i love my Para'Kito wristband because it is ALL NATURAL and is safe for pregnant women and young children as well! It's light-weight and fun to wear..and it smells oh-soooo good!!

Benny does too!!

and Marnie too- our faithful FLOW-er from the first retreat!!

and Waldorf wildchild Ino too!

Two large Thai paper lanterns were launched in the clear La Union sky to symbolize FLOW’s anniversary and our well-wishes for LOVE, LIFE, and BLISS!

Sunday greeted us with more sunshine as the weekend came to a close. We had an intimate awarding session to recognize those that excelled in each activity.

Everyone went home with a prize and goodie bags from FLOW’s friends: Rudy Project, Para’Kito, Headware, Belo Sun Expert, Moringana, Beachbaby Clothing Ltd, Rawlicious Green Smoothies, Zola, Ish, Yoga+ at the Fort, Pulse Yoga, Beyond Yoga, San Juan Surf Camp, Brown Belly, Onesport Magazine and Total Fitness.

Next retreat will be FLOW: Summer of Love on April 2012! For more information, please visit www.flowsurfyogasamba.multiply.com

or follow us on twitter: surfyogasamba
and facebook: flowsurfyogasamba

Brewing this Week for INDIGObaby

2011-11-24T03:09:00.000-08:00

Brewing this week at INDIGOBABY:

Acacia Waldorf School's 8th Annual Advent Fair
Saturday November 26 10-4pm

Farm Rides, Games, Puppet Shows,
Music, Gift Making for all ages,
Outdoor Crafts Market and Wholesome Food

come with your kids! it's sooooo worth it! we will be there with Sunshine Daydream Smoothies:9 yumm!!

ACACIA WALDORF SCHOOL
Hacienda Sta. Elena, Sta. Rosa,Laguna
(0917) 554-0435 / (0921) 513-4954
Website: www.acaciawaldorfschool.com

Legaspi Market
Sunday November 27 8-2pm for some organic love!

AWCP Bazaar
Tuesday November 29 8-3pm at World Trade Center

It's their last one for the year so come and get a head start on your Christmas shopping! :*

Also- we are supporting this event coming soon!!

Learn How To Tame tantrums, Effectively Communicate with Kids, Use RHYTHM as Foundation for Discipline and more when you attend the HOUSEHOLD ORIENTATION at KWS

Date: 1 December 2011 (Thurs)
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Venue: 22 Alabama St., Brgy. Kristong hari, New Manila, Quezon City
RSVP 0920-4023860

Oh! and a sneak peek of our uber successful dance recital last night!!

i heart my son's Waldorf Daycare

2011-11-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

As a mum, you want your child in a safe, nurturing place that is a home-away-from-home. My heart leaped for joy when we found Waldorf-inspired St. Michael Playgarden when Benny was two years old. He is now 4 and a half and it is his last semester there, but if you are looking, searching and praying for a place for your little one- like i was- this may be the answer ;)

Nurturing the Whole Child … Head, Heart and Hands

Waldorf/Steiner Education views each child as a growing human being of body, soul, and spirit, all of which must be nurtured by education in thinking, feeling and willing.

ST. MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE (formerly MIKAEL PLAYGARDEN) places human development of Head, Heart and Hands at the center of its work and daily program. It prepares young people to meet the world with inner confidence, to trust in the value of each human being, and to think and work with initiative in their lives. Following the indications of Austrian scientist and philosopher, Dr. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), the children learn through creative play, imitation and rhythm in the context of their own stage of development. The capacity for serious academic work and thinking in formal school is first nurtured through healthy play and artistic learning at the day care in preparation for the kindergarten and lower school. Children are encouraged to learn in awe and wonder about the world around them.

Between birth and age seven, the child learns mainly through imitation. The atmosphere surrounding the child is filled with beauty, morality, and role models worthy of imitation. At this age the children need warmth and protection to develop their capacities in a natural, supportive, non-competitive and free atmosphere for creative play and work.

The arts and practical work are the bedrock out of which Waldorf/Steiner education nourishes creativity, thinking, feeling life, self-discipline and health in its students. By educating the whole child in these rich and creative ways, we hope to encourage young people to bring the highest human capacities into their adult lives as they become citizens of the future.

My little big boy Benicio doing his laundry in the sunshine

MISSION/VISION

To nurture and educate responsible individuals who are free-thinking, purposeful and compassionate, working in community towards social transformation.

• Our program integrates the child’s developmental needs to enhance intellectual skills and inner strength.
• Our deeply committed nurturers work together to foster each child’s sense of self-reliance, concern for community, and moral purpose.
• The child’s educated, disciplined imagination will be the foundation for leadership into the future.

Tita Winnie telling a story for the children

School year 2011-2012, Second Semester

Daycare:
Tue-Fri, Nov 8, 2011 – Mar 30, 2012 (with holiday on Nov 30); Christmas break: Dec 17, 2011 to Jan 9, 2012

Half Day 8:30 - 12noon
Full Day 8:30 -4pm

Fees are per semester and inclusive of all education materials and 3 (full-day)/ 2 (half day) healthy organic/bio-dynamic meals per day

Parent-Child:
Saturdays, Nov 12, 2011 – Dec 17; Mondays, Nov 14 – Dec 19
Parent chooses either Sat or Mon. Fees are per 6-week block and inclusive of all materials. The child must be accompanied by one parent.

Saturday, 9:00am-11:00am
Monday, 9:30am-11:30am

Tita Josie letting the children assist in preparing the meals

For more information:

G/f, ISIP Center, 6241 Palma cor Mañalac Sts., Bgy. Poblacion, Makati City
Mobile: 0917 847 0848; Email: St.Michael.Playhouse@gmail.com
Facebook: St Michael Playhouse Makati

Meanwhile, we would like to share with you these wonderful articles on Steiner/Waldorf education:

Waldorf Education in Public Schools
Harvard Education Letter
Harvard Graduate School of Education
http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/515#home

The article above gives good insights on the state of the American public school education, and how Waldorf/Steiner programs are being implemented in public schools with positive results

A Silicon Valley School that Doesn't Compute
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/us/screen-time-higher-than-ever-for-children-study-finds.html?_r=2&emc=eta1

This article talks about the interesting choices of top computer techies and executives to send their children to a Steiner school

Preschool Tests Take Time Away from Play - and Learning
Scientific American
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-death-of-preschool

Finally, the article above makes no reference to Steiner education, but makes a strong case for why more play, and less direct instruction and academics, is critical for a young child's development

Benicio the park sweeper during a trip to the park

INDIGOBABY turns FANTASTIC FOUR

2011-11-09T08:41:00.001-08:00

IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Map to Ayala Westgrove, Sta. Rosa Laguna

directions:

From Manila to Ayala Westgrove:
take SLEX and STA ROSE exit.
turn right and follow road all the way about 4.5km until Laguna Blvd- youll see signs to Ayala Westgrove.
... Ask guard for directions to Main gate of Ayala Westgrove.
(straight then left on first main intersection then right on first street- end of which is main gate.

To Kidsgrove from Gate of Ayala Westgrove:
From Main Gate, turn right to SAMPALOC DRIVE.
Straight until you reach the end 9round about)
Then you'll hit a bridge then right on 2nd street ARATILES:*

Our Promos for the Three's Company Party

EXPOMOM LINE UP

2011-11-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

Dear Mommies!

Would you like to know who will be selling at the MOMMY MUNDO BAZAAR
next weekend (Nov 19 and 20 at the Rockwell Tent)? We're so excited to have some of our
fave mom and baby brands, the most fab mompreneurs, interesting service providers,
lots of new stuff and great bargains in time for Christmas!

We've posted our official list on our website but in case you haven't seen it. Here they are:

Sponsors:
CordLife
Cycles Mild Detergent
Cradle
Citibank

Vendors:
Mommy Matters
Proud Mama Store
Peapod
Babinski Baby
Mamaway/ Paquet De Joie Inc.
Little Red Shoe
Tyler Marketing
Maxi Group Inc
Jazz Shoppe
Little Darla Cotoure
Tip Tap and Kid Basix
Mombabyfabric
Learning is Fun
Mommy Treats
The Yellow Mustard Seed
Amber Lights Laguna
Mumsies Corner
Zhazhiki
Hatch & Latch
Wee+Mutsi
Shutterhedge
I.am.handmade
Macy Mumar
Ambieshoes
Erica Naranjo
Kiddie Tunes
Momtrepreneur Shop
Cienta Kids Shoes
Tootsie Shop
Beauty & Minerals
Digital Traincase
Spinkie
Black Friday Marketing
Mustela
Pharmasafe Inc.
Mrs. Awesome Planet
Natural Origins
Green 360
Numa Infantcare Trading
Brussel Sprouts
The Eco Baby Boutique
IMF-Beauty & Wellness
Felt Houses
Two Oranges
Indigo Baby !!! :)
Tot Cotoure
Tiny Tots
Tomatoberry
Lassig
Cozach
Princess & Tutus
Smart Explorers Int. Preschool and Learning MOM ME
Musikgarten
Baby Depot Incorporated
Aqualogic Swim Co.
Little People Photography
Prolacta
Two Tots
Nursing Mom
Medela Moms
Imagine Nation
Celestina & Company
Omma Organics
The Ramp Crossing
Star Kids
Chabby
Manila Baby Shop
Mothercare
Tagz
Badabadaboo
Bailey's Comfort
Baby World
AFS Printing/ Photobooks by Anna
Kinder Links
Fun Ranch
Partezeit

Food Booths:
Edible Option Snowcone
Johnny Steams
Ultimate Cheesesteak
Egy's Foodtrip
Happy Fanshu
Eva Rodriguez
Auntie May's
Kinder Links
Isa's Mongolian & Kebab

Thanks to our Media Partners:
Crossover 105.1
Moms Today Magazine
Working Mom Magazine
Urban Mom Magazine
Mommy Pages
and ANC Shoptalk who guested some of our vendors yesterday:)

We also ask you to support our MOMSHARE cause for this event. We ask for your donations
so we can help build a school for kids of Visions of Hope. Read more about this project here:

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=6Gm6Q&m=3amUYkGo.ad2_Z0&b=0Sq4vfhHndzIMXT_SNvvdw

Thanks guys and see you next week!

Regards,

Janice and the MOMMY MUNDO team

A Trip to the Farm

2011-10-24T23:26:00.000-07:00

This is why i love the waldorf way and St. Michael Playgarden!

Lots of fresh air, free space, and good vibes! Just what Benicio and i needed!

A must read about Waldorf Education http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/technology/at-waldorf-school-in-silicon-valley-technology-can-wait.html?_r=2&pagewanted=2&smid=fb-share

The 6th Flow:SurfYogaSamba Weekend Retreat

2011-10-24T23:13:00.000-07:00

The Flow:SurfYogaSamba weekend retreat is a boutique three-day experience that will spark your spirit and leave your body and mind relaxed and revitalized! Learn Vinyasa Yoga and Yin Yoga with Monica Manzano, surf the waves with Luke Landrigan, dance to the samba beats of Toni Bernardo and Escola de Samba de Manila, nourish your body with delicious gourmet meals and raw food snacks and witness the spectacle of Thai lantern lighting.

Package rate is PHP 8,750 which includes 1 Vinyasa Yoga lesson, 1 Yin Yoga lesson, 2 Surfing lessons, 2 Brazilian batuccada samba drumming lessons, roundtrip private transfers from Manila-La Union-Manila, 3D/2N aircon accomodation at San Juan Surf Resort, healthy gourmet meals and snacks, Flow shirt and a tote bag with freebies.

The 6th Flow:SurfYogaSamba Weekend Retreat is sponsored by Para'Kito, Rudy Project, Belo Essentials SunExpert, Headware, Yoga+, Beyond Yoga, Pulse Yoga, Strip, Browhaus, Made for Movement, Moringana, Brownbelly, Zola, Ish, Beachbaby Clothing San Juan Surf Shop, Total Fitness Magazine, Onesport Magazine, Expat Magazine, and When In Manila.

Energize your mind, body and soul! Be part of an experience of a lifetime. DJ Martin Lugtu is also joining to spin some beach groove!

To register, visit www.flowsurfyogasamba.multiply.com.

To receive more updates and details on the retreat visit www.facebook.com/flowsurfyogasamba and follow us on www.twitter.com/surfyogasamba.

FLOW Adventures in the RAW!

2011-09-09T01:37:00.000-07:00

WE DID IT!!!! And we loved it!!

Us FLOW ladies, Monica, Noelle and myself were brave enough to go the extra mile and organize a 100% raw weekend retreat for our community. I admit it was a bit challenging to get people to join considering the fee what a bit higher than normal, but i think people are slowly becoming more aware about the benefits of eating raw food so we had brave participants sign up! We were all excited to get to the beach to surf, do yoga and learn samba!!

Typhoon Mina decided to hit at 5am as we were loading our coaster at the Fort, but we were all there on time and hopped on despite the strong wind and rain. Was wondering what my mom had to do with that considering her name is Meena!

Was excited since Santi, Benny and Kai (children of the Flow) would be together that weekend and Bogey and Montri too!

It look us about 11 tiring hours to finally get to La Union because of traffic from rains and detours from floods. We kept ourselves sane with some seated yoga by Monica and Rianna of Beyond Yoga, then icebreakers by me and spontaneous mini samba from Toni.

A side trip for late lunch at a place i'd rather not mention (adi, keep your photos please!! haahaha!) because we were starving..but raw-mazing food was awaiting us at Lola Nanny's- our raw goddesses Asha Peri and Fristine were there whipping dishes up for a day now.

We had our goodie bags from our fabulous sponsors and Mike of Para'kito joined too!

And finally, we were there!

We made it to our rooms and had yummy raw dinner, and even if i knew i was exhausted from the drive, i was beaming with energy from the raw dinner and raw chocolates! Sinful!!!!

There was electricity flowing through my veins and i knew i was in the right place! I didn't crave for cooked food or junk! i was happy!!

Surfing was a bit challenging coz of the MESSY waves..i now know why messy is used to describe waves!

Yoga was indoors at Kahuna's function room bright and early. We were able to dip our feet into some partner Acro Yoga with the help of Monica, Rianna of Beyond Yoga and adorable Aisa Locsin of Yoga+.

We had intimate samba drum and dance led by Toni Bernardo and me at Lola Nanny's on the last night. Wonderful how everyone was game to learn and sweat with us!!

I was thrilled to have memorized everyone's names since the group was smaller! And got to chat with everyone and make new friends! No lanterns were lit due to the weird weather but was an awesome weekend nonetheless!!

Shout outs to our wonderful sponsors for the goodies! We love you!

Next FLOW SURF YOGA SAMBA Weekend Retreat coming up on November 18-20, 2011 at San Juan Surf Resort! Can't wait! We'll be celebrating two years!! Hoot hoot to us!!!!!!

On Being a Parent

2011-08-16T09:28:00.001-07:00

Job Description:
This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way,
I don't believe any of us would have done it!!!!

POSITION:
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging,
permanent work in an
often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to
primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a
pack mule
and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat
in case, this time, the screams from
the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges,
such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets
and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and
coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute,
an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for
the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and
janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:

None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:

Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because
of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS:

While no health or dental insurance, no pension,
no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love,
and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Forward this on to all the PARENTS you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis,
letting them know they are appreciated
for the fabulous job they do...
or forward with love
to anyone thinking of applying for the job.
** FOOTNOTE **
THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!!

Manila Bulletin loves FLOW!

2011-08-16T00:47:00.000-07:00

Thank you Irene and Em of Manila Bulletin for featuring FLOW IN THE CITY!! And thank you to all our sponsors for the goodies! :*

Thank you to my mind-body-spirit dentist Dra. Dorothy Hernandez-Prado for spotting this and having her secretary cut it our and save it for me!!!! Getting better too thanks to her good vibes and oil pulling!!!!

FLOW GOES RAW

2011-08-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

FLOW GOES RAW!
a surf yoga samba and raw food weekend retreat

August 27-29, 2011, San Juan Surf Resort, La Union

FLOW:SurfYogaSamba Goes Raw

...We're going the extra mile for health conscious people! This special Flow retreat is complemented with delicious and healthy raw vegan gourmet foods catered by Bali-certified raw food chef, Asha Peri of Dahon Kusina to help nourish your unique journey to self-discovery.

Package Rate: 10,350 php

Inclusions:
- 1 Vinyasa and 1 Yin Yoga session with Monica E. Manzano
- 2 Surf lessons at the San Juan Surf School of Luke landrigan
- 2 Samba lessons with Escola de Samba de Manila
- Roundtrip transfers
- 3D/2N aircon accommodation
- Raw Food meals and snacks by Asha Peri
- Tote bag with freebies from our sponsors: ParaKito, Mamo Yogaandtravel, Yoga+ at the Fort, I Go Beyond Yoga, Strip Manila, Browhaus Manila, Moringana & Rudy Project Philippines

PLUS! Introduction to ACRO YOGA for all participants in a yoga fusion class with Yoga+ and Beyond Yoga :)

Curious to see what dishes look like? :)
Raw Meals
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150311179215992.384367.129726960991

Raw Desserts
https://www.facebook.com/flowsurfyogasamba?sk=photos#!/media/set/?set=a.10150311179215992.384367.129726960991

Register now slots are limited!
Online registration form

www.flowsurfyogasamba.multiply.com
www.twitter/surfyogasamba

LET GO AND LET IT FLOW

2011-08-04T22:31:00.000-07:00

The organizers of FLOW SurfYogaSamba weekend retreat brought The FLOW package to Metro Manila last July 30, Saturday at Quantum Café. “We wanted those people who couldn’t come all the way to La Union because they can’t get away from work or their children, to be able to experience what FLOW was all about”, the FLOW team says.

The program started with a Yoga Fusion class which was collaborated by Monica Eleazar-Manzano of FLOW, Aisa Locsin of Yoga+ and Tricia Gotamco of MAMO Yoga & Travel.

Yummymummy Monica helping Yummmymummy Denise with her Downward Dog!

Then Monica introduced some partner yoga poses for the eager yogis to practice with their friends. After the yoga class, Bali trained Raw Food chef, Asha Peri talked about Raw Vegan Food and presented some delicious samples during the Vegetarian Buffet dinner catered by Quantum Café.

yes, vegan barbecue!!

All throughout the program, prizes were being given out to the guests who were so happy to participate in the fun games. People who wanted to know more about what happens during a FLOW SurfYogaSamba weekend were able to view videos from past weekends.

FLOW Organizers Monica and Noelle with friends and Twinkle Ferraren of Quantum Cafe

To cap of the fun-filled night was a rockin’ performance by Escola de Samba de Manila led by Toni Bernardo. Denise Gonzales taught some samba moves and danced the night away.

All participants were able to bring home an assortment of awesome goods from FLOW’s fabulous friends- Yoga+ at the Fort, Beyond Yoga, Made for Movement Yoga & Travel, B&B Pilates, Manila Moves, Headware, Rudy Project, STRIP, Browhaus, FCUkay, Two Ocean, Hardy’s, Vodka Ice, Vodka Cruiser & Monkey Bar.

The next FLOW weekend retreat is FLOW goes RAW on August 27-29 long weekend at San Juan Surf Resort, La Union with Bali-certified raw foodie chef Asha Peri! It's going to be amazing!!

We yummymummies are soooo excited about FLOW that I named our newest INDIGObaby Hot Pockets Pouch GO WITH THE FLOW!!

grieving..

2011-08-01T09:22:00.001-07:00

for my lost teeth. i am sorry i didnt take better care of you..i miss you.

Celebrating my Magic Milk

2011-07-22T01:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (July). For this month, we join the National Nutrition Council - Department of Health in celebrating Nutrition Month with the theme "Isulong ang Breastfeeding - Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo!" Participants will share their experiences in promoting breastfeeding or their tips on how breastfeeding should be promoted. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.

I wrote this blog in August 2009 and want to share it with everyone since next month is for celebrating our magic milk!

August is World Breastfeeding Month..it's funny that I decided to take a 5-day trip to Sagada to attempt to wean Benny from my breast. After all, it has been two years and four months.

When I first started breastfeeding, I said I would do it for three months..that's all I wanted. But the bond and intimacy shared between Benny and me was priceless that I decided to keep at it longer and longer.

The weaning process was a long one. The trip was actually a test for independence: for Benny and for me as well (I'm sure you can relate yummymums, our children get along fine without us..it's us mums that feel that little sharp pain in the heart when your child looks at you with eyes that say, yes mum, i can do it by myself.)

I pumped a bit, missed Benny a lot and came home to an independent little man who was singing the chorus of Michael Jackson's Beat It with his cousins. After some playing, he came to me and said, 'mama dee, i want mamam (milky).' I explained that my milk was almost gone (today, i am not sure if i should have said that coz it made me sad too.) and so Benny, with his bright smart eyes said, ok, i want TO HOLD mamam. (fine, if i can't drink it, can i at least hold them???!! what a sweetheart.)

it's been 12 days and he's been sleeping well..some nights are hard and cranky, but we almost always end up hugging in bed, his head and hands close to my chest. i am always in love.

i kinda miss giving him my magic milk, but treasure every single fleeting moment of these two years. to all mothers out there, breastfeeding is a joy. i will always love it. keep feeding!

xoxo

p.s. have you seen the LATCH and QTV plugs for breastfeeding? :)

more to come!

another heart warming vid i want to share

p.p.s. OH, just so you know- benny and i went back to bfeeding after 2 weeks of having none..i said my milk dried up in the cold air in Sagada and he believed me until he saw me expressing milk one day in the shower and said: it's magic mum!! you have milk again!! so we were back at it for another 10 months until scotch tape did the trick and i was able to successfully wean Benny from my breast at 2.10 years old!

Today, he still pretends to drink sometimes, for comfort and he says that there is still milk and it is sweet like avocadoes or chocolates! He gropes me to sleep and caresses me at night. I allow him because one day he will be too big to do so. :* And honestly, i do miss it too sometimes..

Please visit and comment on the other Milk Mama Diaries Carnival participants!

* Breastfeeding Promotion Tips from a Formula Feeder (Yes, you read that correctly…) by The Fearless Formula Feeder

* A Simple Breastfeeding Campaign by The Lazy Mama

* I Am A Breastfeeding Mom by The Painter’s Wife

* The Low-Milk-Supply Mommy Did It! by The Odyssey of Dinna

* On Promoting Breastfeeding by ImPerfectly Created

* Mama Milk Diaries 3 by Benz Co-Rana

* Why I Don’t Nurse in Breastfeeding Rooms by Legally Mom
* Breastfeeding Mama by canDIshhh

* I *heart* Breastfeeding by The Mum Side

* Spreading the Word on Breastfeeding by Mommy Kwentos

* A Breastfeeding Formula-Fed Mother by Soprano Mom

* Breastfeeding: Promoting It Even If I Didn’t Get Lucky The First Time Around by Glamma Momma

* Taking Breastfeeding Further by Mec as a Mom

* Three Ways I Promote Breastfeeding by Example by Dainty Mom

*
A Simple Breastfeeding Campaign by The Lazy Mama

* I Am A Breastfeeding Mom by The Painter's Wife

FLOW Goes RAW

2011-06-30T22:13:00.000-07:00

Flow:SurfYogaSamba Goes RAW Weekend Retreat
a surf yoga samba and raw food weekend retreat

August 27-29, 2011, San Juan Surf Resort, La Union

We're going the extra mile for health conscious people! This special Flow retreat is complemented with delicious and healthy raw vegan gourmet foods catered by Bali-certified raw food chef, Asha Peri of Dahon Kusina to help nourish your unique journey to self-discovery.

Package Rate: 10,350 php
Early Bird Rate: 9,850php (til July 20)

Inclusions:
- 1 Vinyasa and 1 Yin Yoga session
- 2 Surf lessons
- 2 Samba lessons
- Roundtrip transfers
- 3D/2N aircon accommodation
- Raw Food meals and snacks
- Tote bag with freebies

PLUS! Introduction to ACRO YOGA for all participants!

register now slots are limited!
online registration form: http://bit.ly/msQJgP

But before that, we're bringing to you with FLOW in the CITY

July 30, 2011 (Saturday) at QUANTUM CAFE! learn about surfing, live yoga demo and dance to samba beats! plus sample sumptuous vegetarian buffet! GOODIE bags for everyone and get the chance to WIN PRIZES! everyone is invited!

Waldorf is the Way

2011-05-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

Waldorf School Education is not a pedagogical system but an Art – the Art of awakening what is actually there within the human being."
- Rudolf Steiner

My Little Artist Benicio and his wet-on-wet work of art!!

A Sneak Peek into how Benicio was kept productive this summer
http://indigomanila.multiply.com/journal/item/413/Waldorf_is_the_Way

ST MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE offers a two-times-a-week Parent-Child program for children under a year old to 2-3 years old, accompanied by a parent.

Benny attends the 4-day or 3-day Daycare program for children 2-3 years old to 5 years old.

Hand Embroidered Placemats for Parent-Toddler- made with love and intention by
St. Michael's nurturers

Getting ready for Wet-On-Wet Painting with solid primary colors

Set Up for the Summer Story Telling:
Si Iklong Tipaklong at Higad...
a story about helping friends...finding new friends...having fun...
(All made with sooo much intention by the titas of St. Michael!)

Children learn to wash up and clean after themselves

ST MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE is on the G/f, ISIP Center, 6241 Palma cor Manalac Sts., Bgy. Poblacion, Makati, a few minutes from Rockwell and Bel-Air. Mobile: 0917 847 0848
st.michael.playhouse@gmail.com

Love in Any Language

2011-04-19T02:04:00.001-07:00

I was blessed enough to join a Lenten talk in Don Bosco with one of my favorite priests Fr. Dennis Paez and I'd like to share it with all of the yummymummies out there:)
Please just take what you like and leave the rest behind. :)

LOVING WITH AN IMPACT

After marriage, couples often 'fall out' of love because the romantic love that captivated us has either lessened or is now long gone (sad but true.) When this happens, we both start living secret lives that lead to AFFAIRS.

This DOES NOT just refer to another man or woman, but ANYTHING THAT WE LOVE MORE THAN OUR SPOUSE IS AN AFFAIR -your work, career, parents, siblings, sports, car, CHILDREN..anything. (this really struck me!)

We must strive to let our partners become our best friends so marriage/ relationships work/s.

We all have LOVE TANKS that need to be filled with love and affection by our partners. All dysfunctional behavior is related to an empty or depleted love tank. Similar to a bank, you can make DEPOSITS and WITHDRAWALS in your partner's LOVE TANK.

Withdrawals happen when you are misunderstood, things are misplaced, important things are forgotten. These are usually UNINTENTIONAL, but they hurt and the result is disappointment, frustration, pain and an empty love tank.

SO....we need to store on deposits CONSCIOUSLY!

And what better way to do that than speaking their language!

The Five Languages of Love
-How we love, how we experience love, how we show love

Words of Affirmation
Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.
Adults carry baggage of low self esteem and feeling unloved when primary Language of Love is violated in childhood with demeaning words.

Quality Time

In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.
Most children remember not what their parents SAID but what their parents DID!
Receiving Gifts

Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous—so would the absence of everyday gestures.
Acts of Service

Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter.
Physical Touch

This language isn’t all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive.
Babies who are held often develop better emotionally than babies who are not.
- THREE CHEERS FOR BREASTFEEDING AND BABY WEARING!!!

We must speak each others LANGUAGE OF LOVE so that the other person knows and feels that you love him or her!!

Most misbehavior in children is due to empty love tanks.

All children have different LANGUAGES OF LOVE, so we cannot put them in molds- each one communicates differently. We can find this out by HOW THEY DEAL WITH OTHERS, WHAT MATTERS TO THEM and WHAT THEY ALWAYS ASK OR REQUEST FOR.

STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN.

This applies to EVERYONE- parents, our children, siblings, spouses, colleagues!!
If you'd like to know more, you may take a short assessment test here.

Sending you all the love in the language that you love and deserve! Have a Blessed Holy Week and a glorious Easter! Yummy hugs and kisses!

xoxo

SUMMER AT ST. MICHAEL PLAYGARDEN

2011-04-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

Bring happy days to your child this summer at ST MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE!

Reserve now! Call or text 0917 847 0848, or email St.Michael.Playhouse@gmail.com.

Summer is fun and sun and more! We're ready to bring happy days to your child at ST MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE!

Tuesday, April 26 at 8:30am - May 23 at 11:00am

St Michael Playhouse, Makati City
G/f, 6241 Palma cor Mañalac Sts., Bgy. Poblacion (near Rockwell)
Makati, Philippines

Summer is sun and fun and more! And we're ready to bring happy days to your child at ST MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE! Call or text 0917 847 0848, or email St.Michael.Playhouse@gmail.com to reserve your seat!

**Parent-Child Loves Summer program!**
(Click here for more info: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111404335609493 )
Bond with your baby! Under the guidance of experienced Waldorf teacher Josie Sanchez, you will do meaningful activi...ties with your child, and bond in a loving, nourishing way!This program is for young children to learn to play and interact with each other, with the security of having one of their parents with them in the room.

Age:
For children from under a year old to 2 to 3 years old, accompanied by one parent only

Schedule:
every Monday, 9am to 11am starting April 25 till May 23, OR
every Saturday, 9am to 11am starting April 30 till May 21.

Fees:
attendance to Monday class (5 Mondays): P2,500
attendance to Saturday class (4 Saturdays): P2,000
attendance to both Monday and Saturday classes: P4,500
per class: P800

""Daycare Does Summer program!**
(Click here for more info: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=205018946188882 )
Every week brings something new to your child! In this home away from home, your child will get to do a variety of activities that will stimulate him just the right way, calm her at just the right time. Our gifted Waldorf teachers follow a gentle rhythm balanced with new activities your children are sure to enjoy!!

Age:
For children 2 to 3 years old to 5 years old

Schedule:
Tuesday to Friday, starting April 26 till May 20
full-day: 8:30am to 5:00pm
half-day: 8:30am to 12:00nn OR 2pm to 5pm

Choose your schedule:
Week 1
April 26 to 29
Morning: Bread-baking
Afternoon: Wet-on-wet painting

Week 2
May 3 to 6
Morning: Cooking
Afternoon: Hand crafts

Week 3
May 10 to 13
Morning: Wet-on-wet painting
Afternoon: Baking

Week 4
May 17 to 20
Morning: Hand crafts
Afternoon: Cooking

Fees (includes materials):
weekly fee for half-day: P3,500
weekly fee for full-day: P4,500
entire program, half-day: P10,000
entire program, full-day: P12,900
per class, half-day: P1,000
per class, full-day: P1,500

Reserve now! Walk-ins discouraged as teachers need to prepare for class materials and meals accordingly. Call or text 0917 847 0848, or email St.Michael.Playhouse@gmail.com.

St. Mikael Play House Introductory Night

2011-01-31T05:52:00.000-08:00

i love st. mikael play house and my wish all parents can come and learn what this amazing little waldorf-insprired daycare is all about!!

Dear Parents!

You are warmly invited to attend and support the Introductory Evening below. This is for those of you that would like to better understand Steiner education, and learn the dates for Summer Program and the new school year, June 2011 to March 2012.

This is also for prospective parents that are looking for the right program for their young children. Do forward the invitation to your friends who may be interested!! Thank you! Kindly email back your confirmation to attend, as well as how many of your invitees will be attending .... warmest regards ....

Your child's home away from home

Ground floor, 6241 Palma St., Bgy. Poblacion, Makati City (near Rockwell)

If you're looking for a safe, nurturing place for your young child, or know someone who is, consider ST MICHAEL PLAY HOUSE. Come to an INTRODUCTORY EVENING on Tuesday, February 15, 6pm to 8pm to find out about its programs. More details below.

"Accept the children with reverence, educate them with love, send them forth in freedom." – Rudolf Steiner

Tucked in a quiet street in Makati City is ST MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE. On Mondays you may see a dad preparing the morning snack while his son plays, or a mom making toys. On other weekdays you'll find the smiling face of teacher holding a puppet or doll as she recites a cheerful story to the children, or mindfully watches them as they engage in free play or painting. Each day follows a rhythm of gentle activities, balanced in a manner so as not to be dull for the child, nor overstimulating.
The only Steiner/Waldorf daycare in the country

ST MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE is the only Waldorf/Steiner inspired daycare in the country. Waldorf education offers unhurried education for the whole child – mind, hands and heart. The Parent-Child program, with classes every Monday, is for children from a little under a year old to 2 - 3 years old, accompanied by a parent. Guided by an experienced Steiner-trained teacher, the Parent-Child program allows very young children to play and interact with others, while having the security of their parents nearby. The Daycare, held Tuesday to Friday, is for children 2 - 3 years old to 5 years old. For parents who both work, or moms who need to nurture and bond with a newborn, the Daycare provides a sweet space for children to be raised consciously, in a healthy and peaceful setting. A home away from home.

Is St Michael Playhouse for your child?

Find out if ST MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE is the right home for your child. Join us at the INTRODUCTORY EVENING on February 15, 2011, 6pm to 8pm. Listen to MS BELLA TAN, one of the pioneers of Waldorf education in the Philippines, and early childhood education expert. A consultant to ST MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE, Tita Bella will talk about how Steiner educational philosophy is uniquely responsive to the needs of children today. You will also hear parents talk about their experiences, and teachers explain their process. And you will get to tour the daycare area, and receive answers to pressing questions on your child's care. Call or text 0917 847 0848, or email St.Michael.Playhouse@gmail.com to reserve your seat.

Map to ISIP Center, 6241 Palma cor Manalac Sts., Makati City

The INTRODUCTORY EVENING will be held at the same building where ST MICHAEL PLAYHOUSE is located: 2nd floor, ISIP Center, 6241 Palma cor Manalac Sts., Poblacion, Makati City (near Rockwell).
Call or text 0917 847 0848, or email St.Michael.Playhouse@gmail.com to reserve your seat.

More Adventures in 2011

2011-01-03T06:48:00.001-08:00

My New Year's Message for you

The Sun to bring us NEW ENERGY each day.

The Moon to softly RESTORE us by night.

The Rain to WASH AWAY all worries.

The Breeze to blow NEW STRENGTH into our being.

We walk GENTLY through the world and know we are being all the BEST in our lives: health, wealth, love, success!

Many sweet gentle kisses and more adventures in 2011!!!

Hello 2011...i opened my meditation book tonight in search for an answer and again, god pulled thru...

Dear God, often i feel at my wits end, alone and overwhelmed. In these times, i need you to break into the chaos and calm me with your love and support. Amen.

The topic "What's for Dinner?"...it amazes me how another random mum in another country many years ago felt this exact same way..i am not alone. hello world!

xoxo

Stockings for the Kiddies

2011-01-03T06:39:00.000-08:00

finally...all ready for christmas 2010

made with lots o love and intention!

names hand stitched by dee..stockings stock in trusty DV! :P

My simple handmade project!

2010-11-12T05:16:00.000-08:00

Benny and i saw this online and now we want it! I pray i find time to make for all the kiddies i love dearly!!

Made this for Benny last week..his name is Ellie the dragon! :P

but now he's got wings and eyes, except both different buttons since bolt chewed the other black one away!

Ellie the dragon and Ellie the horse..both named Ellie..or E.L.E. (Everybody loves Everybody!) -Ben's favorite name these days:P

Ben flying our handmade paper kite tonight..Tomorrow, the wind.

My Gratitude List

2010-08-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

I found this today while cleaning my cabinet in hopes of clearing my head and feeling better..God really has a way of sending me what i need to hear:

"If you let the weight of your problems drag you down, you will not find a solution to lift you up."

So here's my GRATITUDE LIST for tonight to help me see the sunny side of things.

1. Thank you for fast internet so i can blog, check mail and commune with the world and write this list tonight.

2. Thank you for my family: benny my darling genius 3 year old that is independent, brilliant and HAPPY! No matter how crappy i feel, he always manages to make me smile. His heart is soooo big and although he is not yet a master at being gentle, he is extremely sweet and loving.

bogey: for growing up and taking the challenge on with me. for being amazing at what he does at work, for taking more sidelines to make ends meet and let us live more comfortably, for buying a bike so he can lend me his car, for giving us bolt to make us smile, for coming home at night to be with us and put benny to sleep, for being passionate about music and dee :)

bolt: for being adorable and eager to see us and go for walks and jogs with me.

yaya julieann: for being great at managing the house with me, for taking adventures with me in the kitchen and at home, for loving benny and bolt so much.

3. Thank you for my grandparents and everyone in san lo: for taking us in every week and always being there when we need them, for being amazing with ben!

4. Thank you for Mikael and all its teachers: for loving benny and being truly concerned about him and us as a family, for being a space for growth and love.

5. Thank you for the Bernardo's: for making the weekends super fun, for CATS and everything we get to do when we're there (snooze, eat without worrying about what to cook and clean ahahaha!), for being supportive and loving.

6. Thank you for indigobaby and all our clients: for growing with us and letting me live my dreams!

7. Thank you for my health because it is truly wealth! To nigel and cricket!

8. Thank you for my siblings Anton, Jose and Les: for keeping in touch and staying connected. i miss you all and love you soooooo much.

9. Thank you for my cousins and gals: Nash, Katz, Liz, Cams, Alvie, Anj, Tanz, Lex, Paula, Jaims, Mic, Monix, Adi, Jer, Sab, Pam, Crissy, Sam, Noelle, Devaki: for listening and sharing and being rays of light and inspiration.

10. Thank you for Dailyn: for keeping things in order, for her sunshiney smiles, for her patience with benny when he bugs her while she's working..she always manages to make him smile when i get caught up with work..means a lot.

11. Thank you for mom: who is my saving grace..always and forever.

12. Thank you for dad: who is doing the best he can.

13. For Bahay Kalipay: for making me love RAW!!!!!!!!!

14. For GOD: for keeping me sane and serene and happy. For picking me up when i fall and want to give up. For reminding me that my life is OK! For putting people in my life that help me! For giving me bogey and benny. For being there and listening to me rant about life. For being AMAZING and AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's all for tonight because it is almost midnight and i cant wait to cuddle with ben and bo. Goodnight world. THANK YOU for my life.

Payawan

2010-08-11T04:41:00.001-07:00

met with benny's teachers today at Mikael and they said

"benny's energy was really different when he got back from your palawan trip. his view was widened and it was really good for him."

gave me a warm feeling inside:) we still tell stories about "payawan" and all its wonder.

back with a new zest for raw food! had too much wheat, carb and sugar daw last week so i am back at raw raw raw!

made a super yummy raw spaghetti last night with coconut and zucchini noodles!! yummmmmeeeee!! benny loved it and my heart really sings when he eats my food!

god, i am so happy to be going down this path with you..feels great to see how i have been lead this way..like the pieces fit together.

excited to join these workshops coming next week at ISIP :)

Life in the Raw, Adventures in the Raw

2010-08-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

After attending Pi Villaraza’s Conscious Trance workshop last May, I decided to try going raw for at least two meals a day. By ‘RAW’ I don’t mean raw meat and fish, rather I mean raw fruits and vegetables. So I did it, and I succeeded and felt great for the first two weeks maybe, having fresh buko or fruits for breakfast and a salad I invented for lunch with a sad try at a vegetable smoothie (I was making up most of it, too lazy to research..but that’s not such a bad thing anyway).

At night for dinner, I thought I’d eat heaps from starving myself all day, but in fact I ate less..but, I’d have beef, chicken or fish or sometimes a yummy cooked veggie dish of my concoction too I was trying VCO pulling too in the mornings but never really got to do it for 20 minutes. After the second week of high times with raw breakfast and lunch, I seemed to start getting sick or feeling sluggish in the mornings (now I know it was because I was having a cooked meal for dinner maybe). First came body aches and then a cough and a really terrible sore throat. I healed from all that with my naturopath ways (more concoctions yes), thinking at first that this was a healing crisis from the oil pulling and raw diet. But then it was somewhat a continuous strain of feeling crappy, tired and unhappy.

Sometime in week 4, I woke up at 5am with a really high fever and severe pain in my neck, left side lymph nodes, couldn’t swallow, chills and aching body. It was a Sunday morning and I couldn't see my doctor (who despises being referred to as one since ‘doctors are drug pushers and I am not that’) so I just zapped at home, wrapped myself in bed and tried to sweat the fever away. I ate nothing but a pineapple shake. The next day, I went to see my ‘doctor’ and he said my swollen lymph nodes was caused by ‘all the crap I had done, taken or eaten in my LIFE- drugs, alcohol, junk food, preservatives, bad cleaning solutions, pharmaceuticals (basically EVERYTHING!)’ and that my lymph nodes were full of shit that finally had to come out. I was in so much pain and wanted someone to yank them out of me, didn’t care about the blood or pus that would be all over the place. But he didn’t do that..instead, he gave me some alternative remedies (cayenne for pain, force biotic for my immune system, calculus for the fever, lava for intense detox to name a few), suggested I quit eating meat (seafood and beef) and continue eating more raw if I could plus zapped cold lasers into my immune system to kill the parasites and bacteria in me and ‘bake’ me in a little chamber that would blast me with fresh ozone for at least 20 minutes. I followed his advice because I wanted to get better. I took a few pain killers when the pain was too intense and the fever too high. After doing all that for 5 days straight, I started to feel better. The lumps in my left neck started subsiding, the fever gone. It worked, I didn’t have cancer and wasn’t going to die.

My black mouth- from my Lava drink- take on an empty stomach every morning to cleanse

Basically I was burnt out with my life and needed a vacation he told me, I also needed to rethink my life and see how I could be happier, healthier. Although the symptoms were that of mono, we knew it was more than that and a complete overhaul was necessary. So after a week, I was well and went home (I spent some nights at my grandma’s so she could look after me and bogey stayed with Benny in our house.). The next morning, I woke up with fever yet again and intense pain in my neck AGAIN, but this time it was the lymph nodes on my right side. F#@ct! Not again. Was it the energies in Quingua making me sick- the Meralco posts outside our bedroom, the Esda pollution? So it was one more week of going to the Life Force clinic to get better. Id sun bathe in the morning and at noon (apparently noon sun is healthy and good for depression too!), hardly touched my computer, took it easy and thought about my life. I had a plan but plan B seemed more realistic and it was from a vision that Benny would learn organic farming with Jomar in Bahay Kalipay in Palawan. So I planned my healing adventure with my 3-year-old guru and bought tickets before I changed my mind: three weeks in Bahay Kalipay with Benny- clean air, raw food ALL day, inner dance and yoga for healing and connection and reunion with Monica and Santi. I was set.

In the next week, I went back to doing the things that I thought were ok, slept past midnight, screamed at my helper, got stressed with Benny and bolt..and sure enough in a few days, the pain in my neck was back.

I flew to Palawan with chills, a fever and my wild child. Was I going to survive this adventure with him? I was close to tears.

But just being there was healing: the people, the place, the energy and the fact that I was doing something for myself because I loved me and wanted to get better. Treated myself to a hilot massage that night before sleeping. I cried with Benny while praying that first night. He was missing his ‘own white home and daddy’ and I was a bit scared whether I was where I was meant to be.

I woke up the next day with no more fever, no more aching body (thank heavens!) The challenge was for Benny to take to the raw food diet in a pleasant way. The breakfast was yummy- coconut and fresh fruits with gata, honey and this amazing raw cacao sprinkles (so in love with this that it is still what I eat every morning here in Manila!) I had a tuna pasta baon for him which he ate for lunch the next day as transition before we started him on raw meals. By dinner, we were both having fresh fruits and vegetables. He’d ask for chicken, rice and spaghetti sometimes, but since there was nothing to distract him on the table, he ate what was there, we both did and we actually enjoyed it. I was impressed and inspired.

Buko for Breakfast

Day 2: Pi and I did a healing session and I sobbed in my trance- something that needed to be released. I was having second thoughts about bringing Benny- had I dragged my innocent child into my crisis away from his daddy and life in Quingua? But Pi assured me that we were both where we were meant to be, that maybe the stress I was feeling, Benny was feeling too. I knew this was true. After the session, I realized that I was there to regain my INNER LIGHT- to relearn how to heal myself and trust myself. I had become disempowered by the stress in my life and forgot that I could actually heal myself. This was something an inner voice whispered to me in my first inner dance session a few months back- that we can all heal ourselves. I surrendered myself to the inner dance healing. I found myself massaging my swollen neck while dancing and although there was some pain, I saw that the massaging was actually self-healing.

I enjoyed the stillness of the place. Benny became quite calm and well mannered too, eating raw with me for an entire week straight. We hibernated in our little community and didn’t bother taking a tricycle out of Bahay Kalipay- what for -We had everything we needed.

Breakfast with Tito Piya

I had my favorite dishes- the coco cucumber salad (wonderful and very filling!), the gata-Braggs dressing for sitaw salad (yummee!) Benny loved the raw spaghetti (young coconut for noodles, pesto with tomatoes and onions for sauce- excellent!), the cabbage salad and particularly enjoyed popping the lato balls between his teeth (so did i!). We had lots of fruits and homemade ice cream for merienda. We were raw foodies and we loved it! I felt amazing.

Raw lunch when Papa visited: Lato, Cabbage Salad and Nori rolls! Yummeee!

Ben loves this!

Our super favo: Raw Spaghetti made with young coconut and pesto

In three days, all pain and swelling in my neck disappeared. I am sure that it was a mixture of everything- being at Bahay Kalipay amidst all its wonder and energies, my newfound inner light and the wonderful raw food- alive and healing.

The next days that followed was immersion in the community life at BK. I was able to hire someone to help me out with Benny so I could do my own thing too while I was there. There was the anticipation of Sinag- a raw food baby that was born through a successful home water birth that was mostly unassisted! The labor lasted about ten minutes and we all give credit to Daniw’s raw pregnancy as well as her inner dancing. I missed the actual birth because we were out watching dolphins (bummer!!) but I am totally convinced that going raw makes giving birth manageable and almost painless! No wonder benny was 8.9 lbs, delivered CS (☹) after 14 hours of labor, I was eating everything and anything I could get my hands on while preggy. The result- a wild yet brilliant child named Benicio. I noticed how calm Sinag was, he’d hardly cry at all and could lift his neck up even before he reached his first week. Amazing!

As benny and I ate raw, raw and more raw, I saw how his mood changed (mine as well). He was easier to handle, calmer and happier. He was easy to talk to. After hibernating for 1 week, we had our first cooked meal and instantly benny was back to his hyper self. That night, I also remember having a vivid nightmare and woke up feeling tired and sluggish. I now know that this is because of having cooked food, but only realized this after feeling and seeing the difference since we were eating 100% raw for a week.

Green Smoothie for breakfast means a green mut-nat (mustache in ben's linggo)

In the three weeks that we stayed in BK, benny and I had a total of 9 cooked meals out of 63. I was proud of this achievement, especially since I was able to get Benny to detox and eat healthy with me.

Mango and Petchay ice candy: Perfect Snack for little boys!

Now that I am back home to Manila, I am still committed to having as much raw as possible. I still have the same breakfast every morning- saba, mangoes, avocado with gata, honey and my super favorite raw cacao sprinkle! I also make myself raw lunch and sometimes, raw dinner. Still super love the cucumber coconut salad and raw spaghetti! Benny and I planted okra last week because we both love it raw and enjoyed picking and eating at BK.

My commitment to my son is to keep offering him healthy raw food as much as I can in hopes that he shares raw meals with me. There are lots of temptations and it is much harder to control since we are back to urban living with all its commercialization. I am blessed that my son loves fruits like me- santol, bananas, rambutan and chico and as long as these are available for merienda and snacks, then he is less likely to ask for junk like Stick-O or Bread Pan;) Unfortunately, he is back to eating meat and cooked food, but at least has a lot of fruits and okra for snacks. I have let go of getting stressed about this, but know deep in my heart that raw is the answer to ALL sicknesses in the world! So as the saying goes- you are what you eat..and benny and I will always have our three-weeks in raw food heaven to look back at with bliss and loads of memories! Here’s to more raw adventures!

Some links for those who are interested about going RAW:
http://www.rawfamily.com/
http://www.living-foods.com/recipes/applepie.html
http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/

re raw food, NO training needed, just research about it and see why it is the best for you- it addresses ALL physical, emotional, mental, even spiritual issues:) so now, don't look at a fruit or veggie and see it as a supplementary food, but as your main course- it's ALIVE!

A cookie from my babe

2010-07-31T00:09:00.000-07:00

Benny came home with an oatmeal cookie for us that they baked at Mikael today! I was impressed as usual because he remembered ALL the ingredients!

Mikael Playhouse
Nina Martinez
Tel: 754-8020
Cel: 0920-922-0479

JC all the time

2010-07-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

benny fast asleep in our kubo at bahay kalipay, home sweet home for three weeks. hello raw food, wonderful fresh air, nature, tukos, cold poso water and amazing energy. the divine mother has been good to bring us here...together.

i got these bracelets to remind us that JC is with us ALL THE TIME and that our journey is one with him. Pi said in our prayer at dinner one night, "THANKSGIVING is reminding us that you are with us all the time."

my little dinoben off to more amazing adventures in puerto princesa with me. love.

Parenting Central: Shoo, Fly! Don't Bother Me!

2010-05-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

Parenting Central: Shoo, Fly! Don't Bother Me!

maga shoo

2008-08-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

here

sunday

2008-07-13T02:36:00.000-07:00

kinda miss making time for my blog been so busy with many many things. hmm..gimme something to blog about. it's sunday and i just woke up from a 3 hour siesta! saraaaap! hahaah..something i can only now do on weekends. early on, when benny was a tiny baby, and we weren't working, i would do that! nurse and eventually fall asleep and have the strangest dreams. i think it was the milk! amazing. now, every time ben sleeps, i try to stay awake coz that is my only time to do what i need to do.

so thank god for help, thank god for the great outdoors!

hello again darling lunchbox

2008-05-14T02:25:00.000-07:00

hi!!!

some updates..

1. i now live in San Juan with my fabfabfab partner and dear friend, with our big babies and business. been here for a week and although it is taking some time to adjust, i love my space, and the feeling of being on my own.

some things in my life need to be fixed..so here it is, time and space to think and be free. fly free.

took a single jeep to DV yesterday and are now official bazaaristas! (yeeeeah!) how cool is that! excited to go back there again.

2. moved on from a helper that did not make me happy to..no helper again. but it's cool. ben and i are managing and waiting for an angel! couldn't stand some things about her, and although she was game to do gigs, late night taping and whatnot, i couldn't settle. besides, now, mum's got more time to ben plus good babysitting friends! killing 2 birds w stones;)

3. baby angelo! although i am a major extra, it is my claim to fame to be a part of Arkeofilm's newest production..to be released in July and is a nominee for Cannes!! is there any chance i can go??? as a candidate for the Best Extra award maybe??!!?!? teeheehee!! oh, and ben was in the film too..and earned P500 to do it! how cool is that mah little boy, making his keep at a young age! sooooooooo excited for the movie in july!! must watch!

4. baby Led weaning ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!
Because of this great invention, Benny is a fab eater!! Sometimes, i'd think, was this invented for lazy mums like me, who have some modern excuse to let their kids run free, eat big dangerous chunks of food, and pee in their undies??? BUT NO!! because of BL, ben now ASKS for food! not like many other kids who are chased by yayas, spoons hovering in the skies, TV's to distract them, Benny, walks around (if he get sick of the chair) and comes to me to get a mouthful of whatever. I LOVE IT! He actually knows what he wants, tries new things and eats!!! Like a real big person! So nappy changing is now more exciting, with all the scents and colors present, but what the heck..my boy eats and i am happy about that!!

5. making extra dough..looking for ways and means to make extra $$$ and so far, God has been good. a gig here and there, possible ads and whatnot, plus learning to save, live lighter and happier..works for me! i do wonder though about the future..and worry about the day when i will need to go back to work (F$%&K no:()..but then again, maybe that day will never come..and maybe i will be a professional racket-eer who owns a large and booming business called INDIGObaby!! it could happen. so while ben grows, we work and make ends meet..school, we'll deal with you when the time comes.

aw man missed this.

blog, i miss you

2008-02-20T20:55:00.000-08:00

i miss you blog!

been sooooooooooo busy with lots of little things..i am not a kayodmum!! hahaha! for my sake and ben's.

oh well..better busy than idle right! and it's a good thing coz that means i am getting somewhere!

soon soon soon

goodbye office

2008-01-24T00:40:00.000-08:00

i never really enjoyed being in the office anyway. so when asked to return full time, after being home with benny for 9 months, i thought, weight the pros and cons, then decided to decline their offer. even if it meant saying goodbye to my salary.

course it felt good to be around people, have a reason to put make up and get dressed every day. but then again, i can still do that and celebrate days at home with benny.

i dunno. i just feel a bit off today. i'd like to blame the moon for being full the other night, and sucking me dry again. but is it the moon? is it pms?

i've noticed though that when i am idle, i get sad. not complaining..i am not even idle. i just have too many silly things on my mind and they are stressing me out.

fix my damn phone czo it stopped taking photos. (just do it right, go to the mall and do it..sans the car!)
fix my pump and get that transformer thing. (again, just go and do it..stress lang coz it just decided to stop working last night, one almost-engorged moment)
clean the unit and all its anay and boxes (not your problem, let it go)
make more money (one day at a time..slowly dee)
plan a garage sale and get rid of stuff..(soon soon..so i have extra cash and good energy coming in)
bake goodies for ben so he eats more than oatmeal and rice lang (make time for this and get goodie recipes and just do it!)

ok i need to just do all these things and quit complaining!

just do it!!

the teeth have arrived

2008-01-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

benny has teeth!

first sign, three kings January 7, 2008. A little sharp thingee from the bottom jaw.

Then two days later, a BIG one on his upper jaw. Then suddenly...

this....

my little easter benny is really a bunny wabbit!

i catch my heart thumping a bit stronger now when he feeds, scared that he might feel the need to use his little fangs on me! so far, just a couple of ouchie moments that are remedied by gentle reprimanding and explaining, "Ben...that hurts me. Please don't do that again."

He's a smart one and knows not to bite the boob that feeds. ;)

Why God made mothers

2008-01-09T07:45:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to post this as a good pick-me-up for those not-so sunny days I have, when I have difficulty coming to terms with mummyhood and everything that it entails.

Why God made mothers....

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring. (tama!!)
3. God made my Mum just the same like he made me. He just used bigger
parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in
the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use
string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's mums like me.

What kind of little girl was your mum?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty
bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk
on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to
chores? (hmmmmm..)

Why did your mum marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mum didn't have her thinking cap on. (teeheehee)

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mum doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof
ball.
2. Mum. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between mums & dads?
1. Mums work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work. (!)
2. Mums know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but mums have all the real power cause
that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Mums have magic, they make you feel better without medicine. (awwwwww;))

What does your mum do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mum perfect?
1. On the inside, she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of
plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mum, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of
that.
2. I'd make my mum smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did
it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of
her head.

bwahahahahaha!!!!!!!! found this in the mum's day issue of our church's bulletin;)

The Sweet Life

2007-11-14T08:27:00.001-08:00

been really busy as the bazaar is coming up in 3 days! its goin to start noon on friday, all the way til 9pm..then again sat and sun! wow...im sure M and i (and our babies!) will be super tired..but looking forward to fun and sales and good contacts! it's all happenin' for INDIGObaby!

guess what!!! my ex boss called me last thurs pm asking me if i could do a racket for them the next day, speaking engagement daw. so i was like, ok, what do i have to do..turns out i had to present a powerpoint that they made, and say that i was a SKIN EXPERT who has been doing herbal remedies for 5 years!! i wanted to take the job, but 1) could i do it? 2) what about benny????

was able to get elisa to agree to watch ben in alexandra, mama nuca's house, as the talk was in tektite, 5mins away! liz is great with kids, in fact, she was the one who taught me to hold a baby, before when i was preggy pa. and she's free coz she just graduated and is looking for a job.

another prob, i only had 5 oz of stored milk! the night and morning were spent expressing as much milk as i could get, total of 10oz.

i reviewed the powerpoint presentation that night and it was on herbal soaps, 8 varieties of fab ingredients and benefits. not so hard coz i was familiar with most of them..thanks to papa and naturally yours!! thats why R thought of me i guess:)

so the next day, we ventured to deposit ben at alexandra, get him and liz settled in, then me to meet the client and discuss the talk i was going to do in the next hour! small talk small talk, then i told her about indigo and our fab new organic line for mums and babies. turns out, she knew someone in the QTV show, The Sweet Life of Lucy Torres and Wilma Doesnt, the guy who casts guests on the show!! she immediately called her contact and recommended, no more like sold, us to them and said that they HAD to feature us!!! we gave the guy our multiply address and i called him after.

sunday, he calls me and asks if we were free to shoot monday!!!! omigosh!! yes! we were taped yesterday, benny me, monica and santi! as guests on the show! it'll be aired end of november still, but fab still coz we were able to plug the alabang bazaar we are joining in december:) lucy and wilma loved the kids, along w the entire crew and staff:)

as our segment was about to get taped, benny decided to get hungry and fussy, so i had to feed him under our Indigo Reversible Nursing bib..i was feeling a bit sad coz he'd miss his chance at being seen on national tv, and i said to myself, i'd raise his feet up nalang as say "hi, this is benny!"

so thy started taping us, intro intro..lucy said, "we have with us today, indigo baby's yummy mummies monica and denise with babies santi and benny....then (i am not joking!!!) benny, who was nursing and asleep under the bib, pops his head out from under the bib and looks around at everyone, as if he knew it was time for him to come out and show himself to the world!! with drowsy eyes and the i-just-got-up-but-am-still-cute face, ben was amazing! hahaha! it was soooo funny i swear!

we demonstrated the nappy clutch, the bib, and all the other items. it was great!! mons and i are so amazed at how it all came to be! parang the world is conspiring to help us out...so indigo gets big and we never have to leave our babies alone!! :)

p.s. oh, the talk went well by the way..turns out i knew more than what was expected of me! ;) good job dee!

in the danger zone

2007-10-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

Benny, at almost 7 months, moves.

And he moves a lot.

Started with slithers backwards, turning over and getting stuck, rolling, humping, pouncing (with growling), climbing, pulling.

Needless to say, to leave him on the bed, or anywhere alone would be dangerous.

The other day, as he dozed off to dreamland (or so I thought), I got up and answered a phone call in the other room. I didn't dare disturb him coz naptime equals Dee time, for shower, food, and net (busy busy is good good!).

In less than two minutes, I entered back into the room to find Ben awake, on the corner of our queen-sized bed, on his knees and with his hands on the arm of the rocking chair by the bed...giddy and bouncing with a big grin on his face as if he were saying, "Mum!! There you are!!"

I ran (four steps from the door to the bed) and grabbed him in panic that another second away could mean another fall..more painful than the previous one!

Safe and in the bed, we played and fed until he napped again after. Phew! Fearless Benicio.

In other news....

it has been 12..yes twelve days since Benny has seen daddy-o.:( Because I am mad, holding back and not communicating. But B has also not tried to see us, or at least Ben. No call, no text, no asking if he could come visit (Sometimes I wish he were somewhere around spying on us at least.).

Can't comprehend how he could stay away this long. *sigh*

oh well..if he did come, i don't know how i'd act or what i'd say anyway. Just pondering.

poop in the toilet

2007-10-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

weeeee!! Benny poo-ed in the toilet twice tonight!

i think our trial at elimination communication is working..well slowly, but better that than nothing.

i started trying the method roughly two months ago, and since Ben is a lampin (cloth diaper) baby (thank god to my grandmother for this input, we fought about cloth vs. plastic when i was pregnant and i am sooooooo glad i gave in!), it makes it a bit easier.

i got some tushy wushy diapers and have been using them at home and for short trips outside. so far so good. i also went on two weeks of running to the toilet, watching out for peeing cues and signs, waking up at night with the bed soaked coz i was too tired to wake up and change a cloth diaper, until i said, nevermind...one thing at a time.

then today, wearing his chino pino care of yummy mummy monica, benny grunted as he was going to poo..i rushed him to the toilet, removed him nappy, and sat him on the toilet, alone this time, not between my legs as i was wearing a camo skirt. he pushed and pushed and smile at me between dropping little mustard paste into the bowl, as if he was proud to do it! i was impressed and kept patting him on the back with pride :)

then again, later tonight, as i was in between lampins, benny started grunting while feeding on my lap (yes, i leave him naked and free sometimes and have made a very nasty mess, but it is just toooooo nice to see him naked!). he moved his fingers to him bum and we just looked at each other and i knew: he was going to poo. again, he did it in the toilet!

i'm impressed. maybe this elimination communication is working! pee is a bit tricky to catch, tiresome too, but starting with one thing is better than none at all:)

cheers to benlove and mum dee!

knowing there is only now

2007-10-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

"Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark."
-Agnes De Mille

A comfort to read such words on my email I guess.

With all the chaos around me, the impending uncertainty, deep sadness slash excitement that singledom may be mine again, the trusting the process and knowing that all i have is really today.

i don't know. i am sad. i am hurt. but when I look into Benny's eyes, with him smiling at me for no reason at all, I know that things will be ok, no matter what. Really.

Enough settling, or running after people to be loved. I deserve so much more than that.

I pray for strength..and courage..with the souls of every one who has walked this path before and found themselves better in the end.

Now, I am not walking it alone. I've got Benlove to hold my hand.

I do not want to hate anymore. I pray for the day I am less mad at the cards that I am dealt. But as much as I want to blame, I know that I also chose the choices I made that led me here.

All will be well..good things.

starting solids

2007-10-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

october 8..benny celebrated his half-year mark..my my how time flies. really.

that meant introducing some solids to his diet. as an Open 24/7 No Reservations milk machine, the idea of food for benny was a little bit scary.

"oh no, what if he likes the food better than me?"

I was worried.

I saw how he looked at us with intent in his eyes when we'd eat on the dinner table. I watched how his head would turn to an almost right angle as he sat on my lap and looked up as my fork traveled from the plate to the mouth. He was ready.

So I did it. I introduced my sunshine boy to oatmeal three mornings ago...first with a little bit on my clean finger, then with his spoon. He took to it well. It was adorable how he opened his mouth and leaned towards the spoon.

Oatmeal dripped from his lips, but he enjoyed it. So did I. (Even if I had a sudden fear in my head about the day when he'd stop drinking my milk:<)

So I have officially started solids I guess. I used oatmeal from the local grocery, ground to a powder in the blender, and cooked in a little water. He eats very little so far, but we enjoy his feeding paraphernalia from Baby & Co (except I had to exchange the cute colorful ones because they were made in China!!)

Food glorious food.

The funnest part of it all is that Ben still adores my milk-giving breasts! Even if they have shrinked to size, adjusted to his need, he giggles and half whines with desire when I position myself next to him in the bed right before a feed. Like he really wants it. I love that.

A friend of mine had a daughter refuse her breast after five months of mix feeding. The infant enjoyed her new fake nipple. This friend of mine experienced depression. I am guessing it was the grieving from weening?

I know it will be hard for me...so milk, keep flowing and Benny, keep sucking!

Life is beautiful

2007-10-06T04:51:00.000-07:00

I hardly write in this blog, due to lack of time and effort..but wanted to share this with you..and put it here as well, so I can read it every now and then..since i tend to forget and take life's pleasures for granted. cheers!

Today before you say an unkind word -
Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food -
Think of someone who
has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife -
Think of someone who's
crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today before you complain about life -
Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before you complain about your children
Think of someone who desires children but they're
barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house someone
didn't clean or sweep -
Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive
Think of someone who walks the same distance with
their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job -
Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who
wish they had your
job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or
condemning another -
Remember that not one of us is without sin and we
all answer to one
MAKER.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down -
Put a smile on your face and thank GOD you're alive
and still around. -

fighting for feeding

2007-09-22T02:43:00.001-07:00

fighting for feeding

2007-09-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

i think i just made myself an enemy.

i watched the video on you tube about a mother breastfeeding her children until they were five and eight. quite inspirational for me since i pray for the milk to keep flowing til then. her husband was ok with it and very supportive in fact. her children loved her breasts and milk, saying they'd "choose breastmilk ove a thousand melons".

i have been feeding benny for almost six months now, and this was my initial goal when i gave birth, but now, i would like to do it until he's four or five. even longer if possible. there is a beautiful connection i feel when he feeds. something that is so pure and amazing. i never thought i would love it so much.

anyhow, while browsing through the videos close to the previous one, i found a rip-off satire done by some chain-smokin' white lady. silly really. i couldn't help but post a comment for the video.

a day later, she replied.

at least we agree that breastfeeding in natural and beatiful. but i kinda feel like i made myself an enemy..to fight for the right to feed without constraints, embarrassment, and prejudice!

here's to more fun feeding moments with benicio!

cheers to all you lactating ladies out there!

the evolution of a logo

2007-09-21T03:18:00.000-07:00

the evolution of the logo of indigo..a collaboration between dee and nix 'after a life of ambivalence"..(does that mean my life is un-ambivalent now???!!)

first, we came up with this

then decided to make things simpler and designed this

a cool artist friend make this, using the 'g' as a mother and child

we wanted something hipper, and another friend got inspired and came up with this

i like this..really, but it's been done before..so after all this, we decided to stick with this

other inspired ideas that we can keep on file

and

so there.

here's to indigo, the children that inspired it, and the mums that conceptualized it;)

special thanks to louis fojas, enzo montano, and of course, my darling sister lesleigh

i hate

2007-09-01T04:09:00.000-07:00

no one is going to read this so i might as well tell my blog how i feel.

i am worried about all the hate i am currently feeling for my grandfather. he stormed into my room the other night and un-invited me to dinner so benny could stay home. he said

"no, you are not invited, my friend. Stay home with your son!" (i still need to learn how to make words bold here!)

i hate how he calls me 'his friend" coz we will never be anything close to that. and how he calls benny my son, and not by his name..as if to make things more authoritative.

ok ok. i know he has benny's wellbeing in his mind, but i hate how him and my grandma think that they know what's best for him. i guess all adults (does that disclude me?) think they know what to do, since they have had their own share of children and life in general. but the way they hover, with such authority is purely annoying. it makes me feel stupid as a mum, like i am selfish and make selfish decisions and do not care about benny's health, joy, and overall being! really stupid, they always think i purposely expose him to germs and bad spirits. arrghhh. i need to accept that they are from the old school way of thinking where outdoor equals sickness and activity equals overfatigue.

now, when my grandfather goes to benny to talk to him and say hi, i feel my blood boil, like i want to tell him to never look at us again. i am scared coz i feel like i am beginning to have the same anger that my mum had for her parents..that deep rooted resentment for them, blaming them for i dont know what.

that's why i want to leave. for as long as i live with them, they will always think they have authority over me and now benny. they will always have a say. i like being here coz i have my sister with me, help that i need (food, laundry, driver), the net to keep me sane, and the village atmosphere for benny's wellbeing. but the trade off is shit from my grandparents.

this has been brewing for a while and i'd like to believe that by writing, i am letting go of some steam. i do not want to hate. i do not want to be unhappy. i do not want to have resentments.

oh well...much has to be done, dee. one day at a time.

coming to terms

2007-08-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

my little darling baby will be five months in a less than two weeks..how time flies.

a few days ago, i was again hit by the anxiety bug that made me stress about my life and how i feel like it is going nowhere. before, i was sinking in the pit alone..now, i have my son to worry about.

a friend pointed out that maybe i have not truly come to terms with the whole 'mommyhood' idea. yes, things have changed. priorities, everyday life, relationships, (my size!!), the way i feel about things. on a good day, i can experience these changes and take things in stride. on a bad day, (fridays mostly coz those are the days when i feel alone at home and resentful that my partner is out havin' a ball livin' the bachelor life!) things can really get to me...to the point that i want to fly away and start over.

i love my son..with all my heart. i want to give him the best..this of course means finding the best person for myself, who will love me and my son unconditionally, treat us right, take care of us and make the world a sunshiney place. whether or not that person has arrived is beyond me today. that is what stresses me out. the what if's sink in.

so i accept that the whole mum idea is still in transition within me. it doesn't mean that i love my son less..it doesn't make me a bad mum and does not deserve my guilt. simple fact is that i am going through changes that bring with them a bunch of wacky emotions to deal with..

here's to a happy and healthy life for me and my darling son benny. wherever the wind will bring us, there will always be sunshine:)

hair cut of the rich and famous!

2007-08-21T19:52:00.001-07:00

inspired by katie holmes...

...i got a hair cut and ended looking like this

oh well, i tried.

loving the latching

2007-08-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

this is just to express my gratitude and joy that my little benny is a great sucker..from day one, when we were both new at this, he readily came to me with eagerness and latched. some babies don't even do that. and it is sad i guess.
there is great fulfillment i get from breastfeeding my baby and after 4 months, i sometimes worry about what my life will be when benny grows up and weans himself away from me.. i think i may need some weening as well! anyhow, this wil be a long time from now since benny and i are loving the latching!

lately though, he has become very hyper and so fond of playing that he feeds less. less, compared to his feeding-almost-every-minute days, but still enough to keep him staying healthy and happy. i notice though that trying to feed him when he is not hungry is a bad bad move. we both just get frustrated thn give up. the consolation of it all, is that when this little boy is hungry he latches immediately and without hesitation. i love that.

a friend of mine whos baby is a 'light sucker' has to pump 24/7 to give her baby enough milk. we jokingly planned to make benny latch onto her one day to get the milk flowing and maybe entice the baby though show-and-tell. before, i thought this idea to be sick (sharing teet!! eeeew!). But now, if it were in desperation, i would consider sharing my milk or letting my baby receive from someone else if i couldn't give. it would maybe break my heart, but i'd do it for him.

luna was born yesterday, august 15, 2007 at 7.1 lbs.
luna, little luna..with her murmur in her heart. be strong little one, we're all praying for you.

Happy Assumption Feast Day 2007

2007-08-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

Took a little trip to Assumption College tonight for the infamous AC vigil 2007..a special year becasue MME, the college's patron, was canonized this year!! Benny and I were able to catch the last few songs of the METTA presentation..i swayed my hips to 'Halleluia Tart' with Benny on sling:) Was also able to talk to Sir Ian about him and his wife have been raising their son. I like ho they think, going back to basics..pure breastfeeding, babywearing, co-sleeping..none of that 'let the baby cry and get used to it bull crap'. sometimes i feel like the lonely bee in the MTV of No Rain..looking for kindred souls who believe in the same things I do. Thank god for the ones i've found :)
Was also able to see my bibo blockmates: aleah, trix, kitel and some good friends: dos, shaena (who's getting hitch next year 080808!), candice and nina. so much fun to see all of them and show benny off (hehehe!) got some good photos which i will add to my "Into your arms" album on multiply! wow i miss college..we're all growing up and it is so nice to have great mem'ries!

in other news...

here's the tee little big benny got tonight from his daddy bo :) custom-made tiny size for the little bwitre!

in more news...

benny's ninang gia is going to be giving birth today!! Maria Lucia...so excited for that!

and more news...

benny's other ninang sabine is back in town! fun fun!

cheers!

emotional state: somewhat high...i want to start keeping a log of how i feel on a daily basis to see whether there is a pattern to my highs and lows.

my filipinas

2007-07-27T07:43:00.001-07:00

must travel more.

My Lakbayan grade is C+!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out atLakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

lost time

2007-07-27T07:01:00.001-07:00

it's friday now and i am worried that my blog is getting rotten here coz i haven't had the time to write since my first real entry. my dad's in town and its fab to see him after so long..i sense that he really wants to make up for lost time..except i don't know if that is ever really possible? is it? i wonder. we're off to davao on sunday to spend some days there in the sun. i'm really excited but at the same time i am going to miss the company of benny's dad. i am sure my sister and fam will help me out taking care of benny but it'd be great to have him around.

my dad and mum got separated when i turned 12. it was very painful coz it coincided with my birthday. so goodbye dad. we got reunited though in 1999 when i flew to the states. it was funny. i was 18 already, all grown up from when i last saw him and we had 6 years gone, and 2 weeks to try and fix things. i wanted to get my tongue pierced and he refused to allow me. i was like, who the hell are you to tell me what to do? after not being in my life all this time, why should what you think have any bearing on my decisons?" i cried a lot. we made up evntually and everything was fine. he was my dad afterall..no matter what. i flew back to manila and got my tongue pierced that day. funny.
now he's here again..i know and see that he loves all of us very much. but there is that strange distance between us coz of lost time.
i wonder now how benny will look back at his dad and how he loves him.

benny tonight is not feeling so well..don't know if it's gas, or colic. he hasn't fed since 6 p.m. and hasn't wanted to be put down. poor baby when he cries like that. i want to fix it, take charge and make things right. then sometimes i feel like i can't or i'm too tired, or mad that i am doing it alone.

ok goodnight world. hahaha..so much for a blog entry. till i write again.

back to basics

2007-07-06T22:10:00.000-07:00

went out for the first time last night..well we did last week for my brother's birthday, but that was an hour only. last night, i left benny for three whole hours to go to the Christina Aguilera concert at the Fort..I was a bit guilty to leave benny at first, but thank god for some affirmations, I was able to let it go. Yes, we all need our 'alone time'..good also for bo and me to spend time like that together. We were missing little benny though..wondering how he was doing, if he was hungry and drinking the milk i stored for him? mama and papa took over for those 3 hours. it was fab to be out..sometimes i forget i am a mommy. i wanted to bring benlove with me to the concert, but it wouldve been too chaotic for him..or not?

he was fast asleep when we got home. he drank an ounce of milk only while i was away..not so fond of fake nips i guess. bye bye milk..my hard work. i gave it to the cats this morning..i think they found it strange..reinforces the idea that only humans drink milk beyond breastfeeding days. we dont need cows milk and my baby definetely doesn't need powered formula..thank god for the milk that just keeps flowing..

so after watching Back to Basics..i was home in bed with the nice cozy weather..back to Benny... :)

testing this out

2007-07-05T00:06:00.000-07:00

hello world..