Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
God's Blessings Abound!
After she turned two years old, Cerise was scheduled once again to see Dr. Llego, the Development Pediatrician, for another assessment. I was excited to see the doctor knowing that Cerise has improved already and is a bubbly and walking toddler in our home. But I wanted to know how far she has progressed.For her last thyroid test last July 31, 2012 once again her thyroid levels have normalized because of her medication. We have noted though that her medication has not been increased for a year already despite her growth in weight and height. This could be a good sign said her doctor that eventually her thyroid would normalize and that she need not take her medication anymore. We pray for that day! Her SGPT (liver enzymes) have normalized!! Her SGOT (liver enzymes too) is still slightly elevated but lower than the last test last March! Praise God!
Back to the Dev Ped assessment, Dr. Llego noted the following improvements in Cerise:
- Can trot and climb stairs
- Can speak several words and word approximations; also speak a few phrases
- Starting to be manipulative (tests the patience of others) ---> typical of a two year old
- Confidently walked around but with episodes of falling down
- Able to walk backward
- Imitated intonation of phrases heard
- Able to follow verbal commands
- Locomotor (big muscle movements) - 16 to 18 months
- Personal-Social (self help skills & socialization) - 2 years
- Language (understanding others & expressing oneself) - 19 to 21 months
- Eye and Hand Coordination (grasping, drawing, writing) -2 years
- Performance (non-verbal problem solving) - 22 to 24 months
Cerise has certainly come along way! She exhibits typical two year old behaviors and can be very insistent on what she wants. She can identify shapes by pointing (star, square, traingle, circle, oval) between 2 shapes. She can match common animals. She likes the alphabet. Cerise can imitate words and alphabets, She tries to converse and most often she SINGS while doing table top activities. :-)
She is a darling! Our darling and we love having her around! God has been so good to us and she is a living testament of that. :-)
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Breaded Okra
Description:
Okra is another of those vegetables that I learned to eat after I married Mier. This is one of his favorites and I learned to cook it this way because of him too. Super yummy most especially if the okra is newly harvested. It has a sweet taste to it. :-) Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Okra
Flour
Egg
Japanese breadcrumbs
Oil for frying
For the sauce (I used a Tonkatsu sauce) mix together:
4 tbsp. tomato ketchup
2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
Directions:
1. Put flour, egg and Japanese breadcrumbs in three separate wide dishes.
2. Add salt and pepper to the flour and mix well.
3. Dip okra in flour, making sure to shake off excess.
4. Dip in the egg, then into the breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs onto the okra, making sure that it is well coated.
5. Fry over medium-high heat until golden on both side.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Creamy Polenta
Description:
Since Filipinos are rice eaters, most of our dishes are best eaten with rice. But for a diabetic, starch from rice turns into sugar. Hence, Mier has to cut down on his rice. An alternative would be corn grits, which isn't really very appealing --- unless you make it so. :-) Here I made it creamy and tasty that it's almost like a mushroom risotto. :-)
Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 cup corn grits
all-purpose cream
grated cheese
butter
salt and pepper
sliced mushroom
Directions:
1. Bring the water to the boil in a sauce pan over high heat. Use a wire balloon whisk to stir the water. Gradually add the polenta whisking constantly until all the polenta is incorporated into the water.
2. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and the polenta is soft.
3. Add the cream, cheese, butter and mushrooms and stir until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
4. Perfect side dish for anything. :-)
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Ampalaya with Egg
Description:
I didn't use to eat ampalaya (bitter gourd) until I married Mier. I never liked the bitterness of the vegetable. However my mother-in-law would cook this without a trace of the bitterness. Only then din I learn to like the vegetable. Now that Mier is also diabetic, I knew I would have to learn how to cook this. Today, I tried and happily was succesful with my first attempt! :-) This will definitely be a regular in our menu. :-)
Ingredients:
1 piece ampalaya (bitter gourd)
salt
garlic, minced
onion, diced
tomatoes, diced
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Cut the ampalaya lengthwise, removed the seeds then slice thinly.
2. Sprinkle with salt and leave it to soak for about 20-30 minutes.
3. Wash the ampalaya with water squeezing out the water and other juices. Do this 3-4 times. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in pan. Saute garlic, onions and tomatoes. Add ampalaya and cook through.
5. Add beaten egg and mix thoroughly with the ampalaya until egg is well-cooked.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Corn and Malunggay Soup
Description:
They were selling these super sweet corn in school today. I knew exactly what we would have for dinner. :-)
Ingredients:
Garlic
Onion
Butter
Corn removed from cob (about 2 cobs)
Boiled water from corn (I boiled the other corn separately)
Malunggay leaves
salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Saute garlic and onion in butter.
2. Add corn removed from the cob and continue sauteing.
3. Add boiled water from corn and allow to boil. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Put malunggay leaves and serve hot.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Description:
This is our favorite when we go to Chinese restaurants! Thank you to my friend, Arlene for the recipe! Now, we can do this in our home and enjoy it! Super yummy!!
Ingredients:
lettuce head, separated, washed and dried
olive oil
chopped garlic
chopped onions
500 grams ground chicken
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
(I wasn't able to include this but you can if you want)
1 cup comprises of 1 tbsp chopped mushrooms shitake
1 tbsp chopped oyster mushroom
1 tbsp chopped mushrooms
2 tbsp chopped woodear mushrooms (tainga ng daga)
2 tbsp spring onions
1 tbsp coriander (wansoy)
SEASONING
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine
Directions:
1. Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2. Mix all seasoning ingredients in a bowl. set aside
3. In a medium skillet, saute garlic and onions in olive oil. Add chicken and cook till brown stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Add water chestnuts, 1 cup mushrooms and woodear mushrooms. Add the seasoning mixture and cook till sauce dries up a little.
TO ASSEMBLE:
Put lettuce in a plate, spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf, add spring onions and wansoy. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a BURRITO and ENJOY.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Croquettas
Description:
I bought and boiled too many potatoes for my Shepherd's pie. What to do with about 1/2 kilo of mashed potatoes? Make croquettas, of course! Good thing I had leftover ground meat from our soft tacos dinner the other night and some grated cheese. Perfect!
Ingredients:
1/2 kilo of mashed potatoes (potatoes mashed with butter and milk)
flour
egg
breadcrumbs
any leftover meat (chicken, pork, beef, etc.)
grated cheese
Directions:
1. Mix mashed potatoes with leftover meat and grated cheese.
2. Put mashed potatoes with meats in refrigerator to cool. When cold enough, form into elongated ovals (or round balls, whichever you prefer) and place in a plate. Place in freezer for a few minutes.
3. Heat oil for frying.
4. Coat elongated ovals with flour then dip in beaten egg. Roll in breadcrumbs then deep fry.
5. Serve hot with salsa or any other dip. :-)
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Shepherd's Pie
Description:
My kids love mashed potato! Who doesn't? :-) So I thought of doing this dish complete with vegetables to entice them to eat their carrots and peas. It was a huge hit! Raya actually asked if she can have it for
lunch in school the next day. :-)
Ingredients:
1/2 kilo potatoes
butter
milk
salt
1/2 kilo ground beef or pork
garlic and onions for sauteing
salt and pepper
thyme
basil
1/2 pack of frozen vegetables (carrots, corn and peas)
Directions:
1. Peel potatoes and boil in water with salt.
2. While potatoes are boiling, saute onions and garlic in oil in a pan. Put ground meat and stir around until it browns and crumbles. Season with salt and pepper, thyme and basil. Add the frozen vegetables and cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Set aside.
3. When potatoes are cooked, mash them and add butter, salt and milk until creamy.
4. Put cooked meat and vegetables in a baking dish. Layer with mashed potato. Bake for about 20 minutes until potatoes are slightly browned on top. :-)
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Lifestyle Changes
A few weeks back, Mier wasn't feeling very well. He thought at first that this was because of his perennial sinusitis. A BP check showed his diastolic a little elevated. We decided to just see a cardiologist just to make sure that all is well. The doctor gave him antibiotics for his sinus problems then asked him to take a full blood check. Turns out that he has high blood sugar, high uric acid and triglycerides, high SGPT and SGOT results. In other words, high everything!
Since both his parents are diabet
ic, Mier could be considered as diabetic already based on the blood results. Well, he is more than 40 already and should really be watching what he eats. He used to play basketball once a week but when he stubbed his toe a few months back, he has stopped playing. The doctor refused to give him maintenance medicines just yet and says that all these results could be lowered by diet and exercise alone. And of course, less stress in life. :-) Doctor says that medicines are the easy way out and are for life. We won't need this if we eat right and play right.
So armed with this knowledge, Mier and I have talked about some lifestyle changes. More fish and chicken breasts on the menu. Whole wheat bread and gluten free foods. The doctor says we can still eat meat twice or thrice a week but less fat and less rice as much as possible. Mier doesn't want to switch to red rice but I think we can manage with white rice. Fruits can be eaten only with a meal and limited too. As much as possible no sweets.
I had to restructure our menu and plan around our diets. I had to think of fish and chicken dishes that are more palatable. I think so far, I've managed quite well. I haven't heard him complain of my cooking although most of the dishes are experimental. Hahaha! You can check a lot of my new recipes in the recipe section of this blog site.
He has tried to continue basketball and soccer too once a week and he tries to jog or brisk walk twice a week. He plans to go back to biking but needs to fix his bike
first I think. We'll be checking his blood again in a month's time and hopefully results will be better already. I think we can manage with a change in lifestyle instead of taking in medications.
With these changes, we hope to teach the kids also to eat healthier and better. They have diabetes genes in both sides of the families (my dad is diabetic too) and I had gestational diabetes in 4 out of five pregnancies. I think this is a wake up call for all of us. Here's to a better life! :-)
Since both his parents are diabet
ic, Mier could be considered as diabetic already based on the blood results. Well, he is more than 40 already and should really be watching what he eats. He used to play basketball once a week but when he stubbed his toe a few months back, he has stopped playing. The doctor refused to give him maintenance medicines just yet and says that all these results could be lowered by diet and exercise alone. And of course, less stress in life. :-) Doctor says that medicines are the easy way out and are for life. We won't need this if we eat right and play right.So armed with this knowledge, Mier and I have talked about some lifestyle changes. More fish and chicken breasts on the menu. Whole wheat bread and gluten free foods. The doctor says we can still eat meat twice or thrice a week but less fat and less rice as much as possible. Mier doesn't want to switch to red rice but I think we can manage with white rice. Fruits can be eaten only with a meal and limited too. As much as possible no sweets.
I had to restructure our menu and plan around our diets. I had to think of fish and chicken dishes that are more palatable. I think so far, I've managed quite well. I haven't heard him complain of my cooking although most of the dishes are experimental. Hahaha! You can check a lot of my new recipes in the recipe section of this blog site.
He has tried to continue basketball and soccer too once a week and he tries to jog or brisk walk twice a week. He plans to go back to biking but needs to fix his bike
first I think. We'll be checking his blood again in a month's time and hopefully results will be better already. I think we can manage with a change in lifestyle instead of taking in medications. With these changes, we hope to teach the kids also to eat healthier and better. They have diabetes genes in both sides of the families (my dad is diabetic too) and I had gestational diabetes in 4 out of five pregnancies. I think this is a wake up call for all of us. Here's to a better life! :-)
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Baked Fish in Foil
Description:
Found this recipe in a Cook magazine and saw it in one of those cooking shows in TV. The recipe says to use cod, halibut or snapper. I wasn't sure what the local names of these fishes were and thought maybe the parrot fish (mul mul) would suffice. It didn't come out as I expected it but Mier said it was yummy in itself so I can't argue with that anymore (Hahaha!). I will have to look for cod (ginadara or pina pina here) and do this recipe again with a different fish. But I would agree that it turned out pretty well too. :-)
Ingredients:
fish fillet
salt and pepper
1 1/4 tsps lemon zest
1 tsp thyme
4 tbsps butter, softened
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsps minced fresh parsley leaves
carrots peeled and cut into matchsticks
leeks halved lengthwise and cut into matchsticks
foil cut into 12 inch sheets
Directions:
1. Combine butter, 1/4 lemon zest, 1 tsp garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in small bowl.
2. Combine parsley, remaining tsp lemon zest and remaining garlic in another small bowl.
3. Place carrots and leeks in medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.
4. I made 2 foil pockets dividing the ingredients into 2. To assemble: Place carrots and leeks on center of foil. Season fish fillet with salt and pepper and put on top of vegetable mound. Spread butter mixture on top. Place second foil on top and crimp edges together in 1/2 inch fold creating a packet.
5. Put packets on baking dish and put in heated oven for 15 minutes or less. After baking, carefully open foil, allowing steam to escape. Sprinkle with parsley mixture and some lemon juice. Serve immediately. :-)
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Learning to Dance in the Rain
I have always loved the rain. The sound of the pitter patter on the roof, the smell of the grass and the ground getting wet, the feel of the cold air all around. I love curling up in a corner with a good book on one hand and a cup of chocolate on the other while the rains would fall down outside. I have have never been afraid of the simple rain. I would love the opportunity to get wet a little, to feel the water on my skin.But just as too much of anything isn't good, storms are a different story.
I've had my own share of storms in my life. Storms that I feel have broken and hit me hard and yet I was able to go through them and have handled pretty well. Many of these storms have had strong winds and rains that have slapped me in the face and left me battered and bruised, cold and shivering. But I feel that I have weathered them all in my own way and in my own time, all with the grace of God. Do I ever regret these storms? Maybe at some point in my life. But I have learned that these are what make me who I am right now. That in some way they have molded and strengthened me that when the rains start getting stronger at times, I am able to shield myself from the big raindrops. I have learned when to appreciate it and when to keep its peace.
Recently, I've had another storm in my life, complete with thunder and lightning. This time, anger was just too much. I wanted to lash at the rain, fight it with all my strength and might. Funny because I've had worse storms than this. This isn't even an ounce of the others that I've had before. Maybe it's the timing? The PMS? The people involved? Or maybe I just wanted to see how strong I can be to overcome this. I don't really know. But I was so tempted to fight it. And yet, I knew if I did it on my own, I would fail. I needed His guidance and strength once again.
Maybe God has His own reasons for making me go through something like this again. I prayed for Him to guide me, to help me find the right words and the right actions. To know when to be silent and when to plow on. He promised me a rainbow at the end of the storm and although I still cannot see the rainbow, I know it is somewhere there amidst the clouds. Still hidden but ready to come out and be recognized. In time.
I hold on to that hope.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Kani Sandwich with Wasabi Mayo
Description:
While the girls had their soup with rice, Mier and I had it with this sandwich. If you know me, I LOVE mayo! Hehehe! This sandwich wouldn't have that extra 'oomph' without the wasabi mayo. Yummy!!
Ingredients:
For Wasabi Mayo:
mayonnaise
wasabi
honey
whole wheat bread
kani sticks
lettuce leaves
Directions:
To make Wasabi Mayo, mix together mayonnaise, wasabi and honey. Taste and season to your liking.
To assemble sandwich, spread generous amounts of Wasabi Mayo on bread. Put lettuce leaves then kani sticks. Enjoy!
Colorful Chicken Soup
Description:
My quest for healthy and better food for my family continues!! Made this soup last night and wasn't so sure how the kids would like it but was pleasantly surprised when they all did! :-) Alyssa kept on saying that the soup was sooo yummy! Nadine and Raya expressed their own pleasures. Even Mier complimented the chef. Yehey! Super easy and simple. Something to make again in the future.
The girls had theirs with rice while Mier and I had sandwiches on the side. :-)
Ingredients:
Chicken parts (I used chicken thighs)
Carrots cut up
Squash cut up
Onions sliced diagonally
Spinach shredded
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Boil the chicken (I season with patis) until cooked. When cooked, remove from broth, cut up chicken and discard bones and skins.
2. Boil broth again. Put in vegetables and chicken back. Season with salt and pepper. Boil til cooked. Serve hot.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Pechay Wrapped Fish in Coconut Milk
Description:
This was dinner last night and was a success with Mier! The girls were not as thrilled with it. They ate the fish though but not the stuffed spices or pechay. Hehehe! But I will definitely cook this again. :-) Yummy!!
Ingredients:
fish fillet (I used cream dory)
calamansi
salt and pepper
2 bunches pechay
diced tomatoes, onions and ginger
lemongrass
coconut milk
Directions:
1. Season the fish with salt and pepper and calamansi. Let stand for a few minutes.
2. Put diced tomatoes, onions and ginger on fish then wrapped carefully with pechay leaves. Secure with lemongrass.
3. Bring to a boil coconut milk in a pan. Gently put fish wrapped in pechay in the coconut milk. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Bake
Description:
Because of our needed change in lifestyle, have been thinking of ways to prepare chicken and fish that is appealing to Mier and the kids. I'm lucky that my kids do not have to eat rice in every meal. I wasn't sure how they'd respond to this casserole but it seemed that they liked it. I got the recipe off the Internet but tweaked it a bit to suit our tastes. Turned out pretty good. :-)
I served this with cream of corn soup on the side. :-)
Ingredients:
extra-virgin olive oil
chicken breasts cut into pieces
salt and pepper and ground basil
minced tomatoes, onions and garlic
spinach, washed and dried
quick melt cheese
tortillas
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions:
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and let stand for a few minutes. In a pan, heat the olive oil. Add chicken to the pan and cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Let cool, then shred the meat.
2. In the same pan, saute tomatoes, onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and ground basil.
3. Assemble in a baking dish, tortilla, spinach, chicken, tomatoes, onions and garlic, and grated quickmelt cheese. Repeat the process ending with tortilla and some cheese on top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Cut into wedges and serve.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Maintaining AP
I was an excited new mom when I had Nadine, my first born, 10 years ago. I knew I wanted to do my best in taking care of this new person for whom I am now responsible for. I tried to breastfeed long but because of lack of support wasn't able to sustain it. However, I wore Nadine in a baby carrier (as slings were not readily available yet then) as I noticed that she preferred that over the stroller. I also co-slept because it seemed that my baby didn't like sleeping in her brand new crib. Basically, I followed my instinct as a mom. I picked up my baby when she cried and responded positively to her needs and wants. I didn't believe in spoiling a baby as they can hardly express themselves. I worked around what I felt was right rather than what the "oldies" said should be done. In return, I had a happy and secure baby.
Then while browsing through Booksale one day, I found the book, The Ministry of Parenting Your Baby by Dr. William Sears and wife-nurse Martha Sears. It actually amazed me that my parenting approach actually had a term --- Attachment Parenting. AP encourages bonding with your baby at the earliest time possible. As I understand it, when you are well-bonded with your baby then you become sensitive to her needs. And when you respond lovingly and timely to what she is asking for then trust is developed in the parent-child relationship. The baby trusts that the parent will meet her needs. And as the baby grows older, that trust eventually develops too.
Reading the book, I felt affirmed with my maternal instincts. The information I got reinforced and enhanced my desire to develop strong connections with my children. With the birth of Raya, Alyssa and Cerise, I developed my confidence in connecting with them and establishing that bond early on. Breastfeeding, babywearing and co-sleeping were the norm in our home.
Although these are mere tools (7 Baby B's) to achieving AP, I wouldn't say that they are absolute. I didn't breastfeed Nadine and Cerise long but that doesn't mean that I am less connected with them than Raya and Alyssa whom I breastfed for more than a year. As long as the end goal is better understanding of your children, then that would suffice.
I believe that being attuned to them and their needs and feelings are what helped my girls be sensitive likewise to other people and animals as well. I've always admired Nadine's high EQ, Raya's different perspective on things and Alyssa's confidence and security. Because I know each and every one of them, know their personalities and characters, I also know how to deal with them effectively. That trust that was once one-way (baby trusting parents) has become two-way. I now also trust them and expect that they would respond accordingly to situations.
I think I now reap the benefits of Attachment Parenting as I've been told many times that my girls are well-behaved and respectful whether I am around or not. They have shown good self-esteem and confidence in themselves. This makes me proud beyond words because they know what is expected of them even without being reminded.
But parenting, of course, does not end here. It is a continuous process and I'll be the first to say that my girls are not really as perfect as they seem. We still have a long way to go. Heck, we haven't even touched the teen years yet! Ha!
How do we keep on using AP as the child grows older? I think the key here is to stay connected with the kids. Nadine and Raya are now 10 and 8 respectively. They are in grade school where they have built relationships with other people --- classmates, teachers, etc. But one thing I noticed, that no matter how far they venture off to build other relationships, there is always a need to reconnect with me and their dad. I think AP comes in here by being sensitive to their need to reconnect and being readily available for that.
How then can we maintain that connectedness while are children are growing up? Three things that I picked up from a video shown in an activity in school may help us in doing this:
1. Have at least one meal together in a day. When the kids start growing up and having activities outside the family, it would be good to have such a rule in the family. I remember that when I was in college, my siblings and I were all expected to be home by dinnertime. If dinner is not possible, then have it at breakfast time. Mealtimes are usually an opportunity to talk about their day or their lives. (Like breastfeeding)
2. Bonding while in the car. With the traffic and the distances in the city, use this opportunity to open up a conversation with your child/children. The good thing about being in the car, especially if you're driving is that you don't have to make eye contact. Hehe! Just listen to what your child has to say or listen while she converses with others friends in the car and get to know them more by their comments and their thoughts. (Like babywearing)
3. Have a nighttime ritual. You need not sleep beside them at night. But right after they've prepared for bed, sneak in to tuck them in or say their prayers with them or just ask how there day was in a nutshell. And before leaving the room, a goodnight kiss and an "I love you!" would be the best send off to dreamland. (Like co-sleeping)
Parenting isn't easy. We all want to bring up children who are sensitive and confident and a joy to be with. Being connected can help us achieve that. These are just stuff I've read or learned about that I want to apply in my life. Some will work, some won't. I guess I will have to sift through and see what's best for me and my girls. If you have any more ideas on how to do that, I'd be happy to hear them! We all do our best given our own and unique situations.
Then while browsing through Booksale one day, I found the book, The Ministry of Parenting Your Baby by Dr. William Sears and wife-nurse Martha Sears. It actually amazed me that my parenting approach actually had a term --- Attachment Parenting. AP encourages bonding with your baby at the earliest time possible. As I understand it, when you are well-bonded with your baby then you become sensitive to her needs. And when you respond lovingly and timely to what she is asking for then trust is developed in the parent-child relationship. The baby trusts that the parent will meet her needs. And as the baby grows older, that trust eventually develops too.
Reading the book, I felt affirmed with my maternal instincts. The information I got reinforced and enhanced my desire to develop strong connections with my children. With the birth of Raya, Alyssa and Cerise, I developed my confidence in connecting with them and establishing that bond early on. Breastfeeding, babywearing and co-sleeping were the norm in our home.
Although these are mere tools (7 Baby B's) to achieving AP, I wouldn't say that they are absolute. I didn't breastfeed Nadine and Cerise long but that doesn't mean that I am less connected with them than Raya and Alyssa whom I breastfed for more than a year. As long as the end goal is better understanding of your children, then that would suffice.
I believe that being attuned to them and their needs and feelings are what helped my girls be sensitive likewise to other people and animals as well. I've always admired Nadine's high EQ, Raya's different perspective on things and Alyssa's confidence and security. Because I know each and every one of them, know their personalities and characters, I also know how to deal with them effectively. That trust that was once one-way (baby trusting parents) has become two-way. I now also trust them and expect that they would respond accordingly to situations.I think I now reap the benefits of Attachment Parenting as I've been told many times that my girls are well-behaved and respectful whether I am around or not. They have shown good self-esteem and confidence in themselves. This makes me proud beyond words because they know what is expected of them even without being reminded.
But parenting, of course, does not end here. It is a continuous process and I'll be the first to say that my girls are not really as perfect as they seem. We still have a long way to go. Heck, we haven't even touched the teen years yet! Ha!
How do we keep on using AP as the child grows older? I think the key here is to stay connected with the kids. Nadine and Raya are now 10 and 8 respectively. They are in grade school where they have built relationships with other people --- classmates, teachers, etc. But one thing I noticed, that no matter how far they venture off to build other relationships, there is always a need to reconnect with me and their dad. I think AP comes in here by being sensitive to their need to reconnect and being readily available for that.
How then can we maintain that connectedness while are children are growing up? Three things that I picked up from a video shown in an activity in school may help us in doing this:
1. Have at least one meal together in a day. When the kids start growing up and having activities outside the family, it would be good to have such a rule in the family. I remember that when I was in college, my siblings and I were all expected to be home by dinnertime. If dinner is not possible, then have it at breakfast time. Mealtimes are usually an opportunity to talk about their day or their lives. (Like breastfeeding)
2. Bonding while in the car. With the traffic and the distances in the city, use this opportunity to open up a conversation with your child/children. The good thing about being in the car, especially if you're driving is that you don't have to make eye contact. Hehe! Just listen to what your child has to say or listen while she converses with others friends in the car and get to know them more by their comments and their thoughts. (Like babywearing)
3. Have a nighttime ritual. You need not sleep beside them at night. But right after they've prepared for bed, sneak in to tuck them in or say their prayers with them or just ask how there day was in a nutshell. And before leaving the room, a goodnight kiss and an "I love you!" would be the best send off to dreamland. (Like co-sleeping)
Parenting isn't easy. We all want to bring up children who are sensitive and confident and a joy to be with. Being connected can help us achieve that. These are just stuff I've read or learned about that I want to apply in my life. Some will work, some won't. I guess I will have to sift through and see what's best for me and my girls. If you have any more ideas on how to do that, I'd be happy to hear them! We all do our best given our own and unique situations.
You've Come A Long Way, Baby!
My dearest Cerise,
I can still remember the day we brought you home from the hospital. We were so thrilled that you were finally with us, part of our family. You were the biggest baby born among your siblings and we marveled at your size and your sweet nature.
Then the following week and months after were the most horrible ones for me. We had to deal with your sepsis, congenital heart holes, failure to thrive, thyroid and liver problems, amoebiasis, constant blood work and of course with results. All these obstacles brought about your physical delays. The truth is, I am grateful that your delays are just physical. The last visit to the Developmental Pediatrician showed that she may still be delayed physically but in other areas you are either at par with your age or even beyond.
I still feel a tinge of regret for not bringing you to the Dev Pedia right away and maybe we could have addressed your physical problems earlier. It took a while for you to learn to clap your hands, sit upright, sit down by yourself, crawl and even cruise around the house. I would look at other children your age or even younger than you who are running and walking around and I pray to God that someday, you too will have that joy to be more mobile on your own. At that time, we had to address your more immediate problems, such as your thyroid, and the physical delays had to be put on hold. But nevertheless, we were able to send you to a physical therapist and slowly you gained confidence in the physical area.
I distinctly remember that January afternoon when Teacher Joy, your physical therapist, called me to come inside the PT room. She wanted me to see that you could now sit up on your own from lying down. I literally cried! You see, I was getting impatient with your progress. We've been going to therapy for 6 months already and while you were improving very well, I wanted to see you like kids your age already. I guess you needed to do things in your own time.
We are so proud of how you've passed all your trials with flying colors. When I look at you now, a bright and happy baby, my heart is filled with joy. You have improved a lot compared to that little newborn whom I was afraid to leave us before her time. Right now, our goal is that you will soon be able to walk on your own, hopefully by your 2nd birthday. And I know that that is not far fetched. You love going around, cruising and exploring. Soon soon, you will just surprise us with your steps. And I long for that day. In my heart, I know this will come anytime.
I love your with all my heart!
Love,
Mommy
I can still remember the day we brought you home from the hospital. We were so thrilled that you were finally with us, part of our family. You were the biggest baby born among your siblings and we marveled at your size and your sweet nature.
Then the following week and months after were the most horrible ones for me. We had to deal with your sepsis, congenital heart holes, failure to thrive, thyroid and liver problems, amoebiasis, constant blood work and of course with results. All these obstacles brought about your physical delays. The truth is, I am grateful that your delays are just physical. The last visit to the Developmental Pediatrician showed that she may still be delayed physically but in other areas you are either at par with your age or even beyond.
I still feel a tinge of regret for not bringing you to the Dev Pedia right away and maybe we could have addressed your physical problems earlier. It took a while for you to learn to clap your hands, sit upright, sit down by yourself, crawl and even cruise around the house. I would look at other children your age or even younger than you who are running and walking around and I pray to God that someday, you too will have that joy to be more mobile on your own. At that time, we had to address your more immediate problems, such as your thyroid, and the physical delays had to be put on hold. But nevertheless, we were able to send you to a physical therapist and slowly you gained confidence in the physical area.I distinctly remember that January afternoon when Teacher Joy, your physical therapist, called me to come inside the PT room. She wanted me to see that you could now sit up on your own from lying down. I literally cried! You see, I was getting impatient with your progress. We've been going to therapy for 6 months already and while you were improving very well, I wanted to see you like kids your age already. I guess you needed to do things in your own time.
We are so proud of how you've passed all your trials with flying colors. When I look at you now, a bright and happy baby, my heart is filled with joy. You have improved a lot compared to that little newborn whom I was afraid to leave us before her time. Right now, our goal is that you will soon be able to walk on your own, hopefully by your 2nd birthday. And I know that that is not far fetched. You love going around, cruising and exploring. Soon soon, you will just surprise us with your steps. And I long for that day. In my heart, I know this will come anytime.
I love your with all my heart!
Love,
Mommy
Cerise insists on feeding herself.
Cerise crawling around the house
Cerise walking with minimum assistance
Cerise crawling around the house
Cerise walking with minimum assistanceTuesday, May 8, 2012
Sweetie Pie
This is my oldest daughter, Nadine. I've always thought that she is amazing. The moment she was born and placed on my chest, I burst into tears overwhelmed with the miracle that lived inside me for 9 months. She was a beautiful baby all wide eyed and observant from the start. And she continues to grow beautifully each day.Since she is the first of the four girls, I suppose she was a victim of trial and error parenting. Haha! But she wasn't hard to parent. We had that instant bond that developed over the weeks and months and eventually years. She was easy to talk to even as a baby. I remember one time when she wasn't a year old yet and I was talking sternly to her. I told her to look at me and listen to what I had to say. She faced me and seemed to understand right away what I said and what I wanted to happen. I knew she was smart from the start. I knew we had that attachment, that bond with each other.
Newborn Nadine at the hospital
She talked early and would express herself very well with words and actions. She was easy to teach and would sign please and thank you at a very early age. She also had a wonderful sense of humor. One time, when she was about a year and a half, we were listening to the music of winnie-the-pooh and she started singing, "Winnie the Pig! Winnie the Pig!" then she'd look at me at the corner of her eye and then start laughing. She was so adorable!And she was articulate at such a young age. A few months after Raya was born, she told me matter-of-factly that she "didn't like Raya." It broke my heart to hear her say it but I was also proud that she was able to verbalize it. She was only 2 years old but she was able to tell me how she felt. I knew she was going through the adjustment stage and didn't really take it personally. It eventually passed and she and Raya have grown closer over the years.
She was always gentle with the baby, fulfilling her role as "Ate" even at such an early age. She was my helper then as she assisted me in giving Raya a bath or changing diapers or distracting her.
When she turned 3 years old, we had a small party for her in her school. But before going to school, we gave her our gift, a baby doll wrapped up in the gift wrapper. She didn't know what was inside but I knew she was curious. What surprised me was that she didn't open the gift right away and waited til after her school! I was actually shocked that she had good EQ at such a young age!
Over the years, she hasn't changed much. She is still smart and witty and beautiful inside and out. About two or three years ago, during a parent-teacher chat in school, Raya's teacher had nothing but praises for Nadine and shared with me how Nadine would watch out and visit Raya in her classroom, check that her things and lunchbox are in order, that she has eaten her lunch. The teacher's comments made me smile. Nadine has always made me proud!
Lately she has again been my ever reliable helper at home. Especially when our yaya is gone for her classes, Nadine willingly helps me around the house and assists me in taking care of her sisters. She would put water in the containers of Raya and Alyssa before we leave the house. She would help carry the bags and help entertain Cerise when outside the house. She is such a gem! A diamond in my life!
This week, she has demonstrated once again how disciplined she is. She has been taking extra math classes to help enhance her math skills. The program, ENOPI, encourages the student to do drills everyday. She goes to the center twice a week and on days that she doesn't go, she is tasked to finish work at home. But of course there are days, especially on weekends when we are out and she is not able to do her work. She has imposed a self-rule that she will not use the computer on days that she is not able to do her math. And she really does it!
Nadine is such a remarkable person! She is 10 years old now turning 11 this year but she has shown maturity way beyond her years. As she enters the pre-teen years, I can sense some angst sometimes or curiousness and observations, typical of a young adult. I pray and wish that she would always feel that closeness with me and that she will know that she can approach me anytime should she have questions that need to be answered. I have told her this already but I hope it sinks in her head.
Nadine with their pet chichuahua, Inky
I have loved her from the moment she was conceived and my heart continues to burst for my love for her. She is and will always be my Sweetie Pie!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Almondigas
Description:
Mier is fond of soupy dishes. We used to have this often until we were getting tired of it. Haha! It has been quite sometime since I cooked it and decided to prepare it for tonight. :-)
Ingredients:
For the meatballs:
1/2 ground pork
1 carrot grated
1 onion minced
1 clove garlic minced
bread crumbs
egg
salt
pepper
a pinch of sugar
knorr
misua noodles
pork broth or boullion cube and water
garlic
patis
spring onions
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients for the meatballs and form into small balls about 30+.
2. In a deep saucepan, heat oil and saute garlic.
3. When garlic is a little browned, put water and boullion cube.
4. When it starts to boil, drop meatballs one by one. When meatballs start to rise, put misua in.
5. Season with patis and sprinkle spring onions on top.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Mind your Manners
Teacher Faith, Alyssa's teacher in baby ballet class always has a treat for the kids after every class. It may be lollipops or chocolates or wiggles (chocolate covered mallows) or stickers or popcorn. And every time she gets a treat I always ask Alyssa if she said "Thank You!" after she receives it. She would grin sheepishly and say, "I forgot!" I would gently reprimand her and ask her to go back to the teacher and show her appreciation.
Alyssa with Teacher Faith
The other day, when we got to the car, I asked her again if she said "Thank You!" and once again she said that she forgot. So I blew it and started to raise my voice and get angry at her. I told her that I was so tired of reminding her time and again to show gratitude to everyone. Why doesn't she remember? What should I do to make her remember? I told her I love her but I am not happy with such behavior. If I need to be angry so she will learn so be it. Her daddy and I never failed to show appreciation to people who deserve it ---- janitors, guards, helpers, etc. Can she not learn by example? I want her to grow up as a well mannered person, appreciating even the little things in life and not expecting that the world owes them. I was so angry and she was quietly crying in her car seat knowing that she disappointed me once again. I hugged her when we got home and told her that I hope she remembers it from this day on.
Two days later, I was busy chatting on the phone while she was at baby ballet class. I didn't even know that the class had ended. She came up to me with a big smile on her face, showed me her treat and hugged me saying "I didn't forget, Mommy! I said Thank You!" I hugged her tightly and told her that I loved her very much and that I was so proud of her. She wouldn't let go of my hug. When she pulled away, I saw tears in her eyes. "Why are you crying?" I asked. Her reply was classic: "Because I am soooo happy!!!" Sigh, such a darling!!
The other day, when we got to the car, I asked her again if she said "Thank You!" and once again she said that she forgot. So I blew it and started to raise my voice and get angry at her. I told her that I was so tired of reminding her time and again to show gratitude to everyone. Why doesn't she remember? What should I do to make her remember? I told her I love her but I am not happy with such behavior. If I need to be angry so she will learn so be it. Her daddy and I never failed to show appreciation to people who deserve it ---- janitors, guards, helpers, etc. Can she not learn by example? I want her to grow up as a well mannered person, appreciating even the little things in life and not expecting that the world owes them. I was so angry and she was quietly crying in her car seat knowing that she disappointed me once again. I hugged her when we got home and told her that I hope she remembers it from this day on.
Two days later, I was busy chatting on the phone while she was at baby ballet class. I didn't even know that the class had ended. She came up to me with a big smile on her face, showed me her treat and hugged me saying "I didn't forget, Mommy! I said Thank You!" I hugged her tightly and told her that I loved her very much and that I was so proud of her. She wouldn't let go of my hug. When she pulled away, I saw tears in her eyes. "Why are you crying?" I asked. Her reply was classic: "Because I am soooo happy!!!" Sigh, such a darling!!
Alyssa getting her class card from Teacher Faith with a curtsy
My little darling Alyssa
My little darling AlyssaThursday, May 3, 2012
Summer Frenzy
Summer must be my busiest time of the year next to the Christmas holidays. I have four girls with ages ranging from 10 years old to 1 year old and each of them have a number of activities to keep them active during the summer. So my chaperone role is an addition to my year round roles of cook, teacher, lawyer, judge, driver, etc.
Nadine has piano lessons, voice lessons, math skills builder and horseback riding training. Raya has chess classes, hiphop lessons, voice and eventually math skills builder too. Alyssa has ballet and Cerise has physical therapy.
It's a good thing that hiphop and ballet are slated for only two weeks. Well, everyday of that two weeks though. So you can imagine how I run from one activity to the other and make time for other stuff in between. Well, I had to make sure that I am able to make the most of our time away from home. So I planned Nadine's math skills builder at the same time as Raya's hiphop so I can drop one after the other and save my sanity. Haha!
Piano and voice lessons are only once a week but both fall on the same day --- Monday, making it the busiest day of the week. 8am Raya goes to chess, 9am Nadine goes to piano. I pick them both up at 10am then rush to hiphop class. By 1130 we are home for lunch. I TRY to squeeze in aerodance at 1pm. Then voice at 2pm for Nadine and Raya until 4pm, 1 hour each. By 430 pm, Alyssa's turn to dance ballet.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we leave in time for Cerise's therapy at 3pm. Right after it's done, we ask the driver to drop Alyssa and me at ballet while Yaya Anie brings Cerise home. The driver just brings the car back to us afterwards.
In between those activities, I make sure that dinner is cooked and ready for heating as we get home kinda late from Alyssa's ballet and I'd like to put up my feet already and enjoy the rest of the evening with my girls.
Despite the busyness I do enjoy myself spending time with each child. It isn't easy but it is in the little things that we get to know the individuality of each and what makes them tick. I love being a mom! I love being surrounded by their laughter and voices. They each have their own quirks and I love finding them out and knowing how to deal with them. Someday I will look back at this summer and miss the busyness of it. Right now, I will just savor the moment.
Nadine has piano lessons, voice lessons, math skills builder and horseback riding training. Raya has chess classes, hiphop lessons, voice and eventually math skills builder too. Alyssa has ballet and Cerise has physical therapy.
It's a good thing that hiphop and ballet are slated for only two weeks. Well, everyday of that two weeks though. So you can imagine how I run from one activity to the other and make time for other stuff in between. Well, I had to make sure that I am able to make the most of our time away from home. So I planned Nadine's math skills builder at the same time as Raya's hiphop so I can drop one after the other and save my sanity. Haha!
Piano and voice lessons are only once a week but both fall on the same day --- Monday, making it the busiest day of the week. 8am Raya goes to chess, 9am Nadine goes to piano. I pick them both up at 10am then rush to hiphop class. By 1130 we are home for lunch. I TRY to squeeze in aerodance at 1pm. Then voice at 2pm for Nadine and Raya until 4pm, 1 hour each. By 430 pm, Alyssa's turn to dance ballet.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we leave in time for Cerise's therapy at 3pm. Right after it's done, we ask the driver to drop Alyssa and me at ballet while Yaya Anie brings Cerise home. The driver just brings the car back to us afterwards.
In between those activities, I make sure that dinner is cooked and ready for heating as we get home kinda late from Alyssa's ballet and I'd like to put up my feet already and enjoy the rest of the evening with my girls.
Despite the busyness I do enjoy myself spending time with each child. It isn't easy but it is in the little things that we get to know the individuality of each and what makes them tick. I love being a mom! I love being surrounded by their laughter and voices. They each have their own quirks and I love finding them out and knowing how to deal with them. Someday I will look back at this summer and miss the busyness of it. Right now, I will just savor the moment.
Nadine horseback riding
Raya playing chess with a high school student
Alyssa doing ballet
Cerise before going to therapy
Raya playing chess with a high school student
Alyssa doing ballet
Cerise before going to therapySunday, April 15, 2012
Fighter
I always believed that Cerise is a fighter from the start. But did she have to be tested for her toughness again and again? That was what was going through my mind when once again she was burning with fever while we were vacationing in Manila for Holy Week. The fever started on the eve of Holy Thursday. As what I'd usually do, I'd give her her medication, give her a lukewarm bath and observe and pray that it will end soon.By the third day, with or without the doctor's advice, I would get a CBC. And that's how it went. And good thing I did get a CBC before seeing the doc that Monday because it turned out that Cerise had dengue.
Of all people to get it! Of all people who would be unfortunate enough to get bitten by this fearsome mosquito! It would be my Cerise! You'd hear other families, other people whose children would get dengue and pray for them. But never in your wildest dreams would you think that it would happen to any of your children, must less Cerise! Hasn't she gone through enough already? :-(
My heart was just breaking into a million pieces once again. Why must it have to go through this again and again and again? I didn't have the answers to my questions nor did I expect to get them. This is where faith steps in, I guess, and I once again implored the heavens to heal my baby and help her get through this ordeal. And when my mouth and mind would not know what to pray for any more, I would chant quietly, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus..." Isn't saying His name a prayer in itself? I remember reading it somewhere and I had to just do it that way. I was exhausted. Mier was exhausted. My baby was exhausted. Dear Lord, please just listen to what my heart had to say because my mind could not express it anymore.
The problem with Cerise is that her veins are so small and barely seen under her skin. It took the doctor more than an hour to find one to insert her IV into. Yes, more than an hour of lying down and squirming on that miserable table in the pedia room while doctors poked and scrutinized her, trying to look for a vein. My baby would cry and look at me with pleading eyes and I could do nothing but hold her and soothe her through this ordeal. I would sing to her, hoping it would help distract her. I think it worked a little. But I couldn't help my own tears from falling. Finally they were able to insert the dreaded needle and Cerise drifted off to a deep sleep from pure exhaustion. Finally medication can now begin.
Two hours later, a medical technician came into the room again to take another blood sample for tests. He would be needing a good amount of blood for the test so it needed to be extracted once again and not just pricked. As expected, he couldn't find a good vein again. He left and brought another med tech with him. Still couldn't find it. They brought in a more senior technologist but still was not successful. By this time I was more than angry already. I was furious and raging. I demanded a doctor come and put in that needle. To cut the long story short, it took them almost 7 hours to get that blood sample. We finally fell asleep at 230am.
Cerise was traumatized with every person in uniform. She would whimper when one would enter the room even if that person would just have to check the her IV or just look at her. And we needed to check her blood constantly because dengue is a blood disease. We just had to bear it and ask people to help pray with us. Once I saw her just lying down and looking at her fingers, probably wondering why they were hurting, why they were blackened by squeezing and blood clots. She can understand more now. And the pain in my heart was just too much, almost physical that leave you gasping for breath. Please Lord, let this ordeal not happen again to any of my children.
In hindsight, even if Cerise was unfortunate to be sick again, she didn't get it as bad as most people who would be diagnosed with dengue. I know families, who have lost members from this sickness. The mosquito does not choose its victims, whether rich or poor. It was a good thing that we discovered the dengue before her platelet count had fallen below 100. The doctor assured me that it would be easier to help her if her platelet count is still high. And true enough, because medication started early and because many people were praying for her, Cerise's platelet count started to rise slowly and steadily. By the 4th day, we were out of the hospital. I guess this is a blessing in itself already and I am grateful and thankful to Him who was with us all through out this harrowing experience.
When we got back from the hospital, Cerise sat in the middle of the room and joined her sisters in playing. It was as if nothing happened, as if she didn't just spend 4 days in the hospital and have needles poked through her, as if her life was not in danger once again. Maybe because of her age, she wouldn't remember any of this in the future. That this would just be a thing of the past. But one thing for sure, Cerise is a fighter! She has proven this before when she was just a newborn and once again she has shown her fighting spirit in full force. I believe that God has a purpose for her. That He has something planned for her in the greater scheme of things.
I just remembered now that when we visited Lola Flory in the convent, she related to us the story of her birth. She was a weak baby and when she was born, the nurses presumed her dead already. But one nurse massaged her chest and after awhile they were surprised to find her breathing again. And I think this happened a few more times, her heart would stop but after a massage would go on again. I told her then that God probably had something planned for her to let her continue breathing and living up to this day. She is now 90 years old.
Perhaps, God has something planned also for Cerise. Maybe nothing grand or big. Maybe just a difference in a few lives. But I believe that she is given to us for a purpose and someday, someday, that will be revealed to us too.
Of all people to get it! Of all people who would be unfortunate enough to get bitten by this fearsome mosquito! It would be my Cerise! You'd hear other families, other people whose children would get dengue and pray for them. But never in your wildest dreams would you think that it would happen to any of your children, must less Cerise! Hasn't she gone through enough already? :-(
My heart was just breaking into a million pieces once again. Why must it have to go through this again and again and again? I didn't have the answers to my questions nor did I expect to get them. This is where faith steps in, I guess, and I once again implored the heavens to heal my baby and help her get through this ordeal. And when my mouth and mind would not know what to pray for any more, I would chant quietly, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus..." Isn't saying His name a prayer in itself? I remember reading it somewhere and I had to just do it that way. I was exhausted. Mier was exhausted. My baby was exhausted. Dear Lord, please just listen to what my heart had to say because my mind could not express it anymore.
The problem with Cerise is that her veins are so small and barely seen under her skin. It took the doctor more than an hour to find one to insert her IV into. Yes, more than an hour of lying down and squirming on that miserable table in the pedia room while doctors poked and scrutinized her, trying to look for a vein. My baby would cry and look at me with pleading eyes and I could do nothing but hold her and soothe her through this ordeal. I would sing to her, hoping it would help distract her. I think it worked a little. But I couldn't help my own tears from falling. Finally they were able to insert the dreaded needle and Cerise drifted off to a deep sleep from pure exhaustion. Finally medication can now begin.
Two hours later, a medical technician came into the room again to take another blood sample for tests. He would be needing a good amount of blood for the test so it needed to be extracted once again and not just pricked. As expected, he couldn't find a good vein again. He left and brought another med tech with him. Still couldn't find it. They brought in a more senior technologist but still was not successful. By this time I was more than angry already. I was furious and raging. I demanded a doctor come and put in that needle. To cut the long story short, it took them almost 7 hours to get that blood sample. We finally fell asleep at 230am.
Cerise was traumatized with every person in uniform. She would whimper when one would enter the room even if that person would just have to check the her IV or just look at her. And we needed to check her blood constantly because dengue is a blood disease. We just had to bear it and ask people to help pray with us. Once I saw her just lying down and looking at her fingers, probably wondering why they were hurting, why they were blackened by squeezing and blood clots. She can understand more now. And the pain in my heart was just too much, almost physical that leave you gasping for breath. Please Lord, let this ordeal not happen again to any of my children.
In hindsight, even if Cerise was unfortunate to be sick again, she didn't get it as bad as most people who would be diagnosed with dengue. I know families, who have lost members from this sickness. The mosquito does not choose its victims, whether rich or poor. It was a good thing that we discovered the dengue before her platelet count had fallen below 100. The doctor assured me that it would be easier to help her if her platelet count is still high. And true enough, because medication started early and because many people were praying for her, Cerise's platelet count started to rise slowly and steadily. By the 4th day, we were out of the hospital. I guess this is a blessing in itself already and I am grateful and thankful to Him who was with us all through out this harrowing experience.
When we got back from the hospital, Cerise sat in the middle of the room and joined her sisters in playing. It was as if nothing happened, as if she didn't just spend 4 days in the hospital and have needles poked through her, as if her life was not in danger once again. Maybe because of her age, she wouldn't remember any of this in the future. That this would just be a thing of the past. But one thing for sure, Cerise is a fighter! She has proven this before when she was just a newborn and once again she has shown her fighting spirit in full force. I believe that God has a purpose for her. That He has something planned for her in the greater scheme of things.
I just remembered now that when we visited Lola Flory in the convent, she related to us the story of her birth. She was a weak baby and when she was born, the nurses presumed her dead already. But one nurse massaged her chest and after awhile they were surprised to find her breathing again. And I think this happened a few more times, her heart would stop but after a massage would go on again. I told her then that God probably had something planned for her to let her continue breathing and living up to this day. She is now 90 years old.
Perhaps, God has something planned also for Cerise. Maybe nothing grand or big. Maybe just a difference in a few lives. But I believe that she is given to us for a purpose and someday, someday, that will be revealed to us too.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
I Claim It!
Cerise turned 18 months (1 year and 6 months) today. She's half way through her second year and has gone through more medical and physical difficulties than most children her age. She is a happy toddler whose personality is starting to emerge. She is a happy social butterfly who can charm her way to get what she wants. She is our darling!
Looking through my older posts about what we went through during her first few months, I get goosebumps. I could have lost her easily then. And every time a setback occurs (amoebiasis, increase in thyroid levels and liver enzymes, etc.), I am wrought with anxiety. But God has ever been faithful and constant throughout our trying times. And Cerise continues to improve and grow well.
Last week, she had to go through her routine blood work. This happens every 3-4 months and I have to psych myself up days before it happens. I've never been one who would be taken aback with blood and other medical procedures. But knowing the discomfort and pain Cerise needs to go through just makes me cringe. And on top of the usual Thyroid levels and SGPT, SGOT, the pedia gastro also wanted to check for Hepatitis and if the Hepa vaccine given is enough for her body. Kidneys were also going to be checked by the blood work. So all in all, there were 8 blood tests! My poor baby! And since she has gained weight already, my constant fear was that her vein would not be clear enough and that the technicians would have to poke and look for it. Thank God for Sir Selwyn of Maria Reyna Hospital Lab who always finds her vein and gets good blood!
We got the results the afternoon of that same day. Praise God for good results! Her thyroid levels have normalized due to the medication that she has been taking for almost a year now. Her liver enzymes were still high but have gone down quite considerably since her last blood test. Her HBsAg and Renal screenings were normal too. All in all, blood results are very good! God hears our prayers!
Today, on her 18th month, Cerise had a scheduled appointment with Dr. Cindy Llego, her development pediatrician. I love Dr. Llego! She is all positive and thorough and really is concerned about the welfare and overall development of Cerise. The improvements of Cerise that she had noted include:
As soon as she learns to walk, Cerise can cease going to her therapy already. The doctor does not see the need for Occupational Therapy as cognitive wise, she seems to be very well.
This is the look she gives when you ask her to smile. :-) So adorable!
Looking through my older posts about what we went through during her first few months, I get goosebumps. I could have lost her easily then. And every time a setback occurs (amoebiasis, increase in thyroid levels and liver enzymes, etc.), I am wrought with anxiety. But God has ever been faithful and constant throughout our trying times. And Cerise continues to improve and grow well.Last week, she had to go through her routine blood work. This happens every 3-4 months and I have to psych myself up days before it happens. I've never been one who would be taken aback with blood and other medical procedures. But knowing the discomfort and pain Cerise needs to go through just makes me cringe. And on top of the usual Thyroid levels and SGPT, SGOT, the pedia gastro also wanted to check for Hepatitis and if the Hepa vaccine given is enough for her body. Kidneys were also going to be checked by the blood work. So all in all, there were 8 blood tests! My poor baby! And since she has gained weight already, my constant fear was that her vein would not be clear enough and that the technicians would have to poke and look for it. Thank God for Sir Selwyn of Maria Reyna Hospital Lab who always finds her vein and gets good blood!
We got the results the afternoon of that same day. Praise God for good results! Her thyroid levels have normalized due to the medication that she has been taking for almost a year now. Her liver enzymes were still high but have gone down quite considerably since her last blood test. Her HBsAg and Renal screenings were normal too. All in all, blood results are very good! God hears our prayers!
Today, on her 18th month, Cerise had a scheduled appointment with Dr. Cindy Llego, her development pediatrician. I love Dr. Llego! She is all positive and thorough and really is concerned about the welfare and overall development of Cerise. The improvements of Cerise that she had noted include:
- can walk with one hand held; can crawl and move around the room independently
- can say about 5-10 words
- interacts well
Upon her observation and examination, she noted the following findings:
- Very talkative, heard to speak mature jargon
- Pointed a lot to things of interest; very engaging
- Sometimes insisted on what she wants to do
- Liked to scribble
- Very comfortable in standing position, cruised
At her current age of 18 months, Cerise's skills in the following areas of development were shown to be at these levels:
- Locomotor (big muscle movements) - 12 1/2 months
- Personal-Social (self help skills & socialization) - 16 months
- Language (understanding others & expressing oneself) - 17 months
- Eye and Hand Coordination (grasping, drawing, writing) - 22 months
- Performance (non-verbal problem solving) - 20 1/4 months
As soon as she learns to walk, Cerise can cease going to her therapy already. The doctor does not see the need for Occupational Therapy as cognitive wise, she seems to be very well.
Cerise is on her way to recovery and I am beyond relief!!! Her doctor has high hopes for her and believes that she will be able to catch up with children her age. I believe so too. I claim it!
This is the look she gives when you ask her to smile. :-) So adorable!Monday, March 12, 2012
Doing Her Work
I've learned to accept the fact that every child is different. With this in mind, I try not to expect that I will get the same reaction or the same results with each of my girls. Regarding school work for instance, I've seen the difference between Nadine and Raya's learning capacities. I've written about this in another blog entry, Teacher Mommy.
So with Alyssa, I wasn't sure what to expect with how she would handle school. But maybe because she sees the older girls sit down and do their homework or study for exams, she in turn, would like to do the same. Lately, she would insist on doing her "work." Her teacher sent writing exercises months before so the children can practice writing their names. Now Alyssa's name is the longest among the 4 girls and I cringed when I saw her writing assignment.
I never forced her to finish up the writing exercises. Same days she would do it, others no. But I do tell her that when she starts writing she should finish through. Slowly, the number of writing pages would lessen as we would submit these to the teacher as soon as she's done with it.
The past 3 days though, she has been ganado or overly excited to "do her work." As soon as her movie is done or she has taken a bath or finished playing with her toys, she would announce, I would like to "do my work" now, Mommy. I would then ask her to get a pencil and I would give her a page of her writing exercise and she would proceed diligently, stopping only to show me that she has finished a line of her name. :-)
I am amazed how different she is with her sisters. It took a while for Nadine to know how to write her letters and moreso Raya. But like, I said, they are all different and I like the surprises I get. Today, after finishing her page, she announce to everyone, "I love school!" :-) Yes, she is an adorable little one. Hope she won't be growing up too soon.
So with Alyssa, I wasn't sure what to expect with how she would handle school. But maybe because she sees the older girls sit down and do their homework or study for exams, she in turn, would like to do the same. Lately, she would insist on doing her "work." Her teacher sent writing exercises months before so the children can practice writing their names. Now Alyssa's name is the longest among the 4 girls and I cringed when I saw her writing assignment.
I never forced her to finish up the writing exercises. Same days she would do it, others no. But I do tell her that when she starts writing she should finish through. Slowly, the number of writing pages would lessen as we would submit these to the teacher as soon as she's done with it.
The past 3 days though, she has been ganado or overly excited to "do her work." As soon as her movie is done or she has taken a bath or finished playing with her toys, she would announce, I would like to "do my work" now, Mommy. I would then ask her to get a pencil and I would give her a page of her writing exercise and she would proceed diligently, stopping only to show me that she has finished a line of her name. :-)
I am amazed how different she is with her sisters. It took a while for Nadine to know how to write her letters and moreso Raya. But like, I said, they are all different and I like the surprises I get. Today, after finishing her page, she announce to everyone, "I love school!" :-) Yes, she is an adorable little one. Hope she won't be growing up too soon.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Aglio e Olio with Hungarian Sausage
Description:
This was dinner last night. Yum is all I can say! Even Raya enjoyed it. :-) I made another pasta sauce for the girls just in case they wouldn't like this. But they tried this oil-based pasta and said they liked it too. (They just preferred the creamy based one. LOL!). Super easy to make and hits the right spot! :-)
Ingredients:
Spaghetti
Olive oil
Garlic, minced
Hungarian Sausage cut lengthwise
salt and pepper
Dried Basil (optional)
Directions:
1. Cook spagehetti according to package instructions.
2. Heat about 1/2 cup of Olive Oil in a pan. Saute Garlic in oil.
3. Just as Garlic is about to brown, add Hungarian Sausage and stir fry.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Add dried basil if desired.
5. Serve on top of bed of spaghetti.
Papa and Mama's 40th Anniversary
My Papa and Mama (Abu and Mama Flory to their grandchildren) celebrated their 40th anniversary last March 4. We joined them in their community's assembly on that day. We heard mass at 8am at the St. Francis Xavier Chaplaincy in Pueblo had snacks and breakfast there then stayed on while Papa shared during the assembly. After their gathering, we trooped to Macasandig for a simple yet satisfying lunch. :-)
Lenten Sacrifices
When we were younger, my parents encouraged us to make a sacrifice during Lent. Starting from Ash Wednesday up to Easter Sunday, we were to give up something we truly enjoyed. Aside from individual sacrifices, we also had a yearly family sacrifice and that was 40 days of no TV. My dad would unplug the TV and we would not see or watch a single show for the whole forty days. This would include TV shows when we would go to my Lola's house. So while cousins would hover around a Sunday movie, me and my siblings would hang out in the dining area or play in the garden, do things that would take us away from the tube.
Then we would have individual sacrifices too. I remember my sacrifices would differ every year: no softdrinks, no chocolates, no ice cream. All depending on what I would fancy that year. And we would follow through doing our sacrifices whether at home or not, whether our parents see us or not.
Now that I am a parent and my children are growing with the understanding of Lent, I wanted to teach them the value of sacrifice. Why sacrifice during Lent? I explained to my two older girls that we sacrifice during Lent to remind us of Christ's sufferings in order to save us from sin. The goal is to bring us closer to God.
The girls were game about it and thought about what they would be willing to give up. Nadine said she would stop using the computer. That includes Internet and games etc. She can use it only for school work. Raya was willing to give up playing with small toys which she really enjoys doing. I told the girls I was partially giving up Facebook. I would check important messages only on Fridays (sometimes, people would get in touch with me through Facebook and would ask for important information etc.)
They were excited at first but when the novelty started to wear off, they wished they sacrificed something else. LOL! I told them that was the value of what they were giving up and on times they feel like they are tempted to do what they've said they will stop doing, then offer that temptation up to God.
I am proud of my girls for following through. We are halfway through Lent and I know that they've stuck to what they've promised to do although they would mention it at times about wanting to do it. But I know that they wouldn't because they have promised. This is the first time we are doing it and I am happy how things have progressed. I hope that as the years go on, they would understand more fully the reason why we do this and that this would make them closer to God.
Then we would have individual sacrifices too. I remember my sacrifices would differ every year: no softdrinks, no chocolates, no ice cream. All depending on what I would fancy that year. And we would follow through doing our sacrifices whether at home or not, whether our parents see us or not.
Now that I am a parent and my children are growing with the understanding of Lent, I wanted to teach them the value of sacrifice. Why sacrifice during Lent? I explained to my two older girls that we sacrifice during Lent to remind us of Christ's sufferings in order to save us from sin. The goal is to bring us closer to God.
The girls were game about it and thought about what they would be willing to give up. Nadine said she would stop using the computer. That includes Internet and games etc. She can use it only for school work. Raya was willing to give up playing with small toys which she really enjoys doing. I told the girls I was partially giving up Facebook. I would check important messages only on Fridays (sometimes, people would get in touch with me through Facebook and would ask for important information etc.)
They were excited at first but when the novelty started to wear off, they wished they sacrificed something else. LOL! I told them that was the value of what they were giving up and on times they feel like they are tempted to do what they've said they will stop doing, then offer that temptation up to God.
I am proud of my girls for following through. We are halfway through Lent and I know that they've stuck to what they've promised to do although they would mention it at times about wanting to do it. But I know that they wouldn't because they have promised. This is the first time we are doing it and I am happy how things have progressed. I hope that as the years go on, they would understand more fully the reason why we do this and that this would make them closer to God.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Graceful Exit
It has been quite some time since I've written something in this blog. It was good to reread my posts and see how that woman a few months/years back thought about life, family and children. It made me realize the things I believed in, the values I want to imbibe and the life I want to live.
Amazing how things have turned out. So much has happened in our lives. Good things, bad things. Things we thought were bad but turned out good in the end. And there were some endings --- relationships, businesses, lives and friendships. We'll never know what God has in stored for us. We can only trust in Him and His ways.
I came across this quote in the Internet that I feel expresses what I think right now. I'd like to believe that I have been practicing graceful exits the past years. I've handled transitions and changes in my life quite well. Some can be unsettling and more pronounced, others small and minute. But whatever it is, I have moved on quite well, trusting in Him and anticipating new surprises in my life.
“There’s a trick to the 'graceful exit.' It begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, or a relationship is over — and let it go. It means leaving what’s over without denying its validity or its past importance to our lives. It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit line is an entry, that we are moving up, rather than out.” -- Ellen Goodman
Amazing how things have turned out. So much has happened in our lives. Good things, bad things. Things we thought were bad but turned out good in the end. And there were some endings --- relationships, businesses, lives and friendships. We'll never know what God has in stored for us. We can only trust in Him and His ways.
I came across this quote in the Internet that I feel expresses what I think right now. I'd like to believe that I have been practicing graceful exits the past years. I've handled transitions and changes in my life quite well. Some can be unsettling and more pronounced, others small and minute. But whatever it is, I have moved on quite well, trusting in Him and anticipating new surprises in my life.
“There’s a trick to the 'graceful exit.' It begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, or a relationship is over — and let it go. It means leaving what’s over without denying its validity or its past importance to our lives. It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit line is an entry, that we are moving up, rather than out.” -- Ellen Goodman
Cheese Omelette
Description:
During weekend breakfasts I usually ask my girls what they want to eat. Most often they would ask for cheese omelette, another favorite at home. :-) So easy to make and definitely made with love. :-)
Ingredients:
2 eggs
milk
grated cheese
butter
little oil
Directions:
1. Beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Mix in some milk and beat well.
2. In a frying pan, heat a little butter and drizzle with oil (This is done so the butter will not burn)
3. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. While allowing to set, put grated cheese in the center of the egg mixture. Fold one part towards the center then the other part too so the cheese would be in the center of the omelette.
4. Serve hot with toasted bread.
Fish Fillet with Eggplant
Description:
What to do when the garden is brimming with eggplant? Look for recipes with eggplant. :-) We've tried Tortang Talong, Eggplant Parmagiana, Sinigang and even good old fried eggplant as a side dish. :-) Decided to try something else and since it's Friday today, cooked it with fish. I think t turned out quite well. Happy happy me. :-)
Ingredients:
3 eggplants
fish fillet (I used Cream Dory)
flour
salt
pepper
Sauce:
grated ginger
minced garlic
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice wine
2 tsps sweet chili sauce
1 tsp
chicken stock
Directions:
1. Fry eggplants until cooked through then set aside.
2. Dredge fish fillet with flour mixed with salt and sugar.
3. Fry fish fillet until browned. Set aside.
4. Mix ingredients for sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer until thick.
5. Once the sauce starts to thicken, return the eggplants and fish to the pan, mix well and serve.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Alyssa as a Fish....
For the Rosevale Preschool presentation, Alyssa was a fish! Of course, the biased mother in me would say she was the cutest and the best-emoting fish there was. Hahaha! But really, she was super cute in her dance and her song. :-)
Tonkatsu
Description:
This pork cutlet recipe is a favorite in our home. The girls love the crunchy Japanese breadcrumbs on the soft thin slice of pork. I usually make enough to include for their lunch the next day. :-)
Ingredients:
pork cutlets
flour
2 eggs, beaten
Japanese breadcrumbs
salt.
pepper
For the Tonkatsu sauce, I got this from Chinky's blog:
Mix together
4 tbsp. tomato ketchup
2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
Directions:
1. Put flour, egg and Japanese breadcrumbs in three separate wide dishes.
2. Add salt and pepper to the flour and mix well.
3. Dip pork cutlets in flour, making sure to shake off excess.
4. Dip in the egg, then into the breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs onto the meat, making sure that the meat is well coated.
5. Fry over medium-high heat until golden on both side.
7. Slice into 3/4 inch strips and serve with tonkatsu sauce*
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Potato Bacon Cheese Chowder
Description:
This is a recipe I picked up from my friend, Kay Bautista (http://www.facebook.com/kaybautista). Always a hit in our home! My kids love it with the potatoes mashed a little and some rice. Mier and I eat it with french bread. Super yummy and easy to make! :-) Will take a picture next time we have this. :-)
Ingredients:
Around 3 big potatoes cut into cubes
1/4 kilo Bacon chopped
1 whole onion chopped
2 stems celery chopped
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2-3 cups chicken stock
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp white wine for deglazing (optional)
Directions:
1. Saute the onion and celery in butter (and little oil for the butter not to burn easily).
2. Add the bacon then the potatoes.
3. When the potatoes are almost tender, deglaze with white wine if you have/want else add your flour and mix. Your mixture will look like "paste" or buo-buo, this is called roux (mixing flour with butter).
4. Add chicken stock, 1 ladle at a time and stir the mixture until no lumps before adding more stock.
5. When you get the consistency that you want for your chowder that is the time you stop adding stock. Since it is a chowder so it shouldnt be too thin nor too thick.
6. Add your cream and grated cheese and stir.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
This is a recipe I picked up from my friend, Kay Bautista (http://www.facebook.com/kaybautista). Always a hit in our home! My kids love it with the potatoes mashed a little and some rice. Mier and I eat it with french bread. Super yummy and easy to make! :-) Will take a picture next time we have this. :-)
Ingredients:
Around 3 big potatoes cut into cubes
1/4 kilo Bacon chopped
1 whole onion chopped
2 stems celery chopped
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2-3 cups chicken stock
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp white wine for deglazing (optional)
Directions:
1. Saute the onion and celery in butter (and little oil for the butter not to burn easily).
2. Add the bacon then the potatoes.
3. When the potatoes are almost tender, deglaze with white wine if you have/want else add your flour and mix. Your mixture will look like "paste" or buo-buo, this is called roux (mixing flour with butter).
4. Add chicken stock, 1 ladle at a time and stir the mixture until no lumps before adding more stock.
5. When you get the consistency that you want for your chowder that is the time you stop adding stock. Since it is a chowder so it shouldnt be too thin nor too thick.
6. Add your cream and grated cheese and stir.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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