On Being Organized

I am not one of those who really loves organizing things, eventhough that was part of my job before. And I know that I can be very good at it when I put my mind to it. Why, my wedding coordinators before had little to do because I really took care of everything.

Down to the last detail.

But I maintain that i'm not OC.

And when you become a mom, you would really need to get organized. Some resort to the use of PDAs to remind them of the tasks that need to be done, but I believe most moms go on auto-pilot and pure adrenaline rush. That's how we usually get to pay all the bills on time, coordinate carpools and playdates as well as pack the vacation bags and make sure even the pets are fed.

Because if you don't organize and coordinate and plan, you would lose your sanity. And you won't get to enjoy the really important things, like your child's childhood (the only time that he'd be lovestruck with you and worship the ground you walk on).

Yakee Today

Yakee slipped in the CR when I was momentarily distracted by my sister's chatter while bathing him. Good thing, everything was in slow motion so he was more surprised than hurt.

He also loves the carollers so we're being forced to give them money for entertaining him (supposedly, we'd only be generous on the 24th). I got a little bit inventive and started singing carols to him while beating an ice cream container. He started preferring my carols and got scared of the carollers.

Weird kid.

I also exerted effort for him today, buying him merienda at Chowking and venturing out with him on my own. Unfortunately, that didn't amount much to him, he still refused to be fed by me all day.

Sigh.

I just tell myself that maybe, he really likes the space away from Mum.

A Boy After Mommy's Heart

I need not have worried. And the wait was sure worth it. The Tales of Beedle the Bard was every bit as engaging and delightful as I expected it to be... and I cannot wait to be reading it to my son.

Mommies, Careful, Careful

Most parents I know, a lot of them moms, end up eating their kids' orders and food. Aside from licking what's left of the batter, picking on the morsels from the fudgies, and eating the rejects from the baked macaroons, etc.

That's how Moms end up resorting to the use of weight loss pills like Lipovox or special workouts. We're not careful about the extra we eat just because they're leftovers.

So when heaping portions on your child's plate... make sure it's just a single serving. You can always add more to the plate after. And when attending birthday parties, do not start on your food with your kid. Wait for his leftovers because chances are, it will be enough to fill you as well. You can then take home your share and eat it, not as an extra treat, but as a snack or main meal later. Same goes for ordering food.

If this scheme doesn't save your waist, it should at least save your wallet.

Kids as Nurses

I think, aside from the demand abroad, parents are inclined to egg their kids to take up nursing because they expect their kids to take better care of them when they grow older.

Sounds logical enough, right?

But for whatever reason kids are being sent to take up Nursing, I just hope parents will also take the time to enrol them in proper training institutions. At least I can get my cousin and sister to consider enrolling at St. Xavier's for MS nursing to complement their bachelor degrees gotten here in the Philippines. What's more, St. Xavier offers online courses with a weekend of applied campus experience. It would work perfectly for them as they're still adjusting to life in the US. This way, they'd still be able to compete with the other graduates there as they will be trained according to what the US job market demands of its caregivers.

Divi, A Mom-on-a-Budget's Friend

I've been to Divisoria twice to shop for our nieces, nephews and godchildren's gifts. And because we're strapped for cash right now (what with the one-income setup), I have limited my budget per child to P100 or less for none-godchildren and P200 for godkids.

That way, even if we end up giving these kids money, we'd still not end up overspending on them.

And Divisoria is a haven for moms like me. There are so many toys there (one can get lost in Ading's Toy Store for hours) that one can buy that is sure to deliver giggles of happiness from a child. Loot for loot bags an also be bought cheap there, so yeah, it's also real easy to go overbudget because of all the good, cheap buys.

And really, the crowd is very manageable. Maybe it's because I go on Wednesdays and start in the morning... or maybe the night market also helps.

Would we be House Hunting Next Year?

Sure, the real estate industry in the country isn't as booming or promising, not even as rewarding, as Wilmington NC real estate but it still does offer a lot of options right now. More specifically, more flexible and workable payment options that is.

So a SAHM in her 30s who is heeding her ticking biological clock (like me) can consider investing on a home without having to forego babymaking as well. Pag-Ibig has certainly made it very doable, especially if you're willing to settle on something good as opposed to your ideal home. After all, most of those who do get to purchase their dream homes are in their retirement years already, after years of hard work and vigilant saving, and only really after all the chickens have flown the coop.

So, would we be house hunting next year? Most probably. I'll just insist on three bedrooms at least, no matter how small, so that there'd be a girls' room and boys' room aside from our room. And a yard for Yakee to play in, of course.

Life rewards the brave and the diligent, so am sure we'd do alright.