Nido's Next Music Video Star

For the stage moms out there, Nido is currently looking for its next music video star and your kid could be it. Visit the multiply site and read the mechanics on how/what to submit.

10 Winners will be drawn to win a year's supply of Nido!!! :)

Torn Between Back and Weaning

Unfortunately, I have these weird idiosyncracies... like being unable to sleep if my feet aren't comfortably stretched, or if am between people (or lying between a person and a wall). I feel claustrophobic.

And then there is that fact that breastfeeding my son while lying down keeps me awake, especially on those nights when am not tired enough to fall asleep like that, and he insists that my nipple remain in his mouth.

Sometimes, I really find myself wanting to wean him already. And then I feel guilty for wanting to put my needs and wants first before his overall health and well-being. But i'm just human. And my back starts aching after a day or two, which is why I usually need a massage to get the kinks on my back ironed out, all from the weird sleeping posture.

Sigh.

And it doesn't help when I try computing how much more of this i've got to take if I take into consideration two other kids.

Sigh.

Parenting when Exhausted

When we visited my son's pedia for his MMR shots and to have insect bites checked (they turned out to have gotten infected... tsk!), there was this family who everyone noticed.

The mother and father had three kids, two boys of about five and three and this newborn girl. The boys obviously were still reeling from the addition and were both acting up. Especially the middle child. At one point, this boy even went around trying to grab all the newborns (theirs and other moms'). But all the mother ever did was say the boy's word in a disapproving voice. She never even told her son to apologize to the moms who were getting terrorized.

And since she was munching on gum, her boys asked for one too. And sure enough, the middle child (who was about three) didn't heed their instructions that he shouldn't swallow the gum. But from the way they scolded him after, it seems it's also not the first time the child swallowed a gum.

And when their child started bawling and banging on the clinic's doors, they both tried taking naps. At one point, the father even scolded the yaya for trying to pacify the bawling child.

I know i'm not in their position. Who knows just how exhausted they really are with the newborn. And I actually have a good idea how exhausting post-pregnancy can be, when your hormones plummet and the late nights just get you depressed. Still, I couldn't help but fume a little over their lack of attention to the other kids who are obviously in need of it. The mother could have just as easily handed over the newborn to the yaya since it was just sleeping, and given the middle child (who was going crazy asking for his Mom) some cuddles while they waited for hours for the pediatrician. And the father could have held one of the boys too, instead of giving them mints. They both waited till both boys were growling and crying before they paid attention... and thus, am sure, they have taught their sons that the only way to get their attention is to make a spectacle of themselves in public.

*~*

Another three year old was playing with my son and ended up making him lose his balance. Yakee cried but there were no ill feelings toward the little girl, who was made to sorry, and did it several times. She actually loved making my son laugh and she even sang Twinkle, twinkle Little Star for Yakee (after which, my son will clap, hehe).

Now FDA says to Eat Fish

I suffered flack at a message board for encouraging women to eat more fish during their pregnancy. They cited numerous researches saying that it's bad, because of the risks of mercury exposure.

Well, they all stand corrected as FDA has reversed its stance on limiting fish intake for pregnant women. It seems eating more fish even increases IQ points for the baby.

Heavy Babies

My son weighs 14.5 kilos at one year and three months. I think that's actually pretty average for his age and I am very thankful that he's a healthy weight. We just met a 9-kilogram three month old. Sure, he's cute and all but imagining my son that heavy at that age, when he's very demanding to be held and carried all the time, my hips would probably have given out (or my back!) and i'd probably be needing treatment for Plantar Fasciitis by now.

Then again, that child isn't breastfed while my son is, up till now. So although I have to get my bones checked for signs of calcium depletion (my teeth have gotten worse already), my mind is at peace about my son's health. I doubt he'd have been walking so early and so fast if he were a heavy child.

So I really wish more moms won't silently applaud themselves for having overweight babies.

And yes, I guess I am not-so sbtly implying that obesity begins with moms. Hehe.

Third Baby's Up for Chyler Leigh

She is only 26 but she is already expecting her third child. And since i've only really noticed her in Grey's Anatomy, I was really surprised to know that she's already a Mom, let alone that she's expecting her third child already.

With a body like hers!

But yeah, I know, she's an actress with legions of stylists and gym instructors and dieticians.

Wonder how they're going to spin it for Grey's though.

(image source: Google, story: Babyrazzi)

Twin Trees

You know that thing some people do, mostly grandparents I think, where they plant trees as a sort of twin of a newborn in the family? Some plant Persimmon trees because of the "fruit of the gods" association while others prefer hardy wood trees, all with the hope that both tree and new baby will grow strong, sturdy and bearing fruit (or wood). It's also quite a poetic appeal that both will weather the test of time.

I sort of wanted to do that. I think it would be very nice to point a tree in my parents' yard and tell my son, "That's your twin tree Yakee. You are growing together." And wouldn't it be neat if someday, he'd be gathering the tree's fruits and feeding it to a girlfriend or his own son?

But since I rarely visit my parents' home in Lipa anyway, I figured i'd probably do that in my own backyard instead. I'll make it the house's twin instead.