Baby Cam at 10 Months Old

Baby Cam is 10 months old today and he weighs probably 10 kilos. At 10 months, he is an official crawler, an official grabber of things, an official eater of solid foods, and he can stand with the use of support. He can mumble little bit, but that's just it. He can giggle really loud and will give you the smile that you really need at the end of a tiring day.

Babies are different with each other. I will not rush my little baby to grow up that fast! I will not rush him to read or write! I heard some gifted babies who can read or write at a very early age,but oh, dear, aren't they babies???? Good for them! Do we have to let them grow up soooo fast? As for myself, i want my kids to have really normal childhood. I cannot imagine my kids singing and having a concert at 9 or 10 years old like Michael Jackson, or acting job at 2 or 3 years old. I love my kids to be kids --- to make mess, to play around, to throw things, etc... etc...

Here is my 10 month old baby... He is just doing some hopping around, standing around, and flexing around! Better took picture of his baby-gro... It will be the last day today he will wear it. He's really grown up most of his baby clothes! It is amazing how they grow up sooo fast! Before i know it, they'll be taller than me... But before that happens, i'll gonna spoil them to bits first and give them all my loving, hugs and kisses!

HAPPY 10 MONTHS OLD, BABY CAMERON JOHN!

Manic Monday

Woke up at 6 am today, had a shower.Just right after my shower, my baby boy cried and he's wanting a feed. So, i gave him his milk. Prisco was still sleeping. He slept past 10 lastnight. I got dressed up and before i knew it, Baby Cam was already in my knees. Got to pick him up, brought him downstairs and prepared his breakfast. 7:30 am already and Prisco was going down. He wanted his breakfast. So, while Baby Cam was having a little bite, i went to the freezer and took Prisco's fishfingers out. Yup,fishfingers for breakfast. Preheat the oven and while doing it feeding Baby Cam. Later, time was right to put the fishfingers and waiting for 14minutes until it will be done. So, around that time, got to feed Baby Cam while cuddling Prisco. Timer stroke, fishfingers were now done and i got to serve to Prisco. After Baby Cam was done his breakfast and Prisco taking his, i had my breaky as well. Mine was a Cabdury dark light chocolate drink with croissants--- 4 pieces. (I know it was not very healthy but those were available this morning and i love it!). Before we knew it, the time was already 8:20 and got to prepare my son to school. Not only that, i also got to prepare Baby Cam also because he will meet his playgroup today at public hall also. Around 9am, we're rushing to leave the house and just got ontime for Prisco's school. So, i dropped him and oh, well, took a deep breath upon my way to the public hall which is 5 minutes from Prisco's school. And yup, spent 2 hours in the playgroup. Baby Cam played while i had chitchat with other moms and dads that were there. 11:15 strikes and got to rush again putting Baby Cam on his buggie and fetch Prisco from the Nursery. Picked him just ontime and at 11:45 we were already home. Upon arrival, i fed Baby Cam, Prisco ate his left-over fishfingers while i am cooking my lunch(mung beans with spinach). Hubby called around 12:30, just the right timing for lunch.hehehe. So, anyway, talked to him and told him everything this morning.
Now,it is 2 in the afternon, and i am still thinking --- there are some dishes in the sink, dirty clothes to be loaded in the washing machine, clean clothes to be ironed and arranged, dirty floors to be vacuumed, bed to be made, toilets to be cleaned, trash to be segregated and thrown on the bin, appointments to be made for Baby Cam for his health visitor and Prisco for his dentist, Enrollment/Registration for Prisco for Primary 1 this August, arranging some things, etc.. etc...

Thinking about these things made me sooo manic and panicky....What will i do first? Oh well, Prisco now is watching television, i am typing this entry and Baby Cam is on my toes...I think he needs to be changed now and probably i will put him to sleep...Hopefully, when he'll have a nap,i can do some blog hopping....

For the meantime, i am just humming this Bangles' / Madonna's Manic Monday song. I can't let it out in my head because i am having a manic monday today.....

Six o' clock already, I was just in the middle of a dream
I was kissin' Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream
But I can't be late cause then I guess I just won't get paid
These are the days
When you wish your bed was already made

It's just another manic Monday, I wish it was Sunday
Cause that's my fun day, *I don't have to run day
It's just another manic Monday

Have to catch an early train, got to be to work by nine
And if I had an aeroplane, I still couldn't make it on time
Cause it takes me so long
Just to figure out what I'm gonna wear
Blame it on the train, but the boss is already there

It's just another manic Monday, wish it was Sunday
Cause that's my fun day, *I don't have to run day
It's just another manic Monday

Out of my nights
Why did my lover have to pick last night to get down
Doesn't it matter
That I have to feed the both of us employment's down
He tells me in his bedroom voice
C'mon honey, let's go make some noise
Time it goes so fast when you're having fun

It's just another manic Monday, I wish it was Sunday
Cause that's my fun day, *I don't have to run day
It's just another manic Monday, I wish it was Sunday

Toughness of Teething

For the past days my baby had been having fever and little of diarrhea. I had been panicky but there's no use to it. I went to the doctor two days ago and doc told me that i will just keep giving Baby Cam the legendary Calpol. Oh well, he said everything is fine. Since, Baby cam got colds , fever will likely occur as well. The past nights had just been tough. If the baby got no sleep, so is the mom. Baby Cam is really feeling the discomforts of teething. I know that the feeling of pain in teething usually comes and goes but really this time his pain is tremendous. All i can do is the thought that this pain will soon be done...
Right now he is having a nap but i also know that soon he'll wake up and cry again. He's also being fussy now and refuse food. Oh,dear,dear, i hope his teeth malady will soon be over. Oh, well, my baby, be strong... Ah, i am still worried actually. This teething business is not easy!!!

First Swingperience

We are always proud of our kids' milestones because we feel that we are sole part of it. Their milestones are our milestones and each first experience is always a thrill to us.

A day in the Strathburn park of Inverurie, Aberdeenshire last April 27 is the official day Baby Cam had his first swing experience. At first, he cried, you can see the little tears on his solo pic...but then with that tears accompanied the smiles, being so thrilled with the new and exciting thing.

Here's the little fella...


Mommy is putting baby Cam in her lap after that first swing trial. You can see on his face that he is still eyeing the swing...


So definitely he,ll go back to the swing again and Daddy is with him...


It was a nice day and a nice experience for a nine month old baby!

A Day in the Strathburn Park

The weather here is really getting nicer and my Scottish friend even sent me an email saying..."you must have been bringing the sunshine with you!"... i was laughing because i know that it is just timely that we arrived in a better season of the year and i know also that weather is so unpredictable. So, while the iron is hot... i mean while the weather is warm, we have to visit some parks and be kids again...
Before my husband went offshore, we went to Strathburn Park in Inverurie. Our boys were delighted as you can see with our photos. Not only our kids but us as well. Look at how we become kids again with our kids!
Welcome to the Strathburn Park --- free for everyone--- to all the young ones and the young once!


Our first family photo since we arrived here! (Ah,it is very difficult to ask somebody sometimes, but this time, thanks to the dad who took our pic!).


My boys had fun on this tanker...


Prisco and Scott on the seesaw...


Look at the monkey in here...Hehehehehe!


That's all folks! Tata for now!

Building Babies and Parenting

There is no right time to get pregnant. Once we got married, we anticipated that we will make a family. When we got married last October 2002, we said that we'll gonna have a baby after 2 years. It didn't happen as planned because i got pregnant after 2months! hehehehe. But, anyway, we felt sooo excited and at first, we even planned to have four kids, but really, after considering the costs and the high standard of living, really, we said, "one is enough and two is too much!".
So,anyway, i got pregnant again for the second time last 2006, but that baby was not meant for us. That was a big story in my life... Anyway, that means having a baby is not at all easy. There are lots of struggles, lots of sacrifices(because we sacrifice our lives when we get pregnant!), lots of things to be considered. With faith and strong heart (because it is not good to live in fear), i got pregnant again the third time last year ( 2007) and that's the reason why i stayed in the Philippines for a year --- to give birth to Cameron John.
Now, we are here in Scotland as my husband works international. Scotland is not anymore a Greek to us because we had lived here before right after we got married last 2002.
Anyway, having babies mean buying lots of baby stuffs. It really depends on us how much budget we set for it. In my nuclear family that i grew up,, i am the eldest of eight and we never have the luxury of nursery items i am giving my children now. But really, if we can afford to spoil our kids a little bit, why not? My husband works very hard to provide for me, to provide for my kids(and even my family back home) and they might as well enjoy the fruits of our labor.
Since i am often alone with my kids here in Scotland, nursery items, although optional in parenting, for me, is a must. You know, there are no other hands here to carry my baby when it is time for me to eat, so a high-chair is a must.
I can eat and so does my kids, all of us in one table(that is if daddy is not at home. And yes, he is not always at home!).

And what if i need a shower? Which is never optional in my life! hehehehe. Because it is a must. So, an entertainer like this one is needed.

I sometimes put this one in the bathroom, and as i am having my shower, i am looking at my playful baby. Prisco is always watching his baby brother. But really he is just too young to be trusted!

So, with these items, i can blog a little bit! hehehehe! Oh, well, parenting is never easy. It is a job that you can not make a resignation letter! It is stressful, challenging, but it is also entertaining and rewarding. After-all, babies grow up so fast!

Car Seat : A Must

When i delivered all my boys, during the journey from the hospital to home, i put them straight away to their car seats --- that's their first seats. It is a must! As parents, it is our ardent responsibility to ensure children's safety while travelling. Using a car seat and booster seats for our older kids is the best protection we can give to our children whilst travelling.
You think that the most expensive car seats or most expensive booster seats are the best? Nope, they are not. The best ones are the ones that best fit our children's weights, sizes, and ages, as well as our vehicle. So, trying the car seat or booster seat before buying them is the best thing to do. That's what we do and look at how Baby Cameron is enjoying the car ride with his new car seat. Cool! He's so comfortable with his head and his whole body being protected. And that's very important.

Having a Baby is Expensive --- Part II

Here in United Kingdom and in many affluent countries, people don't want lots of kids, some can't even afford to have one. And for those who really want will consider their budget very well (unlike in the Philippines where many just get pregnant without realizing the consequences!).
The cost of baby cots, baby prams, car seats, high chairs, nursery items, baby slings, baby clothes, baby toys, baby foods, baby nappies, not to mention the high cost of childminders, are horrendously increasing. If i will convert what i had bought here into pesos just for baby stuffs, i probably would have lots of Louis Vuitton bags now. hehehe. But really, what the heck!
In a place where your mothers, aunties and sisters are far, you just need many things to make your baby occupied. Back home it is very easy to hire a "yaya" or baby sitter and it is very cheap. But, here, no way, if i'll get a baby sitter we'll gonna be bankrupt after one month! So, anyway, my husband told me, we'll get anything that will atleast help me with the baby---things that can occupy Baby Cam for a while to give me a break also.
This one surely occupies his time...


Prisco is enjoying our shopping in Mothercare World.


A very good baby cot is a must. We have this Winnie-the-Pooh bed.


Now, we really don't care how much we spent. We need these stuffs. Now, having a baby might be expensive but the experience of being parents is priceless.

Mothercare World

You can find Mothercare World worldwide. Their products can be found everywhere because of good quality. Mothercare is part of a chain of shops selling children's clothes and nursery accessories as well as a wide range of maternity wear.
This is where i bought most of my baby stuffs and many of my stuffs when i was still pregnant. Some of my old stuffs are even being handed down to my relatives back home and they are still very good. From maternity tights, maternity clothes to baby bottles, to baby pram, baby cot and some nursery items, Mothercare is the best place to be and i love shopping there. I think the best reason i can give is that the products are the best quality and you can just see a wide variety to choose from. You get the best value of your money. Though, honestly, i would say the prices are really high. But if you prefer quality than quantity, this is the best place to go. My baby pram which i had with my first born i bought many years ago is still good and dandy and now still being enjoyed by Baby Cam. Neat, isn't it?

Here are some photos inside MotherCare World here in Aberdeen, Scotland...

Having a Baby is Expensive---Part I

Recently, We went to Mothercare World to get some stuff for Baby Cam. I would tell you the prices of baby stuffs are surging soooo high! Look at this baby pram, if you gonna convert the 513.99 pounds into pesos it will be more than 42,000 pesos. My husband said, you can get an old car in the garage for this price!hehehe! The baby pram i got from Mothercare 4.6 years ago was more than 200 pounds and it is still okay for now, so, i don't wanna buy a new one. The most important for us now will be the car seat for Baby Cam and his high chair.

But i love shopping at Mothercare World. I will tell you why next time...

Baby and Business Class

Flying more than 30 hours in an economy class sometimes puts pressure on my husband,so from time to time(even for short flights sometimes) we do fly business class. Oh,well the premium service is just excellent! Flying business class is luxurious but look at the comfort of Prisco sleeping like that! It does compensate for the bulk of money we paid. But that's not my point...
Anyway,in flying business we expect that people choosing this option wants the best quality airline service---tranquil environment with no unnecessary noise as much as possible. So,anyway,here we go,arriving in our business seats with Baby Prisco. With a Baby? You can just see the gaze of the other business class passengers. They don't wanna talk to us in all the duration of the flight as if we have some sort of an illness! I am just praying silently and would see to it that Baby Prisco will sleep tightly and comfortably. Thank goodness that he was very cooperative when he was a baby! And here we go,we landed, and wow...now the business class passengers were talking to us saying,"What a good baby he is! Isn't he adorable?" I know...i know...It had been wonderful flights i guess because my Baby Prisco had been very quiet all along. And this i could not guarantee now with my new baby Cameron. I can see he is very different especially that he's now teething. He experienced flying locally like 6 times to and fro Davao-Manila and guess what? Half of that journey he's crying! So, in his first international flight(on the 10th of April) we'll not be flying first class. I guarantee you people in the economy class are more baby-friendly! And i will have this more relaxing feeling even if Baby Cam will cry half of our journey!

Kids' Easter Party at NCCC

I have no idea there is this Kids' Easter Affair at NCCC Mall not until i do my grocery shopping at their supermarket . Guess,sometimes we're just at the right place at the right time. Prisco and my youngest sister,Pearlysoul are very excited. Baby Cam doesn't know it yet,but he's "in" for a good time! Miss Bunny Rabbit is the gracious host of the party.
All the kids and the mommies are having fun(uhmmm,times like these made me think how i wish i will be a kid again! I never had this experience when i was small! But i guess,i am reborn through my kids!). Anyway, the whole afternoon of fun consists of the following: Magic Show,Balloon Twisting, Parlor Games, and Mascot Parade.

Prisco is very focused with his task. Coloring is very good for his motor skills. He even colored 3 bunny rabbits! Not bad for a 4 year old!

Look at this photo. Had you noticed what happen to the egg Prisco is holding? He ate the half already! Seems obvious...look at the table!

Easter is associated with eggs and rabbits and sweeties for the kids. And look at how Baby Cam is making a mess(Prisco don't appreciate this!). Guess he also likes to eat the egg!

My sister Pearlysoul won the coloring contest. Prisco is very proud to be a participant eventhough he didn't win. Do you think he'll win if they also have toddler's category? Look how big the other participants are! I think he's the smallest!

And here are the 3 bunny rabbits Prisco had colored. We have fun! And Baby Cam? He slept half of the program!

Parentless Parenting

With me in the photo is Ate Mary & she has been an Overseas Filipino Worker(OFW) probably almost 20 years or more. She does look younger than her age which was 55 last 2006. I met her during our 3.5 years of stay in Malaysia. She got 3 grown-up children who grew up without her. Her husband had been unfaithful to her & thus her kids had been cared for by her siblings. The last time i spoke with her she told me that she had a problem with her youngest daughter who got pregnant & thus had stop schooling. Hence,Ate Mary got desperate because her efforts abroad seemed worthless.

The other photo with me is Ate Judith,in her 40's. I met her in Sabah & she had been working to & fro Brunei & Labuan. Like Ate Mary, she's also separated from her unfaithful husband. They got 2 kids who are being taken cared for by Ate Judith's mother back home in Zamboanga.

How many of our countrymen are going overseas to work & find the so-called greener pastures? How many families had been broken because of the thousand miles that can't be coped up or can't be strengthened with even the latest technology? Is the money worth than the time we hadn't spent with our kids whom we hadn't witnessed some of their milestones in younger life? On the other hand, what shall we spent if we stay in our country being overworked & underpaid?

Yes,family bond may be threathened but the growing pressure to provide for a family is the main reason why there are OFWs. Skyrocketing prices---from tuition fees & groceries to housing & utilities---have put too much strain on breadwinners.

It had beeen pointed out in a paper read at the Filipino Migrant Conference in Athens,Greece last 1997 that among the children of migrant wokers,incidents of drug abuse,deliquency,early pregnancies or marriages, & child abuse are increasing. Children also manifest strong materialistic values & they become overly dependent on money & gifts from overseas.All these point to a weaker thread in the fiber holding the OFW together.

This is a great challenge of every OFW family: making the family intact despite the distance. COMMITMENT is very,very important. Nowadays,one way of strengthening the family bond is through the use of technology---webcams,e-mails & cellphones.Making use of these modern gadgets may somehow alleviate the boredom & the desperation of being afar.

Working abroad is really a matter of choice. It really depends on each family how will they work out to build a strong home.After-all family is a basic institution that determines the strength of a nation.At the end of the day,it is the family that we look forward in coming home.