Breakfast with Tiffany: dawn

Showing posts with label dawn. Show all posts

Losing Tyler

>> Friday, December 9, 2016 – baby, dawn, newborn, pregnancy, reflection, troy, tyler

It was a Saturday morning, exactly 10 years ago, when I picked up that dreadful phone call.

For those of you whom my husband and I have only met recently, you may not know that we once had a baby boy named Tyler. We lost him when he was only two months old due to a congenital problem that affected his heart and brain development.

To say that the months following Tyler's death was difficult would be an understatement. He was our first child, the first nephew of my sisters, and the first grandchild of my parents. While losing Tyler meant grieving the loss of our son, to me it also meant losing my chance to finally call myself a mother.

Immediately after losing Tyler, we went to see the doctor to check if I was healthy enough for another pregnancy. After some tests, we were told that it may be difficult for me to conceive naturally due to my polycystic ovaries. But I knew that my God is greater than any medical limitation. So we trusted in Him and waited for his perfect time.

Throughout the months after God took Tyler home, I found solace in God’s word. I read it like I’ve never read the Bible before. I was reminded of verses that I have read over and over as a child. They suddenly became anchors for me to be still at a time when my heart felt very confused. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future” – this verse was not new to me but it was a promise that I held on and claimed repeatedly as I prayed to the Lord.

I decided to surround myself with God's word.

Literally!

I would write down countless verses that spoke to me on yellow post-it notes and stick them on the wall above our bed. Verses such as Philippians 4:6-7 which reminds me not to be anxious about anything. But by prayer with thanksgiving, I just had to present my requests that God. And He promised to give me peace that transcends all understanding. I would read each of them before I slept and then again as soon as I woke up. They were a constant reminder that regardless of the season we were in, our Savior is a good good father.

God’s word powered me through life and his promises unfolded one by one. On that beautiful morning in March of 2008, I once again held a tiny baby boy in my arms. This time, a very healthy and normal baby. We named him Troy. The Lord fulfilled Jeremiah 29:11 that day. I saw hope and the beautiful future he had planned out for us in the eyes of our child.

And contrary to expectations, I was not afraid all throughout the pregnancy. It was supernatural how I was not anxious. It was supernatural how I was not worried that our baby would have the same condition as Tyler. I was overjoyed with His blessing. And I was at peace. It was the kind of peace described through Philippians 4:7. It indeed transcended all understanding. Again, another promise unfolded.

God's word is always true. He may not have healed Tyler physically, but He healed our hearts. I have shared this before and I want to share it again. My mom would constantly remind me of God's promise through Psalm 30:5 after Tyler's passing. "Weeping may last for a night, but His joy comes in the morning". And indeed, another joy came to us one early morning in 2011. We named her Dawn.

It has been almost 10 years since I was told that motherhood seemed loss for me. But God’s promises prevailed. Every morning I wake up and I see two little miracles sleeping beside me. They will always be a reminder of how much God loves me. They are a testament of God’s power and love. His word is always true. His promises will always be fulfilled.

Whatever season you are in right now, I encourage you to go to His word. Find the peace that only He can give. Claim His promises. And watch your beautiful future unfold.

The Fun Thing About Swimming

>> Friday, August 19, 2016 – dawn, family activity, kids, quality time, swimming, troy

One Sunday in August, we brought the kids out for a swim somewhere down south. Since I do not like to bother myself with having to shower all over again, I decided early on that I would not swim. Dens brought his swim gear just in case but was also pretty much undecided. The kids, of course, were ready with their suits and pool paraphernalia.

When we got to the pool, the kids changed and asked why Dens and I were not changing. I told them I did not bring my swimsuit anymore since I was not really planning to swim. Dens, on the other hand, said he will just rest for a while.

So I brought the kids to the pool. I sat and watched the two of them swim and play with their pool toys. They looked like they were enjoying themselves the whole time. After about twenty minutes, my 8-year old son came up and asked me to check on their dad.

Troy: "Mom, can you see if Papa is already done resting?"

Mom: "I think he's not planning to swim anymore. Maybe he just wants to rest."

Troy: "But I really want papa to swim with us"

Mom: "It's okay, Troy. You and Dawn are having fun naman"

Troy: "We were just playing our toys so that we won't get bored while waiting for Papa. The fun thing about swimming is being with you, Papa and Dawnie."

My heart broke a little when I heard that. I almost wanted to jump in the pool in my sundress. Needless to say, Dens immediately joined them in the pool.

I realized then that being around them does not necessarily mean spending time with them. We need to engage with them and do things that they love.

Since then, my husband and I have intentionally spent more "active" time with the kids. Dens has learned to dress up a Barbie doll and I am still trying my very best to learn how Minecraft works.

Being a parent involves a lot of intentional hard work. We must not allow the time to pass and then realize one day that our kids have grown up too fast. Let's make sure we engage with our kids and not just 'be present' for them. Just being in the same room with the kids does not count. Learn what your children love and do those things with them. It's time to pick up the [Lego] pieces and build memories with them. Yep, pun intended.

Thank God in Faith

>> Tuesday, March 15, 2016 – bible, bible study, dawn, faith, family, family activity, God, jesus, verse

Two years ago, Dens and I have decided that since we're spending a lot of time studying the Bible with our friends, why not schedule a weekly Bible study with our kids too. (Check out this old post about our Bible study routine here). We are not so rigid with our routine and usually forego the opening prayer and just do a closing prayer before we sleep. But what we try to always incorporate is our thanksgiving time.

During our recent Bible studies, I have seen some improvement in how the kids share their praises. Up until last year, it was almost always 'I thank God for my family' or 'I thank God for papa/mommy' which are not bad things to thank God for, but they were very general praises. We have been encouraging them to be more specific with their thanksgiving by also being specific with ours. For example I would say 'I thank God I was able to spend time watching Peppa Pig with Troy this morning on our way to school. I super enjoyed laughing so hard together on the funny parts'. And these days they would also share more specific things like 'I thank God I was able to score a goal during soccer practice today' or 'I thank God I was able to eat ice cream with sprinkles yesterday.

Last Wednesday, during our Bible study, Dens shared how happy he was that he was able to have a half-day date with Dawn that day. They went to the grocery together, ate ice cream, and checked out some new cars in a showroom. Then during Dawn's time to share, she said "I thank God for my super fun date with papa and I also thank God for the super fun date I will have with mommy" When I heard this, I reiterated my promise to schedule a date with her and we started talking about what we wanted to do on our date. But more importantly, I realized how Dawn thanked the Lord for something that has yet to happen.

Isn't that what faith is all about? Trusting the Lord means thanking God in faith for things that have yet to happen. So long as we are praying in line with God's promises in the Bible, then we can already thank God in advance. God never breaks his promises and we can rest in the assurance that when He says He has a great plan for our life, He really does! When He asks us to trust Him, it means that we can REALLY trust Him. He will not fail us.

Matthew 18:3 says "And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." The truth is, we almost always overthink God's promises. Logic tells us that miracles are impossible in this day and age, but God says BELIEVE. How about we try having childlike faith instead and see where that faith brings us? I challenge you to study God's word and claim His promises. Then thank Him in faith for the wonderful future that He has in store for you.

Mustela Did it Again!

>> Tuesday, August 25, 2015 – brand, cleaners, creams, dawn, lotion, mustela, products, review, soap, troy

I have been a fan of Mustela since 2011. I first heard about the brand when my good friend Tammy Tancinco told me about a product they were bringing to the Philipines while I was still pregnant with Dawn. I don't remember being that excited about the product at that time. You see, I have not yet experienced the magic of Mustela then. It was just another baby brand to me.

Fast forward to 2015 and I am now a big believer. It has helped Dawn with her eczema-prone skin (read about it here) and I am happy to report that Dawn has been eczema-free since then. We have already moved from the Stelatopia line, which is best for eczema, to the regular Mustela Bebe line when Dawn turned one. Last month, we were re-introduced to our much loved Stelatopia. Let me tell you why.

After our recent trip to Hawaii, Troy has been complaining that his skin has been very itchy. I figured that this was due to severe dry skin. Aside from being under the sun for long periods of time during our trip, Troy also loves taking showers multiple times a day. He takes after his father and cannot sleep without taking a bath. He showers at least twice on a regular day. While it's nice that he's always clean, it has taken a toll on his skin. We've tried regular lotions but none worked for him. Then I remembered Stelatopia. And that was how Stelatopia was re-introduced to our family. I am happy to report that Troy has been itch-free immediately a day after showering with the Stelatopia Cleansing Cream. He has also been using the Emollient Cream as his lotion on a daily basis. Yes, Mustela, you did it again!

Our family has been a fan of Mustela ever since. You can read about our experiences in previous posts here, here and here .

Note: I have noticed that I have written so many posts on Mustela through the years. Please note that these are not sponsored posts nor am I a paid endorser. I just really love how effective the products are and want to share the same with all of you!

My Daughter's New Best Friend

>> Monday, May 11, 2015 – bible, bible study, church, dawn, family, family activity, kids, salvation, sunday school, vacation bible school, vbs

So last Sunday we concluded our week-long Vacation Bible School (VBS) in church. I have been volunteering as a Bible and Dance teacher since I was in college. Teaching kids everyday is not an easy job, I tell you. I have so much respect for teachers who love what they are doing and give their all for the children.

Last Thursday evening, I was talking with my 7-year old son about his best friends when my 4-year old daughter suddenly mentioned, out of the blue, that she also has a best friend. When I asked who, i was pleasantly surprised to hear her say "God". She went on to say "Because I asked God to come inside my heart and my tummy already so that He can be my best friend". I don't know where the 'tummy' part came from but I embraced her and told her I am very happy for her. I wasn't certain if it was a wish or if she prayed it already so I decided to pray with her anyway. Similar to when Troy received the Lord into his heart, I prayed the same prayer with Dawn. Looks like four is the magic number for my children.

I shared the story with Dens as soon as he got home. Then Dens told me that they actually talked about it in the classroom during one of the nights of VBS (Dens was also a volunteer teacher in church). I thought back about the many times I wasn't sure if being a Bible/Sunday School teacher truly had any impact on the kids and realized the amazing things God can do out of our service and obedience for Him.

So to all teachers (volunteer or by profession), never give up your passion for teaching. Our children are who they are now because of all your patience and hard work.

To my daughter's bible teachers, thank you for sharing the gospel to her. You may not have realized it then, but you have given my daughter the best gift she will ever receive in her life.

Falling In Love

>> Friday, November 7, 2014 – dawn, family, love, love language, parenting, reflection, troy

"I am so in love with my daughter!" he said with wonder in his eyes. "And i'm not saying i love her, Tiff. I'm saying i am IN LOVE with her!"

This was about 9 years ago. A year before i became a mom. I vividly remember how we were walking along the streets of Makati when he said this to me out of the blue. Just to give you a better picture, this is my Singaporean friend. He is a 30 something fitness buff who is an expert in calculating financial risks. Imagine a guy who soars in the financial world exclaiming how 'in love' he is with his then 6-year old daughter in the middle of nowhere. I remember looking at him and wondering what exactly he's saying. How different is it to love your child and be 'in love' with her? I remember telling him 'Maybe i'll understand you better when i become a mom'. Later that year, i became pregnant.

My kids are now 6 and 3 (if you're doing the math and wondering where the 2 years went since i got pregnant 9 years ago, you need to read THIS). Every night before we sleep, i would look at my two children and my heart will swell with so much love. So much love that i can physically feel it. Do you remember that feeling? The kind of love that gives you butterflies in the stomach. The kind of love that makes you smile on a stressful day. The kind of love that makes you want rush home and spend each precious hour with them. The kind of love that keeps you up late at night imagining what your future holds. Isn't that how it feels each time we fall in love?

The thought uttered 9 years ago that sounded so foreign to me, resonates with my heart now. Yes, i am so in love with my children. Now i understand how loving your children and being in-love with them sounds like the same thing but feels completely different. The journey of parenthood introduces us to these totally unexpected emotions and continues to reveal new sides of ourselves that we have not known before.

Today i am putting this thought out there so that when my kids are old enough to surf through the net, they will know. That even on my really bad days, i only have to think of them and joy fills my heart. And I am in love all over again.

What's Your Bedtime Routine?

>> Wednesday, May 14, 2014 – bible, bible study, books, church, dawn, discipline, family, family activity, homegrown, story, troy

My husband, Dennis, and i are very active in our church. We host 2 bible studies every other week at home and attend prayer meetings every Wednesday. There are some nights when the 2 bible studies will happen on the same week which will leave us only 4 out of 7 nights with the kids minus ad hoc dinner with friends and 1 date night.

Every day when i get home from work, my kids will always ask me 'Mom, do you and papa have bible study tonight?' This is usually followed by sad "awwww's" when we say Yes or happy "yaaaay's" when we say No. This made me rethink the impression we are building on our kids about time with God. I realized that as much as we are modeling good Christian habits to them, "Bible Studies" have now become the enemy that is taking their parents' time away from them.

At the start of this year, Dens and i decided that the best way for them to appreciate Bible Studies is to have one themselves. And since we firmly believe that we should never depend on others to build good values on our children, we decided to host our 3rd Bible Study at home. This time, with our children.

My Son turned 6 just a couple of months ago and my daughter is only 3. I wondered how we can make Bible Studies fun and interesting for them. So we started with this simple format:

Opening Prayer

(we rotate on who will do the opening prayer)

Glad & Sad Time

(talking about things that made you happy and sad today)

Bible Story

(Dens is always the one telling the story but Troy has recently taken on the responsibility on some nights)

Closing Prayer

(we sit around and each person gets to pray)

The kids loved it so much that we have now made our supposedly weekly bible studies into an almost nightly ritual. We do Bible studies with them every night before going to bed. Sometimes we do 'Guessing Game' instead of Glad & Sad where we guess each person's favorites. I found it to also be a fun way of getting to know our children more (and vice versa). We have now even incorporated film showing where we watch a 5 to 10-minute video of the Bible story that we learned that night. I usually just search for the cartoon on YouTube and we'd watch it together before praying. Having this bedtime routine has been very rewarding for our family. When i get home these days, my kids have changed their question to 'Can we have Bible study tonight?'

Consciously striking a good balance of our time between church and the kids has effectively given them a fun concept of learning the Bible. I may sometimes need to rearrange our schedule to avoid having too many church events in a week. And i know that's all right. After all, our children's spiritual growth is our ministry too.

The Day I Became a Person and a Half

>> Monday, February 3, 2014 – bonding, breastfeeding, dawn, discipline, family, family activity, parenting, pregnancy, reflection, shopping, travelling with a baby

It was around six in the morning when the nurses came and wheeled me to the operating room. After waiting for over 38 weeks, I was very excited to meet my little girl...and, quite frankly, also looking forward to relieving myself from the weight that has been causing me sleepless nights and lower back pains. After a little over an hour, our beautiful baby girl was born. 72 hours later, i felt pregnant again.

Being our second baby (technically 3rd but that's another story), we felt like seasoned parents. We knew how to fix our breastfeeding schedule and prepare ourselves for the midnight shifts. But my daughter was different from her brother somehow. She was so attached to me (and no one else) like a stick to a glue. When she cries in the middle of the night, she only wanted me to carry her. When i let her co-sleep with us on the bed, she'd prefer to sleep on my tummy instead. When we're out, she'd cuddle inside the sling 99% of the time. It was, in a way, easier for me since she was quick to pacify. The only problem was, the only effective pacifier was me.

Almost three years later, nothing has changed. Last December we had a 2-week vacation abroad and my daughter only wanted me to give her a bath, feed her, brush her teeth, carry her [sling or no sling], and even push her stroller. That's right, push her stroller! She'll check the back every now and then to make sure no one else has 'taken over' the stroller. I must admit feeling so loved and needed by your child is awesome in a lot of ways. But during those times when i just wanted to rest, it can get pretty stressful and literally back-breaking. Like i said, with the sleepless nights and backaches, it didn't feel too different from being pregnant.

I remember trying to shop in H&M with Dawn. I didn't want to let her walk around (and have to run after her) so i carried her most of the time. There was an ongoing sale so the crowd was tight and the lines were long. It was challenging to say the least. So one afternoon, Dens decided i needed a break. He took Dawn from me - amidst the tears and all (Dawn, not me) - so that i can go shopping for an hour with my sister. We excitedly ran to the nearest H&M to continue our shopping - leisurely this time. When i got there, the excitement started to fade away. I saw the clothes that i tried on when Dawn was with me and remembered how excited she looked when she said 'Mom, you look like a princess!' Then i saw the little hair accessories that Dawn diligently collected the first time we were there. She said some of those were for her and some were for me. Suddenly, my afternoon of leisure shopping wasn't as fun as i thought. It truly felt like giving birth. Once the baby is out, you somehow feel like a part of you is now missing.

This made me realize to enjoy the present. Being a mom will surely limit my shopping habits once in a while. I may not be able to shop to my heart's content in factory outlets anymore. I may need to say goodbye to a restful 8-hour sleep until they're all grown up. I may not always get to enjoy my meals as I make sure the little toddler is eating enough. But that's all right. The perks of being a mom far outweighs the challenges. The smiles you get each time you open your eyes in the morning. The embraces at night before you sleep. And the 'i love you's' that they so sincerely say.

I wonder how long my daughter will be this attached to me. But i will stop analyzing how to 'detach' her anymore. I will embrace this moment for as long as i can. Because not too long from now, she will have her own life...her own schedule...and she may not need me as much as she does now. And i will look back to this day with fondness and a deep sense of longing. Hoping that time did not have to move so fast.

The First Time I Met My Children

>> Wednesday, November 13, 2013 – baby, baby dry skin, breastfeeding, c-section, dawn, new baby, new beginnings, newborn, reflection, troy, tyler

Do you still remember the first time you met your children? I do. It was very different for all three of them. I'd like to share my story with you.

I still vividly remember the first time I was about to meet Tyler. I was filled with anxieties since i was already told that he had paralysis on the left side of his face. Fears of not being able to accept his deficiencies troubled me as i slowly entered the NICU. The moment i laid my eyes on him, i thought to myself "He's perfect". I felt that he was the most beautiful baby i have ever seen. After that initial impression, thoughts of his condition started to sink in. And i broke down in that NICU. It was the day we were checking out of the hospital. I cried all the way home wondering how many days his crib will remain empty. I knew nothing then of what lied ahead of us in the coming months.

My pregnancy with Troy was the most joyful one. I had very little morning sickness and i was happy most of the time. We prayed for a little boy. More than the blue-decorated nursery in our house, I knew that since we lost Tyler, there is that longing in my heart to be a mother to a healthy baby boy. God saw my heart and answered our prayers. I felt very connected with Troy during my pregnancy. I would talk to him and read stories to him. I already 'knew' him even before he was born. Then March 7 came and i gave birth to Troy. Dens wheeled me to the nursery, 24 hours post surgery, to breastfeed Troy. I was about to meet him for the first time (save for those few glimpses that i had in the operating room). I excitedly waited in the breastfeeding room for him. It felt like meeting Dens again for the first time after over a month of talking daily over the phone (but that's another story). I wondered how he looked like and how he would react to me. Then the nurse came in with Troy. He was bundled in a light blue blanket and was handed over to me. I carried him and looked at him. My first thought was 'Oh wow, he's so beautiful.' I also remember thinking how he amazingly looks so much like Tyler. I kept looking at him and cannot seem to fathom that this perfect little baby that i am carrying is my own. Then i started to struggle with the concept of motherhood. What was i supposed to say to him now? What do i do with him? It was a concept i cannot seem to immediately grasp. I felt disconnected somehow. It did truly feel like the first time i met Dens in person. There was a brief moment of awkwardness even though we were already so close over the phone. But just like that, the awkward feeling immediately went away. Tears started to form as i continued to look at this baby who also stared back at me. He is so healthy. He is my child. I held him tighter and i felt my heart swell with so much love and pride. I was filled with gratitude for this gift of life. I was officially a mom again.

Dawn came three years later. During my pregnancy, I often felt tired and i hardly had the chance to read stories to Dawn. I was also busy doing my online shopping for girls' clothes and conducting surveys for girls' names more than anything. I was just excited to have a girl added to our small family. The day after I gave birth to Dawn was the first time I was to meet her in person. I found myself waiting excitedly in that same breastfeeding room once again. I looked around the room and saw the familiar breastfeeding pumps and storage bags. They did not feel foreign anymore. I felt more at ease. Then the nurse came in with this tiny baby wrapped in a baby pink blanket. And it felt different the this time. Even though i did not feel any connection during pregnancy, i somehow immediately felt drawn to her the moment i laid my eyes on her. One look at her and i knew she was my child. My first thought was "She's so pretty!" I couldn't believe a baby can already look gender-specific. She truly looked like a girl. I looked at her and i felt complete. She was another answer to my prayers. Another prophecy fulfilled. I was just amazed.

Meeting our children for the first time can come in different forms. Some of you may feel that instant connection like i did with Dawn, while others may also struggle with the idea of mothering a child like i did with Troy. Regardless of how your first meeting will become, one thing is certain. It will all lead to this feeling of pure and unconditional love. A love so fierce that overwhelms you. And from that moment on, you will stay in love forever.

Our Experience with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD)

>> Monday, July 22, 2013 – advocacy, dawn, hand foot mouth disease, HFMD, sickness, troy

I am writing this post to spread the word about the recent epidemic of the Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD).

The thing with this viral illness is that most people do not even know they have it and continue to expose themselves to others. This causes a silent outbreak and spread of the virus. Though this disease is more common in infants and children, it is also possible for adults to acquire it.

photo from Wikipedia

A few weeks ago, my 2-year old daughter developed a fever that ran for two days. On the 2nd day of her fever, i noticed that she started to develop some red rash around her mouth. I initially thought this was just some sort of allergy. I suspected that maybe her mouth was not wiped clean after her meals which could have caused the rash. I later on noticed that the rash looked like chicken pox sores. It sort of had blisters and she kept on scratching them so i knew they were a little bit itchy. She also started complaining of 'ouchy' inside her mouth on the same day. When i checked, i saw that she had one sore on her palate. This caused her to cry each time she was fed solid food.

On the 3rd day, she did not have fever anymore and was pretty active the entire day. The mouth sores were still there but it was not affecting her anymore. The only remarkable thing was that she would become very restless at night. She kept on waking up asking for water or milk and would cry each time she drank.

I then remembered that a couple of my friends mentioned their kids having Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease

Dawn's hand

(HFMD) last year. They said it was like chicken pox but isolated on the hands, feet, and mouth. They also mentioned about the kids getting fever for a short time prior to the rash. I checked Dawn's hands and feet as soon as i suspected HFMD. And true enough, she had one red spot on her right hand.

I looked it up on the internet and found that HFMD is indeed very common and also very contagious. Incubation was said to be around 3-5 days from the time of exposure. Since i didn't know what Dawn had at the time of her fever, my entire family had already been exposed to her for a few days.

On the 4th day, my 5-year old son developed a fever. He then complained of sore throat and would also wake up crying in the middle of the night. He didn't have sores around his mouth nor spots on his hand and feet. It was just severe sore throat and high fever that lasted for 2 days.

photo from Wikipedia

On the 5th day, my daughter's mouth sores dried up. My son said his throat felt a lot better and both of them didn't have fever anymore. The thing is, since i was the one taking care of both of them, i lacked sleep and my immune system was down. They say that HFMD usually only affects children but adults with weakened immune systems can also get infected easily. So, when my children started to get better, i started to feel worse. I developed high fever and severe sore throat. I couldn't eat anything except soup and porridge. I tried taking in some cereals but it only hurt my throat even more. Later that day, i noticed sores on both my feet. I could hardly walk without experiencing pain. It felt like hundreds of pins and needles were on my feet. There were also little red spots on my hands and they felt very sensitive each time i try to close them to a fist. My fever only lasted a day but the sore throat and pain on my hands and feet lasted for about 5 days.

When i spoke with our pediatrician about this, she said that there is really an outbreak of HFMD now. I can imagine why it would be an outbreak because (1) there is no vaccine for this virus yet, and (2) people are unaware of this disease. Sometimes we think it's the usual sore throat or rash and we continue to go on with our daily lives. Little do we know, we are already exposing other people to the virus. It is important to note that even if it's called Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, the rash or pain does not always happen on all 3 areas. It can be isolated to just one area like in the case of my son who only had sore throat, or 2 areas like my daughter who only had mouth sores and rash on her hand.

Here are some things that i learned from our experience:

1. Ice is a soother! When the kids were crying from sores in the mouth or throat, i gave them ice. That relieved them of the pain somehow. I also made a lot of ice candies for them so that it's more fun to eat. This also helps to keep them hydrated since my children found it painful to drink drink water on the first two days. Dens bought them jelly-ace for their snacks since they couldn't swallow biscuits or other hard snacks.

2. Rest is gold. Let them sleep as often as they can even during the day. We encouraged our 2 kids to keep sleeping and i feel that it has contributed to their faster recovery.

3. Isolate right away when you suspect HFMD. It's so hard when everyone in the family gets infected. Believe me! The advice on how long to isolate varies (you can read all the resource links below). For me, the safest route is to wait until all blisters have dried before exposing yourself.

4. Frequent handwashing is your safest defense. This holds true for both the infected person to avoid further spread and those who are not infected to avoid contamination.

5. Soak the sores in Bayabas water. Bayabas or Guava leaves are often used as an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergy, and antimicrobial herbal medicine. I don't often buy into these Filipino herbal cures but i was desperate enough to try it out. I asked our driver to go to Quiapo to buy some leaves since we didn't have access to any Guava tree. We boiled the leaves and soaked our infected hands and feet for a good 30 minutes. I was amazed. The sores were instantly better just after the first soaking. I did this again before going to sleep and twice a day for about 3 days after that. You can boil the same set of leaves twice and just discard after that.

Help educate others to avoid further spread. My husband kept saying 'Don't keep on calling it Hand, Foot, and Mouth like it's an animal's disease! I understand where he is coming from because i had the same reaction the first time i heard about it. HFMD is often confused with foot-and-mouth disease which is a disease of cattle, sheep, and swine. These 2 are totally of different viruses and are not related at all. Humans don't get the animal disease and vise versa. So don't be ashamed to call it what it is. It's not an animal disease after all.

You can learn more about it in the following resource links:

Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand,_foot_and_mouth_disease

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/about/index.html

Children WebMD - http://children.webmd.com/guide/hand-foot-and-mouth-disease-topic-overview

Patient.co.Uk - http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Hand-Foot-and-Mouth-Disease.htm

Please spread the word and not the virus!

NOTE: updates on our HFMD experience posted on http://densandfan.blogspot.in/2013/07/our-experience-with-hand-foot-and-mouth.html

I Want to be a Supermodel!

>> Monday, June 17, 2013 – dawn, discipline, parenting, reflection, troy

I became a model in 2008...

...the moment I gave birth to Troy. I am not talking about the ramp or commercial kind, but the kind that all moms aspire to be the best at.

Before every bedtime, Dens and i would pray together with the kids. Troy would always pray first, followed by Dens and me. I would always pray that Troy would grow up to be a good boy and that God would help Dens and me become good parents to our children.

Last Saturday, while Dens and i were getting ready to sleep, Troy and Dawn were still busy tinkering and playing with our things in the bedroom. Dawn wanted to get something from our night table but Troy was blocking her way. Then Dawn said 'Ahia, go away'. I don't think she meant to be rude. At 2 years old, she is still learning to choose her words wisely. But then again, we still needed to correct her. I immediately called her attention and asked her to say 'excuse me' next time instead of 'go away'. After that, Troy asked me if he can also talk to Dawn himself. I said yes. He brought Dawn to sit with him behind Dawn's crib (just as i would bring him to an isolated place when i needed to scold him) and talked to her.

I could hardly see them through the wooden bars of the crib but i can hear their conversation clearly.

Troy: "Dawn, next time don't say 'go away' to Ahia, okay?"
Dawn: "Okay"
Troy: "That's not so nice eh. Do you want Ahia to get angry?"
Dawn: "No"
Troy: "Next time, just say excuse me na lang.
Dawn: "Okay"
Troy: "What should you say to Ahia?"
Dawn: "Sorry, Ahia"

Dawn goes over and embraces Troy. Troy immediately kissed Dawn on the head and said "Ahia loves you naman. Ahia just wants you to be a good girl"

Before we slept that night, Troy's prayer included "Lord, I pray that Dawn will grow up to be a good girl. Please also help us so that we can help Dawn become a good girl"

I've read countless discipline books and applied a number of tips that i've learned from friends and families. But one thing that has always proved to be most important is to be a good role model to our kids. They really learn from us whether we like it or not. They take in the good with the bad.

I am far from perfect and i am learning to be a better person every single day. My prayer is that i will be a supermodel to my kids. That if they eventually end up to be like me, I can confidently say 'It is well with me.'

Are you a supermodel?

iPhone Teaches Kids to Share

>> Wednesday, June 5, 2013 – dawn, discipline, family activity, gadgets, troy

Last week, i saw Cym's (@ceemee) tweet about a sharing application. I got curious and downloaded it right away. It's a nice way to teach kids to take turns. It's particularly useful for kids who need to learn how to share a family iPad, a toy, or take turns when watching TV at home.

3 Easy Steps to Sharing:

STEP 1: Upload the child's picture so that they will know it's their turn even if they cannot read yet. You will also be asked for their names.

STEP 2: Select the number of minutes for each turn. It can go from 1 minute to 1 hour.

STEP 3: Click on GO! The timer will immediately start running. It will tell the user when he or she has 10 seconds left (yes, the application talks!). The current user will see his or her picture at the bottom center of the screen. The person next in line will have his or her picture at the top center.

I programed Troy and Dawn on my iPhone and showed it to them. Both of them kept on laughing at their pictures on the screen. They were also excited that it became a game to them. They would set it to 1 minute and pass the iPhone to the next person when their time runs out. They were not using the application as a share timer for other toys - they were sharing the application itself! haha! Oh well...

Try it for your kids. They might just enjoy the concept of sharing. The application on the iPhone is called Storybots Share Timer. Search for it on the App Store.

Troy's Directing Debut

>> Wednesday, May 29, 2013 – dawn, family activity, troy

Troy had a bright idea the other night. He wanted me to take some pictures of Dawn and himself using my iPhone. I didn't know what he was up to but found out later that he had a storyline in mind. So without further ado, i present to you Troy's superhero comic strip!

Spiderman on the prowl

Fighting the bad guys

Sometimes beaten but never defeated

Our lady heroin who needed a little rescuing herself

Rescued by Spiderman

On to their next crime-fighting challenge

Train Them While They're Young

>> Tuesday, April 30, 2013 – dawn, discipline, education, family activity, troy

My husband practically grew up with no household help. They would clean the dishes by themselves, wash their own clothes, and help tidy the house regularly. American-living lang ang peg. It's not that they cannot afford it but their parents thought it was the right thing to do as soon as all 5 of them (siblings) were old enough to help with chores.

Though i have always admired my husband, brothers/sisters-in-law for their independence, I honestly cannot imagine going completely help-free at home. We usually go out sans yaya on weekends or during family trips. But after 3 weeks in Canada, i was really missing them already. Yes, i am referring to the yayas.

Dens has always told me that he likes the kids to be trained on household chores the same way they were trained before. On a regular school day, Dens would do laundry before doing his homework. After school work is done, all of them had to help set the table and do other chores. It wasn't such a big deal for them since they've gotten used to the routine. I'm sure my family and friends abroad who are reading this are also thinking the same. But for those like me who have grown up with helpers at home, the shift would rather be difficult.

Our kids are still very young so it's really not practical to go help-free at this time (whew!). But that doesn't mean they cannot start helping out with chores at home. For now, our rule for the kids is to just pack-away their own mess. Whether it's toys or unfinished snacks, they need to put them back in their proper place. Dawn has been quite an expert on this and would sometimes even pack other peoples' things - yes, sometimes stuff that we are still using like the remote control. Another thing that we're teaching them is to clean their own mess. Like if they spill something, they have to wipe the mess themselves. We still do not expect them to clean-up perfectly but it's a step to becoming more responsible.

Cleaning up Dawn's baby powder mess

One thing that i really love about this is that they help each other out. Whether it's Troy or Dawn's mess, the other would help (at least most of the time) to clean up. They don't really see it as a chore but just something they need to do. On good days, i don't even need to tell them to clean up. They just do it by themselves.

Truth is, we don't need to let the helpers go just for them to learn. I love that i married a man who is constantly teaching me to be more independent. I pray that my kids will learn to be self-sufficient and not have to always depend on others to do work for them. They're never too young to learn.

Proverbs 22:6
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Movie Stars Cafe

>> Wednesday, March 13, 2013 – birthday, costume, dawn, family activity, movie stars cafe, party, party package, restaurant, review, troy

A few weeks ago, my sister-in-law was telling me about a newly opened concept restaurant near Mall of Asia. She said it had a movie star theme very similar to Planet Hollywood in the states. I was intrigued and honestly thought that since it's a local version, it will feature local artists and movies. When she mentioned actors and actresses will be serving our food, i was even more intrigued...really, mga artista???

It turned out, the servers all wore costumes from hollywood movies. From the likes of Spiderman to Darth Vader, it was really a fun experience. We brought Troy there on his 5th birthday last March 7 and he was truly star-strucked! The place displayed a lot of Hollywood memorabilia which they say are authentic pieces from the states. They had shows every couple of minutes which was both entertaining to kids and adults. It was indeed so much fun for the whole family!