A MOMster Life

One of the worst things that could happen to me while writing something on my journal is to find out that the ink bleeds through the pages.

The first thing I would think of is to skip these pages and continue on the next clean page. But then, the skipped pages would be such a waste.

Small fact: I'm a doodler and I love making bullet journals. Another fact: I'm a mother.
Bring the two elements together and voila ~ Parenting Journal!

I have decided to incorporate journals into my niche. It's also easier for me to jot things down in a journal than have to type them all in paragraphs. I have to be honest I'm not an excellent writer and my vocabulary is limited. But with bullet journal, I could just write them all down or doodle them when I run out of words.

As a mother of a newborn (or not so newly born) baby, I love to keep record of my baby's milestones.
I keep them in a journal where I could just scan through them all over again.

Disclaimer: This post contain affiliate links, which means that I may get commission if you decide to purchase from that link. Rest assured, all opinion / review here is true and my own.

I delivered a whooping eight-pound baby this year, and I'm a 4'11" petite woman. Just imagine the size of  my belly that time. I have a lot of noticeable stretchmarks over my tummy!

Then, I decided to try Pervil Magic Cream.


I was skeptical at first because my stretchmarks are really dark. But then, one has to believe in order for magic to work.

In just a few weeks' time, I have amazing results!
I shared my results on my Facebook account and a lot of my friends are messaging me.

What did you use? 

Magic Cream from Pervil.

Will it lighten my scars?

How much does it cost?

Where can I buy this?

I'm breastfeeding. Is this safe to use?

Can this help flatten my stomach?

Back in high school, I stumbled upon this book in the school library entitled "Don't Take a Bath on a Friday" talking about different myths. I didn't get to finish the book because the bell rang.
Later when I returned to the library, I couldn't find the book anymore.

Since then, I find myths interesting. Not that I believe in all of them but I really find some amusing.

When I became pregnant, there were a lot of advice and "what-not-to-do's" because of myths.
Some moms also shared a few myths their friends told them, too.
There were some that is familiar to me, and some that I've heard the first time.

1. Sharing food with someone who is pregnant will make you sleepy.

"While I don't want to believe it because there's no scientific basis, my husband and some friends complained that they really got sleepy when I gave them my leftover food." - Nocturnal Mom Talks

2. If someone is blocking the door to a room where the pregnant woman is, she will have a hard time during the delivery.

It's hard to pass through a blocked door, right? Then that's what will happen during the delivery, too. Baby will find it hard to pass through. Sounds scary! I did spend 45 minutes (as per OB) pushing. Not sure if it's because of the myth, or it's just because I - a 4'11" - gave birth to an 8-pound baby.

3. If pregnant woman becomes better-looking, she's having a baby girl. Otherwise, it's a baby boy.

Baby girl means more feminine hormones, thus pregnant woman becomes more "blooming".
It is because of this myth that sometimes I get offended when people say "I'm sure you're having a baby boy." Lol.

4. Food will affect baby's appearance.

Eating too much light-colored food like eggs will make baby's skin lighter, while too much dark-colored foods like chocolates will make baby's skin darker.

"Avoid eating eggplant because baby will turn purple when he cries." - Supergirl Nanay

5. Pregnant women should only look at beautiful faces so baby will be good-looking.

This also means to stop watching horror flicks, and to avoid ugly and scary looking faces as advised by mom and MIL of The Purple Cow Adventures.

6. If belly is itchy, baby's hair is thick.

So baby's hair is tickling momma's tummy, eh? Hihi.

7. Wearing necklaces when pregnant will cause baby's cord to coil.

"Coincidentally, I didn't listen to myths during my first pregnancy, and I ended up undergoing CS with one of the reasons being - you guessed it - cord coil." - Paintedshoulder

8. Applying special oil (ie. snake oil) during labor will make delivery smoother.

Some people believe that there are kinds of oil with "magical" properties that could ward off evil spirits. Another useful effect is it could make baby come out fast.

9. Eating too much chicken will turn baby's gender to a girl.

I was told to avoid chicken during my second pregnancy if I want my baby to be a boy.

10. When a pregnant woman steps over someone, pregnancy symptoms will be transferred.

You don't want to have all those morning sickness, nausea, cravings, and mood swings? Step over your husband while he's asleep.

11. To know the baby's gender, hang a needle over the preggy's belly.

"Hung a needle from a thread above the belly of the pregnant woman and depending on the oscillation of the needle, you could predict the gender of the baby." - Jacquiv Manila


Whether these myths are true or not, they still amuse (or even scare) me.
What other myths do you know?
Feel free to share on the comments section!
Leave your link as well. :)

• Haydee Bellen-Sorrano - Paintedshoulder
• Meg Villamarin-Ortega - Nocturnal Mom Talks
• Ubengbaka Joy - The Purple Cow Adventures
• Pia Melissa Cruz - This Blended Home of Mine
• Yza Relativo Pillone - Melissa's Nest
• Des Mon - Supergirl Nanay
• Jacquiv Manila
• Ma Kimberly Galarido
• Anne Marialyn Amodia for the photo

Diaper and Wipes/Wet Cotton

Fact: Babies just eat, sleep, and poop. Another fact: Babies will do it anytime and anywhere.
The number of extra diapers to bring depends on the peeing/pooping habit of the baby. I usually bring 3-4 diapers but I only get to use one or two most of the time.


For cleaning, I prefer to use cotton balls soaked in water. I put these on milk storage bottles for easy handling. The wipes is just something I bring in case I ran out of wet cotton.

Extra Clothes

Feeding Bottle and Milk

Nursing Blanket

Back when I was still breastfeeding my little man, I bring nursing blanket instead of the feeding bottles.

I'm all for breastfeeding and I believe it should be acceptable to even do it on public.
However, I hate getting unwanted stares from people who thinks that breastfeeding should be done on comfort rooms. *eye rolls*

Stroller or Baby Carrier

I gave birth to an eight-pound baby and he's gaining weight day by day. I definitely need something to help me bring all that weight. This would also allow me to use my arms for something else, such as bringing grocery bags. Also if the little man decides to sleep, he can just lie down on the stroller comfortably.


These are some things I find necessary to bring when going out with the baby.
I know babies are different and each may have different needs, so my list may not be sufficient for some.

I would love to know what stuff you bring for your baby when you go out. :)
If you wish to add something that you think I should bring on our next day out, please feel free to leave a message on the comments section.


Related Post: Toddler Essentials: What to Bring On A Typical Day Out

Becoming a mother is a life-changer. When I found out that I'm about to have a child, I was scared because I knew this would bring about a lot of changes in my life.

Some of these changes include no longer being invited to drinking sessions, and just staying at home taking care of the children.
But it's okay.

Change is not a bad thing.
In fact, parenthood has made me a better person than I was I think xD.

So what are these changes in my life when I became a parent?
Asides from acquiring stretchmarks and baby belly, here are some noticeable changes that happened to me from single life to parenthood.

1. Staying Late at Night

2. Phone Apps

3. Shopping and Grocery

4. Going Out

5. Room

6. Social Media

7. Blog

Finding out I was pregnant would always be one of my life's stories I love to tell!
All of my pregnancies come unexpected, thus it always seems to us as a life-changing surprise.

So how did I found out I was pregnant?

Planning to Take Pills

I was planning to take some birth control pills. And fortunately I found out before I could take any. Now, let me narrate the whole story in order.

Some time May of 2013, I had abnormal bleeding. I was advised to take some medicine to stop the bleeding. The meds worked! But then after a few months, my period stopped coming. All that time I thought it was because of the medication I had last May.

A friend was also having problems with her period. She said she's going to take some pills so that her period would come regularly. Then I remembered another friend who said she needed a pregnancy test first before buying pills. I thought a negative PT result was a requirement to buy pills so I bought PT kits. And to my surprise, it came out positive!

Not Ready

Being one who is not expecting and planning to have a baby, I was surprised, confused, and not ready. A lot of questions then come running into my mind.

How am I going to raise this child?
How will I tell my parents?
What's going to happen to my life now?
Parenting - Can I do this? Will I do this?

Life Changer

It was scary. Believe me, I was terrified. I was scared of change. I was scared that I will no longer be able to do things that I used to do or are still planning to do. It's like my life is definitely going to change forever.

I was used to staying late at night hanging out with friends. There is never a weekend that I won't go out. All I cared about was just to have fun with no specific life goal.

Everything changed when I knew I'm going to have a child.  I asked for direction and I guess this is the answer - be a parent.

Though it was scary, I embraced parenthood.
And it was a decision I will never ever regret.

Now I've got my little Akisa - a constant reminder that for everything I may have done wrong, there is a time I did something right.

Blame the Gym

We planned to finally say our vows on 2017 (this year). So to make sure we look "sexy" on our soon-to-be-wedding photos, we decided to have some actual fitness program.

A month after signing up, my period stopped coming again. Now for someone whose period always comes regularly, this would be quite odd.

I googled if sudden workout can affect a woman's menstruation. Search results would say that the body may see this as stress - and stress always affects a woman's menstrual cycle. So yea. I blamed the gym.

I continued my program but then gotten paranoid later on. What if the reason why my period stopped coming is because I was actually pregnant? I would love to continue my program but I wouldn't want to harm my child if ever there is.

Negative with a Faint Positive

I took a pregnancy test and the result came out negative. I was like "meh, ok" and continued with taking my bath. After my bath, I was about to throw the test out and well, guess what? A very faint line appeared making it look like a positive. I know I am not supposed to read results after five (5) minutes but it got me confused.

I took another pregnancy test and the same thing happened. It gave a negative result at first then becomes positive later on. I went to the OB for ultrasound just to make sure but then she told me it's really very early and she might misinterpret the ultrasound results.

After a few weeks, I returned to the OB and tadaan! I'm going to be a mother again!



This time I wasn't scared ... well maybe, I still am. But I was more of excited to have another child - and for my little girl to become a big sister! I immediately quit the gym because making sure the baby's healthy is more important than being "sexy" when walking down the aisle.

Love is Multiplied

Now I'm a mom of a toddler, and a newborn, and I'm going to have to deal with more dirty diapers and a lot more tantrums. But hey, I've also learned that I am capable of giving more love. That it's okay to not have favorites. I love both of my children very much and I'm sure they'll both be equally annoying some time in the future. Lol!

They may have come to my life in the most unexpected times yet these little bundles of joy mean the world to me. And they will forever be the most beautiful surprise God has given me.


Finding out about one's pregnancy will always be a treasured memory.

If you wish to share your story on how you found out about your pregnancy, feel free to comment below or send me a message.

I have mentioned before in this blog that I was diagnosed with Essential Thrombocytosis. I had it way before I got pregnant with my second child. And even after I have given birth, I still have it.

Source: The Lullaby Trust

Source: E-Lactancia

Use friendly potty seats

Take one step at a time

Aha! You've been mislead! Well, actually you're not.

This is not really a post about things pregnant women find annoying. Well, in a way, it really is.

This is just a list of things people say that I - the pregnant me - find annoying. I am too busy/lazy to interview other pregnant women, so this will be from my personal list.

You know how pregnant women are, we tend to become overly sensitive and irrational and may take offense over anything you do or say to us. And if there's anyone or anything to blame, it's the hormones! I tell you!!! It's the hormones!!!

You should be more mindful of your actions and of what you say to us, pregnant women. Yes, ikaw mag-adjust bes! Hahaha!

Seriously, though, let's leave the rest of the pregnant women alone. Here are three things people say that I secretly find annoying.

"You look like you're ready to pop!"

I find this really annoying when people asks "When are you due?" and I'm like "Oh, it's going to be on the last week of June." and they'll immediately say "But you look like you're going to give birth any minute now. I'm sure you'll give birth before June."

Are you seriously wishing for me to give birth prematurely!?

"Are you sure you're not having twins?"

Though I've always wanted twins (boy and girl), I still find it annoying when people insists that I am having one.. err, two. Even if they know that I've already had ultrasound to check, they would be like "Maybe the other baby is hiding."

"You're not eating enough." / "You're eating too much."

I think some people have hormonal problems, too! They make sure to always find something wrong - like what's their problem with my eating habit, anyway?

Please let me eat in peace!

Don't worry if you happen to tell me these things before.
I am such a forgiving person that I just let it slide.

And if you will accidentally tell me the same things again in the future, I won't slap you. I won't get mad at you. You will not see me annoyed.

I will show you my usual angelic face (hahaha).

I may just have strangled you in my thoughts, though.
Kidding!

Xoxo,
Your annoyed pregnant friend

If you're not aware yet, I have a doodle IG account and FB Page! You should check them out! LIKE REALLY! CHECK THEM OUT NOW! Haha!

Color Buffet PH has the least expensive Copic markers.

An avatar I designed for this blog. Hihi.

Color Buffet PH is very friendly and accommodating.

Using the Copic markers.

Markers arrive on time!

Color Buffet PH knows their stuff.

Another doodle where I used the Copic markers.

Heya guys!! Doctor Who returns on April 15th which pretty much leaves me quite excited!! Except that I'll miss Clara, and that I'll have to accept the fact that there's going to be a new companion for the Doctor.

For those who are not familiar with the show, Doctor Who is a sci-fi TV series about a time traveler called the Doctor who constantly travels through time and space using a time machine that looks like a blue police box. The Doctor is a Time Lord, and he is (sadly) the last of his kind.

FUN FACT: I don't like Sci-Fi movies. So it's kind of weird (and geeky) for me to love the series.

This is my own pregnancy tests. :) Both showed negative at first, then showed positive results five minutes after.

I may sound like some kill-joy who always sees something wrong on what was supposed to be funny, but the question here is..

Why is pregnancy used to fool people?

Is pregnancy a joke?

Is it supposed to be funny when someone's pregnant?

I just want to share a different point of view.

Some people are trying so hard to conceive. They have themselves checked for anything wrong. They prayed so hard just so they will be blessed with a child. Some find it hard to bear... Others just can't.

There are some who suffer complications during pregnancy. They had to take extra meds and do checkups more than the usual. I, myself, having Essential Thrombocytosis had to visit two different doctors in a month. There are even some who are forced to quit work. Expectant moms are willing to sacrifice their wants to make sure the baby gets what it needs.

There are a few who experienced what I think is the worst thing that could happen to anyone: losing a child. Some didn't even have the chance to see them. Others had to send their babies back to Daddy God the moment they came out. They can never get over it.

Pregnancy may have become a sensitive topic for me now that I am a mom, and most especially because I have known people who had suffered infertility, and miscarriage.

For some, they may see it as a joke. But for others, pregnancy is an answered prayer.

Pregnancy is not easy.
Pregnancy is nothing to laugh about.
Pregnancy is not a joke.

It is about having a family, about people giving their all.
Pregnancy is about life and giving life.


PS: And please people, don't even get me started with your new "I have cancer" posts!
DON'T EVER MAKE FUN OF CANCER. 

Once upon a time, a teenage girl named Wendy longed for adventure and romance. She felt like she was stuck in a reality she has no control over. She wanted to fly, go to places, and live a life full of wonders.

One day, she stumbled upon Never Land where she met her silver-haired prince. He has no name. She decided to call him Peter Pan.

Peter Pan showered her with pixie dust and the two traveled together to magical places. They had lots of fun in Never Land and they've seen so many wonderful things. 

"Everything is so wonderful.", Wendy thought.
"How can I grow my own wings so I won't depend on pixie dust anymore?", she asked.

"Nothing grows here. Not you, not me. Not anyone's wings. Not ever.", Peter Pan answered.

"Then what is the purpose of living here?", Wendy asked again.
"Fun! No problems, no responsibilities, no anything! Just fun.", Peter Pan answered.

But Wendy had enough of the fun. All the places they've been but she felt like she did not really reach anywhere. So she decided to leave bringing with her some treasures, her innocence, and her heart. She was determined to find someone who could help her grow her wings.

She went back to reality and met a man who can give good laughs. She thought this man could help her. She loved his sense of humor. He can give good advice, too. But in return, he took her treasures and left.

She continued to move forward and met another man who promised her the stars. She thought this man might be able to help her. He brought her to places, and has good stories to tell. But then, he took her innocence and left.

She moved on and met another man who promised her company and protection. He said he would gladly be her wings. He treated her as a princess. Wendy decided to give him her heart. Unfortunately, the man wanted more than her heart. He wanted a castle full of treasures as well. Unable to give him what he wanted, the man left her and looked for another princess.

Wendy decided to stop looking for someone who could help her grow her wings. Instead, she wanted to find herself - who and what she really is. She worked so hard so she could fly.

Losing her innocence, she learns more of the world. Her eyes and mind are more open now. She knows the dangers and all the possibilities that could happen. But she also sees the beauty in it. 

Without her treasures, she became more hardworking. She learned to be contented and to give importance to what she has now. She believes she could achieve anything if she just worked hard for it.

Realizing that she can't just give her heart right away to anyone, she guarded it more. She promised to take care of it until the right man - who would accept it without condition - comes along.

Peter Pan once told her that in order to fly, she has to think of happy thoughts. But then, she realized that learning to accept the negativity in life is part of the process in being able to fly.

By accepting her flaws, she is able to make herself better. By facing challenges head on, she is able to reach heights. By not escaping responsibilities, she came to love reality.

One fateful day, she met a curly-haired ordinary man. He wasn't a prince, rather, he works as a front-end developer during daytime. He also plays sports. He has a name. He is Curly Tops.

Curly Tops has encountered a lot of ups and downs in life, too. 
He has also given and lost a lot - his treasures, his innocence, and he even had his heart broken.

Yet, like Wendy, he chooses to move forward.
His experiences has molded him to be the man that he is now. He is not afraid to face challenges and he does not escape from responsibilities.

Curly Tops was far different from Peter Pan.
He wasn't as dashing. 
But he was way better.

The two became friends. They got closer and before they realized it, they were already spending everyday together.

They shared good laughs. They've seen each others' bests and worsts and came to accept them wholly.
They weren't the perfect couple but they could not imagine life with anyone else.

They went to places far better than any place in Never Land. They faced all of life's struggles together, hand in hand. They became each other's confidant.

They encountered lots of problems, too. But they were able to overcome each challenge together.

Wendy then realized that they are the wings - the pair destined to be together.
She feels that even without the help of pixie dust, she will be able to fly if she's with Curly Tops.
The two joined together and each grew the most beautiful wing she could ever imagine.

Life won't always be easy, but she is sure they'll make it together.

Without him, she is just a wing..

But together, they can fly.




-------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a fictional story, by the way (if you haven't noticed) but with some inspiration from real life.

This sounded so much better in my mind (haha) than it did in writing.

I'll try to come up with something better next time. XD

Photos used are from our prenup shoot (by Seph Aparente Folios).

I have been doodling (a lot) lately. And I think I spend more time on my Doodle IG account than I do blogging. Hihi.

This is the finished mini. I forgot to take a photo of the original one so here's a link instead.

Google. Watch tutorials.

Prepare materials.

Paint the Golden Fleece.

I could've kept this experience to myself to avoid people judging my parenting but I felt the need to share this so parents would be aware that what seemed to be harmless little sweets (and all those cute small objects) can actually be evil monsters in disguise.



It was a fine Saturday evening when we meet up with a couple of college buddies for some dinner and hot choco (because I can't have too much coffee).

My little girl was busy playing with her new toys. I took one piece of Mentos candy (because my hormones are telling me I should have one) and she immediately came up to me and begged for a piece, too. I gave her one.

We continued with our chit-chat's. Just when Akee walked right in front of me (btw, she was busy walking around this time), she accidentally swallowed the Mentos candy!

She didn't cry but she seemed to be gagging. We tried our best to dislodge the candy.

You could read: What to Do If Your Child Swallows Something

The waitress offered us water but my bestfriend refused to take it. She said not to let Akee drink water because this might cause more choking.

After a few seconds, Akee began to cry. Which is a good sign by the way, cause it just means her airway isn't blocked. But I got a little paranoid and I wanted to make sure the evil candy isn't there anymore so we rode all the way to the nearest emergency room.

While being on the car, Akee was already calm and said "Akee, yayay~" and we were like "Awww~"

When we reached the ER, we told the nurses of the situation. They just looked at Akee and was like "She looks fine."

But because it's me, the ever skeptical me, I wanted them to do something.. anything just so I will be at ease. They suggested to do an X-Ray scan.

Fortunately, no foreign object was found. The doctor said that because the candy was circular, it would have easily "fall" into the stomach. She said to give Akee her milk and if she does not throw up, then she is totally fine.

I felt so relieved and grateful that nothing so serious happened. Since that night, I always make sure that everything she puts in her mouth is well sliced, even removing almonds from chocolates. And of course, no more Mentos candies.

Another monster could be an itsy bitsy little bead. My niece picked up a bead and accidentally stuck it inside her nose.

It was another trip to the ER and the bead was taken out in a few minutes.

You could read: What to Do When Something Gets Stuck in the Nose

These traumatic experiences made me realize that small objects (even candies) and toddlers shouldn't go together! I mean that's why some toys had a warning label "Not suitable for children under 3 years old". (Yeah, I learned a valuable lesson not to ignore these warnings).

I examined all of Akee's toys, took all the small ones and kept them somewhere out of reach from the children.

My niece also promised never to play with beads and small objects anymore. I'm grateful that kids are smart and could learn from these accidents, too. :)

It has been a trend today to have photoshoot sessions days (or months) before a couple's wedding day.

And I guess we were one of those couples who are into the "trend". We just had ours last December 2016! 😊 I'll be sharing of this wonderful experience in a separate blog post. 




Some would say it is just a waste of money. Others say this kind of stuff is just peer pressure (like every couple on social media does it so why won't we - kind of thing). And there are also a some who doesn't like prenup photos because they feel unnatural (like why are they on the woods wearing long gowns, anyway)

Whilst some would say engagement shoots are unnecessary, here are some of the reasons why I honestly think we should have one.

Get to know your photographer.

Know which pose or angle you look best.

Announcement for the Big Day!

Celebrate LOVE and FAMILY