I hate being sick!

Right now, I'm still feeling like crap, much like the past few days. This all started when Miley had sipon a few weeks ago which turned into serious colds and cough. Of course, we all got infected soon after - first Sabe, then me, then hubby. The kids are doing a bit better already, especially Miley who just has some mild cough right now. Sabe had on and off fever the past couple of days. Look how kawawa he looks in this picture with the KoolFever on his head... :(

I especially hate it when the kids are sick since it's so hard for them to drink medicine! The medicines for colds and cough are bad enough, but then their pedia had to give them antibiotics already. And they absolutely HATE it! They can already tell if that's the antibiotic since it's a white thick syrup, as compared to the clear liquid of the regular medicines. And all hell breaks loose! We have to hold them down kicking and screaming and then once they drink it, they've somehow managed to learn how to throw it back up! We've then resorted to mixing it with their milk, but Sabe can tell and refuses to drink it. Haaaay!

At least they seem to be doing so much better already. I just think this is really the time of year when a lot of people get sick. Last year, this was also around the same time we all got colds too. I just hope we all get better SOON! I can't stand having a sore throat, an extremely stuffed nose, and coughing like a dog anymore! :(

Photos of the Day: My loves

My gosh, where did the time go? My two babies are looking all grown up! Here's my current favorite photos of them from some snapshots I took before Sunday lunch. ;)

I love you my babies forever and ever! Don't grow up so fast ok? :)

Update on Miley's schooling

First, the good. Miley has been adjusting really well in school. We can see that she's really enjoying herself because whenever we bring her inside the school grounds, she runs inside her classroom and starts playing with the other kids. Her vocabulary has also increased and improved. Sometimes, we'll hear her saying words that we didn't even know she knew! And she's also starting to learn how to write some letters and draw shapes. :)

But then, there's also the bad. About 3 weeks into school, I picked up Miley on a Monday and was told by one of the aides that she was still inside because her teacher was talking to her. I asked if anything was wrong and the aide said to just wait for the teacher. My heart started beating a little faster. My gosh, wala pang 1 month kakausapin na ako ng teacher! Well, to make the long story short, Miley would apparently hug her classmates and not let go, so then they would fall to the floor. Basically, she was the one who started this "game" so all the other kids started hugging each other too and they ended up all rolling on the floor. Then there was a also a little shouting and not listening situation. Well, the thing was, the teacher was not Miley's regular teacher (who was on leave that day) so we figured maybe Miley just wasn't used to this new person in the classroom. But anyway, the resolution was to just talk to Miley about it.

On Wednesday, I wasn't feeling well so hubby picked up Miley from school. Well, Miley's regular teacher was back and she requested to talk to hubby too! The issue this time was that Miley had a schoolmate (different section) who she found super cute. Actually, I saw the little girl before na and cute naman talaga She was very small and chubby and I guess Miley saw her as a doll or "baby sister". Miley would apparently get "gigil" with the girl and sometimes pinch and run after her. The little girl became afraid of Miley tuloy and the parents were scared baka matrauma na to go to school. Also, Miley was still doing her "hugging game" which would really disrupt class. She also didn't finish her seatwork that day and started running holding a pencil. Of course, the teacher ran after her too and took the pencil away. Miley started crying and said "I want my Mommy! I'll only listen to my Mommy!"

Ayayay! You see, when I was a kid, my mom never had any problems with me in school. Even in preschool, I was always a star student (not to brag or anything ;p). I guess I kind of expected it to be the same for me, that's why I was really affected when barely a month into school and we're getting this kind of feedback. Promise, I couldn't sleep sa sobrang affected!

Hubby and I talked to Miley about it but I was really confused as to how to address the situation. Miley kasi loves kids and playing with other children. She's also very affectionate since we hug and kiss her all the time and we encourage her to be the same with her brother. Now tuloy, we're telling her not to hug her classmates - only Sabe, mom, dad (and family). We also tell her not to pinch or run after anyone, and to be more specific, to just stay away from the little girl for now. Pero baka naman we're restricting her from making new friends? Haaay it's so hard to be a parent sometimes...

Anyway, we talked again to the teacher a couple of days after to check on Miley's behavior and according to her, there was a big improvement already. YEY! *big sigh of relief!*

Now just last Thursday, I picked Miley up from school. I was just in the car (in major pambahay no less) waiting for yaya to get her, when the teacher came outside to talk to me. She said there was an accident a while ago and someone got bitten. My first thought was that Miley bit someone! But apparently it was the other way around. Here's the accident report slip I was given:

It was during playtime when all the kids (even those from other sections) play together. Miley hugged Javi (a boy from another section) and I guess Javi didn't like to be hugged or he found it too tight. So he bit her. Of course Miley cried (a LOT) and they placed cold compress on her arm. Here's a picture I took 3 days after, and you can see the bruise is still showing... my poor baby!

Hubby was more upset than me and wanted to talk to the directress of the school on the phone just to check how the situation was handled. According to the school, they were able to separate the kids naman at once and also to talk to the boy and his parents as well. Also, they would keep a watchful eye on Miley and the boy in the coming days to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Good thing Miley is very resilient and she's used to getting bitten by her brother (naku, baka next year si Sabe naman ang may issue with biting someone lol!) so I don't think that experience will traumatize her. In fact, it was as if nothing happened the next day when we brought her to school, she was still excited as ever to play with her classmates. I just hope we don't have any more issues or accidents anytime soon... my gosh kakastart pa lang ng schoolyear diba!

Sorry if this post is really long and bordering on rambling... I just get very emotional sometimes thinking how my baby is in school and I have to trust the teachers/faculty to look after her while we're not there. I just wish that we could be with the kids ALL the time to see what and how they're doing, but of course that's impossible. I just always pray that my kids will be kept safe and away from harm during the times that they're not with me. And to think this is just nursery! I'm sure it will get more challenging when they get older. Don't you wish sometimes that your kids can stay babies forever? Haaaay...

Well, I really hope that I won't have to blog about any bad incident again regarding Miley in school. Hopefully, it will all go uphill from here. Wish us luck! :)

The Royal Baby is here!

First of all, just want to share that our whole family has been sick these past few days. Miley was the first one to get colds and we all soon followed suit. My throat hurts, my nose is all stuffy, and I just want to lay in bed all day. :( Well, one good thing I've been getting a lot of nowadays, aside from sleep, is news about the royal baby!

If you've been living under a rock and haven't heard by now, Kate Middleton gave birth to her and Prince William's son, Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge last July 22 at St. Mary's Hospital in London. Like millions of people across the world, I've been eagerly awaiting the birth of this baby ever since it was announced that Kate was pregnant. Actually, ever since before, I've sort of been obsessed with Prince William (especially when he was younger and had way more hair ;p). I've had the biggest crush on him growing up and I've always believed in my heart that I someday I would marry him (hey, a girl can dream right? lol!).

But I was so happy when he finally married Kate and even happier now that their family is complete! I actually watched the news live in the wee hours of the morning after it was announced that the baby was a boy (I really thought it was gonna be a girl!). I missed their first public appearance with the baby though because I honestly didn't think they would leave the hospital so soon. And when I saw the pics of Kate, I couldn't believe how fresh and perfect she looked! I mean look at that, she looks so gorgeous a day after giving birth! My gosh, parang walang nangyari! She doesn't even look manas (my nose, hands, and feet were still totally swollen after I gave birth). I love the fact that her post-baby bump is showing though, which proves that yes, tao din talaga siya lol!

A day after I first give birth (normal delivery), I don't think I was able to walk properly so soon. In fact, I actually fainted the first time I tried walking to go to the bathroom hehe! And I used a wheelchair as much as I could the whole time I was in the hospital and walked very sloooowly around the house the first few days after I got home. And here's Kate, just 24 hours after and even wearing heels! Well, I guess it would be different if I knew the whole world was watching. I'm sure even I would muster up the energy to pose and wave to the crowd hehe!

So now, Kate is my peg when I give birth again. I hope to even look even halfway as decent as her the first 24 hours after (hmmm, now where to get a blue polka dot dress? lol!) Sana lang I have a hairstylist and make-up artist din with me noh! ;p But again, congrats to the new parents and can't wait for more news and pictures of this future king in the coming days. :)

The writing on the wall... and all over the house!

The kids were being unusually quiet one morning, and after a while I found them lying under the coffee table. I thought they were just playing "house" un pala...

they were drawing all over the under side of the table!!!

so serious pa talaga!

look at those happy misfits! how can you get mad at that? ;p

The good news is it's UNDER the table so it's not seen naman. And besides, I always appreciate their creativity and artwork...

The bad news is that they have extended their "creativity" all over our walls and other parts of the house! Here's just some that I was able to take pics of:

this was caused by a blue crayon and it was much darker before I tried removing it with baby wipes...

this was caused by a gel pen and it extends farther across the wall...

more pen marks all over the cabinets...

all our bed sheets have scribbles and lines from colored markers...

I started to do research on how to remove crayon/pen marks from walls and found this article with the following suggestions:

Baking Soda
Have your walls been redecorated with some original crayon masterpieces? Don’t lose your cool. Just grab a damp rag, dip it in some baking soda, and lightly scrub the marks. They should come off with a minimal amount of effort.

Lighter Fluid
Did the kids leave their mark with crayons on your walls during that last visit? No problem. Dab some lighter fluid on a clean rag and wipe till the marks vanish.

Mayonnaise
Here’s a simple way to remove crayon that requires hardly any elbow grease: Simply rub some mayonnaise on the crayon marks and let it soak in for several minutes. Then wipe the surface clean with a damp cloth.

Pencil Erasers
Your toddler has gone wild with the crayons, but he drew on the walls and not on paper. You’ve tried everything to get it off, but not this: an eraser. Try “erasing” the crayon marks to get the wall back to a clean slate.

Steel Wool
Your toddler just created a work of crayon art on paper. Unfortunately, it’s on the wallpaper. Use a bit of steel wool soap pad to just skim the surface, making strokes in one direction instead of scrubbing in a circle, and your wall will be a fresh “canvas” in no time.

Toothpaste
Did crayon-toting kids get creative on your wall? Roll up your sleeves and grab a tube of non-gel toothpaste and a rag or — better yet — a scrub brush. Squirt the toothpaste on the wall and start scrubbing. The fine abrasive in the toothpaste will rub away the crayon every time. Rinse the wall with water.

Vinegar Kids often manage to get crayon marks on their clothing. You can easily get these stains off by rubbing them with a recycled toothbrush soaked in undiluted vinegar before washing them.

We tried using an old toothbrush and some toothpaste (with baking soda as an ingredient) and it worked after a couple of scrubs! The crayons were much easier to remove than the pen marks though. But at least the walls are looking a lot cleaner now. :)

I hate having to keep their crayons or markers away because I know how much they love them. And even though we give them lots of paper and coloring books to draw on, sometimes they just can't resist doodling on areas they know are off limits (even themselves!). I've accepted the fact that I will never have a perfectly clean house - not until the kids are probably in grade school? So they can scribble on the walls, furniture, and sheets all they want, I just told hubby that I want to have everything repainted and replaced in a couple of years (talaga lang ha! :p).

My new clothes from Bangkok

Here are some of my shopping loot from my trip to Bangkok last month. I'm just going to post my favorite buys since the others are just basics and if I post all, naku baka ilang pages tong post na to haha! ;p

I believe my style is evolving from being super trendy to more classic. Especially since I'm a mom, so I want to wear easy fitting and comfortable clothes, that still look elegant and appropriate for my age (nothing too sexy or tight please ;p). Before, most of the stuff I'd buy were prints and patterns in really loud and bright colors. I still like prints and colors but I'm now leaning more towards classic cuts and pieces that I know I can wear again and again.

This dress is probably my favorite buy  from the entire trip! I love the style, the color, the flowers, everything!

I also bought a couple more of these type of dresses which can go from casual to a more dressy occasion. I find that I also tend to gravitate towards the color beige or nude these days. :)

Of course, I couldn't resist buying white, classic tops (including the timeless polo) that I can wear practically everyday...

Well, I still couldn't resist a little print in my life! Here's a dress I got for only 200 baht or around P300! ;p

I also love stripes and the cut of this shirt makes it such a classic piece..

Denim is so hot right now and I couldn't resist buying these sleeveless polos for just P200 each! Love the studded details on the pockets and collar too!

I was supposed to give this shirt to my sister but decided to keep it for myself after hehe! I just love shirts that are longer in the back so I can wear them with leggings without exposing my butt lol. And I love the ants design (even the kids love it too!) ;p

Here are the stuff I bought from H&M. I love the color and details on this dress, like the tie-back and neckline...

This shirt is something I can see myself overusing. And it's so soft and comfortable to wear too!

I've been looking for the perfect pair of white jeans and I finally found them! On sale at 200 baht or about P300!

I mostly bought clothes, but I also got some necklaces like the ones below...

Can't wait to wear all these new stuff! But I also have to do some major closet clean-up soon! ;p

Food Trippin' in Bangkok

To be honest, I'm not an adventurous type of eater at all. I'm happy with my usual favorites like fried chicken, any type of breakfast food (bacon, spam, eggs, etc.), steak, pizza, pasta... So it's really sometimes such a struggle for me to find something I like to eat whenever we travel. Friends jokingly call me the "boring eater" since they can always predict what I'll order when we go out (mostly chicken). Hubby, on the other hand, will try anything and everything! The more exotic the better. We did spend quite a lot of time eating on this trip and we revisited our usual favorites and tried some new restaurants as well.

One of our go to places to eat in Bangkok is the food court at CentralWorld Mall. I usually order hainanese chicken and fried rice, then hubby always gets his favorite oyster omelet.

can you guess which ones are mine? ;p

classic Thai dessert - mango with sticky rice

we also love the supermarket at CentralWorld!

We had quite a hard time choosing where to eat in Terminal 21 since there were a lot of choices. After checking out the food court and all the restos, we decided to eat here in MIX since we saw it was one of Thailand's Best Restaurants last year.

The food was good and I really liked the presentation (especially the rice!). But I honestly felt more busog when we ate at the food court hehe! Our total bill was about 500 baht.

One tradition we have whenever we're at Bangkok is to have dessert at Swensen's. Good thing they opened it here in Manila na din, but somehow it's just more yummy when we eat it abroad hehe! We ordered the chocolate lava and it was to die for!!!

I'm drooling just looking at this pic... YUMMMMM...

the best!

Hubby loves milk tea so he tried this Horlicks flavored one, which he couldn't stop raving about...

It's funny because after eating so much food from the country you're in, don't you suddenly find yourself craving for some fast food? And that's exactly what happened to us lol! Yey for some good ol' McDonald's!

We had dinner again in CentralWorld and finally settled on Mango Tree. Funny since we've never eaten in any of their branches in Manila, so talagang sa Bangkok pa namin na try! At least authentic diba? ;p

spring rolls

beef with basil

and.. Southern fried chicken for me! hahaha!

On our last day, I was really craving for McDo again, so we had breakfast here. Hubby also tried their new McBubble drink which was pretty good according to him. :)

Luckily, I don't think we gained weight since we kept walking the whole time! ;p

Terminal 21 Mall in Bangkok

One of the main things we planned to do when we went to Bangkok last month was go to Terminal 21, a mall we had never been to before in our previous trips. What got me interested to explore this mall was the fact that it had a "travel/airport" theme, with each floor representing a different country.

we took the train and went down at ASOK station, which has a direct access to the mall

According to Bangkok.com, the nine floors at Terminal 21 house some 600 shops, a Cineplex, supermarket and a food court with all kinds of mouthwatering Thai and international fare. 

The basement level (LG) has a Caribbean theme and is where you will find the Gourmet Market, take-away food outlets, market-style food vendors as well as banks and bookstores. 

The ground floor brings you to Rome, with all kinds of international and local fashion labels such as Kipling, Fox, CC:OO, Nike, Jaspal, Adidas, Levi’s, and more.

Paris on M floor takes you to the Champs-Élysées, where more fashion brands await your discovery. The 1st to 3rd floors are home to smaller shops by local independent labels. 

Women’s fashion is found on the 1st floor (Tokyo).

The men’s section is on the 2nd floor (London). They also have lots of nice picture taking spots like the ones below.

The 3rd floor (Istanbul) is for gifts, jewellery, fashion accessories, toys, beauty products and home décor. With an eclectic collection of shops, this floor has a look and feel of a Middle Eastern zouk but with a modern twist.

Now to the main highlight, San Francisco on the 4th and 5th floors, where you will find more than 50 restaurants and cafés. Both restaurant chains and independent outlets are represented here, among them Pepper Lunch, MK, Chabuton, Dory Seafood Bistro, Secret Recipe, Tohkai Yakiniku, Tony Roma’s, Fuji, Ootoya, The Canton House, Baanying Café and Swensen’s. If you like a food court experience, head up to Pier 21 on the 5th floor. 

the Golden Gate Bridge, my favorite display in the entire mall

PULL!

love this wall in front of a Thai Restaurant named Reflections

where to eat, where to eat? so many choices at the food court...

To complete the lifestyle experience, Terminal 21 also has an eight-screen cineplex on the 6th floor operated by SF Cinema City. Two of these eight cinemas have digital 3D screens.

I wasn't really planning on shopping here since of course it was expensive compared to the tiangges and Platinum Mall. But then, I was surprised to find out that there was an H&M store here and they were on SALE! Winner! ;p

We had a nice time exploring this mall. Even if you don't plan on shopping, just the overall ambiance and displays per floor is enough to keep you occupied. And of course, lots of food choices! Hopefully we can come back again sometime soon. :)

even their bathrooms have themes!

Terminal 21

Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00
Location: Sukhumvit Road (between Soi 19 and 21)
MRT: Sukhumvit
BTS: Asok (direct access via Skywalk)