If you can't buy everything.. You can still raise a happy healthy child

Mothers want to be able to give everything to their children.
What is "everything" exactly?

Well it definitely doesn't mean your child needs to be clothed in designer brands.
He doesn't need to have every toy that comes out in the market.

We are a family who lives a simple life.
We don't have the money to shower my child and even the coming baby with material things.

But since I became a parent, I have realized that I actually have given my son EVERYTHING.
I gave him food by breastfeeding him for a year.
I gave him 24/7 of my time.
I disciplined him myself.
I LOVE him unconditionally.

I am not nervous about this coming baby.
I am even excited and ready to give him as much love as I've given Gavril.

Look at my son.. he's happy and secured. He is loved.

My belly at 6 months

So this is me at the beginning of my 3rd trimester.

Baby #2 is coming and we still haven't decided on a name.

My Library Card

One of the many things I thank God for... the LIBRARY!

Books are so expensive. Well, it feeds the brain.

Again, I love to READ. The Library is filled with interesting books that keep me reading and learning.

BUT.. I don't just get books from the library. They have a wide range of DVDs and Music CDs that you can borrow too. So.. that saves me money from buying CDs hehehe and from renting DVDs. They always have the latest and of course there's always a long line but it's free so who cares about waiting?

My son learned to use the computer (yep, the basics not just senseless clicking) at the library before he turned 2. They have a tech area for kids and preschool. Gavril can just sit there and be on the computer for 2 hours or more. Yes, my two yr old toddler can sit and be by himself peacefully. It actually makes people think he is a 4 year old trapped in a body of a 2 year old because most of the kids that use those computers are 4 and above.


Call me a Nerd or a Geek but i think the Library is waaaaaaaaay COOL!

VEGGIETALES

We don't buy dvds because we don't normally watch a movie more than once.

But we sure are investing in Veggietales. My son would watch this over and over and over. It's not just entertainment for him but each story has a lesson in different aspects in which a child can definitely relate to. Maybe Gavril is too young to really understand these lessons but these vegetables talk so often about God and Jesus and Faith. When we dedicated Gavril to God we promised to raise him as a Christian.

It turns out that vegetables are not only good for your health but for your faith too. Some kids won't eat them but Christian kids definitely listen to them.

My son who is 2 1/2 now started watching Veggietales before he even turned a year old (His nickname for it is ABA because he was not able to pronounce veggietales back then but it kinda got stucked hehehe). When he started going to Sunday school at church, it was so easy for him to learn more about Jesus and he even knows how to pray.

I must say that if sesame street teaches alphabet, numbers, words etc... Veggietales will teach you so much about Faith.

As a Christian mom, I HIGHLY recommend VEGGIETALES.

You will get more than your money's worth.

Perfect book for 2nd timers in Pregnancy

I'm not as nervous now as I was in my first pregnancy. I don't even have questions for my doctor which makes visits quicker.

I love to read, read, read.

When I was pregnant with my firstborn, I think i bought the whole "what to expect.." series. I still love it.

There's just something different about pregnancy the second time around. Different questions.. different expectations.. different scenarios.

I'm glad I found this book which answered all my questions and gave me so much information that is very practical and useful.

I HIGHLY recommend this to all the moms out there who are on their 2nd pregnancy.


I want to thank the author Katie Tamony for such a wonderful book.


At the back of the book:

Maternity clothes come out of the closet earlier. Legs ache that felt fine with baby # 1. It's tough to find time for a nap, prenatal exercise, or a nutritious meal when a toddler is tugging at one's sleeve. Friends and family are far less attentive this time. And a second pregnancy raises new practical and emotional issues, like who will stay with the older child when it's time to go to the hospital, or how to explain that a new baby is on the way. Your Second pregnancy guides women through all these and other puzzling concerns with anecdotes from many second time mothers, a warm hearted, supportive style, and a thorough vetting by a woman obstetrician.

Every pregnancy is different. No one knows this better than the woman expecting her second baby ---- and this is the book that discusses what is different, and why.

some people think i am having twins

I really have a huge belly considering where i'm at with my pregnancy.
Honestly, my doctors (including the ultrasound technician) are telling me different due dates. if i base it on the first date they told me, i would be around 23 weeks and 5 days.
The ultrasound technician told me i would give birth a week earlier than my due date.. so maybe i am already on my 24 weeks which is 6 months.

So yeah.. the picture above.. is what i looked like when i was 8 months pregnant with gavril.

The nutritionist told me, after the first pregnancy everything will be different.
You will start showing early.. your belly will be bigger because all the muscles that needed to be stretched have already been stretched etc etc etc.

I am about 117 lbs right now and i am guessing all the weight is in my belly.
I honestly have not grown bigger anywhere else except my belly LOL
My arms are the same.. my waistline... i think i gained an inch on my waistline.

I tell everybody who tells me that I am having twins that if there are 2 babies in my belly.. then i will look like i swallowed a watermelon (oval) and not a basketball hahahaha

Anyways, i am doing much much better now. I just can't wait til the baby comes out.
We are excited to welcome baby boy #2. No name yet hehe.

alt-F4

nope its not a boy band.

I took Gavril to the library today. I am blogging while he is right next to me playing with the games on the library's computer.

i just taught him how to exit games and that is alt-F4.

and yes, i didn't have to show him again.

Not a Conventional Mom

In as much as I try to be a more conventional mom... by the books.. by the rules.. it seems like I am not cut out for it. I have done my best to be a mommy void of all criticisms but I don't think that will ever be possible because YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY.

When "in love" they always say "follow your heart". I'd say that it can also be applicable to motherhood.

If I go by what people tell me to do in raising my child just because it's more traditional.. or it's the proper way.. or it's the right way.. then I will raise a very confused child.

Each child is unique... different from the moment they were born.

Ever since I was pregnant with my firstborn, I have always read books.. listened to advice.. researched.. Sometimes, the information i get works.. but most of the time they don't. Why? because my kid is different.

I was watching something on PBS last sunday and something about this one lady said, caught my attention... WE ALL HAVE DISABILITIES.

Very true. We typecast people with physical disabilities as "disabled people".. not realizing that we are disabled somehow too... if not physically then probably.. spiritually... emotionally.. mentally... and this is where the cliche NOBODY IS PERFECT comes in.

Gavril is not a perfect kid. He, like any other kid, reached his developmental milestones in his own time.

Gavril is leaning on to electronics.. technology. And i believe that people would be thinking "what kind of a mother is she, encouraging her son to jump into technology at such a young age?" The answer? I am a mother who follows her heart and her child's heart.

I have tried a thousand times to sit and read a book with Gavril.. no luck. I have been taking him to the library trying to get him to be interested in books.. again no luck.. but lo and behold, he sees the computer and he sits and grabs the mouse and starts clicking away.

He does watch a lot of TV and DVDs but none of what he watches could be called senseless. Haven't I mentioned before that he learned his alphabet, numbers and phonics through this media?

I know I have control over this 2 year old but i believe that its ok to let him explore his own interest and not push him to do things that he won't even care about.

I WANT TO ENCOURAGE AND NOT DISHEARTEN MY SON.

My son deserves the best in this world and since we are not capable of sending him to specialty schools etc... all i can give him now is 200% support in what he does and what he likes.

I am talking about this in regards to whoever has any violent reactions on how i am raising my child.

Gavril is a good kid.. loves technology.. loves outdoors.. and most of all he loves God and his parents.

Brosius Great Grandkids

These kids are from Kevin's mom's side of the family. They are the children of Kevin's cousins (including his kid of course hehe). There's more.. not everyone was present.

Can you spot Gavril?

Gavril is the youngest in this group... again, showed his best behavior by listening to the adults and stayed where he was asked to sit. Good job Gav.

Welcome home Aunt Christine!

Kevin's Aunt Christine came home from Baghdad, Iraq.

We are all so happy to see her safe and oh so beautiful!

She is so sweet and she openly tells me how much she likes me.

She kept on rubbing my belly everytime she sat next to me hehe.

I hope she doesn't get deployed again. I hope she stays home for good (she doesn't live in Indiana though.. she's from Savannah, Georgia)

Boogie Wipes

We've been using this product since 2008. I can't believe I didn't discover it sooner. It helps a lot in cleaning my son's nose specially with the hardened boogie.


He hates the saline solution specially since I have to spray it directly into his nose to dissolve those boogies.

This is actually a wipe with saline solution and my son actually likes it. When he's got a boogie and he himself can't get it out he would say "Mommy, I want my boogie wipes please".


Very very useful and helpful to mothers. The packaging is small so you can carry it anywhere with you. It helps a lot too when a child has a cold. What an amazing invention!

This product is highly recommended.

White Chocolate Wonderful

The first and only peanut butter I've ever really liked since I came to the USA. My husband is a huge peanut butter fan. When I tried the peanute butter here, I couldn't help but compare it to "Lily's", a very famous peanut butter in the Philippines. I have to go to an asian store to purchase this and its quite a long drive. So I don't always have it readily available.

Then this huge Salmonella issue about peanut butter burst out and we believe we were affected by it because after eating peanut butter crackers.. our family got a stomach virus. We stopped eating anything with peanut butter. When they confirmed that Peanut Butter in jars are safe to eat then we went to the grocery and got one. I never really paid attention to brands or kinds or whatever. We just get the basic one. But because we were really careful, I actually managed to spot this one. And so we bought it and in less than 3 days.. it was gone hehehe. No one got sick but we were left wanting for more.

Its smooth and creamy and even if does say white chocolate, the peanut butter still overpowers the chocolate flavor. It just has a special sweetness to it but not too much. Being pregnant and all, I always crave for chocolate. Knowing that this peanut butter has it plus the fact that its rich in protein, I am happy and can't stop eating it!

Product Reviews

I remember that one of my goals in blogging is to write reviews on products that I have purchased, used or consumed. When money is tight, you want to be able to get your money's worth. Everytime I want to buy something, I go online first and research about it and read user's opinions. They really help a lot in my decision even if it's their own opinion. My reviews would probably be really simple and just plain mommy/consumer experience. I have tried and tried so many products and of course not all of them turns out to be what i need or what is helpful to me.

Father and Son

I love all of their father and son pictures.. i have a bunch more but i don't have it on this computer. I just love being able to capture moments in photos where you can actually feel the special bond between them. Daddy works really hard but he tries his best to spend time with Gavril as much as he can. Gavril never preferred mommy over daddy even if mommy is there ALL the time. This proves that its not always the amount of time spent but the quality of that time spent together. Even if daddy comes home when he is already fast asleep.. it still doesn't affect the bond that only the two of them share.

Funny Valentine (2008)

These pictures were taken a year ago, February 14, 2008 to be exact. He was only a year and a half old. He saw the chocolate rose daddy gave mommy and ate it without asking now look at his guilty smug face! hehehe Oh So Cute! Mommy was too busy taking pictures so he took the liberty of cleaning himself up.

"2" is not so terrible at all

I love this age! I got to know Gavril more when he turned 2 because of the many different emotions he has displayed.

I totally understand why they call it the "terrible two's".

I have my own share of frustrations. I have times when I think I am being driven to insanity.

But then I remind myself, he is only 2, I am 30. hello?

With Gavril, it's 80% terrific and only 20% terrible.

I am not a perfect mom.. I read a lot of books for reference and advice.

It is trial and error most of the time but you will never know what works unless you try it.

With my son, consistency is the key. He knows that mommy means everything that she says.

I love seeing the transformations in him. I love how he is coping in the outside world. We are together 24/7 and between the two of us, I think I am the one with the separation anxiety.

Gavril has a very pleasant personality. He CAN take no for an answer believe it or not. He knows how to get what he wants in a sweet way because he knows tantrums never works for mom and dad.

TANTRUMS = TIME OUT.

TANTRUMS = never getting what gavril wants

TANTRUMS = endless crying but still gavril will not get what he wants

TANTRUMS = beat it kid. it's not working.

When he wants something he would say "peepy pwease" ... if it didn't work he would kneel down and clasp his hands together and again he would say "peepy pwease". Now, this doesn't always work though but he tries anyway because sometimes it does hehehe.

He is in the "MINE" stage but he knows when it doesn't belong to him and he knows if he needs to share. Actually, he only does the "this is mine" thing at home. When he is with other kids, he shares.. he gives way.. he gives up his turn.

These 2 year olds.. crave for authority because mommy or daddy always makes the decision for them. They are little boys and girls in a world so big there's so much to explore.

My son is not a poster child but I am darn blessed to have a really laid back kid. He knows how to soothe and calm himself. He knows when to give up when the answer has been NO.

90% of the time he does as he is told.. he has simple chores at home. He even knows how to pray!

When he is at his worst behavior.. all i need to do is remind myself that this little guy is only 2.

I need to go down his level.

After all, he won't be forever 2.

I am going to miss this age sooooo much.

This age solidified my relationship with my son.

Where do I begin?

This is the big question.

In as much as I want to chronologically organize this blog.. it is highly impossible.

So I would just post entries until I am caught up.. but due to my negligence.. it won't be according to when things happened in my life.

just that.... they HAPPENED.

It's been five months since my last post

Time really flies.. i have neglected my blog since 24/7 morning sickness struck me hard.
I really want to keep blogging. I want to keep writing about my thoughts.
Even if I won't generate hits on this blog (which means its possible that no one would care to read my entries hehehe) ... I believe that I need an outlet.. not just a social networking site but somewhat a journal that I don't have to hide under my bed.

So here I am again. Prodigal daughter of Blogspot.