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The Name

I remembered before Aeisha was born, we were struggling to find a name. We had no idea if we were having a boy or a girl. The radiologist gave us a gender but with a question mark. She wasn't sure either. So we have to come up with 4 names. 2 for each gender. My sister Yvette suggested "Drew Gabrielle". Sounds familiar??? It's a sort of female version of my nephew "Andrew Gabriel". HA HA HA. We ended up taking the Brielle part, I just happen to click and click on the internet and saw this nice name. Then Os came up with Aeisha, which is a modified version of Aisha, meaning WOMAN. It's funny how things turn up themselves when you least expected it. On the last minute, we were able to come up with a boy's name, too! But ssshh... I won't tell. It will be a secret. He he he

Curious One

This is picture is taken from my webcam. It's a low profile webcam that needs to be upgraded. Ha ha. She is curious about the webcam and seeing herself on the screen that I couldn't get her to focus. I love this picture though.

Sleeping Side

Aeisha loves to sleep on her side. Right or left. Doesn't matter. Whenever she is in deep slumber, she would then turn to her right or left. Mostly she turns to her right side. She also loves to sleep on her tummy. My sleeping time is interrupted since I can't stand the thought of Aeisha not sleeping on her back. I have to turn her on her back. I took this picture while she was napping on her playpen this afternoon.

Learning to Stand

Finally we decided to take out the bassinet on her playpen. Now, she is full-force on the bottom of the pen. There used to be a bassinet attached. But since Aeisha loves to stand, it's about time. She would hold on to the edge of the playpen. Then just stand there for quite a while. If she's tired, she would just lower herself to a sitting down position or if her legs can't support her weight, she would fall down into a lie-down position, which makes a thug sound and with me rushing to her side. Hi hi. She will then laugh or smile at me. No tears. Whew! She also loves to jump while she is in the standing position. I am not quite confident for her to do that because she might hurt herself while doing so. I always stop her from jumping since her mouth if at par with the edge/rail of the playpen.

Learning to Walk

Aeisha loves to walk although she can't really walk just yet. But she's trying. Every step means a lot to her. She would smile at you when she takes a step. She's also learning how to crawl at the same time. We put her on our bed then give her something to reach out to. That way, she would push herself to crawl. He he...

In these pictures, my good friend Beth is the one holding on to Aeisha while I take the picture. It is during our visit to her condo yesterday afternoon after our lunch that Aeisha is loving the carpeted flooring and broad daylighting on her room thus prompted her to really walk around. Of course, assited. :)

With Grand Aunt

My cousins Gerard & Charles treated us for dinner in honor of 7pe's birthday. We met there at 5pm and was already munching dinner at around 530pm. Too bad Jen didn't make it Friday. She was supposed to be here to celebrate with us. Unfortunately, her flight was cancelled due to security reasons. It's been 6 months since we've last seen each other. And we miss her! Earlier the day, Os and I had lunch with our friend. She treated us. Ngek. We were supposed to go Dutch but she said that it's not always that we get to meet. So... after lunch, we went back to her condo. She showed us where their indoor pool is. She invited us back to have Aeisha try out their pool. I have yet to buy a swimsuit for Aeisha. He he. It must be fun to shop for one. There are tons of designs to choose from!! Anyways, after going to Beth's place, we went to Ikea. Bought some stuffs... not much, just the essentials that I need. So, this picture here was taken from Magic Wok where Aeisha was busy looking at the fishes & crabs in the aquarium with Aunt/GrandAunt Rosita.

Too much TV or phone?

Is this little girl going to be a tv critique or a phone chatter (aka telebabad)? Ha ha ha.

Aeisha is holding a remote control. Playing with it. Eating it. Then putting it on her ears as if it's a telephone. After a while, she fell asleep. HA HA HA

The Joy of Cooking

I started cooking when I came here to Toronto and lived in an apartment with Os. Back home, we had the cook to prepare the meals for us. When I initially came here, my Uncle/Aunt cooked for us. There was no chance for me to try cooking. Yes, I cook simple things here and there but nothing special. Now I can cook following the instructions in the cookbook. I also attempt to alter some of the ingredients. I can transform raw materials into a meal. Even the simplest ones. Maybe watching cooking shows made me want to cook. When I was younger, I loved watching Wok With Yan. In fact, it was one of my favorite shows as we don't get much TV stations back in my hometown. I remember it showing on Sunday mornings on Channel 5. And we used to joke around the way Mr. Yan talks. Hi hi hi. Anyways, I also tried baking and I really suck at it. The baked good is either too soft, too mushy, too hard, too dry... arrggh. I vow not to try baking again. HAHA. Chinese cuisine is one of my strength. It's stir-fry easy. Guess Mr. Yan inspired me at an early age. I also love cooking pasta. But I suck at lasagna. We've tried once and it turned out too soggy that we decided to eat it as a regular pasta. HAHA. When I watched the show East Meets West, boy was I appalled at how Ming Tsai can mince garlic is a split of seconds. I guess all professional chefs have that art of mincing garlic or anything that fast! That's it.

Nap time

Aeisha is about to take her afternoon nap. Before doing so I told her to pose for me. HAHA. And she diligently obliged. Her naps in the afternoons usually lasts for about 2hrs maximum. Minimum would be 30 minutes or so. Normally, I would let her wear just shorts to taste the coolness we get in the ground floor. But today for no apparent reason, it's way cooler. So I put on some pjs on her but still sando on top. He he.

Bed of Air

This is where Aeisha is sleeping during daytime or when we are on the ground floor. It's so much cooler down here rather than the 2nd floor. There are days when the day temperature is high even that you can actually be cooked had we stayed upstairs. She still prefers her own crib though. I can understand that. So I rock her to sleep before putting her in the airbed. Then she sleeps soundly. He he. This picture was taken when she just woke up from her afternoon nap.

A Walker & A Wagon

We bought a new Walker Wagon combination last Saturday for Aeisha. It was a price grabber so what better way to buy it? First time she used it, she slipped. So now she's scared to use it. Then yesterday I made her sit beside it on the floor. Then let her play with the toys that's attached to the walker itself. Hopefully, she will regain her courage to push it when she can stand on her own. Right now, she stands on our laps then we put her down on the floor and help her stand and make itsy bitsy tiny walks. She loves it! One way to calm her is to put her on the floor and help her walk around. Hehe. But be prepared to stretch after doing so. Our backs usually turn sore after.

Oops.. pardon my feet in the picture. I have to hold the wagon with something!!!

After an Arrowroot

This is what usually looks like after Aeisha consumes an Arrowroot biscuit. She's satisfied with a good sigh. I used to give her just 1/4 piece. Then gradually, I increased it to 1/2, then 3/4, now it's almost 1 whole. It's 2hrs before dinner time so I don't want to give her that much. :)

So far, this is her 8 month menu:

Breakfast: 2 Tbsp. of Barley or Oatmeal cereal (alternate)

Lunch: 3 Tbsp. of Single veggie

Snacks: 3/4 Arrowroot biscuit

Dinner: 2 Tbsp. of Rice cereal, 3 Tbsp. Fruits

Then there's the 7oz. of her Step2 milk when she wakes up and every 4-5hrs. After a day or two from now, I'm going to switch her to Step 2 baby foods.

Growth Chart

This is Aeisha's growth chart so far. We didn't visit the clinic since her last hepa shot. And I haven't weigh her using the mom-carry-baby-minus-moms-weight method either. He he he. I will do that soon. But wait til you can see my arms how big they've grown. Aeisha loved to be cuddled most of the time. Loves to when she's sleepy especially at night time. But during the day, she can easily sleep by herself. I have tried to leave her wailing during the night but I couldn't. I just have to carry her and rock her til she sleeps. And she still sleeps at least 12 midnight. Guess she's really a night lover. Ha Ha

Aeisha's Playground

This is a make-shift playground for Aeisha. Since she doesn't have her own room yet, we allocated this area for her. That way, I can just put her here while I do my work in the kitchen. I didn't include the books here yet. They are activities before bedtime although we often miss it since we are both exhausted for the day. Have to include that back again! She loves to read. She loves it more if you read it to her. He he.

While waiting for Daddy...

One day last month, when the weather was a bit friendly, Aeisha and I went strolling along the neighborhood. We went to the GO Train station to wait for Os. He took the 6pm train. So the train will arrive at around 7pm. So by 640pm, we started strolling. I put on Aeisha's denim hat on her. And boy! it was cool that day despite the sun shining. I had to cover her with a blanket as she was not using the Bundle Me anymore. So we marched along the pathway. To my big surprise, one of the nearby neighbors' dog was playing outside. I knew this particular house always has their dog playing on their front yard, which is in front of the path way. So I detoured and used the rear path. He he he. That's how I don't like dogs. Anyways, we reached the station about 10 minutes before the train is due to arrive. I checked on Aeisha.. and what did I find?? She was sleepy!!! Ha Ha Ha!!! So she loved the stroller ride to the station. :)

Eating Money

Why is it hard to get a driver's license here in Ontario? We have to go through stages in order to get a full driver's license. There are 3 stages actually. First you have to take a written test called the Knowledge test. It's a 2 part exam - Traffic rules & Traffic signs. 20 questions on each part. If you pass this, you get the G1 Driver's license. You then wait for 12 months in order to get the G1 exit road test then you get G2 Driver's license. If you attended an MTO certified driving school, you only have to wait for 8 months in order to take the road test. I let my G1 license expired after 5 years because there is no way I can pass this road test. So I went back to square one. I took the knowledge test AGAIN. And happily I passed it. I was told not to wait for 12 months to get the road test. I can take it right away. So now is a time to look for a good school. So after being G2, you have to take another road test again in order to become G. And that's where it really sucks! One mistake and you fail. You take it again. Another single mistake, you fail again. Each time G2 road exam is taken, it's a big $75. Just imagine, me?! taking the G1 exit road test... it will take me 10x to get this @#$%^$% license. What more to become G? Will I be spending thousands???? GGGRR this system is really eating money!! People's money. It's not that you minimize accidents by having this graduated license??!?! Duh??!?!

Pears

I gave Pears, organic & non-organic, to Aeisha for the past 5 days. And she is neutral about it. I've also gave her rice cereal, oatmeal & barley cereals alternatively. By her age, she should be eating the step2 group of foods. Maybe I'll give her 1 more round of the Beginner's foods then I'll switch to the next group. Tomorrow, I'm going to start Applesauce, then Peach is last. Then I will give her the cereal 2x a day with a combination of veggies & fruits to her menu.

Lost Bib

Last night, we went to TNT for our usual chinese grocery shopping. And guess what? Aeisha threw her bib on the ground. We only noticed it gone when she had tears in her eyes. Earlier the night, Os noticed her trying to take out her bib. Little did he know that she'd already taken it out from her neck. It's velcro, easy to use and take off. Then she threw it somewhere. We never found it. So bye bye Bib#1. For sure there will be other instances of the Lost Bib in the near future. Ha Ha

Our First Ever Crocs

Os and I splurged on $40 (tax included) Crocs footwears today. I've been wanting to buy this ever since it started some 3 years ago. But I didn't since I didn't like the designs that were present then. Now, they branched out their designs and came up not only the classic design, but a variety more. Os opted for the slip in one, called Schutes, with a wide exposing the toes. It looks similar to his Adidas slippers but this has more cushion and he loves it the first time he tried it on. The price for the past 3 years is still the same. So we thought that it will be go on sale anymore. For me, the design I chose is the Athens. I love the color and it's very soft and cushion-y. Crocs footwear is known for its slip resistance and non-marking on the sole of the slipper though it's soft. There are other products from Crocs but I don't see them sold anywhere else except online.

Two Teeth

Ok, so it's official. As my sis would say, Aeisha is now "dalaga". Her two lower teeth has already sprouted. HAHA. Os first found out about it. I guess I wasn't too observant since being around me, she doesn't cry. Her mouth is always closed. Hahahahaha. We went

Banana Blech

Good heavens Aeisha doesn't like banana! I gave her the jarred one from Heinz and she hates it. Actually Heinz didn't store them in jars anymore. Instead they packaged pureed fruits in plastic containers. But I still saw Pears in jars. Anyways, Aeisha gave me a blech face again. Just like when I gave her the Potato before. HAHA. I think she didn't like the sour taste of it. I checked the label and found out that Heinz included lemon juice as preservative. No wonder Aeisha didn't like it. I guess babies don't like sour taste. HEHE. I will give her Pears next as Applesauce might contain the sour taste again.

Last Shot

Today we had Aeisha's last HepaB shot. She didn't cry. She was just irritated as if someone pinched her on her right thigh. The nurse this time was good. She was very quick. Guess she must have much experience with babies as I have seen her since I went there to have my first check up. That was around 2003. Aeisha now weighed 23 lbs. And is 74in / 29cm long. At 7.5 months, I guess she is on the 95th percentile or more. Her two lower teeth are about to sprout! So she won't have a toothless grin now. HEHE

Check your Rx

I'm ranting today because I wasn't able to buy Aeisha's HepaB vaccine. I went to the drugstore and dropped off the prescription. Little to my knowledge that the prescription was for ME! The doctor mistakenly wrote my name on the Rx instead of Aeisha. Geesh! Now, the pharmacist needs to call the doctor to confirm (come from the horse's mouth) that she indeed made a mistake and will authorize them to proceed on with the Rx. It got me so infuriated!! It was almost 9pm that time. Tomorrow is Saturday, no clinic. They won't issue the vaccine eventhough Aeisha has a file with them because the 2nd vaccine (this is the 3rd and last shot) didn't specify that it's a REPEAT. It was only for 1 dose. Tomorrow I am going to try the other drugstore where I bought the first vaccine. I checked my own file and YES! it says that it's a REPEAT. So I just need to call them up and ask for a refill. Hopefully they will allow this. Otherwise, Os has to ask for another half-day off from work! So, lesson learned here... check your Rx after your doctor has written it.

Tooth Fairy?

Last night Os showed me Aeisha’s two lower teeth starting to sprout. Oh boy was I astonished. I just hope that she won’t go through the diarrhea and drooling and the crying stage again. She had this bout when she was 5 months old. But we didn’t see any teeth springing although we saw two small bumps on her lower gums. Then after 3 days, she was ok. Feeding was stable and so is her pooing. So I duno. Maybe she just ate something dirty??? That was hard cz I had to change her soiled diapers every hour. And she wouldn’t want to drink her milk. I had to use a medicine dropper for her milk intake. On Monday, we’re going to the doctor for her third and last heap shot. I forgot to buy her $25 vaccine last night. So I have to keep in mind tonight if we go back to the drugstore. That's it for now.

Peas

Aeisha started peas yesterday. She loves it!!! Maybe because of the sweetness that comes within. The potato is the most blechiest that she ever tasted. HAHA. It's tasteless, no wonder she didn't like it. But she still ate it. :) 5 more days or if the bottle is empty already then I am switching her to Squash. Then it's fruits time. I've got Applesauce, Banana, Pears and Peaches. Then I will be coming up with a menu for her. The more homemade food, the better. A friend recommended boiling some chicken meat or beef meat. Then blend the meat with the broth. I guess I'm going to try that when my 'experiment' is completed.

Today

Today is Papa's 61st birthday. All of my siblings are home in Zamboanga celebrating this special occasion. Only me is not there. Boo hoo hoo. I can't wait to visit them this September. Many are saying why I ain't home since it's been 5 years since I've last seen my siblings. Well, my parents were here last year. One of my friends will spend her maternity leave at home. Me? Nah! I'd rather stay here. In a way, it's more convenient for me to be here although everything is convenient back home. Still, I'd prefer to be here. Besides Aeisha needs to spend time with her Daddy. :)

Pa Pa

Today Aeisha uttered 2 new words -- "Pa Pa". Os and I were both surprised. He he. We asked her to repeat pa-pa after us. But she wouldn't. HAHA. By 8 months, she is expected to know how to wave bye-bye and clap her hands. I teach her that everyday. And she loves it when people starts to clap their hands at her. :)

The Queen

I watched the movie “The Queen” earlier. Without knowing the synopsis of the movie, I can say that the movie was all about the events following Princess Diana’s death and how the Prime Minister Tony Blair, portrayed by Michael Sheen, convinced Queen Elizabeth II, portrayed by Helen Mirren, to succumb to the British people’s plea to pay their respect to the People’s Princess. The movie showed the interaction between the Queen and the PM to reach a concession between what was the tradition and what the public wants.

The Royal family never liked what happened between Charlies and Diana. The Queen exposed coldness in her heart for Di. And I can see the same coldness in her heart towards Camilla. She scoffed with disgust when the movie showed an excerpt about Camilla. It’s as if no one is ever good for the Crown Prince. Now that Camilla is married into the Royal family, I wonder if she gets the same treatment as with Di.

It is only in this movie that I learned that the Queen became the head of the monarchy at age 26. I was surprised that she DRIVES! And a dialogue in the movie revealed that she was a mechanic when she joined the army during WWI. She loved dogs. Got lots of them. At first, the movie showed stringency between her and the PM though the movie ended with them being chummy.

Stealing some free time I had today, I found out that the Queen’s real name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. She married her distant cousin, Prince Philip. She became queen when her father died of lung cancer. She doesn’t have any brother, only a younger sister, thus she became the Queen. Prince Philip renounced his title as Prince of Greece and Denmark before they got married but was later named Prince. I wonder why he isn’t King after marrying the Queen. Anyways, the Queen and Prince Philip have 4 children but I guess only the crown prince is the most popular. So every detail of his life is very controversial and followed by the media. Even his private life and the people involved. Well, as they say, being in a royal family is like being a celebrity.

Milestone at 7

Aeisha turned 7 months yesterday. For solids feeding, she loved barley cereal the most. Then I would say oatmeal then rice cereal. For the single vegetables, I have yet to give her the peas & sweet potatoes. I have already given her potatoes, carrots & green beans. Of which she loved carrots the most. After this I am going to try on single fruits. Then I can combine the cereal, single veggies & single fruits. Not literally combine them but making them part of her breakfast, lunch & dinner. Milk intake is now 8oz. for the first feeding in the morning, and 7oz. for the rest. She still has toothless grin as of this time. My mom said that the tooth fairy usually visits babies on their 7month. So we are awaiting ours. He he. Some babies have their tooth as early as 5 months! Aeisha can sit assisted at 4 months. Sat solo at almost 5 months. We then knew that she was ready for solids then. But I still waited til she reached 6 months before giving her first cereal. She was able to roll on her side from her tummy at 6 1/2 months. And she's been trying to crawl in our bed lately. I just need to give her some leverage on the feet for her to give out her might and move forward. She can also say Ma-mah. But I read that it's just her practising her M-sounds. Not really calling me Mama since most babies say Da-da first. She also likes to move her head when we say No-No and move our head as well. Copycat! haha. She can also seem to recognize our plaque "Christ is the head of this house." above our ground floor closet. Whenever we recite the phrase, she will raise her head up and sort of acknowledge the plaque. I don't know how she does that but it's cute! I'll make an update if there are more. :D

This Sunday, we met some friends of ours. And there is this cute little boy, Jude, son of our friends. BOY! He can walk at 1yr! He's so cute!!!!!!! The other little girl, Hannah, yet another friend's daughter will be celebrating her 1 yr this week. She has so many hair. She even got her 1st haircut already! And she's got lotsa teeth! I can't wait for Aeisha's tooth to sprout. With that, I am going to Walmart or Sears to capture that moment. HEHE.

No More Good Things

I don't have anything good to say anymore about what was once my home country. The system sucks. Everything sucks. I'm 101% glad I made a decision to stay out of it. I pity those who are still there. I encourage people to emigrate. That's the only way to live elsewhere legally. Canada open its doors to me in 2000. And I vowed to sponsor my parents and sister over. That dream came true 2006 when I got approved to be a sponsor. Now, 4 months later, my parents still hasn't submitted their application just because these stupid clerks (SCs) at the provincial NSO made a mistake through their penmanship. When my parents applied for their birth certificates, instead of LIM, that SC's penmanship made it appear to be SIM. What a stupid mistake!! The fault lies first of all in the SC who had a lousy penmanship. Next, the process goes to NSO Manila, another SC who wasn't sure if it's L or S chose to put S so that she can have one certificate done and thousands more to go. Now because of this stupid mistake, my Dad can't get his birth certificate done in time. It will take a good 3-5 months for the attorney to get a court order for the name change in the birth certificate. With that, to add salt to the wound, the application will become void on my part. CIC specifically stated that the application will be void if the PR application wasn't received after 6 months they sent me the kit. Mid-June is the deadline. So if we will wait for the court order, I will just be saying good bye to my processing fees here. What the hell does the system want??? MONEY?!?!?!?! Are they just saying this to my Dad so that he can offer them MONEY??? more MONEY???? I am ranting here because I can't do anything about it. This can't replace the time I spent on the whole application. There are too many people to point fingers, too. And it's like a ripple effect. If one causes this, the effect will be like this. My parents already applied very early but once again, the place being a province, the SC said that they won't ship out the certificates unless they reach a quota number of certificates. What a stupid policy!!!!!!! What if it's a rush order? Their SW (stupid website) boasted of its fast service that it only takes 3 days or 1 week at the most. But how come it took the provinces to receive it after 3 @#$@#$ months?? I rest my case, I can only say no further good things about that country anymore. Everything about it is pointless. Not a good place to live. Others may disagree with me. And I don't give a damn. I don't care what good things they can say about that country.

Started Carrots

I started carrots on Aeisha today. And she didn't give me a frown this time. She just played neutral. I can say that she prefers carrots over potato, but loves her cereals the most. Next I will try on is the squash. I guess I might have to buy the jarred ones because I only need a few handful of scoops, the rest, who's gonna eat it? Not me. HAHA

Feature Weblink for the Day

Granny's Garden
http://www.grannysgarden.ca

This is what I call a hobby turned into a business. Even for Granny Rona, nothing beats out the creativity in you. Armed with her skills in knitting, she was able to make her creativity speak for itself. The products that she is selling are mostly hats for children and also for adults too. She also has booties that are included on some of the hat sets. Granny Rona is based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, although she is accepting orders from the US & elsewhere as well. The price range for the items are $22-$25. For a small additional charge of $2.95, she will gift wrapped her creations before sending it to you via Canada Post for a mere cost of $2.50 per hat, or hat and booties sets to Canada and US. She is also accepting International orders. Just drop down a line to her at her email which can be found in her website. One more thing.. I like her website. It's straight to the point and cool to the eyes. Nothing fancy but very informative.

Holly Hobbie

I love Holly Hobbie, she's so adorable! Ever since I was a kid, I love all her collectibles. Then years passed, she's all forgotten until Carlton or I guess American Greetings revived her. I want to start her collection, but being a sane person that I am, there are other priorities that I need to attend to... especially my bag collection. HA HA. Just kidding!

Holly Hobbie has been in existence for the past 40 years already. When I logged into their website (www.hollyhobbie.com), there is a new version of the said character. I don't like it but I guess her creators want to cater to the new generation now.

I got this on the internet:

Holly Hobbie, the charming girl in the oversized, blue chintz bonnet, is a character, who personifies childhood innocence. It was named after its author and creator, Holly Hobbie, and introduced as a character design on a few greeting cards in 1967 by American Greetings Corp.

Holly’s engaging smile and friendly, country girl appeal hide a deeper wisdom and strong, optimistic outlook on life —one she is quite happy to share with others. In a
rustic, early-American setting, Holly Hobbie, her brother, Robby, and best friend Heather, share friendship and happy times together.

Hmm.. interesting. I just loved Holly Hobbie that I didn't know that there exists a brother and a best friend. HAHA.

Bag Craze

I don't know why I am so obsessed with bags. In my closet, I have a big box of bags that was previously 'worn' by me. And I still kept it. I guess there is no bag in this world that will ever satisfy me. HAHA. But I can say that the oldest bag that stayed with me was the Lacoste shoulder bag that my sis-in-law gave me years ago. I must have used it the longest. I use it during weekends as I can't use it at work. Too small. To this day, I can say that I have at least 20 bags in the box ready for storage or in my closet that's ready to be used anytime. He he. Ok, not only do I am crazy about bags.. also diaper bags. HAHAHAHA. I must have bought Aeisha 5 diaper bags up to now. And I want to buy one more. It's an Eddie Bauer blue/brown mini-diaper bag on sale. Half the price. But Os stopped me! I have too many already he said, which is very true. HIHI. I have to stop this obsession else my savings will go down the drain. I must think that there are still other important things to spend my money on than bags. Bu hu hu

Layers

I had my hair cut yesterday. Kept the same length but added layers. They are not that visible though since my hair is not that long. I vowed to go back to the hair salon every 2 months to 'fix' my layers. This will post as a challenge for me since the weather is gearing towards spring and summer. But good thing that I don't need to go out if I don't want to. No obligations to stay outside the scorching heat of the sun. Read my blog from Summer 2006. All I did was to complain about the heat. One day it struck to the 40's and I was out, pretty heavy on the belly and waiting for the bus. OOOOhhh, I don't want to go back to that stage.... i.e. the summer part. HAHA

Wasabi

Today we went to Wasabi with friends. It's been a while since we've been there and been in touch with our friends. It's so nice to have a sumptous meal with them. We spent $19 each for the all-you-can-eat buffet lunch. One thing that I find it weird is that, the washroom doesn't have a change station for babies. I bet there have been comments already about it. But still they are not installed. The last time we went there was on December when the restaurant was fairly new. And we had to use a bench near the side entrance (unused) to change Aeisha's diapers. So, hopefully they can correct this and also cater not only to the 'eaters' but also to babies.

Potato with a Face

I started to give Aeisha potato yesterday and what a grimace of a face I got from her. HAHA. She was scowling on every feed. I prepared the potato the night before. As recommended by a friend, I peeled the potato. Boiled them til they are very soft and tender. Then I pureed it with just plain hot water. Then I set it for a while to cool. Then I put 2 Tbsp of the pureed potato in each cube in the ice tray. For Day 1, I cracked out 4 cubes of the pureed potato. Oh it was too much for Aeisha. So today, Day 2, I just cracked 2 cubes. And she finished it! She still frowned.. giving me her Datu-Puti look. HAHA. If you can picture what I mean. We'll see tomorrow.

Rainy Spring

Yes, I know that spring is supposed to be rainy here in Toronto. And this is what's happening right now. Well, rain is so much better than snow. Snow gets muddy in the end. Rain just dries up. He he. The temperatures right now at in the positive side although the clouds are still hovering up the sky which leaves the sun out for a while. I can't wait for the weather to clear up. There's just so many things to do outside. Plus, I want to be able to bring Aeisha to the park. She gets the shivers when we are outside just even for a few seconds. She is not adjusted to the wind yet. We can get fresh air there although it's not much since there is a construction right across the park. It was supposed to be a 'man-made lake'. But I guess business is business. A certain builder bought the whole lot and turned it into what they do best.. real estate. Oh well.

When You Reach Home with Baby

This is part 4 of my reminder blog. After a few nights’ stay at the hospital, the attending OB gives you a go signal to go home. My OB stopped by my room on her way to work the next day. I was really amazed at how after a 24hr shift, she can still manage to look so proper and up and running for her day’s work at the clinic. It was learned that her shift at the hospital the night before was extremely busy. September 21 was the busiest!

Anyways, so when you reach home with baby, make sure you have the following at home:

At least 1 feeding bottle ready to use. The rest can be sterilized after the first feeding, i.e. if you plan to bottle feed as in my case when my milk supply was at its lowest.
Have baby’s crib ready for sleep.
Prepare enough blankets and receiving blankets to swaddle baby.
Have enough wash cloths too. This is best when feeding baby. Instead of using bibs, wash cloths are good alternatives.
Formula: Buy this as soon as you are discharged from the hospital. You never know if you have enough milk in you.
Diapers: Stock this way before baby is born.
Diaper rash ointment: Just in case.
Cotton balls: To wash away the poo.
Wipes: You can buy at least one for now since we don’t want them to dry up if you stock them.
Spring water: Use this if you plan to formula feed baby.
Hot water in electric pot: The most convenient way to have hot water in handy.

What to Bring for Mommy & Daddy

This is part 3 of my reminder blog. And this list is for mommies and daddies, too.

1. Jacket: The hospital room can get chilly especially at night time. It was late September when Aeisha was born so the temperature outside was kind of in the teens. I had to be in my jacket at night time.

2. Pillow: The private room I had did have extra pillows for me. I had about 4. Hi hi. But we still brought our own pillow. Bring extra pillow for Daddy, too.

3. Blanket: This is for Daddy. If you had a private room, a couch is provided for Daddy. We were lucky to have a couch that is functionable and sleep-able. The other rooms didn’t have the kind of couch we have. You can also bring a cot but the room we had was too small. And the couch was just perfect for Daddy.

4. Bengay: Oh, gosh I needed this because I was sore all over. It did help a bit but the soreness was internal. But it did provide relief for my arms.

5. Going-home clothes: Ok, I didn’t have this!!!!!!!! The night before we were to be discharged, Os went home to get new supplies and bring home old ones. And I shipped these (going-home clothes) with him. My mistake. I learned that it is still best to bring your maternity clothes. The jogging pants will be best coz it’s stretchy and comfy. A big tshirt will also serve good as top. I had to use Os’ jogging pants in going home cz it’s loose. He he.

6. Socks: You need this since it’s cold at night. I found it very comfy to wear socks.

7. Toothbrush & toothpaste: You will have likely to have visitors so it is good to be prepared.

8. Laundry detergent: You need to soak your bloodied undies. Yes, you will still be bleeding and staining can’t be helped.

9. Sanitary pads: I used Moddess maternity pads but you can also use long Always Maxi pad with wings. It worked the same for me. The moddess was given to me by my friend who recommended it and my mom also brought some. In total, I must have hoarded 10 packs of 8.

10. Razor/Shaver/Shaving cream: for Daddy.

11. Face cloth: You do want to wash yourself everyday. Since there are no area to shower, there’s no need to bring a big towel which will consume space in your bag. But have one (towel) for Daddy since he can bathe at a relative’s house nearby. You don’t want Daddy to be out of your sight for a long time.

12. Telephone numbers of friends: Jot down all the numbers of friends that you want to call. I felt bad that I didn’t include one of my friends’ number. And we haven’t talk since.

13. Notepad/Pens: If you want to record anything.

14. Rechargeable batteries: for your digital camera

15. Digital camera: You don’t to miss the moments with the little one.

16. Videocam/Videotapes: Same as #15.

17. Video charger: Same reason as #15.

18. Stroller luggage: It’s easy to lag your things around rather than have bags. Surely you won’t need just one bag. You also have to consider baby’s bag and Daddy’s bag, too.

19. Foodstuffs: Mostly for Daddy since mommies aren’t really allowed to eat til they pass gas. I did pass gas on the 2nd day already. Plus you’re on dextrose so you won’t feel like eating. One tip: Put the foodstuffs in 1 bag. Daddy will share your hospital food but will most likely be hungry still. There are microwaves in the hospital pantry so bringing of microwavable foods is recommended.

20. Juices: For daddy. Although water is available in the pantry, too.

I bet this will be edited still.

Barley

I started the Barley oats cereal on Aeisha. And she loves it as well. It's like our Cerelac back home. The smell. The consistency. No wonder it's every kid's favorite. Hehehe. It's day two tomorrow, so we'll see if she will still like it. :)

Let it flur...Let it flur... Let it flur...

I know.. I know.. there's not even a word in the entire world called FLUR. HAHA..

Anwyays, we've been having flurries since last night. And now they've accumulated on the roof. Here are pictures up for grabs. See it for yourself. :) I took this picture from the inside. This is our neighborhood.

Temperature right now is freaking cold! We're back on the minus side now. In fact, it's -4 right now as I type and it feels like -12. Oh boy! Spring...

Hand in Hand They Fall

As I blog right now, flurries have started falling since dusk today. They came down together with the rain. I guess they go hand in hand during Spring. It's a nice feeling when you hear the raindrops hitting the windows but when you're outside, it's a different story. It's freaking cold! bbbrrr. We postponed our trip again to the mall because of the cold weather. So tomorrow then. I need to buy the Barley cereal for Aeisha. Then I can proceed with my home made potato puree. Ciao!

Flurries in Spring?

It’s kinda bizarre to have this kind of forecast. Starting tonight, there will be rain/snow shower combination. Then overnight until next week is going to be flurries. I just find it weird to still have flurries in spring. Oh well, maybe the forecast will change again.

Rain Rain Go Away

Yes, I am singing or reciting this. I want to go out as soon as Os comes home from work but we couldn't because it's raining. And I don't want to go through the hassle of bringing Aeisha out. The weather station forecasted that it's rain rain rain starting tonight until tomorrow afternoon. It's supposed to clear up partly tomorrow evening. But who knows? It's just a forecast. And it will change again. Hay.

What to Wear

What should babies wear? From the time they were born, parents should have their 'welcome clothes' ready. In my case, since I had a CS birth, what we prepared had gone haywired. Os didn't have any idea what to bring. I was in a state where I want baby to come out already! We missed bringing the baby clothes and cap to the operating room. So baby was swaddled... naked except for a diaper, which the nurses in the room provided. Because of tension, Os didn't cut the umbilical cord, didn't see the placenta, didn't take picture inside. What we planned for, they didn't happen. But of all its worth, Os was beside me, comforting me. When the attending OB said, "It's a girl!". All I remembered was, "YES!" coming from him. So he wanted a girl! HA HA. I was in a groggy state so I barely remember everything. He just keep on reminding me that it's a girl. And she looks like me. When I saw her, she has her eyes closed, and yawning, and blinking her eyes, as if to tell me "Mommy, I'm here." Hi hi hi. It was so perfect a sight to see. And so much a relief for me. Finally, I thanked God for making it so smooth and FAST. Just like what I prayed for. HA HA.

She loves Oats!

Oat cereal... Aeisha loves this! She will stomp her feet on her high chair to demand for it. HA HA. Today I gave her 1 Tbsp with 2 Tbsp of water at breakfast, lunch & dinner. She tricked me by not finishing her milk. Just leaving 2oz. Enough to mix cereal into it. HA HA. So I gave her the oats & she quickly finished it. So I can say that she is OK with oatmeal. Next week, I am going to try the Barley Cereal. Then after the Step 1 milk is finished, I will switch on the homemade potato puree. As my friend recommended, I just have to put the pureed potato in an ice cube tray then freeze it. Take out what I need in order not to keep on using the blender every time I will serve Aeisha her pureed potato.

New Costco... opening day blues?

Costco open its doors to the Markham residents yesterday, March 30. It is situated at Kirkham Road and Markham Road. I was excited upon seeing the ads late last year. And I can't wait for its grand opening!

On its opening day, it was kind of a big disappointed for me and Os. The place was jam packed when we went. Considering it was already 8pm! Finding a parking was a pain. It took ages for us to find a spot. So Os dropped me and Aeisha first and we went in. Good thing the line to go in wasn't that long. The line at the Registration was LONG. Days before they open, Costco had a big signage about pre-registration of their membership. And yet, people ignore it until the opening day. There were Costco employees at the entrance checking the customer's membership cards. If found none, they were not allowed to get in. They have to apply for the card on a separate area.

OK, once we were inside, we found the area to be very massive. There were lots of items. But not much were on sale. Although there were items that were on sale only at this branch. But still it wasn't much. We just bought the usual... eggs & milk. I bought a finger puppet & board book for Aeisha and a lullaby CD.

Will I go back to this branch? For convenience sake, YES. But if I were to choose, I'd still choose the Woodbine branch. It's much easier to navigate and people are well-mannered there. The place might be pint-sized as compared to this newly opened branch, but as they say, it's more cozy. And going there on a weeknight or Sunday morning before lunch is better. So I guess the population there will definitely be lessened because of Costco Markham as most of the residents here had to drive all the way to Woodbine just to get their grocery needs. So less people means roomier. :)

A Quick Siggy

This is another quick siggy for Aeisha. I used scrapbook materials from Shabby Princess. Their site has got great kits to download for free. www.shabbyprincess.com. The picture I have of Aeisha is when she already 6 months old. The dress she wore was given to her by my good friend Shirley. Dresses back home are so nice! The roman numeral number found on the lower right portion of the siggy is ... take a guess. Come on?!?! A quick guess?? Give up!? You can do it. So? Ok ok.. I'll tell you. It's her birthday. 9-22-2006. :) As the caption says, "Spring has spring... and I'm ready." Yes, we are ready. I have lined up all her cute dresses. When the weather is nice out there, I will have them lined up again for laundry! Then it's ready to use! :D

Proud Aunt

I'm so proud of my nephews. They excelled in school this semester. Andrew got a medal for being excellent in Math & Science. One of the few in his class to receive this award. Adriel got awards at Kinderhall, too, and so is Curly (Aetom.. haha). I can't wait for Aedan to receive such awards as well. Hope this will be an inspiration to him while he grows up. I wonder what Ashley has. All I know is that she is a member of St. Jude's Dance Club. She loves to dance! Keep it up my dear nephews and niece!

Siggy Amateur

I had some spare moments today and I've decided to create Aeisha's siggy myself. Just for fun and this is what I did. I used some scrapbook paper materials that I downloaded on the net. The used Scriptina font for her name. A clipart for Easter on the lower portion of the siggy. Os helped me edit the clipart. Pictures were taken just recently and Aeisha turned 6 months. It's fun to try on the spring clothes on her. She doens't complain! hehe

Ship Internationally

Sometimes I just wish that we were residing in the US! There are so many good deals online where they only ship in the US and not internationally. And Canada is considered as "International". My sis agreed since she's really into scrapbooking stuffs and all the free shipping that she can find online are only available for the US. Much as she wanted to send it to me, the shipping rates are costly and sometimes unreasonable already! Oh well.

Another Siggy

Here's another siggy for Aeisha.

A Star for Aveeno

Once again, Aveeno product topped it all. For almost 7 years that I've been living here in Canada, nothing beats out dry skin during the winter season. So I was constantly in pursuit of a good hand cream. I’ve tested over a good 3-4 products and some offered temporary relief from dry and itchy skin. Until I tested Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream. It contains active naturals like natural colloidal oatmeal which lasts through hand washing and moisturized for 24 hours. This non-greasy cream leaves hand soft and smooth even after washing. Some products that I tried were Neutrogena Hand cream which was the first one I used. It was ok at first but when the tube is close to empty, the smell becomes stinky like the product already expired. Then come a new variety of the same brand. It’s fast absorbent and leaves hand smooth. But after the first washing of the hands, the cream is all gone. And I think it is water based too. Getting more frustrating especially during winter where my cuticles are acting up, I sought relief in Olay Quench Therapy Hand Cream. It is Olay’s fastest relief hand cream for extremely dry & itchy skin. It worked! Only that after washing my hands once or twice, the cream is gone. And the smell is so overpowering that you can smell a stench of it a distance away. Then came Aveeno! *whew* What a relief! So far, I’ve tested the previous products, Aveeno stands out! By the way, Aveeno is a product of Johnsons and Johnsons.

First Solids

Rice cereal is recommended to be the very first solid food for babies because it is the least likely to provoke an allergy. I received sample packets from Heinz and Nestle-Baby, some coupons from Beechnut and Gerber. A friend recommended Heinz Rice Cereal to me. So I bought a box and served Aeisha. It’s been the 3rd day and she loves it that she will growl after every bite. That's her way to show that she wants more. HAHA. I mixed 1 tablespoon of the dry cereal with 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water. I made sure that it’s thoroughly mixed. I have no problems about the consistency because the cereal dissolved quickly. Next week, I will increase the frequency of the rice cereal to twice a day. Perhaps lunch and dinner. The week after, I am going to increase to 3 tablespoons of the dry cereal. :)

It was recommended to wait for 2-3 weeks after the rice cereal before introducing the veggies and fruits. Between new foods, it was advised to wait for 3-5 days before doing so. I fed the cereal to her during dinner, lunch, then on an afternoon snack. I also fed her before or after her milk intake. Hmm.. she got the same reaction. She LOVES it. Then I'm moving on to Nestle. Then Beechnut. Then Milupa. Hehehe… Gerber doesn’t have rice cereal. If there’s any, I haven’t found one. They only have the jarred foods.

Right now, since we couldn’t find a good high chair for Aeisha, she is relaxed like a queen on her seat. I know it is not recommendable to do so. So hopefully we can get her a high chair already. The one branch that we went to didn’t have stock in store. They are selling the floor model. So we walked out. HAHA. We’re going to try our luck on the other branch. Else… hay! I have to research for another high chair. I was luring for the Fisher Price one but when we tried Aeisha on it, I had difficulty sliding the tray out with one hand. When I tried the Graco Mealtime one, swoop! It was fast and secure. So we decided on this one only to find out that it was the last one. Bummer!

What to Bring

This is Part 2 of my reminder blog...

The welcome of a baby is a very momentous event. So we want to be certain that we are primed with all baby-necessities. Being a first time mom myself, I had it all planned and yet, I missed out lotsa items. I guess my resources didn't give me all the details that I need to know. OR were my questions too broad and vague? Anyways, here goes.

Based from my experience, I would remind myself to bring the following for the baby:

1. Diapers: Provided the hospital supplies you these, you need to bring at least 1 bag of diapers. I used Pamper’s Swaddlers #1 because I wasn’t aware of a size for newborns. Besides, they grow very quickly that the maximum weight for the newborn size is 10lbs. In a span of 2 weeks, babies will go beyond 10lbs. Unless the baby is born very small, newborn size is not recommended. I’d say 1 bag because of a last minute decision to proceed with C-section, I didn’t bring enough diapers that I had to ask my mom to buy me one pack.

2. Wipes: You use this to clean the baby’s bottom for pee and poo. I’d still recommend cotton balls soaked in water for the poo. I used Huggies Wipes which was OK although I didn’t like the scent. I’d use Pampers’ Sensitive wipes.

3. Diaper rash cream: Just in case there is an early sign of a diaper rash.

4. Vaseline: The hospital provided this for us but better to be ready in case you ran out of it.

5. Facial tissue: You’d want to use this to scoop the petroleum jelly from its container and into the baby’s bottom. We didn’t have this since the petroleum jelly that was provided came in a tube form. So the nurse taught us to just squeeze the petroleum jelly out from the tube into the diaper and apply it directly using the diaper as an ‘applicator’. You also use to dry the baby’s bottom when cleaning up the poo.

6. Receiving blankets: I’d say bring 10. Why, because it will serve as a swaddling blanket for baby. They tend to love it when it’s warm and they are snuggled inside. It can also be used as a burp cloth.

7. Thicker Blanket: To place this on the ‘bed’ of the baby. The mattress is too paper thin.

8. Sleepers: Make sure that it’s long sleeves and closed with snaps, not zipper. We have to be careful of the umbilical cord area. I’d say at least 8.

9. Socks: at least 5.

10. Infant cap: Babies had to be warm from the head to toe and no better way to warm them than an infant cap. I’d say 3 is enough. I didn’t think about this so baby was cold that we had to cover her with the receiving blanket and I ran out of it. Recycle recycle recycle.

11. Face cloth: When feeding baby, to wipe milk residue.

12. Change pad: This will come in handy when you want to change baby in a larger area.

13. Car seat blanket: Whether it’s summer or fall, the car seat needs to be covered.

14. Car seat canopy & head rest: This is a boo-boo for us. We weren’t prepared for this. The canopy was sitting inside the box! So it’s a must to have this when checking out baby.

15. Bundle me: When it’s winter, this is very convenient as baby wants to feel warm.

16. Car seat cover: A thicker blanket to cover the car seat. For protection from unwanted particles from the hospital.

First Ever Siggy

This is our first ever Siggy by Salena. You get to send your pictures and wordings and she will take care of it in a day or two. Two at the most. There are 3-4 other artists who give their creative time and put these pictures at work. Their website can be found in http://vipsignatures.proboards84.com/index.cgi.

No Coffee

I am not a coffee drinker. I just happened to drink a medium Tim Horton's .. just for fun. They have the Roll up the Rim promo again. As usual, I didn't win. Os wasn't lucky enough either. And what a nightmare it has made to me! I was reading "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham, his latest nonfiction. Oh boy! I read and read and read until 330am. Then I slept. At 530am, I was awake. Went on a potty break then went back to bed. But I couldn't sleep!!! I was awake until 730pm when I hit the sofa and slept soundly for 1 solid hour. Now, DST (daylight saving time) started, and it's supposed to be 12:48am now, almost 1am and I'm still awake. My sleeping pattern has been side swept by a medium sized Tim Horton's coffee.. double-double. He he he. So, from now on, I won't drink coffee anymore!

A Milestone

Aeisha has entered into the stage of teething. It started very obviously last night. She was so uncomfortable and didn't want to eat. She had diarrhea on Monday-Tuesday. She was so so drooling uncontrollably. I have to have at least 5 washcloths daily. By Wednesday, she was a bit OK. Her feedings were so inconsistent last night, from 6oz per feedings every 4 hours to 1-2oz per feeding every ??? hours. I lost track! My sister doc suggested to use a medicine dropper just so she will be fed. So that's what I did, and she had fun taking her milk by the dropper. HAHA. We peeked into her mouth and saw two little bumps and whitish color on her lower gums. So I guess this is it! I do hope she will have a positive experience out of this. I know that she will have another round of 'this' by the 7-8th month when her upper teeth will erupt. Oh boy!

New Trick

Aeisha knows how to kick the blankets that I so lovingly put over her at night fearing that she might be cold. Now, I have to at least get up in the middle of the night just to check on her. In the mornings before Os goes to work, he makes sure that she is still snuggled. New tricks everyday. He he.

Now, Mommy has a new trick. Once I sense that she is fussy, I start to read her the Noah's Ark board book I got for her. She will then feel lightheaded, her eyes will start to look sleepy. I keep on reading to her but now narrating on what I will do next like "Now, Mommy will put Baby to her crib. Baby will take her nap." and so on. This is the 2nd time now. HA HA.

More tricks to come...

Baby Products I Use

I'd like to dedicate this blog to myself. Why? Because this blog will also serve as a gentle reminder for me in case some people asks. This will be a series of reminder blogs. This is the first part.

Skin: Babies tend to have dry skin especially in the winter. So, a friend recommended Aveeno Baby SOOTHING RELIEF MOISTURE CREAM. It comes in a tube of 140g. It is fragrance free, hypoallergenic and non-greasy. This cream is enriched with skin-soothing natural colloidal oatmeal to help restore lost moisture for the relief of dry skin associated with eczema. I guess Aeisha has this that's why it is very important that I find the right lotion for her. She was using Cetaphil but I didn't see a positive result out of it. It's Day 4 since I've applied on her cheeks and I am beginning to see good results. Her cheeks aren't dry anymore. I will continue to use this until she gets that peachy skin that most babies SHOULD have. :D

Bath products: Right now, I'm still testing which one works best for Aeisha. She's now 5 months old and I can count by my hands and feet the number of times we've bathe her. He he he. It's winter so we try to just wash her rather than bathe her. I am using Johnson's Head-to-Toe wash. Hmmm.... I can't get a baby scent out from her, especially on her hair. So I've switched to Gerber's Shampoo. Just for the hair. And the baby scent is starting to materialize. But I still use Johnson's on her body. I also use Aveeno SOOTHING BATH TREATMENT. A friend also recommended this. I have just used 1 pack so far.

Body lotion: I used Aveeno Daily Lotion. After this, I'm going to switch to Aveeno DAILY MOISTURE LOTION. The word moisture is the key here! :)

Diaper Rash: Again, babies especially baby girls tend to have this than baby boys. So, I used Gerber's Diaper Rash Cream. So far, the rash seem to disappear after Day 3. But I still continue to apply it til the skin is clear.

Petroleum jelly: I used Vaseline Baby petroleum jelly on her bottom to prevent moisture build up which eventually end up in a diaper rash. I first make sure that her area is dry before I apply this. So far, so good. I also use Penaten when we are outdoors and she needs to have a diaper change. So far, same results as Vaseline Baby. I might try this after my 2nd bottle with Vaseline Baby.

Wipes: I use Pampers Wipes right now after the Huggies Wipes we bought before. I only use this when she pees though. When she poops, it's water and cotton balls for her. It's harder when we're outdoors when nature calls, because I can't get access to water once I've put her on the change station. So, wipes is what I use.

Tissue: I use Puffs and Puffs-to-go for her tissue needs. I use this to apply the petroleum jelly on her.

Diaper: Currently, Aeisha is using Pampers Cruisers Size 3 alongside with Pampers Baby Dry Size 3. For the past months, I've used Pampers Swaddlers Size 1 & 2, Huggies Supreme Gentle Care Size 1, 2. Huggies Natural Fit Diaper Size 3, Pampers Baby Dry Size 1, 2 & 3. What I like about Huggies is the u-shaped sides. It makes it easier to wear the diaper. I like Pampers because of its absorbancy. However, it takes time for me to fit the diaper to Aeisha. I have to keep on adjusting it. Because absorbancy is very important, I'll continue to use this product. One this I forgot to do is to take down the dates when Aeisha started to change her diaper size. Oh well.

Formula: I am feeding Aeisha with Similac Advanced with Omega 3 & 6. That's what the hospital gave us. Since she is 5 months now, I've stocked enough til she is ready to switch to Step 2. Good thing Similac came up with the same size and component only that it's Step 2 and I guess it's more iron-fortified. I would be glad if she didn't need these formula but she has to because she didn't have the privilege to enjoy breastmilk. The faucet is tight! Plumbing wasn't good. :D

Feeding bottle: I just followed what others recommended. AVENT bottles. I got so many of them that I lost track. I got at least 8 4-oz bottles. Then another 8 of the 9-oz bottles. Hi hi

Toys: I bought different brands of toys for Aeisha. Fisher Price, Bruin Bear, Playskool, Lego, Megablocks, Baby Einstein, Dora the Explorer. The best that I can say is Fisher Price. It has got all the essentials for a baby from colors to shape. But it's good to have a variety, too.

Next thing that I will experiment on are the Cereals. 'Til here.

Events

I had my first share of shoveling 2 days ago and oh my! I was so exhausted. My whole body ached especially my arms. It's a good thing that our neighbor cleaned up the mess I made. Tee hee hee. He was so kind enough to clean up the rest of the white stuffs. I had to go back inside the house because mommy-duty calls....

I finally found my skin-friend! The new Clinique Soft Finish Makeup. It is said to give moisture to the skin. And it is made especially for dry skin. My skin is so dry during the winter, so this one works best for me. The one I'm currently using, doesn't help at all. I thank Clinique for having good consultants on site. :)

We will be having Prime Rib Roast Beef tonight. Oh gosh.. I do hope it will come out well done and medium rare on some part. Crossing my fingers...

What's in my bag NOW?

Here is what you saw in my bag before (in red color). Since I am on maternity leave, I don't get to go out often. Plus, it's winter outside. The arctic circle is above Canada, thus the windchills and the snowsqualls. Anyway, here is what you can find in my handbag NOW. The ones in BLUE are the ones that are still in the bag, the RED ones are OUT!

Wallet: the most important thing in my bag -- STILL THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN MY BAG
Cellphone: the 2nd most important thing -- TRUE! TRUE!
Coin purse: with or without, I'm OK -- YOU'RE RIGHT ON THIS!
Keys: of course, I can't get inside the house if I don't have this, unless Os is home first -- CORRECT!
Lipstick: my lips are pale without it -- I HAVE A TINY LIPSTICK BOX, TOO, THAT HAS A LIPLINER INSIDE.
Comb: I don't want to have a bad hair day -- SO SO TRUE!
Ponytail: to feel refresh -- I HAVE SHORTER HAIR NOW, SO I DON'T REALLY NEED THIS!
Swiss knife: girl scout's best friend -- GEE! I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE I PLACED THIS! WHAT A BUMMER!
Sunglass: it's summer, girl! keep your eyes from the UV rays. -- I LEAVE THIS IN THE CAR. I STILL NEED THIS EVENTHOUGH IT'S WINTER.
Ballpen: to scribble with -- YEAH BABY! THE BIG FAT PEN!
Pieces of papers: to scribble on -- HMM... I BETTER TAKE NOTE OF THIS!
GO Pass: Paid $187/mo for it! have to optimize this -- NO WAY JOSE'! MY WORKPLACE MOVED TO MARKHAM NOW, SO NO NEED OF GO MONTHLY PASS. BUT AGAIN, I'M ON MAT LEAVE. MIND YOU, IT'S NOW $197/mo.
Access card: Optional coz I can always wait for someone to get inside the bldg, but of course, I'd rather have my point of entry -- THIS IS SAFELY PLACED ON MY DRAWER AT HOME.
Crabtree and Evelyn cuticle cream: I need this, I have a bad cuticle! this is a miracle cure for me.. -- MIRACULOUSLY, MY CUTICLES ARE HEALED!
Minnie Mouse card purse: this holds my other credit cards, rewards cards, coupons, buy 10-get 1 free stuffs cards -- IT'S A LACOSTE PURSE NOW. HA HA
Checkbook: easy access cash, only if they accept personal checks -- NAH! IT'S IN MY DRAWER NOW.
Datebook: to keep me updated with my activities -- OH YEAH! NEVER LEAVE THIS OUTSIDE MY BAG!
Breakfast: usuaLly sandwich -- BREAKFAST STAYS AT HOME
Lunch: usually the last night's dinner -- THIS ONE TOO!
MP3: not to get bored -- I DON'T NEED THIS FOR NOW.
USB connection: if i need to download some files from work -- I DON'T NEED THIS ONE FOR NOW, TOO!

However it may be, whether I'm off to work or to the mall, I have some replacements of the items that were out of the bag. They are:

Hand cream: I HAVE TO HAVE THIS!
Puffs to go: NEED THIS FOR AEISHA'S EMERGENCY TISSUE NEEDS.
Abreva: OH MY HOW SORE MY LIPS ARE! THIS IS A CURE INDEED!
Extra batteries: FOR THE DIGITAL CAMERA!
Woman's monthly thingy: YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!

Baby and Me

I used Shabby Princess' free kit called Sweet Serenity. This free kit can be downloaded at www.shabbyprincess.com. Great kits there for free download!

My Latest Craze

Here are some of my digiscraps that I made while watching over Aeisha. :) I used Shabby princess kits.