Ja-NEW-ary Favorites!

Happy new year, y’all! I have fresh new favorites for this year and I hope these will all be helpful and interesting. Join me again this year as we continue this series!

1. Wooden Fruit Cutting Toy from For Mom and Tots Online Shop

I’ve wanted one of these sets ever since I laid eyes on them online! Yep, I personally wanted it to play with it too. Haha. It’s so cute and satisfying when you hear the crunch when cutting them up! I personally think and know kids know when you’re genuinely into playing with them! It’s great to actually enjoy playing with your kid – it takes you back to your childish (or child-like?) ways and be silly with your little one. Not only is it very enjoyable to play with, it also teaches hand-eye coordination or fine motor skills, practical life skills and habits, and you can also teach them the various toys and vegetables they’re cutting up – super fun! It’s nice that these toys are very gender neutral nowadays – it breaks the stereotypes of only girls having cooking toys. Thus that also breaks the barriers and teaches our little boys that men should cook at home too! This toy from ‘For Mom and Tots’ literally is the story of my life since this toy is for me too – its been on my list since forever! It has such amazing quality which I know will hold up for a long time for my son to play with and you can never go wrong with wood.

2. Lavie roller, Moms and Beauty

For a breastfeeding mama, I have been obsessed with this LaVie Lactation Massage Roller! It’s an actual breast massager to stimulate milk flow. It has a holder but you can also disconnect it’s roller to really get into those clogs to empty more effectively. I’ve always struggled with massaging my breasts and I’ve never really figured out hand expression. I don’t really know if I’m ever doing it right since I don’t get much milk out like I see on demonstrations. This is a God-send to me and I know every breastfeeding mama would give me an amen! Thank me later.

3. 360 Smart Camera PH

This little thing is so high tech! It has a 360 degree panoramic cruise, high definition and infrared night vision, and two-way communication which is great for when baby’s asleep in the room and you can talk to him or hush and lull him back to sleep. You can track baby from your phone, has cry or abnormal sound detection and face detection which is also amazing for the play room! I’ve had a generic kind of baby monitor and it is nothing compared to this fancy baby – the swipe panning of a room is so snappy and it follows baby like a hawk that you’ll never miss a thing! Perfect for any paranoid parent out there which is every parent.

4. Luggage Wear

The first time I opened my package from them I could really feel the difference of their fabric from regular luggage protectors. It has a very luxurious feel and fits my luggage like a glove! I love that you can personalize it however way you like with your name and your design of choice.

I found this specific design from their instagram feed and fell in love with it! They have very accommodating staff as well that caters to your customization and you can even send your own design! It’s perfect for a traveller who’s always on the go – your luggage will love fabulous and also very much protected! I also love that it gives you the illusion that your luggage is very expensive but in reality mine hasn’t been changed in years! It hides the fact that it’s ratty and old, haha! It’s a really good trick too if you have an old luggage; maybe your funds are low or you just don’t have it in your heart to get a new one if the old one still works, a luggage sleeve is a good way to go! I even had it break on me but this protector kept my luggage tight that none of my belongings exploded out of my bag! How’s that for a trusty protector, right?

5. Zendure X6 Powerbank from Exotech Shop

I’ve tried and tested this powerbank for a couple of months and it is one mighty thing! It really comes in handy especially since I usually vlog on my phone and it can really last me a day or so which is a really big deal! This baby can even power up my macbook (yep, it’s compatible)! It can also endure all my slip-ups when I drop it by accident (I sooner read up on it and it turns out its crush proof). It juices up my phone quick too with its fast-charging sturdy wire that comes with the powerbank. Not to mention it also has a very sleek and handsome design!  It has a (believe it or not) 5-port output! What!?

6. Kumori Philippines I’ve tried both Kumori’s cake cups and soft cookies and they have never let me down! The cookies in particular are my absolute favorite – they’re so soft and chewy even if it had been in the fridge for a while. I just popped it in the toaster and it’s as chewy as a dream! A definite must-try! I’m dreaming of one right now…

7. Elarz LechonElarz is known for their lechon but did you know they also have them canned too? And they’re amazing! They have corned lechon with various flavors like spicy Lagablab and my personal favorite: Paksiw na Lechon (and many more flavors to try)! It’s very meaty and a great alternative for your roasted pork cravings on regular days – now you can enjoy Elarz lechon anytime, anywhere! Canned good goooodness! Yum.

Hope y’all had a great holiday season! Happy 2020! Stay tuned for more exciting things to come for the blog this year, thank you for your continued support!

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August: Flavors of the Month

I have a couple of discoveries, musts and needs for the rainy season and all seasons! And by the way, to all the mothers out there, happy world breastfeeding week to us! Celebrate with some treats on here, continue reading!

Ysabelle’s Anti-Mosquito Cologne

It’s so perfect for the rainy season! I’ve been using this constantly and it’s so easy just to spray instead of having to lather it like anti-mosquito lotion. I also prefer liquid spray so my little one won’t feel sticky – I know I would hate it, and I don’t want him to be uncomfortable. Especially with my very wriggly baby! It smells so good too with a scent of lemon and citronella that makes it super effective! When the rainy season started, I saw some mosquito bites on my little one’s legs and it’s pretty scary especially with the dengue outbreak. After using this continuously daily, I have not seen one bite!

Coobie Nursing Bra

I bought a cheap nursing bra in a department store and it worked fine but I was so shook having tried this bra! It’s sooo comfortable and supportive, the material is so luxuriously soft and it’s heaven on the nipples – especially if yours are on fire with so much breastfeeding! My ratty nursing bra was also so hard to clip and unclip – I guess you get what you pay for and having such a quality nursing bra is so vital. Especially when you really are committing to breastfeeding or like me, you just figured it out late into your breastfeeding journey. Make the investment and you won’t regret it! I am also happy to share that on my birthday week there is an exciting sale on Coobie and ends on my birthday, August 7! Grab yours now!

Sorella Garments

For the non-nursing moms, Sorella Garment’s
brassieres and underwear are so supportive not just for your breasts but for your butt too! When you shrink into your sexy momma bod,

 

you would want new and supportive underwear. And momma, replace those old ratty panties! You would need new ones to feel like your old self – or your new self, a sexy new momma! Don’t neglect yourself and sometimes you just need a little somethin’ somethin’ to remind you of that! Do it for you, and for hubby too.

Galactobombs

What really reminded me of this when I tried it is it’s like galactic – out of this world! It’s funny ’cause having looked this up ‘galactic’ actually means relating to the milky way galaxy.

I would have one or two cookies for a quick snack and I would literally be shooting out milk (take note, it was a stream and not just spraying)! Never experienced that before and certainly this was the significant reason (Also with caring for yourself such as drinking water, eating meals, etc)!

Universal Stainless Kitchen Set

My husband and I are fairly newly weds and we don’t have much kitchenware and getting a Crown Signature set from Universal Stainless Ware was a great start for our cooking needs. It’s a 7-piece set which will cater to all basic cooking at home. It’s super easy to clean – perfect for the busy stay at home mom like me, no more scrubbing with it’s mirror polish finish! And as new parents, it’s definitely easier now to just order your set from their Lazada shop here.

Reformage Mousse Cream & Gold Moisturizing Soap

Skin Enhance has skin products that make your skin feel luxurious when you use them! Their Gold Moisturizing soap (that also has a whitening version) and their Mousse Cream are my particular favorites! The soap lathers so smoothly when bathing but not too thick like commercial brands from the grocery stores. The Mousse Cream is pretty interesting since it protects your skin from UV radiation at the same time it’s a face cream! It combats premature fine lines and deep wrinkles. This month I turn 27 and I hate to admit I’m reaching 30 and this is definitely needed for prevention!

Timeflys Baby Monitor

We have such an inconsistent internet connection and I think that’s mostly common for most households here in the Philippines which is why I fell in love with this baby monitor right away! It’s rechargeable, it has a night light and a couple of lullabies. It has a small screen on the parent’s sort of ‘remote’ that’s super light and you can clip it onto your clothing. You can see the temperature in the room, change the songs and it’s volume, open the night light, and a two-way communication feature to comfort your baby if he wakes. The other stays beside your baby and you can hear him stirring and you can check on him. It’s such a great way to monitor your baby without having to worry since you would never lose connection with it and it has a wide range as well!

Ava’s Kitchen Spreads

I tried all of their flavors and everything is just so daamn good! It caters to all kinds of tastes you prefer and they’re so natural and healthy – you can actually see the bits almonds, herbs and malunggay (moringa)! I also kept it in the fridge as per instructions of storing it and even from the cold, they’re suprisingly very spreadable especially on warm toast! It’s a super healthy spread compared to others if you’re watching your lactation plus your weight! We all need to shed that baby weight, right?

Pomona Spreads

For those who don’t lactate, Pomona spreads are an interesting and healthy option! They are so yummy and also healthy – they have no preservatives and homemade. You would really know that actually with the way you have to store them – you should definitely keep them in the fridge because they are made from fresh ingredients! As a mom, I really am particular with the stuff I eat if they’re fresh and organic. The flavors are so yummy too such as Banana Butter, I mean how yummy does that sound? Even better when you get to try it! It’s heavenly and you get to satisfy your sweet tooth with this instead!

Hope this helped when deciding what to snack on, and stuff you actually need for daily living. These may be ‘flavors of the month’ but definitely investments for the long haul too!

Again, happy world breastfeeding week! Let’s support mommas out there and encourage them wherever they are on their breastfeeding journey and however they choose to feed their babies!

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Thrifty Bibi

As a thrifty mom, I have a few more tricks up my sleeve that took me a lot of research to realize.

As I’ve said in my previous blogs, read to your baby. This saves you from electricity of having your baby watch TV all day (please don’t!). This is also a very special bonding time for you or for the whole family! This is also a good study time to spark baby’s imagination and understanding. You could give this task to daddy.

In connection to that, if you have access, borrow books from a library. Don’t always just rely on one trusty story. Let your baby’s imagination run wild, let her learn more than just one story. You could borrow one book a week, and if she really wants that book again, by all means just borrow it again. But I recommend you change it up.

For earlier months for baby, it could be quite tricky during bath time. To make things easier for you, get a foamer! There are hand washes that come with a foaming mechanism. so just finish up the hand wash or put it in another container and fill it up with your baby shampoo/baby wash.

Face time or Skype as a baby monitor! Save some money, you don’t need that baby monitor. And anything that has ‘baby’ on the label shoots up the price of any product. So opt for things that have the same use without the baby label. But of course, ask questions if that’s appropriate. For one, sterilizers, ask sales ladies if the baby bottles can be put in normal sterilizers. And no, you don’t need to buy that baby bottle cleaner. There are other cleaners without that baby label for a lot less!

Personally, I also don’t recommend buying a lot of shoes for baby. Especially the expensive ones. It’s better to just opt for socks in the first few months so there’s room for his feet to grow and you wouldn’t waste tons of money from shoes he would easily grow out of, it would be a waste. Maybe when he’s around 6 months old you could get him some shoe socks, they’re quite popular these days because of the anti-slip silicone underneath. And it would be better to just purchase around one to two pairs through the growing years.

Last but not the least, Kids Eat For Free Restaurants! Well, need I say more? And if your baby doesn’t like the baby meals? What I do is order it for myself since I’m not that picky with food and I love kiddy food. Haha! Even if this seems like your child is picky, you are also giving them the floor to choose what they want to eat (if it’s healthy!).

I’m sure there are a lot more thrifty mom advice, but that’s all for now. ‘Til next time!

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