9 Low Maintenance Activities With Your Active Toddler

I struggle so much with having a ton of energy everyday. It takes such a mental toll on me to keep a tiny human alive – to make sure he’s safe, healthy (thus hydrated and eating nutritious foods), being excited about simple things like brushing his teeth and showering. Sometimes I get so mentally exhausted that I just shut down and go on autopilot. Obviously its not ideal especially with a toddler who seeks attention. Especially in these trying times when we don’t get to soak up enough sunlight and are staying indoors – my son gets so antsy and he doesn’t understand what’s going on and why. I’m also getting so depressed staying indoors – even if I know we’re incredibly privileged. These are the things that get me through the day when you just have push on or rather, mom on!

1. Drawing boards. We only have one and it has really been through a lot! It’s been stepped on and abused every single day! But I love this thing – we got it for so cheap at a toy store (350 pesos!). This is how I taught my son so many things like his ABC’s, shapes, and numbers (we started with 1 – 10 and now we’re up to 20!). It’s literally so easy – I just scribble something and quiz him. It doesn’t take energy at all to sit in the couch and just draw with him for an hour or so. I guess it’s also very enjoyable and fulfilling to see how much your kid learns and absorbs. 

2. Paying attention. When my toddler suddenly recites (he doesn’t sing) the ABCs or shapes, I follow along with him. Sometimes while playing he would just randomly blurt out his ABC’s and I sing to him. 

3. Let him spend time scrolling through picture books. You both get your quiet time and he’s just so cute sitting in a reading nook skimming through pages! He’s also learning on his own, pointing to things and reciting! 

4. Lessen the stimulation. As much as possible. When my son is busy playing independently, I don’t put other music on or TV. I just let him do his thing. When he gets cranky or bored, thats when I put some music on try to play with him and worst case scenario, yes, we turn on the TV – don’t bash me. I find that when I do this he stays more with each task and concentrates more instead of distracting him with all these stimulations. 

5. Let him watch you do chores. They get such a knack from it and he ends up playing the broom and dustpan for a hot minute. They also get to observe and learn these real life skills. He learns everyday that chores are a habit and are necessary – ofcourse you would want them to learn these as he grows older! And if your child is old enough for certain chores, you’ll get a knack out of it too! 

6. When my son gets extra cranky, I strap him in the stroller and we take a walk. It gives him a certain peace right away. It calms me down too – taking a quiet walk, getting fresh air and we get to enjoy the afternoon staring at the sky, trees, and the sound of the birds. There’s just something so calming about it. 

7. Take advantage of cuddle time. When my son wants to cuddle which is very rare I really try to breathe in the moment and hug him while we cozy up in the couch to his favorite shows.

8. After a looong day, you can put your child to bed earlier than his bedtime – about 30 minutes or more – and take the time to hug and kiss goodnight. Say a prayer with him and always always say you love them. This is one of those precious moments that you would really appreciate your little one and enjoy downtime with them. I used to be so on the dot with having my son in bed at exactly his bedtime. I didn’t want him to go in any earlier so he wouldn’t wake up so early – but either way he sleeps at his exact bedtime and wakes up early anyway so I just did this practice instead. 

9. Lastly, play music and sing to the songs. I also like playing some Mozart to help us relax and calm our moods. This will also elevate your mood and maybe now you’re up for some more fun activities!

Integrating these activities throughout your day can give you some short intermissions in between “active” activities so you can take a break and catch your breath. People nowadays keep posting how bored they are – I cannot relate am I’m honestly really jealous. Consider yourself lucky being safe at home, and “bored” because most of us don’t have the luxury. We all know momming can be so tiring especially with a toddler but these activities are interactive and your child won’t even notice that they’re low maintenance!

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15 Ways to Get Your Breastfed Baby to Sleep Through Night (As Early as 6 Months!)

It may seem impossible at the moment and you may hear people saying a breastfed baby can’t sleep through the night. Believe me, I was in your shoes too – Until I did it. My son is 14 months old and I am still exclusively breastfeeding him and he has been sleeping through the night as early as 6 months old. Desperate times call for desperate measures – I really needed a breather and time for myself. And the only time I saw fit was at night after he had gone to bed. I kept doing trial and error of what worked for both of us (yes, you read that right, girlfriend). My son sleeps at 8:30PM and I used to think he should be asleep by 7 or 8 at the latest, but the extra 30 minutes was a big deal for him. He only sleeps for one nap a day and he sometimes takes it at 1PM or 3PM it all depends on his mood (but still always the same bedtime). When he falls asleep at 3PM, ofcourse its harder for him to sleep as early as 7PM and we usually are just having dinner as a family by then. So we moved it to 8:30, it wasn’t too late and it’s a leisurely bedtime routine; I don’t need to rush and we can actually enjoy each other at this time. See what works for you; but this is how I did it.

1. Transition to 1/2 Naps a Day. Learn the art of stalling naps. You would know if your baby is under the weather and desperately needs a nap. If he is, like my son when he’s teething, I let him sleep it off (as opposed to dealing with the crying – and I just feel so helpless and so bad for him so I just let him sleep it – the pain – off). One nap is ideal in our situation. I think it’s also a good transition since he’s older now and if he goes to school he can adjust easily to that schedule. It’s also best since they’re more tired and craving sleep. He usually had his lunch then bathes and breastfeeds to sleep for his usual first and only nap of the day. When he doesn’t feel well he sleeps at 9 to 10 AM, has lunch, then naps again at 3 to 4 PM. But he still falls asleep at night as scheduled!
2. Let him burn his energy up in the afternoons – let him go outside, run around and play especially at around 4 PM. That’s usually our time since it isn’t as hot out and he can stay out before sunset just in time for dinner and his night time routine.
3. Feed him dinner then..
4. A Bottle of Pumped Milk. My son can drink anywhere between 4 to 8 ounces
5. …On top of breastfeeding. Why so much? They say breastfed babies don’t get to sleep through the night. And this ensures their little tummies are full for the night – it’s also a factor that breastmilk is easily digested. So don’t worry that they’ll be ‘overly full’ – but ofcourse still do this with precaution and observation. And yes, my son breastfeeds to sleep – don’t judge me.
6. Bathe him. This is a great way to soothe him and ofcourse makes him feel fresh.
7. And again yes, make sure he’s fresh and clean – teeth brushed well, etc.
8. Make sure his nappy is clean and dry – I havent had much luck with cloth diapers on this one. But always check before hopping into bed especially since the little babe will be really full and he won’t fall asleep ofcourse if he made a cake in his nappy! Haha!
9. Make him feel cozy – cozy and comfortable clothing (not too hot, not too loose), none of those shirts with too many buttons just clean and simple clothing, make sure it’s not an itchy sweater or anything.
10. If it’s an off-night (overly tired or fussy), give him a massage with some lotion or oil if you prefer, you could also do this every night if you like as part of the routine.
11. White Noise. I use this a lot in the afternoon and night. It prevents him from suddenly waking because of sounds like doors slamming, talking, laughter, car horns, etc. I actually only use Youtube for this, I downloaded a white noise video that he particularly liked and turn off the wifi on the phone so it wouldn’t have any notifications whatsoever (yes, you can download it on the Youtube app itself, you just renew the download every 30 days – awesome right?). We have been wanting a white noise machine but we found it wasn’t that common here in the Philippines and we just work with what we have. #momhacks
12. Make sure the room’s temperature is just right – not too cold, not too warm – this also goes with his clothing or layers of clothing. Not too cold even if he has lotion on. My son doesn’t like blankets (better for me since it’s safer) so my trick is after he’s gone to sleep after breastfeeding, I unlatch him and check on his legs if they’re crisp cold or just right. If they’re cold, I ofcourse adjust the temperature. I also sometimes check after 30 minutes if he’s still cold.
13. Have Your Own Customized Night Time Routine. This is very personal, I think. It all depends on how you want to go about it and you would have to experiment on it for weeks and observe what works best for you and your baby. You could even have a nap time routine so he knows when it’s nap time even if he sees it’s still sunny – it will also help him get used to transitioning to one nap, it will just click one day.
14. On top of that, have a daily schedule so he would get used to your routine changes. Make him get used to his nap time routine and schedule and also his night time routine. Avoid making any changes until the habit is established.
15. Dream Feed. My son’s bedtime is at 8:30 PM and usually calls for me at midnight. With his eyes still closed, he breastfeeds for just a little bit about less than 5 minutes and falls back asleep. That’s my call to sleep too most of the time (Yes, we co-sleep, and again please don’t judge me) since when he falls asleep it’s my free time to blog and do stuff I want without a baby pulling on me, haha! But at midnight, I scoot over next to him and sleep.

It’s not easy, but it will click at around a week or so but every kid is different. They say it can take almost a month to stick to a habit so try a 30 day challenge of sticking to a routine. Once your baby gets the hang of it, he will just automatically get sleepy during his scheduled bedtime – atleast that’s what happened with my son.

P.S. His sleep cycle may change especially if you don’t stick to the schedule – even for one day. And you would most probably have to get back to schedule again.

Bonus tip!

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July Faves

It’s mid-July and it’s time for my July Favorites so far! These products are bomb and I absolutely cannot wait to share them with you – click on the links to follow the shops and check them out!

1. Emerald Fresh Milk

Organic, grass-fed, and hormone free! Such a win for me, something that I am very confident to let my son drink. I am super duper paranoid with the stuff my little babe eats and drinks and thank heavens Emerald Fresh makes these milk and smoothies indeed very fresh. They aren’t just healthy they are so yummy too! I can’t believe something so healthy can be so delightful to have or in this case, drink!

2. Pinklao Thai Food Delivery

As a mom, food delivery services are a heaven-send when you’re in a pinch or just completely exhausted. Burger and fries or pizza is just getting too old! Have you ever watched series where they get Thai take out? Well, I guess this is our version of it here in the Philippines! Pinklao Thai’s Pad Thai takes me back to my holiday in Thailand – this is as authentic as it gets! It’s super savory and they don’t skimp on the shrimp, either!

3. Hannas Trends Lip & Cheek Tint

We, moms, obsess about every single thing and make up is just one of them. When I was pregnant, I was so paranoid of anything I would apply to my face and body if it could affect my baby and it doesn’t stop now. While breastfeeding or even just hugging and kissing my babe, I know it can get in touch with him. I also “rest my face” most of the time from make up. When I’m at home – which is almost always – I don’t wear any make up to save my skin and face from any chemicals or anything that may create gunk in my pores. But with this lip and cheek tint I can look and feel pretty everyday (for le hubby) since with just a lather it stays on all day plus its all-natural!

4. Oli’s Box Ship Subscription

As early as now and even earlier, my son has been obsessed with books! He hands them over to me when it’s time for a bedtime story and he even hands them over to me at random times signaling me to read it to him. Oli’s Box Ship Subscription is the first book-based subscription in our country and it’s also the first subscription box I have tried! 

I read the book included in the box to him a couple of times and it was so much better since he got the gist of the activities through the story and was really into it. It’s very well-thought of, interactive, it’s also age-appropriate that sparks and stimulates creativity.

We made the cape and mask we made together from the box! I love the idea of it being story-based so kids can really immerse themselves and imagine being in the shoes of the characters. It has tons of activities that are fun for parents too, along with a quality book that you can use for longer!

5. Mother Nurture Hot Beverages

Mother Nurture’s products are so great to bump up supply especially when breastfeeding when they say you’re not allowed to have coffee (I italicize that because I still have coffee! But I only stick to one cup a day), you can have lactation coffee instead! Now you don’t have to skip your morning coffee – and you have a reason not to! You could also have a cup of their hot cocoa for merienda or if you’re not the coffee-type (If you’re not, though, are you even a mom? Haha!)

6. Organic Skin Japan

It’s rare for me to find lotion and face cream with SPF! I totally love Organic Skin’s products they feel so good to lather on your body and it’s not sticky at all. It’s like you have nothing on at all and you feel even better with it on since you feel silky smooth! Additionally, especially living in a country where it’s always sunny, SPF is a must. The face cream and lotion is such a great combo because you got protection for both face and body – it’s also both with 4X intensive whitening. I love the idea of products that are multifunctional such as these! SPF/sunblock + hydrating lotion (vital for our hot weather) + whitening + natural along with vitamin C and Kojic – I mean, how could this not be a win?

7. Mellow Kids’ Aqua Pop: Water Coloring Book

This is such a smart idea of an activity book since it’s reusable and “refillable”. It comes with a pen which you can just fill with water and it colors up the book’s letters. It’s great for teaching your little one his letters and even colors! You can use this for teaching and also when baby’s older and can do the activities on his own. This work book has such great non-tear quality and definitely a keeper!

8. Mellow Kids’ Stroller Cover

I have been on the look-out for something like this for the longest time even before I gave birth to my son since I know accidents are prone to happen eitherway. I haven’t had the chance to purchase one but having tried this, it shook me! It’s so hard to always clean out the stroller and the padding in it – to launder it and etc but having this stroller cover makes the job hella lot easier for moms (or dads!) since you can just tie it on and off and put it in the washer or dust off any snack particles (uh-huh, you know what I’m talking about). It’s also great since it’s 100% waterproof, for spills or accidents. They actually have tons of other products such as a bed protector sheets, bibs, and even breast pads! Awesome – I think that’s the holy grail.

Do you have any favorites from my favorites? Absolutely love them and can’t believe I haven’t tried them until now!

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Little ONE: 7 Tips for a Worry-Free Mommy on Baby’s Birthday (Part II)

I wrote a while back about my son’s birthday but these are other tips and tricks to have a smooth sailing event, especially now that the day has passed and these are the things I saw were helpful to me. It’ll also help you enjoy the celebration more and not worry about this and that.

1. Keep everything you need in a pouch. It could be an envelope and it would actually be nice if it had different compartments. I just had a nice and chic pouch; I really wanted it to be chic since I would be carrying it around throughout the event. This is your designated pouch for everything about the party. A pen, a copy of the program if you have one, maybe your phone too to contact the suppliers, your contract with the concessionaires, and the cash you would have to pay them after the event (remaining balance and if there are extras). It would be best to already have them in separate envelopes to easily hand it over. Label each envelope with the concessionaire (ex: photobooth, magician, etc.) so much more efficient, organized, and its better to conceal cash in an envelope (I don’t know why, but it just is, isn’t it?).
2. Arrive early. It may be hard with your little one. But at least have someone to oversee if the concessionaires have arrived and acquaint them with the vicinity and their needs: where to set up, if they need plugs, etc.
3. Assign someone or people to help you: relatives or friends. You cant do everything. Especially if you are the host. You have to entertain and all eyes are on you. You wouldn’t want to have washed up make up and messy hair!
4. Ask help from the employees in the vicinity. You paid for the facility and you’ll see they’ll be more than happy to help! Asking for more tables, re-cleaning the bathroom, wiping up spills etc. Besides they would know more what to do when the situation calls for it.
5. Have the person in charge’s number in handy for any emergencies, follow up questions, further assistance etc. You never know!
6. Although you DIY’ed the decorations, have someone else set it up on the day. Cousins, friends, other relatives, I am sure they are willing to help! You wouldn’t want to be sweaty and out of breath, and the event hasn’t even started!
7. Wear comfortable clothing. You do want to look chic but you don’t need to be wearing heels or shorts skirts, its a children’s party after all and you would have tons of running around to do.

Lastly,
A little special tip: Ask for a book instead of a card.
To be more environmental-friendly! Some people are very sentimental with their cards but it would be even more special to have their dedication or letter inside a book? Especially for children, they would be reading daily (or you would be reading it to them) and it would even be more special to see who gave it. Maybe even re-read that beautiful letter and it just makes it a ton more special and not to mention educational and useful! (Instead of hoarding, and its an attempt to Marie Kondo your life – only things that spark joy!)

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What to do when…

When your kid asks how or why questions. We will all experience this at some point. Let’s just be glad how your kid’s mind works and that he is curious and creates intelligent guesses! I know it can be overwhelming with the number of why and how questions they have everyday.

One solution to it is to tell your child you will answer one question and then mommy will look it up on google. You could search how to explain it to a kid or rephrase it to him in a way you know he will understand. For example, if he asks: how do airplanes fly? Say, how about I tell you as a bedtime story tonight? It could require effort but it’s better to feed your child’s curiosity than to shut it out. Feed it with actual facts instead of just pacifying him with statements that aren’t true or worse just completely ignore it.

You could be creative with this, tell him, there was once a man named… And he had an idea to make a flying object! It could be quite fun for you too! You might find yourself learning along with your child too. And atleast you have a new and fresh bed time story to tell every night. You could ask him after the story his next why or how question or have him think it over so you could have a new one tomorrow.

When your child asks for his first pet. I love animals! But it can be very taxing especially when you have a kid who needs your attention first and foremost. My husband and I opt for no pets first. But if your kid asks for one, it could be incessant. A good idea is to find out first if he is responsible enough, of course along with this, you also teach him responsibility.

You could start with something simple, easy, and eco-friendly for that matter! Start with a plant, yes, a plant. Any plant. You don’t have to purchase one, you could pick one from your garden, pass on the responsibility of caring for one of your plants. Or if you know how to, make a small plant from another one with it’s branches. Have your child take care of it, grow it and water it.

Another interesting idea is to give him an egg to hatch. Just like those science projects we use to have as kids? Well now it’s your turn to teach your kid about it. Have him incubate it to learn about science and the beauty of it. This may not be feasible for you if he actually hatches it and you live in a condo. But if you live in a house, this could be cute. Or you could leave it at grandma’s house? If she permits you, though! It could be silly. But there are odds of it not being possible, but when it does be prepared! Atleast you wouldn’t have to invest in buying a dog and all.

If you do decide to get him an actual pet, it would be nice to adopt from PAWS. Of course make sure that the dog or cat is safe for your child that it doesn’t bite and it’s friendly. And we could help such organizations, organizations such as PAWS are filled with pets and they need room for more pets to be saved from the streets. Check it out for yourself first before taking your child just to be safe.

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