Happy 4th Birthday

Enjoyed cake and party with friends at daycare.

First few books

Enjoyed reading at a very early age.

Supposedly Iron Man

So cute! The background and setting are just toppings.

Feeding the seagulls

Picnic with Harbour Bridge in the background

First real bed with wheels

The best Christmas present ever!!

27 February 2011

BPA-Free Water Bottle

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I'm not really a fussy mother. I'm not that neat freak either. But there are things for children that I have used that didn't meet my requirements. Take the water bottle with small opening that cleaning the inside is impossible. I have fallen victim to at least 3 of them and they are such a waste of money. I found out after a couple of months that the inside gets slippery and sort of mouldy but cleaning it is just next to impossible. Very frustrating and I don't want my child drinking water from bottle with slippery/mouldy insides. I have kept all those bottles - I'm not sure what to do with them yet. And I bought this one. The picture says it all.


There are other things that I have noticed but I can't really say about cigar humidor, as Mcj smokes and although, it is outside the house.. the window is open and we still get smoke inside the house. Oh well, you cant have everything, can you?
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Face Painting

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This is the first time the Tatapilla to sport a paint on his face - if you don't count temporary tattoos on his face, that is. He loved this spider man face painting that I was told not to wash it off in the bath but they come off pretty quickly making the bath water yuck and sticking to the hot tub covers. The next day, he came home from school sporting a batman paint on his face. And another one sometime last week. The teachers paint their face at school and good thing, they all look neat and dont get into his clothes.
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On Full Gear

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The Tatapilla is starting a new swimming lesson this month. It's a big late time of the year but it had been raining this summer and the swimming school pool was flooded. This is sort of our gift to him instead of giving him edible gifts.

Yesterday was his first. It wasn't a big event as he was getting familiar with the teacher and starting to trust him. I just hope that he'll be on full swing in the next sessions.

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20 February 2011

Heart Breaking

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BABY Yvanna has just two months to live - unless she can find a donor.

The eight-month-old is gravely ill with liver failure in The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Doctors say she will certainly die if they cannot find a compatible organ.

Yvanna Cartilla is one of a handful of NSW babies younger than one who will require an organ transplant this year.

Doctors realised something was wrong with Yvanna when she was born extremely jaundiced. She had her first operation at six weeks, when a camera was inserted into her to examine her liver.

Specialists confirmed she had biliary atresia, a disease in which, for unknown reasons, the body begins to destroy its bile ducts, which digest food, and eventually destroys the liver as well.

The condition occurs in one in 10,000 to 15,000 live births in Australia every year, although a third of those can be successfully treated by a relatively straightforward surgery called a Kasai, which did not work in Yvanna's case.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/please-help-me-i-have-8-weeks-to-live/story-e6frfkvr-1226008841334#ixzz1ESpassVs


News such as this makes on re-examine how we live our lives. We are so lucky.

If I was the parent, I'll be torn as it will break my heart to see my child probed and poked with a needle but at the same time, I don't want to see her dying. I'm sure men's Black Diamond rings help little lustre to them unless it can save their daughter's life.
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Cool Comfort

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Sugar-free popsicles

Sugar-free popsicles come in a variety of flavours, with some containing as little as 30 calories, and most less than 100 calories. Keep these icy treats stored in your freezer for your next sugar craving.

It's 29 degrees now and the Tatapilla wants some ice cream. We have some in the freezer, fruit yogurt and vanilla. And our friend who sells commercial icecream is here and is sharing some of his trade. Im not really a fan but the Tatapilla likes shaved ice.

All the sweets, sugar and oil he's eating could make some adults resort to acne treatment creams. Thankfully his metabolism is really quick and he doesn't seem to be affected by it.
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Early Taste

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Your diet can affect what your baby likes to eat.
A new study at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the US has found that a pregnant or breastfeeding mother's diet can not only sensitise the foetus to particular smells and flavours, but also physically change their brain and impact on an infant's food preferences in the future. This study reinforces the importance of mothers eating a healthy diet and avoiding alcohol while pregnant or breastfeeding. If the mother eats a healthy diet, their child will prefer these foods.

Children will be more attracted to unhealthy foods and alcohol if their mother consumes them regularly. A baby's sense of smell can also change due to what their mothers eat, which can encourage them to enjoy different flavours. Exposure to odour or flavour in the womb will affect the child's preference but also shape how the brain's olfactory area, the area which processes smells, actually develops.

Lisa Guy is a naturopath and nutritionist who runs Sydney practice Art of Healing (www.artofhealing.com.au). She is the author of the book My Goodness and co-owner of The Happy Baby Clinic (www.thehappybabyclinic.com). Email lisa@artofhealing.com.au.


Based on experience, I believe this to be true. A child can interact from the womb and can certainly use some of the senses he has while inside the mother's womb. But then wouldn't it be a worry because when one is pregnant, she eats like a horse so there's the thing about fast diets that work for the child as tendency would be to eat too much.
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Art Work

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Your adventurer-to-be has been dreaming of far away lands ever since he was in the crib.

Before he officially starts rocking a leather jacket, fedora and bullwhip, bring the world to him with Putumayo‘s new World Culture Collection.

The company — known for their successful kid-friendly folk music CDs — is now adding art prints, coloring and sticker books and greeting cards to its repertoire.

First stop is Africa. Featuring the distinctive artwork of Nicola Heindl, the new collection features bold, richly-hued scenes from life on the lush continent.


Well, picture such as this really will perk up kids and their imagination. I know mine is very imaginative. Always making pretend stories and things except belly fat as he has those. :)
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On Breastfeeding

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MIRANDA Kerr has defended publishing her breastfeeding snap with baby Flynn.

The Aussie supermodel caused a stir when she posted the intimate picture taken by husband Orlando Bloom on her blog.

Kerr said she was happy to promote breastfeeding, and encouraged other mums not to be put off by stigmas about feeding babies in public.

"Honestly, I for one can say there are more breasts being shown on a daily basis around the world in swimwear and low-cut dresses and tops than there are from breast-feeding mums."


I know that breastfeeding is not for everyone but you can't really fault those who preach the word because I believe, we just want to share the benefits of breastfeeding - how easy it is for parents and for the child and how beneficial. Some mother give up the thought at all because they cant produce more breast milk, same thing happened to me but our family always believe on the law of supply and demand so we persevered and succeeded.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to what the family can and want to happen.
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Adult-like conversations

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We were getting ready for the bath. I took the Tatapilla's shirt off then he asked me if he wants me to put his pants on his head, like a chef. :) I asked him what is a chef, he said, somebody who cook people dinner. So right.

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I wasn't paying attention to him and he had told me twice to read his book. Finally he said, I sound like a broken record Mum. I asked why? Because you're not listening to me, he said.

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The Tatapilla told me he had lipstick on this arvo. Asked him where he got it, from Sophie, he said.
Me: you know only girls wear lipstick.
Jens: but sharing is caring.

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He was trying to open the blinds in our room this morning and when he succeeded, I told him he is really clever. He told me, you are so proud of me Mum. :)

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You see, there is no dull moments when we're with him. He really amuses us so much. We can ask nothing from him. His development is really at a good pace without the help of pills but just all natural nutrients and vitamins.
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13 February 2011

In the New Centre

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The Tatapilla is showing excellent signs that he is enjoying his stay in the new centre. It's not really the new centre but just the sister kindy of his old one. Some of the kids in the old centre are there so it's like the usual routine.

It's just been 2 weeks and he's been bringing home stuff that they've made at school and been talking to me about what they've learned during the day. It's exciting.

Recently, they're learning french, tracing letters and numbers. Today, he showed me that he is able to write letter "a" and the initial of his first name. I'm ecstatic of this development. I know it's far from knowing what compression stockings are, but they are enough to make us all happy.

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06 February 2011

Snippets of Conversation

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Lately, the Tatapilla has really demonstrated maturity of an adult especially in conversations. An adult can carry a conversation with him like he's one already - well maybe if it's about area rug, then that would be out of the question.

I was eating toast for breakfast on the patio. I tossed the crust to the birds.

Tatapilla: Do you like the crust, Mum.

Me: No, I don’t.

Tatapilla: Me EITHER.

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We were going out and I asked him to find his hat. It was on my desk.

Tatapilla: Here is it. I was wondering where it was!

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The Tatapilla was singing in the bath “what are you thinking of” – from the air supply song.

Me: What are you singing?

Tatapilla: Michael Jackson song.

Me: No, it’s not. It’s air supply.

Tatapilla: What’s air supply?

Me: It’s a band.

Tatapila: What’s a band?

Me: A group of people playing music.

Tatapilla: and dancing, and MICHROPHONING.

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He was taken to school late that day so he had his morning tea at home. While he was still
eating, Daddy called that it’s time to go.

Tatapilla: I’m still eating. I can’t do two things at the same time.

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