the annual family photo

One of the traditions I grew up with is the annual family photo. Each year, usually when Christmas was near, we would have our photo taken so we could send it out to friends and relatives overseas. We usually just set up the timer on a camera or ask someone to take the photo for us at home. There was one time though when we went to an actual Kodak studio to have our photo taken. I have that picture with me here.

The Kodak family photo

The annual family photo tradition is something I'd like to continue now that I have my own family. I wanted to have ours professionally done this year since it's Ziv's first Christmas, but I just found the packages here too expensive. Besides, there were a lot of things we had to consider such as Ziv's nap time, his anxiety towards strangers, the weather, the location, the attire--too stressful!

So I just took out my trusty tripod, mounted my EOS and whipped out my shutter remote control. We couldn't be bothered with the logistics of shooting somewhere that required a commute so we had the photo shoot at our estate's park. Same place where we shot Ziv's Halloween photos.

It was the last weekend of November and it rained the previous night. The sky was gray but I was thankful it didn't rain. I tried to get plenty of shots before Ziv (and ze hubby) got cranky.

The Mateo Family, 2011

Luckily, I managed to get a couple of shots good enough for our holiday cards, and that I even got a few shots of Ziv smiling. It was almost his nap time when we packed up.

I'm happy with the way our photos turned out, and they didn't cost a cent.

tossing the routine

We woke up at 7:30 this morning, which in this household is already considered late, putting Ziv's schedule off-kilter. He wasn't tired enough to take a morning nap at 9 so I decided to take a walk with him around the block instead. 

I wasn't completely in it at the beginning though. Even if we were already outside the flat, my motherly conscience was bombarding me with thoughts like "Ziv should be sleeping," "Ziv needs his nap," "oh he's gonna be in a bad mood later, you're so gonna pay for this."

Then I noticed, it was a good day to take a walk. The sky was a clear blue, the sun was shining and there was a gentle breeze which reminded me that Christmas is almost here. So as we stepped onto the sidewalk, I let go and left the guilty mother behind.

Along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4

Our walk made me remember those days when Ziv was a three/four-month-old who didn't want to nap. That time, strapping him onto his stroller and taking him on long walks was the only surefire way to put him to sleep. He was such a small baby then, and I was a stressed out newbie mom. At that time, it felt that Ziv's short or zero napping thing would never end and my body would never stop aching for naps. But he learned to sleep somehow and I learned to stay awake on five to six hours of sleep.

Life is much, much better now.

Well, it wasn't really bad in the first place. It was just, uhm, new.

After our stroll, we sat at a park bench. I watched the palm trees dance with the wind while Ziv busied himself with shadows, holes on the bench and stroller straps. It was so nice to relax and not be concerned about putting the baby to bed or doing any chore. 

Ziv exploring the park bench

I guess sometimes doing something out of the ordinary can be a good thing.


Postscript:
Ziv unexpectedly stayed happy the whole morning. He only asked (via whining) to be put to bed at 12:30. He slept from 12:45 to 2pm, which was good enough.

diptych #12: Ziv's first Christmas ornament

It's Ziv's first Christmas and I don't only want to make lots of memories but I want to keep them for him as well. He's only nine months old and I'm sure he wouldn't even remember what we did. I'm planning to take plenty of photos so when he's older, he'll be able to look at them while I tell him the story of his first Christmas.

But aside from that, I wanted to have something to commemorate this milestone by. I scoured Etsy, Amazon and Ebay and found lots of really nice first Christmas ornaments but they were quite pricey and had to be shipped from the US. So I turned to Pinterest hoping I would find something I could do myself.

At first I thought about doing a clay ornament but realized that would be messy and time-consuming. Plus I'd have to buy paint to make it more festive. I searched some more and found, this, this and this. I figured that making a time capsule ornament would be easiest to do. I just had to look for a glass ball I can fill.

So last weekend, we dropped by Spotlight at Plaza Singapura. That store has everything--bed covers, curtains, bathroom accessories, textiles, decorative items, toys and craft materials. We walked around and didn't stop until we found fill-able glass ornaments. It wasn't easy and I almost gave up because Ziv was fussing already. Luckily, I found them at the aisle closest to the other exit. It was a pack of six 60mm glass baubles with removable tops and was priced $6. 

After that, I picked up a spool of red ribbon which cost $1.49. When I was at the cashier, I was expecting to pay around $7 but the amount that showed up at the register was only $4.49! Turned out all Christmas ornaments were half price. That made me really happy.

Today, I filled up one of the baubles and here's the finished ornament:

I put Ziv's Halloween photo inside since we don't have a Christmas photo yet. Once we have that then I'll change or maybe add it in. I also put Ziv's foot and hand prints plus a couple of notes saying it's Ziv's first Christmas and that he will be spending it at Lolo Eddie and Lola Lagring's home in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. When we've had the actual celebration, I'd add more notes so when Ziv's grown up, he can read all about his first Christmas, plus see how tiny his foot and hand were!

a promise

I will love all of you son. 

The light.

 The dark.

The gray.

friday, friday

It's Friday.

And a ton of chores await me.

Back when I was an office drone, Friday was my favorite day of the week simply because it meant that I didn't have to work the following day.

Now, Friday is just like any other day because unlike office work, chores never end. 

There'd still be laundry to do tomorrow. 

Dishes to wash. 

Food to cook. 

Clean clothes to fold and store. 

A baby to take care of.

But I don't mind. 

I still love Friday. It's another day I get to be a wife and mom.

overheard

From ze hubby his morning, while preparing Ziv's breakfast of oatmeal porridge with pear puree and cinnamon:

Buti ka pa Ziv nakatikim ka na ng cinnamon. Nung bata ako ang natikman ko lang na spice paminta.

(You're lucky Ziv. You've tasted cinnamon already. When I was young, the only spice I got to taste was ground pepper.)

I think this is the beginning of the many "when I was young" spiels.

Ziv is nine months old!

Time flies!

I think I say that every month.

But time does fly! From a sleepy newborn, Ziv is now a nine-month-old infant who has got mad skills. He has amazing control of his hands and fingers now. I think even he is amazed. Sometimes I catch him just looking at one of his hands and lifting it up as if he's reaching for something. 

Aside from unbelievable manual dexterity, Ziv can also stand up with support now. Ever since he learned how to do that, he's been practicing every chance he gets. We usually hang out at his play zone so he gets lots of opportunity to practice. But with learning to stand up comes countless falls. He hates falling on his butt but he hates falling on his back even more. I think the impact scares him more than it hurts him. 

The increased activity makes me nervous sometimes because there are more chances of his hitting his head somewhere. But we've been lucky so far, thank God. No bumps yet. I think the worst injury we experienced was when his lip hit the armchair and it bled. I was so scared! Luckily, it stopped on its own and his two front teeth were intact.

It's awesome to watch Ziv grow. Ze hubby and I are really privileged to have been given front row seats in this most amazing show: the development of a human being.

Milestones are great but so are the everyday, ordinary things. Just watching him be this little person makes me happy.

sauteed ampalaya (bitter gourd)

As a kid, I didn't like ampalaya. What kid in her right mind would love this bitter veggie anyway? I cringed deep inside each time it was served at home because like any responsible parent, my mom made sure she made me and my siblings try it, kahit kaunti lang. And since I was eager to please, I obliged. I put on a brave face each time I took a spoonful of ampalaya. I tried my best to never let even a slight trace of disgust show on my face. Later on, I devised a way to eat it while minimizing discomfort: I didn't chew it. Ha!

But then there was this one time that my dad cooked his version of ginisang ampalaya. When I tasted it, there was very little hint of bitterness and lots of yumminess. That was when I learned to like the veggie. I didn't fear it anymore when it was served during mealtimes. So when I was old enough to cook, I did it my dad's way, which I am now sharing with you!

Ingredients

1 ampalaya (here in Singapore they only have small pieces of bitter gourd so I used three of those), sliced as thin as possible

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon patis

1 egg, beaten

salt and pepper

1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Place the amplaya slices in a colander. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt then massage them until the juices come out. This will remove some of the gourd's bitterness and make it more palatable. After massaging, rinse in running water.

2. In a pan, saute the garlic and onion in a bit of cooking oil. Once the onion is transparent, add the tomatoes. Saute until soft.

3. Add the ampalaya and patis. Saute for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper according to taste. Add 1/4 cup water and cover to simmer.

4. The water should have reduced a bit. Add the beaten egg and stir (so you don't end up with an omelet!). Remove from heat and serve.

Here at home, I usually serve this with a fried item, like pork chop or fried fish, and of course, rice.

By the way, according to my dad, my sister makes a better version of this. Now, he always says it's her specialty, and I agree.

diptych #11

Reason I'm fat #20916

Is a double chocolate muffin. I recently declared it as one of my all-time favorites. It's chocolatey and not too sweet. I had it with instant coffee, which I realized is so wrong at many levels. Should've just paired it with black coffee or tea.

I've become complacent about my weight. I'm thinking, it's December anyway. 'Tis the season of face stuffing, as ze hubby said. And he's right. There's no other season more hedonistic than this; no better time to eat, drink and be merry. 

Nineteen days to go! Ho ho ho!

Christmas, soon

Writing on greeting cards while listening to Christmas songs. Is there any other way to do it?

It's December! Just 23 days to go before Christmas and 19 days before we fly back home. Ze hubby and I have celebrated the past three Christmases here in Singapore but this year we're going to his hometown of Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro province. They're hosting this year's reunion of my mother-in-law's side of the family. It's going to be interesting, especially since it's the first time we'd be bringing Ziv to such a huge gathering.

After three years of spending the holidays quietly here, I'm not quite looking forward to all the chaos associated with Christmas in the Philippines especially the horrible traffic. I hope we don't get stuck on a road somewhere! What I'm excited about though are the family get-togethers, meet-ups with friends and the food! Oh the puto bumbong, the bibingka, the fiesta fare--all of them! I'm pretty sure I'll pack on some (or a lot) more pounds.

Anyway. Back to greeting-card-writing. Hope to send these ASAP!

what does a mouse and a toenail have in common?

Guess who did this?

I sometimes carry Ziv on my lap while I use my computer and I just let him tinker with whatever on my desk he's able to get his tiny hands on. Last week that "wahtever" was my laptop keyboard. The li'l boy managed to pull out the space bar, as shown in the above photo. Luckily, nothing was broken and I was able to put it back on. It's still a functioning key, thank God! 

Today my left foot's big toe and my mouse became the latest in the list of the little destroyer explorer's casualties.

Since I didn't want him near my laptop anymore, I offered my Logitech keyboard as an alternative plaything. It kept him entertained and I was able to surf on the net for a few minutes, but after a while, BAM! The keyboard fell on my big toe's nail! I did a fake cry (but the pain was real) and whined "aray ko" over and over. Ziv became still and quiet for a few seconds before wreaking havoc again resuming to his exploration. 

He turned his attention to my mouse. If I were a baby, I would probably be attracted to the mouse. It has a red light on the bottom after all! Once he got hold of it, Ziv mouthed and sucked the USB end of it. I thought the thing was fine but as I was using it just now though, the pointer on the screen wouldn't respond. I tried on another mouse and it worked perfectly so I guess the other mouse has been damaged. 

Friends with kids tell me that loose and/or missing keyboard keys are just the tip of the child-induced-appliance-breakdowns-and-pain iceberg. They could be right!

diptych #10

Leg strengthening pose

Yesterday, I got an e-mail from babycenter with the subject "Your 8-month old: Week 4." What the? It's already been four weeks since Ziv turned eight months? Where did the time go? Parang kailan lang, Ziv did nothing but sleep all day!

The diptych above shows how Ziv looks like most of the time. He can stand up now when he can hold onto something sturdy enough. The toy box definitely doesn't fall on things-Ziv-can-hold-onto-when-he's-trying-to-stand category, but it surely belongs in the things-Ziv-can-tip-up category. Once he's able to tip the box, he pulls toy after toy after toy until all of them are on the play mat.  

When he's not busy taking out the contents of his toy box and playing quietly on his own, Ziv alternates between crawling over me, standing up while holding on to the sofa and trying to climb onto said sofa. I love watching him do all these but it has become more demanding on me, physically. And Ziv is just starting. He's not even walking yet! 

I helped take care of my brothers when they were toddlers so I sort of know what's ahead of me -- lots of climbing, lots of chasing, lots of pulling. Hopefully there'll be just a few bumps on the head and zero broken bones.

doctor doctor

All three of us saw doctors this past weekend. 

On Friday, I took Ziv to the pediatrician to have his lungs checked. He has been having runny nose and dry cough every morning but none during the day and evening and I wanted to make sure there's no underlying infection. The doctor said Ziv is okay, thank God. So I guess it's an allergic reaction or the air in our room may be getting too dry. We're considering getting a humidifier because even my nose gets too dry at night.

Then on Saturday morning, ze hubby had his annual physical check. We'd be getting the results in two weeks. We're praying he'll get a clean bill of health.

That afternoon, I went to see the dentist. I cracked one of my fillings last Wednesday evening and for a couple of days, there was a huge hole on one of my left molars. I was so stressed out by it. What if a chunk of meat or whatever went in there and caused major pain? I wanted to avoid having a root canal at ALL cost! Luckily, I didn't feel any pain. As the dentist said, my tooth has behaved well.

Seeing doctors freak me out! They're scary! As much as they exist to help us with our health issues, they are harbingers of doom too! They're the ones who tell you you have cancer and you only have so and so months to live or you need root canal or you've gained too much weight. I'm grateful for doctors but I just don't want to need to see them because that means something is not right or something may not be right. 

And don't get me started with the costs! 

I'm telling you, the only doctor I want to see right now is House.

beef caldereta

Caldereta, whether it's pork, chicken or beef, has been a staple in our family, so when ze hubby and I got married, the dish has been part of my cooking repertoire. I can't remember when I was taught and who taught me to cook caldereta, but I've been doing it the same way ever since I started to cook in my mom's kitchen. My way doesn't involve the use of tomato sauce. Just soy sauce and Reno liver spread. Luckily, ze hubby likes my version.

When my mom gifted me with a Filipino recipe book though, I began cooking my dishes, including caldereta "properly." So far, this cook book hasn't failed me. All of the dishes I cooked following the recipes in the book has been a success. I actually made my aunt, who lives in the US, to purchase one for their home.

Enough talk. Here is the recipe for yummy, super-good-with-rice beef caldereta. Try it and have your mini, one-dish Filipino fiesta at home.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs stewing beef, or brisket cut into 2-inch chunks

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 tsp peppercorns, crushed

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 potatoes, quartered (I added 1 carrot cut into cubes)

1 onion, sliced

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup hot water

1tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1/2 green bell pepper, cut into strips

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 cup canned or frozen peas

1 tsp Tabasco

1tsp paprika

3-oz can liver spread

1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese 

Garnishes (optional)

2 hard cooked eggs, sliced

1/4 cup stuffed olives

Directions

1. Tough cuts of meat are best for caldereta. Marinate meat overnight in a mixture of vinegar, peppercorns and garlic.

2. In a heavy caldero/pot or dutch oven, combine beef chunks and marinade, potatoes, onions, tomato sauce, hot water, sugar, salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours or until beef is tender. 

3. Add the bell peppers, peas, Tabasco sauce, paprika and liver spread. Simmer 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning. Use soy sauce if necessary.

4. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese to thicken the sauce. Garnish with eggs and olives and serve.

I decided to cook this on a whim so I didn't have time to marinate my beef. Wrong decision! It took forever to cook and I had to keep adding water to prevent the sauce from drying up. I had to taste and season several times but it was all worth it in the end. Ze hubby loved it and wouldn't let me finish up the little left over still sitting in the fridge right now. 

This recipe came from Filipino Cooking and Entertaining Here & Abroad by Eleanor Laquian. It's available at the National Bookstore for around US$11.

what are you thankful for?

Source: whatinspires.me via Liz on Pinterest

It's Thanksgiving Day in America and while our families and friends on that side of the world are feasting on huge turkeys, it's just an ordinary day here in Asia. But that doesn't mean we can't reflect on the things we're thankful for. Gratitude is a good practice, not only on specific days of the year, but every single day.

So here are some of the things, big and small, that I'm thankful for, in no particular order:

• My husband, who is such an awesome provider and a wonderful father

• My son, who gives us joy every moment of every day

• The roof on our heads, even if it's tiny and messy and rented, it still gives us a cozy place to be a family

• Food on the table more than three times a day

• My family. Always.

• My Lola's health. She's 85 and counting!

• Friends who got my back.

• Technology, which allows us to keep in touch with family and friends.

• The aparment's washing machine, which shakes violently each time it's on spin mode. Still better than handwashing.

• Our tumble dryer. No need to hang clothes!

• My Medela Pump in Style. Without it, Ziv wouldn't still be drinking breast milk.

• Dr. Marc Weissbluth and his book, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Without it, Ziv might not be sleeping as well as he does.

• My Canon EOS 450D. Yes, it may be considered ancient by now but still it allows me to record moments of my life.

• My DELL Inspiron 1525. It may be old and not a Mac but it does its job well.

• The Internet. Can't live without it.

• Disposable diapers. I just don't want to add cloth diapers to my wash load.

What about you? What are you thankful for?

what makes you rich?

It's being alive, Kat, that makes you rich.

So easy to forget,
    The Universe

PS
And no matter how you spend them, Kat, each day makes you more.

Yeah, it is so easy to forget! 

Day in, day out, we always deal with money. There's always something that we need to buy, always something we need to pay. It's so easy to forget that life isn't about money. It is about living. It's about experiences and relationships. And although money allows us to do certain things, it doesn't make us rich. 

Source: ripsaw.tumblr.com via Marianne on Pinterest

I remember what Tito Manuel, my best friend Marge's dad and a godfather to ze hubby and me, said during that time I went on vacation with their family in Aklan. He was speaking to a relative of his we visited and he was asked (in typical Pinoy fashion) if he was already rich. I overheard what he said in reply and I never, ever forgot it. He said, "I'm rich, not with money, but with experience." 

Isn't that true and beautiful?

november book picks

I think Ziv has gotten the hang of us reading to him because lately when I start reading his stories for bedtime, he smiles and does his happy and excited dance. I love it! 

This month we're reading two books. One of them is Spot Says Goodnight, which is part of the Spot series by Eric Hill. 

The story revolves around Spot's bedtime routine, making it a perfect way for easing the baby into his own bedtime. Spot says goodnight to his friends, puts his toys away, takes a bath then says goodnight to his parents and himself! 

Ziv's favorite part is when Spot takes a bath and plays peek-a-boo with the reader. Every time we reach this page, Ziv beams!

Click image to see animation!

The other story we're reading is I Dreamt I Was A Dinosaur by Stella Blackstone. It features amazing fabric artwork by Claire Beaton.

This book is hardly for infants. I checked online and it's targeted towards school-age kids. Ze hubby picked it up from the library and since it was colorful and attractive enough, I decided to give it a go. It was difficult to read at first (erm, parasaurolophus?) but I later got the hang of it. You should hear ze hubby read this -- so entertaining!

my boy has opinions!

"Don't spoon-feed me mom!"

At lunchtime, I was trying to feed Ziv beef stew + brown rice but the boy wouldn't have any of it. Just yesterday, he ate two servings of the dish so I assumed today wouldn't be any different. I offered one spoonful after another but he either kept his mouth shut or looked toward another direction, usually opposite of where the spoon is. That's on top of whining and fussing, which I think are his eight-month-old-ly way of answering back.

I got so frustrated I got Ziv out of his high chair and put him in his playpen. We both needed a break. (Actually, I needed a nap!)

After a while, I decided to try to feed Ziv again so I put him back in his high chair. I attempted to feed him the beef stew, but he kept his ground. I finally conceded (Ziv 1, mommy 0!) and just served him his favorite puffs. Ziv devoured every piece and morsel of the thing! I guess he was interested in eating, just not with what I wanted him to eat and perhaps how I wanted to feed him.

Batang 'to may opinyon na ah! Aba aba!

Of course as a parent, I'd always think I know what's best for my son and would always give him orders directions, suggestions and recommendations (may difference ba? Hehe). But actually, I'd love for Ziv to have his own opinions and for him to feel secure enough to express them. It's just that now that he's so little and could barely stand up, I often feel I have to and can just shove everything down his throat, not just in terms of food, but in terms of toys and activities.

I got frustrated because I wanted to be in control, or more correctly, to control him. I overlooked the fact that Ziv is a person, even if he's small and doesn't even speak my language yet. He knows what he wants. He knows what he needs to do and when he needs to do them so I should learn to trust him. I'm here to guide Ziv, not program him like a robot.

Each day I'm learning that parenting is very much a balancing act -- a tricky one at that. If we're too overbearing, Ziv might grow up to be an insecure adult whose self-worth depends on the approval of others. On the other hand, too much leniency and Ziv might end up being a spoiled brat who feels entitled to everything.

No wonder there are a lot of messed up kids (and adults) out there. This isn't easy. But I'm glad that for now I only have a messy self feeder to look after.

diptych #9

Sweet sweet potato

Sweet potato is one of the most versatile veggies out there that's why I love preparing it for Ziv. When he was just starting to eat solids, I just boiled the sweet potatoes, mashed them then fed them to Ziv. 

Recently though the little boy prefers to eat using his hands so instead of the usual puree, I made sweet potato fries. I just cut the sweet potatoes into strips, bathed them with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled them with cinnamon and a teeny tiny dash of brown sugar. To keep it healthy, I just stir-fried them on a non-stick pan. 

The result? A snack that pleased the baby and the adults too!

mommy's day off

I had my monthly day off yesterday. Ze hubby was left here at home to take care of Ziv. It's the second time I left him on his own to hold the fort so he was more confident. All I had to do was write down Ziv's schedule so he'll know when to feed solids, bottle-feed, put Ziv down for a nap etc.

Click to see Ziv's schedule!

Ziv fell on this pattern on his own but also with a little coaxing guidance from yours truly. See, I'm a stickler for routines/schedules. I get easily stressed by unpredictability but since Ziv arrived, I had to let him be in his own time, whether or not it was convenient for me and his dad. I had to learn to be more relaxed and just follow Ziv's lead. But I'm so glad we now have more or less predictable days, making it feasible for mommy to have a day off.
 

Oh and I need even just one day off baby caring duties. I love being a stay-at-home mom but one day in a month when I can just be on my own does wonders for me. I've only had two days off so far but each time I come back from my solo outings, I feel refreshed and ready to take on another month of everything. 

Don't think I indulge in spa treatments or go on expensive shopping sprees. My outings are far from being grand or luxurious. Last month I had a doctor's appointment, had lunch at the food court and the only thing I did which can be considered a treat was to have coffee and muffin at Starbucks. Yesterday, I went out and had lunch at the food court, shopped at the 2-dollar store and had my hair cut at an express cutting outlet. After that I stopped by the supermarket then went home to my boys, whom I missed so much. I do miss my boys. Whenever I'm out I sometimes wish they were with me, but then I get distracted by the shops. Haha! But I'm glad I'm able to take a day off and just regroup. 

I'm also thankful and happy I don't have to worry about my baby. His dad did a wonderful job at taking care of him.

lemony shrimp scampi, my style

I planned on making shrimp aglio olio last night but changed my mind the last minute and decided I'd cook scampi pasta instead. I haven't made it before so I went online and searched for the recipe. I found one at Food Network but then as I went through the list of ingredients, I realized I didn't have all of them. I had most of them though so I decided to just for it.

This pasta dish was a quick fix. The preparation and the cooking only took me 35 minutes leaving me with enough time to whip up a simple salad of lettuce, tomatoes, pineapple and cheese.

Ze hubby and I found the acidity just right so had I followed the original recipe, the dish might've ended up too sour for our taste. I'd love to have fresh parsley next time though. I think it will bring the entire dish to life.

Here is my recipe but you can go ahead and check the original here.

Ingredients

6 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped

1 onion, chopped

250 grams shrimp, peeled and deveined (keep the heads and shell)

zest of 1 lemon (you can use the juice too but my lemon was overripe so I scrapped it)

a teaspoon of chilli flakes (we only had packets of Pizza Hut chilli flakes so I used one of those)

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons v\olive oil (I only had extra virgin so I used that)

250 grams pasta (the recipe calls for linguine but I only had instant spaghetti so I used that)

a dash of Italian herbs (I didn't have parsley)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Pasta: Cook pasta according to package instructions.

2. Shrimp stock: Put the shrimp shells and heads in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Heat the olive oil in a pan then melt the butter. Saute the garlic, onion, lemon zest, Italian herbs and chilli flakes until the garlic and onions are cooked. Be careful not to burn the garlic so it won't taste bitter.

4. Put two ladles of shrimp stock and simmer for a while. Add some salt and pepper to taste.

5. Put in drained pasta and toss. Serve immediately and enjoy!

This recipe can easily serve four moderately hungry people. Don't ask me how many it fed last night. Haha.

catch-up

I've neglected this blog for a while because real life has been keeping me lazy busy.

For starters, Ziv cut his two lower front teeth a few days ago. I was stressed out by his crankiness I didn't find myself to be in the mood to write anything. I'm so glad the teething drama is over now and he's back to being chirpy. I hope (crossing fingers!!!) the next time a tooth comes in he won't be as affected by it as the first time. 

My two-teethed boy is happy again!

I've also been trying to organize around here. I already managed to get rid of our old things and sent them to the Philippines via LBC. My sis will try to make some money off selling my old clothes, shoes and bags. I also sent back Ziv's too-small clothes and an unused rocker so we could give them to our laundry lady's grandchild. Indeed, another man's trash (not that our old stuff is in a garbage-y condition) is another's treasure!

I was able to tackle the common room too. Threw some stuff, kept a lot. Now the bed is actually a bed, not Smokey Mountain, and the floor has reemerged!

The common room, before and after

There are still a couple of things I need to figure out, like where to keep our seldom-used-but-still-needed things. Buying new cabinets for storage is out of the question so I've got to be creative, but the stuff at Organize.com are making me drooooool!

Oh, I also set up the Christmas tree over the weekend. Ziv was so happy when he first saw it. We turned out the lights and that kept him occupied for a good half hour. He just sat on his high chair and soaked all the details in.

Our humble Christmas tree at our former dining area

We hung the parol too. It worked but after a few seconds, its plug blew up! It set off the fuse so we didn't have electricity for a minute or two. That parol is three years old and made our three Christmases in the old apartment more colorful. It certainly didn't die in vain.

Now I shall leave with a video called Moments, which was produced by Everynone. I love how they captured the tiny moments we usually don't pay attention to. These microseconds actually add up and make up one big life. If we are completely present, we'll realize how beautiful those moments and our life really is.

Watch. I hope it will inspire you to appreciate every moment.

Moments from Everynone on Vimeo.

diptych #8

Father and son bonding over a board book and a Macbook

teething's a b*tch

Remember when I said that Ziv isn't irritable at all?  Turned out I said it prematurely because Ziv is definitely cranky!!! He's been whining a lot lately and it's getting to me, specifically my ears. The little boy also isn't in the mood to eat anything except his puffs. 

Earlier today he ran out of clean teethers so I resorted to pacifiers. Fortunately, he seemed to really like it. I also massaged his gums with a cold washcloth and I think it comforted him.

I hope we get over this soon!

diptych #7

Following my mother's footsteps

I found this poem as I was randomly browsing the Internet for a lovely quote I could use for yesterday's post. I can almost hear my mom saying this out loud:

Now that I am gone,
remember me with smiles and laughter.
And if you need to cry,
cry with your brother or sister
who walks in grief beside you.
And when you need me,
put your arms around anyone
and give to them what you need to give to me.
There are so many who need so much.
I want to leave you something --
something much better than words or sounds.
Look for me in the people I've known
or helped in some special way.
Let me live in your heart
as well as in your mind.
You can love me most
by letting your love reach out to our loved ones,
by embracing them and living in their love.
Love does not die, people do.
So, when all that's left of me is love,
give me away as best you can.

~ Author unknown

I'm giving you away as best as I can, mommy.

today

Two years ago, mommy passed away. 

I've accepted her death and have moved on with my life. It has gotten easier, living without her here physically. And recalling and recounting her last few days do not sting as bad as it used to.

Mommy and me at Vigan, our last family vacation with her, April 2009

Still, there are days when I forget that she's not here anymore; when I get lost in memories, too lost sometimes that I think of calling and texting her, and suddenly, I get jolted by the reality that she's gone. 

There are even more days when I miss her; when I wish she were well and alive.

And here.

I wonder how three years would feel like.

*****

Eight months ago, I gave birth to our son.

Ziv has been a constant source of pride and joy. I've never felt this kind of love for anyone in my entire life. 

Even if he makes me not sleep through the night, even if he wakes up just before I'm about to take a nap, even if he cries in public, even if he's cranky because his teeth are coming in, even if my breasts get sore from pumping--I'd choose to have him again if I were to go back in time.

Happy 8th month Ziv. I hope you're liking it here.

the teeth are coming!

This would be one of Ziv's last toothless grins. Today I noticed that his two lower front teeth are cutting through his gums. No wonder he woke up crying a few nights ago. Must've been due to sore gums. Luckily, Ziv isn't irritable at all. Well, at least, not more than usual. And he doesn't have fever. Just plenty of drool. He's also extra gigil with the teethers and everything he could get his mouth on.

Oh, and he has started feeding himself Gerber Graduates Puffs. He's really growing up!

need a new blog title

Source: ffffound.com via Channah on Pinterest

I decided I don't want to call my blog "a million little things" anymore, thus the title above. I hope I'll be able to come up with a good one soon!

Ziv, lately

Ziv is slowly becoming upright. From his tummy, he goes on all fours then tries to do this:

Photo taken using ActionSnap app

Sometimes he holds on to something, sometimes he doesn't. And sometimes he stretches his legs and ends up in a sitting position. He's still a bit wobbly but he's getting stronger everyday. I know it's only a matter of time before his muscles are strong enough to keep him stable.

Our little boy will be turning eight months on Monday. Time unbelievable passes quickly when you're raising a child. Probably because you count the hours by diaper changes, feedings, playtime, bath time and sleep. There are moments when I still can't believe our once 1.9kg baby is now 7.3kg! He is more aware of his surroundings, is super active and is noisier than ever.

Just this morning I woke up to the sound of Ziv saying "mama." I know he was just probably babbling but still. It's way nicer to wake up to that than a howl.

diptych #6

Fuel for the day

Ze hubby picked up a 3-sachet pack of Starbucks Via for us to try. It did taste like brewed coffee but I think brewing is still cheaper than a 1-dollar-a-sachet Via. 

I love coffee.

I need it to start the day.

When I was pregnant with Ziv, I didn't drink coffee. I missed it so much! I would smell ze hubby's coffee in the morning and would drool. 

Well, not really. But I wanted to drink it badly.

I didn't immediately start to drink it after I gave birth, especially since Ziv was quite a fussy baby. But now I'm back to my normal coffee consumption, which is a cup once to twice a day.

Hmmm. Maybe it's time we picked up a new coffeemaker.

Ziv's first Halloween

Ziv's first Halloween consisted mainly of a photo shoot with him wearing a monkey costume. That's it. 

Ze hubby and I didn't grow up celebrating Halloween. We knew of the holiday but when we were young, we didn't wear costumes or go trick or treating. When we were older, we never went to Halloween parties neither.

There are a couple of trick or treating events here in Singapore but I thought Ziv was too young. He doesn't even have teeth yet! Maybe when he's a toddler we'll take him to one of those so he can have fun wearing a costume of his choice and get lots of sweets (not that he'll be allowed to eat them). Maybe we'll start that tradition. 

In the meantime, photos would have to do. 

I'm glad he was such a breeze to shoot despite the heat that day. The costume, although sleeveless, was quite hot because it was made of faux fur and not designed for tropical weather. Ze hubby got it from the US on his last trip. It was on sale at eBay. We didn't want to spend a fortune on something Ziv will only wear once. 

Oh, by the way, that plush pepper-looking banana was part of his dada's costume once. Just can't remember if it was for Halloween or Christmas though.

weekend highlights

Saturday was mainly spent here at home. We went to market and bought fresh chicken and veggies. I cooked tinola for lunch because I wanted and needed to eat something nutritious. I had a plugged duct.

Again.

This time on my left boob. The first one was on the right breast a few months back. I think that was July.

Anyway, I woke up with tenderness and lumpy engorgement on my left breast last Friday morning. It was painful, but not as painful as the first time I got a plugged duct. I pumped as usual (30 minutes, thrice a day) and it got better but then it would go back. I managed to get through the whole of Friday and even got some sleep despite the discomfort. I worried about it progressing to mastitis though so I planned to stay home and tackle it the whole of Saturday. This duct needed to be unplugged!

I took a hot shower that morning then I applied a hot compress before pumping. I also massaged the area so I could encourage the milk to flow. I pumped and the lumps would get smaller but the plug was still there.

I managed to get a two-hour nap after lunch, which felt really good. It's been a while since I had that. After that, I pumped again.

Then, we left for Thomson Plaza. We had meryenda at Wang Cafe. We had mee rebus, kaya toast with soft boiled eggs, kopi and teh. Afterwards, we shopped for groceries at Fairprice Finest then went home.

Clockwise from top left: kopi, soft-boiled eggs, kaya toast, mee rebus and teh

I wanted to resolve the plugged duct situation before going to bed, because I seriously didn't want it to develop into mastitis. I took a hot shower again, massaged it with a large-toothed comb, applied hot compress before pumping then massaged it while I pumped. It didn't seem to get better this time so I inspected my nipple.

There it was, in it's white, pimply glory. A bleb. I was happy to find that bleb because then I knew what I had to do to unplug the duct.

I took a needle, sterilized it with alcohol and then pricked the damn blister. Thin foremilk oozed out of it immediately and then came comfort. Mission accomplished! I slept well that night.

We woke up to really fine weather on Sunday so I told my boys we'll be having a picnic at the park. I packed peanut butter and mango jellly sandwiches for me and ze hubby, filled a thermos with coffee and brought pear puree for Ziv. We went down and sat at one of the park's benches.

There weren't many people in the park, unlike during weekdays when it's filled with seniors exercising at the elderly workout area or doing tai chi. It was quiet and peaceful; perfect for an impromptu family picnic.

Then right after Ziv's morning nap, we made our way to Orchard to search for the perfect workout bra for moi. I needed a new one which will fit my lactating boobies. But before embarking on what turned out to be an epic quest, we filled our tummies at Food Republic, Wisma Atria. We had Korean food and dim sum! We then hung out at Starbucks since ze hubby wanted to use the voucher for free Christmas coffee.

Clockwise from top left: Chapchae and Kimbap (Korean sushi rolls); Dada and Ziv at Food Republic; yummy dimsum; chicken briyani; Ziv drinking his Starbucks (nah, it's empty); Dada and Ziv hanging out at Starbucks

After a hearty lunch, we headed to Paragon to check out Marks & Spencer. I thought of getting a workout bra from there since they usually carry big sizes, but turned out they had limited sizes and stock. From that branch, we walked to the Centrepoint branch. I still didn't find my size so I decided to take a look at Triumph at the department store. Still no luck.

I wanted to give up and just eat ice cream but ze hubby said we should check out Stadium at 313@Somerset. There I tried bras from adidas, Nike and Reebok. Fortunately, an adidas bra fit me so we purchased it right away. To celebrate, we headed to the food court to grab meryenda. We ended up eating chicken briyani!

After all that food trip, breaking in the workout bra is a must!