(I’ll be keeping daintymom.wordpress.com for more personal blogs for the meantime.)

In order to keep my son from soaking his garments, I’ve been keeping to locally-made, breathable baby clothes that are both functional and cute. I’m so sick of seeing poor babies who are bundled up in designer baby threads that aren’t even made for our tropical climate. Seriously, moms, get over yourselves and think about your little ones. You can do without Baby Gap until the cooler months, trust me.

Choices for breathable baby clothes:

1. Cotton Line and SO-EN Baby (SM Deparment Stores). I love SM; they really have it all. But I forgo the uber-cartoony, super bright selections and go straight for the plain, all-white finds at Cotton Line. Made from lightweight 100% cotton, these are great for pambahay. I particularly like the sando from SO-EN, which I use for baby when he needs to take a nap in the afternoon.

2. Carters “Just One Year” plain bodysuits (Babyland). These are going for prices as low as P80.00 a piece. They’re 100% breathable cotton, and they’re perfect for wearing around the house, to the park or during a trip to the pedia’s. Bodysuits are great because you no longer have to think about bottoms. What’s more, baby feels coolor “down there” without to much layering on his lower body, especially these days when babies sweat more in their disposable nappies.

3. Gingersnaps. (Available at Gingersnaps boutiques and selected department stores). These cute little t-shirts are not pricey at all, and are completely breathable. You can choose from an assortment of graphic tees if you have a little boy, or go ga-ga over the wide selection of summer dresses, blouses and tops for little girls. We stocked up on a few graphic tees we liked, in muted colors.

4. Sleeveless onesies (Mothercare). OK, this may be on the high end for some people, but seven bodysuits for about P1200 is not a bad deal at all considering the construction and quality of this label. I got my baby a few summer colors which are great for wearing on casual trips and on visits to grandparents. The prints don’t fade even after several washes, and baby’s upper body can breathe because there are no sleeves that are clingy.

Boon Inc's baby starter feeding set, available at Rustan's and Babyland stores

Boon’s great since it takes into consideration function, age-appropriateness and aesthetics. The entire feeding line is cute without being garish, and the wares are ergonomically constructed for baby. So far, we’ve zeroed in on the Babyland promo for Boon Inc’s feeding ware products: they’re selling the feeding bowl and utensils as a set for less that P600, until supplies last. We’re looking to get a set sometime next week, and then move on to finding a high chair to complete the package. We’re big on baby”s utensils and high chair being fun and colorful. After all, moving on to solids is a once-and-for-all developmental mark, and that alone deserves a nice, mod set of feeding ware to remember this milestone by.

Taken from the Greek word for ‘salt,’ the universal seasoning that enhances all known flavors, Alati’s one-of-a-kind pieces  enhance the personality of its wearer. Each piece is carefully and thoughtfully crafted from new and reworked vintage materials, and then christened with a name reflective of its character.

Visit Aláti today and treat yourself to a something truly and beautifully tasteful.

Our wedding day, April 12, 2008, at Villa San Miguel.

I’ve learned so many things in these two years of marriage.  At first, we were amused at the novelty of living together on our own. It was fun to build up a household, even if we were just renting a small flat with one bedroom and a kitchen area leaves much to be desired! We enjoyed ten months of “couple time” before I finally became pregnant in early 2009. Pregnancy brought with it another set of learning experiences, all of which were valuable and necessary, and truly tested our commitment to stick to it “for better of for worse.”

I am happy to report, however, that in the last two years, we have never fought, never slighted each other, never held grudges or wished evil upon the other. No crying spells, bouts of depression or guilt-tripping. It’s been a two-way walk of love and acceptance for the both of us: I’ve learned to be OK with holey nightshirts that could pass for my next set of floor rags; he has learned to fix the bed and put things back in their place. Together we’ve balanced the income, trained house-help, muddled up the groceries, broken cups and glasses, cooked disasters in the kitchen and rushed me to the ER on more than one occasion. Together we’ve also built a family, have become a little wiser, learned to be more frugal, live simply and rediscover the value of thankfulness. I think perhaps the biggest breakthrough for me is that I’ve learned to give up aspirations for the ideal lifestyle and have learned how to be content with what’s been afforded us, simply because what we have is what many others still hope for.

But perhaps the highlight of these last two years is how our marriage has caused me to become the best version of myself. My husband makes me want to be all that I can be. I do my part to empower him as the awesome partner and father that I know he is. After these two years, we’re not just a better wife or husband, we’re also more in love than ever.

To my love: Here’s to a lifetime of happiness that’s not dependent on how big our house is, how rad our ride is, how big our paycheck is, or how ideal our situation is… All we need is each other. I love you!

Nails, hammers, black cloth at one of the stations along Walkway:Reflections on the Stations of the Cross

Cringe-worthy crown of thorns to remind me of the trials in my life... Jesus had already seen through them all.

Phones at the station "The Judgment", where Jesus was tried and sentence. Pick up the receiver and you'll hear a string of judgmental thoughts so common yet overlooked by us each day. Makes you think...

On the station "The Cloth," where Jesus rises from the dead, you honor someone who has touched your life, signified by writing their name on a paper and pegging it up on display. We honor Christ who rose victorious over sin and death.

These are some images of my favorite stations along Walkway: Reflections on the Stations of the Cross. Spearheaded by Church Simplified, Walkway is an interactive take on the Catholic tradition of the Stations of the Cross. Each station allows you to stop, pause and pray, meditating upon the journey of Christ to His mission’s end: Calvary. Not even the distraction of the bustling High Street crowd can douse the effect of Walkway on me; its message is as timeless and potent as the reality of the Cross to this day. It made Good Friday well and good indeed.

Have a blessed rest of the Holy Week.

Tilapia Fillets with Tartar Sauce

I am a fan of fried fish. I don’t care what health experts say. I have to have fish that’s been deep-fried to a golden brown, paired with creamy tartar sauce. This is a quick lunch-time staple at home, simply because it’s a no-brainer. I started to use tilapia fillets since it’s cheaper than sole, and it’s been turning out well.

Tilapia Fillets with Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:

• 500 grams, tilapia fillets (I get mine prepared, Cold Storage)
• 1 metric cup Japanese bread crumbs
• 1 large egg (go organic; yolks are more brilliant in color), beaten
• 3/4 metric cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dried parsely
• Salt & pepper (I prefer using sea salt, straight from the grinder. Likewise with the black pepper.)
• Canola oil (for frying)

Procedure:

1. Season the fillets with salt and ground pepper. Set aside for 15 mins.
2. Combine bread crumbs with dried parsely.
3. Put flour in a wide dish. Do the same with the bread crumbs.
4. Coat fish in flour, then beaten egg and finally the bread crumbs
5. Heat some oil, about 1 inch, in a small frying pan. (Use Tefal.)
6. Fry the fish on both sides, turning only once.
7. Drain on paper towels. Serve at once with tartar sauce.

Tartar Sauce

Combine:

• 3/4 metric cup real mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp low-fat milk
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 tbsp pickle relish
• 1 1/2 tbsp chives
• Salt & pepper to taste

I served this for lunch with the Summer Salad. A great lunch, light and tasty.

Tilapia Fillets and Summer Salad

A light and fresh salad using summer fruits and veggies.

Today being the height of the summer, I decided that lunch ought to be as light and easy as possible. So I put together what I could from what we had in the fridge, and voila: instant summer salad. It’s super simple, vividly colored and is great with a light dressing. Here’s the simple procedure if you wanna try this for yourself.

Summer Salad

Ingredients:

• Mixed greens (I like endives, raw spinach, Romaine and arugula)
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced thinly
• 1 medium-sized mango, sliced into thin strips
• strawberries (use organic, if you can), washed and hulled
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (I like to use organic)
• carrot, shredded
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
• Dressing: You can make a basic vinaigrette (red wine vinegar, 1 clove chopped garlic, some Dijon mustard, little bit of real maple syrup, olive oil, salt & pepper). Or you could use store-bought Asian dressing, for another kind of taste.

Procedure:

1. Combine the mango, strawberries, tomato, carrots and peppers in a bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and orange juice. Chill.
2. Arrange mixed greens in a wide salad bowl.
3. Take chilled fruits and vegetables and toss with greens.
4. Top with dried cranberries. Serve with dressing on the side.

I like to have a variety of dressings on hand, but this goes best either with a red-wine vinaigrette or an Asian dressing such as Japanese deep-roasted sesame dressing. It’s great on its own as a light meal, or you could pair it with some tilapia fillets and tartar sauce, which I did for lunch:

I agree.

In the last two years since we’ve been married, we’ve seen new couples form, new unions sealed in marriage, and even more beloved friends make the trip to down the aisle. Yet another one of our friends got  engaged over the weekend. In the past few months, my two brothers have decided to move on and get engaged as well, and next week, the elder will have a missus. In May, my youngest brother will move out, leaving our old home in New Manila an empty nest of sorts for my parents.

I’m not claiming to be some sort of catalyst to weddings. I guess it just happened that, after our own wedding, several of the people we knew also happened to want to move on as well.

I like marriage. I think I was made for it. Albeit some trials here and there, my marriage has been happy, and I have become a better person because of it. I like weddings, too. I am a certified wedding junkie. Even though it’s been almost two years since my own, I have never gotten tired of browsing through wedding blogs and websites. I have more than thrice hankered my sisters-in-laws-to-be about their wedding gowns, what flowers they’d picked for their bouquets, color schemes, invitations and even wish lists for their new homes. Perhaps it’s because I enjoy the creativity behind the preparations. Perhaps it’s because I enjoyed prepping my own wedding. Perhaps it’s because a wedding is the only time in a woman’s life that she can do exactly what she wants.

Whatever the case, I say “best wishes” to all my friends who will be wed this year and in the year to come. You’re in for the best days of your life. Indeed.

I used to be apprehensive about breastfeeding, especially while I was pregnant. Yes, I loved the idea. I believed in the benefits. I admired the stories of moms who bonded with their kids, who sacrificed their jobs to stay at home, who nursed their kids to health and still managed to look luminous, radiant and empowered.

And all I could think about was: “It’s going to hurt!”

And it did.  But just for a while. Eventually my son and I found the learning curve, and soon, breastfeeding became a pleasure and a joy for us both. Now that I’ve been breastfeeding for the past four months, all my fears and worries about it have diminished. Perhaps I had a rough time in the first week and sometime in the fourth week, when I developed a case of mastitis. But I pulled though, we — Vito and I — pulled through. He did his part to help me heal, which was nurse and nurse; I did my part by letting him, though God (and my husband, my mom, etc) know (and heard) how much I cried through the pain. But now that I’ve crossed that threshold, I can say that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my baby… not even refuse a sore, mastitis-y breast.

Because breastfeeding is love. I got that from Daphne Osena, who is a staunch breastfeeding advocate and loving mom of three girls, all of whom she breastfed for at least one year. Friends of mine who breastfed exclusively for a year to two years swear by its benefits and tout its efficacy. As for me, I’ve seen how Vito has benefited from breastmilk — my milk! He’s gained weight at a rapid pace, and is healthy and bouncy! Even his pediatrician commented that he’s in top shape! We couldn’t be happier as parents.

What’s more, breastfeeding has probably saved us thousands of pesos. Yehey. More budget for things that matter… like stylish nursing tops (because breastfeeding moms like me truly deserve to look diva-luscious!)

Photo credit: http://gnmparents.com/working-moms-and-breastfeeding/