MyThoughts

I’ve made a promise to Julia to take her on a date at least once a month (just the two of us). It was difficult at first because we have to take the shuttle bus then the train to get to the mall, I’ve never done this here in Taiwan though it was so convenient! I don’t know, maybe I depended too much on my hubby plus I am too lazy to carry Julia’s water, milk, diapers, etc etc ; ) But as they say, there will always be the first time so I decided to take the first step. Well, it was not as hard as I thought… I realized Julia is a darling, she did not give me a hard time and she’s like a grown up already. She patiently waited for me while I did my window shopping… in fact, she liked trying on grown-up shoes and looking at them at the mirror! The rest of our date was so fantastic… just like I was tagging along a dear friend except that it came in small package.

I am so happy that I made this breakthrough… I will make it my duty to take her to dates like these. I want her to see me not only as a mom but as her best-est friend in the whole wide world, hehe…

Mommy loves you, my precious angel! Let’s bring the camera on our next date ; )

… Wow, it’s been over 6mos since I blogged! I read a comment from a friend that she slept late reading my blogs and that’s how I realized I wasn’t able to write for quite sometime ; )

Well, these past 6mos I’ve been busy with my Julia and finally, we had moved to a new place. Now, my hubby has his extra room to have his photo studio. It’s actually a mini studio for him to practice his photographic skills ; ) Well, he only does this after my constant nagging because most of the time, he just wants to spend his day with us and not with his camera… but I always insisted that he uses his gadgets. Anyway, it was his idea to purchase them. Another alibi, he has no model to work on (FYI… I am just too lazy and impatient to pose for him, haa!!)… good thing I’ve got a friend who’s patient enough to pose for him… thanks jona dear!

As for our Julia, she now has her playroom or more of a stockroom for her toys as she doesn’t want to play inside, she prefers to play in the living room where she can watch tv and talk to me while I am at the kitchen cooking. She’s now 2yrs and 3mos and she talks a lot! Some words she can’t properly speak but I still manage to understand them, hehe… there’s this virus (enterovirus) existing here in taiwan which they say is deadly for children 5yrs old and below. It’s a foot and mouth disease accompanied by colds and mouth ulcers. So we just stayed at home waiting for daddy and in the afternoon or during my idle hours, we watch brainy baby (an educational cd for toddlers), DORA and barney’s. I am proud to say that now, Julia can identify her shapes, letters A-I (I only teach her 2 letters/day as her attention span is low, she would rather play), she can count, sing and dance! She knows some bible characters as we read her books before going to bed. She speaks in sentences, in straight english sometimes but mostly in ilonggo, tagalog and english Recently, she tries to speak chinese words when she hears them like siesie-thank you and puyaw-don’t. And by the way, her favorite color is orange, too… well, I just guessed because it’s the only color she knows perfectly, the others, she just assumes. She knows a lot of colors but she doesn’t know yet which is which, hehe! She knows all her friends’ names including the names of their mom and dad which for me is simply fantastic! There’s a lot to tell but I guess I’ll stop here.

As for me, I’m still a fulltime mom and homemaker… still no regrets! Seeing how Julia has grown is an accomplishment for me. Though at times, I feel bored (I think that’s just normal, right?). But I still believe in due time, I can go back to the work force. For now, my family is more important and I just have to enjoy life as it is ; )

I bet I already forget how to post pics here, pls visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mypreciousjewl/ for our recent photos or simply check out my recently uploaded friendster photos. Thanks for reading this blog, hope I didn’t bore you in any way and hope I will have something nice to write on next time… God bless, friends!

Finally I can feel the christmas spirit hovering in Taiwan… I don’t see christmas decors yet but I can feel that cold winter air (must be from 4days of rain though). Anyhow, I feel it and I can’t help but think if I’m gonna set up a “mini” christmas tree for my Julia. Mainly for her gifts and for posterity sake, hehe! But I’m still thinking where I’m gonna put it because I might end up picking its pieces as Julia is fond of playing with anything she sees.

Christmas brings a lot of good memories to me… it was on Dec 25 that I was born, that’s why they named me Ma. Cristina because it sounds like Merry Christmas! It should have been Jesusa… what a relief, hehe! Dec 21 was our wedding day, the day we took that big leap. We are on our 3rd year this year and we’re going to celebrate it with our mischievous Julia, our talking doll. Most importantly, December reminds me of the birth of Jesus Christ. Of course, we should always be reminded of His coming but this is the time that there’s no reason NOT to. Everytime the song “We Are The Reason” is sung at church, I can’t help but cry… I just can’t believe how God can be so good, so loving and so merciful to send His one and only Son to save us and there’s nothing we can do to earn it, we just have to accept it as a GIFT- the greatest gift to humankind. Isn’t God simply amazing? I couldn’t ask for more.

Well, I just wish you all a Merry Christmas in advance… I might be caught up in the busyness of the season so as early as today, I am giving you my heartfelt greetings! And always remember, Jesus is the reason for the season.

… I’m finally back blogging! For all the experiences we had, it’s hard to write all about them in one post. So I decided not to write about them and just talk about Julia’s developments instead, hehe… well, Julia’s vocabulary is very much improved since the time we left Taiwan. She speaks a little ilonggo and english (I wonder why she doesn’t speak tagalog)! Thanks to my talkative family in Bacolod who keeps telling her to follow what they say and reiterate them. Here are some ilonggo words she learned which we were amazed to hear:

bay - for subay (ant)
bi - for abi (give it to me)
bash - for basa (wet)
di - for indi (as in, i don’t like)

hmmm… what else? I think those are the words I usually hear from her. She now knows the parts of her body and the funny thing is, there are times when she wakes up and says, “Mommy, eyesh, no, feesh..” referring to her eyes, nose, feet, etc… isn’t that adorable? These are just few of the many words she speaks. When we leave the house, she would ask for her bah (bag) or breshleh (bracelet), hehe…

It really is fun being a fulltime mom at this stage of her growth, you get to hear every new word she utters and every new trick she plays on you. Yes, Julia is somewhat mischievous. She manages to use the computer even if I am still using it. The trick? She’ll ask for her milk and by the time I stand up to get her milk, she would giggle and run to the computer, saying “sitda! sitda!” which means she will sit down on the computer chair.

Right now, as I am writing this blog, she’s pulling my hand saying “jush” for juice… I wonder what she’s up to… to sit in this chair or to open the fridge and play?! Well, I’ll soon find out ; )

We had a wonderful time at the beach in Calatagan last Sunday… it was another family affair and the kids enjoyed the sand and the water.  I didn’t swim though because it’s hot (or maybe I was just lazy to swim) and by the time I decided to plunge, it was already low tide so I had another excuse, hehe…  it was my hubby’s bonding time with Julia as he was the one who took care of our little angel and I did the picture taking part = )

Today, my sis-in law’s family left for the States… we’ve been together for almost 2 wks and it’s the first time we stayed under one roof (though most of the time, we were mall hopping and dining out).  I find their family amazing… their 2 kids were born and raised in the States but they are the nicest and kindest kids I’ve known (yes, that includes Julia, hehe…).  They’re not bratty and they get along with my Julia so well, they share toys and do baby talks.  No wonder why every morning when Julia wakes up, she right away goes to their room and look for them!  Such adorable kids…  of course, my sis and bro-in law did a good job disciplining their children.  I love their simple and humble lifestyles.  I’ll surely be missing them.  In fact, I was speechless when they left because if I speak a word, my tears will start rolling down. 

Anyway, we’ll see each other again maybe after 3 yrs and hopefully, the kids will get along just as well.

Well, to lighten my mood, I’m showing happy photos of Julia and her US-based cousins…

Exactly one hour from now, we’ll be leaving on a jet plane… hehe, to the airport. Yes, it’s time to have that long-awaited vacation and see our families! We only had 2 hours of sleep because we had to pack and unpack and repack just so we won’t have any excess baggage. My hubby kept on telling me, “Do you really have to bring 3 bags and a lot of shoes?!! Afterall, you already had some sent to the Phillipines!”. I am simply not a light packer and it’s hard for me to squeeze my things in one bag, hehe! Anyway, I managed to leave today with 1 bag less. Amazing thing for me = )

I will surely miss checking friendster daily, though… I may not have the luxury of time when I’m home. Family matters are more important, haha! So, goodbye for now, friendster… see you when I see you! Hello Philippines…

My sweet Julia has been so funny and adorable lately… she’s trying to communicate (whether it’s by talking to us, talking on the phone or talking to herself). She’s only 1yr and 3mos so understandably, she’s struggling with words. Here are the words she speaks:

=> pa-pa (for daddy dear)
=> ba-ba (for byebye)
=> boo (for book, ball, toys and i mean, anything under the sun, hehe)
=> ma-ma (the sweetest word that she mumbles when she’s so hurt or she wants me badly)
=> ah-der (for up girl)
=> a-po (for apple)
=> uh-uh (when pointing to something)
=> deh (for there)
=> isss (as in yes with matching hand raise if she successfully jumps out of bed or takes a slightly inclined or challenging step)
=> and best of all, she speaks japanese if she really wants to talk but doesn’t know the right words to say…

Ooh, I can’t wait to hear her say “I LOVE YOU, MAMA!”….

In connection to my previous blog, here’s an article on how to strengthen our immune system… quite long but it’s worth a read. I’m glad to know that there’s no specific sleeping time, as long as I sleep 7-8hrs a day, hehe! Seriously, I think sleeping before 11pm is the best habit… I read that our liver starts rejuvenating at this time. So even if we sleep 10hrs straight if it’s past 11pm, it’s still not acceptable.

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At a time when people are exposed to more than 200 different cold viruses, several strains of the flu, and hosts of allergens, having a healthy immune system is more important than ever before. Still, modern life constantly challenges immune function, which is why public health officials offer this important advice: don’t take your immune system for granted.

What can you do to ensure that your immune system is healthy and ready to shield your body from infection? Here is what you need to know:

1. Find Ways to Relax

Because stress produces many different effects on the endocrine systems, including the well-known “fight or flight” response, scientists hypothesize that your immune system may become weakened after frequent activation of the autonomic nervous system in the case of chronic stresses. There are a number of techniques to help you relax, such as deep breathing or yoga, which can reduce mental and physical stress, tension and anxiety, promote good sleep, lower blood pressure and slow down your heart rate. Listening to music also reduces stress and relieves anxiety, as does relaxing in a hot bath.

2. Sleep Matters.

Besides leaving you feeling sluggish, irritable, and forgetful, not getting enough sleep can reduce the effectiveness of your immune system by up to 50 percent. This is because sleep time is when the body and immune system do most of its repairs and rejuvenation. Strive to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Remember rest and relaxation go hand in hand.

3. Feed Your Immune System Well.

According to a number of studies, not getting enough nutrients in the diet can weaken the immune system. That is why nutritionists recommend a -well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. Of special importance are foods that are rich in antioxidants (like vitamins C, E, beta carotene and lycopene), omega-3 fatty acids, and folate. Antioxidants fight and neutralize free radicals, which are molecules that damage cells and cause heart disease, cancer and premature aging. Omega-3 fatty acids (a polyunsaturated fat) have anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular-enhancing and immune-regulating properties while folate prevents age-related cognitive decline, damage to blood vessels and brain cells.

4. Get Physically Active

Being physically active — which means walking, climbing stairs, dancing, and other activity that involves movement — strengthens your immune system, cardiovascular system, heart, muscles and bones. Being active also stimulates the release of endorphins, improves mental functioning, concentration/attention and cognitive performance, and lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, cortisol and other stress hormones.

5. Lose Weight in a Healthy Way

If you are overweight, losing weight is a healthy thing to do. But research finds that a rapid weight loss of more than 2 pounds a week can have negative immune effects. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), successful weight loss is typically losing about 10 percent of your body weight in six months. Towards this end, experts recommend losing about 3/4 to 2 pounds per week and not more than 3 pounds per week (weight loss may be faster at the start of a program). When it comes to successful weight loss and weight management, steady and slow is the way to go.

6. Wash Your Hands

One of the best ways to prevent the spread of microorganisms that cause infections is good hand hygiene. Washing your hands with soap and water several times per day and always before you eat greatly reduces your exposure to bacteria and viruses. In case you cannot wash with soap and water when you are away from home, carry some alcohol-based hand wipes with you to control microbial exposure and transmission.

7. Don’t Get Too Much Sun

Unprotected sun exposure is linked with immune suppression. That is why cold sores often appear following time spent in the sun. To protect your immune system, always wear a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher.

8. Take Advantage of Immune-Supporting Supplementation

A balanced diet containing fruits, vegetables and whole grains is important to keep the immune system functioning effectively. But many Americans have nutritionally deficient diets, which is why it is now possible to take supplements containing herbs that have immunoactive properties. This means the herbs work in combination to naturally increase the body’s production of interferon, the protein that triggers the body’s immune system to mount an immune response.

Some of the botanicals with these immune-boosting properties are pumpkin seed extract, plantago seed, safflower flower, and Japanese honeysuckle flower buds.

I am one nocturnal creature… I can’t fall asleep easily. I’ve been trying to change my clock lately because my Julia seems to adjust to my pattern and I believe, it lowers our immunity. Last night, I did not watch tv (ok, just until 12mn), turned my notebook off and tried to sleep. Sadly, my mind kept wandering from one thought to another… what will be my itinerary tomorrow? What will be my menu for this week? What time will I wash Julia’s bottles, etc, etc. All of a sudden, I heard my hubby snoring and I remembered him asking me to record it so he can listen to it (sorry bunch, you’re secret is not safe anymore… don’t worry, a lot of men snore and besides, I find it adorable and it has become music to my ears! hehe…). Yes, my hubby’s snoring has been a delight to me… I know that’s strange but it’s because it assures me that he is completely asleep and rested. He’s as nocturnal as I am even if he works 15hrs a day on the average… can you imagine how he can manage?? His excuse: watching TV relaxes him… what?!

It led me wondering at 2am, why do men snore more than women do? I’ve done a little research and this is what I found out:

1- When men put on weight they tend to put it on around the neck area whereas women put on weight around the hips. The fatty tissue around the neck literally squeezes the airway closed so air can’t pass through smoothly. It tends to hit the structures within the throat and vibrate them which causes the noise we know as snoring.

2- Women have a slightly different airway anatomy to men. They have a wider airway (as in circumference) so if there is any obstruction there’s a chance the air passing through will not be as likely to hit the structures as it would in a man. Additionally, a woman’s airway is less prone to collapse than a man’s airway and it works in her favour as far as snoring is concerned.

3- In general, women tend not to smoke and drink as much as men and therefore don’t suffer the snoring consequences.

4- Pregnant women tend to snore because the blood flow around the nasal area can increase, which causes the lining of the nose and throat to swell. This makes breathing more difficult so there would be a tendency to sleep with the mouth open giving rise to snoring.

This clearly explains why women snore less, poor men… tsk, tsk!

See, sleeping late is not entirely that bad… my mind gets to think ; )

*** No photos for this blog, my hubby will kill me if I post his pix while he was asleep (though I would love to), hehe…