Bedtime routines for toddlers

Here's my babies' bedtime routine which I can say has been working effectively for them to have a goodnight sleep.


- Watch and sing supersimplesongs from youtube. Lyle and Lance loves these videos and we would sing and dance along as we watch the videos.



- Clean-up and wash time to make them feel fresh.

- Story time. I read a story from a book or I tell stories which just came out of my head =)

- Lyle will ask for his milk and Lance for his pacifier.

- Play some music (Connie Talbot's songs - Somewhere over the rainbow, What a wonderful world, Ben, Imagine

- Lights off then I'll kiss them goodnight.

The above steps doesn't have to be in these order and sometimes we skip some step(s). This bedtime routine isn't just important for my kids but for me as well because of the bonding and quality time we spend together.

Below is an article I found in Babycenter.com about bedtime routines.



Bedtime basics
If you haven't already, now is a great time to establish a bedtime routine for your toddler. When you follow a set pattern every night, he'll quickly come to appreciate the consistency and predictability and feel more relaxed. The more relaxed he is, the more likely he'll go to bed easily and fall asleep quickly. Stick to your routine as best you can even when you're not home - it can make it easier for your toddler to settle down in unfamiliar surroundings.


What you include in your ritual is up to you. There's the standard bath, putting on pyjamas, reading a story and having a cuddle or you can play a quiet game. Just make sure you choose something that helps calm your toddler, not gee him up.


And while you can certainly start your ritual in the bathroom or the living room, it should end in your toddler's bedroom. It's important to teach your toddler that his room is a nice place to be, not just where he's "banished" at bedtime. If he gets upset as he sees you walk out the door after you tuck him in, tell him you'll be back to check on him in a few minutes. In all likelihood, he'll be fast asleep by the time you return.


Click here to continue reading the full article.

Video: Reading Time

My boys are starting to have interest in books =)







And here is a video where Lyle is reading a story to his little brother







My boys bonding with their daddy thru reading before going to bed

Essential supplies for digital scrapbooking from SimpleScrapper

I subscribed to SimpleScrapper to receive emails about digital scrapbooking. Below is an email I would like to share about the essential supplies for digital scrapbooking.


10 Must-Haves for Digital Scrapbooking

1. Photos that speak to you

Without photos or at least a story in hand, your scrapbook page is simply a collage. Choose to keep your images organized to be able to honor your memories when the inspiration strikes.


2. A great handwriting font

Sometimes I’ll use a classic serif or sans serif font on a digital page, but most of the time I go for the semi-messy look of handwritten journaling. The Fonts for Peas collection from Kevin & Amanda is my go-to source for endless choices in fun, girly handwriting. If you want your own font, however, I will always recommend Darcy Baldwin at the Sweet Shoppe.


3. Neutral textured paper

If you didn’t paper scrapbook before coming to digital, you may not initially appreciate a perfect crisp solid card stock. While there are many options across the community, Katie Pertiet is known for her classic paper collection. 
 
 
4. A classy alpha


Many digital kits come with customized alphas, but they are not always as timeless as say, Thickers are to a paper scrapbooker. Look for simple, neutral alphabets that are easily recolored, like these from Sahlin Studio.
 
 
5. Several fresh but timeless kits


I like to build my stash with colorful, well designed products in a range of themes. While I have many go-to designers, my never-fail sources for freshness are Sweet Shoppe Designs, The Digichick and The Lilypad. Look for funky collections that stretch your imagination as well as timeless basics you can use again and again!
 
 
Click here to go to SimpleScrapper to continue reading...

Digi Scrapbooking: Using piece-a-cake pages

I downloaded a free kit from shabbyprincess - In The Groove Album
This had made scrapbooking very easy because the layout and design is already there and all you have to do is resize, rotate and insert your pictures =) You may also click this link for the tutorial.

Here are some samples of piece-a-cake pages I made:

ShabbyPrincess website is my frequently visited site there many free kits for download and very helpful tutorials for beginners like me =)

Digi Scrapbooking: After following a video tutorial

I found this video tutorial by Ali Edwards about creating layouts with layered templates. I followed this tutorial and here is the result.

This looks better than my work in previous post =) I learned many things from this tutorial. I hope you'll also find it useful.

New Hobby - Digital Scrapbooking

Aside from my two boys this newfound hobby is keeping me busy - digital scrapbooking. This a good and creative way of capturing life's moments. I'm just starting to learn and below is a list of sites I found that are of great help for beginners like me. They have lots information, tips and free downloads.

Digital Scrapbooking Websites
http://freedigitalscrapbooking.com/
http://www.shabbyprincess.com/
http://www.simplescrapper.com/
http://thedailydigi.com/new/
http://aliedwards.com/


The software I use is photoshop elements 8. I still have a lot to learn about this software ;-) To have a better understanding of which software to use, click on this link.


Here is one of my first experiments :)

(patterned paper background and embellishments were downloaded from ShabbyPrincess)

I know it looks like it was created by an elementary student. Hehe. I have tons of things to learn to be able to create beautiful and captivating scrapbook pages. But this is a good start. It takes practice to master a skill (that's what I keep telling myself).

Lyle's good behavior at church

Last Sunday is very memorable for me because for the first time that Lyle was able to finish the the 1-hour mass without any tantrums and we didn't have to leave the church earlier. He is still making some fuss but they were manageable =) Looking forward for next Sunday's mass.

Below is an article from BabyCenter.com about some tips/advice on how you can get your toddler to sit still during church service. The one that works best for us is finding a seat that's along a side aisle and near the door so we can easily escape in case of emergency i.e. tantrums, crying, shouting. hehe

 

How can I get my toddler to sit still during church services?

Our church doesn't have a childcare program. How can I get my toddler to sit still during services?

 

Expert Answers

Patricia Henderson Shimm, parent educator and author

Toddlers have a limit to how long they can sit still, wherever you may be. Your daughter's too young to pay attention to the service, and eventually her natural toddler energy will make her want to get up and go. So instead of planning to attend the service for the entire time with a well-behaved toddler (probably a bit unrealistic), your best bet is to devise ways to keep her occupied. Before you leave for the service, pack her a bag with some of her favorite books, crayons and paper, a juice box, and maybe even a snack, as long as it's something she can eat quietly (nothing too crunchy!). When you get to church, try to find seats along a side aisle so you're away from the center of activity and she has space on the floor to play. Be prepared to take her outside a few times during the service so she doesn't get antsy. You and your partner can tag team, so that each of you gets to attend part of the service while the other entertains her outside. Another possibility is to organize your day so that your toddler is tired by the time you go to church — for example, you could skip her afternoon nap before an evening service, or wake her up early and take her out to play before a morning service. If she's tuckered out, she may fall asleep on your lap, thus allowing you to enjoy the service in peace.

While it's understandable that you'd want your daughter to join you at church, it's best to keep your expectations low. To a child this age, attending services may be no different from a long wait at the doctor's office. When she's a little older, she'll be able to participate more meaningfully.


Click here to view full article source.

First Attempt to bake brownies - FAILED

I've been wanting to learn how to bake for so long and today is the day that I said to myself that I will bake brownies and will try the recipe that my friend Cel has given me a long time ago. I also found this online recipe which is quite similar to my friend's recipe.Well, the preparations and the mixing I can say that I didn't had any problem. I followed the measurements of each ingredients and each and every steps in the recipe. And I thought that this isn't hard as I thought and I'm having fun preparing and mixing the batter. The smell and the look of the batter is good and it also taste good. So I poured the batter into the pan and put it inside the preheated oven. The temperature was set as indicated in the recipe. After about 10mins after I left the pan inside the oven I saw smoke coming out of the oven and the smell of something burning is starting to spread in the kitchen. I immediately turned off the oven and take out the pan and saw what happened - it really broke my heart. The upper layer has turned black and the bottom is still uncooked. My mom said I should still put it inside the oven and just lower the temperature so that the inner portion will be cooked. Below how my first baking product looks like (yeah, I know it doesn't look appealing).

Hubby said it's because our oven's temperature isn't precise anymore. It's hotter than what I expected it to be. But not minding how this looks then removing the top layer, the brownie still taste good and my mom and sister agree =)

My first attempt at baking is a FAILURE but this doesn't stop me from doing this again and try to make a better version of it. There are no mistakes or failures, only lessons.

Here's some tips I googled which will be of great help the next time I try to bake brownies - http://www.ochef.com/1096.htm

Nasty Habits

Ever wonder where bad habits start? Whining, using "naughty" words, shrieking, sticking one's tongue out, hitting, and the like often begin by accident. It happens once — a bad word is overheard and repeated — and creates an instant strong reaction in you that makes your child think, "Wow! Let's do that again!" Ignoring minor misdeeds and calmly punishing major ones is the best way to nip unpleasant behavior in the bud.

Continue to read BabyCenter


I copied the picture and paragraph above from the weekly email I receive from BabyCenter. Lyle is quickly picking up new words and I love it that he's widening his vocabulary. But just like a sponge a child's brain is picking up everything they hear and see. There's no filtering system so what happens is that they'll imitate what they saw and will say whatever thay heard. Hubby had a memorable experience on this =) he just related to me this story because it happened when I was still in Singapore. And I want to also share this piece of story with you, so here it goes.. While hubby was at the kitchen and frying, the oil started to splatter. When one big splatter hit him,  he said "sh*t" and it was loud enough that Lyle heard him. The word had an impact for Lyle that he immediately said the word and hubby heard him said that. Lyle's Uncle Plok who was also there heard him. Hubby decided not to make a big fuss over what happened and just waited to react in case Lyle will repeat saying the word. Lyle didn't get any attention after saying the word and realizing that, he just continue on the things he was doing. Then when Lyle turn around, hubby and Plok laughed =) it was one funny experience for them. Good thing that Lyle didn't repeat saying the word and I haven't heard him saying that again (as of this writing).

Do you also have this kind of experiences? How did you handle it? I would love to hear your story.

How to Encourage Learning at Home

How to Encourage Learning at Home

By Baljit Sadhal

Home is where the heart is, and home is also where the heart of learning is. It is where we grow and flourish as children, and a place we never forget. Home is also the first stage where learning takes place. This article offers parents some tips on how to create a home that promotes and encourages the love of learning.

Making the effort to ensure your home encourages an open and fun attitude towards learning will make a big difference on how your child feels about learning. As a parent your attitude towards learning is vital. Does that mean you turn your home into a library or a class room? Not at all. Making learning FUN in your home can be easy, key items to consider for your home which encourage and foster learning and creativity are:

• Building Blocks
• Puzzles
• Finger Painting
• Drawing
• Play-Doh
• Clay
• Books and Magazines 

Stock up on colorful books, toys, games, pencils, paper, crayons, paint, play-doh. These items are fun to play with but are also helping your child to explore and learn by DOING. Each of these items challenges the mind to be creative and imaginative thus learning as you play.

As a parent your role is to create an ambience of happiness and enthusiasm through your fun-to-learn attitude. This includes showing your acceptance and approval of something your child has worked on. Your praise encourages your child to work harder and the desire to learn more

Nothing can replace sharing your time with your child. Not the best toy, book, movie, or best music....by sharing your time with your child you are telling your child that they are important and thus building their belief in themselves.

For more tips and information about brain building toy products that promote learning and creativity check out http://bestbrainbuildingtoys.com/


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Baljit_Sadhal

A day at UPLB freedom park

Lyle and Lance had a great Sunday afternoon visiting their grandparents in Los Baños, Laguna. Here are some pictures taken by hubby. How I wish I was there. Oh well, I only have to wait for two more weeks and I'll be soon flying back again to Philippines. For now, I'll share with you the joy of viewing these happy, lovely photos!

See how happy they are? They love running around freedom park.

Looks like they are looking for something

Did they find it? Hubby told me they are picking up the grass

Running and playing with cousins Jerick and Jade

This photo is so sweet! Special bonding and connection between big brother & li'l brother

Can you see Lance? He's the little boy at the left following those 3 boys whom he didn't know. Why is he following them? Click the picture to see bigger picture and you'll see that the boy at the right is holding a red C2 (lemon ice tea) bottle. Lance have an obsession with bottles, whenever he see one he wants to take it so he can play with it =)

No child was hurt taking this picture! Don't think that hubby dug up a hole just to get this cute shot of lance ^_^

A leap of faith! He was scared but he still jumped (with eyes closed) knowing that his uncle will be there to catch him.

The grandparents group picture with Lyle just passing by

That's all folks! Thanks for looking =)

Whew! This saved me from my unnecessary worry

I'm so glad I had found this article from BabyCenter. This really helped a lot and knowing that I'm not the only mom undergoing the same situation.

Is it normal that my preschooler pretends that everything is a gun?

Expert Answers
The BabyCenter Editorial Team
Yes. It may be a little unsettling to see your cherubic little guy blasting away at everything in sight like a miniature John Wayne, but this behavior is definitely normal.

"I hear this question quite frequently in my practice, particularly from parents of boys," says pediatrician Ari Brown, co-author of Baby 411 and Toddler 411 and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. It seems there are quite a few mini John Waynes stomping about.

Why do children do this? According to Brown, part of the reason might be that they're mimicking grown-ups. This doesn't mean that these children come from violent homes, however. Images of guns are all around us — on the evening news, for example. Children who pretend to shoot each other may simply be playacting what they see on television.

But we can't chalk it all up to exposure. Even children with limited access to violent images can become enthralled with pretend guns, and experts can't really explain why.

While the behavior is common, there are times when it can get out of hand. Perhaps your child is playing pretend shoot 'em up to the exclusion of other games. If this is the case, you may want to help him branch out.

Brown suggests that you start by thinking about what your child sees and hears. Is the news on during dinner? Is an older brother playing aggressive computer games in the living room? Reducing your child's exposure to these types of things will give him less fodder for his own reenactments.

Along with working to discourage pretend gunplay, Brown suggests parents go a step further and offer suggestions for other types of pretend play. For example, suggest playing "restaurant" and have your child be the waiter, or play "school bus" and your child can be the driver.

"Sometimes offering suggestions to a child who's obsessed with guns will help him start to think outside the box," says Brown. Your little one may be stuck in a gun rut for now, but once he understands the sheer vastness of the make-believe world, he'll probably step out of it.

Article Source:  BabyCenter - Is it normal that my preschooler pretends that everything is a gun?

Organizing my kids' drawer

I just fold my boys shirts the usual way and then stack them in their drawer. The problem with stacking their clothes this way is that you  can't easily find the shirt you are looking for and usually will just pick up whatever is on top.

Today, I'm in the mood to do some organizing work and used the drawer organizer I got from IKEA. I bought these 3 years ago but not realizing how great they are.

Here's how my kids drawer looks like now. See the big difference? I can now easily find what I am looking for =)

I got the idea of folding the shirts, blankets and towels this way from a blog I stumbled upon last month. I'm searching for the site to put the link here but I can no longer find it. I really like what I did and I'm planning to go to IKEA one of these days to check if they still sell these drawer organizers. There are still other piles of clothes waiting to be be organized.

How about you? Are you also having a hard time arranging/organizing your kid's closet/drawer? I would love to hear your ideas and tips on how you keep them organized.

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Hubby sent me this link - http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

Please go to the link and read the article. As I was reading this, I remember when Lyle and I were at the kiddie pool at Yishun swimming complex some months ago. He loves the water and could stay for long hours playing in the pool. The kiddie pool is 0.5 meter deep and the water is just below Lyle's waist. We are playing, splashing water and then he walked away to see other kids playing in the pool. While walking, he got off balance and the next thing I saw was he was totally submerged in the water. I stood up and went to check on him and I saw him lying on his back under the water and staring blankly. There's no sound and movement. It was only when I picked him up and hold him tightly that he started to cry. He was scared and terrified. The same feelings for me too, it was so scary and terrifying to see him that way and so helpless. I comforted him and said that everything is okay and then after some minutes he forgot about it and was back again in the pool. And there I am again keeping both my eyes on him.

14th Craziest Toy Sale at Takashimaya

Last Friday, I went to Lucky Plaza to remit money. On my way going back to MRT station I saw many people carrying big bags from Takashimaya. I got curious and said to myself that I should check what's on sale =) This is what I found out at Takashimaya Square B2, the 14th Craziest Toy Sale which started last 15th July and will be there until 1st of August. In case, you are planning to buy Christmas gifts for children early this sale is for you because toys are priced really low. Aside from toys, there are also bags, shirts, pants for kids and babies.

Since my boys love cars, here's what I bought for them

I'm so happy because I got this for only $20.00, see picture below for the original price

Yes, you see it clearly the original price is $59.95. I just saw at Kiddy Palace this is also on sale but their price is $39.95.

I've been wanting to buy a storage box for Lyle and Lance's toys and here I found the perfect toy storage box =)

Original price is $19.90 but it's priced at $9.00 only. The approximate size of this box is 44cm (L) x 44cm (W) x 44cm (H).

It's a hunt out there, just be prepared because there are lots of people and the queue at the cashier is long. If you want to avoid the long queue, it's good to go there early or during weekdays.


Event : 14th Craziest Toys Sale At Takashimaya
Location: Takashimaya Square B2
Date : 15 Jul – 1 Aug 2010

Happy shopping!

For Sale - Condominium unit at Tivoli Gardens

Updated on November 17, 2010 - This condo unit has been sold already.

--------------------

My uncle and aunt are selling their condo unit at Tivoli Gardens in Mandaluyong City. It's a two-bedroom 48sq m inner unit with separate laundry area and parking area. The unit is at Bauhinia Bldg and it's ready for occupancy.

Feel free to contact Mr. Jimmy Baliton or Mrs. Terry Baliton for more details.
mobile number - +639175051022
landline - +6327764917
email - sales@sombreroatbp.com
 
Below are actual photos of the condo unit.

living room

kitchen

 dining area

 bedroom 1

 bedroom 2

floor plan (taken from Tivoli's website)

For more info about Tivoli Gardens, you may visit their website - http://www.resortcondohomes.com/featured-projects/tivoli-gardens.html

You may forward and share this to others whom you know might be interested.

Again, here are the contact details of Mr. Jimmy Baliton and Mrs. Terry Baliton
mobile number - +639175051022
landline - +6327764917
email - sales@sombreroatbp.com

Instant Pasta in Tomato and Tuna Sauce

After work it's very tempting to just buy some take-away food from hawkers or any fastfood. But I can't seem to find any food that I like to eat. I decided to go to shop & save and look for something that I can cook easily. Then I saw prego sauce and remember I still have a can of tuna at home. I bought prego sauce and penne pasta. Here's how I prepared and cooked my instant pasta in tomato and tuna sauce.

Ingredients:
185g can tuna in olive oil, drained keeping the oil
250g pasta, cooked according to package directions (I used penne but you can choose any kind you like)
1 medium sized chopped onion
1 bottle prego sauce (14oz)

Saute the onions using the oil from tuna.
Once the onions soften, you may put the tuna.
Add the prego sauce and let it simmer.
Add salt and pepper to taste. I also added some sugar because I like the sauce to have some sweet taste.
Once you got the taste that you want then your tuna sauce is ready, you may toss it over the pasta and serve it for lunch or dinner.

Preparing and cooking this took me only about 15 - 20mins.

Justin Bieber — Baby lyrics

Justin Bieber — Baby lyrics

Ohh wooaah Ohh wooaah Ohh wooaah
You know you love me, I know you care
Just shout whenever, And I'll be there
You are my love, You are my heart
And we will never ever-ever be apart

Are we an item. Girl quit playing
"We're just friends"
What are you sayin?
said theres another and looked right in my eyes
My first love broke my heart for the first time,

And I was like
Baby, baby, baby ooh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ooh
Thought you'd always be mine, mine

Baby, baby, baby oohh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ohh
Thought you'd always be mine, mine


For you,i would have done what ever
And I just cant believe we ain't together
And I wanna play it cool, But I'm losing you
I'll buy you anything, ill buy you any ring
And I'm in pieces, Baby fix me
and just shake me til' you wake me from this bad dream

I'm going down, down, down, down
And I just can't believe, my first love won't be around

And I'm like,
Baby, baby, baby oooh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ooh
Thought you'd always be mine, mine

Baby, baby, baby oooh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ooh
Thought you'd always be mine, mine

Luda, When I was thirteen, I had my first love
There was nobody that compaired to my baby
And nobody came between us
or could ever come above
She had me going crazy
Oh I was starstruck
She woke me up daily
Don't need no Starbucks
She make my heart pound[wwwhhhooo]
and skip a beat when I see her in the street
and, At school, on the playground
But I really wanna see her on the weekend
She know she got me dazing
Cuz she was so amazing
And now, my heart is breakin'
But I just keep on sayin'

Baby, baby, baby ohh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ohh
Thought you'd always be mine, mine

Baby, baby, baby ooh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby oooh
Thought you'd always be mine, mine

(Now I'm all gone)
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Yeah Yeah Yeah
(Now I'm all gone)
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

(Now I'm all gone)
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Now I'm all gone, gone, gone, ooh
I'm gone


Lyrics Source - http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/justin-bieber-lyrics/baby-lyrics.html

Lyle sing & dance along Justin Bieber's song

My sons together with my mama and papa stayed longer in Manila. I go back here in Singapore earlier because I only got 2 days leave and need to return to work. After 1 week and 3 days stay in Manila, Lyle is now singing and dancing along Justin Bieber's song - Baby. This song is always played on the radio and my sisters & cousins are watching Justin's music video on YouTube. This music video "Baby" by Justin Bieber is now the most viewed video on YouTube pushing Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" into second place. Below is the video from YouTube.



Honestly, I don't know Justin Bieber until we went back to Manila. I have to admit I'm now older than I used to be =) or let's rephrase it I'm more mature now. I'm no longer part of the target audience of Justin's songs that's why I haven't heard of him. But this had taught me a lesson, I have to keep myself updated with the things that my kids will soon get interested in - music, movies, arts, etc. I want to connect and understand their interests and to be always there to guide them. But for now, I can still sit down and relax because their interests still revolves around food, milk, toys, shapes, colors, nursery rhymes and tv (kiddie channels).

Boxing’s superfight highly unlikely in 2010

Here's a not so good news for Filipino boxing fans out there. The match between Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. won't happen this year.

Boxing’s superfight highly unlikely in 2010
By Kevin Iole

It was three in the morning Saturday on the East Coast when Bob Arum delivered the bad news. The 78-year-old chairman of Top Rank, boxing’s preeminent promotional company, called a news conference in the middle of the night to tell the world that there was no deal for Manny Pacquiao to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Yet.

Sadly, if there is going to be one, it almost certainly won’t be until May 2011. A Top Rank-imposed deadline of 11:59 p.m. Pacific on Friday for Mayweather to accept an offer on the table for a Nov. 13 fight with Pacquiao passed with nary a peep from Mayweather or his representatives.

The deadline, Arum said, was simply the end of an exclusive negotiation period for a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.

He’ll begin to work later Saturday on reaching a deal for a Pacquiao fight with either Antonio Margarito, the former World Boxing Organization welterweight champion who in 2009 was suspended from boxing for a year by the California State Athletic Commission after getting caught with a plaster-like substance slipped into his hand wraps before a fight with Shane Mosley, or Miguel Cotto.

Neither fight will come anywhere close to creating the kind of sizzle and excitement that a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight would have created. Mayweather and Pacquiao have lapped the field and are the two best fighters and the two biggest stars in the world by a wide margin.

A fight between them could have sold three million pay-per-view purchases and made each man upwards of $60 million.

Pacquiao is going to have to take a significant pay cut to fight either Margarito or Cotto, which he can’t be pleased about. He likely wouldn’t make any more than about a quarter of what he would have made if he were fighting Mayweather, though Arum said on the call that he wouldn’t discuss that until after he speaks with Pacquiao.

The possibility of still doing a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight has to be one of the primary reasons that Arum struck an unusually conciliatory tone on Saturday. He urged the media not to lash out against Mayweather for failing to respond.

He speculated that the reason Mayweather may not want to make a decision yet is because his uncle, Roger Mayweather, goes on trial in a Las Vegas court room on Aug. 2 on charges that he assaulted a female boxer he once trained.

Continue reading the whole article at Yahoo Sports.

Toy Story - The Need of Toys For Little Folks

Below is an article that I would like to share. It's really good to know that kids learn a lot from playing. They learn from doing the thing they love the most =) Both my sons loves toy cars, trains and airplanes. They  could spend their entire day holding and playing with toy cars. Making car sounds 'brooomm' and moving the toy cars around the house. Flipping it over rolling the tires and checking the parts. Lyle is now getting imaginative and creative. He would held his hands up then move them sideways and when I asked him what he is doing he said, "Airplane mommy, see". Recently, I bought some 4 to 6 pieces puzzles and hubby taught him how to put the pieces together. Lyle is now able to put these pieces together on his own. These are some little things that makes parents so proud.

Continue reading the article below. Enjoy reading!

Toy Story - The Need of Toys For Little Folks

By Samyu Tam

Today, as in the days of our childhood, toys are an invaluable part of upbringing the child. As they play with toys, children obtain and perk up the skills necessary for formal learning in later stages of their lives. They learn to use their five senses, they acquire and hone the skills of eye-hand co-ordination and control, and develop concepts - they acquire an understanding of the meaning of relationships and the intrinsic characteristics of objects.

And the success that comes from playing with and / or mastering a toy helps develop a child's self-confidence. If your child doesn't get to play with toys, she / he might be at a limitation where forming a solid foundation for literacy and maths and developing adaptive behaviour are concerned.

Playing with toys involves almost every part of your child - her eyes, her hands, often her whole body. Toys, therefore are props to blend a child's imagination. Successful toys are those that combine authenticity and castle in the sky, and down the ages have included dolls, vehicles, dishes, blocks and planes.
Watching your child playing will give you clues on how she is feeling. If she says, " Bad dolly, you're very naughty and mama doesn't love you,". It doesn't not mean that you've been saying just that to her; it's more likely that she is done something naughty and fears punishment and is working things out for herself.

Look for a toy that is safe, responsive, self explanatory, multisensory and re-assuring. Also look for toys that encouraging children to imitate real life, inspire problem solving and invite creativity.
Also keep in mind that children don't always play with toys the way we think they should - and that is part of their learning process. Make sure your child's toys don't encourage violent tendencies. And remember, the best toys are not the most expensive - which is why perhaps the toys of our childhoods should be given a welcome back.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samyu_Tam

My Best Friend's Wedding - Pose & Prints pictures

Last July 10th was my best friend's wedding. We had fun posing at the photobooth =) It's indeed a memorable souvenir. Lyle still remember the colors of the hats we wore even day after the wedding.
Click here to see all the pictures. Enjoy viewing!

my mama and papa

picture time again with Lyle and hubby

with college friends

all girls muna =)

how to pick the right pair of baby shoes

Buying shoes for your little one can be an expensive thing because they outgrow a shoe size very fast. The picture you see on the left is Lyle's new pair of shoes. Good thing that there's a sale at Adidas outlet (located at the mall in Novena MRT) 50% off on the second pair of shoes that you'll buy. Since my mama is going to buy rubber shoes for papa I told her that I'm also going to buy one for Lyle to avail the discount. Lyle wore the shoes to see if it fits him well and make sure he is comfortable. I told him to walk and run to be very sure. And of course, I asked him if he likes it and he said YES so the next thing I did is go to the cashier and pay. I paid only 17.30sgd for this shoes =)

Below is a guideline on picking the right pair of shoes taken from Motherhood magazine.

Stage 1: Crawling

- Fully adjustable fastenings.

- Shoe should be easy to wear and stay put

- Built in room for feet to spread out

- Whole and half sizes for the best fit

- Soft and flexible

- Machine washable for hygienic purposes

- Textured rubber sole for crawling grip

Stage 2: Cruising

- Built in room for growth

- Protective toe, heel and waist guards

- Whole and half sizes for the best fit

- Machine washable for hygienic purposes

- Textured rubber sole and sides for all round grip

- Natural material for cool comfortable fit

Stage 3: Walking

- Fully adjustable fastenings

- Built in room for movement and toe-wriggles

- Close cropped soles to prevent tripping

- Padded ankle support for better protection

- Soft natural materials for cool and comfortable feet

- Lightweight and flexible soles to aid steady walking

- Whole and half sizes for the best fit

thanks for the gown

Next week is my best friend's wedding =) and we'll be part of it. I'll be the matron of honor, Lyle will be the bible bearer and my mom will be their ninang. My sister was able to meet Cheann to get the gown that I'll be wearing but I still have to wait 'til Thursday to fit the gown. Our flight going to Manila is on July 8th so I have to wait. I asked Cheann to send me pictures of the actual gown. I'm posting here just a little bit of detail of the gown (don't want to ruin the element of surprise.. hehe)

Thanks Cheann for the gown! Time really flies so fast the wedding day is next week already. I pray that everything will run smoothly and you'll have the dream wedding that you want. Don't stress yourself too much. Have fun and enjoy your wedding. This day will be the beginning of the rest of your lives together. Always remember and be committed to the vows you'll make this coming Saturday, 10th of July year 2010.

Here's a link to their wedding site - CheAngelo