Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival

Proudly announcing the birth of the Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival (PPBC for short)!

Any Pinoy parent may join the carnival. You know who you are, Pinoy parents!

Please signify your intention to join by replying to this thread. I am currently working on a webring or blogroll so that it will be easier for us to know who's participating. I will also post it here when it's available already.

Oh, and if you know other Pinoy parents who blog, feel free to invite them to join by directing them to this page.

What is a blog carnival? Here's a definition by wikipedia.

General guidelines:

• The Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival will be a biweekly carnival.
• There will be a designated host blogger of the month. He or she will host both carnivals of the month.
• He/she will post the two topics for the month on his blog, with the corresponding deadlines of submission and the day when that Edition of the Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival will be up on his/her blog. Topics deal mostly around parenting and family life.
  
• Blog articles for carnival are due by 12:00 midnight, the 10th of the month for the first carnival, and the 24th of the month for the second carnival.
• The host is expected to organize and post the carnivals on the 14th and the 28th of each month, respectively.
• Send to the predesignated host- blogger for that week, the link to your post, the title, and a brief description of that article.
• One entry per blogger. Any post regarding the designated topic or theme, new or existing, may be entered.
• The host blogger has the sole authority and responsibility of choosing the topic, announcing them, receiving the contributions, proof reading it, and posting them as he/she deemed fit for his/her topic of choice. Other host guidelines here.
• Please provide a linkback to this page.
  

What are the advantages of a blog carnival?

• Interesting, relevant topics to write on.
• Increased links.
• Increased traffics.
• Increased sense of community.
• It's really fun!
• More knowledge and opinions?

I will host for the month of the May as a start. :) I will also post on this blog the schedule of the blog carnivals, their hosts and topics, if already available. So check back often!

Latest Edition:

PPBC 9th edition (September)
Topic: Birthdays! (posted October 24, 2008)
Host: Joey of http://www.tsinay.com

Upcoming!

PPBC 10th edition (November)
Topic: Picky Eaters - Click here for the call for articles.
Host: Jenny of http://jennyandbelle.com
Deadline for submission of entries: November 10, 2008

Previous Editions:

PPBC 1st edition:
Topic: Becoming a Parent (Posted May 14, 2008)
Host: Joey of http://the-working-mom.blogspot.com

PPBC 2nd edition:
Topic: On Schools...Where, When and Why (Posted June 3, 2008)
Host: Joey of http://the-working-mom.blogspot.com

PPBC 3rd edition:
Topic: Parenting Through The Generations (Posted June 18, 2008)
Host: Joey of http://the-working-mom.blogspot.com

PPBC 4th edition
Topic: Our Children Do Love Us (posted July 2, 2008)
Host: Joey of http://www.tsinay.com

PPBC 5th edition
Topic: What would you like your children to be when they grow up? (posted July 15, 2008)
Host: Guardian Angel of http://whatparentsshouldrealize.blogspot.com

PPBC 6th edition
Topic: The Kind of Parent That We Are (Posted August 3, 2008)
Host: Guardian Angel of http://whatparentsshouldrealize.blogspot.com

PPBC 7th edition
Topic: Discipline (Posted September 3, 2008)
Host: Joey of http://the-working-mom.blogspot.com

PPBC 8th edition (September)
Topic: Values (Posted September 17, 2008)
Host: Leah of http://www.mommyleah.com

Message to my child

The moment new life is formed in the mother's womb, her life is completely turned around. A mom ceases living just for herself when her child is born.

My child, you probably do not know how much I truly cherish you. Your coming to Daddy and Mommy is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. You have made our marriage even stronger. Yes, Daddy and Mommy vowed to love and cherish each other till death do us part, but, you, my son, is the perfect symbol, the perfect fruit of our physical, emotional and spiritual union.

Your presence has given us joy. Every little smile, with those cute little dimples. Every little step taken. Every little look of love. Every milestone. When you're happy, we're happy. Our world now revolves around you. We make decisions on what is best for you. Because you are now our greatest priority.

You have made me realize even more what a truly good man your Daddy is. Well, even before you came along, I already knew that my husband was truly a gem of man. But when you came into existence, he showed what a great daddy he was. He was willing to do things other men wouldn't, like change your dirty diapers. He kept his cool when Mommy was all moody and hormonal because of the pregnancy and childbirth. He kept me company when I was cut up for the C section. And, he took over mommy's clinic and took care of mommy's patients while I was still on maternity leave, and later when either you or mommy were sick.

You made me understand my mother, your grandmother, even more. True, we still argue on what the best foods for you are, and I get some flak because you never were the chubby, commercial worthy baby most people seem to like. But we agree that you are the cutest, most lovable child there is on earth. Of course, we're biased, but who cares?

You made your lola, your dad's mom, a very happy grandma. She always looks forwards to your visits and always reserves all of your favorite foods. Woe to us if we visit lola without you in tow. She now has another apo to spoil.

You have made me do things I wouldn't dream of doing before. Changing diapers was an "ewwww" task, but you made me willing to do it. I never thought I would have breastfed past 1 year, but we reached 1 year and 10 months -- because I knew that that was the best food for you. When we had to end our breastfeeding cum bonding session because Mommy got sick, you cried like you never did before. And that broke mommy's heart, even though I know that it had to be done. I was never a spendthrift, but for you, I'd spend for a new pair of pajamas or a cute little shirt (Good thing your grandmas love to spend for you too, or I'd be broke!). Daddy, on the other hand, spends on your toys. :)

When you were sick, our world seemed to be crashing down.

My son, you have taught us a lot of things. You have taught us to rediscover simple joys. You have taught us to be more responsible. You have taught us to be more tolerant and more patient. You have taught us to think beyond our own needs.

But, I believe, the greatest gift that you have given me, your mom, is the realization that I am capable of loving unconditionally. Because, my child, I love you always and forever, whatever you may turn out to be. That is what I believe is the best thing about being a mom.

But, of course, we do hope that in the future, you will be an upstanding member of society, a good and moral man that your children will be proud to call daddy. :) Because now, that is our greatest responsibility.

---------
This is my entry to the Free Mother's Day Photo Session Contest by Ging Lorenzo.

Marriage in Trouble?

One of the best decisions I've made in my life is to get married to my husband. I am much happier now that I'm married to a great man and that I am a mother. We've had some rough patches, but we've compromised on a lot of them. These trials have only made our marriage stronger.

I feel sad, therefore, whenever I hear of failing marriages or a seemingly great couple deciding to split up because of various issues. Unless there is violence involved, I believe the couple should still try marriage counseling to save their marriage.

Another thing the couple has to consider is the impact of their breakup on their children. Children are always the innocent victims of dad and mom’s problems. While it's true that sometimes the relationship is so toxic that it's better for couples to split, that is often not the case. A lot of issues are based on misunderstandings and lack of communication. A third party who’s an expert in such situations may help them come to terms and compromise in some issues besetting them.

A lot of couples on the verge of breakup, however, are reluctant to do formal save marriage counseling, since they believe that it's tantamount to exposing their problems and shortcomings in their marriage to another person. If that is the case, then they should at least try online marriage counseling. A marriage is too precious to just let go. It's even more difficult for children. So do think twice before throwing in the towel.

Identity -- You (a survey)

Even if you grew up with the same background, with the same age, even with the same set of parents and the same experiences, you would find that you do not have the same opinions all the time. That's what's exciting (and sometimes problematic) about human beings -- that we don't see the same way.

That's why a lot of arguments, when seen from the point of view of an uninterested third party, is actually not black or while but rather with varying shades of gray.

The only way that we can live in peace is for everybody to accept that we all think differently and to "agree to disagree". Nobody is perfectly correct all the time, and nobody is always wrong. There's always a middle ground, and compromise is almost always the order of the day.

Used vs New Car?

My husband's family has always been practical. Maybe it's because my mother-in-law is half Ilocano, half Chinese, which makes for a lethal combination when it comes to being frugal. But she is also very practical. She helped my sister-in-law buy used toyota a while back. She knows used cars are real good value for money -- if you do your homework, that is. Luckily, she has her brother to turn to for advice on these matters.

My mother is also a practical woman but she does not generally buy used cars because she does not have such a person to consult. She had a bad experience many years ago buying a second hand car. However, she later spent a lot more in repairs when it turned out that the car had a lot of problems. From then on, she just decided to buy brand new, unless she knew the previous owner of a pre-owned car and trusted him to have taken good care of it.

If you feel that your budget is not enough for a new car, a good quality pre-owned car from a reliable seller may be the thing for you. It does help if, like my mother-in-law, you can have someone inspect the car for you prior to purchasing it, but if not, stick with a reliable seller and don't just go for a car because it's cheap. You might spend more in the long run.

Post Labor Day Musings

This is a short work week for me. I only worked up to April 30. May 1 is Labor Day. I do not have work today because we have a convention and our clinic is closed because most of the doctors are presumed to be going there. The staff, too. My husband and I chose not to go, though, because it's located in Legaspi, Albay, and it's quite difficult to bring a 31 month old toddler on such a long trip. We can't leave him at home either because his grandmother, who looks after him when we're gone, is out of town. We're too paranoid to leave him with just his nanny. So we're here. And, anyway, he has school today.

I kinda found it weird that GMA could move even holidays like Independence Day (June 12) to weekends but she couldn't do the same thing for May 1. Well, I suppose that's because she might get flak from the huge labor sector if she did so. Oh well.

The problem of us not having work is that we don't get paid. You see, unlike employees who have fixed income monthly, we only get paid when we see patients. So, no work, no pay. Nevertheless, a little down time is nice, too. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy (or Jill a dull girl)!

When You Know You Did No Wrong

Whenever a crime is committed, the victim deserves his or her day in court. That is his right. But sometimes, the situation is not as clearcut as what the superficial facts make other people believe. Time and again, we have heard of people who insist on their innocence. What if we get accused of a crime that we did not commit? How would you argue a "driving under the influence" charge when the required test, for example, is not done immediately? This is where a very good lawyer like these Criminal Attorneys in Los Angeles | DUI Defense Lawyers in Southern California would help.

From Home to Work

One reason why we're now still living at my mother's place is the short commute that we need to go to work. Living near our place of work is really a very big convenience on our part, especially with the morning rush hour traffic that we have here in the Greater Manila Area. It saves gas and saves us time (we get to sleep in a little later than if we have a longer commute). Ethan is now attending a toddler school very near here (in fact, in the same village). In fact, I'm dreading the time when Ethan has to go to big school, because the school I have in mind is quite far from where we now live. Oh, well, we'll just cross that bridge when we get there.

For Paranoid Moms Like Me

When I was a teenager, I always resented my mom for making me keep a curfew and going after me if I went to parties. I could not understand why she could not trust that I could take care of myself. Now that I am a mother myself, I could understand that what she did not trust was not me, but the people and circumstances around me. Females are especially vulnerable in such situations. It didn't help that that was the time before cellular phones became popular and everyone had one.

Now that I have a son, I worry whenever I do not see him. In a mall, I would have his nanny watch over him, but even if I knew he was with her, I would be a bit paranoid and worry that she might have carried him off without my knowledge. I would also worry about potential kidnappers, especially since my son had Chinese features. I am happy that technology such as GPS units developed by GTX Corp could now be utilized in order to track people in real time on Google maps. The fact that these devices are small and rather inconspicuous would make it even more useful for us paranoid and worrywart moms.

Coffee Break Version 1.7

This weeks challenge by Jan:

Share with everyone the fondest memory you have of you and your family.

There are simply so many! There's the good, the bad and the ugly. I think I'll just stick with the good for now :D.

• Vacations with the family! My favorite would be the Summer of 1991. Because I truly felt that our family bonded through that memorable road trip. This was a trip taken by my Dad, my Mom, my brothers and I. I hope that I'll be able to have another trip like that with my children.
• My wedding day -- Finally getting married to the man I love. And he's proving that he's worth all the trouble that came before the wedding itself. Everytime I see him I thank the Lord for bringing us together. Not everybody is that fortunate. And, of course --
• Our honeymoon trip! -- This is brief 3 day 2 night Hong Kong trip. We stayed in a pension house instead of a hotel because it was peak season then. But we were able to cover most of the places we want to go to.
  
• The birth of my son -- I've always wanted to be a mother. I am so fortunate that I got pregnant not long after I got married.
• Family dinners, especially when my mom did the cooking. Also, we used to have dinners outside every Sunday at a restaurant which we always looked forward to.
• Conversations with grandparents. Their stories always inspire.
  
• All my son's milestones!
• House hunting! Back in the early nineties, we decided to look for a house. The house hunting is a fun adventure with the whole family! I loved looking at houses for sale, and discussing with the family the pros and cons of each house.
• Weddings in the family. Birthdays in the family.
• Cooking with grandma! My grandmother is a traditional Chinese housewife. Certain special dishes are events at our house. The making of lumpia (spring rolls), ma tsang, zhong gwan i (potato flour balls with peanut filling) etc. is often an endeavor with all the female members :). We didn't have that for many years already :(
  

There are so many more! This is all I can think of for the time being.

There are also the "bad" ones. Truth is, I believe that everything -- good memories, bad memories, bonding, quarelling, fighting, celebrations -- every little thing brings my family closer together.

Chinese Superstitions Regarding Pregnancy and Childbirth

I came to know some Chinese superstitions about pregnancy and childbirth during the course of my own pregnancy and after giving birth. Some of them sounded weird to me, but since my mother insisted and I was watched over closely, I have to follow those that I believed did no harm anyway.

These are a few of them:

• A pregnant woman should not attend wakes or funerals.
• A pregnant woman should avoid going to weddings so as not to rob the newlyweds of their good luck.
• A pregnant woman should drink special herbal soups to ensure the safety of her baby.
• After giving birth, the new mother should not take a bath, or shower, or shampoo for at least a month. As much as possible, she should not leave the house, or be exposed to wind, because these would make her body weak and she will be prone to arthritis in the future.
  
• The new mother should eat "hot" foods to balance the energies. It is believed that childbirth with its blood loss makes the body "cold".
• People should avoid praising babies, because these would attract demons and ghosts who would bring harm upon the baby. Hence, unfavorable terms should be used.

I know Tsinoy mothers would find it hard not to follow these, since their mothers and mothers-in-law (if they were Chinese) would watch them like a hawk to ensure that tradition is followed. I just consoled myself with the fact that these are temporary and my mother was only thinking of my welfare and that of my baby. :)

Beginning to like Dr. Seuss

I was not a Dr. Seuss fan. I haven't read any of the books but I've always thought the titles sounded too weird. I mean, titles like How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Cat in a Hat, Horton Hears a Who, Green Eggs and Ham didn't really appeal to me.

But then, I didn't really grow up with Dr. Seuss. My parents are Chinese immigrants and know nothing about him. I read a lot of other books, non of them Dr. Seuss.

The movie adaptation made me a convert! I loved the message of the movie! I am going to introduce Dr. Seuss to my son. Now, the toddler school he's going to is actually big on Dr. Seuss. With kid-friendly verses, nice illustrations, and most importantly, important life lessons even small children can pick up, it really is no wonder Dr. Seuss became so popular!

World Wide Link Love

I was tagged by both Kelly & Leah.

~ start copying here ~

Join the Worldwide Link Love!
Benefits of Worldwide Link Love!
1. Make new friends around the world.
2. Feel the Link Love.
3. Gain new readers and subscribers.

Rules:
1. Copy from ~start copying here ~ to ~ end copying here ~ and paste it on your blog.
2. At the end of the list, put your name and the country you’re in, it doesn’t matter what’s your nationality just put the country where you are publishing your blog.Don’t forget to put links at your name.
3. If u have many blogs, you can link all of it, just make sure you post the same on each blog.
4. Tag eight (8) or more of your blog friends.
5. Tip for blogspot users: make sure you copy and paste the code in Compose mode.

Wanna join, and you can’t find your name on the list?Just leave a comment here.
Worldwide Link Love! Participants:
1. Julia (Philippines)
2. Catherine (Malaysia)
3. shimumsy (u.s.a)
4. Mitch (Philippines)
5. Hailey (Philippines)
6. Sexymom (USA)
7. Liza (Philippines)
8. Idealpinkrose (Korea)
9. Korean food (Korea)
10. Allinkorea (Korea)
11. Kimchiland (Korea)
12. Confessions of an Army Wife (USA)
13. Bless Sanctuary (USA)
14. VampSquad (Philippines)
15. Manna from Heaven (Philippines)
16. And Life Goes On (Philippines)
17. Uncomplicated (Philippines)
18. To the Moon and Back (Philippines)
19. IamDzoi (Philippines)
20. My Happy Place (Philippines)
21. 100% Kelly (Philippines)
22. Me, Myself and I (Philippines)
23. A Matter of Perspective (Australia)
24. Freebies Australia (Australia)
25. Endometriosis and Fertility Resource Page (Philippines/Australia)
26. Ang Therapist (Philippines/Australia)
27. Joey M.D. (Philippines)
28. The Working Mom (Philippines)

~end copy here ~Because I'm late with this, I don't really know anybody who hasn't done this yet. Anybody can just snag it!

About Haircuts

I used to have long hair. When I was already planning to get married, I refused to cut my hair because I wanted long hair that could be artfully styled during my wedding itself. It's also the hairstyle that my then-boyfriend (now husband) prefers on me.

But last February, I decided to bite the bullet and have it way shorter than my usual do. I was required by my mother to have a haircut in preparation for Chinese New Year. I decided to go for a short, stylish bob since my long hair was always pulled by my toddler. The weather was also getting hot and I find myself pulling my hair back in a ponytail most of the time!

I loved my new hair! It actually made me look a lot younger and more stylish. It's also very easily maintained -- wash and wear actually! It's now 2 months after that haircut and although it's a little longer, it still looks good! I get compliments whenever old friends and relatives see me.

I'm thinking of having it cut a little shorter again because it now brushes my nape and I'm feeling the heat, but, well, I'm still enjoying my look now :).

Breakup and Learn

I guess I'm lucky in the sense that I never had a breakup. My only boyfriend is now my husband, and our relationship is still going strong.

I did find, however, that some of the questions raised in this featured survey are still something that I learned from observing other people who had bad relationships and eventually a breakup.

I hope you would enjoy answering this suvey. It's really interesting :) .

Updates

It's been difficult for me to update my blogs lately, as I've been busy offline.

I've managed to put in my 2 cents for the Philippine Medical Blog Rounds. The topic is about the Philippine Healthcare System. My piece is entitled Not a Priority!

Jan posted another coffee break. Since the topic is about budgeting, I've decided to post my reply on my other blog.

I know I owe a lot of tags, bloghops and such. I am really sorry I haven't done them yet. I promise to as soon as I get the time.

Blog for You -- my insights

Most of my circle of blogger friends are either mommy bloggers like me, or doctor bloggers. It's easy to see why. We often gravitate to those we relate more to. But I do some blogsurfing and come upon other blogs that are not related to either being a mommy or a blogger. Also I get to see blogs from people outside the country. That's the beauty of blogging. Blog for You is one of sites I've surfed to today. It's a Personal Business Blog written by an Indonesian man, and it focuses more on his hobbies and experiences , mostly online. What I like about this site is that he doesn't ramble on (like I do) and says things directly and to the point. Just like a man, perhaps, but some men's blogs do tend to ramble too and it's more painful for me because I don't have the same interests as they do. This blog has kept most entries short and sweet and to the point. That makes it a lot more readable than a lot of other blogs. This looks promising.

Help for a busy postgraduate student

Being a multitasker is no joke. Aside from being a mom and a doctor with a small business on the side, I am also a part time graduate student at the UP Open University. Since my course is about Hospital Administration and I need to present a paper before I graduate, I feel that I might need assistance since I might not have time to do it on my own. Fortunately, I've found some services on the net that offer services in writing nursing dissertation and finance thesis, which are both relevant to my course. They also provide dissertation literature reviews, which would make the paper even more credible.

Coffee Break ver. 1.5

The question: How committed are you to health and fitness?

Since we're both doctors, you'd think our husband and I would be more health and fitness conscious. But we're not, if what you're thinking about in terms of keeping healthy and fit is a really good diet regimen and a regular exercise program.

We basically try to moderate our eating ourselves by trying to eat less unhealthy stuff like fatty and oily foods. But that's about it. Our exercise now mostly consists of everyday stuff like chasing after our energetic toddler and walking around the mall (it's too hot to walk outside!)...if we have the time.

Maybe we should step up the efforts. After all, we are already creeping into middle age (eep!). We do want to get old being still healthy and functional, and not dependent on anybody.

The most unforgettable vacation

For me, it would definitely be the Summer of 1991. I know it was already a long time ago, but the memories are etched very clearly on my mind as if it happened only yesterday. We still have the videos of that trip, but they are all in Betamax format and the photos are prints from films. I hope I would be able to convert them into digital files.

What made the trip memorable was the bonding that our family had. It was a road trip through the West coast of USA with no set itinerary. I wish we could have that same experience with my husband and kid/s someday. A local trip would have been nice, since the Philippines has so many beautiful places. But sadly, it's not easy to do a road trip here because we don't have as many good roads and lodging facilities along the way. It's more of a "road trip to a specific location". Maybe when my kid/s are old enough, the roads will be better and we'll have more lodging places along the way. I hope I won't be too old to enjoy it by then. :)