Happy Halloween

Last year was my Saffron's 1st halloween event. I dressed him up as a sumo wrestler and participated at our condo's celebration. Click here to check out our Japanese costume Matching costume for mommy and baby. This year we were invited to join trick or treat at The Podium. We were excited and decided to let Sam come as a bee and Kuya Tristan as Superman. 

Mother-in-law called and said the event has a theme...I panicked cause I don't know where to get costumes for Sam and my nephew Tristan in less than a week. This years halloween celebration was sponsored by National Geographic with a Animal Safari as it's theme. Again...I am against halloween theme, simply because for me trick or treat is supposed to be a license for kids to dress up whatever way they want so why give a theme?! I called bumblebee to ask if they have safari costumes available, sadly sold-out. So I went to rant on facebook, asked friends and relative if they have safari costume that I can buy/borrow/rent? Good thing my cousin Alma Chan has safari themed costume that I can borrow. Thank God!!! =) 

My Saffron with his collection of costumes from bumblebee. =) 

Before the actual Halloween celebration Nat Geo sponsored this animal display. All animals were moving. =) Nice for kids to see.  

Here's Sam loving the zebra. Maybe because his familiar with this from his crib mobile. 

A bit scared of the Lion. =)

Fascinated with the Elephant. 

Amazed with the Giraffe. 

With kuya's favorite the lion. 

Actual day of event...mommy went to raid her closet for her costume. I have to have a costume too. Right?! hahaha! 

I went as tigress with my tiger headband. hahaha! =)

Sam as Chicken...I know it doesn't go with the theme...but as i quote my husband...to hell with safari theme! my son looks cute dressed as chicken. hahaha!

I like how the event was planned this year,  they were more organized. Each participant was asked to register so each kid is assured to have a loot bag with candies from Hershey's. Each participants also received stubs for face painting, balloon twist, tattoo, ice cream from nestle & free session from Picture company (which for me is like hold-up, cause actual printing is not free!!!!boooooo!). We were also given list of participating merchants. At first there were just 10 participants in the list... until I guess others joined in. I like how the merchants participated, it's actually a marketing strategy for them to let people visit their store, more like to let people know that they are there. hahaha! almost all merchants were able to participate except for some few party poopers. hahaha! 

 Kuya Tristan dress as a giraffe! Thanks to his Tita Alma Chan who lend this costume. Oh...Kuya won best in costume! hahaha! =) 

Photobooth from Dr. Smiles. As I mentioned some of the merchants took this event as marketing opportunity. Dr. Smiles has a free photobooth session but in order to redeem your photo you need to like Dr. Smiles facebook page. Wise right? oh...they have a ready computer for you to login to your fb account and like their page right inside the clinic... Genius!!! 

Picture...picture...picture

Photos c/o Dr. Smile @ The Podium

Kids waiting for the program to start. 

We have filled 3 buckets full of candies...now what to do with all this candies??? 

Prizes for Kuya after winning as best in costume and in one contest he joined. Glad Toy Kingdom sponsored the prizes. =)

Over all we like celebrating halloween at The Podium, place is air-con ideal for thick costumes for kids. The mall is not too crowded and it's just 5 floors that one can really tour in less than 2 hours. =) How was your halloween? What was your costume?? Would love to hear from you guys. =)

~~Mommy Raquel  

United Nations Celebrations

Inspired by this week's celebration, here's Saffron look of the day: KATIPUNERO (chinese version) hahaha! =)

Katipunero look: simple white shirt and red pants.

My Chinese katipunero, minus the scraf and hat. hehehe! =)

All clothes are from Mothercare. Shoes from Nike

What is your child's costume for this year's United Nations celebration? Share it with us. =)

~~Mommy Raquel

Babywearing convert

I am not aware that October is babywearing month until I read Mommy Raquel's post. I am actually a recent convert to babywearing, thanks to her. We received a baby carrier - not the sling type - for Caitlin when she was young, but my husband wasn't convinced because it made him feel hot. On my part, I also worried whether it is strong enough to hold my child. So we shelved it and instead took turns in carrying our daughter when she doesn't feel like sitting on her stroller when we were out.

When we had our second daughter, however, things had to change. She was prematurely born at seven months and needed constant cuddling. We did Kangaroo care (skin to skin contact) while she was still confined at the hospital and I'd like to believe that it greatly helped improve her weight in conjunction with the vitamins that she was - and still is - taking.

So because of her need to be constanly next to me, I thought of babywearing. I got Mamaway and taught myself how to use it by watching youtube clips. I have yet to watch the vcd that the sling comes with. I experimented on the Koala position with Caitlin and, surprisingly, she loved it at 17 months. My husband also loved it. He took Caitlin on a sling when he went to the grocery or the mall, and he even got pretty good comments (something like how responsible looking he is). I am sure they looked great together even though I wasn't there to take their pictures.

So if you haven't got a sling yet, it's not too late to convert to babywearing as my toddler and husband can attest to. And it's never too early to start too.

Happy babywearing month it is!

- Mommy Smiley

October Is BabyWearing Month

October is World Babywearing Awareness Month (Oct 8-14)

I'am a pro-babywearing mommy. We started using sling when Sam was just 4months. Why sling? I find strollers too bulky, heavy and we end up putting bags on it. I like how sling works. I get to carry my child with weight evenly distributed. I have free hands to use specially when using escalators and carrying of bags. I also love how i can nurse in public freely. When Jon and I decide to get sling we got the Maya BabySling.  

To know more about Maya BabySling read here http://www.mayawrap.com/
To know more about babywearing group you may view their page here babywearing international
To know more about babywearing you may read about it here wiki/Babywearing
To know more about babywearing (article) read on here smartparenting

Babywearing Sam at 4 months old

Babywearing at 6 months

Babywearing Sam on a out of town trip in batangas  6months 

Sam at 15 months with his Baba at SM Megamall

Sam with me his Mimi at Greenbelt 5.

Sam with me at Jamba Juice MOA

To learn how to properly wear your sling check out the video:Putting on your Maya Wrap Baby Sling

You on baby slings too? What sling you using? Would you consider babywearing too? Tell me about it. Lets share tips. Love to hear from you guys. 

Mommy Raquel

MybabySaffron look of the day:

Saffron Look of the day:

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"#mybabysaffron look of the day. Long sleeves onesies & cap by mothercare (shangri-la), jeans by guess kids (sm baguio), shoes by Nike (location at Yabu megamall) "

Mommy Raquel