Saturday, August 18, 2012

Dream Home: Breakfast Bar

Hi!

To make up for the lost time of not writing and at the same time satisfy the urge to jot down some thoughts, I'm giving in and writing tonight. 

I decided to write about my dream home for my little family. If you were able to read my other blog (click here if you haven't), I once wrote about how I, as a kid, was fond of sketching houses. Well, I admit up to now, I still love fantasizing about our future home. I don't doodle that much now but what I do is I list down particular details that I want in a specific part of a house. I have to say I am a frustrated architect and/or an interior designer and/or someone who's got keen eye for beautiful homes and furnitures. I guess I will always be but I don't think that could put down my passion for building my own sanctuary. 

For tonight, let me share to you my ideas on my future kitchen thru this picture. 


I got this one from the House of Turquoise website. I super adore her posts especially the fact that she was able to gather a lot of designs playing on the particular shade of blue that is Turquoise. 

Anyway, what I love about this design is the spacious kitchen and the breakfast bar. I love the idea of having a breakfast bar in the house. It's nice having to two places to eat at. I could imagine Kali and Inno waiting at the table while I prepare breakfast for them. :) I also love the white paint for the kitchen. :)

Here's another one from the same website! :)


So dainty! :) 

More to come! :) I can't wait to work my butt and save up for our future home. I know it'll be fantastic and just the way I want it to be. :)

On my next post, I'll be writing and posting pictures of my ideal room for Inno. :) 

Have a great loooong weekend, guys! :)

xo

Yan :)

Friday, August 17, 2012

August: Breastfeeding Month

Well, well, well.

We meet again my friends.

Okay, fine. I know. I'm sorry for not being able to write for more than a month now. I've been very busy with prospect job interviews while juggling it with mommyhood. Time flies! Inno just turned five months last Sunday. He's really getting a lot longer than the usual babies of his age (or so I think). I'm happy and super thankful to God for keeping him healthy. So far, he hasn't experienced anything major than a cold and a little coughing. No fever whatsoever giving me more reasons to love and stick with breastfeeding. 

Speaking of breastfeeding, I've been itching to write a blog about it since August, as I've read in some mommy blogs, is considered as the breastfeeding month. But of course, as I've said, I have been focused on job hunting and landing down on interviews, giving me no time to write. So, what do I write here. Hmm..

Well, each month that Inno celebrates his birthday, I also celebrate my breastfeeding milestone. I honestly could not imagine that I've lasted this long compared to other moms I knew who gave up nursing their babies as early as their 2nd month. I have nothing against moms who feed their babies formula milk. Just like anything in this world, breastfeeding is a choice you make as a mom and so I understand whatever reason they have for stopping it and opting for canned milk. I just wish I could influence my other friends who are soon-to-be mommies and those who just become one to atleast try and put effort in nursing their babies. Why? Because I want them to experience for themselves what I learned from breastfeeding Inno.

I've come up with a list why I love breastfeeding. Let me share. 

1. Breastmilk boosts Inno's immune system. 

2. Breastfeeding gives us a special kind of bondage. 

3. Breastfeeding brought me back to my pre-pregnancy weight in less than four months. :)

4. Breastfeeding serves as a discipline to me, making me watchful of what I eat. 

5. Breastfeeding saves us from the P800/week cost of formula milk. :) That's more or less P80,000 in two years. 

6. Our diaper bag is literally a diaper bag. No formula milk and bottles. Just my nursing cover and me for meal time!

7. Breastmilk ensures Inno from being overweight or obese. 

8. Breastfeeding lowers my risk for breast cancer. 

9. Breastfeeding gives me a different kind of self-esteem boost as a mom. :)

10. Breastfeeding opened doors for me to change and become the best mom I could be for Inno. :) I learned to sacrifice my wants over Inno's needs. :)

I really wish that new moms and moms-to-be would try their very best first and prioritize breastfeeding before choosing to feed their babies formula milk. I know how instant formula milk could be, and it would be very easy to believe what doctors favoring formula milk and the media (TVC's) say, but give it a try before jumping into it. Not everything you see or hear or read about formula milk is true. Don't be afraid to ask for help. There are a lot of breastfeeding groups already in the Philippines and they are all willing to lend a hand and guide you on your breastfeeding journey. JUST ASK. 

I wish I could share more about breastfeeding, but I don't consider myself an expert but rather an advocate. However, in any case you read this and you  yourself is a mom or know someone who's about to become a mom or a new mom, and you want to encourage her to breastfeed, leave a comment. I will be willing to recommend you/them to breastfeeding groups. :)

----

More. More. More. 

Pumping Journey

I'm loving August more. Why? Because I already got to purchase my Medela Freestyle Pump. Thanks to my dad who just received his retirement benefits, I got showered with some. Prior to my purchase, I was actually leaning on buying an iPhone4s to upgrade my phone, or rather, have my own phone (I've been using Kali's phone for months now.) But I've pondered about it and thought that I'd better get a good quality pump instead. The price of the iPhone4s is almost the same price with the pump but I know it'll be worth it. Besides, the phone could wait and I need to store milk for Inno so I don't have anything to worry about whenever I'm out of the house. 

I can't wait for my pumping journey to start. So far, I'm doing some powerpumping sessions and taking a lot of galactagogues to increase my supply. :) 

Wish me luck! :)


xo

Yan