Wifely Steps

It’s been too quiet in here! Do you hear the crickets? I sure do! Work has not been forgiving with schedules, and when I do have free time I’d rather eat, sleep or play with the baby. Speaking of the baby, he’s now officially a toddler!

My dearest boy is now a year old. He’s become quite the little spark plug — crawling, squirming and cruising away, tugging at my heartstrings with his happy vibe and lovable gummy grin. I can’t believe we have a one-year-old! Thank you dearest God for this beautiful gift. A baby (toddler!) really brings so much love into a home.

This means I’ve also been a Mommy for one year now. Hurrah! Motherhood is love, love, love. It’s the biggest responsibility and the best I’ve ever been blessed with. I cherish every moment.

Being a working mother is really tough. Big big big cheers to those who’ve been at it for many, many years. I still struggle with balancing both, and I wonder if it’ll get any easier. How are you working Moms holding up? Here are some wise words from one of my favorite blogs that I’m keeping to heart now:

Live happily, dearest friends. Have a beautiful week!

If you have not seen this week’s episode of Top Chef, read no further. This post contains spoilers!

How’d you guys like this Top Chef episode? Here are my random thoughts. Would love to hear yours!

Read the rest of this entry »

The Greeks invented pizza. How’s that for trivia of the day? Darius the Great’s soldiers “baked a kind of bread flat upon their shields and then covered it with cheese and dates.” That makes a pretty cool picture. A box of freshly delivered (notice I didn’t say “baked”) pizza also makes a good picture especially if the pizza is topped with pepperoni, cheese, anchovies, mushrooms, pineapple, onions… not all at the same time, but hey, why not?

Pizza is one of my comfort foods. If I were stuck on an island, I’d probably bring pizza with me. Pizza with a side order of mojos from Shakey’s, or a side order of those Asian noodles (Charlie something) from Yellow Cab, or the cheezy volcano one from Pizza Hut, or the big slice from S&R. Ooh la la!

What’s your favorite pizza? Do you prefer baking your own or having one delivered?

Oh to be this kitty cat tickling the ivories… do you think this is Marie, Toulouse or Berlioz? Image from Tumblr.

• I was dipping the bread part of my corned beef sandwich into my hot coffee this morning when a chunk of beef fell into my cup. I forgot about it until I was sipping up the last drops of coffee. Corned beef soaked in coffee does not taste good.

• The (relatively) newly open Forever 21 at SM Megamall has been getting a lot of buzz. I finally got to check it out last weekend and found myself prey to its wares. Gah. I love the clothes I bought, but am not so sure about the quality. Let’s see how long they last.

• I tried out A&W Soda Pops from S&R. Nothing super spectacular. It’s like you poured down Coke into ice candy bags and froze it. Hey maybe I’ll do that this weekend. Cheaper too!

• When I was preparing for work this morning, I could hear my son crying in bed “Baba! Baba!” Oh, the life of a working Mom. We played a little bit before I started preparing again, and he was pretty satisfied with that. Mornings are really the toughest.

• I have two books on my work desk: “Keeping Life Simple” and “Simplify Your Life.” They are surrounded by a clutter of documents, a full calendar, a bunch of calling cards, two work notebooks, unread letters and some bills. Ah, the irony of it all.

One more day then it’s the weekend! How’s your week so far?

Junkfood of the moment — Cheetos Cheddar Jalapenos. Great when partnered with cream cheese or french onion dip. Mix pretzels into the bag for added crunch. Prepare for an explosion of flavor. Yowza!!! Best shared with friends over lots of afternoon laughter. Just be warned about your front teeth turning orange, which can induce more laughter from friends.

If you have not seen this week’s episode of Top Chef, read no further. This post contains spoilers!

How’d you guys like this Top Chef episode? Here are my random thoughts. Would love to hear yours!

Read the rest of this entry »

Putting together a toy box in two easy steps:

Step 1: Find a colorful box at home. Clean it well. A box with an attached lid is preferable, so it doesn’t go flying off when baby opens it.

Step 2: Fill with baby’s toys. Done!

This box is fun because it’s colorful, portable and can be filled with handy toys. In Timmy’s toy box are two small books perfect for his small hands, a coaster, some balls, a few blocks, a toy apple, and a taggie blanket from my friend J. Ana.

He has a bunch more toys outside of this box, but what draws him to this one is the open-close magic it brings. It’s easy to open using his tiny hands, and colorful toys welcome him as he digs into the box eagerly. It keeps him busy before he moves to other toys in the house.

I think it’s the box that fascinates him. He seems fascinated by how a container can hold so many goodies. I’m fascinated that he’s fascinated!

The box also helps manage clutter. Instead of the handy toys all over the place, they’re all placed in one box.

See, it’s as easy as 1, 2! There’s not even a 3!

It’s time to baby-proof our home! Our baby is becoming more and more mobile, and more and more curious. His sense of wonder is quite entertaining, but along with outstretched fingers come cries of “No! No!” from adults. A baby’s hand can be really swift. For example, I’d be carrying him while I opened his closet. In a swift motion he had grabbed two shirts from the neat pile. Ack! Then there’s the walker empowerment. He walks around the house with such purpose! Often times it is to touch things he’s not supposed to, like the dirty wheels of his stroller.

Here are some basic tips on how to baby-proof your home once he begins learning how to walk. If you have any more ideas, feel free to leave a comment. Let’s learn from each other!

• Keep small items out of reach. Accessories, coins, food — anything that poses as a choking hazard shouldn’t be reachable by baby.
• Keep potentially dangerous substances out of reach. Liquor, cleaning aids, medications, gasoline, bug spray — lock these away in high cabinets so a child can’t access them.
• Keep houseplants out of reach. Know what kind of plants you have in case a child eats one.
• Cover electrical outlets with a child-resistant outlet cover. This one I still have to hunt for; anyone recommend a good brand? The plastic ones are easy to take out.
• Install safety gates at the top and bottom of stairways.
• Position electronic equipment so baby can’t pull them off furniture. Watch out for those portable stereos!

If you have any more ideas, do share! Let’s enjoy playtime with our babies without compromising their safety.

This vinegar has become a table staple in our home.

My husband and I enjoy spicy food. Since not everyone in the household likes lots of spice, one way to spice up a dish is through condiments. We enjoy squashing a piece of siling labuyo in a small bowl then smothering it with either soy sauce, patis (fish sauce) or vinegar. Gah, that’s so good.

What we like about this brand is that the spices are already mashed and blended into the vinegar, so there’s more kick and spice. We use it as a dip every time there’s fried food at home. We love the liveliness of this Datu Puti Pinoykurat!

I was told it’s good as a marinade too. I’ll have to try that! Ah, the possibilities when you have a really good product in your hands!

What are your table staples? Calamansi, toyo, ketchup? Share, share!