Touringkitty

27
May
2011

No Facebook Week

For those who are wondering, I deactivated my Facebook account since yesterday. It’s sort of a self-punishment for being curious (and stupid!) for clicking a link and actually spreading a javascript spam. So for those who received it, I apologize.

Anyway, I also found this perfect opportunity to assess my internet life. I have deactivated my account and will return after a week. If I can stretch it longer, the better.

Yes, I admit that I live with this technology. I spend almost the whole day updating my status, posting pictures of my daughter who had learned a new trick, commenting on my friend’s photos and all that. Sum it all up and I spend a total of at least five hours a day, with half of it on Facebook. If I can’t sleep at night, I’d spend an extra hour lurking on the news feed. I can’t believe I enjoyed talking to a wall expecting to talk back to you through the comments of your friends. Honestly, 1/4 of them I don’t really know personally, but because of a group I once belonged to I’m “expected” to accept them. Not good, eh?

But on a positive note, I have gained a lot from Facebook and from the internet in general. I found and reconnected with old friends, I get inquiries for voice and piano lessons and singing engagements, researched about breastfeeding and other baby care stuff, and I am able to write for pleasure (this blog) and for income (through several writing assignments). I also research music which I use for my choral arrangements and was able to download a free music writing software where I can freely work on my scores (visit www.musescore.org to download). I ask my friends (and strangers through yahoogroups and various mommy-related fanpages and the blog carnival) for tips on taking care of the baby and give advice as well.

Facebook is a lifestyle for me, another way of channeling my stress, frustration, and joys over this little girl who was once so fragile to hold, and now is spinning like a tornado. The whole world (or at least those in my friends list) saw my baby grow, and I’ve allowed these people to be with us in this wonderful moment.

But it has gone overboard. It became a business and destructive at the same time. If not spam messages, people will tag you to sell their products or do marketing. Ugh, I just hate spammers!

So I do hope you’ll help me in this experiment. One whole week of no Facebook. But I still have to use the internet, though, as my friends abroad need to contact me and vice versa. For that, I’ll overhaul my blog theme and official website (www.marylouise.webs.com) and maybe create a new logo or masthead (yes, I love blogging already!). I shall also finish pending arrangements and create new ones.

Update you about this no Facebook thing next week, Thursday. Good luck to me!

~ Touringkitty

24
May
2011

I am rich

categories: Family, Parenting

From this…

To this!

And she never fails to bring in the sunshine even when there’s rain.

The past nine months have been filled with joy, tears, laughter, and love. Milestone after milestone, the whole family witnessed and cheered for this small wonder. And we’re just truly blessed.

I can now declare I am rich!

Not with wealth but with good health. Not with late night outs with friends but with evenings of cuddling and laughing with my husband and daughter.

And I shall wake up tomorrow praising God for another day to live this wonderful life He gave me. I hope you’ll be blessed as well with even the littlest things God bestowed upon you.

~ Touringkitty

08
May
2011

Aria’s Habits While Breastfeeding

categories: Breastfeeding, Milk Mama Diaries, Parenting, Uncategorized

“Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (May). This carnival is dedicated to all moms, celebrating Mother’s Day today. Participants will share various topics covering A Breastfeeding Mother’s Top Ten List. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.”
With all the stresses I’ve been experiencing the past weeks — daily Aria rituals (cooking and preparing her food, bathing her, playing with her, putting her to those precious and hard-to-achieve naps and bedtime), pumping milk thrice a week, part-time work in and out of home, et cetera, I deserve a good laugh trip.

Unfortunately, it had to be Aria, who else.

During the course of my eight-month breastfeeding experience (and we are not stopping anytime soon!), I have curiously taken note of how my daughter nursed. She’s nursed in different positions, occasions, schedules, and places.

I listed Aria’s ten habits while breastfeeding (in no particular order). Let some of the pictures tell the story.

Oh, and before I forget, Happy Mothers’ Day to all the mothers. Yey, mommies truly rock!

1. She nurses while she’s crying, as if she hasn’t nursed for a really looooong time (even if it was really just five minutes ago!) She talks (or mumbles) while she breastfeeds. This baby is amazingly talkative. And she has been squealing a lot lately. Add to that, she’s teething (she’s got two teeth on her lower gumline already) so imagine how she talks while she feeds. Ouch!

2. She listens to whoever is talking while she nurses. Or to whatever new sound she might hear — a new voice, utensils falling, door banging, car horns, sirens, helicopters. Did I tell you she’s very “chismosa?”

3. She nurses on her tummy, especially when she has a hard time to sleep.

4. She jumps out of my breast to watch TV, especially when she hears the closing credits music (yes, CLOSING CREDITS MUSIC) of her favorite cartoons – Little Einsteins, Angelina Ballerina, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She loves and laughs while watching the scrolling text that goes with the music.

5. She loves to scratches whatever is at hand, like my breasts, her other arm, or my underarm.

6. She raises her hand like Hitler. I can’t understand why.

7. She would nurse for a few minutes and jump off me onto the bed because she’s about to sleep.

8. Or she would nurse for up to one and a half hour while we’re both napping, and when she senses that I opened my eyes, she would, too.

9. She holds her feet way up high.

10. She looks at me as if she’s saying, “Thank you, Mommy, for the sweet yummy milk.”

And smile after she’s content with the milk she just drank.

Oh, how I love my little Energizer Bunny. Hope you also have a yummy milky breastfeeding experience.

My hubby joined the carnival, too! I’m super proud. He’s the only daddy who joined 🙂

http://gohelpyourself.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/10-ways-to-cheer-up-a-breast-feeding-wife

Wear my baby I shall

categories: Health, Parenting, Uncategorized

It was a Sunny Saturday and we’re off to Starbucks Bonifacio Global City for a Babywearing Meet.

I encouraged my hubby to bring me there because we have a ring sling and we don’t know how to use it. So, even if it’s super out of our way and we don’t have a car, we took a cab and took that road less traveled.

Babywearing is using cloth or a similar material that you wrap around your body so mommies won’t have that hard a time carrying their babies. It’s a lifesaver indeed.

The meeting was organized by some members of the yahoogroup I belong to: Newlyweds At Work. It’s a group wherein “graduates” of wedding planning from the Weddings At Work group exchange newlywed stories, mommy stuff, and other chika.

I have the ring sling from Next 9. Bought this at SM Mall of Asia and this was the only print available:

Aria at three months. The saleslady really didn't know how to thread so we were really nervous. But she slept in there anyway.

But because of our lack of knowledge in using (and fear of using it), it ended up like this:

Whose idea? You guessed it right -- Nonna's 🙂

During the Babywear Meet, we were introduced to a bajillion types of slings and carriers and were taught how to use it. The most important with the ring sling is the threading:

Ms. Abbie trying to put the malikot girl in her sling. On the background is Ms. Benz, the brains behind W@W and N@W

Finally, after that hour and a half of demo and talk, I was babywearing Aria as we strolled Bonifacio High Street! She even slept while we’re browsing books at Fully Booked.

The sling is a good alternative to strollers. Had I mastered using this, I would not have De Quervain’s anymore.

It was an enjoyable talk with the mommies and their babies. I really hope it would have a part two!

Happy Babywearing, everyone!

~ Touringkitty

04
Apr
2011

Good real deals with Groupon

categories: Finance, Uncategorized

I said I would not believe until I’ve used one.

This was my first Groupon purchase – a P450 voucher for a haircut, hot oil, back and scalp massage, and eyebrow threading at David’s Salon. Imagine that!

So after my final therapy session we went straight to the salon – at the SM Hypermarket Adriatico branch. Aria was with me and so my mom and our helper took her around the mini-mall. She tried on this trike:

Daddy, I want this! It has George's cousin in it!

After a few minutes of “me time”, I looked like this:

I don't look like my daughter's yaya anymore.

Groupon works by offering discount vouchers which should be purchased by a certain number of buyers. For example: the deal of the day is this:

Half Off on a mani-pedi at The Nail Boutique and Cafe – http://www.beeconomic.com.ph/deals/metro_manila/p425-instead-of-p850-for-a-botique-mani-pedi-at-the-nail-boutique-cafe/715830752

You wait at the end of the day if the deal is on, then they will send you a confirmation email with the voucher that you can just print and use. That simple. I did not want to recommend unless I used it myself. And it’s worth it. I also got another deal for a photo session which is perfect for my daughter’s pictorial.

But warning: this may cause Groupon anxiety. This is the case presented by The Economist. Follow this link:

http://www.economist.com/node/18388904?story_id=18388904

Anyway, I was happy to have gotten this me time through Groupon. Full time moms also deserve me time, right?

~ Touringkitty

26
Mar
2011

Extra (detachable) Boobs, please?

categories: Family, Parenting

The moment I’ve been dreading has come: when Aria wants “nobody, nobody but me.”

In the past few days, she had crying bouts whenever she senses I’m not with her. Tears fall like Niagara, eyes turn as red as an apple, and screams like there is no tomorrow. I pity the little helpless one. But when she sees me, her eyes beam like sunshine, smiles the sweetest, and pulls my shirt to nurse. Pretty smart girl can not be fooled by any tricks.

It was easy during the past months when she can go on four hours without a feeding while I attend a church meeting. They just stay in the mall where she can busy herself with the view, or just sleep away.

But as she turned six months and now that she can eat solids, things changed. She wants to breastfeed more and often, aside from her increasing solid intake. She’s become too clingy, which is both good and bad. I can see she’s a very active girl who never holds still when we change her diapers, give her food and a bath. And she has a ready smile for everyone. Lovely, just lovely.

Yes, it’s heartbreaking. But this April, I shall be working part-time (I’ve calculated it, I’ll be gone for four hours a day – that includes travel time because actual teaching time is two hours only, three times a week for four weeks). We’ve been practicing so I can leave her with my mom and helper while I’m away. I leave her breastmilk and her food good for the time I’ll be away.

To be honest, I’m doing this for my sanity. I’ve been stuck at home for seven months already and I feel like my mind regressed a little. I am afraid to travel alone. Traveling for me is me AND baby.

Hard, right? If only I have an extra lactating boob that I can lend whoever will take care of my baby – that would be my mom and our helper on weekdays andy husband in the evening and weekends.

So for my mommy friends, what do you suggest that I do? Any opinion might help and would be greatly appreciated. I’ll present it to my mom, helper, and my husband before they give up taking care of Aria.

~ Touringkitty

23
Mar
2011

PT/OT

categories: Health

I never though just carrying a baby would send me to rehab.

To the Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine unit of San Juan De Dios Hospital, I mean!

And my, I have never seen that many a people in a rehab facility on a Monday morning! Mostly old folks were there who are recovering from stroke and had to undergo therapy, both PT and OT – Physical Therapy for their weakened bodies and Occupational Therapy for their simple motor and cognitive skills to get back to shape.

The patients, along with their relatives or personal nurses, were assisted by cheerful physical therapists, who would greet patients with a big smile and shouting at the top of their lungs.

For the PT, they used gym equipment. I didn’t know they now use Wii for therapy! I’d want to try it, but it’s not part of my session.

The OT was amazing. I didn’t know simple motor skills like pinning sipit or buttoning clothes and zippers can equal to therapy. There was this guy who injured his hand because of riding the motorcycle. So he was asked to take out coins from a clay using only one hand. And an old man who was answering a questionnaire to build back his cognition after a stroke.

I have De Quervain syndrome, or Radial styloid tenosynovitis . In simpler terms, it’s called washerwoman’s sprain, or mommy thumb. It is tendinosis or chronic injury of the tendons.

My right thumb is painful when I stretch it. This started when Aria is starting to get heavy and really malikot when I’m carrying her. My mom, who helps me out in taking care of Aria during the day, has a more serious case of De Quervain’s because aside from carrying baby, she also does other stuff like washing clothes and dishes.

My treatment goes like this:

1. Paraffin treatment: Hands are dipped in uber-hot paraffin wax. I asked if I could just melt candles and do it at home. Of course, they don’t allow it. Salon paraffin also is not an acceptable treatment.

Hospital paraffin treatment. Not your ordinary salon paraffin treatment.

2. TENS (Transcutaneous Electrial Nerve Stimulation): Electricity runneth over your wrists. I don’t think this is powerful enough to cause electric shock.

3. Therapeutic Ultrasound: where a cold gel is applied, just the same as the pregnant ultrasound. The energy is absorbed by the connective tissues.

4. Stretching. Certain stretches were made after the treatment and recommended to do even at home. These stretches were meant to relax the tense nerves but should be done properly.

Another warning is for those who use the cellphone too much. I found out that this condition is also called “Blackberry thumb!” So for those who love texting, better not overdo it. It might send you to your nearest rehab. I tell you, PT/OT is really expensive!

My right thumb is feeling a lot better. I cannot take any medicine since I’m breastfeeding, hence, I was recommended to do the therapy. I have four sessions left and I hope the pain would soon be all gone.

~ Touringkitty

18
Mar
2011

Breastfeeding and My Career

categories: Breastfeeding, Milk Mama Diaries, Parenting

Welcome to the first Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (March). To celebrate National Women’s Month, our participants share how breastfeeding has changed them as a woman. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.

It took me a good ten seconds to answer this blank in a health care form:

Occupation: ___________

Before I gave birth, I was singer, teacher, conductor, writer, choral arranger. In musician lingo, it’s called “harangista.” I’ve traveled everywhere to sing and perform. But six months ago, I was nowhere to be found.

Occupation: HOUSEWIFE

I can’t believe my hands wrote those letters! I became a housewife without my knowledge!

But I never regretted it. It’s been six months of breastfeeding my little angel who is my new boss. She literally turned my world upside down. Touringkitty is now a Soprano Mom!

From Paris to Pinas: Touring then, nursing now

After my final tour with a world-renowned choral group, half of the batch went different ways. Some went abroad, and the sopranos got married and had kids. I got married a year after the group won a choral competition in Italy. Got pregnant a year after marriage and now…

Her Royal Highness Ariadne, with the proud parents

My new stage is our home, specifically our room. Gowns were traded for dasters or shirt and shorts. Hair is tied in a one-hand pony instead of a neat salon ‘do. Wiegenlied and nursery rhymes were sung instead of Operatic arias to rock baby to sleep. Spotlight is on this beautiful little girl crying for milk. And smiling and sleeping beautifully when she’s full and satiated.

Breastfeeding for us is new. I’m the only one in our family who pursued pure and direct breastfeeding. My sister and I were formula-fed. So were my cousins. No one persevered. I am very fortunate that I made this choice and I know my family is proud of me.

Why breastfeed? It’s economical. Formula milk is very expensive. Why direct breastfeeding? It’s practical. No bottles to wash and sterilize, no effort in preparing, no extra minutes of crying. I’ve nothing against formula feeding, but I encourage all mothers and would-be mothers I meet to try it. They might have different reasons to stop or doubt. At least I did my part to encourage them, and I believe it is the key to kick off breastfeeding.

We breastfeed everywhere — at church, in the cab, in restaurants, while I’m in a meeting or choir rehearsal. With my active baby I don’t use nursing covers anymore because she would fuss inside. I just wear a shirt which I can pull up and a tube top underneath and jacket to cover us. I also cheat naptime and bedtime by breastfeeding instead of rocking baby to sleep. I’m both milk machine and pacifier!

I know my friends would tell me, “why don’t you just wean so you could go back to singing again?” Not this time, dearies, I’m still enjoying, so does my baby. Pretty soon, she’d walk and talk, and we’ll both treasure this bond we’ve created.

If there’s any consolation, she’s now a healthy six month old girl who goes with me wherever I go. She joins me for rehearsals and meetings, and when we need to nurse, people don’t mind.

My singing career did take a back seat already, until when I don’t know, but who cares? I’ve probably reached the peak of my career — now as Soprano Nursing Mom.

Other entries here:

http://applesanddumplings.blogspot.com/2011/03/breasts-and-me.html

http://www.mecasmom.com/2011/03/choice-to-be-more-than-woman.html

http://www.ethanmama.com/2011/03/breastfeeding-made-me-a-better-and-stronger-mom-and-woman/

http://www.rainydaysandmomdays.com/2011/03/18/the-adventures-of-supercow/

http://lyndelsmom.blogspot.com/2011/03/of-nursing-and-self-awareness.html

http://dinna-odc.blogspot.com/2011/03/nurturing-rafael-same-old-brand-new-me.html

http://www.manilafashionobserver.com/2011/03/my-breastfeeding-story.html

http://www.trulyrichmom.com/2011/03/breastfeeding-has-made-me-better-woman.html

http://fabnaima.blogspot.com/2011/03/please-think-before-you-comment.html

http://misisteapot.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/loving-jaden-changing-me/

http://dothugskelvin2.blogspot.com/2011/03/joining-milkwagon.html

http://misisteapot.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/loving-jaden-changing-me/

http://handymommy.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/juggling-mommy-act/

http://topazmommy.blogspot.com/2011/03/breastfeeding-and-my-self-image.html

http://imperfectlycreated.blogspot.com/2011/03/feeling-fab-at-40.html

17
Mar
2011

To my younger brother

categories: Family

Dearest Ayo,

Happy 26th Birthday! We remember you on this special day. Mommy still always talks about you. How we all wished you stayed with us longer but God has a perfect plan for you — to be our eternal angel.

Papa and Mommy prayed for a baby boy and it was you. But we never got to hold you. Mommy took care of you in her womb for seven months but you left so soon. Mommy misses you. She always prays for you. You should have met your younger sister. You’re the Kuya she never had.

You’ll always be our baby boy. And in heaven you’ve found goos company with God’s angels. I’m sure you and Papa are happily watching over us. Please continue to guide us especially our newest baby girl. I think you’re always playing with your niece because she’s such a happy and smart baby.

We love you!

– Mommy Luz, Ate Em, Bunso Myk

11
Mar
2011

Sa Iyong mga Yapak

categories: Madz

It has been almost three years since I last sang with this world-renowned group.

That’s me on the right side wearing a blue skirt. 2007 European Tour, Prague, Czech Republic concert. Taken from www.philippinemadrigalsingers.com

And as I was rummaging youtube to get ideas for a choral arrangement I’m supposed to do, I found this:

I would like you to hear this beautiful song that has been my favorite ever since. It’s included in our 2005 Sony Music-released inspirational album, Acclamation where I was part of. This is not the whole song, there’s a second verse to it. Entire text below:

Sa Iyong mga Yapak
Words and Music: Jose Cerino, Jr.
Arranged by: Sam Guerrero

Landas na Kay Tinik sa Iyo’y Inilaan
Bawa’t Hakbang nito’y dusa’t hirap ang laman
Sa kalooban ng Ama nagpasakop kang ganap
Buhay Mo O Hesus ang siyang alay na sapat

Laban sa Agos ng mundo,
Lumakad ka sa landas Mo
Laban sa Lakad ng Mundo,
Landas na sa ‘ki’y nais Mo

Sa Iyong mga yapak, ako ay tatahak
Kahit tigib ng luha ang nilakaran Mong landas

Pasakit man at dusa dulot ng mundo’y kamtan
Bawat bakas ng Iyong mga yapak
Bawat hakbang Mo’y aking susundan

Kay hirap Mang gawin kalooban Mo’y tupdin
Pinili kong sundan bakas ng ‘Yong mga Hakbang
Ang buhay ko’y laan sa Iyo kailanpaman
Maglilingkod sa’Yo Panginoon hanggang wakas

Amidst all the tension that has happened in the world, I do hope this song would remind us to continue following God’s path and trust His ways. Hope this will be one of your Lenten song reflections.

I miss singing and touring. Now, off to bed. Ooops, I have work to do!

– Touringkitty

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