I remember the first time I became a mom?  Even the second or third time I became a new mom again.  I waited for the baby to come out excitedly and when it finally happened, I experienced what it was like to be a Mom-zombie for the first two months.

Fast forward to today, my youngest is almost a toddler.   He sleeps longer peacefully, he sleeps more comfortably at night, and wakes up to great mornings every day.  I remember praying for his longer and unrestricted movements at night (which will not wake him up easily) plus some bedtime routine to ensure he wakes up to great mornings.

TIPS FOR BABY'S GREAT MORNINGS
The secret to great mornings for our babies is of course a well-prepared night.  So here are some tips to keep baby well rested at night and achieve happy mornings.

1.  Give baby a warm bath.  A quick warm bath at night both refreshes and relaxes our babies.  If you have a lavender-based bath essentials and baby-safe scents or oils the better.  Lavender helps calm the baby to ensure a good night's sleep.

2.  Give baby a relaxing massage. A light massage using a natural based oil or a Paraben-free lotion relaxes our babies.  Touch therapy also is a good way to bond with your baby and make him feel loved and secured.  In no time, baby will feel sleepy, just how we feel when we go to the spa for a massage right?
3.  Read a book together - Yes, reading to babies as early as you can develops their love for reading, improves their vocabulary faster, and calms them to prepare for sleep.  Additionally, when babies are read to, their focus on the story or book of their choice (my baby has two favorite books already) keeps them away from the stimulus they got from whole day's activity.  Reading also foster physical closeness between babies and parents.  Babies feel relaxed and well-rested which gives way to a good sleep and better mornings.

4. Sing a lullaby to baby.  Sing the same lullaby at night so baby will be sleep-trained faster.  If you sing one lullaby every night, he will immediately associate it with sleeping time.

5.  Use a super absorbent diaper.  Interrupted sleep and crankiness in babies are mostly caused by wetness.  Why are diapers wet right away?  I learned that it's because of the diaper's absorption ability.  Choose the new Pampers Baby Dry Diapers for a good night's sleep.  Personally, I don't need to change his diaper at night because I swear, his diaper is still dry up to 12 hours.
When my baby wakes up in the morning, even with unchanged diaper, he's all smiles and I can tell he's definitely in a good mood!  First, he's still dry, second, because of Pampers Baby Dry's magic gel channels, we can say Goodbye Law Law and Go Galaw.  I can attest over and over to this that my baby's up and about, walking, running, sitting, hopping and dancing even if I haven't changed his diaper in the morning.  Why?  It's because the wetness at night is spread evenly throughout his diaper, the moisture is absorbed quickly and moves away from his skin making him feel dry.  His unrestrained movements allow him to discover the world and move around the house as he pleases.  Kaya Damien is always experiencing great mornings every day.

Bonus of this?  Choosing Pampers Baby Dry saves you more because of its absorption quality.  I change lesser when we used Pampers compared to other diapers.  So for us, it's definitely a more practical choice of diaper.

GREAT MORNINGS = HAPPY BABY
HAPPY BABY, HAPPY MOMMY!
Wouldn't you want to have a happy baby?  Of course we all do!  So my not-so-secret tip is to ensure baby gets a good night sleep by trusting only a super absorbent and less law law diaper brand which will help give baby great mornings every day. Choose Pampers Baby Dry.  Less Law Law, Go Galaw.


Click HERE for join the Pampers Online Rewards Program. Get the chance to win Lazada GCs, Monthly supplies of Pampers, and P75,000 in cash prizes! More than P1 million pesos in prizes up for grabs!


Disclaimer: This post is in partnership with Pampers PH but opinions and reviews are purely my own and are not influenced by partner.

As parents we always want our children to grow up healthy, talented, and smart.  That's why we invest in the right food, enroll them in programs, purchase educational toys, and purchase the right tools to make our home conducive to learning while playing.  That's how the little children learn in the fist place right?

From my first son to my youngest, toys and books have been part of their motor skills and mental development.  We choose their toys and books appropriate for their age.  But even if I have the best intentions for my kids in my mind, I am not perfect, so I sometimes forget to also get them a good toy organizer and a sturdy bookshelf.  Well, actually to be more accurate, I bought them toy chests, toy boxes, toy barrels, book ends, re-purposed shelves to store books, but there seem to be something wrong about how they are displayed or organized.  I also canvassed for kids' furniture in malls or have them customized, but the prices aren't practical.  Too expensive for me.

Until I got acquainted with Happy Kiddos Toys and Kids' Furniture Shop PH.  They have wonderful selection of Montessori-inspired Kiddie classroom furniture such as toy shelves/organizers, book shelves, tables and chairs.  They also distribute wooden toys and kiddie playground used indoor or outdoor.  Finding them was a gem and the kids and I are truly happy with the furniture we got from Happy Kiddos.

Wooden Bookshelf
I used to put their books together secured by those boring and unattractive steel book ends.  They only get to see the titles of the books on the side and not the cover.  So needless to say, this type of book organizing didn't entice my children to pick up the books themselves as often as now.  Also, I didn't realize how much books they had accumulated over the years until we displayed the books on the book shelf we got from  Happy Kiddos.  Since then, we got to select the books that they really like, got rid of those that didn't spark joy by giving them away.
We placed it near their bed to encourage them to read books and make it a habit before bedtime.  It's a joy to see all the books displayed in a kiddie sized book shelf which I see in some book stores or book fairs.  We're happy that we have this now at our very own home.  I tried asking someone to customize it for us, but price is just way expensive.  Ready-made book shelves in furniture shops are also costly and not many make kiddie furniture available.  If you're an IG follower, you'd see how almost every night I post stories about my children and their love for books and reading.

I realize how important display is in forming a habit or encouraging children to do something - such as reading.  It's also a joy for me to see them actually picking up the books on their own because it's within reach.  This book shelf also teaches them to appreciate the books they have and properly handle them by putting back the books after use.
What I like about our wooden book shelf:
1. It fits all 80 books of my kids! - I was shocked myself upon counting all the books that's currently in our book shelf.  My kids' books are categorized into fiction, non-fiction, comics, activity books, religious books.  They are all there!
2. It's sturdy and durable.  This book shelf isn't light, it's heavy because it's made of wood.  Looking at its make, matibay siya talaga.
3. It's paint-free/lead-free. - This makes this furniture economically-safe and of course safe for children's daily use.
4. It comes in a perfect size. - Most of the book shelves you'll see in the market is not fit for children's use.  I love its height, so whether my kids are sitting or standing up, reaching for books won't be a problem.
5. It has extra storage at its back for MORE BOOKS! - You read that right.  More books mean more fun!  More storage means, less clutter!
6. It's inexpensive - definitely a practical choice. - As I've earlier wrote, if you have this customized, it will come out more expensive and will take more time to have it made plus delivered to your doorstep.  Happy Kiddos can deliver this to you and transaction's done within 2 to 3 working days.  This book shelf costs Php2,550.00.

The supplier has other book shelf designs and variation of colors to choose from.  These photos were lifted from their page:

Comes in two different styles and color.  These are in white.

Same style as mine, but in white, Php 2,550.00

Another type of wooden book shelf - Php 2,200.00

We also got a large toy organizer from Happy Kiddos and it made life easier for all of us.  Their toys used to be in different boxes, closed lids, expandable barrels, and what have you but they still tend to be scattered all over and I wondered why.  I figured why kids take out all toys from a bin or chest or barrel until they see the toy that they want to play with.  It's because they have no visibility of the toys.  Toys are piled up one after another after another in a box or bin or barrel.

With our new toy organizer, the toys are visible instantly to the kids.  The toys are properly categorized and organized.  Ours are organized this way, all big toys and small toys go together.  All building blocks/LEGOs are together.  All action figures go together in one compartment.  All car toys in another container.  All toys for toddler are organized together.

By the way, we installed it ourselves, it's easy to install as it comes with an instruction manual.  The toy containers come in small and large sizes which for me is perfect in separating big from small toys or toys for the toddler.  Its height is just right so kids could easily get the toys they want to play with.  Having a toy organizer such as this makes it easy for kids to play and pack away.  It teaches them responsibility and neatness while they're young.
 
Happy Kiddos also has other types of toy organizers/shelves, see below photos lifted from their page:

Hello to all my readers, supporters, and followers.  Here's one great news for you, me, and my blog - Mommy Practicality - this Quarter 1 of 2018!

Yup!  Because of all of you who pushed and nominated for me to be among the official nominees list under Nuffnang Philippine's Awards - under the Family/Parenting category - PASOK tayo momshies/popshies/beshiees! :)

All glory is HIS!  Praise God for this prestigious nomination!

Honestly, to see my blog being nominated pa lang by followers I haven't personally met (yung iba) and by my ever supportive family and friends - is alone enough to remind me of my blog's WHY and to push me to blog more quality content, to improve in all aspects, and to be more intentional in writing, especially now that I've gone full-time since I resigned from the corporate world!  And all efforts didn't go to waste - I am one of the five official nominees this year!  Woo Hoo!  A reason alone to celebrate already!


I feel like a winner already because my name is posted there together with other bloggers/influencers I admire and respect (just look at the bigatin nominees I am with diba - ang bigat talaga).  What can I say, just super THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU who nominated me and already voted for me.  SOBRA SALAMAT PO!

To everyone who hasn't voted for me yet or you have and you want to vote MORE (because you may vote for me ONCE EVERY DAY!)

Here's how:


STEP 2: POST/ COMMENT
1.  Post it on your FACEBOOK or TWEET it (should be set to PUBLIC).
2.  Comment it on INSTAGRAM, go to Nuffnang's Official Announcement.

LINK to Nuffnang's Official Announcement Poster Here:
https://instagram.com/p/Bg3rbq1BkYm/
https://instagram.com/p/Bg3rbq1BkYm/
https://instagram.com/p/Bg3rbq1BkYm/

REMINDERS:

1. Use the hashtag #Blogopolis2018. Only entrees that include the hashtag to their post/tweet/comment will be added to the final ballot.
2. You can only vote one creator per day.  So which means, you can vote for me EVERY DAY until voting closes.  
3. Voting is only open until 11:59 P.M., April 8, 2018, Sunday.

Again, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart to all of you who has been with me since I started blogging, who has supported me, who followed me on social media, who read my helpful or inspiration posts on motherhood and parenting.

Thank you and even if I don't win, I'm already a winner, because I know that I've helped millions of you who read my posts for information or inspiration.  Maraming salamat po talaga!

If you're one of those that I've touched in anyway, I hope it wouldn't be too much to ask for your support once again to vote for me in this year's Nuffie Awards.  It will really mean a lot to me.

Walang pilitan ito.  Pero please copy at paste na sa FB/Twitter/Instagram NOW NA HA!  Hahaha!  Uuuy I'm trying to be funny ha!  Funny no? hahaha!

THANK YOU momshies, popshies, and beshies!  Love you all! :)

I blogged about the Bambini Baby Cologne Family Bootcamp event before the Holy Week where they launched the new look of the cologne and also introduced their newest endorsers, Ms. Iya Villania-Arellano and super cute son Primo.

We got the complete set of the Bambini Baby Cologne for us to try at home.  My kids and I (except the teenager, who's no longer a baby - but he still is for me!) tried and tested the five cologne variants to see what will appeal to us.  Yup, there are five scents to choose from and I tell you, they all smell so sweet and fresh.  It's like having a scent for each personality or mood.

So going back to the little outdoor-y scent experiment we had, I laid all the five scents of Bambini Baby Cologne.  Here are the scents:

So now, here's our review, what I like about Bambini Baby Cologne:
1. Easy-to-go grip bottles - I like that the bottles are curvy so its easy to handle and won't slip easily.
2. They come in three practical sizes - They come in 25ml, 50ml, and 125ml.  The smallest size is very handy especially for short trips to kids' pedia doctor or short pasyal to the mall or park.  So that it won't take too much space or make the baby bag heavy.  The medium is still okay for travel size for use of many persons, pwede!  The biggest bottle is for home use.
3. Distinct scent per variant - There's a scent for everybody.  The scents suit different preferences of children and even adults who just want to splash cologne when the weather is humid and they want an instant fresh feeling.
4. Scent lasts longer compared to what we use - This is proven.  The scent lasts from after my son's morning bath up to around 2pm.  So with that said, this cologne is practical to use because you don't need to re-apply many times a day.
5. Cute colors and animal characters per bottle - The cute mom-and-child animal characters per bottle are so adorable and attractive to kids and kids-at-heart.  Mapapansin mo talaga sila in the supermarket shelves.

So NOW, the big reveal!  Here's a short video on what my kids' favorite scents are:

Honestly, I don't know anyone who didn't grow up with or don't know National Book Store. It's the go to book store since I started schooling, until I graduated college, and up to this day that I have my own studying children.  That beloved book store which has been around for 75 years, founded by Socorro Cancio-Ramos, has now stepped up by creating an institution for higher learning, right at the heart of Quezon City - NBS College.
NBS College is located on the 3rd and 4th floors of the National Book Store Building on Quezon Ave. corner Scout Borromeo and Panay Avenue.  The institution is now open for enrollees this school year 2018-2019.  This year, it will be offering six in demand degree programs such as:

• BS Accountancy - for students who want to pursue a professional career in accountancy and later on take the the CPA Licensure Examinations.
• BS Accounting Information System - for students who want to pursue a professional career in this field - professional business accountancy combined with computer systems.  This course complies with the International Federation of Accountants standards.
• BS Entrepreneurship - to equip students with an entrepreneurial mindset to identify business opportunities, create and mobilize new enterprises
• BS Computer Science - for students who want to study the latest standards and practices in Software Engineering and want to succeed in software solutioning.
• BS Library and Information Science - for students who want to be trained to harness a range of bibliographical and online tools to support teaching, research, and other services.
• BS Tourism Management - for students who want to be engaged in tour operating businesses with premium on entrepreneurial skills and trade planning.

Library

Computer Laboratory

Gym

Business Simulation Classroom

Accountancy Classroom

Regular Classroom

Students' Lockers

Student Ambassadors in their NBS College Uniforms

Why would NBS College be a considerable school to enroll in?

NBS College is located at:
3rd/4th Level, NBS College,
Sct. Borromeo corner Quezon Ave.,
Quezon City

Easter Sunday is around the corner and many establishments have prepared a grand celebration for children around the metro to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!  Check some of these Eater Egg Hunting Events HERE.

Some of these events are free or Php1,000 under which is already a compelling reason for families to go to the malls or hotels this coming Easter Sunday for the fun games, activities, shows, and of course hunt for eggs in exchange of prizes.  In the past years, I've done that with my children and though each time they're exciting and happy, they are also tired. 

• They are on a vacation and taking advantage of the long weekend.
• They don't have a budget for hotel events.
• Even if they have a budget, the registration has ended.
• Free mall activities are always jam-packed and they don't have enough patience to endure long queues.
• Being in a crowded place is not their idea of fun.
• They'd rather stay home to avoid the traffic.

And many more reasons.

It has been a busy month, this March, yes?  Holy Week is also coming up to give us time to reflect on your lives and commemorate how God loves us all so much that He gave His only son Jesus Christ to save us all.  During this time, some families go on vacations or hotel staycations, some stay home and attend church services and pray, while others go on retreats.

The most celebrated day of the Holy Week is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ or Easter Sunday.  Mommies and Daddies, let's not forget the very reason for the season, Jesus Christ.  For most kids, what they look forward to are Easter Egg Hunting activities around the metro.  I hope it;s not too late to post this, here's a quick compilation of the egg hunting events in Metro Manila and nearby cities.

FUN RANCH
April 1, 2018, 3pm to 6pm (Ortigas and Alabang branches)
Php550 (kids) Php 275 (adults)
Inclusive of a Ride-All-You-Can (Ortigas) or Unlimited Play (Alabang/Pampanga) wristband, snacks, loot bag, and access to all side activities (e.g. egg hunt, games, and product sampling)
For more information, like them on Facebook

KIDZOONA
April 1, 2018, 11:30am|3pm|6pm, All branches
Regular rates apply
Easter activities: Raffle of awesome prizes like 50% Off tickets, free 30 minutes extension playtime, Loot bags, and you could get Free 1 Hour Play
For more info like them on Facebook
EASTWOOD CITY
April 1, 2018, 1pm onwards
Php 550.00 registration fee
Inclusive of Easter eggs, take home special prizes and enjoy fun games and activities, plus a loot bag.
For more information, like them on Facebook
LUCKY CHINATOWN MALL
April 1, 2018, 10am onwards, Atrium
Php 1000 single receipt purchase requirement
Activities: Meet and Greet Peppa Pig and George, Easter Egg Hunting, costume contest and kiddie activities.
For more info, like them on Facebook

UP TOWN MALL
April 1, 11AM to 5PM, at Uptown Mall Atrium
Easter Egg Hunt, Arts & Crafts, Easter Egg DIY, Easter Egg Bowling, DIY Cupcake activity, Fun Farm Photo Op, and more!
Registration for the Meet & Greet starts on April 1 at 11am. Complete all six stamps on your event passport to get a chance to join Doraemon and friends Meet & Greet.
For more info, like them on Facebook
SHANGRI-LA PLAZA
April 1, 2018, 11am to 2pm
Acacia Grand Ballroom
Php 1,150 nett/person
Games, booth activities, scrumptious buffet, performances, and amazing prizes.
Visit their Facebook page for more info.
BAYVIEW PARK HOTEL MANILA
April 1, 2018, 1pm to 3pm
Php 2,188 net (1 adult and 1 kid)
Buffet merienda plus lots of activities for kids.
For more info, visit their Facebook page.
CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL
April 1, 2018, 1pm to 5pm Grand Ballroom
Php 1,200 (1 Adult and 1 child); Php 800 additional kid rate; Php300 additional adult; 0-11mos babies are free of charge.
Inclusive of: Easter egg hunting, fun activities, games, prizes and giveaways
snack for kids, and entrance for 1 adult and 1 kid (12 yrs old below)
For more information, like them on Facebook
DREAMPLAY
April 1, 2018
Php 1,488/person
Inclusive of All Day Pass, Dragon Egg Hunt, painting activitie, DreamWorks movie, special egg cookie, 10% discount on HTTYD items, Attraction Express entry
For more call 8080909 or like them on Facebook

F1 HOTEL MANILA
April 1, 2018,
Php 1,188 nett per person.
Inclusive of Brunch Buffet, Magic Show, Face Paint, Balloon Twisting, Bubble Show, Photo Booth, Egg Decorating, Easter Egg Hunt, Loot Bags, plus other exciting games and activities
For inquiries & reservations, please call 908-7888 or follow them on Facebook
April 1, 2018, 11am to 3pm, Seasons Ballroom
Php 1,299 nett per person (0-3yo child free of charge)
Inclusive of: Brunch buffet, shows, games, loot bags, Easter Egg Hunting, and more.
For more info, like them on Facebook
April 1, 2018, 10 am to 7 pm, Event Center, Mega A
Php 1500 minimum single receipt from any SM Megamall shops/restaurants
Inclusive of Meet and Greet, games, Easter Egg Hunt, and activities
For more info, follow them on Facebook
THE PODIUM MALL
S MAISON AT CONRAD
April 1, 2018, Main Atrium, 2pm to 6pm
Php3,000 minimum single or accumulated receipt purchase from any S Maison establishments.
Activities: Fun and kid-friendly workshops: Easter Cookie Painting, Easter Egg Hunt, DIY Easter Bunny Bookmark and Easter Goodie Box.
For more info, like them on Facebook

NOVOTEL HOTEL MANILA
Easter Party with Pororo and Friends
April 1, 2018, 2pm, Monet Grand Ballroom
Php1,272 nett/person
Inclusive of Easter Egg Hunt, Meet and Greet, Food, Games, and more!
For more info, like them on Facebook
I'M HOTEL
April 1, 2018, 1pm to 5pm, Narra Ballroom
Php 1500 nett/person
Inclusive of Buffet, Games, Party show, loot bag, giveaways and lots of family family fun
For more info, like them on Facebook or visit www.imhotel.com. To book and secure your easter tickets, please email reservations@imhotel.com or call +632 7557 888.