I still remember clearly how I carried him for nine months in my womb.  I still remember how much in pain I was during my 20 hour labor and how I almost lost my life postpartum due to internal hemorrhage.  I was just 24 when he made me a mother for the first time.  I wouldn't ever forget the first experiences of being a mom with him.

As I've shared in this blog before, I was a single mom to him.  So I played the roles of both a mom and a dad.  From a stay-at-home-mom I took an entry level marketing job to be able to support him.  I didn't complain that I was earning little because what's important for me was I was able to spend a lot of time with him in the morning before going to work.  Since it was an entry-level job, I didn't have to render overtime so I always went home early to bond with him endlessly.  I was a young mom and had a lot of energy for play.  I could say he got the best of my younger years because I carried him a lot, rolled on the floor with him, went to many places even when we commuted, and played so many games from rough to quiet board games.  I was never absent in his school activities.  Those were very simple and happy times bringing him up as a child.

What does MaxiMom mean to me?  It simply means being stretched and going beyond limits just to keep my kids healthy, safe, and loved.  It's also MAXimizing everything in me to be able to give everything I have for them, one of which is to have a happy, a safe, and a clean home.

In the recent event I attended in La Creperie, Salcedo, LYSOL and 100% Whole Mom made me realize that being a MaxiMom is easily achievable by being organized at home, embracing our beauty as a mom, and nurturing our heart while we nurture our family's.

I have three children now.  Yes.  For some, that means more wisdom in parenting, more motherhood experiences, and qualified to be called an expert in child caring.  While those could be true in other areas of my motherhood journey, in other areas I'm still in the learning curve.

Just recently, I made a big mistake.

That mistake cost my baby's first ever hospital confinement and my and my husband's first ever experience having our child confined, worse as young as two months old in age.  None of our children were ever confined due to illness or accident, but my big mistake broke that record.

Here's the diagnosis: Acute Gastroenteritis.  

Whenever we host a gathering of family or friends, one topic never fails to come up, home-cooked meals.  Well, I do cook the usual family favorites, but my husband cooks the meanest special meals which his family and friends applaud him for!  I admit to that fact, even on our wedding vows, that he's a better cook than I am.  One example was his special recipe last weekend which I am going to share with you today, his healthy Chili Cheesy Pork Lumpia Pesto.
How could a Lumpia be so healthy?  It was fried using Filippo Berio Olive Oil.  And wait a minute, did I hear Pesto?  Yes you're correct, that's the twist to this recipe, a different variety of Pork Lumpia.  We used Filippo Berio Pesto for this new Lumpia recipe.  Wait, there's more, did you also say Chili and Cheesy?  YES I did.. it may seem like a confusing mix of ingredients but I tell you, not that I'm being biased, it's bursting with flavor which you'd need extra rice to go with it.  Now, let me share with you our special recipe.

Chili Cheesy Pork Lumpia Pesto

Hello there mommy!  I have great news to tell you!  I've been exclusively breastfeeding my dear Damien for 53 days already!  I know that's still nothing compared to other super mommies who have been breastfeeding their child/children for years.  But for me, it's definitely an achievement because I wasn't able to do this for my first two sons.

Since the time I've written about my breastfeeding experience (which you could read HERE) I've improved a lot.  My breasts don't get sore nor crack and they don't hurt anymore when baby latches.  Based on continuous consultation and reading, baby and I finally got the rhythm.  Teamwork baby! :)
This time, I'm sharing my breastfeeding partners which make feeding easier or lighter for both of us.

MY 10 BREASTFEEDING ESSENTIALS:

Nursing Pillow, Nursing Top, Nursing Bandeau, Nursing Cover, Breast Milk Storage Bags, and Nipple Cream

One of the favorite reasons why my kids request us to dine in McDonald's is Happy Meal!  This time, the furry friends from The Secret Life of Pets movie have taken their adventure to McDonald’s! They are now available at all Mcdonald's branches nationwide!

My little one couldn't help but laugh whenever he sees the movie's trailer.  Now that he has all the eight Secret Life of Pets Happy meal toys, he's all the more excited to watch it!

Last weekend, my baby Damien and I witnessed the launch of the NEW Pampers Baby Dry-Pants in partnership with Gymboree's 40th Anniversary, with Pampers brand ambassadors Andi and Olivia Manzano-Reyes.

Baby Damien and I at the Pampers Pants Mommy Meet-Up Event

On rainy days and Mondays, we always crave for comfort food, particularly a soup-based dish.  And in our family, that will always be Sinigang na Liempo with Knorr sa Sampaloc with Gabi.  Ang sarap ng mainit na sabaw .during colder days in our country.  That's why Sinigang will always be perfect no matter what.  So as part of my life goals as a mom, I want to be more hands-on by providing the kids (and the kid at heart, referring to my husband) a Lutong Nanay experience as much as I can because that's what they will remember when they grow up.  It's how I remember my mom too.

It was a rainy afternoon when we braved the bed weather to go shopping for the little one last weekend during Mommy Mundo's Ultimate Clearance Clearout Sale located at The Great Big Room of Fun Ranch in Pasig City.

Me and my shopping finds.  Value for Mommy, Value For Money

The Mommy Mundo Ultimate Clearance Clearout Sale Event

It's been six weeks since I gave birth to our newest band member, our dear Damien Louie.  As it is with any moms who had just given birth and are going through the adjustments of caring for a newborn (hello sleepless nights or occasional even almost zero bath or solo time), of course I also experienced some level of depression.

This newcomer made me feel as if I'm again a new mom, nanganay talaga ako.  I also breastfeed exclusively so I have to be with him 24/7.  I have been staying at home since my bed-resting days (March, 2016) and for a full-time working mom, it's a major adjustment for me.  How so?  Suddenly, I have no one to converse with the whole day.  I have very limited physical activities.  I can't just go anywhere I want to go or grab the drink or food I've been craving for because I can't leave the house.  Suddenly, I don't own my time anymore.  I feel trapped and imprisoned.

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