Mommy Moments - Look At That Mess!

Perhaps nothing is messier than a toddler trying to feed himself. The biscuit crumbs, vegetable chunks, tomato sauce splattered, fruit juice dripping, we Mommies have seen it all. Messy yet heartwarming to see them trying to do it on their own.

Andreas is 10 month old here trying to devour his beans and squash.

Muffin crumbs on the floor are a real pain on my back. Just when you are trying to pick them up, he decides to stand up and steps on most of the crumbs. Now you have to mop the tiles.

Has this ever happened to your toddler? He fell asleep on the sofa with a mouthful of biscuit. I wonder how many kilogram of baby food is hiding on that sofa hihi.

How about this?..:D

Join the fun on Mommy Moments and click the button on top.

The Better Half Tag

I received this tag from thoughtful blogger friend, Yaying. Thank you because i don't have anything to write today. I am still busy catching up with everybody on FB (napag-iwanan na talaga ko ng panahon :0) - particularly with my lil' bro.

Let's start then..

THE BETTER HALF

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
- BBC, CNN, National Geographic, and Discovery Channel

2. You're out to eat, what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
- He'll pass up the dressing. he likes his vegetables raw and plain. He is not a fussy eater as well.

3. What's one food he doesn’t like?
- sweets and deep fried.

4. You go out to eat and have a drink, what does he order?
- aside from water, it will be Thabakat - a fresh cocktail smoothie of strawberry and avocado. if it's alcohol, he will have brandy straight.

5. What shirt size does he have?
- Medium

6. What shoe size does he have?
- 8

7. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
- The subway club - Turkey breast and Roast Beef with lots of vegetables, sweet onion and Southwest Chipotle sauce, with a dash of freshly ground pepper.

8. What would he eat everyday if he could?
- steak, nuts, and fresh fruits

9. What is his favorite cereal?
- he likes oatmeal - the Jungle Oats Breakfast

10. What would he never wear?
- anything hip-hop or goth..and i will never let him haha

11. What is his favorite sports team?
- He enjoys F1, always the fan of underdog. he likes Lewis Hamilton and Jensen Button. He greatly admires the Brawn team.

12. Who did he vote for?
- Ping Lacson!!!That was the last election he witnessed in Pinas

13. Who is his best friend?
- siyempre ako lang?!

14. What is something he does, but you wish he wouldn't do?
- make those silent funny remarks that make me laugh out loud in the public while he remains noncholant. it makes me look very stupid! hihi

15. What is his heritage?
- He is half Mt. Province and half Ifugao.

16. You bake him a cake, what kind of cake?
- my vanishing mudpie with almonds and walnuts - moist, not too sweet, but with a rich chocolate taste.

17. Did he play sports in high school?
- he is a very good chess player.

18. What could he spend hours doing?
- scuba dive, play with Andreas, read, clean the house (yep!)

19. What is the unique talent that he has?
- omg. he is the most intelligent and dignified person i have ever met. always wanting to help other people - will even go to sacrifice for others. always thirsty for new knowledge.

20. What's his type of coffee?
- freshly brewed black coffee, Turkish coffee

Now i am tagging my dear friends Mommy Issa and Jan. No need to rush ladies! Do this only when you have the time. Maraming salamat po!

Toddler Meal # 12

A wonderful Tuesday to my visitors! Thank you so much for your continued interest on my toddler meal posts. Today I will share a breakfast I made for my little boy.

What you see is egg omelet, with shredded cheddar cheese, and steamed carrots. Andreas likes his omelet soft and fluffy so i add a dash of fresh milk. The cheddar cheese is the salt - i do away with table salt when i can. The carrots, he likes them raw or steamed so he wanted more when he finished what i served him. That is a meal packed with protein, calcium, and Vitamin C.

Weekend Snapshot # 55

Good morning fellow weekenders! Last night was fun for the family as we got to watch Elmo and the Gang at Burjuman Mall. The show, called Imagine with Elmo, is part of the 2009 Dubai Summer Surprises. People who attended the event also had the chance to meet and greet the furry friends and were given discount coupons from Virgin Megastore.

Imagine with Elmo, Burjuman Mall, DSS 2009

Join the fun and share your weekend snapshots here.

This Mom Needs An Eye on Her back

I can hardly wait for fall or winter or when it is cool enough to go to Zabeel Park with my little boy. I need to get him out of our flat before he hurts himself with constant climbing on the most dangerous things.

These days, he climbs up his high chair, stand on the tray food to reach for the TV and the remote control. We cannot remove the high chair from its location since it is suppose to fence the TV and the internet router from his eager exploring tiny hands. And he climbs up so fast before i can say anything to stop him.

Before that, he was able to tip toe, unlock the bathroom and can climb up on his own to the bath tub and turn on the tap water. Once, i had to bathe him three times because he already slathered his shampoo all over his clothes and body before i noticed he was no longer watching Galloping Mind. Of course, the bathroom these days has been child locked.

And ealy today, he learned to climb up the table and lift the tap for the water dispenser. He was soo thrilled about the water coming out that he refused to get down for a couple of minutes until i have to give him biscuits. As soon as he finished eating, he was up to the table again. Now my back is achning from carrying him to get down. He is so muscled and heavy.

But the good thing is, this boy makes me shed off my weight.

off the wishlist!!!

Thank you, Mr. Wonderful. Mwaaah, mwah, mwaah!

Spread The Love Award!

Happy Saturday people! Yep, i am blogging on a weekend because hubby has to go to the office for overtime and my Andreas just feel asleep after watching Classical DVD.I think i enjoyed the DVD more than my son hihi.

I miss spending time with hubby and it has to be like this for two more Saturdays. Apparently, their Chief Engineer panicked to meet the deadlines so he made the design department go overtime without pay waaaaah!

Anyways, I am blogging to share my latest award from my dearest blogger friend, Joanne. Thank you so much dear, you brightened up my gloomy Saturday.

My turn to pass this award to Algene of The Coffee Chic and my newest blogger friend Mommy Rose.

Happy Saturday ladies!

Mommy Moments - First Steps

Yipeee! Time to dig those old pics again. Mommy Moments theme for the week is First Steps.

We placed Andreas on his walker when he was four months old. He started to cruise by five months.

This playpen was a huge help as he could hold on to it while he was not yet steady walking on his own.

By eight months, Andreas could stand on his own so we took him to Creek Park to practice his walk.

Nine months and he was making 10 to 15 steps unassisted.

See more Mommy Moments here.

Bike, Boys, and Shoes

So he got his first bike over the weekend. My son is a car fanatic but i insisted on buying him a bike. He has to learn to pedal, you know. I do not like any of those battery operated push button cars. I think they are just too easy. They have to learn to put out some energy to have fun.

Andreas was thrilled about it anyway. He cannot pedal but he likes to be pushed along. He went to bed late as he still wanted to ride. When he woke up the next morning, he first went up to his bike. We had our flashcard session while he was on top standing on his bike. He will watch Barney standing on his bike. Oh boys.

His shoe size is up now to 7. We discovered it last night after a long walk at Dubai Mall. He kept on wanting to be carried which was unusual when we are inside a shopping complex. Like Mommy, he loves roaming and walking around the shops. Luckily we still have his Marks & Spencer gift and a Mothercare slip-ons so there is still no need to rush shopping.

Adorable Blog Award!

Howdy people! have a look at my newest blog award from my thoughtful blogger friend, Deniseof My Son, My Life.

Cutie, 'ayt?! Thank you so much Denise for such a sweet and kind gesture. My kisses to Yuwel.

Now it's my turn to pass this award to friends whom i find their blogs and thoughts adorable and inspiring.

Jan of Bits and Pieces
Pehpot of Make or Break
Coolingstar9

Grab it when you have the time. Enjoy the rest of the week, dear blogger friends!

Toddler Meal # 11

A wonderful Tuesday to my visitors! Time for another Toddler Meal here. I share with you today a breakfast I prepared for Andreas.

That is yoghurt, corn on the cob, and water. I first offered him corn on the cob around 13 months and he immediately like it. It also satisfies his chewing and biting habit these days in relation to his teething. It is a family favorite so it is a regular on weekends. I steam for around 30 minutes and it is ready to serve.

See how he loves it.

Weekend Snapshot # 54

Hello fellow weekenders! We had a great Saturday night as the family attended the annual Junior Chef Middle East Competition. I share with you their finished creations on display at Oasis Center, Sheikh Zayed Road. Hubby and I took plenty of photos so I decided to present it in collage.

Hubby's favorite was the Eiffel Tower. Mine is the melody of Living. Which creation is the winner for you?

See more Weekend Snapshot here.

Mommy Moments - Playtime

Who likes to play?

Here are some pics of my little boy's playtime. These were taken before his first birthday. I guess i miss those times when he was so small, behaved, and content in one corner hihi. Nowadays, he is running and climbing and jumping all the time!!

He was two months old in this pic. This was taken inside his Dada's office.
Those keys were the first toy he was able to grasp with his tiny fingers.

When Mommy is a serial shopper, your toys include shopping mall directory.

Sharing a secret with Barney.

Remember those airplane rides we used to give them?

Andreas is five months old when he started to enjoy his swing.


Then at nine months, cars and trucks were his favourite toys - until the nine months after.

See more of Mommy Moments Playtime here.

@#$% of the Day

Thee...Ten!

When Andreas was younger - like days and months old, i used to give him stretching exercises. I take his tiny left fingers across his chest to meet his tiny right foot. We do it about ten times then move to the right hand and the left foot. I think this is where he got his early fondness for counting. He squeals in delight whenever he hears Barney count or when we let him watch his Brilliant Baby numbers video.

Last night, i was preparing his last bottle of milk for the day. As i do most of the times, I ask Andreas:

Mommy: How many scoops of milk does Andre wants? Come help Mommy count..
(I open the milk can and start to scoop...)
Mommy: One, two, three..
Andreas: Thee!!
Mommy: ..Four!..there you go, four scoops of milk for Andre!
Andreas: Thee!!

After he finished his bottle, he continued to watch Barney on Spaceship. Barney and the kids were counting for the rocket ship to fly.

Barney: 10,9,8
Andreas: Ten! Ten!
Barney: 7,6,5,4, 3
Andreas Thee!
Barney: ..2, 1...Blast Off!
Andreas: Ten!

This is about the fourth time i hear him join Barney count.

Movie Marathon

Andreas' steady breathing...... Lights off. Pull couch closer to the TV. Blanket. My head tucked inside hubby's embrace and we start our movie date...

1. Taken (2008)
Starring Liam Neeson, it's about a former spy who relies on his old skills to save his daughter from human trafficking... and it's a one man team movie. He is old to fight all the bad guys but entertaining enough.

2. Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Last time i knew, I like Harrison Ford movies. But this put hubby to snore after 15 minutes. i did not even bother to finish the movie.

3. The Day The Earth Stood Still
Robocop was totally out of place in this alien infested movie. What was he doing there in the first place? The fil made a success in making me feel more responsible for the Earth we live. You know, listen to those "green and hybrid awareness" before its too late or else we'll lose our planet to the aliens. Keanu Reeves has never been know for his acting but Jennifer Conelly compensates for all the acting part here. Oh yes, i did cry a little but not as much as the next movie..

4. The Green Mile (1999)
Quick grab the Kleenex before you even press play. It's beautiful, heart warming, heart wrenching....it's those movies you will want your kids to watch and take notice in the future - like any other Tom Hanks film. Miracles happen even on death row.

5. The National Treasure 2 (2008)
Starring Nicolas Cage, this movie seeks to answer historical riddles. You will learn another US presidency secret here. Period.

The Friendship Chain

Thank you so much, Mommy Ann for the sweet gesture. Pasencya na po for the late posting, but really this is exactly what my blog needs these days.

~~Begin Copy~~

This is the easy way and the fastest way to :

1. Make your Authority Technorati explode.
2. Increase your Google Page Rank.
3. Get more traffic to your blog.
4. Makes more new friends.


Rules :

1. Start copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy” to your blog.

2. Put your own blog name and link.

3. Tag your friends as much as you can.

1.Picturing of Life 2. Juliana’s Site 3. Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future.4. Jeanne-The Callalily Space 5.My Family is my Life 6. The Simple Life of a Baghag 7. On A Wonderful Day Like Today 8. House Everything 9. The Creativity in Me 10. Travel and Photography 11. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 12. You Are My Sunshine 13.Song to Remember 14. Super Blog 15. Philiippine Tv Marathon 16.Simply Blue 17. Breaking the Boundaries 18. Top Five 19. A Simple Life 20. Simple Happy Life 21. A Great Pleasure 22. Glossa~licious 23. Time Goes By 24. Sweet Nothings 25. Online Mommy's Corner! 26. Me, Myself and Darly 27. Kero's Celebration 28. You're next!

~~End Copy~~

Now its my turn to spread the love and spirit of sisterhood and friendship

Issa of About A Boy
Joanne of Me. Myself, and I
Algene of The Coffee Chic
Gi-Ann of The Second Realm
DenDen of My Son and My Life

A wonderful week to you, ladies!

Weekend Snapshot # 53 - Robotics Workshop, DFC

A big warm hello to my fellow weekenders! We were at Dubai Festival City over the weekend and we passed by this Robotics Workshop. This is part of the government's program to keep kids busy while school has not yet started.

See more Weekend Snapshots here.

Toddler Meal # 10

Happy Sunday visitors! I share with you today a lunch I prepared for Andreas.

That is tuna steak with fresh mushroom, rice, and rock melon for dessert. Yes, i am giving him fish again. I want him to get used to the taste because i think when we go home to the Philippines, fish is a lot more cheaper than meat hehe. Andreas too loves the rock melon. We give him a slice and he will happily munch away.

The Family Fridays

Here are some snapshots of our favorite Friday activity. One of the reasons too why hubby is considering a condo unit in Pinas.







But i won't be able to join the boys today because i have my monthly visitor.

Pinkihan Family's Chocolate Delight

The family's favorite recipe for desserts are The Vanishing Mudpie and PF Chocolate Cake with choco frosting. The mudpie recipe was discovered accidentally. I did not have the right baking chocolate that time and used a drinking choco powder. It turned out heavenly. Our visitors always love it. But the ingredients requires more eggs and i have to use the food processor to beat the eggwhites.

Now sometimes, i don't have that amount of eggs and i lack the time to wash immediately my food processor. When you have a toddler, you know what i'm talking about. So i went on to search for an easier recipe. I want the cake sponge like, with interesting almost mysterious flavor - not just the butter and vanilla added to chocolate mix. So i came up with a recipe below. This is actually a take on Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake. I have made this several times and it always, always turns out good. Moreover, the ingredients are basic on the cupboard and you only need a hand mixer to make this delight.

Pinkihan Family's Chocolate Delight

Serves 10

(taken right after frosting)

Ingredients
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup caster sugar
1-3/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla powder
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup boiling water

Here's how

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Grease and line a 9-inch pan with baking parchment.
1. Whisk throroughly all the dry ingredients first in a large bowl.
2. Add milk, eggs, and oil. Beat on low speed for two minutes.
3. Pour the batter to the baking pan and bake for 30-45 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.
4. Cool completely before frosting

**Do not let your batter sit for too long outside the oven. Otherwise, the baking soda will lose it's rising properties.


Chocolate Frost

Ingredients
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup icing sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup white mini marshmallows

Here's how
1. Melt butter in the microwave.
2. Stir in cocoa powder.
3. Beat on medium speed, alternately adding sugar and milk.
4. Stir in vanilla. Proceed to frost the cake.
5. Decorate with white mini marshmallows.
6. Chill before serving.

Happy cooking!