Circuit Makati Christmas Bazaar 2016

Last October 26, I was invited to the media launch of the Christmas Bazaar 2016 in Circuit Makati. When I found out what the organizers were up to for this event, I literally got goosebumps. I believe that this is the biggest, grandest bazaar that will ever be held! I have been a bazarista for 5 years now but this is the first time that a bazaar this huge will come to life. Imagine, 6 different bazaars all happening under one roof!

Left to right: Sharleen Cu-Unjieng (owner of Mustela), Janice Villanueva (founder of Mommy Mundo), Tina De Guzman (Owner of Fluffy Pwets), ME (hello hehe), Tammy Tancinco (owner of Mustela)

The Christmas Bazaar will feature 6 Christmas villages. 

Fit and Fab bazaar by Hunt & Gather

A village teeming with organic, sports, wellness and lifestyle items you’ll want to have. 

Mommy's Best by Project Mom

Headed by Amanda Griffin and Bianca Araneta-Elizalde. 

This village is filled with amazing brands, products and services that cater to moms,
kids, babies, homes, and families.

Li'l-preneurs by Hedcen

will display a wide array of goodies for students from grade school to high school.
To delight young audiences, there’s even a storytelling session, musical performances, and the grand spectacle of Christmas Around the World.

Mercato Central for the food finds

Mercato Centrale brims with yuletide joy from home cooked dishes and sumptuous 

and delicious desserts made by Metro Manila’s food entrepreneurs.

Karl Edwards International

For everything from fashion to gadgets to little trinkets ideal for gifting, check out the Millennial Spot, featuring a mixture of merchants from Karl Edwards and Kaizen Events Inc to give you well-curated items perfect for the holidays.

Celebrity Bazaar

known artists and celebrities in the industry get together and offer everyone the chance 

to own their products and pre-loved items.

This is so exciting! This bazaar will be bursting with over 500 merchants offering you the best holiday finds! There will also be a Santa's corner where kids can tell a real-life Santa Claus their Christmas wish and have their photos taken with him and Mrs. Claus.

The bazaar is happening on November 18-20 at Circuit Makati. This is the perfect time and venue to complete your shopping list so don't dare miss this!

The Circuit Makati Bazaar 2016 is made possible by MasterCard and HSBC. Entrance to the bazaar is PhP 100. MasterCard and HSBC Cardholders are free of charge.

For more information, check out Facebook.com/CircuitMakatiOfficial or check www.makeitmakati.com/circuit-makati. Follow us on Instagram @CircuitMakatiBazaar2016 #CircuitMakatiBazaar2016.

BREASTFEEDING FREQUENTLY IS THE BEST POLICY

My youngest is already 2 years and 5 months old, but he is still breastfed. I have not stopped breastfeeding, except for the 4 days that I went out of the country last October. I am actually amazed at how much milk I can still produce. There are times that I still get leaks. There really is no secret to having lots of breastmilk. The only thing you need to remember is NEVER STOP BREASTFEEDING. Your body produces milk on demand. Breastfeed frequently and you will continuously have milk available for your baby. 

When I went out of the country, I had to manually express my breast to release (and dump) my breastmilk. I used to use a breast pump with my 2 other sons but with my youngest I did not have to because I just brought him with me whenever I needed to go out. So ever since he was born, until now, he feeds directly from me. 

Anyway, For the first 2 days that I was out of the country, my breasts felt tender because of the milk. But on the third day, since my body knew that nobody is using the milk that it is producing, it somehow stopped. I was kind of worried that it will be permanently gone. But when I got back home, I just immediately breastfed my baby again and it's as if nothing happened. It's like it was just on pause then resumed hehe 

So, what is my point? It just proves that if you stop breastfeeding, your body really stops producing milk. So, if you feel that you don't have enough milk, ask yourself if you are breastfeeding frequently. I am not a lactation expert but I am a veteran. I have been breastfeeding since 2009 since I gave birth to my eldest. So, I guess 6 years (and counting) of breastfeeding can earn me the rank of being a veteran breastfeeding mama haha 

There are products, though, that can help your body BOOST your breastmilk. Take note ha, BOOST and not PRODUCE. They only help in increasing your milk supply but not actually produce if you are not doing your part, which is the most important thing. I have tried a lot of these breastmilk boosters but the only 2 that I really felt helped are the VPharma Megamalunggay capsules and my favorite Mommy Treats lacation snacks. I never had any problem with my supply but there are days when I feel that my milk is thin. Whenever I take these 2 my milk becomes thicker.

During bazaars, Paola of Mommy Treats and I usually have booths next to each other so I have instant snacks hehe I would munch on her lactation brownies (they're calorie-controlled, so hindi nakakataba hehe) and after few minutes, I would feel my breasts getting tender already. For breastfeeding mamas, you would know that feeling diba? When the breasts are producing milk na. That's exactly how I feel everytime I take these.

Vpharma Mega-Malunggay Capsules

Mommy Treats Lactation Snacks

So there goes my long post. 

Moral lesson: 

BREASTFEEDING FREQUENTLY IS THE BEST POLICY.  

Mommy Treats

Vpharma Mega Malunggay Capsules

 

LOV’EM FESTIVITIES AS AYALA MALLS BRINGS THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

More than the decorative emblems, bright lighting, and shopping deals, Ayala Malls shares the love by reminding shoppers of the beloved family traditions and important things that make Christmas magical and meaningful.

From far North in Fairview Terraces down to the Queen City of the South at Ayala Center Cebu, Ayala Malls will let you feel the Yuletide cheer by bringing you “The Sound of Christmas”, a concert series featuring top singers together with the well-renowned Manila Symphony Orchestra.

Save these dates!

November 5 at Trinoma : 

Piolo Pascual and Daryl Ong

November 7 at Glorietta : 

Sam Milby and Yeng Constantino

November 11 at Greenbelt : 

Erik Santos and Nikki Gil

November 14 at Fairview Terraces / November 22 at Market! Market! / 

December 13 at Ayala Center Cebu :
Kyla, KZ Tandingan, Richard Poon, Angeline Quinto, Jay R and Marion Aunor

As every celebration won’t be complete without people grooving to the beat, Ayala Malls partners again with Steps Dance Project to bring back Frankly Speaking. Frankly Speaking is a jazz musical inspired from the famous hits of the legendary music icon, the late Frank Sinatra. This musical concert will also feature the talented dancer, musician and entertainer, Omar Edwards from New York.

November 13 at Harbor Point, Subic Bay Freeport Zone

November 14 at MarQuee Mall Angeles, Pampanga

November 20 at Centrio Mall, Cagayan De Oro

November 22 at Abreeza mall, Davao

There will also be a special show for the kids featuring Peppa Pig!  Together with her little brother George and Mummy and Daddy Pig, who will be giving a Christmas presentation with sing-a-long, dancing, and snorts of laughter for the most wonderful time of the year. Perfect for loving parents with children who are avid fans of this bubbly cartoon show.

November 13-15 at Glorietta 

November 21-22 at Trinoma

November 27-29 at Ayala Center Cebu

December 4-6 at Alabang Town Center

December 11-13 at Market! Market! 

December 18-20 at Ayala Malls Solenad

More events to watch out for!

November 7 at Glorietta

Calligraphy Fair: an afternoon pen meet highlighting top artists in the country

December 7 at Glorietta

Artwork T-shirt Printing for customized shirts for the holidays

As Christmas is the season to give back, a CSR effort from the mall entitled “100 Christmas Wishes” will also be held to encourage shoppers in sponsoring wishes of 100 less fortunate children from November to December.

While Greenbelt will kick off its Christmas season with a lighting and toasting ceremony on November 11, Alabang Town Center introduces the holiday spirit with back-to-back toy fairs and sale events before its weekly Community Christmas Cantata on the whole month of December with special participation from Lyceum Orchestra, Lighthouse Bible Church, San Beda College, SAT Music, Christ Commission Fellowship, and many more.

There will also be a food fair!

December 11-13

The Clean Plate at UP Town Center

All weekends of December

Greenbelt Christmas Market

December 20-22

Awesome Food Fair (Co presented by Awesome Planet)

Moreover, your weekends will become extra special in Ayala Malls nationwide with a sequence of meet-and-greet events with Santa Claus, fireworks displays, chorales, booths for holiday treats, and the traditional Simbang Gabi.

With a brilliant mélange of excellent shows, great music, and unique concepts, Ayala Malls unarguably inculcates the true spirit of celebrating Christmas as a Filipino to the hearts of many. Christmas is more than gift-giving and exchanging of greeting cards, it is the simple experience of joy, love, and satisfaction that comes from the inside.  So, make your holiday this year a lot happier and more fulfilling through spending the festive days with what Ayala Malls has prepared for you and your family. 

#ayalamallschristmas

#lovemall

#ayalamalls

Product Review : Attipas Baby and Toddler Shoes

We recently got a pair of Attipas shoes for Javi and I must say that I really love them as much as Javi does. My first impression on it is how cute it looks! We got the green Attipas with blue polka dots. Because it looks so playful and fun, Javi was so excited to wear them! He looked so kilig as I wore it to his feet and while he was walking around.

Ang yabang lang maglakad ng bata hehe

 

Javi is already past the stage when he is just starting to learn how to walk, but Attipas shoes is just as great because it is very lightweight. Medyo mabilis matapilok si Javi and it happens mostly when he wears his Crocs. So he mostly walked barefoot when he’s at home, but now he always wears his Attipas. 

Attipas Baby and Toddler Shoes is a fairly new product and it deserves a place in the limelight! It was developed based on the biomechanical knowledge of the children's brain development. It ensures that the toddlers have a correct pattern of walking by evenly distributing the pressure on their feet as they walk. It does this by allowing the toddlers to feel the sole of the shoes and by letter their toes move freely, just like when they are walking barefoot.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT ATTIPAS

• Lightweight - It's as if your toddler is just wearing socks. That is literally how light it is! And this is important because your toddler would not mind wearing it if it is light and comfy. A lot of kids hate wearing shoes and a lot of parent have a hard time looking for shoes that they can make their toddlers wear. So, parents, listen up! Attipas is the ONE!
• Flexible - One reason why toddlers hate wearing shoes is they feel constricted. They find it more difficult to walk with shoes on. When kids are still starting to learn how to walk, their feet need to feel the ground that they are walking on. It improves their sense of balance and makes it easier for them to walk without having to look down on their feet to check if they stepped correctly or if they placed their feet correctly on the ground. Wearing Attipas is practically like walking barefoot because of its flexibility. Attipas becomes part of your toddler's feet.
• Breathability - Attipas shoes won't make your toddler's feet stink because there are breathable holes that release heat! Yes, kids are supposed to smell sweet but when you let them wear shoes that won't allow their feet to release heat, then yup, it will stink!
• Easy to clean - You can just wipe or wash it without having to worry that the colors will fade or it will get damaged. In fact, you can even put it inside the washing machine! Awesome!
• Cute designs - I love the designs and they are very appropriate to toddlers. Lots of designs to choose from for both boys and girls. 
• Affordable - I think some designs cost below P1k! That is so affordable! So, it won't be too hard for parents to buy 2 or 3 Attipas shoes for their toddlers!

POLKA DOT DESIGNS

NEW SNEAKERS SKY DESIGN

BALLET PINK DESIGN

Attipas is available in Rustans, Mothercare, Landmark, Cudsly, and Modern Mama 
For more info, like their Facebook

Doc Mommy : How to know if your child has Pulled Elbow and how to treat it?

If one of your kids suddenly stopped using one of his arms and keeps it against his body and does not want to be touched, and he did not suffer from a fall, he might be having a PULLED ELBOW.

What exactly is it? It’s literally a pulled elbow! It is also called Nursemaid's Elbow or Radial Head Subluxation... Anyway, this happens when you pull your kids up by holding their hands or wrist, or by catching your child by the hand to stop a fall, or when you yank their arms to make them walk faster. Guilty of doing these? A lot of us are!

When a child’s arm is pulled by the wrist or hand, the ligament (Annular Ligament) that goes around one of the bones of the forearm (Radial head) slips out. The elbow won’t look distorted nor swollen but your child will refuse to move it. That is actually the most obvious sign that he has a pulled elbow.

My 3 kids experienced this especially my eldest when he was about 1 to 3 years old. He got Pulled Elbow with just a minor tug on his wrist. And it happened frequently because he is super active!

The other day, Javi was having minor tantrums and I had to hold his wrist to stop him from falling on the floor and hitting his head, then I felt it on his forearm, the feeling of something coming loose on the side of his elbow. I knew exactly what to do, from years of experience. I just twisted his wrist toward his body (pronate) while stabilizing his elbow and forearm. Then I felt his bone slip back to the ligament that holds it in place. 

Our helper’s kid in my mom’s house also had this few years back. My mom told me that he had not been moving his other arm for a few days already and I told her that he must have a Pulled Elbow. One day I visited my mom’s house and saw the kid and I was 100% sure that he had a Pulled Elbow because his arm was just tucked beside his body. I did the above procedure to him and he instantly moved his arm again as if nothing happened.

In my experience, the older the kid gets, the worse the pain is while doing the procedure. And it is more difficult to slip back. It’s like you will feel a resistance. I think it’s also because they are already aware that their arm will be touched and moved so they are more scared and hesitant and they tend to contract their muscle. They will also feel a bit surprised and a bit of pain as you do this. But once you feel the bone click or snap back, the pain will instantly disappear.

There’s no need for an X-ray to diagnose this injury. You just need to watch out for the following signs

• Your child stops using his/her arm
• Arm is held in extension and wrist is pronated (turned toward the body)

Pulled Elbow is a fairly common injury among kids below 5 years old. Beyond this age, the joints are much stronger so it is unusual for older kids.

We sometimes cannot avoid incidents that cause pulled elbow especially with super active kids. But here are the things that we should avoid and watch out for:

• Pulling your child up by the hands - Never pick up your child or baby by the hands or wrist, either from sitting down or from the lying down position. It is safer to lift them under their armpits.
• Swinging by the arm – A lot of parents and adults do this when they play with their kids. Stop!
• Yanking or jerking your child's arm - Be very gentle when holding or taking the child by the hand. 
• Pulled elbow can sometimes not be painful unless moved so if your kid is relatively active but has his arm tucked to his side and primarily uses the other arm or hand, then he might have a pulled elbow.

How to treat Pulled Elbow?

Surgery is not required for this. The easiest way to treat this is by doing the following steps:

1. Face the child. Your one hand should be on the child’s wrist, and the other hand should stabilize the child’s forearm.
2. Twist the child’s wrist toward his body (pronate). You can use your thumb to push the bone of the wrist inward.
3. You will feel a click and this should mean that the radial head already slipped back the ligament.
4. Your child should be able to move his arm fully and without pain.

In real life, the child won't be smiling while you do this.
This is just a re-enactment hehe

See where my right thumb is? That is where you push inward. I am using my left hand to stabilize the elbow.

Your child may have a Pulled Elbow more than once, but don’t worry because it won’t cause any long-term or permanent damage. But the longer it is dislocated, the harder and more painful it is to slip back. So, remember the signs so you can treat your child immediately. Educate your yayas, as well as everyone in your household so they’d know how to prevent this.

P.S. If your child fell and the arm is red and swollen and there’s extreme pain, go to the doctor  at once because there might be a fracture. Remember that with Pulled Elbow, the pain is just minimal and your kid will still be able to play.