7 Things I Did to Win at Weaning

Before you read, you might want to join my giveaway! I'm giving away a copy of Certified Positive Daily Interact planner! 

As a hardcore breastfeeding mom, I never thought I'd come to a point when I would willingly wean my son off the breast. But I did.

I already told you about it last Monday when I talked about the reasons why we stopped breastfeeding. Now here's how I did it.

First, you need to know that Yuri is not only a clingy toddler but also a rabid nurser. Weaning was something that was definitely far from his mind (but, later on, I would discover he was ready anyway), so I initiated it.

What I first did was talk to Yuri and tell him that big boys don't breastfed anymore. I mentioned names of his friends and none of them are still nursing.

He cried.

Weaned!

We just hit a milestone: I finally weaned Yuri from the breast.

I "forced" it; it wasn't child-led. I know some of you will raise your brows at this, but let me tell you that this has been one of the best mothering decisions of mine.

I had been breastfeeding Yuri for more than 31 months. That's a lot, in my opinion, and in all honesty, I will say that it's enough.

I was and still am an advocate of breastfeeding. Unlike other women, I didn't set a limit on nursing my child. You see, when Yuri was a newborn baby, I discovered that breastfeeding made mothering a lot easier. Baby is fussy? Breastfeed. Baby is hungry? Breastfeed. Baby is sleepy? Breastfeed. Life was golden. Why would I stop?

I also decided to pursue child-led weaning wherein the child decides for himself when he would stop nursing. This made Job laugh because, apparently, they have never heard of such a thing. My parents, too. I read that premature weaning has negative impacts such as thumb-sucking and insecurity. I also learned the advantages of continuing to breastfeed through the ages, which is why I wrote this post on why we should do extended breastfeeding.

And since my toddler showed no sign of weaning anytime soon, we continued nursing - even when sometimes, I wanted to stop.

You know what, I began contemplating weaning even before Yuri turned 2. However, those were thoughts that I didn't entertain mainly because nursing has been nothing but a positive experience for both of us. I also didn't have the heart to take it away from Yuri. So we continued nursing.

However, when the ex-yaya-who-shall-not-be-named left and I became a full-time working mom and yaya, our situation took on a 180° turn.

First, since Yuri and I spent 24/7 of our time together, his nursing time increased. He was more like a newborn than a toddler. He would grab at my breast several times in an hour, and that was incredibly frustrating because it kept interrupting my work. He wasn't even "feeding." He was only using me as a pacifier.

Second, because of this, my patience decreased everyday. I kept at yelling at Yuri to stop bugging me and let me finish working first.

Third, because I was always angry and Yuri's primary reaction to comfort himself is to breastfeed, he will just nurse again and even longer. It was a frustrating vicious cycle.

Fourth, even beyond work, I kept getting frustrated because Yuri would begin to refuse to do regular "chores" like eating and brushing of teeth. It seems like all he wants to do is nurse and we couldn't accomplish anything. He would also get fussy at the slightest reason just so he can nurse.

In other words, this whole breastfeeding a 31-month old is no longer working for both me and Yuri. Both our physical and emotional well-being were at stake.

I didn't want to continue nursing just for the sake of nursing; I didn't want to come to a point where I'd get too frustrated that I'll vow never to breastfed anymore.

I knew it was high time I stop waiting for Yuri to self-wean and initiate the weaning myself.

These helped me win wean.

The first few attempts were woeful. Finally, I just decided to try out this method that both Job and his mother and my parents suggested. I was opposed to this particular method because I thought it was mean! However, I was desperate, so I used it as my last resort.

And it worked beautifully! No tears, no fighting. He was just that - weaned!

That's when I realized that Yuri was ready to be weaned. He was so nonchalant about it. I also imagined the event to be emotional, but it wasn't. I didn't feel sad because we have had a long and mostly good breastfeeding journey. It was smart to end it on a positive note.

*I realize this post is getting too long, so I'm dividing it into two parts. In the next part, which I will surely write this week, I will tell you more about the attempts I have done and the final technique that worked successfully. I hope you'll read it!

_________________________________________________________________

Do you like this post? Never miss out again when you click on the cute bunny below:

Or by entering your email here:

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

You can also follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for daily updates on my mundane musings.

Funny Kind of Weird!

Today, I have a random story! Uso pa ba ang Throwback Thursdays? Haha. If it is, or even if it's not, I have a throwback to share. It happened to me a long long time ago. Mga last Monday.

Haha!

This photo is totally unrelated to the story, but here's Yuri showing off his "building."

You see, last week, Yuri and I were watching TV - bad momma moment I know. In my defense, the only local TV show that I follow was on: Pure Love. Please tell me you like that show, too. It's a guilty pleasure! Secret lang natin.

Anyway, we were watching TV when an advertisement of a popular milk for preschoolers came up. I really don't remember the brand as I don't bother remembering milk brands. But I jokingly asked Yuri, "Gusto mo yang milk?"

BREASTFEEDING: A Journey Worth Taking - Free for a Limited Time!

I wasn't completely breastfed by my own mother mainly because of the lack of information available during their time. While Yuri and I are still happily breastfeeding at 28 months now, I only breastfed for less than three months. Like my mother, I know there are still many mothers today who lack the information about breastfeeding.

Knowing that my mother could've breastfed me properly had there been information available during her time makes me very thankful for the vast resources that are at my grasp. I admit that part of the success of my breastfeeding journey is the acceptance and encouragement of my partner and my family. But when it came to extended breastfeeding, they were not so welcoming, only tolerant.

But I kept breastfeeding, and that's because of the books and articles that I was able to read about the virtues of extended breastfeeding. I don't know these women, but their words kept me going!

One of the great breastfeeding resources you can get your hands on is this book called BREASTFEEDING: A Journey Worth Taking. It is written by a Filipina author! I have been meaning to buy this book but haven't found the time yet. But I know I, as well as a lot of mothers, will benefit from reading it. This is why I'm happy to announce this great news:

Free Download of Breastfeeding Book in Support of World Breastfeeding Week 2014

Breastfeeding Uncovered in Davao City

Image from Wikipedia

I believe in breastfeeding, plain and simple. I hate antagonizing moms who formula-feed, mainly because I'm not in their shoes, but I'm really very very thankful that I am able to breastfeed my son. Yuri's already 2 years and 4 months now, but we're still breastfeeding! He's addicted to it; he just can't stop hehe.

(You can read my post about extended breastfeeding here.)

I've seen the benefits, too. More than the monetary savings, I think I attribute Yuri's good social and communicative skills to breastfeeding. Of course, that's just one aspect of it, but I'd like to think the close contact between us helps!

All obstacles removed, I really hope all mothers should breastfeed. What better way to celebrate the Breastfeeding Month of August then to come together as a community to listen and learn from the Breastfeeding Guru, Dr Jack Newman, himself?

BREASTFEEDING UNCOVERED 2014: MISSION POSSIBLE (DAVAO)

Date: August 11, 2014

Time: 8:00am – 4:00pm

Venue: SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premier, Davao City

Speaker: Dr. Jack Newman

I Cut His Hair and Other Stories

1. I cut his hair.

Yuri's hair is getting too long. In fact, when his friend, Scotty, came to visit, his American dad told me, "Do you like to keep his hair long?" Not at all! But the problem is that I dread cutting his hair. It always turns out to be such a struggle, and our house would sound like a slaughter house - no kidding. That's why his hair is always cut at home with me, my mom, and his yaya. I could never dare to bring him to a proper barber shop for kids for fear na masayang ang pera.

Observe:

Polo from SM, H&M jeans, Pitter Pat sandals

But yesterday, I saw a chance. You see, I'm the one looking after Yuri when he sleeps now. I try to get some work while he sleeps. Yesterday, the connection was lost for maybe 40 minutes, and I had nothing better to do and I spotted a pair of scissors nearby, and you know what happened next.

Snip, snip.

Tah dah!

2. Goodbye, high-chair. Hello, crayons!

Anatomy of a WAHM with a Clingy Toddler

Lately, Yuri has been extra clingy. I mean, he's always been clingy. Ever since he was born, he never was the type of baby you could leave alone even for one minute. He never was the type of baby that could sleep long on his own. But I've accepted that and just thanked God that I'm blessed with a clingy kid.

But lately, he's become even clingier. I don't know what happened, but when something goes wrong with his toys, he runs to my office table, crying and wanting to nurse.

He throws tantrums like all toddlers do but we just ignore it. However, his tantrum-style turned from screaming and thrashing around into "run-to-momma-and-find-boobie."

Small toys wouldn't fit into the back of his toy car? Run to momma and find the boobie.

Big toys wouldn't fit into the back of his toy car? Run to momma and find the boobie.

Books don't fit into the back of his toy car? Run to momma and find the boobie.

Books, small toys, and big toys fit into the back of his toy car but fall off when he moves the car fast? Run to momma and find the boobie.

It's quite exhausting especially when I'm busy working - especially now that we have daily brownouts! - but I just don't have the heart to refuse my toddler who still finds comfort in nursing.

I know it's just a phase but I don't know how long it would last!

So on most days, my messy table looks like this:

But when Yuri decides he needs to nurse to comfort himself about toy-related stress...

An additional item is attached to me.

Am I wrong in tolerating this behavior? If you think I am, what do you think should I do?

_________________________________________________________________

Do you like this post? Never miss out again when you click on the cute bunny below:

Or by entering your email here:

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

You can also follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for daily updates on my mundane musings.

Why I'm Still Breastfeeding My (Almost) 23-month old

It's funny how breastfeeding a toddler in public gets more weird stares than letting a toddler drink Coke in public.

I seriously regret not having a proper camera during this time.

This is Yuri. 23 Months old (almost), weighing a little more than 10 kilos, 86 cm long, very active, a quick learner, word-smart, affectionate, and still an avid nurser.

Breast is best, they say. I'm blessed to have a rather smooth breastfeeding journey with Yuri. Aside from the teeth-gritting pain during the first weeks and, maybe, the stress with pumping whenever I leave Yuri for a while, I never had major breastfeeding troubles. The beauty with breastfeeding is that it quickly becomes second nature, which helps a mom realize that yes, God created these boobs to nourish another (super adorable) human being.

Breastfeeding in public will always be awkward (for me) mostly because of the lifting-of-the-dress involved. Once the baby's latched, though, it becomes easy. Now, it wasn't so hard to breastfeed a newborn baby. More people are becoming aware of its benefits, so nursing a small baby often gets a "thumbs-up" from the public.

Nursing a child almost half as tall as you is different. The inspired looks turn into weird stares. The genuine questions become accusing. Suddenly, the accepting society becomes backward again.

Yuri very rarely nurses in public now, save for times of physical pain, distress, and, well, sometimes when he poops (I don't know!). Since he started walking, maybe he has only nursed in public around 7-8 times. Still, that doesn't save me from some rather funny questions.

Big boy ka na, Yuri, bakit dede ka pa rin? (Yuri is still a baby!)

Medyo payat si Yuri no. Try mo kayang mag-supplement ng formula? (FYI, 10 kilos is not underweight. In fact, it's within the normal range for his weight. It's just that other children are so chubby in comparison.)

Hindi ba sya kulang sa sustansya? (As far as I'm concerned, my milk is more nutritious than what you buy from the grocery. God designed it and personalized it for my son. He might be on the slim side but he's really sturdy.)

Stop mo na kayang magbreastfeed para kumain ng madami si Yuri. (I bet my bottom dollar that non-breastfeeding toddlers are as picky! And FYI, maganang kumain si Yuri. Picky lang and short ang attention span - just like other toddlers!)

On the other hand, I see very young toddlers (a little over a year old) being given Coke by their mothers and nobody questions their decisions. What's wrong with the world, momma?

Yuri will be 23 months old this Wednesday. Yikes! Originally, I planned to breastfeed Yuri only for the first year. However, I learned that WHO recommends breastfeeding for a minimum of 2 years. Wow! So we continued. Actually, that's the easiest thing to do because Yuri was (and is) so in love with breastfeeding.

My next "deadline" was 2 years, but Yuri exhibits no sign whatsoever of weaning. He stills enjoys it very much and is his go-to when he needs to be comforted. And that's okay with ne because I, too, have reasons:

1. It is normal and not as uncommon as we may think.

2 years seems too old an age to be breastfeeding, but in many countries around the world, the norm is 4-5 years old. This means that based on the global population, weaning before 2 is actually weird!

2. Breastfeeding beyond infancy offers immunity both to mother and child.

Oplan Balik Alindog / Paandar 2014

Most, if not all, New Year's resolutions include losing weight. Mine usually did except for two years: the year when I was about to give birth (2012) and the year before Yuri turned 1 (2013).

The first year was a no-brainer because I was about to pop. Losing weight was the farthest thing from my mind. In fact, if I remember it correctly, that was the month I was beginning to gain a lot of weight due to pregnancy. I was 7 months pregnant then, and before that, I think I only gained around 15 pounds. By my 7th month, tuloy-tuloy na ang pag-gain.

On the other hand, the second year was a Godsend for me. I honestly thought I won't lose all the pregnancy weight because I've been fat chubby all my life. To my surprise, I did not only lose weight but also went back to my highschool weight. All thanks to breastfeeding! What a God-designed wonder.

So I felt smug. I could eat like a construction worker and not gain a pound - at all! I even lost pounds just by lying or sitting down and feeding Yuri. Here's a photo; I think Yuri was 8 months here:

Pardon the kagigising-lang-face. Just look at those arms.

I weighed just a little over 50 kilos then, which was a lot less than my pre-pregnancy weight. It may be heavy for some people, but I certainly felt lightest! That time was heaven because I was losing even more weight each month for the first year of Yuri's life. I was even scared I'd go too thin so I ate a lot. Ong yobong yobong.

Until one day, I hit a plateau. I didn't lose weight anymore. I thought to myself, okay, let's just keep it steady at 50 kilos. I know the reason I wasn't losing weight anymore was that Yuri was eating table foods already. Still, I didn't make any conscious lifestyle changes. I still didn't lessen my food intake nor did I do decent exercise. I tried to depend on what was left of my breastfeeding to keep me from gaining too much, which I thought was fine.

Isang araw, nagising nalang ako sa katotohanan.

The past year, I knew I was fatter than I was the year before, but I wasn't bothered. Okay, I might have been in denial. As long as my clothes still fit me, I was still fine.

A few weeks ago, Yuri and I went to his pedia to have his last shot. The secretary had to get his weight. Since Yuri wasn't cooperating, what we did was we were both weighed first then I was weighed, and the results were subtracted. Alas, I already weighed 56 kilos!

Uh-oh.

What troubled me was that my pre-pregnancy weight was 62 kilos. I'm so near to achieving that weight again, which I don't like! Also, Job only weighs 58 kilos, so no no no no way! So just very recently, nagising ako sa katotohanan that breastfeeding just isn't cutting it for me anymore. Gone are the perfect days; now, it's time to work it.

The gameplan: Count calories and exercise daily.

Is my heart in the right place?

One of the hardest challenges I've had to overcome since I became a Christian (and, come to think of it, even before I was a Christian) is obedience.

I don't remember when I became a strong-willed person who wanted to do what she wants to do, but I'm that person. It was a lot easier when I only needed to obey my parents because it was so easy to disobey when they didn't see me. However, when I surrendered my life to Christ, it became harder. Sure, in the first months of being a Christian, being Christ-like was very easy to do. It was euphoric. Then, I found out that as you mature, the temptations of the devil become stronger - or was it only me who got weaker? Either way, I found it even harder to obey.

For now, let's just leave it at that. I find it hard to obey, but I know I need to in order to please Jesus. The challenges come daily and in the most mundane of situations. In the context of being a work-at-home mom, I encounter different sets of trials than what you might encounter. Just yesterday, I experienced a couple of trials, where I found it hard to obey Jesus but through his grace, I was able to overcome.

First Situation
I began cloth-diapering Yuri just the other day, and we are still getting the hang of it. Honey, Yuri's yaya, is still getting the hang of laundering the diapers. They were easy to launder, but she doesn't know the right way of hanging them yet. I noticed that she hangs the inserts on the clothesline folded. Knowing how thick the inserts are, I was sure they will take 48 years to dry. So I went outside and hanged them properly.

After doing that, I wanted to show Honey the right way of hanging the inserts. To be honest, I was feeling a bit irritated that she did not know how to hang them properly. Just as I was entering the exit door (oxymoron?), I tripped. Yes, I tripped. My immediate thought was "Are you trying to tell me something, Lord?"

Jesus replied: Check your heart, Maan. Is it in the right place?

Right in our kitchen, I did. What was my intention in telling Honey about hanging the inserts? Was it simply to correct her and help her improve? Or was it to find fault and feel smug about it? I don't need to tell you what the answer was; all you need to know was that I didn't tell Honey about her mistake during that time.

Was it simple to obey? No. Was it worth it? I'm sure it was.

Second Situation

Anatomy of a Mom with a Toddler

I'm currently writing a post about how our Sunday went, but the photos take forever to load. Well, this should be expected because the post has more than 30 photos. Sorry!

Anyway, to make up for the lack of a post on a Monday morning, here's a "diagram" (emphasis on the quotations marks, please!) of what I look like each time I go outside the house with my little toddler, Yuri:

Actually, marami pang kulang jan, all of which are inside my diaper bag na iniwan ko sa bench. Mabigat kasi. But basically, this is what I look like outside the house.

1. Harness

The harness is a necessity for us because Yuri is a swift mover. This is one reason why I almost never let go of Yuri's house whenever we walk outside. Konting lingon ko lang wala na si Yuri. NKKLK. Anyway, if your toddler is a swift mover, too, or if you simply want to feel secure, do yourself a favor and buy one!

2. Cap

I always bring along Yuri's cap in my diaper bag just in case we have to go out in the sun. Yuri usually likes wearing his cap, but there are also many times when he would just throw it on the floor while running. That's why it's almost always in my hands.

3. Camera

I'm putting together nice photos of Yuri for his album, which remains content-less until now. 'Nuff said.

4. Zip-front Blouses

Even though Yuri rarely nurses from me in public now (he's too distracted to think of breastfeeding!), I still see to it to wear open-fronted blouses (zippers and buttons) just in case.

5. Cardigan

I also almost always wear cardigans just in case the toddler decides to breastfeed. And just in case I forget to bring a breastfeeding cover.

6. Comfiest Shoes

I used to buy any kind of flat shoes I like because I usually have a high-tolerance for pain. Well, tell that to my toddler kid! Yuri runs all day that wearing "any kind of shoes" does not suffice anymore. Thus, the need for a pair of Crocs.

7. Not in photo: Bottle of water, bibs, crackers, book or toy - all of which are inside the diaper bag

How about you? Do you "look" sort of like me when you go out with your toddler? 

_________________________________________________________________

Do you like this post? Never miss out again when you click on the cute bunny below:

Or by entering your email here:

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

You can also follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for daily updates on my mundane musings.

It's not a competition.

Last Wednesday, we went back to the Barangay Center for our MMR shot. I'm glad to announce that that was finally our last center appointment! Graduate na talaga kami, at long last!!!

Now, don't get me wrong. I like having the option to avail of free medicine and immunizations in the barangay. I think I have already saved around 30k just by going to the barangay center.

However, there are a couple of things I dread whenever the date of our appointment nears. First, even though the appointment is free, it is too taxing time-wise and effort-wise. Imagine, you have to be there before the center opens at 8. And when you arrive at around 7:30, don't expect to be the first in line. In fact, last Thursday, we arrived at 7:30 and we were 23rd in line. Also, it is not (never was) a comfortable wait. The center is cramped, hot, and full of wailing babies - Y included. LoL.

The second and worse thing I hate about going to the center is having to socialize with a lot of other mothers. I'm not antisocial, but there's something about sitting with a smorgasbord of women with their babies. This is because I notice that the conversation will always, always steer toward how well and how advanced their babies are performing. And sometimes, it boils down to pure boasting.

I would hear a mom taunting another because the other's baby is not sitting yet. Her baby, she claims, began sitting when he was still a few months old, a lot earlier than the other baby. The others can clearly tell whose mothering style is better. Guess who feels bad?

Another mom would proclaim that her 8-month old is already walking, making the others stare at her at awe. How did she do it? What kind of mothering did she do? She now reigns supreme in the field of mothering. The mommy queen-bee.

My 13-month old still uses the walker. Does this make Y a poor baby? Of course not!
He's wearing his aunt's headband, by the way. Hahaha!

Now, because the center is cramped, mothers would generally see each others' babies weight and height. We're stuck at the 9 kilogram mark, while other 1-year olds would have already achieved 10 kilograms. I saw a mom with a bigger 1 year old look at my card, but I just smiled at her.

I chose not to get affected. Why would I? Y is very healthy. He eats a lot, breastfeeds a lot, plays a lot, and sleeps a lot. He laughs at my jokes and I'm his favorite person. What more could I ask for?

Here's my question: Are babies trophies? Are babies sort of benchmarks we need to work on to prove to others how well of a mother we are? Are our babies' milestones something to compete over?

I'm a mother, too, and I know how it feels when your child has achieved another milestone. But I don't think we need to flaunt our babies' achievements in order to feel superior over the next mom. We have no right to do this because in the first place, babies are different. They develop at different paces.

Your babies' achievements are something to be proud of, yes, but they are not something worth gloating about. If your child develops early, smile, be thankful, and pray to God.

On the other hand, we might see ourselves on the other side of the competition. We might admire (or envy) someone whose baby seems so easy to pacify. Or we might envy someone whose baby has already started walking or talking early. But you know what? There's no need to keep stressing over the fact that your friend's baby is developing faster. Your baby is unique and special as he is.

Just be happy and keep loving. Isn't this the way it is supposed to be?

One of the possible reasons why he isn't fat: we're still breastfeeding. :-)

We're all mothers (well, not all, but you know what I mean). We're supposed to understand what each other is going through. We're supposed to be there for each other, not against each other. For a change, why don't we stop boasting about our own babies' achievements? Why don't we focus on the fun part? The playing part? You know, the loving part? 

Let's forget about the competition (if there ever was one). I'm sure we would all be happier mommies when we choose to talk happy. And did you know that happier mothers equal happier babies?

Happy Mother's Day!

_________________________________________________________________

Do you like this post? Never miss out again when you click on the cute bunny below:

Or by entering your email here:

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

You can also follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for daily updates on my mundane musings.

Ayala Abreeza Breastfeeding Room

It just occurred to me that I took photos of Abreeza's breastfeeding room the other week. In tradition of my breastfeeding room posts (I have SM Lanang Premier and SM Cebu), let's review Abreeza's this time. :-)

Months ago, I used to pay P20 to use Abreeza's breastfeeding room, which is located inside the Family Lounge. It was okay because the lounge was really spacious and comfortable. However, what if you don't really need to use the entire lounge? What if you only need to breastfeed for 15 minutes?

The good news is that they didn't ask me to pay when I breastfed last time I was there. I didn't have to go through my bag just to look for a bill that's potentially dirty. I hate that!

I didn't get to take a photo of the Family Lounge, but here's one from www.skyscrapercity.com.

The front area of the lounge

Anyway, the breastfeeding area has two cubicles (unlike SM's which is a big room where mommies can talk!). It's like a roomy comfort room with furniture. Also, I forgot to take a photo of the area outside the cubicle, so you'll only get to see the inside of the cubicle. Apologies, apologies.

Here are what you will see inside the cubicle:

The chair where you can sink into after a long day of shopping. Aaah.

Circles on your throw pillows

Unless you're carrying a phone or any device with you, this is the only view you'll get. Aside from your baby, of course.

And yes, in one of the cubicles, there's a table provided for your things. The only cubicle (as I remember it) doesn't have a table.

Moi et le bébé

Well, I guess that's it. It's only a cubicle, so there's not much to see. Which is actually a good thing if you're trying to put your baby to sleep (or if you're trying to sleep!). The couch is really comfortable and provides enough room for you and your baby. Also, the lights are dim, so even if you're not trying to sleep, you will really get drowsy.

What I don't understand is the loud music coming from the lounge itself. Oh well.

Summary: If you want to relax, sleep, and put your baby to sleep, Abreeza's breastfeeding cubicles are ideal. However, don't expect to get any interaction here because you are technically isolated. If you want interaction with other breastfeeding mommas, then SM's breastfeeding rooms would work for you. :-)

_________________________________________________________________

Do you like this post? Never miss out again when you click on the elegant chair below:

Or by entering your email here:

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

You can also follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for daily updates on my mundane musings.

My Camera-less Sunday (OOTD and other photos)

Sundays are the only days when I can wear nice clothes because after all, why would I wear nice clothes at home? I'm working from home, remember? And as I mentioned last week, we sort of started an informal tradition of taking OOTD shots before leaving for church.

Imagine my frustration when it turns out I forgot to charge my camera. And we were already running late when I discovered it! So if you happen to stumble upon this post, please be kind enough and forgive the grainy photos that are taken hastily. :D

Dress: Forever 21
Cover-up: Gaisano Mall Department Store
Leggings: Mom's

I know the one above is not a decent OOTD photo (not that I'm obliged to take one - teehee), but I wanted to take a photo that is nice enough. After all, minsan lang talaga ako makalabas ng bahay. Hahaha! So after mass, we went behind the chapel and took some photos.

Bag: Parisian
Shoes: Parisian
I know what you're thinking... :D

On Y:
Shirt: Crib Couture
Shorts: Kids Style
Shoes: Luvable Friends

At first, it was fine. But soon after, people also began pouring out from the church. Aaaah, time to start acting "natural!" Apparently, I look funny looking natural. Hahaha!

Awkward pose that makes me look pregnant!
I know I'll never pose this way again!  ♪ ♫ ♪

Anyway, as we do every Sunday of my current life, we went to SM Lanang Premier after. As I always do, too, I went to the breastfeeding room to help Y sleep. But when we got there, I saw it was closed! And it was almost 11am already. Where is the nurse? Hmm.

So I went where my family were sitting in the atrium (they were waiting for me) and plopped down between my parents. I got my nursing cover and breastfed discreetly... until Y pulled the covers down. It's okay, there's no shame in breastfeeding! :D

Me and the nursing cover my cousin gave me. I have another one in blue!

Because there were a lot of distractions, Y wasn't able to sleep. So an hour later, after we all had lunch, we went to the breastfeeding room again for Y's afternoon nap. 

The following photos will show how bored I was in the BF room.

Blurred photo of the little boy. I love his monster shirt!

My Parisian shoes. They're my mom's actually, but she doesn't like wearing them.

This is my third front-zip dress: very useful and convenient for nursing moms! :D

I took photos and even edited them on the Pixlr app on my phone. Not bored, eh? Haha!

After Y fell asleep, I went outside because I really needed to pee. Soon after going outside the breastfeeding room, Y woke up. Oh well. So I met with my parents and sister who were in SM Cyberzone (my father needed a basic phone) and told them that I needed to go to the CR. Well, they had fun without me! Apparently, there was still a Valentine's backdrop in the atrium and they took some photos:

My mom with the peace-sign and Y
On mama:
Blouse: ForMe
Jeans: Boyet Fajardo
Shoes: Outland

I love the slit-sleeves of my mom's blouse!

My sister's staple outfit: a Forever21 dress and Solemates flats with a cute headpiece

This used to be a bigger picture, but I zoomed it in because I saw Y was smiling at something. I wonder what it is? :-)

They weren't able to take a photo of the entire backdrop, but everything looked cute! I wanted to be in the photo, too. No fair! :D

How was your weekend, loves?