ExpoMom 2016: The Motherhood Journey

It's ExpoMom time once again, hooray!  The theme for this year is "The Motherhood Journey," as Mommy Mundo commits to be present at every stage of this lifelong career called mommy-hood.  I like the theme a lot, it just feels good to have a go-to community for every mother like myself, whether you're an expectant mom, a mom of a baby or a toddler, or even already experienced moms.  Thanks, Mommy Mundo! :)

And because Belo Baby is now here, we won't let this trade expo for modern moms pass without the new product line joining the fun. :)  Yesterday and today formed the first leg of ExpoMom 2016, and it was held at Glorietta Activity Center.

As expected, there were a lot of product booths offering exciting discounts and freebies for moms, moms-to-be, and the whole family! I myself felt giddy while I was going around, I left no corner unturned, hehe. =P The photo below was taken early in the morning, it doesn't show how full of people it actually was for the most part of the two-day fair.

Photo courtesy of my friend and colleague, Jem! :)

Here's the super adorable Belo Baby booth!  I looooove the rocking sheep and elephant, they were a hit among little kids! :)

And of course I took a photo of my Lia at the pretty teepee tent!  I brought her and the hubby today. :)

Playing with Belo Baby products! :)

Certified Belo Babies! :)

One of the day's segments was done by Nicole Hernandez, the lovely ambassador for Belo Baby. She talked about how unique and delicate baby's skin is, and why all-natural products are what's best for it.  She also did a short game, and all the mommy winner and non-winners took home 100% natural Belo Baby products.

She said she was so nervous, but she didn't look like she was at all! Good job, Nicole! :)

The moms had to 'shop' for ten good things for their baby's skin among all the good and bad stuff mixed together in the crates.

And that's it! :)  It was a fun, fun fair!  The schedule of the succeeding ExpoMom legs is below, just in case you weren't able to catch it at Glorietta.

• June 18 - Cebu
• June 25 - Bacolod
• July 2 - Alabang Town Center
• July 16 to 17 - Trinoma
• August 6 - Davao
• October 15 - Cagayan de Oro

Just wait for more details Mommy Mundo is sure to release as each leg comes near. If you plan to visit, don't forget to drop by the Belo Baby booth for attractive offers for your baby and the whole family. :)

Cheers,

My Newfound Love: Pandora

In Greek mythology, Pandora's box is an artifact from where all the evils flew out the moment it was opened.  In this day and age however, the complete opposite is what's true.  In my case, the first time I opened a box of Pandora, Cupid flew out and made me fall in love. Haha, cheeeesy! =P

What's so special about Pandora? For one, the concept is very unique.  Pandora allows us women to express our personal style, celebrate life's precious moments, or show the values that make us who we are.  Every Pandora bracelet tells a story, and this is what made me want to own one. I fell in love with the fact that I could personalize it --- I can choose charms that represent things that I value most or those that would remind me of my life's milestones. 

Because I am a newbie, I only have three charms at the moment.  First and center is a sterling silver cross with cubic zirconia - a charm named "Symbol of Faith," my lovely piece that symbolizes God.  Next to it is the translucent violet enamel charm "In My Heart," this one represents my husband whom I love very much. :) And to the left of the cross is the sterling silver charm "Baby Carriage," which obviously stands for Lia, our precious little baby.  

I can't wait to add more charms but I have to restrain myself!  Hehe. I guess know priority has to be given to Lia's milk and food and clothes! Hahaha! :) 

Showing here lovely Pandora pieces I saw on the internet for inspiration.:)  Everything is soooo beautiful!

If you wanna learn or see more, visit http://www.pandora.net/en-ph. Come get your own Pandora bracelet now and like me, tell your story. :)


Cheers,

Mommies Love All-Natural Belo Baby!

Last Wednesday, April 6, was a very exciting day for Belo Baby! :) It was when the new baby brand was launched among mommy bloggers at M Cafe in Greenbelt.

Belo Baby Bar Soap, Face & Body Lotion, and Hair & Body Wash - all 100% certified natural! :)

The product packaging is as beautiful as these fresh blooms! :)

M Cafe was transformed into a lush garden for the afternoon, thanks to stylist Robert Blancaflor.

Gorgeous table centerpieces :)

Presenting Belo Baby's mombassadors: Kelly Misa-Fernandez, Patty Laurel-Filart, and Nicole Hernandez-Delos Angeles :)
They are the perfect moms to represent the brand because they're all for NATURAL products for their babies!

Mommy bloggers seemed to have fun making chika before the program started. =D

The mombassadors also got to engage with them, discussing what's important to the moms
when choosing products for their babies.

They were asked if the products have to be safe, gentle or natural.
Three important qualities that Belo Baby has, among others. :)

Here's Ms. Cristalle Belo explaining the story behind Belo Baby:
why the line was developed and what the products are all about.

Then it's Kelly's turn to share what she likes about all-natural Belo Baby.
She likes the lotion the most! It's not sticky on the skin, and she loves the scent! :)

Nicole's fave is the bar soap. Her kids are very active, and they get dirty all the time.
With Belo Baby soap, no matter how many times in a day she bathes her kids, their skin does not get dry at all.

For Patty, Belo Baby hair & body wash is the winner! :) She says her Theo loves it!
It's very easy to rinse, and does not irritate her little boy's sensitive skin. :)

This is Dr. Philip Bunyag, Asst. Medical Director of the Belo Medical Group.
He answered baby skin-related questions of the mommy bloggers, and why
100% natural Belo Baby is their best bet for their kids. :)

You may ask, why all this fuss about choosing special products for babies? Can't they just use whatever is the most affordable, or those brands their parents grew up using?  Why go for something natural?  Isn't this purely marketing?  The answer is NO.  You'll see why in the slides that were presented at the launch,

WHAT MAKES BABY'S SKIN UNIQUE?

1. Baby's skin is paper thin.  It's 20 to 30% thinner than adult skin.  
2. Baby's skin is very permeable.  It acts like a sieve or a net, allowing more substances through than an adult's. It's very loose because of fewer elastic fibers. Also, the epidermis (top layer) of a baby does not attach too well to the dermis (the layer below), which makes it easy to get past.
3. Baby's skin is not fully developed.  The single most important function of the skin is acting as a barrier to infection. Because a baby’s skin is not fully developed, it cannot properly defend against these potential threats. It is also unable to adequately remove excess water and more susceptible to absorbing toxic chemicals.

Bottom Line:  Baby's skin needs babying; it needs safe, all-natural care!  Unlike synthetic products, all-natural products are generally gentler and safer because these are free from artificial chemicals and toxins, and they are less likely to cause irritation because of the absence of common allergens.

And this is the point where one understands why Belo Baby is a mom's best choice for her little one:

We're so happy that we got to say all these to many moms that day.  It was a successful mommy meetup :)  All of the bloggers were so excited to use the products on their kids right away! :)  They got to take home these Belo Baby crates with a super cute plush sheep!

Belo Baby for the bloggers' babies! :)

Team Belo Baby! :)

Me and the mombassadors, plus another special guest: Kelly's Tristan! :)

And that's the roundup of last Wednesday' event! Cheers to more mommy meetups! :)  If you want to learn more about Belo Baby, visit www.belobaby.ph. The Facebook is belobabylove, and it's @belobabylove too on Instagram and Twitter. :)

Cheers,

Marriage First

Several days ago, my husband asked me if we could go out on Saturday (yesterday) to watch a movie.  I gave an automatic reply, a YES, but after I thought about it, I asked him if he really wanted to. I wasn't sure I wanted to go because in my head, I thought about our baby. Watching a movie would mean taking a few hours of our day away from her, and I didn't want that if I could help it. The week that just passed was a very busy one at work, and I felt I didn't give our daughter enough quality time so I wanted to make up for it.  When I asked my husband for the third time and I explained why I wasn't eager to go, his reply was, "I need quality time with you, too. You and me, just this once."

That was my wake-up call.

I remembered what I told him on our wedding day. "I vow to always put you first in my life and to give you the best of me every time."  When I wrote this, the concrete example I had in my head was, even after we have kids, he will remain to be first.  Now fast forward to three and a half years later, I'd somehow forgotten about that promise.  

I am extremely blessed to have the BEST life partner who has remained consistent from day one. Rolly is a great dad, but not even once has he forgotten his role as a husband to me. When he comes home, he gives me a kiss first before he gives his attention to Lia, and this is without fail.  Even with his dearly loved daughter around, I have never ever felt like I'm just a piece of furniture in the room. His wife --- that's me --- is the total opposite.  When I come home and he's already there, I go straight to hug our baby, forgetting to even greet him most times.  He just reminds me of his presence by pointing to his lips for me to smooch (sorry ang mushy, we're like this on a daily basis, hehe). 

It's true.  While being a mom to Lia, I admit I sometimes forget that I'm a wife, too. :(

I read this just now on hellomamas.com, and I will always put this is my head:

"Your husband is the one that will be with you long after the kids grow up and leave the house. He is the one you will turn to when you can’t quite take another minute of your teenage daughter's mood swings. He will be there to laugh with you when the house seems to be caving in and there is nothing to do but find humor in it all."

"Yes we are tired. Yes we are worn thin at the end of the day. Yes we seem to have no time to ourselves. But if you have someone who is willing to fall asleep next to you every night knowing that in the morning you may look like the Walking Dead, love him with all you have!"

"A kiss, a hug, a wink or smile. A love note, a back rub or holding hands during an outing. These all go such a long way. They don’t take any time or effort and the reward is worth it. If we showed as much love to our husbands as we did to our new babies, our marriages wouldn’t falter during these massive life stages."

"Your husband and you are the foundation of the family you are building. Maintain that foundation with love and affection for one another. This way, you can both show more love and affection to your children and they will see this between their parents as they grow up."

*********

I've been a mom for a year, but I've been a wife for over three solid years already.  It's about time I work on striking that perfect balance while wearing both hats! :)  After all, we can only be the best parents to our child if we are good partners to each other.  Like what a book authored by David Code says, couples need to put their marriage first if they want to raise happy kids. :)

Sharing hubby's Timehop post on Facebook last Friday. :)
I guess he's still super in love with me, despite the stubborn pounds 3 years later. Hahaha. =D

Cheers,

Lia Bunny! :)

It's the second Sunday of Easter today, and before we go farther and farther away from Easter Sunday, let me post these pictures of my baby bunny! :) All taken by The Picture Company ATC.

'Til next Easter! :)


Cheers,