A Mom's Note

Every year, 36 children die because they are left in cars that overheat. Sad to know but this is the reality. Children are not safe if left in a parked car even if it will takes just minutes. Forgetting our babies in a car is an irresponsible act. Just think of it, how could you forget your baby that you have been taking care of but not your cell phone? Can you see the point? Anyway, here are some points in order for you to remember you have children with you in a car : 1. Place your bag at the backseat.I'm sure you are not going to forget you bag and this will help you to remember you have a life with you. Most likely, when you grab your bag, you are also going to unbuckle your child. 2. Bring something like a huge toy of your baby and place it beside you. It will serve as a reminder that you have a child with you.

Massage is said to be a therapy for babies. The warmth of our touch helps them to relax. It provides a sense of contentment and well-being. I massage my Dannielle before she takes her bathe and each time she's awake. I can sense that she really loves it. She responds to me with ohhs and ahhs, smiling and laughing while I talk to her. I enjoy every moment we have though sometimes she has a lot of issues with crankiness. Massage creates a wonderful bonding between parents and babies. It doesn't take long. Few minutes counts to spend with them in a day. I wanna share these massage techniques I learned from reading a book given by my in-law. 1. Use a baby lotion with moisturizing formula to make a soothing massage. 2. Trace some letters on baby's tummy with caressing back and forth motion. 3. Massage the top of head and WOrk it down to neck, shoulders and upper back with your fingers. 4. Massage each leg and arm with soft, rhythmic strokes. Do it tenderly. 5. Move fingers f

Chad kissing her one and only baby. Dada spends his time with baby Dannielle if he is not working. Though sometimes no matter how much he wants to hold his baby, this cranky little girl won't allow her dada. She always wants her pretty mama lol. These two are the love of my life.

According to studies, drugs taken by millions of men to alleviate depression may affect their fertility. When I read the whole article, it seems that experts have not proven it yet. Though it really has a possible effect on sperm quality. 35 healthy volunteers who provided sperm samples before and during paroxetine treatment were tested. Paroxetineone of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants in the UK. Under the microscope, there appeared to be not much difference between the "before" and "after" samples, with the shape and movement of sperm apparently normal in both samples. Continuation... So guys, just be cautious if you want to have children.

Last Thursday, September 18th, my baby Dannielle had her 2nd dose of vaccines. She had the following shots : pneumococcal conjugate polio vaccine haemophilus influenza tybe b (hib) vaccine diphtheria tetanus and perstussis vaccines rotavirus vaccine Vaccines offer protection from a variety of serious or potentially fatal diseases, including diphtheria, measles, meningitis, polio, tetanus and whooping cough. If these diseases seem uncommon—or even unheard of—it simply means that vaccines are doing their job. If immunization rates drop, vaccine-preventable diseases may once again become common threats. Early vaccination—sometimes beginning shortly after birth—is essential because these diseases are most likely to occur when a child is very young and the risk of complications is greatest. If you postpone vaccines until a child is older, it may be too late.

It's very fulfilling to see Dannielle smiling at me. There are also times when she laughs. Every morning when she wakes up, she'd always throw her pretty smiles to me. She loves it when I am talking to her. She loves to be kissed on her cheeks, chin and neck. My kisses make her laugh as if she's tickled. Such a receptive baby. I won't trade the joy I have with her for anything else.

My friend Lerlyn gave birth to a bouncing baby girl on September 18 (Phil time). She had a normal delivery at 2:10PM. Baby Arianna weighs 8.3 lbs, a healthy one. I stole a picture from her blog to show how pretty Arianna is. Sorry Ler! Have to show them your precious one.

My little fingers did not let go of a great deal I found on HSN. When I saw this ring marked down it's price from $79.90 to $29.90, it didn't take me long to click the "quick buy" button. It's just a gorgeous piece of art. Real gemstones -- turquoise and sapphire. The appraised value is $150 and I got it for a cheaper price. I received it yesterday and just couldn't take my eyes off it. My next stop is to search for the perfect match -- either a necklace or earrings. It's so nice to shop when items are on clearance.

Recently, my youngest brother underwent a medical check-up as a job requirement. The results shuttered his poor heart when he find out he has an enlarged heart. I wanna blame him for being so stubborn and turning his head out from the advices we are giving him. He smokes and drinks alcohol a lot. As an older sister, I want him to be somebody in his generation but it turned out into nothing. Everything is wasted and over. He can no longer a get the job. He is about to join the Philippine Airforce. He has to just to give his soon-to-be-baby a better future. At an early age of 22, he will be a father. My heart is crying upon knowing the news today. Despite of his imperfections, he is still my brother. My baby boy. Now I am trying to contact him but he is not answering. I know he needs comfort. He said he's afraid of dying. I'd better end this entry coz I can not think of any words to add.

At 1pm here, my family -- dada, mama and baby Dannielle will be seeing Dr. Dawn. It's Dannielle's 4th pedia visit. She'll have her 4 shots today. Arhgg...this will be so painful for me. I don't wanna see her scream in pain. I told her dada that I won't be staying with her while the nurse injects those shots. I heard that babies get sick or fever after these shots. We are ready for it anyway. We already bought Tylenol concentrate just in case. Good luck for us baby girl.

I dunno what's with Dannielle but every afternoon she'd cry. It's so hard for her to calm down. Even if she's full and her diaper is clean, still she won't calm down. Holding and rocking her won't work. Even her swing which she loves as well is a big no for her. Guess what she wants? she wants to be on her stroller. She knows when she should be on the road. It drives me crazy when we can't go out sometimes because of the weather. I look like stupid when I push her stroller going to the living area, rooms, kitchen and vice versa while she's feeling good on it.

The first time I saw Dannielle spit -up, I was worried. I was not that well-knowledgeable about spitting-up. Reading the handbook given by a pediatrician at the Women's hospital relieved me from worrying. I read and grasped all the tips and info. Such handbook truly is a big help. It says that there is nothing to worry about as long as the baby is a "happy spitter and does "gain weight" despite of spitting-up. About 40 percent of young babies spit up regularly. The peak age for spitting up is 4 months.Spitting-up usually resolves when the baby reach her first bday. When the baby takes in air along with her breast milk or formula, the air gets trapped in with the liquid. The air has to come up, and when it does, so does some of the liquid.A newborn's digestive system isn't fully developed, either. The muscles at the bottom of your baby's esophagus, which control whether food is coming or going, may still be getting up to speed. Dannielle still is a happy

Dannielle is 2 months and a week old. At that certain age, she is pretty much normal. I meant, her development is in accordance to what a baby should act on her age. She can... Smile in response to my smile Follow objects with eyes Make noises other than crying Repeat Ooohs and aahhs Hold up head at 45 degree angle while on stomach Make smoother movements Smile and laugh in response to me Hold head steady when upright Raise chest and head (do a mini push up), while on stomach Bring both hands together Bear weight on legs She is so cute but...sometimes.

We were in Walmart to shop for some necessity before Gustav. We bought canned goods, bread and other stuff which doesn't need to be refrigerated. For Dannielle, we secured her distilled water. Walmart that time was so crowded. Most of the primary food such as bread, milk and water were out of stock. That was one of my horrible experience.

Dannielle with her new friends. ( photo taken a day before Hurricane Gustav ) These kids live within the subdivision. Every afternoon if the weather is fine, they all gather at our driveway. Dannielle likes it and responds to them while they are playing.

This might be a fact or not. But then again, parents' responsibility comes to be the reason as to why babies' suffer severe ear infection. If ear infection really causes obesity at the later life of babies, then who's to blame? New research that includes studies of health records from the 1960s suggests that frequent childhood ear infections may be linked to weight gain or obesity later in life. A series of new studies presented this month by taste and hearing experts suggests that repeated infections may damage a vital taste-sensing nerve in kids, perking a preference for rich foods and making them prone to weight gain later. For parents of babies and toddlers who get frequent ear infections, the new research is worrisome. Astacia Carter, 29, a mother of two from Puyallup, Wash., said her 3-year-old daughter, Alexa, has suffered infections severe enough to require drainage tubes — and she seems to prefer sweets. source

Some moms are afraid of letting their babies sleep on their back. But, not me. I even let Dannielle sleep on her tummy but with supervision. It helps her sleep sound plus develops her neck and head. Tummy time is very important in the formation of a perfect head for babies and an advance development. Too little tummy time slows infant development. Infants who spend too much time on their backs have an increased risk of developing a misshapen head along with certain developmental delays. Infants need "tummy time" while they are awake to develop properly. Babies who do not get enough time on their tummies can also develop tight neck muscles or neck muscle imbalance — a condition known as torticollis. MSNBC parenting and kids