Weekend Is Over

I’m in the bed right now sandwiched by Munchkin and Pumpkin. Can’t sleep so I’m typing away on my phone.

Tapioca is also deep asleep on the couch in the living room. This is our setup every weekend. I wonder how long it’s gonna last. The Munchkin refuses to sleep in her bedroom when she knows Mommy is at home. The four of us couldn’t fit in our semi-double bed. Well right now, there's just the three of us. It’s still a small fit but we make do.

Every night, when the kids are fast asleep, I look at them with a smile on my face. They look so peaceful. Far from the naughty, kulit kids during the day. At night, they look like angels quietly and peacefully sleeping in bed with me.

I thank God and praise him for the wonderful weekend I get to spend with them. For giving them to us. For the experience of becoming a mother. For knowing how my heart can be so big that I can love not just one one but two kids. I can love them both at the same time. For knowing there’s always space in my heart to love another child. I’d like to think that my heart just got bigger and it got space for more hahaha!

Well, my heart is full. And I knew exactly what it means now.

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Forgetful Me

I thought I only forgot about Munchkin’s assignment. I also forgot Nanay’s death anniversary. If it wasn’t for my brother who sent me a message a day before, I could have totally forgotten about it. 

So my brother sent a message asking if I had any plans for Nanay’s death anniversary. I was dumbfounded after reading it. I almost freak out. Like what heck just happened to me? First, Munchkin’s assignment. Now, Nanay?

I’m so bad. Really really bad. I guess it’s the after-effect of anesthesia. I’m forgetting a lot of stuff lately. Important stuff that is. I can’t afford to be like this. You know, when you’re a Mom everything and everybody depends on you. I have to get my sh*t together or my family will crumble down. Tapioca is going to give me an earful and I am going to hate him for it. 

Sigh. 

Motherhood. Striving for perfection always when in reality perfect is not always what it is. Still we do what we have to do because no one else will do it for us. Even if you have house help. The decision, the planning, the execution, everything is always going to depend on me. Yes, me. Oh my life. Mommy life. 

Oh mother dear. I totally get you now. I really do. I miss you Nanay. I wish you were still here but I know you’re happy where you are. 

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New Reusable Plastic Food Containers

I've stopped buying disposable microwavable containers. I used to buy them a lot to store our leftovers. A long time ago (when they just started to appear in supermarket aisles) those clear plastic containers can last for months. Sometimes even years if you take good care of them. It would take a lot of usage and a lot of nuking in the microwave before it breaks and cracks. Sometimes they just start to disappear in the cupboard because we’re using it to store take away food for guests when hosting parties at home. 

But that has changed. I bought them. I used them. But it wouldn’t last anymore. I’m practically annoyed to find the lids barely closing to seal the food properly. And I don’t like it when it happens. Because it means one thing. Food spoilage. Food contamination. Uh-oh. Never a good thing. Not in my household. Even if I buy those with brand names, they are all the same. They just break so easily now. They are living on its name - disposable. 

So I started a hobby (lolz) of buying different brands of plastic food containers to see which one would last. To find which I would be able to replace my disposable microwavable container with. After a couple of years of hunting and experimenting, I’m happy to report that I have found them. Yippee!!!

Behold my new containers . . .

 . . .  reusable plastic containers

stack 'em up . . .

Errr, I know they are pretty ordinary. But they serve the purpose. And most importantly, they are cheap. Php20 each from a local seller in the market. These are being sold at Robinson supermarket for Php28. That is a really big mark up, Robinsons!!! Imagine if I buy 10 pieces then that’s a Php80 difference! I guess the price can even be less if I buy in Divisoria or Baclaran (Update, update!!! I was wrong. It's still cheaper at the palengke). 

 . . .  brand spanking new

My point now is really, plastic is cheap. There is really no point in buying expensive plastic ware (Hello Lock&Lock!). Unless they’re on sale, then ibang usapan na yan because eventually they will all break. What I’m trying to say is you get what you pay for. I’m not expecting them to last forever. Duh, nothing lasts forever, okay? 

So let’s make a comparison: 

Microwaveable container 

Price: Varies depending on brand but average would be Php10 each. 

Life span: 1 month or less before the lid started to loosen up and crack.

High end containers 

Price: Varies depending on brand. But for the purpose of this blog post and me being the cheapskate, let's consider a higher end/branded container that was on sale. Probably between Php50-200.

Life span: After 2-3 months of usage, lids still intact and no crack but discoloration/scratches started to appear.

My new plastic container 

Price: Php20 for 250ml, Php30 for 500ml and Php40 for 1 Liter

Life span: After 2 months of usage, the lid is still intact with a little discoloration and scratches. Another 1 or 2 months of usage and some of the lids started to crack but still usable.

pile 'em up . . .

Can you see the difference?

With just a few more bucks from the disposable kinds, these are (if not) close to pwede na for our leftover storage containers. 

I guess those high end/branded plastic containers you pay for the design, quality and of course the name of the brand. Still, it’s not susceptible to breakage. 

In my opinion, these new containers I got were so sulit and I love them!

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Stress . . . Again and Again

Hello. Long time no post. Been very busy and stressed lately because of recent changes at home. How do I begin?

Last week, the Munchkin got sick. It started with bouts of cough, then colds, and a full blown fever that would shoot up in the middle of the night. Pumpkin caught the bug too but it subsided after constant breastfeeding (I love breastfeeding!). 

Munchkin had her school activity scheduled last Saturday. They were given costumes as Igorot. Then I borrowed some necklaces from the office. It was originally used as an accessory from an activity in our office called Junk to Funk. It was made from recycled materials and it matches Munchkin's costume which was awesome. 

As I was saying, Munchkin was not feeling well after days of dance rehearsal at school. She's been absent for a few days but come Saturday, the day of her school activity, her fever was gone. I was quite hesitant then whether I should bring her to school or not but since we're already prepared . . . you know, the costume and all. 

I also ordered kakanin (puto and biko) for that day. I told myself we will just drop  the food at the school and leave. 

. . . special biko made by the nanny

Then I figured if we were just dropping by, we might as well let Munchkin go with us in her costume. Sayang naman kasi her costume and the necklace that I borrowed. We can have some pictures taken as souvenirs for her very first Linggo ng Wika. Except we will not let her join the dancing activity. Tapioca and the Munchkin agreed. However, when we were at the venue, she got upset and insisted on joining her classmates. She terribly wanted to dance. She was so excited as if she was not sick at all. 

What happened next was not what I was expecting. We did not finish the program and headed home to change. Munchkin’s fever was back again. And it was even higher than the last time. We have to go to the hospital. Pronto.

me and the little munchkin in her costume . . . 

It was a payday weekend so traffic was terrible. Booking a Grab car was such a pain. Thankfully, her pedia accommodated us despite it was already his clinic's after-hours. After examining her, we were advised for confinement due to fever of 4 days and no improvement even when Munchkin was taking antibiotics. 

This was us over the weekend.

. . . at the hospital - parang staycation lang, huh? :)

snuggle time with mommy . . . 

Pumpkin was left at home with the nannies. He was also feeling under the weather. Tapioca had to stay at the hospital while I went back and forth from the hospital to our home. I had to stay home because I needed to feed Pumpkin. 

. . . feeding the little guy

After spending so much time with her Daddy, the Munchkin started to miss me. One time she cried because she wanted to go home with me. Awww my heart melted. 

Then this week, Pumpkin’s nanny left. This has been planned in advance and we already got a replacement. But the timing was still off. I was running errands going back and forth to the hospital and I still had to train the new nanny. Not to mention Pumpkin still needs to warm up to her which will take some time.

So tell me, what is STRESS?  Life of a mom. My life. 

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