A Day In The Life Of This Miss

I saw a season-themed prenuptial shoot for a local celebrity and I had a eureka moment instantaneously. I thought it would be nice to take pictures of the little one and spell out the word L-O-V-E using a few props that I can find inside our bedroom.

It was fun taking these pictures but I think I can do better next time. I zoomed in the lens too much that you can barely read the letters. I'll probably try to use a solid-colored blanket as background when I try to pull this off again. Then again, Summer still looked cute in the pictures above and her onesie screamed LOVE!

Ahhhh this little girl is growing up so fast...but as I always say, I love every second that I get to spend with her. I am just so in-love with my daughter. I can't imagine life without her in it.

LET'S CONNECT

It has been a month since I gave birth to my daughter and my heart is still overflowing with joy and so much love to date. I've learned a thing or two (and maybe even more) and still am to this day feeling the fear of failing as a mom. I still dread the times that I need to bathe her but I could jump up and down with extreme euphoria because I have managed to give her baths that she enjoys - no more wailing and crying for the past week or so. I am also happy to report that we seem to be getting into a good routine lately and I can now almost perfectly decode her cries (mom-instinct has officially kicked in I guess).

The weeks are flying by so quick despite all the hurdles and I am bracing myself to even quicker days and longer nights as we enter her second month. It's so heartwarming and fulfilling to witness the unfolding of her personality. I find it cute when she smiles in her sleep and how she reacts when I shower her with kisses. I can't wait until she is capable of responding to everything I do to and for her. I can't wait until she rewards me with genuine smiles and squeaks and all other silly things babies do.

She has grown a few centimetres and has gained a little bit of weight as well. Summer loves her tummy time a lot and her head control is improving. When she sleeps she makes strange sounds that startles me and even snores. Oh this little one! Sometimes I catch myself just staring at her while she sleeps and observing her breathing. Her chunky cheeks are just so loveable, it takes a whole lot of self-control not to pinch it or squeeze her ever so tightly. Her legs and arms are starting to get some muscle tone too. Her dad and I love it when she stretches like there's no tomorrow. She's growing fast I feel and she will for sure grow tall like her daddy without a doubt.

In a few days, Summer's grandma (my mom) will be visiting us and it will be the first time that they will see each other. I am looking forward to that. My mom has expressed her excitement to meet her second granddaughter so many times. My sister and her daughter will be flying in with my mom too. It's a great relief when my sister comes over as she takes charge of Summer's dirty clothes as well as helping me put her to bed.

Each day that I spend with Summer is a constant reminder how the Lord God Almighty has blessed me and how much I have to be grateful for being given the chance to be a mother. I hope I, with the help of my ever-loving husband and doting daddy, will be able to raise a healthy, well-rounded, smart and God-fearing child. That would be the absolute best reward for all the sleepless nights that mom and dad had and will go through with you.

Vi elsker dig lille smukke pige Viktoria Summer!

LET'S CONNECT

Whoa! If it were not for the pictures that were captured for the past weeks, every moment would have been all too vague for me. I am really thankful at how easy we can store memories this day and age. It would have been a lot difficult if we still have to take pictures and then bring the roll of negatives to be developed in a photo processing store. Now, it's just a matter of point and shoot and save. Easy peasy!

Where did all the days go? I can't believe it's been a month since our lives were forever changed. I can't say that all things are coming up roses now but definitely we are kind of getting into the groove as new parents already. I guess the real challenge for me will happen when my dear husband will be going on a short trip to Denmark (I am just so glad it is just a short trip). At the moment though, I can say that our confidence level as we take care of our little princess has increased a few notches.

Yesterday we celebrated Summer's first month. I took a picture of her wearing her onesie with her first monthly milestone sticker. I got the stickers from Sprints and I am happy to announce that they happily sent me an extra set that I can share to one of my readers. The set that I am giving away is safari-themed (4 designs - zebra, giraffe, lion and elephant) and made of high-quality sticker which you can use to stick on your baby's clothing or to a scrapbook project to document each month.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE:This giveaway is open to all my blog readers (including international). I will be announcing the winner on the next edition of the "Our Week In Photos" series which will be published next week.

LET'S CONNECT

#WHERETONEXT

All my bags are packed and outfits meticulously planned, airplane and train tickets booked, itinerary finalized, visa to the Netherlands secured and accommodation booked - I am ready for spring, ready for Keukenhof 2015. I can only wish as I write this!

I have been dreaming of this perfect moment since I was a little girl and I couldn't be any happier when my husband granted my request for us to include Lisse, Netherlands in our 2015 Europe tour (we also had Denmark, Sweden, and Germany in our list). I am beyond overjoyed and brimming in anticipation is arguably an understatement. As soon as I got his nod, I immediately listed down the main cities that we will be visiting as well as accommodation and mode of transportation (the OC in me was activated!).

I zeroed in on Keukenhof 2015 amongst the other places - I even started with the nitty gritty including checking out Airbnb listings in Lisse, Netherlands. Who would not be excited if you have these pictures teasing you?

Image Sources: 1 / 2 / 3

I chose a few listings and sent an email of inquiry to a listing which was very near Lisse - yes, where Keukenhof will once again come to life. Call it overexcitement - I actually did this last year, April 2014.

Believe it or not, I still received a response from Mark...

I did not expect to receive a response anymore as I just relayed a bad news but the host was so gracious to do so and I appreciated that a lot. It only affirmed that I was not wrong when I chose this listing. The wonderful feedback that I have read about the owners and their house from their guests are real more so reliable.

Such a charming and cozy place to stay! I purposely did not include all the pictures as I want you to see the rest for yourself. Why not?

WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS AIRBNB LISTING?

It is very close to Schiphol Airport.
The house can be conveniently reached by bus or train. And of course, the owners are very much willing to arrange a FREE pick-up and drop-off at Schiphol or Amsterdam Central (if possible).

It is very (read: super) close to Keukenhof Park.
The park is only 10 kilometres away. With the nice weather and picturesque surroundings, my husband and I can even hike or bike from the house to the park. We would be able to admire the beauty of Netherlands all the more. And then again, the owners can drive us to the entrance of the park in the morning and then pick us up late in the afternoon for guess what - NO CHARGE! Awesome!

You won't get disconnected with the outside world (and social media too).
Cable TV and internet connection are included in the published rate. How awesome is that? When I travel I don't want to be fully detached from my family and friends so this is an absolute necessity for me.

And who would say no to FREE breakfast every morning?
All part of the rate. Upon request, they can also provide evening meal for a small fee.

"Whether an apartment for a month, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, AIRBNB connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 190 countries."

#WhereToNext #Airbnb #AirbnbPH

As you may have read, we are not pushing through with our Europe trip this spring in time for Keukenhof. I got pregnant a couple of months when I planned our itinerary and gave birth just last month. I am still healing from my surgery and so traveling and going out and about with a newborn in tow is certainly not a good idea.

The good news is that we are still going but after spring - only in summer! Yay! By that time, my baby and I will be cleared by our respective doctors for a long haul flight already. I couldn't be more excited. Our spring trip may not push through this year but for sure I will be in contact with Mark and Sarah when my dream of visiting Keukenhof will be a reality.

If you read my post and I've convinced you to stay at Mark and Sarah's home when you visit Keukenhof 2015, let me know and please do send me pictures of the home and of course the park(if it's not too much to ask).

NOTE: This is my entry to the Nuffnang and Airbnb #WHERETONEXT Blogger Contest. If you want to submit your entry, be sure to create an account through the #AIRBNB website and sign up via Facebook or with your e-mail address and then choose one of any of the 1,000,000+ Airbnb listings around the world! You could win Php10,000 worth of Airbnb travel vouchers and a chance to ask yourself "Where do I go next?".

LET'S CONNECT

We spend a good amount of our waking hours as well as sleeping hours inside our bedroom. It's a place of comfort, our nook to recharge after a long day of work. For some, the bedroom is a place to snuggle and for city dwellers with limited space, it could function as their home office. I personally prefer my bedroom as my sanctuary, my little piece of relaxation heaven.

There's nothing better than coming home to a comfortable and cozy bedroom with a little bit of gorgeous details and knick knacks. Here are 10 of the pretty bedrooms that you would want to sleep in (just a little bit longer):

Image Source:
Style Me Pretty Living Gallery

I am still in bed as I write this and I think it's time to get up and fix myself a cup of coffee. Ahhhh! The best part of being on maternity leave is indulging myself to a little more time in bed when the little baby is still in dreamland...

LET'S CONNECT

Oh the newborn period! It has basically ended for me I guess and my Baby Summer is now an infant for that matter - she's now five weeks old. That fast! Yes, yesterday marked my baby's 5th week here on earth. I wanted to write about everything nice and beautiful again this time but I wanted to face some postpartum realities. And so here goes...

I looked at myself naked in the mirror and I almost fainted!!! I couldn't believe my eyes - Jesus f*****g Christ! (Excuse me) I can't believe how my husband still finds me sexy and desirable at the very least despite the right-in-your-face saggy skin. I would not lie - it's not pretty with all the stretch marks I see. Huge mistake! I should not have looked at myself, especially my belly, only a few weeks postpartum. Piece of advice: It is always best to let things settle a bit before you bravely face your reflection. Mirror's may lie but this time our mirror didn't lie - at all! Maybe, just maybe, after six months, I would have the gusto to look at my naked self yet again.

When I got pregnant one of the things that made me so excited was the thought of not having my monthly period for a few months. I told myself I am going to save a lot from not using sanitary napkin for my period. Until I gave birth and I bled - for so many days. I still am bleeding up to this day and it ain't fun at all. I practically used up all the pads I saved when I was pregnant. No fun at all!

Pain meds were my saving grace. I was never a fan of pain killers/relievers before and during my pregnancy but that preference changed after my c-section. I loved that my going home medication advise has this line - "pain meds may be taken as needed". I needed it! Recovery was hell for me although I was able to move faster than I thought I would. I am still using a stomach binder now and it's only now that I appreciate the strength of my midsection. It totally is different when you are not nursing an incision in that region. For real, pain meds are the bomb!

I am not getting enough sleep! Yes, you read that right. Feeding and nappy change times have killed my sleep time and I am just fortunate that the hubby is around to help me. This ain't good at all! However, I would gladly give up sleep so I have more time to take care of my little one. Every zombie-like moment is definitely worth the different kind of joy that I feel.

I have "momnesia". I have been very forgetful and I don't know if this is a legit medical condition. I have to live with it every single day. There are times that I would enter the bedroom and totally forget why I did so. I would cook and forget to put salt or go to the grocery and totally forget the most important item in the list. There was also a time when I practically turned everything upside down while looking for my baby's comb only to find it inside her nappy bag and when I was trying to remember where I hid her hair accessories only to find it in the corner of her cot. It's frustrating! I used to have very sharp memory and I rarely forget things. But now I do and I don't know until when I have to live with this.

I don't mean to scare anyone with this post. I am just sharing my experience. I don't have postpartum depression either. Still I can't end this post without sharing some positive vibes to you this week. I hope you all realize, myself included, that no matter how difficult things are - the truth is that things will get easier.

To each and every postpartum reality that I am experiencing and about to experience I say - BRING IT ON! I will worry about you later - my baby will not be a baby forever!

If you want to see more pictures, please follow my Instagram feed. Baby Summer has taken over it! CLICK CLICK

Before I end this post, let me just announce the winner for the week-long monthly milestone giveaway that was sponsored by our friends at Sprints. Thank you to everyone who joined. Please continue to visit my blog and follow my journey as a new mommy.

Princess Buenviaje

Kindly send me an EMAIL with your full name, contact number and shipping address.

LET'S CONNECT

I am still not able to bring my little Viktoria Summer to Easter egg hunting events this year because she's still a little baby so I decided to compile to share to you my dear readers (just in case you have not decided where to bring your kids yet). I guess you could tell I am really excited for when my little one would be able to interact with other kids already through activities like Easter egg hunting. That would be too much fun!

Here are the 10 really exciting (read:egg-citing) Easter egg hunting events in Metro Manila:

ACTIVE FUN
When: April 5, 2015
Where: BGC, SM Megamall and Fairview Terraces
What: Egg Hunting, Egg Painting, Mascot and Magic Shows, Games, Prizes, Raffle, Snacks, and Easter Loot Bag
Fee: Php500 for Fun Club member/ Php550 for non-members/Php250 per adult (inclusive of snacks) For more information, visit their website or like them on Facebook.

F1 HOTEL MANILA

What: F1 Easter Sports Camp
When: April 5, 2015, Sunday Time: 10AM to 2PM
Where: F1 Hotel Manila What: Snack box, Face Painting and Glitter Tattoo, Balloon Twisting, Donut Decorating, Photo Booth, Kid's Salon, Egg Painting, Easter Egg Hunting and Loot Bags
Fee: Php899 per child, two (2) years and below are free. Adult companion to also pay full charge.
For more information like them on Facebook.

FUN RANCH
When: April 5, 2015, Sunday | 11AM - 2PM (Ortigas) and 3PM - 6PM (Alabang)
Where: Ortigas and Alabang branches
Who: Kids 2 to 12 years of age What: Ride-All-You-Can wristband (Unlimited Play if Alabang), snacks, food cart treats, loot bags, access to all side activities and egg hunt. Php275/adult inclusive of entrance to the event, snacks, food cart treats and access to all side activities. No ticket, no entry.
Fee: Php550/child Buy your tickets now, limited slots only.
For more details, call 706-3029 or 31 or like them on Facebook.

THE PENINSULA MANILA
Easter Sunday is family day at The Peninsula Manila, and the hotel will be pulling out all the stops with a charming London-themed Easter Egg Hunt for young guests on Easter Sunday. Featuring toys and décor from the UK's favourite toy store, Hamley's, the egg hunt activities will include face painting, balloon twisting, and fun games, all in the midst of decor reminiscent of London's most iconic landmarks: Big Ben, the London Bridge and the London Eye. What: The Easter Sunday Brunch with Great Easter Egg Hunt.

When: April 5, 2015, Sunday | 12NN to 3PM
Where: Escolta (lunch) and Rigodon Ballroom
Fee: Adult- Php2,400 and Php3,500 with free flowing champagne, and Child- Php1,300
For more information, contact them at +632-8872888 Ext 6694, visit their website for Easter dining delights here, Pen Days of Easter here or the Great Easter Egg Hunt here and like them on Facebook.

DIAMOND HOTEL
What: Enchanted Forest Easter Event
When: April 5, 2015, Sunday | 10AM to 2PM
Where: Diamond Ballroom What: Face and Egg Painting, Musical Entertainment, Mime Show, Kids’ Salon, Cupcake Decorating, Photo Booth, Games, Glimmer Tattoo, Loot Bags, and Magic Show. Kids in their most magical, fairytale-inspired costume will get a chance to win magnificent prizes
Fee: Php850 nett/person Diamond Indulgence members will get Php100 off on the Easter Sunday event ticket price. A maximum of 4 tickets only will get a discount.
For more information, call them at +632-5283000 ext 8461, visit their website or like them on Facebook.

BELLEVUE MANILA HOTEL
When: April 5, 2015, Sunday | Registration at 11AM Program starts at 1PM to 3PM
Where: Grand Ballroom What: Snacks, Buffet, Entertainment, Games, Egg-Hunting, Games and Loot Bags
Fee: Php990 nett
For more information, call 777.8181 or like them on Facebookor follow them on Twitter.

MAKATI SHANGRI-LA HOTEL
What: Easter Egg Hunt, magic show, and kiddie snack with Rafa the Rabbit
When: April 5, 2015, Sunday | 11AM to 2 PM
Where: Isla Ballroom
Fee: Php800/person (Child or Adult) which comes with three (3) food stubs and one (1) beverage stub For more information, visit their e-brochure through their website or like them on Facebook.

BAYVIEW PARK HOTEL MANILA
When: April 5, 2015, Sunday | 1PM – 3PM
Where: Tropics Function Room
What: Easter Egg Hunt, Fun games, face painting, photo booth, loot bag, and character emcee
Fee: Php888.00/person
For inquiry and reservation, please call +632-2479000 local 1707/1759, visit their website or like them on Facebook.

THE HERITAGE HOTEL
When: April 5, 2015, Sunday | What: The Minions Easter Sunday Party (fun activities, games, lucky draw, and Lunch Buffet)
Fee: Php700/child and P1,300/adult
For more information, call +632-8548888 local 7355 or email foodbev@heritagehotelmanila.com. Please do like them on Facebook.

ACACIA HOTEL MANILA
When: April 5, 2015, Sunday
Where: 16/F Sequoia Ballroom
What: Sumptuous buffet, entertainment, raffle and exciting easter egg hunting activity for the kids.
Fee: Php995 nett per person
For more information, like them on Facebook.

I will be scouring my resources for more choices other than the list above so please make sure to come up in case there would be some updates. Have fun with your family!

LET'S CONNECT

Before we left the hospital I received a text message from my OB-Gyne with a few reminders about how to take care of my incision and the baby and a note reminding me that the first two weeks will be the hardest and everything will be easy breezy after. Summer's pediatrician also visited her and assured us that we will be taking home a healthy baby and that we should come back for her first check-up after a week. She assured me as well that the random red patches on baby's skin are normal and there's nothing to worry about it. Of course, my endocrinologist reminded me to come back after 6 weeks and go through another round of oral glucose tolerance test to ensure that I did not carry my diabetes post-pregnancy.

My planner is being put to good use early on. I have so many doctor's appointments to remember now apart from all the feeding schedule to follow. I was also lucky to have my sister at home after I gave birth to help with all the new momma chores that I needed to face.

I've also read a lot - enough to arm me with the knowledge to take care of my baby and here's what I did:

I picked her up when she cried.

No I was not trying to spoil her as most people, including my mom, would remark. I know she is not capable of manipulating me as well. She's too little and too delicate to be a dictator. I know she wanted her mommy's hugs, she wants to feel secure like she did inside my tummy. Besides I would rather pick her up than leave her to cry. She'll never be as light as she is now anyway.

I let her indulge her sweet time by sleeping on my chest.

I like the feeling of having my little princess curled up so comfy on my chest. I usually do this after burping her - skin to skin time plus tummy time in one. Although I received warning not to do this because this would create a bad habit. Really, I would do anything and every thing that feels good for me and my baby just so we could survive the day unscathed. Oh and yes, I can watch TV while doing this as well so we both enjoy our "bonding time".

I did not give her a bath every single day (morning).

My sister always reminded me to bathe the little one before 8AM (so she doesn't get a cold). I question this though, baby's don't necessarily have schedules and they got morning and night mixed up so I guess I am in the clear about this. I feel iffy waking her up just to undress her and sprinkle her with bath water. I would not want that to be done to me so why would I do it to my daughter. Anyway, I like her smell even without taking a bath and I am sure that she is in fact a newborn and not a construction worker so she wasn't really that dirty. I change her clothes at least twice daily though.

I/We fed the little milk monster on demand.

I remember asking, "she can't be hungry, we just fed her!" so I would attempt to talk to her or tickle her lips with the pacifier or pick her up and do my little chicken dance to no avail. If I offer the bottle, the fussiness will go away almost instantaneously so why give in to her demands yeah? If she's happy then I am happy too and of course daddy too. So that's the routine now - feed first then change nappy next. It's working for us!

I let her sleep - as long as she wants.

I don't think waking a sleeping newborn is fair. Let her sleep for crying out loud! A newborn needs at least 16 hours of sleep anyway. While she sleeps, I try my hardest to do all my chores - wash her dirty clothes, wash her bottles, clean the house, take a very quick shower, clean my incision, cook and believe you me 24 hours is never enough for all these chores. Oh and yes, you have to make sure to squeeze in some nap time too so you have willpower to stay awake when your newborn declares "party time" at night.

Memorize the trinity of baby's happiness.

Dry bum + Full tummy + Snooze time on mom or dad's chest = Perfection!

Time just comes and goes too quickly when you have a newborn inside the house. So, I make sure I enjoy every single minute I have with her by giving her warmth, food, hugs and loads of unconditional love. She can only be a newborn for a month after all.

LET'S CONNECT

As I slowly inch my way out of the corporate world and find my way back in the blogging world, I am going to start a series that would help me refresh my blog. Over the past few years that I have maintained my blog, I've encountered ebbs and flows and writer's block as well as blog drought to name a few and now that I have a little more time at home I am planning to take things a little more seriously this time. I don't intend to make a living out of this but if it will then it will be a welcome blessing. Who knows this could just be the start of a career that I can devote some of my idle time aside from taking care of my little one.

My aim is to share - as I relearn the ins and outs of blogging for myself - I want to be able to share this to my readers as well. I aim to share my life as a new mom (the wins and challenges and the whole nine yards), my opinions and thoughts, my observations, tips and information that will be useful to anyone who gets to read my articles. Thus the birth of this series - Blogging Tips and Tricks.

Please note that this series does not aim to teach you how to get invited to events, how to receive freebies, how to be famous nor how to score writing gigs. Do know that I am not an expert - treat me like a student who's sharing what I have learned.

So let's get started with the essentials that you need to have to start blogging:

1. Notebooks / Planners - I always carry a notebook or planner in my purse so I can jot down blog post ideas or anything inspiring that I see. It is also very useful to jot down quick notes or reminders. I can also sketch out images of things I like or see. There are many notebooks available in the market now but choose something nice and cute so you would be inspired to carry it with you everywhere you go. Don't let a brilliant idea go to waste. You can use the planner to plot specific posts and then schedule the dates to publish your article. If you are the digital type, you can use your smartphone's calendar feature as an alternate to this. As for me, I would rather stick to the old school way of writing down my ideas.

2. Camera / Tripod - This is an obvious necessity that needs to be in your essentials list. Choose a camera that you would be comfortable in using so you can take crisp photos for your blog posts. The tripod would be useful in ensuring that your photos will not be shaky or out of focus. While we're at it, make sure you have good lighting (natural light is best) when taking your photos as well. I am using a Nikon D7000 with its original kit lens. It takes pretty decent pictures already so I am good with it. If you want to enhance your pictures, you may use photo editing software like Photoshop or an online photo editing tool such as PicMonkey for only $4.99/month or $33 for the whole year. If you want to spruce up your photos, you may purchase design bundles as well as premium fonts (like the one I used in the picture above - Manhattan Darling Regular).

3. Laptop / Smartphone - In order to publish your blog posts, you need to have an access to a laptop or a desktop or even smartphones with access to your blogging portal. I prefer to use a laptop because I can bring it with me anywhere inside the house and it is also very light when I have to take it outside. I am not comfortable using a smartphone to blog because of the formatting limitations but that's just me. I think it's the way to go so I better start learning that too.

4. Internet Connection - Of course, the only way for you to be able to publish your posts is to have an internet connection. I am currently on a 5MB broadband plan and so far it is working for me. It isn't fast as lightning but it isn't slow like a turtle - it's just right for my blogging needs.

Sometimes getting started is the hardest part and now that you know the essentials that you need to start then you can keep the ball rolling. I am so thankful that I made the leap and started my blog. Now, it's your turn...

See you on the next part of this series - Choosing Your Own Domain.

LET'S CONNECT

I stumbled upon Creative Market while looking for fonts to beautify my blog content and I couldn't hold back myself from not sharing this with you. It was definitely a eureka moment. I am so giddy! The fonts I am going to share with you are so pretty and some are even dreamy. I am literally lost in the beauty of these scripts.

NOTE: Scroll below for pure premium font goodness. Click on the font name so you can read more about it and then DOWNLOAD it catches your fancy.

BUTTERSCOTCH - a beautifully organic, hand-lettered script, carefully crafted and then digitized into an easy to use, elegant yet "inky" typeface.

ISABELLA SCRIPT - a handwritten copperplate calligraphy font, combines from copperplate to contemporary typeface with a dancing baseline, classic and elegant touch.

BONJOUR - a bold and beautiful brush-lettered font. This is one of the BEST BUYS in this font list! The lovingly crafted Photoshop styles are available in watercolors, foils and inks to bring your typographic creations to life. I couldn't wait to buy this so I can start creating lovely things. Such yumminess!

VERYBERRY SCRIPT - a handwritten font with a unique character. I like the simple elegance of this script. There are more than 750 glyphs in the font including discretionary ligatures, initial and terminal forms for all letters and ligatures, stylistic alternates, ornaments, etc.

GREATESQUE - a beautiful script in flaws. Spontaneous, wild hand and imperfect flow give the natural look to your work. This is great for designing book covers, film covers, apparel, cards, logos, posters, etc. I love the unfinished finish of this font a lot.

ALEGANCE TYPEFACE - a beautiful handmade calligraphy typeface. This is so pretty and it makes me remember the time I tried calligraphy. I may just go back to learning it again because of this font.

PEINTURE TYPEFACE - a handwritten calligraphy font that looks understated but packs a punch. This font is great with greeting cards and other projects that requires natural and personal touch.

INK BLOSSOMS - a font that reminds me so much of my own handwriting - no kidding! I love how natural-looking this looks.

UMBRELLA - a brush script that is beautiful and unique. It is a modern calligraphy typeface in combination with a calligraphy brush writing style. The font set has contextual swashes and alternates, discretionary ligatures as well as stylistic alternates and sets.

GREATPARK TYPEFACE - a beautiful handmade brush script give this set its natural look. The swashes and ornaments give this some character.

Did you like any of the fonts I shared? Head on over to Creative Market and let me know your personal favorites. I would love to know...

LET'S CONNECT

As I contemplate and entertain the idea of leaving the workforce and start working from home full-time, I would like to be able to set-up a creative and inspiring working environment before my maternity leave comes to an end. The internet is overflowing with wonderful ideas and truly inspiring workspaces that are super worthy to be included in anyone's inspiration board and so I took advantage of it.

A small home office does not require much space but to pay this off it will for sure require a great deal of creativity. I want something cozy and at the same time with lots of functional elements. I also want something refined and feminine with lots of natural light.

I love the gold elements in this workspace.

I love how natural light can come in just by opening the curtains.

When I look at pictures and illustrations as well as patterns, I lean towards dots and lines and chevrons.

I don't like how bright this workspace is but I like the open shelves and cabinetry.

I like how simple yet elegant this design is.

This one is very functional and seems easy to pull off in a small and cramped apartment like ours. I love how you can work on crafts on one side and some serious writing job in another side. Two birds in one stone eh? You just need a bookshelf and a table to get this concept down pat.

Oh the peach walls! Everything will be peach-y in your little working space if you choose this happy color for your workspace.

A little inspirational quote on the wall would surely get your day going.

I love the combination of sea foam green and white in this photo.

This design is so me - dots and lines and florals and boxes (lots of 'em).

Image Sources

The Glitter Guide / Decorazilla / Good Housekeeping / Home Idea Network / House of Rose Blog / Label Me Merrit / Littlephant / Veanad / Pottery Barn / HomeyOhMy

I think I can get this project done. I have enough inspiration to get this going. If you have other design suggestions that you want me to add in my inspiration board, please do let me know. Wish me luck!

LET'S CONNECT

Last week was one of the longest weeks so far only because hubby had to fly to Denmark for his medical check-up and so that meant I did basically all the feeding and nappy changes except when my sister so happily did it for her niece. Summer had the sniffles in the middle of the week and I had the symptoms too. She got better after a day but my symptoms persisted so I exercised a lot of self-control to not smother her with kisses. It was a little bit hard but we managed. We've kissed flu goodbye and we're both back to the pink of health.

All the pictures above were taken using my phone and some were edited using an app for Instagram so I am not sure why the resolution is not good. Anyway, I will try to take pictures using my camera so I can have better resolution.

We had another photo shoot with The Picture Company - my niece, Dorothy Elleana, and Summer were such troopers. They both were too cute in the pictures. I observed that Summer had a very good neck control already at five weeks. Such a cutie! (I'm the mom who adores her little baby so much. You have been warned. Haha!)

I have grown to love doing this series already as I get to look back on the tiny epic moments that I have shared my tiny bundle of joy. She has shown so much personality in so little time. But still until now I am baffled at how a tiny human being can give her mom so much laundry.

How was your week?

LET'S CONNECT

What makes life worth living? I've asked myself that question and I felt a little resistance inside me to answer such a question. I find it a tad bit difficult to answer with thoughtfulness and honesty. There are so many forces bigger than myself but I know deep within that I should make room for that question and answer it with conviction.

But it strikes me as a really important question. Such as every human being on earth is only given one life to live and so it is only but practical to make the most out of it.

Make The World A Better Place(in your own little way)
You can make the world a better place by striving to be a better person each day. Strive to entertain positive thoughts and find the best in others. Do something good to yourself or other people around you to nourish your soul and practice the idea of "paying it forward".

Laugh Often(and much!)
Avoid taking things too seriously and laugh at every chance you got. Laugh it off - when you commit mistakes. Laugh it off - when life gives you lemons. Laugh often as you journey through life - in various circumstances and situations. Laughter, anyway, is good for your mind, your body as well as your soul. If you can't laugh then you can at least smile - it reduces stress and anxiety and that's guaranteed.

Find Your Bliss(travel and explore your country and the world)
Once in a while, book a plane ticket and travel to a new destination to reinvigorate your soul and take you away from the busy trappings of your daily life. The lasting benefits of travelling always outweighs the cost. Aside from disconnecting from the daily grind, travelling widens your perspective and increases your resourcefulness as well as allows you to make lasting memories that would last for a lifetime and this is something that money cannot buy. Experiencing different cultures can be enlightening and educational. At the end of every travel, you will always come home renewed which would help you function better.

Read, Read, Read (books, magazines, even product packaging)
"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." Reading can stimulate your mind which then prevents it from losing power. As they say, you have to use it or lose it. Feed your brain with new bits of information - this will equip you with better vocabulary, better coping strategy when faced with challenges, and better memory.

Find A Hobby (a craft a day keeps boredom at bay)
A hobby is more than just an idle pursuit to pass the time. Hobbies can give you joy that would help you reclaim your life from an otherwise boring and mundane life and/or task. A hobby offers a time for you to relax as well as provide you purpose, satisfaction and pleasure.

Attitude of Gratitude (thank you, thank you, thank you)
Being thankful can boost your well-being. Gratitude also opens the door to more relationships as showing appreciation can help you win new friends and nurture existing ones. Being thankful makes you easily contented thus you live a life less complicated. Oh and yes, being thankful can help you sleep better. Ask me how...

Forgive(again and again - many times over)
Forgiveness can lead to healthier relationships as better health as it promotes the reduction of stress and anxiety. When you forgive, there is a tendency to improve your psychological well-being as well.

There are other several ways for your to make your life better - to make life worth living. It would be impossible for me to list down everything. It would be nice to know directly from you what sort of things you do to make your life worth living. Let's talk!

LET'S CONNECT

Last week, I shared what I think are the essentials that every aspiring blogger should have. I would also like to say that I do not claim to be an expert at blogging and everything that I aim to share in this series are my personal experiences and/or things that I have learned/read/research.

I started using the free Blogger platform and after about a little more than a year of blogging, I decided to buy my own domain name and I have renewed it annually since. If you are serious about taking your blog to the next level, I would strongly suggest for you to register a unique domain name. A domain name is your own unique website address or URL, such as www.firstnamelastname.com and this address identifies your site.

Here are a few tips when choosing your own domain name:

Research - Make sure that you have a unique domain name. Choose one with a good recall to your target readers - something that is easy to remember. Jot down words that is related to your planned niche, as well as descriptive words to attach to your keyword. You may also want to check social networking sites such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to verify if the handles you have chosen or want to use are still available. I wish someone gave me that advice when I started a few years ago.
Register - As soon as you have researched and decided on what your domain is, make sure to register it before you start building your blog. Domain names sell quickly. If you are not ready to purchase yet (as was my case before), you can still blog using the free platform and then just redirect your site after. Although, it would be best to register and buy your own domain name to make sure that no one takes your preferred name from you. Quick tip: Make your domain name easy to remember (short and catchy as well as easy to pronounce and spell). Do keep in mind that sometimes you will not get your first pick so make sure that you have at least two options on hand.
Reason - Avoid choosing a domain name that is similar to another well-known domain name and of course make sure to not violate someone else's trademark. Also avoid choosing hyphenated domain names as this could lead to potential errors when you share your URL verbally.

If you already have a blog running on WordPress and you think that it is high time to run a self-hosted blog, you are going to need a host. It is essentially the company that hosts your site in its servers. I recommend Bluehost as a reliable and practical option (at only $3.95/month).

If you choose Blogger like I did, your blog is already hosted in the Google servers - easy peasy. You need not purchase the hosting service to go with your domain name.

Blogging has changed my life in a positive way and I hope that as you immerse yourself into the world of blogging that it would have a positive impact to you as well. Please join me again next week for the third part of this series (I have not yet decided on what topic to talk about but it should be up on the blog next Saturday). If you missed the first part, click this link.

If you are reading this and you already have a blog, please do share how you chose your domain name. If you are still thinking of what to choose, I hope this article helped you at some point. At the end of the day your domain name should be a string of letters that will be your blog's primary identity. Choose wisely!

LET'S CONNECT

Oh yes, hello there dear April. It's officially the second quarter of 2015! It's already summer here in the Philippines - and if we rely on weather predictions then it's going to be a very dry and warm summer. I am not exactly thrilled about this but I am going to claim that it is going to be a wonderful month.

March was a blur, it came and went too quickly. My husband left for a week to handle some work stuff in Denmark and I missed him quite a bit more this time. I am sure our little princess missed him too. Now he is back and we are planning for a trip to my province so we can attend my niece's first birthday celebration. We are also planning to have Summer baptized this month.

My main goal this month is to manage my time WISELY. I look forward to our trips this month and bringing baby for the first time to the beach. Ah Summer's first summer! Gotta make sure it is going to be something special more so that we are going to be spending it with family.

Here are a few of my other goals this month:

— Organize baking tools and equipment as well as ingredients.
— Buy white or seafoam green table cover.
— Clean the spare cabinet in the bedroom.
— Get rid of expired food items in the pantry.
— Purge closet and give away old clothes.
— Publish at least three blog posts each week.
— Drink a glass of water every hour.
— Say "I love you" to my baby daughter every day.
— Apply for baby's Denmark and Philippine passport.
— Organize paperwork for maternity benefit claims.

I usually just write my goals in my planner but this month and the next months to come I would endeavor to write a blog post entry preferably every first day of the month. What about you? Have you set goals for yourself this month as well? If you blog about your goals too, please send me the link, I would love to read your goals too - leave me a note in the comments box below.

LET'S CONNECT

Our dear darling daughter, Viktoria Summer, is 1 month and 23 days old as I write this. Our lives practically revolve around her and she has us wrapped around her little finger. In between feeling light-headed (because of very little sleep) and waking up in the middle of the night to calm a wailing baby, I am happy to share that we are still surviving and still very eager to get to know her a little better. If you ask me how I feel now, I would still say being a new parent is arguably the most wonderful feeling that I have ever felt thus far.

Here are some of the wonderful things, albeit rather challenging things about her so far:

1. She loves the sound of the vacuum cleaner.

She loves her sleep when she is in the mood to sleep. She can sleep even when the TV is on or when the neighbor's car alarm won't stop sounding off. However, when she does not want to sleep, you could spend all your time swinging her or carrying her to no avail. The only thing that could put her to sleep when that happens would be the sound of a vacuum cleaner which seemed to be a comforting sound for her. I wonder if my stomach sounded like a vacuum cleaner when she was still inside me. During the night time, we fake the vacuum cleaner sound by using white noise through Spotify. Score! Sometimes when she is not in the mood to sleep, it could also mean that she is hungry so getting her dose of milk (and a good burp) takes her to dreamland in no time.

2. She loves being carried.

She loves it - a lot! I guess all babies do around her age. If she's tossing and turning and can't seem to stay still (arms flailing around and all), what we do is to pick her up and carry her and that would solve the problem. She loves feeling secured in the arms of her mommy or daddy or anyone willing to carry her. On her first month, she loved skin-to-skin contact when carried which I was more than happy to indulge her with.

3. She has a love-hate relationship with her "soothie".

There are times when she would suck on her soothie like there's no tomorrow. She would pull on it when you attempt to remove it. Other times, she just don't want anything to do with it and spits it out. I think she spits it out when she realizes that she is getting short-changed. Smart girl eh?

4. She loves her sleep.

Oh this little one can sleep! And when she does nothing you do will ever wake her up. Like when we applied for her Philippine passport, she fell asleep while we were waiting for our turn to present her documents at the courtesy lane. When it was time to capture her first ever passport picture, she remained asleep. I tried hard to wake her up by nudging her and even using a wet wipe on her eyelids to no avail (sorry little darling mommy's got to do what she has to do). We waited for almost an hour until she eventually opened her eyes and the DFA personnel was able to capture an acceptable picture. I wish she didn't look as grumpy though. Yes, this little one loves her sleep indeed.

5. She loves her bath time.

I can only remember 2-3 times of bath time where she cried and it all happened during her first two weeks. We both have been enjoying her bath time and that's a wonderful thing right? I try to sing to her as much as I can and I tell her what I am doing. I also give her gentle massages to calm her down. biggest reward for mommy would be her happy face and cute smiles.

6. She loves to boss mommy and daddy around.

We are at her mercy, we are her employees at this stage. When she wants to be carried, she would demand it by crying. When she wants her food, she would wake us up in the middle of the night. When she poops, she would grunt and make sounds that makes us just look at her and hold her hand. She demands attention so much - but of course she is only a baby once so no complaints about that. Yes, baby, yes! Honestly, I cried once when I can't seem to figure out what she wants and I was left alone with her. She's that kind of boss - "figure out what I want or else you can't get your rest".

7. She loves being swaddled.

Her swaddle blankets are her "security blankets" literally. She loves the comfort of the soft fabric. She likes being snuggled tight. I love swaddling her too as this prevents jerking movements that could startle her during sleep. I avoid swaddling her during nap times though so she can freely stretch her legs and arms and avoid any hip dislocation since her joints are still developing.

8. She loves nap time in the living room couch.

She loves her nap time in the living room and she could not care less if the TV is in full volume. Christian has christened the couch as "Viktoria couch" in her honor. Haha! There's really no problem putting her down to sleep if she's on her back on the couch. Sometimes we let her sleep on the couch before moving her to the crib in the bedroom and it works. I guess she takes this from mommy because I love sleeping on the couch too.

9. She loves to show off with her sound effects.

During her waking hours, She likes to move around her arms and legs while trying to pout and desperately try to make noises. At her current age (7 weeks), she now loves to smile, squeak and snore. She really never fails to amuse us (or maybe she is really just trying to amuse herself).

I feel so honored to be given the chance to be a mother and I am sure Christian feels the same way as well and he is doing a great job being a first-time dad. Summer can continue to be "demanding" and we will only be more than willing to provide everything that she needs as a growing baby. I am still super motivated that I am a mom now and things can only get better from here on. Sure there will be challenging times but I say - bring it on! I am usually very impatient but I find that I am really patient with her - I don't know where the extra patience comes from but I guess it just comes with motherhood.

Overall, she isn't really that much of a problem baby - she's just normal I guess. Her craving for love and attention and hugs and caresses and of course milk is just but normal.

We love you Summer. We love you very much!

NOTE: This post is in lieu of the weekly "Our Week In Photos" post which was supposed to be published yesterday. Baby and I had visitors at home so I was not able to compose and edit photos thus I opted to publish another entry I wrote instead.

LET'S CONNECT

It's May, it's May, it's the merry month of May. I can't believe it's the fifth month of the year already. It seems it was only yesterday when I was hiding in my room scared that the new year's eve fireworks will startle the little one inside my belly. And now, she is here with us and almost always the reason for the happiness in our home. This little human being has undoubtedly filled our little home with love. Time is not slowing down for sure...

I have a lot of backlog and it's just now that I have some time to sit down and write a decent post once again. We just arrived from vacation and the internet was really spotty where we went to. I needed to go to our roof to get a little bit of internet data reception. I mostly have a better connection when we are on the road but that's not really the time when I can tinker my phone.

Anyway, it was a wonderful vacation and it surely allowed me think about one of the biggest decisions that I ever had to make concerning my career. I was able to rearrange my priorities and evaluate what kind of life I would like to lead. After countless conversations with my husband, weighing all the possible pros and cons of leaving my job and several debates with myself, I finally put my foot down and decided to shift my focus from my career to my family. I realized how important my presence is to my daughter's development and growth. She needed me more than anyone else in this world and I have no one to blame but myself if something happened to her while I am busy at work earning a living. It will not be easy I am sure of that but I am prepared to face the adjustment period.

I will be writing more about my decision to be a stay-at-home mom in another post so I hope you will come back to read it. I would also appreciate if you can leave some advices that I could use as I transition to my new role. My main goal this month is to manage our household in the best way possible. It will be tough, it won't be a walk in the park that's for sure. I have several goals up my sleeve that I was not able to accomplish last month so I will still be including them in my new list.

Here are a few of my goals this month:

- Organize baking tools and equipment as well as ingredients.
- Buy white or seafoam green table cover.
- Clean the spare cabinet in the bedroom.
- Publish at least three blog posts each week.
- Drink a glass of water every hour.
- Source fabrics to use for crib sheets and bolster covers (might make this into a business).
- Store baby clothes that no longer fit Summer. She's growing too fast I tell you!
- Give away pots and pans that I rarely use to free up some kitchen cabinet space.
- Clean the oven and prep for some baking this month.
- Religiously update my expense tracker.

So yes, that's a brief summary of why I was not able to update my blog last month and a little welcome shout-out for May. I hope I will be strong enough to face all the challenges that May will bring.

How about you? Are you all set for May?

LET'S CONNECT

My mom travelled to the US solo last month and she's still there now. I can see in her pictures that she's enjoying the trip and I am so happy for her. I wish I could have travelled with her but I have a newborn baby to attend to and a Europe travel to prepare for before the year ends.

My mom's aunt invited her to travel to Virginia and I can see how she was so reluctant to go at first because for one she really did not like to travel, two she was scared to travel alone (let alone be in a long haul flight alone) and three she thinks she's a little too old for endless walking and wandering. I coaxed her to accept the invitation because it's not something that comes often. She conceded and eventually applied for her US non-immigrant visa and got for herself 10-year multiple entry.

My grandma brought my mom to a few of the tourist spots in Virginia and Washington DC so far and I could tell by the look on her face and the sound of her voice every time we FaceTime that she is having the time of her life. She has complained of aching feet but well I guess it's normal for anyone who travels to feel that. I just tell her to enjoy some more and elevate her legs when she gets a chance.

"Nagbook ka na naman ng ticket? Nag-aaksaya ka lang ng pera. Kung sinave mo yan eh di mas mabuti." - and on goes her tirade when I inform them that I am headed somewhere.

I remember how my mom would always tell me every time I travel that I am wasting my time and money and that I should just save my money in the bank or invest it for my future. Yes, she's one of those who does not appreciate travel. She was not successful in discouraging me though and I always insisted that I feel rich every time I travel because I gain so much experience and I learn different cultures and get to meet other people too that eventually became my friends. I also discover more about myself when I travel. It is also a bonus that I married a Danish gentleman which gives me more reason to travel in the next years to come.

So yes, my mom's first ever travel to the US made her fall in-love with traveling. I knew she'd change her perspective as soon as I learned about my grandma inviting her to go to the US. Plenty of people around the world are not so lucky to get an invitation so I did the best I could to make her accept it. I knew that I just have to encourage her to take the first step and the rest will be easy as pie. I knew that traveling alone will be a challenge for her but the memories she will experience will surely be worth all the hassle. I love how she would tell me about the places they have visited and that she hopes she could also bring dad and the rest of the family when she returns.

More than the usual "pasalubong" I expect my mom to come home with stories - stories about her travel that she can share to her grandkids in the future. And the best part is this is only the beginning...

How about you? What's one life lesson you learned from traveling?

LET'S CONNECT

I was glued to the telly after the breaking news flashed on screen on May 2nd: "It's a girl for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's second baby!" And the whole of England and the world over erupted in glee and excitement. The #RoyalBaby is finally out, the fourth heir to the throne. Finally, a princess!

It's amazing that she was only in labor for more than two hours and was out of the hospital a little over 12 hours after being admitted. What's more amazing is that she came out of the hospital wearing a floral white and yellow Jenny Packham dress looking like this:

Did she even give birth to this 8 pounds 3 ounces precious little princess? She was stunning. I was all bloated 12 hours after I gave birth for crying out loud. I guess normal delivery does have its advantages and of course being a member of the royalty to boot.

The little princess was definitely worth the wait. She is the first girl born in the main line of succession in 65 years. Now the whole world is waiting for the announcement of the name that William and Kate chose for their little baby girl. Any guesses?

LET'S CONNECT

It's not a secret that I had a difficult pregnancy and it was a relief that there were no complications to me and to my baby when I gave birth. I was so grateful that I was given the opportunity to stay at home after being granted medical leave by the company I work for. Until now my heart is overflowing with gratitude as I feel that the rest I enjoyed on my third trimester saved my life and my baby's life.

The relief I felt was short-lived though as I struggled if I will go back to work after my maternity leave or stay at home and take care of my daughter. It was a daily struggle to me and it's quite unnerving. I was always in a constant debate with myself whether I entrust my daughter to a help or to give up my career and be at her beck and call round the clock. I have a high-paying job albeit a very stressful one and it requires me to work nights so that makes the situation more complicated. My husband talked to me and assured me that he would support whatever my decision is but he also made it clear that if it were up to him he would prefer if I shift my focus to caring for our little daughter. For someone that is used to working and earning her own keep, that was an extremely difficult situation to be in. I knew that I had to choose and the time has come.

I left my job because I wanted to spend quality time with my family (my husband and my daughter). When I was still working, I would be planning my vacation leaves wisely and dutifully juggled work and my married life. There were times though that work would trump my married life because there would be meetings scheduled earlier than my shift that I had to attend or there are some tasks that needs to be done after my regular working hours. I had to leave my husband alone in our apartment while I earn a living. I come home in the morning and just when he wakes up, I go to bed. There's no amount of quality in that if I may say so. I feel I was consumed by my career no matter how hard I try to balance my focus. I am thankful that I married a very understanding man and that he was content to spend time with me on my weekends. I don't want that to happen now to our daughter. I don't want my daughter to feel like she is my second priority because after all she is my first priority not my job. I want her to feel my love wholly. After all, my husband deserves a happy wife, my daughter deserves a stress-free mom and I deserve to live a quiet yet happy life.

I left my job because I don't want any regrets. I know I will never ever regret giving up my career because I can find another job if I want to. I also do know that if I choose my job over my daughter, I will have the biggest regrets in the future - I would regret not being able to see her first step, not being able to hear her first word, or not being the one to console her in between her crying fits at night. I once talked to a mom who shared that she envies the "yaya" of her daughter because the baby is closer to her. The baby would run to the yaya when she needs soothing after falling down or would only calm down after the yaya caresses her or sings her a song. It's heartbreaking! She maybe successful in her career but I know as I looked in her eyes that if she had the choice, she would rather take care of her daughter than take care of her patients.

Reality Check: Turning your back on a seriously well-paying job isn't most people would and could do.

I left my job because I trust my husband's promise that he will provide for our needs. My husband earns a decent salary and he can very well support my needs as well as our baby's needs while at the same paying the equity for the property we just purchased. I am fortunate enough that my husband trusts how I manage our finances. I am also quite confident that our savings account will not be drained anytime soon because I was able to save a sizeable amount from my bonuses and salary last year. I have also managed to pay off all my credit card debt and I have no outstanding loans from either SSS or HDMF.

I left my job because the rewards of being a stay at home mom far outweighs the rewards of being the employee of the year. I feel extremely happy every time my daughter smiles at me or when she responds when I try to play with her. I enjoy our time together especially when I give her a bath or when I lull her to sleep. With my daughter, I get my reward on a daily basis and get my real-time performance review as well. It gives me pure joy knowing that the experience of being a mom/parent is so rewarding.

Reality Check:All the sacrifices, no matter how small, if you make it for your family, it will be worth it!

I left my job because I want a more fulfilling job. Motherhood is a job, without rest days or vacation leaves, without monetary rewards or town hall recognitions. Motherhood's reward is seeing my child happy and well taken cared of. Motherhood's reward is raising my child in a relaxing and nurturing environment that only me can give. It is for all intents and good reasons the most rewarding career I will ever have.

Would you give up your career for your family?

LET'S CONNECT

Summer Love

We Love You Viktoria Summer!

Our Week In Photos - It's Been A Month + Giveaway

#WHERETONEXT - Acknowledging The Wander Lust

10 Pretty Bedrooms That You Would Want To Sleep In

Our Week In Photos and My Postpartum Reality Check

Easter 2015 Egg Hunting Events In The Metro

How I Handled My Newborn

Blogging Tips and Tricks Series: Essentials Every Blogger Should Have

It's Fontastic: 10 Oh So Pretty Scripts

10 To Die For Workspace Inspirations

Our Week In Photos: Kissed The Flu Goodbye

Making Life Worth Living

Blogging Tips and Tricks Series: Choosing Your Domain

Oh Hello There Dear April

9 Things That Summer Loves

Is It Really May?

How My Mom Fell In-Love With Traveling

#RoyalBaby

Why I Left My Job?