What's inside my baggage?

Yesterday before I went home, I decided to drop by at this local grocery store to buy nappies for my daughter. As I stepped inside, the guard told me to put my baggage in the counter. I smiled at him and politely said “Kuya, hindi po to baggage, bag kopo ito at di ko pwede iwan dyan sa baggage counter dahil andyan ang buhay ko”.  Okay fine, I really didn't say "andyan ang buhay ko." (This may sound familiar if you have seen the movie That Thing called Tadhana) 

I looked at my bag and realized that my bag indeed looks like a baggage. It’s even bigger than the backpack that I lent my officemate for their out-of-town trip. The bag that I carry ever since I returned to work from maternity leave is so heavy and bulky that’s why it looks like a luggage full of clothes and other items. I think my daughter can even fit inside haha! I didn’t realize that I’ve been carrying this for almost 7 months every time I go to work and didn’t bother to complain even if it’s so heavy.

So I peeked inside to check what makes it so bulky. :D The items in my “baggage” are no longer the items that I usually put inside when I was still single and do not have a daughter yet. Before, there were kikay kits, make ups on the side pockets, mirror and other vanity items. Now, everything had changed - I realized that I do not even have a press powder. :D errrp! So here are the things inside my bag. Don’t laugh at me J

·         1 insulated bag filled with 4 freshly pumped milk with 2 blue and silver ice packs

·         4 orders of chicken sisig placed on a separate plastic bag - bought this from the pantry so I don’t have to cook lunch :D

·         1 extra bottle for my electric breast pump

·         1 google nexus tablet - i brought this so I could charge it in the office but totally forgot about it

·         1 set of clothes for my daughter - bought this from an online shop in Instagram and I have it delivered in the office 

·         1 sandwich from Subway - this one I bought for my husband

·         My ever reliable coin purse

·         Pair of shoes and slippers

·         Another big coin purse

·         Nivea Lip Gloss

·         Lip and cheek tint

·         ID

·         Mist Spray

·         Phone with charger and earpods

·         Umbrella

Not the typical items you’d see inside a woman’s bag - this is why I love the bag that I am using right now because aside from its gigantic size (haha)  and number of pockets it looks ready durable. You don’t have to worry if the handles and threads would fall apart even if you put a lot of things inside it.

Also, before I forget, I am using a baby Couture diaper bag. I decided to use it and bought a smaller version for my daughter so I could use this. ;)

Here's a pic of the diaper bag that I am using. Photo napped from the online store where I bought it. It is bigger than you think 

How about you? What’s inside your bag? 

I am blessed

Yesterday, I shared my feelings about the way I feel. Grief is inevitable but I know I can do something about it. It has been almost a year since she passed away, but I am still in the process of acceptance. I prayed and asked for God's guidance so I can have my own peace of mind and learn how to let go. As I looked at my daughter earlier this morning, I have realized that there is more to life than being sad; that there are so many ways on how to be happy. I have an adorable daughter, a loving husband, a job that I've been embracing for more than 5 years so why should I be blue? 

My mom may have left us, but her memories will always stay in our hearts. So from this day forward, I promise to myself to let go. It doesn't mean that I am going to forget about her, but it’s already time to move on and to accept. She is in a better place right now where there is no pain and grief.  Today, I learned once again that I should be happy because my mom’s suffering has ended.   I am just sad that she never got the chance to meet her granddaughter, Milly. This for me is one of the most difficult things to come to terms with.

I will continue to live life to its fullest (so cliché, eh). I will continue to be the best mom to my daughter, to be a good wife to my husband and to keep myself with all the wonders of life that I enjoy. To inspire, to write, to smile and to love. 

I am blessed, and should be happy. 

A sense of longing

I miss my mom so much that it makes me feel I am experiencing late onset post partum depression. I am sorry Milly my daughter if lately I have been cranky and ill-tempered most especially if you start to cry or wouldn’t eat your food. This is not what I have imagined. This week has been a challenge for me, and for some reasons, this sadness I feel right now is starting to consume me. I’ve always want to kiss and cuddle with you.I feel boxed-in right now, suffocated with what is happening with my life right now. I just miss my family. My old family. My brother, my papa and mama. How I wish I could go back to the time where worrying and sadness is not my thing. I feel unworthy, taken for granted and with no support group. Sometimes, I want to break down  but I know deep in my heart that I have to be strong for you. I still have you and your dad, and I think that is more than enough. 

I am not sure if this is just the hormones talking right now, but I am sure the way I feel right now is not because of you. I am unhappy right now, but it doesn’t mean I am unhappy with you. Even at my crankiest days and say “why do you keep on crying” at my loud voice, I still love you. I love you in the midst of my sadness right now. I may feel sad right now, but I am going to make sure you know what love is all about. My arms may feel weak, but I will continue putting them around you. I may be exhausted from work but I will never get tired of carrying you. I will continue to kiss you despite the sadness I feel right now. I will never keep these feelings and I will continue to cry so it will wash away the fears and blues I have right now. You are my strength and I know I can overcome this longingness. As long as I have you and your dad, I know that is already enough to fill in the missing pieces of my life right now. 

Where do you keep your treasured pictures?

Gone were the days when you’d sit on the sofa, get a photo album and laugh at your baby pictures. I missed looking at real photos, as in photos that you can touch and treasure forever. I missed saying “have your pictures developed”, instead of “ have them printed. I missed the 12 and 36 shots and the term “exposed”.  Remember those black small cases where we put the films? I missed those too.

So this is my problem right now, My husband and I have over 3,000 pictures on our phones and tablets which I have a hard time sorting; unorganized google picasa web album and almost 80% used storage on my dropbox account. That’s.A.Lot.

Before, no one would ask you where you really save your pictures. Once you go to someone else’s living room, you’d see stacked of albums on their center tables and you’re free to look at them whenever you want to. Now, you hardly see any albums, because most of our photos are everywhere: Camera Roll on your phone, desktop, hard drive, Facebook, online hard drives and over the web.

I am guilty of this too; I didn't print pictures of the most important events of my life. My wedding, prenup, post nup, when I got pregnant, when I gave birth because of all them are on Facebook. Well, I still have a change though, but the momentum is no longer there. ;)

I do not even remember that I have these photos until I saw them again.  I want to preserve these memories. 

Hhhm, how I wish I could go back to my old figure. haha! :D These pictures make me feel so fattttttttt! 

 I am a fan of scrap book but I do not know why I stopped doing it. If I do it right now, I know it would take me months to organize all of our photos. When I got pregnant, I even promised myself to document each milestones of my daughter, and to print out pictures so I can display them on the living room. I even bought a baby album for my daughter but it still sits on our cabinet and only 3 pages were touched. I even bought a couple of vouchers from a photobook online store so I can have a customized album. But the process is so tedious and I just don’t know where to start decorating the online album. Egad. 

There’s something about old developed photos. They are sentimental. Remember some old photos from a dear friend who even wrote a dedication at the back of their pictures?  

It has been 7 months since I promised myself to document my Milly’s milestones through pictures, but until today I still do not have any presentable pictures frames on our living room. Thanks to our photographer during Milly’s baptism, because they were able to provide some decent print outs from the event. These are our first pictures. 20 wonderful pictures out of 3,000 plus pictures.

How about you? Where do you keep your treasured memorable pictures? 

Wearing your baby

When I was still pregnant, I always got curious why some mom’s tend to carry their child instead of putting them on the stroller. I’ve always thought that it is easier that way. No need to endure back and shoulder pain most especially if your baby is on the heavy side. 

As I gave birth to our daughter, everything had changed. I always wanted to carry her and let her feel my warmth. I actually do not remember how and when I learned about baby wearing - All I know is that someone added me on Facebook, and that's where I learned that not all carriers most especially the narrow based ones aren’t recommended. I didn't know that wearing your babies have do's and don'ts; that there are guidelines to check if its really safe for you and most especially for your baby.

When I learned about baby wearing, I decided right away to buy my own ring sling. (Got mine from www.savymommy.com) I checked the Internet how to use it and I thought it was just easy peasy. Little did I know that using a ring sling needs a lot of practice and a patient baby. Until now, my husband assists me everytime I put Milly in the sling. But believe me, as soon as you learn the art of wearing your baby, for sure your little one would love it.  

I’ve had several epic fail moments when I used the sling too. But with perseverance and practice, I can say that I am already comfortable and confident with babywearing. I also know that Milly’s loves it every time I carry her that way.

You can read more of the benefits of babywearing on these links:

http://www.slingbabies.co.nz/Site/Benefits.ashx  

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/health-concerns/fussy-baby/baby-wearing/benefits-babywearing

Here are some guidelines too, to check if you’re using a safe carrier. 

Again mommies, if you plan to buy a carrier, please check if it meets these guidelines. I am also sharing you these photos so you can check if you're using the right carrier for your little one. Got all of these from Babywearing Philippines. 

Below pics are the carriers that aren't recommended. 

Thanks to Youtube tutorial because I learned how to properly wear my Milly. Here are some of my epic fail shots. (Wag tularan) :) 

Incorrect: Spread the legs (Legs should form letter M); also knees must be higher than bummy bum bum

Incorrect: Spread the legs (Legs should form letter M); also knees must be higher than bummy bum bum

And this us right now. ♥ Finally a success. 

PS: I Had to pose that way to conceal my big arms. haha :) 

Our Top 5 favorite toys

Milly has lots of educational toys and books. Long before she was born, I’ve been buying toys for her already. Toys that I believe which would help improve her motor and sensory skills. I also loved checking out the latest in the market, the ones that lit up and sing when pressed are on my watch list.

Of course Milly has her own favorite; she loves her Baby Einstein Octopus which makes her smile every time she hears its funny tone. However, even if she has all of these educational, musical and beautiful toys to play with, Milly prefers to play with baby wipes, diapers, tissue papers, powder, pillow tags, and the tail of her stuffed toy elephant. (ONLY THE TAIL). 

  I tried hiding all these stuff from her so the toys I purchased would serve its purpose, but the moment I try to get it from her she cries so hard as if someone hit her.  So I let her play whatever stuff she wants to as long as I know it’s not harmful to her.

So here are her top 5 favorites:

1.       Baby wipes - she loves playing with this. She doesn’t pull the wipes, but she keeps on turning the plastic packaging up and down. Perhaps she loves the sound that it creates.

2.       Powder case - this keeps her from moving around while I dress her up after bath.

3.       Nappy cream - like her powder case, she loves playing with it while she dresses up.

4.       Diaper - Milly loves to roll over and it’s quite a challenge for us to change her diaper because she doesn’t like it if she lies on her back. To keep her from rolling, we have to give her an unused diaper that she can play and eat. Well, not literally eat but she just enjoys putting the diapers in her mouth. That won’t hurt her right? I believe diapers are clean anyway. That’s why some of her diapers are already outspread and is no longer on its original “fold”.

5.       And her most favorite? The pillow tags - whenever she’s in a bad mood, or if she’s crying, all we need to do is to give her some pillows that have a tag on it.  She’d squirm the tag and take a look at it very carefully, and then she’d smile. Mark and I used to tease her that she’s brand conscious that’s why she’s a big fan of tags. (wag naman anak!) This is where the hard part comes in - most of our pillows have tags so every time she sees it whenever we put her to sleep, she rolls over and play with it.

For the record, I’ve already sold 6 of her most precious toys because I know that she wouldn’t enjoy it anyway. :D

How about you? What kind of toys your babies prefer to play with? 

Beautiful Mess

This is our everyday scenario during feeding time:

My daughter would lick her plate, try to touch her food, drink water from my glass like a dog (haha! Too bad I didn’t get a chance to teach her how to cup feed) and throw her milk bottle and nanny bowl on the floor. The moment she’s done eating, her puree is all over my shoulder and hair, and almost half of her face is covered with fruits. But I like it that way.  Actually I LOVE and PREFER it that way. Whenever my husband asks me to wipe the food off her face, I tell him “Hayaan mo lang” Let her be messy, a healthy messy way. She looks good that way. Let her experiment on her own”

I even let Milly mess up with most of her cute onesies. Most of them have these stains which is actually pretty hard to clean. Messy can be healthy, and as a mom, you’d know if it’s no longer healthy for your child. There are times that I do not let her use a bib because most of the time she just tries to pull off her bib and put it in her mouth. This may be difficult for neat freak mommies and daddies, but believe me, allowing them to be messy can be the window to new experiences. Letting them eat and play on their own can help improve motor and sensory skills. They would be able to explore and learn the dos and don’ts out of their curiosity. Just like messy playing, messy eating helps sensory development. If you’re a neat freak kind of mom or dad, you can get your own splat mat and silicon bib so it will be easier to clean after eating.

Just let it go, and deal with the mess, besides that’s what being a baby is all about.

Things I didn't know I could do before I became a Mom

It’s been 7 months since I first laid my eyes on my daughter and I can say with conviction that being a mother is not an easy feat.  Before Milly, I thought being a mom was just easy-peasy. Change the diapers, feed them, take care of them and most especially love them with all your heart. Now that I am a mom, I have discovered so many things. Things I didn’t know I could do. Being a mom has transformed me to a new me; I am like a totally different person right now.  It’s so difficult to put into words but these are the things I didn’t know I could do before a became a mom.

   1.       I didn’t know how much I could tolerate myself watching the same cartoons over and over again. I even keep on humming their “theme songs”. Baby Einstein, Elmo, Furchester.

   2.      I didn’t know I could suck and hold a snot, smell diapers and poo poos. I even have the guts to hold every diaper just to check if it’s full or not. :D  

   3.      I didn’t know I could hold my pee for more than 6 hours just so I wouldn’t wake up Milly from sleeping.

   4.      I didn’t know that I could sing and compose songs out of any words that come out from my mouth.

   5.      I didn’t know that I could appreciate the smell of sour milk, smelly feet and armpits (of a baby of course J)

   6.      I didn’t know that I have so much energy stored in my body. Ever since I gave birth, I never had the chance to get a good sleep. I am already lucky if I get 3 hours of sleep every day. Despite the long travel hours from work, I still feel energize whenever I see Milly.

   7.      I didn’t know that I could deprive myself from buying something but I can splurge that much if it’s for Milly.

   8.     I didn’t know I could dance in public just to lull Milly to sleep.

   9.      I didn’t know I have a strong body. I’ve always complained carrying my work bag before, but now that I have Milly, I can carry so many things all at the same time. 2 big bags on my left and Milly on my right.

And here are my top 5 realizations

   1.       I didn’t know that I could be a better person. (I hope)

   2.      I didn’t know that I could appreciate the real value of time. Now that I have a daughter, I always wantto spend each moment with her. Time flies real fast so I need to make the most out of every minute I spend with her.  

   3.      I didn’t know that I could have another source of inspiration other than my husband: D

   4.      I didn’t know that I could be patient. I’ve always thought that I have a bad temper, but apparently it turned out that I am actually gentle in so many ways.

   5.      And last but not the least; I didn’t know that I could love in a very unconditional way.  

How about you? What are the things that you have learned and discovered when you became a mom? 

Pump with your shirt on

Pump  with your shirt on. Yes, you read that right and that is  the tag line of Freemie. Freemie is a collection cup that you can put inside your bra and attach it directly to your electric breast pump. With freemie, moms do not have to hold the flange & bottle for milk collection. That is just so convenient! Imagine, you’d be able to multitask and even pump on the go if you have a portable breast pump. This may sound weird to moms who do not breast feed or pump milk, but believe me, this is one of the best innovations of breast milk pumping!

I’ve been dying to have my own freemie few months back when I started to exclusively pump milk for my daughter. Now that these cups are already available from Babymama.ph (this is where I purchased my breastpumps), I  am so tempted to buy it. I am a working mom and I pump milk at my station, so I know for sure that this would really benefit me. Imagine me, multitasking - blogging, working , holding the bottle and trying to cover my b@@bies from my officemates. (fret not, I cover myself with a big shawl).

Photo napped from Freemie website

So how does a freemie work? Just place the cups inside your bra, slip the tubing in each cups, then connect the other end of the tubing to your pump - and you’re good to go! Amazing! (yay for breastpumping mommies!)

Is it compatible to all breast pumps? - Freemie is compatible to most breastpumps. You can use this with Spectra, Ameda, Unimom, Medela Pump in Style and Avent. Each cup can hold up to 8 oz of breast milk.

How much will it cost me to get a freemie cup? Freemie cups are now available at babymama.ph and you can get these at 3,980 plus shipping. You can check their website for more information.

Once I get an extra budget, I’d definitely buy this. ♥

Pan De Manila: Churros

I am a big fan of Pan De Manila and this is always my go-to store every time I feel hungry here at work. Last year, they have expanded their bread line and started selling baked donuts.  I find their donuts delicious and really flavorful and of my favorite is the Choco Almond. My friend used to joke that their donuts are “trying hard” JCO because of their flavors: D  What I loved about their donuts is that they are baked not fried.

Recently, I have discovered that they added Churros on their menu. I was really excited because I’ve been craving for churros last month and got so delighted when I found out that they are already selling these. I think it would taste better if they add more sugar on it and since they are aiming for Freshly baked goodies, I am thinking that their churros were baked and not fried so let’s not expect the same crispness as compared to Churreria  La Lola’s Churros.

 They are selling their Churros and dips for only 10 pesos each! 10 pesos each! Haha! ♥ Not bad  eh.? 

Milly's skin secret

A lot of my mommy friends have been asking me what kind of baby soap I use for Milly’s skin. They’ve noticed how smooth her skin is. (I don’t think she got that from me. Hehe) Just like other babies, Milly also suffered from newborn outbreaks but the moment we changed her baby soap, the rashes had disappeared after 3 days. It was actually her pedia who recommended the soap.

Oilatum Bar Soap and Human Nature baby wash works well with Milly’s skin. The baby wash keeps her skin moisturized all day and even if I don’t apply lotion on her skin, it still feels smooth. Aside from using oilatum and HN baby wash, I make sure to apply physiogel on her face every after bath to keep it moisturized. Based on reviews, Physiogel cream is also effective in treating skin rashes.

I feel so thankful because I do not have to spend hundreds and thousands just to buy the expensive creams. I know a mom of two who needs to buy hard to find creams just to treat her daughter’s skin eczema. Good thing I was able to discover what works well on my daughter’s skin. 

 This was the picture wherein lots of moms asked me what I use to bathe Milly ♥ 

How about you? What kind of creams do you use to treat your baby's skin rashes? ♥ 

Pureed Fruits and Veggies Combination

Homemade purees are filled with nutrients for your baby. The possibilities of food combination are endless and you can try experimenting different types of fruits and veggies to make it more flavorful. Here are some possible combinations you can try and feed your baby. These are tried and tested by ME, and my daughter Milly absolutely loves it. 

* Banana + Papaya + Apple

* Kalabasa + Banana (Kalabanana)

* Pears + Banana

* Banana + Apple (Banapple) 

* Sweet Potato + Apple 

* Banana + Mango 

* Banana + Rolled Oats 

* Banana + Apple + Rolled Oats 

* Mango + Papaya

* Sweet Potato + Malunggay

* Carrot + Papaya +Apple

* Carrot + Apple 

* Apple + Avocado

* Banana + Avocado 

* Sweet Potato + Banana + Malunggay
* Squash + Apple

* Potato + Banana
* Squash + Carrot + Greek Yogurt (Optional)
Sweet Potato + Apple + Mango + Greek Yogurt (Optional) 

Apple + Banana + Spinach + Greek Yogurt (Optional)

I actually do not measure the amount of fruits and water I put on the food processor - but I make sure to taste it so I would know if its already flavorful.

Note: For papaya, don't puree the entire fruit, half slice of papaya will do. I usually puree 1 piece of fruit every time I make Milly's food. 

Example: 1 piece of banana, 1 piece of apple , 1/2 cup of water.  You will be surprised that 1 piece of fruit can yield up to 6-8 oz of baby food. 

Do not forget to add water to make it easier for you to puree fruits. 

Gradually add some water to change its consistency. More water means softer texture. :) You can replace water with formula or breast milk. 

Tips on preparing your own baby food

It has almost been a month since I started preparing Milly's food. I've totally ditched the ready-to-eat fruits in a jar and sweet rice oats because I want to cook Milly's food my way. One benefit of cooking your baby's own food is you know what are the contents of the food you're giving your baby. Ready made fruit jars contain sugars and preservatives to prolong its shelf life, and I don't want my daughter to suffer its long term side effects.

I go to the market every other day to buy fresh vegetables and fruits that I will need to prep Milly's food. I do not store her food by batches because I always want to give her fresh pureed fruits and vegetables. The maximum days I store her food in the fridge is 3-days already. Good thing my daughter isn't a picky eater and she eats whatever I prepare her. 

What I also love about preparing her own food is I can experiment the ingredients I want to give her. This way I would know what are her favorite fruits and veggies and what type of food she has allergies with. 

Here are some tips I want to share if you plan to make your own baby food. 

* You do not need the high end food processors out there. As long as you have a fully functional blender in your kitchen, you're good to go. You can make purees out of blender! 

* Buy BPA free  food storage for babies. You do not need the expensive ones (like avent or other brands). A storage is still a storage, what's important is its BPA free and safe for freezing too. 

* If you do not have a blender, you may use fork to mash certain type of vegetables and fruits.

* Buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Make sure the fruit is already ripe because some unripened fruit can cause constipation. 

* If you have a budget, you may buy a non- electric food processor. Mostly, these processors are already complete - It already includes the masher, juicer, food puree, spoon and bowl. If you want an electric one, you can buy Magic Baby Bullet. 

* Do not change your baby's food everyday. If you want to offer her different types of fruits and veggies, do this every 3 days. That way you would know if your baby will have any allergic reaction to certain foods. This is really effective because from this, I learned that my daughter is allergic to OATMEAL. 

* Taste first before you give any food to your baby. 

* Never return unfinished food in the fridge.

* Use a serving spoon and her own bowl. Do not put too much food on her bowl. Try 3-4 tablespoons first and check if your baby is in the mood to eat. In my case, I've noticed that Milly has different eating patterns. There are times that she eats a lot and there are days when she can only consume 4 tablespoons of purees fruits and veggies. 

* Do not afraid to experiment and combine different types of fruits and veggies. I didn't know that squash, apple and banana is a good combination until I tried it! ;) 

* Enjoy making food for your baby. It surely is fulfilling if you see your little one enjoy the food you prepare for them. Remember, Mommies Make the best food ever! 

Review: Cudsly baby online shop

I consider Cudsly as one of the most reliable baby online shop right now. It was only last Monday that I had a chance to check their items ONE-BY-ONE to see what useful items I can buy for Milly. I am quite surprised that their website sells almost everything that a mom needs for her baby. 

They have an ongoing promo and you can get a 20% off upon your next purchase. Just sign up for their newsletter and they are going to e-mail you the voucher code you need to use upon check out. Cash on Delivery and free shipping (minimum purchase required) is also available

Here are the items that I purchased for Milly, girl. 

Suppori baby Sling, Gerber graduates, mosquito patches & kids hand sanitizer

 Because of the 20% off, I was able to get 800 pesos off and paid only 2,640 pesos. It's like I’ve only paid the Suppori Sling and the rest of the items were free. I also liked their idea of having Pedal Express as their tie up courier for some locations. 

Pros: 

* Offers Cash-On-Delivery and free shipping

* Sells a lot of baby items and their website is almost complete 

* Customer service is easy to reach out. Even if they have lots of followers and likers, they still manage to reply to their customers one-by-one. 

* Customer friendly website 

* Continuous sale and promotion

Cons:

* Customer service is only available from Mondays-Fridays. I just hope they also extend their services and delivery even if its Saturday (halfday) 

* Their 20% off is really enticing, but I hope they would offer this upon your first purchase/transaction ☻ 

Here's their website if you'd like to purchase from them: www.cudsly.com
Like their facebook page too: https://www.facebook.com/Cudsly

Milly's growing collection

I make bows out of grosgrain ribbons but these turbands and pillow bows are just irresistible! I can’t help myself from buying these accessories for Milly.

A lot of moms are asking where I purchased these lovely turbands. Check out biscuitskids Instagram page and you’ll surely drool over her designs. I love all of her designs and I make sure to check her page every now and then if she has new uploads. Good thing Andie’s husband is my officemate so I do not have to pay for the shipping fee.

Price range of turbands: 150 - 200 (depends on the design)

Aside from Biscuitkids turbands, I am also going gaga over Fayerytrinkets Pillow bows. Her fabrics are so gorgeous most especially the vintage prints. I was supposed to order from her for Milly’s baptism but unfortunately last December, she had cut off dates for processing of orders. Thank you to Zalora Marketplace for making it possible because I am able to order my dream pillow bows from Fayerytrinkets.  (dream talaga!) J She has an ongoing promo and shipping fee is free until February 15! So grab yours now.

Price range of pillow bows: 120 - 200 (depends on the type of fabric and size)

http://marketplace.zalora.com.ph/fayery-trinkets

My trusted Instagram Online Shops

Yesterday, I saw an article from rappler distinguishing a fake and a real deposit slip. Buying online can really be scary most especially if the price is too good to be true. I am a fan of online shopping because I do not have the leisure to go to the mall. Fortunately, I haven’t encountered any scammers because before buying, I always  check if the online shop is pretty legit. One way to check if an online shop is legit is thru previous transactions and feedback from their past customers. However, you still need to take note that online scammers can easily grab photos so you still need to scrutinize their online account. You can also check their networks and see if their account really exists. If you’re a fan of online shopping on Instagram, you’d notice that most sellers know each other. Checking the photo comments is also a good way to check if they are legit. ☻ 

If you’re a fan of online shopping for your kids, here are some of the reputable and highly recommended online shops I’ve transacted with. Most of these shops sell pre loved clothes for little girls. You may want to check them out on Instagram. You may click their instagram names below to check their online shops. 

To all of my mommy friends, this is actually a top secret. I actually do not want to divulge where I buy most of Milly's clothes (haha, medyo selfish kasi ako at baka maunahan nyo ako sa pagbili) but these online shops are meant to be shared! ♥ 

* Fayerytrinkets - sells handmade pillow bows.

* Biscuitskids - handmade turbands

* Momandbabyshop - sells affordable RTW and mini mel replica

* Pambatang_kagamitan - baby food from US (she sells the most affordable Gerber Puffs and other baby foods)

* Yzie_closet - one of the best sellers of preloved clothes for baby girls.

* Moonchildphl - sells handmade clothes, turbands and so much more. If you’re a fan of indie and alternative music, you should check out this store

* Mimaicollections - sells preloved and RTW clothes. Her prices are so affordable. Imagine, a top as low as 30 pesos. ♥

Cuieceahcloset  - sells preloved and RTW clothes

* Soleils_closet - Just like Yzie’s closet, this online shop sells branded clothes at a very affordable price

* Lovedbyblair - sells branded preloved clothes too ♥ PS: Her daughter is so pretty!

* MonogramsMNL - unlike the other shops posted above, this shop sells bracelets and baby name arts and other printable materials.

* Littleangelstuffco & toystorebyposhup - sells brand new baby items (Carters, Fisher Price, Lamaze, Disney, etc)

* bubbastash - sells pre-loved clothes for lil boys and girls 

* Maiciesbowshop - sells handmade headband

* Babysteeckies & Littlecreatureshop - sells customized onesies

* Pippascollection - sells branded preloved clothes. Way too affordable preloved clothes

* Mommybabymorena - sells kimonos (mommy and baby terno)

* Mothernurture_main, momsbasket, mommybakesph - sells lactation goodies

* Poshbabyph - sells brand new baby clothes

* Stashbyliz - sells brand new overruns clothes for girls

* Mommie_ni_patchot - sells preloved clothes and handmade turbands

* Pamperedbabies - sells branded preloved clothes

* Mynesliltots - branded preloved and brand new clothes

* Nizzastrends , rileyrayeish_mustloved - RTW clothes

* Cheappymnl - arts and crafts items

So far these are the list of online shops I have transacted with for the past months. ☻ Looking forward to transact with these two online shops too. Applesandpopcorns (Mini Melissa)  and Babyclothesonline (soon, baby, soon!) ♥

 I know how challenging and demanding it is to maintain this kind of business most especially there are a lot of competitors. Most of these online sellers are full time moms so big kudos to all of you! ♥