Hello Monday
Well, if you’re wondering if I accomplished anything from my list below, the answer is no. Oh wait - we didn’t spend money except groceries so I think I deserve a star for that. No luck for everything else. I’m still as tired as I was last Friday night, while working on a rush design job at 10:50PM. I tried sleeping in the afternoon but my busy mind refused to cooperate so I turned on the computer and designed some scrapping papers. I didn’t know it could be so hard and fun, by the way.
As of this day, I’m happy and proud to announce that Sandy has been sleeping on her own for 7 straight nights, without nursing at all. She now breastfeeds ONCE A DAY only, just before her afternoon naptime, for 5 minutes. But other than that, she’s as good as weaned 
For those who didn’t have a hard time training their kids to sleep, this may sound like a small feat but not for us. I’m very proud of myself and Sandy because one, I don’t give in at night even when I’m dead tired, and two, the little one just doesn’t ask for dede anymore.
It really helps that I work from home. I can wait for her to sleep on her own (even if it’s taking more than an hour already) without worrying that I need to get up really early. And because I’m home all the time, I was able to potty train her at two years old. This is why some of my friends prefer to find small business opportunitites online than work in a real office.
Happy Friday!
Thank God it’s Friday!
Here’s what I plan to do this weekend:
- Don’t spend any money except for groceries
- Sleep in the afternoon with Sandy
- No computer if I can help it
- Have a home massage
- Have an appointment with the treadmill hehe. It’s been weeks since I exercised. Need to lose weight but not so bad that I’d take Phentermine.
Have a great weekend all of you!
Very Busy Day
No updates today. I know I said I have several posts lined up but I’m running out of time. There was a job interview today (another online job) that lasted for more than one hour, a flash animation that took me two hours to finish, some articles that had to be published, a mockup for a site selling golf clubs and if that’s not enough, I had to be a mom too and take care of Sandy.
Now, I need to spend the remaining work hours to convert a design. My back is aching from sitting so long that I wish I can just go outside and lie down in a hammock. We don’t have one so I might as well plan a beach getaway where there are tons of hammocks lying around (Boracay, Bohol) hehe. Hay, napalayo na usapan 
Our Tagaytay Getaway - Accommodation
Okay, so even if it rained like crazy last weekend, I can still say that we had so much fun. We have so many photos but I’ll just share with you my favorites and stories behind them. If you want to see all the photos, visit my Flickr.
Where we stayed
Taal Vista Hotel
We booked their Deluxe room online at Php 7,200 a night. It has a nice view of Taal Lake and big enough for a toddler who wants to run around.
I love this place because there’s so much stuff to do. The food is good; musicians will serenade you while you dine, a big grassy area for the little one, a playroom, entertainment room (darts and billiards), huge swimming pool, and a view deck for photo opps.
View deck of Taal Vista
The view from our room
Whenever we stay in hotels, we always look forward to the buffet breakfast.
Yes, I ate all of them and more.
I’ve heard and read so many bad reviews about the staff of Taal Vista but we didn’t encounter any problems while we were there. Everyone was ready to serve you and they were all polite and accommodating. And when we got stranded, we were offered a cheaper room (Superior) for only Php2, 999 (original rate is Php5, 000++). When we were about to switch rooms, the reservation officer said we can stay in our current room for the same price. Great deal huh!
Their business center is a bit shabby, with only two computers inside. Maybe it’s because you are expected to bring your laptop? I do like to copy the way they used an HDMI wall plate to organize the cables. Internet fee is Php 2.00/hour btw.
To end this post, I highly recommend Taal Vista Hotel if you’re staying with kids. It’s way more cheaper than Discovery Suites and definitely more spacious than Boutique.
Next post - food trip!
Interior Design
A friend of mine was asked by her boss to find someone who can improve his three bedroom unit in New York. He likes to remodel the two bathrooms as well because the other one is for his eight-year-old daughter. Since my friend didn’t know anyone else, I told her to research online using Interior Design New York or Bathroom Remodeling New York City as the keyword. We came across Kaja Gam and immediately like what they have to say. They believe in individualism so what they will do is use their knowledge in interior design to help their clients find a style that they’re comfortable with. We loved the portfolio section especially what they’ve done on their living spaces projects. New York apartments are known for being small yet pricey so you really need an expert to maximize your space. And for huge spaces (like my friend’s boss) that feels too industrial, this Interior Design In New York City can make it look comfortable and compact without looking too cluttered. 
I saw a sample of what they’ve done on a work area (see photo here) and was amazed how they were able to fit a computer table beside the door. The bookshelves on top is what I’ve been trying to achieve for the longest time and seeing it again makes me want to do our own DIY project. The Kaja Gam website is a great design resource too with their numerous design articles. You can subscribe to their newsletter too to receive free design ideas that you can implement in your own home.
Travel to the 7 Continents
Tagged by Aggie!
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Baby Things 4U
I’m helping a friend shop online for baby stuff. This was one of my favorite activities when I was pregnant so whenever someone asks me for tips, I immediately jump at the chance to shop with them. First stop - BabyThings4u.com. May I say how I love their website design? Not to mention it’s so easy to find what you’re looking for. The baby industry is so huge that it’s sometimes hard to choose from hundreds of Baby Prams or Baby Pushchairs available. With this site, every product is categorized properly and you can filter the products by brand.
Looking at their Baby Travel Cots, I’m amazed to see how the trend has evolve for the past two years. When Sandy was a couple of months old, my knowledge of travel cots is limited to foldable playpens (we bought Contour Electra by the way) but now, there are pop up travel cots too. I’m not sure if this is something new or I just didn’t see it before but I definitely like it! I don’t need it now but I might consider buying one for my friend as a gift. It folds down very small, has a mosquito net, light weight and comes with padded mattress. It’s good up to 18 months too so definitely a great present for new parents.
My Big Girl
Forgot to blog about this. Sandy attended a farm party for her cousin Chloe last June 14. There were two Piglets if you will see from the photo below LOL. She had fun as usual. I thought at first that she’d demand that they sing for her (she loves parties) too but she was so behaved and didn’t even once try to steal the spotlight from her cousin. She helped Chloe blow her birthday candle though, but only when Chloe’s dad (Sandy’s ninong) asked her to.
And even though it wasn’t her birthday, she received some gel pens, an orange watch and plenty of stickers from relatives too.
She looks all grown up here. Everytime I look at this photo, I can’t help but feel proud that we were able to raise a smart and good kid.
Perfect Workarea
Aside from online window shopping, I browse for vacation packages when I’m bored. I like looking at the properties from Hilton Head rentals and pretend that I can afford them. Their villas (my favorite was this 4-bedroom property) are furnished with office equipments, homey furniture, have ocean views, huge swimming pool, private beach access, and wireless internet. I would love to own something similar someday. One of my dreams is to work from home in a big house with ocean view. I’ll put my work area in a room where there’s enough sunlight and enough view of the beach to inspire me. Then when I’m tired or need a break, I’d ask Sandy to walk on the beach with me. Absolutely the perfect life. I doubt if I can ever ask for more.
My Gawd
Andaming work and tasks. Don’t know how to start. I might disappear for a while.
Happy Birthday to me
Yes, binagyo ng sobra ang birthday ko. But it’s okay. It always rains whenever we’re out of town. And because we couldn’t see the roads anymore, we had to stay one more night.
OO nga pala, thanks for the greetings people! Will be posting lots of photos in the next couple of days.
Twenty four hours and thirty minutes
…. before my birthday. I feel old and tired but still very happy that I’ve made it this far bwahahaha.
Seriously, I’m so thankful for all the blessings that I’ve received for the past 2_ years. (fill in the blanks pa eh)
Off to Tagaytay in the morning to celebrate with my two most favorite people in the whole world.
Getting Ready
I’m so beat after packing clothes that are good for three nights (just in case), shoes, camera accessories, and a huge bag filled with Sandy’s toys. I should’ve taken advantage of the Swiss Army luggage that were on sale last week. I’m sure all three bags, not mentioning the bag for the DVD player and tripod will fit inside one luggage. I’ve tried several times to not over pack but there’s just no way that we can leave Sandy’s Barbies and living room set, several books, and Barney and friends. These toys keep her busy enough that I might be able to get uninterrupted afternoon naps
Sleeping On Her Own
Whenever Sandy sleeps on her own, I can’t help but do a happy dance inside my head. Last night, when she wanted to nurse, I told her no but offered to carry her in my arms. She agreed but after 10 minutes, she went to her own bed and “looked for her spot”. After 30 minutes of tossing and turning, she stopped moving. As I kept my movement to a minimum, I hopefully checked if her eyes were really close or if she was just pretending to be asleep. And there she was, mouth open, sleeping like a log. I was so proud of her that I wanted to wake up the sleeping husband to share my joy hahaha.
By the way, I’ve changed my weaning plan from June 21 to September 18 (her 3rd birthday). However, as of this moment, she has not nursed since yesterday 2PM. So hurray for the both of us. I’m still letting her nurse during her naptime so I can get back to work quickly. For night time, it depends if I’m too tired or sleepy. But as much as I can, I try my best to just carry her until she’s sleepy enough to find her spot and sleep on her own. Wish me luck because I badly need it!
I’m a Proud Mama!
Mich tagged me.
Things that I like as a mom
I have a one member fan club
Unlimited hugs and kisses at unexpected moments
A light massage when my back hurts from working too much
Daily entertainment - singing, dancing, stand-up comedy act
You can act like a kid again- dance wildly, sing silly songs, play with toys that you enjoyed / you’ve never had when you were a kid
You have a reason to get up in the morning, work harder and dream bigger
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About Joy
I am Dzoi, a 28 year old Filipina who currently works as a web designer. I am a loving wife to my equally loving husband Sherwin and a mommy cow to my 2-year-old daughter, Sandy.
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