3 Best Sleep Aids for Baby Bedtime

From my experience, there’s nothing quite like a sleep aid. As with most things, some things I learned about baby bedtime was discovered … by accident. Here are some proven (for baby D, at least!) sleep aids that are guaranteed to give a good night’s rest.

A soothing nighttime warm bath. There’s this unique feeling of light giggles following whenever I give baby D a bath. There are several things you could do to make the bath more enjoyable for the baby. Light touches, tickling, just the right temperature of water --- it all adds up to this bonding moment between you and your child. If done on a nightly basis, this could also set into the baby’s mind that bedtime’s about to come.

Bedtime Stories – Just after baby’s warm nighttime bath, you could tell bedtime stories. Get the baby settled into a nice, comfortable position, select books with a slower pace and start reading. Soften your words as you tell the story to the baby, and given the book’s slower pace, it creates a calming effect for the baby. Try looking for books like Goodnight Moon.

Lullabies – Carry the child on your arms, then start singing a soft, sweet lullaby. Take notes of the baby’s needs --- does he like hugging a favorite stuffed toy while being sang to? Does he like being covered in a warm blanket? What works for me is I gradually lower and slower my voice as I sing the lullaby --- and baby D just naturally follows the rhythm ‘til she falls asleep.

Those are my top 3 sleep aids to get baby to sleep. To maximize the effect, create an environment for the baby to relax in. If you need a couple of ideas on giving baths, touch therapy/light massages, stories and lullabies, check out Baby Bedtime Center’s collection of sleep aids. Happy snoring!

(Article contributed by Mommy D)

Facts and Tips on Baby's Sleep

Newborns sleep 16 or more hours a day, but often in stretches of just one to two hours at a time. Although the pattern may be erratic at first, a more consistent sleep schedule will emerge as your baby's nervous system matures and he or she goes longer between feedings.

By age 3 months, many babies sleep at least five hours at a time. By age 6 months, nighttime stretches of nine to 12 hours are possible.

A funny thing to keep in mind when your baby is a few months old is that somewhere at the age around 3 to 5 months, many babies start with a 2-3-4 awake schedule. That is, in the morning baby is awake for 2 hours before the first nap, then 3 hour around lunchand then finally 4 hours before bedtime.

So, if your looking for some kind of routines with your baby, this can be a god start. But again, all babies are different, so whatever you do, don't focus too much on the clock rather than on your baby's (and your) well-being.

To continue, please read on the following:

1. Does your baby sleep well at night

2. The importance of sleep

3. Growth and Sleep

4. All About Bedtime

5. Bedtime Routine

6. Sleep toolbox

7 Ways to Bond with Kids Despite your Busy Schedule

Considering the schedule of today’s busy moms and dads, it’s often hard to find time for that much-needed ‘mommy-daughter’ or ‘mommy-son’ bonding and ‘daddy-daughter’ or ‘daddy-son’ bonding. More often than not, moms/dads are too busy preparing for work in the morning, or too tired for anything else when they get home at night. Of course, that’s hardly an excuse since spending time with children must be a priority.

Here are some tips on how to make the best out of your bonding moments with your kids:

1. When cooking or preparing dinner

Ask your kids to help you in preparing the ingredients. In this way you can teach them how to cook and at the same time, you can bond with them. You can ask them how their day was, what things they accomplished and commend them with a “job well done” so they would be more inspired to accomplish other things

2. Get Physical

Another enjoyable and worthwhile bonding activity is to exercise together. Not only will doing this improve your health and teach your kids a healthy habit, it’s also one way to explore nature.

3. Grocery Day

Ask them to accompany you when going to the grocery; this will give you the chance to teach them how to pick fresh vegetables, fruits, and other stuff. At the same time they may also pick their own snacks.

4. Study Habits

Studying is not always a time of stress. It can be a way for you and your kids to bond.

While other kids or rather most of the kids always wanted to play, they let pass their assignments and to study for their quizzes/Exams. Personally I find it effective that mixing a real situation while studying or making a little game while studying. Commend them as well when they got High grades that they’ll be more motivated to achieve higher grade.

5. Traveling

Here in the Philippines, you’ll encounter traffic most of the time, which is very common. You can grab the opportunity by interacting with them, ask them how they are, ask them what they did that day or in school, share your experience.

6. Church

Go to church with them, introduce God to them so that they may know Him. This way, your kids would be God fearing.

7. Going to sleep

Pray with them before going to sleep and tell stories (bible stories, Fairy Tales, etc.) or talk them to sleep.

For more detailed information on specific age, activities etc, I recommend you visit this website.

Secrets in Making Your Baby Fall Asleep

Who doesn't like sleep?

All living creatures need it. It's a way to regenerate cells and refresh the mind to aid the development of our health.

If we adults need sleep, babies need sleep badly too! In their sleeping, they develop muscle, limbs and skeletal structure. In order to achieve a good night's sleep for your baby, here are some secrets:

Choosing the bedding:
- Bedding should be inviting
- Bed shoud be cozy
- Bedding should be soft

Bedtime routine
- Just read this >> http://bit.ly/4fJcjU

..and countless other ways you can help your baby fall asleep and even share bonding moments in the process! (read more here)

Shakabuku- A Spiritual Kick To A New Self!

“Shakabuku.” It means a swift spiritual kick to the head that changes everything.

Have you ever just heard yourself give up? Ever felt just stuck? A lot of people our age have reposted that “Quarter-age Crisis” blog post. Well guess what --- it can’t possibly be true for everyone. It’s just easier to accept facts that are true now, like the helplessness, but not the discomfort that a little change might bring.

Not that bringing in a change will always be horrible. It takes 12 tastes of new food before your brain registers the taste as “ok,” much in the same way that habit forms after 21 repetitions. So how could a young 20-something do some change?

1. Know Your Goal – Before you start any endeavor, you have to know your goal --- you have to know what you want to become. Pick a change that you genuinely want for yourself. When you try on a new hobby that you don’t feel good about, it shows --- much is the same with personal change. The 28-Day Challenge Online Planner has goals mapped out corresponding to the days it’ll take to get you there, so that’s a nice start.

2. Become Behaviorally Flexible - It usually takes 12 samplings of a new flavor before it starts registering in our brain if its good (gives pleasure) or bad (repels the tongue!) for us. Keep at it! If you start to feel like you’re not going in the direction of the desired change, try a different approach. Know when you have to stop or keep a certain approach, and then alter your behavior accordingly.

3. Commit! – Would you rather be open to change or be uncomfortable? Anxiety when trying out something only tells us that we’re doing something new, and it would take the body a while to adjust for that action. Power through and you’ll find that confusion precedes understanding.

4. Learn From Everything – “There are no mistakes, only feedback,” as one of my mentors once told me. Mistakes are for mapping out things that you’ll be avoiding for the next time.

5. Track Your Change! – Keeping a journal of the change from average everyday-you to becoming that Travel Savvy girl, Beach Babe, or Corporate Catch helps you keep a measure of what exactly is new with you. Try the 28-Day Challenge Online Planner --- it has a built-in calendar to show you that in less than a month, you’ve become something more than your present self.

Where to get the cheapest iPhone 3g in the Philippines?

Secrets would soon be posted at cheftonio.blogspot.com

In the meantime (this is a sneak peak), check out the image below :)

How does 300 people dancing in MOA look like?

No. Let me rephrase.

"How does the crowd react to a surprise dance number performed by 300 people and suddenly disperses after?"

Watch this! Very nice dance!

Vote and get 1 of 10 Clean and Clear gift packs!

It's as simple as 1-2-3. Actually, even simpler!!

Just vote for your favorite video and you can get 1 of 10 gift packs from Clean and Clear... for nothing!!!


click the image above to vote :)

Globe Youniverse and Globe Immortaltxt10!

Do you know Chat TV? Well, here comes Globe Youniverse!

Just key in SMS (space) Trinoma (space) your message and send it to 2988.

This TV board will not be broadcasted BUT instead, this TV board will be seen in malls like Trinoma. Your SMS or MMS messages sent to that number using that syntax will enable you to post your messages there.


Also another COOL offer from Globe. Globe Immortaltxt!

For just 10 pesos, you can now have 50 Globe to Globe SMS messages and 10 SMS messages to other networks without EXPIRATION!

Just key in "immortal10" and send it to 8888 to register for this service! Cool!!!!

Nokia Booklet 3g - Laptop with SimCard Slot!

Check out the first video of Nokia Booklet 3g



Specifications:
10.1-inch display
Integrated 3G wireless
Hot-swappable SIM card slot
Integrated A-GPS with a copy of Ovi Maps
HDMI output
Rated 12 hour battery life
Bluetooth
WiFi connectivity

All in a 2cm (.78 inch), 2.7lb aluminum body

Recorded Live Streaming -- Cory Aquino's Arrival at Manila Cathedral

This was recorded earlier from the Live Streaming of ABS-CBN news and posted here for those who wasn't able to watch it live or on TV.
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Free Wifi @ SM Megamall

Do you ever feel you having nothing to do at home and just want to go out? Well, just grab your laptop and be on your way to SM Megamall. 

SM Megamall is now offering free Wifi to all its customers. Yes, you read it right, FREE!

The whole premise is now fully Wifi enabled. From building A to B, left to right, top to bottom!

Who would have thought that a mall this big would have Wifi all around. We can surely do whatever we like here, especially now with this new feature of SM. 

We can enjoy browsing the web all we want, and the best part is, we would never be hungry because SM has a wide selection of food establishments in their food court! Covering different cuisines like Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, American and many many more. A real great place to Eat and be merry with friends, family and love ones. 

now, doesn't that sound enticing?

Come now and get hot, on the spot! with SM Megamall's Free Wifi.

Truly, they are living and breathing their tag line, 

"It's all at SM, here at SM, We've got it all for you!"

Free Clean Looking White Dove Themes (Multiply, Friendster, Blogspot and Wordpress)

Found some neat themes for your friendster, Multiply, Wordpress and of course, Blogspot! These are absolutely free themes! I am actually using the Blogspot version of this theme right now! Download links below:

*Dove Skin for Multiply: http://www.dove.ph/global/UserFiles/File/For_Multiply.zip

*Dove Skin for Friendster: http://www.dove.ph/global/UserFiles/File/For_Friendster.zip

*Dove Skin for Wordpress: http://www.dove.ph/global/UserFiles/File/For_Wordpress.zip

*Dove Skin for Blogspot: http://www.dove.ph/global/UserFiles/File/For_Blogspot.zip

Enjoy these free themes!! :)

Finding a job in the Philippines the "easiest" way

Financial crisis or not, Philippines or anywhere else in the world, finding a job is not easy. Finding a job THAT YOU LIKE is much more difficult!

While, finding a job is not easy and I am a testimony to that, to date, there are hundred of job hunting sites in the world and a couple here in the Philippines. A couple, meaning around 10 to 15, is actually still a lot and the worst part is, seeing duplicate posts and sending duplicate resumes.


How many of job seekers have wasted their precious time seeking for jobs online and to find out that:
1. They are not qualified
2. The job was already taken

However, recent technology improvement eradicated this scenario. When Job Matching was born, it made life easier and better for job hunters. Here in the Philippines, we have a local website that provides this service. It's called Imumo.com

Of all the job hunting websites, this one is truly unique because of several features:
1. It incorporates a social networking component that makes finding "connections" easier.
2. Local employers can find "the employee" they want using the website features it has.
3. Job hunters will just have to post their resumes. The next thing they would know is that the employer will contact them already!

Also, what is incredible about their social networking component is that people, connected to each other would see where other people are working and maybe, they can ask for their help in applying. Even better, if that someone has a "connection" to the more higher and more powerful one in the corporate ladder.

So next time you decide to job-hop or change your job, why not try imumo.com out? nothing to lose. It's also better if you post your resumes there just to be sure that you won't miss "any" better opportunities out there ;)

Good deal - photography gears in Manila

Guys!!! just want to share what i've found as i was roaming around Greenhills just to cool off in this HOT weather...

As I entered a shop named Pixel Pro on the 3rd floor , I was amazed with all the things they sell (I could say that it's a one stop shop for thoese who would like to start thier photography hobby.)

Regarding the Price... I say that its affordable, can't wait to purchase my First SLR!!!

It was also a coincidence that I attended their seminar last March 21,2009! how cool is that?!


Thier store is located @ 3rd flr, V Mall, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan City
You can contact them @ 726 9387 ; 584 5356 or email them @ pixelproinc@yahoo.com

Who Cut In and Tripped You?

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept 

you from obeying the truth?

GALATIANS 5:7

Occasionally we get tripped by other people. But most of the time, we trip ourselves. We forget 

the reason why we are in the race, and we forget the rewards of the victory. it's tough to stay focused, but it's the only way to finish the race.

Paul was talking about this when he wrote to the Corinthians, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way to get the prize" (1 Corinthians 9:24)

Hera are four guideline to encourage you:

1. Keep focused on your goal.
2. Resist discouragement. it's never wrong to be discouraged, but it is fatal to give up.
3. Renew yourself daily, "At the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9)
4. Rely completely on the Lord. If we leave God out of our lives, we will struggle in our own strength and lose the upward dimension that renews our faith and our hope. So keep running.

Sala, Harold. Just for today: Guidelines for living