my clever little toddler

You know I was once told that when babies would already learn how to walk by themselves, you won't feel the pressures of being a mom or a parent anymore or that you'll be able to relax a whole lot better than you did when they were still just a few months old because they no longer have to be carried all the time. However, sometimes I would feel like they're safer in my arms and I would feel more sense of peace within myself when I know they won't get a scratch on any part of the body or a bump in the head for enjoying the newfound freedom to run or move. It's been like two or three weeks now as well since my clever little toddler have discovered a way to reach for anything she has a secret crush on even when it's far beyond her reach. What she would do is grab and pull a chair right to the place of her interest and use it as her ladder so she would climb up to get what she has been eyeing on. No matter how much we try stopping her from doing so and then putting her back down everytime she would succeed in standing on top of the chair's seat and enjoying the view, she's too stubbornly patient to try it again.

Uh oh, watch the tv!

mommy moments #3: memories from last christmas

I'm joining Mommy Moments again because I've got something to share - photographs and memories from last Christmas. :-) You'll have to excuse me for the pictures, though, because my camera hasn't been taking good pictures anymore. One thing that's good about it is that if you and I think I don't look great in all of my pictures, it's probably because my camera needs repair or replacement. Paging, Santa Claus! :-)

The pictures I'm going to share below were taken at a relative's place. Grandmother spent her Christmas there with them because my aunt (who was supposed to be her lone company in the house) took an almost emergency flight to Vietnam for some real important reason. It was a good thing that grandma chose to stay there because it's not too far from where we live - so we thought of swinging there to join them in the celebration of Christmas.

Grandma was so happy to see us that day. My little girl was only nine months old in this picture. She rendered a piano recital for her great grandmother.

Okay, I was just bluffing about the piano recital. Obviously, she just sat there. Okay, fine, we made her sit there. :-)

could it be baby measles?

I don't know with you guys but parenting for me is not like a walk in the park. I'm always the frantic mom everytime I would notice something unusual with my child. But then I guess that's how other moms or parents would react, too.

I mentioned she got out of her teething discomfort and fever some two weeks ago. I thought that was our only health concern for the month. In fact, we brought her along to church with us on Sunday afternoon. However, Monday morning when she was about to take her bath, we noticed some red rashes on her stomach, and then there were some on her back and behind her ear which we suspected to be "baby measles" but then again we can't be sure. She was complete with vaccination, by the way.

I was frantic and wanted to see the doctor right away but my little toddler was acting normal - active, walking and running around the house, jumping in the mattress, just like her normal self. No fever, no itching, nothing except those eruptions/rashes on the skin (parts of her stomach, back and behind her ear).

Time to call mother-in-law. We were advised to just observe first how it goes with her at least for a day. So, we just let her take lots of fluids. I thank God for her strong immune system because the rashes started to fade away hours after and when it was already morning, those rashes on the skin are all clear and gone.

Could it be baby measles or roseola? My analysis was that she got the virus when we went to church. Someone's child might have been carrying the virus, too. It was raining when we were about to go home. We forgot to bring an umbrella so we had to wait (along with the other churchgoers who also came unprepared) for the rain to stop. There were sneezing and coughing here and there. Hmmm, anyway, it's all clear already. Thank you, Lord!

teething discomfort and then fever

She bites!

About a week ago, my daughter was not again in her best mood due to her teething discomfort. Yes, it's her molars again! I don't know how many molars more she'd have to endure - I might have to do a research about this pretty soon.

I think it was her worst teething discomfort  because she's had fever for two days that sent us a panicky feeling because her temperature has reached a 39.8ºC!  I can even feel the extra heat on her palms as well as the soles of her feet. We let her drink medicine for fever (every 4 hours) that was appropriate for her age.

I realized that when babies are sick, they would usually want their moms to hold and cuddle them. This was the case with my daughter - she wants me with her almost all the time, clamoring for attention.

It was really hard to see my baby getting uncomfortable and sick. I can't describe what I was feeling when I found out her fever went as high as 39.8. I was crying and I really didn't want to wait until the second day to see if she feels better. I just want to rush her to the doctor but husband said, we'll wait till the second day because we also believe that her teething was the cause of her fever. And we were right about it.

You know it was really hard for us to let her drink medicine for fever. Even though it has fruity flavor, we still had to force her to drink the medicine. Well, we really had a problem in letting her drink fluids because she would usually refuse take to take any except when she's given ice cubes! Occasionally, she would drink milk but we couldn't count on it because she would usually throw up when she's offered milk.

We knew it's important that she has fluid intake especially that she was eating less solid food. Glad we realized her fondness for ice cubes.  Thankfully, her fever went away even before we decided to see her pediatrician. Wiping her body with damp cloth has also helped in lowering down her temperature.

9 proven solutions that help parents avoid the undetectable problems that keep toddlers unsafe

Did you know the way to distinguish the "Musts" from the "Shoulds" for your infant safety equipment?

Have you ever made your list? Here are the actual baby-proofing items that should be at the must-have tippy top.

I know that we don't all have hundreds of dollars to be able to throw down the all-critical childproofing budget gap. To help the protection of the serious yet financially fainthearted, I've classified them into the "musts", that means that you should not care where you get them, but good parenting requires them.

For those who have more than 1 kid (or are often distracted), consider the more distractions you have at your residence, the more distractable you are, the more important your baby-proofing is.

Below (in order of importance) 9 baby proofing items you "must" have to keep the baby safe:

1. A Good Gate: Even if you live in a ranch-style home or an apartment with no stairways, there will be rooms or areas you will not want your baby wandering into, so an excellent gate is definitely a must-have babyproofing purchase.

2. A Blind Winder: The number of babies strangled every year due to dangling blind and also shade cords is devastating. In fact, the Customer Product Safety Commission lists cords as one of the "hidden hazards" parent's don't think of. There are numerous affordable window blind winders out there, however if you have to manually re-wind the cord immediately after every use, you won't use it.

3. Anti-Tip Anchors: If you have a climber (or possible climber) on your hands, furniture straps are a must. Whether it's a dresser or a shelf, attach these heavy pieces of furniture to the wall with anti-tip connectors to stop the furniture from tipping over.

4. Fireplace Safety: Hard stone around the fireplace hearth can be very unsafe with little ones all-around. Its sharp edges and rough stone corners can cut, and seriously hurt a tripping child. You have to choose one of the numerous good hearth bumper pads available in the marketplace.

5. Corner Edge Bumpers: You can protect the corners of the end-tables and coffee tables with corner and side guards. One-size-fits all because you reduce the foam to fit your particular table exactly.

6. Outlet Covers: For used outlets with cords, you may buy a cover that could prevent your baby from unplugging the cord and playing with the electric outlet. They are best for high-traffic areas where you will be inserting and un-plugging items often.

7. Childproof Latches for Cabinets and Drawers: Drawer latches are also an essential-have for childproofing your home. They may prevent your growing infant from hitting intact drawers with sharp or small items stored on the inside. Ideal for the kitchen, bathroom, or home office. Choose childproof latches that won't allow your little one to have even a hand inside.

8. Railing Net: Stair and railing nets are also a must if your railing spindles are usually further than 2.5 to 3 in . apart.

9. Bathtub Safety Items: Bath-time is always exciting for a growing baby. Keep it safe by using a few of these little accessories.

 - A bathtub thermometer to gauge water temperature.
 - A bathtub safety rail to help your own little one get in and out of the tub safely.
 - A faucet cover that will protect her little head from nasty bumps.

These are the most significant baby safety gear items out there. Consider them as an crucial investment you will make in the years of growth and exploration still ahead of you.

Bonnie M. Ryan is currently writing for the designer baby bags for mums website, her personal hobby blog focused on rules to help moms and dads to get details to become more eco-conscious and make their own eco-friendly baby diaper bags. 

mommy moments #2: "hair" is that moment

Hello mommies! Sorry for missing out last week's Mommy Moments because I just can't catch my little girl jumping on camera or video. :-)

Anyway, Our Life As Parents is joining this week. I hope I can still catch up. The topic is about hairstyles.

This is how my little toddler sports her hair right now.

No, she's not going to school. She's just a year and a half. Happy Mommy Moments!