My Mommy Must-Haves

Since having our baby, life has been... well, different and more interesting :) I've been discovering a lot more things lately and wanted to share them with other moms or moms-to-be just in case someone finds this helpful...

I love these footed baby pajamas with the built-in mitten cuffs. Because I had such a small baby, these were a lifesaver for me those first few weeks. Bettina didn't even fit into preemie mittens or socks so these were perfect, I didn't have to constantly lose a sock or a mitten (she had long nails too so I always needed to cover her hands.) The ones that open in the front with snap buttons or zippers are awesome...

I am loving the Moby wrap right now, I wear it pretty much everyday. If you have a baby that always wants to be carried (which I do) this is great so I could still use my two hands :) I bought another carrier prior to this, similar to a Baby Bjorn, it just didn't fit right, I felt like my baby was too far away from me. The Moby wrap is just more snug and I feel like she's more comfortable in it.

Whoever invented the boppy pillow is a genius. Aside from using it for breastfeeding you can also prop baby on it - sitting and tummy time. It's awesome, every mom should have one.

A good friend bought me this glider for my shower and I am so thankful for it. Rocks like a dream and so comfortable. I love that it has an ottoman to put my feet up :)

Aden + Anais makes the best swaddling blankets ever! They are a little bit pricey though but they are really big, soft and lightweight. They're just wonderful. I think I only have 8 of these, given by our ninang.

Burp cloths. We go through a ton of these, I personally just like the plain white lampin ones. I don't use them as diapers though, although you can. I feel like the more these get used, the softer they get.

Those are my favorite mommy items at the moment. What are yours?

This Week's Make Up Haul

I've been trawling for drugstore make up this past week just looking to try different products. I have a really simple beauty routine and I already know what stuff works well for me but I was in an adventurous mood so...

This mascara I've already had before and really liked so I repurchased :) The eyebrow pencil, also from Maybelline, I was intrigued because it was mechanical (no need for sharpening) and had a comb at the end (perfect for traveling, I don't need to bring a separate brow comb). However, the line it draws is quite thin, I like my HG Sonia Kashuk eyebrow pencil much better.
I don't normally like to use liquid foundation because for me powder is much faster and easier to apply. I have to say though, I quite like Maybelline's Super Stay Foundation. It's supposed to be long-lasting too (haven't proved it yet though) and very affordable. Nice medium coverage and the consistency I like better than MAC's Studio Fix Fluid.

Found this compact, Boots No 7, and I thought it was pretty so I got it. Wanted to find out if I could replace my trusty MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation. I was kinda disappointed. The powder settled into my fine lines and emphasized my pores :( It also had a weird fishy smell. Should have researched this one first before I bought. Good thing it wasn't that expensive.

I got this Milani eyeliner as I've heard a lot of good reviews about it. In summary it's like a cream eyeliner on a stick, so smooth to apply and the blackest black eyeliner I've ever tried. The downside is if you have oily lids it's definitely gonna run.

Lastly, I got a quad from Rimmel. I was gonna get two but decided to try this one first then purchase the other set of colors if I liked how this one turned out. It's ok, not very pigmented, a little shimmery and very powdery. It was also very inexpensive so I was not expecting much.

So that's it for my trial and error make up this week. Ahh, the beauty of being a woman... :)

Awesome Sneaks

I can't help but do a review on these Reebok Zig sneakers. I've been gushing about how comfortable these shoes are for a couple of weeks now. A friend of mine bought a pair a few months ago and I didn't believe that it was so great because the design didn't really appeal to me, it still looks pretty weird even though I've been wearing it for close to a month now, but it's slowly growing on me...

I use these mainly for walking, I'm not a big runner. These shoes really provide good balance and a lot of stability, probably coz it's wider at the base.

My husband got a pair too, I think they're called Realflex. They're a bit normal-looking than mine and he loves them too, so yey! for Reebok :)

If you're a little bit skeptical as I was, I suggest just going to the store and trying them on, won't cost a thing and you'll know for sure if these are the sneakers you've been looking for all along. Sizes do tend to run a bit smaller in Reebok, just FYI.

Our Camping Weekend And Tent Review

So a few weeks ago we were stressing over what tent to get for our camping trip. Finally settled on a Wenzel Big Bear tent due to the price [got it for only $80 due to an online promo] and the size [roof is 6 feet tall and we wanted a tent we could stand in comfortably].

The website said that it was good for 7 people which is hard to believe because you obviously still have to put your stuff in it. I'd say it's a stretch, but it may fit 4 adults perfectly, it has room for two queen size airbeds with space to spare.
Just to show you what the inside looks like. Very comfortable and spacious for the two of us.
The only caveat was that it rained on our last night for the whole night. Almost every tent there regardless of brand or size had water seeping in through the seams. So I'd say we fared pretty well considering it didn't flood inside our tent :)
Me and the husband with our small really packed car. We had a lot of fun camping even though there's not really much to do but eat, clean up, sleep, hang out. And eat ice cream :)
Combination of Death by Chocolate + Mint Chocolate Chip.
Nothing beats gourmet ice cream on a hot day!

The Face Shop Haul

Got a few things from The Face Shop the other day. I was only hoping to get a cleanser but being me, I walked away with more than I originally planned...

From left to right with mini reviews:

* Clean Face Mild Lotion - reminds me of Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion except it's so hard to get the product out of the bottle. Such a hassle!

* Organature Granule Foam - was persuaded to get this because I'm a sucker for organic products. It's ok but I'm still keeping my St. Ives Scrub as a back-up.

* Diamond Shine Lipgloss - I LOVE this lipgloss! It reminds me so much of Tarte's lipglosses, very moisturizing and the color looks great on me.

* Brightening Rice Water Powder Wash - I got this because I haven't tried a powder cleanser before, it's quite an interesting concept. I'm having fun mixing the powder with a little bit of water and creating a cleansing foam. Awesome marketing idea for long-haul flights.

* Fruit Garden Hand Lotion - I like the Olive & Mint combination (not really a fan of fruity scents) and it's lightweight and absorbs quickly.

The saleslady also gave me a few sample freebies, I have yet to try them out.

Bluetooth Headset "Discovery"

I've been eyeing this bluetooth headset for quite some time, maybe 6 months before I finally got it. I've been using the Plantronics Discovery 925 for a little over a month now and I must say I am very happy with it.

Design-wise, it is cool in every way from the hairpin-like shape to the built-in charger case. It also comes in a bunch of other colors - gold, cerise, white and purple. I got the black one because it matched with my cellphone.

I found the device extremely easy to pair with my phone and very effortless to use, one touch is all it takes to answer calls. It is also extremely light-weight, the longest time I've had it on nonstop was 6 hours and it was still comfortable. It doesn't slide or fall off your ear either :)

Sound-wise, it delivers pretty well that the person I talk to on the other end don't even know that I'm using a bluetooth headset because it's that clear! Well, provided you're not too far away from your cellphone :)
Best of all, the charge lasts for days and days since the headset is housed with a charger so I just throw the whole thing in my bag and I'm set.

Taking It All Off

I'm pretty new at wearing eyeshadow - only been using it for the past 8 months or so. It's funny how we girls put on all sorts of waterproof mascara and primers to make the make-up last only to slave away taking it off in the sink after a couple of hours... 

Anyway, I chanced upon this product from The Face Shop a couple of months ago and it's just so cool and works very well for me that I had to share it. 

You could see the suds already forming, ready to get your eyes squeaky clean again without all the rubbing on your delicate eye area. It only takes 2 swipes and your make-up is history!
This is perfect to take while traveling or to stash in the car for those late nights when you're too tired to take off your make-up :)

Digital Back Up

Last month I went shopping for a portable hard drive intent on getting a pink Western Digital My Passport Essential. Instead I found myself drawn to the LaCie Little Disk purely from a design standpoint. 

Prior to my shopping trip I've never even heard of this brand before, everyone in my family has used Western Digital hard drives since forever but I thought it wouldn't hurt to give it a try especially if it looked this good. It works perfectly fine :)
The plastic cap comes off to reveal a pull-out USB port. I think that's an awesome design concept - no more losing USBs!
Since the plastic is prone to scratches I also got this case from Built NY. 
The LaCie has the same dimensions as the WD Passport so it fit into this sleeve like a glove. 
I must say, it's now a month old and I have not encountered a single problem with it :)

What's In Your Wallet?

I haven't really been tagged but I want to do this nonetheless... I think you learn a lot from a person by what they carry around with them. Anyway, here are the rules of the wallet tag:

1. Take pictures of your wallet and its contents. 

2. Talk about how you got your wallet and how much you paid for it. 

3. Enumerate the contents and tell a few things about them.

4. Pass this tag to the rest of your friends. 

Ok, here goes...

1. I've been carrying this orange Kipling wallet around for about a month now. I cycle my wallets and try to use them all equally, this just happened to be my wallet now. I should be changing again pretty soon. 

This is the whole wallet. As you can see it's rather huge and bulky. 

And so very orange! 
Unfortunately, I am doing a wallet tag on the day that I don't have any money [cash]. Haha. Oh well, moving on...

2. I got my wallet at Macy's last December. I was drawn to the striking orange color. It really helps because since I have a penchant for humongous handbags I'm able to spot my wallet easily inside whatever dark abyss it's in. Best of all, it was on sale for $24!

3. I can fit so many things inside here: a whole bunch of coins, a checkbook, receipts, credit cards, a bank card, rewards cards, membership cards, stamps, gift cards, ID, driver's license, even some pictures. I will DIE if I ever lose my wallet, it has pretty much my whole life in it!

4. If you're reading this, you are most welcome to participate in the wallet tag! Let me know about it too :)

Raving About Gel Insoles

Every time I buy a new pair of shoes I almost always get gel insoles to go along with it. Of course, comfort is an essential factor when purchasing shoes but admit it, heels don't spell comfort. That's why I need my gel insoles to provide extra cushioning and prevent sore, achy feet as much as possible. They also provide good grip so say goodbye to slippery feet! I've tried so many different brands of gel cushioning and below are my favorites:

Airplus for her is one of my favorite brands of gel insoles. They're clear and hardly noticeable. The really stick to your shoes and the grip they have on your feet is amazing. 

Apara is another brand I've just discovered that is very similar to Airplus. They almost blend into the shoe itself and the cushioning it provides is so nice and soft. As an example, I'm using my Etienne Aigner shoe...

So if you stand or walk for long periods of time or just have sore feet from your not-very-comfortable shoes it's time to go out and get some gel insoles! They're available almost everywhere shoes are sold and there are some really great non-expensive brands out there. Protect your feet, after all they are the ones that hold the rest of your body up.

My Experience With The Neti Pot

Every so often I get allergic rhinitis. Mostly it's triggered by dust and sometimes it gets so severe that I end up suffering for more than a week and having to miss work. For quite a while now I've been researching about natural ways to relieve my chronic sinus symptoms and I came upon nasal irrigation. More specifically, using a neti pot to cleanse and drain the nasal cavity to help relieve allergy symptoms. 

I found out that Oprah even featured this in one of her episodes and there seemed to be a lot of people testifying how great this product is. So I bought a neti pot from the Himalayan Institute since I figured there's no harm in trying...

I've read that you can use regular non-iodized table salt for the neti pot but I got the branded salt just because I felt a little iffy about putting anything but the highest grade salt up my nose. At almost $6 for 10 ounces it's pretty pricey but it lasts a long time. And you can be rest assured you're neti potting with the purest salt out there. :)

Anyway... my first time using the neti pot was about a month ago so I'm now basically a pro at it. The first time i tried to put the saline solution up my nose I felt a burning sensation. Definitely uncomfortable but not painful. I found it so cool that you could actually breathe through your mouth while in the process. It got easier to do after a few tries and it did lessen my sinus problems somewhat. I used to have a chronic cold but it was resolved in the first week that I started using the neti pot.

Here's a demo on how to use a neti pot:

Right now I'm having another rhinitis flare-up and I've been sick since Sunday. My symptoms haven't gone away despite using the neti pot religiously twice a day. Maybe something else is to blame? Possible culprits are lack of exercise, lack of sleep and poor nutrition. I definitely have to work on those.