Investment /ɪnˈvɛs(t)m(ə)nt/

The word that is enticing to the masses as they know this is the not-so-much-of-a-secret of the rich. Investing in multiple ventures is the way to be and it is the only game plan in staying on the pedestal of the privileged. The difficulty of its implementation comes in with its concept perceived as intimidating. A common misconception being that it “always” takes a huge amount of money to start.

Warren Buffett, CEO of the Berkshire Hathaway and one of the most successful investors in the world, said, “The best investment you could ever do is to educate yourself.” Let us begin becoming financially literate by understanding these 3 basic principles:

1. What is an investment?

As explained by www.investopedia.com in its very economic sense, “An investment is any purchased good that is not consumed today but will be used in the future to build wealth.” This definition implies that it starts with an intended delayed gratification. An investment is best used to produce passive income while you earn aggressively. Finding a product that will allow regrowth of the capital you bought it with is the key.

2. What is the difference between passive income and aggressive income?

In his book “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, Robert Kiyosaki shared the importance of passive income over active income. To embrace the advantage of the first one over the other, he pointed out that active income is what you earn from your day job. Passive income is called so since you get it without doing much of a workload. Having an investment to earn you some passive income is the name of the game. You will get paid via the ‘investment’ you have made.

Sample financial statement
that the boardgame Cashflow provides.

For example, you have bought an apartment and had it rented out. Basically, the monthly rental payment you get from it is passive income because you did not actually have to do any work for it compared to your 8-hour day job. Simply put, you did not have to report for duty to anybody at anytime. You are earning money even when your attention is on other things. The capital you bought and renovated the apartment with was your investment and this can earn you back your capital and more! Understanding the rate of return based on how an apartment is in demand, you are actually making your investment work for you. This way, your apartment becomes an asset.

HALLOWEEN MOVIES THAT YOUR KIDS WILL SURELY ENJOY

Hey beautiful mamas out there!!! Halloween fright nights are here and is it just me, but gone are the days that you are thinking of what to wear but it turned more into a question for your kid that goes: "What will you be?"

Well this season is not just for the meaningless dress up and role playing but here is also a good opportunity to teach the little ones how characters turned into villains. Have a cuddle time with your kid or have them invite their friends over for a movie night as you give them a different spooky experience thru this fun scary movies and halloween treats after.

1. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 1 & 2

Loaded with fun characters and awesome songs, this is a hit to introduce to your kids to give a lighter label to Dracula, Frankenstein and Big Foot. The story revolves around a female teenaged vampire in search of a new adventure apart from being a nightly creature. She meets a mortal that gives the whole Transylvannians a scream and a scare ironically for having their norms defied as soon as the mortal decides to stay. As the movie goes, you would realise that Dad's voice is familiarly Adam Sandler's and Mavis, the vampire daughter to be Selena Gomez's.

2. MONSTER HOUSE

This may be too much for the young ones so do stay with them for the entire duration of the movie. But as far as animation goes, it teaches youngsters not to take their parents for granted as far as giving advice is concerned. Obedience, respect and an outpouring lesson about trespassing can be learned from this movie. It could teach them courage and bravery on top of a realisation that we should never let our fears rule over us and why telling a lie is wrong.

3. MALEFICENT

Not only kids enjoy this one but the adults as well as it gives understanding of how Maleficent really is in the beginning. She has kindness, true love and gentleness that was unexpected of her this entire time and that's what made this movie beyond interesting. Get to know the real her as you enjoy the popcorn and the couch.

4. ANGRY BIRDS

With the same misconception, the angry birds aren't naturally angry. They had a reason. This movie is funny from the beginning 'til the end. So many viewers even treat this as a tear jerker for its touching ending yet the good thing remains, how they turned out to be villainous with their anger. Protective instinct, camaraderie and pureness of intentions can be highlighted in a young one's mind thru this box office movie.

5. THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

So many think Jack Skellington is a villain. The movie shows that you tend to be seen as such when you are in a different world. But that's not the case. All of us are special in our own unique ways. We maybe misunderstood in the beginning but awareness is the key into knowing who we truly are to accept our gifts and individuality.

Tim Burton and his spectacular creativity, direction and ideas had made this movie possible. That being said, ignite the kids' intellect by making them realise their own special abilities and gifts. Encourage them after the movie to stay unique and to embrace what makes them different.

6. CASPER

This is an oldie right here but it still is the cutest movie. The first time I saw this, I wanted to have a scientific laboratory of my own and a big house full of fun rooms. This is a story about a dad moving into a haunted house with his daughter. They didn't know this at first so they got scared initially but in the end, they became friends with them. Know how that happened by sitting in with the 7 year olds and up!

7. CORALINE

This is a movie about a little girl who never got satisfied with what she had. She defied all her parents advice and had become a rebel without cause. Until she wandered into a world where she thought she'd be happy in but is actually the opposite of what she has at the present. As she finds out that she misses her real parents, real room and real life, does she still have time to recover it still or will she be trapped forever in the creepy world she had invented in her mind. Find out with your young gang how Coraline survives the challenge.

Related posts:

1. HALLOWEEN 2016 IN HONG KONG DISNEYLAND

2. LOOK UP - A blog post featuring a youtube video that deeply touches the disturbance android phones had done in building relationships.

3. BOX OFFICE CHRISTMAS LIST - Watch this familiar natural phenomenon of giving birth in water.

WHY PHILIPPINE OFW'S GOT THE POWER TO REBUILD ITS ECONOMY THRU FINANCIAL EDUCATION

Only one in every three people knows how to handle money according to Standard & Poor’s (S&P’s) Global Financially Literate Survey conducted December of 2015. That consists only 31% of the total global population who have access to, had gained knowledge from and is practicing financial literacy.

How long do you need to stay at the left
to be able to do what's on the right?

Manila Times had elaborated that the survey conducted an interview amongst 150,000 adults from more than 140 countries. The lowest percentage showing the least financially literate is 13% from Yemen. Sweden and Norway closed the gap being the first with 71% of their population having an understanding of the concepts about money. Remarkably in Southeast Asia, Cambodia garners the lowest percentage with 18%, joined with Vietnam to be lower than the Philippines with 24% and Singapore has the highest rank with 59%. 

Philippines accounts 25% only of its entire population of 102,550,352 (recorded as of Monday, Sept. 12, 2006) to be the only ones who know inflation, compounding interest (savings and loan) and proper handling of a credit card. What does this mean?

According to www.investopedia.com, The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is one of the primary indicators used to gauge the health of a country’s economy. It represents the total dollar value of all goods and services produced over a specific period of time; you can think of it as the size of the economy. Its calculation could be done adding altogether the income generated by each working individual of a specific country within the year. This is how society’s contributions come to play.

Individual success in handling money depends greatly on how experienced one had become in using this commodity. With experience being the greatest teacher, financial education could build a platform as to where all these experiences could be shared. Experiences don’t consist of achievements all the time. Challenges that may have occurred could be shared as well to be analyzed to prevent errors to occur. As it is truly devastating to make a mistake with your hard earned money, we can all learn from these challenges.

You may say the rich have a lot of exposure to such scarce form of education but information was passed from one generation to another only within their family. The survey also reflected who don’t have access to such education like the women, the poor and the illiterate. For whatever reason, it’s another story, but I want to focus on how alarming Philippines’ 25% is since each civilian is a significant contributor to an economy’s growth.

In the Philippines, no money topic could be considered an easy one to talk about. Some feel awkward conversing about it, some feel uncomfortable and others feel threatened. Needless to say, it speaks a lot about status. The rich people love to talk about money but the barriers are high for the majority which is the poor to take it lightly. Money remains taboo and is still surprisingly thought of as the source of all evil.

Financial Education says otherwise. It suffices the need for understanding how money should be treated as a tool. A tool in creating opportunities for a brighter and secure future ahead while you enjoy the fruits of your labor today. That the amount of salary is not the only determining factor whether you will be rich or not but the strategy you learn in sustaining it and making it grow. In addition, it is imperative to understand a little as to why insurance is needed, how time can help your money grow and how compounding interest could benefit you as you save more. And these are just a few of what financial education can empower you with.

Being aware of a nation’s potential outcome if its entire population becomes financially literate is enough reason to increase the number of learned people as to how to use their money wisely. A world renowned leader Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” In consideration of the Filipino overseas workers that surround the globe, this statement of Mandela’s could drive the Philippines into becoming a global success.

WIKIPEDIA tallied that 13.5% of Philippines GDP came from Filipino Overseas Foreign Workers’ (OFW’s) remittances alone. Remarkably, the Philippines, India, China and Mexico are the largest recipient of official remittances and the Philippines got the largest in proportion to the domestic economy amongst the 4. If the biggest income generator are the overseas foreign workers, then the campaign for advocating financial education should be done aggressively beginning with them.

The overseas Filipino workers leave their families hoping that working abroad could make their lives better. To consider a contract abroad, the salary should be promising enough that it should be a lot more than what they would earn while working in their own country.

So what happens is that, once they receive their first paycheck abroad, it usually goes to paying debts in the Philippines that they incurred to arrange the papers to be able to work abroad. Second paycheck comes, everything will be sent to the Philippines for the family expecting a breather from the usual lifestyle. What happens to the OFWs, they have to do another sacrifice of eating noodles until the third paycheck comes! More likely, the OFW will start rewarding himself with the third paycheck and this practice becomes endless until you are pushed to apply for another loan while abroad. The cycle continues from there… on a larger scale. In the end, with that much number of years away from the family, you will go home without savings nor any form of retirement plan.

If the OFW’s would be taught of and trained on how to save, invest and re-invest which are the fundamentals of financial literacy, it can improve their way of looking at saving and spending. They would see the importance of having an emergency fund which would prevent them from making unnecessary loans. In the long run, individual efforts will improve the Philippines’ current economy big time. Individual efforts put together could give the country a competitive economic disposition.

Related posts:

1. A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL STOCK INVESTING WITH THE EIP COL EASY INVESTMENT PROGRAM - These are the steps I took in purchasing and investing on stocks for those who are interested to know.

2. GET INVESTED IN STOCKS FOR A RICHER LIFE - This features the advantage of peso cost averaging than choosing to be a risky trader.

3. FLOI WYCOCO a.k.a. MR. INVESTOR - The person who had inspired and helped me get my application sent to COL Financial. Read about the way he pushes a #financiallyliteratePH !

TAI O, HONG KONG'S LITTLE VENICE

Nine years here in Hong Kong before I had seen the fisherman village of Tai O. The richness of its culture and the old traditional ways that they still practice were enticing for me but along with the depths of its rivers separating the village to two forks, are the many controversial events it went thru.

Here are 10 Interesting Things
You Should Know about Tai O:

1. Tai O is called Hong Kong's own Venice since the whole village is built on a body of water. Most of the time, you need to ride the boat to get from one pang uk to another. Civilisation here started 3 centuries ago and up until now, it remains standing and still gives the tourists some scenic view.

A line of pang uk that I saw while riding the boat to go back to the village proper.

2. Fishing was the Tai O villager's number one means of living during the earlier times Back then there were still 30,000 of them. Currently, it's dying out which brought the population to only 5,000. Livelihood of the locals depend on the traditional shrimp paste and salted fish at storefronts, sought after by tourists. May it be for sale, used in a restaurant or they supply outside town, Tai O offers the most authentic products. For them, this is a gift from the sea.

The salted fish and shrimp paste are making a name amongst expats here in Tai O.
These dried goods contain sea cucumber, squid, and scallops and other rare seafood
that may only be available in Tai O that's why they may be costly at one point.

3. In reaching places, boat trip services are offered by the residents. The Tai O town is big enough to be traveled by boat. From the Tai O Ferry Pier to where the public transportation to the city awaits, it can be covered within 15mins each way. Between the boat ride and walking, I prefer the first one most especially during Summer.

leaving the Tai O Ferry Pier after seeing Tai O Heritage Hotel

It's good to book your boats in advance most especially
if you are traveling in a group.

3. Many tourists come to Tai O to see white dolphins for a price of HK$25-HK$35/head. This is because the river opens up to the South China Sea and Macau. If you stand by the lookout area of Tai O Heritage Hotel, you would see one of the bridges of Macau from this viewpoint. This may require you to leave early in the morning though as they come out mostly during this time of the day.

It wouldn't hurt to give a tip on top of the HK$25 worth of the boat trip.

4. During the Stone Age, the inlets of the rivers surrounding Tai O was believed to have been the best hiding place. It also provided the best protection from Hong Kong's unpredictable weather for smuggling and piracy operations to be done smoothly. Though it's hard to prove these claims, this may have been true since in the end, they had to put up a prison for all the illegal activities that had been going on.

The mountains surround the river that holds
perfect location for trading and exchange of merchandise.

5. To keep things in order in Tai Po, a stealth prison and a watch tower was built at the coast near the Tai O pier. This is to guard the village from pirates and people that escape from China crossing the border to Hong Kong illegally. 

The former prison is surrounded by mock up bomb launchers.
Hong Kong Heritage Foundation Limited revitalised the police station in 2009 preserving
the cell for tourists to see and adding a restaurant for guests to have a bed and breakfast experience.

A guide may be booked
for a short tour of the former
police station.

6. This prison is now transformed into a boutique hotel that has 9 rooms and a restaurant. Once, there was an Indian police that wanted to escape from duty and gunfire was exchanged inside the prison. The prison can be closed concealing access to the 2nd floor from the 1st floor so that rebels would be prevented from escaping. So, when the escapee struggled for his freedom, some shots left a mark on one of the bullet proof gates. It remained to be historical that way including the preserved cell and the watchtower. The prison now is called the Tai O Heritage Hotel.

The hotel is still in the government's actual hold. If there would come a time that a holding station may be needed for anything that may arise (war, strict red alert and suspected piracy), the hotel will submit on its demand with no contest. The restaurant may be put down and everything will go back to its original state.

As of now, it takes pride on being accredited by Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific with a Sustainable Hotel Award 2015; for being the winner of Trip Advisor's Traveler's Choice Award 2015 and many more.


7. The boutique hotel was added of a scenic overlooking restaurant where breakfast will be served to the guests as booked. It's called Tai O Lookout. It was named so because during the ancient times that it was still a serving prison, 3 people take shifts within the day to look out for any suspicious and threatening activity surrounding the open coast. According to the tour guide that described this lookout tower, it was almost entirely covered with a small opening for the guards to get in that it didn't offer good ventilation. The guards taking shifts here felt like they were bait for the mosquitoes to feast on each time. Many of whom died not because of any pirate or smuggler attack but of Dengue and Malaria.

The lookout area had been covered almost entirely to protect the guards from getting discovered and shot by the pirates.

This combo was the most famous snack.
It's Crispy Bun and Sparkling Juice.
Estimated price of this meal: HK$85

8. The Tai O lookout offers a refreshing feeling with its ceiling made of clear windows. It opens up to the natural sunlight to accentuate the wooden carved furniture that formerly belonged to China Tee Club.

When we visited the restaurant, they offered us their specialty which is the Crispy Bun that came with a burger marinated with shrimp paste. This signature dish along with the Sparkling juice that is a combination of strawberry, passion fruit, blueberry and lime are their famous snacks in the menu.


9. The boutique hotel rooms are well equipped with toiletries. Outside, it still has that serene vibe like a prison's but its sleekness and class exceeded my expectation. You would see a prison looking atmosphere outside but inside is a very warm and inviting hideout alright.

The two twin bed rooms.

How it actually looks like inside one of the hotel rooms.

10. Tai O has rich soil and promising sea.

The Sea is considered golden with the treasures it gives to the people of the 200 year old fisherman village. Besides the seafood that literally and vastly reproduced no matter how often they fished, opportunities didn't stop there for the fishermen. Drying and preserving had developed into original customs which made the village well known. It had given a local brand 80 years in the business as it attributes rich fields, clear salt and plentiful sunlight in Tai O.

Drying a bunch of mackerels under the sun.

On the other hand, the land gives out fortune thru its crops. The remarkable elixir  that is extracted from Begonia Fimbristipula is one of the most renowned companion of every family in Tai O across all generations, thru good times and bad. This remedial and protective tea is called the Phoenix Tea for it comes from the Phoenix Mountain of Lantau.

The Phoenix is known for aging, dying then regenerating to gain power. Named after it, this miraculous tea tree rejuvenates, detoxifies and fights off the years. It invigorates the digestive system that's why besides its medicinal effect, the people use this slightly acidic flavour as an essential ingredient in appetisers, soups and sautéed dishes.

Some places consider wine as healthy for the heart.
The people in Tai O considers drinking Begonia Fimbristipula
or the Phoenix Tea for the holistic effect it has for the entire body.

This is one of the tea houses where you may order the Phoenix Tea from.
We passed by this pang uk as we rode the boat back to the bus station.

The temporary prison cell
that held more than 15 prisoners at
a time without bathroom privileges.

It is such a momentous experience hearing Tai O's history and ancient culture and then seeing how it ended up looking preserved somehow. Tasting their food and seeing the prison turn into a hotel were the most remarkable for me. On the way home, I've purchased a mini bottle of shrimp paste. I'm calling out chefs who are looking for tasty shrimp paste and dried seafood to come down and check it out. I'm calling those who may want to try the elixir of life called the Phoenix Tea for its destressing benefits and most of all, check out the Tai O lookout for a breathtaking view of the South China Sea. Have a taste of a one-of-a-kind shrimp paste marinated burger and see how small the prison was that fitted 15 prisoners altogether before.

Related posts:

1. 10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HONG KONG - have a share of what I treasure most about this harbour city!

2. HONG KONG HOTELS YOU NEVER KNEW WERE THERE - featuring Tai O Heritage Hotel (along with other special hotels) if you would like to know more of it.

3. 2015 BEST PHOTOS - I love taking photos and here is a line up of what I treasured dearly last 2015.

In writing this post, I would like to acknowledge, the following links:

1. www.taioheritagehotel.com

2. www.google.com

SO THAI SO GOOD

Looking for a good Thai restaurant? Tsing Yi got "So Thai So Good" and it lives to its name with their not just decorative dishes but also flavourful ones that will surely take you aback. One rainy night, my husband was craving for something explosive in the mouth without letting go of what's familiar, particularly, seafood. His palate's cravings were not disappointed in coming to this place.

Maritime Square, situated at 33 Tsing King Road is the first mall in Hong Kong to adopt an ocean  and navigation design theme for its interior. It is a home of 150 shops and on the 3rd floor of this 500,000 square feet mall is where  "So Thai So Good" is located.


As you reach the mall via the Tsing Yi MTR station, you will not miss the dainty restaurant on the third because it exudes a homey feel that can capture a passerby's interest. Because of how simple the colors are and how the price of their food is readily available to be checked out by the entrance, it becomes attractive to  people from different walks of life. I like how it's clean, it's different from the rest of the restaurants and that the decorative pots are in Tiffany Blue. Fancy!

Pai Thai in Tamarind Sauce with River Prawn - HK$85

More than the decor though is the food. To start off, that stormy night (hence my rain boots and extra jacket in Summer), they had a buy one, take one on any yogurt smoothie which was fantastic with the Poly boys' taste. It's refreshing and milky sweet. This aided the spicy 'Pai Thai' in Tamarind Sauce with River Prawn that I ordered. As we all know, milk soothes a burnt tongue faster than anything. So, this was just a perfect match. Some of the hit flavours were blueberry, mango, strawberry, banana hazelnut, citron, green apple, peach, mango coconut, chocolate and banana. It's interesting how it came in bottles of fresh milk because it gives it a rustic ranch plating. It looks clean and classy too.

Cardoman Galangal Beef - HK$85

The Cardamon Galangal Beef served sizzling hot was also a bit spicy but the meat was very tender and tasty. The vegetables were served fresh but cooked. It came with a serving of rice and I believe with an additional cup of rice, it can serve two people. May I suggest that you share as a group with all of these orders because pretty sure, it can serve more than one.

One of us wanted to try the fried pork knuckle
served over the rice but my husband and I died
as this dish came. It was that good.

It's simple but the fish was meaty, juicy and sweet. It came with a spicy fish sauce that took us back to our honeymoon days in Phuket. And that being said, with "So Thai So Good"'s aim of bringing East dishes to combine with Western taste and decor, we took it with a light heart and a full tummy with two thumbs up with everything that we ordered with a reasonable prize.

From the appetisers, down to their desserts, it's promising enough for another definite visit. The cafe restaurant is open from 11am to 11pm, separate from the closing hours of other shops in Maritime Square. A heads up for foodies who may want to try this that they could get crowded during peak hours. With a seating capacity of  only 90, expect that you will line up during lunch and dinner times.

Home-made potato wedges
with Cheese and chilli mayo

So Thai So Good is one of the 30 restaurants representing cuisines from the Mediterranean, Korea, Southeast Asia and China that King Parrot Group had put up. Established in 1992, they aim to give quality food, excellent service and beautifully themed and designed ambience for an exquisite dining experience. King Parrot Group has been the leading company in providing best themed restaurants all around Hong Kong with 23 years of experience in the business.

Check out this gem after checking out Bershka, Zara or Uniqlo for a unique blend of Thai and Western fusion cuisine with home made coffee and bread for a finale.


Related posts:
1. ANGSANA LAGUNA, PHUKET - Planning a getaway trip for a good massage, food and scenery? Check out why we loved every day of our 7-day honeymoon at Angsana Laguna.

2. MREandMISST EXPERIENCE IN PLATE CULTURE - Expand your foodie world into a new sublime experience where the chef walks you thru every bite you take. Check out my experience at Mr. E and Miss T's rooftop.

3. SIZZLER - Thailand has its share of good restaurants and I highly recommend Sizzler for its salad bar, big servings and prompt service. It lives up to its name for its viands are relatively spicy but hey, you're in Thailand! It's their specialty. Let your palate sizzle!

HALLOWEEN 2016 AT HONG KONG DISNEYLAND

HALLOWEEN is starting early to make way for Disney villains to rule out Hong Kong Disneyland starting September 15 towards the entire October. No typhoons could stop the evil queen's reign for she will be the one unleashing a storm of her minions and embicles all over the park once the dusk strikes. As soon as it begins, you would feel how halloween is her favorite fright night.

The Disney friends party have called they fairy friends, have put up the masquerade ball and will be joined by harlequins but dark power will be taking over. Together with Jafar and his trusted ally, Iago, Captain Hook, Jack Skellington, Queen of Hearts, the ravens and the snakes crashes the party. Hong Kong Disneyland will be overruled by the dark power of the evil queen. At the castle forefront they turn the enchantment into a haunting event. Come and join the party this Halloween season!!!

Related posts:
1. 10 THINGS TO DO IN HONG KONG - After visiting the happiest place on earth, complete your itinerary with these other places that shouldn't be missed out as you visit Hong Kong.

2. HOUSE OF DANCING WATER - Planning to visit Macau? Watch this water show whose stage got 11 floors.

3. AFFORDABLE FOOD IN HONG KONG THAT WILL SURELY MAKE YOU COME BACK FOR MORE - One of the best things about travel is discovery. Here is a list for you to taste as you walk around Hong Kong!

I'M A WARRIOR OF THE TERRIBLE TWO'S!

As my daughter turns 2, I found out that the first two years from giving birth was all about your kids' survival. You may find the other mothers' experience and expertise handy due to unexplainable and unexpected situations. Don't worry, your instincts as a mom will kick in and your own skills will come as for an automatic response.

All mothers want the best for their child.

My husband is a Samoan and I am a Filipino. My child's genes has quite an interesting mix. She grows taller than expected and is physically strong. She loves cherry tomatoes and string beans. She prefers noodles than rice or potato at all costs. She has a great hearing capacity which helps her focus tremendously. She is a first child so everything to me was new.

For first-time expecting mothers, there are several websites that you may stumble upon giving you advice after advice after advice. But this post will lead you to a list of handful things to stash as you nest for the upcoming bundle of joy.

Every mom provides what they think suits best for their kid. Every kid is special and I believe every parent's approach on taking care of their young ones should be respected. But I would like to give a fair share of how we survived for this first two years considering costs, efficiency and benefits it gives both my baby and me, together with my husband.

1. GOOD QUALITY MILK BOTTLES

 - At first, I was hesitant to buy only just 4. Initially, I bought 2 milk bottles and when my baby came, my husband had felt quite tired in washing every time.

This was the exact set my husband got
and I can't help but credit him for such a good pick.
He was advised by parents too.
Even this cleanser is still good up until now.
Worth of your money!!!!

Babies are expected to eat more than 3 times a day since their metabolism is high. Their stomach is small to stock a lot of milk to last them 4 hours in between meals as compared to adults. The expected digestion of the food they get from breastmilk or bottle feed gets easily used up.

At every meal, my daughter finishes up 20minutes for each breast and a little of bottle milk since she would shriek if I don't conform. By instinct, I suppose it's not enough for her. (Whoops!) Result, we have to wash and then sterilise a good 6-10 times daily.

Because of that, my husband decided to buy a bigger steriliser and had added 2 more with 2 little ones since newborns don't need an 8 ml amount just yet. We had purchased AVENT bottles and up until now (2 years later), they are still in good condition.

Wondering why bottle milk teats are marked with numbers?
These numbers represent their flow. Take note!!!

I had breastfed my baby for 8 months and the rest of that was bottle feed. It's important that you help them get preserved for use by choosing the right match for a steriliser.

This matches the milk bottle set
my husband bought.

2. GOOD BOTTLE STERILISER

- The idea in choosing the right steriliser is to follow the instruction manual that it comes with. I've used two kinds: the one you may put inside the microwave and the other one is the 3-in-1 electric steam steriliser, both from Phillips' Avent.

In purchasing a steriliser, remember its primary purpose:

1. to make it easier for you

2. to assure the sanitation of your baby's milk bottles.

If one of these are compromised, I assure you, that's not a good buy. I'd like to credit my husband with the latter one that we are still using it up until now. It was handy, space saver, light and most of all, efficient. Since it gets turned off automatically, this truly saves me time in checking on the sterilisation process thinking if it was thoroughly cleaned.

3. STROLLER - It was funny how my husband and I had talked about buying a stroller not until our daughter is at her 6th month. We thought that, by that time, our little one would be needing more sun exposure or we could take her for a walk without worrying that she might be too sensitive to allergens. I ate my words and nearly 3 months, I had to buy one already since the carrier's can't hold my baby anymore at this stage. And I have a hard time dealing with her actual weight as we spend time outdoors.

She was also gaining weight rapidly that I find it straining to carry her around with the baby carrier alone. I bought the stroller then and it served as until now. We opted for a pricey but worthy Combi.

________________________________

9 factors you should take note of when buying a stroller:

1. It's got to have a stopper on the front wheels and back for ensured safety.

2. spacious enough for your growing baby

3. must have a cover to shield your baby from the harmful UV rays

4. must have a breathable harness that would ensure your baby's safety and not compromise the blood circulation to the limbs

5. the weight should be able to support it from falling back when you put stuff in the compartment

6. must not be poking the baby by additional weights from the back, the sides or most especially at the head part.

7. must be storage friendly

8. must be user friendly in terms of putting out, pushing thru a number of people in tight places

9. wheels should be easily manoeuvred; helpful if the wheels at the front could cover a wide diameter as you stir.

______________________________________________

4. A COMPLETE SET OF NEWBORN CLOTHES

This could be a very basic list:

a complete set for the newborns
Photo credit by: OLX

* wrap around white cotton top (long sleeves and sleeveless)

* wrap around binder for the healing navel

* a pair of socks

* a pair of mittens

* cotton pyjamas

* cotton wiping material

* a bonnet

* bib

In the Philippines, you could get these sets at a friendly price if you hit Divisoria. The cotton ones are the best burp cloths. I'm sure it could go handy with many more purposes than being a burp cloth. It serves me very good up until now.

The wrap arounds come in long and short sleeves. This helps ease in putting clothes on the newborn without making it pass thru the head. The newborns are very delicate during the first months but this kind of tops will help you a lot.

I skipped on using the belly binder that helps to protect a newborn's delicate belly button (since it needs drying up) because my own baby's dried up quicker than expected. But this is very important most especially if the baby has toddler siblings that may get curious and bothered why their baby brother or sister has a wound. To protect the drying navel, this filters it from dust and other lint forming materials that may induce infection.

These burp cloths can last a long time.
After your newborn grows thru the burping stage,
this may be used as towel to wipe sweat, mucus, saliva and many more.
It is very absorbent, it can be your go-to material.

5.   THERMOMETER FOR A NEWBORN

The battery of ours lasted for 2 years.

It is challenging for a new parent to discover the best routine in taking care of the newborn. Feeding, burping, bathing and then putting your baby to sleep could come easy one day and a struggle to the next. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it. And as time would pass, you'll be able to understand your baby's expression when it's hungry, when it's time to play and what reaction to anticipate when poop is coming.

But there are things that your baby may have a hard time expressing specifically such as colic, headache and fever for that matter. That's why one of the basic tools you should have is a thermometer. How would you know that it's the right one:

a. It should be newborn friendly. It doesn't come invasive nor physically annoying. If it has to go under the tongue and into the rectum, it poses danger in an instant. My husband was the one who purchased a Combi thermometer. He has zero knowledge regarding the best one but it helped when he asked the parent owning a baby store he went to what else he should have at hand with our 1 week old baby at that time.

b. It should be readable. The Combi thermometer we got was digital and was set to degrees Celsius which we understand more than using Fahrenheit.

c. It should be easy to bring. Enough said if you have glass thermometer at hand. It is not battery operated which makes usage a life span but it may break anytime in your bag once its container is not sealed well. Let me tell you, with newborns, you have to develop speed and agility with your hands and fingers because you'd be surprised at how you would need to prepare the bottle, wiping saliva and swaying your baby all at the same time. So, I hope you get what I'm saying is that being able to take that temperature in a jiffy may come in handy.

6. A PILE OF DIAPERS/NAPPIES - Whether you decide on putting your baby onto disposable ones or not, make sure you got a decent number of supply at hand. Some of your friends may be new at attending baby showers or 1st birthday, advice them to buy these for a present if they are having a hard time finding or choosing the right thing to give because I assure you, there would be a time that you wouldn't be able to go out to get a pack. So it's better to stock up.

These diapers and wet wipes lasted only for 3 months.

7. A RATTLE - You may find this particular toy silly but it can stimulate your baby in a lot of ways. Your baby's vision, sense of hearing and touch are enhanced by this. Their hand coordination, grip, focus and object permanence may all be developed with just one toy. It's truly a good buy so get your baby a rattle when they're ready and make sure it's of good quality because cheap ones may break and may choke your baby if it contains little things to make it jiggle.

8. GOOD SET OF BOOKS - Invest on your baby's knowledge thru books. Start them young by giving them handy books like mini board books and illustrative ABC's. Establish a mini library as your baby grows because this may serve you until the next babies come.

Books that were loved by my baby was the "Gruffalo's Child", "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and the fingerprint ABC book my mom got her from Taiwan Airport called Alphaprints. 

This particular book, Alphaprints, is special because it doesn't just offer the common visual stimulation. It challenges my daughter's senses  by giving her hands something to touch too as she reads every page. This way, her visual depth paves the way into developing a three dimensional perception. 

Along with her sense of touch getting heightened up, the brain is able to distinguish different kind of texture since the picture is composed mainly of huge finger prints.

Apart from that, the picture is designed with different elements which makes it interesting for kids as they look closely in the picture. As a whole, these elements form a picture suggested by the letter it stands for. It's simply amazing.

Alpha prints may be ordered online via www.priddybooks.com.

In addition, Baby Einstein books are also superb in making their books come with tickling sounds as you read their book. My baby has one Play-a-Sound book called, "Under the Sea with Me!" written by Susan Rich Brooke.

This was my baby at 10 months.
We are waiting for a Frozen stage
show in Disney and she enjoyed
every minute because she was
comfortable with her GAP sandals.

9. GOOD PAIR OF SHOES - Why? Your baby will be dealing with a lot of balancing so you have to invest in a good pair that fits according to your child's weight bearing stance. Also, the baby should feel encouraged in walking with them on. If the shoes hurt, that could discourage them initially. Of course, to walk is an instinct. But the main point is to help your baby take advantage of the momentum.

My baby started standing up independently and walking little steps when she reached her 10th month.  She had used a crocheted sandals from GAP, a gift from one of her aunties, and it was the best walking sandals for me. It doesn't limit the feet of my baby, it doesn't have unnecessary restraints except for a strap that is gentle enough on her skin to just follow thru every moment her feet was doing.

It's also advisable to invest on a good pair of trainers once your baby gains that balance and immediately tries to run. If it's just a slipper they have, it may lead to serious falls and injuries. Some of the best ones are Crocs and Dr. Kong.

In buying shoes, take note of the following:

* Size - Give an allowance of 1 or 2 cm for socks.

* Comfort - Make your baby walk and try asking if it's ok. Usually can be done with toddlers.

* Durability - They will be using it every time. It must be durable enough until their feet increase in size again.

* Style - Thong sandals and slip on's may not be helpful from 0-18 months unless it got a secure strap.

* Weight - This should be under comfort already however it becomes a separate entity when it greatly affects your baby's walking ability. If it's too heavy, he/she might appear to be dragging his/her feet when he/she walks. In that case, your baby might get tired easily and by the time you decided not to bring the stroller, that's also the time your baby might be asking you to carry them because they don't feel like walking AT ALL!

10. POTTY - A potty or a baby toilet seat may be needed as you anticipate bladder training coming up. When a baby starts to walk and gain balance, their pelvic muscles are getting active and their sense of control is also coming to life. Meaning, bladder control is coming soon. 

The one that I bought was a 3-in-1 that are detachable.
The first set is the usual potty. The yellow handle along with the white
toilet seat can be put on the adult one once your baby is ready
and ultimately, it becomes a stool when your baby can express
the need to go to the toilet.

This particular potty trainer is around HK$399. Before my daughter reached two, she was able to tell me when she has to go or not. The funny thing though is that even passing gas needs to be at the toilet. She's a lady in the making alright.

11. A KIDDIE DINING SET

- To facilitate your baby's weaning process, introduce safe and fun dining set. Initially, we had a tommee tippe set. One for the house that sticks on the table so that no matter if the baby tries to grasp it, it doesn't get knocked down avoiding spillage. It comes with a spoon that guides us in knowing if the food is too hot to put in a newborn's mouth.

On the other hand, we have a set that we can bring out whenever we are going for a day out or if we're going to travel.

Both comes with a lid that gives room for the spoon and its lids seal the container tightly.

Kiddie dining sets are made of plastic most of the time. So be careful in pouring very hot food into it. It's better that after cooling the food, you let it cool off for awhile before pouring it in to your baby's bowl. This is for additional precautionary measure not trusting that plastic will always be non-toxic. Of course when exposed to extreme temperature, I'm sure it's not 100% safe.

Besides the safety, eating should be introduced in

a fun and interesting way for the baby. As they graduate from milk, they express preferences that may leave out vegetables because of their bitter taste. As you shape up the carrots to a flower and decorate the rice with a smiling face, make each meal even more interesting by buying utensils that are the characters on TV that they are fond of.

My daughter when she started to eat on her own, she looked forward to her FROZEN set. She always looked giggly whenever it's meal time because then, she would be together with her favourite characters. She is also at tune with her feeding because the treat after she finishes eating would be seeing Elsa's face, the design at the bottom of the plate. All in all, it worked out. I can't be more thankful to Elsa. LOL!

One of the most wanted character of all is Elmo.
So, if you're to attend a baby shower and the parents aren't
sure if it's a boy or a girl, get this unisex set.

12. TEETHERS - Don't forget also that as the babies wean, they are experiencing teething at the same time. And it's quite a pain when you can't do anything to ease that troubled feeling. But inventors had come up with a magical teether where you can put frozen fruit juice or frozen fruit that can help babies big time.

The only thing difficult with these teethers
would be cleaning them up after because the fruit
gets stuck in between the net holes.

The actual biting and sucking reflex aids the itchy gums and helps it in letting the teeth erupt. The cold block of icy fruit juice can numb the painful gums so the baby would be concentrating on acting upon their oral instinct instead of the pain.

These were what I used for the first 6 months.
But the blue brush at the bottom free from the AVENT bottles
we purchased along with the AVENT steriliser,
we're using it until now (my daughter turned 2 already).

13. MILK BOTTLE BRUSH - Regardless which milk bottle cleanser agent you use, it's important to choose the best bottle cleansing brush for your set. This is to ensure that your bottles would be preserved until its maximum usage. Also, the main reason is to clean the bottles throughly avoiding rotten milk by any chance to stay and get ingested.

Understand that a newborn's stomach is sensitive still since it doesn't have the normal flora we adults have yet. So, sterilising the bottles right after cleaning them is a must. Invest on a good brush and take time in checking the bottles and the bottle nipples.

Baby bottle cleansers are very useful removing the oily casein. I just finished using NUK when I was convinced that my daughter's gut could take the foods that she eats and after I am assured that she has no allergies.

14. BLANKETS - I had written it in its plural form because you need to have two. One for a summer breezy afternoon walk and one for a chilly autumn stroll.

15. NEWBORN NAIL SCISSORS - The newborn's nails are very sharp and soft. But since the newborns are too young for a nail clipper, they have a special kind of scissors, invest in one. Because during the first year, their fingernails grow so fast. It's just out of this world!

There you go folks!!! If you have an additional item or two, let me know by commenting down below to complete my list. I'm still looking at having another baby so maybe I can learn from your own experience too!

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