Beach Essentials for Baby

In anticipation of our first trip to the beach with Essy, I asked on Facebook and Twitter what are the do's and don'ts when going to the beach with baby. Aside from a friend saying that we should surf with the baby, all the advice given by my mommy friends were very practical. Of course I also asked Essy's pediatrician her opinion on bringing babies to the beach. Thanks to them, her first swim was a success! She loved every 30 minutes of it :p Yesterday, we also came home from another beach trip and it's confirmed that she really loves the water!

To pass on the mommy advice, here's a list of suggested things to bring on your next beach/swimming trip:

Rashguard and hat - Cute little swimsuits don't cover much of your baby's delicate skin from the sun or water elements, rashguards do. Your baby shouldn't have a tan line anyway so don't get scared of little "gloved" hands and feet. A hat with ear flaps is also recommended to protect the scalp and ears.

Sunblock - We got SPF 50. Even though your baby is all white from slathering sunblock all over, do not go outdoors between 10am-3pm especially not tp the beach where the sun gets reflected by the sand. We also made sure that she wears sunblock every time we go out of the room and risk sun exposure to go to the restaurant or other places.

Drinking water - Essy is breastfed and having drinking water is a lifesaver for everyone. Aside from keeping you hydrated, you can use it to rinse off sand or chlorine when the shower is far away. We also let Essy drink 1 oz from a cup after swimming for fun and extra hydration.

Beach mat/baby chair - Essy fell asleep while we were hanging out at the beach and having a chair/mat for her to take a nap on saved us from prematurely ending our stay. While we were playing frisbee her lolas took turns watching over her.

Water toys - Nothing fancy. For her, a recycled plastic container was enough for her to play with. If you have bigger children, plastic utensils like spoons and forks can also be used to shovel and rake sand.

Lightweight scarf - Very very versatile. I have a huge scarf and we have used it as a breastfeeding cover and a playmat.

Towel with hood - To keep your baby warm and comfy while moving to and from different pools or places.

Of course this is not a comprehensive list and you should also ask your pediatrician for advice :) And do not even attempt to leave your child without responsible adult supervision near any body of water.

What are your beach/swimming must-haves for your child?

Tagaytay Weekend

Last weekend, we went to Tagaytay. It was our first time to stay at Discovery Country Suites and eat in Verbena. We were questioning our foodie selves why it was only our first time, everything we ordered were so delicious!

Before going back to Manila, we went to Sonya's Garden to buy greens, cheese hopia, and Spanish bread. We strolled for a bit because Essy likes looking at plants and flowers. 

It was such a perfect weekend :)

twelve 2012 highlights

*in no particular order*

one: bawled throughout the phantom of the opera

two: attended the natasha wang pole workshop 

three: was pleasantly surprised by wicked's ending

four: acted real immature in universal studios singapore

five: experienced pregnancy and being a parent for the first time 

six: arya, the sweetest KSP dog in the whole world

seven: rediscovered baguio thrice

eight: had an eating spree with my best friends in boracay

nine: got crafty

ten: finished reading the entire bible

eleven: finally got my 7 year long wish to go to casa san pablo

twelve: esther <3

*what are your 2012 highlights?*

Casa San Pablo

Last weekend, my family from my mom's side finally went to Casa San Pablo. We've all been wanting to go there for the longest time and my aunt's arrival was the perfect excuse for a short break. Personally, I've been wanting to go there for more than five years!

It's such a beautiful place and it suits different kinds of travelers. If you want a laid-back or romantic vacation, you can just stay in one of their quaint rooms (each room is different), eat yummy food in their restaurant, take a nap in one of their hammocks, and stargaze at night. If you're someone whose idea of a vacation is to move around as much as possible, there are lots of activities there: you can go swimming, do outdoor sports, they even have cooking classes. There are also tours offered outside the inn such as the Viaje Del Sol and lake tours. I swear, one visit is not enough! And it's very accessible so it's a perfect weekend getaway for couples, families, barkadas, or the lone traveler. When E gets a little bit older (a month or so from now, hehe), we'll surely come back.

More photos:

choose your hammock

such a pretty flower!

little chair

i love every tiny detail

essy says hi

breakfast

part of our yummy lunch

we stayed in room 13

one happy baby :)

Singapore 2012

The last out-of-the-country trip we had was in Singapore last March. I was already pregnant then but it was just starting to sink in. In fact, I attended a pole fitness workshop before going to the airport!

Our itinerary basically revolved around food, Universal Studios, Wicked, and the Toy Museum. See evidence below:

hawker center (C, pre-allergy attack)

Pizzeria Mozza

the soybean cakes in SG are better IMHO

Ananda Bhavan (Indian vegetarian resto)

Loysel's Toy cafe

best soy dessert ever!!

ampopogi!

I almost felt his tongue on my cheek!

panda!

diner

loved this ride!

he loves me enough to ride the rollercoasters with me even though he hates them

AUGH

dream come true :)

toy museum

Tintin and Snowy

Yellow Submarine!

And here's a video C made of our trip. I love that he does likes doing videos because I'm really bad at documenting events. I always end up taking pictures of inanimate objects hehe.

Chappy and Bituin do Singapore from chappy callanta on Vimeo.

Can't wait for our next adventure!