I feel so lucky to be loved and supported by my husband.  And yes, I also feel crazy knowing that just last week I questioned our security. Feeling alone at a time where you are juggling  dependents and keeping your body alive is challenging. Depression during pregnancy is serious. So of course I made a doctors appointment. While I value natural alternatives before medication I see the life changing nature of certain prescriptions. My blood work showed I’m iron deficient which my doctor explained results in fatigue and lightheadedness – especially during pregnancy.  This doesn’t ..read more

After I gave birth to our two girls, getting pregnant again was never in the plan.  I had lofty ambitions for 2024.  I felt as if I was getting into the groove of motherhood and reconfigured my personal life expectations into the fact that I had dependents. My dependents were getting older and we had plans to travel to visit family and start going on family adventures. I had goals of regaining a little bit more independence through work and projects. When I discovered I was pregnant right after Christmas I was in complete shock. I lived in a surreal state for a whole five days.  ..read more

Being a solo parent for the last week gave me profound admiration for single mothers. Things outside of my control happened and despite already being overwhelmed with the needs I knew my children would have I was forced to deal with the external issues that affected us. Being heavily pregnant only exacerbated my situation. I was frustrated with the limitations my body forced on to me. Unable to do things with ease or without pain. I felt so alone and so helpless. I lost my patience. I became the mother I never knew I could be; angry and constantly irritated by my little dependents. It seemed s ..read more

It hurts to sit or lie down in one position for more than five minutes. My arms are sore from the carpal tunnel starting up again. My back and hip pain act up from sciatica flares when I over extend myself which happens every day from carrying the 2 year old in and out of her crib, her highchair, her car seat, the bath and when she has her meltdowns. But what hurts the most is having to post on social media the other issues erupting at home instead of being asked how my day was by someone who’s supposed to care about me. No validation, no emotional support, no empathy. And despite being fully ..read more

My 5 day social media detox A couple weeks ago each one of my family members caught the viral stomach bug; think lots of tummy aches, vomiting, nausea, diarea – which also meant lots of cleaning & laundry.  Yes, I caught the virus too being 24 weeks pregnant. And between every moment I wasn’t vomiting or feeling like a log on my bed I was floating to my 2 year old who couldn’t put herself to sleep or my 5 year old who was also vomiting throughout the night. It was a lot.  And as a routine I would tune into social media to get a ten second “break” but really the overwhelming natur ..read more

As a mom of two young kids (and another on the way), the convenience of being able to swipe for entertainment, words of motivation, or seconds of reprieve from chaotic home life can be a godsend.  Social media definitely has its perks. But constant access to social media and the habits we form can also be detrimental for our mental health and actual social relationships. I’m no scientist, although I did major in sociology for my undergrad decades ago, so instead of sharing harmful effects of social media I will share the benefits of detoxing from constantly scrolling. Benefit #1: Intentio ..read more

In this economy it’s hard to think about saving money because the cost of most things are through the roof.  As a mom of two (almost three) in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada it can be difficult! The cost of gas, groceries, and even basic hygiene care can be astronomical. But this post isn’t about doom and gloom. Here are some small ways to save money as a young family: Save on Groceries by Meal Planning This is an aspect of family planning I’ve struggled with. Thinking about meals for my family in advance (like for the month) can help with saving money. Aside from saving gas on mult ..read more

If I’m burnt out and irritable I don’t communicate well. Most often than not it evolves into an emotional cycle that ends up affecting every aspect of my day and my immediate relationships. Partners can be great but they’re typically not mind readers. And worse, how can they be helpful if we aren’t taking care of ourselves enough to communicate our own needs? In the early days of dating or even traditional courtship (Filipina talking here ) we sometimes expect the man to go above and beyond – ie. offer us everything we want but get mad when they can’t read our minds LOL.  It takes two in ..read more

There are so many gimmicks out there for making ‘easy money’. And even as a mom influencer/blogger the common misconception is that it’s easy money to blog & create social content.  So let me be real with you. Writing blogs, creating content and developing a social network is a lot of work and yes, requires a lot of investment (time/money). I always tend to skim right over anyone who claims to know the best way to generate passive income. Here are the biggest schemes to avoid: Crypto currency is a scam – don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.  My husband got really into it a few ye ..read more

There are different aspects of blogging that need to be considered before understanding it’s worth. As a marketing professional, yes, blogging is worth it. Carving out your little presence in the digital world can be so helpful for your business. It’s great for back links, sources and really just helps your business be found. The more important question is, what makes your blog interesting?  As a mom, most of my blog content relates to motherhood and my journey thus far. There are tons of moms and women who have gone through similar experiences that I have. Creating a little online commun ..read more