Renegade Folk's Got Something for Moms

If you're still racking your brains, thinking of what to give Mom on Mother's Day, I would suggest a no fail present: Renegade Folk sandals.

I've never met anyone who isn't in love with her own pair/s. I don't know anyone who wouldn't want to add another pair to her collection. Take it from me, I've got 4 pairs, and running.

To make that Mother's Day pair extra special, consider this. You can bundle that pair with a Renegade Folk exclusive, a framed print made in collaboration with illustrator Jamie Catt,

and designer/calligrapher Anina Rubio.

Now, here's a sweet deal. This bundle of sandals + framed art retail for only Php2950.

But use my coupon code Momsday2015cd and you'll get 10% OFF this bundle, or any purchase made at www.renegadefolk.com. Take note, this framed print, and this bundle, and this coupon code is only available throughout the month of May!

A little Mother's Day treat from this mother to you!

Christmas 2014 Gift Guide: Elin + Like Mother, Like Daughter

Berry wearing the Alice Dress in Pink

Some exciting news over at Elin! This should also solve your "What to give my pregnant sister/friend/cousin?" conundrum, and settle the "What to give my favorite mother-daughter duo?" issue.

For one, Elin has just recently released a special collection for the Holidays - "Like Mother, Like Daughter", where our little girls get to finally dress in the clothes we ourselves love to wear!

Berry was so excited during the shoot, not just because she loved the dresses she modeled, but also because she loved seeing us in matchy-matchy pieces.

Me in the Navy Alice Dress (available in this color way) and Berry in Pink

I am wearing the Lia Dress in Cobalt, Berry is wearing the Lia Dress in Fuchsia

Berry loves the Lia Dress best, she calls it the "Princess Dress" because it's like a gown she can wear every day. All of Elin's pieces come in the softest, most comfortable jersey too, so they are a joy to wear.

More so when you are pregnant like me, and want pieces that will move and stretch with our growing bellies. 

Here are some of my favorite pieces from my shoot with Martina and Kathleen of Elin, and there's more styles to love as you can see in their blog posts here!

Short Sleeved Ellie Nursing Tee (available in Blue, White, Baby Pink, Red Violet, Red, Apple Green and Navy)

Sandra Dress in Blue

Callista Dress in Black (also available in Black Stripes, Cobalt and Oatmeal)

Sage Dress in Fuchsia also available in Black and Blue

 

Tippi Dress in Purple

The Tippi Dress is also available in Oatmeal and Navy

Aria Tee in Black

I love the Aria Tee so much I have it in Grey and Navy too! (also available in Oatmeal)

Carmen Dress in Red (currently out of stock)

Can I just say, I feel so lucky that my third pregnancy has been documented so beautifully, thanks to these photos taken by Kathleen? I love that it's natural and fuss-free. Just the way I like.

Thanks Elin! These pictures alone are gifts I would treasure my entire lifetime!

Clothes: Elin
Makeup: Gex Garcia
Hair: Ivan Albin

Moms for Moms: Our Fabella Hospital Visit

I have heard of Fabella Hospital and have only seen it in pictures, so when Kris of OC Mom in Manila invited me to join the Johnson's Baby team and our mommy friends for a visit to the OB ward, I said yes right away.  

Having heard so much about the conditions at Fabella, we were prepared for the worst. After all, this is the hospital known as the "baby factory", and on the day we visited, there were a total of 744 patients in the hospital and 47 moms who had just delivered a baby. Imagine that.

But you know what, despite the cramped atmosphere, the strength and resilience of spirit was evident in each of the moms faces. It was not depressing at all. The rooms were bright and airy. The moms, although reserved (I mean, who wouldn't be, I've given birth too and I didn't exactly like receiving strangers in my room soon after heehee) most of them had a ready smile and didn't mind us coming up to them to talk about breastfeeding, touch therapy/baby massage and how to give their babies a bath.

Yes, Touch Therapy. Johnson & Johnson sponsors a Touch Therapy room in Fabella hospital, to teach the moms the importance of touching their baby for bonding via baby massage, skin-to-skin contact and kangaroo care among others.

While we were inside the Touch Therapy room, neonatologist Dr. Imperial shared with us the practice of kangaroo care for pre-term babies. It was wonderful seeing it put to practice in Fabella, and heartening to see daddies cradling their babies in their own blue "pouches".

After meeting the key doctors in Fabella, we all set out to talk to the mommy patients by twos. My partner for the day, Jenny Reyes of My Mommyology and I went from bed to bed talking to the moms and handing out baby care products from J&J. Some moms were quiet and probably did not want to be disturbed, but there were a few who were genuinely interested in baby massage and bathing tips for their newborns. It was fun learning from each other.

We were there for just an hour, but seeing all the cute babies made me miss Xavi and Berry. As soon as we were done making chika with the moms, I just had to check on my little ones. Ayan tuloy, caught texting on camera haha!

Thanks so much to Johnson's Baby Philippines and Kris for inviting us. It was a great way to spend a morning. And good to know that Fabella while old and shabby is a clean, happy place. They are doing such a great job with Unang Yakap, breastfeeding, and taking care of their patients with the limited resources they have. Although of course, every help from corporations and private citizens would do so much in making Fabella a truly world-class hospital. 

It would be nice to see every Filipino mom give birth to her baby in a most ideal atmosphere conducive to labor, rest and rooming in. Every drop in the proverbial bucket counts. When you can, maybe you and your friends can organize activities or raise funds to purchase equipment and supplies that could help Fabella's patients too.

Photography by Lawrence del Mundo

Happy Mother's Day, Mommy!

My Mom, ahead of her time. 

Check out the oversized sunnies, boyfriend button down, stacked accessories on her wrist. 

So NOW, taken in the mid 1990s.

To my mom who taught me a lot about life and style, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

THE LESSONS MY MOM TAUGHT ME:

On Keeping the Faith

- To pray and have an unwavering faith in God, because He always knows what is best for us

- Everything happens for a reason, we don't know now, but we always see how God's hand works when an event unfolds that explains why

- To pray to St. Joseph for a good husband, and to St. Anthony when I lose things

On Being a Wife & Mom

- Do not nag

- Keep the house pretty and tidy, make it a sanctuary for the family

- Do not be impressed by a guy who wears expensive clothes and drives flashy cars.  Look for a guy who is responsible, who has drive and ambition. He will make his own destiny.
- Support your husband in his career, do not add to his concerns at work

* My mom is an army wife, so we hardly saw my Dad at home when he was still in active service. He was always out on the field. Nevertheless, she never made us feel bad if our Dad did not get to attend important school affairs, birthdays, confirmations and graduations. She made it clear to us that Dad's job is to serve the country, and we have to support him.

On Beauty & Style

- When you take care of your skin, you don't need make-up

- Drink lots of water

- Don't be trendy, be stylish

- Aspire for French chic - effortless and natural

- Look to Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O. for timeless style

On Fashion

- Fit is important

- When buying clothes, look for even stitching, clean seams, fabrics that breath

- Invest in pieces that last, go for the classics because that is money well spent

- When you dress in clothes you feel comfortable in, you carry yourself better (I still remember her pointing out a girl to me while we were having dinner out. The girl was wearing a short dress and hobbling in heels, obviously uncomfortable with her outfit. My mom says, if you wear clothes that aren't "you", it shows in your body language.)

- Quality over Quantity. ALWAYS. My mom used to say, it is better to have 1 pair of shoes that go with everything than to have so many pairs that are hardly used

Other Practical Advice:

- When driving, stay away from jeepneys, tricycles and rusty cars. Because "nakakahawa ang kalawang" and if they bump into you, you can't ask them to pay for the damage to your car.

- Money is not everything. The richest people are not always the happiest. Especially rich people who stole their riches or acquired it through illegal means. How can there be satisfaction in that? They will always feel empty in spite of their money.

- There is nothing more precious than being able to sleep soundly at night knowing that you did NOT lie, cheat, steal or accuse someone wrongly.

- Always count our blessings - good health, sincere friends, a roof over our heads,  hearty, tasty meals enjoyed with a supportive and loving family. At the end of the day, that's all that matters.

Yes, my mom is wise, but there are other bits of advice my mom has taught me, that I do not agree with, i.e.:

Aspire for a simple life - No, Mom, I want to live the life of my dreams. I want to be wealthy, but yes I will earn my money the clean way, just how you'd want it. 
Ignore the people who fight you - Not always, Mom, some people need to be put in their place.
Stick with the people you know best - There is always room to make new friends, no matter what stage you are in life.

Ahhh, mothers and daughters. We may not always agree with each other, but there is no denying the bond and influence they hold sway over us.

Happy Mother's Day to my fellow Mommies and to your Moms, dear readers!

Mother & Daughter

Judging from the photo above taken by my sister Dianne, Berry and I have a couple of years to go to practice for shots ala Sasha Pivovarova in the November 2010 issue of French Vogue:

I'm loving these pegs! I want ala-editorial shots like these too! Dada, as our resident family photographer you must study the angling and lighting and practice na! Meanwhile, I shall take care of styling and make-up. I have several outfit matches in mind na! O diba!