UrbanMom - Mommy Mundo

Every year, 2.4 million babies
Don’t let this happen to your baby.
Protect against rotavirus by 6 months of age.
O n e o u t o f 2 h o s p i t a l i z a t i o n s f o r d i a r r h e a a n d v o m i t i n g i s c a u s e d b y ro t a v i r u s 2 ,
w h i c h a f f e c t s b a b i e s a s y o u n g a s 3 m o n t h s o f a g e 1. B u t r o t a v i r u s i n f e c t i o n
i s h i g h l y p r e v e n t a b l e 3 . T h e f i r s t 6 m o n t h s i s t h e t i m e t o p r o t e c t y o u r b a b y.
D o n ’t m i s s t h e c h a n c e . A s k y o u r d o c t o r a b o u t r o t a v i r u s p r e v e n t i o n t o d a y.
References: 1. Glass R. Et al. Rotarvirus Vaccines: current prospects and future changes, The Lancet 2006; 368:323-32. 2. Bresee JS et al.
Emerg Infect Dis 2004; 10(6) 988-995. 3. Clark HF et al. Vaccines. 4th edition (USA): 2004; Chapter 51:1327-1345.
ROTA01410109
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 INBOX
Note From The Editor
We all knew the drill. At the stroke of midnight, we
would all blow our horns as loud as we could while
jumping up and down, with shiny coins jiggling noisily in
our pockets. My brothers would then get busy lighting the
baby rockets and other firecrackers while my sisters and I
helped Mom prepare the glasses of Asti and serve each a
glass along with a bowl of 7 grapes each.
While the Asti will not permit us to remember what
happened next, these traditions observed as we
welcomed New Year is something my siblings and I will
always know by heart. Though we laughed at these funny
rituals that would usually stem from Dad’s sometimes
odd superstitions, we now look back with fondness on
those moments. Those days, forever etched into our
memories form our core as persons, and part of our
bond as a family.
With my own children,
my husband and I pick up
some of the old, but also
start our own traditions for
ourselves. On page 8 we
asked moms to share what
their old and new traditions
are. In this issue on page
4 we also feature Marilen
Faustino-Montenegro,
who is celebrating her first
Christmas as a mom, which
will surely be an extra
memorable one.
Wishing you many more
happy celebrations and
memorable traditions
with your children!
Congratulations Beann for winning a Momease
Diaper Bag Converter from Mommy Matters!
Hi Janice,
I received my first-ever copy of Urban Mom from attending
the “Know Your Child” course of the Art of Living Foundation.
Can’t help but like this magazine because of its practical tips,
featured celebrity, quick & easy to read format for busy moms
like me. It’s a bonus that it’s small enough that I can keep it
in my everyday bag, and read it whenever, wherever.
May I ask which establishments I can regularly get my Urban
Mom copy? More power to your well-intentioned magazine.
Thank you.
Beann Dimaculangan-Loya
We’d love to hear from you! Email us at
urbanmom.magazine@gmail.com.
The chosen letter wins a personalized set of Mommy Pads!
fine print “actual prize may differ from photo”
UrbanMom
OCT-NOV 2010 | VOL 2 NO. 3
PUBLISHERS
Gary M. Villanueva
Janice Crisostomo-Villanueva
Christmas with my own, 2009
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Janice Crisostomo-Villanueva
CONTRIBUTOR
Cover story by Jing Lejano
MARKETING
Micky Darantinao
Tiffany de Guzman
Pauline Flavier
Diane Nikolai Lopez
CREATIVE CONSULTANT
Jaymie Crisostomo-Pizarro
ADMINISTRATIVE
Angela De Luna
Arnel Banares
PHOTOGRAPHY
John Mateos Ong ImagineNation
Photography
LAYOUT
Anna Gutierrez
CONTACT US
For inquiries, call 470.9925 or 0918.930.0313 or email, urbanmom.magazine@
gmail.com
Janice Villanueva
Urban Mom is a lifestyle freezine for young, modern moms. Material appearing
here may not be reproduced in print or electronically without written
permission from the publisher and without proper credit. Urban Mom is
published by MommyMundo, a division of Creative Juice Communications, Inc.
www,mommymundo.com
MARILEN FAUSTINO MONTENEGRO IS ENJOYING EVERY LITTLE
THING ABOUT MOTHERHOOD, FROM FEEDING HER BABY IAGO AT THE
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO TAKING HIM OUT ON LITTLE ERRANDS.
BY JING LEJANO
Photography by: John Mateos Ong of Imagine Nation Photography
Hair and make up by: Carissa Omilla of the Body Shop. Nursingwear by Mommy Matters www.shopmommymatters.com
ust being close to the baby, being able to kiss and
hug the baby; so sarap to touch the baby, and have
him near you,” says Marilen Faustino Montenegro, interior
designer and fashion model, about the unexpected joys of
motherhood. That she is oh-so in love with her threemonth-old son, Iago, is obvious as she sighs and smiles
about how she now spends her days and nights.
For this young mom, June 28 would always be a milestone
date. That’s when she gave birth to her firstborn, Santiago
Alejo Montenegro. Iago was a big baby, weighing in at
almost eight pounds, compelling Marilen to undergo a
C-Section.
But while she loves all the little details of baby care,
Marilen says, quite candidly, “I didn’t like being
pregnant.” And why wouldn’t she? First off, she had
morning sickness. And then, Marilen who suffers from
asthma had intermittent coughs, forcing her to take to
her bed for three weeks on her last trimester.
URBANMOTHER
To entertain herself, she slept,
watched television, and did some
work on the computer. She also, quite
charmingly, got into sewing.
“I would sew soft shoes for my baby;
the first few by hand. Later on, I
bought a sewing machine,” Marilen
says.
But to make her pregnancy even more
challenging, she had acid reflux for the
whole nine months. Fortunately, she
says, “I didn’t really crave for anything.
I ate healthy, no sweets. I craved for
melon and apples and towards the
end, the Green Iced Tea Blended
Drink of Coffee Bean.”
But Marilen’s woes did not end with
the reflux, she adds, “Nag-preterm
labor pa ako, so I really wanted the
baby to be out.”
First few weeks
“It’s really the first few weeks that’s
difficult because the baby doesn’t
know what’s happening to him. So
he’s always crying and you don’t
really know why,” explains Marilen.
Fortunately, through those horrendous
few days, she had by her side her
husband Hans.
Hans and Marilen tied the knot last
January 2008. She says, “We were
boyfriend-girlfriend since 2005. Five
years na rin kami magkakilala…
When we were boyfriend-girlfriend,
everything seems so bitin. Now, you
go home and he’s still there. You can
spend the whole weekend with each
other. Not like before, kailangan na
umuwi.”
She continues, “We didn’t have a
baby right away. We had a baby after
a year and a half. We were able to
travel together, do stuff together.
Yun yung part na nakaka-miss: yung
spur of the moment, you can
leave. Or he gets assigned to go to
Singapore, Hongkong, or Bangkok
for a week or two, and I just hop on
a plane and go with him. I can’t do
that anymore. Everything has to be
planned with the baby.”
She adds, “With the baby, when you
pack, you pack the whole house.”
While there are some things that they
can’t do anymore, there are plenty
of things that the two lovers enjoy
doing together. “My husband is super
helpful with the baby… When baby
wakes up at night, he would help me
change diapers. He’s really hands-on,”
Marilen says.
Hans, she says, also loves playing with
Iago, talking to him before he goes off
to work and then soothing him before
he goes to sleep.
“
With the
baby, when you
pack, you pack
the whole house.
Indeed, one of Marilen’s favorite
part of the day is when she gets to
take Iago in her arms and feed him;
nothing could be more natural and
intimate.
Making memories
With Christmas just around the
corner, Marilen is excited to start
making happy memories with Iago.
Already, she is thinking of setting up
a photo shoot with her little family
for the Christmas greetings she’ll
send to family and friends.
The all-important
details
Marilen’s days revolve around Iago’s
schedule, which means waking up
at five thirty in the morning, feeding
him at noon, and putting him to
sleep at nine in the evening.
Fortunately, her work schedule
is very flexible. Her pictorials,
she holds at her home, which is
tastefully designed along modern
lines. For her interior design work,
she usually takes Iago to client
meetings. Because she doesn’t have
a reliable yaya and because she is
breastfeeding, Marilen actually takes
her son everywhere. “I bring him to
the grocery, to the mall. He’s very
observant,” she says.
One of Marilen’s pregnancy fears,
apart from delivering before
full-term, is that she would have
a hard time losing weight. Well,
breastfeeding took care of that.
She says, “I’m breastfeeding
exclusively. I was surprised that there
was a week that I lost 7 pounds. And
now, I’m maybe 8 pounds short of
my pre-pregnancy weight. I gained
38 pounds and lost 30 already in
three months just by breastfeeding.”
“I really wanted to breastfeed; I
knew that I needed to. When your
mind is set on doing it, you’ll do
everything you need in order to
succeed. In the first week, I hired a
LATCH consultant because I was
having a little bit of problem. And
she taught me what I was doing
wrong in terms of my position and
posture. After that, it was OK na. I
became an expert. By 12 weeks, the
baby was also an expert already,”
she explains.
December would also be particularly
busy for the young Montenegro
family. Apart from the usual round
of holiday reunions and gettogethers, Iago’s dedication is also
scheduled in December; just in time
for his ninong and ninang and Hans’
sister to arrive from the United
States.
Her hopes for Iago are quite simple:
She wants her son to grow up to
be a God-fearing man with a good
relationship with the Lord.
With joy written all over face, we
couldn’t help but ask: Do you want
another baby?
She says, “I’m really thinking about it.
I’d want one. Ang sarap eh. Ang sarap
to have a baby, to be with the baby,
take care of the baby, super sarap,
grabe!”
URBANMOMQ&A
We asked urban moms:
What is a favorite tradition from your
parents that you are now practicing with
your own children and what new traditions
did you start with your own family?
On seasonal old traditions...Having a
Christmas stocking where Santa will
be able to leave a note for me. My
Dad used to do that for me. I now
do it for Sydney and Rafa. I always
have happy Christmas memories and
I would like Sydney and Rafa to have
as well. The tradition I started with
my kids is having a girl’s day with my
daughter Sydney. I take her with me to Nail Spa. She
sits quietly and enjoys having her toes painted.
And after, we have a snack together or head for the
bookstore so she can pick out a new book.
-Sue Ann Nolido, mom of Sydney and Rafa
One tradition that I
continue from my family is
opening of Christmas gifts
the morning of the 25th.
The tradition we created
as a family has to do with
having the boys visit their
great grandparents while
we’re at my parents’ house.
It is very important to my husband Stan because he hardly
spent any time with his own grandparents, so he feels that it
is important for our boys to do it. They may not understand it
now, but we’re sure that they’ll be thankful one day that we
made them spend time with their great grandparents.
-Jen Tan, mom of Paul and Kevin
As a child, we always went to the
Christmas Eve mass and opened
presents as soon as we came home!
However, since our son is still young,
we just let him sleep until midnight
until it’s time to open his presents
and just hear mass in the morning.
When he gets older, we will go back
to that midnight mass tradition
because there was always that
excitement building up to coming home from church to
open presents which I want our son to experience as well.
Our new tradition as a family is our celebrating our
birthdays by visiting a new place that we’ve never been --it can be a local or foreign destination or even just a new
museum in town. (picture attached was our trip to HK to
celebrate Tiago’s second birthday)
- Anne Mac Santos, mom of Tiago
FAVEFINDS
Special products to help you document and celebrate special family moments
The 40 Weeks Before You
Journal
Organize cherished mementos and
treasured facts in this charming memory
keeper journal. It has multiple pockets to
hold important items and record every
milestone as you await the arrival of your
little one…Also available “The First 365
Days” and “The Learning Years”.
Find out more at
www.memorykeeperbooks.multiply.com.
Bubbacakes
An adorable gift for precious little ones, Diaper cakes
by Bubbacakes are a delightful way to celebrate the coming
of a new baby.Diapers, pacifiers and other baby essentials
presented to look like a cake in one, two, three or even four
layers http://bubbacakes.multiply.com / 09178914540.
The Stork Studio
a portrait session with photographers Sofia Genato and Stan Ong of
the Stork Studio immortalizes moments in time.
www.thestorkstudio.com
Memory-keeping is made simple with pages
that are easy to fill out.
Organize cherished mementos in these
roomy pockets.
Cast and Frame
Preserve memories and the uniqueness of your baby with
this life-like 3D casting of your baby’s hands and feet.
www.castandframe.com
EVENTSINTHECITY
MOMS ON THE FLOOR
Mommy Mundo organized Moms
on the Floor, the only fun, floorbased activity for expectant moms
and dads, and moms with babies.
The half day event featured Pinoy
Laughter Yoga, Infant Massage by
Rome Kanapi, Breathworks by
Dona Esteban and Kindermusik with
Teacher Jeannie.
KADABRA CUP
Manila’s best magicians competed recently in Fun Ranch’s 1st Kadabra Cup. With
support from Zest Air, Havaianas, Lactacyd Baby Bath, three magicians emerged
as winners. Topping all of them was Magician Ferdie who kept everyone in awe
with his unique and amazine routine.
HOW TO PLAN YOUR KIDDIE PARTY
A unique fair featuring the best kids’ party suppliers was
organized by The Grove by Rockwell in partnership with
Mommy Mundo. The event was an opportunity for parents
to meet potential suppliers for their kids’ parties and family
celebrations.
MOMPRENEUR MANILA
CREATIVITY WORKSHOP
Mompreneurs and aspiring mompreneurs attended
Mompreneur Manila’s meet-up 2: A creativity workshop facilitated by My Masterpiece Movement.
EVENTSINTHECITY
SM EVENT: YOU AND ME AND MOMMY
SM Supermalls in partnership with Unicef organized the You and Me and
Mommy event to cap off Breastfeeding Month. There were talks held, a
mini-bazaar, as well as games onstage and a mini fashion show of nursing
apparel by Mommy Matters and Au Lait.
HAVAIANAS PLAYBACK
Student organizations from some of the
country’s top universities competed against each
other in Havaianas Playback held at Rockwell.
This novel event brought back traditional
Filipino games such as Piko, Patintero, Tumbang
Preso, Sipa, and Chinese Garter allowing the
participants to learn about and experience these
games in a fun and festive event.
EASTWOOD FAIR
Eastwood City mall supports breastfeeding moms
and babies. Eastwood recently launched its Breastfeeding station with an event which coincided with
World Breastfeeding month.
MOMMY MILKSHAKE YEAR 4
400 moms, dads, kids, runners and advocates of breastfeeding ran at the
recent Mommy Milkshake, held at the Bonifacio Global City. Now on
its 4th year, Mommy Milkshake kicked off World Breastfeeding
Month festivities.
FILLINTHEBLANKS
Profession:
WRITER, STORYTELLER, TEACHING-ARTIST,
MOMPRENEUR
CO-FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR, MY
MASTERPIECE MOVEMENT (MMM)
MMM’s website: www.welovemymasterpiece.com
Anna’s website: www.mymasterpiecemom.com
Kids’ names and ages:
Cortez Wonder Kids…
AYLLI, age 8, turning 9 on January 19
+ RAYNE (girl) & TORY (boy), twins age 5, turning
6 on December 10
1) What I love about being a mom
Getting to know my extraordinary kids.
The more I get to know them, the more
I am inspired by who I get to be for them.
Choosing to be a supermom to my three
wonderkids is what makes me come alive!
2) What I share with my kids
I scribbled some snippets of wisdom into
song lyrics while I was stuck in traffic one
day. My kids sing this song all the time…
IMAGINATION STRETCH (an *ArtBeats
original song)
Stretch out your mind / Open your heart
/ Turn on your light / Embrace who you
are / Jump in the game / Enjoy the ride /
Flow up and down / Always be surprised
Throw out your worries / Lift the clouds
from your eyes / Dance with your fears
and know you’re big inside
*ArtBeats = MMM’s performing group
composed of a band, illustrators and
storytellers.
3) What makes my heart sing
Literally... singing and laughing with my
kids on our daily crazy car rides to & from
school, as well as out of town.
4) What de-stresses me
Being silly with my kids - playing, dancing,
exploring, sharing stories.
5) It brightens my day when my
kids say
“I made this for you, Mom!” My desk is
filled with heart-warming notes and
insightful artwork.
“We prepared a show for you, Mom!”
as I am ushered to a front row seat for
an entertaining song-dance-storytelling
performance.
6) What recharges me
Hugs, kisses, laughter, acknowledgment,
conversations, collaboration.
7) My favorite family tradition
Shared prayer. When we wake up and
before we sleep, my kids and I pray together to give thanks, share our thoughts,
and honor the day.
9) What’s always in my bag
My 3 kids’ Spark Books keep them engaged
(drawing and writing) – anytime, anywhere.
10) I get my parenting info from my
mom, doctor, friends, books, internet…
All of the above, plus I listen to my
maternal instincts.
11) My favorite kid-friendly dining
places
CPK, Friday’s, Fish and Co.
12) Motherhood is…
a gift! It stretches my imagination, opens
my heart, inspires my creativity, and
expands my “being”.
13) A day in my life is…
an awesome ride – with ups and downs,
moments of quiet and excitement, always
moving forward, full of blessings and
surprises.
14) My husband is a supportive, witty,
and funny daddy.
15) Besides being a mom, I am…
a writer, storyteller, teaching-artist and
mompreneur. As co-founder and creative
director of My Masterpiece Movement
(MMM), I spark a culture of creativity
through interactive multi-arts workshops,
shows and events.
17) My tips for moms planning their
kids’ birthday parties
Consider substance before style, and
breathe context into content. What
is at the heart of your party? Create
an awesome program with value and
fun. Take-home value remains with the
celebrant/guests when the gifts/prizes are
out-grown and the décor is stored away.
18) Most memorable party I
planned for my own kids
My sister Kara and I planned and hosted
my daughter Aylli’s 3rd birthday party - a
celebration of art, stories, imaginative play
and songs (in January 2005) - it was the
seed that sparked a movement.
19) A great party is never without
Family and friends coming together and
enjoying awesome art, amazing
storytelling, and interactive live music.
20) Of all the things in life, we
should never fail to celebrate
Who we are! We are the expanding
universe. We are the stuff of stars. Shine
and be the masterpiece that you are.
22) What is life like as an urban
mom?
A call to bigness and adventure –
trailblazing, eye-opening, perspectiveshifting, possibility-gifting.
CLASSIFIEDS
october
2: Expo Kid 2, Rockwell Tent, Makati City
16-17: Havaianas Design a Smile, Alabang Town Center (17);
Trinoma (18), havaianasphilippines.com/smile
23: Fun Ranch Halloween event, Frontera Verde, www.
kidsrulehere.com
23: Dona Elena Cuisinera Club, Cravings Eastwood
23-24: Havaianas Design a Smile, Greenbelt 5 (23); Glorietta
(24), havaianasphilippines.com/smile
27: MomShare! Art Workshop for the Kids of House of
Refuge, Call 4709925 for info on how to support MomShare
or to volunteer
30: Rockwell Power Plant Mall Halloween Movie Mania,
Rockwell Tent, Makati
30: Havaianas Design a Smile, Bonifacio High Street,
havaianasphilippines.com/smile
30: The Pet Club by Hobbes and Landes goes to Rockwell
Power Plant, Rockwell Power Plant, Garden Plaza, 2:30-5pm
17-22: “Mom’s Day Out, a Simply Maternal culminating
activity”, Asian Hospital, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
30: The 3rd Homeschool Conference 2010 :NATION BUILDING
BEGINS AT HOME, 8 A.M. - 6 P.M. ,5th Floor, St. Francis Square
Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, 6335174
november
EVENTSCALENDAR
2/9/16/23/30: Kid’s Brain LEGO Curriculum (5-8yrs.old),
Hobbes and Landes, email mail@hobbesandlandes.com
6/13/20/27: Teach4Kids LEGO Robotics Workshop (816yrs.old), Hobbes and Landes, Bonifacio High Street,
email mail@hobbesandlandes.com
5: Ultimate Taste Test 5.0, NBC Tent, 7pm. www.
ourawesomeplanet.com
6: Global Pinoy Bazaar, Rockwell Tent, 10am-10pm
10: National Breastfeeding Conference for Medical
Professionals, Henry Sy Auditorium, St. Luke’s Medical
Center Global City, 8am-12nn, 0917-5614366 or email
medelamoms@gmail.com
20: Expo Mom Bazaar, Rockwell Tent, Makati City
20: Brains vs. Brawns: A fun and entertaining way to spend
a Saturday Night with friends and family, challenging
different teams to a game of trivia and wit, Hobbes and
Landes, Bonifacio High Street. 8-10pm, Pre-registration
required, email mail@hobbesandlandes.com
21: Mercato Centrale opening: A Food and Organic
Market, Bonifacio Global City, email rache@diaz.ph.
27-29: 3rd FLOW: SurfYogaSamba Retreat, La Union, email
flowsurfyogasamba@gmail.com
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