Is there any doubt after 7 world titles in 7 different weight divisions?  Watch and listen and be proud to be Pinoy!

As new parents, we’ve received a lot of well-meaning advice from family and friends. But we both want to parent our way. While I appreciate all the concern, we believe parenting is a personal experience and we prefer to follow our instincts and learn along the way. So no offense to all those who’ve told us countless times to a) let Quino cry and learn to soothe himself, b) not to carry him too much else he’ll get used to it, c) let him have a few scrapes and bruises, after all he’s a boy! He’s OUR baby and we will parent him the way we see fit.

I got this email from Babycenter and it only solidified my belief that we can never love our baby enough or give him too much affection. Read on:

Q: Should I worry about spoiling my baby? If I lavish love and attention on my baby, will I spoil him?

Expert Answers
Sandy Bailey, certified family life educator

No. Young babies are completely spoil-proof. Your baby needs all the care and attention you can give. Ignore the advice of well-meaning relatives who think babies need to learn independence. Instead, listen to your parental instinct — that inner voice that tells you to comfort your baby when he cries.

“Spoiled children” have learned to use negative behavior to get what they want. But your baby is too young to purposefully manipulate or annoy you. He cries to communicate his needs, whether they’re for a snack, a dry diaper, or a little cuddling with Mom or Dad. When you respond quickly to your baby, you’re building his sense of self-worth. You’re also establishing a foundation of trust that can last for years to come.

If you give your baby prompt attention, he’ll feel more secure and less anxious, giving him the courage to explore the world on his own. And once he understands that you take his cries seriously, he’ll be less likely to cry for no reason. In the long run, responding quickly to your baby’s needs will make him less clingy and demanding, not more.

By the time your baby is 6 to 8 months old, he’ll be paying close attention to cause and effect — noticing, for instance, that his bowl falls when he drops it from the highchair. He’ll also start to see a direct link between his actions and your responses. At this point it’s okay to set some limits. If your baby starts crying to get something he doesn’t need, hold your ground and give him a hug when he calms down. Similarly, give hugs and praise for good behavior and gently redirect him when he’s doing something hazardous.

The right blend of love and guidance will eventually help your child understand his place in the world. But for now, your focus should be on giving him as much attention and comfort as you can. No matter how much you give, it’s not more than he needs.

I recently ventured into online shopping.  Since my friend was in the US for a vacation and she generously offered to handcarry some loots for me, I grabbed some good deals from one of my favorite brands.  We got some ridiculously marked-down items for the whole family - me, Tum and Quino.  Too bad there weren’t any interesting pieces for our pet

I’m almost done with my Christmas shopping.  Can you believe that?  I only have a few gifts left to purchase and I’m hoping to find some good steals from the requisite bazaars that we attend yearly.  Otherwise, I may just hop on to Zappos and indulge in some online retail therapy.  Saves me gas, effort and time!  Online shopping rocks!

Quino was finally baptized last Saturday, Nov. 14.  The original date was Oct. 3 but due to the threat of typhoon Pepeng, we postponed it for fear that no one would attend.  Our little boy is now officially a Christian.  He was such a good baby and didn’t fuss at all the whole day.  But by the end of the evening, he was passed out in his car seat.  Sharing some pictures with you.

Having a baby sure changes your priorities!  Whereas before Quino, I would have a long list of wants for the holiday season, I now prefer to keep things simple.  My husband and I were never gift-givers.  We prefer to spend our money on food and treat ourselves to a fancy dinner.  But now more than ever, our practicality is in full swing.  This year, I won’t be going to the usual Christmas bazaars.  Instead, we have done our holiday-outfit shopping online c/o my friend who’s in the US.  We purchased marked-down items from Old Navy.  Bought several shirts for the husband worth $4 each.  How can you beat that?  I bought 2 sandals worth $7 each!  Really quite a steal considering the prices here in Manila.  Of course, there are several pieces for the little one.  I bought size 6-12mos since he has enough clothes to last him until then.

I’d like to think I’m a practical mom and wife.  I don’t go overboard when it comes to buying Quino clothes.  I really don’t see the point of buying shoes since he can’t walk yet.  I think it’s just a waste of money.  Unless of course I win loads of cash playing online casino, I prefer to let him wear socks only.

What’s in your Christmas list?  Can you believe there are only 41 days left till Christmas?  I’m so excited!!!