Monday, January 31, 2011

Our Little Eieo Rocks!

Whenever our dearest Eieo poses, smiles and giggles, hubby and I always feel GOD's love and grace. Overwhelmed and grateful, we are his proud parents.

And with that, we will always feel so much blessed.

Thanks be to GOD for we've got a very smart, bibo, sweet, loving, admirable and adorable kid.

Eieo rocks! Thanks sweetie for bringing happiness and hope to most of the people around you. At your very young age, we know that you have already been a blessing to everyone.

You make us so proud! :) Love you more, Anak. :-)

♥♥♥ Mom and Dad ♥♥♥

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

How to Raise a Two-Year Old Child

Eieo at Two
Our little Eieo is growing so smart, healthy, active and so lovable. He makes us realize the fun and wonders of being a mom and a dad. Sometimes he even teaches us things that we could only learn from him and from parenthood. He makes appreciate life more - motivating us to live a healthier and a much happier life.


Spending family bonding moments and quality time together, with him, of course, hubby and I see to it that we always make the best and the most out of it as we believe that his early childhood years would ONLY be once. Yes, indeed. Same reason why we chose and decided to work at home and grab online opportunities. Through this kind of work, we handle our own time; we are our own boss; and we tend to live the kind of life we think we deserve and desire (Thanks be to GOD).

With so many blessings, we couldn't ask for more as what we have right now is the SIMPLE life hubby and I have always wanted and have prayed for. Anyway, I just want to repost something about child development - toddler (a two-year old kid) and hope many mothers out there would learn and benefit from this. Happy reading!

Our Child is UNIQUE.
Every child's development is unique and complex. Although children develop through a generally predictable sequence of steps and milestones, they may not proceed through these steps in the same way or at the same time. A child's development is also greatly influenced by factors in his or her environment and the experiences he or she has.

The information in this guide explains what child development experts consider to be "widely-held expectations" for what an average child might achieve within a given year.

MILESTONES

By the age of two, children's different personalities and skills definitely shine through. The following milestones are meant to give you an idea of the average age that children master various milestones, but be aware that most children will not be completely average. They often excel in certain areas while paying little attention to others at any given time. If, however, you are concerned about your child's development, be sure to address your concerns with your child's doctor.

How your child may develop this year?
  • Two-year-olds enjoy using their senses and motor skills to explore the world and are highly curious about unfamiliar objects, events and phenomena. They can solve simple problems with the "trial and error" method and will practice an activity many times to master it. Children this age also pretend more during play, using familiar objects and situations to process their daily experiences.

  • New discoveries are also facilitated by a two-year-old's blossoming language skills that prompt many "why," "what" and "how" questions. During the year, children this age pick up most parts of speech to form more complete sentences. They can understand and say hundreds of words, but familiar adults may need to "translate" for others due to immature pronunciation skills. They also understand simple directions and many common phrases used in routine situations.

  • Children this age are laying the groundwork for reading and writing. They enjoy having books read to them and may pretend to "read" as they independently look through familiar books. Two-year-olds can sing the A-B-C song, but they don't yet understand that the letter names correspond to specific graphic designs. They also make a variety of scribble marks anywhere and everywhere and may even attempt to write the first letter of their name.

  • As they play and complete their daily routines, two-year-olds learn important math skills. They can use a toy to represent another object, recognize patterns with daily activities and understand concepts of time like, "tomorrow" and "yesterday." Two-year-olds are just beginning to use logical reasoning to solve everyday problems. They can sort shapes, complete puzzles with eight pieces or less and stack a set of rings on a peg by size. They also understand addition and subtraction with the numbers "one" and "two."

  • Physically, two-year-olds explore all the ways to travel from here to there, including rolling, crawling, creeping, walking, running, jumping and climbing. They can also kick a small ball forward, catch a rolled ball and throw a ball overhand (but with little accuracy). Two-year-olds love finger play activities (e.g., "The Itsy, Bitsy, Spider"), pounding and squeezing clay, shaking rhythm instruments and scribbling. They can turn doorknobs and unscrew lids and have improved their skills using eating utensils.

  • Two-year-olds also use their motor skills to explore the creative arts. They make sounds by banging and shaking instruments and household items. They enjoy dancing upon request, doing finger plays and acting out chants and songs. Children this age are also gaining control over their voices and will join in singing the refrains of their favorite songs. With art, they enjoy the sensory pleasures of the art materials and focus on the process of creating art, rather than the final product.

  • Two-year-olds enjoy playing alongside other children, but usually keep to themselves. When conflicts arise, adults need to step in to prevent aggression and teach appropriate behaviors. Children this age are beginning to label feelings that they recognize in themselves and others. Controlling emotions is still difficult, however, so frustration may trigger emotional meltdowns. Comfort objects like blankets or teddy bears help two-year-olds cope with new situations or strong emotions.

Read more details here. This post has been a great guide in our parenthood ventures. Enjoy!

Monday, January 10, 2011

Facebook Bids Farewell in March 2011

Facebook Closes on March 15, 2011: HOAX***

The topic of Facebook shutting its doors to the social networking users has been doing the rounds on Google and Twitter for the past few days and has led to the users becoming increasingly nervous about the future of their favorite interactive Website. The controversial rumor was first started by WeeklyWorldNews which was responsible for setting out the rumor of Michelle Obama becoming pregnant.

The report by CNN indicating that according to Goldman Sach’s investigation into Facebook, it could be the beginning of an end, has further added fuel to the fire and hence the rumor is getting more and more popular by the minute. So is Facebook really closing down on the 15th of March 2011 or is it a just another one of those internet hoax? The truth is that no such thing has been confirmed by the founder Mark Zuckerberg up to now. Until any word or confirmation gets released from the horse’s mouth, it is difficult to say whether Facebook is closing down or not.

Click here for more details or read here.

MANILA, Philippines – Is Facebook really shutting down on March 15?
For the US $50-billion company, it’s highly unlikely.

A hoax is claiming that Facebook chief executive officer and president Mark Zuckerberg is planning to shut down the social networking site.

The rumor has gone viral, with ABS-CBN News’ Twitter account getting peppered with questions regarding the rumor’s veracity.

The hoax, perpetrated by the website of American supermarket tabloid Weekly World News, claims that Zuckerberg held a press conference outside his Palo Alto office to announce Facebook’s closure.

“Facebook has gotten out of control and the stress of managing this company has ruined my life. I need to put an end to all the madness,” Time magazine’s person of the year awardee allegedly said.

WWN, which runs stories often based on aliens, paranormal phenomena, the supernatural, and weird creatures, also claimed that Facebook users need to remove their photos from the site.

WWN ran the Facebook story on its website alongside an article claiming that alien spaceships will attack the Earth in 2011.

On October 25 last year, anchors at the Fox News national morning news show "Fox and Friends" in the United States fell for a WWN satirical story claiming that the Los Angeles Angeles Police Department planned to buy 10,000 jetpacks for police officers at a cost of around US $1 billion.

"Fox and Friends" hosts later retracted the story after realizing the hoax, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Zuckerberg has yet to comment on the WWN hoax.

Facebook earned about US $500 million last year on sales of nearly US $2 billion, according to a memo distributed to potential investors in Facebook shares sold by Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs.

The social networking site is expected to launch an initial public offering in the US stock market next year. –
With a report from Reuters.

***A hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment,or rumors and urban legends that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.

Facebook shall not bid goodbye; Facebook shall reign and live forever... as this social networking site has been a great medium of communication to most of us. It even opens new horizons of opportunities and other new sets of activities to global users... and that includes me, my families, loved ones and friends.

Facebook rocks! Facebook lives on... generation to generations. =)

♥♥♥ Mai Raine ♥♥♥

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Welcoming 2011 with a Big Bang

We will surely be a blessing to all as we try to see the goodness in everyone. I personally have always believed in the power of my THREE F's - Families, Friends and most of all, Faith.

Yes, GOD is always with us and we strongly believe that HE loves us so much! Overflowing love and blessings from HIM are all enough to live another year with much optimism, love, care and kindness to everyone.


Celebrating 2011 at its best!

As always, my hubby and I together with our families, loved ones and fiends do live LIFE to the fullest as we also celebrate each blessing, experience and adventure at the fullest.

Thanking OUR dearest Creator and Savior with all the graces and blessings we have had, we always try our best to be those “people” GOD designs US to be – making ourselves worthy of the Life HE unconditionally gives and entrusts to all of us.
We live, experience and celebrate life to the fullest. We count and share our blessings. We laugh, have fun and enjoy together. Therefore, we can always make it through. With God’s grace, mercy and Love, we will survive this bumpy and challenging road called Life.

On my personal Facebook account, I just posted and shouted out loud that I am truly blessed as I live a very happy and fulfilling life with my loving hubby, smart, sweet and cute little son, Eieo and the rest of our families, loved ones and friends.


Truly, Mai Raine Carluen – Policarpio simply loves what she has, sees, touches, feels and experiences right now.


May this year, 2011, be OUR year! Indeed. God bless everyone.


Ad majorem Dei gloriam!

♥♥♥ Mai Raine ♥♥♥

Saturday, January 8, 2011

My Face Friends dot Com - What is this?

... is a Filipino community where users can keep in touch with and extend their social network.


myfacefriends.com is another social networking site that would probably be a 'hit' soon.
Teenagers, professionals, students, online shop owners, business enthusiasts and many more would appreciate this innovation and would surely spend much of their time updating their profile, wall posts and all.

Going beyond facebook and twitter, myfacefriends.com also tends to extend someone's network worldwide. Whether this is used and intended for personal or business purposes, the thing here is we have another social networking site to watch out for, appreciate and enjoy.

Visit my site now and add me up. Let's enjoy the fun and meet new friends.

See you there! I'd love to hear from you. :-)

♥♥♥ Mai Raine ♥♥♥

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Aming Poong Hesus Nazareno

Filipino Catholic devotees of the Black Nazarene join the feast day procession from Quirino Grandstand towards Quiapo Church in Manila on 09 January 2011. The Black Nazarene, a dark wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ, is believed to be miraculous by Filipinos and the annual feast of the Black Nazarene celebrated every January 09 is done with a traditional procession attended by thousands of barefoot devotees.

The
Black Nazarene, known to devotees as Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno de Quiapo ("Our Father Jesus Nazarene of Quiapo"), is a life-sized, dark-colored, wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ, held to be miraculous by many Filipino devotees. The Black Nazarene is currently enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila, Philippines.

The Feast of the Black Nazarene is celebrated every January 9 with the weekly Friday Masses held in its honor beginning on the first Friday of the year.
Devotion Veneration of the Black Nazarene stems from the overall importance Filipino culture has for the Passion of Jesus. Many devotees of the Black Nazarene identify their poverty and daily struggles to the wounds and tribulations experienced by Jesus, as represented by the image.

Although the patron saint of the basilica itself is Saint John the Baptist, the consecration of the Black Nazarene has gained popularity because Jesus Christ is the centre of the devotion, bypassing intercession through a saint. Devotion to the miraculous Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno attracted huge following among the populace. Popularity, initially at the northern and southern provinces of Luzon, spread over time throughout the country.

The uniquely Filipino devotion to the Black Nazarene merited the sanction and encouragement of two popes. In 1650, Pope Innocent X gave his pontifical blessing with a Papal Bull that canonically established the Confraternity of the Most Holy Black Christ Nazarene (Cofradia de Santo Cristo Jesús Nazareno) and Pope Pius VII gave his second blessing in the 19th century, by granting plenary indulgence to those who piously pray before the image of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo.


Devotees pay homage to the Black Nazarene by clapping their hands in praise at the end of Mass performed at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.


Novena

Every Friday of the year is dedicated to the Black Nazarene, with the novena being held not only in the basilica but in other churches nationwide. This has led to the colloquial expression "Quiapo Day" for Fridays, especially when referring to the traffic jams that occur around the area due to the influx of devotees.


Some lines are from Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia that has been a great help to most of us. =)