Crib warning

Here's an ABC News report I found via News Anchor Mom about crib-related deaths:


Crowded cribs linked to baby deaths
Cribs crowded with pillows and other soft bedding linked to baby deaths
By CHRISTINE SIMMONS Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON Feb 28, 2008 (AP)


Parents are putting their babies at risk when they place pillows and other soft bedding in their cribs, the Consumer Product Safety Commission warned Thursday.

From 2002 to 2004, 241 children under age 5 died in incidents involving nursery products. About 40 percent of the deaths involved cribs, with soft bedding cited as the leading contributing factor. Many of the children suffocated when lying face down on pillows or other bedding, the agency said.

"Less is more when you're talking about the crib," CPSC spokeswoman Julie Vallese said, adding that cribs should be free of adult pillows and blankets, stuffed animals and baby quilts.


Full story

Kids and a playground

Though I can't remember the feeling I used to bask in, I do recall feeling quite exhilarated whenever, as a child, I was out in the playground, running around with friends. It was a feeling that was possibly unmatched in the happiness index -- for a 7-year-old. It's like I was born to play, play, play. Recess and dismissal were my favorite times of the day because these meant time for playing. There's something about wide open spaces that gives a child an unparalleled sense of freedom.


We recently had a photo shoot with two-, three- and four-year-olds. It was held in a public park, and if one stopped long enough to really watch the kids, it would be easily noticeable that they were so gleeful on account of the freedom to run around with all that open space. But I think the photos didn't capture just how fun it was for them. And how exhausting it was for us grown-ups =)



Marco, the 2-year-old boy, looked serious and stared a lot--then broke into disarming expressions at the most unexpected times. Here he is after being photographed with twin girls Dharma and Nirvana, who were still gamely striking poses for their mom's camera toward the end of the pictorial.


"Huli ka!" Hehe. These kids, when caught off-guard, squealed with delight.

Something old, something new...

How's this for a retro issue?

Several years ago, my brother started saving old photos on digital format. Some of them were even on slides (you know, the one you view using a slide projector), like the ones of my grandfather during his early 20th century sojourns and of his academic pursuits. The photo above was taken on our parents' wedding day in May 1953 -- an early matrimonial ceremony at Pinaglabanan Church, San Juan followed by a breakfast reception at the Aristocrat Restaurant which, according to them, cost P1.50/plate! And no professional wedding coordinators were involved in the preparations!

[Addendum: Not P1.50/plate, my mom pointed out a few nights ago when I asked her again about it. It was P3.50/plate] =)

I think the cover below fits them to a T, whether or not it's Valentine's month :-)

deadpan

Saw this on John Jansen's blog, Lunch Break, last week. I can imagine the scene, and I think it's funny but also thought-provoking:

A Dose of Humility

A few years ago, Jocelyn gave me a holy water font for Christmas. Since then, we've tried to get our kids in the habit of frequently blessing themselves with holy water.

Last night, five-year old Teresa got some holy water from the font with her left hand, and I gently reminded her that we're supposed to use our right hand.

"Why do we use our right hand?"

Caught off-guard and honestly not knowing the answer, I had to admit as much: "You know, Teresa, that's a really good question. I don't know why."

To which she deadpanned with the unique innocence of a five-year old: "I thought you were smart."

Coming on the eve of Lent, this was a welcome dose of humility for me.

"Hindi naman hadlang ang kahirapan..."

If you've been visiting this blog from time to time the past couple of years, you may have come across Sally Ruiz, a woman who lives in a temporary housing facility in one of the poorest areas of Tondo, along with her grown daughter and 3-year-old son. The widow took the 3-year-old boy, Nonoy, as her own when he was only 3 days old. Why? He was to be aborted by his biological mother, and Sally's belief that murder is wrong and that everybody has a right to be born prompted her to take in the 18-year-old mother during the last months of the pregnancy and pledge to adopt the child. Three days after giving birth, the young woman left. Though impoverished and aware that raising a child will not be easy, Sally resolved to be a mother to Nonoy. And she's been doing this since then. Her quiet words go something like, "Hindi naman hadlang ang kahirapan para makatulong ka (poverty isn't a hindrance to helping others)"

Last week I had given Sally a call to schedule a meet-up with her somewhere in QC to take photos of her and her little boy (we're featuring their story in a future issue of the mag). The Smokey Mountain area is difficult to navigate, and frankly I had wanted a better, fresher environment as a backdrop for the photos. The grounds of the Good Shepherd Convent (the Pro-Life Phils. office, where I used to work, is within the compound) would be perfect, so I asked that we meet there. Being a Pro-Life volunteer who goes house-to-house to counsel and help in whatever way she can pregnant women, Sally was familiar with the place, too. I was aware that transportation money is also a problem for Sally so I assured her that I would reimburse whatever expenses she'd incur for the trip to Good Shepherd.

"Puwede ho tayong mag-meet sa Sabado ng umaga? (Can we meet on Saturday morning?)" I asked her.

"Sabado? Sige ho... (Saturday? Okay...)" was the soft reply. "Ay sandali, (Oh wait)" she paused.

"Sa Lunes na lang ho. Wala pa ho akong pera sa Sabado (Let's make it Monday instead. I'll still have no money on Saturday)."

My heart sank when I heard this. I won't even begin to enumerate the items that flashed in my mind in the next few moments, items I spent money on and which I could've lived without. And here was a woman who needed a few more days before taking a short trip, to be able to find money for the train and jeepney ride.

Meeting her and Nonoy in person, I experienced mixed emotions. Just like the first time I had met her -- a few weeks after the Inquirer front page story came out, I was in awe. It's not everyday that I get to meet a person with such generosity. She had very, very little, but she was willing to give much. And she did, and continues to do so. I know the few cans of sardines, biscuits and Ovaltine chocolates I quietly handed to her after our photo session will not go far. And for a fleeting moment I cringed at the thought of possibly putting her on the spot or making her uncomfortable about having to rely on others for a hand-to-mouth existence. Then I told myself, generous people like her are humble and simple. There won't be any problem of feeling slighted when there's a need to accept help from others. But I sure wish there were more I could do for her and her family.