November 3, 2008. That’s the date of my first post at my oldest blog hosted at Blogger, Random WAHM Thoughts. Now I’m less than a month shy of my second blogversary, and although that is still a relatively short time by long-time bloggers’ standards, I still cannot believe I’ve made it this far. Don’t get me wrong though. I love writing. In fact, I’ve been a writer long before I became a blogger, both within the confines of educational institutions and outside of them when I was already working. Writing comes naturally to me like breathing, the way some people are good at musical instruments or taking photographs (both of which I am horrible at).

What makes this whole blogging experience unbelievable for me is the number of great people who I’ve met along the way. Certainly, this hasn’t been the most stress-free ride of my entire life but trust me, its well worth the effort. Writing, for me, before this blogging activity of mine began, is a thankless job. I produce articles like the word machine that I am, submit it to whoever needs it and… period. I didn’t feel my worth as a writer, it’s as if I’ve never written those words at all. It took me some time to realize that I shouldn’t be expecting anyone to appreciate the words that came out of my mind, given my job description. Sucks but yes, that’s how it was during the pre-blogging period of my life.

I became a WAHM prior to giving birth to my only daughter, and it wasn’t until half a year later that the blogging bug bit me. It hasn’t let go of me ever since, although there were times in the early days when I felt the need to crawl back under my rock to lick a wound (which I did) thus forcing me to go on a couple of blogging hiatus back then. The early days were hard. I still felt unappreciated, like somehow my thoughts still don’t matter, mainly because I didn’t have a lot of friends in the blogosphere (excuse me, blogniverse). I wasn’t too much of a social butterfly to gain much of them in such a short time, so my progress was slooow.

Of course eventually, I gained some close (and thankfully, real) friends who made me feel important, who made me realize that hey, my blog posts don’t go unread all the time. In this crazy blogging world, you can’t help it but have friends. Even if you’re usually the lone wolf, there are people who will find time to read your posts, and who will make an effort to be your friend. So unless you hate people (which in that case you shouldn’t be blogging at all since blogging=socializing), you are bound to find good friends (for life, I hope!) like I did.

Enter the Marce Club. No, we’re not an “official” organization registered at SEC, nothing like that. We’re just a bunch of bloggers (albeit a highly respected bunch. LOL. Seriously) who were united by a common bond named Pehpot, specifically by her wonderful delight of a daughter named Sati. The blogosphere is a noisy, confusing (yet fun!) place to be in, but in the Marce Club I found solace and real camaraderie, the type that you only find once in your life. They’re really special to me, these girls. Without them I don’t think I would have lasted (and will last forever and ever amen) this long. Their friendship is what kept me sane, and they never fail to make me feel that there is a place for me here.

And is that my most memorable experience as a blogger, having met the Marce Club? Yes, as cheesy as my whole post sounds, yes. I would endure once more the insecurities of a first-time blogger in my next lifetime if that means I get to meet my marces again. So I may have learned a lot of useful things from blogging (particularly blog design, that which mostly feeds my family now), but friendship is the one lesson I hold close to my heart.  So I may have won and made money from blogging more than I have ever imagined and could ever count, but I needn’t count beyond eleven, because that’s all it takes to count the eleven special bloggers closest to my heart.

To my girls Chris, Fedhz, Gene, Jade, Kikamz, Liz, Mye, Niko, Pehpot, Seiko and Yami, this post is for you.

A while back, Red was looking for contest sponsors and I volunteered (or was I bludgeoned into sponsoring? Hahaha! Joking!) for, you guessed it, a blog design makeover as my sponsorship pledge. I have a lot going on lately that I didn’t realize the contest has started already! And as a way of showing more support for the girl behind all those bloody red blogs (hee hee),I am joining her contest! And hey, it wouldn’t hurt a bit if I win in the raffle draw right? LOL. Below are the generous (eherm) sponsors:

Red’s Blogs

? Earn Money Online With Red ? Simple Pero Rock ? My Red Hot Reviews ? The Adventurous Little Prince ? Contest & Giveaway Craze ?

Everyone is encouraged to join! Contest ends October 10, 2010 so there’s still a lotta time to make a post and/or rack in those points!

Sleep is one of the most important factors in releasing growth hormones, most especially for very young babies.While your baby sleeps, her little body produces 3x more growth hormones.

The good news is there is a way to promote better sleep for your baby: through a consistent nightly bedtime routine.

Learn more about the JOHNSON´S® Baby Bedtime Routine, clinically proven to stretch your baby´s sleep by as much as 23%.

In addition to the JOHNSON´S® Baby Bedtime Routine and products, there are countless other ways you can help your baby fall asleep and even share bonding moments in the process!

I’ve never known a life outside being a work at home mom because I stopped working full-time even before I gave birth to Svet. I wanted to give her all the mommy attention that she needs from me, something that I promised to give her because I certainly can’t give her all the material things. And bedtime is one time of the day that I can fully indulge in her.

Sleep time is never dull with a child like Svet. She’s as rowdy as a boy, and her energy outlasts both of my and the spousal unit’s combined forces. We used to let her sleep anytime she wants, but my mom said that kids like Svet should be in bed early, and I know moms know best, so we’ve been trying to make Svet sleep before eight since then. Preparing for bed takes a long time for us, since there are a lot of play time in between. When do we start? As early as 7:00 pm after dinner.

It’s pretty cold here in Baguio, so most of the times it’s just a sponge bath at night, but sometimes when Svet gets irritated with the extra hot weather (it does get unusually hot here, and we’ll know because she cries easily at the smallest of things), she gets her well-deserved quick warm bath. I will pour a small amount of JOHNSON’S® Baby BEDTIME® Bath on a wash cloth and massage it on Svet’s body, after which I will allow her to jump right in her small tub for rinsing. This is her favorite part of our first routine, as she gets to play with the warm water and her bottle of baby bath for a bit.

I don’t let her stay on the water for too long lest she gets cold, and she struggles sometimes but when I say “toothbrush time!” she obliges very willingly and with an impish smile.  See, brushing her teeth must be her favorite thing to do in the world right now, and I’m glad at least we don’t have to wrestle for tooth brushing time. But before that, a generous amount of JOHNSON’S® Baby BEDTIME® Oil rubbed briskly on her skin to take away some of the chill and dressing for sleep time.

Next stop of our bedtime routine, rubbing time. I massage her with JOHNSON’S® Baby BEDTIME® Lotion because I know this will help her sleep better. I used to massage her without it, but I discovered the quality of Svet’s sleep was noticeably better when we started using the JOHNSON’S® Lotion. Of course, it also gave us more time to bond with each other, so that’s another plus.

I follow-up with JOHNSON’S® Baby BEDTIME® Powder for a fresh, comfortable feeling before falling asleep. I can tell Svet loves the scent of JOHNSON’S® Powder because she always requests for it.

Next part? Reading time! Her favorite, so this part of our bedtime routine is a must before falling fast asleep. Not that we mind, it’s always a delight to hear her repeating words after us.

We’ll know it’s time for our “quiet time” (a relative term, considering Svet’s babbles) when she finally puts the comforter up to her chin and invites (rather, instructs. LOL) Mommy and Daddy to “higa tabi” (lie down beside me). And no, our bedtime routine does not stop there. Paulie taught Svet to pray, and she never forgets to do that before sleeping.

It will be time to switch off the lights after that, as Svet cannot sleep with the lights on. I think she feels there’s still something to do when they’re left on. Hee hee. She will sing a little or mutter some unintelligible words in the dark while Paulie rubs her head gently and I hug her. She will often request for a kiss sandwich, and of course we can’t say no to that.

Minutes later, she’ll be off to dreamland. And usually, when I don’t have work at night and Paulie’s finished with the house work already, we will soon follow suit. And that’s how we spend a better part of the evening everyday. Took us sometime to establish this routine, but seeing how Svet sleeps fitfully during the night, (and that’s largely thanks to the NATURALCALM^™ essences found in JOHNSON’S® BEDTIME® products), I’m glad we did, because it’s all worth it.

Thank you for coming to read our bedtime routine!

Like last month, I again used the Integer Generator to finally determine the lucky winner:

And the winner is… #43:

PEARL

You will receive an email from me shortly so we can start your makeover ASAP.

Don’t fret non-winners! Although I have decided not to hold a giveaway this July due to my workload, I hope to see you all again (and some new ones, fingers crossed) in August for the raffle. Will be posting mechanics of that when the time comes. Thank you all for joining! I had fun reading your contest entries and seeing my followers number grow! Thanks again!

Seth – 5
joanne/zoan – 6
Karen Chayne – 6
Grace – 5
wifluvelle – 4
Ning Buning – 8
Kati – 6
Shydub – 15
Maggie/Tethered Mommy – 5
Pearl – 6
Lulu – 6
Kimberly – 6
Janae – 4
Chris – 8
Candice – 5
Hahai – 4
Rebekah – 5
Mommy Rubz – 12
Yami – 6

Check back tomorrow for the announcement of the lucky winner!

THIS CONTEST IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED

As promised, the blog makeover raffle will be a monthly thing from now on (or for as long as I can host one. ). However, the mechanics will vary so that this raffle will not grow old. I actually have something quite different planned for July, but since it’s just June, that will have to wait another month. So anyways, here is what’s up for grab for the sake of those who will join for the first time:

Up to $100 worth of WordPress or Blogger Blog Makeover including:

• custom header and footer
• custom background
• custom favicon
• custom navigation bar
• custom post footer (for Blogger)
• fancy post title font
• 125×125 button/badge
• personalized signature
• fancy comment section
• layout style of winner’s choice
• and anything else that will make the makeover fab

And here are the mechanics for this month and how you can gain raffle entries and qualify:

<center><a target=”_blank” href=”http://wahmaholic.com/2010/06/june-blog-makeover-giveaway/”><img alt=”WAHMaholic’s Blog Makeover Giveaway” src=”http://wahmaholic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/banner.gif” /></a></center><br/> I am joining WAHMaholic’s Monthly Makeover Giveaway! Here’s what’s at stake:<br/> <h3 style=”text-align: center;”><span style=”color: #ff0000;”><strong>Up to $100 worth of WordPress or Blogger Makeover</strong></span><span style=”color: #ff0000;”> including:</span></h2><ul><br /> <li>custom header and footer</li><li>custom background</li><li>custom favicon</li><li>custom navigation bar</li> <li>custom post footer (for Blogger)</li> <li>fancy post title font</li><li>125×125 button/badge</li><li>personalized signature</li><li>fancy comment section</li><li>layout style of winner’s choice</li><li>and anything else that will make the makeover fab</li></ul><br/> For more details on how to gain raffle points for the giveaway, head on to <a href=”http://wahmaholic.com”>WAHMaholic’s blog</a> for details. Below is my entry for the month of June. <br/>

Other contest details:

• The winner will be RANDOMLY selected. So more entries means more chances of winning.
• MULTIPLE BLOGS ARE ALLOWED per contestant.
• Contest runs from June 1 – June 30, 2010.
• I will personally install the template myself two weeks after the announcement of the lucky raffle winner.

If you have done some of the mechanics above last month, then you won’t have to do them again (i.e., follow my blogs and/or grab my sparkly 125×125 button on your sidebar). However, you still HAVE TO RECORD YOUR ENTRIES on the Google Doc form above (last item of the mechanics) for me to count your last month’s entries again. It’s a couple of lines so that shouldn’t be so hard for anyone. Ready? Try your luck! You might win the makeover this month

ferry’zWILL    6
wifluvelle    3
Mylene    6
sweetdonut    6
Yami Torrecampo    10
Ning    6
Verna Liza Luga / Vernz    9
joanne/zoan    6
Grace    6
melandriaromero    10
Jenn    6
Brenda Melendez    6
peppermayo    8
mary narvasa    6
sherry    6
Levy    6
sunshine/bambie    8
Rosette Omana/Seth    8
Kayce    6
mizhelle    7
CeCe Savage    6
Cindi    6
~KATE~    6
Rose    6
chubbymommyme    2
genefaith    14
SusanD    6
PeachRainbow    5
Judy Sevillo / Mushamommy    6
Jennifer VanWitzenburg    5
jewel/anniniput    6
Winchester    6
redamethyst    14
Carrie    5
Bambie dear ?    12
mommy bonz    6
Sheng    6
niko    13
Chin chin    6
Christine Amador    7
Chic ‘n Cheap Living    1
just simple thoughts    6
Jenniffer Agustin/Jeng    5
Katie    6
JENNIFER    6
lovelyritaann    5
peppermayo
Jessie Smith    6
Kat/Momsy Katsy    18
Cheryl Lee    6

I randomized the 337 entries using the List Randomizer function of Random.org, for good measure (click image for full view):

And used the Integer Generator to finally determine the winner:

And the winner is… #182:

JENNIFER!

You will receive an email from me shortly so we can start your makeover ASAP.

Don’t fret non-winners! This will be a month raffle, albeit with different rules (so it wouldn’t get old). I’ll do a post later what this month’s mechanics will be. Thank you all for joining! I had fun reading your contest entries and seeing my followers number grow! Thanks again!

ferry’zWILL – 6

wifluvelle – 3

Mylene – 6

sweetdonut – 6

Yami Torrecampo – 10

Ning – 6

Verna Liza Luga / Vernz – 9

joanne/zoan – 6

Grace – 6

melandriaromero – 10

Jenn – 6

Brenda Melendez – 6

peppermayo – 7

mary narvasa – 6

sherry – 6

Levy – 6

sunshine/bambie – 8

Rosette Omana/Seth – 8

Kayce – 6

mizhelle – 7

CeCe Savage – 6

Cindi – 5

~KATE~ – 6

Rose – 6

chubbymommyme – 2

genefaith – 14

SusanD – 6

PeachRainbow – 5

Judy Sevillo / Mushamommy – 6

Jennifer VanWitzenburg – 5

jewel/anniniput – 6

Winchester – 6

redamethyst – 14

Carrie – 5

Raffle is accepting entries until the end of the month! Join now and have a chance to win up to $100 worth of blog makeover package!

Yep. It’s been a long time coming, but another blog makeover giveaway is finally here! In an effort to expose my Portfolio site to as many bloggers as possible, I decided a while ago to give away FREEBIES (yep, that’s a link that will take you to my goodies section), and one freebie I have in mind is a blog makeover. Okay. Enough yakety-yak.

Here’s what’s up for grab:

Up to $100 worth of WordPress or Blogger Makeover including:

• custom header and footer
• custom background
• custom favicon
• custom navigation bar
• custom post footer (for Blogger)
• fancy post title font
• 125×125 button/badge
• personalized signature
• fancy comment section
• layout style of winner’s choice
• and anything else that will make the makeover fab

And here’s how you can gain raffle entries and qualify:

• For your blog/s to qualify, it/they should be AT LEAST TWO MONTHS OLD with AT LEAST 20 POSTS.
• I like exposure, so put this badge on your sidebar. Just grab the code below (1 entry per blog sidebar you put my badge in):

  

  <a target=”_blank” href=”http://designs.wahmaholic.com/”><img width=”125″ alt=”Chic & Cheap Blog Designs by WAHMaholic” src=”http://designs.wahmaholic.com/wp-content/themes/Portfolio/style/images/button.gif” height=”125″ /></a>

• I like being stalked, so become a follower of my blogs below (1 entry per blog followed):
  • WAHMaholic Designs
  • WAHMaholic
  • Beauty Queen Gene
  • Random WAHM Thoughts
• I like back links, too, so blog about this contest in your blog/s (Just make sure to link back to this post at least once so people can come through your link to join AND grab the raffle banner and put it on your post. Code is below): (1 entry per blog post)



<a target=”_blank” href=”http://wahmaholic.com/2010/05/blog-makeover-giveaway/”><img alt=”WAHMaholic’s Blog Makeover Giveaway” src=”http://wahmaholic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/banner.gif” /></a>

• After you’ve finished with the above, CLICK HERE to record your raffle entries.

I plan to make this a monthly thing, but I only require that you blog about the contest ONCE. You can blog about  the contest monthly if you like, every time I announce the start of the giveaway, and those will be additional entries for you.

If you became a follower of my blogs and grabbed my badge to put in your sidebar/s this time around, your blog follow points will carry over to the next round of giveaways. I’ll check occasionally if the badge is up on the participants’ sidebars.

Other contest details:

• The winner will be RANDOMLY selected. So more entries means more chances of winning.
• MULTIPLE BLOGS ARE ALLOWED per contestant.
• Contest runs from May 13 – May 31, 2010.
• I will personally install the template myself two weeks after the announcement of the lucky raffle winner.

That’s it. THAT’S IT?? Yep. As some of you may know I just came from a very wearying blogversary contest  so not much demands this time. Just make sure you fill out the form mentioned above so I can be spared a major headache, okay? Good.