Time flies! It's been almost a year since I've written my thoughts here in detail about the Belo Baby product line. When it comes to loyalty, I can swear on Belo Baby when it comes to taking care of my family's skin. We are using it for exactly 10 months and we are happy with what it does.



When it comes to quality and safety, we can never go wrong with Belo Baby that guarantees to have 100% natural and 0% harmful ingredients. It's "all natural" and crafted with care for the most delicate skin, for the most meticulous moms, and for the whole family as well. 

We feel safe whenever we use Belo Baby because it leaves out some harmful ingredients present in other brands and is composed of these main ingredients:

Cocoa Butter, an ingredient that contains antioxidant qualities that protect skin from the outside. It keeps the skin healthy by strengthening and deeply moisturizing it. With its anti-inflammatory properties, it also relieves common skin irritations like rashes.

Shea Butter, a known super food for the skin, as well as the hair. It heals, protects, nourishes, and moisturizes skin from damage and dryness. Because it is natural, gentle, and soft, it is suitable for all skin types especially the delicate and sensitive skin of babies. It naturally heals common skin conditions of babies like eczema and diaper rash.

Sweet Almond Oil, has the ability to lock moisture into the skin. It is also a good exfoliator to help remove dead skin cells and stimulate the development of healthier skin. It is generally safe for all skin types, including delicate baby skin.

Belo Baby provides a safer alternative unlike other baby products. Belo has taken meticulous care in choosing not only which ingredients to put in, but which to leave out.

Once more, I would like to stress out the things that our family loves about the following Belo Baby products:

(Php224.75)

- smells so good on skin and the scent stays longer

- makes skin from head to toe supple, moisturized, soft, and smooth without greasy after-feel; even a seldom lotion user like I do due to experiencing greasiness can be motivated to use it regularly

Among these three products that we truly love, Belo Baby Face and Body Lotion is our most favorite. I don't usually hoard, but see I have three on hand because our family can never let the day pass without using this.




My sons use this after every bath to keep their skin moisturized. Kuya, who is in his tween years, still likes the way it touches his skin. He can smell like a baby and it doesn't bother him anyway. 

Even though you're in your tweens, Kuya, you will always be my baby! . . Happy Baby Day, Kuya! I love you like I love Bunso! . . And because it’s Baby Day today, @belobabylove is giving away FREE #BeloBaby products to the first 1000 moms who register here: http://belobaby.ph/#!register . . . Hurry mommies! Here’s your chance to try the 100% certified natural Belo Baby products! . . #allaroundpinaymama #aapmquotes #babyproduct #babycologne #babylotion #babysoap #bodywash #hairwash #2may2016 #mommybloggersphilippines #certifiedbloggers #bloggersngpinas #momswhoblogph #asianblogger #pinayblogger #giveaway #philippines

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on May 2, 2016 at 1:03am PDT

We have this massage ritual with Bunso at bedtime to address his sensory overload issues due to Mild Autism. Using Belo Baby Face and Body Lotion in his body massage makes him feel relaxed leading to uninterrupted sleep.

It's only during our kid's hospitalization that we have a chance to have a #staycation. Maybe you are wondering why I sound so positive about it. Yes, it is emotionally, physically, and financially draining but everytime it happens I do my best to look at it on a different perspective. . . Everytime we stay in the hospital, I become at peace with my faith in God. As the saying goes, PRAY MORE WHEN IT'S DIFFICULT TO #PRAY. I realize that I can do it. I am thankful because I have time to #REFLECT and realize that I am so blessed despite not being rich in material possessions. I have loving family and friends. . . When I told Kuya over the phone that Bunso would be admitted, he was crying and worried about his brother. I told him that it would be fine and he would be taken care of. The following day, Hubby brought the items in the photo and said that Kuya prepared them for his baby bro--- @belobabylove Lotion for his massage, his favorite books, new #HotWheels car. He even made a #Qixels doll to make Bunso happy. . . I was so nervous to be alone in taking care of Bunso because he was hyperactive during his previous hospitalization. I am so grateful to his therapists and teachers because now he is more matured and can easily follow directions. He stays in bed knowing that he has to rest and take care of his IV site. We just cuddle, read books, and play his favorite puzzles. His nurses and doctors are very caring and supportive too. It's evident that Bunso's recovery is quick. . . It's challenging when my kids get sick but it makes our family stronger and grateful. I know that it shall pass. . #richwellprime #allaroundpinaymama #aapmmusings #momblogger #autismmom #keepthefaith #lifelessons #strength #hope #love #faith #autism #mommybloggersphilippines

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Jul 5, 2016 at 2:34pm PDT

A day isn't complete without using this lotion. In my case, I use it as my daily face and body moisturizer especially when I just stay at home, I have a few favorite facial and body lotions that I use alternately but currently, this is my favorite because I never have a greasy after-feel now that the weather is so hot. I use it on my face together with Belo Tinted Sunscreen and I have observed that it gives my make-up a flawless dewy finish. No wonder that it was a recipient of Sample Room Awards 2016.


We really, really love Belo Baby. As I've mentioned on my review last year, it exceeds my expectations and is consistent in giving best results. The packaging is very attractive, functional, and durable. It has superb quality and clinically proven all natural, gentle, and safe for everybody and reasonably priced too. It's economical because the product goes a long way and only a small amount is needed for every use. I've heard good feedback from my friends, loved-ones, and even strangers that can attest how highly recommended it is for the entire family. Babies and adults can have healthy skin and smell fresh and pure all day!

Now, I would like to take this opportunity to greet Belo Baby a "Happy First Anniversary"! #BeloBabyTurnsONE! Yay! Our family wishes you more success and fruitful years of developing more all natural products for us to enjoy! Thank you for taking good care of our family's skin naturally.

1. Upload a creative photo of your Belo Baby moment with any Belo Baby product on Instagram. 

2. Make sure to write a catchy caption or description. Please include the hashtags #BeloBabyxAllAroundPinayMama , #BeloBaby , and #BeloBabyTurnsOne.

3. Follow and tag  @belobabylove and @allaroundpinaymama so that I can see your entry easily.

4. Only one (1) entry is allowed per Instagram account.

5. Here's a sample entry:

I seldom capture a moment like this because Bunso is camera shy. Maybe he is so happy with his body massage using his all-time favorite, @belobaby Face and Body Lotion  and it shows through his huge smile! Happy first anniversary, Belo Baby! Thanks for taking care of Bunso's skin naturally! @allaroundpinaymama #BabyBeloxAllAroundPinayMama #BeloBaby #BeloBabyTurnsONE

Contest runs from March 17 to 23, 2017 and is open to Philippine residents only. My family will choose one (1) winning entry. The winning entry will be announced on March 24, 2017 and Belo Baby will be responsible in shipping the prize to the winner. I'm so excited to see your entries!

Having a household without helper and composed of two active kids, one of which has Mild Autism, is obviously a very busy one. Paps and I share with the bulk of work in doing the chores and raising our kids aside from our personal jobs. Paps is a high school teacher by the day and he teaches in the school where Kuya studies while I take care of Bunso who is now attending Special School and Occupational Therapy. Paps and I still work for our homebased business from the moment that our kids are asleep. This staying up late at night happens all the time because we have no choice but to extend our efforts. It is merely impossible for me to cover for him and do his share in the business task after dropping Bunso to school and while he is staying there for two to three hours because doing so at this point is most of the time being substituted with chores. From the moment that Bunso and I are already home, my time revolves around him alone because he needs it and he is my priority. Then late in the afternoon, in the evening, or late at night when the two big boys arrive, as the schedule permits, our focus as parents mainly is to have a brief family time with our kids during and after dinner time and do the chores thereafter. And the cycle goes on and on and on...

Paps and I are not complaining. We love our job as parents and we also like what we do for a living. We also have the same hobbies and we are happy with our present condition. We always wish to live longer and watch our kids grow and build their own lives separately but would constantly look for each other closely.

Living longer entails hard work and discipline. I have also learned just recently that a study has been made that parenting can lead to longer life. Well, mainly it's because parents have more reasons to live longer. They have to look after their kids until they die. It's a motivation that is so hard to break because parents love their kids unconditionally.

When I say hard work and discipline, it includes having a healthy lifestyle. Gone were the days when we would indulge in fatty and oily food or binge eating with junk food. We eat a balanced meal and tend to indulge or have ourselves a treat with dairy or chips once in a while. We don't want our kids to be ignorant with food. We believe that balance is always the key. We also don't take too much medicines and we take them only when they are badly and truly needed. We always resort to natural alternatives which includes choosing the right food in healing a specific disease. Sometimes, skipping medication is not an option but still it should be reinforced with taking food alternatives to heal the target disease.

Like for instance, drinking lots of water, cranberry juice, and coconut water is good for Urinary Tract Infection and Canker Sores because they kill and wash off the bacteria that cause them.  There are so many articles found in the world wide web about the healing wonders of fruits, vegetables, and herbs and sometimes it takes time to search and look for the right ones. Most of the correct information based on experience comes from  Chinese or Asian sources.

I don't do that anymore at the moment because now I have with me this tiny book with huge information about Chinese and Asian superfoods turned into smoothies, which are considered to be the convenient way to bring nutrition and refreshment into our daily living. Healthy Smoothies---Traditional Chinese Medicine Inspired Recipes by Kimberly Ashton (health coach and food educator) and Zhang Yifang (Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor) teaches us how to make healthy smoothies while making us understand about food therapy that is suited to our individual constitution. Body constitution, by the way, makes up our physical state, including the function of the systems of our body and metabolism and of course, our mental and spiritual states too.

How do we know our individual constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)? 

The authors mention in the book that the features of one's constitution can be detected in three areas: the personal physical build, the body's internal functions, and the psychological state. A person's constitution also depends on the stage of life he or she is facing, such as puberty or menopause perhaps.

There are also two origins of constitution: congenital natural disposition and post-natal lifestyle (nature and nurture, in short). Moreover, there are so many factors that influence the formation of the constitution when speaking about the "nature" part like parents' physical and mental health, at the time of conception or the mother's pregnancy condition. When it comes to "nurture", our own lifestyles and actions influence our constitution.

To help us maintain our present state of being or constitution,  we have to learn first the basic healthy food that can help us maintain, relax, or heal it. In this book, a self-assessment is included to find that out.  The result can help us know what foods to choose according to our individual constitution. Isn't it cool? We can just try and test different smoothies that we think can help us gain healthier bodies with a concrete basis. We are being guided properly by this book by knowing the basics of TCM and the first thing to do is to know more about what we really need.

Next step is teaching the preparation of functional liquids and bases. TCM also stresses that aside from matching our food therapy to our individual constitution, we should also consider the season we are in and what effects we want the smoothie to have in our health. The liquids and bases that are the key parts to smoothie making are divided into three kinds: cooling, warming, and neutral. After this step, choosing suitable food and building our very own TCM smoothie follow, may it be for nourishing nutrition, immune system strength, detoxification, refreshment, or digestion aid. There are almost 40 recipes to choose from that are explained in a very simple manner which includes usage, ingredients, method of preparing, and most of all contraindication. Each recipe is supported with colorful photographs that make reading this book and learning from it enticing and fun.

I recommend this book for the reasons that I've mentioned above. It serves as a reliable guide for us to achieve optimum health and well-being. Dr. Ann Wignore, a Lithuanian-American holistic health practitioner, once said, "When we learn to eat properly we begin to rebuild our bodies and to fulfill our purpose on this planet to grow in health, creativity, wisdom, and compassion." This book can help us do it rightly to achieve this goal.

Chinese dishes are my most favorite next to Filipino dishes. Their colors, textures, and flavors are so enticing and literally burst in my mouth. Whenever our family and loved-ones celebrate special occasions, we opt to reserve in our favorite Chinese restaurant because we are always sure that our guests would truly be satisfied and the compliments that we get are truly heartwarming.

My kids and husband can't say no to Chinese food like I do. For a cook like me who is fond of preparing quick and easy dishes due to my very busy schedule, my reliable source in giving me suggestions in finding easy Chinese recipes is my best friend Google (Moms, I know that you can relate. LOL!). I would search for the easiest and quickest recipes and of course, it also takes time to find the right ones and I would always end up cooking the dishes that I know--- Pancit, Lumpiang Shanghai, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Egg Drop Soup, and Siomai (using ready made wanton wrapper). Seriously, nakasasawa na and I also would always say to myself, "Sana mayroon namang iba."

Google search for this matter is finally over at the moment because now I have with me a copy of Easy Chinese Recipes --- Family Favorites from Dim Sum to Kung Pao by by Bee Yinn Low. It has over 70 great-tasting recipes to keep us covered when we crave for Chinese dishes- from appetizers; soups; dim sum and dumplings; beef, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and egg dishes; noodles and rice; desserts; and drinks that are so easy to prepare and I guarantee that are so delicious.

How did Bee Yinn Low come up with this cookbook?

As mentioned in the book's preface, Bee Yinn Low grew up in a Chinese household in Malaysia. She watched her mother cook as she was growing up but wasn't allowed to help that much. After a few years as a working woman in California, her love for Chinese food kept her determined to replicate the unforgettable flavors that she tasted during her youth despite having limited time in the kitchen. She did her best to develop her own versions of her favorite dishes using the readily available ingredients in local supermarkets. She experimented, read, and tasted until her passion became an expertise. Thereafter, her meals became well-loved by her friends and loved ones that prompted her to share her love of Asian Cuisine through her blog, RasaMalaysia.com. Moreover, this website has become the internet's most popular Asian food site.

When I started reading this cookbook, I immediately felt the author's generosity in sharing her skills. All the contents were written and explained in a very simple manner, supported with detailed and enticing photographs that even people who still haven't experienced cooking or find it difficult to cook could follow.

Due to so much excitement, Paps, who is better and expert in the kitchen, cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken based on the Sweet and Sour Fish found on page 102. Wow! It tasted so good that he decided to cook it again the following day!

If I will be subjected to Marshmallow Test, I think I'll fail. Nah! Just kidding! This EASY CHINESE RECIPES, FAMILY FAVORITES from DIM SUM to KUNG PAO book by BEE YINN LOW from @tuttlepublishing is a winner! I can't help but share this ASAP before my scheduled review about it because hubby and I are so glad to have this in our cookbook collection! . . Last night, Paps @type2cell cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken based on the Sweet and Sour Fish recipe on page 102. It tasted so authentic but so easy to do. . . There are over a hundred authentic quick and easy to prepare Chinese recipes to try. Aside from that, the author developed versions of her favorite Chinese dishes that had all the taste but were a lot less work! Amazing! . . It's a must-have for cooking enthusiasts. Two thumbs up! . . #allaroundpinaymama #aapmfavorites #bibliophile #tuttlepublishing #BeeYinnLow #bookstagram #book #spotmyfood #chinesefood #yummyph #huffposttaste #buzzfoodfeed #wimyummy #momswhoblogph #mommybloggersphilippines #certifiedbloggers #momblogger #foodblogger #7september2016 #igersmanila #makeitblissful

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Sep 6, 2016 at 11:24pm PDT

Bee Yinn Low would like her readers to nail Chinese cooking by first giving basic cooking techniques and tips, basic tools in utensils, and understanding Chinese ingredients. She even included the basics on how to cook steamed rice, make sauces, condiments, and dipping condiments that would compliment the recipes in the book. The content on this part of the book that our family enjoyed the most was how to make homemade dumpling wrappers from scratch (page 31). Our kids were giggling while doing this maybe because it was truly fun and amazing!


Lumpiang Shanghai is a dish that Kuya and Loley love so much. Knowing how to wrap and cook them properly (page 65) makes him love it more. This shows that even kids can follow Binn Yin Low's recipes and replicating her creations here at home make our palates and tummies satisfied at the same time creating wonderful bonding moments while cooking and eating them with the family.

It's Grandparent's Day here in the #Philippines that's why we've cooked Loley's favorite Lumpiang Shanghai for lunch. @beeyinnlow's Spring Roll wrapping technique found on her book, EASY CHINESE RECIPES from @tuttlepublishing makes cooking Lumpia hassle-free! See the photo to know how. . . #allroundpinaymama #aapmfavorites #aapmreviews #aapmcollaboration #lumpia #springrolls #cookingtips #spotmyfood #foodie #chinesefood #momblogger #foodblogger #mommybloggersphilippines

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Sep 10, 2016 at 11:07pm PDT

It is indeed difficult to live in a world that is full of standards. Those standards, sad to say, are based on what the majority thinks are appropriate based on how they see themselves. If we are not like them, most probably they think that we don't belong.

In the story, Emma, a young school-aged girl, is just average in physical attributes but she looks very pleasant. She is good and studious but she is left-handed and she stutters when she talks. Those traits of hers make her prone to bullying because some of her classmates feel that she is not normal as they are.

Due to this predicament, Emma feels that she is inferior and doesn't belong which prompts her to write using her right hand instead. She also stops participating in recitations due fear of being teased. Her classmates make her feel that she's abnormal. What makes her situation difficult for her is that some of her relatives, teachers, and friends consider her abnormal and they don't even extend their efforts and patience to help her cope up.

Despite being treated differently, Emma chooses not to fight back. She does her very best to show her classmates that she is not ashamed of who she is. Her strong faith in the God and the belief that those challenges shall pass keep her moving forward. 

When her teacher gives her a chance to be her class' representative for the spelling contest, some of her classmates show that they are not in favor of her. Their teacher defends Emma and encourages her that it's her chance to show everybody that she is a good student and she can succeed.

Emma does her very best. She studies very well as she prepares for the upcoming spelling contest with the support of her parents. She's able to win and she wins the hearts of those who treat her unkindly.

They ask forgiveness from Emma. Instead of getting getting angry and thinking of revenge, Emma forgives her classmates.

Emma has a good heart. This story proves that nobody can put a good person down and our greatest enemy is ourselves. Instead of channeling our energy to think of revenge, focusing on self -improvement together with prayer is one the best ways to conquer our fears and challenges. No matter what other people say about us, the acceptance and love of our family can keep us going against all odds.

Courtesy: im-just-a-girl.tumbler

Reading this book together with my Bunso who was diagnosed with mild autism two years ago made me relate it to his current situation. It is inevitable that not all people are going to understand his special needs. We can't shield him forever from people who don't understand and don't even bother to educate themselves that children with special needs may be different in our normal standards but they are unique in their own right and they see the world in a different perspective. We may be surprised that they see things differently and most of the time, it's amazing. It is only if we go inside their world that we can see how they think. They think better, love more, forgive easily, and show affection without hesitations or judgment and we should learn from them. What makes them different from our normal standards makes them more beautiful. If we only accept them the way we want others to accept us and if we only forgive the way they forgive, this world is going to be a better place.

Courtesy: picturequotes.com

I encourage you, dear parents, to get a copy of this book. It teaches so many values that your kids can imitate and they can pass those values to their children in the future. The book is filled with life's lessons about showing respect, treating others the way we want to be treated, conquering challenges and fears, strong relationship with God through prayer, being self-directed, honing God's given talents, being forgiving, and being beautiful inside out.

Courtesy: jarofquotes.com

Talking about quality, the book is made with high quality printing materials and surely, your kids can keep it, just make sure that it is handled and stored with care, until it's time for them to raise a family when they can read it again with their children.

Emma Kali-kaliwete! Emma U-utal-utal! by Meanne Mabesa Mijares is available in all St. Pauls Philippines branches. Grab a copy now and you'll love it too.

Tuttle Publishing gets social. You may join the community for updates on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM.

Our world is now fast paced. Technology changes in a blink of an eye. People from all walks of life especially the older ones do their best to cope up with it while the youngsters, which include my son, are born with. We can’t deny that apps using our phones, laptops, and tablets become part of our lives now and they are here to break or make us especially the kids. What I mean is, there are those who are trashy and don’t teach our children the right values or skills and there are those who help us to develop them cognitively and wholistically.

I have two sons, eleven and five years old. With all honesty, I don’t expose them too much on gadgets because they have the tendency to get addicted. In the case of my eldest, I have no choice this year but to give him his own tablet because his class uses e-book in school. What I do is I give him an hour during weekends and ten minutes during weekdays to enjoy his favorite videos on YouTube, read articles online, or play games. Paps, Loley, and I are still monitoring him despite of trusting him that he can control his urge to play instead of studying. While my Bunso, who has been diagnosed with Mild Autism Spectrum, is not allowed by his Developmental Pediatrician to get exposed to television shows or watching videos online and offline because his speech and fine motor skills are delayed. Sadly, he has the tendency to get hooked on gadgets that he doesn’t like to stop. He needs to do activities that require communicating and tinkering.

After his diagnosis in 2014, we took away his gadget privileges. It was also in the same year when he started being afraid of hearing load sounds and getting overwhelmed with too much color and action from movies. I exposed him to more books, flashcards, and concrete educational tools like blocks and Lego. 

It was only last year that I let Bunso use my phone. I only installed two educational puzzle apps that he's still playing daily under time limit. Presently, he is still afraid of loud sounds and hearing songs from the television or radio. Ironically he has the tendency to get addicted to YouTube firework videos so I locked the internet access. So when KidloLand, an award-winning app for toddlers and preschoolers, contacted me to review its app, I was hesitant at first. But then again, 250+ mom bloggers all over the world recommended it so why should I not give it a try. Then I accepted the offer. Seeing and exploring the app myself with Kuya before showing it to Bunso made me feel happy that I said yes.

These are the things that we love about KidloLand:

1. Versatile

- There are over 800 nursery rhymes, stories, songs, activities, and games available for toddlers and preschoolers. 

- 95+ interactive classic nursery rhymes with thousands of surprises come alive when tapping the screen. 

- Original educational songs for learning ABCs, fruits, vegetables, shapes, colors, and a lot more can be found. 

- There is a complete Phonics section composed of activities and songs to help kids start or enrich their reading skills.

- Kids learn a lot through games. They enjoy playing without them realizing that they are learning at the same time.

- It is loaded with activities that help kids develop their cognitive skills like sequencing, math, picture and number, comprehension, problem-solving skills, and a lot more that develop their eye-hand coordination, creativity, reasoning, and imagination.

2. Child and Parent-Friendly

- There are no advertisements that may influence the child.

- The games, songs, and activities are designed for kids ages zero to five.

- It’s easy to use and navigate.

- Shows a wide array of funny animations and sounds that make children entertained.

- Animation and sound are colorful and crisp respectively.

- Parents can download activities, videos, and songs that kids can enjoy offline anywhere, anytime. 

This also assures that parents can still choose and be in control in what contents of KidloLand their kids can watch, hear, and do at the moment.

Our internet connection speed here in the Philippines is too slow and it takes longer for me to download more contents of the app but I guess in other countries downloading is faster. It’s okay for me because as I’ve said, I only show Bunso a few portions of the app daily.

3. Android and Apple Device Compatible

Kidloland may be purchased through App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Appstore for Android.

4. Affordable

There’s a Basic (Free) Service where a limited number of songs and other content is made available to the free users of the app and unlocking any additional content requires either in-app purchase or registering for subscription service. One year subscription, for example, is US$39.99.

During the first time that I showed Bunso the activities that I downloaded from the app, I felt a little nervous. As I mentioned a while ago, he was afraid of loud sounds, too colorful animation, and could get addicted to videos so I did his exposure one at a time for him not to get overwhelmed. I was surprised to see that he loved everything about it especially the puzzles. He didn’t get afraid of the sound and color. He was hooked but still would return my phone after a given time limit. Like his favorite old puzzle apps, he didn’t get addicted.

Our family loves KidloLand. It ‘s definitely the best educational preschool and toddler app that I’ve seen so far. No wonder that it is trusted by moms all over the world and has gained so many awards and badges from different parenting and educational institutions. KindloLand can win the hearts of kids as well as their parents.

Like us, I also like you and your toddlers and preschoolers to experience the wonders of this app. KidloLand is so generous to give three (3) AAPM Readers of the Month of November a three-month subscription each to the KidloLand app. It’s so easy to join. Just follow the steps below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to my readers WORLDWIDE. You don't have to be my social media account followers to join. Giveaway period is from November 7 to 30, 2016 only. Winner will be chosen by random.org.

I'll announce the winner on my Facebook Page on December 1, 2016 and he/she will be notified through Facebook message on the same day. Thanks!

Good luck and thanks for joining!

XOXO,

SJ