Where are your shoes, Neo?

Maybe we underestimated Neo and still regard him as a baby who just somehow managed to walk.

Last Friday, as I was talking with the yaya on our turnover, I heard Val apprehending Neo as the little boy headed for the door. "Wag ka lumabas wala ka shoes". Neo retreated and went straight to the back of his crib where we keep his things and extracted his red shoes! Hahha! Gulat kami and no one even taught him that! We asked him again, "Neo, where are your shoes?" And he did it again! Surely, he knows what shoes means and even knows where to find it!

We tried asking him other things ... where is your exersaucer? and he went to his exersaucer! where is Bob? and he went to where Bob is and he picked up the doll. Shower! shower ! and he went straight to the bathroom!

With all these developments is our realization. That Neo understands his surroundings now. That he can absorb everything and anything that is happening. That it is time for us to be cautious of our actions, careful with our words and mindful of our actuations. Our boy is growing and learning and we want to instill in him good values and set a favourable surrounding.

Go and grow, anak! We love you.

The exersaucer

As I was entering the entrance door of SM megamall's children's department. I can already see Val and Ritzie waving at me and pointing at something. And what was it? It was an EXERSAUCER! I immediately checked the brand and it was EVENFLO! Anoooo!?

Why am I over reacting? Let me tell you the story....

When Neo was about two months old, we noticed a persistent flat spot on his head. It didn't bother me that much until one of the neighbors noticed and another one did too. This alarmed me and had me thinking na baka nga lumaki na ganun sisihin ako ng anak ko pag laki nya. So I did my research, consulted the pedia and frequented blogs and forum threads. I learned that this is called plagiocephaly. A condition characterized by an assymetrical flattening of one side of the head. I self assessed Neo's stage as mild. Although around 90% of the online testimonials assured that this condition will correct on its own and the pedia likewise said the same, I was not convinced. I followed the pedia's advise of repositioning and all other steps. However, through all my readings from the internet, exersaucers were always mentioned.

"An ExerSaucer is the modern answer to a baby walker. They are shaped much like a walker, only baby's feet do not touch the ground, instead resting on the saucer's base. ExerSaucers and other stationary entertainers allow babies to remain upright to practice standing and play with available toys while taking in the action around them. Play saucers do not allow babies to move around a room, though. This eliminates the safety concerns present with walkers - namely the risks of falling down stairs or stumbling upon dangerous household items.

ExerSsaucer-style activity centers are available in many shapes and sizes and usually have an interesting selection of on-board toys to keep the fun easily at hand for babies. From airplane and bug themes to versions with symphony music and built-in picture books, there is an exersaucer or stationary activity center to entertain any baby."

Stories related mothers leaving their babies in these saucers for some time and let gravity work its way. I researched for this exersaucer and learned that it is widely availed in the US. I even saw pictures of my cousin's daughter and my friend's son on board this activity center. I was further convinced because of the following beneficial features:

• Includes a variety of activities especially designed with fun and learning in mind.
• Aids baby in achieving 10 developmental milestones such as hand-eye coordination, object exploration and more
• Patented folding technology makes travel and storage easy
• Baby can rock, spin or bounce...sit or stand!

Next hurdle, where to get this exersaucer.

I called SM, Robinsons, S&R, Toy's R Us, BabyLand, Maxi Toy Lab. We visited all the children shops in Megamall, Shangrila , the Podium. None of them carry the item. Meron lang yung closely but not quite similar ng Fisher Price, the hop and pop. But I really liked the one of Evenflo. We asked a friend of Val who is coming home from the states at that time to buy us a unit. She declined because when she saw it in the department store, sobra bulky dalhin. With that, we didn't ask any other anymore kasi nakakahiya, masyado abala ang size. Di pa rin ako sumuko, I even called the distributors of Graco here (they have a similar model kasi) pero they don't ship the item in the Philippines. We considered buying online, sa Amazon. But when we computed the total amount, ang mahal na. Not practical. We tried, Buy and Sell and Sulit pero no one in the Philippines is selling during that time. We almost bought the hop and pop na sana. The actual retail was around 5,000 plus, may nag sale ng 4,400 and then we saw another super sale at 2,500. Val will buy it already pero di ako pumayag. It was evenflo for me or wag nalang. It was at this time that I was intoduced to ebay. I opened an account and was making a daily check na baka may mag sell ng unit. And then I gave up. Ok nalang.

I opened my account one day and I was browsing around. And what did I see? A picture of a Smartsteps Evenflo Exersaucer! I didn't get excited right away because I thought it was one from the international sellers. Pero hindi. Somebody from the Philippines is actually selling second hand. The item was placed at 2,500. I placed my bid with 7 more days to go. 6 days left, 5 days, 4 days. I was the only bidder. Yey! the exersaucer is ours! 3 days left and then 2 days. There was a bidder! I panicked and out bidded the last. On the night before the closing of the auction there were several of us already. My adrenalin was hulahooping! Naku, kailangan ako manalo! I didn't bid anymore. I decided and thought it best to bid the next day.

The next day came and I am losing. I didn't placed any more bid until the last 8 or 10 minutes at tinodo ko na for 3,800! Naku sana wala na maka outbid sa amin! And then the bidding closed. Immediately got a notice that I won. Yahoooo! Success!

The settlement final price was 3,150. We picked up the item from a family with address in Marina Bay. The item was in very good condition. I assessed, it will look new when cleaned and polished well. And then home we went that one afternoon in April with my coveted exersaucer inside our car happily imagining that Neo will be riding in it in the days to come until the time he can walk. Which is more or less a good seven months. Yep, yep, yep! Mission accomplished!

And above explains my over reaction earlier. Mag kakaroon din pala dito, sana naisip nila last year pa. Nahirapan lang ako. Hahahah!

Now you see its not just because I really, really liked to have the exersaucer per se. I just felt guilty my baby had a flat head and I dread the day that he will question me for letting it happen. Beyond this physical acquisition, this is my redemption. Of at least doing something about it.

The things mothers do for her child!

But hey, the exersaucer is an excellent product, nevertheless! Neo got his balance early. Mobilized his reflexes well. It was with this that he learned to flip pages, and now he does it well with his beloved books. Great for learn and play. And what's more, you can have a few extra minutes for yourself because its super safe and steady. Check it out I think the tag price is 5,200 or 5,400. Though the one displayed at Mega is not the same model as ours. We have the Smart Steps model.

As for the flat head, it has corrected.