When Coleen Garcia and Billy Crawford's unico hijo Amari turned three years old last 10 September, they had a simple celebration at home with only a few guests. But the celebrity couple made sure they showered the birthday boy with his favorite food items and flowers.

That day, Garcia took to Instagram to dedicate a post to her son. "Amari, I thank God every day for blessing us with you," she wrote in the caption. "You will always be our sunshine and source of joy. Thank you for inspiring us to see the beauty in the world, and for making our days so colorful and exciting. Even when things get hard and overwhelming, you will always be our reason to keep showing up as the best versions of ourselves. You inspired us to be better every day. I'm so proud, happy, and honored to be your Mommy. I love you so much."

A day before, the actress talked to DAILY TRIBUNE on being a hands-on mom, especially now that she's preparing her toddler for school. "I'm honestly just following my instincts," she told us at an event presented by the milk brand Enfagrow A+ Four NuraPro called "Getting Kids School-Ready, Future Ready!"

"I know Amari so well," she said of her son. "We're practically attached. I spend and invest so, so much time and effort into raising him, to making sure that ando'n ako, tutok ako (that I'm there, I'm focused). Una, kailangan i-introduce ko muna 'yung (First, it is necessary that I introduce the) concept of having a teacher before I let him go to school. Baka ma-shock siya bigla (He might be shocked)."

Garcia said she's hands-on even in packing Amari's school baon, just like how she's been meticulously preparing his food since introducing solids at age six months old. She makes it a point to feed her son enough amounts of protein, carbs and fats.

Picky eater
She noted, though, that the growing boy is becoming a picky eater probably because "nagde-develop na siya ng sariling (he has developed his own) taste" in food. "So ang ginagawa ko, parang tinatanong ko kung ano ang favorites niya (what I do is I ask him what his favorites are). And I see why, like, is it because of the texture? Or is it because of the taste?

"Titignan mo talaga kung bakit. (You will really see why). Then I give him similar foods. Ang pinaka-favorite niya talaga is Chicken Nilaga ever since. Mahilig siya sa bland food. Hindi siya masyadong mahilig sa salty or 'yung matoyo or malasa. Sinanay ko kasi siya since six months old (His most favorite is Chicken Nilaga ever since. He likes bland food. He is not very fond of salty or dry or tasty. I trained him since he was six months old)."

As for self-care, Garcia pointed out, "I try to adjust my needs. I try to work out, pero kung pagod ako, hindi ko pipilitin (if I'm tired, I won't push it). Rest is definitely key. Dapat sapat ang nakukuhang rest (The rest you should be getting should be enough). By rest, I don't mean just sleep. 'Yung totoong rest, like you feel refreshed. 'Yung wala kang iisipin muna (The real rest, like you feel refreshed. That you don't think about anything first), even for just an hour or even for just a while.

"You do what you want to do, whether it's watching a video or watching something, lumabas ka lang ng bahay, magpasyal ka lang sa labas, do whatever na gusto mong gawin (just get out of the house, just go outside, do whatever you want to do) at that moment. That's what I consider rest also. Rest is hindi lang basta tulog, e. 'Yung mare-rest mo rin ang mind mo, mae-empty mo rin ang mind mo. Ide-detox mo ang brain mo (Rest is not just sleep. It should rest your mind and detox your brain)."