Bittersweet

Celebrating my children’s birthdays will always be bittersweet days for me. While i busy myself with the preparations, deep inside my heart is crying.

Tomorrow my son turns five.. Last night, his prayer before dinner went like this: “Lord, thank you for this beautiful day. Thank you for my birthday. Please let it be my birthday already. I’m still waiting for it. I’m excited to be five years old already. Thank you for my party and my parents. In Jesus, mighty name, i pray. Amen.”

I was smiling while my eyes were closed. I didn’t open them right away, for i was afraid the tears that welled up inside might fall. i didn’t want to dampen that very cute and light moment.

But now, i let the tears flow.

Five? How can my baby boy be five already? Why did he have to grow so fast?

Those sleepless nights seem so far away now, but to me it feels like it was just yesterday when i first held him in my arms.

My sunbeam. Yes, that’s how i call him. For he is the sun in my darkest days. The ray of sunshine in the midst of cloudy days. He is that one bright light shining just for me during a downpour.

Darling, tomorrow you will be a year older. Growing bigger. Shining brighter.

Though my heart aches, it swells with pride too and bursts with so much love for how wonderfully you have grown. I know God has you in the palm of His hands and He has great things in store for you.

But for now, let me hold on to the baby you once were. Let me cuddle and sing you lullabyes. For i can’t say goodbye to those days yet.

Enjoying Batangas and Tagaytay

 

My family and i went to our first wedding event last Saturday at Balai Isabel in Talisay, Batangas. It was our second time to go there. The first time we were there was for a wedding that i hosted for one of my clients. The kids enjoyed the pool while Mommy did some work. This time, we were guests to a good friend’s wedding and this was why hosting their reception program was even more special. And again, the kids enjoyed the pool while Mommy entertained the guests by making them forget about the extreme heat and focus on the reason for the occasion: To rejoice in  love and celebrate new beginnings.

As expected, our water babies stayed in the pool till almost dinner time. While i did not go for  a swim myself, it was enough to watch their bliss while also getting a majestic view of Taal Volcano.

If not for their grumbling tummies, they would have stayed in the pool till closing time. Good thing we were able to get a room at Balai Sofia, which is right beside Balai Isabel. It’s a new bed and breakfast addition to Balai Isabel’s facilities.  A much cheaper alternative to the quite pricey rooms and villas but a perfect choice for those attending a wedding and who have kids who will spend most of their time at the pool and less time at the hotel room.

We loved the simple coziness of our room. It has everything you need for a comfortable rest. I especially loved the stained glass windows and sliding door to the bathroom. And because it’s new, they haven’t installed the televisions yet which is a most welcome absence for me. Truly, a good night’s rest means no TV:)

But before retiring for the night, we headed for Cafe Terazza for a buffet dinner. We were not disappointed.  While we delighted our tummies with the fresh tilapia, juicy pork liempo, saucy beef kaldereta and mouth-watering leche flan, the little one chose to doze off just after a few bites of his pasta:)

We didn’t make any plans for the following day. Spontaneity has always been a trademark of our family. So we played it by ear and decided as a team the next morning.

Our unanimous decision took us to Tagaytay. We took the zigzag road just a couple of blocks from Balai Isabel. The first time we took that route was in the evening. It was so dark that we didn’t get to see the breathtaking view.  This time, we were treated to the best view that we ever had of Taal Lake. The entire 9 kilometer uphill trip towards Tagaytay was filled with “Ooohs and Aaahs” and one innocent remark that would sum up our weekend getaway from our four year old son.

” Wow, Mommy, this is a special place on earth”.

Indeed, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)

Before we knew it, we were at Tagaytay City already. Not wanting to be overwhelmed by the huge number of people eating in the usual popular restaurants, we headed to our “usual” simple but homey corner at Papa Prito and had our favorite nilagang bulalo and took out a couple of pork barbeques at Eli’s. Our simple yet very filling lunch:)

Next stop was Fun Time Arcade at the Summit Ridge where we all had a marvelous time being kids:)

And of course, a day in Tagaytay will never be complete without a horseback ride. Because it was a special day, the kids got to ride bicycles too and a fun time at the Residence Inn playground.

It was happy day for all of us. I thank God for his provision, for the gift of our children who are a constant reminder to us how beautiful life is. I thank Him for the gift of family because at the end of each day, no matter how bad things get, they will always be my silver lining. The one thing that will always be there.

The legacy i would want to leave to my children

Last night we were asked this question at our couples group meeting in church. I have never thought about it, but once the question was asked, i realized that more than earthly possessions, there are treasures that are far more worthy of giving to my children. These are treasures which will make them ready for life after we have passed. Treasures that will define their future and their children’s future. Now, more than ever, is the time to make sure that  they learn and understand these  by heart.

An attitude of gratitude.

I want my children to always be grateful for all their blessings. To acknowledge that everything they have and will ever have comes from God. I want them to thank God for everything that they have and don’t have. To learn to appreciate every kindness shown to them and to give them back a thousandfold.I want my children to be grateful for simple joys. To see the beauty in all circumstances and to rise above every difficulty because no matter how sad, lacking or painful a situation is, there is always hope. There is always, always something to thank for each day.

Humility at all times.

I want my children to never boast about what they have. To know when to speak up and fight but and do it without a shred of pride in their hearts, but always with the intention to inspire gently but effectively. I want them to know that being last is not the worst thing that can happen and being first should not be the be-all and end-all of life. To share their blessings without asking for anything in return. To never seek for revenge and to always choose to do good even when faced with the enemy’s attack.

Excel for the glory of God.

I want my children to use the talents that God has given them. To maximize their potential in everything that they do. I want them to strive to please and honor God in all their endeavors and to never seek  and rely on the world’s opinion of them.

Obedience.

I want my children to have an obedient heart always. To learn to trust and obey God in all situations. To listen and obey without questions and doubts knowing in their hearts that God’s way is always the right way.

Nobody gets left behind.

I want my children to value the gift of family next to God. To know that a family is one of God’s greatest blessing and to have one that is complete is already  a gift no amount of money can buy. I want my children to fight for their family, to stand by each other no matter what. To stick together through thick and thin.

They are precious.

I want my children to know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. That they have been saved by the blood of Jesus. I want them to know that nothing that they have done or will ever do will ever take them away from God’s favor. That they will always be forgiven, accepted and loved.

I pray to God for the wisdom to live these everyday. For the grace to be a good testimony to my children. To know that they have these in their hearts is a reward no amount of earthly possession can equal.

A lazy weekend in Sta Rosa, Laguna

Our family is blessed to have doting in-laws who love us generously. Family outings with the Aunts and Uncles are always a blast and our children always look forward to these trips.  And so on a cool Saturday morning, we packed our bags with overnight things and headed to Laguna, a couple of hours away from Manila, to cheer and give moral support to my sister-in-law who was participating in the “The Bull Run” for the first time. We told the kids that it would not be a weekend of activities as we will be in the hotel room most of the time. The weekend will be all about sleeping, eating and sleeping. We hadn’t even planned on going out of the hotel. The children seemed content. To me and my husband, this was the dream weekend:)

My sister-in-law booked us at El Cielito Hotel, a couple of minutes away from Paseo Premier Hotel where she and my other sister-in-law were billeted. Our tagging along for this weekend getaway was decided at the last minute and all the other  hotels near Nuvali, where The Bull Run would be held were fully booked. Our room at El Cielito was the last one. I thought, it was really meant for us 🙂

The last time we stayed at El Cielito was almost six years ago. We had a very nice experience and we pleasantly noted that nothing much has changed since then. It was still the same, simple, but homey hotel. The staff was very friendly, though service during that weekend was a bit slow. We thought that they were probably overwhelmed with the number of visitors they had. It seemed that majority of the guests, if not all, were participants of the Bull Run and their families.  We didn’t mind so much.  The friendliness of the staff made up for it. Parking was a bit challenging though as there are limited slots at the Hotel’s basement. However, there are a couple of parking spaces out front. You just have to be very careful not to leave any personal belongings and to secure your vehicles.

My favorite part of our stay were the bread and pastries. I was surprised that they tasted good. I honestly did not expect they would as the display was done so simply and the price was very affordable. A gentle reminder to me that good things do come in simple packages.

For coffee that afternoon, we tried their whole meal bread. We were not disappointed. And for only sixty six pesos, our tummies were instantly filled. The price may be cheap, but it certainly was not done cheaply. Among the other bestsellers are the blueberry cheesecake and raisin loaf, which i can honestly say, taste just the same with the famous Baguio Country Club version. And it was way cheaper too at only ninety nine pesos.

After coffee and pastries and depositing our stuff in our room, we then headed to Paseo Premiere Hotel to drop off my sisters-in-law.  It is also a business hotel and fairly new. It is conveniently located within the Paseo shopping and dining district. It is also right beside the South Luzon Hospital and for Moms like me, this is a very reassuring thing when going on out of town trips with the kids.

I brought the kids’ swimsuits just in case we could find a nearby place to swim. We knew that our hotels do not have a pool. Still, you never know what we may discover. True enough, Paseo Premiere’s sister hotel, Technopark Hotel had a pool and guests of Paseo Premiere are welcome to swim there upon endorsement. The kids were jubilant. I silently congratulated myself for thinking of bringing their swimsuits 🙂 The drive to Technopark was no hassle at all. It was just a couple of minutes away from Paseo Premiere. And just like at El Cielito, the hotel staff were very friendly, courteous and accommodating.

We were the first ones at the pool that afternoon and we took advantage of it pretty well. The kids swam while i devoured a novel i brought with me. I never leave home and go anywhere without a book. You never know when that precious and rare moment would come when you could read 🙂 My husband planned to swim with the kids but he never got around to it as fronting the pool was a billiards table. It has been ages since he played. I was so happy to see him enjoy his  “me time”. Best of all we all got to do our own things that afternoon while being together in the same place. It was truly a lovely afternoon for us.

We left Technopark a couple of hours later, just as the other guests started to come down for a swim. They too were families of the Bull Run participants. We were grateful we were there early. We went back to our hotel after to freshen up and a short rest. By then, other guests , all participants of the Bull Run have started to arrive as well.

Rested and refreshed, we then went back to Paseo to have dinner with my sisters-in-law. It was a very cool evening and the stars were out. We browsed through a couple of Outlet Stores first before settling into Zong for dinner. We were happy we chose to dine there. The dishes we ordered were very filling.

Fried salt and pepper squid. Me and my husband’s all time favorite.

Roasted chicken. For my chicken lover little boy 🙂

A different kind of vegetable rolls.

Steamed boneless milk fish. My first time to try this dish and it was absolutely delicious.

After dinner, we strolled for  a bit to enjoy the cool breeze and the starry night.

We even stayed to listen to the live band for a bit as they sang our family’s favorite  Rey Valera song.

We would have stayed a little while longer but we planned on having a early start the following morning to watch my sister-in-law start and finish the Bull Run. So we headed back to our cozy hotel. But the night proved to be too early for our late sleepers and soon we found ourselves down at the hotel’s coffee shop once again to eat more pastries  and ice cream. It was a busy evening too at the hotel as the Bull Run participants were already having their breakfast at eleven thirty. They were due at the starting line at one o’clock in the morning.

After coffee and cake we went back to Paseo Premiere to see my sister-in-law off  for some good, solid, family support. We were her very own cheering squad:)

Breakfast the following day was simple but filling. The buffet  menu was the same as what you would would normally have at home on a lazy weekend. The kind of food that our cozy, little family enjoys. We were never a fan of fancy food. The kids had cerreals and donuts while me and my husband had corned beef, omelette, seafood chowder, garlic sausage and my favorite raisin loaf.

It was a quick weekend getaway, but surprisingly there was nothing quick in it. We enjoyed everything at our pace and had a relaxing, unhurried and beautiful time.  My sister-in-law finished the 42k marathon and we were so proud of her. Though we were sad to leave, we made a promise to visit Sta. Rosa again for another lazy weekend and further explore the other amazing things that it can offer to simple and fun loving families like ours.

My number 1 fan:)

“Buti na lang ikaw ang binigay na Mommy ni God sa kin”, says my nine year old daughter as I tucked her into bed early this evening. I asked her why and she candidly replied with a tighter hug, “Because you’re the best Mom in the world”.

For  a minute I was grateful that I have already turned off the lamp as my eyes were quickly filled with tears. I knew in my heart that I did not deserve such admiration as I am not perfect and that a day does not end without parenting shortcomings from my end.

But to have this little soul believe in her heart that I am the best, humbles me to the core. To have her gentle hands wrapped around me in a warm embrace despite my many faults, fills me with much gratefulness of being chosen to be hers. Suddenly I was reminded of the letter she gave me on Mother’s Day. Her teacher at Kids’ church told me she proudly read it to the whole class. In her spontaneous card she told me to follow my heart and my dreams. Even in her tiny little world where everything should still just be about her, she is thinking of me and how she hopes that I will be happy. I may not be the best at everything by my standards, but it doesn’t matter. To one person, I am the best at what I do best. Nothing will ever compare to the joy and fulfillment of having the best job in the world.

She’s on cloud 9 :)

Tomorrow our first-born, our dear precious daughter will turn nine. She is very excited, even waiting for it the day she turned eight. Once again, she has chosen to celebrate it simply by sharing her favorite things with her classmates through an intimate celebration in school. I wish i could be as excited as her. I am just thankful that preparing for her small party has kept me pre-occupied and took my mind away from getting sentimental as i remember our early years with her.

The phrase “Time flies by so fast” might be overused, but it strikes very close to home. How come it is so true? Our angel whom i carried in my womb for nine months is now nine years old. Where did the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years go? I am grateful for the time we took to take every photo, shoot every video, write every milestone and document each priceless memory, because these are the things that would remind us of how blessed the past nine years were.  Alex, our darling daughter calls these compilation, her “memories”. She loves looking at her photo albums and watching our home movies. Most of the time, in the middle of  a video that we are watching, she would snuggle close to me and hug me ever so tightly.  I thank the Lord for blessing us with a very loving child.

So dear Alex, allow Mommy to share my top 9 most precious memories with you. My list would be endless, but for this one blog i will try my very best to just name a few as i celebrate the past wonderful nine years with you:

1.  January 21, 2004: In the Recovery room – “Nakita mo yung baby girl Demaisip sa nursery?” “Yung may dimples, ang ganda ano”. I started to stir as i gain consciousness. I couldn’t help but smile despite the lingering pain. The nurse noticed me and asked. Kayo po yung Mommy ni Baby Girl Demaisip? I smiled weakly and proudly said “YES”. Then the other nurse said, “Siya po ang pinakamagandang baby sa nursery”. That one comment alone could remove all the pains and hurts of childbirth than any anesthesia could.

 

2. February 14, 2004: Valentines Day – Your Daddy planned for a dinner date because he said i need to have a break from my round the clock breastfeeding sessions with you. He asked you Lola Belle to baby sit with your Yaya Vivian. I looked forward to a break but had to spend an hour saying goodbye to you. Your Daddy took me to a cozy little restaurant in the city of Manila, a really intimate place to celebrate hearts day with the love of your life, but midway through dinner, i just started to cry and begged him to take me home. I missed you very much already.

3. March 28, 2004: Your Baptism – It was a grand celebration with all our families and closest friends. Everyone came and they couldn’t stop commenting how super-duper cute you were with your lace white dress with trimmings of pastel-colored flowers and matching headband. It was a very solemn ceremony but halfway through the blessing, there was suddenly a grunting sound, coming from you and it was in fact your way of letting us know that you need to go and do a “number 2″. At 2 months, you were already hilarious baby:)

3. January 19, 2005: Jollibee Philcoa – Your first birthday party baby!!!! You were dressed in a  blue chinese chong sam dress( which i got for you during my trip to China for a news coverage) and Daddy and i also wore blue. We got there early and you were in such a party mood that you just kept moving around the floor doing your signature dance steps. Then your guests started to arrive, and we played fun games and finally it was time for the main event, Jollibee is going to do a dance number. There is just thing we needed to do, we had to wake you up but we decided not too because you looked so cute sleeping through your party:) (You never did like mascots when you were a little baby. Couldn’t really blame you coz they look so huge:) )

4.  Active Fun-:Fun Ranch, Libis, Quezon City- We were there for the soft opening and boy! Did we have a mighty fun time! I think we monopolized the pool of balls area but we had such a blast baby. I really wish we could do that again.

5. ABC 5 studios – I will never forget the evenings when you will peek through the glass doors of the newsroom in your pajamas with your Daddy following closely behind. You always accompanied him when he came to fetch me and i have always looked forward to those times too. It was during those days when i was already secretly thinking of leaving my broadcasting career to be with you 24 by 7 baby.

6. Trinoma Mall: Strawberry Shortcake show – Again, we were at the first day of Trinoma’s opening. I remember we were waiting behind the entrance doors a couple of minutes before the mall officially opens for the day. These were the days when i am finally and offically a full-time Mom and housewife. Oh how i miss those days. It was the most fulfilling, humbling and life-changing part of my life. Do you remember how you jumped for joy and excitement as Strawberry Shortcake and her friends started coming out on stage? You were screaming in delight and dancing with them as well. Afterwards it was a day of shopping and bonding for us.  Just the two of us. Perfect. Just Absolutely Perfect.

7. Creative Explorers School for Children: June 2007 – Your first day in school baby. I had a hard time. It was a roller coaster of emotions for me. Between shopping excitedly for school things and crying, i was the one who had separation anxiety that day. As i struggled to control my emotions on that morning that we took you on your very first day in school, you bounded confidently through the steps , ready to start your first taste of freedom. But i was not ready to let you go so easily. I refused to go home and waited fr dismissal time with all the yayas at the waiting area for two and a half hours. I styed right there at the waiting area for two weeks until you told me that it is okay for me to go home because you will be alright. Imagine that! But I was not bored at all. It was therapy for me. It was a lot better than going home  and missing you badly.

8. Girl Bonding Time: Cafe Mary Grace, Blushing Cupcakes,Excelsior Organic Spa, David’s Salon, Trinoma’s Kids Fitting Room, Fully Booked, Book Sale, Cinemas everywhere, Starbucks,Time Zone – I dont remember having this much intimate and animated bonding time with a girlfriend and i am glad i waited to spend it with my ultimate BFF- YOU  I never knew having a daughter could be this much fun. I have a piece of heaven when i’m with you baby…a large chunk of heaven indeed 

9. Saturday evenings at HOME: When everyone else is asleep – This is one of the reasons i look forward to weekends. This is when we catch up on things about school and work while watching our favorite shows on TLC. This is when we tell each other ANYTHING, while curled up on the family room sofa and muching on your favorite popcorn. And then we pray together and tell GOD of how thankful we are for choosing you to be our daughter and me to be your Mom.

Thank you dear ALEX for the past nine years. Having you changed my life and i wouldn’t ever dream of having any other kind of life. You fill our lives with so much happiness, love, creativity, laughter and HOPE. I love you so much. Happy Birthday Darling:)

 

 

She’s 10, and i’m happy-sad :) :(

To say “How time flies” is an understatement to how i feel. It wouldn’t even begin to describe the roller coaster of emotions that are going on inside my heart. I know i should be celebrating with you. I tried and i’m still trying to put up a cheerful smile. After all, you have been waiting for this day since you turned 9 while i was dreading it. “Double digit” was what you have excitedly called it. “Goodbye my little girl” is how i would call it.

How could you be ten all of a sudden? I’m not ready. I don’t think i’ll ever be. And for the next birthdays after this, i will still be here, trapped in my sadness, nursing a broken heart and wondering if i’ll ever have another chance to bring back the little girl you once were.

You are my first love.

And like all first loves, it was you who experienced our growing pains. But you have been an angel through it all. An angel who silently prayed throughout the fights, as your Daddy and I were both struggling to learn how to be Daddy and Mommy. You were an angel who never complained and always knew that God will take care of everything, as He always does.

Oh such great faith for a little soul. Do you know that there are times when i feel that you are more of a blessing to us than we are to you?

I love you so much Baby. I always tell you that. I mean it. I mean it even more at times when you feel that i don’t. There is not a minute that i don’t. There was a time when i wondered if i would ever have a space for another baby in my heart after you. You were more than enough for me. That’s how much i love you. But God heard your prayers and He granted us a son and a baby brother for you. You were always the one with the big heart. So big for a such a little girl to carry.  The one who always reaches out, forgives,and gives without asking for anything in return.

Oh how happy we were when we found out we were having a baby boy. Do you remember that day at the hospital when we both squealed with delight while Daddy was in tears and we celebrated with  ice cream after? It was you Darling who made Gab happen for us. You are his angel too.

Now where was I? Oh, you’re now ten. Finally you have entered the land of the double digit, as you fondly call it.

Little by little, i see traces of the small girl you once were, fade away.  Your bedroom has started to look different too. Gone are the stuffed animals that used to occupy most of your bed and floor space. The Barbie dolls that we played with are now placed inside a box. I wonder if we will ever play with them again. I sincerely hope so.

But still i am secretly glad that you also seem not that ready yet to say goodbye to the baby you once were. And i am holding on to those few traces while they are still within my reach. Did you notice how i tried to bring back your early years when i bought you those original Hi 5 videos?

I desperately wanted to give you something that would remind the two of us of those blissful preschool years. I was not sure if you will be excited to have them, as the other items i bought for your 10th birthday were your current favorites. But boy, was i so happy to see the look of nostalgia and happiness in your eyes when you saw them. Our eyes met at that instant and in my heart, i know, you knew what it meant for me to give you those.

I realized, some things will never change. You are still my sweet baby girl and will always be.

The Logic of a Four Year Old

I wish i had kept a list of all the amazing and ‘”amusing”things our alex has said eversince she discovered that talking and reasoning are one of her best qualities:). I’m sure i would have been able to write a lot, compiled it and even made it into a book. But since i have been preoccupied with too much”mommy”stuff, i simply stored these precious gems in my memory and heart and promised myself that one quiet day, i would have them in black and white.

And now that i have one of those rare times to just sit back, relax and digest my thoughts..i’ll try to remember every funny and “logical”thing our alex has come up with.

:)Eversince i left my career as a news reporter, i have been spending my days and nights at the beck and call of our one and only daughter. One night, after an exhaustingly happy schoolday,i was ready to finally lie on bed and read a newly acquired book when alex”asked”me to get one of her toys which she left downstairs. This is no big deal if you have not been going up and down the stairs at least 50 times in a day and so i said, “Baby naman, kaka-akyat ko lang eh, mommy’s tired na”.

After 2 days, as we were getting ready to leave for an event, i asked alex who just came down from upstairs to please get my cellphone which i left in our bedroom. I didnt have the nerve to get mad at her innocent response and im sure you would understand why. “mommy kaka-baba ko lang eh, im tired na..kaw na”.

🙂 Since Alex turned 4, she has been sleeping a lot in her own room. But mommy has to stay beside her, read her a story and wait for her to go to sleep. Some months ago, alex had this “fear”of sleeping. “Mommy”, morning na ba? she asked me. I said, no, the light you see comes from the moon. She answered, ang tagal naman mag-morning. I asked her, why do you want it to be morning na? she said, i dont want to sleep because ayoko mag-dream. Kasi di ako sure if nice or bad ang dream ko”.

🙂 I know that as parents, our children think the world of us. Its a very good feeling especially at times when you are able to answer all of your kid’s questions and she looks at you with awe and your heart just melts with love. But how do you feel when your child asks you a question that no matter how much schooling you have had, you just dont know how to answer it. “Mommy, bakit ako…ako?”

:)For almost a year now, our alex has been telling us that she wants a baby brother AND a sister. Her prayer before meals, bedtime and even circle time in kids church..is always , always to have a baby brother AND a sister. But she has started to grow impatient that’s why i told her that if she just keeps on praying, God will hear her and grant her wish. Then one day while watching “Baby’s Day-out”,one of her favorite movies..she angrily asked why her baby wish is taking too long”. “Mommy bakit ang tagal naman ng baby..siguro youre not praying, ako lang nagpa-pray eh”.

:)More on having a baby…………

:)I have been having a huge appetite lately ( i do wish its for the same reason as you think..but it could also be because of that time of the month). While Alex and i were eating lunch..she commented on my healthy appetite. “Mommy ang laki na ng tyan mo..i think you have a baby na..sige Mommy, eat ka pa, para laki pa tyan mo,para there will be a baby inside na”.

🙂 Still on Having a baby…..

Since Alex’s baby wish is taking too long ( according to her) she has come up with a “logical” explanation why. “Mommy i think nailigaw si Jesus kaya di pa nya nalagay sa tummy mo yung baby. Di nya alam yung world noh? Naligaw sya, di nya kasi alam yung Carmel” ( Carmel is the name of our village:) )

:)Alex has 3 large boxes of VCDs and DVDs. Her collection includes MR Bean movies and cartoons, Disney movies..Sound of Music..Annie..Narnia…..and yes!..our wedding video. I dont know if she’s the only 4 year old who watches the entire 3 disc wedding video of her parents ( and she watches it intently too)..but im really touched by this. Anyway..eversince she has started watching it at 3 years old, she has been asking us accusingly why she is not there. She says everyone she knows is there and why was she left at home. “Mommy ang daya nyo,bakit nyo ko iniwan? I want you to get married again, para maging flower girl ako”. Sweet noh?

More on weddings….

🙂 Now at 4 years old..alex understands why she was not present at her own parents’ wedding. One evening, when her daddy came home, alex was again watching our wedding video. Her daddy asked her. “Baby girl, san ka dyan? Alex answered. “Wala ako ydan eh”. Her Daddy asked again. “Bäkit wala ka dyan?” Alex answered, “Kasi nasa heaven pa ko, I was still an angel”. Her ever makulit na daddy asks her again,”Eh pano ka napunta sa tummy ni mommy?”Alex answered, “Jesus put me there kasi nag-pray kayo eh”

🙂 June was a busy month for me and so Alex stayed at her lolo Buddy and lola Belle’s house in Sanville a lot while i hosted weddings and corporate events. When Alex is there, she’s the boss..well at least that’s what she thinks :). One day she was reprimanded by her Lolo because of too much TV. Her Lolo said her eyes will get ruined if she will watch too much tv. Alex asked her lolo why, which was answered with, because the “glare”of the TV is not good for the eyes. Alex went silent for a minute, went inside her tita evette’s bedroom, and came back with dark sunglasses. She said,”Lolo look, di na ma-ruin eyes ko, i can watch TV na”.

More on TV watching…

Like i said..Alex thinks she’s the boss in sanville and so no one can watch TV in the upstairs living room when she’s there, because she has claimed that space..”her space”already. A couple of months ago, her lolo buddy was confined at home because of a back injury. Since lolo Buddy cant walk much, he stays in the upstairs living room most of the time and watches TV. One day, when alex arrived at Sanville, she saw “her space” already occupied by her lolo. She went up, kissed her lolo, sat down beside him and watched CNN with him. After 15 minutes or so..she told her lolo…”Lolo, rest ka na. Ganda ng bed mo dun sa room.., sleep ka na”.

These are just “some” of Alex’s anecdotes as far as my memory can come up with right now.. and so i am leaving this one open-ended. Im sure i will be returning to this the next time i had this “rare”moment to write my thoughts again.

I had so much fun writing this and im glad i did. In her own little, “logical” way, Alex teaches me a lot about life and how to see and enjoy things just like a child 🙂

A Christmas Tree made from scratch

It’s almost Christmas and the shops are brimming with decorative items that would make a little corner in the North Pole shrink in comparison. One would be  blind not to get mesmerized with all the different glittering items that seem to call and beckon for us to go into a buying frenzy. But wait, we don’t have to be in a state of panic over this. Christmas will happen even “without” the elaborate trimmings. After all, the reason for Christmas was born in a manger, inside an animal shed, with nothing but a bright star to light it’s bed. The greatest man in history came into the world in the simplest of fashion. But the hearts of everyone who witnessed his birth were filled with respect, admiration, humility and love. So it was with this realization that my family and i decided to make a big difference in our Christmas decorating this year.

There were no trips to the store and huge spending to find that perfect majestic tree. We decided to make our own Christmas tree.

Here’s how we came up with our “do-it-yourself” Christmas tree. A simple step by step procedure that even preschoolers can do:

1. We looked for a plant in our house which has dried up already and we found one which is just about the right size.

2. We then stripped it of its remaining leaves.

3.  We painted it white using poster paints.

4.  We placed it into the pot, where the plant used to be.

5.  We then took out our Christmas balls and other trimmings which we bought at a thrift shop years before. We also put some tea candles with batteries that we also bought in a thrift shop a year ago.

6.  We took our time decorating our very own tree:)

It was a fulfilling experience for all of us. My daughter just sat and stared at our tree as she just can’t believe that we were able to create a “Christmas tree” without spending  a single dime.  I felt a bit proud myself because i realized that i just saved a lot of money to spend on more meaningful Christmas items like sumptuous food to share and well-thought of gifts for family and friends.

Most of all, we all enjoyed creating our tree. It was an activity which made us closer as a family and made us realize again that the true spirit of Christmas will never be about how bright and colorful our house will be lighted up, but how our hearts will be full and filled with love and gratefulness for the gift of our savior.

A welcome invasion

Toys on the sofa, the smell of baby shampoo in the bathroom, milk stains and cookie bits on the bed,  voices of Mickey Mouse and Spongebob Squarepants  coming from all parts of the house.  Squeals of delight,  sounds of crying, running feet, runny nose, furniture breaking, and missing things.  If you have all of these, then your house is definitely invaded. Just like ours.

If we are to give in to the temptation, these everyday occurrences in our house will get us easily irritated. Admittedly, there are days when either me or my husband will find ourselves on the brink of insanity as we deal with the endless clutter, clutter and clutter around us. I for one, would launch my “mother hen” routine. My version would be starting to pick things up, putting them back to where they used to be, changing the sheets, pillow cases, scrubbing the floors, spraying air freshener like a maniac and organizing every nook  and cranny with a magnifying glass.  My husband’s  recovery efforts are much different. Turning the television on and zoning out for the rest of the day. In between his favorite  science and history channels, he would go down to the kitchen, look for something to eat, and resume his comfortable spot in the family den.  This happens to be a tiny corner on the sofa which, miraculously has not been littered with stuffed animals, toy tea cups, mini cars and colored pens.  I honestly wish I could be like my husband. Then I would just ignore the disarray, select a novel from the book shelf and settle into my reading chair. I wish, I wish and I hope I will soon learn the art of zoning out.

But if all else fails and we are eventually overpowered ( which by the way, happens most of the time) by our house invaders, these tried and tested coping mechanisms have helped us through time a and again:  “If you can’t beat ‘em, join them! We just hop on the bed and start tickling our invaders till they beg us to stop. Smothering them with hugs and kisses is also a very effective method of retaliation.  It stills them for a couple of seconds, which to us is a sign of victory. But we have to stay focused because they can immediately regain control by reciprocating with more hugs and kisses,  which melts our hearts and puts tears in our eyes. If this is how it feels like to lose, we’ll gladly surrender even before the fight begins.

During times when I feel desperate to put order in our home and organize everything from the cutlery to toys, I am reminded of my husband’s wise words: “ We are not raising a family who lives in a house which looks like a photo from a home designing magazine”.  If there exists one in your neighborhood, I’d like to see how they live 24 hours a day. I’m pretty sure they are missing out on one very  important ingredient to a sumptuous life.  Happiness,  with all the trimmings and stuff.  After all, what is a house without  love and laughter? Without these, it’s most definitely not a home. And if an invasion is needed to call a house a home, then we are indeed living a life of utter bliss. Because our home has been invaded.  And our invaders are very much welcome to stay for as long as we can keep themJ