Day 1 of 2015

This marks our second year all together.  Christmas are for relatives but New Year is for your own families.  Since we cannot completely join my parents, I opted to stay in our apartment where the three of us can spend time together.  

Last night was the first time that Via enjoyed a regular new year's eve celebration.  It was her first time to encounter fireworks up close. She was scared holding those Dragon sparklers especially when the light is near her end (however, we made sure those were really harmless - painless even).   She was so excited to join the other kids in our building.  And they were all having a great time just by looking up and waiting for the big ones to explode in the sky.  

They were so excited, it was contagious.  I was even running around with them.  It was truly nice.  This was how I knew New Year's Eve when I was as young as my daughter unlike the quiet ones we have in our gated community in her lola's home. 

One for the books.        

Family Christmas

The celebration is all over and we have gathered enough to remain in our memories.

It was one whole day of Christmas cheers.  The kids were up earlier than usual.  And trying to look out for gifts already.  They've been waiting for this day for the promise of Santa dropping by and leaving gifts for them.  

The best thing about letting Via visit her grandparents' house is that there are other kids around.  Unlike in our apartment, I would be her one and only choice as company.  I've turned into her bestfriend.  She says so.  It's the best thing when you hear it. However, I'm always not around.  Here, she can run around and not get stuck with the gadgets that I hand to her when I cannot attend to her.  

Here, she plays with other kids, the way she's supposed to.  

That makes her one happy kid this Christmas.  

At a young age, I'm not expecting her to find happiness in the company 

of her parents.  Kids are supposed to play with other kids.  I think that's 

what's normal.  And I want nothing for her but normal.  

Never mind extraordinary.  I'm not aiming for that.

 

I've given her a bubble maker (???) for Christmas with her favorite Princess Sofia character on it.  It was a hit for her and other kids.  It cost me P147 only!!!  It was worth more than what I paid for since they enjoyed it.

Family get togethers are always welcome in this house.  It might be a bit tiring if it happened often but since it occurs only once a year, it becomes real special. The kids might not even remember these days and that is why it's important to take pictures for them to see in the future.  Four generations are in this picture.  I would say that this could be one of the priceless possession this family has.   

Hope you had a meaningful Christmas!

Kids Gather Round

We're staying at my parents house for Christmas eve.   My grandparents were there first before my daughter and I arrived.  It was a big surprise because they travelled all the way from Bicol.  It was a good sign since they seem really healthy to travel that far.  They also brought with them my little cousin, Andre.  That means, he is Kuya Gab and Ate Via's uncle.

Making my daughter eat her meals gets a bit easier.  For her, everything is a competition.  I guess she gets it from Kuya Gab who yells "I win!" all the time.  I think they meant "First!".  My daughter now does the same thing.  She even says it to me in a grammatically incorrect singsong voice "Haha! I win. You're the lose one!"

There are days that the cousins go along well.

But most of the time, my nephew, three years older

than my daughter loses his patience with 

his cousin who don't play by the same rules that 

he follows.  And so, play time ends with an argument.

However, it doesn't matter that they part ways not in good terms, they still look for one another whenever one misses the other.

 The day before Christmas, the adults bring out the old toys to divert the kids attention from the wrapped gifts that we tried hiding from them only to be found out soon afterwards.  I guess they can sniff a new toy in the air.

It seems that the great grandmother wants to join the fun too. 

Movie Reveiw: Big Hero 6 - Cool San Fransokyo

How would like to be watched over by a humongous gentle inflated balloon that only thinks about your well-being?

One of the movies this year that was really good to watch with the kids is Disney's Big Hero 6.  I went inside the cinema without expecting anything.  And that probably was a good thing.

It was Via's third movie,  I think.  There were times that she went on her own with my sister's family so I couldn't really know exactly.

Eastwood Cinemas was full packed that time and I had to pay twice for one seat just because my daughter and I would be sharing one chair.  At that moment, I thought it must be a really good movie.  There was nowhere else to sit.  I resorted to seating on the aisle since I chose the aisle seat.  My daughter gets to seat in the reclining chair.

It was all about family loss and putting all your talents to good use.  I'm not sure if a four year old would appreciate the meaning of it all.  I guess it's okay to let them learn those as early as now.  Besides, it's about making a superhero out of ordinary kids.  That's good enough for her.

Breathe Easy. Squeeze in Some Cold Remedy.

My daughter cannot get enough rest when she has the colds.  Not being able to breathe through your nose is difficult especially for someone who isn't trained for mouth breathing.

I have one solution for that stuffy nose without the use of a systemic medication.  I squeeze a couple of drops to at least one of her nostrils.

She's not really happy whenever I do that.  There's a lot of resistance and crying, in that order.  And so I have to improvise.  I have to do it when she least expects it.  And that chance only comes when she's already asleep.

I know.  I know.  Why would I do that to her when she's already getting her much needed rest?  It's because I know that during the span of time she's supposed to be sleeping straight until morning, she would be waking from time to time and crying at that for reason that she cannot breathe easy.  

Whenever I use this, I have to quick, a bit aggressive, firm and kind all at the same time.

My husband don't get it.  He cannot take it when my daughter is crying.  But I'm doing them a favor.  They would be getting their sleep throughout the night (unless I wake him up to make our daughter a bottle of milk every now and then).  

Terror Mom

It's that time of the year again when parents are cramming for their children.

I have to say that I am one of the irresponsible mothers around when it comes to my child's education.  I spend the whole day at work 5 to 6 days a week ( and sometimes, it extends to 7 days a week) and when I get home, the only thing I could make myself do is teach my daughter with the Homer App or To Do Math app in the iPad.  And that comes after playing with her Peppa Pig/Sofia The First/Toy Story action figures.  Her bedtime is 8pm and so from the time I get home, I get to have only two hours for her.  I don't want it to be so gruelling for her, for both of us.

Because I wanted to avoid grilling her, I ended up doing the same thing yesterday.  I decided to stay home and concentrate on her pointers for review.   The challenge was keeping her interested in what was in front of her.  There were so many distractions.  She wanted to drink, eat, sleep, pee and everything else except read the words in front of her.

I have to say that to teach oneself from scratch is hard but to teach a little one how to read and write is a lot harder especially when they are not that interested.

I was trying to save up on the tutor fees that is why I was trying my best to do this for her.  Besides, it's a chance to bond with my daughter.  I didn't know that crying was going to be part of it.  She now prefers her father over me after yesterday.

I thought I can handle it but I lost my temper especially when she was doing something else.  One episode took really long (according to my husband).  The whole time I was shouting already and I was failing at containing my anger to a minimum.  All my patience was gone.  I even gave her a spanking.  It was a brief one but something she was going to remember for a long time.  

I scolded my husband afterwards saying that he should have stopped me when I was just starting to scold her.  My husband tried, according to him but I don't remember.

However, we made up saying last night while in bed and hugging her that I will not get mad after yesterday ever again over school work.  I'll give her the breaks that she wants as long as she promises that when she comes back to her seat again, she's going to pour all her attention.

Right now, she's having her time with the other neighborhood kids downstairs.  She's been complaining that they were noisy.  I knew she was just envious of them being outside rather than inside the house being grilled on the written words in front of her.  Now, she's making her noise of her own outdoors.

We'll try again later.  It's still early.  We've got time.

Ballet Recital

This is what I've noticed about my daughter: she loves to dance.  And so, when I saw that there was a dance school nearby, I didn't hesitate to enroll her.  I knew she would enjoy it very much.

However, every first day is the hardest.  It took her some time to get used to the teacher, the mirrored dance rooms and the pink-tutu classmates.

She enrolled late this year and so, the recital just came too quick for her.

Today, she showed that it didn't matter.  I think she handled it well.  

The kids had some kind of Kris Kringle in the dressing room while they were waiting for the show to start.

It started late than scheduled because (from what I heard), the ballet teacher had to wait for a parent.  I was afraid that the students, particularly my daughter, would be so restless and tired already.

I guess they were having so much fun together, no one was complaining.

The teacher fixed everyone's hair when there was a need for fixing.  And I just had to take a picture of the teacher putting some lipstain on my daughter's lips.  Via has this some kind of affiliation with make-up at this early stage.  Too bad her mom don't wear any on both regular and special days.

The ballet teacher, teacher Kat, did her own number for the invocation.  

It was pretty impressive.

Watching ballet this close, I could see how hard it was.  Jumping and landing perfectly on toed shoes.  This was a real sport.  Ballet dancers seem fragile but I think it would take a lot of effort to keep that grace intact while under some sort of pressure - the balancing act while holding your head up high.  I'd like that to be instilled in my daughter.  

There were a lot of grandparents there.  And everyone was rooting for somebody in the stage. It was a nice family day.  Via was constantly peeking through the curtains to wave to us.  She saw us once and she just couldn't stop to look and see if we were still in our seats.  She used to cry whenever she performs in front of people and see me among them.  But these days, she just smiles happily knowing that I'm there (along with her grandparents, aunt, uncles and cousin.  

Next month she will be seeing me and her father in the audience rooting for her.  I can't wait until then.  

Cost-Efficient Absence

I didn't go to work two days in a row.

Yesterday, it was my daughter's birthday and I had to absent myself or they wouldn't let me go off work on time for my daughter's birthday party which was at 4pm.  It was on a MONDAY.  My excuse for this unusual choice of date and time was because Via's class ends at 3:30pm and it would be convenient for her and her class to go straight to a nearby Shakey's restaurant to get some fun and afternoon snacks with their nannies or hands-on parents.  I didn't expect for them to go the extra mile to even change from their school uniforms.  I wanted it to be as spontaneous as a class party.  No gifts was even expected.  I wanted my daughter to be pleasantly surprised in her special day.

I woke up this morning intending to go to work today.

However, I had a migraine that wouldn't go away even after I finished my early cup of coffee.  I had to call (or text) in sick.  I am spending the early hours of the day attending to my studies.  I still have to remind myself that I'm still on training.  And it is actually more important to train academically than earn money (salary) during the training.  Money will come after.

Two days in a row.  That's how much they're going to miss me at work which they probably won't.  I love my work. Unfortunately, I love my daughter even more.  And there's a greater probability that I'd be able to do more "work" at home than when I'm actually present there.

In the meantime, I'm isolating myself from the world until 3pm today.  I'm locking myself in my bedroom door in my parents' house with coffee and garlic bread.

Dress Rehearsals and Pictorials

 

Two Saturdays ago, I sent my daughter to her ballet class.  I thought I wasn't going to miss much by not going along with her but it turned out that it wasn't a regular day for them.  I wasn't given any notice that there was some kind of preparation for their recital on December.  

She surprised me when she came back after more than an hour.  She was wearing not her uniform but a fancy tutu.  The help told me that she wasn't able to answer my calls because she was helping my daughter get dressed several times.  

I was wondering why she had to dress several times.  She told me that there was more than one costume that they had to wear.  She took out what was inside her bag and showed me several colorful costumes.

I was so excited that I didn't even think that what my daughter was wearing was still straight from somewhere and haven't had the chance to wash it yet.

I asked her to wear it a little longer so that I could take pictures of her myself.  Her yaya told me that I need not worry because she took pictures of my daughter in school too!    

 I have to thank yaya because she did a good job being there with my daughter when I couldn't.

I have to say she did a pretty good job taking these pictures.

I showed them to my parents to get them excited for the recital.  They paid for the ballet classes which I can hardly afford and so, they have the right to enjoy everything about it.

The yaya told me that while almost every kid in the class was crying because the costumes were all somewhat itchy, my daughter was smiling for the camera non-stop.

The ballet teacher reiterated that she was really good during the pictorial when I sent my daughter to ballet class the next session.

Looking at these pictures, I saw how it was not a mistake to ask my parents if they could sponsor Via Faith's ballet classes.  Swallowing my pride gives a lot of good.

Her papa can take care of her tennis lessons in the future for free but I really like her to continue ballet too.  Dreaming big for my kid here :)







Ballet Classes in Greenmeadows ave: 0917 885 2464
Tennis Classes (Meralco Compound Ortigas): 0922 874 2959

Birthdate at Pho Hoa

It was Papa's birthday.

And so, we spent sometime together while our daughter was in school (it was a Monday).  We're not so big on birthdays unless it was Via Faith's.  And so, we did a couple of errands while we were out of the house.

His birthday included paying our bills in Globe for our internet.  While I was in line, he was looking at the phones available for postpaid plans.  We walked out of the phone shop saying kidding him about the phones on display that we couldn't afford to add to our monthly bills.

We made his birthday our grocery day too.  It has always been his duty to choose what and how much meat and poultry products we need to buy.  It's my duty to buy the other unimportant junk that I usually eat at home and in the work place.  And so, it was kind of an errand day for him.

The only treat that we had was eating in our favourite noodle restaurant.  And we get our money's worth.  We ate there in silence for a moment savouring every sip of the hot noodle soup.

It was our kind of thing.  It's not everyday that we can afford eating out.  We had to spend it wisely.  For people like us, birthdays are never for splurging.

Travelling With My Best Friend

I don't think there was a time that I boarded the plane without my Via Faith ever since she existed.  Even when she was still in the womb, she was with me when I went away and back to Manila (and this happened twice).   Come to think of it, I even went diving with her one time while I was pregnant.

We are just so lucky that we are always together.  We have never been apart.  I don't think I'd ever want to be apart from my daughter even if I sometimes try to get away from her (for work reasons).

Sometime last month, both of us joined my sister and her family travelling to MY MOST FAVOURITE ASIAN COUNTRY (next to ours, of course).

We just have to ride on the Singapore Flyer again.  It was our second time to ride it except for my Via.  I was afraid that they'd get scared of of heights but I was wrong.  They were all calm and collected until I bought out the selfie stick.

Being together makes everything extra special even though it was actually tiresome for me to be alone taking care of my restless daughter.  Even when we were inside our hotel room, she is still a handful.  My sister got their own room.  I guess she didn't want to be bothered by the ruckus Via and her cousin Gabino would create.  Wise decision because only when she's asleep do I get my rest.  

She doesn't want me out of her sight during the trip.  I leave the bathroom door open so that I can hear her when I leave her inside the room.  However, she startles me when she comes over while I'm there doing my own business.

I am her best friend.  She says so herself.  And I am truly honoured to have this unexpected gift who likes me without any condition at all.   Someone who wants my full attention like it's the most important thing of all.  It is tiresome yes, but never a burden.

Trick or Treat 2014

This is such a late post.  It's like a Halloween special on Thanksgiving (well, almost).

My daughter was able to attend at least one Trick or Treat activity.  Thank goodness for their school who thinks of so many ways to distract them from the seriousness of getting good grades.  I couldn't find time to bring her to any other Trick or Treating activity in the metro.  I have been so busy that I couldn't even afford to attend to her during their school activity.

Thank goodness for yaya who knows how to take pictures with the smart phone we lent her.  A little photo tweaking was all that is needed.

 

Ballet Class

First Ballet Class

Via attended her first ballet class this morning.  I just called yesterday and her ballet teacher wanted her to attend her first class today because there was no reason to postpone it since the first month is being paid for in full.  

Of course, it was too short a notice but because I was excited for her, I let her attend today without wearing the prescribed uniform.  And so Via went there wearing her temporary tights and socks.  Every kid there were wearing pink tights, tutu and ballet shoes.  

She stood out and she felt it.  I could sense that she was not happy about being different.  She wasn’t crying because she’s scared to join.  She was crying because she didn’t belong there.  Not today.  

I am kind of worried on how she is reacting to this.  I’m making sure that Papa and I talk to her about this before this day ends.  

I want my kid to be happy even if she’s so different from the others.  Today has given me a foresight what could happen when she begins those middle school years when kids are being bullied just because they were different.  

I wouldn’t be able to stop other kids from bullying her.  However, she shouldn’t “bully” herself about being different.  She was really sad this morning.  I don’t want her to feel that way in the future.  I have to make her understand that each one of us are different in our own ways, may it be in big or small ways.  We are never created equal. Some will excel in one thing, and the others may excel in other things.  

Time Out

They were serving beer but I drank water.

That is who I am.  And who I am is what I want to be.  There is nothing more comfortable in this world than being yourself.

-------

A couple of months ago, everyone was pulled out of our post in order to join the others who are just as tired and sleepy as we were (maybe, even more).

It was so late at night to be still in the work place but I have to show my support to my juniors so as not to look like a pompous little prick.  Thank goodness they were performing early.  I was partly responsible for cheating in the draw lots.   I kind of pulled some strings which I am not really proud of but I tell you anyway.  I wanted to go home that night as much as possible to see my daughter who was probably fuming that time because I was so out late and I made her promise to wait up for me.   Even if it happens so rarely, late nights out of the house is not really my kind of fun.

Good Night

Whenever my daughter and I visit her lolo daddy and lola mommy, it is  important to never forget to say good night.  I take her and her cousin to their grandparents' room to give them a kiss and a hug before going to bed.  It has become their practice since we practice it in my own home.  

Those little things that seem trivial would be the thing they would remember growing up.  If it has become the practice then it would become a habit.  A habit would be hard to get rid off.  And I wouldn't want them to forget to do it.  I want them to do the same to me too.     

Class Birthday Party

I tried to celebrate my daughter's birthday in school last year.  However, I didn't receive any reply on my request letter from the school.  It would be fun to try this year especially now that I saw some pictures of another kids' birthday.

Barbies and Disney Princesses

For a long time, I blamed toys like Barbie and Disney Princesses for girls developing misconceptions about themselves.  If you happen to come across Barbie Dreamhouse (or something like that) in YouTube, it would seem that a perfect life comes from all good material things.  It was that extravagant and never simple.  If little girls would grow up thinking that way, they'll end up disappointed in many points in their lives.  They create unrealistic expectations of what they should have and what they should become.

I want my daughter to have an encounter with the same toys I have played when I was young.  However, there must be some guidance so that she would understand that:

There will be no prince or fairy godmother that can save her.  She can only rely on herself.

You don't need to have everything to live - only the important things.  

Keep fit.  Do not keep thin.

Work on your brain not only your body.
There is some good in everyone, even the villains. 

Don't show off.  

And so much more.  

I want the best for my daughter.  However, I probably won't be able to give them all to her.  I want her to know that she can learn how to achieve what is best for herself.  (YouTube) Barbies and (Traditional) Disney Princesses won't teach her how.  

Study Time

I am truly having a hard time making my daughter cooperate during study time.  She has the propensity to say "no" when she hears the word "study".  I'm not around that often because work takes up most of my time.  And whenever that I am around the house, all she could say to me was "Mommy, let's play" (her very words) accompanied by some begging facial expressions.  And whenever I don't hear her the first time, she shouts those words.

I am her favorite playmate.  I am a lot of fun, if I say so myself.  Kiddie fun, of course.  And it's so hard for me to get around playtime to get to study time.  I had to find ways to make play and study, one and the same.  However, phonics could be a boring game after time.

I highly depend on Papa to provide her the study time (since I have to have my own study time myself).  It only works when I'm not around for her to see me and think and say, "Mommy, let's play".

Claiming It Back

I had time yesterday to view my old blogs.  One of them is this one and I have decided that I must revive it.  And so I'm ready for new updates.   However, there will be a lot of late posts along the way since I have to fill out the space that I've missed to blog on.

It's nice to be back.