I Heart It

Last weekend, we --the whole family, took a trip down to Manila to enjoy the long weekend. I was a nervous wreck about how Arrow would take the 5 hour travel time. Turned out he was such an awesome trooper!

The hubby had a grand time at his autocross race.



I had a great time with my best friends. As my eldest son put it, "Mommy, did you have a splendid time with your friends?" Splendid it is.


And we all were able to bond together.


I love family time. Always.

One Fine Gentleman

Imagine, I have to see this cuteness every morning before he goes to school.





He's definitely smothered with kisses before stepping out the door.

Everything Peter, Tony, Kent. Never Mention Super Girl or Wonder Woman

If you are a mother, you have to be creative at all times. At all times. If you're not, you're kid is going to outsmart you. Always.

Me: Time to eat Dash.

Dash: (pointing at the squash and beans on his plates) I don't want that orange and green thing mommy.

Me: But that's what Peter Parker eats to make him fly.

Dash: I want some more orange and green things mommy.

----
Me: Sleep now Dash.

Dash: Nope. I not sleepy Moms.

Me: You have to sleep Dash.

Dash: Don't wike sleep Moms.

Me: Common Dash, Ironman sleeps to become really strong.

Dash: I going to sleep now Moms.

--

Me: Dash. Please. Stop. Jumping.

Dash: jump jump jump

Me: Stop. It. Dash

Dash: Wook Mommy, like spiderman!

Me: Stop.

Dash: I like spiderman Moms! Jumping high!

Me: Just like Super Girl!

Dash: I not jumping anmore.

Sitting On My Thinking Chair

When is too much, too much?

What Shall We Call It Then?

There's this really funny feeling I only started to feel when I became a mother. And I do not know what words to use to describe it. But let me talk about it.

When you have children, priorities suddenly change. If in your past no child yet years, you could splurge your money on whatever your heart desires, when you have a child although you do want that something, you know you aren't supposed to spend all your money on that. When you have children, there are many things you can;t do anymore. Things like making a trip to the salon anytime you want to. Having a kid demands proper time management especially if you are a working mom. When you have a child, your circle of friends start to become smaller - especially if you're like me where I decided to have kids when all my other friends were still enjoying their reckless college years.

In short, having children demands a lot of change. Having children can be very tiring and toxic. It can drain the hell out of us. It can bring us to tears -- tears of joy and tears of frustration. It can make us want to just bury our heads in the sand-- forever. It can make us think and re-think about whether we made the right decision. It can drive us crazy.

And so, so many people tell us to 1. take a break 2. take it easy 3. spend some time alone. And I believe we believe them when they tell us that. But we don't want to.

Like let's say, we're carrying baby the whole day and our back is aching like hell. And then someone kindly offers to carry baby so that we can sit down for a while, probably eat a snack or read the papers or watch T.V. But do we? No, as soon as they get baby from us, we either wash the dishes, fold the clothes, wipe the counters -- do something to keep us busy. On a larger scale, when someone says, go on a vacation and leave your kids with me and do not for one second worry about them, do we? Well we may go on that a vacation, but we will probably spend every second on the phone checking on the kids.

Is it the inability to relax that we should call it? Is it the worry bone in our body that gives us that discomfort?

It's probably love.

I'm Tying A Yellow Ribbon 'Round My Heart

Everytime I hear or read about people battling cancer, my heart breaks. I find it still to be such a sore spot in my heart. When I heard that our former president Corazon C. Aquino was battling colon cancer, I thought to myself, "Indeed cancer does not pick anyone." When I heard that she was admitted to the hospital over a month ago and was in the ICU, I could not help but remember my Mom and her last month of her life which she spent in the hospital -- 3 weeks in a private room and her last in the ICU.

I was barely 4 years old when Cory Aquino became president of our country. I could hardly understand what the 1986 EDSA revolution was really all about. But what I did know was, our country was finally free from the Marcos regime. I remember my mom keeping in touch with her sister- my aunt who was living in Manila during the 1986 coup attempt. I don't really remember much about her 6 year presidency. But as I grew older, I started to learn more and more about what she and her husband Ninoy Aquino did for our country.

In the recent years, when our country would celebrate EDSA day and Ninoy Aquino Day, I would feel more and mpre for my country.

Last week, when former president Aquino passed away, I was again given an opportunity to reflect on many things.

There were basically two major thoughts that crossed my mind. First, I don't think I will ever feel the same way ever for my country again more so, for a former president of our country. I started to think of what the future held for the Philippines. Ninoy and Cory to me stood for democracy. I don't think graft and corruption were the main criticisms thrown against Cory Aquino but rather her ability to run the country - given that she was a former housewife and although most will not admit, and a woman. But she managed. She did. And she carved her name in Philippine history. Thoughts like, does our country still have hope? What now that an icon of democracy is gone? Second, how painful it is for former president Cory Aquino's family to have to cope with the loss of not just a former president, but with a mother. Losing a loved one is never easy, is never wanted. But yes, it is the inevitable.

Just thinking of that made me relive the memories of 2005 when my mom battled lung cancer. I didn't find myself crying this time. I thought maybe I am finally moving on. But the aching in my heart was so real. I am still trying to come to terms with so many things. Things I have tried to dismiss and push away- to hide and pretend they do not matter. I have guilt. I have anger. I have frustrations. But facing them allows me to come to terms. I'm not yet there but I know I'm almost there.

President Aquino's life made an impact in many people's lives. Her death changed lives.

Ponder...Wonder.

Is it too much to ask for more?

Monkey See, Monkey Do

There Are Only 2 Reasons Why I Love Homework Time

1. I get to refresh my memory.

2. I get to practice my patience.

5

I refuse to admit that time flies. I want time to freeze-- forever.

I want you to be my cuddly, sweaty, drooling baby forever. I want you to be the little creature who keeps me secure at night. You are my milk monster who gives me backaches because you love being carried. You are the angel who brings tears to my eyes everytime I remember what we went through when you were in my womb.

I love every single second of loving you, sweetheart.

Don't grow up on me.

The Three Of Them

When you have more than 1 kid, you can't help but compare one from the other -- in a good way.

Arrow reminds me of my eldest in so many ways. For one, he is a thumb sucker. Josh was one too while Dash preferred the binky. Arrow is a sweaty baby just like Josh unlike Dash who wasn't much of one. Arrow's hair is always standing exactly like Josh's until he was about 6 or 7 months. They both have the same color unlike Dash who was fairer. But Arrow is such an easy baby just like Dash unlike Josh who was the fussy one. Arrow loves being cuddled like Dash while Josh preferred to be free of any arms or blankets around him. Unlike Dash who was a serious baby, Arrow is like Josh who was always smiling and laughing.

When I look at my 7 year old, he is very different from my 3 year old. I can't help but wonder who Arrow will be when he gets older. Will he love chicken just like Josh? Or will he love sweets just like Dash?

One thing Josh and Dash do love though are their superheroes. Not a day goes by without hearing the names Spiderman, Ironman, Batman, Hulk. They assign names to each other. They never forget to tell me that I am either Supergirl or Barbie. Although they did say that Arrow could be Mary Jane (Spiderman's love interest). They also love tumbling and jumping and wrestling.

It's fun just thinking of how exciting it will be when the little one starts interacting with his 2 older brothers. I know it will be a riot.

There's a Mouse In The House. No, It's a Rat But Where's The Cat?

I have a dream. It's a dream I have been dreaming of since 2006. It's a dream I rarely talk about because I pretty much know it's not going to happen.

You see, my family lives in the house where I grew up. Much as I would want to call it my own -- since my Mom and Dad have passed away already, I still can't since it is a family home. A home where my Dad's family lived and where 2 of my aunts also live downstairs. It is the home where my Dad's family comes home to when they come for vacations.

It is almost 30 years old. The tiles have cracked, the walls have been stained, the pipes leak. It is our home. But I can't help but dream of having my own house. A home free of clutter, a home which I can decorate and furnish, a home I can paint with colors of my choice. A home free of rodents and roaches.

Last Saturday, we finally caught the culprit. The culprit who has been destroying so much of our house -- nibbling on the wood, eating the electrical wires, eating our food. We tried mouse traps and rodent papers but it just kept outsmarting us. It was giving me nightmares!

My aunt prepared a whole bowl of nasty rat poison. I was praying it would hit the rat real bad because if it would survive the poison, then it would be able to survive more poison after.

During breakfast, while we were eating, our househelp was mixing coffee when she suddenly gasped. The nasty rat was right in front of her. My husband got up to see but the rat turned around and slowly ran into the laundry room -- where it had been living for the past months. The househelp ran to the room to take a peek and see what it was doing. She said it was moving very slow and couldn't climb up anymore. After a few minutes, my husband went to take a look. He said it looked like it was dying. It kept trying to climb up the wall but it kept falling down. It finally turned on its side and died.

Trying its best to climb up but to no avail.

I can't tell you how glad I was. I really heard angels singing.