I Want Wings!

Yesterday, while I was busy preparing our dinner Tibs called me out asking for help with Maia. The little girl was slumped on the road and was refusing to get up despite her dad's incessant warnings and even threats (of I don't know. hehe his voice just sounded really threatening). 

I left them earlier that day still exchanging giggles over their kite and playing tag. The little girl loves to be chased. She'd tell you she's taya and yet would demand that you chase after her. 

Well, her dad couldn't figure out from all the whining what she wanted. So in between sobs, I convinced her to tell me slowly what it is she really wanted. Turns out, she was suddenly saddened by her dad's revelation - she can't have wings. 

Then I learned that they were desperately trying to get their kite down but couldn't because it was caught up so high on one of the electrical cables even Tibs propped up on a tall ch'air couldn't get it down. So the little thought, she should grow wings so she can get it down herself. Then the daddy just told her the sad truth - people don't just grow wings. (I think our daddy learned his lesson the hard way. I don't think he is ever going to do that mistake again)

Eventually (after a lot of negotiations and explanations), she settled with a lampin cape. If she can't have bird's wings, then she might as well settle for a superhero's cape instead. She's still trying to decide on what name she'd go for but for now she goes by SUPER MAIA. 

When your neighborhood is in need of a superhero, just call her alright?

wings replaced by a lampin cape instead

This Is It. ON to the Next Chapter.

We've finally come to a decision. Well actually it was partly Maia who decided where she's finally going. This morning while I was dressing up for work, she approached me and said "Mommy, sandali lang to ha. Wait mo lang ako. Tapusin ko lang si Handy Manny tapos alis na tayo." 

"San tayo pupunta 'nak?" (me already preparing to leave for work. bubble thought: i don't have time to deal with tantrums. please don't throw one now, little girl)

"Sa Seton." 

I got her to sit on my lap and gently told her it's a Monday and Mommy's off to work already. She pouted and sobbed a bit but was quick to collect herself ("Okay Mommy next time na lang ang Seton ha?") and proceeded to kiss and hug me bye-bye. It was a good thing her dad was taking the day off from work yesterday so I didn't have to feel so guilty leaving her like that.

Tibs picked up the admission results early yesterday and immediately relayed it to me, I thought hmmm she probably knew that she aced the assessment exam (remembering our conversation that morning). hahaha. pinangunahan na kami.

We have decided we will take this a year at a time. And for now, this is what we think is the best choice for our little girl so we're going to give this a try. It's a good thing we've already made our own decision before we were handed the admission results because the school is not giving us a lot of time to think things over as we only have until Mar 9 to decide if we're giving it a go or not. Of course the answer is yes. I just didn't realize enrollment deadlines come this early. Oh well, we know better next year. At least we'll be more prepared. I just have to say this though -- HINDI TALAGA BIRO ANG MAGPAARAL!!!!

I'd frame this if I could! (FOR REFERENCE this is what those 3 pertain to: )

• Cognitive - generally refers to mental skills
• Affective - pertains to attitude, social skills
• Psychomotor - physical and manual skills.

Dearest Maia,

I'd like you to know that you made Dad and me very proud today. Bear in mind though that regardless of the result/s of the endeavors you chose to take in the future, Dad and me will always be here to hold your hand and support you. And now, we're starting a new journey in our life soon -- you finally going to big school -- we share your enthusiasm because we see how ecstatic you are about it. Every morning you'd wake up and announce, I'm going to school! I'm going to school! You make Dad and me laugh every time you do that. I hope this school is the right place for you. But let's help each other okay? We'll take this a step at a time.

We decided to enroll you in big school because we saw how ready you were. But if in the middle of all this, you'd suddenly feel you haven't had enough of play time at home yet just know that Dad and me will never pressure or force you to keep going. We will take your lead. 

This year seems to have a lot in store for us. Oh just the thought of it makes my heart leap already. We're so happy for you little girl. We love you very much!

Daddy and Mommy

Art Attack: Maia's Recent Drawings

Sharing some of Maia's drawings over the weekend.

Her drawings have details now. Do you see the trees and Mr. Sun in here? 

Too much exposure to Barney. Ugh.

This is one of my favorites. She was telling me this is a drawing of her and her pet stuffed monkey Georgie.
Apparently, the rails on the bottom are train tracks and they're riding the MRT going to Araneta to watch Disney On Ice. Hahaha. 

Maia's Bedtime Prayer

I was never good at keeping rituals. Ever. I've always been the spontaneous type. But when I became a mother, rituals were one thing that I paid extra attention to. Motherhood can really turn a woman's life upside down, no (mine was a 360-degree turn but it was the best 360-degree turn i'd probably experience in my lifetime)?

I'm not very religious but believing that there is somebody greater than me EVEN greater than people I admire keeps me grounded. So I wanted to teach my daughter that too.  And for now what seem to be an effective teaching medium is through prayer. We started a bedtime prayer ritual when I became pregnant with Maia (well actually when I was put to bed rest and was drowning in fear, I found solace and peace through prayers) so we kept at it even when Maia was born. As much as our schedules as working parents would allow it, we try to be with her during bedtime so that we can all say a prayer together. Tibs and I would take turn saying our prayer of thanks for the day and we would say it as if Maia is saying it. Now that she's able to say a prayer herself we would always encourage her to lead it.

Favorite position when she was still an infant. Was she praying?

Last night I started a prayer of thanks. Since I just came from a battery of tests at the hospital, I had this compelling urge to talk to Jesus. I started with Hello Jesus, Maia says thank you for helping her mom to get through all the needle pricks today. She thanks you for letting mommy bring home meryenda. (Then I felt sleepy so I paused fto gather my wits) Out of the blue, she blurted - thank you sa Daddy ko. Kasi daddy ko sya eh. Thank you sa drawing, sa laro sa computer, sa mga kiliti, sa mga songs kasama sya, sa mga pinapanood namin, sa pagsama pag matutulog na ako. thank you sa Mommy ko. Kasi mommy ko sya eh. Thank you sa paintings, sa laro sa labas, sa mga pancakes, sa mga pasalubong, sa mga sayaw. Yun lang naman. Thank you Jesus. 

I was stifling a laugh while listening to her finish her litany of thanks. More than the  stifled laugh though, I was fighting tears. I was on the verge of crying because I remembered this video and I realized how important those ordinary days were for my little girl. And I was just so happy that I was there to hear her affirm that those moments really did matter to her. I am glad to know that we imprinted (and will keep imprinting) good memories onto our daughter. And I'm super delighted because my daughter now prays with her heart. 

I love you Maia! I can never say that enough. 

Making It Up to Santa

As a follow up to my post yesterday, it turns out it was just a spur of the moment comment from the little girl. I realized that it was just probably brought about by her frustration on not getting her way again and of me actually introducing the thought that Santa might not really exist by asking that question. 

She tried to make up with Santa by doing this:

More drawings to add to our growing collection

I came home last night to pages of drawings that were specially made for Santa to see. 

She took out some of the handmade ornaments from our tree and traced out the shapes and drew the details on them afterwards. I know that if she could write Santa a letter she already would've. 

Good thing she used washable markers.
Poor ornaments had smudges of ink on them. Hahaha.

I was just so happy to see this. My little girl is really still a kid after all. And I hope she will always hold fond memories of all the Christmases we've spent together.

Yes Maia, There Is A Santa Claus

I was afraid I was going to have a Virginia moment this morning. But thank God we haven't gone to that point yet.

This morning I was wrapping up stuff for our office Kris-kringle and the little miss saw some nice looking pens inside the paper bag. She attempted to grab it but I stopped her and reminded her it’s not hers. 

“You want these?”

“Yes, Mommy”

“Well, let’s add this to your wishes for Santa. He might just get you some too”

“Ayaw.” (I Don’t Want To)

“Why? You don’t believe in Santa anymore?”

“Oo. Wala. Walang Santa”. (Yes. Santa doesn’t exist!)

Yes Maia, There is a Santa Claus. You just wait and see in 17 days.

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And I will just copy paste here the editorial from The Sun from which the title of this post spun from. We also used this for my college pub's editorial page (the year I first sat as the Editor In Chief) for a Christmas edition way back in '99 (i'm not so sure now). 

I just wanted to bookmark it here for Maia to read when she's older. I just feel all kids should get the chance to read this. It exudes so much positivity and hope. That is how I've always looked at Christmas as a child.

Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. 

"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

**** Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York'sSun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps. ****

Maia, the Photographer

Despite having a doting [stage] mother, my little miss remains really shy around people. She doesn't like being the center of attention.  She doesn't like to dance nor sing like most kids her age. She doesn't like to be photographed and always just smile in photos to give in to my relentless coaxing. 

What my daughter really loves doing though is to tell stories usually thu drawing and painting. I couldn't rave enough of them as several of my posts would attest to just like in here and here. Of late, we noticed another activity she seems to be having so much fun doing. She has bid her addiction to angry birds goodbye and now prefers the camera app once she gets her hand on my phone.

Anyway,she took several photos this morning using my phone camera. I made a collage of my 3 favorites photos. I was really just amazed when I saw the photos. Nobody prompted her to start taking pictures or taught her which object to shoot. She just really picked subjects to focus on and clicked away. And they were mostly single shots, mind you. Not trigger-happy, random shots of 20 or so frames where I had to choose which ones were the best. 

I love these three most.

These two are runners-up.

I hope her enthusiasm to learn never wanes. And if she does develop a passion for the arts  or music we will gladly support it. Actually, whatever your heart desires to pursue in the future Maia - Suportahan ka gid namon! 

Meanwhile, expect me to flood this blog with overwhelming photo posts in the coming days :)