Let The Emotions Flow

I was stuck in traffic this morning so I plugged in my headset and prepared for a light snooze. I figured it was going to be a long ride to work anyways so I might as well grab the opportunity to nap. But in the middle of my favorite song, my phone rang but was dropped as soon as I moved to answer it. MAIA. It registered. Panic enveloped me. It isn't normal for Inday to be calling me just a few minutes after I left the house. But I tried my hardest to stay calm and dialed back to check what was wrong.

Inday answered my call after two rings. And I heaved a sigh of relief hearing her calm and poised. Then she handed over the phone to a crying little miss. "Mommy!!!! $@!&*$ ---" (sob sob). No she wasn't cursing I just didn't understand a single word she said while crying at the same time. I took a deep breathe. Then I asked her again what was wrong.

"You didn't bring my letter! Nakalimutan mo!"

Oh my. Yes I did forgot about it. And she took a lot of effort trying to tape it gently and all. And I forgot it. Of course, she was hurt. She probably felt I neglected her efforts.

As I was sharing a few months back, it has since become a favorite hobby of hers to write or draw letters for her dad and me. And this morning in particular, she got inspired watching me and her dad eat our breakfast together that she immediately set out to sketch something for us. When she was done with the drawing she handed it to me for approval saying: "Dalhin mo yan sa office ha. Letter ko yan para sa yo. Teka ite-tape ko lang Mommy tapos lagay mo sa bag mo." I saw how she measure and cut each of the tapes meticulously. Nag-effort talaga. I thanked her for it. Gave her a tight hug too.

But I forgot to place it inside my bag.

And she saw it when she got back from her morning playdate and after I've left for work already. (bad mommy!)

At first I told her to stop crying...I will bring it with me tomorrow instead. Then as I was about to repeat the don't cry anymore speech I remembered this article I read about avoiding monologues like that (i.e. DON'T CRY, STOP CRYING) because it's like training your kid to suppress their emotions when they're only starting to learn and identify the different types at this early age. So I bit my tongue and rephrased my speech.

"You feel sad, baby?" Opo

"O sige, just cry it out then pag naubos na iyak mo at nawala na lungkot mo you make more letters and drawings for mommy and daddy to bring to the office tomorrow ha?" (Pause) OPO!

Sigh. This parenting thing can sometimes wear you out. But I chose not to dwell on the mistake part and instead be grateful that I am able to remember some of the good stuff that I should be really practicing.

I said my byebyes and hearing the little miss's voice shift to a more cheerful tone assured me she's going to be alright. I plugged my earphones in again and took my nap. We're still stuck in traffic fer chrissakes.

this wall behind her is usually filled with her sketches and doodles.
sigh. you are growing up so fast little girl i can hardly catch up.

Our Amazing Spider-Kid

There were several web-ropes like this around the Fun farm but this particular web-rope was inside the sand play area so the kids could just go ahead and climb when they get bored digging. For the little miss, we didn't really expect much as she has recently developed a slight fear of heights. I say slight because it really doesn't occur often but when it does she would really freeze up and refuse to move. 

This web-rope (sorry for the rather weird sounding term, i had to make something up as I really don't have a clue what it's called) went all the way up to the play area's ceiling and it was already quite high per our standards. We were quite surprised when the little miss stood at the bottom of it and started climbing. The daddy was hesitant to let her go at first but soon realized it was pretty safe so he eventually caved in and just watched and cheered his kid on by the sidelines. 

This really made me proud and I thought I should make a separate post of it for her to read later on. Maybe it can even inspire her when she's older. I sure hope it would!

A Field Trip To The Fun Farm At Sta Elena

Two simple, home-spent  long weekends have since gone. Simple. Home. Two of my most favorite words. I can never get enough of lazy days spent at home. But then I have to deal with a kid who easily contracts cabin fever and all that lazy, relaxing thought immediately disappears. A restless kid is the last thing you'd ever want to deal with during a relaxing weekend. And so rare invites for field trips are also some of the things that we welcome with big wide open arms. 

And that's just exactly how we spent the last day of the last long weekend of this quarter. We went with 3 other family friends (actually mommy friends who I first met in N@W and eventually became close to through blogging-Rache, Erl and Maqui) to a fun-filled day trip to the Fun Farm At Sta Elena in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Thank you Maqui for organizing this!

If not for the quite pricey entrance fee of P300 per person, we would love to come back to this place. (But...this family is such a cheapskate I don't think we will be coming back anytime soon). The kids had fun running around and there were enough distractions to last them a full day. The fishing pond and the sand playing area were a big hit for the little miss, most especially. When she woke up this morning, she was still raving about it. I bet she would have bragged about it even to her school busmates. She was THAT happy with how her day went yesterday. She got to ride and pet a carabao, chase sheeps, play spider-woman, feed worms to fishes, feed pellets to duckies, feed the bunnies some carrots, sing along with pigs (oink-oink!) and squeal her heart out while riding the rubber swings. There's plenty to do but I only have a few photos to show. 

Still, I'll let the pictures talk from this point. Forgive the poor resolution as I still haven't found Blue's replacement and I just used my phone camera. 

at the entrance

one of Maia's favorite spots in the farm. she was ready for this. she even bought her beach toys with her.

obstacle courses for kids. tingnan natin hanggang san aabot lakas ng mga malilikot na yan! lolz.

interesting maze. Maia didn't hesitate to get in. and did not have any trouble coming out of it. atta girl!

Maia: I'm going to try this too Daddy. Tibs: Mahirap to Maia, wag na baka di mo kayanin, walang support sa gitna.
Maia: Okay lang Daddy, gagapang na lang ako! 

And more interesting spots on the farm:

Maia and Kelsea getting fishing tips from the Daddies. Waha (kala mo experts eh)

close encounter with sheeps (maia: mameeeeeeeeee, kelangan nila maligo!)

It was a tiring day but hearing the kid rave about the fun of it all seems all worth it. Till the next fieldtrip, Mommies! Can't wait to see the photos from Studio 2716 as well!

p.s. The Fun Farm staff advises that you book ahead before coming as there might be events (i.e. weddings or private parties) booked at the Fun Farm that day and you might be denied entrance. For this trip we booked a week ahead since ours is a relatively big group of 4 families and we were coming on a holiday.

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Fun Farm at Santa Elena is located at Sta Elena Properties Inc, Barrio Malitlit, Sta Rosa, Laguna

They operate from 9am to 5pm. Contact Numbers: 0918 8886588/0920 9131349 Directions to the farm are posted here. 

p.s. Here's a link to the photo album that the Studio 2716 posted in Facebook.  And to Maqui's and Erl's blog post as well.

Re/Upcycling Brown Paper Bags

I confessed a few posts ago that I am a certified TRASH LOVER. I keep toilet paper rolls, old newspapers,   shoe boxes, grocery cartons, paper bags, and all sorts of retaso aside thinking I will find a great use for them in the future. So far, they have been quite useful in most of our arts and crafts activities. Although my husband is not very fond of this, it seems to be growing in him already. Some days, I'd find him absentmindedly folding an empty Pan De Manila paper bag and hand them over to me to keep. Funny hubby.

Of late, the little miss's classmates have had back to back birthday party celebrations in school and at first I worried most about the presents (as I was never the planning kind and more of the cramming kind). To save my face from more wrinkles (I'm all for simple, useful stuff anyways), I decided to just stick to books to giveaway as presents. Adarna, Tahanan and Lampara has a lot of published books already I don't think we will ever run out of gifts to give (there's only 23 in class anyways). When I buy the gifts however, I always try to bring her with me because I prefer that she picks the presents herself rather than me choosing for her. Luckily, the birthday celebrations always fall after a weekend or a holiday so we have plenty of time to scour the bookstores. I limit the choices to 2 though so we won't spend the entire day looking.

We live in an area where plastic bags are not allowed in stores anymore. I always bring reusable bags with me but for small books and stationary supplies, I prefer to have them in brown paper bags. Coming home with one of the books in a paper bag one day, I realized the bags themselves can serve as gift wrappers already. What I did was have the little miss decorate them first by finger painting on them, putting glitter glue or stamping decos on them before putting the final touches of recycled ribbons and the like. It turned out to be one fun activity that the little miss is now always looking forward to doing everytime we come home with a present to give to a classmate. (don't you just love accidental discoveries?)

I wasn't able to take photos of the first 2 we did but here is the most recent brown paper bag wrapper we made:

had to take a photo of this because this was the first time she wrote on the gift tags neatly and correctly.
i just had to spell out the letters but this was written with no assistance from me :) 

It doesn't look fancy. Nothing Martha Stewart-ish. But these days, the only standards I'm really aiming to pass is those set by my little girl. This one passed with a big wide grin to boot. So when the little miss is happy, I am happy (100x more if you ask me).

Super Long Weekend In Photos

While most of the Filipino workforce are probably still in bed, relishing the final day of our 4-day long weekend, here I am punching computer keys so early in the morning. Yes, it is month-end and here comes the monthly highlight of my job once again. It's a good thing I've accumulated a lot of photos over the weekend. Brought them to work for inspiration. And I have been on the move since 7am, and am now taking my first coffee break of the day.

As I hardly log into the computer when I'm at home, I usually spend a lot of time in Instagram. Having lost my ever beloved Blue last summer to wear and tear and well, basically, just overusage if there is such a term (what can I say, I am an addicted trigger happy wannabe-photographer momma) I had since become bestfriends with Instagram. If you're in there too, let's follow each other. I am pyxxie0703 over there.

Here are my choice pick/s (err pics):

Loving these plaid blouses that I bought from Landmark. Cheap but chic.

eager volunteer. we cleaned up the garden.

STAMPS!

feeding mingming

indoor play

Sweet Turns Sour: The Makings Of A Ruined Stay-cation

Funny how things can make a 360 degree turnaround in just a blink of an eye.

Well, I am exaggerating on that last part. But that's exactly how I felt today. After looking forward to this long weekend for the longest time, it ends up with me tending to a sick little miss. And she has been a crybaby all day long I am almost at wits end. (close to pulling my hair)

sleep-deprived as I was. I rushed to make these pancakes this morning in the hopes that the smell and the colors would lighten up our home. AND IT DID! Surprisingly.

Despite feeling unwell however, she didn't fail to deliver comic relief. While coughing and crying at the same time, she goes: "bakit ba ako nagkakaganito?? Ayoko na nito!" Tibs just couldn't help but laugh. She was so adult-sounding there (and so full of drama). We almost forgot we were dealing with a girl whose barely 4.

This weather was not very helpful for this highly allergic family. I have been dealing with a bad case of skin asthma for the past two weeks and the Mr and the little girl with allergic rhinitis. The little miss unfortunately started coughing over the weekend and I got a bit scared when I heard a slight wheeze when I pressed my ear on her back early this morning. (bubble thought: no. please don't ever let this develop into asthma, dear God)

So we have been sleep-deprived the entire weekend. Taking turns with round the clock sponge bath for the little miss. Thankfully the low-grade fever broke this morning (and hopefully it's not coming back anymore). No need for paracetamol. The homeo meds did their trick and I was just so relieved.

Half of our weekend plans were again ruined. But I guess, we were really destined to just spend time at home and rest our weary bones. The little miss seem to be having a grand time and is not showing any signs of restlessness despite being locked inside the house for a full day already. I had several arts and crafts activities lined up but I lost the enthusiasm for it already so I am shelving those for now and saving them for next weekend when the little miss's cousins come over for a visit. 

So anyways, hope your weekend is turning out better than ours. It has been a long, long time since we slaves have had a 4-day weekend. But we all desire it, so I hope you are just rocking it!

Curse Me Not.

I almost lost it today. I have been unbelievably patient this past 4 years but today I almost lost it. 

Maybe it was all the work-related stress that I've accumulated in the past months. Maybe it's this dark raincloud looming over our roof. I don't know. Maybe it was just PMS. Still, I'm glad my string could still spare a few inches more and I was able to hold back my tongue and restraint my anger.

She shouted at me this morning. She called me 'madaya' (unfair). Tibs and I always challenged each other's patience (pikon-talo lang) but we never ever shout at each other when we argue. Model the values that you want your kid to emulate, right? But the little girl's world has broadened since she started school, I have also come to accept that I am no longer in full control. Not that I ever wish to be. Although I was hoping I would have equipped her with just enough child wisdom to decipher the right from wrong and the good from bad by now. Most days, she does appear to have that in her already. But just not today.

Madaya. (cheater) This word is a current favorite. Every time things don't go her way, she utters that word. We wondered for days where she picked that but eventually heard it straight from a playmate. And we understood then, the censoring stops here. There's really nothing we can do but to teach her what words are age-appropriate, which words are hurtful and which words are best spoken to compliment. In short, we just have to teach her the simplest way possible how to filter her thoughts into words. Right now if you ask her if she knows what that word means, she would just respond blankly at you. The word is still empty for her. Doesn't really mean anything. It's just something she says out of frustration. But still it's almost like a cuss word if you ask me. 

I used to curse a lot when I was younger. In my childhood, I seldom heard my parents curse. I couldn't even recall now if they ever did when I was younger. When I was older they seldom did too (usually just out of sheer uncontrollable anger or extreme frustration which I already understood by then). I don't think my parents were really as mindful of their behavior as I am now as a parent. I guess, they just didn't like cursing then. But still I learned to curse outside of our home. So yes, that somehow affirms it for me. There is no guarantee that my kid will never ever learn to cuss at all.Although, I'm still hoping that when she does she would know when it's appropriate to deliver it. (i am such a control freak, aren't i?)
Before You Speak Think

Helicopter Preschooler Momma

Today is the first day of the little miss's first quarterly exams in school. I remember hearing that phrase in grade school and I'd always be overwhelmed with panic. Well, for one I was really just born panicky (not the bat wehe) and second, I never developed study habits so I'd always just cram. Funnily and fortunately, I learned to live with panic attacks and sweaty palms all through out my schooling years. But I guess, for Maia, that phrase doesn't really mean anything yet. And I don't intent to push her to understand it. I was hoping she'd eventually just deal with it as normally as any student would. And I'd like for her to find what a NORMAL (i believe this one is relative) attitude should be on her own.

Sometimes however, I wish I could hover over my little girl (helicopter mama alert! ain't that scary) while in class just so I can finally get answers for all these questions lingering in my head. Questions like:

PHOTO SOURCE

•  How do her teacher/s manage to make all 23 of you understand instructions. I could barely manage on my own with just a lone student (that is you little girl), what with 22 more like her? But the thing is, she would come home with almost always with perfectly scored quizzes while our activities at home would almost always end up in failure. Does that mean I should put an end to my dream of ever becoming a teacher? I'm probably not just cut out for it. 

• How long does it take for my little girl to finish her seat works? Does she stay glued on her paper? Or does she take frequent breaks like she would when we review at home?

• My little girl would mention they take recess in between and it's Ate Luto who stays with them when they eat. How are they compelled to get back to the classroom after they've finished their meals?

Oh I'm really such a worrier, aren't I? And I worry about the smallest details. But truthfully, these things would just pop in my head from time to time. I've only listed 3 but had I listed (errr, remembered) everything I would have ended with a horrendously, lengthy one (thank God i have short term memory hehe). I guess all these questions actually stem from my being an overly curious mommy cat. But I really do not plan to be a helicopter parent. I wasn't raise by one and I will ALWAYS fight the urge to be one. However, how my little girl behaves in class is really a major concern for me so if you would notice my questions revolve around that. 

At the back of my mind though, I know my little miss is doing well. My instinct usually gives me some sort of assurance and I go by that most often. Some days however, I just like to sweat the small stuff. For the fun of it. 

Or not. 

Maia's Fave: Dance Music, Stop The Rock

What's your favorite song Mommy?

Well madami but right now it's "Pinwheels", I reply.

Ako mommy, Stop The Rock. Dali play mo ulit! Ang sarap sumayaw! Tawrah sayaw tayo!

Then she goes jumping up and down our bed. She would stop and change her footwork from time to time but she didn't stop dancing till the song ended.

Maybe we should seriously consider enrolling her in a dance class now. What do you think, daddy?

my phone isn't good enough to take photos of her actually jumping and dancing.
had to content myself with this silhouette-ish shot. 

After jumping on the bed nonstop for several minutes she puts her hand on her chest and says: ANG GALING O, TUMUTUNOG ANG HEART KO DADDY! 

On a rather sadder note, I don't think the rain is gonna let up anytime soon. I felt a bit of gloom when we woke up (a little later than usual today, the day started at 9am in our usually 7am-ish household) this morning. We're stuck at home once again (had to postpone weekend plans again it seems).

And then again (feeling best not to wallow in gloom), looking at the brighter side of things, the rain gives just the perfect excuse to laze around and spend quality (which is always a welcomed idea) time with our loved ones. I'm making us some pasta for late lunch earlier meryenda in a bit. And this morning we had Maia's favorite choco pancakes too (upped the sugar ratio a bit by sprinkling in some mini-M & M's on it but sneaked it a few tablespoons of Flaxseed to keep the healthy vibe on), and the little girl was gushing over how great she was in the kitchen and kept bragging of how good her pancakes tasted. Well she did finish a serving without much struggle so I guess it did taste good.

Stay safe and dry this weekend! Let's hope for a dryer incoming week. (I personally have had enough of the rain)