Arts-N-Crafts: A Card For Daddy (2014 Edition)

Maia takes credit for every single word on this card. Even for the design, I should say. The only help she needed from me to put this card together was to reglue the frame and cut the photo to fit it. Everything else was hers to take.

Every day she amazes us. I barely have time to guide her in her lessons anymore. And yet, she carries on like a pro. All grown up. Doesn't need mommy anymore. Sigh.



p.s. Oh I take credit though for introducing her to the art of making cards. If there is one tradition that I can claim I started with this kid, this is probably it -- birthday card making!

First Illustrated Story Book

A couple of days ago, at bedtime, she surprised us with this storybook that she had put together that day. It always amazes me how detailed her drawings can be. And for the first time, she attempted to put together a storybook (about Barbie, which is her current favorite toy). 

Last summer we made a storybook about Little Bear but I was mainly the one who did the storyline. I did that to practice her use of several sight words that they are learning in school then. But now, this was entirely hers. All of it a product of her creativity. When she's at home, you'd find her sprawled in our living room floor (with scratch papers, pens and pencils scattered around her), lost in her world of drawings. And this the first compilation of those drawings and it came with a story to boot!

Good job, Maia. Keep doing what you love to do! 

A Spaceship Ride To School

I seriously thought I was the only one excited for school opening in our household. When I was younger, June was my most awaited month of the year. I was more excited for June than for July (which is my birthday month). I looked forward to the smell of newly wrapped books and notebooks, to arranging newly bought school supplies in my bag (i have this secret love affair with school supplies and making tambay at National Bookstore is my idea of killing time), to neatly hanging my newly ironed school uniform (yes my siblings and I each took the responsibility of preparing our own school uniforms) and most of all I was just excited to touch base with friends again. I can only hope Maia takes after that zest I had for school when I was younger. (digress, digress, digress)

So anyway, as I've mentioned, I thought I was the only one excited for school but this morning Maia just proved to me how wrong I was. While I was preparing our breakfast, she took out her scratch papers and drew something for me and her dad to bring to work.While we were admiring the details on her drawings, she started telling us what's the story behind one of her drawings. She pointed to one of the stick figures and told me it's her daddy. Then she went to encase daddy's head. I thought she was trying to draw daddy's hat but I was amazed when she said it's daddy's spaceship suit because we are going to ride a spaceship to bring her to school. Then her next statement made me laugh: "Kasi ayaw ko sumakay sa van, Mommy kaya sa spaceship na lang"

You see, the poor little girl has motion sickness (she gets nauseous riding closed air-conditioned vehicles) so if she could get away with it she would always prefer open-windowed jeepneys over everything else. I guess that's the price we pay for being jeepney-loving, commuting parents ourselves. (On a side note, our pediatrician tells us that motion sickness is actually genetic. She attributes it being born with sensitive nerves in the ears - I'm guessing probably the same nerves causing vertigos? - and I already know who is the culprit -- ME! I've been a byahilo up until I was in my teens. She prescribed a homeopathic remedy called Cocculus Inducus for Maia but I have yet to find it since the 3 Healthy Options stores that I went to didn't have stocks on hand. In the meantime, the school service's solution to this is to open the windows when Maia rides the school service to school. Sigh, that's the only thing that's making me anxious in this new adventure)

Still, here's to exciting adventures ahead!

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.