Here’s an equation I’ve formulated just now:
mom of two + digital camera = lots of pictures!
happy Caity and baby Adie!
Caity playing with Dad
baby Adie feeling comfortable with Dad carrying him
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It’s the glorious season of spring and we welcomed it with a visit last weekend to a friend’s homey cottage outside of Praha. While we were enjoying ourselves despite the cold weather, my little girl C kept herself busy tinkering around. Aside from wandering in the garden, she picked up a gardening tool and played with it.
Here are some pics to give you an idea:
She lives in Hawaii, as all of the members of her family are now there. Before, they were in Guam when the family migrated from the Philippines. At 73, she doesn’t look her age, especially as she goes for casual wear like cargo walking shorts and spaghetti t-shirts when times are hot, as in during summer. Her face is powdery fine and almost wrinkle-free, though she doesn’t apply anything on it, no wrinkle crèmes, not even face powder, if you believe me. But it’s really true!
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Now “restricted” to the confines of home, what with two babies (an almost-three-year-old and a newly-born more-than-a-month-old), I dream of vacation sometimes. If only I could go home, my family – mom, dad and sis – would be more-than-willing to help in taking care of their much-missed cutie Caite and not-yet-seen baby Adie. Not that I’m complaining, as my thoughtful, helpful and able hubby gives me no reason for such (in fact I should say I’m very thankful to God for the gift of his person!) Yet, I can’t help dream of Outer Banks beach rentals – just reminiscing of the days when, together with my family, our own family bunch of three (yet!) were in a beautiful beach back home in our beloved Philippines.
Every mom has her own style of coping up with her kids’ mess, whether it’s an ice cream smeared on a newly washed white shirt or red crayons scrawled all over the wall. Some mothers can be so strict even up to the point that the kids can’t enjoy being at home anymore, while other moms don’t mind the mess at all. I know a mom who keeps her house spotlessly clean and even her décors, indoor plants, televisions, computers and other appliances can’t be moved or touched. So just imagine how her kids feel so restricted at home, they can’t move about or else her interior design arrangements will be ruined.
IMO, for responsible parents, it’s a matter of keeping a balance. While it’s okay to be tolerant with kids playing at home, it’s also essential to teach discipline and inculcating in them a sense of responsibility and respect for order at home and learning how to keep things tidy. One good idea is to teach them how to keep and store their play things after a game or how to fix and arrange the room. If a kid did something wrong, e.g. doodled on the wall, or poured some sticky liquid on the floor tiles, don’t blow off your top, but just point out their mistake and let them clean it up properly instead of doing it yourself.
My little girl is growing up fast! And she’s still as active as ever. There’s never a moment that you can see her stay put in one place, except when she’s sleeping of course. 
She loves to sing and dance along with kiddie songs while watching the video. She still enjoys flipping through pages of books or magazines as if reading them.
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As I’m looking forward to my delivery date, I’m also imagining what my life would be with a new baby to take care of. Thanks to hubby’s never-ending support, his dad and mom and also my family and friends. I know Caity would be happy to have a baby brother soon, she even kisses my tummy and says “Baby.” I wonder how she would react when she sees him.
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It’s my Dad’s birthday today! I slept past midnight last night waiting for him to be awake when I call (Philippine time). I forgot that the time difference is already 7 hours. 
When I called up, he was behind the wheel, driving home after attending Mass with the family and shopping for the dinner party later in the day. Even if Caity and I woke at 10 in the morning, I still felt sleepy.
Dad asked me how old he was. Good thing I was prepared and gave him the correct answer. He’s already 74 years old! But he is still fit and strong and doesn’t look his age. He’s not even worried about his looks like other seniors his age who are scrambling to find the best face creams or dye their white hairs to black to make them look younger.
My Dad during our Vienna trip last year.
Way to go Dad! I hope you enjoyed your birthday!!!
Our Christmas tree.
Our December was jampacked with many family activities, mostly dining out (to eat the Filipino/Negrosanon food we’ve been missing) and shopping. My siblings and their family have been arriving (and leaving) one after another and dad was one busy driver, picking them up (and back) at the airport. After Christmas day, my bro-in-law and nephew flew to Davao while bro #1 and his family returned to Cebu. One day after, my uncle and aunt together with my cousins and kids arrived from Mindanao.
Anyway, on Christmas Eve, the whole family (only M was lacking to complete the family) attended the Mass and when we got home, we partook our Noche Buena food and the gift-giving followed. It lasted until the wee hours of the morning because there were plenty of us! Poor little C; she wasn’t able to join us coz she was already asleep. It was a happy moment to be with family again! The last time we were together was last Christmas 2005 but it wasn’t a happy one because mom was sick then.
Random pics:
Happy faces!
The roasted pig a.k.a. lechon who traveled all the way from Cebu.
Little C bonding with her girl cousins.
Yay! What else can I say? I know I have been neglecting this blog, I’ve been busy with gift shopping just like everyone else. Oh yes! With more than 15 family members to prepare gifts for, the task of choosing what gifts to give them (men, women, adults and kids) was really time-consuming and tiring. There is not a day in a week that my sis and I aren’t in the mall.
Ooooohh how time flies! My brother and his wife from Thailand arrived tonight in Manila and will stay there till the 20th. Tomorrow my sister and her family from Finland will be arriving already! But they’ll only be here for a day coz the next day, they will go to Boracay. But it’s okay, they’ll be back anyway after 3-4 days. I’m not sure how long is their vacation in the famous beach.
And talking about how time flies, M is celebrating his birthday today, again! hehehe Happy birthday hon. Even if little C and I aren’t there to celebrate with you your special day, you know how much we love and miss you!
