Come join us in our nesting place.

It’s been awhile since I last posted here but I’ve been really bee-zee. But since today is Mother’s Day, I’d like to give myself the pleasure of blogging –if only for a little while. Now, I don’t really have a specific topic to blog about but in line with today’s celebration, I want to just list few things about motherhood.

Three Things I Learned As A Mother
1) No matter what book I read, nothing will prepare me for the pain of seeing my kid get hurt.
2) Diaper expenses (alone) should be best forgotten
3) Indeed, a child’s kisses can wipe away the hurt.

Three Embarrassing Moments As A Mother
1) Matt screamed “Idiot Boy” to a kid while we were hearing mass (and it happened during one of those quiet pauses!)
2) I was busy making my transactions in an ATM and I didn’t notice that, for all the world to see, my son was also busy doing his transaction on the base of the ATM machine (read: peeing on it *gasp* ).
3) “Mama, there’s the p–nis” Matt said while pointing to a tennis ball.

Three Things My Son Said To Me Today
1) “Are you not going to work?”
2) (He whispered) “Don’t talk louder (loudly). Close your mouth!”
3) “Happy Mother’s Day!”

Three Wishes For My Son
1) I wish for good health and a happy life for him.
2) I pray that he’d grow up to be a good Christian.
3) And that at the right time, he’d find the girl who would love her as much as I do.

Three Gifts I Wanted on Mother’s Day
1) A vacation – I badly needed a break!
2) A pair of rubber shoes – it doesn’t have to be a North Face walking shoes but it would be a bonus if it’s Women Prophecy 2. Lolz.
3) Patience – I wanted to have lots of it! Haayy wish…

Happy Mother ’s Day everyone!

I know there are few many times when I wanted to give up my job and just be a full-time mother. But apart from the fact that the moolah every payday helps settle the cookie bills, the 8 hours I spend working give me the right amount of space and time to recollect my thoughts,

to prep myself for more parenting challenges,

to re-energize myself and most of all,

to terribly miss my son.

So that by the time I get home, I am (again) all ready for the endless “Mama, pleeease…,” the demanding “Mama -want this” or the very loud  “Mamaaaaaa.”

So today, I’m thankful for my job.

For more of Thankful Thursday participants, please visit Iris.

I know I should move on in my blog entries (and not talk about the hospital ordeal anymore) but I just needed to write this down.

Our hospital room (when Matt was hospitalized) was nondescript and sparsely decorated. Dull, really. And bare. There was nothing in there -except for a bed, a bedside chair and table.

No TV. No refrigerator. And a phone that doesn’t function. I couldn’t even get my iTouch to hook up to the internet there!

My parents, of course, commented with my choice of room. Even disappointed - since there was no TV. I could have gotten a better room (since we have insurance) but I was happy with the choice I made.

Okay, although I consider these contraptions as blessings, sometimes, I also see them as distractions. Sometimes I get the feeling they keep me away from my son - and vice versa. I spend too long infront of the PC. And my son spends more than the allowed time (for kids his age) on TV.

So having none of these contraptions was a blessing. A huge one.

Having none of these contraptions for 5 days means I had unlimited bonding time with my son (especially during daytime since my mother kept us company only at nighttime).

Me and him. He and me. We’d sing or listen to songs in my iTouch. We’d play. And most of the time, we’d read his Bible.

And a couple of days before we checked out, my son showed me the prize of my undivided attention: Matt, 2y and 8mo old, completely and properly recited two of his favorite nursery rhymes.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, please visit Iris.

Always:

Toddler + Water = Fun

But sometimes:

Toddler + Water = Disaster

Very recently:

Toddler + Yellowish Liquid (a.k.a urine) = Total Disaster

And so:

Toddler (who somehow got hold of) + My Phone + This Yellow Liquid = trip to the cellular shop

How I dream of this fence for my Potty Trainee!

“Once upon a time, there was a boy who wanted to travel to places. One day, he thought of making a helicopter. He went to the hardware to buy screws, bolts and nuts, metal sheets, lights, wires… When he came home, he gathered all his tools - like his pliers, saw, wire cutter… And started to build a helicopter.”

Stories of creation.

For reasons I could not explain, I always tell my son stories of creation when he prods me to tell him a story. Usually but not always at bedtime. He’d say -Mama story of the …please. Example, he’d say “Story of the helicopter, please”

One time, while lying down on our bed, I asked my son: “What story do you want Mama to tell?”

I had thought  maybe it’s the helicopter again. Or the story of the plane. Or the candle like he’d sometimes ask. I was certain it would be any of these.

But

when

I heard

my son,

 I. couldn’t. believe. my. ears.

“Mama, story of the bowl please.”  

The bowl? I was taken aback.

“Uhm, you mean the toilet bowl?” I think my voice slightly wavered then.

I was really stumped when my son said yes. For the life of me, I could not think of anything to say about the bowl - the toilet bowl! Not a degree in engineering has prepared me for that kind of question!

I thought and thought and thought as my heart echoed bowl, bowl, bowl… And I think my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets with all the thinking.

P.S. In case you’re wondering, I did tell him something about the bowl - good mother that I am. *smirk* I hope he’d remember it so that one day, I can tell him how much effort I put into weaving that story.

Sounds familiar?

Oh, kids! They love to get hanged upside down, walk on either a tightrope or on shards of broken glasses and eat fire. An exaggeration. But aren’t they cute attention-seekers little entertainers?

My son is no different and I find myself playing along a willing audience to my cute daredevil’s antics. Imagine, the proud mother waving pompoms in the air! Though sometimes, with terror in my eyes. But generally, I don’t mind. And more so if the show is mental in nature - like identifying flags, opposites etc… I couldn’t be more ecstatic knowing that his mind is absorbing things like a sponge. I really don’t mind him showing off what he has learned - especially when he does that on his own accord. No prodding from anybody, no outside forces.

I only mind when someone prods him to. Like the affectionate grandmother.While I’m so grateful that I don’t have to leave my son to a stranger when I go to work (Thanks, Ma!), it bothers me when she starts showing off what Matt can do to guests who come by our house. I know she’s proud and amused that Matt knows this or that but my throat would start to hurt (as I swallow jagged and chunky words) everytime the affectionate grandmother turns into a ringmaster and directs the grandson like a circus star.

You just won’t hear me say “Tickets, anyone?” for this.

We all know what Lactacyd is. You know Lactacyd, right? Raise your legs if you know.

But in case you don’t know, this is Lactacyd.

Yes. Lactacyd, the feminine wash. That’s what I’m talking about.

I’m treading dangerous ground so okay, I’ll be careful.

One night, while I was talking with my son, he suddenly muttered.

“Lactacyd. For the va–”

Okay there was no pause. But I honestly held my breath for few seconds after the word “Lactacyd” came out.

Every cells in my body were listening to what he’s about to say next. Muscles, all tensed.

“…For the va-dy,” he finished.

One… Two… Three seconds.

Va-dy? Did I miss something?

Boy. Book. Band. Bag. Ball. Bad. Bbbbbb. Ba-be-bi-bo-bu. I’m sure he knows his B. I heard him enunciate Bs correctly.

But va-dy? Is that a new term or is there a new part now called va-dy?

“Lactacyd. For the va-dy.” That night, I left it at that.

Va-dy ha! Maybe I should start teaching the proper names of the Body Parts. Hmm? Tsk.Tsk.