Come join us in our nesting place.

This note is my reminder.

It never fails to put a smile on my lips but it also keeps me trying to be the best mom I can be.

One year. We’re giving my son one more  year of Philippine education before letting him move (out of the country). I hope he’ll be ready then. Actually, it’s not that he’s not ready now, it’s just that I  want to make sure he’ll be more than prepared to make the move. And I just want to make sure that when he does move, he can hack it “there.” Although he always tells me he loves to live down under, I’m sure he’ll be missing home. He’ll surely be missing his friends here. Who knows what else he’d be missing in his young mind. (Oh he mentioned he’s concerned that we have to leave his new car behind. As in he asked, ” What about our new car?” Lol). But seriously, I know preparing him for the move will be good for him, and I’m just praying for things to work out in one year. I don’t know really know how schools operate down under (as much as I do with schools here), or what type of school he’ll be enroled in,  but I hope it’s great like the www.queenethelburgas.edu.

Also, if things work out well in the coming months (and until this school year ends), we might not transfer him in a boys school next school year  (although we’ve contemplated on this). But we’ll see. It might equally be good for him to just stay in his old school.

One. Two. Three. Four. Dear daughter is four-months old already. Four months! Oh how time flies. It feels like it was only yesterday though. Everything’s still fresh to me. Pregnancy and all.

I still remember the routine bloodworks I had.  They scare me. Imagine having four extractions in one day! I did. That was for the Glucose Tolerance Test.  

I remember  seeing a couple of  doctors –the OB & the Endocrinologist– alternately every so often. It’s nothing personal but I don’t like it. Besides, going to a hospital gives me anxiety attacks.

Five, six months ago, I was trudging like hippo with my oversized belly. I was huge and I swear the ground quakes everytime I walk on it.  Nonetheless, I continued eating biggie meals. *smiles*

During the last trimester, I felt so heavy already I couldn’t really wait for the big day to come. During this time, I was making mad dashes to the CR every 30 minutes, but failing miserably everytime. Sounds embarassing, but I got the “leaks”. I did say “excuse me for smelling like the toilet bowl,” right? Sheez.    (Lately, I discovered I could have avoided this “embarassing moments” but that’s another story for later.)

But anyway, in the 9th month, I remember feeling anxious and excited. Everyday. I wondered when and how I’d deliver the baby. On the day I’d deliver the baby, I was real scared. Good thing the dependable hubster  was there to keep me calm. We were cracking jokes even while in the labor room! 

July19 eleven-something. It was one of the most unforgettable moment of my life.  I remember the pain; it was excruciating. The tears (I don’t fancy waiting for my OB when already “crowning”); unexpected.  ANd then hearing the cries of my dear daughter. It  was unforgettable. Totally.

I had a surprising thought fleeting through my mind this afternoon as I was supervising Matt  and his friend during their “quiet” activity (of coloring and solving puzzles).

I wondered if I’d make a good teacher. Had I opted for the teaching profession (like my mother) instead of engineering, would I be successful? Surprising thought, since I vowed not to follow my mother’s footsteps when I was a lot younger and still choosing my career path.

But looking at the kids as they work on finishing their tasks, I was inspired. Somehow, the responsibility of looking after them,  of making sure a good the outcome of our little time together was unexpectedly inspiring. Oh I don’t know if what I’m saying  makes sense but let’s me put it like this. Our time together this afternoon  inspired me to teach, to encourage, and to inspire them back. And I wish all teachers feel the same way with their students. They should.

But  as I write that, a disheartening incident in my son’s school come to mind. I don’t want to elaborate but it must have been traumatic for my son to say the least. It pains me to remember all that and this I have to say, witnessing it was a bit traumatic for me too, prompting us (hubs and I) to consider transferring Matt to a boys school, which is our first choice of school for him. We are so disappointed but ‘thought it would be practical to wait until this school year ends before making a final decision.

Now back to my time with the kids this afternoon. I realize that even if I’m not a “true” teacher, I believe I can inspire, teach, mold them by just being a good parent, or a friend, or  a plain wannabe-teacher to them.  The world is really a huge classroom and Life will always gives us the opportunity to teach. Right?  I surprise myself with these thoughts really (and what I just wrote).

But I must say kids have the uncanny ways of inspiring us. And of making us change our hearts.   Sometimes, with their resilience; other times, with their stubborness. Sometimes with their innocence and most of the time with their wisdom.    

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.