Christmas Vacation

Two days and we're off to Tuguegarao. I am as excited as my girls to see everyone back home. We will be celebrating the Holidays with our "Families" and this is something that we're all looking forward to since we came back from Dubai.


Before we go home though, I have to do a checklist of all the things that need to be done or bought or washed or accomplish and it is enough to make one a nervous wreck. Shopping? Done but not complete. I'm happy that we bought our girls gifts that they themselves chose. We just had to wrap it without them knowing that we bought it afterall. Thank God it's cheaper than those Baby Alive dolls advertised in Nick Jr. As for our nephews and nieces, we decided to just give them money. The malls are packed with people. Everyone's in a rush to buy gifts and when you have two small children in tow, shopping is never easy and enjoyable. Now for the packing....almost complete and it's doing well. Whew!


Going home for the holidays when you know it's going to be all about celebrations, gatherings, a lot of food, cold days and nights and just the thought that everyone is in happy mode makes me feel excited to go home despite the 10-hour bus trip we have to take. I just hope we won't be late again and be left by the bus like last year.

Bonding Moments

Two weeks has passed since our helper left and unlike before I feel happier just having me and my husband take care of the kids. I admit I do have trouble completing the daily chores but my patience has somehow doubled if not tripled.


Having the kids to myself while Tatay is at work gives me alot of bonding time with them. We do all things together and even my trip to the loo is something that they believe should also be monitored including my time in the shower room. I'm getting used to 2 pairs of eyes watching me while I do what I have to do in this room. I'm getting used to it now, well almost.


I am enjoying these times with my girls. It is tiring but at the end of the day, knowing that they are safe, healthy and happy are two of the most important things for me. It is something that I want most not only for my girls but for the whole family.

Burn-ing Knowledge

After 16 days, my Ina and I are on our way to full recovery, physically that is. Having this kind of traumatic experience gave me and my husband enough knowledge to know what to know, what to expect and what should be and should not be done to burns. As they say, knowledge is power and thank God for the internet, researching is made easier and more accessible.


Our Ina had second degree burns, I had first. Burns can be due to scalding, electrocution, chemical and fire. Our case was scalding due to hot water. Burns have three types:first, second and third. First degree is characterized by superficial burns. In my experience, I felt this stinging pain and redness and minor swelling can be seen. Healing time should take only 3-6 days. Second degree burns, on the other hand are characterized by redness, severe pain, blisters and in my daughter's case some falling off of skin. Healing period is 2-3 weeks. After two weeks, we are thankful my daughter's are almost healed. While third degree burns are the worst. They appear dry, waxy, leathery and the victim can feel little or no pain at all since the nerves are also damaged. Healing time is longer and skin grafting is needed.


So what does one do when he gets "burned?" In our case, we put toothpaste to a little part of Ina's burnt skin which turned out to be a little dangerous because this may increase the risk of infection. So much for the old school practice, it turned out to be a myth. I washed her arm with water from the faucet which turned out to be the right thing to do but was not able to remove her clothing immediately as I didn't know she had more serious burns in her torso and leg. Now we know that removing clothes and washing for at least 3-5 minutes helps. Seeing her serious burns, we immediately rushed to nearby Makati Med. She was given anaesthesia/pain reliever/sedative through injection because they needed to disinfect her wound. We were washed with sterile water from a medical bottle then a cream was generously applied which is called silver sulfadiazine or flammazine then was covered with a damp gauze followed by a dry one. This was a relief for me because the pain was somehow diminished but I still asked for an oral pain reliever.


The first 24-36 hours is crucial for any burn victim because it will determine the severity of the wound. My case was a little of that sort because a part of my previously first degree burn "progressed" to second degree burn characterized by a blister. It is also important to have a regular check-up or monitoring by a doctor, a surgeon in this case that can check for the wound's state. It somehow helped that we got a pretty cool doctor, who also happens to be the husband of my girls' pediatrician, emphasized to us the importance of cleaning the wound. It also helped that he has this reassuring and "positive" character that lessened our worries. Wounds should be washed with clean water without soup at least twice a day. We didn't take chances, we washed Ina with purified water. It is important to note that washing here means pouring water on the wound to wash out the cream that accumulated on the wound so as to leave it clean again for the next application of flammazine. Dar generously applied cream to the wound and when I say, generously, I really mean A LOT. I believe the fast healing time of my Ina's wounds was due to this antibiotic/antibacterial cream and the attention we put into everything that comes in contact of her wound. Everything was sanitized and disinfected. These were open wounds and they are very susceptible to infection so, again, we don't want to take chances.


Ina's injection didn't make her sleep during the process and she was uneasy and crying but otherwise still calm for her age. She showed tremendous bravery all throughout that still leaves me in awe until now. Her discomfort and pain didn't diminish her laughter, her energy, her naughtiness and charm. More than anything the ordeal made our family stronger. It was a trying time for me and my husband but it made us closer than ever. Without Dar, I couldn't imagine surpassing this. And with Prayers and God's Good Grace my daughter and I are recovering really fast.

Ina's Song

This is my Ina's favorite song while she is recuperating from her burn wounds.

Imagine a two-year old girl singing this while her Nanay is putting medicine to her wounds. I just feel like posting this song because she sang it at a time when I needed it most.


This might be her way of saying, " Everything will be alright, Nanay."


"Be brave little one.
Make a wish for each sad little tear.
Hold your head up though no one is near
Someone's waiting for you.
Don't cry little one.
There'll be a smile where a frown use to be
You'll be part of the love that you see.
Someone's waiting for you.
Always keep a little prayer in your pocket
and you're sure to see the light.
Soon there'll be joy and happiness
and your little world will be bright
Have faith little one
'Til your hopes and your wishes come true.
You must try to be brave little one.
Someone's waiting to love you. "


My brave, little Ina.

A Mother's Birthday Wish

Today I am 35. I can't exactly say it's a happy day for me today because I'm still recovering emotionally, mentally and physically. How can one feel happy and celebrate when six days ago, my Ina and I had a traumatic scalding accident at home?


It was an accident, yes but one that could have been avoided if only our helper's mind wasn't flying. Ina has second-degree burns in her right torso and right upper leg while I have a first degree burn in my right arm. It was a painful experience seeing my daughter's face and hearing her shriek of pain that until now, I can still hear and recall everything. I can still recall the scene that transpired when I ran to the bathroom to wash my daughter's hand not knowing that there were more serious burns in her tummy and leg which were covered with her pajamas. My cry of pain and momentary weakness when I removed her pants to discover the skin falling off from her skin. I fainted. My husband was shouting, Amber was crying, our maid was saying sorry also crying. Everything was a mixture of sadness, worry, pain, anger, confusion and a whole lot more.


Today is my birthday and I'm entitled to cry and share my feelings if I want to. I cry everyday and everytime I see my daughter's wounds. I cry when she suddenly cries and have done everything but she still continues crying. I cry when I can't help her in her pain. I cry when I see her brave face even when I know it is painful. Such a brave girl, my Ina. As my mother says, she's braver than me.


My fervent wish today is for my daughter to get well soon, may my family always be safe, healthy and happy.

Trick or Treat and a Musicale

October 28. This day started with so much excitement and preparation the day before. Amber and Ina went trick or treating at Toddlers Unlimited along with the other kids. They visited some establishments like Starbucks, Metrobank in the school's building. Clad in their recycled fairy costumes, Amber as the green pixie and Ina as a rose fairy, they were happy to see the other kids donning their own exciting costumes. It lasted for almost 3 hours but the good vibe lasted until the end of the day.

October 30. AM. This was officially the last activity before the first term ends in Amber's school, it was their United Nations Day program. Lola Betty had especially asked a local costurera in Tuguegarao to make a balintawak filipiniana costume for Amber. It was a hit to her teachers and some friends. The costume wasn't the only good thing that happened that day, it was Amber's performance in their class' rendition of "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. She was really participating and singing with actions along with her 5 classmates and she did it well, too. We were, of course, proud parents once again.

PM. We had tickets for a play on Pirates, Mermaids and a Musical Presentation. It was a show featuring an orchestra playing music related to pirates, the sea and mermaids. It was a one-hour show but we were there two hours before the show so the girls can go trick or treating (again!) and play/pet with the various musical instruments used in the orchestra. Like the Jack and the Beanstalk play, the kids get to participate in the musicale through dancing and singing and answering the Pirate's questions with an "Aye, Aye, Sir" and " Ahoy!" It was a short play but

worth it. They behaved, participated and had fun.

This year's Halloween was more exciting for the kids. The joy in their faces when they receive some treats is something worth remembering. Just wearing those fairy wings made them feel that one special day. It didn't matter that they wore the same attire that they wore last year. It was more than just the costume, it was the spirit of having fun getting sweets,candies and trinkets with the other kids. I know this will be the start of some more exciting Halloween season that the girls will look forward to.

My Vanity

I wish I could look like Angelina Jolie. Perfect hair, very good skin, great body....just perfect that it's too good to be true. Just wondering how they do it. Is it genes? Lifestyle? Science?


After two pregnancies I wasn't exactly expecting to go back to my "original" self. After Amber, I had a hard time coping with falling hair, eyebags and stretchmarks. Then came Ina and the imperfections increased ... some things were just not the same anymore. Wrinkles, varicose veins, cellulite, Jello-like tummy, more stretchmarks and the list just goes on and on.


At 34, I am becoming more conscious of the way I look. Call me vain but I like myself more when I feel good and confident about the way I look. I am a relatively low-maintenance lady but my sister and mother think otherwise. Okay, okay I do admit to being addicted to body scrubs, to waxing and to some other things but I do this instead of drowning myself with envy at all those hot mamas. I made a promise to myself to take care of myself more especially when I'm not getting any younger. I do watch what I eat. I must admit when I feel bloated, I do the after-six diet and with this I make it a point to at least hit the gym thrice a week. I also tried yoga for wellness. I wasn't exactly born with good skin so I have to at least make an effort to improve it. I don't have a perfect figure because I'm more on the skinny side so having a bulging tummy with a bony figure isn't really pleasing to the eye. If this puts me under the vain category then I'm guilty as charged.


Being a fulltime mommy is not an excuse to being a fulltime "losyang." It's not an excuse to having no time or money to take care of one's self. I do my exercising in our building's gym and if I want to hit two birds with one stone, I jog while my girls are enjoying the playground at nearby Salcedo Park. I do my own body scrubbing from a tube that I bought in a local supermarket and I get to do this anytime without even leaving the house. I must admit I plan to do something about my undereye bags but for now I just have to make do with my Avon eye cream. I do need my rebonding every six months but I'm thinking of buying a weekly hair treatment cream instead. If only there's a cheaper alternative as effective as diamond peel...hmmm.


These things take a lot of effort and patience and a little... money? My husband's not complaining so I'm happy. He is the supportive type when it comes to this...if I say something like this, " Hon, can I have a rebond next month?" The reply is always "Okay." If that is not being supportive than I don't know what is.... and then he'll say, "Let's check the budget first." Tsk,tsk. I can delay these things but I still get it anyway and again Patience pays. I may never look like Angelina but I can still try to look good and feel good at the same time. I do this for myself and not to please anyone but I also feel good when my husband looks at me admiringly and when my little Amber tells me that she likes my shirt or my hair. You can never put a price to that.

Sad Reality

Today I watched a sad video on famine posted by a friend in Facebook. It showed two Ugandan children left crawling, stricken with polio, malnourished and very hungry while their 8-year old big sister went to fetch water from a faraway place to bathe them with. She takes care of her siblings because their parents were not there anymore. They were too weak to stand up and were crying because of hunger and pain. I was near tears watching the video and I thought to myself what if they were my kids?


Seeing the kids in such a helpless situation just broke my heart. I was especially touched by the eldest's sense of responsibility at such a very young age. I only felt relieved knowing that these three kids were "rescued" and were fed and are now in good hands enjoying being kids which should be the only thing that they should be thinking about in the first place. But still, the thought of more kids suffering from hunger makes me really sad because I can only watch and can't do anything. I cannot blame the parents who can't provide for them because they too must have suffered a lot just seeing their kids suffering but cannot do anything to help them.


This is a harsh reality of extreme hunger felt by small children in Africa and even in the Philippines. It is sad to know while these kids are dying, some people governing still have the nerve to live excessively. Because of this I am even more thankful for the simple things that my family has now. It has opened my eyes to be more appreciative of whatever comes in our way. It has made me realize how lucky my kids are because we, their parents, will always make sure that they are well provided for and taken cared of even after death.

Lola for All Seasons

They call her Lola Betty. She turned 59 last September 30. A year before she finally retires from her work, I hope.


Other than the wrinkles and hearing problem, she can still run after her small apos. She's your typical Lola who spoils her apos. She has the patience that even I can't seem to have. She went all the way to Dubai when Amber was one month. She was with me when my Ina was born. She readily flies to wherever her apos are and whenever we need her. She is a one-of-a-kind lola who at her age owns a Friendster account. A cool Lola indeed. My girls are her 4th and 5th apos and I can proudly say, they are very lucky to have such a devoted and loving lola.


My Mama is someone I can talk to anytime. I may sometimes make fun of her and still she doesn't complain. I may sometimes scold her but still gets to smile at me. We may not agree with some things but this doesn't diminish my respect and love for her. She understands my moods, she knows my likes and dislikes, she knows what I need even without asking. When she's around, I feel safe and secured. She loves me, Dar and the girls unconditionally, hands up. I won't be surprised if I turn out to be like her when I grow old which I don't mind at all.


She has this magic with her apos that endears her to them. I just wish that she gets to live to see her apos grow old. I always, always pray for her good health so she gets to run after the boys that will try to run after our girls.

Amber's Milestones

Katherine Amber was born at 4:50 am at Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai. She weighed 3.11kgs and looked like me. She is our firstborn and last Oct. 3 she turned 4.


Your first is always unforgettable, as they say. As first time parents then, I can still remember how "perfectly careful" we were. Everything she used must either be sanitized, washed thoroughly, sterilized or boiled for 10 minutes. We carried her with a white bird's eye cloth draped over our shoulders. We bought everything that was what we thought was the best for our little bundle of joy: Zapp/Quinny strollers, Pegpegperego high chair, Samsonite diaper bags.


I breastfed Amber for 14 months. It wasn't exclusive because I also introduced bottle feeding when she was 6 months or so when I tried working. Her sixth month was the month of new things for her. We gave her solid foods when she was 6 months. She had Farley's rusks, Cerelac and Gerber. Upon the advice of her pediatrician at American Hospital, she was only given water when she was 6 months. This may seem odd and new to others but our daughter turned out okay and survived without it. The explanation was that breastmilk is enough as substitute for water. We only gave her eggs and tomatoes when she was 6 months because these are the foods that some babies are most allergic of.


Amber started walking when she was 11 months. At 2, she has travelled to the US with us and has seen snow. She started schooling at 3 and seems to enjoy it. She stopped using diaper without potty training. Now, we believed what her British pediatrician told us, small kids do decide when they're ready to go diaper-free. My participation on this was just to have a pep talk on the benefits of not using diaper, nothing else. If only we can convince her to just drink milk one or twice a day from the glass. That's another target for me before she reaches 5... cross fingers.


Looking at my eldest and seeing how well she's growing up, I feel proud of the way we are raising her up. She is a cute, shy, smart, healthy 20-kilo girl who is looking more like her Tatay. I may not have all the answers to her questions now but I try to answer it as best as I can...child-friendly, of course. For every milestone in her life, I'll make sure I'll be there. For me, these are the moments that are priceless.

Lessons from Andoy and Pepeng

We're home. Happy to be back to our normal life after two typhoons. It was one unforgettable week.


While my native province of Cagayan was heavily damaged by the second typhoon Pepeng. I was still thankful that our old house survived the strong winds and rain. Can't say the same with our ilang-ilang tree and the some of our fruit trees though. Typhoon Ondoy, on the hand was not that strong but it has caused me and my family to flee from our building due to the flood that it has caused our basement where the main switch was located. I was pissed off. Having no electricity is something I can somehow bear but having no water was a different story especially when you have small kids. So a decision was made later that day that we had to stay at my in-law's house somewhere in Quezon City until power is restored.


On our way to QC, I was surprised by the damages that it has caused the metro. Listening to our cab driver tell us stories and the areas flooded with water and seeing the many buses and cars at the side of the EDSA road being towed after it got flooded made me realized that we were fortunate enough to lose just electricity and water. It was also fortunate that when we arrived at my mother-in-law's empty house there was power and the only sign of the flood was the muddy floor.


The continuous rain left so many people homeless. Rich and poor, young and old had the same stories of houses covered with water, cars swept away by the water current, staying overnight on their roofs, etc. The news showed panic, chaos, loss, sadness, trauma. I felt anger at the way the government is handling the situation. I felt relieved that private companies like ABS-CBN worked so fast and orderly in helping the typhoon victims. I felt ashamed because I complained of our lack of power when a lot of people were trying to survive the flood not knowing what's instore for them after Ondoy left. A lot of emotions but one thing is for sure, I know we can survive this...again, as always.


Sept. 29's tragedy was a wake up call for every Filipino. It taught us a lesson on the effects of little things like proper garbage disposal and cutting off trees. The wrath of Mother Nature is something that must not be ignored anymore. It has opened everyone's eyes , hands and hearts. I was touched by the different stories of heroism, generosity, kindness. The spirit of "bayanihan" or helping each other was rekindled everywhere. When I watched the news, it showed a lot Filipinos still smiling inspite of. This is what makes us different from the rest of the world. This is what sets us apart from the others.


Something was learned from this. Something was gained and something was revived. We will never waver, we will never give up. We always pick up the pieces and start anew. We are Filipinos after all and I'm proud to be one.

Our Tatay

We call him Tatay. I call him Honey when I'm sweet, Dar when I'm serious and Darwin when I'm angry. Tsk!tsk!tsk! He has and is always my number one critic, my better half, my bestfriend. For his daughters, their other choice when Nanay turns her back on them.


Our Tatay is the simplest person I know. He is unassuming, humble, kind, responsible and most of all a loving father. He is the only breadwinner in our family but that doesn't deter him from providing for not only the needs of the family but also the wants and little luxuries of our kids. Who would think to stay at a hotel across Disneyland so we can visit it anytime during our 5-day stay at California before we jet back to NY? Who would think of buying "gadgets" like PSP and Nintendo DS Lite for a 2 year-old girl? It's all him. But this does not mean that he is spoiling the girls....no,no,no. He is not as lenient as he seems because there are certain limits to all these. He takes joy in seeing his girls dancing, singing, giggling, enjoying themselves and even when they are at their worst fighting and shouting at each other and most especially when telling or rather shouting at him outside our door that he's handsome everytime he leaves the house with all our neighbours hearing it.


He was literally there when I gave birth to Amber holding my hand encouraging me and giving me strength to push, he was there to assist me after coming from work when I had a hard time taking care of our colicky Amber during her first month even when he needs to work the next day, we cried together when we had the down syndrome results for our Ina. In all the milestones, hardships, moments, happiness and blessings, he was always there and for that I am always grateful.


Our Tatay is the Best. He may not be the perfect father for others but he will always be a perfect one for us. He gives a lot for this family and continues to amaze me with all his decisions and great plans for this family.


Happy Birthday, Tatay. Thank you for everything. We will always be your No. 1,2,3 fans. We love you. J

Two for Ina

Ina turns two today. She's growing up to be the charming little girl that she is. She is your typical youngest who makes her mother melt and give in even if you're in your worst or peak of anger with just her "I love you" and miniature hugs and kisses.


She was born at 6:20pm in a public hospital in my province. She weighed 3.21 kgs through nvd (normal vaginal delivery). Looking back, I remembered the two (yes, TWO!) injections of anaesthesia that they gave me in which until now I still believe is the cause of my occasional memory lapse. I also remembered the 5-6 faces (composed of my OB, Pedia, nurse, medical residents, etc.) that were staring at me inside the delivery room and when I say stare, I mean peer and examine that part where my baby will come out. This was an embarrassing and unexpected set-up because it was a far cry from my previous "birthing" experience where only the midwife, doctor and my husband were inside the delivery room. Makes me wonder what the real standard setup should be or if there are different SOPs in different parts of the world. Whew! I guess I just have to try another country next time.


The birth of Ina is something extra special for me and my husband. She was conceived when we weren't really planning to have one although we weren't really exerting much effort to control having another one. When I was on my 14th week of conception, we were asked by my Indian Ob-Gyne, who is a well-known OB in Dubai, if we wanted to test my baby for Down Syndrome. Beats me what her reasons are for randomly asking us to do so. Confidently, we obliged knowing that it would turn out negative. Unfortunately, my blood test came out positive with a 1:200 chance caused us too much sadness and worry. Then, came another blood test for confirmation which turned negative this time. With this, my doctor, my husband and I decided to just have the final and most accurate test which is the amniocentesis to ease our confusion with the two different results. This test will be administered by an ob/amnio specialist trained specifically for this. The test will require no anaesthesia at all and will just take a few minutes. The procedure will require the doctor to insert a huge empty syringe four or five times bigger than your ordinary injection where he gets 10cc of amniotic fluid from my belly with the guidance of the ultrasound closely monitoring my baby Ina. It was my longest 5-minute test and the most painful, physically and mentally maybe because this came with the thought of maybe giving up our baby by abortion. But our agony didn't stop there, we still have to wait for the result after 3 days and this was the most emotionally tiring days in my life because the result might mean not seeing the birth of our youngest.


We were blessed. We did not have to go thru another emotional episode. The result was negative and the go signal was given. After all the emotional rollercoaster that me and my husband went through, the end of it was the sweetest. Then everything went well as God has planned.


We named her Kaitlin Alaina. The initials KA was sorta spin-off from Katherine Amber's, our eldest. Katherine and Kaitlin, are the same in meaning but of different origins. Ina's names are of Irish origin where Kaitlin means Pure while Alaina means Dear Child. For us, after all the ordeal that we had to undergo before her birth, there is no better name to describe our youngest but the above.


.....Dear God, thank you for giving us our dear, dear Ina. In your hands, we took a little angel who will forever be a reminder of Your Grace. With your guidance, protection and love, we promise to nurture, protect and love her for the rest of our lives.J

A Playful Experience

Thursday was a "Jack and the Beanstalk Day." It was something that Amber was looking forward to since she learned that she's going to watch something different. Different from her usual Disney and Nickledeon shows, that is.


We went to watch the play from the Repertory Philippines and Amber had a wonderful time. It wasn't her first time to watch a play but it was the experience of watching it with her Toddler friends and classmates that made it an extra special experience. Preparing her for the play was something that I had to make sure though. Her previous experience was a year ago when she watched Aladdin at Disneyland and it wasn't a pleasant experience because she got scared with all the effects and we had to hug her and carry her on our lap all throughout the play. She also has this habit of asking a lot of questions when watching something from the television and the thought that she might do the same in the theatre might irritate the others. I really have to walk her through with what to expect and how to behave and I was proud of the result.


The play took almost 1 1/2 hours but the colorful, entertaining and interactive play made the kids respond to it positively. It was presented in a more modern twist. The audience, composed mostly of kids, was asked to participate every now and then by the characters by inviting them to help the Giant make a decision, dance and even play baseball with him. It was an effective "set-up" because even my Amber wanted to go onstage and dance with the cast which was very surprising knowing how shy my daughter is and mind you, the theatre wasn't small at all. She was even answering with the kids when asked by the Giant. She was mesmerized by the effects and the characters as well.


So, what did I get from this experience? A lot, actually. It made me realize that my daughter is almost a big girl. She is starting to be considerate to other people. She is starting to learn how to behave properly in a different situation and looking at her enjoying and maybe, just maybe, understanding what she is watching made me realize that I just witnessed another milestone in my eldest's life. For me, a school activity like this is a positive way to introduce the kids to the wonders of visual entertainment other than the tv. It is a fun and enjoyable way to learn about family values rather than reading the book for them. Yes, it is an expensive alternative to reading but the unique experience of watching it will somehow hasten their understanding of how some things are and introducing it to them in a way that they can relate to.J

A Wedge-y Incident

"Natapilok ako!" And my right ankle really hurts but I was lucky that my girls were not badly hurt.

We went to the mall today to do some shopping. As we were walking, I was carrying my Ina with my right arm while I was holding Amber with my left, I tripped with my white wedge shoes pulling Amber with me as I fell on the pavement. Ina was unharmed but Amber has a scrape on her left temple. I almost fainted because of the pain that I felt on my ankle but I didn't notice this at first because my foremost concern were my kids. I had to check if Amber's "booboo" was okay and when I was assured that it was just a scrape, the pain started to sink in. Dar, my husband, was concerned but kept on asking me what happened to me but I just can't explain it because I was still in shock.

Flashback 2005..... Amber was almost two months then when she fell from her stroller at one of the malls in Dubai. I was pushing the stroller when her birds-eye cloth ("lampin") which we use to wipe her fell and of course I have to pick it up but as I did, I mistakenly pulled down the stroller's handle with me which made my daughter fall because she wasn't fatened to her seatbelt. As soon as I saw blood oozing from her left temple, I became hysterical that I was repeatedly saying, "My baby! My Baby!," and just lost it. Instead of having the presence of mind of bringing her to the nearest clinic, I was there sitting on the floor holding Amber while crying. Dar helped me up while my Mom held on to Amber as the mall crew assisted us to a room where we waited for the medics to arrive. I was inconsolable because of shock and worried sick because of the thought of the damage that it might have caused to our daughter's head. The doctor, who was a Local (term for Emirati) and the Filipino male nurse assured me that Amber seemed fine because she was responding and still crying which are good signs after a bad fall. We werent' able to sleep that night because we have to observe her for any unusual signs. Good thing, the following day was her scheduled vaccination/consultation with her doctor. After her pediatrician reassured us that she's okay and can still have her vaccination, I felt relieved. I thought I was going to lose my daughter and worried sick of what the impact of the fall might be. We were blessed.

2009.......The pain is still there but am temporarily "cured" with the meds. Other than the pain in my ankle, it was the thought that I almost put my kids' life in danger (again!!!) that made me realize just how much pain I can endure for my kids. It also made me realize that when you're in a situation that needs your presence of mind, it's just normal to go blank as if everything stopped that you cannot think of anything else except that moment of "weakness." As a mom, this is a no-no but who can blame me for being. I made a promise to myself tonight to always, always have that presence of mind when I'm with my kids. Although I am not totally lacking on that aspect. I just don't want to have a third of this kind to ever happen again.

For now, I just have to apply cold compress and take mefenamic acid. I just might forgo with the wedge thing and just be safe and happy with my good old reliable flats.J

Sisters Forever

Amber is "Ate" ( Tagalog word for older sister) and Ina is "Ading" (Ilocano term for younger sibling). Amber only started to realize that she doesn't have all our attention anymore when Ina started walking, she started to realize that everything must always be equally divided into two and that she must give way to her sister because she is younger. This for me is not an easy phase because they are still kids and even if you explain it to them a thousand times it will still take time and a lot of patience.


This young, they are showing signs of their personalities. Amber is your typical eldest child. She is showing signs of being domineering. Ina, on the other hand, is showing her sweetness with a brat-like attitude. Both are constantly fighting over my full attention, my "lay-lay" (lullaby dance), my piggy-back, my horsey-horsey, etc. When they don't fight, which happens twice or thrice out of the ten times that they play together, their sweetness usually lasts in like a minute or two then they are back to their not-so-cute selves. Nowadays, there are more shouting, pushing, hair-pulling, scratching and all those "little" dirty tricks. As a fulltime mom, I get to see most of these tricks with a worried, questioning and wondering look. Worried because I am thinking if I taught them wrongly that they resort to "violence" in expressing their feelings; questioning because I wanna know fast how to best deal with fighting toddlers, the toddler way; and wondering if my sister and I used to fight this way when we were toddlers. But of course, our mother cannot answer me because she has always been a working mom and she didn't have the "luxury" of always watching us go through all those childish acts/antics. I, on the other hand, can still remind my girls that hurting each other is not nice and that they should treat each other "lovingly,"...... if only these words don't go into deaf ears. But, when they do "volt in," I become the odd girl out. Ina is becoming an avid fan of her Ate that she imitates, follows and can even be pacified by her Ate with just a hug. For now, I just have to keep on reminding them that they should always look after each other. I may sometimes get frustated when I always have to remind them of this but they are still kids afterall.


I have 3 siblings. I can't say we're really close but I have to believe that they look up at me being the eldest and more "sane" among us. My brothers until now I still don't get. My sister is another story. Liezl and I were not that close when we were younger maybe because of the age gap or just maybe because we have different personalities. For so long, I thought my sister was different from me. In a way, I still think she is. But motherhood must have made her mellow down from her usual defiant self or, was it me that motherhood had tamed? I don't actually remember us literally hurting each other when we were little but I also don't exactly remember us being openly close to each other. She was your typical outgoing, outspoken, party-like girl while I was your typical "Manang" who'd rather stay at home and watch tv. We just don't like the same things, well, almost. But, now that we're both married, with kids and more matured (I believe), we appreciate each other more. Having gone through the same situation of having babies away from our Mama and all the other convenience and comfort of Home, we somehow understand each other more now. We can cry, laugh and talk about anything now thru chatting or thru the phone. I love my sister, more than she knows. I love all my siblings, more than they know. I might be harsh sometimes or just too frank but beneath all those scoldings and do-not-care attitude, I really do care and worry about them. Having a sister is something special because there will always be a special connection.


My girls now are like us, Liezl and I. Despite the bickering, shouting, crying, "violence" and differences, we still find something that binds us. Something that friends cannot give or even our husbands cannot understand. Ates take care of their Adings and Adings will always, always look up at their Ates. We are girls, we are mothers, we will always be Sisters..... forever.F

The Hair Issue

One of Amber's teachers told me a funny story about her after school today. According to her, while they were all seated listening to one of their teachers, Amber who was seated behind one of her classmates was doing something amusing. They noticed her seriously looking at the head of her boy classmate who recently shaved his hair leaving him almost hairless or in Amber's term "bald." This boy happens to be one of Amber's favorite classmates and they found it really funny when they saw her pointing at his head as if wanting to touch what was left of his hair. Amber is known to be a shy girl in school so something like this is totally unexpected of her.

Amber's fascination of bald people is something not new to us. Whenever she sees a man without hair or what's left of it, she calls it "bald." The funny "incident" above wasn't her first time too. One time when we went to the mall, we saw a middle-aged man walking a few meters ahead of us when she noticed him then she turned to me in her normal voice and said, " Nanay, why is the man bald?" Of course, I was surprised and a little embarrased because the man might have heard her but if he did, he didn't show it and just walked normally as if not hearing anything. Funny or not, I still had to tell her that it's not right to embarass or tell something like that out loud because she might hurt someone's feelings.

My daughters' curiosity with hair might have started from seeing their Tatay having hair in his chin or between his nose and lips. It must have also started when they saw him taking pictures of his "vanishing" hair one day to check how serious the depletion was. Or, from my waxing session at Laybare where I take them (Yes, my two little girls!) with me. It's one of those starting-it-early bonding time to a waxing salon and mind you, they enjoy it. They join me inside the cubicle while the waxing lady does her job of yanking my underarm hair which they're getting used to seeing. The first time they joined me, Amber asked me why there's hair in my armpit and when I told her all grown-ups have it she tells me she doesn't want to have hair in her armpit,too. Ina, on the other hand is still scared of the waxing lady that she thinks she's scarier than the waxing itself. Their closest personal encounter with the hair issue started when they had their first haircut and those were pleasant ones with Dora and Barney entertaining them while sitting on a spaceship and a car with no pain involved.

What's with the hair anyway? We adults take our hair seriously. Please note that when I talk of hair, I'm talking of the ones on our head, armpit, face and legs only. We groom it, we make it grow "gracefully," we get rid of the unwanted, the unruly and the unpleasant. For those with the lack of it, we try to salvage whatever's left of it. Kids, on the other hand, ask questions on the lack of it, the places where they "sprout" unwantedly and the things we do to take care of it. They also blurt remarks that are too frank or sometimes insulting but can get away with it just because they are too cute or too young. For now, I'll just leave these hair issues behind.

A Daily School Routine

It is one of those regular school days for my 3-year old Amber. Her Busy Bunnies class starts at 10:45 am. She was back to her usual looking-forward-to-an-enjoyable-school mood today unlike yesterday when she was screaming her heart out in telling me that she's not going to school.

Our daily routine in going to school is to take a cab that will take us to a short 5-minute ride to Toddlers Unlimited at Leviste St. from our abode at Malugay St., get off at Alpap 1 building then take the elevator to the 7th floor where the school is located. I bring her to the green room and after saying "I love you" to each other, I sit and wait for her at the couch in the waiting area for two hours.

For the next two hours, you may see me browsing at the magazines located at one of the shelves for all the mothers, aunties, yayas, lolas doing the same thing everyday for their little ones. I learned alot of things about the uniqueness of every child, mother and yaya that I've talked too and it is one of those times that I get to enjoy waiting because in return I learn something about life and living.

Thank God for Starbucks! If I feel sleepy or bored, I reward myself with an iced tea or hot chocolate with bagel and if I'm lucky I get to go with one of my mom-friends which for me is the start of worthy talks and discussions about child-rearing, wellness, "future" schools for our kids and almost any topic under the sun. This is fun for me because you get ideas, learn new things about something that you're not used to and somehow builds your confidence and self-esteem and gives you encouragement when you have something new you want to try and just don't have the guts to do so.

Anyway, today I changed my routine, I walked home to check on my one-year old daughter Ina who was left with a helper. I got 1 1/2 hours of spare time to be with her before I go back to Amber's school. I was able to bathe her and see her eat lunch and still have time to give her plenty of kisses before her Ate Amber comes home. Don't get me wrong but this is the only time that she gets to have my undivided attention and she loves it.

At 1:00 pm, I was back to fetch Amber. They were at the Romp Area for playtime and of course it was full of giggling, shrieking, running for the next 15 minutes of unadulterated fun. This time always ends with a goodbye song and they're off to get their chosen colored stamps to end their school day.

The walk to our house takes us 5-10 minutes depends on the number of dog poops that we have to "avoid" while walking on the sidewalk. The walk is something Amber enjoys despite the heat but the poop is another thing. She hates it. She doesn't understand why there are poops everywhere. She knows that sidewalks are for people not dog toilet. After much debate on why dogs poop anywhere, where to walk and if Tatay can just carry her so she won't step on the poop, we're finally home.

Another day in school learning and one more school day to look forward to..... for the week.

Summer Learning

Summer started early this year. As early as March, the heat was starting to irritate my Amber and Ina. How are we going to make it enjoyable for them without the sweating?


My husband and I thought of enrolling the kids in swimming classes but the schedule just wasn't right for us. I suggested ballet lessons but my husband objected to it. Needless to say, swimming was the only choice but we'll just do it after summer. We chose to wait after summer because our kids are not exactly "fans" of outdoor activities. They are more into indoor activities like writing, reading, playing with their toys, watching English Time. They enjoy going to the park with all the slides and swings and loved the pool when we went into one of those theme resorts but they are not exactly happy getting sweaty and being exposed to the sun.


Amber started her summer schooling mid-April at Toddlers Unlimited and she was not that excited at first but soon got the feel of it when she saw those toys and familiar faces. Their Jewel class will focus on the outdoors with summer activities and investigations of nature. We're hoping she will learn a lot and get to enjoy it, too. It is her second time to go to Toddlers and we're glad that she comes home happy.


Ina, on the other hand, just started her own summer learning. I started introducing her into one of Glenn Doman's flashcard lessons. My husband read about the method in the net and bought the books i.e. How to Multiply your Baby's Intelligence, How to Teach your Baby Math and How to Teach your Baby To Read for guidance. We wanna try it to see if it really works, anyway we won't lose anything if we do.


For me, summer with my kids whether spent indoor or outdoor, should be a summer spent wisely and fruitfully. It is a time for discovery and exploration with a lot of family bonding time, too.