Tuesday, March 31, 2009

wanted: manang

Manang, our household helper, left the other day. She had to go home to the province because her mom is at the hospital and the condition is quite critical. We felt sad when we learned about the news because Manang promised us right from the start that she won't leave us until Gab is 2 and a half already. We knew though that if there's an emergency that will require her to leave, we can't prevent her from leaving... and this one is the emergency that we thought we understood we were ready about.

Gab already got used to her... I got used to her also... and every one else in the house got used to her already. She's been with us for longer than every one else who became our elper.

We're back to the situation when we're on our own again. We're once again hit by the reality that household help is in demand.... one of the occupations that's not affected by the global crisis. hehehehe.

It's difficult to have a year and a half baby asking to play with you while you're washing the dishes or the laundry... but we're holding on until we find another manang.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

gab's first zoo adventure

we brought gab to the zoo for the first time the other day. everybody was excited. gab has been watching the barney at the zoo cd for quite a while now and he's almost memorized every animal that's featured in the cd. he learned a lot of tricks.

he stretches his arm upwards to act as if he's an elephant with a trunk and he makes a funny sound.
he acts silly like a monkey by scratching his chest with both hands.
he rests his hand on the nearest table or wall to stand on one foot like a flamingo.
he opens his mouth wide like the hippo’s.
he smiles a lot every time he sees all the favorite scenes on the "zoo" cd.

we were all excited to see how gab would act in front of the real animals. we were so happy to find out that unlike any other boys and girls of his age, he was not scared of the animals that he saw at the zoo. he pointed at each of the animals and he did all his tricks. he ran around the zoo.

until now, gab can't get over the happy experience yet. when we reached home, he was already asleep. but he woke up early the following day, asked his dad to watch the cd with him and watched over and over again. he was reminiscing, i'm guessing. =)

gab enjoyed the trip a lot. but mom and dad enjoyed it more to see how gab is learning fast and exploring... and enjoying along the way.

Friday, March 06, 2009

after the fifteen minutes, it was heaven

my husband arrived last week from a 3-month work assignment abroad. it was the longest three months we've had as a family. since our baby came, it was the first time my husband and i were away from each other. it was really a struggle.

when my brother brought me and my baby to the airport to fetch daddy, i was so worried. although my baby and his dad talk (and see each other) through skype everyday, i was still worried to find out the difference it will make when they face each other again. our baby was 1 year and 1 month when his dad left and now he's grown a lot bigger and he's learned a lot including identifying people and being aloof when faced with new faces.

one of the moms in the neighbourhood experienced this also some years back. she said that the only means of communication her daughter had (as a 2 year old baby) with her father was thru a voice call. when the father came, the baby did not want to be anywhere near her father unless the mother was also there. when the mom told me about the story a few days after my husband left, i thought it was not applicable to us since my baby has access to video calls and will get to see his dad every day. i can only imagine then how painful it was for the father.

when finally our baby saw his dad, i felt so sad for my husband. the first fifteen minutes that they were together was torture for us (me and my husband). i felt how my husband felt. after being away for quite a while, i knew that the first thing he wanted to do was to embrace and kiss our baby. but the problem was, gab was shocked when he saw his dad. he stared at his dad as if puzzled why his dad has grown so big since the day before... i guess he became used to the computer screen size version of his dad.

i was wrong about the neighbour when i thought my son will not feel different when he sees his dad again after being away for some time. but i guess the neighbour left the other half of the story untold.

the saying "love is sweeter the second time around" is true!!!
after the fifteen minutes, everything was heaven.

gab started to reach his dad on the front passenger seat of the car and he kissed his dad and they played on our way home.
when we arrived home, gab became very busy.

he showed his toys...
he showed the bed and pointed to his dad where he will sleep...
he showed almost everything to his dad...
it was as if he thought it's his dad's first time to be in the house.

the sweetest part is this, when i wake up at night.... my baby is sleeping peacefully on his dad's arm.. or sometimes he's just much closer to his dad and his hand is touching his dad's face. it's something new..

my baby indeed has learned a lot.
now he knows who's important to him.
now he knows whom he loves.
and i guess somehow, he values now something that most adult people don’t... he values the presence of the people he loves.

now i am most certain that one has to bear a sad, painful beginning to see and experience the real happiness, the real picture.

it's just so sweet to have a child. =)

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