Sunday, October 21, 2012

My Daughters

Meet the people who have changed my life for the better. These two precious little girls bring me so much joy and happiness! I know without a doubt I would do everything for them.

Ally, my 3 year old, is in the princess stage. Everything has to be pink and violet and purple. She loves Barbie, Strawberry Shortcake and all the Disney princesses. She is such an obedient little girl! She loves rules and makes sure everyone follows them. She is a firm believer of equality, what rules and privileges apply to her should also apply to the whole household. She is observant and has an amazing memory. She loves to dance, sing, play make believe and, believe it or not, do assignments.

Sofia is my 5 month old. She is already showing how assertive and strong her personality is. She already knows how to demand attention to get what she wants, and she is good at it! She is a persistent little girl, too. It is a joy to watch her try and practice new little things everyday. She repeats a skill over and over again (with cute little breaks in between) until she masters her new skill. Her current obsession is perfecting her rolling and crawling.

I have so much more stories about them, but let's leave it at this for now. I'm sure throughout the course of this blog you'll get to know them more. At least now you'll have a face to match my little tidbits about them.

Aren't they just the cutest little girls ever? I love them to bits!


Fire

Our household had quite a scare the other day. One of our fluorescent lights in the living room sparked and burst into a tiny flame. I actually saw the orange flame before the husband doused it in water. It was scary, I tell you. So many what-ifs came into mind! What if nobody noticed it early enough? What if the fire became too big to be stopped? What if it had happened in the middle of the night? Yikes! I am just so thankful that nobody got hurt and my family is safe.

During those 15 minutes, all my thoughts were to get the children out of harm's way. I'm so glad they were both sleeping and they didn't get to see the all the commotion and the panic and stress it caused. And I'm glad that I know for sure what I'll save first in case of emergency. There are times when I think I'm getting attached to some of our belongings, but now I'm sure that my priorities are in order.



Friday, October 19, 2012

Redirect

I just got off the phone with my dad and he (none too gently) reminded me of the ongoing law school applications. My dad has been pushing me to apply for months now, ever since my younger brother started law school this year. I almost always shrug and pass off a joke or two about me being too old for it.

You see, it was my childhood dream to be a lawyer. I was fascinated by shows like L.A. Law in the 80s and Ally McBeal in the 90s. I used to enjoy hanging out at my grandfather's home office and just look at his law books. I grew up thinking that my calling was law.

Then came the teenage rebellion years. My dad kept pressuring me to take a pre-law undergraduate course when it was time to apply for college. I was so annoyed that I chose the farthest away from pre-law; I chose engineering as my first option and math as my second. When I passed my first choice at UP Diliman, I took it as a sign that maybe I was destined for something else. Or maybe I was just vain enough and got thrilled that I got into a quota course. Whatever the reason was, I enrolled in a course that was not in my original life plan.

Engineering was a world I was not prepared for. I always had a sense that I was the odd person out, that I did not belong, that I was of a different mold. It didn't help that I had a tough time understanding my lessons. What came naturally for my peers took me days/weeks/months of intense studying. I knew after the first semester in college that I was in the wrong course, but there were circumstances involved (a boyfriend) that stopped me from changing my course. Later on it was too late for me to shift out. It was out of sheer stubbornness that I graduated from a course I didn't like. As much as I hated my course, I refused to fail and be kicked out. And I did graduate. I even took and passed the board exam. I have a diploma and a professional license to do something I didn't like.

I never used any of the things I studied (and slaved for) in college. I spent two years working as a biomedical engineer (that was what my visa said) where I sold and maintained medical devices. Then I worked as a product executive for a multinational company where one of my tasks was to educate doctors and nurses on my products. I read a lot of medical papers and studies. I gave countless talks to rooms full of doctors, surgeons and nurses. I visited several hospitals on a daily basis, and I was comfortable being inside the operating rooms, ICUs and wards. I even got to observe several operations, including a C-section, ACL replacement and several spine surgeries. I was also somewhat fluent in medical jargon, at least those that involved my product. I was in a totally different world.

I stopped working when I became a mom. Now my days are filled with diapers, breast feeding issues, potty training and nursery rhymes. Our television is almost always on Disney Junior or Baby TV. I talk about Pororo and Doc McStuffin. I talk in a sing-song voice. I have more crayons now than ballpens. The only doctors I talk to now are my OB-GYN and my daughters' pediatrician. Motherhood is not just a different world, it's a different universe!

I am nowhere near my childhood dream, but I love where I am right now. I don't mind not having a typical career. I am content with staying at home with my children. I love that I can be with them the whole day. It's not as flashy and as impressive as being called Attorney, but being a stay-at-home mom is the coolest job I have ever had. I'm happy where life has directed me so far. :)


Sunday, October 14, 2012

UP Acad Oval

I think most people know by now that the UP Acad Oval is closed to motor vehicles every Sunday. This makes it an ideal place for jogging, biking or just taking a leisurely stroll and breathing in fresh air. There are also grassy areas good for picnics and for letting toddlers and kids run around to expend their endless energies.

My husband had this "great" idea to go to UP this morning with Ally, Sofia and me. He said he needed exercise and that the kids would benefit from the fresh air and morning sun. I tried to beg off as the idea of carrying all 16.5 lbs of Sofia was already tiring to me, but Ally wanted to make a family thing out of it. She insisted that Sofia and I should watch her ride her bike. So I had no choice but to go.

We started by the College of Music and went around the oval counterclockwise.
It was nice at the beginning. The huge trees provided ample shade from the sun and there was a lovely early morning breeze. I had Sofia in our SaYa carrier and she seemed to enjoy her new adventure. She people-watched while thumb sucking. Ally was in her bike and Jojo was semi-jogging alongside her.

We saw a group of men playing bike-polo at the AS parking lot. There was a fun run and a family day event at the Sunken Garden. There were lots of families having picnics all over. It definitely didn't feel like we were in the city. It was a nice change of pace for all of us.

The novelty of it all soon to fade as Sofia's weight plus the heat took its toll on me. The last stretch from Engineering building back to Music was hard. It made me realize how out of shape I really am. I needed to sit down and have a drink as soon as we got back to our car. Good thing Jojo came prepared with a cooler filled with juice and sandwich wraps. I devoured mine in no time at all!

All in all, it was a good bonding activity for our family, and I think we will do this again soon. Maybe a couple more Sunday mornings like this and I can finally lose the last 5lbs of pregnancy weight I put on.


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Change

We have two househelps at home - Ate Emily, who has been with us for nearly 3 years, and Ate Diding, who has been with us for a year. Ate Emily is in charge of cooking and cleaning, and Ate Diding handles the laundry and helps me take care of my daughters.

I am not OC when it comes to our household. I don't dictate a schedule for them. I don't tell them how to do their chores. I don't have a meal plan to adhere to. I don't scold them when they do something wrong. I don't deduct their salaries if they break a glass or iron a hole on my shirt. I talk to them and treat them as equals.

I like to think that this easy and laid back style has worked well for us. Our household runs smoothly. There are no issues or dramas with the help. There are no abuses from either side. They seem happy to be here.

Things changed last Friday when Ate Diding told me of her plans to leave us by the end of the year. My heart dropped! My toddler adores her and my 4-month old infant is so comfy with her. And she is wonderful at home. She has initiative and anticipates our needs. She is hardworking and very patient when dealing with the kids. She has never shown her irritation or been short tempered, even at the height of my toddler's tantrums. My one complaint about her is that she is timid and needs a bit of taking care of when we're out. But other than that, she is ideal for me and our needs. So her leaving is a real blow to me.

She will be going back to her province to take care of her own kids. That should lessen my sadness. A mom is choosing to be with her kids over work, just as I had chosen. I should be happy for her. Well, I am. I am just terrified of losing an integral part of my life. I owe her my sanity these past few months as I transitioned to be a mom of two. I honestly cannot imagine how to deal with the kids without her help.

My husband is not as terrified as I am. He reacts to change so effortlessly, it's amazing. His reaction when I told him the news? He said okay and we'll just deal with it. That's it. Amazing, I tell you.

He is right, we will deal with it. We have no choice but to deal with it. I'm just not the best when dealing with change. I like things as they are, and change means things will get difficult before it becomes natural again. It's the difficult stage I am scared of.

A silver lining is that I have about 3 months to make adjustments. My sister said I should be grateful Ate Diding gave me more than enough time to do so. Most househelps just leave abruptly, with no consideration whatsoever of their impact to others.

I am grateful, but I am still terrified of what is to come.


Monday, October 8, 2012

Yellow

Meet Sofia, my 4-month old cutie pie, and her new yellow headband.

Isn't she just too cute? Must pinch those chubby cheeks now!


Thursday, October 4, 2012

Surprise

Guess what?

I'm blogging from my brand spanking new iPhone, a sweet surprise from my husband! And it comes with unlimited data plan! Woohoo!

I'm hopeful that this will help me be a (more) diligent blogger.

Thank you so much my dear husband! :)