Moments, Captured In Words

Whew! Moments

Motherhood is loads of fun, but sometimes things happen which just make your heart stop beating for an instant. And then you heave a big sigh of relief afterwards. Thank goodness she's okay! Here are two of my whew! moments that happened recently:

• Driving to work last Monday, Wyn asked for a bottle of milk and I handed her one which I just prepared that morning. Within seconds, she started throwing up and made quite a mess in her car seat. I did not have a spare outfit for her in the car, so we took her straight to daycare to have her all cleaned up (Dan usually drives me to work first, then drop Eowyn at Joyce's). After putting on a new dress on for Wyn and chatting with Joyce for a minute or so, I headed out the door and said bye-bye to my little girl. What I saw broke my heart. Wyn was sitting on the couch with the saddest look on her face and was crying softly. She did not want me to leave. I closed the door behind me and then she started bawling. Much as I detested being late for work, I just could not bear hearing her cry. I went back... and saw Wyn throwing up on Joyce! My baby was sick! That was when I told Dan I need to stay behind and watch Eowyn at least for an hour. I didn't want to miss work because it was such a busy day, but if she doesn't  get any better, I have no choice but to go home with her. So Dan left, and I changed Eowyn's clothes yet again. Wonder of wonders, as soon as I took her out of the bath, she was in her element again. Wyn took me to their playroom and she was a bubbly, happy toddler once more. Whew! I was an hour late for work, but at least I had the peace of mind that day knowing Wyn is okay.
• Finally, weeks after buying the kiddie pool, Dan managed to set it up. Wyn was super excited to get in the water. She rounded up her rubber frogs and duckies and took them out so she can play with them. After about thirty minutes of watching her, I went back inside the house for a little bit. Dan was in the yard and I figured he could watch her for a little bit. Keeping one ear on her, I synched my ipod... and then I heard loud breathing, wheezing noises. I panicked and thought Eowyn was drowning! I ran out as fast as I could, only to see Wyn playing with a cup and blowing on it! Whew! Perhaps I overreacted, but even if there was only three inches of water in the pool, I've read kids can still drown in it. Maybe not likely, but possible. Still, I would not let Wyn out of my sight while she's on the pool unless someone is there to watch her!

Well, have a cool summer, everyone!

Wala lang...

It's been two and a half months since we got back from our Philippine vacation, and loathe as I am to admit it, I still feel intense pangs of homesickness whenever I look at the pictures from home. I can't even bring myself to write about the trip either --- everytime I start, I stop and then I would just feel lonely and depressed. Today was a particularly bad day. Who would have thought that seeing a hazy picture of a tropical beach scene (on one of the checks I was processing) could trigger that bone-deep sadness again?

I don't know if it's just me... I mean, there must be many, many Filipinas out there who have gone home too and went back to resuming their lives in the US or some other foreign country without too much difficulty. Not me. I'm fine when I don't remember, but once I start mulling over what I've given up and what I can never have living abroad, I just feel quite despondent.

I miss my family and friends terribly, that's for sure. I guess one of the biggest sacrifices I made when I married Dan is yielding the chance to have them around all the time, to share joys and sorrows with them not through phone or emails but in person. I took that for granted in the past, and now it's just haunting me. When you're young and in love, you just never think too seriously about these things... but now...

Don't get me wrong. I am blissfully happy with Dan, but a part of me yearns strongly to have family and friends around. I am lonely and sometimes it's just killing me. So I go shopping and indulge my material whims (hah, go ahead and justify your addiction, you shopaholic gurl!!!). Good thing too that the new house and planting my garden are keeping me busy. I need my sanity! Would someone please throw some sunshine my way?

Happy Mother's Day!

I know, I know. It's been awhile since I last posted a blog entry... and for good reason. It wasn't just lethargy, although that certainly played a minute role too. Lately, I just am super busy. As in super crazy busy I don't even have time to breathe.

With what, you may ask. Okay, I'm letting the cat out of the bag: we just bought a new house! After the stressful mortgage closing (well, more stressful for Dan than me, really), we have to deal with getting new appliances, some furniture, and getting the house ready for move-in condition. And there is the packing to do as well - this one, I'm not looking forward to doing. *sigh* But these are all things that need to be done and so I'm diving right into it with as much energy as I can muster.

So there.

And today... today I finally found some time to relax. After all, it is Mother's Day and I think I do deserve to be pampered, even just ffor this day. Ha ha! I took Wyn to the park and she had a grand time blowing at dandelions, chasing the birds, climbing the benches, and basking in the warm spring sunshine. It is such a delight to see her at play. These mommy-daughter bonding moments, I'd say, is certainly one of the best things in life, hands-down. To all mommies, happy mother's day!

*** Wyn Updates

Wyn is less than a month shy of turning two, but there are many many times when she amazes me with how much she is learning and remembering. I'm done keeping track with what new words she has added to her vocabulary - at the rate she's going, it's almost impossible to do that now.

One of the things she really loves to do is singing nursery rhymes. Once she starts (or asks you to start singing), it will be a loooooong time before she gets tired of it. Depending on her mood, she would either do the singing herself, which always makes me smile because of her choice of words, or ask me do the singing, in which case she would incessantly plead for "more, more, more song!" even when my voice is already croaking from over-use.

Books are also a constant source not only of knowledge but also of entertainment for her. The cutest thing I've seen her do is try to "read" a book all by herself, looking at the pictures on each page and almost always correctly mouthing words from memory. I was tickled silly to see her do this while leafing through the pages of "Good Night, Moon" and bidding the the balloon, the cow, the moon, the mittens, the kittens and all the other characters in the book a hearty good night!

DVDs also hold her interest for hours – a free, instant, and reliable babysitter whenever I need some extra time to do things around the house. Eowyn seldom watches tv mainly because daddy doesn’t like the idea of not having any control on the language and content shown, but since DVDs are pre-approved by Father Dan (hee hee) first, I encounter no problems here. I actually recommend having toddlers watch educational videos – your baby may learn a lot from them with your guidance.

Which brings me to my next point: just from watching the Brainy Baby series, Wyn can now recognize letters, numbers, shapes and colors. Our daycare provider is quite impressed because Wyn can correctly identify stuff on books for pre-schoolers. Just for fun, Joyce gave Eowyn a test designed for four year-olds where kids are asked to name the letters in the alphabet that were jumbled together. Eowyn got everything correctly except for seven, but those she missed were letters that are very similar (i.e., Q for O, W for M, etc.)

Feels like heaven...

Spring is the happiest season of them all! After the doldrums of winter, seeing everything come back to life and in bloom just uplifts my spirits. I was telling Dan yesterday that it cheers me up immensely to see new leaves sprouting, pretty flowers blooming, the grass growing green again. Not the least of what makes me happy is, of course, the warm weather. It feels like summer here in our neck of the woods now! It almost seems like winter just all of a sudden turned into summer, or that we have a very short spring! For the past few days and throughout the rest of this week, temperatures are in the mid to high 70's, and ion some days, even touched 80s. And because it's been unseasonably warm lately, I am wearing a sleeveless shirt, a light cotton skirt, and open-toed sandals today. It just makes me feel good! :-)

my kind of day

The first really warm day after winter always feels like heaven. Today, the temperature soared into the mid-70s and, I swear, I can bask in the sunshine all day and do nothing else! It's a perfect day to have some of your favorite ice cream, or read a good book by the pool, or plant flowers and tend to your garden. Instead, the best I can do is take a walk around the campus and listen to my ipod while relishing the sweet, almost summer feel of this wonderful spring afternoon. I love that the days are getting longer too. When I leave the office, it's still bright out (the sun doesn't set till around 8 in the evening) so I guess Dan, Wyn and I can still enjoy a few scoops of ice cream after work towards the tail-end of the afternoon. Yippee!

Mommy's Little Sunshine

Eowyn sure is one heck of a chatterbox, and everytime she opens that cute little mouth of hers, I can't help but smile at her choice of words and the way she says them. A few examples:

- waking up one afternoon when Dan was away, she went from room to room looking for her dada and finally asked me: "Is daddy home, ha?"

- sitting in her carseat one morning while we were on our way to work, she kicked off her sneakers and suddenly blurted out loud: "Oh no! What happened to shoes?"

- spotting a bag of goldfish crackers on the front seat, she sweetly implored: "Oh mommy. Give me fish, please?"

- handing me a Dr. Seuss book, she ordered me imperiously: "Read One Fish, Two Fish now!!!"

- while reading a magazine, i saw a picture of some really scrumptious-looking grapes, which also happens to be one of Wyn's favorite fruits. Asking her what that was, she quickly replied "Graspe! Graspe!" (pronounced like grapes only the "s" comes first before the "p"). Much to my chagrin though because we had just run out of grapes, she interjected excitedly "Want some? I Want some! Graspe?"

- pointing to a picture of an octopus in a book, i asked her to repeat the word for me. She gamely said: "Opatus! That's an opatus!"

- Wyn was having a tantrum in the car so I started singing Itsy Bitsy Spider to calm her down. However, she started screaming "No! No! No! No spider no!" as though to tell me not to sing that happy song when she is in a foul mood. Dan found it funny and started singing along with me, which only made Eowyn cry even harder.

- if she's not happy with whatever it is you're doing, Wyn would unabashedly tell you to "Stop it! Stop it!"

- Pinoy boxing fans would find this cute: when mommy says "Manny?" Eowyn would then happily exclaim "Paaakk-yyaaaawww!!!" This started when Lola and Wyn watched a replay of the Manny Pacquiao boxing match on tv while waiting for me to finish shopping at SM Davao. Afterwards, mama asked Wyn what they saw and she smugly answered : "Paaaakkk-yyyaaaawww!"

Remembering Jeanette

It was some sad news that greeted me last night as I checked my friendster account. Jeanette Miranda, a dear friend and classmate since grade school, has passed away. Eventhough she has been bed-ridden for almost three years now, the reality of her passing still came as a shock to me. Before I left for the US, I had visited her in San Pedro Hospital in Davao City while she was at the Intensive Care Unit fighting for her life. She was so young then, and I've always thought that she would pull it through. Every now and then I'd hear snippets from friends telling me about some minor improvement in her condition, although she never really had a full recovery. When I was home last month, we spoke of Jeanette again and I was in fact glad to learn that she's still hanging on. Miracles can happen, and maybe, just maybe, she will get one.

But the bulletin posted by Jingle and Ruby had me reeling. Jeanette's gone... so young, so soon! She's not even 30 yet! We share the same birth month, her birthday is just several days after mine. Confronted by her mortality, I suddenly feel vulnerable and scared. Youth does not protect us from death, nor does it shelter us from ill health. I just hope that wherever she is now, she has found eternal peace and tranquility. At least all her earthly sufferings are over. At last, she is finally home with her Creator.

I will always remember Jeanette as a sweet, gentle girl with a very kind disposition - I don't think she ever made enemies when we were still at school. Jeanette is the kind of girl whom everyone likes, always cheerful, always willing to lend a hand when you need it. We were not super close, but we were good friends. She will be missed! Please include her and her family in your prayers.

Homesick +++ Baby Update (Wyn @ 22 Months)

I started writing a piece about our Philippine vacation, but I guess it's too soon for me to do that. As I try to relive the memories and transform my thoughts into words, I am suddenly overtaken by a strong wave of homesickness. I can't do it! It's making me cry.

So here goes Eowyn's 22-month update instead: *sigh*

- had her first trip to the emergency room three days after we got back from the Philippines. Stricken with croup and an ear infection, Wyn was lethargic and would throw up whenever we gave her any food or milk. Fearing that she'd be dehydrated, I panicked and Dan quickly called our doctor, who gave us the go-ahead to take her to the ER (it was after office hours on Friday evening). What do you know, when we got there, she was little Ms. Smiles-and-Sunshine again... but not before she threw up in front of the nurse who was taking her vital signs and other symptoms. It's amazing how kids can be sick one minute, then be playful and cheerful the next. If you ask me, I'll take the latter anytime. I'm a scaredy-cat mom when it comes to my baby's health... just ask Dan!

- can eat meals on her own. My parents were surprised when Eowyn would sit with us at the table and eat her food from her own plate. No spoon-feeding, no running around after the baby to feed her! Her favorites include rice, pancit (noodles), fish and chicken. She's also discovered that pan de sal is a yummy treat!

- while she normally has a pleasant disposition, Eowyn can be quite nasty if pushed to her limits. While playing with her cousin Gian, she would usually just let him do what he wants... but when she's at the end of her rope, watch out! She would scream crossly "Go away, Gian!" or "No, Gian!", stunning the little boy to silence. Hee hee!

- she's picking up more and more vocabulary everyday. Try as I may, I can't keep track of all the words that she knows now. She can pretty much identify most things around the house now and can understand what Dan and I tell her. I still find it cute that she'd burst out "That's grandma!" or "Look, it's lolo!" whenever she sees the picture frames hanging in our walls.

- sings a lot! I always tease Dan that we have a little popstar in the making because lately, we've been hearing her croon a song even during the most unexpected moments, like in her carseat when we're on the road or late at night before we go to bed. The one she sings best is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Her version goes like this:

"Twee-ko, twee-ko lee-el star

Hah ah wan-dah what you are

Ah ah-bah da wohl so high

Lahk ah dya-mon in da sky."

What comes as a big revelation to me is the fact that as long as you expose your baby to songs, even if she doesn't seem to be paying any attention at that time, her little mind is already processing all that information. One day, you'll just be surprised that she's already spewing out the lyrics to the songs - like Eowyn did one day when mama and Ilay prompted her to complete the words of the nursery rhymes we've sung to her! Really and truly, I was amazed. I had no idea that she already memorized it!

- This latest development prompted me to buy a whole slew of learning DVDs for Wyn. I highly recommend the Brainy Baby series, which you can get brand new from amazon.com at less than $10 each. It's an investment well worth it, and I should know because I'm already beginning to see the results! With some prompting, Wyn can count from one to ten and say the letters in the alphabet. She's also starting to recognize numbers, letters, shapes and colors.

Truly, it is so exciting to see the transformation of my adorable baby to a smart little girl. When I look at her now, I see only traces of the little one I held and nursed in my arms for over a year! She is all girl now, a toddler with her own temperament and personality. I miss my baby... I do! Sometimes I just wish time can move a little slower, so much slower, so that I can savor each and every moment of Eowyn's growing up years. I'm sure every mommy knows what  mean!

more things to do

A quick apology to friends who are waiting to hear about our recent Philippine vacation and see the pictures we took there. I've started to upload pictures in my friendster profile but there are still a ton more to share. I promise I'll get these done as soon as I can. I assure you, I have not forgotten!

And then there's the update I need to do on Eowyn at 22 months! She's so much fun now, singing and talking like a little girl would. Let me gush a little bit about how she sings, because it's just the cutest thing in the world! I had no idea that she knows the words to the songs by heart until I asked her to fill in the blanks one day. What do you know, she can complete the lyrics in songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider, Mary Had A Little Lamb, Mr. Peter Rabbit, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Hey Diddle Diddle, Three Blind Mice, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Rock A Bye Baby, Bingo, Old MacDonald and a lot more... even the Tagalog song Ako Ay May Lobo! :-)

Ooopps. Phone's ringing now. Till later!

i'll live through this week...

I had thought I was invincible, immune to the flu-like illness that affected Dan and Eowyn these past few days since we got back from the Philippines. And then this morning came and I woke up with more than just the sniffles. I was congested. My head hurt. I felt a little nauseous. Unwanted tears burned my eyes.

I took a quick hot shower and even before I got out of the bathroom, my heart sank with dread knowing that I would have to call in sick today. It's just a bummer that I had to halt my momentum. Over these past few days, I meticulously strove to erase my work backlog in the office. I was feeling happy that I was catching up with the paperwork and everything else that had to be done - donations to process, emails to read and answer, invoices to pay, an assortment of researches to complete. And now this...

I do not need to be sick. Not when there are a gazillion things to do!

Before the month ends, we will be closing in on a mortgage for a house that we're buying. Dan is stressing himself endlessly to tie up all the odds and ends that are required to close the deal.

And then we have to shop for new fixtures and appliances for the house. We need to get new carpets, a new couch, a washer and a dryer, a fridge and a free-standing range. The pressure of shopping as well as the whopping cost of all these things combined is giving me a headache!

Ah, well. I just tell myself everything will be fine. The going may get rough, but well, sometimes you just have to deal. I'll live thruogh this, I know I will.

i'm back...

The two weeks I spent in Davao were over in an instant. Suddenly, I found myself packing our bags again and wishing I had more time to do everything I wanted to do. Sadly, some things just had to be left undone... till next time. I truly feel bad about leaving. I was homesick even before we left, and still am. When I've gotten over this draining jetlag and wistful depression, I'll blog more about our trip. But for now, I just want to let you all know that we're back, safe and sound! Adios!

Better late than never... (can also double as Eowyn's 21-month update)

I wrote this blog early last week but I was so crazy busy then I did not get the chance to publish it. But better late than never so here it goes...

I was sick these past few days, and even now, I'm still feeling a little under the weather so I wasn't really able to do much last weekend. In fact, I stayed home all the time and just rested in bed. I would have been super bored, if not for Eowyn's cute antics. Here are some stuff that she did which really put a big smile on my face:

- Finding a pair of her sunglasses from last summer, she gamely tried to put it on all by herself and proudly showed mommy what she did. I laughed when I saw that she had them on upside down so I fixed it for her and told her, "There, Eowyn. Now you look like a movie star!" She then ran to daddy and happily exclaimed "I'm a star! I'm a star!" She would say "I'm a star" whenever she puts the sunglasses on thereafter.

- I suspected that Eowyn pooped and asked Dan to check her diaper.  When she saw her daddy approaching, she squealed "Go away!" at him before running off so he wouldn't catch her. But dada is faster than Wyn, and as soon as he got hold of her, she then demanded "Let go! Let go!" Feisty little girl, isn't she?

- Her new favorite toy is a small beanie doggie which she "stole" from her daycare. Doggie goes with her wherever she goes. It's the first thing she looks for when she wakes up in the morning and it's the last thing she cuddles before she sleeps at night. I get a kick especially when I hear her talking to her friend, which basically goes like this: "Oh, doggie! Blah blah blah blah blah... doggie... hmmm?" One time, probably thinking that Doggie is cold and needs a nap, she took out a piece of tissue and covered her toy with it. Satisfied with that, she told Doggie reassuringly, "Ok, now sleep, doggie, hmmm?"

- After two days of abusively playing with her sunglasses, she finally managed to wrench one of the handles off. She sheepishly turned to me and burst out "Oh, no!!! I broke it! Oh no!!!" then run off to where her dada was, crying "I broke it! I broke it!"

- Seeing me eat a piece of Hershey's Chocolate Kisses, she begged me to give her "more, choc-lit, please?!" I gave her a tiny piece, and she happily ate it. Once it's gone, she went back to me and told me "I want choc-lit! Please? More? Choc-lit!"

- She loves to play with the legs of her Fisher-Price activity learning table (which Dan dismantled because Eowyn would climb up on top of it and dada thinks that's just dangerous) and would ask me to help her arrange them upright with this plea: "Help me? Stand?" Seeing this as an opportunity to teach her all about colors, I would ask her to get the blue one (or the red, or green, or yellow) for me, and she would then give me each piece, saying "Greeeen" or "Red" or "Blue" or "Yell-lowww".   

Yup, there's never a dull moment when you have a baby around!

My thoughts on a snowy day...

Davao, here we come...

It's another snowy day today, another burst of cold winter weather that just amplifies my enthusiasm for our upcoming Davao vacation. I have not packed our bags yet, and even if this task is something I really look forward to doing, I have been holding it off because I know that once I get started, I probably won't be able to sleep anymore from euphoria. I already have an array of warm summer clothing for myself, Dan and Eowyn to choose from... and sinful mommy that I am, most of Wyn's stuff are, of course, brand new and very diligently (happily!) picked. Dada shudders at how much I indulge my little princess, but that's hard not to do when you have a living, breathing, perfect, beautiful doll. Being able to dress up Eowyn is, I should say, one of the things I do so love about mommy-hood. So there. Forgive me, once again, for gushing.

Daddy makes me proud

Because of today's snowstorm, Dan and I may not be able to attend the Honors Society event slated tonight at the UAlbany campus. Not that I mind that much, but I really think it's wonderful that Dan made it to the list once more and all the efforts he is putting into earning a doctorate degree are paying off. It just makes me beam with pride to be the other half of this wonderful, cerebral man who continues to astonish me every day not just with his many talents but most of all his love. If Eowyn inherits her daddy's brains, good looks, and gentle disposition, I will be the proudest mommy someday too (that, if I can be any prouder than I already am at the moment!).

Amazing Wyn

I guess it's safe to say that this early, Eowyn is already showing signs of being just as smart as her dada. She is quick to learn and has continually surprised me with her ability to remember things that I did not even know she noticed. At 18 months, she can recognize all the animals on her books and can point at them or say their names when asked. She can also identify parts of her body from hair to toe. She knows what a hat is, a coat, sweater, mittens, tights, socks, shoes and boots are. She can count from one to ten, if she's not lazy, but otherwise, you would have to prod her. She chants along with mommy when I sing the alphabet song. She'd point at the pictures hanging on our wall and name, with amazing accuracy, who those people are - great grandma, great grandpa, grandma, lolo, lola, mommy, daddy, and so on and so forth. She'd watch a movie or a tv show and would suddenly pipe up "Look, it's raining!" or "It's a monkey!" or "Wow, lights!" or "Hahaha! Funny!" reflecting on what she saw on tv. Truly, it's such a delight to watch her grow.

Lately, Wyn has been speaking in straight sentences more and more. On the way home from work the other night, we saw a stalled truck by the road and a police car with lights flashing parked behind it. From the back seat, Eowyn exclaimed curiously "Look! Did you see 'at? It's a fire truck!" I laughed when I heard her, and asked her again if it was a fire truck. She answered me matter of factly "Yes, it's a fire truck!" Never mind if it wasn't really a fire truck - everything that makes noise and has flashing lights fall under that category where Eowyn is concerned.

Also, when we passed by the mall yesterday, there was an unusually large number of cars on the parking lot. Unsure about what's happening, I asked Dan what's going on there. Eowyn came to daddy's rescue quick, and answered her mommy: "What's going on? I don't know!" I burst out laughing at her response, and told her she's so cute. Encouraged by mommy's laughter, Eowyn continued to chant "I don't know... I don't know... I don't know!" until I gave her a goldfish (parmesan-flavored crackers) to shut her up. That worked, but only for a little bit until she finished munching her food, then went on to pester mommy: "Want some... more fish, please?" Ah, the wonders of motherhood!

More winter blah...

Today is another cold day. And idiot that I am when it comes to winter weather, I thought that wearing a wool coat over my lambswool sweater would be enough to combat below freezing temperatures made even colder by the wind chill. The moment I stepped out of the house, I knew I made another fashion faux pas even if I'm not wearing my stilleto-heeled boots anymore. Not that it would have mattered too much. Most of the snow and ice on the pavement had already melted (thanks to yesterday's brief spell of warm weather), and it's supposed to stay clear and sunny today. But the wind... bbbrrrrrrrr! I walked over to the other building just a few minutes ago, and it was all I could do to keep from freezing!

I should have worn my down-filled coat today, but when I opened the closet this morning, I found my black wool coat just begging for attention. I had not worn it in more than a month, and besides, it matched my outfit so I threw all caution to the wind and ignored the little voice in my head saying I should wear a warmer coat. Even when I was shivering as I headed towards the car, I never told Dan I regretted not putting on my down coat. I just knew what he would tell me: serves you right, honey! I've heard him complain so many times about how many winter coats I own, and yet I never wear the right one when it matters. *sigh*

Summer is a lot less complicated than winter, and that's why I miss it so. But spring is almost around the corner and just the thought of warmer weather makes me happy. Besides, there is that promise of tropical bliss when we visit Davao next month. It will be April when we come back, and it will be a hell of a lot warmer then. So yay! I guess I can endure a little bit more of this darn bitter cold New York winters.

Wyn Remembers Fos

Last Saturday, Dan and I went to a local store to look at wood stoves and fireplaces. It was a nice, cozy establishment with several models of stoves and fireplaces lit up. As usual, Eowyn enjoyed looking at the fires, going near them, and with a smug look on her face, exclaiming "It's hot! It's hot!" While Dan talked with the sales agent and I browsed through the different units on display with Eowyn, I suddenly heard her shouting "Foster! Foster!" For a moment, I was dumbfounded why she did that since there was no little boy in the store and I did not know what triggered her to look for Foster. So I told Eowyn that Foster's not there and we'll go look at his pictures when we get home. Still, Eowyn went running around the room shouting for Foster. By this time, I was really puzzled and the bemused agents all laughed when they heard her bellowing for Foster in her little baby voice. And then it dawned on me... When we met the Hartungs in Seven Springs last Christmas, Foster and Eowyn were playing by the fireplace and I think that she was remembering this when we were at the store! Miss you, Mommy K and Fos! How I wish Eowyn and Foster can play together all the time!

My pre-Valentine ramblings

Morning fiasco

Cold, icy New York winters is something I still haven't gotten used to. This morning, Dan almost scolded me as I wobbled my way to the garage, taking little baby steps as I tried not to fall on my slippery, pointy-heeled boots. He already finished strapping Eowyn on her car seat and had to come back for me half-way between the house and the garage. Yup, I was that slow, explaining Dan's exasperation for my lack of foresight to wear more appropriate shoes for this kind of weather. *sigh* When will I ever learn?

Another winter storm

Today's weather is really quite miserable, to say the least - a mix of snow and freezing rain in temperatures hovering near freezing. I did not have the guts to venture out of the office at all, what with my slippery boots and all. I just could not handle the slush, the wind, and the cold. Times like this, I can't help but get excited about our upcoming Philippine vacation. Ah, the wonder of warm, tropical weather! Davao, here we come... soon!!!

Valentine's Day

Truthfully, I do think that V-day is one of the most overrated occasions in the calendar. But, I have my own reasons for loving it! Dan and I are supposed to go to a weekend getaway in the Adirondacks but had to cancel that plan as a very important thing that needs our immediate attention came up (I'll blog about this another day after this "big event" has come to fruition as I don't want to jinx it at all). I told him I'd much rather save the money for this venture, and besides, he has already given me a pre-surgery and pre-Valentine's day present: an iPod Touch. It's way cooler than all the flowers and chocolates in the world, I tell you!

iPod Touch

I'm usually not one to rave about the latest gadgets in the market at present, but I am incredibly impressed with the iPod Touch! This baby has practically all the features of Apple's iPhone except the ability to make phone calls --- but that's actually a plus factor for me. I'm very happy with my Nokia N80 Internet Edition and I don't want to be tied down with a 2-year contract with AT&T. The iPod Touch is an MP3 player and more! I especially love its web-browsing capabilities and being able to watch videos on You Tube. It is really and truly super cool! Whenever I want the latest dose of news, email, or gossip, the iPod touch delivers with amazing reliability. I do not even have to fight with Dan anymore when he's using the computer and I want to look at something in the internet. I can check my mail, write blogs, read the news, post in forums, watch videos, listen to music, manage my contacts, schedule event/appointment reminders, get directions and have ready access to a US map, and even compare the time and weather in different cities across the globe with just the touch of your fingertips! And no, Apple is not paying me to write this blog, but I am just thoroughly enamored with this gadget I can't help but gush and give them free advertisement for it!

Eowyn at 20 months

Correction: This post is actually for Eowyn's 20-month updates. Thanks to my ever beautiful twen who corrected me! Lisod jud diay matiguwang na ta noh? Ha ha ha!

This post is a little delayed, as I just had surgery on my right wrist and I could not use my hand for at least a week. Anyway, now that I can type again, albeit slowly, here's Eowyn's 20-month updates:

• Tells her dada impatiently to "Go, go, go!" whenever we stop at a red light and she sees other cars starting to move on the next lane. And when Dan finally accelerates, she mutters enthusiastically "Wheeeee!!!"
• Does not ask "Why?" yet, but she definitely inquires "What happened?" when she doesn't know what's going on
• Comes up to us holding a book, and in a very cute voice, begs us to "Read, please?!" Now who can resist that?
• Also, gives us a DVD of her choice and then says, "Watch (title of movie here)." Eowyn has an extensive Disney DVD collection, and interestingly enough, she knows them all by heart (dvd artwork and cover included).
• Whenever Dan drops her off at daycare, she would bid her daddy "bye-bye" followed by an ever endearing send off: "Have a good day!"
• Loves to dance in circles around the house, and whenever I tell her that she's gonna get dizzy, she would giggle and copy me, saying in her cute baby voice "gonna get deee-zzzeeee, gonna get deee-zzzeeeee!"
• Her latest pretend play antics is playing doctor. She was with me when my surgeon replaced the dressing on my wrist last Wednesday, and as I shuddered with fear when the doctor started unravelling the bandage, Dr. B told me reassuringly, "It's okay, it's okay!" What d'ya know, when we got home that day, Eowyn played with her doll and pretended to wrap a bandage on the doll's wrist (using her diaper wipes, what else!) and consoled her patient by saying repeatedly, "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay."
• Much to the consternation of Dan, Eowyn now screams like only a girl can. It's a very high-pitched, ear splitting scream... Thank God she only does this whenever we play peek-a-boo or hide and seek!
• Says "welcome" whenever you thank her, and "Bless you!" after she hears you sneeze.
• Hollers "Hoy!" when she wants to get your attention. I know it's not very polite, but it's just so cute when she says it. It always makes me laugh.
• Yesterday when I was feeling somehow depressed (after learning that my little brother quit school to work in Manila), I hugged Eowyn and asked her to be a good girl always and not give mommy any problems. She hugged me back and perhaps sensing my pain because I was crying, told me soothingly "It's okay, mommy, it's okay!" then planted a big kiss on my cheek. If that didn't make me feel a lot better, then nothing else ever will!

Yes, it's truly precious to have a child. Eowyn is one of my greatest treasures, and everything seems right in the world when she flashes me one of her sunshiny smiles, hugs me tight, and gives me a kiss! I never knew this kind of joy before until she came into my life... and thank God a million times a million for that!

Sweet... just sweet!

Suffice it to say that I am not a big fan of the New York Giants (I'm hardcore Pittsburgh Steelers through and through), but last night's game earned my admiration for Eli Manning and his team. Boy oh boy, Peyton's little brother sure has grown up! Eli is my new hero, but second only to Ben, of course!

And what of the arrogant Patriots? Choke to death, you CHEATERS! The spygate scandal has forever tainted them, and if you ask me, I don't think that their winning streak is really all that great. If they hadn't spied on the other teams (and who knows how long they've been doing this already?), it's a different story... but it just makes one raise an eyebrow and doubt their "greatness." And they say Tom Brady is god? Hahahahaha! I bet ya Plaxico Burress is laughing his way to the bank now. Redemption after Brady mockingly laughed at his prediction that the Pats are only going to score 17 points! 17 would have made all the difference in the world, huh, Mr. Brady?

Ok, enough trash talk now. All I can say is... cheaters can't be winners! Karma rules! And yay for the Giants!!!

And just for fun, here's a link to Big Ben's American Idol commercial during the Super Bowl. Yeah, even champions can dream big. Gotta love Ben, huh!

Weight Issues

Last week, I finally found the time (and the interest!) to weigh myself after 48 years of not stepping on the scale! Hah! I know I am gaining weight lately - either that, or all my pants have shrunk slowly but surely over time. I'd like to believe it is the latter, but reality stares me in the face whenever I look at myself in the mirror. Holy crap, what I see is definitely not the ME that I used to be before I got pregnant and gave birth to Eowyn. To rub it in, Dan fished out a photo of me taken in Davao when we first met. I was wearing this tight, clingy blouse and hip-hugging pants that showed off my tiny waist and curves! Arrrgghh! It pains me to look at that picture, honestly. Really, where did that girl go?

I never thought of myself as having a particularly great body, but looking at that picture, damn... I have to tell myself I looked a lot better then! How could I not think that when I am still dealing with post-partum body issues?! My pregnancy tummy still has not gone away and my hips (and butt) are as wide as flying saucers. Unfortunately, since Eowyn is not breastfeeding anymore, my boobs have gone back to their normal miniscule size. Heavy in the middle and light at the top, my body is now a far cry from the one that I had before. Ah, well. My only - and best - consolation is that Dan tells me he likes my body better now: no longer girl-thin, but more womanly. Yah, right! *rolls eyes* What are husbands for if they don't tell you things you love to hear?!

I promised myself that I will lose some weight... hopefully, hopefully! I am already cutting down on my soda intake, but that damn vending machine just a few feet from my space in the office is truly testing my resolve! Perhaps I should also exercise more, and eat healthier food too. But can I ever say no to chocolates... and ice cream??? Hmmmm. I guess I really should not obsess about my weight. I am fat, alright, but I am not that fat! At 118 pounds, I guess I am still okay. I am not overwight, and my body mass index, at least, is still within the normal range. I just don't ever want to be one of those women who refuse to tell people how much they weigh, or how old they are. Oh, and by the way, I'm turning 30 this year but I'm proud of it!

Three Stories

January Thaw

The past few days have been unseasonably warm, much to my delight, of course. With temperatures in the upper 50's and 40's, it is very easy to trick myself into believing that spring is almost here. The huge mounds of snow had disappeared in no time, and I can see some grass (though it is not as green) again. Most of all, it is very nice to walk outside without putting a coat on, a hat, gloves, and boots! I even got away with wearing just a light cotton sweater one time! But reality sets in and this weekend is going to be cold once more. Today it is pouring and I'm certain it will all be downhill, weather-wise, from here on. Ah, well. I'm not looking forward to enduring the bitter cold New York winters again, but this brief January thaw was nice while it lasted.

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Hillary for President?

Coming from a country who already had two women presidents, I think it is just the daftest, if not the most dangerous, thing to vote for someone amd base your choice largely on gender. I'm sure you've all heard about those feminists raving about how it's time to finally have a descendant of Eve in the Oval Office. Great, just great. And Hillary's (calculated?) emotional outburst in New Hampshire recently was said to have touched a chord in the hearts of women that became a defining factor in her winning that state's primaries. Yesterday on the way home, I almost got sick on my stomach when I heard those stupid ladies on radio sympathizing with Hillary and telling about how they changed their votes when they saw her cry. I mean, come on, surely people can tell that those were crocodile tears?! Here's a woman who is stoic all the time, whether on national issues (including the plight of troops in Iraq) or her own marriage, but faced with the looming probability that her campaign would be in shambles following a defeat in New Hampshire, she is suddenly terrified! Losing power and the chance to make the record books as the nation's first woman president is, quite obviously, her greatest fear. Obama's charisma is overwhelming, and he was riding strong in the Granite State until Hillary's dramatic show of emotion that rallied the women voters behind her. What is it with the female psyche that naturally commiserates with one who is hurting, even if it was all for the wrong reasons. Hillary didn't cry because she deeply cared about this country; she shed tears because she is scared of losing her bid for presidency! I hate to say this, but women do have a propensity to be stupid especially when they let emotions cloud their judgment. There is no better proof of that than what happened in New Hampshire. Why do I care so much about American politics, anyway? I am not a citizen of this country, after all, and I do not have the right to vote in this year's elections. But I have a daughter to raise and this country better be in damn good shape when she's growing up! That can only happen if the US has sincere, capable leaders who do not lust after power like Hillary does! What's worse, she does not have conviction at all. She changes her mind as quickly as the next poll results changes! Hillary for president, then? Women of America, please wake up!

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Boopy Updates

Eowyn is really talking up a storm these days. Everyday she is learning new words and phrases, and it's so funny to hear her blurt out something that she's heard from us, on tv, or on the movies she has been watching. Here are a few of the things that she has been saying on a regular basis:

- help me (sometimes, she says "help baby")

- i'm stuck!

- imagine that!

- again? again?

- honey, not!

- read book, please

- baby, utot (after she farted)

- let's go!

- i got you!

- pee-yow? pee-yow? (she's always looking for her pillow, and drags pillows all over the house too. Dan says Wyn has a pillow fetish... ha ha!)

- hug baby

- kiss baby

- it's a light!

- hi, Foster! (when I ask her "What did you say to Foster?" Feeling talaga!)

Eowyn at 19 months

It doesn't seem so long ago when I wrote the entry for Eowyn's 18-month update. My not-so-little girl turns 19 months old today and as in the past, I marvel at how fast time flies and how much she has grown and developed within the past month. It truly is amazing to watch a baby grow before your very eyes so I make it a point to enjoy every minute of it as much as possible. Even if everything else falls apart, I would still feel lucky because I have her and of course Dan in my life. Anyways, here are Eowyn's can-do and love-to-do list five months shy of her second birthday. :)

- Talks in almost straight sentences now, including more (water or baba or milk or cookies or what-have you), please; i'm poopy; i pooped; let's go; here comes; read book, please; watch movie, please; hug, mommy!; up me (which basically means, pick me up); i'm wet; i'm hot; i'm cold; i'm hungry; want some; what you do?; and good job, baby. We're trying to get Eowyn to say "please" whenever she wants us to do something for her, and thankfully, she is learning to do just that!

- loves to watch videos and can identify all her DVDs too. She knows which disc belongs to which case and also how to properly handle the discs so that they don't get scratched or dirty (i.e., she holds the discs with one finger in the middle hole and the rest on the sides). Her favorite movies include Alice in Wonderland, Little Mermaid, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Shrek 3, Beauty and the Beast, The Fox and the Hound, and Jungle Book. Dan and I burst out laughing one time when she copied the queen from Alice in Wonderland and exclaimed with feelings "off with her head!"

- can sing the ABC song with mommy. I was impressed last night when she started singing with me - in fact, singing ahead of me - and quite rightly too. I would pause in between letters and ask her to sing with me, so that when I stopped after E-F-G, she said H-I-L-M-O-P, and when I paused after singing L-M-N-O-P, she said Q-S-T. It was really cute!

- she impressed her daddy too when, after watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (which I just recently bought), she took the dvd case from the shelf and handed it to Dan proudly. The dementors scared her though and she jumped in bed with me when she first saw them. Ha ha!

- because she almost always tell us now when she poops, Dan and I are thinking of potty training her soon. It's also funny when she says "poopy!" in a rather smart-aleck way whenever she hears Dan or me farting.

- has sixteen teeth now and two more on the way.

- always asks mommy for a "hug" and a "kiss" before we go to bed at night. The best part of it though is that she reciprocates and gives me loud, wet kisses all over my face and hugs me tight then says "night-night, mommy!"

- giggles happily when dada holds her high up in the air and sings "i'm just a little black rain cloud" (from the Pooh movie) while bouncing her up and down. Too bad I can't do that since Eowyn is really getting too heavy for me now!

- makes dainty little spins around the room when you ask her to dance. This is always punctuated with a little "jump" at the end of the routine too while saying with a naughty smile in her face "i jump!"

- she knows the sounds that the following animals and things make:

• dog - woof woof
• cat - meow
• cow - moo moo
• bee - buzz
• duck - quack quack
• sheep - baa
• goat - maa
• bird - teet teet (instead of tweet tweet)
• rooster - cock a doodle doo
• mouse - squeak squeak
• rain - dibble dibble dopp dopp
• train - choo choo
• hand on a door - knock knock
• goldfish kiss - pip!
• thunder - boom boom
• lightning - splat splat
• hippo chewing gum - grum grum

- can identify her eyes, ears, nose, mouth, cheeks, chin, teeth, hair, head, knee, hands, feet, neck and chest. She always says the words too while pointing at the correct body part.

- finally, in preparation for our trip to the Philippines this March, I taught Eowyn how to "mano." I'd give her my hand and she would immediately take it and place it on her forehead when I say "Mano!" Other Filipino words she knows now are lolo (grandpa), lola (grandma), tito (uncle), tita (aunt), opo (yes) and lobo (balloon).

Eowyn's and Foster's Video in Seven Springs

Share ko lang... I had so much fun doing and editing this video. Mareng K, nakaka-miss kayo ni Foster! Hope to see you guys again later this week pag napasyal ulit kayo sa PA!

Video of the Chikitings

Happy New Year!

2007 has been a wonderful year for me. It's amazing how fast it seemed to zoom by! I got so many blessings this year, but the best was watching Eowyn grow up into a healthy, happy, smart, beautiful toddler. Nothing can top that on my list!

As we welcome another year, I tell myself I won't be making any resolutions... but there are a few things on my list of what I hope to do. I am not sure if I can keep them, but just for the sake of putting it into words, here are some of my hope-to-do list:

- lose weight! I am gaining more than I want to, shucks!

- shop less, especially on ebay... need I say more?

- clean the house and organize things as often as I should (and this means everyday!)

- save more money, save more money, save more money (which basically just means I should shop less... mwehehe!)

Anyways, here's wishing everyone a safe, wonderful, and exciting new year!

Snow on New Year's Eve

Okay, so I'm working... and bored to death! It's such a slow, dead day here in the office. Aside from me, only four other people are around in our department. Ho-hum! My only consolation, I guess, is that I have such a pretty view outside my window. Snow covered the trees and the almost empty parking lot --- it's just a winter wonderland out there! If I am not scared of cold weather, I probably would have gone snow-shoeing with two of my colleagues too... but that type of sport is not for me. I'm happy to stay indoors, warm and comfy while enjoying the view.

I don't like winter, but days like this makes me want to change my mind. It's just so beautiful out! I feel almost like a character in some quaint winter story, or a figure in one of those pretty winter scene photos. A cup of hot cocoa with some marshmallows and I'm content to just stay in my little corner.

Here are some more pics that my co-worker took this morning. Enjoy!

wet snow on the branches

one reason to love winter

winter wonderland

Meeting Karol in Seven Springs... peechur, peechur!

I finally met Karol, Foster and cute (gwapo!) Foster in Pennsylvania last Christmas eve. We had a wonderful afternoon together, and to say the least, it was a blast! Yehey, sa wakas, nagmeet na rin tayo, mareng K!

Anyway, to those who are interested, here's the link to our pictures in Seven Springs... Enjoy!

Christmas Tree

We're getting our second dose of bad winter weather this weekend, and thanks to that, I finally managed to put up our Christmas tree. This is the first year that Eowyn is old enough to enjoy and appreciate the holidays, so it's doubly fun and special for us all.

The moment I took the tree out of the box, my little angel was all wide-eyed with wonder. She immediately took a piece of branch and paraded all over the room with it. When I started stringing the Christmas lights around the tree, she just had to help me. And when I plugged it in and the tree was all lit up, Eowyn exclaimed "Wowwwww!" with a big smile on her face.

Curious little thing that she is, Wyn also began taking the ornaments off the tree and played with them. Our tree is now devoid of any decors on the bottom (except for the lights) because anything she can reach, she will definitely get!

Dan and I decided that we will decorate the tree with real candy canes instead, and I was all eager to go to a nearby store today to buy some, but to my dismay, they were closed because of the storm. Bummer! That means I could not get ornament hooks as well and could not hang the rest of my glass balls. But no matter, I am still happy and satisfied especially when I see Eowyn playing around the tree --- or under it!

Yup, you heard me right. Her new favorite place now is under the tree where she would gaze up the tree and look at all the lights. She can stay there for a long time, so I thought it would be  a good idea to put some of her stuffed toys there with her. She loved it!

Christmas is truly a special time. I can't wait for her to open all her presents on Christmas morning! I'm sure that would be a blast as well! But for now, I'm just enjoying the warmth of our home and the company of the two dearest persons I love most in this world. I am happy, very very happy! Advance merry Christmas to all!

Snowstorm

We just got home from our holiday party, after two grueling hours on the road. It started snowing this morning shortly after ten and it hasn't stopped since. It was snowing so hard Dan had to brush snow off the car five times within a six hour period - once before he came to pick me up from the office, and then again when we left the building, and then some more when we headed out from the restaurant, and then another after we got Eowyn from daycare, and finally when we arrived home and he parked the car in the garage (so the snow won't freeze). Even when we were on the road, he had to brush ice off the wind shield a couple of times - it was that bad! Cars are crawling on a snail-like pace on the highway, and even the back roads that we took, normally a smooth drive, was quite crowded and slow-moving. Snow is beautiful but it can be very dangerous too. I'm just glad we got home safe and sound!

100+++ words that Wyn knows

I had originally intended to write down only 100 words that Eowyn can both say and understand, but within 10 minutes of making my list, I have already exceeded my target (and I’m positive that there are still words I have not written down). It was loads of fun doing this, documenting her vocabulary and marveling at how much she really can talk now. Pardon my gushing, but I guess other mommies would understand how every single word counts especially when you hear your baby say it for the first time! What’s more amazing to me though is how much she has changed and grown in the past 18 months. She’s no longer a baby… she’s a bubbly, active little toddler now, and my heart just swells with pride and gratitude that God has chosen me to become this little angel’s mommy, teacher, protector, friend all rolled into one! Okay, before I get too sentimental, here’s my list:

1. mommy
2. daddy/dada (although she rarely says “dada” now)
3. mama
4. papa
5. gramma
6. lolo
7. lola
8. milk
9. juice
10. eat
11. baba (bottle)
12. eyes
13. nose
14. mouth
15. ears
16. cheeks
17. teeth
18. foot
19. hands
20. chin
21. head
22. tickle
23. apples
24. nanas (bananas)
25. fruit
26. crackers
27. cookie
28. bread
29. toast
30. hat
31. coat
32. jacket
33. boots
34. shoes
35. socks
36. tights
37. mittens
38. dress (“dwess” for her)
39. down
40. up
41. door
42. chair
43. knock-knock
44. open
45. close
46. please
47. thanks / thank you
48. hi
49. hello
50. bye-bye
51. more
52. fish
53. cow (says “moo-moo” too)
54. dog (says “woof-woof” too)
55. cat (says “meow-meow” too)
56. bird (says “teet-teet” because she can’t say “tweet”)
57. duck (says “kak-kak” because she can’t say “quack”)
58. pig (says “oink” too)
59. sheep (says “baa-baa”)
60. horse (she can’t remember that horses “neigh” … hahaha!)
61. mouse (knows that the mouse goes “squeak-squeak” too)
62. goat (she doesn’t have trouble saying this word now, and says “maa-maa” too)
63. house
64. lion
65. kitten
66. light
67. truck
68. airplane
69. car
70. bus
71. doll
72. baby
73. book
74. flower
75. pillow
76. blanket
77. bed
78. fire truck
79. pen
80. pencil
81. paper
82. write
83. go
84. yes
85. no
86. play
87. broom
88. where
89. this
90. that
91. here
92. there
93. poopy
94. pee
95. die-pee (diaper)
96. now
97. uh-oh
98. oh no
99. oh my
100. tree
101. cup
102. give
103. get
104. sing
105. walk
106. ball
107. bite
108. big
109. li’l (little)
110. light
111. Pooh
112. Tigger
113. Eeyore
114. Piglet
115. stop

And with that last word, I end my list. Bow!

Eowyn at 18 months

My baby girl is growing up so fast... sometimes I just find it hard to believe that she's really a year-and-a-half old now! It's so much fun watching her grow, especially now when she is talking a lot and just loves to copy many things that she sees around her. Wyn is one very observant toddler, and I'd be amazed that she remembers things I did not even think she would! I'd read a new book to her one night, and when I ask her to get that book the following night, she would give me the correct one right away. And not only that, she would remember the pictures and words on the book too and would point at or say the names of book characters when prompted. This also applies to her toys as well as little miscellaneous things around the house like pencils, forks, spoons, glasses, hats, sunglasses, cookies, etc. She saw Joyce (our daycare provider) nursing her baby, and what do you know, Eowyn began seeking out my booby again for a taste of "milk!"

Anyway, here are the latest updates on my little angel's development:

• can say most one or two syllable word that you ask her to say. I will not even try to write down what words she can say now because there are just too many to list! She may not necessarily understand these words, but boy she can really say them very clearly! Vocabulary-wise though, I'd wager she knows easily more than a hundred words already.
• can say "grandma" and points to grandma's picture on the wall (grandma being Dan's mom). My MIL was tickled pink when she heard Eowyn say "Hi, grandma!" on the phone.
• can say "lolo" and "lola" and can identify their faces on our family portrait as well. Additionally, Wyn can also say "tito" and "tita" with a very distinct American twang. It always makes me laugh when she says "tih-toh" or "tih-tah."
• would readily say "hi, (name)!" or "bye, (name)!" to people especially if you prompt her to. She knows the names of everyone in daycare too, and one little boy's dad was actually quite surprised when Eowyn piped up "bye, bye, J!" when they were leaving. His son is a few months older than Wyn but does not talk as much as Eowyn does. Too bad for me, I guess, since Wyn is really one helluva chatterbox. *grin*
• knows all the animals in her farm books and can also say the sounds that they make. The one thing she has difficulty saying though is goat (although she really likes to say "maa- maa!"). Pig, cow, dog, lamb, cat, mouse, bird, horse, and bee are all peanuts to her.
• enjoys playing with her dolls so much. She calls them "my baby" and loves to feed them, sing to them, put shoes or hats on them, tuck them in bed, "read" books to them, and would even attempt to put a diaper on the dolls and clean their crotch with a diaper wipe. Whew!
• is addicted to the song "Old MacDonald." She would pester me to sing it to her over and over especially when we are in the car. She'd say "ya-ya-yo" (her version of  E-I-E-I-O) demandingly from the back seat , and would fuss when I don't sing. More recently, she's beginning to sing ya-ya-yo with me and join in with the appropriate animal sound as soon as she hears the animal's names. Super cute, if you ask me. :-)
• loves to walk on tiptoes and dance around the room
• can drink from a glass without spilling her juice or water. Very convenient for mommy!
• like a true-blooded Pinay, she loves her rice a lot. Mix it with some meat or vegetable and you'll see one happy baby.

• can blow real kisses now and always makes it a point to kiss daddy and mommy before going to bed, finishing by bidding us a sweet "night-night"

• would tell me "love you, mommy" when I ask her to... it always melts my heart, especially when she kisses me on the lips after

• loves her mittens and thinks that they are a cool fashion accessory. She would proudly show me her hands after I put them on her! Unfortunately, she doesn't like her hat at all... so yay for hooded coats!

Go, Steelers!

Monday Night Football is ridiculous. Yes, riduculously crazy especially if your favorite team is playing, you want to get some sleep, and you're worried about being tired the next day at work for staying up so late just so you can watch the game! I am of the weaker species, so after my favorite Dancing With The Stars show wrapped up, I changed the channel to ESPN and cautiously, timidly, nervously watched the Steelers play. I told myself I'll be in bed after I see Big Ben and his boys completing their first touchdown.... but man, oh, man! Was I in for a disappointment! I didn't know what I got myself into, because it turned out to be the lowest scoring game in NFL for more than a decade! They nearly went all night without scoring, but my Steelers won the game - eventually - after they nailed a field goal with 17 seconds to go in the 4th quarter. Gee wiz! Conditions were just dreadul at Heinz Field, and the game even started late due to lightning and heavy rains --- a first, I heard, in NFL history. But I'm happy and if you'll ask me if it was worth it watching the game, I'd say it definitely was. Happy! Go, Steelers, go!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're off to Penssylvania again today to celebrate Thanksgiving with Dan's family. I am so looking forward to the long weekend ahead! Indeed I can now imagine the oh-so-delish food, the warm company of loved ones, and the very relaxing time I will have at my mother-in-law's place. How can one not say a prayer of thanks when life has been extremely good all the time? Anyway, I hope that all of us take a moment to reflect on the many blessings we've received this year and over our lifetime, this Thanksgiving and always. Have a meaningful celebration, everyone!

Bad Trip!

It's Sunday night, almost two hours after the game ended. Haaay! Bad trip talaga! The Steelers lost to the Jets on overtime. Minsan tuloy, naiisip ko, jinx 'ata ako sa Steelers eh. Everytime pinapanood ko game nila, minamalas ang mga loko! Okay na sana 'yun eh. Lamang na sana sila sa 4th quarter with 2 minutes to go. Pero hindi! Bakit ba kasi nanood pa ako at di ko na lang tinapos 'yung pagfo-fold ng laundry?! Grrrrr. Ayan tuloy, the Jets scored to tie the game, they went into overtime, and the rest is history! Haaaayyy... bakit ba ako sobrang affected? Mareng K, you can blame me on this. Kasalanan ko kung bakit natalo ang Steelers! Heh heh! Next time di na ako manonood ng game nila unless sobrang lamang nila sa score ng kalaban. Ayoko na, di ko kaya ang pressure eh! Happy Sunday sa mga fans ng Jets!

Flurries!

Today we got our first snow fall of the season!

My officemate and I were heading out from Macy's when a rather big snowflake touched my cheek. I blinked my eye, uncertain about what I saw. It was quite cold and blustery, but I did not think snow was in the forecast at all. And then just when I was about to brush it off as just a figment of my imagination, down came more flurries, twirling and dancing across the parking lot on this chilly November day. It was a pretty sight!

It is still snowing now as I write this. And while I do prefer warmer weather, there is something almost magical about seeing the first snow of winter. People are in a festive mood in the office, delighted to watch the flurries fly past the windows. For a moment, the sun came out to peek behind the clouds and it was really quite amazing to watch the play of sunlight and swirling snow against a backdrop of leafless trees and a few evergreens. I wish I have a camera with me so I can take pictures or a video because mere words are just not enough to describe the beauty of it.

Anyways, bundle up and stay warm this weekend, everyone!

Lee's News and Baby Update Part II

Just this morning, I received word from my friend Lee that she and her hubby are expecting a baby! Her email was short and clear-cut, but it captured all the pride, excitement and happiness of a soon-to-be mommy. In a heartbeat, I find myself reminiscing those days when I was carrying Eowyn in my belly. That seems so long ago now, the memories distant and not so vivid anymore, but I definitely still can remember the glow and anticipation of having a new baby. And I guess all new mommies will agree with me when I say that time really flies fast (I can't stress this enough!). In the blink of an eye, your newborn babe has turned into a toddler who's walking and talking and pestering you all day!

Incidentally, Eowyn turns 17 months old today, and I find myself wondering... whew, where did the time go?! So here goes Part II of my update on Eowyn's development:

- to quote Dan, Eowyn's mind is like a sponge these days. She just absorbs almost anything and everything around her. She's saying new words on an almost daily basis, among them jacket, funny, flower (fa-wer), and knock-knock. You may think that she's not paying attention, but you'll be surprised that she can find and remember where things are, like where daddy placed his hat, where she hid her books or toys or pencil, where she left her sock or shoe, where the tv or dvd remote is, and so on and so forth. She'd see a mommy singing to her baby on tv, and the next thing you know, she'll be getting her doll and humming a tune while cradling it! One time, she also found Dan's empty bottle of beer on top of the corner table, and when we next saw her, she had the bottle on her mouth, drinking like a pro, and then sighing "aaaaahhh!" when she's done. It was scary to me, but Dan simply burst out laughing, very amused that Wyn could copy him as well as she did!

- aside from counting, Wyn is also learning how to say A-B-C. She loves the alphabet song and wants me to sing it over and over. She also enjoys watching "Wheel of Fortune" and copies Pat Sajak or the contestants when they say the letters. Eowyn is an expert in saying all the vowels, as well as most of the consonants excluding f, g, h, j, k, q, r, v, w, x,, y and z. I recommend watching this show because toddlers do not only learn how to say the alphabet, they would also be familiar with how the letters are written and recognize them over time.

- loves to watch videos, and can stay entertained just staying in front of the tv for quite some time. Her favorites are Winnie The Pooh's Grand Adventure and a dvd of classic cartoons that includes Popeye, Betty Boop and the Three Stoodges. While she tolerates watching Mulan and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, it seems like she's not really fond of it. She is also very much amused with Mary Poppins, and I thought it was so funny when I found her laughing on her own while watching the movie.

- whenever i sing the kiddie song "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" Eowyn would always put her hands on her head but does not point to her shoulders, knees or toes yet. She would, however, touch her eyes, ears, mouth and nose when we get to that part of the song.

- new tricks learned: knock-knock and give me five. She would also "steal" daddy's keys and pretend to open the door while saying "out, walk!" Or, whenever she's pestering me while I'm on the computer, I would give her the keys and tell her to go open the door. She would obediently comply and spend minutes trying to unlock the door, even if there's no keyhole in our doorknob.

- can follow instructions better and understands what you want her to do. She'd get daddy's hat from the shelf, stop crying when you reprimand her (this only works when she's faking a cry), grab the correct book or toy that we asked her to get, find her socks and give it to mommy after she took them off and left them somewhere, go to the window eagerly when we tell her there's a fire truck on the road, and stay still when I ask her not to move when I'm changing her diaper. She now understands basic commands like wait, don't move, stay there, don't cry, come here, go, show daddy/mommy, and eat your food (she's still a very picky eater, unfortunately).

- she's starting to really get a sense of where things are. For instance, whenever we go to the bathroom, she'd often say "kak kak kak!" because she knows that's where we keep her rubber duckie (which I hide on the shelf behind the shower curtain). She'd point at the shelf and triumphantly tell me "duckie!" She also knows that all her toys are stored in her Moses basket in the living room, and that some of her favorite books are kept by our bedside. On the downside, it peeves Dan most of the time that the little pooper knows where the DVDs and CDs are, coz he'd often find them scattered on the floor, the cases open and the discs out (and yes, Wyn can open DVD cases now and take the discs out too). Just recently, I can ask her to put the dvds backs on the shelf, and she would happily oblige perhaps because she thinks it's all a game!

- is very fascinated with baby pictures and videos. She'd sit on my lap and we'd look at her pictures or video clips on the computer, and whenever I stop, she would tell me firmly "More, more!" Di rin sya demanding, ano? Aside from her phones, her favorite toy these days is her baby dolls. She treats them like real babies, humming to them and singing to them and carrying them from room to room. One time, she even attempted to put a diaper on her plush Dora doll! I've also found her many times sitting with her doll and, as though teaching