Smile

When your kid grows up with their grandparents, you just have to expect that they know how to sing this. :-)

Maybe not all. But at least they know some of the lines.

I woke up this morning with my son singing lines from Nat King Cole's famular song.

Smile!

Viva La Ferraris

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Another of Them 7

I'm not such a good Meme blogger though I have no opposition to tags and Memes. In fact, I do love them because I find them easier to do - the only question is time... So little time, so many memes. I try hard to catch up but...

Or maybe I'm lazy. I bet, you would say that if you knew how many Memes are sleeping in my Draft now- waiting to develop fungus.

Anyway, I'm going to do an old Meme which I should have done a long time ago. If I'm not mistaken, my friend Grace tagged me to do this one - and then maybe Melanie, too.

It's the 7-random-things- about-my-son Meme.

• Any cook would love to have Matt as a guest because he is not a picky eater – except for ice cream. Ha! No kidding. It’s not uncommon to hear him say (verbatim) “Mama, I want more rice and fish.” "More juice." "More crackers." And hear him plead, “Please, some more.” He thinks ampalaya (bitter gourd) is “yummy.”

• He easily gets bored with some toys. He wants the real thing. Real PC. Real tools. And gets his kicks breaking them. His favorite fishing set which my cousin got for his 2nd birthday lasted for few hours only. Maybe two hours.

Real toy? Here he is twisting somebody's arms (or legs) for real.

• He loves to drive his leg-powered car fast – until it crashes on the doors or the walls. Crashing is so fun for him. I'm really inclined to think that he's inlove with the walls because of the times you'd see him "kissing the walls" -albeit unceremoniously. I hope he gets over this fascination soon.

If he is fascinated with cars, he is fascinated with music too. He loves to sing and play his guitar or his piano. Here he is making music out of a box and stick -like a "trumpet."

• He always tells me I love you. Also, “I’m sorry” and “It’s okay Mama.” He really is a sweet child. Sometimes, he tells me “I love you” and “Go away” - all in one breath.

• Really, he is so so sweet that he thinks Mama loves it if he pinches her nose or cheeks, or kicks or walks on Mama while she sleeps.

• He doesn’t like to see me leave the house and is usually in tears everytime I leave for work-without him. Yes, ladies and gentleman, I have a mean bodyguard who cannot be at peace unless he “drives” me to work and drops me by the office door. When I hide and he sees me, he’d always say (verbatim), “I thought Mama working in the office.” Heart-wrenching, I know.

• Matt loves to play the flag game. He can identify more than 15 flags.
  
  
  
  

Clothes, clothes...

Few days ago, I saw the need to purchase a new cabinet to house our clothes. And we did purchase one. Matt is growing up and so are his clothes –the size of his clothes at least. Considering the increase of size, his baby clothes took up most of the space of our old cabinet especially the unused ones that he received as presents on his birthday and Christmas.

And yes, I really don’t buy him much clothing because there are always family member who shower him with clothes as if there’s no tomorrow. And then he also receives a lot of hand-me- downs (that don’t look hand-me-down at all) from his cousins. So I rarely buy –except when really needed or really tempted.

Now speaking of temptation, look at these cute baby clothes at Sand Couture. Lovely right? The store is on sale and you can save up to 90%. Also, they offer free shipping for purchases over $75.

Starts With T, Ends With Y

Not toy... Tummy!

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Mirror, Mirror, Tell Me What's He Doing

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For Parents Only book goes to...

I should have posted this last night but I unexpectedly fell flat on my back after Matt slept. It was still so early but I'm glad for the long sleep I and Matt had.

So before I sent Matt to bed last night, I asked him to pick the contest winner (so he can have some sort of participation to my blogging activity) among the yellow Lego blocks -where underneath is a paper with a name written on it.

And he picked the block with Grace's name on it. So Grace, email me your address so I can mail the book to you.

Thanks everyone for participating in my little contest.

Wordless Wednesday: Slurp!

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***

Have you entered in my little contest? Check it out here. A winner will be randomly picked on January 19.

Young Engineer

Coming home from work one afternoon, my son - after our initial display of affection- said “Mama, remote” and proudly showed me something he had been holding in his hand.


“Oh.” I was surprised. No, that is not a remote. I was almost tempted to say but held my tongue in check.


“What is this remote control for?” I playfully asked instead.

“Remote for [the] yo-yo.”


And I pulled all my reserved acting skills to keep a straight face.

***

So presenting Matt's self-made remote control.



Made out of sticking a cottonbud (arrow) on a hole of wrist toy (that makes sound by pressing the red triangle). He said the cottonbud is the antenna!




And this is my son's entry for this week's MakeIt FromScratch! Eugene Polley- step aside.

Wordless Wednesday: Lovin' and Playin'

Taken during our family reunion last December 2007. Hub and Matt had a great time in the pool. They were in there 80% of the time!

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Recycle: Tissue Box

We've accumulated lots of empty boxes of these lately - because I've been crying lots. But really it's actually my nose that's been "crying" lots. Icky! I know.

And then Matt discovered the joys of tissue shredding playing.

So anyway, this put me into wondering what I'm going to do with them.

Few maneuvers with a pair of scissors and ...

...I turned one into my son's socks box/dispenser.

As for the rest of the boxes, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with them. :-D.

Wordless Wednesday: The Tease In A Teaser Shot

Thankful Thursday on a Friday

If you look at this unedited picture taken last Saturday, you would have deduced we had all the sun I was praying for on Matt's party.


But this is a misleading picture because Mr. Golden Sun actually went on leave that day. And in his place was Mrs Relentless Rain.


Looking at the first picture, you wouldn't have thought that the other side looked like this, would you?


The past few days, the weather was dreary. That's due to tropical storm Lando that swept the Visayas area, but which also affected some parts of Mindanao. There are reported damages and casualties but I am grateful that it's down at minimum. And I hope there’d be no more addition to that, especially since another typhoon is on its way round here.

But I thank God for bringing all sorts of weather- good and bad. Because we all need a little of everything --like in our lives, sometimes, we need storms to keep us on the right track.

Anyway, despite the rain, Matt had a good time on his party. And I'm glad because that's what really matters to me. I'm also thankful that our friends and relatives were able to bring their kids and join Matt on his party. I’m also glad that despite the bad weather, my husband arrived home safe and that he was able to attend Matt's party. And more importantly, I am thankful of my son's life. He is a precious gift God blessed us with and everyday, I am learning to be a better person because of him.

Last Monday, because of the dreary weather, some flights were canceled in our area, including one that should have brought my husband back to his workbase. But I am grateful. No, I was not too happy that my hubby’s flight was canceled; in fact, I was disappointed because I didn’t want him to miss a day of work because he has just transferred in this company. But I couldn’t allow myself to be eaten up whole with negativity brought about by something I do not have control of. So when something unexpected and disappointing happens, like a canceled flight, I’ve got to look at it in a different perspective. And certainly, a canceled flight can only mean a little extension to the time we can be with my husband. And yes, it did allow Matt (and me) few hours of his company. For that, I am grateful.

Oh Mister Sun, Mister Golden Sun

...these little children are asking you, to please come out so they can be with you...

Mr. Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, I am asking you, too. Pretty please.

Matt will be having his kiddie party tomorrow, so however selfish this may sound, I really am praying for a perfect weather. We're doing it outdoors this time and I just want him, and the kids who will be joining him, to have the perfect weather for some outdoor fun.

After he came down with bronchitis, I have kept his outdoor activities at minimum and he has been playing inside the house most of the time. But prior to that, he used to be my morning-walk buddy and he would be given some time to indulge in "getting dirty." But we haven't done it in a while. In due time, we might resume the morning walks/runs. For the meantime, I am giving him his free pass to get dirty and wet tomorrow because he must be missing the "our dirty days" already.

So I am hoping and praying that the weather will cooperate. Please, Mr Golden Sun.

***

On a different note, there's a Write-Away Contest over at Scribbit. The topic is, "My life is different because of . . ." If you're interested, email her your entry on or before Wednesday, November 21.

Also, The Carnival of Family Life is up and running at All Rileyed Up.

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday to My Happy Baby

Taken on his 1st birthday a year ago.

Taken early this year.

Bookmark It!

I'm cooking up a kiddie party and rather than letting a party coordinator do the dirty job, I've decided to handle most of that myself. This way I can trim down the cost. So that's what's keeping me busy these days.

And with my sister's help, I tackled my son's birthday invitations few days ago.


There are lots of free designs we found in the Net but we chose this one. To save on printing cost, we agreed that it's going to be just a bookmark size.

Printed on photo paper, the actual size of each invitation is only 11cm X 6cm.

For 20 invitations, we were able to use only 4 pieces of A4 photopaper.

With some ribbons, which are leftovers from my wedding 44 months ago, I decided to make it look like a bookmark all the way. Thus, eliminating the additional cost of need for envelopes.

Here's a sample of the finished bookmark-cum-invitation.

And here are the rest of the invitations.

(Note: Pictures are edited and blurred on purpose)

*******

Few days back, an officemate and friend paid me a compliment. No big thing really. He only said I’m frugal.

"Oh, yeah?" My other officemate, who was with us, playfully joined.

"Go ask my husband," I was quick to reply.

No big deal. But okay, granting there’s no undertone of sorts there, I consider it as a compliment; a feather to my bonnet. Actually, I’d much rather think of it as that, because if I analyze too much, I would begin to wonder if my friend thinks I'm Scrooge-ing! Heavens forbid! :D (Chuckle)

Out in the Sun

It was a beautiful day last Sunday, perfect for lazing outdoors so we decided to head to a nearby pool/beach place.

Taking the dip, with Papa.

Actually, this is Matt's pool debut. And he was so happy splashing waters and reaching out to the kids all around him.

Winning smile!

Wait a sec! I hear that he's not happy because I just heard howling in the other room as I am writing this. Gotta run before Matt wakes the whole household...be right back.

Minutes later...
(It's one of those middle-of-the-night wailings...er, wakings. He always seems like having a bad dream and keeps on saying "Mama, here. Mama, here." But okay, that's another post. :D)

Heading home after a perfect day at the pool.

I'm going back to bed now as my hub will be flying to a new work location early morning tomorrow. :D

Homecoming

Everytime my husband comes home, I and my son are always the happiest people on earth. When hub is away, I know Matt misses him big time, judging from his constant "Talk-a papa" requests.

Yesterday, when Matt first saw his father entering the door, he was all bubbly and beaming with an unmistakable sparkle in his eyes. It was a precious moment.

After few seconds when must have been able to take the sweet reality in, he politely offered, "Go-morning, Papa." We all laughed. Matt was amusingly so proper, like his father. Heartbeats later, he followed up with "Ah lavu, Papa."

He has been tailing his father since then.

Lessons from a 23-month old

BE CONCERNED.

Matt yelled to a chicken that was perching atop our fence: “Chicken, get down!”
And in a serious and thoughtful tone added, "Uh fall." (Fall hah! :D)

BARGAIN TRY AGAIN.

After I had repeatedly declined his request to play with my phone, he said “Howd only.” Hold only.

BE PERSISTENT

I was angry one day, and was all quiet. Sensing my strange silence and seeing my dour countenance, Matt came up and tried to entertain appease me. However, I was not making eye contact to him. “Ma, V-pa-power**?” No response. “Ma, drive car.” Still, I was quiet and not making eye contact to him. After more tries, he finally reached over and planted a very wet kiss on my lips.

**V-pa-power is Matt’s way of saying V-Power, which is a type of gasoline from Shell.

WHEN WATERS GET ROUGH, SING.

Me: Matt, don’t bang your guitar on the floor.

But banging still continued.

Me: Okay. I’ll have to keep the guitar if you continue the banging.

Matt: J-O-Y, down….. (singing the I’ve Got JOY Down in my Heart song).

Recall: The story of the Alphabet Song.

ASK FORGIVENESS

“Hug-a Mama. Sorry.” Always. And in an oh-so sweet tone.

NEVER DISCRIMINATE

Greet everyone and anyone.

Morning, fish! (or chicken or Barney or Kermit, etc..)

And to people he doesn't even know: Morning, tao.***

Go-night, Bobby.

After attending a birthday party, he said “Happy Birthday, car.”

***tao means man

SHARE.

"Kermit," Matt gently said while bringing the bottle of Chamyto on Kermit’s lips and pouring the contents all over him.

BE CANDID.

Me: Matt, why are you crying?

Matt, referring to me: [you are] Talking to [a] man.

(Oh!)

Me, seeing Matt atop his toy basket: What are you doing?

Matt: Switch[ing] on-a light.

(But of course!)

TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME (or…)

Matt: My name is [our home address].

Whoa! This happened after I taught him the my-name-is and I-live-in concepts all at once.

ANGER HAS AN ANTIDOTE.

Seeing Mama angry, Matt said in a placating tone: Maaaaa. Inom**** Bajajesic.

Matt’s Bajajesic means Biogesic, a Paracetamol brand.

****inom means to drink