She said what?

We were at a clothing store last Sunday to buy some long sleeve PJs for the kids since the weather is getting cooler.  So while I was looking around, our 3 1/2 year old Princess did too and helped herself, got a pair of pink pants and said, "Mama, I like pink. . . HOT pink!"  

Yes, you are never too young to learn about HOT pink! I had to correct her though.  

This is baby pink!  Haha!

Since we moved to LA last May, this little girl has become more articulate.  I've even heard her use some of these phrases:

What's up with that?!
What in the world?!
What in the whiskers?! (I know, whiskers?!)
Disgusting!
Smelly!
Oh dear  (and she just sounded like a grown up. . . an old one! Haha!)

One time, she did something and wanted to say "sorry" to me . . .
She said: "Sorry man" 

The other time, we were about to leave the house and she wanted me and her Papa to hurry up so . . .
She said: "Come on guys!"

As they say kids say the darndest things.

Well, they also say the funniest things..

She left the room and left her toys around so Hubby cleaned up.  When she came back and saw the clean room. . .

She said: "Papa, why you clean up? I like kalat! (kalat is the Filipino term for "mess")

Oh nooooo . . .

Last night, whe was pretending to go to class and I was her teacher. . . 

She said::  Good morning Teacher!

Me: Good Morning Princess!  Did you do your homework?  Let's try to count okay.

She (starts counting): One. . . .Two . . . Three. . .  GOODBYE Teacher! 

Where is that little girl who likes going to school?! Haha! 

The other night, I haven't taken a bath and it's getting late.

She said: "Mama, take a bath.  It's sleeping time!"  

I swear, somewhere inside of her is a grown up, haha!

And kids say the sweetest, melts-the-heart things too.

There was one time when she just suddenly told me . . .

"Mama, you are my best friend!"

Awwww, sniff. . . sniff. . . 

I hope she'll say the same thing when she grows up! 

And kids are honest too.

One night,while she was combing her Dad's hair
She said: Papa, you don't have hair.  Mama has lots of hair!"

Sorry Huney, that was just really funny!  It's one of my faves!  Haha!

Hope this post has brighten up your day just as it brightened mine.  Just spreading some good laughs to brighten up this cold and sort of gray day here in LA. =)

Spot On!

There is a saying which says "Patience is a virtue".  This was something which holds true to me. . . before the kids came, haha!

Parenthood is not a walk in the park.  I have to say that it brings out the best and the worst in me!  

There are days when I get heart melting moments.  Like when the other day, my Princess said:

"Mama look at the pink mirror (her toy), you're beautiful"  *Awwwww*

And then I imagine what my life will be without them!

And then there are days when I just want to scream and breakdown!  Sometimes I'm just too tired from doing household chores (and there are still so many things left to do) that I become impatient with the little ones.  And when this sets in, for sure, there is some yelling bound to happen (which breaks my heart).  Then, I feel I need a breather and I start to miss the life I had before I had them.

And then I imagine what my life will be without them!

But however hard it is, those precious moments are far greater than the ehrrrmm, let's just say, the "emotionally charged ones" haha!

And there is no imagining what my life will be without them because. . . I just can't. =)

To end this post, would just like to share with you an IG post shared by (working.mom.ksa) which is funny and true! =)

Spot on!  Haha! 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Growing up, we have probably heard this question a million times!  I always answered, "I want to be a doctor!" only because my parents are doctors.  There were days I wanted to become a cashier or a singer (though I can't carry a tune).  I also imagined having my own store, or that I was a bank teller!  

As I grew older, when I had to choose what Degree to take up in the University, I still didn't know what I want.  However, there was one thing I was sure of. . . I didn't want to become a doctor! Haha!

One thing that I learned from my parents was to choose something that I really like and one that is interesting for me because earning a Degree isn't easy.  They were probably hoping that I would consider becoming a doctor but they never imposed.  They were there to guide, to advise but they never imposed and that is one thing I appreciate about them.  Making our own choice was what mattered most.

So I went to the University, took up something which sounded . . . umm nice, haha!  (If you're wondering what it was, it was a Double Degree in Applied Economics and Marketing).   No, I didn't get the chance to apply what I learned but I did get to do a job that I really, really loved and this is one thing that I'm grateful for in my life! =)

To my dear Princess, 

Choices are part of our everyday lives.  We can only hope (and pray) that we make the best one each time we have to do so.  Don't be discouraged if you make the wrong one.  You'll be surprised that the bumps along the way may actually be blessings in disguise.   

I wish that the future brings you where you want to be, where you can be your best and most especially where you will be happy =)

*All photos are owned by Highgrove

Someone turned One!

Someone just turned 1. . . .a few days ago =)

I can't believe how fast this bouncing baby boy . . .

grew up to become a little man!

Our own little Prince

To our Dearest Little Prince,

Someone asked me what my birthday wish was for you and the only thing that I can think of that moment was for you to always feel blessed and loved.  Because when you do, you will just be so happy with what you have that you would want to share yourself and your blessings with everyone. . . and hopefully by doing this, the world will become a better place.

I also wish that you thrive in life and find its meaning .  The journey will not be easy but always remember that we have your back.

Happy 1st Birthday Sweetheart . . .We love you to the moon and back! 

Toilet Training Woes

Toilet training is one thing that we're dealing right now . . .unsuccessfully.  *Sigh*

I've read that Kids would do it in their own time, when they feel that they are ready and that they shouldn't be forced to do it.  But then when I see and hear about other kids that are her age (and some are even younger than her!) who have already learned to let go of their diapers, I can't help but feel the pressure, haha!

We tried the potty trainer which she didn't use at all!  She preferred to sit on the toilet so I bought her a baby toilet seat to use.  She actually knows when it's time for her to go. . . she just wouldn't sit on the toilet.  I even showed her that Mommy sits on the toilet so she wouldn't be afraid to do it.

I also borrowed a book at her school which I thought was perfect for us!

The story is about Ducky and his friend Piggy who can't come out to play because Piggy is in the potty.  Ducky realized that it's time to be like Piggy, to let go of his diaper and sit on the potty.  

So I read this book to the Princess so many times and emphasized (like EMPHASIZED!) on how Ducky kicked his diaper because the diaper is wet and heavy and that sitting in the potty/toilet is better!

Then I asked her (and I sounder like a coach who was giving her team a pep talk!) after reading the story:

Me: Sooo, do you want to be like Ducky and Piggy?  Piggy uses the potty and Ducky KICKED his diaper because it was WET and HEAVY?!

And she gamely answered with a loud voice and said . . .

Princess: NOOOO!!!!! I want to be an elephant!

Me: *Facepalm* --- (have I mentioned that there's no elephant in the story?!)

So yes, I am stressing over this toilet training thing!  Wish us luck!!!  I neeeeddd it!!!!

Any tips?!

My Fridate! =)

Last Friday was one of the best Fridays I had!  All because I had a one-one date with the Princess which started at her school.  

The Princess had a Skills Demo Program that afternoon.  When I saw her name in the Programme (she was assigned to do Reading, Numeracy and Puzzle Solving/Sorting), I'm the one who had butterflies in the stomach, haha!

She was asked to match the head and the body part of the animals.

The kids were asked to pick the picture that represents the word.

First, she had to sort the pegs according to colors.
Then she was asked to count for a particular color
and pick the number for that color!

Have I told you that she is just in PRE-NURSERY?!  All I remember doing in my Nursery class was eating and sleeping after Recess!   Haha!

By the way, that's her "game face" on!  She is serious (and quite timid) when she is with other people.  I know her face doesn't show it (haha!) but  she really enjoys going to school.

She did a really good job that my heart swells with pride! =)   

After school, we celebrated and capped our Friday with some comfort food from Shakey's!

Because the Princess wanted to eat Chicken gravy!

And I missed eating this classic pizza (Shakey's Special)!

No trace of her "game face" haha!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and may this week be amazing for you! =)

For Pet's Sake!

The Princess and I were watching Cartoons where it showed that a little girl had Pets at home.

So out of curiosity, I thought of asking her what animal she wants for a pet.

Me: You know, Pets are animals you want to take care of.  How about you?  What pet do you want to bring home?

J: Snake!!!

(Gasp!!! )

So after a few days, I asked her the same question (as I would like to see if she will give me the same answer)

Me: What pet do you want to have?

J: Spider!!!

(Whaaat?!)

I don't know why she couldn't just say a "Dog" or "Cat"!  Haha!

So for now, I'll just leave it at that. . . it's still too early for her to have pets anyway.

Or until she changes her mind about what pet she likes!

(More than) A Million Dollar Question

One of the TV shows I like watching in the past was "Kids Say the Darndest Things" (hosted by Bill Cosby).  The kids are so smart, funny and just plain honest with what they have to say. 

I know that there will come a time that my little ones would be able to express their own opinion and rationalize too.  And of course, there will be the never-ending WHYs and HOWs too.  But I've got time to prepare, I have a couple of years more for my eldest.  What I forgot is that I also have a curious 7 year old niece who has a good habit of asking questions =). 

One day, she came up to me and asked. . .

"Ta-ta, why is there a dirty finger???"

Source

*A few seconds of shock. . . my jaw dropped---Insert the sound of chirping crickets here*

Whaaaattttt????!!!!

She took the term literally, I think she wanted to know why there is a finger that is called "dirty".

I'm not ready for this!  Haha!

And if you're wondering how I answered that question. . . 

Well, I didn't. . . I told her to go and ask her parents!  Haha!

Have you been asked (More than) A Million Dollar questions too? =)

Little Miss Independent (Take 2)

Our little girl learned how to hold her bottle when she was 5 months and when she was about 16 months, she learned how to eat on her own.

I've also blogged about her, being our little Miss Independent in a previous post.

Please indulge me as I share with you another Proud Mommy moment for me. =)

This morning, when I walked into the room, I saw this. . . .

All because my little Sweetheart wanted to fix her own milk!  She even got a tissue and wanted to clean up this mess. (Heart melts. . . )

To my little girl, I am so proud of you!  I know you want to explore and do things on your own now, and I will let you do so (as long as it doesn't harm you).  Always remember that Mama and Papa are here to guide you.  We will always be here for you.

P.S. I hope you won't change. . . that you will always remember to clean your mess. . . until you reach your teenage years!  Haha!

Saturday Morning with a Princess

I think all little girls go through a "Princess" phase.  My sweetheart just started hers!  (Thanks to Disney's TV cartoon series, "Sofia the First").

The other night, she was walking and holding her imaginary ball gown and was curtsying!  

So this morning, I thought of going to the mall to buy her the "Princess stuff". . . like a Princess gown and a tiara!  So I told her (excitedly) about what we'll do but she wasn't really to keen on going out.  After a few minutes, she went to her closet and got her frou-frou skirt and said "Princess" and asked me to put it on her.  Then she went to get a piece of our puzzle floor mat and put it on her head and said that was a "crown".  I found her idea of a crown to be . . . fresh!  (Good job Ate!)

Her take on a Princess outfit. . .

I told her to smile and she gave me these faces!  Haha!

Thank you my Princess for reminding me that we can have fun with the things we already have.  We just have to be a little more imaginative!  =) 

 . . . Oh And that Princess gowns don't have to be long, haha!

Happy Weekend everyone!

NO to Drugs!

The Holiday is here!!! And so is the flu season (No thanks to the change in weather!)

The kids are having their share of the virus right now. (Spell STRESS!)

Our girl has bronchitis while the little boy "may" have asthma . . . but our Pedia-Pulmonologist chose to be aggressive in treating the kids so they can enjoy the Holidays, thus prescribing a cocktail of Meds!

The only "drugs" my kids are allowed to take (in their lifetime!) . . . are the ones that truly make them feel better (and not high!) 

Good news is they are getting better now (thank you Lord!)

I just hope they would never have to take a LOT of meds for a looonng time! (NO to drugs talaga! Enough please!!!)

Stay healthy everyone!  

Wishing everyone the finest pink of health as you celebrate the Holidays! 

200!

The no of toy-building pieces that would test my

Imagination and  . . .

and ability to follow instructions! 

It would probably test my patience too, haha!

And doing it with a curious toddler would probably take longer than usual, haha!

As they say, Patience is a Virtue =)

Pretty in Pink

One of the things I've taught Ate early on is the importance of Sharing.  It didn't come easy because she was in her "mine" phase, a normal developmental stage for toddlers.  When her little brother came, it became a bit easier because she was truly fond of her baby brother (though there are still days that the green eyed monster gets to her).  And just like a broken record, I tell her repeatedly that she should share things (and people!  haha!  Yep, she has to share me with her brother!) with "Cobo" (this is how she calls him).

One day, when we went to the salon to have my our nails done:

Ate (in toddler talk): "Mama, Cobo, pink. . .nails"

(Translation:  Mama, Cobo should have pink nails too)

Haha!  I think she got my point on what sharing is all about.

Oh my Darling Ate, thank you for always thinking about your Little Brother and for wanting to share all the nice and fun things you do =)  I am sure your brother can't wait to play with you!

For the second time. . .

There are some things in my life which I want to experience again. . . and hearing the word "Mama" for the first time would be high up there on the list.

Our little man has learned to say "Mama" just about the same time as his big sister, they were both about to turn eight months. (I blogged about Ate's moment here)

It just happened one day =). . . .and hearing it again was as exciting and memorable as the first time!

Baby J always wakes up  in the morning this way. . . with a smile!

He loves, LOVES  to eat (errrr, like his mom?, heehee), I think his next word would probably be "milk"! Haha!

You always brighten my day sweetheart. . . I love you (and Ate) to the moon and back!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Image from www.bhmpics,com

My Father loves, LOVES watching war films.  I guess because he is a frustrated Military man.  Sometimes he would say that he could have been a General by now (and we tell him, OR you could have been dead too!) but he chose to give up a promising Military career because of us.  At that time, his family was growing and he just couldn't imagine being away from us.

He may look strict (he is actually, haha!) but he is also sweet.  He is a disciplinarian and can be a spoiler too. (Yes, he still spoils me sometimes).   I think children never grow up in the eyes of their parents.  He cares for us so much . . .  that sometimes I feel like I'm still in High School, haha!    

Thank you Daddy for giving up something you love just so you can give us everything.

Thank you Daddy for showing me what makes a good husband and a good father.

Thank you for the never ending love and care that you give and show us.

Thank you for EVERYTHING!!!

On your special day, I wish you good health and lots of precious moments in each day that comes.

To the first man I ever loved . . . Happy Birthday Daddy dearest!

Ice Cream Love

I think Ate took after my love for sweets!  (Patay!  Haha!)  First, it was M&M's, then Ice Cream.  

As I've mentioned in a previous post, eating Ice Cream has helped us in managing her crying bouts when she takes her Medicine.   I guess there is really just something in ice cream that makes it comforting and brings joy to whoever eats it.  It can even solve problems!

If you want to shop and make a toddler sit still, Ice Cream can save the day!  Haha!  

P.S. And pray that he/she stays that way until the ice cream is gone, heehee.

Happy Halloween!

One of the school activities that I was looking forward to doing this year was Ate's first Trick or Treat!  I got excited with thinking of what she's going to wear, haha!  One thing was for sure, she won't be a princess or a fairy because she is not into those. . . yet.  I wanted her to wear something she really likes and one that makes her happy.  I figured that if she likes what it is, she would definitely wear the costume.

And if there's one thing she really likes now, it's M&M's chocolate (Plain)!  So I went online and googled for some costumes which my Mom's dressmaker can make.  Initially, I wanted something like this:

Iimage from www.spirithalloween.com

But went with this instead . . .

Image from www.spoonful.com

because it looked more COMFORTABLE!

Mom's dressmaker did a good job with the yellow top.  As for the M&M's logo, I just sent it to the Printer and had it printed. =)

She LOVED it!!!  And was excited to wear it!

As I've mentioned in an earlier post, I love the school's idea of recycling old shoe boxes and turning them into a Trick or Treat bag.  

Ate actually worked on the pumpkin during her Arts and Crafts time in class =)

Ate's Costume Parade/Trick or Treat in pictures. . . 

I'm glad she enjoyed her first Trick or Treat =) 

Everyone at home enjoyed it too. . . .Thanks to her candies!  Haha!

Wishing all of you a great weekend! =)

Happiness in a Tub

Do you know what is one of the hardest things that a parent does . . . get kids to drink their medicine!

It's stressful enough that they are sick.  It becomes more stressful when you see them up in arms, kicking and screaming and crying hard (sooo hard that it makes them yack, which means you have to start again!).  

Giving meds to kids becomes more challenging as they grow older.  When Ate was a baby, we only needed a dropper (it is best to place the dropper at the side of the mouth, the cheek pocket as Babycenter calls it) or we mix the medicine with the milk.  Now that she's a toddler. . .hayyyy *heavy sigh*. . .we have to be more creative, more patient and more cold-hearted!  Haha!  It kinda gets to me when I see Ate cry that I have a hard time giving her the medicine.  I actually ask other members in the family to do it for me, haha!    

The past three weeks were a struggle because giving medicine to Ate entails two things: the drama and change of clothes (there are times that taking a shower is needed) after everything!

But I'm happy to say that she is better in taking her meds now.  Oh, she still cries.  But it has become manageable.  We use an oral syringe to give her the meds but we tried using a regular spoon and we found that it worked better for her (for us too! Hehe) because there were less spit ups.

You know what else helped?

The promise of a sweet ending!

Well. . . there's nothing a tub of ice cream can't cure, haha!

Hope you're having a good weeekend!

Not so Basic Shapes

Ate and I were going through shapes the other day.  She can actually recognize some basic shapes and there were some that I thought I can teach her later on. . . .such as:

According to her, this is a Kite. . .

A Drum. . .

And Ice Cream!

But yesterday, she brought homework from school (about learning shapes) that I have to help her with.

Yes, my friends, that is the Crescent shape!  (Puwede ring moon, haha!)  She's being taught the Crescent shape at two?!  I wasn't even in school when I was at that age!  Well, actually, it's not "Crescent" to her, it's "Kescent"!

If she can handle "Kescent", I'm sure she can manage Diamond, Cylinder and Cone. =) 

Have a nice weekend!

My New Favorite Animal

Ate received this (and a few more) booklet as a gift.  This morning, we got it (our first time to read it) so we can learn more Animals!

As they say, "Don't judge a book by its cover".  This may look like your standard children's book about Animals, you would think that it is just the same as the other books that you're used to.  Well, this one is pretty special.  IT IS because . . . this is the first book I've ever seen with an

in it, hahaha!!!

Alpaca is an animal I have seen in a zoo but it's not an animal name that I would remember offhand!  

(According to Wikipedia, an Alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid.  It resembles a small llama in appearance.  If you want to know more about Alpacas , please click on this link.)

This book doesn't also just teach you about Birds, it shows you the different types of birds. 

Guess it's time to level up Ate's knowledge bank on Animals!

But I think we can do "Alpaca" some other day, haha!

Goodnight everyone =)