Counting to Three

How time flies. Our little boy will be turning three this weekend. We're keeping it simple. No parties, no big and noisy gatherings. It's going to be pure loving with lots of fun (and cuddling).

Pain Pain Go Away

We have been through some physical pains today. I have impacted molars and one of them had inflamed gums around it. Eating is quite a challenge and yawning is excruciating. Meanwhile, my little boy has just recovered from a two-day fever. We had a busy weekend and I suppose the fever was his body's way of telling us he's tired. This morning was different though, he was overflowing with energy and had few minor injuries: 1) He asked for cold water and when I tried to convince him to drink warm water instead, he started wailing and running around the room and didn't stop until he crashed his forehead on the wall. I just had to give him cold water after that. 2) While watching TV he got so excited that he fell off the bed, with his face hitting the floor first. 3) I had to take him downstairs to have some snacks because he was already getting cranky. He stood up on the chair and after a few minutes, he lost his balance and fell, with his chin hitting the table. He cried a lot and wont let me put ice on his lip. He got a small scratch on his chin. 

Perhaps we all have to experience pain once in a while to make us appreciate the normality of things. I hope all will be better tomorrow. G'night!

Getting There

Last month, my son and I enrolled in St. Michael's Parent-Child program. He's a bit old for it, i realize, since the ad on Facebook said up to 2.5 yrs old. I called the school to ask if they would accept my son who turns three in two months. They said yes, much to my relief, and sent me the registration forms.

It's I.'s first-ever school experience and I was excited for him. I was also glad to have some time outside the house and enjoy summer --- which meant less traffic in the city. The classes were from 9-11am on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Here were my expectations before the classes started:
1. I wanted to experience Waldorf first-hand and not just from materials on the internet.
2. I wanted to learn Waldorf ways and apply in in our home.
3. We've resorted to TV and iPad  a lot of times and I feel bad that he's exposed to these media however good the contents are and that longer exposure would be bad for his eyes
4. I wanted him to experience free play more
5. I wanted him to get used to other children and other adults too.

On our first and second days, he was clinging to me like a velcro and wouldn't let me out of his sight even if I was just on the other side of the room.  He softened when he saw the wooden horse and toys. He particularly liked the crocheted finger puppets and fruits and vegetables. We played with the bowls and spoons and pretended to have a tea party. They let the parents do some crafty projects too for the duration of the program. I sew a stuffed ball and a small placemat. He cried when we had to cover the toys with cloth as they were supposed to "rest" while we ate snacks. We had pineapples and watermelon. By the second day, he was already drinking and eating on his own, from real glass and china plates and non-plastic utensils.

On the following week, I noticed he became less clingy and didn't call out for me that much. He was more playful with his classmates, Koa and Sarah. Ashley was barely one year old and she just smiled a lot.  He looked forward to playing in the sandbox, watering the plants, and swimming in the inflatable pool.

Over the weekend, I got myself thinking about weaning, something that the nurturer discussed with me about. My husband and I connived in telling I. that he is about to be a Kuya and as such, he shouldn't ask to be nursed at day time. He looked convinced and kept saying "I'm not a baby, I'm a Kuya". Before I knew it we were down to night feedings only. We also started using a small glass, ceramic bowl, and real spoon and fork for him at home. He's finished a bowl of oatmeal on his own and drank water on his own as well. I get teary-eyed seeing him so independent.

On the fifth and sixth day (our last week), he's already memorized the sequence of the class and hardly stayed beside me. I looked at him hold hands with the mom of another boy as he walked down the stairs and even played bubbles with the other parents. I couldn't be happier to see him at ease with these nice people. Later, I learned that the other parents also practice Waldorf in their homes and one couple (both Germans) even went to Waldorf schools. I was inspired to be more creative and less dependent on TV and other media devices. I will certainly enroll I. in St. Michael's arts, baking, and woodwork classes in the future, maybe even try their daycare when we're ready and have more time in our hands.

At home, you'd hear us singing Waldorf songs which we all love. We have not been so successful in weaning though reminding him that he's  now a "Kuya" sometimes works. And the TV & iPad? We haven't been that successful yet but we have lessened the exposure remarkably.

Wool, felt, wood --- we are in love with all things Waldorf

In My Kitchen (Feat. Four Home Recipes)

I'm just blessed that both my husband and kid appreciate and actually eat the food I prepare on the table. Of course there were some misses in the past, especially at the beginning of our married life, but nowadays have been all hits at the dinner table. 

This is my version of a Roast Beef wrap. When I was still working in Ortigas, I was a regular customer at Earl's. Now I make sure I bring home a few hundred grams of sausages and hams whenever I attend monthly meetings in that area.  We are also digging the mango, cucumber, parsley combination the past weeks so alongside this wrap we also had this wonderful green salad. 

For the Roast Beef wrap I used: Whole wheat tortilla, roast beef, and a portion of the green salad. My husband liked spreading some light mayo on his wrap but I was fine with the vinaigrette alone.

For the salad I mixed: Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, flat parsley, mangoes, and feta cheese for that distinct kick. I also mixed together cider vinegar, olive oil, and chia seeds to make the dressing.  

One morning, my son exclaimed, "I want to eat meatballs". We were watching "Cloudy with the Chance of Meatballs" then.  I had nothing in refrigerator but tofu. I was so worried that he won't eat my fried tofu in soy sauce if that's what I serve him for lunch because he asked to have meatballs. So I searched the net for a recipe on Tofu Meatballs! I was so proud to have thought of it and was even more proud when after fifteen minutes I came up with this:

The little boy was so pleased he ate three pieces and all the tomatoes and cucumbers in the photo above.

For this recipe I used four slices of old bread, firm tofu, minced garlic, egg, parmesan cheese. I kinda followed this recipe but skipped the ricotta cheese (as I didnt have this and just put more parmesan) and instead of baking, I fried the meatballs in canola oil. I made tomato-basil pasta topped with the tofu meatballs for dinner which the husband adored. 

I never list down menus, nor make grocery lists. I think it takes so much of my time. However for our weekly dinners, I make it a point to cook at least one pasta or noodle dish, one seafood dish, one fish dish, and one filipino dish. This qualifies as either pasta or seafood: 

I used shrimps (deshelled and deveined and cut in bite sizes), mushrooms, olives, basil, and tomato sauce. Of course, the usual garlic, onion, and tomatoes combo for sauteeing. Season with salt, pepper, and cheddar cheese. Squeeze some lemon to taste.  Yummers!

Full-time Mom, Back-up Breadwinner

That's me right now. It's been almost a year since I decided to be at home 100% of the time and be with my son and husband. I've been really excited, after all, this was a dream come true. I've worked in an office almost as soon as I graduated from college, maybe traveled a little, did part-time work sometimes, studied MA, but I still basically had to work. For years I longed to climb up the career ladder, have a hefty salary, and become the boss.  When I became a mom though, all these changed and I realized I no longer want to be in the rat-race of working for corporations anymore. The first time I saw my son, I thought, I love you that I just want to see your face every minute of everyday. So when I learned that I will be allowed to work from home, I was ecstatic. Little did I expect that I would be really exhausted. I am exhausted yet very satisfied. I don't think of promotions or salary raises anymore. After all, the greatest promotion I have ever gotten so far is becoming the parent of this wonderful boy.

Meanwhile, my husband works like a horse and gets very little sleep in the day. I still dream of that day when neither of us have to work like 25 year-olds. But there's so much beauty in the world that we want to see, houses we want to live in, food we want to taste, and places we want to experience. In short, we still dream of things we believe that are nice, like a house with big windows and a garden, 5-day vacations worth at least 40 thousand pesos, and slow-paced education for our children that will enhance their creativity and imagination more than we ever had a chance to. We are humans and we have to earn.

Being a woman at this time is fairly challenging. There are so many things to take responsibility of like careers, health, the environment, and most of all, the home and kids. And because I love my husband so much, I don't want him to feel all the burden of earning for the family. Right now, I'm just glad that I am able to share with the bills and sometimes pay for dates and vacations. It's exhausting, yet highly satisfying to realize that I am somehow able to juggle these things together and make things as beautiful as I can for myself and my family. 

Giving and Receiving

I. may be crying in this photo but he sure had fun at Taal Vista Hotel where we celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary last February 22.

I have a theory why he cried in this photo: he thought the hotel attendant was taking our camera. Before this was shot, a bunch of foreigners parked on our background (see the bus leaving from not so far away?) so we had to wait for them to get out while the hotel attendant was still holding our camera. I. is very possessive  at this stage of his life. He only shares with me and his daddy. I know this will pass but it makes me sad sometimes. I want him to be generous and learn the true value of sharing. Some kids his age don't mind sharing, do they?

He's not been very independent lately either. He asks for me or his daddy to play with him all the time. He wouldn't even pull down his underpants earlier this evening when he accidentally peed on the floor. Oh, and we haven't been successful potty training him just yet. Wonderful.

It's been 9 months or so since I started working from home and about 8 months since we let our helper go and manage the house our way.  Thankfully, not one of us have ever been sick so far, we manage to eat delicious meals, our clothes are laundered and ironed properly, dishes are washed, and floors swept and mopped clean.  And since I am no super woman, I ask help from our former laundry lady to help me with general cleanings every three months.

So despite the frustrations with teaching our child how to share and making him use the potty when he need to pee so we could finally bid diapering goodbye, I still think we're on the right track.  Sometimes, you have to be nice on yourself and not give in to too much pressure as this will just stress you out.  I know inside that we're doing it right because we give it our all. That's what life taught me so far, to give the things that matter your all. I may not see the results now but I pray hard that all the attention we give our child now will prepare him to be the person he is meant to be. I speak so vaguely now but this is just what my intuition (and some amount of researching and reading) tells me.

Sunday Under the Sea

How was your weekend? Mine was exceptional. On Saturday, I had another afternoon off, the first one being last week for my monthly waxing of unwanted hairs and mani-foot spa-pedi after a loong time. Since these beautifying activities already took 2.5 hours, I just promised to return the next weekend for my haircut. My last haircut was in November last year. Anyway, instead of just a haircut, I managed to have a hair and scalp treatment that comes with a back massage. I loved every minute of the massage! I wish they massaged my arms and legs as well. Thanks to my husband for looking after the little one while I got myself pampered and prettified. I should do it more often.

The following day, we had an impromptu trip to Manila Ocean Park with my sister. It was our first time. I have always wanted to go but found the prices too high. When we got there we spent a good few minutes asking ourselves if its really worth it to spend 550/head including the kids. We decided to do it and splurge a little on family activities such as these. When I was already in line, I saw that they had an even better deal: the 5+1 deal for the Oceanarium tickets. That's a mere 2,000 pesos for the 6 of us which is like Php 334/head. Yay! We couldn't care less about the shows because we figured the kids are too small to enjoy the fountain or penguin shows and won't be sitting still for five minutes to watch. Anyway, the Oceanarium was fantastic and even us parents had so much fun. Our photos weren't that spectacular but I know we have achieved some special memories there for the kids. Here are my favorite takes:

After the tour, we watched the sunset at Whitemoon Bar whilst drinking beer and chasing the kids.

My son wouldn't stop doing this:

I don't think we're ready yet.