Notes on Nurturing

2015

2015-01-12T11:57:00.000+08:00

After some praying and reflecting, I chose the word BUILD as my one word for this year. Build health, wealth and relationships.

For this year, I will build to feel strong and abundant. I also want to be able to help others feel strong and abundant. I found a most fitting verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

I was even more thrilled when the random saint that came up from Saint's Name Generator was St. Louis IX. I didn't really know anything about him. And so I read up on the only French monarch to be a saint. And to tie it all up with my one word and one verse, he is the patron saint for (among other things):

* against the death of children- I continue to pray for my friend's son, Dax, who has gone to heaven. I also pray for all parents with young children who are sick.
* builders- I pray for the family's business including the real estate business.
* construction workers- I pray for everyone who works for us.
* difficult marriages Rocky and I will be celebrating our 7th anniversary this year. We joke about the 7-year itch.
* kings- I pray for my family.
* needle workers- I want to learn how to crochet this year.
* parenthood- And, yes, this.

* Inspired by Truly Rich Mom.

From the Kitchen- XO Sauce

2014-11-26T13:22:00.002+08:00

We were in Hongkong earlier this year and stayed at 99 Bonham (Sheung Wan) in the area around the Dried Seafood Market. And so I bought a whole lot of scallops and dried shrimp to make this XO Sauce. After looking around for a recipe online, I stuck with the one Marketman posted since it was the simplest.

Garlic, onion, dried scallops, dried shrimp, chinese ham, 5 spice powder, achuete powder, white pepper, chili flakes, sesame oil and lots of vegetable oil.

Yum!
This batch made so much I shared it with friends and family. Pasalubong from HK. :-)

I really is just a whole lot of prep work. I'm glad I have a food processor. The most difficult part for me was outside the kitchen--- choosing the dried scallops. I really didn't know how to choose among the big ones to the bits and pieces of scallops. I didn't want to spend so much but didn't want to get really poor quality either.

Marco: Two years!

2014-11-26T12:48:00.004+08:00

He really likes watching Diego and dvd. He will insist on setting it up himself. And now that he has his preferences, he has to take turns with her sister with the tv (she prefers to just watch Disney Jr.)

He likes raiding the kitchen! We have to watch him because he'll go in there, open the fridge and insist on getting stuff (Yakult, Dutch Mill, apple, etc.) We usually give him guyabano juice or whatever he wants but I put my foot down about having more than 1 yakult or yogurt drink at a time.

For his birthday, we did a transportation themed one.

By Tazzy Cakes

I ordered these.

Hat from amazon.

Balloons from a guy who delivered it.

Stickers from Auntie Ann.

Rug from Ikea HK

Inflatables from Amazon

August 26- Long good night with Marco

2014-08-26T10:52:00.000+08:00

Marco took a long time to fall asleep last night. Maybe a long hour after lights out. He was such a chatterbox. He pretended to be a baby bird and I was his nest. Then he was a baby bird and I was a red Mama bird. He was a growling, angry bear who liked honey, but not bugs. I told him he was just a hungry bear. "No, angry", he said. So I called him my hungry angry bear cub. And he was a puppy.

Intermission: "Dede please." Stay in your space, I answered him. "Okay." Close your eyes, I instructed.

"Okay." I prepared his milk, he drank, I checked FB. And then, "All done!"
Then he went back to rolling around the bed. Until he said, "Toh-ee, Mcqueen, Holly, Mater, Guido..." Huh, whut? Poor kid had to say it over and over until I got it. He was asking for a STORY! So I began a story about Mcqueen driving on the highway with a crescent moon in the sky and many twinkling stars. He insisted that there be a sun. I stood by my original night time plot. After a short story he asked for another. I told him to go ask his dad for a story. So he rolled the other way, grabbed his dad's face and asked for a story.

Intermission: "Dede please." Stay in your space, I answered him. "Okay." Close your eyes, I instructed. "Okay." I prepared his milk, he drank, I checked FB. And then, "All done!"

"Tummy ache!" That's because you drank too much milk. You want me to rub your tummy. He nodded. I rubbed. Do you need to go to the potty. Another nod. Daddy, please, can you be the one to go with him. (Thank God for husbands like Rocky.) After a few minutes, Marco ran back in the room in a state of undress, diaperless and pajamaless. We got those back on and rolled around in bed.

He said he was cold so I fixed the comforter around him. He invited me to go under. I said No, I don't like being under the covers. He insisted. I relented. Bats. We were bats. I offered some bugs. He said, "No thank you.... only foods." Foods? Fruits? How about an apple? "Okay." And he was a happy bat pretending to eat an apple then a banana.

I love you, I told him. I coaxed him to say I love you. His best attempt sounded like adieu. I ask him to say it again. He's in a playful mood. "Juju", he said. Okay, I juju too, Marco.

I pretended to sleep. I slept on my side facing away from him. He tugged on me to roll to the other side to face him. I rolled around by pretended to sleep. "Mom? Mom!" He kissed me on the cheeks, on my forehead. He did his best to run his fingers over my forehead, to mark a cross, "God bless you." "Mom! Mom! Mom!" Until finally he gave me a kiss and whispered, "Mom, smell good."

(I will treasure this in my heart.)

Marco: One year, 11 months

2014-02-18T10:28:00.001+08:00

January 9- February 8, 2014

HEALTH:
* January 9, 2014
- I took him to Dr. Cricket for a cough that started on January 5. We started giving him Cinnabar and Eupatorium.

* January 21, 2014
- I took him to Dr. Pia for vaccination (MMR + Varicella) booster. And we were reminded about his Calcium and Vitamin D requirements.

* February 6, 2014
- Took him back to Dr. Cricket for a slight fever. His medicines are now the Pneumodoron 1 and Pneumodoron 2.

He's been taking (and loving) his star vitamins:

He also takes Biobita and cod liver oil (Child Life).

HIS ART WORK:

He loves doing finger painting and we have to hide the paints from him so we would stop. (When he starts making a huge, huge mess already). I think I'll start introducing him to watercolors and paintbrush since he can really use up the finger paints really fast!

These are some of his scribbles/drawings:

OTHER STUFF
As with Marion when she was younger, the "this little piggy" on his toes really calms him down. When it's bedtime and he still crawls, climbs, jumps around the bed, I offer to do "this little piggy" and it gets him to lie still. He would request for another round of "this little piggy" on his other foot, then another round on the other and so on. I change the words, like-- "this little piggy rode a train, this little piggy rode a horse" or "this little piggy drank juice, this little piggy drank milk", etc.

We've also been toilet training him. For some reason I think we're not having as many wet accidents on the floor during the day as we did with Marion. Maybe we (the adults) are just better at bringing to the potty before it happens. But, when the lights are already out at night, he'll say "poo poo, poo poo, poo poo". So I'd take him to the potty. Sometimes he really needs to poo. And he makes me sit right in front of him and insists I make the "poo poo" sounds. If I start making the "wee wee" sounds, he'll correct me and make the do the "poo poo" sounds. However, there are many nights that he just needs to pee so I try to convince him to just pee in his diaper but he'll fuss and cry until I have to get out of the bed and bring him to the potty.

He has these Disney Characters toys:

Valentine's Day 2014

2014-02-16T20:00:00.000+08:00

Rocky and I were supposed to go to the Travel Fair together but I had a meeting at the office. He scored us some tickets for HK. :-)

Then we got to watch game 1 (of 3) of the baseball finals Admu vs Dlsu. Admu won! :-)

Took a pic of Leandro Banzon from my office window.

Then we went to the stadium.

The kids and I prepared this for Rocky:

And this for Marion's class:

We decorated the garage with these:

I worked on this.

The kids worked on this.

Rocky got me this (Yey!)

Marco asked me to get him some balloons (he asks every time we're in National)

We were planning to just stay in to avoid pay day and Vday traffic but we snuck out to have dinner nearby:

Mitsuyado Sei men

We ended the day at home with some--

Chinese New Year 2014

2014-02-16T09:00:00.000+08:00

As usual, we went to the mall for the dragon dance. Marco was nervous at first and hesitated to go near the dragon and lions. But when he saw his sister rushing towards it, he became more curious and wanted to go nearer as well. Marion immediately noticed that the dragon was not following a ball...

Rocky's cousin, Ronnie was in town with his wife Jade and children. There was a children's party.

We brought soft shelled crab noodle salad.

I should make this more often.

My mom gave us tikoy--

We got this from DEC and missed Ama who always gave us one.

And I finally got our own dragon mask-- Jaja got it for us from White Gold, Php1k

***** ***** *****
Fried Soft Shell Crab with Sesame Seeds

Crab:
Soft shell crab- 8 pcs
Egg whites- 2 pieces
Cornstarch- 2 cups
Garlic- chopped
Adobo Spice- 1 Tbsp
Chicken Powder- 2 Tbsp
Chili powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1 tsp
Ground black pepper- 1 tsp
Black sesame seeds- 1/2 cup
Cooking oil

- I don't put in all the spices/powders. I just use whatever we have in the kitchen, but make sure to have the black sesame seeds.

Noodle salad:
Egg noodles (boiled)- 250gms
Pea sproud (sauted in garlic)
Salad Tomatoes (sliced)- 2pieces
Yellow onions (sliced)
Yellow capsicum (strips)

- I also just use what's available. I've omitted the pea sprouts and yellow onion.

Salad dressing:
Parsley (chopped)- 30 gms
Cilantro (chopped)- 30 gms
Red wine vinegar- 1/2 cup
Kikkoman soy sauce- 1 Tbsp
Honey- 3/4 cup
Soya oil- 1 1/2 cup
Sesame oil- 1 Tbsp
Salt/Pepper

- I've tried using much more parsley and cilantro than that. Also, I've tried using less cilantro since I don't really like cilantro. However, the times when I used cilantro I was surprised that it actually made the dressing taste better.

Introduction to Star Wars

2014-02-15T09:23:00.000+08:00

First introduction were the books I gave Rocky for Father's Day 2013. Jeffrey Brown's books--

Well, we did get some of these books before that but it didn't interest her.

Then Rocky showed her ALL movies in this order around Christmas/New Year.

Then while we were in Baguio, we borrowed these books from the Leung kids--

And played with light sabers--

Then we got these from a children's party:

(I've never had to assemble toys like this before and it seems like recently I've been putting together so many.)

Now she likes talking about Star Wars...

She was in the middle of enumerating all her favorite characters when I started taking a video. I asked her to start over and so I distracted her and broke her train of though. Also, to her Darth Vader is not a villian since her first introduction to him was through Jeffrey Brown's books.

She talks a lot about C3PO and R2D2 in this video.

On trips without kids and separation anxiety

2014-02-10T09:50:00.000+08:00

Mizpah: The LORD watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight

My two week trip to Spain last October was the longest I've been away from my kids. If I counted the nights I spent away from them, I doubt it would be more than my fingers. And so, I was a bit worried.

I might have overdid it but..

Locket with my picture in it--

Daily letters and activities I prepared (mostly for Marion)--

Maps to help her know where I was--

World map

Map of Spain

Reminders for Rocky

Skype sessions--

We survived. But I don't know if I could ever be away that long again soon (or when they are still young.)

Oh, scrap that-- I have a trip on February with Rocky sans kids. Gulp. Good luck to us!

Marion: 4 years, 3 months

2014-02-09T09:31:00.000+08:00

December 29- January 28

Health:
* Sty again! We were in Baguio and it was getting really big again so we brought her to a doctor who prescribed eye drops instead of the ointment. She also had to take antibiotics from December 31 to January 4.

* January 21 check up with Dr. Pia,
-- Vaccination: MMR + Varicella Booster

I didn't check "copies a cross & a square" and "starts to copy some capital letters" because I've never asked her to do these. I only let her trace. But I'm pretty sure she can do these. :-)

-- Reminders:

She needs around 800- 1000 mg/day of calcium and 400- 600iu/day of Vitamin D. I'd gotten the kids vitamins to cover the Vit. D requirement but she doesn't like it. I didn't force it.

She's been taking these vitamins:

In addition to that, she just started taking these vitamins:

Multi-vitamin, with 500iu of Vitamin D

It has 250mg calcium per serving.
She still complaints about having to take this even if it tastes pretty good.

-- Eye check
Dr. Pia made her read some letters. First with both eyes then she had to cover one eye at a time. She made a few mistakes with just her right eye. Dr. Pia said she passed. But I'm wondering why she made those mistakes. Maybe she was distracted and tired already. (Like she said an "N" was an "H" and I think two other letters she got wrong.)

Her prized possessions:
* Her very own comforter!

This picture does not capture how excited and crazy she went (and still is) over her new comforter.

* Her own table/display
To discourage her from tinkering around with stuff on Rocky's bedside table (or mine), I got her her own table (a small folding table). She quickly used it to display all her dolls and "action figures". She can get very OC about it. It looks like one big, random mess to me but everything has its proper place. Once she instructed me on where to return a pony ("at the back and right side, mom"). She used to get really upset when Marco would touch her things but now she's more patient.

I offered her a nice blue tin can to put all the "jewelry" of the ponies in but she declined. She prefers to have them strewn around the table.

Shredder is always in front facing "everyone".

Yoda is the most recent addition.

Things she's made:
* Superheroes
-- only girls and no villains

I listed it down for her...

Then she said "Silver sist". It didn't make sense to me (it still doesn't) so she grabbed my pen and wrote it down herself. This is the first time I've seen her try to spell something. (We don't really do spelling drills with her, except for her name since that's the one she's really learning how to write.)

* A song

She was dancing around with a balloon and singing so I told her I'd write down the lyrics. The only line I contributed was "Balloons go high". She also chose the color for the marker to use. ;-)

* Her artwork
She still does her abstract drawings but her are some that are more realistic... ;-p

I think this is of me and her.

The red one is nto a bus but our house. And the people are Rocky, me, Marion, Marco and Ate Elenor.

I think this was an ocean.

And she did this drawing after I scolded her. Her peace offering. Me and her under a rainbow.

Travel: Spain

2014-01-10T16:24:00.000+08:00

(Super late)

So my dad was finally able to tick off doing the Camino de Santiago off his bucket list.

September-- We were in Cebu to celebrate Mom's birthday and to send him off--

Onward and upward!

He flew out of Cebu on Sept. 22, 2013.

Boy scouts skills still there.

He had to delay his walk a day since his backpack got lost in the airports. The delay, I think, turned out to be a blessing since he had a bit more time to rest. The first leg from St. Jean to Roncesvalles was tough--

" the first 7.5 km was a climb from 200m above sea level to 850, the next 7.5 was a climb to 1300m then antoher 5.5km to 1440m at the peak and from the peak it was a steep downhill walk back to 800m level"

Pic taken by Dad, Sept. 25

Sept. 26- Roncesvalles to Akerreta
Sept. 27 to 28- In Pamplona
Sept. 29- In Jakue (Puente la Reina)
Sept. 30- In Estella
Oct. 1- In Los Arcos
Oct. 2- In Logrono (last leg in Navarre)
Oct. 3- 4- In Burgos (via bus)
Oct. 5- In Leon (via bus)
Oct. 6- In Astorga (via bus)

Pulchra Leonina where dad offered mass for me on my birthday

Oct. 7- In Rabanal
Oct. 8- In Molinaseca
Oct. 9- In Villafranca del Bierzo
Oct. 10- In O Cebreiro
Oct. 11- In Sarria (via bus, I think)
Oct. 12- In Portomarin
Oct. 13- In Palas de Rei
Oct. 14- In Arzua
Oct. 15- In San Payo
Oct. 16- In Santiago de Compostela where mom met him

Oct. 17- We all celebrated his 59th birthday with him in Santiago de Compostela.

Dad went to get his certificate before his birthday breakfast. ;-)

***** ***** ***** *****

The rest of us started our trip to Spain on Oct. 13. My two week trip itinerary was this:
Oct. 12- Flew out of Manila
Oct. 13- Barcelona, stayed at Royal Ramblas for 3 nights

Oct. 16- Santiago de Compostela, stayed at the Parador for 2 nights

We drove out to Finisterre on Dad's birthday.

The private bus (they changed it to a smaller one when we got to Madrid.)

Oct. 18- Drove to Madrid with a stop in Salamanca, stayed in Hesperia Hermosilla for 2 nights

Oct. 20- Drove to Cordoba, stayed at the Exe Conquistador for 1 night

Oct. 21- Drove to Granada, stayed at Hotel Carmen for 2 nights

Oct. 23- Drove to Seville, stayed at the Petit Palace Canalejas for 1 night

Oct. 24- Drove to Madrid, stayed at Ibis Centro for 1 night

Oct. 25- Flew out of Madrid

***** ***** ***** *****
All hotels were booked directly or through booking.com.

Travel Agents and guides:

A friend in Madrid referred me to a local travel agent who helped book the bus and local travel agents (and a wheelchair for Joseph which we never got to use but kept in the bus just in case). She was very helpful--
Naty (hilas viajes grupos
Dpto. Grupos e Incentivos
C/Fernan Gonzalez, 44
28009 Madrid

She booked our bus: Autocares Euro2001 Madrid (Grupo Sand)
Our driver was Enrique Caceres. He spoke English and so was a great help.

The rest of our guides were:
1) Salamanca- Maria Antonia Vicente Baz (+34630445219)
- She reminded us of our horseback riding instructor, Michelle. We didn't really spend a long time with her... but she didn't exactly wow us.

2) Madrid & Segovia- Elena Garnacho (+34607165416)
- We liked her.

3) Cordoba- Carmen Flores (+34639713679)
- She was a very proud and enthusiastic about showing us Cordoba. We enjoyed her animated spiels while taking us around.

4) Granada- Pablo Romero
- He was very good and knowledgeable!

5) Seville- Eugenia (+34689486057)
- I thought she was a little bit cranky. She was irritated by the other tour guides or the crowds which affected the way she toured us. Hmm, bad day maybe.

***** ***** ***** *****
wifi in spain: www.alldayinternetspain.com

Rocky found the website for us. Achi rented it (including car charger). Yey!

***** ***** ***** *****

My parents extended their trip to Lisbon and Paris.
In Paris, their private driver was Mr. Noel Villanueva ( jubilee.cars@yahoo.fr)

Marco: One year 10 months

2014-01-08T15:00:00.001+08:00

December 9 to January 8, 2013

Health:
Started coughing a bit on Jan. 5. I took his temperature during bedtime and it was around 37.8 or 37.9. That was the only time he had fever but we noticed he would cough when lying down. Today (Jan.8), he's coughing a bit more. No change in appetite or disposition. No meds (yet) just orange juice.

***** ***** *****

December 16--
He was fascinated with a centipede that I let him touch gently and we watched crawl around. It kept him busy for 45 minutes!!

***** ***** *****

He eats pretty well. Here he is in Breakfast at Antonio's (when we went with Guama, Sa-ee May and Uncle Pete).

***** ***** *****

Marco's starting to be more assertive... which means, hello tantrums! Enter the Terrible Two's.
My notes--

December 20-- Took him to the mall and "tantrum" because he wanted the ball from National Bookstore.

December 21- In the mall again, "tantrum" because he wanted to run around.

He really is just trying to express what he wants more now.

He doesn't have his old yaya anymore so he's been extra clingy to me (but not as much as Marion ever was). It is easy to say goodbye to him. He can be easily appeased. But, he has taken to sleeping on top of me or to crying when he wakes up and I'm not beside him.

***** ***** *****

Some of the words he uses now (or most often): Tanta (Santa), that, doon, biiiig (big), No!

A video with him calling a wise man "Tanta!"

***** ***** *****
First time to ride a horse: Wright Park, Baguio (on a pony named Chivas)

***** ***** *****

He can learn to play a musical instrument when he grows up. He's really interested in them. (His sister never showed interest.)

Marion: 4 years, 2 months

2013-12-28T08:05:00.000+08:00

November 29- December 28

Health:

She still had a bit of cough so I brought her back to Dr. Cricket. It was just cough/mucus from the sinus area so:
Pulsatilla- 5 drops and Hepar sulfuris- 1/2 stirrer for 2 hours x 2 days, 4 hours for 2 weeks
beginning December 18, 2013

Dec 4

A little past 9pm

Rocky and I just got back from watching Catching Fire and Marion was still awake. I quickly got ready for bed and so we prayed together. I prayed about giving Jesus a gift for his coming birthday… She adds,

M1: Mommy, I think we should share my favorite soup* with those who are hungry.

Y: (thought bubble) Yeah, maybe we could buy a lot of macaroni soup from Jollibee and give it to street kids.

M1: And we could give some of our books away. We’ll still have plenty left after. And some of the toys too. (Then reaches out to hug Tigger.) But just not Tigger.

Y: I think Jesus will be happy with those you plan to give and share.

*Favorite soup: macaroni soup (She also likes molo, just like Rocky, but I know she meant macaroni soup since that’s what the helpers have been serving her for 2 days now.)

Then we cuddle a little bit before she goes to her own bed.

M1: Mommy, where will I live when I’m an adult?

Y: Where ever you want to…

M1: Huh…

Y: If you want to live here or in Cebu or in New York (she giggles) or in Spain…

M1: Do YOU want to live in Spain?

Y: No. I want to live where my husband lives. If you get married when you’re an adult, you’ll live with your husband, too.

M1: Who’s my husband?

Y: I don’t know.

M1: But who?

Y: I don’t know. Only God knows. (She continues to get a clearer answer from me.) Sometimes God’s plan is for you not to have a husband too. We don’t know. We just wait and see and do our best each day.

M1: (Sensing another “lecture” from me.) Okay, mommy. I’ll go to my bed now.

M1: (From her bed.) Can I just live here forever?

Y: (Realizing I’m making the conversation too complicated for her… I think.) Of course.

More questions she asks often:

M1: Mommy, what if I'm a changeling and you'll send me away?
(My answers vary from I'll tell the changeling to tell me where my real daughter is, I'll send the changeling away to look for my real daughter or I'll tell the changeling she could stay but to make sure my real daughter is brought back.)
(Changeling from an episode from My Little Pony.)

M1: Where will I live when I'm an adult? Will you send me away?
(My answers vary from her staying wherever she wants to or I tell her that I was sent away by my parents -- to Boston, to Taiwan-- and it was the best thing ever. Then she will ask me about more amazing stories from Boston.)

Organizing Books

2013-12-22T08:16:00.000+08:00

I've been itching to sort the kids books. It was getting more and more difficult to find the books I wanted to read to them. And so we finally did it.

First step, getting the bookshelves. (Now we've filled it up and now I want to get more again. We just don't have space anymore...)
- Got them from Metro Market Market

Then the sorting.
- Softbound
- Hardbound
- Board Books
- Religion
- Behavior
- Holidays
- Health/Feelings
- World/Filipino
- Art
- Superheroes
- By author: Tomie de Paola, Carle, Lionni, Boynton, Katz, (Willems, Dora, C. George, B.Bears)
Not the best way to sort them but it'll do for now. The softbound books have all sorts in it-- from Geronimo Stilton to some books for toddlers. Maybe "Feelings" should be with "Behavior" and maybe "Filipiniana" should have its own space.

Then arranging.
Finding spaces for everything. Well, Tomie de Paolo had to share shelf space with Superheroes. And... we need more bookshelves!! :-)

Pink circle sticker- For softbound- 1 space

Orange square sticker- hardbound- 1/2 spaces

Orange square sticker- hardbound- 2/2 spaces

Pink rectangle sticker- Religion and Behavior- 1 space

Blue circle sticker- Holidays (Christmas, Easter, Vday, Halloween)- 1 space

White circle "5" sticker- Health/Feelings- 1 space

White circle "4" sticker- T. de Paola & Superheroes- 1 space

White circle "3" sticker- Eric Carle & L. Lionni- 1 space

White circle "2" sticker- Boynton & Katz- 1 space

White circle "1" sticker- Willems, Dora, C. George, B. Bears

White rectangle "A" sticker- Board Books

White rectangle "B" sticker- Board Books

White rectangle "C" sticker- Board Books

White rectangle "D" sticker- Board Books

White rectangle "E" sticker- World/Filipiniana
sharing 1 space with
White rectangle "F" sticker- Art

Then labelling.
I used stickers to code each shelf and each book has been "coded" with a sticker as well.

Whew! Now it's easier to pack away and look for the books we want to read. :-)

This was taken before I organized the books.

Marco: One year 9 months

2013-12-22T07:59:00.002+08:00

Nov. 9- Dec. 8, 2013

Started calling Rocky "daddy" (and not just "da" or "dad") on November 11, 2013.

I've been trying to get him to say "I love you." I'd greet him with I love you's and ask him to say it too. Nothing. Until this morning (Nov. 30, 2013). As usual, while I was eating breakfast he ran up to me to sit on my lap. I fed him a piece of carrot (from the Leona's chicken empanada mom let me bring home from Cebu). Then he slides off to go back to his playing. While he's running away, I call out "I love you." He stops. Turns back to me and "BYU!" then runs away to play.

I LOVE YOU, MY MARCOCOBEAR!!

Also, he's been running around like Pocoyo like this:

We had to teach him to run like Power Boy (or Super Boy or whichever superhero he is at that time) so he won't fall on his face when he trips (and he trips a lot).

Marco takes a selfie:

He likes to play with the puzzles--

Marco really likes to dance. He will do the chicken dance with his Yaya Eunice. And here he is dancing with Achi--

(Excuse my voice ;-p)

And another video of Marco:

Marion: 4 years, 1 month

2013-11-28T09:21:00.000+08:00

She insists on choosing her outfits--

She won this battle.

I did not let her wear the black & white houndstooth pattern with her floral dress. She was grumpy but was eventually okay with the red-orange one.

Just this month! Rocky and I take turns waking up in the middle of the night (or we do it right before we sleep if we're sleeping late) to carry a sleeping Marion to the toilet to pee. We've been tired this month and just stopped doing it. Ta-daaah!! No more peeing in bed! :-) *Cross fingers!*

Health

She mentioned a toothache. I honestly don't know if it was just her way of delaying having her teeth brushed. But I took her to Dr. Eric anyway. Dr. Eric said her cavity looks like the way it's been but it's possible that she did feel some sensitivity.

I also took her to Dr. Cricket just for a check up and we discussed her recurring styes & abscess (ear). To help her with those Dr. Cricket instructed--
1. silica/quartz- 1/2 stirrer
2. apis mellifica- 5 drops
(both to be given 3x/day for 6 weeks. then stop 2 weeks & observe if she needs another cycle.)
3. probiotics for 3 months.

She was supposed to do silica/quartz & apis mellifica from November 18- December 29. But had to stop it because she started coughing.

I didn't want her to go through another round of anti-biotics so took her back to Dr. Cricket on Nov. 25. It's bronchitis with wheezing. :-( So--
1. Penumodoron 1 = 5 drops each of Aconitum & Bryonia
2. Pneumodoron 2 = 5 drops of Phps D12, 1/2 stirrer Tartarus
(Pneumodorons to be given alternately every hour until Wed/Nov 27. Then 3x/day (an hour apart) for 2 weeks).
3. Nebulize with 1/2 Ventolin + 2ml saline morning & evening for 5- 7 days followed by back clapping.

We need to be healthier!!

Halloween 2013

2013-11-13T12:57:00.000+08:00

At home:

OWLS

Doing art work

Making the owls with Diku

Flag was made by Ant's Pocket

TREATS

OWL SMORES

owl smores

Guessing game--
(We delivered the treats to the winners later that night.)

All Saints
How many caramel candies are in there?

Flower mashmallows for St. Therese
Big Bang for St. Paul (to remember how he converted)

Sticko for St. Joseph the carpenter
Orange candy for St. Isidore, patron of farmers

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blue fairy witch

blue fairy

Tigger and Blue Fairy

Tigger

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Tin Man

Storm & Tin Man

Storm

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Two kinds of Indians during the school's UN Day celebrations

Marco: 1 year 8 months

2013-11-13T12:36:00.001+08:00

Health issues:

FEVER AND COUGH :-(

He had fever on the day I left for Spain (Oct. 12). Rocky was able to bring him to Dr. Pia on the 14th.
Meds: Nebulize with 1.8ml Ventar + 1ml saline, 3x/day for 1 week

Worry signs to look out for: fever more than 3 days, fever gone then returns in 1- 2 days, pain in ears, cough (vomits 3x/12hrs or can't sleep), matamlay, not drinking

He was still sick, so Rocky took him back to Dr. Pia on the 16th.
Meds: Nebulize the same every 4hrs for the 16th, every 6 hrs for 2 days then 3x/day until cough cleared.
Co-Amoxiclav 3ml, 2x/day for 7 days

BURN

October 21- He reached for the hot lever of the water dispenser and got 2nd degree burns on his right hand. His play pen in the kitchen was near it. :-( Rocky, who was still out for a dinner meeting had to rush home. The helpers put, I think, vaseline on it. Then we told them to call the Lifeline ambulance who cleaned it up a bit. When Rocky got home, he still took him to Makati Med ER. :-(

Meds: Silver sulfadiazine cream, 2x/day for 10days

Then a friend gave Rocky BAO FU LING which we replaced the Silver sulfadiazine with after we used up one tube.

When it started to heal, it got very itchy and both Marco and I didn't sleep very well. One night he managed to peel off his bandages and he scratched himself raw. :-( I cried. :-(

He's all better now. But sometimes he forgets that his hand is no longer bandaged and so still moves around as thought it was.

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First time to go to the zoo... and aquarium.

Ark of Avilon

Manila Ocean Park

I think he had too much excitement at the Manila Ocean Park and didn't sleep very well that night. :-) He was drawn to but was also a little nervous around the sharks.

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One of the first things he does now when he wakes up is peer over to the floor looking for my iPad.
"Pa, pa, pa"

And asks to watch--
"Ny, ny." (Barney.)

Marion: 4 years old!

2013-11-07T23:08:00.001+08:00

We'd been planning her birthday party for months and months before her birthday. We decided on a unicorn party and then she wanted a superhero party. I had already gotten some unicorn stuff so I prayed that she'd change her mind back to unicorn party. And she did. Whew!

Here she is working on her invitations with Rocky. I had another image of a unicorn I wanted them to use but she insisted on Rainbow Dash who isn't really a unicorn. Oh well. You win some, you lose some. ;-)

I had to prepare everything ahead of time since I would be away for her party in school. I got home in time for her actual party but she had her birthday party in school while I was still in Spain.

Her outfit:

Headband with unicorn horn and rainbow mane- I bought it.
Unicorn shirt- from her A-ee Ting
Rainbow leggings

Decorations:

At home--

In school--

Art activity and giveaway

Unicorn takas from Craft Mnl
Coloring materials: stickers, glitter glue, paint pens, paper and glue

Marco was there, too!

Some of the kids' unicorns

Birthday girl with her unicorn

Other activities

Pin the horn--
She really requested for this. I don't remember suggesting this but a week or so before I left for Spain she insisted on this.

This was the unicorn image I was hoping to use for the invitation. We still got to use it for this game. :-)

Hobby Unicorns

Hobby Unicorns made by Ant's Pocket

Food

Cake--

From Tazzy Cake

Unicorn

Rainbow!

They also ordered pizza, mojos and spaghetti from Shakeys. And we brought our cream cheese in a cone treat.

How I wish I was there---

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I also thought it would be a good time for Marion to celebrate her birthday by sharing happiness. When our friend Sab announced a party she was organizing for the PGH Ministry of the Parish, I thought we could join in.

It was with the students of Silahis ng Kalusugan (school for the chronically ill). We contributed a face painter for the party. I bought Dewberry cookies to share. Marion loves those cookies so I thought it would be a nice exercise for her to give it away to share. I also had a few St. Raphael, the Arcangel medals to give.

Sab Soriano with Tigger

Some of the SNK students

Fairy

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I was finally home for this-- her actual birthday.

We went to Ark of Avilon.
Diku Joseph was here in Manila! ;-)

Rainbow outfit

rainbow bird :-)

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Before her school went on sembreak, they had their UN presentation. (I missed this also. :( )
Her teachers already informed us that they would be India and dance to Badtameez Dil.

I went to a shop in Market Market that sold Indian clothes, jewelry, etc. But I didn't want to spend too much. A sari was around Php2,000. But they showed us a belly belt and Marion instantly held on to it. I was skeptical. Are you sure this is Indian? Well, the storekeeper assured me that it was Indian. In her words, "Yes, ma'm. It's just not conservative Indian." Okay.

And the scarf... um, it's supposed to kinda look like the sash on a sari

So no one gets confused, hehe, I got her a bindi.

Action shot

How many Indians do you see?

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On the day I left for Spain, both Marion and Marco were sick! Argh!
Rocky had to take them to Dr. Pia.

Based on the notes from the helper, her meds were:
Zinnat 5ml, 2x a day
Disudrin 3.5ml, 2x a day
Nebulize: ventar 2.5ml and mucosolvan 1.5ml, 2x a day

They did this from Oct. 14 to Oct 20.

We have health issues every month!!! :-(

Marco: 1 year 7 months

2013-10-10T22:56:00.003+08:00

Dear Marco,

You used to fall asleep on your own. But lately you always want to put your head on my chest or tummy. So this has been your bedtime routine-- we play in the kids' room with Achi and Daddy.

Daddy put you in the cabinet & you didn't mind at all.

Slide. Every night.

Then we move to our room for lights out and your "de-de". Achi settles down (I still have to be stern and remind her to keep still after saying her prayers and fluffing up her pillows.). Most of the time you'd finish a bottle of milk and still want to play. I do my best to get you to quiet down. Sometimes you'll ask for some songs like "ooo-ah" (Ten Little Indians) and *close open hands* (Twinkle Twinkle). But works best is when I name animals and make their sounds. That really keeps you still, lying down and attentive. Dog, cat, owl, elephant, snake, duck, pig, monkey, etc.

Then you ask for your second bottle of milk. Most nights I give it to you. And then you roll around with it. I tell you to close your eyes (threatening to take away the bottle if you don't) and so you do. As I said already, these days you make me into your pillow. I don't mind at all.

One night I noticed you were tugging at the label at the back of your shirt. Since then, you would also tell me "chi-chi" (itchy). And so I would drum my fingers (well, my finger nails) on your back. Your Achi used to ask me to do this all the time (sometimes she still does). And so now, part of our bedtime routine is me scratching your back and your leg (even if there's no bug bite anymore).

Then you quietly roll off me. Some nights I get to watch you close... open... close... open... close your eyes. And I feel so lucky to have that moment just watching you fall asleep.

Good night, my darling love. See you in the morning.

Love forever,
Mommy

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Some other Marco quirks--

He's a sweet one. Always kissing us. He kisses his sister good night even without us asking him to. In the middle of the night, he sat up and kissed Rocky before he laid down his head on Rocky's chest. Before he grabs the iPad from me, he gives me a kiss.

Yes, he hasn't learned how to take turns yet.

When he sees the iPad, he asks to watch "Ni! Ni!". And so we watch Barney. Our favorite video so far is the airplane song.

Here's Marco very excited to be in an airplane. (His sister napped, he was too excited to for both flights on this trip to Cebu and back)

He also really doesn't like sitting on his high chair. He'd rather sit on my lap. (I think it's time to get him his own booster seat.)

Marco eating my dinner.
Tonight it was molo soup, broccoli & mushroom and brown rice.

He eats almost anything.

You need to peel the lanzones first, Marco!!!

We really still need to practice sharing...

Marion: 3 years and 11 months

2013-10-04T15:48:00.001+08:00

September 2, 2013

A check up with Dr. Pia. On our way to the clinic--
Marion: Am I going to get a shot?
Me: Maybe. We have to ask Dr. Pia.
Marion: But I don't want to get a shot. It's a-wee.
Me: Marion, you know why we all need shots even if it is a-wee.
Marion: But it's a-wee.
Me: Let's just wait and ask Dr. Pia about it.

Once it was her turn, Dr. Pia told her that she would get a shot. Dr. Pia helped and distracted her with ice to her arm and with very minimal fussy and getting teary, she just sat on my lap for a big hug.

Age: 3years 10
Weight: 15.9
Height: 39

Vaccine: Meningococcal

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During her stinky ear episode , Dr. Chua had warned us about getting a sty and that it would scar. I have really been on everyone's case about washing often (well, our problem is not often but washing properly!) and well but... oh boy, she got a sty!!!

Sept. 18-- She woke up with an upper eyelid swollen. We were wondering if it was an insect bite.
Sept. 19-- It became obvious that it was a sty. (You could already see that boil/bump.) Dr. Pia texted me to apply warm compress 4x a day.
Sept. 20-- It was still big! We were going to Cebu then and I couldn't get an appointment with Dr. Pia so we consulted Dr. Eunice. And we were instructed-
* to put warm compress for about 5 mins, 3x a day
* Apply tobrex eye ointment 3x a day, and
* Co-amoxiclav 457mg/5ml ml 2x a day for a week.

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These days she's still Leonardo quite often but now she's also Trixi and Tigger is now Knuffle Bunny.

We don't have the book (we just read it in Fully Booked during one of our trips to the bookstore.)

Other nicknames we've given her recently are:
a) Stinky Ear (because of her ear last month)
b) Monster Eyes (because of her sty)-- When her sty had gone away, she would ask-- Do you still have to call me Monster Eyes?

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She did her interviews for Kindergarten also (ICA and AC).

After her interview at ICA--
Marion: I learned all about kindergarten.
And she told us about a robot that had to do things or I think she had to give it instructions.

After her 1 on 1 interview at AC--
She got really upset in the car because she said her interview wasn't finished yet. I think she might have said that she just wanted to step out for a little bit and planned to go back in. Rocky and I had our own interview and when we went out she was already at the reception area looking for books in the magazine rack.

Marco: 1 year and a half

2013-09-12T16:11:00.002+08:00

August 27

I was playing with both kids in their room before bedtime. As usual, Marco was standing on the arm rest of the rocking chair. He was holding my cellphone and then lost his footing and landed with his chin to the floor. I saw blood and he cried.

I had stitches on my chin so I immediately assumed he needed one. We've never had a cut like this one. So I drove out. Instead of going to the ER, I knocked on the ambulance parked outside the village gate. The medical team took a look at Marco and said no need for stitches. They cleaned him up and put some kind of tape on it. Marco was crying really hard (I think because he was surrounded by strangers also.) that I just drove out of there. Was I supposed to pay?? Yikes.

It only took a few minutes until Marco ripped off the tape. It was still bleeding and I showed this picture to Dr. Pia

Since we couldn't tell if it really needed stitches or glue or something. And we didn't have any supplies at home. We drove out to Makati Med where Dr. Dan took care of us. No need for stitches.

We asked Marco to look up/look at the light.

So. First aid lessons--

STERI STRIPS!!!

--> Before he started climbing the rocking chair and just minutes before our "emergency".

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Sleep

It seems like it's getting difficult to put him to sleep lately. He cries and cries and cries and asks to be to go "Daaaah" (down).

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September 2, 2013

check up with Dr. Pia

Age: 17.5 months

Weight: 10.7 kg

Height: 32 in

Head: 47.5cm

Immunization: DPT/DTap- HiB- Polio booster 1

Dr. Pia's form :-)

Autism check

Weight gain great even without the heraclene. Yey!

Train Ride

2013-09-10T07:26:00.002+08:00

One Sunday, I suggested we bring the kids to ride the train/MRT.

We started at the Ayala station. We parked the car at Glorietta and cut across to SM and into the station. On our way there, we saw this:

And Marion quickly said, "That's a fake train. We're going on a real train."

It was a bit odd that they don't allow you to buy a round trip or return ticket, but other than that it was easy getting on from Ayala. I think maybe around 10am.

She learned a new word. "Narrow".
The escalators were narrow.

We got seats! :-)

We just zoomed by Rockwell!
Not exactly chuga chuga choo choo but woohooo!!!

From Ayala to Shangrila Mall in 4 stops.
Lunch!

After lunch, we took the train back. It was full so we had to stand and deal with riding on a cramped train.

Someone fell asleep on the ride home.

Marion: 3 years 10 months

2013-08-30T12:33:00.002+08:00

These days she's mostly a cute pomeranian named Rosemary Puffer Toto. I don't know where she got Rosemary from but Puffer was the name I used for a story about a cute dog and Toto is from The Wizard of Oz. I've shown her Boo

The inspiration for Rosemary Puffer Toto.

When she's not Rosemary Puffer Toto, she's Leonardo of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And when she's Leo, she won't continue any conversation unless Rocky or I "talk like Master Splinter".

Me: Marion, you need to drink your medicine.
Marion: I'm Leo.
Me: Take your medicine.
Marion: I'm Leo.
Me: Okay, Leo. Take your medicine.
Marion: Talk like Master Splinter.
Me: (old man's voice) Take your medicine, Leo.
Marion: (her regular voice) Yes, Master Splinter.

or,

Marion: Is this healthy? (pointing to malunggay soup)
Me: Yes.
Marion: Is this healthy?
Me: Yes!
Marion: Is this healthy? Talk like Master Splinter
Me: (old man's voice) Yes!!!

I'm a bit worried about her choice for reading material these days...

We were well on our way to reading Alice, The Wizard of Oz, Black Beauty and now these are the books she grabs when we get to the bookstore. Should I intervene? :-)

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Handwriting practice

She likes writing. Actually, she likes tracing more than writing. I don't force her to write her name (let her learn that in school) but I prepare handwriting worksheets with her name in it to trace. I used to slide it in this certificate holder and give her washable or white board markers to use. This way I didn't have to use up a whole lot of paper for her to practice writing on.

She's left handed. And one of the perils of being left-handed is messing up ink as you write. To avoid this, she keeps her hand "floating" (not touching the paper) as she writes. This makes her hand shake and her tracing very clumsy.

So I just decided to print many worksheets for her. I have a whole lot of paper that need to be recycled anyway. When she's writing/tracing with the regular ballpen/pencil, she rests her hand on the paper as she writes and her penmanship/tracing is much better.

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Drawing

She doesn't really draw. She draws abstract. Hehe.

To "force" her to draw shapes at least, I asked her to copy the caterpillars from Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin, Jr.

I added numbers to the caterpillas so you could compare it to her actual drawings below.

After drawing Caterpillar 2, she took a look at one she just drew and exclaimed "Oh! It looks like a lollipop" And so proceeded to add the black zigzag lines.

By Caterpillar 3, I drew alongside her and showed her how to draw an oblong (body). She didn't really do it until she drew Caterpillar 6.

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Around August 21- 22, Marion would hold up her hand to her right cheek/jaw and complain that something hurt. But she couldn't explain it. I checked her teeth and even checked/cleaned her ear and found nothing there. When we're press for her to tell us where it was painful, she'd backtrack and just say there was none (even apologizing for lying).

On August 23, her right pointer finger was bloody. She had poked/scratched her ear which was pretty bloody, too. I tried to clean it up but too much gunk/blood. The next day, more blood because she scratched it again. I took her to Dr. Antonio Chua later that afternoon. Her ear was cleaned and there was a "pigsa" (pimple? boil?) with a bit of pus. So... meds--

Co-amoxiclav 457mg/5ml : 4ml every morning and evening for 7 days
Aplosyn ear drops: 3 drops 3 times a day
Xyzal Oral solution: 3ml at bedtime

I haven't been giving her xyzal that regularly. I want to discuss it/allergies further with her Pedia. Her skin (neck, arm) gets rough, red, itchy. I blame it on sweat and peanut butter.

We had to use a payong even if the car was just a few feet away from the shade.
"Aah! It's too hot! I don't want to be sweaty."
She knows if she gets sweaty she's going to get itchy also.

Marco: One year and 5 months

2013-08-08T12:49:00.001+08:00

Sigh.

His ear was all wet and "clogged" again and he was poking and poking it. I took him to Dr. Antonio H. Chua, MD at St. Luke's this time. Poor boy was freaking out. We had to hold him while all that gunk had to be sucked out. On our follow up visit, he knew already what was going to happen and started crying even before Dr. Chua got to his ear. :-(

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More crying and complaining during his second time to go for a hair cut.

Crying here--

Busy watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse here (with Marion giving up on our "I Spy" game.)

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But!

You can get him to smile already!

half a smile

And, he loves turning on the radio. He dances/bounces to the music.

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Other things he's learning--

He can swipe that thing (slider?) on the iPad to turn it on. Well, not perfect and he sometimes gives up but he can do it more than 50% of the time. :-)

He's still too scared to go down the stairs by himself. I teach him to do it by holding on to the rails and going down (while standing up) sideways, but he still shouts to me to just catch/carry him.

And he can say some of his colors. I think "purple" might be his first 2-syllable word. Marion was doing some art work and he wanted to get to the colored pens also (and wasn't interested in his own crayons). It might have been by chance that he answered correctly (or "purple" is his automatic response to "what's the color?") so I'm not sure. I thought I heard him say "blue" correctly also. I wasn't able to catch it on video (or get him to do it again) so we'll just wait and see until he really consistently identifies colors. :-)

Here he is saying purple

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My little boy is steadily being more and more assertive. Rocky had let him taste the peanuts Achi gave us. Marco saw it in the jar along with a bunch of other snack items. I didn't want to give him some at first and tried to distract him with other cookies but he just complained, pointed and raised his voice. When we finally took out some, he tried to climb his high chair by himself so he could start eating. Here he is with 5 pieces of peanuts--

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We had an appointment in DFA Aseana to get a passport for Marco and renew mine. :-) It was a breeze and the only long (like around 20 minutes) wait was to have his picture taken.

Got passport. Will travel.
To where? :-)