MY LITTLE-BUT-BIG HERO

A couple of days ago, I went to the dentist for tooth filling. My 5-year-old son, who pretty much goes wherever I go, went along. With four books and a toy race car to entertain him while I get my tooth fixed, he was all set. We always pray every time we leave the house, and that day, I prayed for my dental procedure, particularly for it to not be "too painful" for me.

So there we were at the dentist -- me, being prepped on the dental chair, and my son, sitting right by my feet on a folding chair and was keeping himself busy with books. The dental assistant immediately applied topical anesthetic to numb my gums, and soon after, the dentist came in the room. He struck a conversation with my son before looking into my mouth. My son, being the natural inquisitive he is, got all curious with the "cool tools" the dentist was using.  He then got up from his chair and went closer to see, and asked the dentist a few questions. After answering and explaining things, the dentist then began injecting local anesthesia into my gums. I flinched and squirmed. It was a lot painful than I expected. My suppressed groans did not escape my little boy's attention. "Mom, breathe in, breathe out..." The dentist informed me that the injection was the hardest part of the procedure, and hearing that somewhat gave me relief. When the dentist and his assistant left the room as they waited for the anesthetic to take effect, my son thoughtfully asked me, "Are you feeling better now?", thinking that the procedure was all done.

After a few minutes, the dentist came back and started working on my tooth. For some reason, I was still sensitive to pain, which prompted a a second dose of local anesthesia. After a short while, the dentist started removing the old filling, but again, there was still pain. My mouth just wasn't numb enough! He injected another dose of local anesthesia for the third time. I then felt pain from the injection radiating to my ear that time which honestly scared me. Thoughts of complications started to form in my mind, and so I thought of God and said a quick prayer as I sat there on the dental chair. At that time, anxiety was slowly building up in me. I was so tempted to call my husband and ask him to come to the dental clinic and be there with me for the procedure, but I know he's quite busy himself at his clinic, so I didn't. "Just breathe in, breathe out..." Those words that my 5-year-old son kept repeating gave me the courage I badly needed that time.

The third dose of anesthesia kicked in, and though my tooth was still itty-bitty sensitive, the dentist was finally able to begin working on my tooth. With my eyes tightly closed for the entire procedure, the greatest comfort came from my son's tiny hand and little voice. I felt him moved and sit on the chair with me, and he gently grabbed my hand, "Just hold tight, Mom... breathe in, breathe out..." With every squirm, I squeezed his hand and he squeezed back, holding my hand tightly, until the procedure was done.

The staff was so impressed with how supportive my son was to me. They commended him for doing a great job and kept "Mommy from crying," and rewarded him a couple of toys after the visit. My son continued to check on me, asking me if I was okay, even later when we're already home.

I was immensely touched by my son's calm and caring attitude. God knew that this day would come when I would need a boost of courage, an extra dose of bravery, comfort amidst pain, and He thought I would get those best from a tiny hand... a little voice... and so, He gave me a son. I felt in my heart that some day in the future, when I'm all frail and weak, my son will hold my hand and comfort me the way he did at the dentist clinic. I'm very proud of my son, and truly thankful to him, for being my little-but-big hero.

Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
May 2018

SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

It's the second day of new year, and here I am wide awake at 3ish in the morning. Nothing has changed. Still the old night owl me. Anyway, I was browsing my Facebook, looking at pictures from the year that has just passed, when I stumbled upon this article about a guy who live tweeted a love story that had unfolded before his eyes while in a cafe. A girl barista professed her love to a coworker. The coworker said he needs to go to the back to think about what to say. He came back and kissed the girl. Serious mushiness followed after. Long story short, they found love and happiness that night. That's two less lonely people in the world. Needless to say, the hopeless romantic (emotera) in me kicked in and nostalgia took me back to my own love story like it's yesterday once more. (Pardon my song references. I'm classic that way.)

Six days before Christmas eight years ago when my happy ever after began. A blizzard in Toronto brought me and Vince together. Yeah, mother nature had a part in it. From the time we first met to that fateful day, action had always spoken louder than words for us. We kissed on that snowy night, and when the storm had passed after a day or two, we talked about what had happened. It was hard for both of us to admit our feelings towards each other but to deny it was even harder. We weren't newbies in this game called love. He played his cards. I took a gamble. All is fair in love so they say. About a couple of years since our first kiss amidst the snow storm, we held hands and kissed in the altar and vowed to be each other's in this lifetime. Signed. Sealed. Done deal.

Grand Canyon West Rim Eagle Point, Arizona - November 2015 

We've been married for six years now. Not very long you may think but in this day and time when nobody stays together anymore (tell me what's forever for?), staying married is an achievement. I'm very happy and thankful for the kind of relationship my husband and I have. Our love for each other has never diminished and continues to grow each day, albeit our dynamics have changed a lot since we had a child. I love my son to bits and more but having a child was definitely a game changer, and I'm sure a lot of parents would agree with me on this. Honestly, at times, it's hard for me not to miss our pre-married days, our newlywed days, and our childless days. You know, those years when it was just the two of us... when we could have a quiet intimate moment at the end of the day... when we could bond and connect uninterruptedly for as long as we wished. Every now and then, I long for those and would draw from memory to relive those days. Now that we have a child to care for, it's just a challenge to find a chance to be alone as a couple, let alone do the things we used to do in the past.

About two weeks ago, Vince was on call at work. One night, we were all in bed -- my son and me on one mattress and Vince on another mattress right by our feet. I was the only one awake as usual when Vince's phone started to ring in the wee hours. It was the hospital calling. He picked up the phone and answered it in the bathroom so as not to awaken me and my son (well, I was still awake then). From our bedroom, I could hear him talking on the phone, asking questions, and giving orders. I dunno but for some reason at that moment I felt giddy inside me. It could be his muffled I-just-woke-up voice (which I find ehem sexy!), his inflection and intonation, or mainly his intellect that got me smitten all over again like a high school girl. I delighted myself in that moment realizing how in love I am with my husband that at the least moment when he was totally unaware, he made my heart skip a beat or two.

It's so easy to fall in love with someone who is a genuinely caring, loving and thoughtful person. My husband is. He brings me flowers and chocolate-coated strawberries, and all the makings of a sweet guy that could melt any woman's heart. So, when butterflies flutter in my stomach at the least expected and unromantic time of the day and I gush over my unknowingly husband, that's how I know I am STILL head over heels in love with the man of my life. We may not be the childless-couple-in-a-forever-honeymoon-phase anymore BUT the passion is still there. The flame is still well alive and burning. Regardless. Nothing has changed. The same old familiar feeling I felt when I first realized that I am in love with him. ❤❤❤

San Francisco - October 2016

Hambricks Christmas Tree Farm, Georgia - December 2016

THANKFUL AMIDST STORM

Psalm 136: 1 - "Oh give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever."

Over the past several weeks, life has been throwing us curveballs.

First, my maternal grandmother died from stage 4 lung cancer. All her family -- from my grandfather, their children, in-laws, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, plus her extended family, bereaved when she passed away last month, just a couple of months since her diagnosis. I was really saddened by this. She was a very selfless, caring and loving woman -- the epitome of a mother/grandmother. She cared for all her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and even until her last days, she remained selfless. Through the pain she was experiencing, she stayed strong and maintained a good disposition. She was calling out the names of her grandchildren on her death bed, and at one point in her confusion probably, she even asked to go and see me. My mother was telling her that my brother couldn't come and visit her then as he was working in Clark, Pampanga at the time. My grandmother thought my mother was referring to me, so she said, "Puntahan natin si Karen. Malapit lang yun. Ganito na lang ako, hindi na ako magbibihis." ("Let's go see Karen. She's just close by. I don't even need to change my clothes; I could go dressed like this.") AND that really broke my heart. I wish I could have visited her and talked to her personally before she died, and not just over video chats BUT circumstances just didn't allow, which I would explain below.

Second, my husband and I are currently in the process of transitioning with regards to our status here in the US. While our visa application is ongoing and in process, we are limited to stay here in the country. We have been wanting to visit our family in Canada as it has been a while since we last did, however, we don't want to jeopardize our return here in the US. The same reason why I wasn't able to visit my dying grandmother in the Philippines. Sigh!

Third, we've been trying to convince my parents to come and visit us here in the US soon. A week after my grandmother's passing, we spoke to my mother and she requested that we hold off on any plans of them coming here soon. She said that my grandfather is also having health issues and she needs to take care of him and accompany him to doctor's visits. Vince and I understand but just the same we couldn't help but feel disappointed that they might not be able to come and spend time with Vonn Kaleb anytime soon.

Last month, we were in California for a week. That vacation was intended for Toronto in hopes that we would have received visa approval by then. Needless to say, we didn't get the answer we were hoping for. Last week, we were also on vacation. We again had planned to go to Toronto in anticipation of our application being finalized around that time, but alas, close but no cigar! So at the last minute, we booked our trip to Chicago, and celebrated Thanksgiving Day there.

In lieu of Thanksgiving Day, I want to reflect and contemplate on the blessings I am thankful for despite the curveballs and hiccups we have been experiencing:

I am thankful to God for His love, mercy, grace, and faithfulness. Amidst the hurdles and dilemmas my husband and I face each day, He has kept us safe and secured in His arms. He truly is an anchor -- One who keeps you afloat amidst sinking seas. He has never left us nor forsaken us. He is true to His promise that He will take care of His children. His blessed protection in our lives is incomparable. I am thankful to God simply because He is the Great I Am.

I am thankful to God for my husband. The Lord has been tremendously blessing Vince in all aspect. By God's grace, his practice has been doing so well. His colleagues and patients love him. He is hitting his goals and going over and beyond some -- all glory to God! I am grateful to have been given a very loving, supportive, caring, responsible, generous, kind, tenderhearted partner in life. I'm thankful for the kisses and hugs I get from him each day. It's such a blessing to be in a harmonious relationship with your husband during this day and time when a lot of married couples don't stay together forever anymore.

Twin Peaks, California - October 2016

I am thankful to God for my child, Vonn Kaleb, whom He has always kept healthy, strong and smart. I am blessed to be present and witness my son grow each day. I am grateful for the kind of relationship we have. The bond between us keeps getting stronger each day. He is growing up to be a very sweet, thoughtful, sensitive, and genuinely caring person. He never passes up a chance to say "I love you" to us. He is truly precious -- one of the greatest blessings I've ever received.

Millennium Park, Chicago - November 2016

I am thankful to God for my life. Every day that He wakes me up and allows me to spend with my family is a blessing. He has blessed me more than I could imagine and what I deserved. God's love is truly overwhelming! He sustains me each day. He is my strength. He is my Comforter.

Monterey, California - October 2016

I am thankful for my church, friends, family, and relatives. We are truly blessed to be surrounded with good people.

I am thankful for the tangible things and pleasant life experiences we have been blessed with. They are icing on the cake and do make life sweeter for me!

Downtown San Francisco, California - October 2016

BUT most importantly as now we are currently going through a storm, I am thankful that we can be still and know that He is God.

A - A- APPLE!

Our homeschool lesson for today was all about APPLES.

We are on our third week (already?!), and we have been using mainly the Abeka curriculum. For additional activities, I just search the net. There are so many freebies available online, so all I basically do is download and print off whatever I need.

Anyway, we talked about apples. We learned a new action poem. We learned that some apples are red, some are green, and some are yellow. We learned about the different parts of an apple - peel, flesh, core and seeds (shaped like a star). We learned that apples grow from apple trees, that blossoms appear in spring, and fruits are ready for picking in the fall. We also talked about different methods of apple picking/harvesting. We learned that you can make a lot of yummies from apples including apple pie, apple jelly, apple cake, apple butter, applesauce, apple cider, and of course, apple juice! :)

Now, for a little game, we played Apple Treasure Hunt.Using my Scan 'N Cut, I (with help from my student/son) made apple cutouts way ahead of time:

I hid a few apples all around the house. I then printed riddles/clues as to where to find them. Some of the riddles I made myself up, and some I copied from the Internet:

And the hunt began! The little boy found apples on his bed's head board, under the dinner table, on his toothbrush holder/cup, in the laundry room/on the washer, and in the fireplace. Because this was his first time to play a treasure hunt game, I had to help him a little by giving out few details to some of the riddles/clues, but he pretty much figured them out on his own.

When he had found all the apples, we did a little project:

I cut out white construction paper to stick on the apples to show the "flesh" part. My son then stuck the cutouts together using glue, and then using a brown marker, he traced and colored the seed "star formation" in the core. I did the one on top as an example for him to copy. He did a very good job and I'm so proud of my boy!

When we have finished our project, we moved on to counting and coloring apples using his Numbers and Skills with Button Bear workbook:

As you can see, he can write his name very well now. With understandably short attention span for anyone his age (3), he gets distracted easily, so I have to redirect him several times for him to focus and concentrate on the task at hand.

I also love the fact that my 3-year-old is a very good reader. I can just write on the board, say, a new poem we're learning, and he will read it in a breeze. I can now very well utilize our tiny white board as I discuss whatever topic we're studying about.

It was a fun day of learning for both of us. I'm very proud of my boy because like any other preschooler, he encounters daily challenges, and at times, he feels lazy and bored with school work but with the right amount of nudge and push, he keeps on and does his best to complete a task.

"I'M LISTENING, MOMMY."

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa - February 2016

Lately my son has learned to apologize. AND by that I meant not just throwing the word "sorry" meaninglessly but saying it with remorse and guilt. You could tell it by the tone of his voice and the puppy look no mother could resist. He would even apologize repeatedly until he gets a positive reaction from the offended party. That could range anywhere from a smile, a light tap on his head to a hug-kiss-and-tickle make-up kind of thing. His grandparents (my side) were touched and tickled whenever they would hear him apologize to me, his dad or them.

So this morning, my 3-year-old boy was having a rough day. He woke up on the wrong side of the bed. With head full of cowlicks and a sippy cupful of milk on hand, he went to church, looking frumpy, grumpy, and not his usual cheeky self. Not even his favorite church moment, the congregational singing, changed his sour mood. By the time sermon started, he was ready to throw a fit. I took him from his dad as I want his dad to be able to concentrate on the preaching. He was trying to fight me and would not agree going to the nursery, so when I stood up and carried him to take him to the nursery, he burst into tears and started having a meltdown.

Inside the nursery, I tried to calm him. He was sobbing and crying and kept on telling me that he didn't like to stay in the nursery. My friend who was watching the nursery this morning told me that I could leave him and he usually quiets himself after a minute or so anyway once left there. However, when I told my son that I was going to go back in the sanctuary, he quickly told me in between pitiful sobs, "Sorry, Mommy." I knew he was having a really rough morning, so I said to him, "It's okay. There's no need to say 'sorry.' I'm not mad. I just need you to stop crying." I walked towards the door and he ran after me, and said, "I'm listening, Mommy." AND THOSE WORDS THAWED MY HEART.

You see, his dad and I, when we reprimand him, we always tell him that he should start listening more to us. This boy is only 3 years old yet he could be hardheaded and stubborn as a bull a lot of times, and so we always have to remind him that he should listen to us. So, when he told me this morning that he was "listening," it broke my heart in a good way. It is hard to put into words what I felt but I had all different sorts of heartwarming mommy feels. Let's just say I had a motherhood defining moment there. One of the many (and more to come) that I would never forget :)

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa - February 2016

TURNING 3 IN FEBRUARY

"I'm turning 3 in February." - Vonn Kaleb at 2.5 years

It's crazy how super fast time flies when you're a parent, and whenever I realize that my pint-sized boy is no longer the tiny, fragile, fussy, unable-to-talk baby I used to cradle and carry like Roo-in-Kanga's-pouch, I get sentimental. *sniff sniff*

Sigh. The cycle of life. So surreal at times... (and another sigh!)

Anyway, emotional dramatic mother feelings aside, I am joyful and thankful beyond words to see how my precious child grow each day. I am in awe of his growth, and his development have truly been leaps and bounds. It's simply amazing how a child can transform over a short period of time, and to be there to witness it happen right before your eyes every passing day is truly a blessing.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most children at age 3 do the following:

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL

• Copies adults and friends
• Shows affection for friends without prompting
• Takes turns in games
• Shows concern for crying friend
• Understands the idea of "mine" and "his" or "hers"
• Shows a wide range of emotions
• Separates easily from mom and dad
• May get upset with major changes in routine
• Dresses and undresses self

My son does everything in the above checklist except "dresses and undresses self" which he can do but still with assistance from adults.

The most challenging milestone we have met in this aspect was "separates easily from mom and dad." He has always been the clingy (untouchable by others) baby. Recently, he has been attending Sunday School and Nursery on his own without resistance. We also has had success leaving him with his grandparents a few times for date nights. He understands now that "grown-ups come back (thanks to Daniel Tiger!)"  when he is separated from us, his mom and dad. Honestly, knowing how clingy my boy is, I didn't really expect we'd get to this point this soon, where we can actually leave him in a Sunday School class without him bawling his eyes out. I'm the proudest momma in the whole wide universe every time I bring him to Sunday School and he willingly joins the class and not run after me when I leave.

LANGUAGE/COMMUNICATION

• Follows instructions with 2 or 3 steps
• Can name most familiar things
• Understands words like "in," "on" and "under"
• Says first name, age and sex
• Names a friend
• Says words like "I," "me," "we," and "you" and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats)
• Talks well enough for strangers to understand most of the time
• Carries on a conversation using 2 to 3 sentences

It overwhelms me how my son's language/communication skills has been evolving. I was so concerned about his speech being delayed. He didn't say a word (Daddy) until he was 21 months old. I prayed and prayed to God to help us in this regard because the thought of my child being unable to utter not even a single word when most kids his age were already engaging in conversation with their parents was getting too concerning for me. So, you know, now that he's turned into a very cheeky, chatterbox, who talks and sings nonstop all throughout his awake time, my husband and I would just shake our heads and tell each other, "We asked God for it." His language and communication skill for his age is pretty impressive and amusing at the same time. He never fails to entertain us and his grandparents with his witty remarks. Actually, he is a little bit advanced in terms of his language/communication skills, and I'll get to that in detail later at the end of this entry.

Examples: This morning I asked him to put on his sandals and his reply to me was, "Maybe later." The other day he told his friend, "Miss Isla, you have to use the potty before we take a nap." His most used expression? "I don't want to!" 

Also, he loves playing with his words. He conjures and twists words to make new words. He intentionally changes word pronunciation. He talks nasally in purpose. He is so silly!

BUT, my favorite is when he randomly sings and hums tunes. To say that he loves to sing is an understatement. Really. AND I'm not saying this because I'm his mom, but our friends in church have already noticed his singing too. Sooooo sooooo precious! He reminds me of a quote I read before, "A bird in the house is like sauce to meat." With all the talking and singing he does all day, there's just no dull moment with him.

COGNITIVE (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Can work toys with buttons, levers, and moving parts
• Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
• Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces
• Understands what "two" means
• Copies a circle with pencil or crayon
• Turns book pages one at a time
• Builds towers of more than 6 blocks
• Screws and unscrews jar lids or turns door handle

My boy's pretend games are so creative. His make-believe games are so "vivid" that an adult could easily jump into the story. The other day, he was playing with his friend, Isla, here at home. He was riding his tricycle, when he said, "There's a train! We have to stop." Isla didn't budge. She looked around, stretched her neck, wondering. After a few seconds, she asked, "Where's the train?," and you could see in her face that she thought Vonn Kaleb meant an actual train. Vonn Kaleb replied to her pointing to a direction, "Right there, over ahead of us!" These toddlers are so precious.

Puzzles - he has been doing 12-piece jigsaw puzzles for quite a while now. I've been wanting to get him 24-piece ones but I just hadn't gotten to buying them yet.

He does know what "two" means, so as three, four, five and even up to 20. He can "subitize" up to 6. I used dice to introduce him that technique when he turned 2, and I really wasn't expecting him to get it right away. The dice were much more enticing to him as a toy than a mathematics learning tool, so I didn't really pursue, but I guess, the concept did click on him, because now he can easily count objects up to 6 with one glance.

His building skills have gotten more creative too. This morning, he made an elaborate ship out of his Lego Duplo blocks. I thought it was just me who noticed that but his grandmother did too.

MOVEMENT/PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

• Climbs well
• Runs easily
• Pedals a tricycle (3-wheel bike)
• Walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step

He loves riding his tricycle! I didn't think he'd learn to pedal before he turns 3, but lo and behold, he did! I'm soooo proud of my boy :)

In conclusion, my son's developmental milestones are on track, and as I mentioned above, in some aspects, he is actually ahead. Just out of curiosity, I checked what 4-year-olds usually can do, and out of the checklist, here are things that my son (shy of 3) can do now:

• Is more and more creative with make-believe play
• Knows some basic rules of grammar, such as correctly using "he" and "she"
• Sings a song or says a poem from memory such as the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" or the "Wheels on the Bus"
• Tells stories
• Can say first and last name
• Names some colors and some numbers
• Understands the idea of counting
• Starts to understand time
• Remembers parts of a story
• Understands the idea of "same" and "different"

Again, as I have observed (all bias aside) he is very creative in terms of pretend play.

His grammar is impressive, considering his parents, whom he learns majority of his communication and interaction skills from, are ESLs. He uses past tense and plural forms. He knows basic pronouns. 

He sings songs, and I'm not talking about nursery rhymes or children songs - songs with different verses, choruses, refrains, bridges, etc. He sings Kids Praise songs, Sandi Patti songs, church hymnal songs, good ole' nursery rhymes, TV show songs, Christmas songs, etc. Sometimes, he knows the words to a song more than I do. He would even correct me when I sing the lyrics wrong or got them mixed up or even with just a word that I didn't get right. This boy loves to sing, he picks up songs so quickly.

He loves telling stories.

He knows his full name.

He knows his colors and numbers and letters, too! Uppercase and lowercase both. I haven't taught him how to actually read yet. I'm taking it slowly as I don't want him to get burnt out, so right now, whenever we read books, I throw a word here and there, for him to "read" and spell, and he has been doing very good so far. He actually can spell and "sight" read a bunch of words now. I keep a list of those words and I add whenever he learns to spell or "sight" read a new word.

He knows how to count. This afternoon while I was so busy cooking, I heard him count 1 to 20. When I turned to look, he was counting block "pegs," and to my surprise, he was right! I had to do a double take to make sure there were really 20 "pegs." 

He sort of has a concept of time now. The way we do it at the moment is we tell time by saying where the hands of the clock point to and what does it mean. For example, we say, "It's pointing to 8 and 6. That's 8:30. That means, it's time for bath." He follows that pattern whenever he talks about time. This morning, I told him that we need to get up from bed already as I have to cook for lunch, and he said to me, "I want to cuddle for 5 minutes." So I said okay to him but I told him that when the clock points to this and that, we have to stand up then because that means 5 minutes is up.

His memory is very sharp. He is keen and very observant. He is particular to details. He has no trouble remembering parts of stories.

He knows what same and different are.

So yeah, there you go! I know this post is way too long and self-serving, and I meant it that way. If only we could install a camera that will capture ALL of his moments a la THE TRUMAN SHOW, we would definitely do it, just so we could document everything. With him growing so fast and changing each day, I want to keep a record of his milestones even if only thru this blog.

BYE BYE, DIAPERS!

Three weeks ago, my toddler all of a sudden decided he wanted to sit on the potty and use it. Just like that. Out of the blue. I didn't see that coming. I wasn't ready for it but it was apparent that my son was.

The first time we tried him on the potty just to introduce it and let him have a feel of using it was when he was around a year-and-a-half old. He went a couple of times but after that he didn't want to anymore. The idea of not going in his diaper repulsed him so that at one point he wouldn't even pee while bathing because he wasn't wearing diapers. We didn't push it any further that time since we thought it was pretty early to potty train him anyway. So we hid the small potty away for a time and it sat somewhere in the bathroom collecting dust.

Second attempt was when he was about 2. A friend gave me children books about potty training and that kinda got him interested. He would sit and sit and sit and sit and sit while Mommy would read and read and read and read, but that was just pretty much about it. No going in the potty. He was getting to be really good with words by that time and so the songs his potty sings stuck on him that he could actually sing them. Our favorite potty song was the one by Little Baby Bum:

"I like to sit down on the potty. It's so much fun! 
Sometimes I have an accident but that's okay 'cause
Every day I try again
I pee/poo in the potty and wash my hands
I'm growing up and getting tall
I don't need my diapers anymore."

Despite him knowing those potty songs by heart and me having read to him potty books countless times already, he despised going in his potty. He would sit on it every now and then, just to sit, but when it was really time for him to use it, he would throw a fit whenever I offered it. He knew when he's going but he hated sitting on the potty to do his business. One time I thought he was actually doing well because he peed into it a few times with only a couple of accidents but then the following day, he again rejected the potty. It was putting stress on both of us, so I gave the potty a rest, and let it collect more dust.

Then, three weeks ago happened. No fuss. No resistance. Little to no accident at all during awake. I was impressed. I was floored. I was taken by surprise. Third day into it, he was fully potty trained during daytime. Sometime around the first week, he woke up around 3:00 in the morning to go potty. I couldn't believe it. Second week into it, he was fully potty trained, day and night. A couple of times he woke up in the morning with "wet" pull-ups but it was because he had drank a cup of milk or so right before he went to bed.

I didn't expect he'd be potty trained so fast. Even when in the tub bathing or swimming in the pool, he tells us when he needs to pee. We went on a trip last week and we were driving on the interstate when 2.5 miles away the next exit, he felt the urge. We told him to hold it until we could exit. He grunted, "going, going" several times, and twitched positions, shifted and stretched his legs with toes pointing forward, while we scurried to exit. I could tell he really was trying his best to hold it and on the verge of it, but he still was ABLE to hold it! We exited, found a gas station, pulled his pants down, and as soon as we sat him down the potty, he relieved himself. He is really very good in holding his pee/poo that he always makes it to the potty with no leaks whatsoever. Totally impressive!

I am so proud of my son for having achieved this milestone. I was talking to my sister about this and she congratulated me pointing that potty training is one of the big challenges for parents. I think readiness is really the key and commitment on the caregiver's part. It helped that I was constantly reminding my son about the need to say bye to his diapers and learning to use the potty as he is not a baby anymore, but it was my son's readiness that made potty training a breeze for us. I give my son all the credits for a very successful potting training. Kudos, my big boy! ;)

Geez. My son is two-and-a-half. He is potty trained. He is weaned off his binky. He feeds himself. He can flush the toilet by himself. He can wash his hands by himself. In fact, he even says, "Do it yourself (myself)." This is happening too fast. Too overwhelming for me. It's a sinking feeling. I can't seem to wrap my head around it. In a click, my son was suddenly ready, and I wasn't. I'm still not. I don't think I will ever be ready.

Comfy in his big boy boxer briefs.

Phone in hand. Chilling on the big bed. Tank tops. Boxer briefs.
Makes me feel I already have a teenager.

BYE BYE, BINKY!

The first time I tried to wean my 2.5-year-old son off his binkies was I think when he was around 20 months or so. His binkies brought him certain calm that even us, his parents, apparently could not provide. When I tried to keep him from having his binkies, he obviously got so stressed out, that he literally cried for an hour. It happened twice, and I saw how miserable he really was without his binkies. I felt guilty for subjecting him to such torture. He just wasn't ready yet, and I felt so bad for not being sensitive enough towards my son. After all, it was me who knows him best, and yet I gave in to what others dictated. My heart broke for him, and so after two failed attempts, I let him have his binkies again.

Last night, he misplaced his favorite binky just before going to bed. All lights out and a little over past 12 midnight, we tried to look for it but we couldn't find it. When I didn't bother looking harder for the missing binky or handing him his extra binkies, I thought I would just test the waters. I told him that it was probably time for him to say goodbye to his binky. He didn't object when I said that, mostly because he was still so hyped up, blabbering incessantly, singing and talking in whispers to himself, playing with a toy train in one hand. He was still playing on his bed when I dozed off and I didn't really notice what time he went to sleep.

At around 3:00 a.m., I woke up to my son's small sobs. He was looking for a binky. I ignored him at first and waited. When his sobs started getting louder, I comforted him with an "It's okay," and I maintained that we still couldn't find his binky. He continued to cry. He then told me he needs to use the potty, so I took him to the bathroom and helped him. When we got back to his room, I laid him down beside me on our bed, and I told him that he's a big boy now and he should do his best to try to sleep without his binky. I gave him the reassurance that he can do it, but I was ready to give him a binky should I see him stressing over it just as before. I didn't want him to go sleepless over it.  My son, however, slept through the night. He woke up quite earlier than his usual though, but I made sure to hide away all his binkies before he woke up.

At the library this morning, when he was getting anxious during story time, he kept on searching for his binkies in his baby bag, but he didn't throw a fit when he didn't find one. When we had our afternoon nap, he fell asleep on his bed with, again, a toy train, albeit a different one, in his hand. No binky in sight, and he napped perfectly fine without it. My husband could not believe when I told him that my son has weaned off from his binkies. The final test was bedtime this evening. Not a tiny craving for binky, and he fell asleep peacefully without one, and holding a wooden helicopter toy in his hand.

I know my son was very much attached to his binkies, and it makes me feel so proud that he finally has let go of them. As his mother, I am sure it took him courage and bravery to overcome his anxiety without a binky. I'm so happy that my son is learning, and growing, and achieving milestones like this, but at the same time, it makes me realize that my son is indeed GROWING, and there's no stopping him from it. Every milestone he meets means a step closer to independence and a step farther away from me. Moments like this remind me that I could only hold my son so much for a time. Moments like this tell me that I'm going to muster all the courage and bravery I could gather to overcome the anxiety that one day I will see my son independent in all ways, and I become obsolete just like his binkies.

Taken on Aug 28, 2015 in Club Med Sandpiper Bay, FL
Four days ago, my son was still inseparable from his binkies. He at least needed two - one to put in his mouth and the other to press/rub/brush on his eyelids, nose, cheeks and all over his face. We called the one he put in his mouth as "chup chup" and the other one "duk duk". When I would ask him to surrender his binkies to me when he didn't need them, he would bargain with me and plea, "[I] can have one. Just one." Now I only have pictures to look back when my son still had his binkies :')

MY NEW BEST FRIEND FOREVER

Photo taken in May 2015

I had just given my two-and-a-half-year old a quick wash in the tub, changed his diaper, and was putting clothes on him. I was kneeling down, fixing him up, when he wrapped his arms around my neck. While hugging me, he spontaneously said, "You're my best friend, Mommy." He kissed me on the lips afterwards. In his cute toddler talk, he managed to express that "Vonn Kaleb and Mommy are best friends." That was one of the sweetest things that has ever happened to me in my entire life.

I'm not a perfect mom. I second guess my parenting skills every now and then. Although my husband always tells me that I'm the best mom our child could ever have, a lot of times, I feel inadequate and overbearing. Having heard my toddler say that I'm his best friend somehow validated my efforts. It makes me think that somehow I must have done something right.

The boy who stole my  ♥ 

My son, I will always be your best friend no matter what. I love you more than it's possible.

CHRISTMAS 2014

Our family had a couple of firsts this past Christmas:

We had our first Christmas tree... and what made our first tree special was that it was a real tree! It took us until the week of Christmas to finally get one and I'm so happy we did. It smelled so good and fresh especially right after it was cut, and when we set it up at home, it looked sooooo pretty even before we decorated it. I did get scratches all over my hands and arms from putting lights around it and I had this silly thought that a squirrel might poke from somewhere in the tree while I was doing it which made the experience quite memorable for me. Hehe! Anyway, after we're done dressing it up, and the gifts went under it, I felt inspired. It looked a lot like Christmas in the Valencia household then ;)

We celebrated our first Noche Buena as a family at our first home. Since it was just the three of us, we only prepared a simple dinner of baked macaroni with meat sauce and mornay sauce, maja blanca, roasted pork butt, green salad and fruits. We finished dinner right around midnight and then proceeded to open presents.

So what did we get for Christmas? ;)

Vonn Kaleb got books - lots of it - and flash cards, some jammies, toys, Amazon gift card, and a blanky. I'm so happy when I saw his new loot of books! The little one has been learning a lot from the books we read him every night at bedtime. He loves being read to, and at times, he'd grab books and flip pages himself as if he can actually read. The flash cards we previously gave him also helped him learn the alphabet, and so for Christmas, we gave him a couple new sets of flash cards. It was apparent though that his favorite of all his Christmas presents was the toy CAT truck/back hoe that our friend from church gave him. That was the first gift we opened and he didn't care so much for the other presents after that. Hehe! Vince and I got gift cards from his clinic staff and baking/cooking gadgets from friends. We did get a few more presents from friends which unfortunately I couldn't remember what now #seniormoment. Vince did get a dress shirt and tie, a Levi's button down shirt, a Levi's sweatshirt, and boxers from Vonn Kaleb and me. I'm excited to see him wearing those, particularly the boxers... ooppps! #R18 #maturereadersrequired Hehe!

Me? I only wanted a DIY fireplace makeover for Christmas, which I got ;) Okay, I'm not gonna lie... maybe in the deepest recesses of my heart, I wanted to get another Louis Vuitton purse or a Burberry, Chanel or Prada... just maybe. LOL! Or maybe that's in my birthday wishlist for next year along with another trip somewhere in the Caribbean again. Hehe! So anyway, my dear husband spoilt me with an iPad Air 2 and a Versace perfume for Christmas. I wasn't expecting he'd get me a tablet as I'm very much content with our old iPad 3, but yeah, now I have a new toy, and I'm loving it... but not as much as the one who gave it to me ;) Thanks again, love!

We finished opening the presents around 2am and went to bed soon after that. We slept in on Christmas day and pretty much vegetated except of course for Vonn Kaleb who kept himself busy playing with his new toy truck. Hehe! Vince didn't have to work on Christmas day and spending the whole day as a complete family, for me, was the perfect way to celebrate the holiday.

And that, my friends, was how the Valencias spent their Christmas. I know this post is a little too late but I hope you had a wonderful Christmas yourselves☻

NYT NYT, MATEY!

I wish I could say that our journey to sleeping through the night was a walk in the park, but it definitely wasn't. Vince and I had more than our fair share of first-time parents sleepless nights. Vonn Kaleb was a very fussy baby and a light sleeper like his father. For the longest time, we went nights after nights of waking up just a couple of hours into sleep with Vonn Kaleb crying and fussing, wanting to be comforted, and taking forever to go back to sleep, only to wake up again after a short while, and the viscious cycle repeats again. Vince and I were like zombies walking dead during the day. We were the epitome of sleep-deprived parents. Vonn Kaleb was the poster child for colic babies.

Vonn Kaleb was around 9 months old when we moved to our current house. That was when I told Vince that I'm putting Vonn Kaleb in his own room. He slept in his crib in the same room with us up until that time. Since then, he has been sleeping in his own room. It helped us to finally get more sleep at night but it wasn't an easy transition either. He really didn't sleep through the night until probably around 14 months but even still there are times when he still cries and calls for attention in unholy hours of the night. After we came back from our recent Caribbean vacation, we noticed a big improvement in his bedtime routine, in that it's now a lot easier to put him to bed. Less resistance, less rocking, less "sleep fighting." And yes, less waking up too = more sleep for all of us! Hoorah!

Since he's turning 2 soon, we decided to transition him to a big boy bed. I was thinking of getting him a regular-and-nothing-fancy toddler bed but his dad got all excited and went all out and bought him a pirate ship bed. Ahoy, matey!

Vonn Kaleb had fun while we were assembling the pirate ship bed ;) He probably thought it was a big toy we were putting together. Hehe! Most importantly, I really wasn't expecting the transition from crib to bed to be easy, but surprisingly, it was. He has been doing so well sleeping in his big boy bed, which means Vince and me have been getting more than 40 winks in the comfort of our king bed :)

There's really no stopping Vonn Kaleb from growing. He graduated from the crib and has now moved up to a toddler bed. I understand that not all kids mature at the same phase, with some advancing faster and others who take their time to eventually catch up #latebloomers. For us who came far to achieving a sleep-through-the-night status, this is an accomplishment we are happy and proud of. Each step towards independence albeit how little they may appear to others, like weaning off the bottle and transitioning to sippy cup or learning to use the fork to feed himself, these are triumphs that we celebrate in our family. In the short time that I've been a parent, I have learned that parenthood is anything but easy and those benchmarks and milestones make it more rewarding and worth it :) Having said that, I'll sign off using a very appropriate parenting remark from my husband, "Sulit na. Hindi ka naman lugi." ☺☻

TURNING 2 SOON - KEEPING TRACK OF DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

Vonn Kaleb is turning 2 in a few months. Already?! It seems like it was only last week when I gave birth, three days ago when I had a newborn, the other day when I had an infant, and yesterday when I baked his 1st birthday cake... and now a toddler onto his terrible 2s?! Gosh, where did the time go?

Anyway, I thought I'd check which milestones my precious son has reached so far, and according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, here is what most babies do at 2 years of age (please bear in mind that Vonn Kaleb is only 21 months at the time of writing):

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL

✔ Copies others, especially adults and older children

✔ Gets excited when with other children - *Not so much, but his social skills have improved a lot since we came back from our recent vacation in October.

✔ Shows more and more independence

✔✔✔ Shows defiant behavior (doing what he has been told not to) - *Amen! Preach on, brother! Vonn Kaleb has actually been showing defiant behavior for a while now... #terrible2

✔ Plays mainly beside other children, but is beginning to include other children, such as in chase games - *He does parallel play with other children, and like I've mentioned above, there really has been a noticeable improvement in his social skills that even other people took note of it. I have yet to see him play "chase games" with other kids, but he is starting to be more interactive now with other children in a playgroup setting.

LANGUAGE/COMMUNICATION

✔ Points to things or pictures when they are named - *He's been very good at this, and he just keeps on getting better and better, and his vocabulary is growing each day.

✔ Knows names of familiar people and body parts - *He can now say "mommy." Finally! The way he says it is kinda funny and cute at the same time because his pronunciation of 'M' is 'B' (and this is for most of the M words he could say.) So "moo" is "boo", "me" is "be", and "mommy" sounds like "bombby" - yeah, there's a hint of M somewhere in there but the more prominent letter you'll hear is B. Interestingly though, he can say "ma" but for actual words beginning with the letter M, he pronounces B instead. Hmmm...*

 Says sentences with 2 to 4 words - *Although his comprehension is very good and bilingual I should say, his speech is somewhat behind. That kinda' get me concerned, so I spoke to a pediatrician I know and she advised me to wait and see until Vonn Kaleb is 2 years and 2 months. She told me that some boys just take their time and most of them they catch up - and this is also what my husband has been telling me. She told us that what she tells her patients is that if by 2 years and 2 months, if the child was still not talking as he was supposed to, then that's the time to consider evaluation and speech therapy. Since I was being antsy and anxiously worried by the delay in Vonn Kaleb's speech, Vince and I agreed to give him until 21 months, and seek help if he's still not talking at that time. Guess what, he started saying "daddy" and "baby" very clearly at 21 months! Well now he's still "bulol" (sorry can't find the exact translation of this Filipino word in English) and does not pronounce all the sounds/letters of words - like "moon" is "boo", "car" is "ca", "chips" is "chi", "chocolates" is "cho", "spoon" is "poo", "sky" is "ky", and so on, but what he used to say as "baba" for "bye bye" is now really "bye bye" and same goes for "hi." There are words which he enunciate very well like "go", "daddy", "baby", "puppy", "key," etc.

✔ Follows simple instructions - *He has been very good at this... and in two languages - Filipino and English.

✔ Repeats words overheard in conversation

✔ Points to things in a book

COGNITIVE (LEARNING, THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING)

✔ Finds things even when hidden under two or three covers

✔ Begins to sort shapes and colors - *Shapes, yes. Colors, hmmm... I haven't really paid attention if Vonn Kaleb has started sorting them - this is a homework for me.

✔ Completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books - *This is our new hobby and source of entertainment. Hehe! He's very, very good at this, and Vince and I are so proud of our son. Like I said, Vonn Kaleb is still "bulol," but regardless, oh boy, he does know how to complete sentences, rhymes and songs. He can even recite the alphabet on his own with some cues and help from us, despite his delayed language skill. We're impressed with how awesome he is at this. ☻

✔ Plays simple make-believe games

✔ Builds towers of 4 or more blocks - *There are blocks everywhere in our house now.

??? Might use one hand more than the other - *He hasn't shown particular hand dominance yet, although when he was younger, he used his left hand more than the right. There's a lot of lefties in my side of the family (my father and two aunts are, and a number of our cousins, too), and my mom-in-law is ambidextrous, so we'll see ;) Me and Vince are both righties by the way.

✔ Follows two-step instructions such as “Pick up your shoes and put them in the closet.” - *Like I noted above, Vonn Kaleb has been very good at this - and in two languages.

✔ Names items in a picture book such as a cat, bird, or dog - *He can recognize and identify all the letters of the alphabet as well as numbers 1 to 5. 

MOVEMENT/PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

✔ Stands on tiptoe - *We really never encountered a problem with his motor skills. In fact, his motor skills develop quite advance for his age. He took his first baby steps at 11 months, and the funny thing with the way he walks is that he walks on tiptoes. Hehe! He was a "bear crawler" - he used his hands and feet (instead of knees) to crawl - so we called it the "Spiderman crawl." He runs more than he walks - and he is always running fast... like 60 mph or something like that. LOL.

✔ Kicks a ball - *He started doing this shortly after he turned 1. He has very good visual motor skills and coordination.

✔ Begins to run - *See note above ☻

✔ Climbs onto and down from furniture without help - *He has transitioned into a toddler bed now. Yay! Mind you, not just an ordinary toddler bed, but a pirate ship bed complete with mast and canon and lights and secret treasure compartment and all that. Hehe!

✔ Walks up and down stairs holding on

✔ Throws ball overhand - *See note above regarding "kicks a ball." Same goes here.

 Makes or copies straight lines and circles - *He does makes curvy lines with crayons but I have yet to see him actually write straight lines and circles.

Based on the above checklist, Vonn Kaleb seems to be on track with his developmental milestones. Other than his delayed speech, overall, it appears he is developing age appropriately. As I said, he is only 21 months at the time. Hopefully, by 24 months, he'd be talking two-word sentences, and at 3, he'd be fully caught up with his speech and social skills ☻ Regardless, I'm always so proud of my boy, and he makes me one very blessed momma! I love you, Vonn Kaleb ♥

VINCE'S INTERVIEW WITH FOX NEWS

Vince is now a TV star. Or so we joke. Hehe! He very recently was interviewed by our local Fox News regarding one of the most talked about topics during cold season, that is the flu vaccine. He didn't say yes right away when they asked him if he's okay to do the interview. He said that he'd talk to me about it first. When I asked him why the hesitation, he told me "he's shy".  *Totosh!  Well, he has done a couple of interviews for our local radio station, and every now and then, he does lectures for a good number of people, so there was no doubt in my mind that he'd do just great on TV.

Anyway, Vince did the interview, and it was aired on TV the day after. When I saw it, I thought, hmmm... he sounded legit, LOL!  Kidding aside, I'm one very proud wifey here. Why wouldn't I be? He looked really handsome on screen -- uyyyy, telegenic ☻ His suit and tie complemented his looks -- ♥kilig! He was very articulate (as always) and spoke with authority and credibility regarding the topic at hand. I have to mention here that he wasn't given the questions pre-interview, so he was basically answering them on the spot (*lunok*). When they were done, the interviewer commended him for being a "natural." Apparently, some of the doctors they have interviewed needed cue cards, whereas Vince breezed through it like a pro ;) Yap, that's my husband right there ☺ 

Okay, enough talk now. I'm starting to steal my husband's thunder. Hehe! This is his moment, and so allow me to share to you a clip of his interview:

So, whatchathink? ;) #proudwife

*PS: Totosh is our family's very own signature one-word expression and often used when we tease each other or when Vonn Kaleb is being adorably and irresistibly cute! ☺ I wish you could hear how we say it. Totosh!

THE MARVELOUS CHICHEN ITZA

One of the highlights in our recent Mexico vacation was our trip to Chichen Itza. It was memorable to me for several reasons:

1.  I had always wanted to see a Mayan ruin. From the moment I first saw a picture of a Mayan step pyramid in my high school history book, I was fascinated by it. After seeing Mel Gibson's Apocalypto, it went straight to my bucket list.

2.  We stayed in Cancun, Mexico, which is about two to two-and-a-half-hour drive from Chichen Itza. Going there by a tour bus would've been our best bet IF we didn't have Vonn Kaleb. Bus tours leave sooooo early, and having a toddler who loves to sleep in like her mother, there was no way we could get our arse out of bed by 7:00 a.m. So, that left us with our only other option, which is to drive ourselves there. Yay! (or more like nay???)

3.  With a little prodding, I was able to convince Vince to rent a car and drive ourselves to the famous tourist attraction. The first challenge we encountered in this plan was the rental car associate who was no habla Ingles. Oh dear! We wanted to rent a car with a car seat but language got in the way, and so we had to wait another day for an English-speaking associate to assist us.

4.  Car seat - check! Rental car - check! GPS - uh oh! Nada. Although the resort staff and the rental car associates were very helpful in giving us directions and were confident in saying that it's very easy to go to Chichen Itza, we definitely needed a GPS. Going from the resort to Chichen Itza was a no brainer. Vince drove while I sat at the backseat with senyorito Vonn Kaleb -- I was paranoid that the car seat would malfunction. Vince really didn't need any help navigating our way to Chichen Itza - it was pretty straightforward.  We took the scenic route as per the rental car associate's advice. There weren't a lot of cars taking the "scenic route" -- which could either be a good thing or a really BAD thing -- but anyway, it was a safe route and led us to our destination as it was supposed to. While driving, we entertained ourselves by once again pretending that the Valencias habla Espanyol. Hehe!

5.  So, when I said above that we definitely needed a GPS, you probably figured it out already that we did get lost. Yup, going back to our resort from Chichen Itza, what was supposed to be a two-and-a-half-hour drive at the most, it took us a couple of extra hours more. Oh Dios mio! First off, it was raining crazy -- thunderstorm, zero visibility, the like that reminded me of Philippines and made me want to shout, "Delubyo!" We drove inter-barrio on the way home, where I saw small houses and sari-sari stores that were (once again) reminiscent of Philippines.  Amidst the heavy rain, Vince drove steadily. We passed by barrios after barrios until we were back on the road leading to Cancun. We took the exit to Cancun, and by that time, it was already starting to get dark.

6.  I remember seeing a mall on our way to Chichen Itza earlier, so I asked Vince if he would like to check out the mall and grab dinner there. Might as well since we're not returning the car until the day after anyway. So he drove and drove to what we thought was headed to downtown Cancun, but the next thing we knew, we were getting deeper and deeper into the city without any sign of the mall nor our resort (or any resort)!

7.  It was getting late already. Vonn Kaleb had not had any real food yet. He had been sitting in the car for almost four hours already, so he was getting bored and antsy and starting to be really fussy that time. The maps we had on hand weren't very accurate, so Vince thought it best to ask people for directions. We saw a car dealership and so we stopped to ask. No luck for us, however, because the people at the dealership did not speak English. We tried to ask at the gas station when we gassed up, and as expected, we once again were lost in translation. Oh jeez! We were starting to get worried, so I turned to my last resort, Siri. Guess what, she wasn't very helpful either :( We were driving around in circles, trying to put together bits and pieces of English direction we were able to gather from the people we had asked, until we saw a road sign that pointed to where the resorts are. We were finally able to breathe!  It was already dark and still raining, and some motorists were not very cautious, so when we started seeing resorts we were familiar with, we were so relieved.

8.  Eventually, we reached our resort.  I was really grateful to God for his protection and travelling mercies and for bringing us back to our hotel safe and unscathed. Whew! We were very proud of Vonn Kaleb for being the trooper he was. He held on and cooperated and behaved himself very well the entire time we were lost. I am so thankful to my husband for being courageous enough to step out of his comfort zone and obliged wholeheartedly to do that road trip, albeit his reasonable apprehensions and fears. If it wasn't for him, we would've missed out on that chance to see one of the seven wonders of the modern world. A big hooray for team Valencia! Woohoo!

Anywayz, now that I've finished outlining why our Chichen Itza trip was memorable to me, I think it's high time to share pictures of the astounding Mayan ruins, right? ;)

This mango smoothie was a lifesaver. It kept Vonn Kaleb hydrated during our drive back to the resort!

To read about Chichen Itza, here's the Wikipedia link:  Chichen Itza