A mom…again!

You read it right, I’d be a mom for the second time! And if you think that makes me an expert on being one, you’re in for a big surprise.

The first time I knew I was pregnant to my first baby my reactions varied from excitement, joy and fear. I was excited because I knew something good is inside me and I wonder how he or she would look like. Of course that made me happy, too, because it is every woman’s dream to fulfill her role of being a mother – which caused my fear. How would I be as a mom? What do I need to do to become an effective one?

Then came a new life two years after my first born – and feelings just burst out again! More than excitement, joy and fear, though came a guilty feeling that I wouldn’t be able to fulfill my responsibilities to my first child because I ought to take cautions for the baby inside me and vice versa.

At 2, a child isn’t a baby anymore and can already do several activities by himself. But he isn’t ready to be left alone yet. I guess that supports my OB’s suggestion to have a new baby only after 3 years. HINT: 3 years is a good spacing period for pregnancy, both for the child and the mother.

On top of these, though, I am thankful for the new blessing. Nine months from now, there would be a new addition to our family and I am sure he or she would erase any fear or doubt about better motherhood.
Thanks be to God, I am a mother…AGAIN!

On cold, liquid salt, vaporub and more

I woke up at 3:00am for the bathroom, but couldn’t find sleep since then for a very good reason.

Upon returning to our room I found out that due to bad cold Christian, my younger nephew, breathes through his mouth causing him to breathe louder than our AC. This set me out for a “Salinase” hunting mission. I knew I gave him the 30ml Sodium Chloride bottle when he went to his grandparents on his mother’s side, but still I had to ransack my medicine cabinet or else I’d find no peace. Unluckily, only the yellow and green box complete with the needed instructions presented itself, yet failed to serve its purpose.  Life can be like that small box sometimes – stuffed with guidelines or even choices which we could not  follow because of certain circumstances.

Going back to my mission, I scooped out a pea-size of Vicks Vaporub instead and rubbed some under Christian’s nose and on his chest.  Afterwards, I added an extra pillow under his head to keep it elevated.  These should help him, too, although the Salinase would have been a faster solution.  Then a thought came again – life branches out to different directions, a few of which instantly lead to our goals; others are punched with puddles that slow us down.

Meanwhile, after doing what I could do best for my nephew I already had an option to go back to sleep.  But the hissing sound still echoes in our room shouting at the mother in me so I went down to get a cup of coffee instead of throwing myself to bed. Then I sat beside my brother’s little boy and wondered if he would even know I stayed awake for him at all.

A few sips and a half full cup later, Christian’s breathing smoothed out already and words came joggling inside my head so I sat down to write.  More than an hour of waiting and a sleepless Monday morning proved worth my time.  The mommy in me felt relieved and happy for a job done with patience and love while the writer in me jumbled excitement and joy with hope for a greater find.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Angels on Earth

When Arvid started to walk, I couldn’t stop him in one place anymore. To give him more room to explore I looked for ways to make him busy. Thanks to costume parties for children for giving me an opportunity to teach Arvid (and his cousins) to mingle, play and communicate with other children.

Here are our angels on earth on Valentine’s day:

Valentine's Day Party

Antoinette in a prayer

My Little Angel - Arvid Matthew

Prince Charles and Princess Shaine

Long distance Parenting

My siblings and I grew up with different forms of love from our parents. Mom basically looked after us while Dad made things happen by sending love through balikbayan boxes.

Yes, we were members of the chosen few who receive boxes of Tobleron, crates of green grapes, roller skates and others.  But then, we were also those who had to import a grandfather on PTA meetings or had to recognize our dad two years after we were born – something that I feel sad for now that I already know how it is to be a parent.

Everything was not easy for any one of us.  Neither our parents praised the idea.  Mom had to be both mother and father to us.  She had to change the bulbs, fix the faucet, build a fence and like. She ought to be brave during storms and floods so as to keep us calm although she, too, was trembling with fear.  She dared not talk to our dad about our fever and other children’s diseases because she didn’t want to him to be alarmed.

Meanwhile, Dad had to think that writing letters would be a therapeutic hobby to forget homesickness.  He wrote letters everyday of each week believing that through it we’d feel his presence.  He talked to us through a PLDT line at least once a month to hear mom’s voice more especially.

While these were happening, we had to grow up without Dad to personally guide us – a dear price we had to pay for being members of an OFW family.

What We Missed. Arvid on Dad's lap.

Imitating what we went through was not something I’d recommend my siblings and friends to do, because although our parents  managed to raise us as good people, there’s still something inside which were not filled with tempting chocolates from other lands.

Time lost is gone forever.

Sun Time: A Picture Story

If I remember it right, one of my college professors taught me and my nursing school classmates that sunlight is a Vit. D precursor, which means our body needs sunlight in order for it to absorb Vit. D. I really don’t know if my mom, my mother-in-law and all my married aunts had any idea about Vit. D precursors but there’s one thing they know – it’s good to expose a baby or a child to the morning sun between 7:00 – 8:00 am. They said the practice helps babies grow strong. Well, then, here’s Arvid and Dade Dave in the sun!

Dade, what's behind us?

So this is a shadow! I wonder how I could catch up with it?

Huhuhu, Dade and Mame, I'm tired na po. Can I just catch dragonflies instead?

Pictures are worth a thousand words, and so they said. As such, it is but a great practice to keep them not only in good condition but also with wonderful and thrilling stories to tell!

Enjoy a sunny day!