Munchkin Mommy

Dear Abby,

So how does it feel to be six and a day older?  Not much different from being 5, is it? It’s funny how being the youngest in your class and as each of your classmates turned 6, your 6th birthday just couldn’t come fast enough.  But that’s you, impatient a lot of times. :D

There is just so much ahead of you, Sweetie.  How do I even begin to explain in a way that you’ll understand, that you shouldn’t be in too much of a hurry to be a grownup?  That you should enjoy and savor each and every day?  That you’re so blessed to be a child whose every need (and a lot of times, want), thanks to God’s grace, is practically being served in a golden platter?

Your dad and I are very proud of everything you’ve accomplished since your last birthday.  In a few days, you’ll be entering first grade, and we know you will continue to amaze us in and out of school, in more ways than we can imagine, like you always have.

You are a very good and headstrong little girl, Abby.  You say what’s on your mind and you, thank goodness, will not allow yourself to be bullied!  Your Mimi says it’s because you’re too smart and I might have to agree with her.  I remember that one time at the playground  not too long ago, when a girl who couldn’t be older than you said you can’t play because you’re wearing flipflops.  What did you tell her?  That she can’t tell you what to do, that’s what!  Haha!  I wish I were more courageous like you when I was little. I would have just probably kept mum and walked away. :D

We love you very much Abby.  And loving you means we have to be tough on you sometimes, hopefully, not too tough that you’ll have to set aside an hour each week of your adulthood, lying down on some couch to tell some professional with pen and paper in an armchair why you blame your childhood for…for whatever. *knocks on wood* :D  You have to understand that Mom and Dad didn’t go to parenting school, but believe us when we say that we are truly doing our best.  We rely heavily on our childhood experiences and the “parenting module” used by Mimi, Wiwa and Wowo.  Mom and Dad turned out way more than ok, so we just might be on the right track.

I shall continue praying that God keep you in His loving care and protection like He has always done for all of us and that He may continue to bless you in countless ways.  In the same breath, I pray that God grant us, your parents, the grace to always be good to you and be every bit deserving of the wonderful gift that you are.  May we be able to set for you, examples worth emulating, so that you may thrive well in the sometimes cruel world outside our happy home. :)

Happy 6th Birthday, my sweet sweet baby. We love you more than you’ll ever know. *mmmuah*

All my love,

Mommy Weng

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Milestones.  As parents, hubby and I have always eagerly looked forward to Abby reaching them around the time she’s expected to reach them (if not earlier!) from when she was still a baby: the first time she rolled to her tummy, the first time she crawled, the first time she pulled herself up, the first time she took tentative steps while holding on to something , the first time she walked unassisted, etcetera, etcetera.  And the list goes on and will continue to go on.

Now that she’s past babyhood (Not to me!! I’m still very much in denial!), Abby still continues to amaze us whenever she reaches milestones, specially ones that may otherwise be considered “optional”, say, swimming, ice skating or riding a bike.

Last week, on June 14th to be exact, Abby learned to ride a bike without training wheels.  Hubby and I were very excited for her, hubby most specially, who has been helping Abby practice a couple of times a week after school.  I never went to those practices with them, except for that fine Monday. Perhaps, my mommy heart knew that it was the day.  So I came prepared. I made sure I brought my camera with me. And I have to say, I was not disappointed! :)

While Abby learned to bike,  she still needed a little push so she could start pedaling.  This week, on June 21st, hubby and Abby set out yet again for the empty parking lot so Abby can work on pedaling off all by herself.  I made hubby promise to take a video of their success, because I knew again that they will be successful in their efforts.  Hubby brought home a very nice present for me, a Biking 101 – type of video featuring Abby.  Hee hee.

I am sooo proud of my little girl!  How could I not be when I was all of 9 or 10 years old when I learned to ride a bike, while Abby is only 5!  Abby also swims “Abbystyle” but that won’t be for long because she’ll be starting formal swim lessons soon.  I learned to swim when I was 9. :)  As for ice skating, Abby learned to ice skate when she was 4.  I learned to ice skate, too, albeit tentatively…at the age of 34! :P

Cheers to your biking success, Abby!  Mommy and daddy are so proud of you…we always are. *mmmmuah*

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Mataga-tagal na akong hindi nakakalahok sa Litratong Pinoy.  Malamang ay nagtatampo na sa akin ang aking kaibigang nagsimula nito. Sa mga susunod na linggo, sana’y makabawi ako sa matagal kong pagliban. ;)  Ito naman ang aking lahok para sa tema ngayong linggong ito, “Batik/Mantsa” (Spots/Specks).

Noong ika-9 ng Pebrero ay ipinagdiwang ng mga kindergarteners sa paaralan ng aking anak ang ika-isang daa’t isang araw ng pagpasok sa paaralan (101 days of school).  Bilang pag-gunita sa araw na  ito, hiniling ng mga guro na bihisan ang mga bata ng mga kasuotang itim at puti tulad ng mga kulay ng mga aso sa 101 Dalmatians.  Ayun na nga’t pinagdamit ko ang aking anak ng itim na pangitaas na may puting pang-ilalim na mahaba ang manggas.  Ang pangibaba naman niya’y palda’t tights na puti.

Umalis ng bahay ang aking anak  na wala namang malaking ipinagkaiba ang itsura sa araw-araw niyang pagpasok sa paaralan.  Ngunit sa kaniyang pag-uwi, may pagkakaiba na sa kaniyang itsura…

Ang aking limang taong mag-aaral, sa pag-uwi’y “puppy girl” na! Hee hee.  May mantsa (spot) ang kaniyang ilong at may suot siyang korona kung saan nakakabit ang dalawang tengang may batik-batik na itim.  Ang kyut! :P  Ayaw niyang  ngumiti noong una nang akin siyang kunan ng mga litrato.  Ngunit ngumiti na siya nang payagan kong simutin ang batter ng chocolate cake na katatapos ko lamang ipasok sa pugon para i-bake. ;)

Huwebes na sa Pinas.  Miyerkules naman ngayon dito sa aking kinaluluklukan…Ash Wednesday.  Sana’y isapuso nating lahat ang kahulugan ng panahon ng Lent.

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So the Americans have their “Twist it.  Lick it.  Dunk it.” with their Oreos and milk.  Well, well, well, I dare say it’s a mere adaptation (ehem!) of our very own pandesal at kape, where we sawsaw (dip/dunk) the pandesal (Filipino bread roll) in kape (coffee).

On Tuesday morning, Abby got a quick lesson in Filipino bread dunking culture.  She couldn’t find a bread filling she liked.  Plus, hubby and I were (secretly) busy getting ready for a surprise party.  So we taught Abby a surefire way she could enjoy her bread roll and warm cocoa…and that’s via good old fashioned sawsaw!  Because my cake layers were all over the dining table, Abby had to eat breakfast in the living.  Pasensya na anak, limited square footage.  Hee hee.

Step #1: Isawsaw ang tinapay sa tsokolate. (Dunk the bread roll in the cocoa.)

Step #2: Patuluin ng bahagya ang tsokolate mula sa tinapay. (Let the excess cocoa drip a little…so you don’t leave a trail all over the center table.  Hee hee.)

Step 3: Isubo ang tinapay!  Sarap! (Enjoy the yummy goodness of cocoa soaked bread! Hee hee!)

I do have a picture for Step 3.  But it’s not very flattering.  So I’m saving my 5-year old from embarrassment.  :D

I think it’s about time she is reacquainted with balut.  That ought to be our next lesson.  ;)

Cheers y’all!

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Updating with any semblance of regularity has just gotten so outrageously, well, impossible. I do try, that much I can tell you. I have more discarded drafts than you can imagine. Seriously! Oh well.

November was a sweet month.  It’s one of my favorite months, you know. It’s a very simple equation really:

Hubby’s Birthday + Sweethearts Anniversary + Thanksgiving + Black Friday = Suuuuuweeeet November ;)

It’s actually an incomplete equation.  There should be a couple more addends in there.  Anyhow, here’s counting my November blessings.  It’s a long list, but you know that already. :D

November 1st – Race for the Cure

I have but 4 entries in November and one of them was about our participation in the Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure.  Here’s the link to that entry. It felt great to be a part of such a worthy cause, one that’s very close to my heart.

November 3rd – 50th Day of School

You’re probably wondering why the 50th day of school is so special.  It is pretty special for kindergarteners in Abby’s school.  They celebrate the 50th day of school by dressing up in 50s fashion, holding a Sock-Hop and enjoying special treats from the 50s (rootbeer float and bubblegum).

I found the perfect costume for Abby at Target just before Halloween…

I had fun dressing Abby up.  Hee hee.  The boys were dressed in jeans and t-shirts with folded short sleeves. Cuteness, I tell you!  The Sock-Hop by the way is a dance.  If I got it right, in the 50s, men and women take off their shoes at the dance halls so their shoes won’t scratch the wooden floors.  So they dance in their socks.  And that’s what Abby and the rest of the kindergarteners in her school did…twist and jive in their socks.  Fun, fun, fun!

November 7th – Fall Festival

The Fall Festival is another event in Abby’s school.  We went with our friends and the kids got to enjoy carnival games where everyone always came out a winner.

Abby getting a tattoo. ;)

November 11th – Thanksgiving Luncheon

On November 11th, Hubby and I joined Abby for lunch in her school.  It was Thanksgiving Luncheon after all.

We only had to pay for Hubby’s lunch.  Mine was free because I helped decorate the cafeteria. *wink*  Abby’s was charged to her lunch account. For only $2.75, we had a quite a hearty meal of Turkey with Gravy and Cranberry Sauce, Rice Stuffing,  Mashed Potatoes, a roll and Pumpkin Pie.  Not bad at all!

I’m what you might call a regular fixture in Abby’s school.  But not Hubby.  This was a big day for him.  Hee hee.

November 17th – Reflections Awarding Ceremony

Reflections, according to the PTA website of Abby’s school, ” is a nationally sponsored PTA program that gives students the opportunity to showcase their creativity in a number of formats: Literature, Music Composition, Visual Arts, Photography, Dance/Choreography and Film/Video.”

The theme was “Beauty is…” I put together photos that Abby took with her Nintendo DSi, Hubby’s phone and a disposable camera and made them into a collage. I entered Abby in the program because I knew every participant will get a certificate.  I wanted Abby to know for herself how it feels to have her work appreciated with a little more funfare. ;)  On November 17th, Abby received a certificate that came with a chocolate lollipop.  Abby said that next year, she wanted the bigger chocolate, which was given to the children whose works will advance to the regionals. ;)

November 20th & November 21st – Date Nights

On November 20th, Hubby and I went out on a date.  God bless my friend, Bet, who looked after Abby for a few hours. *wink*   We saw the movie “2012″, which I didn’t quite like.  We were originally going to see “New Moon” but tickets for that night were sold out.  Never mind, I got to see “New Moon” the following night, the 21st.

Daddy Daycare ;)

My gal pals and I went on our second G.N.O. this year.  God bless our hubbies! :)  We saw a movie, had drinks and a “proper” dinner.  It was a few hours all to ourselves and we barely talked about our kids.  What did we talk about?  Other interesting things. Hee hee.

November 23rd

Hubby’s Birthday…

…and our 16th “Sweethearts”  Anniversary.

We wined and dined at McCormick and Schmick’s.  Blessings!  Blessings!  Enough said. :)

November 26th – Thanksgiving Day

Everyday we feast on blessings.  Yes, you and I!  On Thanksgiving Day, we feasted in celebration of all these blessings and those that are yet to come!

Want to read more about our feast?  Then come on over HERE.

November 28th – Back-to-Back-to-Back Party

Hubby and one of our good friends share the same birthday.  On November 28th, we had a triple celebration:  Post-Thanksgiving and 2 Birthdays.

The birthday boy looks out of place, when in fact, that’s his birthday cake!

We had quite a feast!  The birthday families took care of the food while another one of our friends provided the venue…their own home.  For our part, we had a touch of Spain going: Lengua (Read: Ox Tongue!) with Creamy Mushroom Gravy, Arroz ala Valenciana,  Gambas al Ajillo, Champignon al Ajillo and an out-of-place appetizer…Deviled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese.  I made two birthday cakes, by the way, and baby pound cakes.

The customary birthday family pic.  Thanks, Edwin!

There!  If you got this far, you’re either related to me or you really have a lot of time in your hands.  Hee hee. :D  Just the same, thank you and congratulations for reaching the end of this entry. Hopefully, it won’t take me another 10 days to update.

We’re halfway through December.  And December is just wonderful!

I hope your week started off right.  Cheers, y’all!

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