5 Languages of Love

About 8 to 10 years ago, my friend Susie told me about the 5 languages of love.  She said that in order to have a loving and fulfilling relationship with somebody, we need to find out our partner's love language.  I no longer recall why we even talked about it but I've kept her wisdom in my heart to this day.  Through the years, I've learned that you need to find your own love language too, and guide your partner (if he has not discovered it yet) in finding out how to fulfill you in the love aspect.  Knowing it is one thing but practicing it makes all the difference.   It doesn't matter how capable you are of loving someone , it's useless unless the receiver understands it as love.

Growing Up So Fast: Singing a Full Song

He knows quite a number of songs already but this is the first time he's sang a full song by himself, complete with dancing.

Nanawu's version:
Ringa rutie
Pa-kie-fu rutie
Tishu
All Po Da!

Correct version:
Ring a-ring o'roses
A pocketful of posies
A-tishoo! A-tishoo!
We all fall down

I just wanted to record this moment that's why the song made it here.  A happy manie-moment for me!

I Want: Samal Island, Davao City

Growing Up So Fast: Choosing His Own Movie

Stay Connected

Being a parent is a full-time job.  It can change you in ways you've never imagined and it can change your relationship with your spouse.  But marriage should never be neglected.  Your relationship is the foundation of your family. Strong marriage=strong family.  Loving marriage=loving family.  Fun marriage=fun family.  It goes hand-in-hand.  

Kids Don't Lie: Dry Skin

Nanawu and I woke up facing each other.  We both smiled and then we hugged and then he's all over me.  We were so close to each other that I felt like we're fighting for the same air to breathe.  

And then he said:

My Waiting Companion

I love being with family and friends, but I also love being alone.  I can sit for hours on end by myself, absorbed in thoughts or vacuumed into nothingness.  But I brought along my trusted companions during Rafa's first day in school.   My Kindle which I love, my Lumix to freeze memories and some Life Savers ring candies to exercise my tongue.  I am still trying to learn the functions of my digicam but I hope to capture some of the things I would otherwise take for granted-- like the lively water fountain we pass by everyday, the post office, the cable cars.  I'm sure years from now, when we're no longer living in the same country, I can look at those pictures and be reminded again that this was where we started our family and this was the place we called home.

Getting Chilly

Are we really out of the heat?  It's still early October and I find myself already using the heater when I shower.  My "work" table is by the terrace and I can feel the chill.  The weather is 25°C [77° F] and looks like it's gonna be steady for the rest of the week.  I love this weather!  

"My Baby"

Little Nanawu always says "My Baby" if he wants to be hugged.  Maybe because I used to say "My Baby" whenever I hug him.  And what's more heartwarming than hearing "manie*, manie, manie..." while being hugged by mi bibi? 

*Manie= mommy

Just Wondering: Are All Kids Talkative?

As Nanawu is increasing his vocabulary, he's talking non-stop.  He's like a commentator, announcing his every move, even his moods.  Throughout the day, you'll hear him saying:

  "Rafa gu-i atayd" (Rafa going outside), 

  "Rafa funny", "Cutie Rafa happy", 

  "Cutie Rafa has coodaber (screw driver)", 

  "Rafa podaw (fall down) bed", 

  "Cutie Rafa agee (angry)", 

  "Mo mo (no more) Rafa, Rafa crying, huhuhu", 

  "Manie (mommy) kee (kiss) tummy, daddy kee tummy oto (also)",

  "Nao-ku (lao-she [teacher]) sing hu-hu-hu",  

  "Manie (mommy) no kini (carry) Rafa, Rafa heavy"

  ... and it goes on and on.  

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  It's just that Naddydaddy and I are really not talkative.  That's why I was wondering if all kids go through this phase.  I don't ever want him to stop being talkative.  

I Want: Pancake Rings

photo from amazon.com

We love pancakes and I want it perfectly round.  I've been eating uneven-shaped pancakes since I was a child.  Time for a cool change, if only I can find some of these here.  Shipping from amazon might cost more than the actual product.  :(

On Cooking

The best part of knowing how to cook is knowing that you'll never go hungry and that you can eat whatever you fancy.  Your family gets to eat a variety of food without fear of msg or if they were prepared by clean hands in a clean kitchen.  

There is hope for everyone.  A year ago, I can only make few passable meals.  Meals that are edible but don't leave you wanting for more.  Now that I do it with passion, I make better meals.  I have come to love cooking.  

The best part of loving it is that you can do it a thousand times over and not get tired of it.  Moving plates from the kitchen to the table with a glow of happiness.  

I don't know if I will still feel this way about cooking ten years from now but yesterday and today, I loved cooking as much as I love eating.  

September 18, 2009

A year ago today, September 18, we nearly lost our dad.  He fell from a chair, had severe head trauma, was in the intensive care unit for 12 days, had his head and chest almost opened, was bedridden for quite a while and was getting his sustenance  from a tube inserted through his nose (nasogastric intubation).  It was a scary time to be a daughter, a wife, a brother or a sister and I believe it was a scary time to be him too. 

It was the fault of the rat, that bloody rat scurrying in the ceiling.  In the dead of the night, when sleep's elusive, that sound accompanied him.  He didn't like its company and set to end it the following day.  When he was sure that trap did its work, he HAD TO remove it.  He got a plastic barstool and set it atop a wooden chair.  Got my mum to assist him and the next thing she knows, he's on the floor with blood gushing from his head.  He was unconscious for a few minutes.  They went to the ER, got a CT scan and just like that, he's in the ICU.   He is not entirely faultless too.  He's almost 70 years old and has weak legs because of gout.  He should have known better, especially since this is not his first fall.  Thank God he finally learned his lesson this time.

The doctor said there's a 5-day critical period.  If he gets out of it alive, then chances of recovery are higher.  During those critical days, his behavior changed.  A hemorrhage in his brain was causing it.  The doctor was ready to do brain surgery but Dr. EO, my sister, asked for 24 more hours of observation.  He would need two surgeries in case, and she's afraid that a surgery would do more harm than good.  He did get past that 24-hour grace period, and he did get past that 5-day critical period.  But that's not to be the end of it.  During his confinement, in a regular room, he contracted pneumonia.  His pulmonologist already wanted to intubate him but Dr. EO again said not yet.  They did round-the-clock suctioning, hiring a 24-hour private nurse to do that.  Dr. EO stayed with him as mum was sent home to rest.  It worked.  He won against pneumonia.  We will always thank my sister, Dr. EO, for being brave and for doing all the medical decisions for us.    

Then he was sent home.  We hired a private nurse to care for him at home and administer his medications.  Eventually, he tried sitting up.  Then he would demand to be taken outside of the room, then to his little garden.  Then he tried small steps with his walker and soon after he was walking slowly without it.  Then he was driving again, in less than six months!  We can't say he got away unscathed.  He has memory lapses and he knows it's because of that.  If there's one positive thing that happened to him because of this, it would be that the accident somehow erased some of his pains.  He's been suffering from gout and arthritis and his joints are forever acting up.   Dr. MO, my brother-in-law, explained that it's possible.  We jokingly asked him if we can hit our dad again and which part of the brain to hit, he said it only happens in the movies.  

May 2010.  My family, 8 months after my dad's accident.
Eldest sister and hubby not in the pic.

It only happens in the movies, or to other people... This cliche is so true.  Never thought it would happen to us.  But it did.  And we were not prepared for it.  But then again, who would be prepared for it?  Everything seemed to have happened in the distant past.  Hard to believe it's only been a year since it happened.  Looking at my dad now, you wouldn't think he almost left us.  Funny how incidents like this make us realize again how much we love our parents.  As for me, I know I love my parents more.  I know I love my family more.  We've never been an expressive family but I know, we all love each other dearly and will always be there for each other.  

Sept 10 is Teacher's Day in Hong Kong

Happy Teacher's Day to all teachers.  May our children be more empowered because of you.

These are Rafa's gifts for his Teacher Megha, (former) teacher Michelle 

and 老师 [lǎo shī]

Scary Time To Be Awake

Raining hard, continuous thunder and wind whistling in the hallway.  I really should be sleeping now, not fighting hunger because of PMS.

Nanawu is I Love You

The bub's name is actually Rafa.  I nicknamed him Nanawu in this blog because he's such a sweetie and says I Love You a lot.  Na-na-wu is how he says I Love You.  One time, saying goodbye to his playgroup leader, he said "bye (Miss) Megha".  She was touched and said I love you to Rafa.  Rafa said "na-wu Megha".  He warms up to people if he feels they care about him, or at least likes him too.

Na-wu Rafa!

First Day Blues

Today Nanawu starts going to school regularly.  We have committed ourselves to this early childhood education thing and we have to stick to it.  I will not talk about what made us finally decide to do it just yet.   Requires too much thinking and I'm just not in the mood for that.  So instead, let me talk about random things that happened today starting with Nanawu choosing what to wear.  Or rather rejecting what I chose for him to wear.  So we got another shirt, this time Nanawu-approved.  First time also for us to go to school not wearing a nappy.  He's been wee-wee trained for quite a while now so it's just a matter of mum taking him to the loo every hour for good measure.  Ok maybe I overdid it.  We went every 30 minutes.  He did not complain though, in fact I think he was quite fascinated with the urinal.  We arrived early in school while the first class was still in session so we just went to the outdoor play area to pass the time.  As what I usually do, I let the little boy play freely and I keep my distance (to prepare him for unaccompanied classes next month).  He was okay with it, skip-hopping and doing his twirly walk, and when he reached the end of the pavement, he reached for the hand of one of the daddies lingering outside the rooms and said "play".  He was  pulling the daddy into the playground and the daddy leaned towards him and pointed to me.  He took another look at the daddy and ran towards me smiling.  It happened again to another daddy inside the room.   I guess that means the little boy is quite ready to have some independence from me.   But one thing he needs to learn is sharing and that's one of the major reasons why we decided to give early schooling a go.   Oh and we have a new teacher and new classmates.  Only the school is the same.  His classmates from the summer playgroup all went to the first session.  I'll give it a couple more sessions and I'm sure Nanawu will start enjoying it fully again.   As for the mum, boy was I tired!  Carrying the little one all the way to school and back.   We'll-go-home-if-you-don't-walk threats did not work.  Sure hope Friday will be better for me.