why i was having apprehensions on migrating to another country

someone from the forum i belong with gave me the answer.

read her blog:  http://livingmyotherlife.com/2008/11/25/protecting-my-childs-innocence/

you may not know it but i have draft post in this site on our plan to migrate to another country in the near future. and what a coincidence that the country where this forummate of mine come from is the same country we eye to build a new nest for our family--new zealand. but the plan still remains a plan as we never made a serious effort to apply in its consulate office here in makati. even i myself doubt our interests to leave the philippines and settle for good in a foreign land. i have a lot of questions and apprehensions which i wanted to address first before we take the first step.

i never thought racism still exists in that country and i've never given this a thought. but if it's still do exist, even how isolated that case may be, then i would never entertain the idea again of migrating. as the author of the blog said, we adults can take it. i think i can take it for myself. but i definitely won't take it for my son and his future sibling. no one can cast stones on my kids even how fair their skin may be. no one also has any right to categorize my son an inferior class just because of his heritage.

if that's what it takes to have a cleaner environment, a nicer house, a colder climate, a better future though it's not certain then i think i can forego them all together just by knowing that my son is a first class citizen on where he lives.

 

why am i so happy about tonight's survivor philippines?

because the (all derogatory words here) marlon carmen is already out from the game... yahoo!

i've never been this happy... sa wakas, his tribemates had come to their senses and the devil was kicked out from the island

jude also share the same feeling but it's really me who's jumping with joy. haha.

hopefully a longer post later on.

ciao for now!

 

 

 

the reason behind the sudden weaning

i was inspired by jah to post about this experience of ours as i take delight in the innocence of a little child. there is something in their actions or words, even how naughty or silly it is, that makes them more adorable. i just hope they will always hold that innocence until they reach the age of reason.

a backgrounder of my story:

i thought was pregnant again. it was 6th of november when i had myself checked using a pregnancy test kit--and two lines appeared. it's supposed to be the fourth week of my pregnancy. we were joyful as we thought we're ready now to welcome another member in the family. next day came and as used to be a part of our early morning ritual, i nursed iñigo. fyi, he sucked like an infant during mornings. hours passed but when i woke up i saw stains of blood in my undies and shorts. i panicked and called jude immediately as he was already in his office. i couldn't help but blame breastfeeding as the cause of my "bleeding". we went to asian hospital that same morning but was discharged immediately after the resident ob prescribed some medicines and advised me to take a bed rest.

so we thought i was indeed pregnant. at this time i decided to stop breastfeeding iñigo the cold-turkey approach so as not to aggravate my condition. after nine days, 15th of november, we went back to asian for my scheduled ultrasound only to find out that... i am not pregnant! two more pregnancy tests validated the result. the bleeding must probably my monthly period and it just came late. HAY! so much for a false alarm...

i'd tell iñigo during the time i was weaning him why mommy had to stop giving her milk to him. the stupid me told him that a baby is going to come soon in our family and mommy has to reserve the milk for her (yes, we already claimed it's a girl. hehe). iñigo obliged at first but looking at him, he was definitely having a hard time to forget about my milk.

but one time he rushed to my side and cried, "mommy, no baby girl! ...don't like baby girl".

it was enough to make me cry. obviously, he was threatened with the coming of a new baby in the house. while my son has yet to understand the whole scenario i failed to assure him that nothing would change and that the new baby would not be favored over him.

i changed my dialogue after that incident and just blamed the medicines i was taking as my reason in weaning him. he bought the idea so i thought he already forgot about what i told him earlier. but to my surprise, he rushed to my side again one afternoon and was about to sit down on my lap as he used to whenever i nurse him but apparently he realized something as he got up and then said "milk... (for) baby girl, mommy". he was pointing to my breasts, then he repeated again those words but this time he proudly added that "iñigo... big brother".

i was so proud of him.

but i just hope now it's true. =P

 

the little boy is finally weaned!

it's been one week now since our 28-month old iñigo is weaned from breastfeeding... mixed emotions for mommy.  and

i am happy.  finally, mine (you know what it is) can take a rest. iñigo can also go now go to sleep on his own, without mine helping him to doze off. that gives me more time now to do my job or chores, and without being interrupted with "mommy, milk?".

but i am sad, too. it was really an emotional torture for me in our first two days when iñigo cried for milk but i didn't budge and jude just had to take him away from me. i also don't know if someone can relate with me on this: that somehow the emotional connection between me and my son was wounded. motherhood for me is magnified 10x whenever i nurse my child.

i never even thought we will come to this as i myself was not also ready. i never even let a single day passed without having him breastfed. yes, even if he didn't ask

i, too, was addicted. =)

 

two thumbs up for madagascar 2! =D

this post should be in the review section but because the stage mommy wanted to post pictures... dito s'ya! =P

madagascar 2, iñigo's fifth moviehouse experience

***

it was yesterday when we--me and the little boy--watched the movie in robinson's pioneer... ehem, ehem... it's jude and i's favorite mall for a movie when we were still in our bf-gf days because aside for its proximity from my former work place and boarding house it's also a less crowded mall. so i was like in a reminiscing mode too yesterday. =D

while waiting for his daddy...

going back, jude had an important meeting in globe telecom plaza in pioneer at 4 pm and as usual, the rest of the family was in tow. i chose to watch a movie with the little boy in the nearby mall so we're both relaxed (meaning: no running, no chasing, no screaming) in our seats while waiting for the daddy. good thing madagascar 2 is already being shown in the cinemas these days. though i felt like being robbed of php 280 when i bought our tickets... and again when i bought a tub of popcorn and sodas... grabe, ang mahal nang magsine! hahaha. it's already a luxury to watch inside a moviehouse these days. tsk.

but the price i paid was all worth it. i had a very good laugh while watching madagascar 2--it was super hilarious! i also think it's a lot better than the first madagascar.

i loved gloria and moto-moto... the astig na granny... and the witty penguins, which i really find sooooo cute!

madagascar 2 is already the fifth movie iñigo watched inside a moviehouse but unlike the first four, this is the only movie he watched from start to end as he'd usually fall off to sleep or play in his own seat. he was so attentive, i never had any problem with him. well, he was also behaved somehow in the other movies we watched along with him but he was really different yesterday.

all eyes were on the screen

he loved the dancing... the singing... the funny antics... and the different animals he saw in the movie.

"mommy, the animals...!" he can't get over the movie... =)

but i think there are some scenes in the movie which i find inappropriate for small kids to watch. though it was rated GP, for general patronage, expect some violent scenes like bashing, hitting, and pointing of gun. =(

but nevertheless, the movie is still highly-recommendable if you just want to be entertained.

happy watching! =D

every kid starts with homeschooling...

a lot of parents doubt if they have the skill to homeschool their kid. in fact, i was one of those parents. but as i was told, i also realized that i am already doing the job of a teacher for my son... but the difference is it's in a more relaxed and unstructured manner.

my son should thank me as i'm a "cool" teacher for him... and my style is somewhat lax. little did he know that i don't want to stress myself. hahaha.

but honestly, i just let him learn what he wants to learn by now and learn the other things when he's ready. simply put, NO RUSH--my mantra as a mom.

as far as he can imagine...

you remember the toy that i bought him for his first birthday? it's the wooden blocks set. i also bought him the wooden train set, which added to his collection. he's very much into these toys and these alone can keep him busy for hours. i love it! haha.

and what i love more about these toys is it develop a lot of skills in him: imagination, creativity, balancing, building, shaping, pretending, etc. he can now manipulate the blocks set and train tracks on his own. he can build a round railroad, a sloping railroad, a straight one... he's an engineer in his own rights. =)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i heard someone criticizing schools which did nothing but ask its pupils to imagine and fantasize. i winced. it's what i wanted my son to primarily do at his age. hehe.

the little bookworm

he began flipping book pages even before he took his first solid meal and i'm glad that now, reading books is always part of his daily routine. he has his set of favorites such as eric carle's from head to toe, sandra boyton's goodnight mooon and runaway rabbit, and joanna cole's i'm a big brother. the dr. seuss books are just waiting for him to learn to read.

speaking of reading... jude was very impressed with his son when he heard him reading words. even without the pictures, iñigo can now read some words like apple, lion, horse, dog, cat, umbrella, fish, etc... words that he frequently see in his books. he also can read the names of the popular establishments: chowking, SM, jollibee, mc donalds, kfc... even tapa king. hehe.

though i am happy on his new skill, i still doubt that sight reading will do him good later on. i am not yet keen of introducing reading until he's five or six, and by then i guess he is already ready to read through the phonics method.

aside from sight reading, he also knows most of the letters by now and can recite the alphabet song, although still slurred in some letters like "w" and "x". but as i've said, no rush... it wasn't me who taught him anyway, but himself... see? =D

count him in

iñigo saw our family photo in our PC desktop and began counting, "one daddy, one mommy, one nyigo (for iñigo)... yehey!". it was a funny moment for me, but it was also the start of iñigo's skill on counting.

i taught him how to count even before his second birthday but he was not contented to stop with any number and he continued until he's done with "10". so six apples was as still 10 apples for him. hehe. but now that he has matured, iñigo would count correctly. he would count the teddy bears in his book, the plates on the table, and whatever he sees around the house... then followed by "yehey!".

he also knows how to motivate myself. =)

Q & A portion

mommy: what's your name

iñigo: nyigo!

mommy: how old are you?

iñigo: two!

mommy: where do you live?

iñigo: cabuyao! (with a twang, feeling kano)

mommy: what's your complete name again? iñigo bustamante...

iñigo:  nyigo mante...

mommy: bustamante

iñigo: cabuyao!

yeah right... our son has also a tendency to be extra PILYO!

***

artistically challenged

my son also has his own share of weaknesses and one of them is arts. he's not interested in coloring and drawing figures. though he would ask for a color or pencil, and paper, but give him a few minutes and he's no longer interested. i also bought him a molding clay but he's not too keen...

the most that he can do is draw a round shape and identify some colors.

but it should not come to us as a surprise as both of his parents are also not into arts. =)

the only thing he does best in the arts section is photography... este, taking pictures. =) i guess you will be surprised that the photo below was taken by him.

he made the tower--12 blocks stacked up--all by himself, too.

there you are. iñigo's report card in his 28 months of learning and growing. i realized that it's kid's semestral break this time and most of them already received their report cards... so i thought of also doing my son's own report card for his milestones, accomplishments, and waterloos. =)

the (extra) ring bearer in his ninong an's wedding

i hope to have a background music here of ate shawie's nido commercial... =)

look at me mom, shining like the sun...

he was dubbed as the "little congressman" during his ninong an's (for antonio who is jude's younger brother) wedding last 12th of october, 2008 in san agustin church. prim and proper... refined... cooperative... and quite dignified for his age as he never threw a tantrum nor displayed irritability during the wedding rites and even during the reception that followed afterwards. our little boy was indeed commendable and extra adorable that day. =D

he began rehearsing his walk as early as one month before the wedding and some more practice followed hours before the wedding in jude's parent's house. since he kept on throwing the small pillow he was practicing on after making a four or five steps we decided to ditch the pillow and let him walk without it. our bigger concern anyway was: if he's gonna walk. he was just an extra ring bearer anyway as the church is strict on the age requirement of the members of the entourage.

bright as the day, you're my number one...

the other relatives of jude in the torres side (maternal) were already at the church when we arrived. iñigo was happy that his favorite cousin--kuya cahoy (for caloy, hehe)--was there too and part of the entourage. that gave him another reason to walk aside from the chocolate i promised to give him if he finished off the march.

and there's no treasure that i will cherish like you...

the stage mommy giving last-minute instructions, este, loving words to his son before the march

and when i smile... they all see you glow and they all know you’re my number one...

he walked and completed the march to his daddy and mommy's delight. =D though he made some stops which made my heartbeart skipped (i can't explain the feeling, hehe) as either the flowers along the aisle caught his attention or he was looking for me among the crowd, he nevertheless walked and charmed the other guests with his disarming smile.

btw, thanks to kuya matt-matt (his other cousin) who pulled his hand when he was stalling. hehe.

my one and only joy is to give you my love...

the daddy and the son as caught by the camera during the ceremony

my one love for you i give through and through... i see you and the signs that bring joy that all the world can see so clearly...

the newlywed couple--an and rozunne--with the members of the entourage

iñigo was also in the mood to pose during the pictorial sessions which made the other guests awed by him. jude just brought him to the altar and he cooperatively stood beside his cousins for the photo of the newlyweds with the members of their entourage. he was heard saying, "okay, minish (finished)!"... but when the photographer told him to go back to his position for more photos, he obliged, "one more, one more" and posed again. he made a blooper by going to the center and began to pose as he probably thought the shot might not be able to capture him, or he's just used to being at the center? whatever it is, he was just trying to be a kid. =)

the newlyweds with the bustamante and agregado families; the little boy was making a peace sign here

look at me mom... shining like the sun... bright as the day... you’re my number one...

he really had his moments during the wedding and jude and i, up until now, are full with pride and amazement whenever we recollect those moments. opposite to what we have expected (shame on us), he was behaved very well all throughout the event and acted as would a fine young man will do.

he was congenial and bubbly, too.

 during the reception; iñigo had a feast as he ate everything on his daddy's plate. =D

*credits should be given to ate monette (i grabbed it na lang huh ate mon =D) and to mr. dennis rito for the photos.