Whatchama-CAEHL-it LXXXIII

Caehl: When you mix red and green, what color will come out?

Me: What?

Caehl: Yucky!

Whatchama-CAEHL-it LXXXII

Still so early on a fine Saturday morning, Caehl wanted to come up with a list, of all things, of film production companies and their respective logos. Yes, he's drawing the logos on his scratch papers. He was having a good time visualizing them (for example, the boy in the moon, fishing; a horse (Pegasus), a roaring lion, stars above the mountain; a nice castle with fairy dust - I hope you can guess by now the companies by these descriptions).

 

Running out of suggestions, I told him he could check out the back covers of the DVDs. So he did, with Nanay Ev. But this must have frustrated him that he finally declared, "Let's just look (it) up in Google."

Happy Birthday to The Good Girl’s Daughter

18 years ago, I did not know anything about motherhood, I was not prepared to be a parent. I was only 22.

In fact, even before I knew it, it was my Mama who first knew I was pregnant.

“Patricia,” she instructed my eldest sister. “Samahan mo na yan magpa-check-up, buntis yang kapatid mo.”

I was supposed to start working for the Araneta Group of Companies. I nailed the job after my first interview. At that time, we were staying with my aunt in QC and Araneta Center, Cubao was just a ride away. So it was convenient for me, and for Alex who at that time was working in the same area.

But I got pregnant with Cae that I had to forego working. My pregnancy was not simple. I would crawl my way to the comfort room to throw up and it was really yucky. I hated the smell of Eternity and Safeguard. After surviving the 1^st trimester, I remember being strong enough to be able to watch Bon Jovi’s concert at the Rizal Stadium. That night, while singing, “Shot through the heart. And you're to blame. Darlin' You give love a bad name,” my youngest sister Lea fainted. We learned later that she got chicken pox. My folks were alarmed and afraid that I would get it too so they had to send me to my aunt’s house in QC again. But as luck would have it, the following day, I got sick, too. The doctor reassured us it would not affect the baby.

On my fifth month, I had a dengue scare. My mouth was bleeding and the emergency doctor said I might be having dengue. He also said (God bless him, he passed away already) my baby was too small. My mom was so scared. Turned out, when my real OB-Gyne came back from vacation, she said it was just lack of fluorine or fluoride. It was common among pregnant women so she made me eat food rich in fluorine/fluoride. In addition, no, she disputed the other doctor’s pronouncement about the baby's size. In fact, I was thin as a 22-year old and considering my built, my baby was just growing fine.

My estimated delivery date was March 28 (that was a Holy Monday). But when I had an ultrasound that day, my OB-Gyne said, “Mataas pa.” That was when we knew she was going to be a girl. I was overjoyed. Alex and I wanted a girl. In fact, I already chose a name for her – Caitlin (after a Sweet Dreams pocketbook title) and Anais (from the Cacharel perfume Anais Anais, which my good friend Nessa sent me from Australia). Alex liked the combination that we didn’t have to think of another name. The initials CA had many meanings - C is for Capiz and Che (my childhood nickname); and A is for Alex and Acuña. Her nickname CAE is from Alex’s initials – Capiz, Alexander Edmund.

So we went back home, kampante that I wasn’t going to give birth until after Holy Week. Yet, that Wednesday, I had a discharge and I felt it was time. My brother who was going to work at that time drove me to the hospital and called Alex who was in the office. I had to suffer for 31 hours before I had her. Please visit this link http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/1207  (A Girl Named Caitlin) for my “labor day” story J

My late Papa used to call her ‘First Love”, being their first apo. She was also sort of his lucky charm in taking the Bar. On the other hand, my mother-in-law had a stroke 2 days after Cae was born. That was a Friday. In fact, she was planning to visit us Saturday as soon as Cae and I were discharged from the hospital. But as it is, after her stroke, she never recovered and she passed away when Cae was 4 and a half months old.

About her dextroscoliosis and brace 

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/61968 and 

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/66556

Whoever said that motherhood (or parenthood for that matter) is like a box of chocolates (you wouldn’t know what you’re gonna’ get) wasn’t kidding. I am the one who’s kidding, nobody really said that.

Being a parent is ___________ (just fill in the blanks). You cannot explain it or describe it in just one word – parenthood is in fact a world of its own. It is a magical, wonderful, awesome world; it’s a happy and sad and crazy experience.

Writer C. JoyBell C. said, “I think that the best thing we can do for our children is to allow them to do things for themselves, allow them to be strong, allow them to experience life on their own terms, allow them to take the subway...let them be better people, let them believe more in themselves.”

Cae and I now share the same shoe/slipper size. She’s prettier and taller but we have the same built. She is an emotional, thoughtful, loyal girl; she loves her friends dearly and is very generous. She loves to read and is a good writer (I don’t think she knows this). She’s strong and stubborn like her dad. She can be better, I know, it’s just that she may not know how good she is. If I say a lot of times that Caehl is my mini-Me and is a lot like me, it doesn’t mean I love my daughter less.

I can’t remember who said it or where I read it (maybe you can Google it), but it went like this, “You are the closest I will ever come to magic.”

18 years after, even at age 40, I will not claim to be an expert, I am still learning but I am sure proud I am Cae’s mom and parent. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Please visit my other blog entries about our unica hija:

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/31817

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/31781

Dorm blog: http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/79321

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/13297

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/12353

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/10720

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/95209

Before going to college http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/31819

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/95210

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/95212

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/95213

High School Graduation http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/95214

Senior Prom http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/95211

Grade School Graduation http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/18073

http://pamski71.bravejournal.com/entry/2785

Congratulations, Caehl!

Salutatorian, Best in Spelling (Spelling Bee champion), Quiz Bee Champion, and Most Inquisitive March 24, 2012*CKLC Auditorium

Congratulations, Caehl!

Salutatorian, Best in Spelling (Spelling Bee champion), Quiz Bee Champion, and Most Inquisitive

March 24, 2012*CKLC Auditorium

Whatchama-CAEHL-it LXXXI

As soon as Caehl heard me opening our gate, he squealed and shouted, "Hiya ako, hiya ako."

 

I think I know why, I said. You have mistakes in your exam, no?

 

"Yes, yes," he said.

 

He had 4 mistakes in Sibika, and one each in Math and Reading.

 

I was surprised that Prep Math has addition and subtraction with 3 digits (although he got all these right) and something about Karapatan and Tungkulin (Rights and Obligations) in Sibika (which confused him, I suppose).

 

Another source of his confusion, I think, was the question on free education (he answered False as he knows we're paying tuition) and if the government chooses the people it will help (who the heck knows the truth).

 

Hayaan na nga.

Whatchama-CAEHL-it LXXIX

Caehl is asking me to buy the Tagalog version of The Rosary booklet.

 

"Para we know how to pray the Rosary in Tagalog," he said. "And we know the Tagalog (translation) of the Mysteries."

 

"Where will you buy - St. Pauls or National?"

 

Hindi naman demanding.

Whatchama-CAEHL-it LXXX

Complaining of stomach ache, I told Caehl, "Caehl, I have tummy pains," expecting sympathy from him.
 
"Why," he asked. "You ate too much food?"
 
Ayos. Oo na nga.

Surprise Party for Piya

Happy Birthday to our eldest squid, Piya! Thank you, Batch 84, for the cake, gifts, presence, and love! A supposed-to-be family dinner and advance birthday treat turned out to be a surprise celebration. 80s music, cozy venue, sumptuous food (carbonara, spaghetti with red sauce, bread, shanghai, onion rings, french fries, chicken fingers, and bottomless passion iced tea. Thank you, Pitstop.

March 17, 2012
Pitstop Coffee

Surprise Party for Piya

March 17, 2012
Pitstop Coffee

Whatchama-CAEHL-it LXXVIII

Last night, Caehl asked if he could stay up a few minutes more to finish his scribbling activity.

 

"I can sleep late because I can wake up late naman tomorrow, Mommy," he said. 

 

Exam day kasi and they could come in at 9:45am instead of the usual 8:15am.

 

"Ok," I said.

 

But this morning, I was surprised to see him up at 6am.

 

"O, I thought you were going to wake up late?"

 

"I lied."

 

Hay, marunong na.

Whatchama-CAEHL-it LXXVII

Nanay to Caehl who's walking around the living room and dancing before taking a bath:
 
Caehl, Take off your clothes na.
 
Caehl: I need to warm up a little bit.
 
Oo nga naman.