It's Caehl's Talent Show program this morning and since I didn't know about it until last night, Alex and I couldn't make it. I just asked our two helpers to accompany him and take a video. I think he was asked to recite /memorize a long poem. I hope he won't have tantrums. I told him if he performs well, Nanay Ev will text me and I will give him a prize. "What do you want?" I asked him. "No mommy," he said. "I don't want a prize." This morning, he woke up at 5AM and wouldn't go back to sleep. I reminded him to do well during the program, then he said, "Mommy, please watch." I said, "Ay!" Then he said, "Sorryyyyyy." Awwww. Naawa tuloy ako. Break a leg, son. |
When it comes to writing stories from life's natural everyday situations, no one does it better than The Good Girl. Now she is telling all...touching, true-to-life, heartwarming tales that tell the world about her life, love, and lessons learned, with her usual delightful brand of humor and drama. Follow me @therealgoodgirl (Twitter) @talesofthegoodgirl (Instagram)
Friday, September 24, 2010
Whatchama-CAEHL-it XXVIII
Sunday, September 19, 2010
A Tale of a Good Day
I always believe that nothing beats starting your birthday with a date with the Lord. After the Mass, I found myself looking forward to a blissful day. Ang gaan-gaan ng feeling!Since it's a Friday (thank God for birthday leaves), my two children were in school (Caehl thought it was a holiday since I didn't go to the office) and Alex had to work, of course. I had my usual cup of brewed coffee but I felt like I was in Tagaytay - complete with garlic rice and crispy tawilis. Then I turned on the PC to check out FB and my emails. My cellphone just kept on tooting and I happily replied to each and every birthday message.
An hour later, I heard the gate and my little boy was home. "Ang bilis naman," I told Nanay Ev who replied that Caehl was the first one to finish the exam.
Then I got a text from my Kumareng Joyee that there's a cake for pick-up at the Red Ribbon branch in Pacita. She said they couldn't deliver so I did pick up the White Forest cake she got for me. Thank you Joyee my Mars! My friends know how much I love white chocolate.
I texted my Ate and my niece to drop by during dinner for a simple salo-salo (white spaghetti with chicken and mushrooms, Joyee's cake, and Chooks-to-go chicken). Later, Alex brought home Mary Grace brownies.
I love my gifts - bracelets from my mom, a pair of red flats from Cae, a red bag from my officemate and good friend Maricel, and a Goldilocks Dulce de Leche roll from my neighbors (Isaac Family).
At 12mn, I woke up to the sound of pouring rain and heavy winds. It's one of the longest 15 minutes of my life as I continuously prayed that it would stop. I was afraid it would cause a flood that I think I called on all the angels and saints. Please let it stop. Please let it stop.
The next morning, it was as if nothing happened. We went to Shopwise for our weekly grocery and had a hearty lunch at Army Navy Burger + Burrito (The Commerce Center, Alabang). "Come in Hungry, Walk out Happy," the sign said. Thank you, Daddy, for the treat.
I am 'ty-nine. I'd like to thank everyone who made my day special - family, old friends, new friends, Kapuso, Kapamilya, Kapatid, my daughter's friends Thank you for the love.
"All that I am, all that I do, All that I'll ever have, I offer now to you."
Thank you, Lord, from The Good Girl.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Whatchama-CAEHL-it XXVII
Reading about children's social skills, hearing contradicting statements (from specialists) on when children should start learning about the concept of friendship, and noting the many party invites Caehl has been receiving from children younger than him, I asked him last night.
Me: Caehl, do your classmates talk to you?
Caehl (drinking his milk, shakes his head): No.
Me (alarmed, repeated the question): Do your classmates talk to you?
C: No.
Me: Why?
C: Because it's exam.
Me (relieved): Ahhhh. How about if it's not exam, do your classmates talk to you?
C: No.
Me: Why?
C: Because Teacher Mae said do not talk.
Me: Hahaha. But how about snacktime, do they talk to you?
C: No.
Me: Why?
C: Don't talk when your mouth is full.
I just can't win this, can I?
I rest my case.
Me: Caehl, do your classmates talk to you?
Caehl (drinking his milk, shakes his head): No.
Me (alarmed, repeated the question): Do your classmates talk to you?
C: No.
Me: Why?
C: Because it's exam.
Me (relieved): Ahhhh. How about if it's not exam, do your classmates talk to you?
C: No.
Me: Why?
C: Because Teacher Mae said do not talk.
Me: Hahaha. But how about snacktime, do they talk to you?
C: No.
Me: Why?
C: Don't talk when your mouth is full.
I just can't win this, can I?
I rest my case.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
At Aveneto Pizzarea Ristorante
Friday afternoon, after Cae's trip to QC for a project with her classmates, we decided to meet at SM San Lazaro.
At Aveneto Pizzarea Ristorante, we ordered the Aveneto Special...don't ask why there's only half left :p Alex and Cae are pizza monsters.
It's reading time...
He always puts up his feet (even when he was still in my womb)...
Book: Ang Sapatos ni Mommy by Segundo D. Matias, Jr. (Lampara Books)
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Brace yourself (Part 2)
There are stories you don’t want to tell or write about - like this one.
My daughter has dextroscoliosis. According to Wisegeek, “Dextroscoliosis is one form of scoliosis, a medical condition in which the patient suffers from curvature of the spine. If the spine curves to the right, this is known as dextroscoliosis…”
Her doctor (an orthopaedic surgeon) said she must have had it since 8 or 10 years old. But we didn’t know. We didn’t notice. There were no manifestations, she wasn’t feeling any pain and there was no history in our family (or at least to my knowledge).
It all started when a classmate noticed that her shoulder (or was it waist) was higher than the other. Cae was told she might have scoliosis. Alarmed, she texted us and I guess we took it seriously because we agreed to have her undergo an x-ray that weekend.
The lumbosacral xray and scoliosis series were expensive. She came out of the room crying, as she saw her S-curved spine. It bothered her so much that she just stayed in her bedroom all day. Maybe it even bothered her brother, whose journal entry that day was about his Ate Cae's x-ray.
True enough, when we got the results the next day, the curvature is at 32.6 degrees.
I was already browsing the Net for possible doctors in Muntinlupa. My kumare and good friend Dra. Joy referred us to a colleague in Medical Center Muntinlupa, one of the doctors I saw in the Asian Hospital directory.
We asked the doctor if their heavy backpacks in grade school might have caused it. He said it is hereditary, perhaps we just don’t know who among us has it. I also asked if it’s possible that their school doctors could have seen it during their annual physical exams. I guess he felt we were blaming ourselves or other people for not knowing or noticing it before. He told Cae, “Hindi yan sakit, wag kang mag-alala.”
I brought the x-ray plates he requested the following week to his clinic in Asian. I was trying to be calm as he re-measured the curvature and explained the implications to me. Walking back to the office, I wanted to cry and ask what we did wrong. Where did we go wrong? I was guilty because I am the mother, and I should have been more careful, watchful and wise. All my past sins came back to me, and I am holding myself accountable for them, so why should my children suffer from my wrongdoings?
For two to three years, my daughter would need to wear braces. Just last Saturday, we went to Banawe where supplies are available. Cae must have been aghast seeing the colored photos of the Yamamoto brace. Who wouldn’t be, just imagine yourself wearing something with aluminum underneath your flight attendant-like uniform, for almost your entire college life? Especially for someone as kikay as Cae. This certainly is not as easy when she had to wear orthodontic braces six years ago (the Part 1), this is an entirely different story.
It was hard to comfort her especially because we saw another version (the body jacket) which seemed more, well, acceptable, but it was not what her doctor prescribed.
It took a long time before her dad managed to calm her. I was as helpless. I texted my siblings and my friends, “This is not going to be easy.”
The store owner was telling me how another client (a teenager like Cae) was crying her heart out upon seeing her Milwaukee brace (the kind that extends to the neck). “Nag-iiyakan din po sila,” he told me. Most of his clients, he said, were girls like my daughter.
As I’ve said, this is not easy, and this is far from over. This is just the beginning, and there will be a lot more episodes like last Saturday. It will really take time before we could get over the pilot episode, even the entire season I guess.
However, there are a lot of things for which I am still thankful as a result of this situation.
Alex and I as a couple have been through a lot, and we have already dealt with our own problems /issues in the past. And because we are older and wiser now, we can look at these things better, and be more focused without the excess baggage. And because we are stronger together, I know we can be stronger for our children.
Sometimes we still can be so emotional, but we are learning to set our emotions, and yes, guilt, aside because we have so much work to do and to attend to. This is also going to be draining, pockets-wise. But we will do everything we can. Alex advised me to just look forward and move on, and count our blessings.
We are blessed to have a strong family and friend support system. My siblings and my compassionate friends are simply the best who, in just one SMS, can make you feel so loved, so understood, so cared for. Because of you, we are not alone in this.
Indeed, who can know the intentions of God? Who can discern the plan of the Lord? So goes this Sunday’s First Reading.
There are stories you wish you won’t have to tell or write about - like this one. But the nice part of course is you can put a happy ending to it.
My daughter has dextroscoliosis. According to Wisegeek, “Dextroscoliosis is one form of scoliosis, a medical condition in which the patient suffers from curvature of the spine. If the spine curves to the right, this is known as dextroscoliosis…”
Her doctor (an orthopaedic surgeon) said she must have had it since 8 or 10 years old. But we didn’t know. We didn’t notice. There were no manifestations, she wasn’t feeling any pain and there was no history in our family (or at least to my knowledge).
It all started when a classmate noticed that her shoulder (or was it waist) was higher than the other. Cae was told she might have scoliosis. Alarmed, she texted us and I guess we took it seriously because we agreed to have her undergo an x-ray that weekend.
The lumbosacral xray and scoliosis series were expensive. She came out of the room crying, as she saw her S-curved spine. It bothered her so much that she just stayed in her bedroom all day. Maybe it even bothered her brother, whose journal entry that day was about his Ate Cae's x-ray.
True enough, when we got the results the next day, the curvature is at 32.6 degrees.
I was already browsing the Net for possible doctors in Muntinlupa. My kumare and good friend Dra. Joy referred us to a colleague in Medical Center Muntinlupa, one of the doctors I saw in the Asian Hospital directory.
We asked the doctor if their heavy backpacks in grade school might have caused it. He said it is hereditary, perhaps we just don’t know who among us has it. I also asked if it’s possible that their school doctors could have seen it during their annual physical exams. I guess he felt we were blaming ourselves or other people for not knowing or noticing it before. He told Cae, “Hindi yan sakit, wag kang mag-alala.”
I brought the x-ray plates he requested the following week to his clinic in Asian. I was trying to be calm as he re-measured the curvature and explained the implications to me. Walking back to the office, I wanted to cry and ask what we did wrong. Where did we go wrong? I was guilty because I am the mother, and I should have been more careful, watchful and wise. All my past sins came back to me, and I am holding myself accountable for them, so why should my children suffer from my wrongdoings?
For two to three years, my daughter would need to wear braces. Just last Saturday, we went to Banawe where supplies are available. Cae must have been aghast seeing the colored photos of the Yamamoto brace. Who wouldn’t be, just imagine yourself wearing something with aluminum underneath your flight attendant-like uniform, for almost your entire college life? Especially for someone as kikay as Cae. This certainly is not as easy when she had to wear orthodontic braces six years ago (the Part 1), this is an entirely different story.
It was hard to comfort her especially because we saw another version (the body jacket) which seemed more, well, acceptable, but it was not what her doctor prescribed.
It took a long time before her dad managed to calm her. I was as helpless. I texted my siblings and my friends, “This is not going to be easy.”
The store owner was telling me how another client (a teenager like Cae) was crying her heart out upon seeing her Milwaukee brace (the kind that extends to the neck). “Nag-iiyakan din po sila,” he told me. Most of his clients, he said, were girls like my daughter.
As I’ve said, this is not easy, and this is far from over. This is just the beginning, and there will be a lot more episodes like last Saturday. It will really take time before we could get over the pilot episode, even the entire season I guess.
However, there are a lot of things for which I am still thankful as a result of this situation.
Alex and I as a couple have been through a lot, and we have already dealt with our own problems /issues in the past. And because we are older and wiser now, we can look at these things better, and be more focused without the excess baggage. And because we are stronger together, I know we can be stronger for our children.
Sometimes we still can be so emotional, but we are learning to set our emotions, and yes, guilt, aside because we have so much work to do and to attend to. This is also going to be draining, pockets-wise. But we will do everything we can. Alex advised me to just look forward and move on, and count our blessings.
We are blessed to have a strong family and friend support system. My siblings and my compassionate friends are simply the best who, in just one SMS, can make you feel so loved, so understood, so cared for. Because of you, we are not alone in this.
Indeed, who can know the intentions of God? Who can discern the plan of the Lord? So goes this Sunday’s First Reading.
There are stories you wish you won’t have to tell or write about - like this one. But the nice part of course is you can put a happy ending to it.
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