The Baby Survey

• WAS YOUR PREGNANCY PLANNED?
• • No! Totally shocked!
• WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
• • Yep! More than 5 years married.
• WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS WHEN YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PREGNANCY?
• • I cried. I worried. I rejoiced!
• WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?
• • No.
• HOW OLD WERE YOU?
• • I was 31 when I got pregnant. 32 when I gave birth…
• HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
• • Home Pregnancy Test, 2 of them!
• WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
• • Hubby. And then he told everybody else…
• DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?
• • No, but hubby wanted to know.li>
• WHAT WAS YOUR CHILD’S SEX?
• • Boy. It was obvious in the ultrasound…
• DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
• • Yes, always.
• DUE DATE?
• • April 12, or something like that…
• DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
• • No. I had all the time sickness…
• WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
• • Pickes!li>
• WHAT IRRITATED YOU?
• • NO one in particular. I just remember being sick and lazy all the time.
• HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
• • I forgot …
• DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
• • Yes. I had a baby showers
• WAS THE BABY SHOWER(S) A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
• • I knew.
• DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
• • No complications at all!
• WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
• • Montgomery, Alabama.
• HOW MANY HOURS WERE IN LABOR?
• • About 8 hours, I came in in the morning. Got my epidural, fell asleep on an off, I felt a major contraction, my water broke, … by 6:00 pm it was over.
• WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
• • Hubby did.
• WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
• • Hubby.
• WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
• • All natural… with epidural.
• DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
• • I knew early on, even before the pregnancy that I will be asking for epidural …
• HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
• • 7 lbs 15 oz
• WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN?
• • April 9, 2010 at 6:06 p.m.
• WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
• • Mark Anthony

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New Year 2014 in Georgia

New Year’s Eve, we are watching this pile of log burn … in Georgia.

New Year’s Ever in Georg

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We spent New Year’s Holiday and Grandma’s birthday in Georgia. It was so cold and rainy… Brrrr

10 minutes on the road back to Florida, we still have hours and hours to go…

Mark, 3-years old: “Are we in Florida?”
Grandma: “Not yet.”
Mark: “Are we in China?”
Grandma, puzzled pause: “No.”
Mark: “Are we still in Georgia?”
Grandma: “Yes.”
Mark, disappointed: “Awww.”

Road trip is not his favorite thing.

Photo: New Year’s Day 2014 in Georgia, Matthew (7) and Mark (3) with new friend Grayson

Matthew’s Dating Plan

Last year, on Grandma’s birthday, Grandpa’s birthday gift for her was in a small box. We were all around her when she opened the small box, and it was a ring with a shiny gemstone. As soon as Matthew saw the ring, he said, “Ah, he went to Jared.” We all chuckled at this remark.

A year passed…

Last night at bed time, Matthew, 7-years old, came up to me,…

Matthew: “When I grow up and go to college, I’ll go to Jared and buy a ring, date a girl 5 times, and put the ring on the box and give it to her.”

Me, after thinking hard: “First, you have to finish college, right? And then find a good job. And then find a nice girl.”

Matthew: “Ok.”

He left, seemed satisfied and went to bed.

I was amused, but I wondered if he truly understands what he said. Probably not.

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FYI, Jared is a jewelry store in the U.S. They have recurring commercials on TV with the tag line “He went to Jared.”

Obviously, their commercial has worked for Matthew. But, they should be paying us for the mere mention of their store in my timeline. HA!

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Photo: Matthew just got his hair cut. He’s ready to go back to school…

Photo taken Jan 5, 2-14: Matthew just got his hair cut. He’s ready to go back to school…

Ready for Christmas 2013

My boys, Matthew (7) and Mark (3)

My boys, Matthew (7) and Mark (3)

Mark at 3-years Old

While Uncle Tom was giving Matthew (7) a haircut, Mark was observing…

Me, to Mark (3): “Do you want a haircut too?”
Mark: “No.”
Me: “Why not?”
Mark: “Because my hair is black, just like Daddy’s coffee.”
Me: (speechless)

Only he can make that connection!

—

So Matthew have a playmate in the neighborhood, Shane. He is also from Matthew’s class in school. He comes over all the time to play with – mostly Matthew. But of course, Mark always wants to join in the fun, even if he couldn’t keep up with the 7-year olds …

So while Matthew and Shane were playing ‘tag’, running around the yard, completely ignoring Mark…

Mark, chasing Matthew around, “I want to play too, but I am not good with this game.”

Mark continues to chase Matthew, this time with pointer finger trying to tag Matthew, “TAG! AWEEE, MY FINGER HURT…”

Mark, while completely being ignored, continues to chase Matthew and Shane, and complaining about his finger. As I am amused by this, I called Mark to check his finger, which was fine, as I suspected. I told him to play with me instead. But he refused. And then he ran off, chased them again and completely ignoring me.

Lately, with my request, Matthew and Shane are better at including Mark when they play.

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Photo: Mark, 3-years old. Taken Nov. 6, 2013

When he saw me with a camera in my hand, he stood still and asked me to take a picture of him. This was the outcome.

He is growing up so fast!

1st Day of 2nd Grade to a New School

When the news about us moving came to Matthew, we were still in the Philippines. I had been thinking for awhile about how to break the news to him, for I wasn’t so sure about how he was going to take it. But then, one day, he overheard about the move from one my conversations with Hubby over Skype.

I gave him the confirmation that indeed we were going to move to Florida and stay with Grandma and Grandpa for awhile, which also means he’s going to transfer to a new school. Surprisingly, he didn’t mind the move at all. And he was excited to transfer to a new school. He did, however, have a little bit of a concern –

Matthew, to Hubby over Skype: “Daddy, if I transfer to a new school, am I going to be Kindergarten again? Cause I don’t want to!”

Hubby, aka Daddy: “No buddy! You’ll be 2nd grade.”

And he was fine!

(I think, it was a valid concern!)

—

Matthew, 1st Day of 2nd Grade to a new school

He’s already met his new teacher last week. He said he’s nervous, but he’s fine while he anxiously waited for the school bus.

He has grown so much, so fast! 1st Day of school always breaks my heart. Sigh!

State of Transition

We moved out of Alabama a month or so ago, when we got back from our vacation in the Philippines. It was time to move on.

Half a decade spent in Alabama at the military school, we can only be grateful – for the friendships, life experiences and life lessons. Life in the military school is like no other. And the milestones. After all, we had Mark in Alabama!

So we’re here in Florida, in hubby’s hometown. Florida has always been a very welcoming ‘State of Transition’ for us’! We may stay in Florida for good, or maybe not, for the next chapters of our lives. We shall see.

In the meantime, we are enjoying our extended Florida vacation!

Daddy with Mark and Matthew, Photo taken on August 17, 2013

Turning 7 Years Old

So, today, the day before Matthew turns 7-years old, there are freshly baked cupcakes in the kitchen, all courtesy of Uncle Tom (Thomas).

Matthew, to me: “Are those cupcakes for my birthday?”
Me: “What birthday?”
Matthew: “It’s my birthday tomorrow!”
Me, continuing with my pretend denial: “Is it really?”

Matthew continues to make plans for his birthday, like decorating the cupcakes with lego toys. Matthew doesn’t know, but these cupcakes will be filled with chocolate pudding, frosted and topped with Oreo cookies, and they will be decorated with colorful candles and more … all for his 7th birthday!

Photo taken Aug. 13, 2013, Matthew, the night before he turned 7-years old.

The boy who wants awesome

First posted in Facebook, April 23, 2013 at 6:36 pm:

I was tutoring Matthew on his reading for his tests. As I listen to him read a series of sentences, on every pause, when he reads it correctly, I tell him “Very good!“. And then he said, “Mommy, next time, say awesome.” I admit I was really in a bit of a fog, that I really didn’t understand what he meant. I was about to ask him what he was talking about, but he continued reading, still correctly, and this time with more enthusiasm. And then he paused, looked at me, smiling, waiting. And then I got it… (duh!) And so I told him, “Awesome!” with more enthusiasm this time. And I can tell, he was pleased, as he was nodding when he continued on. Awesome! It got me off my fog!

#that-moment-when-your-child-is-really-the-one-evaluating-you-instead-of-the-other-way-around #can’t-wait-for-school-to-be-over

Matthew (6), 1st-Grade School Photo

Spring 2013

Such a crazy spring weather today! It’s freezing cold when the wind blows. It’s hot when the sun is out. The wind blows on and off. The sun is out and then gone. The weather just can’t make up its mind! And so, when we were out and about, on our flower-viewing today, we were dressed as if it’s Tacky day.

Photos taken on April 22, 2013.

Fine Day Biking

Fist published in Facebook on April 13, 2013:

Yesterday was a fine day, sunny with moderate clouds. Mark and I were outside. He pointed up and said to me, “Look! Mom! The clouds look like marshmallows.” I looked up. It was, indeed.

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Last night, at bedtime, Matthew was whiny, asked me, “When is my teeth ever gonna fall off? It never falls off.” I just told him – when it’s time.

At 6-years old and almost completing 1st-grade, he has NOT lost a tooth yet, while all his classmates already have. And he’s been really anxious, especially for that visit by the Tooth Fairy!

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This morning, after hearing a commotion between Mathew and Mark, Mark came to me crying, “I don’t like big brother. He made me mad.” Me, thinking – Yes Mark, use your words.

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Matthew (6) and Mark (3) on a gorgeous Saturday. Taken on 2013 Apr 13

It did take a lot of ‘aggressive’ encouragement from me to convince Matthew to practice his biking, but he ended up having a good time.

Mark was more willing. He’s the one with the most fun especially after I took out his tricycle. Mark’s legs are still short for his tricycle. He couldn’t pedal effectively yet, so I ended up pulling the tricycle (with Mark on it) with a rope… Me, tired!

Mark, a day before turning-3

This morning, Mark came over to me asking for a cookie. I told him, “No” and that he should eat his breakfast. And then he ran away, almost crying. And then, he stopped, looked back at me with a sour face, and said, “I don’t like you.”

He’s such a character!

This reminded me of the time a month or so back. He was playing with my iPhone. While I was trying to get his attention, I was telling him to do something, like pick-up his toys or something, he said to me, in a serious manner, “Shh! I want quiet.” I was stunned. (That’s exactly what I tell him, when he is being noisy and annoying.)

Weeks ago, on Spring break, we watched a movie, went malling, shopping and just walking and looking around, and just having fun. When everyone else are having fun, there is always Mark NOT having fun! (We would have this conversation almost all the time, while we were out and about.)

Mark, with a look of boredom: “Let’s go home.”
Me: “You’re a party pooper.”
Mark, smiles at me, like telling me that I’m being silly: “No. I’m Mark.“

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Mark has been sick with diarrhea, and has been puking since yesterday. This morning, he’s still sick and has a touch of fever, but otherwise he’s active and energetic. He did get his cookie! And he’s turning 3 years old tomorrow.

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Mark (a day before turning 3), needs a haircut and loves milk!