Tita Mae: housemate, tita, cook, and ---> photographer

Dearest Baby,

Yesterday, I went to the city to meet a client whose getting married and she wants me to host her wedding! We also talked about the possibility of her availing our chocolate fountain. But that's not the purpose of this letter =) See, Its been my habit to call home to check on you....

Tita Mae: (super excited) Hello nang! Nang! nang! gwapo2 bala lau Uji nang! as in! gin picturan ko sya Nang!
Mommy: Tuod?!! (mas excited)
Tita Mae: Huo nang daw, gin picturan ko sya (very proud) malagaw kami subong..suk2 ya iya snoopy shorts, white shirt, kag super chikboy cap! (almost shouting)
Mommy: sige sige tan awon ko karon iya picture....(sooo excited for the pix)

Upon arriving few hours later, the next thing I did after kissing and hugging you was to check on the pictures.

Toink! wala gid itsura puros gatalikod hahaha! But It's a nice try.

I have been wanting to tell you about our her.
Aside from Daddy, we have with us your Tita Mae. She's been with us since you were 4 months old. She loves you dearly and you do love her. In fact, your first clear word was "Tita". And I regret to admit, you said that even before you could say "Mommy". Oh well. Im not jealous. I know Im number one in your heart =)

Tita Mae is one of God's blessings to our family. She is my 3rd degree cousin who seems to be staying with us for as long as we need her. Let's just pray to God that she won't get married early. Haha. She's an excellent cook. As in namit. She does things around the house without being told. She makes sure that you are always smelling fresh, clean, and comfortable. You go out with her every single day @ 4:00 to play around the neighborhood. She buys you stuff from her own money. Like that cute hat. Remember? She reloads your timezone card. She buys you your favorite waffle. She is really your Tita. She may get monthly pay from us but she never becomes our househelp. She is your tita. I may get mad at her for her lapses, and sometimes its also because of my unreasonable mood swings, but I make it up to her. I buy her little nothings ..
I kiss her in the mass during peace-offering time. I just pray Tita Mae stays with us for good. Especially now that I suspect you're gonna be Kuya (!) I pray that God bless her more. That God heals her nanay, Tita Boday, and that her brothers will have stable careers. And yes, difficult it may seem, but I also pray that she has to have her own life with a good family. In God's Time.

I want you to respect, value, and love Tita Mae. Not only because she loves you and takes care of you, but also because that's what God wants okey?

Love,
Mom

P.S. we are in a magazine where Tita Anne2 works! hehe Wanna see it? click here

the dreadful basket

Dear Son,

The basket you see here has caused me tears today.

I bought it one day while we were in the mall because you loved playing with it, putting stuff inside it, feeling responsible for carrying something like grown ups do in a supermarket.

And this basket became one of your favorite toys in the house. You just love putting things inside it, carrying it around, unloading it, and putting your tiny fingers in its little holes.
Until this morning. This morning i will never forget. Your tiny fingers weren't that tiny anymore -- they got STUCK!!! Your forefinger and thumb got stuck in it and we couldn't remove them that easy. What frightened me more and caused me to cry was your very-painful-and-really-hurt-very-very-loud cry! Your lips were already trembling and your face was red. Why not? Your fingers were already purple!!!! And it began to swell!! My Goodness!I was ready to call an ambulance. But I thought. Something must be done now! I couldn't wait for another minute listening to your painful cry...

I thank the Holy Spirit for guiding me not to panic. I remember shouting "Lord! buligi kami ay ano himuon namun!!! (Lord please help us. Tell us what to do!!!) I right away remembered: soap and water! I saw that being done by some people when they couldn't remove a ring from their finger. Thanks to the dishwashing liquid and the pail of water that's already full. Thanks too for Tita Mae who shouted and cried with me. As I submerged your fingers -- I mean the basket with your fingers -- in the pail, I told you: "Baby relax lang ha.. relax lang" then I began to massage your fingers calmly -- praying all at the same time. Before we knew it, your fingers were FREE!!!

"Thank You Lord!". That's all I could say. And we both cried. Till you were calm.

Now baby, Im ordering you-- don't you dare touch that basket again. Is that clear?

traumatized-by-the-basket,
...Mommy

smile pa cute cute!

Baby this is what we often do while dad's driving:
smile pa cute!!!

again!

isa pa!

last na lang!

super last na lang!

hihihi!

guilty mama

Dearest Son,

It’s Sunday! Lazy day for the three of us … Dad and I are still thinking if we go swimming a while later or just continue to be lazy till this day ends :)

Daddy’s tinkering his gadgets. (He looks and moves just like you. It’s as if there’s a giant Uji in the room playing, like you do when you are awake) You are sleeping. I’m here beside you, obviously, blogging. And I’m guilty. To make up for that guilt, I spent a quiet time with you, took a picture of us embracing each other while I sang … “In the eyes of a child, there is joy, there is laughter …”

But I’m still guilty.

Coz I raised my voice on you (I guess for the first time) during lunch.
I gave you spaghetti --- you refused.
I gave you yummy pork --- you refused.
I gave you our leftover ampalaya (which I know you like a lot) --- you refused, and you shouted! And I almost shouted too! Maybe I did. I’m just in denial.

So I gave you kokocrunch.
And you ate quietly.
Then you dozed off to sleep --- (read: you SLEPT with kokocrunch in your hands.)

Poor little baby boy. Mommy forgot you missed your morning nap :(
Won’t happen again baby. I will do my very best.

Writing this letter somehow makes me feel better. I know in my heart, you have forgiven me.

Love,
Amama (that’s how you call me these days)