Alpha you turned one month this week, you precious tiny thing. You're the cutest little thing I've ever seen. I want to nibble at those fat pink cheeks! And that button nose!!

At one month you're..

Still soooo tiny. You've gained more than a kilo since being born, but your 0-3 months clothes still are a little loose on you.
You hate motorcycles, especially when they pass by during your nap. You scream and whine, and then fall back to sleep a few seconds later.
Basically you hate sudden noises, like any normal baby would... but you're the first baby I've seen who is startled by the sound of her own fart! Makes me laugh. everytime.
You smile more often now, although still not enough... I love love love seeing toothless grins. I just can't get enough.
Your brother likes to play with your toes, and when he does, your eyes get wider and your eyebrows are in knots. If you could talk you might've said something like, "I do not like being poked at, but because you're my brother, I will tolerate it just this once."

Dear Alpha, we can't tell you how much happier we have been since you joined our family. Your daddy adores you. I adore you. And your brother, he loves you too. He might not be able to say it, but he does. I see it when he runs to your crib when you cry. When a stranger comes and picks you up (they're friends), your brother sits close by and watches them. We all love you. We are all in love with you. And we love seeing you grow and show a few snippets of the kind of person that you will become. Happy one month Alpha!

1 month

Has it been a month already?
My body has kinda healed, but I'm still a bag of bumps and lumps.
I still look pregnant (I still live in my pregnant clothes)
Breastfeeding has become easier, thank heavens for that.
I no longer cringe with fright when I have to do my number 1's and 2's
And dumpling #2 is starting to grow some flesh here and there.
She's starting to wear real clothes too, (you know, the ones that go over the head and snap at the bottom)
Although she still wears those standard white ones , the robes with tedious ties, pretty much everyday.

Yeah, so maybe it's not that difficult to believe that a month has come and gone already.

And yet, I still feel like I haven't done much since the baby came. There's still a lot of messes. And dishes. And laundry. I still can't keep up. At night I crawl to bed exhausted, though I haven't done much really. Oh yeah, I was busy raising two kids.... that's reason enough to be bone tired, right? right! lol!

I'm still pretty much feeling things out, trying to get my swagger back. taking a few minutes here and there to maybe read, or enjoy a cup of coffee, or blog... (although this might not take long, I can hear a tiny baby waking up right about now.) yep.. right on cue. it's her feeding time, so she says.

what i've been up to..

I wanted to start a blog to help me flex that writing muscle, and also because I wanted to carve a few minutes of the day for myself. Writing has always been a release for me, so I figured starting a blog and maintaining it would be a breeze.

I didn't think it would be that hard.... to take a few minutes of the day for myself... to write... and blog... I should've known better. I am the girl who sneaks in a few bites of breakfast in between prepping my son for school... I was never known for my excellent schedule-keeping skills. I should've known keeping a blog would take a bigger effort and dedication than just a tiny whim.

So... I never found the time to update my blog. But I found the time to add another dumpling to this family of 3. I have a baby girl, she's 3 weeks now. Her name is Alpha and she's just adorable.

I have more on my plate than usual, but this time I am driven to keep writing. For myself. A stay-at-home mom with 2 kids, I need to get a life too you know? And since bar-hopping or late night soirees are out of the question (yikes!), I think blogging is just the thing for me.

So.... I'm diving in again. (I know, I didn't even skim the water the first time I was here).... but here goes nothing...

A day in Agrabah

Here are pictures of the little dumpling during their "trip" to Agrabah. Move n Groove is a summer class offered by Bright Beginnings Therapy Center.

that "losyang" wearing a green shirt is my reflection :)

"Move and Groove introduces kids to singing and dancing with creative moments. It helps a child improve his skills on motor planning, balance, coordination, rhythm, body awareness, and joint attention. Move and Groove also provides opportunities for kids to imitate, interact with peers, and learn language while having fun."

I made his vest and fez from a scarf I had lying around. The vest is handsewn (I am yet to purchase my first sewing machine). I didn't even bother to hem the edges 'coz I'm lazy like that. I found a plastic container whose dimensions are plausible for a fez, then covered the entire thing with some leftover scraps from the vest. I used a little glue and reinforced it with a few stitches here and there. Lastly, I added a little elastic to go under the little dumpling's chin so his fez stays put.

The unhemmed edges frayed after a few minutes. hee. what did I expect? But this dumpling sure had fun dressing up as ABU,   ALLADIN even for just a while.

Here is a picture of all the cool moms and happy kids AND their wonderful teachers.

kids from LtoR thelildumpling, Raja, Jayron, Yanie, and Hans with Teachers Paul (extreme left) and Mayos (extreme right)
image from here

A good day is all we need

I get up of bed one morning, my tiniest toe gets stubbed against a wall, and I hit my head hard against the bedpost upon stooping down to check said toe. This doesn't feel like the beginning of a great day. An ego boost was served during lunch, when a couple of distant relatives showed no restraint in telling me I got "fat and frumpy"... or in tagalog "tumaba at nalosyang". Never mind that the last time they saw me I was a skinny 16-year-old with mantis limbs and XS denim jeans. C'mon!! Who stays that way after 10 years!! Even Twiggy garnered some flesh here and there. Wanting to liven up my mood, I tried to cook a nice meal for myself (grilled veggies and tortilla). It took only one quick slice on my teeny tiny kitchen knife for me to realize that SOMEBODY sharpened them to perfection. Holding my severed limb , bleeding finger under the faucet, I reach for my cellphone and called the doctor, my husband. In between sobs, I told him I cut myself, I'm fat, and my throbbing toe is killing me. He must've sensed how low my spirits are because he did not dare laugh. He consoled me like the sweetheart that he is. I forgot what he said exactly, but it was about how awesome I am and he can't wait to get home to give me a hug. 

That being said, my BAD day did not stop there. All day long, I was dropping pans, tripping on my own legs (yes I'm THAT clumsy), skidding over spilled fruit juice. I was accidentally sucker punched in the gut, courtesy of the little dumpling... AND a huge pimple grew on my nose! I swear it wasn't there the day before!

I guess every one has had  a day when they feel like everything that could possibly go wrong did go wrong. Yesterday was THAT day for me.

But TODAY...

Today the little dumpling tried my vegetable fritata for breakfast (SERIOUSLY? NO white bread and nutella this morning???).

Alighting a cab, he waved at the driver and said "Bye! See you!" I could feel my cheeks flush with pride. (My son is 3 and a half but rarely talks, especially to other people... so you could guess how badly my eyes wanted to well up when I heard him say bye to a stranger)

He had a good day in school. Teacher says he was very good and attentive. Teacher introduced her son as the dumpling's playmate/classmate to facilitate interaction with other kids... and the little dumpling accepted his new playmate and played games with him. I wish I could have seen that!

AND. AND!!!

I have given up on potty training for a few weeks now. I figured it's one stressmaker I can tick off my list for now to make way for other more pressing concerns. I figured he will lose the nappy when he's ready. (I didn't mean for that to rhyme!) But just before bedtime, I saw him enter the bathroom... a little interrogation is all I needed to do to find out why he was there.

Yep. He said "poo-poo"... in the smallest, cutest voice you could imagine. To be actually there... in that moment, when my poop-machine child metamorphoses into a tiny person in charge of his own bowel.. it made me cry. We're not ready to lose the nappy yet, but I have a feeling we will get there soon.

In my world, this day trumps all the bad days of stubbed toes, severed limbs, and nose zits. It was as mundane and plain as any SAHM's day could be. But the little things, this little miracles and moments when I see snippets of him growing into the man he will soon become.. This is what makes every sucker punch worth it.

HEATWAVE

I sure would love a little rain to come around these parts. It's been raining in some parts of QC and Marikina, but not a drizzle has landed here. Sad. I have been putting off chores and things to do until in the late afternoon, when it's a bit cooler. But now the tasks are piling and I need them done. The little dumpling has Movement Classes tomorrow. I want to make him something special to wear when their class goes to Agrabah.

  Maybe a shiny vest and an Abu-inspired hat? I wish to find a sewing machine soon. It's hard to go all out crafty when I have to hand stitch each one (although that hasn't stopped me before). 

Is anyone there?

Life in these parts of the town is pretty much dominated by a drooling poop machine. He is three. He is adorable. I love him to bits. But maybe there is truth to what my dad says when he thinks my toddler is snacking on radioactive uranium.  He's a riot, and it's hard to keep up with this rolly polly ball of energy.  I am a SAHM, and I love spending so much time with my family... but chasing after a runny nose and picking Oreos out of my hair 24/7 sometimes leaves me wanting for a change of scenery.. even for just a couple of minutes.

I don't have a lot of "mommy" friends I could share baby stories with, and the few mommy friends I do have live soooo far away. I do hope the big blogging world can hear my little voice and maybe find people who share my interests too. It's a big stretch but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Hello! Is anyone out there? I am Golde. I am a stay at home mom, and my little dumpling is 3. I call him little dumpling because my first sight of him reminded me of steamed dumplings (which is one of my fave foods of all time, btw). I love to read. And write. and sing. and dance. And occasionally dabble on arts and crafts during naptimes. I love food. I love to cook. I love my family. I love my bestfriend so much I married him.  I love meeting new people, and starting new things. 

Hello! How are you?