Daydreaming with an Open Mind

Little one tagged along at work today. Spent a few hours playing with iphoto, playing hide and seek, going around with mom's friends, and doing what she does best: being cute. :)

We also went around to shop for a toddler school. AND i almost wanted to puke at the expense and skyrocket tuition fees. :( I know lil one is better off in somewhere with a non-traditional educational system, and she needs to be in a group of kids her age. But the cost of it all, makes me a bit sad. How the hell did tuition fees become that expensive in like, a zap??

I tagged her along so she could choose which one she likes best, but I'm thinking that since she's still considered as a visitor, why pay an exorbitant sum yet? I

She IS a fast learner, she IS extremely inquisitive and she IS really eloquent too. I want something that would help her learn some finesse, help her bring out her artistic side and maybe encourage her to sing and dance more, since she awfully IS good at these!

And I wanted her to make new friends too. Cuz she loves being with people, and you can see her eyes twinkle when she says: Tagu-taguan na.. My friend T told me Coco shouldn't be attending school just yet, cuz she's too young. And that she'll probably lose interest in education when she grows older. BUT when you see your lil gurl having this potential to have an increased 7+ IQ points, could it be sooo bad to actually try and see if this gets any better?

All depends on lil one's decision though. Her interest in school and activities will tell me if it's time to send her to school.

Tonight, we marinated the Honey Lemon Chicken i'm baking for tomorrow's lunch. And she informed me maybe a bit of cayenne pepper should be tossed in. And I grin at the idea, cuz ever since she learned that she could salt, squeeze a bit of lemon and sprinkle some pepper, she has taken this as her personal mission to be my cooking aide.



AND I am surprised at how quickly she picks up.

And so, I dream of my lil one becoming a chef one day. Some days, I think she's going to be ballet dancer. Others, I think a model or an actress. Sometimes, I feel like she really is going to be a nurse or a teacher. And my foremost wish of her to become a doctor. Who knows? She might even be the next Philippine President :D

Yesterday, she wanted to be Ariel the little mermaid. Today, she wanted to be like Mommie- crazy kick ass beautiful LOL. And she gives me a noisy smooch and a bear hug and says a LOUD Good Night Ma, Mwah mwah.

Aww I just love my lil gurl. And Ariel, Chef, Dancer, Mother, Teacher, Nurse, Doctor.... whatever she wants to be!!

What's a world without love?

I spent the Holy Week at the Farm, with my lil one. I brought my laptop with me without the intention of opening it. But for some reason, I kept lugging it around. Sometimes, when my heart tells me to shut off and disconnect, my brain unceasingly argues. For reasons like I MUST WORK and WORK. And as the close "internal" conflicts go, my heart almost always wins.

And so, the past week was spent chasing my lil one around and playing Mommie to three/four beautiful kiddos.

I taught Q how to bake cookies, substituting basic ingredients with what we can find in the cupboards.



And she made them perfectly like a pro.. :D



Picked flowers with my little one during church visits and planted some back at home.



Bathe in the sunshine on Easter Morning



And as I watched my kiddo dressed up as Snow White and ran around the house with so much dreams, love and happiness...



I figured that this second chance in life that I have is the best gift that my Lord gave me.

Over the few days I visited churches, and contemplated on the Word of God, on my life now and on our future and our dreams, I have learned that when JC died on the cross one day, He died to give the world a second chance.

Like He gave me mine. And in doing so, I have experienced Unconditional loving, relentless faith and unceasing Hope.

With this second shot, I believe the world is a better one for me and for my little one. It's not easy going down the road less travelled, with its bumps and turns. But knowing that each turn leads us to the right direction and eventually reaching posts of dreams, we just close our eyes and enjoy the warmth of the sun on our faces and the singing of the wind.

When you find your unconditional love and believe in second chances in life, life is but a heart on black outs. :D




LOVE. :)

When Coco Says the Craziest Things

Coco woke me up early this morning and exclaims that I’ve overslept again. Overslept and missed the early morning Sunday mass. She tells me this as if she’s the mom and I’m the daughter. And she says it with much conviction, and with a perfect imitation to my “I’m already exasperated and mad” look, that I couldn’t help but smile in my half asleep state. BUT this fully wakes me up from my 2 hour slumber.

Our conversations would usually go like two mini adults talking, no baby talk just pure and honest conversations between really point-driven individuals. She has her own opinion and she has her preferences, and she doesn’t blink an eye when she tells you honestly what you need to hear. I have about a hundred funny moments with her saying too frank stuff that causes others to be embarrassed but mostly, I have about a few (okay, a lot) that leaves me rolling my eyes.

1. Coco on my cooking skills:

This morning she insisted I cook her early breakfast. And informs me that she needs to eat now, her teddies (she calls them mga anak) are already hungry.

Coco: Ma, gutom na ko (Ma, I’m hungry already). Gutom na ako mga anak.
Me: Unsa imu gusto kaunun for breakfast? (What do you want to eat for breakfast?)
Coco: Unsa man imu kaya lutuon?? (What can you cook??)

And with this, I reached for a can of tuna and some eggs. I CAN cook breakfast.

2. On finding the right pair of shoes:

A month or so ago, we were searching for the perfect pair of shoes for her to wear at Tita Hana’s wedding. I insisted on something glittery so she could wear it with her other dresses. And she says she won’t wear something that hideous.

Me: Let’s buy this Co, it will look good on you.
Coco: Dili ko ganahan ug gold. Kakulba ana, kapangit.
Me: It’s nice, it’s like your dora gladiators, they’re gold too.
Coco: I Know.
Me: Good, so let’s get this one, It will look good on your other dresses too.
Coco: I’m not wearing the other dresses to the wedding. This wouldn’t look good on the wedding dress. (In her original version: Dili man ang uban na dress ako gamitun sa wedding. Dili ni bagay sa ako wedding dress)

And with this, we got her the peach one, with a nice big ribbon. At least we both agreed that ribbon is the way to go.

3. On Losing Weight:

Last week, I came home with a piece of tuna pie for my little one. As promised, I gave her the pie’s half and told her to eat the other half in the morning.

Coco: Nganu tunga ra? (Why only half?)
Me: Cuz you’re already big na, your tummy is big already
Coco: Oh? Nganu ikaw one whole man, ako half ra?

I’m telling you, my tummy is NOT that big…

4. On beauty and plastic surgery:

Coco: Ma, nagpalit ka ug liug? (Ma, did you buy a NECK?)
Me: HA?
Coco: Liug bah. Kai wala koy liug, palit nalang ta liug. (Neck. Cuz I don’t have one, pointing to her double chin, let’s buy neck nalang)

Yes. Blank stare. And a whole hour of laughter.

5. On finding the right guy.
Coco never really cared if the family pictures don’t consist of the usual family tree. She seems to understand that it’s mostly me and her. And tita Corie and the whole Lolo and Lola, Titas and Titos line up. But this one morning she asked me if I’d ever start looking for someone-anyone in my life.

Coco: Ma, ngita ka ug uhmmm?
Me: No. Nganu man?
Coco: Nganu man dili?
Me: Kai di mana gapangitaun. You and me are okay right?
Coco: Yeah. Pero if dili ka mangita, makakita kaha ka?

What the??? Where does she get these lines? I never taught her anything even remotely referring to my love life. Or lack of it. And she drops series of bombs and ending it with: Kakulba gud ana, Ma.

Talk about kids saying the most bizarre things. Have a small chit chat with my little one and you’ll roll over with her simple humor and straight to the point hard facts. Sometimes, I get to think, this little girl named Coco is actually my twin, my soulmate, my alter ego- trapped in a two-year-old’s body. Yes, she just turned two!