Five Valuable Lessons That I Learned From My Toddler

Life will never be the same once you become a parent.

I have read that when we have a toddler, their favorite word this year is "more"! Toddlers love to do things over and over again, but are also introducing themselves to a subtle change into each repetition. They are also a great imitator. They love to follow what they are constantly seeing and noticed from us. It is funny because my son imitate even how I used the toilet paper, and how we use the kitchen paper when me or his father sneeze. Even toddlers love to do things over and over again, they also love to do new activities. Don't deprive them the chance to lend their helping hand even on that very young age, it will mold them to become a responsible adult in the future.

The temperature in The Netherlands is now cooling down. This morning, I washed our laundry and hanged them again in the clothesline in the garden. The sunlight is a bit shy, but I still have the element to dry my laundry: wind and a dry day. My son was with me and helping me by passing me the clip, one by one.

And so I started to cut the grass in our garden. Again, my son loves to help. Our morning together was a really fun, even we're just cutting the grass. I cut the grass and he gathered them together and stacking them in his dump truck! Hahaha! I took my camera and got some photos of what he is doing, I am pleased.

after helping me, he is sleepy :)

As I spend each moment of my day to day life with my toddler, I learned some valuable lessons in life:
1. Fun is a matter of choice. When I see gray sky, my son sees it clear and bright, and fun continues. Fun is in the eye of the beholder.

2. There is always someone who loves to lend a helping hand, do not underestimate even these hands are small. My son helped me realized that even we are grown up, we also feel tired and it is okay to ask for help.

3. Outdoor is the best medicine. I have been sickly lately. I feel like I like to just stay inside. But my son loves outdoors. Every time he got restless indoors, I switch his attention to something by taking him outside. Letting him play in the garden, or at the playground. All of the sudden, I feel better after I have a good dose of the outdoor fun.

4. To enjoy my my present age because it is not permanent. Enjoy it with my family. How quickly time flies! It was like only yesterday when I gave birth to my son. Next year he is already in the basisschool, the formal schooling for all children in the Netherlands.

5. I am loved. There is nothing better or sweeter in life, than having a tight hug, a tiny arm wrapping around my neck and saying: mama.

Mama

mama with her two daughter.

MAMA... My mother is a spinner of dreams, but sometimes killer of possibilities. Hard-hearted but for many a real good woman. She overprotected me to the point that I thought I wasn't capable of simply living in the world. She made me feel like there was nothing I could do myself without her. She never let me go barefoot, never let me play with most of the children in the street. I couldn't stay after school to play, I couldn't date boys, I couldn't walk to the movies or stay out after 6 o'clock. It was always: 'Don't do that, you'll get hurt.' 'You can't do that yourself, let me do it for you.' 'Wait till I help you with that.' And there was a time that I can't stand to all of these and I tried to run away from home. There were times that I do things I shouldn't do or not do things I should, just to feel safe or to be---for mama: 'respectable'. For mama, she gave me upbringing that matters in this world that makes me appreciate the finer things in life.

a month before I got married.

mama with my son. Our son's first visit in the Philippines.

Looking back, I come to think: where would I be now If I totally ran away from her strict upbringing and gone wild with the wild side of this world? I had long realized that she was no longer my most powerful amulet against danger. I can do things on my own now with her smile of approval. I am forever grateful that mama instill in my heart the belief that "mother knows best". I did, and I do, love my mother.

Water Fun, Children's Healthy Lifestyle

my son's water playground.

I see you in September when summer is gone. Hahaha! That is a beautiful song. This week, the Dutch people are savoring the very hot weather. It is like a last hurray to the Dutch summer. My son has no school today and I made his day at home very enjoyable. Weeks from now and the weather will gets colder until it is autumn season again.

I started the day talking with my husband before he flies from Katowice, Poland to the Netherlands this morning. I washed our laundry and hang them again in the sun. At 9 o clock this morning, my son started to play in his portable swimming pool. Me and my son are still in the garden while I am typing and composing my blog today... Water fun. The importance of water fun to our child's growth development.

preparing his swimming pool

we both love the outdoor.

fun at home is not that complicated :)

a child that loves being in the  water.

Active kids are not only more likely to be healthy, but also are more likely to develop into healthy adults, and the best kind of activity for kids is an activity they find fun, something they will want to do often. Playing in water provides an addictive way for kids to get outdoors and moving. Swimming pools, water parks, and beaches are perhaps the most common places kids learn to love the water by swimming, diving, and splashing to their heart's content, yet families need not travel away from home to enjoy water activities.- Ebay

with his cars, trucks, train, bus, and boat :)

water becomes his favorite enjoyment.

This is very much true. Since the day that our son was born, the nurses in the hospital, put him in the sink, with their help, he let him float in the water. When we took him home, almost every day he has a bath, regardless of the weather. Yes, our son, had a regular bath since then. My mother in law gave us a good baby bath tub. My son comes to love the water, and is a very active boy. He is not afraid of the water, in the shower, even the waves on the beach.

There is also proven health benefits that come from getting outside in the sun. While it was never believed that sitting indoors all day and every day was particularly healthy, little was known about the health advantages of getting outside regularly. The primary health boost of being outdoors comes from sun exposure. My day to day life with my son includes a lot of time outdoors. When I brought him to the Consultatie Bureau, the doctor noticed my son's color. Her comment is: mooie kleur, in English: beautiful color. She said, it is good that my son loves outdoors.

enjoying the summer :)

sun, water, outdoor: a healthy lifestyle.

Let your child play in the water, give him some safe toys while he is playing there. Expose your child in the sun, it is a kind of healthy lifestyle. In the process, the child with gets healthier, and it will become a habit that our child will enjoy for a lifetime.

Old And Not So Old Photos... On Memory Lane

me the second from the left. A tiny button; first grader :)

Sometimes, it is my frustration that I do not have baby photos :(

Today, me and my friends in the Philippines are grieving because we lost one of our dear and very close friend in death, untimely death. This morning, I tried to dig my old photos and those old photos brings back a lot of memories. There are happy memories, and there are some with a pang of sadness. This year alone, I lost two of my friends in death.

This morning, I tried to write, but it was like my mind is drifting, going to a faraway place. I stopped writing, and that topic is now on my pending. I am looking at old photos on my Facebook and I saw some old photos that put a smile on my face. Here I am now, writing again with enthusiasm. I want to show some of these photos and be with me on the memory lane.

First time in Puerto Galera/Citibank Days

Gear up for banana boat ride :)

The first time that I went in Puerto Galera. It was May 1, a public holiday in the Philippines, my Citibank Days. It was really all fun! I never forget the fun I have riding on a banana boat, watching the sunset from White Beach.

My first time and I think also my last shot of Frangelico! Hahahaha! I am not an alcohol drinker, not even beer or red wine. At Sabang Beach, Puerto Galera, they call Frangelico as Chocolate Cake.

my jump shot, photo made by my husband.

Frangelico!

My son on my first ultra sound.

drawing, myself when I was pregnant :)

me on my last week of pregnancy, my husband making a souvenir of my big belly.

I miss having short hair!

The buggers happy bugging :)

One thing that struck me early is that you don't put into a photograph what is going to come out. Or, vice versa, what comes out is not what you put in. -Diana Arbus

The Mother's Love

I have read this story on the internet. For me, this is one of the greatest stories ever told. I am sharing this to all mothers in the world as well as for the children. Most of the times, people underestimate the role of the mother, especially if the mother is just a plain housewife, ,uneducated or from a poor family. There are countries that treat women as low creations, and there are men who considered women only as sex objects.

I admire mothers who are devoted to their role, especially those who are single mothers. This story is written for you. I am a mother of a toddler and I do not like to brag my love for my son. But having him in my life, brought sunshine and a kind of love and happiness that exist. Please read this story and please feel free to leave a comment.

This story was published in Good Housekeeping, 1933. A must read for all mothers and to all grown up children.
Is this the long way?" asked the young mother as she set her foot on the path of life. And the Guide said:
"Yes, and the way is hard, and you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."
The young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike, and reminded them to feed the dog and do their homework and brush their teeth. The sun shone on them and the young mother cried,
Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."

Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms. The children said,
"Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."
And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children,
"A little patience and we are there."
So the children climbed and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world. Year after year she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all unconditional love. And when they reached the top they said,
"Mother, we could not have done it without you."

The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years. The mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said:
This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children."
And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her strength, just as she had given them hers. One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And Mother said,
"I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them." And the children said,
"You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates."

And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said,
"We cannot see her, but she is with us still." A mother is more than a memory. She is a living presence. Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well, she's your breath in the air on a cold winters day.
She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is your birthday morning. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop.
A mother shows through in every emotion - happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow - and all the while hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life.
She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, not space - not even death!

(photos are me with my son)

Papa

Love at first sight.

A good father makes all the difference in a child's life. He's a pillar of strength, support and discipline. His work is endless and, oftentimes, thankless. But in the end, it shows in the sound, well-adjusted children he raises.  I have read this statement this morning that leads me to write about my father, about papa.

Our family.

Papa is almost 70 years old now. We were avoiding to elaborate more about his illness, but close friends already know that he is battling for his dear life. I am looking our old photos and his very recent picture that my sister sent to me. Again, I sit and opened my jar of my happy memories. When it comes to a happy childhood memories, I can say, it is not just a jar, but a bucket, or even a drum. I have so many to recall.

My sister is a year older than me. I was about three years old when mama gave birth to our youngest sibling, Don. Papa and mama raised us in a very simple home. We live that time in Ombao, a small barrio in Bula, Camarines Sur. Papa need to stay in Manila to work as a taxi driver. We stayed in Ombao with mama. Me and ate have our first school there. Papa just comes home to bring what we need.

Papa made us feel like a rich man's daughter with Curly Tops

I remember we went every afternoon in the river bank to wait if there is a boat that will arrive and hoping that papa is there. There are no telephones, no mails that time. In case of emergency, people use telegram. When papa arrived, he made us feel like a rich man's daughter when he brought us Curly Tops. I remember how mama keeps papa's dirty shirt after he left, for me to sniff at night because mama said, I gets sick when papa is away.

Although Papa came from a family who owns a big land in Camarines Sur, he used to be a wanderer, he doesn't own a house and we move from one place to another. The longest residence, we have had was in Bagong Silang. We have lived there for more than 20 years.

You can imagine how proud father was papa when my elder sister started school. She received the highest honor in her school among the first grader. Then I also started schooling. Me and ate always received the highest honor on our elementary days. Papa has that big grin on his face when he received those honors with us.

The wind beneath my wings.

Papa has no higher education. Mama said, papa just reached Grade 3? Mama finished Grade 6 but she runs away from home because his father doesn't like her to go in High School and finish college. Papa can't read and can't write English. His Filipino spelling is not that good, but he reads well in Tagalog. 

I remember how papa practice me and ate in our spelling skill. He says places and buildings in Manila like Manila Hotel, Luneta Park and so on, and we write them on a paper. He will check them afterward if our spelling is correct.

It was also an enjoyable time when we read the Bible loud to him. As we have grown up, we learn how to decide for ourselves as their children. We don't talk about boys to papa and mama. Me and ate talk about boys to each other and with our friends. So it was a big surprised to them when we made a big decision in life without their consent. But all of us are thankful because papa and mama still loves us.

My last Memorial with papa and mama.

A drastic changed now to papa and mama's life. Papa is fighting for his illness and still hoping and praying that he will get better. Many times of the day, I think of him. What always cloud in my mind is, his face, his expression when me and my husband were in the taxi and already leaving going to the airport, for me to stay for good in The Netherlands. His face was somber with a little of the pain. Maybe even they like me to stay with them longer, papa and mama just  let me go to also have a life of my own. Papa is aged now, but happy.

I am proud of my roots and grateful to whom I now belong.

Even he is sick, his voice is firm when I am talking to him on the phone. I am grateful to my siblings for taking care of papa. I am too far away to be there too whenever papa is in pain. But what touches me is papa's strong faith to God. Papa and mama have seen it that we are imperfect children. There were times that we disobeyed them, times that we caused them tears and pain. I can say that not on the happiest times of our lives that we can show perfection. It is in the darkest times that we can show our love to our family almost perfectly. As for myself, I am proud of my roots, and grateful to whom I belong now.