Louie See Louie Do

One of the reasons that I wanted (badly!) to work at home is I want to be there when my children grows. In their growing up years, there are many new things that they learn almost everyday. You can never predict what that new thing will be even if you teach them along the way. They usually learn on their own time and you are just surprised with their progress. 


Like today, Louie usually tries to mimic what his Kuya Hammie does. It’s like a monkey copying someone on every move and facial expression. When Hammie is playing with some blocks building trains and arranging them, Louie also wants to get some blocks on his own. As Louie is one year old He does not know how to connect the blocks no matter how much he tries so he just removes one block after the other making his kuya cry. 


This morning was a little different. Yes, he still dislodges every block that is made into something like his kuya’s airplane but he can connect one block to another. I was watching him pick up about 6 blocks (that he just dropped on the floor) and connect one by one on top of the other. I was thinking, Wow! Louie is learning fast. 


Another thing that Louie is also doing after watching his kuya does many times is putting dirty clothes in their laundry basket. After removing his clothes he is asked to hold his clothes and place them in the basket. Smiling and naked, he would put the clothes in and we together with his kuya would cheer him on for doing good and he would walk on his way to the comfort room to take his morning or evening bath also clapping his hands. 


Then there was a time that Louie wanted to be with us while eating a meal. Before eating, we would pray slowly so Hammie can make the sign of the cross correctly before and after the prayer. Louie would watch his kuya while making the sign of the cross and some time after we could see him doing the amen gesture by himself. 


At one year old and one month Louie can now climb the stairs, climb chairs and get down by himself (of course somebody has to see him in everything he does), knows how to open a door wide enough for him to pass through (when he can see that it is ajar), walking a little fast almost like running, ask for water or food, clap his hands, touch his nose, smiles or make cute faces in front of the camera, kicks the ball, drinks his kuya’s milk from the bottle (as he is still breastfed), dances at the theme songs of cartoon shows, laughs when he sees someone who is also laughing and so on. There are many more things he already knows and continues on learning. It’s great to see him just enjoying his baby stage while learning. 


It’s really amazing how a baby learns. Louie learns fast with following a model than by telling him what to do. So as a parent it is important to be consistent with what I do so I as to impart on the babies what is right. I know I am never perfect but I hope in my own way together with their father they can learn what is good and right and be the best they can be.

SLEEP

Most people would think that being a full time mom is an easy task. When I was single, and that was not so long ago, I thought so too. Taking care of your baby is something that will come naturally to mothers and you will have fun time always. Well, that is just plain wishful thinking.

It’s been two years and five months that I am a full time mom and I have to tell you it’s no easy task. Oh the motherly instinct is always there, you know when the baby is hungry, sleepy, etc. but just like in everything any person wants to do there is always a sacrifice attached to it. Having no job is no sacrifice at all since I chose to be with my kids fulltime.

What I’m sacrificing a lot lately is pure and simple deep sleep. You know, the kind of sleep when you close your eyes and it’s still night time like 10 or even 11pm and wake up refreshed and energized at around 6 to 7am. That’s the sleep I have been wishing for the last two and a half years.

Today is one of my most sleep deprived day. Louie slept at 12midnight last night and to think we were in bed at 930pm. I let him tire out on the bed, allowing him to roll over as much as he wanted to until he cried but that didn’t work. I thought that he was sleeping already by 11pm since his eyes were closed while feeding but he woke up after. Oh well. So I just let him do whatever he wanted to do in bed until he decides to sleep and finally he did. But by 2am, he wanted to feed again. Then by 4am and by 530am. And he woke up at 830am. Ugh. Since he was not crying and did not want to feed, I guess he’s full after feeding every two hours, I just closed my eyes for awhile to rest them even for a few more minutes.

Thankfully, my husband picked Louie up from bed and let me sleep for a few minutes more without worrying about the baby. Then I have to wake up, eat breakfast, take a bath, bathe Louie and make some lugaw for him. That’s my usual morning routine for the past month already.

Complaining much? Well, not really. I’m just amazed how a woman and a mother at that can somehow feel alright after all the sleep deprivation. I mean I can still get up and go and do whatever needs to be done and it’s not just limited to taking care of the baby, I’m doing the laundry, cleaning our room and at times cook for lunch or dinner. And once in a while I do bake when I have orders or when I just want to eat my desserts or my lasagna (and when hubby asks for them). I can still remember when I was in college, and being a sleepyhead I usually make up sleep whenever I can and sleep was not as deprived as it is now. Maybe I have upgraded, ha-ha.

Being a fulltime mom has its perks too. Louie’s sleeping now and what else to do? Make up some sleep, of course. Good day! ;)

HUG

The weather is terrible nowadays. It can be sunny the whole day then rain pours during the night. Like today; sunny in the early morning then it rained suddenly, the sun came out in the afternoon and tonight the rain just stopped. Gosh I’m talking about the weather. But I have to include the weather because I think it’s affecting the health today.

Hammie just had fever and is still having cough and I hope he’ll be well soon. Last week was a worrisome week for me and my husband because you can really see that Hammie was not feeling well. He looked weak. He slept a lot and wouldn’t eat. Good thing he would still drink his milk. His fever was not high but it’s there and his cough was very dry he almost lost his voice.

Being a fulltime mom, I can monitor Hammie’s condition and his medicine intake. He was still playing at times but most of the time he wants to be carried. Good thing by Saturday he was okay to go to church for an anticipated mass. My only prayer was that he would be healed. Then I got worried because by Sunday his cough was very slow in healing and the fever got high. When we got to my parents house he slept and he sweated a lot. He sweated profusely that the pillow got wet. God heard my prayer.

The next day, he was still kind of weak but we wanted to cheer him up so we brought him along the mall to buy some groceries. Before we went back to the house, we decided to buy some magazines and while my hubby and I were squatting by a shelf choosing a puzzle book, Hammie then stood between us, placed each of his arms around our necks and gave us a big hug. Well, that was a good sign that he is getting healed.

Hammie is back to his bouncy self even with a little cough. He wants to play a lot. At times I would be too tired to play but today I’m so glad he wanted to race with his mama. Thank God for hugs.

On Being A Full Time Mom

October 2, 2009

Yesterday was the first year of my being a full time mom.

I can still remember my former officemate saying I'm lucky to be just at home taking care of the baby. And I can still recall the HR's 'Wow, ang swerte mo naman!' when she knew that I'm resigning to be at home with my son.

It wasn't so difficult for me to decide to be a full time mom. I mean if I were to choose between family and work, i would definitely choose my family any time, no matter what. Even if I have to sacrifice some extras that my income can afford for my family, I would still choose my family. I have always wanted to be a housewife.

After a year of being a full time mom, I could say that I really am blessed to be with my son everyday. Come to think of it I was only separated from him for maximum of three days (when I went to manila early this year). I have witnessed most of his milestones that most mothers nowadays don't experience. I'm not discounting that some moms really have to work, but I'm just glad I was there for my baby. Though I did have a yaya for six months and I needed one because my baby was born through C-section and I had to return to work back then after two months of maternity leave. But after eight months until now, it was just me and my baby.

Looking back, it was all worth it especially with just me, my husband and our baby and no yaya. Back then, most of the prepping was by the yaya. When there was no yaya, my husband and I have to make a schedule as to what we need to do. And to this day I'm very thankful for my husband who is a very hands-on dad. My hubby usually bathes our baby in the morning (he wakes up earlier than i do) and evening (because i'm too tired after the day's babysitting) and does the bottle sterilizing. I do our baby's laundry and I babysit all day. My hubby does the babysitting when he gets home from work.

So for now, basically that's my daily routine being a hands-on mom. Sounds boring, I know, but I'm loving every moment even with all the tiredness I feel and the sleep deprivation ever since I gave birth. And no it's never boring raising a child especially your own. =)

Holding Hands

August 26, 2009

My baby's asleep.

And it's true, you would still be amazed just looking at a sleeping baby especially your own. He has grown so fast now.

I know now how my parents felt before I got married, they always tell me how fragile I was when I was born, I was small as a family sized coke (they still have that size at that time). And I have grown into a woman ready to jump into the wagon and be a parent myself.

Now, i see what they mean. I'm the one who's saying that my baby is big already. It's been more than a year since I held him, so small, he could fit in on one of my arms, now he couldn't even fit in both of my arms. I have to balance him first in my arms to carry him, but somehow it has become second nature on how to carry him, i don't mind doing it.

Looking at him now makes me miss those times when he was still in my tummy, feeling his kicks, carrying him everywhere I go. Sometimes I wish being pregnant should be more than nine months because even if it's tiring to carry my baby around it's worth all the pain. Then again it's true, you'll forget all the pain and just remember the happiness a baby brings.

Nowadays, my baby's learning to walk on his own. Though he can walk without any support, especially when he feels like it, he still wants to hold his hand to one of mine to be sure he won't stumble down (though somebody told me it was some kind of separation anxiety, but whatever).
Part of me wants him to walk alone but a part of me wants him to not let go.

Because it will mean that it will be another thing I will miss.

So for now I'll hold his hand and cherish the moments.

I know he'll be running around one of these days but for now I'll just hold his hand.


P.S. To parents: always cherish the moments with your child(ren), have time with them especially when they're still young. It's not just for them but specially for us parents. =)