Headache and Neo

They’re not a good combination.

You go home early because you’ve been experiencing headache for 2 days already and you wanted to rest.  When you got home, you lay down at the sofa bed while the toddler roamed around the living room.

The toddler decided to go near the electric fan and tried to pull out the cord from the electric plug.  You shout: NO NEO!

The toddler stopped.  The toddler then went to the electric fan itself, held out his fingers in a circling motion following the electric blades, just a centimeter away from the electric fan.  You shout: NO NEO!

The toddler stopped.  The toddler then went near the television and switches the channels and volume as fast as his little hands can do.  You shout: NO NEO!

The toddler stopped.  The toddler then went to the cupboards under the sink and starts opening and closing it with a bang.  You shout: NO NEO!

The toddler stopped.  The toddler then went near the stairs and tried going up.  You shout: NO NEO!

The toddler stopped.  The toddler then sat down near you.  Grabbed his slippers and started kissing them.  You shout: NO NEO!

You asked for help to bring the toddler inside his big crib.

The toddler cried as hard as he could while shouting: “WAWA NEO!”  Then he decided to stop crying and starts shouting: “DEDE NEO!” (milk, Neo) “TABBY NEO!” (play tablet Neo) “KANIN NEO!” (eat Neo) “BABA NEO!” (let Neo out of the crib).

You felt more pain in your head than before – but still, you went to the crib, hug and kiss him while bringing him down to do the things he was doing to make your headache feel worse.

Oh I love being a mom!

Family Day of Victory Dasma

We are attending church services at Victory Dasma.  Last May 1, a declared holiday, Victory Dasma held its Family Day.  Since Leo and I have no plans that day, we registered to attend and play the games.

Is it yellow or green team?

And yes, we need to show patriotism before the games begin.

There were different games played by 4 teams.  All of these games are Filipino games with some twist.  It was so fun that everyone gets to join and play.

Here is the list of games which you can play too:

·    Agawan ng Salbabida – two teams compete.  15 players per team.  Each player is assigned a number.  The game master shouts a number combination and all players assigned to that number will try to get the tire (salbabida), which is at the middle of the game area, in their home base. 

·   Pinoy Football – or what American’s call soft ball.  The same set of rules applies.  I was part of our team’s players and yes, I was kicked out the moment the ball touched my foot L

·   Patintero – this is just the normal patintero.  We just tweaked the point system.  Instead of 1 point per home base, we put a point in every entry pass.

  

·      Tamaan Tao – or what American’s call dodge ball.  20 players fpor the playing team, 6 players for the opposing team.  This game is where the ball hit me in the forehead.  I was really not lucky that day L

·       Catch the Ball – 10 players in the game area with baskets in their head.  Two big sling shots 2 meters away.  The players in the slingshot area will use it to throw the balls in the game areas.  Players with baskets in there head will catch the balls. 

In the middle of the day, Leo experienced headache so he just rest while we play.  Being a lampa (not sporty person), I tried to join the games but eventually just became a cheerer in the end.

It was one happy event though.  It’s not every day that Leo and I get to play games with each other.  Hopefully 5 years from now, Neo will be joining us in this family day as a player himself J

What I Learned From My Three Moms

I was born to one, raised by two, and now have three.  My mom gave birth to me more than 20 years ago.  I was raised by both my mom and my lola, who I fondly called Mama.  Now, thanks to marrying my husband, I was granted yet another mom, my mom-in-law.

My mom was not what you will call a tender mom.  She’s a disciplinarian.  I was raised that way.  She is not someone I will call my #1 fan, but far from it as she is my #1 critic.  She will criticize the way I do things so I will do it better.  She’s not so showy in her affections most of the time, but does it when I needed it most.  If there’s one thing I learned from my mom, its raising independent Me.

My lola, Neo’s Mamita, who raised me as her youngest child has showed me so much love down to me being spoiled by her.  She is someone I would run too when my mom and I fight.  She would hug me, kiss me, and show me how much she loves me.  A lot of times she will tell me: “Mahal na mahal kita”.  That changed when Neo came along.  Now “Mahal na mahal ko si Neo”.  If there’s one thing I learned from my lola, its showing the person you love how much you love them.

My mom-in-law, Mama Bebing, is a superwoman.  She works fulltime and raised 4 children at the same time (helped by my father-in-law).  We rarely go home to Cagayan but during the times we go there, I am treated like a princess (which I am really not accustomed to).  Mama Bebing raised a wonderful son, my husband.  I love reading the quote below.  This applies very much to my husband and my mom-in-law.  If there’s one thing I learned from my mom-in-law, it’s raising your son to be a fine man that you can be proud of.

Now that I am a mom myself, I am hoping and praying to impart these things I learned from my three moms. 

God help me to be a mom like my mom who will raise an independent Neo.

God help me to be a mom like my lola who will show Neo in all ways how much I love him. 

And God help me to be a mom like my mom-in-law who will raise Neo to be a fine man that everyone will be proud of.

Happy Mother’s Day to my three moms and to all moms!  And God bless you all!