T H E  38th L E T T E R

May 27, 2010 @ 12:36a.m.

Dear Baby:

Image via Wikipedia

Happy 14th month birthday, baby!

Wow. How time flies, really! You’re now 14 months old. Oh, you were able to take some 17 steps! Wow…from four steps a couple of days back to 17! That’s awesome. my baby.

At 14 months, here are the things that you can do (in addition to those that you’ve been doing in the past):

You know the actions of the songs – different songs, actually. The songs are: “My head, my knees; Twinkle, Twinkle; Eentsy spider; Mix the chocolate by Dora”…Wow. You really know what action to do by just hearing the first words for each song.

You know a lot of English words now.

You know that wave, bye, waving have the same meaning. You show the action through your hand.

You know that clap and clapping mean the same thing.

You are good in drinking from the cup now.

You started to like eating rice, without viand.

You don’t like baby food anymore.

You love to feed yourself.

Mommy said the word “hot” and you mimicked me.

You love to call Daddy on the phone. The other day, a male friend called Mommy on the phone. You thought it was Daddy on the other line. You blabbered. I told you it wasn’t Daddy. You were silent, then.

Lately, you don’t sleep when Mommy’s not beside you. There was a time when you got up for four times every time you felt that Mommy left the room. I thought you were asleep already, but, each time I got out of our bed, you’d start crying.

Was it the other day…when Mommy placed your plate on top of the table – you didn’t see it when I put it there, when I got back after 10 minutes, you’re already holding the plate, eating your food! You’re self-supporting, baby, very independent at your age!

This is all for now, baby. Mommy’s so sleepy now.

I’ll write more, next time.

iloveyou,

mommy

THE 30th LETTER

March 3, 2010 @ 10:46p.m.

Dear Baby,

How time flies! I was just about to write February in the date field of my letter for you, baby, when I realized that it’s already the 2nd day of March – wow, your birth month, actually! It’s also Mommy’s and Mama’s birth month! Wow – three generations in one birth month, how’s that?

Baby, you’ll be turning ONE three weeks from now! Daddy and Mommy are so excited to plan for your 1st birthday, baby! ONE is FUN! Yehey!

This letter has long been overdue, baby. Mommy was so busy, err, rather, Mommy was preoccupied with a lot of things. Mommy was on a roller coaster of emotions the past few days. Mommy’s grandmother, Lola, passed away last February 22. It was really a shocking news. Mommy got so emotional, and perhaps, there was a few times I did not properly take good care of you. During that period, Mommy’s Mama, your grandma, had to go to the hospital for some laboratory tests to be conducted on her. Good thing, the results of the laboratory tests of Mommy’s Mama were all normal. Thanks to Green Barley.

Now, Mom’s back to normal. I can now think well and plan well for your upcoming party. There are still questions that pop up such as: should we celebrate your birthday elsewhere? How many people should we invite to your party should we decide to celebrate it here? Where should we celebrate your 1st birthday? What should be our theme? What should be our gift to you? What should you be wearing? Ahh…such stuffs need careful planning, really, and yeah, lots of money, too. :d I’ll get to these issues once I’m done with my research. I know it’s kinda hard to celebrate parties, particularly, 1st birthday parties, when one lives overseas. But, no worries, baby. Daddy and Mommy will handle this well for you. Just sit back, relax, play, and read your books…

Speaking of books, we bought you another set of books in an Indian store somewhere in KCity this evening. Your eyes lighted when you opened those colored books! You really love to read. And oh, sometimes, Mommy is afraid that you’d tear your books just like what you did with your prayer book. :d Babies do that, I guess. This morning, I saw that you started to rip the pages of the IKEA mag. Uh-oh. Anyway. I’m sure that you’ll outgrown it once you learn how to read. Mommy already started teaching you how to read a few weeks back after Mommy learned in a video that “babies can read”.

We went to the church this evening. On our way to the gate, an Indian asked me, “are you the mama of the baby?” Mommy answered yes. Then he said, “You’re small”, and…blah.blah. And I answered back, with head held up high, “No problem.” He, then, said: “Of course, no problem. You have dimples.”, and touched his face with his fingers to symbolize where my dimples were. Mommy could hardly hear what he was saying. I was trying to locate in my memory about who this man was; if, indeed, I knew him or not; or where I saw this man. Aha. So here’s the same man who approached me last year, and told me, “Your baby is a Filipina? Small.” Or was she referring to me? This guy was so tall, really, and I wonder what he does with his height. Sure he got it, but why bother about people not having the same height as his? He must be amused about you, about me, or had no one to talk to so he started telling of some craps. Anyway, Mommy’s not hurt about such remarks. Did I tell you before, baby, that small people have great minds?

Mommy really doesn’t want to write such stuffs about height issues, weight issues. People seem to notice you everywhere we go. It’s because they are amused of your exotic looks. You are a darling, baby, and you smile a lot with people you hardly know. You seem to get their attention by calling them, by waving at them, by looking through their eyes until they are already hooked at you. Then, when people start to notice you, the inevitable happens. They would ask about your age. They always seem to be surprised. No worries. For as long as you are a healthy and active baby, and your mental development is way BEYOND your real age, Daddy and Mommy have nothing to worry about you. Let people worry about their own problems, too. One thing that Mommy has learned throughout your growing months is not to be bothered by people’s uncalled for remarks. There are babies that are slow to thrive in terms of physical growth, but, fast in terms of mental development. There are babies that are slow in terms of mental development, but, are fast in terms of physical aspect. You fall on the first category, baby. Daddy and Mommy would rather prefer the first category. It’s so hard to train a mind that is not open. The physical aspect of a person just fades through time.

You just turned 11 months last Feb. 27, and we celebrated it in Mughal Mahal. Daddy ordered a lot of foods that he barely knew the taste — only to regret afterwards. We thought of ordering your cake at WOW, but we hardly had the time to do so because Daddy was rushing to a meeting with a new friend that night.

After three days of turning 11 months, what are your developmental milestones, baby?

You are now saying the words ten thirty; eight thirty; and, teething without any difficulty! Those are in addition, of course, to the many other words that you know since you started talking at 17 days old. Mommy needs to update her memory about those words!

You are still too lazy to walk though, although, you already know how to walk when we guide you.

You just love to crawl, crawl, and crawl even when Mommy is sleeping! You’d crawl towards the bathroom, the living room, and storage room.

You love to stand up and go to where the cassette player is, and turn it on and off, until the only thing that you hear is the screeching sound of the player.

You love to look at the window and see the cats on the garbage boxes.

You love to watch the birds flying over the sky, or, the birds walking in the sand.

You love to call on the attention of people walking down the busy street by saying “psst!” A thing you heard from Daddy, and you started imitating it. Haha.

You love to stare at the old man with a cane. Do you remember that day when you stared at the old man for quite a long time because he had difficulty getting a cab? We both prayed for that old man, baby. You prayed with Mommy that the old man could finally get someone to drive him to where he was going. God heard our prayers, then. Every morning or lunch time, we always see this old man. We always pray to God that a good taxi driver or even someone (with private car) would assist him. Thank you, baby, for being Mommy’s prayer partner. How many times have we prayed together? We also prayed for Mommy’s Mama when she was at the hospital for her laboratory test results.

You love to eat Kubos, Marie biscuits, and Labaneh Cheese.

You now poop two or three times a day. Thank God! Before, you used to have hard stools. It was so difficult for you to poop.

Your teeth are just starting out to erupt – both in the lower and upper portions.

It is still difficult for Daddy and Mommy to change your nappies when soiled with poop. You’d start to crawl or stand up even when there’s still poop in your bottom. We’d give you a lot of toys to distract your attention from doing what you feel like doing during the clean-up period.

Daddy oftentimes wonder why you don’t like to be with him when you’re sleepy, or, when you want to sleep. There was a time when you woke up, and said “hey” to Daddy, and you realized Mommy wasn’t near you, you started crying! Daddy wonders, too, why you wouldn’t sip the bottle that he gives you when you’re about to sleep, but, you’d accept the same bottle that Mommy would press into your mouth. Aha. Call that favoritism, eh? :d

You know how to get down from our bed with your feet on the ground. You understand the words, “Feet first, baby”.

You love to squeeze your body near Daddy’s big arms when sleeping. One time, you woke up crying because you were already in our carpeted floor. Bogg! You fell from our bed because Daddy already got up from the bed, and he forgot to put you back near the center of our bed.

You love to eat normal foods eaten by adults. You dislike eating baby foods…sometimes.

You love to dance even to some tunes made naturally like the sound of the spoon hitting the glass; the tapping of the fingers on the table. Are you August Rush, baby? Daddy and Mommy love that movie so much! We know that you’re a music prodigy, baby, and yes, a prodigy for the English language, too.

The bottom line, baby, is that, YOU’RE A GIFTED BABY. And we thank the Lord for having a wonderful baby like you. Daddy and Mommy, and all the rest of the family members back home love you so much.

Be a good girl always, baby.

iloveyou,

mommy

T H E  13TH  L E T T E R

Oct. 15, 2009 @ 9:09p.m.

Dear Baby,

Welcome to the World! This should have been written by Mommy six months ago, but Mommy’s hands were so full. You see, it was just Daddy and Mommy, who take good care of you. We’ve got no nanny, ah, yes, you’ve got a yaya for just two months. But she already left to look for a greener pasture, of which she regretted. She wanted to come back, but it’s already too late.

I am sorry that I lighted the gas stove while holding you in my left arm. I forgot that you’re still a baby! Glad that you behaved well awhile ago.

I can’t wait to write so many things about you – particularly, how advanced your mental and physical developments are. You may be lagging behind in terms of weight and height gains, but, still, you’re as active and mentally developed as a toddler! How many times did you surprise me of your antics – you are already speaking a lot of words since you’re 17 days old. However, the past two months, you became a bit less talkative, but you still blabber a lot with words that only you could understand. It’s as if you’re talking animatedly in a conversation. Nowadays, however, your physical development is advanced. You are now sitting and standing on your own.

You love to “read” books. You don’t stop until you’re able to know how to open the business book. You love to play with your toys, but you want new toys every now and then. It seems that your old toys are boring you already. You love to play with a tissue paper, and even a new diaper fascinates you.

You love to growl like a lion when a certain thing got your interest. You love to sing a song and you’re already playing the keyboard of the piano. You love to tap the keyboard of Mommy’s laptop. You are a camera-conscious baby since you’re 5 days old, and you really pose like a pro.

At six months, I just couldn’t leave you behind. You cry when you see no one around you. You cry when Mommy goes to the bathroom or outside our room. You’d await for your Daddy’s return from the office with enthusiasm by listening intently on the opening of the door, on his footsteps, and to Mommy’s cue that Daddy’s coming. Upon seeing Daddy, you’d flash your sweetest smile. But after some minutes, you’d cry and start looking for Mommy.

You’d cry when visitors call your attention or approach you. But you wouldn’t cry when there are people around you, but they don’t take notice of you.

You love to pull Mommy’s hair. One time this week of October, 2nd week, you surprised me when you attempted to pull Mommy’s hair, and you thought that you got some hair strands by looking at your left hand!

I cried with you when you cut your lip, when blood came rushing through your mouth because your mouth was pressed into that bottle of diaper rash that you were playing.

You cry like you’re a seven-year old already. I’d often tease you, “Grade One, baby?” when you start crying, for it’s really loud. People are surprised to see and hear you crying, for so much tears swell from your eyes.

Daddy and Mommy couldn’t just massage your body for two months now. You’re always in a hurry to roll over when we put you to bed. You’d love to roll over, crawl, and get the things on the table or even below the bed.

You love to crawl or roll over when we change your soiled diaper, either with urine or poop. You have been constipated at the start of your 6th month. But you regularly poop even if they were so small and hard.

You sleep like a chicken. You’d get up at once when you feel recharged by your short naps. Your Daddy says you’re like Wolverine; your bruises and rashes heal at once.

You don’t like to be swaddled. You would cry hard when we swaddle you with your blanket, but eventually, you’d fall asleep despite your resistance.

You love to listen to conversations on the phone.

You easily flash your sweet smile when we smile at you.

You may be currently underweight, it’s sad. But what matters most is that you’re an active, bubbly, and healthy baby.

More stories to write soon…

iloveyou,

mommy

P.S.

This time I will rewrite this letter from the Web to paper.

T H E  S I X T H  L E T T E R

Nov. 25, 2008 @ 1:10p.m.

Dear Baby,

How are you, my baby? I didn’t write you a letter yesterday.

I asked Daddy to go home by six o’clock so we can eat together. Daddy has been rushing some stuffs at work, but glad that he still spends time with you and me. Last night, we went home late because we bought some winter clothes, maternity clothes for Mommy, and Giordano shirts for Daddy. Mommy looks good on the new maternity clothes. It’s because we bought them from a Filipino store here (place deleted).

This morning, Mommy’s so busy. I am making several blogs. One of them is the CEO blog, which I am making for you. Girl or boy, I am grooming you to be a CEO – not just plain worker or staff. I want to show you the best on how to conduct yourself as a great person.

This is all for now.

iloveyou,

mommy

The Sixth Letter in Paper: