As S Heard It: CruciFived

My second daughter is quite a verbose toddler, if there is such a thing. Between 8-9 months, she said one of her earliest words (which caught me, my husband, the yaya and our pediatrecian by surprise) - "elmo." Our doctor was trying to distract her with a dancing Elmo, and she asked, "Who is this, Shobe?" To which S answered - very clearly - "Ewmo." Whoa. She started speaking her first few words before she turned one, which is normal. A few months after she turned one, she started talking in 2-3 word phrases. By the time she was two, she was speaking in full sentences just like the little person that she is. Being the competive mom that I am (aren't we all? Even just a teeny weeny bit? Come on....) I am led to believe (by my and my husband's illusions) that she's quite advanced. 

I actually think that she is verbose because she has a keen sense of hearing. She has a knack for repeating phrases, songs and rhymes from memory, after hearing them a few times. However, given that her vocabulary is limited - she usually has to just rely on the what the word "sounds" like to repeat it. One time, she said she wanted "frangled eggs." She refers to a bath as "baff," and she refers to her "thumb" as her "fumb." (Darn that soft 'th' sound!) And so, this often makes for some very interesting conversations.

As Easter approached, and I knew K had been learning about Jesus dying on the cross in school, I mentioned that it was soon Easter. That opens up the question of what is Easter - and so I talk about Jesus rising from the dead, after he was crucified. K knows about crucifixion since she had been quizzing me on the Ways of the Cross posted around the church hall. And here comes Little Miss Bionic Ears....

Me: Yes... It's almost Easter and on Good Friday, Jesus is crucified.

K: Why Mommy?

Me: Jesus was crucified on the cross, he dies to save us from our sins. But don't worry, because he is alive... he rose up after 3 days.

S: Yeah, like Achi, Mommy.

Me: Like who?

S: Like K! She's five! And Jesus is five, too, right?

Owwwkay. That's how stories are made. I hope you and your families have a meaningful Easter celebration. For me, it's a break that I've been looking forward to for sometime. My four month hiatus from blogging has not been without its own stories... and after exactly 4 months, I hope to get my groove back,

Don't forget to pay your taxes! It's April 15!

A Second Opinion: The second child's view

My second child started forming her opinions at a very young age. This makes for very interesting conversations between her and her sister. The older sister has much stronger views, and is less swayed, hence her failed requests (to me) usually end in tears. On one particular occasion when I (again) would not give in to the big sister's demands:

Big sis: booohoo... I want this....

Me: No, K, I told you not everything you want you can get.

Little sis: It's ok, K. Don't cry.

Big sis: boohoo....

Little sis: Don't cry K, Santa Claus is coming to town.

Yes, go get it from Santa, why don't you? :) 

K's Point of View: I don't like that song

On the eve of K's birthday, DH was putting her too sleep, singing her a lullaby. I noticed she was tearing up. I asked her why she was tearing up... she was quiet for a few minutes, until I gave her a hug and asked again. DH and I were seriously disturbed.

K: Kasi (because) I don't like that song.
Me: Oh. Why, what song do you like?
K: Happy Birthday.

We love you K. The memories you give us are all priceless.

Sugar and spice and everything nice...

I grew up in a a non-"touchy feely" family environment. We don't hug nor kiss each other - not parents to children, children to parents... or even worse (horrors)... sibling to sibling! Probably the only family member whom I got most kisses from would be my youngest brother - and that's just because we were 9 years apart, and I was actually old enough to remember when he first came out as a baby. And babies are always kissable, right? 

Not only are we not touchy feely - we also are not expressive, even with words. We don't say I love you out loud to each other. It's not to say we don't - we just are not comfortable with it. At most - we would put "love, so and so" on the annual birthday and christmas card (or email) - and I am sure we all meant it, when we said so.

Fast forward to today - I am now raising a daughter almost two and half years old. I am proud to say that somehow - she's turning out to be very expressive with her feelings. Is it because she's a girl? And all girls are made of sugar and spice, and everything nice? Or it could be because my husband and I have never been shy to show affection in front of her as well. Whatever it is, I am proud that she's turning out the way she is!

Here are some of the signs that seem to say she's going to turn out to be a very affectionate little girl.

Sign #1 In the mornings, my husband is usually still in bed when I leave for work. K would be awake by then, and I would take her with me for her to have breakfast. I'd always kiss my husband on the forehead before leaving, and say "bye hon...." Recently, K has also started doing the same thing... and she's got the routine down pat... down to the "bye hon."

Sign #2 The other night, before going to bed, we called up her dad who was in Batangas. After chatting for a few minutes, I said it was time for her to say goodnight. While staring at her dad's caller id picture, she said in a very sweet voice "dude [good] night papa... i wub [love] you."

Sign #3 As she was seated on her potty... she suddenly said "I kiss you mommy..." and held my face with her lips pursed. And after that sweet kiss... I also get an "i wub you."

A kiss, a hug, and an "i wub you..." - these are the simple, priceless treasures of being parents. I wouldn't exchange these for anything in this world.

"i wub you, baby"

^^^^^^^ August 3, 2011 ^^^^^^^^^

Tonight - sign #4 came - while slathering lotion on to my belly - K kisses my belly and says "i wub you, baby." At 37 weeks and a few days, baby number 2 gets assurance from big sister that he/she is definitely loved!

 

Kissing the 1 week old Baby S

Originally posted on July 30, 2011.