Thairone's Turning Two

Time flies so fast. The once fragile and quiet little boy has now become a mature and talkative person. He is a joy in our hearts. I delight the day he was born. I delight in the evening reading books with him and have some night talks. I delight waking up in the wee hours checking his diapers and preparing his milk.  I delight having him everyday of our lives. While some see parenting as a responsibility,  I see it as an opportunity. Babies will only be babies once, and so is being a kid, a "child," and a teen. And I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked and lived here in a foreign land with my family and to give Dylan's necessities, the love and parenting he deserves. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to see him grow and watch his little and great accomplishments.

There's no dull moment with Dylan. In fact, every minute is a climax. We hear him sing children songs first, then count numbers in his abacus, and ride his little car after.  He grows so fast and he  imitates so quickly. From uttering our meal and evening prayer to pointing his fingers every time dad tells him to pick up his clutters. He follows what ever I and daddy do specially on things he finds interesting to do. We are watched and followed and the responsibility to be one that is imitated is heavy and challenging.

He's turning two and no one can stop him from growing and learning. Sooner or later I'll gonna have a big boy and I'll take every chance to kiss and hug him. He's turning two and here's a toast to all those who have made my son's days happy and the upcoming days, weeks, months, and years even happier.

Mother is a Verb, Not a Noun

Beach has always been our favorite summer destination when I and my siblings were young. A day before our every trip, we used to prepare our swimsuits.  While on the beach and were  screaming with happiness, my mother stood at the shore the whole day, reminding us not to go down far than a waste-deep. I remember her hands on the waste and her neck stretched the highest possible height just to count us and checked  if all her six sons and daughters were still floating on the water. If my mother had applied for a lifeguard position, she would have passed the long-standing requirement. I hated her when she often called me just not to miss lunch or when she reminded me to put on a towel at my back while at offshore and wet. 

Two days ago, my family went to Pattaya. Prior to that, I and my husband were busy buying some Dylan's stuffs. A night before the trip I stayed late  packing our things, including Dylan's milk, bottles, clothes, slippers and shoes, and diapers. Going out-of-town with a very hyper son requires a lot of strength and energy. Most of the time Dylan wanted to be carried and cuddled. When I allowed him to walk, he was too energized to run. When I asked him to sit, when we traveled on a ferry to Koh Larn, he just stood and sang for almost 40 minutes and I'm pretty sure there were passengers who got irritated with his music.

On that moment on, I remembered my mother. I remember how much sacrifice she did just to make us six happy. I only have one son, and sometimes I almost lose patience. You can't understand a mother, unless you become a mother yourself and that what makes me love my mother more. I remember my sister once said, "You're not single anymore. You have a son and a husband. You should know your priorities."

People have their own definition of happiness. Some are happy when they have new make-ups, clothes, or new relationships but I find happiness when I sacrifice my own just to make my loved ones happy. Yes, I and my husband were so dead tired with that trip but our son's laughter, hugs, claps, and "a-bu (i love you)" are priceless. :)

Braided

Never underestimate the beauty of the twists and turns of your life. Embrace them because these braided problems will bring out the  new and stronger "you". 

I'm a Filipino and I'm Proud of It

“In spite of all our troubles, (the Philippines) is probably not only the most beautiful place in the world, it’s also one of the happiest … (At the end of the day,) tourism is not just about marketing, but also about love of country.”

– Quote from Philippine Secretary of Tourism Ramon Jimenez 

This is My World

While others enjoy their toys such as the wii, xbox, iPad, macbook, and PSP, I am grateful I have only ONE to enjoy - the world. Thanks mama and papa for letting me experience this :) - Dylan

Stop, Listen, and Think

"We are all growing and changing shape, we notice certain weaknesses that need to be corrected, we don't always choose the best solutions, but we carry on regardless, trying to remain upright and decent... in order to do honor." - The Zahir (Paolo Coelho)

 

Glad that I was able to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and got the opportunity to have a walk and a time with Dylan. Although the cloud had brought heavy rain, I was still thankful for the solitude. The serenity of the place has somehow helped me realize some lessons in life. Truly, lessons always arrive when we are ready.

Goodbye, Hello

Goodbye. Whenever someone says this word to me, it always gives a little pain in my heart. Although a better and newer experiences awaits them, a farewell  from a friend, a transfer to a greener pasture, or moving to a new environment leaves a little loneliness.

When the day came where I had to say goodbye to my Thai neighbors,   somehow they felt the same way too. I saw and felt how they valued the remaining days with my son in Soi17. Telling them that we would be moving out was quite hard specially that they considered Dylan as their son and us as members of their family.

"When we lose something,  we get something better." I know it's a cliche but literally, when we left our small apartment, a bigger house is replaced  and I'm just glad that our son likes it.

I dunno what will gonna happen to us  on our new place. There'll be some kind of adjustmensts but as long as we live as a family, well gonna nail down whatever problems may arise. :)