Last weekend, after going to church at CCF-ST. Francis we again passed by Z's favorite mall - Megamall! As usual, he wanted to ride "his 4x4" as he calls it. Since he has rode it at least ten times already, I encouraged him to try out the other rides but to no avail. So we paid P20 for the ticket and off he went to wait for the previous batch of riders to finish. He then handed his ticket to the person-in-charge and excitedly climbed into the jeep. S went to play Tekken in a nearby arcade so I was left with nothing to do but take pictures. Well, I don't mind taking his pictures, I'm just happy he's one healthy fellow!

This afternoon, Z was getting frustrated trying to learn how to write the letter "Y." He kept on insisting he can't do it while I kept on telling him that was what he said for the letter "Z" yesterday and now he can do it with ease. I left him on his own for a few minutes because his dad and I were looking at something online. I thought he was practicing to write the letter "Y" like I told him so when he suddenly looked at his dad and said, "Dad, look! I wrote your name," while pointing at a crudely written letter D. His Dad's face lit up and said, "You're right, son! D as in Dad!" Then his Dad proceeded to spell his name, "D-A-D." To which Z blurted, "...and E! Dade!" Nyee! We couldn't argue anymore because we were laughing so hard.

One of the educational toys we bought for Z at the 2nd Homeschooling Conference were two sets of small wooden blocks. It costs only a dollar each and I'd say it was really worth it. It was using his block toys that he is able to recreate the buildings he see when we go out. He put up different buildings and would declare it's his dad's office. He even has his own office building put up. Aside from the different buildings, he would also recreate the traffic situation he sees around Metro Manila. It's not an unusual situation that our floor is lined up with a long line of cars, busses, and trucks. He would tell me to look how long the traffic is and would show me which car he's supposed to be in. Together we made bridges, tunnels, and even the expressway using his blocks. Here are a few pictures that I took.

Just last week, Z and his friend Jave had a blast playing together at our apartment. But as they say, all good things must come to an end because last Sunday, Jave and his family moved to another apartment. We were surprised but in a way we were already expecting this because a few months ago, his mom and I were talking about wanting to move and find a bigger place. As it turned out, they found a bigger one but with the same rental price as their old apartment. It is just a walking distance from us but located in a different town. They said the place that they found was two-storey and with much bigger rooms. I wish we could also find a good place when it's our time to move, we are planning to move this coming February because by that time another rent increase is scheduled and we know we can already find a bigger place at that price. We would love to move to our own house, after all, the price we are paying for an apartment is enough for monthly mortgage payment for a house far from the city but we just don't want that sacrifice. I love it that I just have to wait 30 minutes and S will be home from the office. We lived in my grandma's house two years before and we had everything for free but S's travel time was 2 hours in good days and would last up to 3 hours when the traffic was bad. When he arrives home, all he does is sleep and when he wakes up he just say hello to us and he has to get ready for work again. In short, his life was really exhausting and looking back we do not know how he survived that. Because of that experience, S and I agree that our life is better here even if the rent takes a chunk of our budget. Z and his dad have all the time in the world to spend together, and I do not spend my hours worrying where he is and why isn't he home yet. Yes, renting is our option for now but someday we hope to save enough to afford the more expensive houses located in the city where work is available. It may take some time but I'm sure we'll eventually get there.
Going back to Z and his friend, they tried to spend as much time together during the last days of their stay here - up to the time when they were loading their furniture in the vehicle. Years from now, I don't know if Z will still remember Jave so I snapped some more photos to remind Z of his childhood friend.

Z and his friend, Jave, who lives in the apartment downstairs were playing together two days ago. They decided to play here in our living room with Z's assortment of toys while S and I were both in the bedroom, with him sleeping because he works at night, and me on the laptop. Minutes later, Z decided he wanted to play inside our bedroom, we had the aircon on and it was almost noon so the heat was unbearable outside. I told him not to go inside because his dad was sleeping but he kept coming back because maybe he can't take the heat anymore. He also prodded his friend to come in and play there. Upon seeing our room was being invaded by two kids, S graciously gave up his sleep and entertained the two kids instead. Our room was filled with screaming and laughter while they play hide-and-seek inside the sheets and jumped all over the place. They had a really grand time playing together that it seemed like I had three kids in there instead of two. Their playing session lasted until 2pm! Our neighbor, Jave's mom, came to pick him up but you could see in his face that he didn't want to go.

The very next day, at around 10 am, I heard Z's friend calling from outside our door. S entertained them again and made them laugh till their stomachs hurt. This time around, it took Jave's mom 3 times coming back and forth before she finally convinced her son to come home. When S asked him why he doesn't want to go home, he replied he doesn't want to go because his own dad would not be home till later. These little boys really adore their dads, don't they?

This is Z singing, or rather attempting to sing his favorite song from his favorite movie. Can you guess which song it is? There is a clue in the background you just have to prick your ears.

The happiest moment in our lives was when our son was born. We were both young, confused, and didn't know a single thing about a baby. We only stuck by the fact that we love each other and we were going to have this family, no matter what. It was a tough labor for me, I almost gave up pushing him out but when he came out all the pain went away. As a matter of fact, I asked the doctor if I can already stand up after. She laughed at me saying she still have to stitch me up.
I wanted to share Z's first pictures, just minutes after he came out. Good thing I found Roxio online where I created a slideshow of Z's first moments. Up to know, I still can remember that day as if it was just yesterday. It was fun reminiscing seeing him for the first time. The slideshow was so easy to make and is complete with animation, caption, and music. This application is free and you can use it to share your pictures on your blog or you can also burn it in dvd and share with your family and friends.

Yesterday afternoon, Z and I went on a quest to find the nearest car wash station to have his bike's wheels filled with air. The last time he used his bike, his dad told me that he heard a hissing sound coming from the wheel and sure enough when he checked it, it's already flat. So we went out and took a walk, I was walking and Z was on his bike. Because his wheels are flat I was half dragging his bike along. I was not comfortable with the route we took because more cars and tricycles were passing by that way.



I have no choice because they said the nearest car wash is over there. After walking 15 minutes and still no car wash, I was starting to have second doubts. It didn't help that vehicles were passing by. I always tell Z to move right whenever we hear a vehicle coming but sometimes he gets distracted and almost collided with me. There was even a second that I was fearful for my life because I was trapped, Z was in my right and a vehicle passing by in my left. So, I decided to ask a passerby if he knew where I can get the wheels filled with air. He told me that he didn't know if there was something like that anywhere in the area. I was frustrated when I heard that so I abandoned that route and decided to go back home using another road with less vehicles passing. On the way home, I ask the village security guard about what we were looking for and he pointed me back from where we came from. I was torn between just going home and wanting to have his bike fixed. With a heavy heart I decided to go back again and after a few minutes we finally reached it safely. It took just a second to have it filled with air and all our efforts paid off. We went to the nearby playground and I was delighted there were kids with bikes there too. Another mother was there teaching her kids to bike without training wheels. She must have 4 kids with her from age 3 to 8. Z was hesitant to ride with the other kids but warmed up to the idea after a few minutes. He is really shy, I think he got it from me. We were there until 6:30 at night. He didn't want to go home at first but when I said something about mosquitoes he agreed to go home.

We were able to go by SM Santa Rosa last weekend. As usual, Z's father and my FIL couldn't refuse to buy Z a gift. Not that Z insisted on buying anything but whenever we are at malls, we would automatically go to toy stores and check out the toys. There are times we don't buy anything for Z but most of the time we end up buying something. I sure hope he doesn't get spoiled. For now, he wouldn't make a fuss until he has actually held the toy in his hand and he wouldn't hold anything unless me or his dad give it to him. That is why our house is overflowing with Z's toys. I'm actually organizationally-challenged, if there is such a word, but I don't know how to organize Z's toys anymore. Right now, it is in 3 boxes and we definitely need more boxes but we don't have enough space anymore. Well, anyway, for that weekend I was quite happy with the toy we bought. Usually, we would just buy him a toy car but I insisted we get a small Playdoh set for him. His lolo was even generous enough to pay for it. It's actually his second set of Playdoh but the first one doesn't have the easy tools for Z to play with. This new one has the extruder thing and Z could easily put the clay in it and a shaped clay will come out. We actually pretend it's the trash so when it's already quite messy I'll just say, "Let's put the clay in the trash," and Z would play along. Here are some pictures of Z playing with his clay.

When Z's dad came home today, he decided that it was time for them to have their haircut. Just before they left, I decided to take a before picture of Z but what he gave me was more than that. Want to know what he gave me? Well, he just gave me this sweetest smile that I have ever recorded on camera.

Isn't that smile just amazing? He sure looked like an angel to me. I was so happy when I took that, and I couldn't stop laughing. My husband was puzzled over my happiness, I couldn't quite make him understand that I just took the perfect picture of Z. You see, anyone who has a kid knows that it is quite difficult to get the perfect picture. We tried teaching Z how to smile for the camera but instead of giving us the sweet, natural smile, he learned to fake it and give us this instead.

So you can imagine that 99% of the pictures that we have of Z smiling look like that. So I was extremely happy when I was able to take this wonderful picture of Z and his dad together. When they arrived home from the barber shop, I showed Z this picture and told him to smile for the camera the way he smiled for that picture. The pictures I took made me laugh too.

Well, he sure did his best to try, no doubt about that. I'm sure with a little practice he can master his perfect smile.

Z had his first visit to the dentist today. He was really brave, he allowed the dentist to check his teeth but he didn't want to lie down, so the dentist checked his teeth sitting up. The dentist said he needed some of his teeth filled so that it wouldn't decay. I don't know if Z would allow his teeth to be filled at this age. Maybe we'll just brush more often and have it filled when he turns four next January.

Here is another set of Z's pictures while he is playing with his beloved cars collection. His dad was the one who took this one and wanted me to post it online. S was quite proud on the pictures he took and wanted Z to remember their time playing together on top of our bed.

There is a new addition in Z's face. We noticed it about a month ago and at first, I thought it was just dirt and would be washed away with soap and water. I didn't even give it a second thought until one day, Z's dad told me he just scrubbed Z's face in the bathroom and this dirt wouldn't come off. So we looked at it closely and realized Z got himself a mole! Actually, this is not his first mole, the first one grew in his right temple but this one really got our attention because it's in the middle of his face, right beside his nose. This just shows how ignorant hubby and I were on things, we thought people were born with their moles but now we realized of they're not, that's why babies' skin are so flawless. Here's a picture of Z's new moles, I encircled it because you can barely see it in the picture.

Lookee, mommy, I am at the office!



I'm a big boy now, you see?



Don't be sad I'll bring home something yummy for you!



No, anak, you will always be my baby.

Yes, you read it right! I am home alone for today and Z has gone and went to work - well, his dad brought him to work that is. I have been hinting to S that bringing Z to his office will be a good bonding time for dad and son and would give me my much needed time alone . Z refused to go at first but, finally, changed his mind a few minutes after his dad left our apartment. Hoping that S is still somewhere near, I quickly jumped to the phone and dialed his cellphone number. Good thing he came right back so, I quickly dressed Z. My son hasn't even taken his breakfast, just a sip of milk and his vitamins, but his dad promised they will eat breakfast at Jollibee. Z was all smiles when he heard that. He was out of the door faster than his dad. I even had to remind him to kiss me first before he go which he obliged.
A few minutes ago, while I was typing this blog entry, hubby called and let Z talked to me on the phone. For the first time, I heard his voice through the phone and it threw me offguard for a few seconds. His voice sounded different, more matured on the phone. I have to remind myself that it's still my 3 year old toddler talking and not some older kid. He told me he was playing with his toy car which he brought along. I hope both father and son enjoy their time together. It's not that bad having the house all by myself from time to time.

After weeks of constant rain, I am so glad this week, it has stopped raining and we are back to sunny days again. So, yesterday, Z and I went for a walk - I was the only one walking while Z was on his bike. We went to the playground that was a few blocks from us but no children were there so we headed back and stayed at the playground near our apartment. Around 5pm two little girls arrived, also riding their bikes followed by Z's friend, Jave. Jave was the first one who got a bike now, all the children have their own respective bikes.While the children were playing, the parents were catching up too. Jave's mom pointed out that Z's bike is flat, and sure enough, it was. I didn't notice it because I was near-sighted, no wonder Z was having a hard time pedaling his bike! We will have it fixed this afternoon before we go to the playground.
I remember a year ago, we would go to the playground as often as twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon, but we had gone there less and less as the months pass, partly because less and less children were going there. I promise I will try to make this an afternoon habit again because part of the reason why we rented this place is because it is located inside a village and it has three different playgrounds within walking distance. If it were up to me, I want Z to experience playing patintero barefoot in the sand, catching dragonflies with nets, climbing mango trees, and finding beetles just like I did growing up but Z just have to settle for the cemented playground here. It's not that bad really, back where we came from the children have to play in the streets because there were no playgrounds at all.

We bought a new study table for Z. It is not that expensive but what I liked about it are the letters and the drawings on the table surface. It is pretty small, I would have preferred the bigger one made of wood and with a book shelf attached, but our apartment is already too crowded. I just hope Z will be able to use this for a few more years before it becomes too small for him.

Z is such a picky eater that I was afraid he is becoming malnourished already. Oh, he will eat the foods I serve all right but only in little portions. And he does not eat snacks too. Whenever I ask him what he wants to buy at the store he will only ask for a lollipop, if I suggest a biscuit or a cookie he will decline. I always wonder if my toddler does not get hungry at all because whenever I ask him he'll tell me no he's not hungry. Eating has been a constant battle between my toddler and lately I have been losing. It's hard to make him eat what I think is the right portion for him every single day, three times a day. Now I am immune to our relatives saying Z is so thin, before it was a big deal for me but now I don't care anymore. Why would I care when the pediatricians that we asked told us that Z has a normal weight for a child his age. But I still agree, he looks thin and his height makes him look thinner. And although defeated I have always wondered if I have not done the best I can to make him eat. I was contemplating his eating behavior, a child that doesn't want snacks is really hard to believe. Then I realized when there is a biscuit in our drawer he would get it by himself and eat it without any prodding. And when the biscuits are all gone he would stop eating snacks all together, he would not ask for me to buy some more, he would just stop taking snacks altogether. So I had what they might call a lightbulb moment and when we had our next grocery shopping I made sure I bought lots of biscuits and cookies for Z. I bought different varieties - cupcakes, cookies, biscuits - so he will not have any excuse at all. Then I put it in an open box and positioned it conspicuously in the center of our living room where Z plays. And what do you think happened, yes Z was eating the snacks left and right. I don't have to say anything too, he just grabs it sometimes 4 times a day or more and eat not only one but even two or more. It's indeed a miracle for me who before can only make him eat one cupcake at the most and most days none at all. I am so happy my strategy worked. I am thinking of adding fruits in Z's selection of snacks so he can get more vitamins in his system. Being parent is not that easy really. You have to be a detective and a problem solver and if you fail another person's life would be affected. This may be small for others but it is a huge achievement for me. It reminded me that there is more than one way to solve a problem and sometimes the solution is staring at us in the face, we just have to stop for a while and think it through. I hope other parents who have the same problem learn from this or am I the only one who didn't know?

Now that Z is growing up and getting smarter he would not listen to everything I say, before when I say, “Smile, I’ll take your picture,” he’ll obediently do it. But now all he does is make faces so it has been pretty hard for me to get a decent picture of him. Like the last time we ate outside I again told him to smile as I get his picture – did he do as I say? Well, see for yourself.