Family Game Night

One thing I really love about having married my husband is the fact that I also really enjoy his family. I'm not going to say that am really close with my sisters-in-law but we're fond of each other enough to really look forward to spending time together. And at my in-laws', we all sleep together. That's three families (three couples and a kid each) all in one bedroom. We're all even growing fat together because we eat (and binge) together. We cook for each other. We go on trips together. We buy or download movies we'd watch together. We just love hanging out.

And I have always told hubby that I long for the days when our children are a little older and we could play board games and other family games together, without the kids throwing the tokens and such. Each family could be a team or we could sometimes have the kids be their own team, and us Moms will team up together while the Dads all team together. Momsy could coach the kids.

I believe that will make the kids look forward more to the visits to Momsy (grandma) and the weekend will be more productive as nobody will be Farming and the Dads won't be watching the History channel. Plus, as a big family, we would be able to teach our kids about having good, clean fun. We can teach them together about winning honestly and losing gracefully. And with Family Game Night's Trivial Pursuit Digital Choice, we should be able to also expand their knowledge!

Part of homeschooling's success is making learning fun and teaching values within a family atmosphere. Family Game Nights will be one treat that am sure everybody will be all the more richer for after, and having a game or two handy will be super worth it because we could take it even in out-of-town trips. Plus, it's really important that we teach our kids that hanging out with the parents and the whole clan can even be cooler than hanging out with just friends.

Of course, someday, their friends will be welcome too.

*~*

Meanwhile, Animetric's World has teamed up with Color Mix Toys and Games to give bloggers a chance to win some of the games in their Family Game Night line. Check out the links!

Happy Birthday Pappie

This is a tad late. Pappie turned 33 yesterday and I really feel sorry about not having anything prepared for him since am still exhausted with our son's ear infection.

Anyway...

Last March 10, 2002, I posted this in Pinoyexchange:

i grew up being told that my Dad literally jumped and cried over me when i was born.....and all my life, God reminds me just how much my Dad is still jumping and crying over me...his firstborn...

and all my life too, i've been looking for a man who i know will also jump and cry over the birth of his kids.....

i don't want a man holding a camera.....or a videocam....i just want him excited and praying and crying and loving me....

Pappie was holding a camera when our son was born. And I don't think he jumped. But he cried for joy and gratitude. And ever since then, he has become a hundred times more loving, more gentle, more patient.

I couldn't have chosen better for my son's father. And I couldn't have been happier with my choice of partner. So Pappie, despite all the dreams we have that have yet to be realized, despite all the cramming for times of togetherness and adjusting to a limited budget, despite the other things that we are still working on, are not happy about, or have yet to fulfill... know that Yakee and I are blessed to be your family.

And we wish you nothing but rewards for all the sacrifice you make... and a great many years to enjoy you, and be enjoyed by you :)

The Sweet, Cool Date

I had a make up class last Friday and hubs decided to fetch me after and take me on a date. I was pleasantly surprised of what he had in mind. BAGABERDE, with Side A and Malik performing that night.

Pappie had iced tea and some vodka beer drink while I had two Cali Ices with our calamares, rice, beef caldereta and nachos. And he told me about his teenage obsession over Side A and we talked about high school concerts we went to where Side A was performing. And Side A, as a band, did not disappoint! It was really tres cool to be in a bar again, the first time since i've become a mother (and no, Manong's and Dencio's don't count). It was weird, of course. And it was a struggle not to think of our son (eventhough we only stayed till 12 MN). But I really had a great time and it felt good just hanging out with my husband. I guess it's really a struggle for us right now not to see each other as spouse and parent so it's really liberating to be just singing along to songs with him, laughing about how other people dance.

I think we really should try a picnic at Luneta just for laughs... anything new, fresh, fun and silly, to keep the romance going.

Swimming Party

Finally, it pushed through. It became a post-birthday celeb for Me, Yakee, Luis (BIL) and advance celeb for Momsy (MIL) and Pappie. But there was no cake-blowing whatsoever. We just brought half of our homes and went there (traffic!) and swam our hearts out. Only Momsy, Daddy and Pappie even used the videoke machine. Cousins from Lipa also joined us with their brood so there were really so many kids and not enough adults to police them.

The resort cost us P10k for the 24-hour rent of Villa Flor Doña Salud Hotspring Resort and we paid some P2k extra for use of gas, another room outside the villa, and rent of blankets.

And testament to how ngarag and busy we were? No one took pics of the food! No proof that we were swimming in cholesterol and sweets :D But anyway, there was guinataang alimango, steamed shrimps, guinataang langka, guinataang liswik, grilled liempo, fried hotdogs, pancit bami, chicken sotanghon soup, pizza and orange spare ribs.

Desserts included chocolate mousse cake, fruit salad and Momsy's baked fudgies.

Yakee had colds and we dipped him under, that probly
gave him the ear infection (hehe, bad parents)


view of the kiss from above


view of the kiss under water
















ssshhh... they're newlyweds, after all :D




Overall, we had fun. Ad we're really thankful for the family we have, and the extended family we have :)

3 More Days

And our grand birthday celebration for all 3 of us will happen... but our toddler is sick with coughs and colds and Mommy is driven crazy by his tantrums.

May I be more gentle... and patient... and loving... and efficient :D Now, I shall order our food.

Adoption

While at a breastfeeding mission last Monday, in the midst of giving away the last of my son's old clothes, I was approached by a grandmother who held up her beautiful granddaughter, fair skinned and peacefully sleeping in her arms, and asked me to her grandchild, whose father is already dead. The baby girl couldn't be older than 2 months and looked healthy enough. I bit my lip and smiled and just told the grandma to take care of the baby because she looks so precious.

Inside, I started to tear up already. Such things cannot help but break a mother's heart. Then the grandma approached me again to appeal her cause, "sige na mam, ampunin nyo na sya... kawawa naman, sa inyo na, patay na tatay nya.... andun yung nanay nya, kausapin na natin para makuha nyo na sya"

All I could was smile as I shook my head and walked away.

It was especially ironic that hubs and I are trying and hoping for a baby girl. We're not that desperate for one, and another baby boy would be equally loved and welcome, but we really hope to be blessed with a baby girl. So yeah, it's one of those moments that's really sad so of course, I shed tears while telling about it to my fellow LATCHers.

I know that child's future is questionable, at that evacuation center. And I know that i'd somehow feel forevr guilty that I essentially rejected a child. Going in these missions, you give of your time and service, but there are just some things you can't give, you can't cure, you can't mend...

*~*

Hubby was very comforting when I told him. Then that night, I dreamt that hubs was given a child older by several months than Yakee. It was a boy and he couldn't say 'no' to the appeal for adoption because the boy was deaf so he brought the little boy home. In the dream, I was concerned because I didn't want to remove Yakee's eldest child status. The adopted baby we called SITH (Star Wars, hello).

*~*

It's not that we're against adoption. We are open to the idea if we're really not going to be blessed with more kids. But we're also not like other couples who have already chosen to adopt rather than bear children so adoption is something we will decide upon, talk about, explore, and consult authorities with. It's not a road we'd take just because somebody thrusts a child our way, no matter how beautiful.

*~*

I will always be praying for that girl though.

My Unhelpful Husband

The mommy moment is here in its entirety.

Anyway, I texted hubs about it, saying that I was crying, that our baby is a boy na talaga and all that... and how drama I was when it was only two years worth of memories that am remembering while sorting out his clothes.

He first texted me back, "Mwah"

Then he texted me, "Isipin mo na lang how you'd feel pag papamigay mo clothes ko after I die."

So I texted him back, "Tadeu ka pala eh... show me the money!!!"

Yup.. we have a very sick sense of humor sometimes. But drat my darling husband, now I can't get the thought away from my mind... of someday having to do just that (or him having to do that if I go first). Sigh. Where do I even start and stop with the memories, the loving thoughts, the hopes and dreams? Life doesn't seem like much of a life anymore until I got married and had a family of my own in him. So I really can't imagine not being with him. Ever.