Little lovers

Kids. Little people who will love you no matter what and will teach you most things about love.

Mommy's changed over the years. Changed jobs. Stopped work. Returned to work. Become skinnier so when you lie on me, you feel my bony chest. Have less time for you during the weekdays. Become more resigned to certain things in life, become more feisty about others.

Yet, because of you guys, mommy wears her heart on her sleeve. The way you two do too :) . That moment when I reach the house gate, when I see you guys smiling or running around, my heart leaps with joy!

So Far

We have come so far and done so well. Take me further, even though I haven't a clue where we're going.

Yes, kids, most of the time, mommy hasn't the slightest idea where things are headed. But do continue to trust and things will reveal themselves in good time.

Afternoon naps

One of the things I miss most about being a stay at home mom are the afternoon naps. They're usually between 3 to 6pm and after the boys have been tired out by their post lunch play.

Why do I think I miss these nap times so much? Firstly, I lie in bed with whichever child I put to sleep for almost the entire nap. Sometimes I fall asleep, sometimes I don't. If I'm not asleep, I get to watch them sleep. At night, I don't usually bother to keep awake to watch them :)~ When they wake up from their afternoon naps, they're usually in a good mood, and there isn't a rush to get to the next activity. Maybe it's just something about napping in the middle of the afternoon and waking up at dusk.

For me, there's something about just being home with the children in the afternoon and having absolutely nothing to do but to be with them. And it seems so frivolous on the surface, but so crucial to the development of the child or to the relationship between child and care giver.

Thankfully, I do have a wonderful boss at the moment and the work is relatively meaningful so I look forward to working on weekdays. But still, I do miss these wonderful afternoon naps.

It's tough being a working mother. Wait, it's tough being a mother, period. Even stay at home moms running their own businesses struggle with time management because they can't give as much time to their kids as they'd like. I have to constantly remind myself why I want to work. I want to contribute to the household income and help provide for my kids. I want to be contribute to the workforce by applying myself and doing well at work assigned to me. I think I do appreciate my kids more when I get some personal space for my self development (i.e. work or hobbies).

What can I do to cope? Focus on the present. Tomorrow is a Monday and is a working day for me, but I still have more than 12 hours at home with the kids. I need to focus on that.

Just So You Know

Mornings are difficult for mommy. Not really because I want to continue snoozing. I'm a morning person so I enjoy waking up by 6.30am or earlier. The earlier the better for me, so I can prepare for work leisurely.

BUT, the two of you make it so hard. First, Chris, you take after daddy and would sleep in everyday if you could. Not by yourself though. You want to continue sleeping, snuggled right up to mommy. You whine (with eyes closed, mind you), if I get up. Or you start nursing and fall right back to sleep. You make me wish it was the weekend and I could hug you and let you sleep in for as long as you want.

When I finally convince you that I need to go workout and get ready for work, I see your older brother drinking his milk quietly and watching me. Baby elephant, you wave at me when I say good morning or sometimes stop drinking your milk to speak to me as well. I can't resist giving you a morning kiss. It's like I missed you the entire night because I take care of your brother in a different room at night.

You (two of you) make mommy wear her heart on her sleeve and she enjoys it tremendously.

Always my baby:)

Here's looking at you, my sweet pea!

Brothers

Here they are, early on Monday morning. Forgive the blurriness of the pics. Baby elephant was halfway through his milk and Chris went to look for him while I got ready for Chris's bath. They were beckoning to each other and it really pleases this mommy to see them starting to interact as brothers:)

I wish I had more pictures of them. The thing is, I'm usually in the thick of the action too, so I don't have the time to run for my camera or phone. I think I'd rather be with them than watching from the sidelines anyway.

Picnic in the nude

Chris (on the right) and his friend, Cristan, enjoying baked chicken with carrots, sweet potato, potato, onions, asparagus and mango and nectarine.

Sweet Relief

Warning: TMI (maybe)

This is the reason why I couldn't do my middle of the night workout today.

A restless baby at night, trying to learn to crawl/pull up/walk. A restless baby who has not pooped for two days- Sunday and Monday. Had a medium poop during the day (on Tuesday) but I knew that couldn't be all.

He started grunting and farting at 2.45am after drinking copious amounts of booby milk. I knew then that we were headed for a possible diaper blowout. Soon, by 3.10am, he had done the deed and I was on my knees trying to clean him up while wrestling with his legs and preventing him from turning, pulling the soiled diaper from underneath himself, dipping his hands into his own poo. (Of course this sounds normal to us parents, but I'm recording this for Chris).

So Chris, this was you when you were 8 months!

I'm relieved that he's been relieved of the goop :) even at 3am in the morning. I also know he's not constipated because of the liquid/ soft paste-like consistency of his poop. !!(Ok, TMI here.)!! Plus I inspected the goop and found evidence that he has been eating - carrots, pear skin and flesh! Hurray!!

Sorry Chris... TMI...


This is him five minutes after getting cleaned up. Sweet relief :) plus I have barely any room to sleep, so I try to sleep crouched up at the bottom of the mattress.

My little Pookie

Awwwww... Chris....

The middle 2 pics were taken after Ash Wednesday mass, hence the ash on the forehead.

Oh, I just heard him giggling in his sleep. Sigh!!