NAOMI: 2009 & 2012

Can't help but post this super cutie ID pictures of Naomi back in 2009 and one that was taken last weekend. (Yes, super cutie!  Walang kokontra!  Nanay ako hihihi)  What was funny is that we selected the same dress template for Naomi after 3 years!  Hindi naman kami masyado consistent no heheheh Both pictures were taken by Great Image :)

  

Timeline:

Left picture - Taken in November 2012; Naomi at 4 years old.

Right picture - Taken when Naomi was barely 1 year old.

REFLECTIONS OF NAOMI

Naomi never fails to amaze Mommy and Daddy.  This morning, while watching Cars (a Disney movie), Naomi just blurted this out:

Naomi  :  Daddy, I think I'm like Lightning McQueen.
Daddy  :  Why???
Naomi  :  You know, I made many mistakes but now I'm better.

Awwwww!!! Muntik nang maluha si Daddy hahahah  Coming  from a 4-year-and-5-month old kiddo.  At talagang may reflection ang anak ko :)  But most of all, it just shows that she can comprehend an English movie at her very young age.

Oh, Naomi, you are a never-ending source of amazement and pleasant surprises.  Love you, my princess!

KEEP CALM...

I've been seeing different versions of "Keep Calm" posters/frames and I thought last night's poster at Fruits In Ice Cream, Solenad 2, Nuvali, is really cute.  Yeah, "Keep Calm And Have A Sundae" :) yum yum!

Having Naomi in the picture makes it even cuter :)

I hope to have one of those "Keep Calm" frames.  Or maybe do it myself.  Found this free downloadable "Keep Calm" images at www.simplyfreshdesigns.com (click on the link on the photo below).  Let's keep the positive vibes at our homes and be reminded to just keep calm and carry on.  Happy DIY'ing your own "Keep Calm" posters :)

http://www.simplyfreshdesigns.com/2010/09/keep-calm-and-carry-on-8x10-freebie/

NATHAN'S FIRST PET: FISH!!!

Daddy surprised Nathan on November 7, 2012 with one of his favorite animals... a FISH!!!  

We noticed that Nathan really loves fish.  He keeps on playing with the fish on the pond, would always invite us to go to Solenad for fish feeding, and even at pet stores or supermarket, he would always get excited seeing the fish :)  And his favorite Sesame Street character, Elmo, also has a fish named "Dorothy".  

At first, we were anxious of giving Nathan a pet because we're afraid he would just squeeze or poke it out of so much excitement.  But last weekend, Daddy decided to finally get Nathan his own fish!  According to Daddy, having a pet is a good way of training children about responsibility.  Oh well, for now I am just happy to see Nathan enjoying his fish.  Ate Naomi decided to name it "Sam".  Let us see how long this fish will live :)

More of Nathan's pictures with Sam the fish :)

THE MIRACLE PRAYER

I just want to share this Miracle Prayer which Papa and Mama gave us last Sunday, October 7, 2012.  Together with the Miracle Prayer, Papa and Mama also gave us a book of prayers entitled, "Straight From The Heart".  It is a compilation of various Catholic prayers compiled and edited by Rev. Fr. Mario Jose C. Ladra.  Papa and Mama got this from St. Paul parish church in Marikina.  Both the book and the prayer leaflet were published by St. Pauls so I think you can buy that in any St. Pauls bookstore or religious houses.  



Receiving this is very timely since Nathan has been sickly lately.  He was having on and off fever in weekly intervals.  Nathan is better as of this writing.  Just the same, I am still praying for his health and for a stronger immune system.  Same prayer goes for the whole family.  

Please feel free to share this to any one who may need it.  Better yet, buy from St. Pauls :D

ST PAULS
7708 St. Paul Road, San Antonio Village
1203 Makati City, Philippines
Tel (632) 8959701 to 04 or (632) 8966771
Fax (632) 8907131
Website: www.stpauls.ph
E-mail for orders: wholesale@stpauls.ph

**********

THE MIRACLE PRAYER

(By Rev. Fr. Mario Jose C. Ladra)

Lord Jesus,

I come before you, just as I am.

I am sorry for my sins,

I repent of my sins,

please forgive me.

In your name, I forgive all others

for what they have done against me.

I renounce Satan, the evil spirits

and all their works.

I give you my entire self.

Lord Jesus, now and forever,

I invite you into my life.

Jesus, I accept you as my Lord,

God, and Savior.

Heal me, change me, strengthen me

in body, soul, and spirit.

(Close your eyes and speak to God.  Ask God for a miracle.)

Come, Lord Jesus,

cover me with your precious blood, 

and fill me with your Holy Spirit,

I love you, Lord Jesus.

I praise you, Jesus.

I thank you, Jesus.

I shall follow you every day of my life.

Amen.

Mary, my Mother, Queen of Peace,

Saint Peregrine, the cancer saint,

and all you, angels and saints,

please help me.

Amen.

(Say this prayer faithfully, no matter how you feel, when you come to the point where you sincerely mean each word, with all your heart, something good spiritually will happen to you.  You will experience Jesus, and He will change your whole life in a very special way.  You will see.)

TIME OUT

About two weeks ago, Naomi had her first experience of "time out" in school.  Yes, time out, which means she was asked to go to one corner of the room to calm down.

When I got home then, yaya told me that Naomi cried in school when teacher asked her to go on time out.  I asked Naomi about it and she confessed that she shouted bad words to her classmate.  She told me that she was just imitating Sharpay, the not-so-nice character in High School Musical (HSM).  Shucks!  Just when I thought that HSM was kid-friendly, there is still that risk of kids imitating the villain!.  Anyway, when I asked what the bad word was, Naomi wouldn't tell me.  She just told me she was sorry and will not do it again.    Well, that's Naomi.  There are not-so-good things that she just do not want to talk about, much more repeatedly talk about it, but would lovingly give you the assurance that she will not do it again.  Of course, she still gets pretty pilya and I guess that is where the parents' role come in.  That is to continuously remind the children about good manners and values.

I decided to ask teacher about the incident.  Teacher confirmed that Naomi did say a bad word to her classmate.  Naomi was having an argument with her classmate and out of frustration shouted "Stupid!".  According to teacher, that was the first time that she heard Naomi say that word.  I thanked teacher and I understand that she had to do that for discipline so that these kiddos would learn that bad behavior has consequence.

So there.  Reflect reflect agad si Mommy.  I was asking myself if Naomi did pick up the bad word from the movie or heard it somewhere else.  I asked hubby if there was ever a time when either one of said that word and maybe Noami had picked it up.  We remember one time but we know for sure that Naomi did not hear it.  Or maybe, it's the power of media, specifically television, which has a big effect on our kids.  Whatever the source is, reality is that there are so many things, good and bad, that our kids will learn not only from us.  Kids are like sponges and they easily absorb the words, actions, situations happening around them.  I just pray for the grace to be vigilant enough to assist my kids in sorting out what is morally good and bad, impart values to help them live their lives with love and respect, and teach socially acceptable good manners.  Lastly, I hope and pray that our kids will keep these lessons in their mind and in their heart.  

P.S.  Grabe teh parang ang layo na ng naabot ko eh "time-out" lang naman to during Naomi's pre-school days.  May grade school, high school, and college pa!!! (",)  Easy lang, Mommy, easy lang (",)

(Timeline: Naomi is 4 years and 3 months old as of this writing.)

FIRST TERM ASSESSMENT (KDC, SY 2012-2013)

I thought of posting Naomi and Nathan's first term assessment for school year 2012-2013 because I want to have a record of their milestones in their toddler years.  I have no time for scrapbooking anymore so this is a good venue to capture this and for my kids to have something to look back when they are older.

Anyway, enough of the intro and the justification.  I just want to simply share my kids' milestones.  And I guess I am just one proud mommy :)

NATHAN

Nathan's First Term Assessment for SY 2012-2013 (Sparklers Class, KDC, 9/8/2012)

This is extra special for Nathan since this is his first assessment in pre-school.  Nathan is in Kids' Discovery Corner's (KDC) Sparklers Class (1.5 to 2.5 years old) and he joined this class at age 2 years and 1 month.  I am so glad that he enjoyed his first day in school very much.  He was running around all the time (thanks to Ate Naomi who kept playing and chasing him).  And after 3 months in school, this is what Teacher Ines has to say about Nathan's performance in school.  And yes, my husband and I agree with teacher that Nathan really takes pride of his work.  Every Friday, the kids get to bring home their art work/seatwork and Nathan would proudly show them off to us.  I hope this enthusiasm in school will be there until college!  

NAOMI

Naomi's First Term Assessment for SY 2012-2013 (Supernovas Class, KDC, 9/8/2012) 

For Naomi, she is in the Supernovas Class (I think age ranges from 4 to 5 years old).  Naomi was 4 years old when she joined this class.  This is actually the preparation-for-big-school stage.  We are planning on transferring Naomi to a formal school next year and I am glad the teachers in KDC also considers that and take steps to practice and prepare these kids to big school.  By the way, I refer to the formal Kinder, Prep, etc school (accredited by Dep Ed) as the big school.  I really am so excited for Naomi and she is too.  Lately, she would doodle on paper and tell me that she is practicing for the big school.  I just hope Naomi will enjoy the big school as much as she does KDC.  And that she will have really good friends along the way.  

God bless and good luck, my two dear gremlins!  Mwah!

PASKO NA!!!

Yep, that's what I say every time I see these grass or "talahib na puti" (sorry I don't know what they are called so just for the sake of this post let us call them "grass")

ang talahib na puti. bow!

For some reason, I see these grass when it's late August, early September.  As in nakikisabay sa "ber" months :)  I think I started noticing them when I was in college.  My sister find it weird though but I am really convinced that these "talahib na puti" are indication that Christmas is near... very near! :D

Enjoy the most wonderful time of the year!  Merry Christmas!

PLAYDATE

Naomi had her first playdate with her classmate Sofia last August 31, 2012.  I think she really had fun coz when Naomi went home, she was full of stories and was telling me how cool Sofia's mom's car is.  More than the stories, she came home with these cutie bows on her head.  Sofia gave them to her :)

Lovely bows which may be used as hair accessory or may be clipped to shirts and rubber shoes.

"Playdate" is actually a new concept for me.  Although I have an idea of what this is about, I still looked it up in Google and I found this in Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_date

O diba, uso na talaga to.  Actually, even last year, I've been receiving invitations from some mommies of Naomi's classmates.  But I couldn't get Naomi to join coz there is nobody to bring her to the venue as both me and my husband are working.  But for Naomi's first playdate, Sofia's mom, Andie, offered to pick her up from our home at 2:00 pm and to bring her back at 5:00 pm.  Since I took the day off from the office last August 31, I offered to just bring Naomi to Sofia's house but requested Andie to bring her back home instead.  I offered to do this coz I want to see where my daughter would be playing.  I learned further from Andie that she ensures her daughter Sofia has one-on-ones and group playdates to improve social skills.  Sofia has a regular group playdate every Friday and all moms take turns in hosting it.  That made me more at ease with the idea of playdates.  It seems like Sofia's mom knows very well how playdates work.  Andie even asked me if Naomi is allergic to anything and to any specific food.

Oh well, I guess that's how it is these days.  Back in my generation, kids would just go out of the streets and play.  As in kung saan saan pa kami nakakarating lalo na pag naka-bike. Parents then would just call you when it's time to go back home.  Other parents would shout "Psssttt!" and for some reason my playmates know who was calling who.  But I guess the security situation today is different.  Now, I can't imagine allowing my children to wander around the village all by themselves.  And most mothers now are working so the children are not really allowed to go out and are left with the care of the nannies who are given instructions to watch over the children at home.

So I guess it will just be playdates from now on :)

P.S.  Just the same, I am still hoping my kids will learn and experience the traditional Pinoy games like chinese garter, mataya-taya, tumbang preso, shato, pepsi-seven-up, at kung anu-ano pa :)  For starters, I bought these so I can start teaching Naomi chinese garter, chinese king kong, and 10-20 :)  Laro na!

Pinag dugtung-dugtong na goma.  Bow!

TRANSLATING NATHAN'S LANGUAGE

Back in November 2010, I blogged about Naomi's interesting and funny terms.  Naomi was 2 years and 5 months old then.  Here's a screenshot of my blog in my multiply account.

Now, it's Nathan's turn in my blog site.  He is 2 years and 4 months old as of this writing.  

Nathan's toddler language is likewise quirky and funny.  He is at the stage where he talks and babbles a lot but somehow Mommy and Daddy can't quite get what he means.  Anyway, we enjoy every moment of it and here are some of Nathan's unique terms:

1.  "Annie" means airplane.
2.  "Amis" means ice cream.
3.  "Apayz" means pizza.
4.  "Amayz" means swimming.
5.  "Atis" means lizard.
6.  "Are you" means "Where are you?"
7.  "Per-per" means pacifier

These are just some of the words in Nathan's own dictionary.  Soon he will be talking straight and let's just see how more talkative he will be.  Oh, and if I may just mention it, he is into "howling" lately.  Nathan would tilt up his head and do his "Awooo!" sound especially if he gets excited to walk our husky, Maximus.

Isn't Mr. Awooo the cutest?

That's all folks!  How about you?  What are your kiddos' language? :)

JUST DROPPIN' BY TO SAY...

... Hello there, dear blog.  I am your owner.  Nice to know you're still searchable in the internet :) Don't you worry, you'll be resurrected soon.  Just you wait :)


Sincerely,


Jeng
(blogger-wannabe)