from crib to bed

Yay! The husband finally dismantled the little man's crib and make a toddler bed out of it. It looks good and we are trying to get used to it. The little man has been on it several times, possibly feeling how the "new" bed is like. I just leave the door to the room open so he can get to it anytime he wants to. I took pictures but I don't feel like uploading pictures right now with him running around tearing everything he can think of. Crazy! He must be happy we are home. He was basically in his carseat the whole day when we ran errands. We are home now and I am waiting for him to either take a nap or settle down to where I can finish reading a book.

his worldly goods

When the stepson came to live with us two years ago, he didn't bring much with him. He only had a suitcase, a box, a cat, and an old Monte Carlo which he sold when the husband bought him a convertible. It seemed like all he possessed in the wold fit in the old car. I was curious as to what the box contained so I checked it together with the husband and it was a baseball, a baseball glove (which his father bought for him when he was little boy) and some other knick knacks he acquired through the years. He did not even have decent clothes which was rectified right away by going shopping with his father. He didn't have much then and still does not possess much now. He is working, he doesn't have any kind of bills since we are paying for his insurance yet he is not able to save. The mistake of youth, he doesn't seem to think about his future. He spends his money on unimportant things and fast food and the girlfriend and when he is broke that is when he starts eating at home. His father is hoping to put emphasis on responsibility in him. He was already told that he will have to start paying for his insurance and that means more than a hundred dollars a month if he chooses to pay it by month. He probably will because it is quite expensive if he will do it otherwise. I hope it will work. It will be for his own good. He will be the head of the family should he decide to marry so it will be for his benefit if he starts being responsible now.

napping

The little man is still asleep. He fell asleep while we were walking down the beach. The husband got so worried that he kept on checking on his son. I had to reassure him that the little man is fine. He sleeps like a log and did not even move when he slept that's why the husband got worried. He is still in bed right now and I am waiting for him to get up so I can feed him dinner. He woke up early as usual and got so tired after spending time playing with his nephew. The result is good I should say. He still needs to take naps anyway. I hope he will not be grumpy when he wakes up.

Anyway, tomorrow is Black Friday. I am sure there are lots of good stuff that will be on sale on stores. I hope I can go but the husband will work and nobody is going to drive me to the mall. Besides I know the stores will be packed. I hope there will still be sales on Saturday, we might go then. I just want to buy an early Christmas present for the little man. If you are going make sure you get the best deals.

pampering myself

It has been two months since I last cleaned and colored my toe nails. I did it because we will be visiting the husband's relatives and in as much as I was wearing shoes all the time, there might be a chance they will see me barefoot and I could not let them take a peak on unclean nails. Anyway, the trip came and went without "incident" and I have not taken a look at my toe nails again until yesterday. I was horrified with what I saw. Nasty should cover it. I have to clean this nails or else it will get worse. And since the little man is asleep (bless him) I have time to do this arduous task. But then I realized I don't have any more nail polish because the ones I brought here from the Philippines about three years ago are no longer good. I have to get new nail polish. The husband likes it when I use bold colors like the image in the left side of this post. He said it looks sexy. So I will have to look for bold colored nail polish to buy. I have to replenish my nail care kit. I have found an online store that sells nail polish and I must say I like their selection- nine different brands to choose from. I can get any color I want and at reasonable prices as well. It is great to have different choices when shopping at just one store. I can get everything in one place and not worry about going to another store for a certain brand. I know I will feel better after I cleaned and colored my nails. I hope the husband will appreciate the effort too.

so sleepy

Yet he won't take a nap. He is as stubborn as his mama, is what his father always says. And it infuriates me that he is headstrong. I can tell by the way he rubs his eyes that he is indeed fighting sleep. I will not interfere because when I did in the past we ended up frustrated with each other which is not a good thing at all. I will wait until he is ready. He will be passed out either in the carpet in the living room or in his playpen before long. And then I will make my move. Now I am talking like a stalker here, lol. If only it is easy to raise a toddler. But I learned a long time ago it is not. There are no rules, no steps to follow. Most things happen as it go. And mama most of time learns the hard way especially if she doesn't listen to the husband. Anyway, I will continue waiting.

Update: He is already asleep in our bed. I transferred him after he passed out in the carpet. I won! Now, I will have alone time for maybe two, three hours if I am lucky. Gotta take a shower and then maybe clean my nails and then read a book- in that order. Ciao!

what to give a kid for Christmas

As you all know, I have a two year old son. He loves to play with everything but rarely with his toys. Odd? I don't think so. Perhaps we just did not get him the toys he can be interested in. I know for a fact he loves his toy train but I don't want to deal with it right now so I hid it in one of the closet. I am looking for something new to give to the little man this Christmas. While we were riding in his sister's car I saw a few dragons figurine which I handed to him so he will stop whining and he did like it. During the thirty minute ride to our destination he was being good and just played with the toy I gave him. Now that I know he likes something like that then I can go ahead and get him some. I hope he will appreciate the gift and will use it to play with. The husband will surely assist his son if in case I decide to get him something that has to be assembled. Good thing that he doesn't put everything in his mouth anymore. As old as he is, he already knows that toys are for playing and not for eating. I need to save a little money so I can get him a present before Christmas. I am also thinking of buying toys for my twin godsons. I promised them toy cars but since they already have one each I might as well go ahead and get them something different. Kids need variety in toys too, don't you know? Hopefully I will be able to save enough for three.

good boy

The little man surprisingly is being good today. He didn't try to wrestle me away from the computer. Instead, he plays with his toys and watch his favorite cartoons on television. As a reward, mama gave him puffs which he is enjoying right now. It actually is his second serving since he gave me the empty plate signalling for more. I hope he will take his nap too and not fight it or me. He threw up on the carpet last night after our trip to check the house his older sister wants to buy. We had to ride with her with the little man in a carseat facing backwards which made him dizzy. He is used to his own seat which has been facing forward ever since it was legal (and safe) to do so. I had to get down on my knees and clean up the mess while the husband took care of him. Thankfully it didn't last long and he was feeling good again.

In a few days we will be going to spend Thanksgiving with his sister's family. I was invited to come early if I want to help. I don't know though. Everything has to depend on my driver whether he wants to come early or not. It will be an occasion to meet his son-in-law's parents as well. We will see how this one goes, lol. I am looking forward to the long weekend. Perhaps I can convince the husband to bring me to the store to shop. That will be fun!

so hungry

It is not even eight in the morning here and I am already hungry. I don't know what to eat. There is no cooked rice, nor is there any viand. I know I have to get my butt up and fix something in the kitchen but it is so cold I don't want to move at all. If not for the little man waking up early I will never be up at this time.

There is a reason, aside from the cold, that I am hesitant to fix breakfast- my jeans are getting tight again. The few pounds I lost when I got sick with the cold is back. That didn't take long. I hoped to keep it away but that did not work. Which makes me think, should I rely on Decaslim as a means to slim down? Probably. I know I need to lose weight again yet we can't go walk because it is too cold outside. We don't want either the little man or us to get sick. This is becoming like trend for me, lose a pound or two and then gain about three. What am I going to do anymore?

seed of doubt

The husband's daughter visited us the other day. She brought her kids with her, a 20-month old boy and a 5 month old girl. They stayed for a while to the little man's delight. You see, he seldom sees other kids since he is not in daycare and we don't have that many friends with small kids. So he was happy when he saw his nephew and in his excitement growled at him. He still does growl occasionally but most of the time he tries to talk especially when it just me and his father around. I know that the stepdaughter has been thinking that there is something wrong with the little man but I don't let it bother me. After all, I am around him 24 hours a day and so I know how he is. But for her, she said it is creepy how the little man growls instead of talk. She said it scares her son. What can I do? The little man doesn't know how to react when other kids are around and so he does it. But after a few minutes of being around other kids though he warms up and tries to communicate. The stepdaughter asked me if I have any plans on having the little man's hearing tested because she thinks it might be the reason why my son isn't talking like any "normal" toddler would. I said they did when he was a baby but the result was not forwarded to us. I told her I might if when he turns three we don't see any improvement in his speech. I don't think it is his hearing though because I can tell he hears every little sound and he imitates the words he heard from television shows. What I am thinking is he might have speech delay which I read is perfectly normal for bilingual kids. I am starting to worry but the husband said there is nothing wrong with his son and my sister in law said to wait because he is only two and he will eventually pick up words here and there as he gets older. I hope there is nothing wrong with him. I know he knows his ABC and some numbers, and he also repeats words his father said to him but as a parent I can't help but worry.

goodbye afternoon naps

I remember bragging about how my son sleeps three or four hours during the day. Well, as it is, I jinxed myself. He refuses to take naps anymore. I say this follows from him being able to climb out of his crib. He knows there is really nothing Mama can do to stop him. I found out that explanations about the advantages of naps doesn't work, nor does bribes or threats, lol. I just let him do what he wants and hope this is just a phase he will outgrow. Today is the second day and I am really disappointed but what can I do? Perhaps he will see my point one day and realize that sleep is important for his growth and development. Or maybe not. Another downside is I don't have alone time anymore. I cannot even read a book without him either poking my eyes or trying to read the letters of the title of the book I am reading, aloud. I have to think of things we can do to while away the time.

disgusting

Have you ever been to a point in your life where you feel disgusted about your weight and no matter what you do to trim down didn't work? I did. I was in high school then. It may have had to do with hormones and nonstop food binge during the summer prior but I gained a lot of weight. I was over 110 pounds. Being short in height, that didn't help me feel much less look good. A lot of people made fun of me, mostly relatives. Yeah, they can be mean sometimes. It made me thought about the most effective diet pills there is. If you are desperate for something to happen quick I am sure you will think about it too. Ever remember what peer pressure was like? Though it wasn't as blatant but I can tell some kids were making fun of me because of the weight gain. Instead of working on losing weight I started eating more and more until my parents stepped in. And thankfully after a year of struggle I lost the unwanted weight. And kept it for years until I got pregnant. I still have remnants of the doughnut and cookies I gobbled down and now I am having a hard time to get rid of it. Perhaps someday.

rambling

I am thinking of watching a movie later today. Maybe when the little man is taking his nap, if he ever takes one at all. It is hard to make him stay in his bed anymore. It always is a battle of wills between him and me. I am going crazy. In as much as he is afraid when I use that authoritative voice, he can't help being a kid. I think he may be bored and he just wants to be with other kids whom he can play with. He is not in daycare and he doesn't go to play groups or anything. The closest he gets to have a play date is when his nephew comes to visit. I pity my little boy. I wish I can do something to make him happy and content. It is just that I can't seem to know what to do when I play with him judging by the way he whines when I don't do what he wants me to do. Instead of being happy he ends up getting frustrated with me. I can't wait for next year. The husband said if a school will accept him then we will send him to one to where he can be with kids his age. Mama sure is a boring companion. He needs other people who knows what to do to make him open up and reach his potential.

multi tasking yet again

I am doing my drops at entrecard right now and at the same time updating my blogs. And being a multi-tasker that I am, surfing the internet while I am at it. In a little while I will be watching my favorite television series as well. Never a dull moment, huh? The little man's alphabet DVD is on but he is not even watching it. He probably thinks what's the use since he is now an expert with letters. And that is not a joke. He really is. Anyway, there might be something wrong with me. I can't seem to do and finish one thing anymore without having to do other things on the side. It is like I am addicted to multi-tasking. Why, who else do you know can write update on her blog while dropping at entrecard and then searching for vessel sinks at the same time? Not to mention checking online if her favorite Filipino series are already uploaded? And keeping an eye on a toddler running free in the living room too. Tell me, is this wrong or is this the way it is supposed to be? What do you think?

sandwiched

The little man snuggled with us in bed last night. I was squeezed in the middle with the husband in my right and the little man on my left. It would have been fun if the little man wasn't a bed hog. He was like the proverbial sloth on that movie the Ice Age. He tossed and turned looking for a comfortable spot without really caring whether he broke my nose or my ribs. The husband who claimed I felt like I came from the icebox (read:very cold hands and feet) snuggled me even closer. I couldn't even move. While the adults were under the cover, the toddler decided he wanted nothing from our cover since he had his two blankets with him. I, who was used to sleeping alone for twenty five years, felt suffocated. I had to wait until they were both snoring before I transferred the little man to his crib making sure he will not get cold. And then I went to snuggle with my human heater. For the first time in months, the little guy didn't wake up at six in the morning but at past eight. He must have had a good night. I can tell there will be more of this in the coming nights. Actually this started a few nights ago. Happy days!

we are still up

It is a few minutes before eleven and here I am still wide awake. The husband rented a carpet cleaner because he claimed he couldn't take what the carpet looks like anymore. I know he is tired and I am willing to help him but I can't since the little man is caught up with all the excitement and he is still up. I have been playing tag with him because he wants to see what his father is doing but I can't let him or there will be an argument. He climbed out of his crib several times. When I checked the husband's progress I went out of our room but made sure it was closed behind me with a plastic knob thrown in for good measure. I went back in and who do I see sitting in the bedroom floor just near the door but the little man who said hi with a grin. It is way past bedtime for him but he is fighting sleep. I am sleepy too but I can't go to bed with the husband still up and cleaning. I wonder who will give up first, the little man who only had a two hour nap instead of the usual four or the mother who have been up since six. Who do you think? Lol.

it's their turn

When we went to visit the husband's mother and siblings, one of his sisters said something about coming down to visit us in Spring. Her family have been to visit several times ever since we moved down south and those are fun times. Last year, upon searching online for vacation rentals, they found one in Myrtle Beach and we stayed with them for days. Good thing they timed it for the husband's days off. True it will be a few months before Spring and we have to brave the winter but I am now looking forward to their visit. I am sure the little man will enjoy it and the husband will be happy to see one of his sisters. We hope that we will hear good news from his other sister who is sick right now.

this mama is sick

I don't feel good. My stomach is upset in a way that I feel like puking but I can't. You know how it feels like when you are carsick? That is what I feel right now. I blame it on the rice (i am using a different variety right now) and the pork leg that I cooked the other day. All this started yesterday and until now I feel rotten. I want to go walk. Maybe this is just indigestion. It sucks! First the cold and now this. If this is a bug of some sort I hope the "boys" will not get it. When I told my father about it last night he asked if I was pregnant. Well, not that I know of. He is always afraid I will get pregnant again when he hasn't even seen his first grandchild yet, lol. I just hope I will feel better.

shopping on black friday

The husband and I have been frequenting one store when we do our grocery shopping. The reason- we want to have more points so we can get a free turkey. We figured, we do have to buy grocery and it won't hurt if we will get rewarded for it will it? So we go to one store every weekend or when we need to buy groceries. The problem is even if we go over the limit to earn a point we still only get one point. He thought about doing our grocery separately, he'll do half and I will do half that way we will get two points, lol. Of course with the little man that is impossible not to mention a lot of work. So we just do it the traditional way. We only need one more point anyway and with Thanksgiving still two weeks away we have plenty of time. We might even get really cheap turkey the day before but that is another story.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I just remembered a promise the husband made to me almost a year ago. He said he will let me shop on Black Friday. Yey for me. We didn't go last time since it was late and we knew the stores will be crowded. We were in Myrtle Beach then and the mall parking lots were already packed. He said if I will get ready early we might go. I have to get ready and search for Black Friday ads so I will know what the good deals are. I want to buy clothes for me and for my family. Perhaps a few toys as well. I hope the husband will not change his mind. Like most men, he hates shopping but he lets me get my way from time to time.

he ate some tuna!

Now, don't flame me for acting like this is a big deal because for me it is, lol. I have dreamed and waited for this moment to happen, you know. My little boy ate from my plate and once he tasted the tuna that I cooked with string beans, he kept coming back for more. He even ate rice! Isn't it cause for celebration? Or for me to be this giddy? If you only know what it is like, looking at your son eat the same food over and over again, I am sure you will feel elated too. No, he didn't eat too much. Just a little bite every now and then but the fact that he didn't make face and he didn't spit the rice is a good sign. Of course there is a chance this is just a one-time thing but I still am happy. I hope though that he will continue to do this. I know if I serve the food to him he will not eat it. The best way is to put the food on my plate because being a busybody that he is, he will look on and if he likes what he sees then he will taste the food. I got to go, I have to call the husband and tell him about this rare happening, lol. Oh, I am so happy.

be generous

I talked to my friend the other night, she offered to give me a blog in its own domain name which has been paid for by her. She said she will host the blog for free but the new owner will have to pay for the renewal of the domain name. Doesn't it sound like a good deal? It is, isn't it? There is no catch too. She is one of those people who never fails to share her blessings so other people can benefit too. I already chose the blog I would want and we agreed that she will turn it over after the 15th of this month. Yesterday though she asked me if it was okay to give it to another friend who badly needs a blog. I said yes right away. She was afraid I might get upset but I assured her I am not. It is my own way of helping somebody in need. I already have a few blogs and I figured what harm will it do me if I will give way? Nothing. So I told my friend to go ahead and give the blog to her other friend. It is enough for me that she is hosting three of my blogs since she has her own web hosting account. I can't be too greedy. It is not good. The fact that my friend is helping me unconditionally is reason enough to be generous to others too. I hope the other friend will make use of the blog and enjoy having it. We are lucky to have a friend who is willing to host our blogs for free and has been giving us a lot of freebies along the way. My friend is lucky to have found a web hosting company which is rated as one of the top ten in the business. She can host multiple domains which is an advantage to us her friends. I thought about getting my own web hosting account but I do not think the time is right. When it is, I am sure I will know.

it is time for a regular bed

I think it is time for another phase in my little man's life. That is sleeping on a toddler bed. No rails, no locks- just a regular bed where he will have more freedom to climb up or down without me worrying he is going to break his neck or a leg. When the husband has time which should be this weekend, we will dismantle the little man's crib. It will be another phase. There will surely be frustrations and a lot of yelling and screaming but I know it is for the best. He is getting bigger and taller and he needs more room. If the husband will only permit me to, I want a regular bed for the little man and not just a toddler bed. As it is, we don't have much space. He sleeps in our room because his older brother is using the other room. There are only two bedrooms in this duplex we live in which I think is the reason why the husband told me to look for houses near his work place. We might move again after our lease here is over hopefully to a bigger house. Our family is growing and we need a bigger space. That way, the little man will have his own room and his own space. I am sure he will like that. I did when my parents decided to let me sleep in my own room when I was ten. Besides, the husband and I need some privacy too. I hope things will fall into place and we will find us a nice place to move in to. I trust the Lord will provide for us. He always does.

down the trash can

I fixed pancakes for the little man's breakfast. Unfortunately, he didn't eat it. He smelled, he tasted, he played, but he never ate one single bite. I even sat with him on the table eating my own bowl of oatmeal which when I let him have a taste of he deemed yucky judging by the faces he made after a spoonful. I am lucky he didn't spit it out on my face. I had to give in and gave him rice cereal which he gobbled down without any complains.

Sometimes it is frustrating to give this little man something to eat. As I always complained, he is a picky eater. How I wish he will eat whatever food I put in front of him but that is not the case. If only he is not a picky eater, I will cook whatever he wants to eat even if it means digging through casserole recipes or any other recipe book for that matter. I want him to have a balanced diet but as it is right now, he only eats certain kinds of food, a single fruit that is banana, and potatoes as long as it is fried. Oh, I forgot, he also likes crackers. Unhealthy, but I think that is better than him starving. I need a miracle.

he climbed out of his crib

It is already past bed time for the little man but we are still up. I am trying to call my parents but I couldn't get any signal. I am afraid to put him to bed since if he will not see me in bed then he will try to climb out of his crib. He did this afternoon when I put him in his crib for his nap. I went to the bathroom and when I got out, he was already running around in the living room. Good thing I had the presence of mind to move his crib close to our bed. It would have been disaster if I didn't. He is getting braver and more innovative lately. Not to mention active. I have to keep an eye on him all the time or else the husband will spend his day at work worrying if we are doing good at home.

good boy

We let the little man walk when we went walking on the beach earlier this evening. He walked for a mile and a half and when I tried to pick him up he didn't let me. He just wanted Dada to hold his hand all the time while he was walking. Well, he let me hold his hand for a while but it seemed like he preferred his father's warm hands. I enjoyed the walk. It cleared my mind and it made me feel better. The little man was being a good boy all the time we were walking. He didn't cry or throw a fit when it was time to go home. I hope he will continue this way. Life will surely be smooth sailing and Mama doesn't have to get frustrated especially since there will be more walks in our future.

presents

My brother will be going home in a few weeks. He works on a boat and his contract is almost finished so he will be heading to Leyte to visit our parents but he has to get his wife and daughter from Manila first. When he called me weeks ago he said he already have presents for our parents. He knows what our parents like so he made sure to get each a jewelry they can use everyday. He bought Papsy a nice necklace and I think a bracelet for Mamsy. I am sure they will be happy. It will be like a mini-reunion for them. Mini because my family will not be there. The grandparents haven't seen their grandkids yet since one is in the US and the other is in Manila with her mother. We will eventually see each other once we decide to visit them at the right time. I hope they will all have a good time.

he wants more kisses

Just recently, the little man is getting more and more lovey-dovey and sweet. He always runs to me or his father (when he's home) for kisses and hugs and some "talk time". He is so funny and rough and we love him for it. He wakes us up yelling for his Dada and when the latter gets him out of his crib and brings him to our bed, he always puts his forehead on our lips for kisses. The husband told me to enjoy the moment since this will not last long. He said when the little man gets older there will be less and less of this displays of affection. We are loving it.

join the fun

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numbers and shapes

I had to put the little man in his playpen earlier because I had to lay down for a while. Been feeling sick and dizzy for days now. I turned on his DVD on shapes and numbers and he is still enjoying it until now. He already knows how to count from one to ten so he is now into naming shapes. It is still hard to understand his words but I can tell he is trying to say star, circle, square, and the other shapes shown in the video. As hard as it is to say good job and very good, I still cheer him on so he will know I am proud and happy he is reacting to what he is watching. I just hope this d*mn cold and dizziness will go away so I can play with my boy more. I am afraid he will get sick with the cold again if I get too close to him.

snack time, cleaning time (again)

I gave the little man grilled cheese sandwich biscuit and juice for his snacks this morning. I let him have his snacks while he is sitting in the carpet since he is watching tv. Well, as I am typing now, there are biscuits crumbs all over the living room carpet. And he knows full well I just vacuumed the carpet. Sweet!

I have to clean up his mess and get the bulky vacuum out before he starts dragging all this litter in the kitchen floor. It is always fun with a toddler around. At least he is eating some so I guess it is all worth it.