things to be thankful for

It's true that when God closes a door, He opens a window.

It has been 2 months now since our nanny left. Its hard on me (struggling to get through the morning mommy rituals and making it on time at the office) but its especially hard for my mom who takes over my role while I'm away from AJ. Its not easy for a 30 year old to take care of a very active child, I tell you … what more for a 62 year old woman?

Stress Level is unimaginable!

But then again, I'm only 35 thousand short of my Q1 target, thus I'm thankful for the blessings that comes my way everyday. Even if some clients gets into my nerves, they are still out numbered by those who makes my life at work easier.

Stress Level is minimal to zero.

Terrible Twos

Development experts say TT (Terrible Twos) can strike as early as 18 months and as late as 30 months. I think AJ is actually in his early stages of TT at 20 months old.

He enjoys going up and down the stairs by himself and when he sees us on his heals, (grins at us, then) he'll climb up even faster (just like saying "catch me if you can!"). Whenever he tries to jump, he bends his knees and stands up abruptly but his feet never left the ground…hahhaha! Nevertheless, he is all smile after he does this. He also know how to put on his slippers and his crocs.. Though he gets frustrated when his left foot can't fit on his right crocs, and eventually he'll asks for help by making silly and irritating cry of help.

Ever since he learned how to wear his shoes/slip-ons, he's now eager to try on ours... especially his dad's shoes and slippers. He removes our slippers even if we are wearing them and walks around the house wearing them with a wide grin. One time he saw his dad putting on a socks, he went to his drawer and got his own socks and handed it to me. Even if crocs are worn bare footed, her wanted me to put socks on him too. And so I did. After doing so, he just yanked it out his feel and tried to put them on himself which was impossible so again he whines and asked for help.

He really wants to do these "grown-up" things. He also helps around the house. He sometimes sweep the floor but with just one stroke and drags the broom around the house from the living room to the kitchen... which makes the litter more scattered that it used to. While we fold the laundry, he was suppose to put it in the basket but what he does is unfold the laundry and throw it on the floor (so this doesn't count as helping around the house either..hehhehe!)

Fortunately, he has not throw himself down on the floor in a fit of temper if he doesn't get his way whenever we are in a public place. He usually do this at home when his demands are not given and whenever we say no to anything that he insist of doing like climbing and hanging onto his high chair (which he loves to do.. So I don't think he's afraid of heights at all.. He just enjoys those dangerous stuff ..like driving his toy car even faster when there is a hump)

Speaking of driving... it amuses us whenever we are in the car and AJ pushes himself into his dad's lap then holds and stirs the steering wheel.. But of course we only allow him to do this when we are already inside the village and our speed is like 10km/h.

Unfortunately, he enjoys biting everyone... I get bite marks on my legs, ears, arms, shoulder. I get bitten for several times already and I just don't think he gets it whenever I say that "biting is bad" or "Don't bite, your hurting mommy".

He just smiles at me and carry on whatever he was doing before biting me.

Our weekends usually comprises with these milestones that never ceases to amaze us.

Happy long weekend everyone!! its a non-working holiday on Monday (Feb 25th) in celebration of the EDSA People Power...Glad I can watch the live telecast of the Oscars :)

review: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Nineteen Minutes addresses the aftermath of a high school shooting in a small town. You would ask, WHY would a high school student goes on a rampage and starts shooting at his schoolmates in his school in broad daylight? Jodi Picoult, tells us the answer to this question. And why bullying in school should not be taken lightly by society and especially those who run our schools.



A good read and an eyeopener to parents. Reading this book made me think of my son. I was never part of the popular group neither did I belong to the geek and the weird.. I was a commoner, trying to fit in. And be normal and unnoticed. But what would it be like when AJ starts kindergarten, grade school or high school? ... Would he be the object of bullying? would he be the bully or would he be one of those commoner? It's scary for parents to let their kid go out into the (unsafe) world and experience life when all you did ever since they were born is to protect them from getting hurt. But then you realize that the only way to grow up is to experience it.



Its now that I understand my mom why she has to get into my stuff and lurk around my room..and checking the contents of my bag. She was just protecting me and making sure that I don't loose my way during my high school and college days. For sure I'll do the same with AJ :)

surprises comes in different packages

My (ex)officemate has finally decided to resign and move on to the next level of her career after 6 years. I'm happy for her but this made me think about my own job...or career (or whatever you call it! ). I ask myself if I am brave enough to take the challenge and see what's beyond the green walls of the office. I'll be in my 7th year in the company next month and I know I've already accomplished a lot but I feel there is more to come for me.

Right now, I'm enjoying my momentum in terms of my targets... surprisingly, I'm not only hitting them but exceeding them for the past 2 months and its not even month end yet. The last time I get to experience this was during my first 2 years in the company where my sales just keeps on coming ... thanks to those inbound calls. hahaha! But then, you can never be too complacent... you got to always have a back-up plan when your pending proposals are shelved and your client buys from the competitor... PATAY na!

Let's see if I get that 7-year itch (is there such a thing in the corporate world?).. i'll keep you posted on that..

On a happier note ... Yesterday, I was surprised to get reply from my query last Feb 4 in Powerbook's multiply site about Remember Me? the latest book of Sophie Kinsella. That they have this book available at selected branches. So I immediately sent an email to make a reservation knowing that it will be released on Feb 26 (which is the official release date of the book). Then, I get another email asking for my contact number so they can get in touch with me as soon as its available in my nominated branch. I was expecting that they'll call or text me by next week.... but, after about 2 hours, I received a message that they have reserve the book for me until Feb 22... what da..?? I was shocked to learn that they already have the book on stand and its not yet even Feb 26. I was so excited I can't wait to get out of the office and head to Megamall to get my copy at the customer service counter.

Though it took them sometime to reply to my query on their site... they have compensated it with the earlier availability of the book here in the Philippines.. Thanks Powerbooks! your super!!!!

the V-day

Valentine's is just around the corner or should I say exactly 7 days away and I don't have anything planned yet. Hubby and I used to go to concerts, dinner, movie, even went to that Lovapalooza thing a couple of years back. But now, I'm running out of things to do. Safe to assume that there is a 50% probability that we'll have a double date with our favorite couple friends (Jan and Varian) if they don't have anything planned either. So let's wait and see what our V-Day will be like.

How about gifts? What would be a perfect gift for my fine Engineer? Humm.. what does he like? DotA, new video card, additional memory for his computer, a 17" flat computer screen. Unfortunately, budget is an issue, so could a kiss be sufficient :) ? hahaha! I hope so. He's not very good at giving gifts. Hubby always asks me what i want so I never really expect to be surprised every time he gives me something cause I always know what's inside the box or sometimes I always guessed what's inside the bag :) So, this year, I asked for a 2G xd card for our digicam.. just want to be prepared when summer comes.

Well I have 7 days to rattle my brain or I can always get him a nice v-day card :) hahaha! so unromantic!

Remember Me?

OMG! I actually got giddy and gushed over the thought of getting my hands on the new book of Sophie Kinsella. Yesssss people, her new novel "Remember Me?" will be released on Feb 28 and i C-A-N-T wait! So, I posted a message at Powerbook's site and I already asked when it will be released here in PH. I've learned my lesson not to buy from Amazon.com anymore since it cost me more (based on my experience when Shopaholic & Baby was released) ~ just to give a quick background: I ordered Shopaholic & Baby online but then it got delayed, for 3 freakin' weeks!! and by the time I got the book, Powerbooks was selling it for 2 weeks already and with a selling price of only 600++. WTF!? I felt robbed!
Oh well, lesson learned there.

So, if your a fan of Sophie's work.. here is an excerpt from her latest book.

Reading a few lines from the excerpt.. here's the first that made me chuckle:

The sack race at school. Oh God, not this memory again. I try to block it out, but too late, it's rushing in. . . . I'm seven years old, it's sports day, and I'm winning by miles, but it feels so uncomfortable to be out front that I stop and wait for all my friends. They catch up-then somehow in the melee I trip and wind up coming in last. I can still feel the humiliation, hear the laughter, feel the dust in my throat, the taste of bananas . . .

Did I mention that I can't wait for this to be released? But what the heck, I'm saying it again.... I CAN'T WAIT!