Yakee on Drums

Lately, whenever Yakee finds an unused set of chopsticks (usually from takeouts), he would gather all the stools and plastic toy chests in the house and set up his drum set. We have taken videos (just haven't uploaded any) and he's really so adorable 'playing' for us. Hubs has always wanted to purchase a drum set for him so this developing interest is super fine with him.

Party pooper that I am though, I say that any purchase of  pearl drums will have to wait till we have a better home... with a den or garage just for musical instruments (noise over practice). Hehe.

Yakee's widow (his capacity to commit sounds to memory) is good so if he grows up musical, that would be really awesome!

And yes, him banging on things helps in releasing some of his nervous energy... which is great for facilitating sleep. Haha.

*~*

He wrote his first word that I asked him to write/spell: BAT

Milestones and Moments

Earlier, because I was multi-tasking (teaching Yakee how to play luksong-tinik while tracing Yamee's feet on paper for him)... and Yakee wanted to do something that required my whole body (play hide and seek), my firstborn was driven to express that he wished I had more hands.

I really couldn't help but laugh... because my son just gave me a moment of cliche, a mom whose hands were full and it not being enough.

It's really very challenging dividing oneself between the two, whose interests and skills are different... and well, when they do decide to do the same thing and play the same game, it usually spells PAIN and EXHAUSTION for me... you lose some, you win some, you lose some :D

*~*

Yamee is so jealous and territorial... he's always snapping at his Kuya. Yakee, on the other hand, has never missed an opportunity to defend his brother from our 'mean' parenting.

*~*

Yakee wrote a very decipherable IOIBP on his magic slate and asked me to read it. Then he asked me to write words we can read. And just like that... he was reading CVC words for the first time by learning to sound them off properly and deducing which word it sounds like.

I was at a loss and very unprepared... but we managed the mat, pat, cat, sat, bat, fat words... then went to ted, bed, red... then gun, sun, bun (I didn't know which words to start him with)... at and it... and mama and papa. He asked me how to write alien. Then he's had enough lessons.

Hubs kept teasing me that our son really wants to learn now... and I kept reminding him that our son learned on his own, and we should celebrate that he's ready and curious and is learning :)  I have no doubt he'd learn fast when we really go into it, but I also want him to just enjoy his new discoveries.

*~*

Yamee is lining up  play dough balls. Haha. I love these little signs that their brains ARE developing.

My Boys Are Exhausting Me

I know I am not girly enough to also win with a little daughter of my own who would insist on hair stylist supplies and playing dress up... but really, my boys are exhausting me!

They keep competing for my attention... Yakee wants me to watch him, Yamee wants me to show him things or name things for him.

Yakee would want us to play, but Yamee will want to nurse.

Yakee would be telling me stories (and since we have this thing about 'listening with the eyes') but I have to police and follow Yamee as he tries, tastes or destroys odd things.

And their play is ALWAYS rough... always involving running, climbing over me, etc.

I will even admit to looking forward to Fridays and Saturdays, because that's TV-watching day for Yakee and I can shake him off during those times... an hour of not having him competing for attention with Yamee is heaven!!! Always heaven!

And no... this isn't exactly a rant. It's a statement of fact.

My boys are exhausting me! :D

To Whom I Spanked Today

This goes out to my two boys, who I spanked with our spanking stick for the same crime, for the first time.

Know what? I was annoyed and getting tired already... but I really wasn't that mad yet. But something told me it was a good opportunity to spank the two of you for making things hard for Mommy, who was preparing things for our afternoon nap.

I think, most people would have found me so mean... you were just having fun after all. You were just laughing and playing. The thing is, you were both not heeding my requests and you were both making the work twice as hard for me. That's not funny. And I did not see any of you paying attention to me. That's unacceptable. And I saw you fueling each other's inattentiveness.

So, I got the spanking stick and hit you both with it.

I know you were both hurt (it wouldn't be spanking if it didn't hurt) but I also gathered from your expressions that you were more shocked... and maybe even offended. Because this was a new experience, that both of you got in trouble for what you were doing.

But that's just it, darling boys. There will be many more occasions wherein you'd both be so high and in the moment of whatever it is you're up to... which may also result in trouble, danger or pain.

I want you to start ppolicing each other somehow.

It's just really unacceptable that both of you won't be listening and obeying.

Yakee... it may be unfair that I have to be more exacting of you, but you are your younger brother's hero... his role model.

Yamee... just because Kuya is doing something, or is engaged in something, doesn't mean you can forget who the authorities are in your life.

I love you both, my precious boys, and it is really only because I love you that I discipline you.

I may have been wrong for what I did today... but I hope the fact that you are loved and prayed for will help you grow up good.

Deferred Farm Day

Remember, about a week ago when I was gushing about the GK Enchanted Farm Country Fair and wondering aloud about selling produce off trailer hitches for cars? Well, it looks like we're missing the GK this weekend because hubs' father is in the hospital. It doesn't quite feel right to still go, I don't know.

The good news though is that there is the Balik Bukid Country Fair in November to look for ward to, and on hubs' birthday no less. I just hope though, that if we miss the GK one, we won't miss that one.

Sigh.

I was looking forward to spending a happy farm day with the boys...

Maria Lactans

I sincerely hope that the site fisheaters.com won't mind that I copied their pictures to post here. I was just really amazed at the many wonderful paintings/sculpture on Mary as Nursing Mother. I really checked each one out.

This post is coming along the heels of the picture ABS-CBN posted in their FB wall that is garnering a lot of really WTH comments from prissy hypocrites. Yes, I am labelling them :D

Anyway, here are my faves of the Maria Lactans:

artist: Pisano

Anonymous French Sculptor

 

Cleve (he has many breastfeeding paintings, and I like that he depicted baby Jesus/babies falling asleep at the breast... and Mother Mary/moms going about other nurturing activities, like reading)

 

Fouquet (I think others in this day and age would find this sensational... amazing that it was created in AD 1450)

 

Michelangelo (most Our Lady of La Leche paintings show Mother Mary'sbreasts really full, and usually, nipples are prominet)

 

Morales (don't you just love how romantic this one is? and how it depicts the baby trying to soothe himself by nippling the mom?)

 

Robert Campin

 

Orley (look, baby Jesus is already standing and still nursing!)

 

Painting at Bethlehem's Milk Grotto

Alonso Cano's depiction of the spiritual nourishing of St. Bernard by the milk of Our Lady, based on this legendary mystical experience: Bernard prayed before a statue of the Madonna, asking her, "Show yourself a mother" ("Monstra te esse Matrem"). The statue came to life and and squirted milk from the breast onto the Saint's lips.

 

 

But like what a fellow breastfeeding Mom said... at least people are talking now and more people are becoming aware that there is such a thing as Our Lady of La Leche... that this devotion to the nursing mother is real and has been in practice for a long time... and sanctioned and supported by the Vatican. 

Going on a Country Fair!

I got my hubby to be willing to drive to Bulacan next week for the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm Countryside Fair :)  I am beyond excited for my sons because they'd be roaming the outdoors... and I will be shopping.

I have often wanted to go to country fairs like they do abroad... with merchants utilizing trailer hitches for cars so they can just sell from their car whatever produce they have harvested or goods they have made. I have always wanted the kids to 'ooohh' and 'aaahhh' over different plants and animals for sale, and compare which stall has the biggest squash or the freshest melons, to sample toys and things and dips and whatever else... and maybe find something to truly spice up a wardrobe or home.

I cannot wait!!! :)

Yes... I don't know where to get money for it... hahaha... but I cannot wait to go!