Kris Aquino Marriage is Over

Kris says she's given up on her marriage and is keeping mum about the details out of love for her son Baby James.

Well, it's sad when a marriage ends, and it's sadder when there are kids involved. I just hope that Baby James is the last child Kris will have. Chances are, he is, because she had such a high risk pregnancy. But you see, I know she'd fall in love again... the crass would even say, she'd continuously haunt men, looking for the father figure she never had. And though it will never say anything about how good or bad a mother she is, I just really don't like the idea of her having another child fathered by someone else... unless maybe that one really is for keeps.

And well, it's so hard to be married to Kris with her friends being as involved in her relationship as she is. Maybe she's destined to be as lone a wolf as brother Noynoy, who she of course upstaged (or tried to) with this weird non-confession. Yes, she could have just kept quiet and maybe made an announcement after their marriage has been annulled.

My SILs and I

Here is a pic of me with my SILs from last weekend.

I really never thought that i'd be close to hubs' sister, mainly because they weren't close as siblings. Hubs was also not really close with his younger brother, so it's also just really great that the woman BIL married is someone I now consider a friend too.

We are different kinds of moms. We're all sort of WAHMs: with Ira doing bazaars and selling clothes, Abbie working in the market and running their business, and me writing and blogging for extra moolah. We also parent differently. But we're all really close to our kids, all love them to bits. I guess that's our bond, the motherhod thing.

And I guess it helps that I know each one love each other's child like her own. We all just really dote on each other's kids.

I really thank God for such a friendship and look forward to raising kids with them and having family trips forever with them. If it takes a village to raise a child, I love that they're part of that village for mine.

No More Piggy Back Rides on Mommy

Yakee still loves piggy back rides. Sometimes, he's just a child riding piggy back, sometimes he's a cowboy with riding boots and spurs and maybe even whip. At least he acts like one.

Sometimes, I think he pretends he's a dinosaur attacking his prey.

Anyway, I never really liked giving piggy back rides especially since my son is a little rough. But I do love hearing him chortle and giggle and laugh. But now, I really can't give him any anymore... which is why I am thankful that my cousin is still amenable to subjecting herself to my son's abuse, err, I mean, rough play.

All little kids should have their fill of piggy back rides. It's one of those few times they'd feel they are on top of the world. And childhood is so fleeting, they won't have enough opportunities to feel that.

Sweet Mommy Moment

Yesterday, Yakee was playing with his Match a Color Learning Set while I was Facebooking. Then he told me, "Mommy here, flowers for you."

In his hand were two buttons with flower pictures. He looked for them among the many pictures in the set. Talk about being floored by emotion. It was just the sweetest thing so I peppered him with kisses.

I asked him if I can keep the flowers and he said no and instructed me to put them back in the box. I guess in his mind, he's already done his thoughtful thing for the day and it's play as usual.

The Child as Status Symbol

From the book, The Hurried Child

The Child as Status Symbol – For mothers who cleave to the housewife role, it is often tempting to invole the children – and their precocious academic accomplishments – as the justification for their not working. – and The Child as Therapist.

In a way, there is a sin of pride that I have been vigilant about NOT hurrying my child in terms of academic excellence. But yes, I do believe I am impatient sometimes that he learns how to manage his emotions, mind his manners, etc. But back to the pride thing. I have read about it, have not liked how I only felt important when I was academically achieving as a child, and really want my child to be a happy person who is resourceful, responsible and independent. So yeah, although I have dreams of having a genius, I also cringe at the idea because it might cost him his happiness.

So in a sense, I am congratulating myself for not being guilty so much of hurrying him.

But I do ask myself sometimes, as a reality check, if I have started using him as a status symbol... to justify my lack of other goals and dreams. But then I tell myself, I may have wanted to be a SAHM so I can breastfeed without the struggle of work, but the homeschooling dream only followed after the SAHM notion. It just felt right that I will use my being at home to a more productive end.

And I did start reinventing myself when Yakee was a toddler and not so needy anymore. I started writing for sites and magazines, and became active in different advocacies. They're still not careers like what other women have, but they are things I am passionate about, things I intend to pick up again when I can... again. Right now, I'm just needed more at home... and not really in a frame of mind doing anything else.

I am currently drafting my planned curriculum for Yakee. I don't plan to be rigid at it, I just want to be more consistent to reinforce what he already knows, and further the development of his other skills. And I want to focus on life skills and other necessary things (hand dexterity, hand-to-eye coordination, body coordination, grooming, hygiene and imagination) instead of academics.

But yes, signing is part of the curriculum :D

Magical Childhood

I recently discovered this Magical Childhood site which is an eye-opener and reality checker for me as parent. It has many helpful articles on disciplining children and reminds parents of what really is important.

For example, it matters more that a 4-year old knows he can depend on you more than his ABCs. It matters more that a child has imagination and faith in the world and a love for learning, than aceing school tests.

It reminds me all over again what kind of Mom I want to be.

Oh and the Crafts page are also a delight. I love the idea on story prompts with my child. I may just try it later tonight.

160 Lbs. Now

I may never use nuphedragen but I am a little concerned that I am 160 lbs. now. Still, I was already pushing 160 lbs. anyway when I got pregnant so the weight gain is actually healthy where pregnant women go, unfortunately, I just really started overweight.

I cringe though up to how much I'd gain for this pregnancy. I am only halfway through. And I am still mostly lying down and inactive.

How else can I burn calories when my movements and activities are limited? Hmmm. And I guess I really should stop eating rice for snacks, hehe. But I am also really sick of crackers already.

Meanwhile, I have to go now and get lunch.