Annika's Fave Words

Here are some of Annika's favorite words at one year and 10 months old:

1. "Daddy" - daddy
2. "nana" - banana
3. "apple" - apple
4. "toot toot" - train
5. "Ma" - mommy
6. "ate" - ate flor
7. "Nanay" - lola oya
8. "car" - car
9. "Iya" - Sophia
10. "baby" - baby
11. "clue" - blue's clues
12. "dora" - dora
13. "raf raf" - dog
14. "mik" - milk
15. "bloon" - balloon
16. "book" - book
17. "ball" - ball
18. "boo" - peek a boo
19. "hi" (with matching wide smile) - hi
20. "Ika" - Annika
21. "bapack" - backpack


Each day I spend with her at home now that I am on maternity leave will always be one superbly special day!

It's really a great privilege to be a stay at home mom from time to time... I am able to watch my little princesses grow daily and monitor their milestones in life.

Welcome to the family!

When our family first started, we have WKT and WCH. These were both well loved cars because Gerard and I were the first owners of these Honda cars which we got when we were still single. Funny, but both of our cars are red in color and the plate numbers end with the same number - "8".

Today, we are getting a new addition to our family - a Honda white CRV.

When Sophia was born last January, we thought of getting either an Innova or a CRV since our family is now getting bigger. We also got a new helper for Sophia so we have an additional passenger whenever we travel. At home, we are now "7".Whew! Would you believe, in a span of 3 years of being married, we are now 7 at home! To enumerate - Gerard, Myself, Annika, Sophia, my tita Oya (my single 76-year old aunt who is taking care of Sophia whenever we are not around), Yaya Flor (Annika's Yaya) and Yaya Janet (the additional helper we got this February).

Gerard will be on a half day leave today and he will fetch me later so we can get the CRV. Thank you, God, for another gift to our family.

CRV, welcome to the family!

Say it with Flowers

Every Valentines' Day, my husband Gerard gives me a bunch of lovely flowers... whenever I receive flowers from him, it feels so good... flowers can really say a lot, what words cannot say, when I look at how beautiful the flowers are, I remember the good old times - the first time we met, the first bouquet of flowers he gave me, our first date, our first dance - and the mood is set for romance...

Flowers are beautiful and so meaningful, especially if they are given by the person I care for and love most...

Lullaby Songs

I have two original lullaby songs for our daughters...

For Annika... it goes like this... " Ma. Annika Gabrielle is the name of the prettiest, of the healthiest, of the beautiful baby on the block". It goes faster and faster, depending on the beat of my steps as I dance whenever I put her to sleep when she was still a little baby. She is now one year and ten months old... I could not carry her yet because of my CS, but I have been longing to sing that lullaby song to her again...

And now, for Sophia... "Sophia Isabelle, is a pretty baby... Sophia Isabelle is a healthy baby... Sophia Isabelle is a lovely baby, loved by Daddy, loved by Mommy, loved by Ate, loved by everybody in the world..."

Then, I will sweetly whisper "I Love You" before they fall asleep.

Hmmm, for my hubby Luvs, I do not have a lullaby, what I have is a gentle voice and a loving touch that tells him I love him very much!

Syobe

It's been a month since I gave birth to our second daughter, Ma. Sophia Isabelle. We call her Syobe which means "little sister" in Chinese.

That certain smile... she's got that Mona lisa smile, so simple but so meaningful and sweet!

That certain cry... we could not resist her "urges" at any time of the day. It is so hard to ignore her little requests...

That certain look... her face, so angelic, her body, so sexy but so strong!

Gerard's day will always be complete whenever he changes her diapers and clothes and cleans her pretty lil face and body. It is a wonderful sight for a mother like me to see her husband doing the baby chores for the newly born syobe... I could not trade those moments in the world... seeing my husband so happy holding the newly cleaned up Syobe wrapped in her daddy's arms!

Her "Ate" Annika loves her so much. Whenever they are beside each other, Annika will hold and touch her feet, her hands, her legs, her face, her hair... and will call her loudly "Iya" (the nickname Annika gave her) and "Baby".

As I lull Syobe to sleep every night, breastfeed her and sing to her my own lullaby song, I could not help but be mesmerized by God's infinite power to bring people into the world and create a great impact in other people's lives. God is indeed so good!

Sophia, our little princess... Daddy's delight, Mommy's joy and Annika's very own Syobe...

Soft kisses

Last night, I felt a different kind of happiness, love and contentment as I watch my husband and two daughters sleep. God has been so good to me all these years... He gave me Gerard, who is so caring and supportive... He gave us Annika and Sophia, our two daughters who are our sources of joy and inspiration.

I gave each of my "precious treasures" soft kisses on their cheeks and say a little prayer that God will continue to bless our family.