I've Learned

That it is futile to wipe the mouth every subo.

That the older one will also be a messy eater occasionally.

That the toys in the playroom will never stay lined up.

That the boys may be gone, but the toys will remain.

That they can't help vacuum even if they try to.

That toys will be everywhere, even in the dishwasher,

That anything can be toys, like that empty bottled water,

     the bottom of the LKK bottle,

     even the plastic wrap of the lotion bottle.

That the fridge will always be full of stuff, inside and out.

That dishwashing will often get interrupted.

That under-the-bed is walang lusot. It will be a parking for their trucks.

That toys are not for display,

     but are to be played with.

That the dining table is a bigger space for reading, writing and board games.

That the house will not always be this neat and clutter-free but that's okay.  That I can be orderly around the house but there are moments to let loose.  That some rules can be bent and some O.C. habits should be broken.  That kids will be kids but they will be kids only once in their life.  So I should let them be.

Going through the house room by room putting things back where they should be have been a daily exercise.  I now sometimes just leave it as is.  For I have learned that this is a permanent trace of motherhood, a life with kids, and a house that's home.

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
So she'll pour herself some.
The coffee will get spilled by her three year old.
She'll wipe it up.

Wiping the floor, she will find some dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do some laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper for tonight.

She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With a Pound of
Hamburger.)
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill which is due tomorrow.
She will look for the checkbook.

The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two year old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old.
While she is changing the two year old the phone will ring. (Of course!)
Her five year old will answer it and hang up.

She remembers that she wants to phone a friend to come over for coffee on
Friday.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some.
And chances are,
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Written by Kathy Fictorie

Based on If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Remembering MJ

I sobbed so hard throughout the tribute as if a part of me has died with him.

When Mariah sang "I'll Be There" I knew I'm gonna sit through this no matter what - 2 sick boys.

A pregnant Jennifer Hudson didn't do justice to my favorite "Will You Be There"

Magic and MJ shared a good laugh over Kentucky Fried Chicken in his house.  That's hard to imagine.  Read this, Diane: they were like "normal people"!

Although he sounded so Martin Luther King and Obama at some points, Rev. Al Sharpton delivered powerful words of the music icon: "I want his children to know there was nothing strange about your daddy, it was strange what your daddy had to deal with."

Brooke's eulogy made me wish I have a friend like MJ.  Is that weird?

Marlon Jackson telling MJ of the bad publicity, "maybe now they will leave you alone," brought me so much tears. Also when he told MJ to kiss his twin brother Brandon for him. 

Paris said, "I just want to say ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you can ever imagine. And I just want to say I love him so much"  and bursted to tears.  I joined her, LOL.

I swayed and sang along Heal The World, with Stru, as if I was watching his concert again, only now MJ was not the singer, cos he's gone forever.  Boohoohoohoohoo!

Memory Game

After packing up a game of Snake & Ladders one normal afternoon, Stefan went on to watch TV.  With the S&L box with me, I asked him out of the blue where the Green playing piece is in the picture on the box.  The question startled Sherwin like I was asking a very useless random question.  When Stefan blurted, “19 on the ladder,” he was blown away.  I went on to ask Stefan about the other playing pieces, to which he said, “Blue is on 3,... Yellow is on 24,... and Red is on 21.”

 

I checked the box on my hand... unbelievable!

 

Looking Forward To September

I'm two months away from going back to work.  We have found a daycare for Struan.  It is with heavy heart that I am leaving him with someone else for the most part of the day.  But I should move on looking at the brighter side.  Struan will have more activities throughout the day in the daycare, where he will develop better socially, than he would staying at home with me.  And I let someone else handle the messy feedings and occasional whinings.  It’s going to be a hectic schedule once again.  Wake up early.  Make quick breakfast.  Drive to work. Put on my work hat.  Work.  Pick up the kids on the way home.  Make dinner.  Or just go to my suki.  Clean up.  Do homework.  Squeeze in playtime.  Bathe the kids.  Read them story.  Tuck them to bed.  Do some chores here and there.  Call it a day.  And wake up to another day like this.  It’s not going to be easy.  But there’s gotta be little things to look forward to amidst the hustle and bustle – driving by the airport every morning (my peculiar obsession), checking out our lunch menu at work (I take it seriously),

leaving the office el punto, picking up Stefan & Struan on the way home, talking about their day, having dinner together, playing with the boys until their bed time, and more importantly spending some alone time when the boys are asleep. 

 

These I'll be looking forward to everyday.