Our Little Nicholas

I’m happy to hear that Daddy went out  to celebrate his birthday yesterday. I do hope Daddy had a great time even with the fact that Mommy and I are at the other part of the globe celebrating the day he was born. A guy like my Dad is really worth celebrating for, and I’m sure everybody will agree with me

Now I’m looking forward to celebrate Mommy’s birthday. This is her second birthday with me. The first one though passed as if it’s just an ordinary day. Maybe because I was so young to understand the importance of commemorating one’s birthday (especially a very important person like my Mom) or maybe because of the fact that I was so cute when I was still 5 months old and everybody still sees me instead of Mommy. LOL!

Well, I wish I could celebrate Mom’s birthday with a bang this year. She’ll be 29 (don’t be mad Mommy, it’s a lovely age) on the 14th of May and it’s her 2nd year of celebrating her entry to Mommyhood (Mother’s Day is at May 9 I supposed). It has always been about me, me, me in the past. Mommy always passed up on buying this or doing that for me and my needs. I wish I can do something about that.

Is there a fundraising idea out there that a 1-year old guy like me can do? Hihihi! I mean, a guy my age can’t do anything besides eat, sleep, brush my teeth, take a bath in my bathtub, play, read, dance, watch TV, talk to Dadda at skype, and look handsome and cute at all times (Wow! What a responsibility!). But my Mom can do magic not only with the computer but also in her kitchen. Yeah, she can cook and she cooks good (in fact Daddy complained that Mommy cooks so good, his belly’s getting bigger, hahaha!). Mommy can make her doughnuts, empanada (a Spanish stuffed bread or pastry) and chocolate fudge and brownies and start a fundraising on it. I can be the cute kid in the wrapper (hey! my talent fee’s for free!) LOL!

Well, I saw Mommy’s been reading a site on fundraising ideas, that’s why I am wondering if I can start one for her birthday, which is of course around 16 days from now so I guess I need a miracle fundraising for one. According to the site that Mom has been reading though (yeah, I’m eavesdropping), one can start a fundraising discount card, a brochure fundraising, even a donation fundraising and many more! Hmmm… Donation Fundraising sounds good, I wonder if somebody out there can help me start it for me to buy my Mom her birthday and Mother’s day present… Well, I know Mommy has been preparing to launch a contest on her birthday on my site but she never heard from a supposed prize sponsor yet. It’s sad that the contest for Daddy’s birthday wasn’t pushed through. She was so excited to launch it but the prize sponsor was so late in giving his notification so she canceled it. I’m afraid that will happen on Mom’s birthday contest as well, sigh…

But of course I’m so happy that Daddy is more than willing to fund Mom’s Pearl Farm celebration. Well, it’s just a plan to have a day-tour in that island with my grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins. It costs so much though so I know Mommy cannot afford it. Daddy can, but I really wish I could come up with a good idea to help with the expenses as well. Maybe winning a lottery will help me in this, hihihi! Oh well, what’s a little boy like me can do?

Yes I’m a toddler, and yes I’m 15 months old and is now quickly climbing up to my 16th… oh boy! I’m not an infant anymore? But I’m still my Mommy’s baby… right Mommy?

Mommy’s been reading her book, What To Expect the Toddler Years, a gift she received from whattoexpect.com for being such a great Mommy According to her book, I should be able to walk well, pick up an object and use at least one word by now. Hmmm.. let me see…

• I am running and jumping a lot
• I pick and throw my toys (I love you Mommy)
• I call Mommy “Mama”, and Daddy “Dadda”, I say “baba” all the time (since I wanna go down and run), I say “no-no” when I don’t want what you want, I say “buhhh” when I want Mommy to read me my books, I say “woof” when Mommy asks me what the dog said, I say “mel” when I want my milk, hey! I say all I want to say! Hihihi!
• I drink from a cup (but I prefer the bottle, Mommy… please…)
• I scribble with my crayons (under Mommy’s hawk eyes because I might scribble on my tongue too, hihihi)
• I point to what I want Mommy to get me (especially food :))
• I point to my nose and ear when Mommy asks me where they are (I sometimes interchange them though, hahaha)
• I am proud that I can use my spoon now (but half of the food goes to the floor not in my mouth)
• I can build a 4-storey “tower” with my toys and shape blocks
• I feed Mommy too (she thinks it’s cute and sweet but I think it makes her happier if I feed myself)
• I imitate the kids in the television, especially the dancing and the screaming part
• I kick and throw my ball (in fact, I can throw and kick anything if I like to, hahaha!)
• I brush my teeth by myself (only after Mommy brushed my teeth for me, I know she’s just letting me play with my toothbrush a little)

Hey! What do you know? I passed the 15-month old test! Yehey! Congratulations to me! Now I know why Mommy is smiling everytime she reads her book, even giggles sometimes, as if Daddy’s tickling her Maybe she thinks about me doing some cute and funny stuff, hihihi!

But I know Mommy’s concerned about some stuff too, it’s not bed of roses with me all the time. I admit, sometimes I’m being a thorn to Mommy as well, especially when I’m not in the mood and would just want to bawl and cry and throw things… or when I insist on feeding myself and end up feeding the floor and the chair instead… or when I want to walk just anywhere I want to even if it leads towards a hungry, waiting dog.

Well, I’m still young, Mommy will continue to teach me and Daddy’s there to help her discipline me so I’m not worried. I’m just enjoying my toddler time, I promise I’ll be a good boy Mama, Dadda I love you guys…

When I was still alone (and I mean literally living alone), it seemed like life was so simple. I used to live in a small room (around 12-15 meter squares) with just a bed and a closet, I don’t even have my own bathroom, I had to share it with other renters. I eat anything at anytime I want, hey! I may even just go sleep without eating (it’s a lazy way to get sick, hahaha!). I can go window shop every afternoon, dreaming about owning this and owning that… ahhh… life has never been easier!

Then Nicholas came and bang! Everything has to change!

Well, before I continue, I would like to say I am never sorry that I became a member of the prestigious motherhood club. I am never sorry that I was blessed with a very handsome, smart and healthy bundle of joy. No, this is isn’t about me feeling sorry for myself because I have to change my lifestyle. This is about a realization, this is about me embracing the wonderful life of being a mother.

Ok, let’s go back to business shall we?

As I was saying, it’s different now. With my angel, I choose not to settle for anything less. I want to give him the best, to do everything I can to make him a very happy and secure baby. Like, I had to buy my own computer for me to be able to work at home and personally attend to his needs. Or I had to go shopping for all his needs even before he was born. Or I had to go for monthly visits, maintain vitamins, make sure I was healthy and safe for him. I mean, I am a single Mom, and I was earning for myself. I didn’t have much money then. I didn’t even have enough for the cesarean section.So when did I get the money for this? Yeah, I borrowed. I have a credit card, I used it to prepare for my baby’s arrival, and now, I am still paying it. Oh well, I will pay until I ran out of money, I’ll borrow and borrow again if it means I can give my baby everything he needs.

Yeah, even buying him Cheetos so he can snack on it while watching his favorite kiddie TV commercials/ads, hahaha! That’s really cute!

Or shopping for his daily needs or even wants if I can give it to him. Errr… his stuff doesn’t really come from Ace Harware, but well, I can’t let him carry a heavy bag of baby liquid soap, baby lotion, milk, diapers, and more!

Or making him look smart and cool especially on an event like pictorials for his passport

Or going to a playsite where he can have fun interacting with other kids or have access to toys he doesn’t have at home.

So yes, now, I’m not enjoying the cellphone plans that I used to overpay anyways, hehehe! And now, I don’t see any movement or growth on my savings account. And yes, I’m not using my credit card anymore. I need help in saving money, I need help to shrink my bills. And I have to do all these not to the expense of my son’s needs and wants. Do I need a part-time job? Or maybe I need to change jobs (hey! that’s tempting considering the never-ending salary delays). Or maybe I just need to change my spending habits? But heck! I don’t even have much to spend! My salary comes and go, faster than my college allowance I’ll just laugh about this then. I’ll just enjoy every moment with my son, enjoy his smiles and laughters, enjoy his happiness, his health, his well-being… I am ok with the present situation (well, as long as the credit card company doesn’t put me in jail, hahaha!), I am surviving. Thanks to Mark and his kindness, thanks for his loving support and matured guidance.

Ok, shall we talk about finding another job? Hehehe!

Wow! I love the books that I got from WhatToExpect.com! It arrived this week and oh boy! I’m impressed! Maybe because I am a book-lover or maybe because I am a first-time Mom and I am overwhelmed with too much information in the book or maybe because What To Expect kept its promise to send me these books

Let me see, I received the following:

“What To Expect When You’re Expecting”,

“Eating Well When You’re Expecting”,

“Pregnancy Journal & Organizer”,

“Baby-sitter’s Handbook”,

“What To Expect the First Year”, and

“What To Expect the Toddler Years”

I think the last book is the most useful for me now since Nicholas is already one year old. But of course I can still use the other books especially with the fact that Mark and I are planning to build a BIG family

Now I can start my reading and then share what I’ve learned to my angel’s blog’s avid readers, yes you guys WhatToExpect.com also promised to send me more books to give out to my blogfriends. So yes, watch out for the contests that I am launching at this site so you’ll win the same series of books as well. Isn’t that exciting?

Hey! Thanks  to Tony of WhatToExpect.com for this wonderful gift!

That’s Mommy’s phone! Uh-uh! Ok fine! Eat it! Sigh….

While Nico’s cousins take my phone (anybody’s phone for that matter) to “fake” a call to their Dads (since their Moms are with them all the time), saying “Daddy? Daddy? Hello Daddy?”, Nico just watch them with intrigued and curious eyes. Well, Nico doesn’t seem to understand what his cousins are doing (or saying) since when it is his turn to hold the phone at last, he won’t put it on his ear and say “Da? Da?” He’ll quickly put the phone in his mouth as if it is a chocolate bar. Hmmmm…

Well, I don’t want to give my son false hopes though. I mean, if his Dad doesn’t want to call, be it. I know it’s important for kids to have a communication with their parents but well it’s the Daddy’s lost not my baby’s. I’ll make sure that Nico is well loved and taken care of. He actually looks up to his GrandPapa as his Daddy. Nico’s Dad could very well get lost on his own world. I don’t think he knows that phones, internet and even Internet Fax exist for communication purposes. If it’s true that he’s working outside the country right now, he can avail of many other telecom services outside the country, like Spectrotel.  Even small and mid-sized businesses rely on Spectrotel for their Internet and telecommunications needs. He can get to know more about the latest Spectrotel special offers and avail of their low-cost plans buy visiting their site. Or he can opt for other internet and telecom provider if he wants to. He’ll gonna regret abandoning his son. Nico is just the sweetest and the cutest baby ever! I just hope I’ll be ready for that day when he asks about his irresponsible Dad.