Show-and-Tell

I don't recall when we started doing show-and-tell in school. I do know that whenever it was time to bring a family picture, my dad would make me promise to return it to the family albums he meticulously put together. (Would you believe that my dad even made an archive of all film negatives? Mental note - I ought to put those albums I ransacked back in good shape.)

Anyway, it looks like Gab's show-and-tell years have already started. I found myself having a family picture last January (when Glenn came home) printed last Saturday. (Oh the wonders of digital photography!)

I happen to like this picture a lot. Too bad that we don't have a complete one with Daddy (Wotot) with us.

I was pretty excited this morning with Gab's homework, slightly anxious however with the possibility of the "daddy" question being brought up.

I called the house a few minutes ago to find out how class went. True enough, Ma's worries were realized. The "daddy" question came up. And Teacher just had to say that the picture was lacking, that it should have a father.

Hooboy. Much as I'd like to write all about happy stuff in this blog, with all the happiness that Gab has brought in our lives, I cringe at the thought that they just had to articulate that something was missing in our family, in Gab's life.

Admittedly, my family isn't the most conventional, and we can be a bunch of oddballs sometimes (no, a lot of times). But I'd like to think that we could over-compensate in some other ways. That Gab would feel just as loved as any other kid.

(I wish I may, I wish I might... I think I can.. I think I can..)

I'd love to make that happen. Love Gab more than enough. More than I have words for. Make her feel that.

This will happen. Gab will grow up surrounded by this oddball family that loves her. I put up the picture in my desk to remind myself that. My own show-and-tell.

Conversations with Mama

Since I no longer come home everyday, I normally end up hearing a collection of Gabbie anecdotes on Fridays and Saturdays. Here are AteB's latest stories...

Conversation # 1
Mama Bunso: "Gusto ko, ang regalo mo sa akin, yung grades mo. Gusto ko 100%" (Ate, if I may say so myself, this is really a whole lot of pressure for a kindergarten kid. So go easy, ok?)
Gabbie: "Sige Mama. Ibibigay ko yan sa yo."
Gabbie: "Pero Mama, may naisip din pala ako. May gusto akong gift."
Mama Bunso: "O, ano yun?"
Gabbie: "Mama, bilhan mo ako ng slide!"

Hahaha...

Conversation # 2
Mama Bunso: "Sinong pinakamagaling sa klase nyo?"
Gabbie: "E di ako!"

Funny lesson in confidence ;)

Ref Art

Growing up, I only remember our family having had 2 refrigerators -- the old, old one (the brand of which I don't remember) and our current good ole sturdy Condura.

I've always remembered our refrigerators to be clean and plain, with nothing on it (which is sometimes a tad boring). I also recall being to other houses, and seeing "busy" refrigerators - some with magnets, some with pictures, others with bills & endless to-do lists.

We only started using magnets after I brought a few home from some travels.

But it was only in the last few months that our ref came alive. :) I started by posting some of Gab's artwork. She eventually took my lead and started posting on her own.

She also took a liking to arranging the fish magnets in one line. And, when she discovered how stickers worked, our refrigerator's lower door, became a mini-butterfly garden.

Now that she's in nursery, the art work changes more frequently.

And the drawings started to have labels. (I suppose this how a child starts learning about ownership.)

So our ref now is no longer the clean one that it used to be. But nobody in the family minds. It's how we nourish Gabbie's creativity. It's how we celebrate her art, and more importantly, how we celebrate our Gab.

Sweet Innocence

The nice thing about young kids is how they're so unabashed and honest with their feelings. Gab is just like that.

I get kisses on the lips, kisses on the cheek all the time. And when she's in the mood to brag about her knowledge of body parts, I hear "ilong-ilong-ilong" or "tenga-tenga-tenga" which basically means making our noses and ears touch. (I bet it's your first time to hear of ears touching as means of showing affection, huh?)

There's always that line, "Yakap nang mahigpit", said numerous times, especially before I step out of the house.

There's "Gusto ko sa yo. Gusto ko sumama sa yo."

There's "Bakit ang tagal mo sa office? Kanina pa kita hinihintay."

There are shouts of "Teyk ker! Ilabyuuuu!" by the front door.

And just this afternoon, while I was getting ready to leave, I see her sneak in a sandwich for my Dad, who she fondly calls "Wotot". She is the sweetest kunsintidor. (My dad basically eats through a tube in his stomach, after having had 5 strokes. But sometimes he's allowed to have food which he can easily chew.)

Such a sweet kid.

Advanced Nursery - Chico

Along with 17 or 18 other kids, Gabbie now officially belongs to NS Montessori's Advanced Nursery - Section Chico. (NS Montessori just happens to be my preschool too, btw.)

So now, our days have become so much more interesting with everything that Gab's been picking up from school.

She now has new friends, stories of whom we hear about quite often. I think she's pretty tight with Adrielle, Sophia and Erich. (Gab and I haven't really mastered her alphabet & spelling yet, so I do hope I'm spelling their names right.)

Going to the grocery has now become an exercise in spelling can and bottle labels.

And there are endless quotable quotes like, "Yung 'i' parang 'ay!', parang nagulat" or "Alam ko na yung ibig sabihin ng 'sick'. Tinuro ni Teacher Janet."

Of course, we have new poems and songs too, like this one - Telebong.

Happy Birthday, AteB!

AteB (Gabbie's mom) celebrated her 50th day last July 10&11 (yes, there are 2 birthdays. it's a long story. =P) Anyway, I just wanted to share some pics. (DriverP, thanks for playing photographer!)

So this is me, AteB and Gab.

I just love this photo. :)

Gab had this impression that she was the recipient of one of Ate's gifts. So she started opening it up, and ended up playing house in the box after.

Of Pigs & Elephants

I was in Bangkok end June, and I had brought home a few elephant souvenirs. I kept one for myself, giving a smaller version to Gab.

Turns out that a few days later, Gab already broke her elephant's trunk, so she asks for mine, and adds "Titaninang, nabali ko e. Pig na siya ngayon."

Adorable, right? :)