Tuesday, April 04, 2006
First Haircut
Andre had his first haircut on April Fools’ Day. He had it at B-Bums, a hair salon specializing in kids’ haircuts. Well, despite the kid-friendly set-up and furnishings of the salon (a play area complete with toys, colorful décor, miniature cars as seats and video showing of Barney), Andre was visibly terrified with having his hair cut, or should I say, shaved. After the shaver ran through his hair a couple of times, he gave a pitiful scream and launched into a crying fit. We had to take turns carrying him into our arms to console him. Poor baby, his first haircut turned into a traumatic experience, just as I was afraid of. To make the long story short, the barber was able to shave all of his hair, although there were still some rough edges that still needed cutting. We just decided to do the rest of this cutting at home as we were anxious to leave the saloon immediately for fear that Andre will pass out from crying too hard. We were not even sure what Andre was afraid of. It might be the barber (who had an unusual funky hairdo), the electric shaver with its whirring sound and jarring vibrations, or seeing himself on the mirror with hair falling off the top of his head.
His foul mood did not last for long, though. We were inside the mall, after all, and it was his first real mall visit. I watched him as his eyes grew large with wonder from all the colorful shop decorations and all the people passing by. He really had fun sitting on his own chair at Shakeys while I fed him with small bits of spaghetti. His eyes reflected pure joy when we allowed him to “walk” in the mall as he tried to “run” after other children twice his size. And to cap it all, we had our first studio picture as a family taken and he was all smiles in the photos. All in all, Andre enjoyed his afternoon out despite the haircut episode.
Later in the house, I was watching Andre play in his playpen when I realized what a simple haircut can do. With all of his baby hair gone, Andre now looked less of a baby and more of little boy. It seemed that his “babyness” disappeared with his hair. Gone is the delicate and trusting baby and here now is a robust and strong-willed little boy, brimming with wide-eyed curiosity. I have to admit, though, that his shaved head suits him well— he now looks like a mini version of his dad.
Oh well! But I still miss his baby hair… I miss its sweet pungent smell of baby soap and sweat… I miss the way it curled on the back of his head and above his ears… I miss trying to comb his wet hair after his baths. But no matter how I feel about it, I know that he had to have a haircut some time. And no matter how I want him to stay as a baby forever, I know I have to let him grow up to be the best person he could be.
His foul mood did not last for long, though. We were inside the mall, after all, and it was his first real mall visit. I watched him as his eyes grew large with wonder from all the colorful shop decorations and all the people passing by. He really had fun sitting on his own chair at Shakeys while I fed him with small bits of spaghetti. His eyes reflected pure joy when we allowed him to “walk” in the mall as he tried to “run” after other children twice his size. And to cap it all, we had our first studio picture as a family taken and he was all smiles in the photos. All in all, Andre enjoyed his afternoon out despite the haircut episode.
Later in the house, I was watching Andre play in his playpen when I realized what a simple haircut can do. With all of his baby hair gone, Andre now looked less of a baby and more of little boy. It seemed that his “babyness” disappeared with his hair. Gone is the delicate and trusting baby and here now is a robust and strong-willed little boy, brimming with wide-eyed curiosity. I have to admit, though, that his shaved head suits him well— he now looks like a mini version of his dad.
Oh well! But I still miss his baby hair… I miss its sweet pungent smell of baby soap and sweat… I miss the way it curled on the back of his head and above his ears… I miss trying to comb his wet hair after his baths. But no matter how I feel about it, I know that he had to have a haircut some time. And no matter how I want him to stay as a baby forever, I know I have to let him grow up to be the best person he could be.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
No Longer An Infant
Andre turned one year old last March 21. He had his usual party on that day, a Tuesday, with all of us (meaning, his dad, me & his ninang) missing work and spending the day with him. The Sunday after that, he was host to a real party at McDonalds. And what fun he had! The moment we stepped on the party place, he was all smiles. He greeted his guests with his "2-tooth" grin and entertained them with his repertoire of antics (clap hands, dance, where's the light, bye-bye, etc.). He wasn't even afraid of the mascot, a big yellow chicken with a blue beak... he even tried prying open that beak to see what's inside, he he he. When the party ended, he was yelling at his guests, wondering why they are leaving the place. He would have had one of his tantrums if not for his fascination with the tons of gifts we loaded in our car. Well, the day ended with him falling asleep at six in the evening, tired and exhausted, but definitely happy...
As I watched him sleep, I realized that he is no longer an infant, as the books say. He is now officially a toddler, which means he is one step up in the ladder to adulthood. My baby is definitely growing up. He is getting heavier everyday and also taller. He can now do a lot of things: hold his bottle, say a few one-syllable words, indicate his wants with gestures, take a few wobbly steps, pick small objects, and feed himself using his fingers. He is also slowly exerting his independence. While before he loves being carried in my arms all the time, he now prefers being let down on the floor to crawl or “walk”. Sometimes, he can even sleep on his own after playing by himself. He also seems to know what he does and does not want to do. The problem is what he does want to do are not necessarily the same things that I want him to do. Case in point: he wants to play at two in the morning, while I, already tired from the office, want him to settle down and sleep. Lately, it does seem that our little time together always turns into a battle of wills which usually ends up with him crying his lungs out and me feeling frustrated.
But tantrums or no tantrums, Andre is much more fun to be with now. It’s like having a miniature person around… someone I can have conversations with (although I can’t understand his words), someone I can watch tv with (as long as it’s Disney channel), someone to keep me company (especially when his dad is out), someone to play with (when I’m feeling up to it), someone to dance with (he likes waltz & cha-cha) and someone to hold in my arms just when I feel like being close to somebody… My Andre, my little man.
As I watched him sleep, I realized that he is no longer an infant, as the books say. He is now officially a toddler, which means he is one step up in the ladder to adulthood. My baby is definitely growing up. He is getting heavier everyday and also taller. He can now do a lot of things: hold his bottle, say a few one-syllable words, indicate his wants with gestures, take a few wobbly steps, pick small objects, and feed himself using his fingers. He is also slowly exerting his independence. While before he loves being carried in my arms all the time, he now prefers being let down on the floor to crawl or “walk”. Sometimes, he can even sleep on his own after playing by himself. He also seems to know what he does and does not want to do. The problem is what he does want to do are not necessarily the same things that I want him to do. Case in point: he wants to play at two in the morning, while I, already tired from the office, want him to settle down and sleep. Lately, it does seem that our little time together always turns into a battle of wills which usually ends up with him crying his lungs out and me feeling frustrated.
But tantrums or no tantrums, Andre is much more fun to be with now. It’s like having a miniature person around… someone I can have conversations with (although I can’t understand his words), someone I can watch tv with (as long as it’s Disney channel), someone to keep me company (especially when his dad is out), someone to play with (when I’m feeling up to it), someone to dance with (he likes waltz & cha-cha) and someone to hold in my arms just when I feel like being close to somebody… My Andre, my little man.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Emilio Rei is 10 Months Old
Last Saturday, Emilio Rei celebrated his 10th month "birthday". As in the previous months since he was born, we had a small party, complete with a cake with a candle for him to blow, noodles and other party goodies. This month, though, was extra special since he was already able to "participate" in our celebration. He gamely posed for pictures, ate a little cake icing and sat with us in his high chair as we ate. We were even able to dress him up in his first Lakers basketball jersey!
Emilio Rei is so much fun now... in his own way, he communicates with us. He may not be able to speak our language yet but I'm sure his blabbering sounds mean some things. For sure, tati means Daddy, ayay means Yaya, lolola means Lola and ala means Marah (no, he does not call me Mommy even if I always teach him to say Mommy, he he). We already know that when he starts scratching his left ear with his left hand, he is becoming pissed off. And when he turns cranky after playing, that means he is sleepy already and he needs to be rocked to sleep with his lullabye CDs playing.
He is slowly showing his personality and becoming his own person now. This early, I can already see that he will be a passionate person. When he is happy, he laughs with all his might. He even stamps his feet and move his arms while doing so. When he cries though, well, he really CRIES. He can cry non-stop for an hour or so if he wants to. No matter how you console him, he won't stop until he decides to.
There's so much to be thankful for. I have Emilio Rei, my constant source of strength and inspiration. Having him in my life changed me... I'd like to think that I am a better person now because my life is continuously being enriched with spending it with my little angel.
Emilio Rei is so much fun now... in his own way, he communicates with us. He may not be able to speak our language yet but I'm sure his blabbering sounds mean some things. For sure, tati means Daddy, ayay means Yaya, lolola means Lola and ala means Marah (no, he does not call me Mommy even if I always teach him to say Mommy, he he). We already know that when he starts scratching his left ear with his left hand, he is becoming pissed off. And when he turns cranky after playing, that means he is sleepy already and he needs to be rocked to sleep with his lullabye CDs playing.
He is slowly showing his personality and becoming his own person now. This early, I can already see that he will be a passionate person. When he is happy, he laughs with all his might. He even stamps his feet and move his arms while doing so. When he cries though, well, he really CRIES. He can cry non-stop for an hour or so if he wants to. No matter how you console him, he won't stop until he decides to.
There's so much to be thankful for. I have Emilio Rei, my constant source of strength and inspiration. Having him in my life changed me... I'd like to think that I am a better person now because my life is continuously being enriched with spending it with my little angel.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Meet Emilio Rei
Our bundle of joy, Emilio Rei, at 8 months old.TEN THINGS ABOUT EMILIO REI
- He spent his first day in the incubator, looking so helpless as he lay there with only his nappies on.
- He was circumcised at 3 days old. The doctor told us he raised hell at the nursery during the procedure, crying his lungs out and flailing his little arms and legs. Just proved how stubborn he really is even at that age.
- He was brought home to Lola's house from the hospital on a Good Friday. There was no traffic from Greenhills to Muntinlupa so he had a very nice and smooth journey, thanks also to Ninang Lisa who was driving.
- He was not breast fed. He simply refused to... even if my milk was already dripping on his mouth, he wouldn't suck. Fortunately, he was able to take in my milk via the bottle during his first week since I ran out of milk after that.
- He was baptized at three weeks old, that was about the time I was able to "walk" normally again. He was well behaved during the ceremony and even at the reception. He had his first "tantrum/crying session" that evening though.
- He "fell" from my arms while sleeping when he was about 5 weeks old. Luckily, he was unscathed, just a little spooked at waking suddenly on the floor. I was so guilty... for weeks after that incident, I spent every waking hour observing him.
- He was hospitalized at five months old because of bronchitis and urinary tract infection. He had an IV inserted in a vein on his foot to pump in the antibiotics and keep him hydrated. Our hearts were broken seeing him in pain and discomfort. It was a blessing that he recuperated fast and was back home in three days, healthy and happy again.
- He was diagnosed with primary complex when he was 7 1/2 months old and as a result, he had to take medications regularly for six months. Poor baby, he has to drink his medicine, which he really hates, every morning. My baby begins his day with crying each and every day...
- He still does not have any teeth yet... At nearly 10 months old, he's still as toothless as when he was born. Nevertheless, he still looks so cute especially when he laughs and smiles.
- Today, he is an ACTIVE baby. He never sits still, he toddles on his playpen, jumps up and down your knees and crawls at every instance he is placed on the bed or his playing mat. He is also very STUBBORN. When he decides to do and/or get a thing, nobody can stop him lest he goes into his frightful crying sprees. The most we can do is distract him for a while, hoping that he forgets what he originally wanted.
I love my baby... he is everything to me. Even if I no longer spend that much time with him because of work and other activities, my thoughts are always with him. I just hope that somehow he feels the love I have for him...
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Emilio Rei's Story
We first met Emilio Rei exactly 9 months and 3 weeks ago. After more than six years of waiting and anticipation, he finally greeted me and his Dad with a piercing wail and a loud cry. It was the sweetest sound for us as it meant that everything's fine with our precious baby. A normal and healthy baby was all we could hope for in the six months that I spent in the hospital waiting for Emilio Rei's arrival. That he is all that and much. much more made all our hardships and difficulties worth the while. We now have God's greatest gift, a perfect baby boy whom we promise to love and cherish till the rest of our days.
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