A Trip To A Public Library

When Gabbie was small, I used to bring her to Fullybooked in Global City to attend their free weekly storytelling sessions where they also do arts and crafts aside from reading books. Whenever we go to malls, our first stop is mostly a bookstore- National Bookstore, Fullybooked, Booksale, Book For Less, Chapters and Pages and even the school supplies section of the department stores. So the "library" that she knew were just the bookstores where you pay for any book that you want to take home.

This year's school break, she asked me if we could go to a "real library" where there is a "real librarian". So I thought of bringing them to Marikina Public Library to show here how a real library looks like.

There she saw piles of books (I'm guessing the library was under renovation or they were in the process of organizing their collection) and some computers which the students can use for their research. There was also another kid accompanied by her mom and there was a guy librarian.

Gabbie and Rafa got their own books to read and they sat beside each other in one of the tables. As I always say, my kids can stay in a bookstore (or a library) all day. This is their happy place.

Funny Gabbie

One afternoon while washing and cleaning Gabbie (after biking and playing outdoors), I told her, "Look, Gabbie, you look so dirty, so dugyot!"

She got mad and went to her room and locked the door. I left her for a couple of minutes. Afterwards, she opened the door and handed me a message:

By the way, "dugyot" is an Ilocano word which means dirty or untidy in English.

N@W 2013 Christmas Party

The first Christmas party that the kids attended to this year. They were dressed as popstars, as requested by Gabbie. As soon as we got inside the venue, Gabbie went straight to the hair and make-up booth while Rafa and Daddy Mike joined a game. There was a band who sang and danced with the kids and Gabbie sang along with them her current favorite song Roar by Katy Perry.

Gabbie, on Reading :)

One afternoon, Gabbie went home with two stickers in her ID. She said the teacher gave the stickers to her because (1) she was able to read and (2) she was able to read with expression. The teacher confirmed it when I went to their school the next day to fetch her. The stage mommy in me couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed. The days and nights of reading to her since she was small paid off.

Then the next day, she went home carrying a script. Written there was a note from the teacher saying she will be the narrator for this year's Nursery Christmas presentation. When she was in Nursery (where she played the role of Innkeeper), I wondered who was doing the "voice over" in their Christmas presentation. I thought it was recorded until one mommy mentioned that it was a K2 student who was already fluent in speaking and reading. I silently wished then for Gabbie to be able to do the same when her time came. Now it's happening. I know this is just a small thing (well they should be able to read before going to big school) but I was just happy that she can do it now :)

Trick or Treat 2013

Late post. Been busy with a lot. As in a lot.

Anyway, for this year's Trick or Treat, Gabbie dressed as a scary witch for the first time. And it's all because she's already into make-ups. She got excited when I bought her a black lipstick to match her witch costume.

She attended three Halloween parties- one in school, then in our village and in daddy's office. In school, she dressed up as Merida of Brave. A N@wie friend let us borrow her daughter's costume because Gabbie wanted to be Merida; she was telling me about it even as early as June. It was her first time to get a Best in Costume award in school.

Rafa, on the other hand, had two- one in the village and one in daddy's office- she was a cutie little vampire in both. During Greenheights' Trick or Treat, she cried a lot when her daddy was dressing her up, but like Ate, when she was given a lipstick, she stopped crying and gave in. Girls!

Anyway, in daddy's office, the kids took home a LOT of treats. But some of daddy's officemates dressed up really scary that Rafa got really scared and cried and nearly walked out. Gabbie won the Scariest Costume Award and Rafa was the Most Scared. Silly :)

Almost two..

Couldn't thank enough Tito Dex and Tita Ai for the super nice invites and tarp layout. It will be a super (albeit simple and budgeted) birthday party indeed! :)

Do All Spiders Make Webs?

Now that she can read and she can read anything she sees in her books, the questiong goes on and on and on. The other night she was reading Discovery Works (a book about kids experimenting) and the next morning, when she learned that classes were cancelled, she opened another book which is a collection of short bedtime stories for kids. One story was about spiders. While my eyes were still closed and I was not in the mood yet to wake up, she asked, "Mommy, do all spiders make webs?" Thinking webs are the natural habitat of spiders, I said, without batting an eyelash, "Yes!"

She was quiet for a moment then said, "Eh why in my Discovery book, one of the spiders did not make a web?"

I knew I was in for a few more questionings but my sleepy self was still not in the mood for that so i just said, "Maybe it was sleepy or hungry." And then she went on reading the story.

Well I myself was not satisfied with my answer, but my poor little girl just accepted what I just said, probably because Im her mommy. I got up and opened Google in my iPad. A few clicks here and there and then I got the answer:

So I called her and told her I was wrong and that I was sorry.

Then she told me, "See? I told you! Nex time you ask your teacher about it again."

Haha. Im glad there's Google.

A Trip to Manila Zoo

Etc.. :)

One afternoon in a mall,

Gabbie: Mommy, lets buy Chicharap but Im not gonna it eat here. I will bring it home so I can share it with Rafa.

Me: You really love your baby sister.

G: Yes! That's why Im practicing how not to fight with her everyday. Maybe tomorrow I will learn to not fight with her anymore.


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Papalabas ng Jollibee...

Crew: Thank you po, balik po kayo.
Gabbie: Ay hindi na po kami babalik, uuwi na kami!
Ako: *hiya*


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Our names according to Rafa: Gabbie-elle, Rafa-elle, Mommy-elle and Daddy-elle.

When daddy was away...

Daddy was gone for a two-week business trip to Germany. While he was there, Skype kept the girls busy during daddy's breaks and free time. Most of the times they would fight over who's talking to daddy first or who's holding the iPad and be in the center of the camera. Rafa has alrady memorized the sound of Skype in the iPad that once she hears it, she'd announce "Daddy, skype!"

On the day of daddy's flight back home, while we were waiting for our food in a resto, Gabbie wrote this, and gave it to daddy as soon as he arrives home.

This pasalubong (play mat) is the one that the kids enjoy the most, aside from chocolates of course. :)