Girls just wanna have fun :)

I think I need to get used to this scenario already. When they play, they really make kalat and gulo. But even then, when they start to giggle and laugh at each other's antics, all I could do is just laugh and giggle with them- I can't help it, it's contagious.

Swim baby, swim!

I know I shouldn't be surprised. Rafa loves water so much, just like Ate Gabbie. Few weeks ago we went to Ace Water Spa. It was Rafa's first time in a swimming pool. We stayed in the water for about three hours, no signs of Rafa being scared or bored whatsoever.  We just needed a 10-minute break for her to nurse and then went swimming, sliding and playing in the water again.

And then last week, we went somewhere in Marikina for a swimming engagement party. As expected, Rafa swam like she wasn't a 10-mo. old baby (even I almost forgot! Haha!) She wasn't even scared to "ride" daddy's kickboard and she endured the cold water for like thirty minutes huh!

Looks like we have another Dyesebel in the family :)

10 months today!

She claps her hands as we sing the happy birthday song to her. She moves her body like it is her own version of Superbass dance. She stands up, sits, and decides to crawl towards and goes up the stairs.

She turns 10 months today!

Mommy, why do we have a head?

While I was putting the girls to sleep one afternoon, Gabbie looked at me and asked, "Mommy, why do we have a head?" I had to have her repeat her question because it never occurred to me that she would ask such question at her age.

I put down my phone for a moment (I read my Yahoo mail while I put them to sleep) and looked at her, eye to eye. She was waiting for an answer and I was obviously buying time. I had to think of an appropriate answer. An answer that a four-year old can understand. Then I remember their lesson in Science few weeks back- about the parts of the body, and the head.

"Because the head holds our eyes, ears, nose, mouth and what else?"

"Hair, chin, cheek, eyebrows..." Sure she remembers her lessons well.

"So if we don't have a head, we will not have our eyes, and..." I intentionally didn't finish my sentence. I wanted her to think and be the one to tell the functions of the eyes.

"We can not see!"

"And if we don't have a head, we will not have our ears and..."

"We can not listen!"

"And if we don't have a head, we will not have our nose and..."

'We can not breathe!"

"And if we don't have a head, we will not have our mouth and..."

"We can not speak!"

"That's right. And inside our head there's brain."

"What is a brain?"

"The brain tells us what to do, it is what we use to think. So that in school, we know..."

"How to answer the exam!"

"That's right! That's why we have a head."

How can I not be proud I have a smart daughter?

Just like mommy

‎"Mommy, may I borrow your cellphone?"
"Later anak, you sleep first and I will read something here."
"In your cellphone?"
"Yes, I have something to read (email, that is)."
"Why, is that a book?"

This made me smile. I hope she will always associate reading with real books and not iPads, iPhones, laptops or any gadgets and will always love doing it the old fashioned way.

Just like mommy :)

Gabbie Reads "Are You My Mother?"

One of Gabbie's favorite things to do before she sleeps (either during afternoon naps or at bedtime) is to read. Books that she reads can be workbooks, activity books, fairy tales or just any book from her own "library" like this one titled Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman which we got from the Books For Less warehouse sale several weeks ago.

I used to read to her. There was even a point when she already memorized a whole book (Barbie Fairytopia) that she can tell the entire story by herself without reading it (just looking at the book and recalling the words).

But now, she is the one reading the book by herself.

 We have a new storyteller in the house! Konting practice pa :)

Playtime with Keziah and Gerald

Gabbie reunited with her Nursery friends Keziah and Gerald yesterday during the Parents-Teachers Conference in the school.

After the PTC, we went to SM Marikina with Keziah and her grandma and Gerald with her mom Arianne. We treated the kids to a motorcycle ride and Jollibee snacks because they all got good grades in their report card. The kids especially Kesh and Gabbie must have missed each other so much they were just playing and running most of the time. Lola Enri, Arianne and I watched them while catching up with each others chika.

Star Pupil K1 1st Quarter

Ate Gabbie did it again! Despite our difficulties in reviewing and doing homework (because I'm attending to both her and Rafa's needs at the same time) she got the highest grades in the first quarter of the school year and this Star Pupil Award.

This is another milestone and achievement for Ate Gabbie. We will continue to support her and help her excel in her studies and later on when she's big, in whatever it is that she'd want to pursue.

Congratulations Ate Gabbie and no matter what, love na love ka ni Mommy and Daddy. :)

Kids in Action

It was a tough job. Shooting the kids, that is.

Gabbie had to do it several times because the wind would get in the way (under shorts showing in photographs- not cool!) while with Rafa, we were watching her closely- scared that she might fall (she actually did, once).

But it was a success!

And since we did not bring a tripod, it was impossible to take a family photo.

It was fun- really really fun. I wish we can do this more often. And then I can start making a scrapbook or a photobook of our playdate in different parks and playground in Metro Manila.

Play and Photoshoot

Sooo thankful of the nice weather last Saturday 'cause we were able to bring the girls to a park (grounds and greens!) and take some natural light shots of Rafa that we could use for her birthday party invites, tarpaulin or (if budget permits) standee.

We made Rafa walk on the grass too, with a walker of course, and took some jumping shots of Gabbie while she was trying to chase and catch a dragonfly.

I had fun taking photos of the girls that I plan to do it again. 

Hoping for more long weekends. Haha.