DAY 282: September 29th, 2010; WEDNESDAY

Dear Jam,

You look nice there modeling our neighbor's products. Haha! So this was us, on our way down from the pad, to catch a ride for Lapasan. I decided, for a change, that we should take a healthy hike to the jeepney stop. Daddy had to go on ahead so we had to commute. I am thankful for that because you and I got to exercise and see the little world that was our neighborhood. We've been passing by this Souvenir store often but it was only today that we had the chance to drop by and buy something off their display. I got you a Kiddie Pack of Barquillos. You know, when we were kids, this wafer-like delicacy went well with ice cream. But for you, at your age, the barquillos will do just fine by itself, and a helpful sip of water and/or milk. You liked it so much that even you kept asking for more in the jeep. I couldn't give you anymore because the food flaked off and the nasty bits went everywhere and by that I mean other people. HAHA!

But before that, we had a fine time watching TV; you as you went on repeating after the narrator and I, taking notes down everytime you said it. There was no change with how you pronounced the ones you learned a couple of weeks ago but we have progress with one today and that's how you say "bubbles". Unlike before, you had to wait for the narrator to say it first, this time, whenever you see bubbles come up, you say "buh-bows" and that's good because you've nearly got the pronunciation right. You also have a new word, after repetition form your shapes video and that is "owa" for "oval". This is exciting! New words everyday, huh? :D In fact, you needn't narration or my direction anymore even as we were going through that storybook from Ninang Jeng. As you insisted, you went through the pages by yourself, pointing at objects which you may recognize. There's two that you got correct, "ohpol" for "apple" and "keen" for "king". You're a big girl now, Kitten. Yes! A big girl indeed because you wouldn't want me to rub your tummy to an afternoon nap anymore. You shoved my hand aside when I attempted to and when I asked you if you don't want me to "baby" you anymore, you said with a sweet but firm answer nonetheless of "No."

Mamala reported that while I was away for the 6th day of the Novena, you maintained that pleasant voice to get your Papalo to oblige your requests, especially your "Lolo peeeees shyoosh!" There would be only one reason why you would want shoes on and that is to spread your wings and run around the eatery. You also wanted to go down the cafe, pointing the stairs saying "Mama" and even as Mamala said that "Mama pray" you insisted to go. Since you insisted, she got you to see that she wasn't lying and that there was only Daddy covering for Mommys shift. I think it was separation anxiety talking in "Lala wa" or "Lala ra" (I only want Mamala) when I was putting your jacket on for the drive home. You pushed my hand away and gave it to Mamala. That's good that you've taken a liking to her today. Usually you'd push her hand away for Papalo's or Daddy's or one of your Nohnongs.

You were happy when we got home though, as a foodie monster. I brought a full serving of pancit bihon, some extra helpings from our free dinner at Kagay-anon. You loved how you ate off chopsticks. Daddy and I enjoyed watching you while sipping coffee and then talking about some niceties. Another amazing story that I learned about Daddy's life when he was a young boy in the mountains of Bukidnon is how they drank raiwater! *gasp* He explained that rain, in his time, in the mountains was different. It was cleaner and it tasted sweeter and better than water from a fount or well. He said that Lola Kotan built a rain catcher sort of tank, big enough so that it was the source for laundry water and even for food preparation and consumption. Lovely isn't it? Lovely how there are things in the past that couldn't match to the wonders we have today. Daddy must have enjoyed that part of his youth as he recalled it to me with vim in his eyes. No, you can't have rain water. HAHA! Unless it is filtered and distilled. The world is just so polluted today Kitten, I can't even tell which is clean, cleaner, or cleanest! xD


JAMantic of the Day:
By the way, your "drama" isn't working on us anymore.
Hahah! You wanted something as usual and Daddy, as usual, doesn't give in easily so you hid your face over your arm on the table and pretended to cry. When you lifted your face, in an attempt to throw us a fit of tears, you failed! Failed big time. There was an effort to grimace but no tears would fall down you had to pull your cheeks down to what you may have thought would help you cry. But to your failure and shame, you hid your face again. Daddy and I had to stifle our laughter so that you wouldn't think it to be no more than a laughing matter. But oh! I so wanted to laugh.

Your MAYmah,