DAY 286: September 25th, 2010; SATURDAY

Dear Jam,

I almost lost the phone again. I meant, you, you almost lost it, hiding it under the sheets, pillows, even the mattress. So I couldn't rely on asking anyone else but you to find it for me. I think you and I learned a lesson after the last time I almost lost my mind searching for it that this time YOU, yes you, easily found it! I merely said "Jam, where's Mommy's phone? Find the phone beh?" And before I could even say the word "cellphone" again, you had it in your hand, out of the trammel of covers with "Nara!" - that's "Voila!" in Visayan or "Here it is!"

Your cold is here! At its worst that you've become restless and ambivalent. We had to force NASATAP down your throat, which Daddy bought for you early this morning as he felt guilty that he gave it to you. You were crying, spitting at us, spewing the syrup out but I had to be relentless and re-administer until you've had an exact 1ML-dose. You were tossing and turning last night because breathing because breathing became tasking but with NASATAP in, you dosed off in the afternoon when we least espected it. We had to make an adjustment because you slept so soundly, your sleep would stretch to what seemed forever. Daddy decided to go ahead and cover for the first few hours while I waited for you to wake up. I don't think you ever wanted to rise. When Daddy and I were discussing how to go around the schedule, you suddenly woke up without a prelude of a warning, and waving your hands, you shushed me and Daddy with "Ssh!". You grabbed you stuffed cat and went back to sleep. HAHAH! Whoa! Telling Mommy and Daddy off, huh? And so even as Daddy left and after a couple hours of sleep, you stirred, opened your eyes and stared at me fixedly but was too dazed to even lift a finger. I had to pick you up. I'm sorry, I needed to run it because I had to catch the 5PM Novena schedule. I was just in time though, happily. I had to drop you off at the cafe and proceeded to Limektkai for the second day.

By the way, we watched Ratatouille, to Daddy's discretion. You know that's one thing I love about him. Like me, he has a soft spot for cartoons, animation, the sort. Maybe because both him and I had to grow up too fast being the eldest, we had to take in a couple more responsibility, missing out on some aspects of childhood. We both especially enjoyed the movie as it was about an ordinary street rat - rodent who can cook - and Daddy and I both love to cook, to eat and all the jazz of fine dining. The sort. I think you liked it too because the rats weren't depicted as they are realistically. While watching, we enjoyed Daddy's special pancake recipe. It had the crispiness of the coconut butter cookies he threw in for flavor. When the movie was over, Daddy and you played loop-de-loops with your mini elastic bands and his fingers. It was a Daddy-and-you-time thing so I left the two of you alone.

Oh! What made you stay put aside from your colds was the little accident you had. As usual, self-inflicted but as it is a sign of your growth, nobody is to be blamed. You fancied opening-and-closing the cabinet door and it wasn't until we heard a painful shriek did we deduce that you had closed the cabinet door with your fingers halfway in. It must hurt so bad for you who rarely bewails you little mishaps. But kisses from Mommy and Daddy, a power hug, sufficed to assuage the pain.

JAMantic of the Day:

1. Not only do you know how to say the number three as "tee" you can now also make the sign of "three" with your fingers. Sadly though the transition from one finger, two fingers, to three fingers isn't as smooth.

2. This one is a keeper. So I was, hiding from you and Daddy, inspecting the knockings of my monthly visitor without thinking that you snuck up behind my back. I heard a small voice that said I asked you what you meant because it sounded like "bad" "bug" and everything else between the vowels sounds "u". It was when you pointed at your source if inspiration while saying "Lud!""Yay! Mama lud." did I understand that you understood what was really going on! ;)

3. Mamala reports this charming act you did early at her watch in the eatery. You went through the stock of clean pots, you managed to pull out a small pot enough for you to carry to Mamala. You opened the empty pot and told her "Lala, yice." She said you could have either meant you knew that rice was supposed to go in there for cooking and/or you were asking for rice so you could cook it! HAHA! We can already see the makings of a future cook! ;)

Your MAYmah,