Hold On to Your Kids - They Grow Fast!

As our kids grow, naturally our parents, our relatives, even ourselves grow old too. I met Cora last Saturday. She was holidaying with her husband here in New Zealand, visiting their son and his family. She has another son who now lives in LA. Their house in Katipunan is now empty. They now travel regularly, visitng their kids who now live in two different countries.

Cora said to enjoy our kids coz once they become teenagers, they won't be needing you anymore, except maybe when they're hungry. She said that by that age, they'll often be away with friends or doing school projects.

A week ago during drop off, my son said "Ok Mommy, you can go. That's alright. You can go to the office now." And my daughter, lately has developed the art of diplomacy by saying "Just let me do this Mommy. Don'tbe angry alright?" She's 4.

Whenever I look at their photos and videos from last year, I notice the many changes. From babies, to tots. And now I have a young boy who can't wait for his two wobbly teeth to fall off so he can be a pirate. And my very articulate baby girl can't wait to go to Primary next year.

It was early last year, I was still pushing the pram to daycare with Rose on the seat and Max standing on the back. Now Rose is the big sister at Tots.

My father died end of May 2014. A few days later, we celebrated my son's fifth birthday and I do recall Ate Riza celebrating her daughter's 6th birthday in between the wake. Life goes on and we as parents just need to deal with whatever life throws at us. It's tough.

Thoughts on Cancer

Last night's post on FB by Ate Riza "Yesterday, may nakapang lump sa left breast si ma. nakapa ko kanina, malaki- > 4cm! It looked like a benign tumor by elastography but it had features not commonly associated with benign- so baka cancer (na mas common sa ganitong edad). Plan is to admit ma friday night, excision with frozen section sat am. I pray and hope it is not cancer...."

When Dad died last year (brain cancer), I felt scared of the idea that Mom might leave us too soonafter. Her visa application is currently with immigration and we're hoping to get news by end of the week, if not next week on the results. Plan is for her and Diana to come and visit us this December, to spend Christmas here too.

Everyone's changed since I left three years ago. The family's grown, dad got sick and died, Nanay broke her femur, people got older, Tita Dory burned her hand. Everyone's aged, including my Mom. I miss them all. I realise now how strong my family ties are.

I'm just nervous i guess. I'm anxious on what the results will be for me. What will happen to us. It's scary. I don't want to go through that process again. But no matter what the future holds, I know that we are there for each other as a family. I'm just so far away from them.

Spring Into October

Oktoberfest na! Nag birthday na ang mga Septembrants. Nag start na ang DST. Nag bloom na ang mga cherry blossom trees. Final week na ng school holidays! Ang bilis ng panahon. September came like a breeze.

Napuntahan na namin ang Army Bay, and I think, dahil wala naman kaming nakuhang notice, walang toll na dapat bayaran. Naging busy rin sa trabaho kasi tail-end na ng release so the usual na karipas para mailabas ang produkto. And the annual performance review has started.

It's that time of the year when sheeps give birth. The lambs were all over Cornwall Park these past two weekends. I started bringing my car to work. Yes, we finaly got our second car! There's been so many changes in our lives as we move into Spring of 2015.

It's another high of 17C today, a fine day but with that chilly breeze, it feels like it's 15C. There is something about the air, it's so fresh and crisp, not damp. It's a good day to be out in the sun.

Spring is in the Air

Habang naglalakad kaninang umaga papuntang opisina, ramdam na ramdam ko yung crisp na spring air. Iba ang lamig, feeling fresh. True enough kasi napansin ko na mas marami nang bulaklak ang mga nagsulputan. Typical spring ba ito na kung minsan mahangin, may pabugso-bugsong ulan at halos lahat ng kahalamanan ay namumulaklak? Pangatlong spring ko na ito. At ayun, medyo paubo-ubo na naman ako. Pinag-iisipan ko na ulit kung pano ko didiskartehan ang school holiday ni panganay. It's on the week after next na kasi. Malamang dalhin ko siya ulit dito sa opisina for a few days. Gusto ko sana magbakasyon pero iniipon ko kasi yun sa pagbisita nina Ma. Tsaka mahaba rin ang school break. Full time na rin kasi work ni hubby kaya kaliangan talaga i-juggle ang oras. Tuamwag na rin yung taga plunket para sa before school check ni bunso. Medyo nabigla lang ako at napa-oo sa appointment sa Monday. Pagkababa ng telepono, tsaka ko lang naisip na mas maigi pa sana na sa ibang araw na lang at huwag sa Lunes. Hay! Tingnan natin kung pwede pa ma-reschedule.

Mula nang nag fulltime work si hubby last June, para na akong robot sa bahay. Gising ng maaga, luto, ihanda ang mga bata at ihatid sila pa-eskwela at daycare. Habol sa bus, sana hindi ma late pero parati naman ako late. Buti na lang hindi mahigpit sa opisina at payag naman sila na 9:30am ang pinakamaaga ko na appointment. Pag-uwi, pa-meryenda ko ang mga kids, luto ng hapunan. Ligpit/ linis sa kusina. Sipilyo o paligo sa mga bata at patulugin dapat sila ng alas otso. Kung kaya pa ng powers ko, magsalang ako ng labahin habang nagluluto para sampay siya sa gabi, at para matuyo ang labada kinabuksan. Ulit na naman the next day.

Dahil Spring na, nag-iisip ako ng mga proyekto na akma sa panahon. Nag-aabang lang ako ng araw para mapaarawan ko lahat ng beddings. Gusto ko rin na pahanginan ang buong bahay. Gusto ko na rin palitan ang mga kumot, yung mas manipis na dapat kasi hindi na rin naman ganun kalamig ngayon di tuload nung winter. Mukhang nagagamay ko na ang pagpalit ng season dito sa Auckland. Ewan ko lang sa ibang lugar, last week nag winter blast ulit. Pahabol lang daw yun. Sino ba naman ang may gusto sa snow kapag Spring.

Getting an Eye Exam

I booked an eye exam with Specsavers and the experience has been great! My schedule was at 12:20pm at Newmarket and I left the store at 1:20pm, with my new prescription, and a purchase on 1 pair of clear and 1 pair of prescription sunglasses (buy one, take one). It would be my first time to do this here in NZ. In Manila, you can just go to any store, look through a machine to check your grade and you can purchase any eyewear that you like. Prescription sun glasses weren't popular then. Here I was handled by an Optometrist first before being turned over to an assistant who helped me go through the items and packages available in store. The process was seamless and not overwhelming and confusing which was my usual experience in getting new eye glasses. It helped that I did not have my kids in tow and that it was midweek. I always prefer walking in stores that are not busy as I often get the best service. Karen, the assistant who helped me, did not rush me into making decisions and has been most helpful in getting the best bargain. I can't wait to get my eye glasses in 5-10 working days. They will send me an email once it's available and will call me in case I did not respond.