The End of Play School..

... hopefully, only for the year.

We knew when we enrolled Yakee at St. Michael that he'd only go till October. That will buy me time to just be Yamee's while he gets social interaction... and then party season will be distraction enough for him so that a regular class would be unnecessary.

I was considering letting him go back in January... but if i'm going to pursue the Waldorf crash course, that just won't do because nobody will be able to bring him to and from school.

So, maybe we'll just really enrol Yamee in the parent-child program and let Yakee go back again in June-Oct. Then again, that will depend on how our homeschooling is panning out, as well as his other classes... and maybe where we live (for I am hoping that we'd still get to move soon). I know we're still far from endeavors like whether to buy garmin chirp or not for geocaching, or investing in a heavy duty telescope to really observe stars, or going on immersions in far flung places with no clean water or toilets... but the challenge ahead is stressing me out. Before, I felt I had so much time left... but now, the time for more structured learning is here because he is already 4 years old.

Anyway, term ended for them yesterday and they all went home with Shoo Fly insect repellant and a sewn pumpkin holder for 2 apples. The Jap moms are urging me to enrol Yakee again because their kiddos are fans of my son... and they got Leah to hug Yakee goodbye.

Awww.

I really wish Yakee can hang out with them again and again and again, even if not that regularly. I was thinking of inviting some to the birthday party but the Jap moms would be in Japan. Hehe.

Milk Mama Diaries for November: Extended Breastfeeding

Babies up to one year NEED milk as their main source of nourishment but after that, they should be getting most of their nutritional requirements from solids. For November, however, we want to give a nod to those who aimed to extend their breastfeeding relationship even when their babies could already drink regular milk (or none, because it's calcium they require, not milk).

=============

Thank you for joining the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival for November.
Theme is Extended Breastfeeding and participants are asked to share their experiences in breastfeeding their toddlers (past 12 months) as well as their tips to moms with young babies. Participants can also talk about barriers to extended breastfeeding as well as myths or comments they received from people around them.

Please fill up the form here to join. Deadline for registration for the carnival is on November 2, 2011. Posting instructions and Carnival rules will be e-mailed to all participants on November 3 and the Carnival will go live on 4 November 2011.

If you have questions or clarifications, please contact Jenny (jenny[at]chroniclesofanursingmom[dot]com) or Mec (delisyus[at]gmail[dot]com) :)

Rewarding Field Trip Day

I want to blog more about it, with pictures and story bits, but I can't let the day pass without saying that we had a blast at the field trip to Malvarosa Orchid Farm in Malvar, Batangas.

I don't know who had a better time, the kids or the adults. The adults enjoyed lazing around in hammocks and eating organic food, away from work stress and social ecommerce, while the kids frolicked in the background. Plus, having all the kids together was an exercise in every-minute cuteness as we saw how each tried to behave their best. Snippets of conversation were all so adorable.

The kids loved vegetable picking, animal petting, and water play. A day at a farm was just really a perfect opportunity for them to appreciate food preparation more, as well as farming, seasons, readiness.

And I am really loving STAR Tollway despite the huge fees because it took us just over an hour to get to Malvar... both ways.

First Field Trip Coming Up

As an end of semester thing at St. Michael, the kids (with interested parents) will be going to a farm in Malvar, Batangas next week. Hubs even went on leave just so he could join us. The kids are likely to get dirty trying their hands at gardening, fishing, produce picking and riding a carabao... aside from just having heacters of open space to run and play in.

I am stoked!

This will be our first official field trip, haha.

Someday, we'd probably do more of this as we homeschool. Then, further down the road maybe, hubs and the boys will be pouring over Polaris Ranger Accessories and going to those rough roading events... or we'd really be joining triathlons... or we'd all be climbing mountains... or lazing around in Marinduque watching the fishermen haul in their catch for the day.

Outdoors. Physical activity and the outdoors. I am really excited!!!

*~*

Of course, this being a Waldorf escapade... I can't exactly pack the usual baon, hehe.

But the fee we're paying covers two snacks and lunch... how cool is that? It's only P320 for adults and P200 for kids!

Mommy is Crazy

Once upon a time, my brother-in-law started calling Yakee "crazy dog" to which Yakee would call him back "crazy duck." For hubby's siblings, anything that's funny, silly, mischievous, etc. is CRAZY. It's become a common expression for us all.

So, imagine my chagrin when walking from school one day, Yakee's classmate calls my son "crazy duck" in front of her mom. The mom gently corrected her child and I, of course, apologized and explained. The good thing was, the girl only called Yakee crazy, nobody else.

I didn't want Yakee to attach something negative to what has become a weird sort of endearment for him and his cousins... so, I told him that only members of our family can be crazy. I further explained that other people might not understand what CRAZY is, so he has to stop telling others they're crazy. I told him to tell his friends instead, "you're funny" or "that's cute" or "wow, cool!" :)

And then the same Mom tells me today that her daughter told her, "Mommy, Iakob's family is crazy." She had to ask her daughter to not say such a thing. I had to apologize and explain again and she did acknowledge that her daughter was just reporting something she heard, not making a judgment.

But there you go. Mommy is the crazy one for thinking CRAZY would stop having a life of it's own. Sigh.

I Did Not Shop

An e-mail containing a list of sale scheduled last weekend was sent in our Yahoogroups. I checked it and bit my lip but willfully did not go to any. Even the one at my second home (Robinson's Ermita) where Accessorize was offering their cute accessories at 30% discount. I wasn't looking for transit token cufflinks or anything as fancy, just matching necklaces and earrings.

But my material whims have to wait till after I have spent on the birthday party and found money for the Waldorf crash course I want to take.

Heaven will provide and I am keeping the faith.

Besides, I still have all the fabric I bought to be turned into nice outfits!

Classes Suspended

I spent more time than I should looking for announcements whether classes were suspended for the day due to a typhoon signal. I am not subscribed to those sites yet, you see. I should have checked my phone first, though, because St. Michael has been nothing but prompt about such advisories.

Anyway, being affected by typhoons and hanging onto DepEd's words are really things I know I won't miss when we start officially homeschooling. Of course, this also means that rain or shine, I am stuck with teaching my son whatever is on our lesson plan. But at least, I don't have to wake up a perfectly sleeping child, feed and dress him up, only to be turned away or sent home at the school gate.

Hopefully, though, the homeschooling thing will really result in me being able to foster creativity in my son. I certainly wouldn't mind if he's blogging already by seven or eight years old, and coming up with real creative stuff (and grow to be like this blogger Timothy Ferriss, who is all about creativity, making money and living a positive life). Who knows, maybe we could make a tag team of our homeschooling blog.

Meanwhile, classes are suspended and Yamee is reeling from the excitability that is his older brother, and I am running out of ideas to occupy the older one.

I will find more energy soon. Yes, I will!

Birthdays Done, Birthdays Due

My birthday happened without fuss nor fanfare.

Yakob's was spent at the Disney LIVE show and a weekend at my in-laws.

It was relatively a quiet week, and Yakee is a little richer in toys, I, in fabric.

Now, I am gearing up for last minute shuffling of expenses for the birthday party in November. After I finish all the things I have to buy for my sister and my Mom, I hope to finally shoot the photos I'd need and use for the invites and tarp... and have those sent out/printed.

And then I will track the street sellers I want to contract for the party, to save some money and get the products I really want.

And I will finalize my wardrobe (naks) :)

And I need to think of a nice surprise for my hubby, who is such a hardworking provider, lover, friend.

Wish me luck, energy, creativity... and always, a thankful heart.

My Hands and My Sons

One thing I have been really sad about ever since eczema stuck my fingers is that I don't always enjoy holding my sons... because sometimes, it's too painful even to just hold hands. Yakee would even say, "Ouch Mommy, you're hurting me with your finger." because the dry, scabby skin would be rough on his face.

It was only lately, after taking antibiotics, when I started not feeling itchiness in my fingers and they got healed enough for me to actually enjoy caressing my sons to sleep again.... so I touched them all the time. But yesterday, the itchies were back. And now, the itchy bumps. Sigh. Soon, my fingertips will be cracking again, I just know it.

I don't know if it was something I ate, or if we need to have some water softener on top of the gentlest cleansers.... of course, I am hoping the eczema isn't here to stay.

Sigh.

I don't want my sons growing up with the notion of their mom having rough hands... not really for vanity. I want them to grow up liking being touched by me, and nobody really likes being touched by rough hands. Especially when the fingers seem like they're about to burst and ooze infection on you.

Hay.

I shouldn't get depressed over the possible return of all the itchies but I am. I so miss being able to enjoy my hands.

==============

While washing Yakee's face:
"Mommy, when I grow up, I want to be a teacher at St Michael"

Napa-awww... and napa-kiss naman ako talaga!


That is a testament to how loving his Titas are at school... that he thought to be like them.

Michaelmas at St. Michael

I really didn't think of bringing a child last night to St. Michael for Michaelmas/Parents' Night. I assummed they said the kids can be accommodated in the play school because there are whole-day students there who might as well stay there while their parents socialized upstairs.

It turned out, even former students were brought by their parents. Yikes. I so felt guilty to see Yakee's friends all there and a wonderful storytelling setup... and no Yakee.

I also told myself I needed the time away from my boys, what with my meltdown moment on the night of my birthday when I couldn't put them to sleep. Plus, I also didn't want Yakee excited at night anymore only to not settle down for bed again.

But again, I felt soooo guilty. I also almost quarrelled with hubs for trying to tease me about it. Sigh.

Anyway, it was a beautiful parents' night. Now, hubs and I need to be deciding on what's next for Yakee. We are still a long way from pondering the merits of Physicians & Surgeons Jobs (because we hope one of our sons would want to become a doctor) but in a way, it's really more crucial. omeschooling, a more structured one, can already start for us. But where to send Yakee for his socialization and physical activity needs?