Caroleen’s Treasures

Early this morning I woke up with a very heavy head and it went on until late in the afternoon. I can’t seem to figure out the reason. It’s not migraine, just a pain on my temple but I have problem trying to relax. This goes on for a couple of days and during the evening, I feel tightening on my nape. We eat healthy foods and if we had meat, we always add vegetables as extender and I do cut down on salt. So how come I feel my blood pressure is shooting up again. Oh well, I just hope it’s because of the weather which could be too striking hot during the noontime and would end up raining late in the afternoon. Read the rest of this entry »

I am such a lazy bean lately…or should I say more lazy than usual. It was drizzling when Ella woke me up. She asked me to get up and make her breakfast. Thinking that it was still 6am and Tadiday was still around (she usually leaves for school 15 minutes before 7am), I told her to ask Ate Tadiday to make a bowl of cereal. Feeling so lazy and sleepy, I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep. Minutes later I heard no sound in the kitchen, I dragged my feet out of the bedroom to see Tadiday’s room is empty and Ella was not in the house. I called her name and looked in the gate. No sign of Ella going out. I opened the back door and there she was in her knitted jacket and boots, sitting infront of the church with umbrella parked on her side. I called her in and prepared her breakfast then I looked in the wall clock and was surprised to see it is 15 minutes going 8 in the morning! Ella’s class will be in about 15 minutes! I woke up Donald who has been up almost the whole night. I decided not to give Ella a bath. I rubbed a wet towel all over her body and dressed her. No uniform today. Friday is their FREE day. She was fussing earlier and was saying she do not want to go to school but I told her she can wear her boots and raincoat to school….and this made her jump out of her seat.

The whole day I spent most of the time in bed tossing about with a book on my hand. It wsa a book I have read a year ago and I loved it so much that I wanted to read it all over again. I hate the feeling of being pregnant…I mean this phase, the 1st trimester where you feel nauseated and tired all the time. I wanted to eat but I do not know what I like. My mind changes from time to time and Donald is going crazy too like I was because he is the one who runs to the market to get peanut, custard cake, ripe mangoes or anything that a crazy pregnant could think of. Yesterday I have not decided what I wanted to eat for lunch when I smelled the neighbor’s roasted pork. We ended up roasting pork too.

Tomorrow is market day again. My favorite day of the week. No class. No need to wake up early and the thought of what I could find in ukay-ukay makes me more excited. We will also buy things we needed for the Meal Fellowship on Sunday. I have to prepare two dishes and I decided to make chopsuey and my favorite sotanghon guisado. I have to stick on vegetables because we will have lechon (roasted pig). And oh I hope I won’t forget to get two bottles of different vitamins for me. My OB prescribed two vitamins that I would take alternately. I need to make the baby healthy because one of my friends has delivered a premature baby and the doctors have to give the baby legal steroids to help develop the lungs.

Today I woke up feeling very nauseated. I sat infront of my pc to check on emails and blog hop but I could not stand the cold. I feel like wind is gushing around me and I have to go back to bed and hide under my flannel blanket. I think I have slept for half an hour.

It is Saturday, market day here in our town, so I can’t just lie in bed the whole day without going to the market. Donald, me, Ella and our working student went to the market at quarter before 9 in the morning just right after I woke up the second time. I was not able to blog about our working student since I became so sick the past weeks. She is in 1st year high school, daughter of our neighbor who happen to be a member of the church too. We decided to get her a couple of days before I learned about my pregnancy. She is here to help us with preparing Ella for school, doing the dishes and cook rice. She also do some light yard works but I won’t let her wash clothes. Of course she should wash her own clothes but not ours. I have problems with other people washing my clothes. I am not comfortable with it that is why with all the house helps we had before…laundry is not included in their work. And of course I do not want this girl to be very tired to go to school. Ella really enjoys having her around and she even introduced her to her Tita Cheche when we went to Davao last week, “Tita, ito si Ate Tadiday, may ate na ako…bagong panganak lang siya.” (Tita, this is Ate Tadiday, my new big sister. She is newly born.”

Ella was really excited too that she will be having a baby sister or brother. But she really like a sister. She said if it was a boy she will look for a tall tree, climb there with the baby in his arms and knock in heaven adn ask God to exchange it with a  girl. I actually want a girl too so we won’t be buying new things for the baby since I have kept some clothes and toys and even Ella’s stroller and walker (well with the stroller and walker, it could work well with either boy or a girl since it is unisex). But when I came to read an old post of Julie in her blog, I came across this Chinese calendar and it says I will be having a BOY!!!! Gosh! I do not know how to react on this one. So I emailed Julie and she said with her 4 kids..it was pretty accurate adn with her friends too who have 3 kids!!!! So I told Ella that she might have a baby brother….I was nervous that she might react violently but instead she said, “Okay lang, kahit boy…kasi baka bawiin ni Lord pag-magpili ako eh.” (It is okay if it is a boy. I am afraid God will get the baby back if I will choose.)

With Julie’s kids, she has wrapped gifts for his other kids when one is born. Like it was from their little brother or sister. It was a great idea so I decided to do the same when the baby is born. Maybe I will wrap children’s books or even a bike which Ella was asking for so long (she has outgrown her “torn” bike). So this will make Ella and the baby more attached as Ella. I hope I could save for it before I give birth.

It’s seems like lightyears that I wasn’t been here. My internet connection was out since Monday and was up for only a few hours yesterday and out again. I have just did coding for only a few hours and was really dismayed that our base station here in the province had some problems. Glad that finally it was up again and I hope it will be stable so I can make up for the lost time in coding.

Remember when I said Donald was telling me to look in the mirror because I now have some bulges? I am feeling strange and I noticed some changes in my body so I let Donald bought a home pregnancy test and I am positive! Donald and Ella are very excited as it is what they are waiting for. I am two weeks along now and Ella was overly happy. With another member of the family coming, we are hoping we can have more coding hours in OHJ so we can save and pay for our insurance. I came across the NC health insurance and was hoping we have like this here.

Ella played until midnight. She had Carrot dressed in baby clothes that I have saved for her sister (if God will bless us with another bouncing baby girl) That’s what Ella wanted, a baby girl. I asked her what if it was a boy, she answered “Eh di palitan natin…” ( Let us exchange it) What?!! Was it a dress that you can exchange if it doesn’t fit? LOL My sister was teasing her that we will wait for the mall’s midnight sale so we can buy her a baby sister for a 50% OFF and she pouts saying she don’t want one that is bought. She wants one that is made. Well, with the rice shortage right now, we can’t afford to have another baby yet. We should be settled first with a home and food and with basic needs. I want her to send to a good school and not be deprived of her needs. In short, the truck should come soon.

Speaking of the truck…I hope next time we will be told that it will come, it will. We need really need to move and get settled in Agusan before June comes so we can have still time to find a school for Ella. We are told last time that the church can offer little amount for our help with the church work. And the rice too, which I can tell now that it would be a great help since the rice price increased drastically. We have actually accepted the work before even without the cash allowance, but with this offer we are more than grateful and who would resist such a blessing? So there would be a house where we would live, rice and allowance. While Donald will be off for church works everyday, I will be left at home. Good that I have this blog to keep me busy and at the same time earn. Being approved by PPP and PayU2Blog is such a blessing. And writing essay for Academi-Research too! I can have dollars and in time, we can get through with our struggle with finances right now.

I was infront of my pc when Ella went beside me and said “Tingnan ko nga mata mo Mommy. O, may dugo na….may mga crack na….’di ka kasi natutulog.” (Let me see your eyes Mommy. See there’s blood, there’s some cracks…it’s because you are not sleeping). The CRACK thing pertains to my blood shot eyes. It just made me laugh how she looked so worried about the CRACKS on my eyes. As if she’s seing cracks on eggs. LOL

As I promised you, I will write about our dear little princess’ life, her mischiefs and the things she did with pure innocence of a child that made us laugh, cry, worry and hope that she will not grow too fast. I want it to write about it now that I have still it in my memory. So when she is old, she have stories to tell  her grandchildren about how she was as a child.

We got the first scare from her when she was barely 3 days old. We rushed her to the pedia because she wouldn’t cry. The first time that we heard her cry was when she was born, after that we didn’t hear any from her. When we arrived to the clinic, I was asked what’s wrong with the baby and I complained about her do quite. That I think it is not normal for a baby. She let me lay Ella on the bed and checked Babinski reflex, everything  were okay. Then, she struck Ella’s sole with her fingers and that sent her wailing like hell! For that, we paid $15 for her to make Ella cry   At least we went home relieved of the thought that our child might be deaf/mute. The Pedia told me I am just so lucky that my baby isn’t a cry-baby.

After one day after that visit to the Pedia, I rushed to tell Donald that Ella has stopped breathing for a moment and that I noticed it a few times. We came rushing at the center for my midwife to check on her. This time, it is my ignorance That usually occur in babies and is perfectly alright. We went home smiling in relief and a bit embarrassed.

She grew to be a healthy baby, always smiling, she associates with people so well and rarely cries. But I have heard from mothers that babies who are well behaved will grow naughty,  stubborn or strong willed. Ella had the latter trait and she got it from me. Although she has that trait, she is sweet in most ways, thoughtful, smart and seem mature at her age. She just loves to E.A.T. all the time.

 It was almost 4 years ago, when she was a year and a half, my sisters and mother went to the mall with her. At the department store, they saw a mother with her baby on a stroller. The mother gave the baby french fries (which is Ella’s favorite food). She ran to the baby, held its hand and took a bite on the fries. The mother laughed at what she saw and gave Ella one. My mother apologized and they had a short conversation. Good that the mother was friendly. Then the mother put the fries on the side of the stroller and started pushing her way down the alley. But Ella hadn’t been contented for that one stick and so she came running to the baby again and this time grabbed the fries to where the mother has put it. They held Ella tight and bought her fries so she would not harass other people. I just don’t know how will I react if I was there….

When she was a year and 8 months old, we (Donald, Ella and I) went into a clinic at the mall for me to get checked. We are seated on the lounge with our eyes on tv. There were also two old ladies on my left waiting for the doctor. Suddenly, we heard them giggling. I just ignored them thinking that they might have some private conversation that causes them to giggle. I kept my eyes on the screen trying to ignore them. Then the giggles turned into laughter, this time I turned to their side and saw Ella her eyes innocently on the screen while her hand was on their popcorn. Oh, how I must have fainted!

Then again when she was three, we went to Jollibee (this time in the province, without Donald in the scene) as I have promised to Ella. I found a vacant table and get her settled in the chair. I have put the order at the counter, paid and went back to the table to wait. While waiting, a couple came in and got the table next to us. They had their baby with them (maybe a year and a half), put him on a high chair with a cookie and they both went to the counter. Ella, being so fond of babies, went near him saying “wow….ang cute cute mo naman…” (wow….you’re so cute…) and started playing with the baby. The baby seem to like her too. She was tickles the baby and he giggles. They were at that scene when I reached for cellphone to check for messages, it was just a few seconds, when I looked at them….Ella was taking good bite at the cookie that the baby was holding!!!! I called her attention and told her to stop it and reminded her that it isn’t good. Far from the table, the couple have seen all that has transpired…Ella and their baby playing and Ella getting a bite from the cookie. They smiled from the lane and when they came back, I apologized and almost faint (again). The father reached from the bag and gave Ella a pack of cookies that she graciously accepted with a shy thank you

The worst and most embarrassing thing she did was to gate crash during a birthday party. She was already four and we (Donald, Ella, my sisters and brother in law) were at SM having our bonding moment. When we felt we needed something to eat, we all agreed to go to McDonald’s. The place was packed with customers and there’s seem to be a party going on at the rear portion of the store. (They don’t have a separate party area). Upon hearing the voice on the microphone (which surely of the host) giving the mechanics of the game, I felt nervous. That confirmed my guess. I was thinking Ella might go in there and that was the mother’s instinct in me. She had her own birthday party at McDonald’s too. She surely enjoyed it and would want to experince another one. While we were just trying to find a seat, she ran to the party area just as I was about to brief her not to go there. I quickly followed here and tried to coax her to go back to our table. I explained that we didn’t know the people there, she didn’t knew who’s brthday it was and that she was not invited. I held her hand firm but the host told me to let her join the games. I didn’t know if she knew that Ella was not from the guest list after all.  So, I went back to our table feeling amused and embarrassed all the same. Donald and the rest didn’t know what to say. They feel the same as I did (we were all laughing in disbelief) and we almost can’t hold our head high. After we had consumed our orders, we heard the kids sang the birthday song and boy, Ella’s voice was on top of ‘em all. After some short talk; the party ended,  she went to our table and said “Mommy, kilala ko na ‘yong boy. Siya si Stephen…” (Mommy, I know the boy now. His name is Stephen…) Now she knew who’s birthday it was! She was happy to tell us she had a new found friend I can’t wait to tell her privately (so as not to embarrass her) that gate crashing is not a good way to make friends. Needless to say, she enjoyed the party and went home with a lootbag and  five balloons!!!! I ended up giving the boy a Puss in Boots mini storybook with a cd (which I am lucky to have in my bag) and apologized to the mother for the crime my daughter committed.  The mother consoled me and even praised Ella for making the party alive. She said it was good that she did gate crash since the kids there were just sitting and staring. If not for this little gate crasher, the party will be all too boring. She made the party alive

Inspite of her silliness, she is so much like an angel to us. I love her being so sweet, thoughtful, smart and mature at her age. At school, she was always the one who kept peace and order When someone cries, she will wrap the crying child with her arms. After comforting her, she will go to the one who made the kid cry and say in bossy manner ”Bakit mo siya pinaiyak? Alam mo bang hindi maganda ‘yon? Hindi ka ba tinuruan ng Mama mo?” (Why did you make her cry? Did you know that it isn’t good. Didn’t your mother tell you that?). She also makes sure she have more food everyday than she can consume. She have this ready so she can share with her classmates. You know those kids, they want what’s their classmates had for merienda. She was also very helpful. When she hears somebody complain of a missing pencil or an eraser, she will stand from her chair and will look for it. She will only go back to her work when all are settled. Her teacher calls her “Mother Hen” and she surely is.