Mommy L's Word of the Week: Achievement

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These days, I have very different definitions for the word "achievement".

Bathing Pablo by myself? Achievement!

Being able to fold and put away the newly laundered clothes? Achievement.

Putting the baby to sleep? Achievement.

Waking up ahead of Pablo feeling alert and well-rested? Achievement.

Also, waking up ahead of the baby and getting a complete breakfast meal? Achievement.

Grabbing a quick lunch on time? Achievement.

Putting on lipstick? Achievement! With an apostrophe no less! Haha

Organizing stuff around the room? Okay, SOME of the stuff in our room. Achievement.

Now that he's a lot more awake than during his first few weeks, putting Pablo to sleep? Achievement.

Getting to win over my husband on Words With Friends? (Hahahaha!) Achievement.

Not being snappish with my poor husband? Achievement. Will try harder, okay?

Getting Pablo on a onesie with sleeves? Achievement.

Being able to post a new blog entry? Achievement.

Oh, I'm such an achiever! 

#30ReasonsWhy: a Paper Anniversary Post

Before our wedding, I made a 30-day-countdown on our Facebook event page, with 30 reasons why I think it is right for us to get married. Let me list them down here on the blog for our First Anniversary.

I can't believe it's been a year, yet I can't believe it has only been a year! Never has 12 months seemed so long and short at the same time.

Mr. L, I love you with all my heart.

30. He makes me laugh! ♡

29. I'm looking forward to see the goriest and the prettiest places together.

28. Even at my worst, chicken pox and all, he makes me feel good about myself.

27. He is proud to be with me(because, hello! Choss).

26. He whips up yummy dishes for me ♡

25. He makes me see things from a different viewpoint.

24. He supports my dreams even when it means he has to make sacrifices himself.

23. I can make him smile even when he's upset.

22. Whenever we have disagreements, he almost always makes the first move even during times when I'm the one being unreasonable. Hehe

21. We understand (to an extent, support) each other's idiosyncrasies; dreams, quirks, hobbies, insane ideas etc. I can completely be myself around him.

20. Even during times when he isn't at his best, I still know in my heart that I love him.

19. He's still my last thought at night and my first in the morning.

18. He always has my back. We may not agree on a lot of things but when it comes down to it, I know I will always have him as my ally.

17. By nature, we are both stubborn and headstrong but we listen to each other, maybe not all the time, but in times that matter.

16. He loves kids. Kids love him, too!

15. I can see how he always strives to make himself better, how he does his best in everything he puts his mind into. For those who say he's mayabang, I say suck it! When you know everything he's had to face and overcome, you would know that he has every right to feel good about himself. I'm immensely proud to be with him.

14. He cares about what makes me happy.

13. He makes me feel safe.

12. We respect each other's choices: We think differently, we have diverse wirings, we do not agree at times but we respect that we have individual choices and we admire the fact that despite heated discussions, we can be adults about our decisions.

11. We drive each other crazy, both in good and bad ways.

10. He respects me and everything about me: my views, my talents, my weaknesses, my dreams, my failures.

9. Just at that moment when I am soaring higher than necessary, he reminds me that the best way to go about everything is to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground.

8. His faith keeps me going.

7. He always chooses me over everything else. 😛

6. He respects my family.

5. Never has anyone in his family treated my badly. They are all so cool right from the start.

4. When things are going wrong, we are better when we're together.

3. This near to the wedding and I feel no doubt, only certainty.

2. We love each other

1. It is written in the stars

Cheers to more more years together!

Mama, I now understand...

Why you always stayed up late when I was a kid. I couldn't go to bed without you beside me so I always waited up no matter how many times you told me to go ahead and sleep.

It wasn't because you weren't sleepy yet. It wasn't because you liked staying up late. It was because you still had a lot of preparing, chopping, marinating to do for the menu the following day. You worked hard and at odd hours for our little restaurant to make sure that we would always have enough to live by.

I now understand why you got mad when I wasn't home on time. Why you had to drive your boyish motorcycle to my school to look for me on days that I'm not home when I should be.

It wasn't because I broke your rules. It was because you were worried something might have happened to me. You must have been nervous to begin with. Nerves that turned into panic when you couldn't find me immediately. Panic that turned into relief and then anger upon finding out I was just playing under the sun after all, without a care if you were worried or not.

I now understand why you were always reluctant to let me go to parties (acquaintance parties, school dances, etc.). I had to beg, and scheme, and escape just to be able to get out of the house.

It wasn't because you didn't want me to have fun with my friends. It was because you know that a lot of nasty things happen at parties and you didn't want me to experience any of it. 

I now understand why you always give directions in detail, (as in go to this certain mall, go up the escalator to your left, go inside the store named "whatever", ask the manager if they have a stock of this and that, tell him it's important etc.) it wasn't because you think I couldn't handle the task, it was because you always want to make things easier for me.

I now understand why you had doubts when I told you a BPO company asked me to come for an interview at ten o'clock at night. You asked what kind of an office gives final interviews at ten at night. I told you BPO companies do.

It wasn't because you think I was lying, it was because you weren't worried about me. You always are. What with the news loaded of stories about missing people, I now know you just wanted to make sure I am always safe.

I now understand why you were strict and firm with us when we were young; no boyfriend until we finish school, no dating, no smoking AT ANY AGE, make sure we are courted at home, etc.

It wasn't because you just wanted us to follow your rules. It was because you wanted to make sure we'd finish school and have a good future. It was because you wanted (want) the best for us.

I now understand a lot of things, Mama, because I now know that being a mother is like having your heart take form outside of your body. A form that can be bruised, hurt, crushed. A form that has its own heart and mind and can get itself into trouble if it's not careful. A form you always always want to protect but can only do so much.

I now understand because I'm a mother now too. Much as I have appreciated and loved you before I become a mother myself, I see you now in a different, and in a much much more beautiful, light.

I am immensely grateful for your love. I love you, Mama.

Happy Mother's Day.

Clark: Month 1

Never have I been able to comprehend the neverending amazement babies give and now that I have my own, I want to learn and document everything about him.

At first month, our little Ian Clark (Pablo for short hahaha! More on that later) have already given us so much joy and wonderment. Here are my discoveries and his little, albeit seemingly monumental to Mr. L and me, milestones.

1. He has a mole on his back.

2. He now coos and makes cute little sounds aside from crying.

3. He smiles oh so beautifully! 

4. He has a dimple on the left cheek.

5. He loves being close to me and can already tell when I'm not around. I say this because no matter how deeply he sleeps, he wakes up and cries just a few minutes after I've gone to eat/shower/restroom break. 

6. He loves my milk and demands to be fed every two hours! Some babies need to be woken up for feeding but not our Pablo, he cries for milk like clockwork. Love. 

7. He loves being carried by Mr. L. You can tell because when he cries, he quiets down whenever Mr. L picks him up. 

8. He now follows anyone who carries him with his eyes.

9. He cries really loudly!

10. We love him so very much.