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Yearly Post? Trey and I are now "50"

Trey and I collectively turned 50 this year - he turned 6 while I turned 44. And this turned out to be such a special year for us because Daddy made it home just in time for his birthday story at Maya Playgarden. Then, we had another celebration at Daddy's barangay for a children's party for the daycare children. We capped the day with a birthday dinner at Barrio Inasal, Aurora Subdivision. 

What made October more special was the fact that Daddy stayed for the rest of the month as we likewise celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary by traveling to Negros Occidental. We went to Silay, Sipalay, and Don Salvador Benedicto. 

Oh, how Trey truly enjoyed Daddy's presence. He has the tendency to be a Daddy-pleaser, though. As he would go to the lengths of not telling the "truth" or sugarcoat or even manipulate things just so Daddy gets to hear what he thinks Daddy likes. I told Dad it's not a healthy thing to encourage but the Daddy is likewise enjoying the attention. I just keep on reminding Trey, though, that Daddy will like or appreciate whatever he has to say even if he doesn't agree with it. 

I am looking forward to an exciting year ahead for Trey as he now develops this super love for reading! He pretends that he's already "reading" because most of the books that I read to him he has "memorized" out of repetition. He particularly loves Dr. Seuss books with "Green Eggs and Ham" as our favorite thing to "read" together! I hope he will like being taught to in Class 1 next year. Academics, here we come!

Below are some snapshots of photos of Trey at 6 years old. 

3 days shy of 6. As coin bearer at a wedding.

At Takatuka Lodge, Sugar Beach, Sipalay City

At Ephrathah Farms, Badiangan, Iloilo

At Five Years Old

My son just turned 5 years old last month as I likewise turned 43. Our mother-son relationship will always be marked with our growing old together - literally - as we celebrate our birthdays on the same day. For the second time around, Dad wasn't around on our special day but thankfully, Trey and I managed given our big family support. It's still not something that I'm used to but well, we cope.

In fairness to my husband, he spent the entire day with us a day before our birthday. We went to Ephrathah Farms in Badiangan, Iloilo with the Jaruda and Espinosa families. It was a lazy day of just walking around the farm, swimming, chatting, and eating together. The others also did some ziplining. But at nighttime, we had to bring him to the airport to catch his flight back to Manila.

On our natal day, we had a simple celebration with his friends at Maya Playgarden and another simple family dinner at Kamalig Restaurant at the newly-opened Robinsons Jaro.

As I stare at him now asleep by my side, I couldn't help but think how time flies fast. He's a more manageable companion now whenever we would travel together. He complies with our agreed "rules" around 90% of the time. :) He's sweet and thoughtful. He creates stories and even characters! He remembers. Everything. (So, it's quite a boon and bane depending on the situation). He's kind. On occasion, though, he's just as wild as the mushrooms growing everywhere! But given all his signs of growing, he still wants to cuddle with Mom, likes to be carried around (my poor back!), and wraps presents for me...all the time! (That's all the things available in the vicinity, with all the tape wrapped over it with Mommy's help, of course!:))

One time, he told Daddy that although he has so many "girls" now (it's a private joke between him and Dad), he wants to be like Daddy when he grows up with only one girl just like Mommy - that girl he really found pretty at Tipsy Pig in Capitol Commons in Ortigas. Sigh. Noooooooo! I'm not ready. Sigh. I just take comfort in the idea that he really doesn't  know what he is talking about. :)

Oh, well. We have another year to enjoy his 5-ness. To more years and birthdays to come!

My Greatest Teacher

My greatest teacher: Trey.

Last night, I was not in my element and little things bothered me a lot. Then Trey started messing up the room by throwing things around. My voice got louder and I couldn't control myself. Wewin was on speakerphone the entire time and he asked me to step out of the room for awhile to relax, which I did. When I came back already calm and collected, Trey said, "Sorry, Mom." I said sorry, too, for speaking in a loud voice. Then, we hugged each other. While I was hugging him, he looked me in the eye and said, "Mom, I'm sorry because I don't know the rules of the big people. I'm still small. Indi pa ko kabalo, Mom. Nalipat lang ko."

Bells Will Be Ringing!

I have longed for this time for Trey. I can't wait!

Outdoors!

Meet Gianna, Trey's "best friend" from Maya Playgarden. They're almost the same age having been born on the same month and year. They first met in one of the parent-child programs of Maya and now they're buddies in the kindergarten! And, oh, how they love to play in muddy puddles!

I am so thankful that Trey and Gianna, on their own, discovered the joys of playing outdoors without prodding from any of us at Maya. I guess it's the environment that paved the way. It's readily available so it's there for their taking at anytime!

When was the last time you played around in puddles?

I am a Breastfeeding Ilongga!

Trey is a breastfed baby. Albeit for only 10 months, I am still glad he got "liquid gold."

 

As a working/schooling mother during my breastfeeding journey, it didn't stop me from breastfeeding him whenever, wherever. At night, I would pump milk to store in the ref for his consumption while I was away. At work or at school for my post-graduate studies, I pumped milk at lactation stations, inside the car, inside offices, and even inside bathrooms. I would talk to managers if I can store my pumped milk inside their ref and just get it when it's time to go home. Wewin regularly bought me avocados because it made me produce more milk. We would do anything just to get me "pumping." And when I'm in the comforts of our home, Trey would go on latching for hours.

 

It was not easy and how I wished I could have done more. He wasn't even exclusively breastfed and how I wished he was. I didn't have a support group then but how lucky and blessed all of you are because Breastfeeding Ilonggas are here to help you now!

What's your breastfeeding story? Share! Join us at Hakab 2015, August 1, 10AM-12NN, Robinson's Place Iloilo in celebration of World Breastfeeding Week.

- Jorvy, Breastfeeding Ilongga
‪#‎HakabNa2015‬ ‪#‎BFIjoinsHakabNa2015‬

(Photo Credit: Stanley Ong Photography)

- Repost from FB