Chuck Norris Files

Facebook status, February 6, 5:30 PM:

Just now, from Miguel: Did you know that when you misspell "Chuck Norris" in Google, it doesn't correct the spelling? It says, "you have ten seconds to live.

Facebook status, February 7, 8:00 AM:

Last night, at bedtime...

Miguel: Chuck Norris used to work for the FBI.
Me (drowsy): Hnnh.
Miguel: He was their best negotiator.
Me: Yeah?
Miguel: All he had to do was say, "I'm Chuck Norris.

Facebook status, February 7, 8:02 AM:

This morning, over breakfast:

Miguel: One day Chuck Norris was hungry for a banana. He went to an apple tree. There was no banana. He said, "I'm Chuck Norris." And then a banana fell.

(This one was made up by Miguel. Given his track record, I say it's an original.)

This one's going into "Miguelisms"

Journal 2001

Here's what happened in 2001.

January 1: Sits with support.

January 5: Sits unsupported. Sat up in the stroller.

January 7: Sat up from crawling position! 3:27 PM at Lolo Benny and Lola Perla's house. All the cousins were there to witness it!

January 13: "Ma ma!" Can pull up on his own from crawling position. Also, baby kisses mommy! More like sliming me with saliva but mommy loves it!

January 14: More pulling up and kissing.

January 15: More pulling up and kissing. Miguel is one very healthy, very happy baby.

January 16: Waves bye-bye.

January 23: Can see second set of incisors.

January 24: Upper incisors coming out.

January 31: Definitely getting his balance while standing with support. Will stand alone soon.

February 3: Baby stands for 3 seconds!

February 7: Baby stands for 5 seconds!

February 10: Photography session at home with Tita Gai and Tita Lisa. Finished 4 rolls of film or 142 shots in 1 1/2 hours.

February 11: Miguel went out with Mommy and Lola to buy first pair of shoes: Chicco size 5 (for 1-year-old)

February 12: A typical day

6:30 Wake up, play
7:15 Cook
7:45 Morning pages
8:30 Breakfast
9:00 Play with Gueli
10:00 Bath - Gueli
10:30 Bath, then computer/internet - Tirbune article
11:30 Lunch
12:00 Go to SFI
1:00 Meeting with writers. Check plugs, scripts, etc.
6:30 Leave for home
7:00 Home, dress up, dinner
7:30 Gueli's bath, dinner
8:00 Sleep

February 13: Stands for 10 seconds!

February 14: Stands for 16 seconds!

February 15: Doesn't like eating cereal. Drank milk instead.

February 22: Stands for 21 seconds.

February 24: Stands for 26 seconds.

February 25: Stands for 36 seconds.

March 1: Stands for 40 seconds.

March 3: First real cold. Runny nose.

March 5: Gets better.

March 7: Still a little runny. 7th tooth out.

March 8: Daldal (talkative) morning. Go to doctor - start of an ear infection; buy 3 more medicines.

March 9: Kisses mommy upon waking up! Twice! Sweet boy!

March 10: "Clap your hands!"

March 19: First lunch out with Mommy, Ninang, Ninang and Yaya at Katre in Quezon City. Had blueberry cheesecake crust (and milk).

March 23: Photo session at Babysitter Studio with Remy Bautista. Accompanied by Mommy and Ninang and Yaya.








First swim in the pool! Swim mates are Ninang Aly, Dino, Mara, Gian, Selene, Mommy and Ninang Leslie.

March 24: Ninong Dennis's birthday party. All the cousins are playing with Miguel's toys.

March 28: 8th tooth out - lower left incisor.

April 4: 9th tooth out - upper left cuspid. Second swim in pool.

April 9: Swimming with 2 ninangs and cousins. Dinner at Lolo Benny's - happy anniversary!

April 10: Mommy can see 9th tooth now.

April 11: New vocal: "ju ju ju ju ju" Baby takes one step (right foot only) recorded on video! Swimming with cousins and Ninang and Mommy.

April 22: Landmark day. Walked 2 steps. Also learned give-and-take. Removes blocks from box one at a time.

May 22: Says "bye."

May 24: Walks unassisted. Puts blocks back in box. Says "ba-bye" while waving. Hugs a lot!

June 2: HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY!

June 22: First haircut

June 28: Picks up ruler, points at letters

July 4: Pushes stroller around

July 23: A new word a day - July was the month of talking

July 26: The diarrhea but happy and active month. Fish and lugaw forever. Bananas and cereal. 2 stool tests. Words are "bite, wala na, ABC, durian." Laughs at "bite." This is the one nap a day month, asleep by 6:30pm month. Still adorable, never tired.

July 27: Visits Cradle of Joy, sees Ninang Leslie and Ate Selene.

July 29: Playtime with Sarina and Keiko at home.

July 31: Pushing furniture around.

August 1: Got toys from Ninang Aly! Miguel falls asleep on the bed on his own after drinking milk.

August 2: Eats durian after lunch :)

August 16: Took down the crib.

August 28: First sentence: "Meme na na" when I left the room.

September 1: Four new teeth!

September 5: Triangle! He gives me the cutout triangle of the foam "A" and gives a triangle block saying "triangle!"

September 12: Word for the day: "cricket"

September 15: Trina Velilla: "When I have a baby I want it to be just like him."

September 16: Word for the day: "women"

"You are the bomb!"

I've never seen Miguel so thankful and excited. He's been waiting for this game since late last year, and has been viewing videos of the Japanese version on YouTube.

Yesterday the Pokénerd texted me to say that the new game was now available in Greenbelt and that I can have his reserved copy. In 15 minutes I was in Data Blitz to claim it.

When I got home for dinner and showed Miguel what I had, he did a dance in the living room. This gesture of mine merited me lots of voluntary hugs and kisses all through the night.

Yes, I am the bomb.

Waiting game

Me: Do you want to go to Chloe's today?
Him, not looking up from his Nintendo DS: Yes.

(Pause.)

Me: Don't you think you should call her up to see if you could go?
Him, still playing: Nah. I'll just wait for her to call me.

Problem of the week

Math: Arrange 8 chairs in a square room such that there is the same number of chairs along each wall.

"Mommy, I want to make a square room with walls with two chairs on each wall."

Who am I to say that it can't be done?

"Superman"

See that smile? He's just looking for an excuse to wear his briefs on the outside and look silly.

Disclaimer: It was totally his idea.

Science quiz

Topic: Plants

Essay question: You see your classmate taking the leaves and flowers off a plant. What will you do?

Answer: I will tell him to stop so that the plant will survive. And I will tape the leaves and flowers back on the plant.

Me, surprised: Miguel, why did you write this? You got minus one on the quiz!

Miguel, angrily: That's because my teacher doesn't have a sense of humor!

Cowboys

A trip to Batangas with Butch, Jean, Chloe and Chino! Miguel was afraid to ride at first, but quickly got jealous when he saw Chloe and Chino trot off. After his first ride, he was all smiles and asking for more! He rode on Dip Tank, a very friendly quarterhorse who got his name because he fell into a...dip tank!

Thanks to Butch and Jean for bringing us, and Chloe for inviting us!

The snake is an albino python, a pet of our host.

His new favorite shirt

It's soo him!

"If you can't make a move, make a stupid move"

(Sung to the tune of "If you're happy and you know it.")

So this is about Miguel's latest thing.

Two Saturdays ago he started attending the SECOND Ateneo Saturday Chess Clinic. What happened to the first one, you may ask? Well, that was offered some time in the first quarter, but he was already had an activity during Saturday mornings. So when the second one was offered, he begged me to let him attend.

You've gotta hand it to the boy; he knows what he wants.

So for the past 2 Saturdays, we've been trooping to the Blue Eagle gym for chess lessons. To my surprise the place is filled with (by my estimate) fifteen young, noisy, active boys who are truly excited about chess. They relish the challenge of a game and have a lot of energy. I don't know what goes on inside that chess room during clinic hours, but I got to witness Miguel playing against a classmate after hours. With them, a game of chess is not at all quiet, but punctuated with a lot of animated conversation, side comments and antics.

I've discovered that there's a lot of etiquette involved in chess, and they will learn the rules eventually. But right now they're just having a lot of fun while learning.

I knew that he had an interest in chess, which is why I brought home a beautiful chess set from China last year (pictured above). But I never suspected that he would really take a shine to it. Well, at least for now he does. I daresay it satisfies his intellectual curiosity.

For Ms Santamaria

As with any school day, Miguel was sleepy when I woke him up on February 14. But when I greeted him "Happy Valentine's Day," he bolted right out of bed saying, "I have to make a card for Ms. Santamaria!"

At that point I could have whined, "What about me?" but I didn't. I think that it's sweet that my son's knee-jerk reaction to Valentine's Day is to make a card for his teacher. Unless of course his teacher was a man.

Then he went to his toy shelf, and I asked him what he was doing. "Looking for a gift for Ms. Santamaria," he said. Handing me one of his Kiddie Meal action figures, he said, "Wrap this please." I convinced him to give a wooden puzzle block instead. But then Ninang came in and, being a teacher herself, convinced us both to give his teacher a pack of Hershey's Kissables.

Going back to the card, he insisted on a plain paper board, which he wrote and drew on. I would've been contented with "Happy Valentine's Day" but he wanted to say more. The personal touch. It was only after all this hullaballoo was over that he agreed to get dressed for school.

Even over breakfast, he would ask,"Mommy, where is my gift? Did you wrap it? Did you tape the card on?" Such attention to detail. I hope Ms. Santmaria enjoyed the gesture. I sure did...as if I were on the receiving end of that card.

...

When I got home that night, I had a card from Miguel as well. It read "I love you Mommy even when you stink." Sound familiar?

For the record

Here's a list of Miguel's favorite foods.

1. strawberry
2. chicken joy
3. chocolate
4. french fries
5. pan de sal with butter and jam
6. fruit shake (mango banana)
7. piyaya
8. iced tea
9. churros
10.barquillos

and don't forget his his thosandth favorite:

1000. peanuts

This list was developed as we drove home from church last weekend; it was a successful atempt to distract him and get his mind off something. So successful that even I don't remember what we were talking about before this.

Oh well.

44/100

Quickie post 2

(For Saturday, June 3, 2006)

Another photo with Teacher Ems! Isn't she preeetty? When I finally met her during the first recital I understood why my son likes taking piano lessons.

But kidding aside, Miguel really enjoys studying with Teacher Ems. She's very good with children and I can see that she really has passion about what she does. There was a time last year when she missed several sessions due to stress, but I'm so glad that my mom convinced me to keep Miguel in the program.

The summer recital was a cozier one, with less participants and a smaller venue. Miguel played 2 pieces, the same ones that he performed at his lolo's (grandfather's) 75th birthday.

The first thing that he asked me at the end of the recital, after he got his medal, was "can I continue taking piano lessons?" Yes, my son...absolutely! :)

33/100

Quickie post 1

(For Friday, June 2, 2006)

Thank God for photos! I'll do a post a day for a hundred days, no matter if I'm late.

We had a nice party with the cousins, Chloe and Chino, Chasey, and Arianna and Roque. So I guess that all my kiddie guests could be considered Miguel's cousins. We had swimming, balloons, cake, games, and lots and lots of chips. And oh yeah, the food. We were constantly grazing until dinnertime.


Note to self: next time get a party host.

Miguel told all of us his birthday wish: "I wish I could spend more time with mommy!"

I didn't know if I should feel flattered or embarrassed. Nevertheless, my sister was right: I think he's gonna get his wish.

32/100

Chocolate love

(For Wednesday, May 31, 2006)

Last night on the way home from my uncle's 75th birthday celebration, I glanced at the back seat and saw Miguel seated beside my mom, tired and quiet but happy.

Me: Did you enjoy yourself at the party?
Miguel: Yes.
Me: What part did you like best?

In the dark I could hear his smile.

Miguel: The chocolate fountain. One day I want to have a real chocolate fountain.
Me: But Miguel, that was a real chocolate fountain.
Miguel: I want a bigger one.

Mom and I laugh. I didn't mention that his shirt had chocolate drippings less than 5 minutes into the appetizers.

Miguel: When I go to sleep I'm going to dream of chocolate marshmallows.

Sweet dreams, Miguel.

31/100

Over the weekend

(For Sunday, May 28, 2006)

Here's the boy playing with mosaic tiles. Excellent toy. Helps hone his "Math wizard" skills. He wanted to do every design on the box, then have me take a picture of each work.

This is also the first time that I'm publishing a picture of him in glasses.

27/100

Moving out

(For Saturday, May 27, 2006)

Today Aida altered the curtains for Miguel's room. I told him, "Hey, after the curtains are in place, all we have to do is move in your bed." His response: "Let's move it in today!"

Whoa.

I didn't realize that he was so ready for this. So I left instructions for our househelp to move in the bed while we went to watch a movie with the beau. One movie, several video games, two cream puffs, and 2 kiddie meals later, Miguel and I went to see his room - finally complete. After his bath I found him playing contentedly in his new room.

I guess that having the toys transfer ahead of him made him eager to cross over. Or maybe it really is about time.

By bedtime, I knew for sure that he really liked his new room. He got my extra blanket and asked me to help him make a "tent."

As we agreed beforehand, I stayed with him until he fell asleep. We kept a nightlight on in his room, and we kept the doors of the adjoining bathroom open.

As I lay down alone at last in my roomier bedroom, I couldn't help but feel a tad poignant. It was so quiet. I realized that I coudn't hear him snoring softly any more. Neither can I hear him toss and turn in the middle of the night. But my boy's growing up.

And for that, I'm proud.

26/100

Beartolucci

(For Sunday, May 21, 2006)

It's late and I'm short by one post. So here's another quickie: Miguel reunited with his teddy bear. It's the most adorable thing, and I upon my suggestion my mom got it for him 4 Christmases ago. So why "reunited?" Well when he was a toddler he kept on getting colds and rashes, so my then pediatrician had me allergy-proof my son's environment.

That meant restricting certain foods, keeping a food diary, removing the bedside curtains, and banishing Beartrolucci and all other stuffed toys. He also took prophylactic antihistamines until age 4.

Thankfully he outgrew the rashes and has adjusted to previously allergenic foods like chicken, egg, and chocolate. Then a few months back he requested for Beartolucci, so here they are, together again.

It was kinda cute last week when Miguel wanted to play cards with me just as I was about to take a shower. I told him to find somebody else to play with first. So he propped Beartolucci on some pillows on his bed, dealt out the cards, and they played a game. I wanted to take a picture but I was busy in the john :)

Well, you should've seen it.

20/100

Energy Liger is in the room

I've been moving furniture into Miguel's room over the weekend, and it's starting to take shape. Every now and then I asked Miguel to look at the room and tell me what he thinks. Yesterday he said, "Mommy, the more you move things, the less fun it becomes" - referring to my room. I told him, "Miguel, we're transferring the fun from my room to yours."

So late last night I moved more of his toys to the new room, ever-conscious that I was moving out the "fun." Surveying my more spacious room, I have to half-admit that he was right. The robots and action figures are gone, transplanted to a new shelf in his room. That includes Energy Liger, his most prized Zoid, the one that I positively forbid him to break (although it has sustained a few minor damages.)

So now, instead of toys, some of my favorite framed pictures are now displayed on my buffet table. (I don't know what else to call it; it's the same kind of cabinets-and-drawers set that you'd find in a dining room. I had it custom made just so I can display photos on top of it.)

I do feel a bit sad about that. Didn't I write before that he's such a part of me that sometimes I don't know where he begins and where I end?

But move on we must. I'm just as excited to see him grow up and create his own identity and do things on his own. Like this morning when I told him that I found the perfect place to put his clothes hamper - beside the bathroom door. "No," he said, "I want it here between the 2 cabinets."

He ran back into my room, and came back with his personal clothes hamper, dumping it in the place he assigned for it on the other side of the room. Well, who am I to argue - it is his room after all.

21/100

Mirror

I've had this picture for a while. It's from graduation day at Gueli's swimming class. When I first saw it I was amazed at how much he looks like me.

What does it do to a parent to have her child look like her? Does it make her love the child more? Love herself more?

Funny thing is that the moment he was born, I thought he looked like his dad. Maybe all these years with just me has made him more like me.

But as early as now, I already tell him, "You are not your mommy. And you are not your daddy. You are Miguel."

Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking we're just like our parents. Well maybe that's not so bad since there are things about them that I admire. But there's some good in knowing that you're different and accepting yourself as so.

Or maybe I'm getting ahead of this identity crisis thing.

15/100