Hello Calculator

One day, while my mother was sorting things out at home, she unearthed a handful of old calculators (should be expected since 4 out of 5 of us enroled in engineering courses).

With supervision, we decided to let Matt have a look at these.

He looks like he wanted to ask "Ma, why are you taking my pictures?" here.

"WHY?"

"Oh, bother. Gotta figure out how to crack open this one"

" Aha, numbers."

"Mama over there has something like this too."

And he actually said "Hello, hello, Papa" here. Boy, was I caught by surprise!

Friend Mike

Matt is thankfully cured of his mike-phobia. Now, you'd often hear him say: Ah want ta mike Mama.

(Complete) sentences of 21-mo Matt

Months -maybe 4- after his 1st birthday, my son learned to say iloveyou (Bah-bu). That was his first sentence. He's still using that up to present time. Plus, I'm hearing more and more sentences coming from him. As I've said he is in this wonderful stage of verbal exploration. And as his mother, I couldn't be more glad.

I'm glad because understanding (or what he wants) is becoming more like a piece-of-cake. Thanks God.

[Though that doesn't mean I'm not having any parenting woes.]

But really, now I'm glad I'm clearly hearing him say the sentences [more for his wants/needs]. The finger-pointing to get across what he wants is slowly being replace with sentences. Cool. This means lesser fussing , lesser frustration, lesser crying (because sometimes one cannot easily comprehend his needs/wants] , and quicker response time.

Having one frustrated baby, by the way, can be nerve-jagging and can easily make an adult frustrated too. And that is exactly the reason why I've been trying to move heaven and earth coaching Matt the words to communicate his needs/wants.

Thanks also to my mother, who's doing a great job coaching him during her "sitting" time with dear Matt.

So I'm noting the sentences he usually utters these days. And I'm writing it just the way he enunciates them.

Ah(I) want to dwink (drink) juice. Ah want to get the juice. Dwinking.

Ah want the camwa (camera). Ah want to howd (hold) the camwa.
Get the camwa. Gimme the camwa... pweease (please).

Ah want ... [mimi na (milk), juice, wice (rice), fish, banana, the car].
Gimme the...[mimi na (milk), juice, wice (rice), fish, banana, car]

Ah want to hold the... [pen, payong (umbrella), fon (phone) the car].
Ah want to eat.

Ah want to [wid (read), draw, drive the car]

Ah want the pillow. Howd the pillow. Pillow.

Big Bid (bird). Theh (there) you go. Wowowee.

Credits: MKM

Saw these shots in my phone gallery one day. My sister said it's not her. So who can it be?



I actually have a hunch.



He's not telling me - and it also crossed my mind that maybe he didn't even take these deliberately. I have not even tried asking him but I know, with a mother's conviction, that it's him.



So without much funfare, here are the precious captures of my 21-month old son:

From kindhearted Annie

I'm testing this Siggy, which dear Annie made for this site. I love it a lot!

Thanks, many thanks for this nice design. Hugs!

Now you're really talk-ing

I’m really pleased at how things are going for Matt speech-wise that sometimes, I just can’t help feeling ridiculously melodramatic. Especially when I think of him as that scrawny unprotesting three-week old infant in a hospital room. Oh man.

But oh, the joy of a mother seeing her kid grow-up (or hearing her kid grow-up) wonderfully.

And wonderful really comes to mind when I think of darling son at this particular stage when speech develops rapidly.

And yes, he’s carefully building and expanding his vocabulary these days. Steadily building. Sometimes by "parroting" the adults. And sometimes, by cleverly creating his own language. Hence, I find myself crossing the bridge of amazement to one of amusement in so many instances.

At his age, I think he’s doing great. He’s even doing much better than most 18 to 24 month-old kids I’ve seen around here.

His vowels are good and his consonants, equally so. Thanks to, maybe, Sesame Street. And maybe some credit goes to my mother who coaches him in most of her “sitting” time.

His consonant clusters need to be improved though. For instance, he needs to work on the “ch” which he enunciates as “sh.” (So his match would sound like mash) But I’m not so bent on making him sweat on that at this time. Let time deal with that.

Then lately, Matt has been fond of using the –ing form of the verb. Like when before it was “drive,” now he’d say “driving.” Or eating for eat, calling for call, dropping for drop, cooking for cook, etc.

I think this latest development in his speech is somewhat amusing.

One time, while pointing to some eggs he told me, “Maa, egg ah want.” I was so busy doing the dishes then. But he went on by stressing “egging*, egging” to me. It must have bugged him to see his mother so inattentive to him, and bugged him enough that he was able to concoct a single word, in its –ing form, equivalent to his request.

On top of that, I hear him “create” new words by adding –ing to root word in our dialect. By far, the most popular word is tawaging (which he sometimes say while lifting our landline handset).

He also has this amusingly strange habit of trailing some Visayan translations after some words. Like when he says drop (or dropping), he’d also say hulog following that. Or gahi after saying hard, etc.




* not used to denote pushing or prodding
noun, tawag means call; verb, to call.

Dr. Makiko

I was in the mall last Saturday. And I couldn't resist buying Matt a new doctor toy set.

The old set I bought him months ago was already reduced to odd bits and pieces.

And I want him to have a toy steth so he will not feel threatened by the sight of that hanging on his pedia's neck on our next visit.

Sesame street!

He fell inlove with the toy, or maybe the girl in the box.

Hamming it up before the camera.

Mirror, mirror, does this steth look good on me?

Dr Matt , you forgot to put your shoes on.

Simple terms

The following transcript is almost in verbatim.


Me, pointing to the Holy Family statue in our room: Matt, this is Baby Jesus.

Matt, all eyes and ears: (silence)

Me, pointing to the Crucifix: And here is Jesus on the cross.

Me, pointing to His hands and feet: Jesus is nailed here, here and here. (So there's) blood on His hands and feet. Hurt. Jesus is hurt.

Matt wriggled in my arms and try to reach for the Crucifix placed on top of the cabinet. Tentatively.

Me, trying to calm him with my hand rythmically moving up and down his back: No, Matt. No.

Matt was not stilled. He continued shooting his hand to the Crucifix.

Me, wondering : Maaatt...Why?

Matt, still grasping, almost frantically now: Hug, hug.

Me, still and quiet for a second: Ohhh... (in understanding).

It dawned on me that in his young mind, getting hurt means getting more than ample doses of hugs and kisses to make the pain "gone na."

Picture credit: www.picturesofjesus4you.com

Another circus trick

Here's an afternoon full of fun.

It started innocently with dear Matt watching Sesame Street's Happy Healthy Monsters,


which I know he thoroughly enjoys. All the time.



But then you just couldn't contain the vigor and energy of a toddler. No, don't even try. Or ever expect to be successful at containing it. Even with an entertaining show like Sesame Street.

Nor could you attempt to predict a day with a kid.

Because chances are, a seemingly quiet afternoon will turn into a lip-smacking crazy somersaulting afternoon.

Pardon the not too good quality of these pictures. Quality was just the least of my concern the time this was taken. Or the angle these pics were taken. I'm even questioning my sanity for wasting a moment just to take these. But then these are precious moments in my son's life.

Ready...


Get set...

Go!

Ooooomph..Oooops.

Make it a heart-stopping crazy somersaulting afternoon with my dear son Matt. And surely you know now that I didn't mention the circus thing just to jest.

No, don't say " surely you jest" ever again to me.

mean mike?

Lord, when I said that maybe Matt's going to be a good singer, I was really half -serious with that.

Oh Lord, he could give You his rendition of My Jesus is Alive and I know You'd be happy to hear him ying* that despite the fact that only the words alive and wella (allelujia) are on it.

But he could try singing a mean Rain, Rain Go Away, too. Then again, with only the words rain and again as lyrics.

It really makes me smile to think about his knack at putting minimal words together in a melody.

I'm just concerned, Lord. For someone who can clearly pronounce the word microphone and can identify its use, I'm just puzzled why he gets scared with it.

*ying is Matt's way of saying sing

Funny Bulilit

He saw it again! And he was entertained.

I remember the first time Matt saw it. He was rooted in place and was all-eyes on TV. I know he didn’t understand what they’re saying because the dialogues are mostly in Tagalog/Filipino.

And last Sunday, we saw it again.

It’s a gag show called Going Bulilit , which stars a cast of gangly kids and tackles no childish issues. (In fact, I think it’s very clever, for putting on kids to deliver the punches on issues like politics in the country. Or punches to personalities, political or not. Very smart, indeed. It sort of blunt the sharp edges, lessen the sting.)

Anyway, with the kids making comical faces after each punch line, my son, to my belief, must have found it appealing and amusing. He was laughing animatedly every time.

And this time, I wondered if he can really take in the messages. Or maybe he’s just concerned on the funny faces. But then he has always been fond of watching shows with babies and kids on them.

When he grows up...

Lord, what will my son be when he grow up?

Will he be a basketball player because he dribbles anything round or things that look round to him. Like one time he spoiled a squash my mother readied for supper. Or that ripe mango intended for dessert. Or that avocado quietly sitting on the counter.

Will he be mountain climber because he stealthily climbs over chairs, cabinets in a jiffy?

Will he be a driver – race cart driver, bus driver, because he looooves cars, cars and cars and driving, driving and driving. Maybe a mechanic then, because he gets fascinated with batteries, engines and tinkers with his car until they are reduced to bolts, screws and pieces. In mere minutes.


Will he be a show master because he is daring enough to do heart-stopping tricks and stunts worthy of the Moscow State Circus? And doing it all with a smile while Mama has terror written all over the face?

Or a street peddler because he can holler “isda” or “plastic” like Mang Juan the fish peddler or Mang Pedro the junk buyer? With that voice, he can also be an umpire. Or if I send him to music school, maybe he’d be a good singer.

Will he be a wrestler because he rolls over his stomach and simultaneously hits Mama on the chin or the head with his heel or his elbow? Or will he surpass Manny Pacquiao’s fame in the boxing arena because he delivers good uppercuts and punches, however unintentionally?

Whatever he may be in the future, Lord, let him be one good Christian,too.

Note: isda means fish

Speak Aloud 3

For awhile there, I though my son is L-deficient. He can clearly let out the words light and towel but not ball, which he pronounces like boy.

I know I shouldn't worry myself but I did. I've asked my mother, who's really no expert but who's once been a teacher, about this but she just casually dismissed my concern with a shrug while saying Matt's still too young, anyway.

I tried coaching him again a week ago and completely forgot all about it.

Couple of days ago, I was rewarded with the chance of hearing my son say pillow and ball. He was enunciating the L clearly. Grin, grin.

Speak Aloud 2

My son is building his vocabulary. Slowly and surely. And it's something I'm more than happy about. Because I can easily understand his needs and wants. When before I’d depend more on instinct and little cues as guides, now I have dear Matt as the guide. He can now tell us what he really wants and needs. With him pointing and saying things at the same time, I can almost always guess what he wants or needs. By just istening carefully. And with the help of some context clues (when the blabbering seems incoherent).

I'm just as amazed at how he (or the kid his age) picks up some words he heard an adult (or adults) utter and mutters it to himself (sort of trying if he can do/say what the adults said, mimicking). Sometimes, hearing him say them is sooo funny.

I listed (again!) few words and phrases from his vocabulary because this is one development of my baby that I want documented. Wala lang, but for reason only a mother might find amusing. Whatever.

And with great pride (mother's pride!), I'm noting his improvement. Like, when before he’d refer to the light as gigi, now he can clearly pronounce the word. And more. He can even count one to ten with some help (but he can clearly enunciate the words). And sing Rain, Rain Go Away (with only rain and again as lyrics). Also My Jesus is Alive (with only the word alive, while omitting the rest).

Some words (at the left side are my son's way of saying them):

Alive - alive

Atta-min – vitamin

Bata, kid – child

Bite - bite

Cod - cold

Cuckoo – cockroach

Cup - cup

Dadee - thunder

Dagan - run

Dap - drop

Dive - drive

E-off - to turn off

E-on - to turn on

Fog - frog

Jejzh - Jesus

Kha-dick - candlestick

Khai (ing) – cry, crying

Khai-m - climb

Ki-ckon - aircon

Kit - kiss

Lod - Lord

Mi-root - remote (for TV, aircon etc..)

Olen - orange

Poohn - spoon

Tek - text (SMS on phone)

Wally - water

Weed - read

Wen - rain

More phrases:

Hi/Hello, (name) - Hi Mama, Hello Mama, Hello Pit (fish)

Mownin - Good morning

Take a bath – take a bath

or he can put two word together like: cry cat (when hearing a cat/s wail); nanay book (a reading material he's seen nanay read).

Mimicking Mama

Trust a kid to make you drop your jaw all the way to the ground. In a heady rush of emotions such as gladness, surprise and a little annoyance. All at once. Am I making some sense here?


This morning, I was teaching Matt the concept and relationship of “dropping” and “picking-up” using his toys as props. Knowing that kids his age love repetition of movement and sound, I repeated the process of dropping and picking up so many times using different toys each time.


No sooner had I turned my back than I heard soft thuds. Someone was obviously dropping something on our rubber-matted floor. And you guess right, darling tot was the culprit. He was learning so fast he was already copying Mama’s example. I was glad that my son picked up the idea so fast but I was not too happy seeing him holding ..surprise,surprise, my phone!


On the second thought, is that funny rascal giving me the you-mess-with-my-toys-and-I’ll-go-mess-with-yours message?

pulling no more

Gone are the days when I'd see newly-laundered clothes haphazardly thrown on the floor. Among the litter toys and books and what-not.

I still wake up to a very cluttered room, thanks to kiddo Matt. But now, the clutter mainly consists of toys, toys and more toys. Occasionally, I'd see a book or two joining the pile but I think that's alright.

Darling son has obviously outgrown the stage when there is a strong urge to pull things out randomly. And this is something I'm so happy about. In the past few weeks, I've observed him opening cabinet doors without pulling out the clothes. As of late, I haven't even seen him pull the telephone cord out of its socket which used to be his favorite past time.


Now, he's more keen on dumping the contents out of his toy basket unto the floor. But rascal that he is, I wonder when he'll ever outgrow pulling my hair to get my attention, or to provoke me. Tongue in cheek. :-)

Surviving Canines and Pre-Molars

The past few days had been difficult. Matt was having on-and-off low grade fever without any other symptom. Even the lab results were all not conclusive, said the pedia. We -my mother and I- suspected that this must be caused by the pre-molars and canines breaking out to the surface of his gums, although the pedia didn't think so. Still active and impish, yet he was crankier and grumpier than usual. Needless to say, everyone in the house was affected by all these. My mother was more than her worrywart self, she was fussing and fretting the whole time. I turned out to be another version of my mother, maybe a degree worse. I was worried sick, anxious, frantic and all. So sooo frayed at the edges, in fact. I'm just too glad that that's like water under the bridge. Matt is okay now.

And during those stressful times, I found these few things helpful:

Stickbreads. Because teething babies usually have the urge to bite more, these small little sticks are perfect for Matt to gnaw on. It’s harder than the usual munchies but it serves the same purpose as that of a teething toy (which I’m not so comfortable). It's also recommended for mommies, to bite as hard and as much to channel some frustration and anxiety. Haha. Ah great things really come in small package, literally. And I’ve been lucky to find the perfect size in a Pan de Pugon outlet.

Gum massages. Matt loves this alot he can keep still for as long as you want him to (and as long as you rythmically thrust a pointer on his gums). I've seen dear son do this all by himself too. Word of caution: Just be careful not to give your kid the message that Mama's finger is a teether.

Touch therapy. Cuddles. Hugs. Licks. Kisses. Coupled with I-love-yous. And all the sweet soothing words you can imagine. Although I cannot explain this scientifically, I do believe there’s magic in touch and tender words. And the benefits go both ways, to the giver and the receiver. Magic, really.

Relative Freedom - For Matt. Not that I'm not giving him his freedom all the time because I really do. But in those difficult times, although closely supervised, I've given him the liberty to do what he wanted to do, without intervening. He's got all the free pass he could get on just about anything. That's tough to explain, alright. It's like I just wait for him to tell me what he wanted to do (or me reading the signs). I've held myself from suggesting or from influencing him on what to do or play. Like if he'd get a book, then maybe he wanted to read. So I take the cue and that's the only time I handed more books or read to him. I didn't even give him solid food unless he'd tell me so. I just let him play or run around.

Chinese Teething Powder. I bought this last year from a Chinese store which sells (authentic ?) Chinese products downtown. Recommended by the people who have tried it with their own kids, or nieces and nephews or grandkids and who go out to say it’s effective. Before trying it with Matt, I've tried it with myself first just so I'd know what it's like. I would dab a little of this on his gums to alleviate his unease, but only as last recourse. But if you’re not comfy with stuff like this, don’t.

Sleep. I find it good for me and my son to get well-rested and refreshed. And whenever I can, I sleep because it keeps me all ready with all the motherly duties waiting ahead of me. And its proven to help me get through any stressful day.

health check

Thursday got me rushing out of our office doors in an untimely exit. I just had a call from my mother saying Matt's getting the F again. He's been hitting a low-grade F reading on the thermometer since Monday night, but I thought he's already ok.

So I made a mad dash to the doors. Had to bring him to the lab for some tests.

Although I doubted it, I've always hoped that blood extraction could be done in a jiffy. It's not about the noise of Matt's wails or the gawking we'd get from strangers (I really really do not care about this because my utmost concern will always be of my son). It was the sight of those copious tears, twas simply heartbreaking. So was his futile attempts to break out from my tight embrace and his incessant "done na" cries. *Sniff* I could only imagine his fear and feelings of betrayal. *Sniff, sniff* I would readily have given anything and everything to spare my son that ordeal.

After the CBC translation and check-up, which activated his tear glands again, we headed straight home, even without the urine test, to get dear tot back to his comfort zone, alleviate his stress and eventually calm him down.

Later that night, with the urine sample in hand, I with my father went back to the hosp. And moments later, with the antibiotic prescription given by the ER physician (but which I had second thoughts of giving to Matt), we were on our way back home.

Good for me too

Even someone with a hearty appetite like Matt can be difficult at times. Oh, Kids.

But lately, I found a perfect way to keep my son seated all throughout (at most) breakfast (solid foods).

(his high chair)

And that is, to run the Sesame Street video** on TV. Thanks a lot! I found an ally in the character of Kermit (The Best of Kermit which is Matt’s fave). And Grover too (Sesame Street: Let’s Eat, which is ideally becoming a part of his usual breakfast fare).

(tot's growing collection of Sesame St CDs)

**I limited his viewing to once in a day only.

Bigger Pearls

Molars and canines are thrusting off the surface of my son's gums. Almost simultaneously. And all 4 of each type!

At twenty-plus, I remember not feeling too great the time a wisdom tooth emerged from my gums. So Matt must have been feeling so terrible with all the eight teeth beating each other from poking out of his gums. Doubly terrible or eight- thly terrible!

So although I'm not too happy with his biting habits these days (I've seen him bite some things which may not necessarily be clean and some skin which is not his own), I've tried to extend my patience for like a hundred miles, or the farthest I can manage. I've also tried to make him feel better by massaging his gums every so often (which he obviously loves because I've seen him copy the works). And a little more, by giving him some teething toys.