Happy Halloween!

Daddy and Superhero Flash/Kidlat
Originally uploaded by siraulo

Daddy and Superhero Flash/Kidlat

Even Superheroes gotta eat!

Hand in my pocket

aka "a random long bullet type post because I can't seem to stick to one subject"

Bullet 1:
I could count on one hand how many times I've been out "on the town" without the baby and B. I miss going out with my friends but at the same time, I don't want to leave the baby. It is such an odd thing. In the beginning the thought of not going out freaked me out. In the first couple of weeks, especially when B went back to work, I would feel a meltdown coming and knew that I had to leave for a little bit. Thank goodness for family-friendly neighbors and the fact that my parents are minutes away. But now, I'll get torn equally. I know I need to get out, but I think I can live without hanging out with my friends outside the apartment. But then I'll go out and almost everytime have a GREAT time doing the simplest things like have dinner or drinks. Like my body is super thirsty but is so used to not drinking so I don't know what I'm missiing. Going out is like drinking a cool glass of water - I forgot how good it was and how I miss and need it!

Bullet 2:
I think I'm spreading myself too thin on the web. Is the fact that I'm even thinking about this a sign that I need to step away from this computer? I now have a multiply account because most of my Philippine based friends and relatives are on it. I've been cross posting there. Of course there's always been Flickr. I have a livejournal but really just go there to see who's updating but I don't post anymore. And now, a new addiction - Shelfari. Damn you Nicole! I was very resistant at first. I was like, what? Another frickin' myspace wannabe? No frickin way. But its so cool because it's focused on books. And you can have friends and groups and all sorts of discussions about books you've read and stuff. Haynaku dear, wala nang beer.

Bullet 3:
I go back to work soon. I'm not freaking out or hyperventilating like I was last month when I think about it. But I'm really sad about it! I'm not going to be with baby all the time anymore:(

I'm not quite as nervous about going back to school coz I went to visit last week and it wasn't so bad. Some of my students still remember me - sometimes its just enough to get a smile of recognition from my autistic students, but I got a few hugs as well:) I'm starting to get a little excited because I no longer have a classroom. I'll be the rotating computer teacher! Still have to go through the programs we'll be using but I think I was a bit burned out as a classroom teacher. This is a welcomed change.

Bullet 4:
Somewhat related to #3. I'm really sad about leaving baby for 8 hours on a regular basis. I have finally established some sort of routine and now I'm afraid my dad (who thank GOODNESS will be the one to take care of L) won't do all the little things I do. I know, I have to let go. L really like his Lolo Ernie. He smiles as soon as he sees him. He'll be fine right? *Sigh*

Dear Lukas, Letter Number 3 (Month 3)

Sleeping with BFF Mr. Blue Monkey
Originally uploaded by siraulo

(started) October 24, 2007

Letter Number 3 (Month 3)

Dear Lukas,
I’m a day late as I start to write this month’s letter. Boy, are you keeping us busy! I believe that the theme for this month is discovery. Or is it mouth? Because really, Lukas, everything you “discover” goes straight to your mouth: Papa’s fingers, your burpy cloth, any of your toy animal friends – automatically to your inviting mouth. We suspect you have already begun teething. Ayayayay! New noises are also coming out of your mouth. Right now, you are arguing with your friends, Mr. Monkey and Ms. Giraffe. They won’t let you pull them down and you are trying to persuade them with your compelling argument of “Aghhh!” and “Waaaaah!” I suppose you are learning about tolerance for challenges and exercising your levels of frustration. There are no tears flowing quite yet, so I think you are doing just fine.
This month you became a rollover and tummy time expert. You also have become quite the flirt and very much the chatterbox, especially around your lolos and lolas. Yabang mo! You are doing all these things that continue to amaze us. One thing that we are really thankful for is that you have begun to sleep longer throughout the night. Five to six hours, a quick snack, then back to sleep for another 3 to 4 hours. Your father and I had almost forgotten what it was like to sleep more than 2 to 3 hours at a time. So thanks for that!
You seem to be going through your experimental phase, or should I stay you are at the start of it. You are experimenting with your voice, reaching out for objects in front of you, exploring Papa’s face with your hands. It’s so funny that you are no longer crying just for your immediate needs such as sleep and food. You cry out of frustration now when you can’t get that monkey head in your mouth. You shout out when you have finally gotten that out of reach burpy cloth in your hands and don’t know what to do with it. We still haven’t stuck to a nickname for you, but it may become CW for Christopher Walken coz one of your funnier voice outputs is a distinct CW-like “Wow.” Almost like a “Meow” kind of “wow.” Hmm, CW or Cat. My favorite tone is the one you seem to have reserved for me. Very sweet, very soft and almost sounds like “I La Woo.”

I love you too, darling.

Love,
Mama

Apple Pie - pre oven

Apple Pie - pre oven
Originally uploaded by siraulo

Ok, how sad ( or scary?!) is it that I'm baking apple pie 10pm at night? Is it time to go back to work? Um, perhaps maybe possibly yes. Waahhhh...

Babble of the Blue Burp Cloth

Happy Dreaming

Happy Dreaming
Originally uploaded by siraulo

Lukas' Lullaby Playlist:

Lullaby - Priscilla Ahn
There's a Little Wheel A-Turnin - Laurie Berkner
Over the Rainbow - Eva Cassidy
Panalangin - Moonstar88
Ili-ili - Asin
Dahil Sa Yo - Asin
With a Smile - Eraserheads
I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
The Origin of Love - Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Kahit Ika'y Panaginip Lang - Ryan Cayabyab
Song of Reconciliation - Susan Ashton
Nightingale - Norah Jones
Tape of Love - Flight of the Conchords
The Crane Wife 1 & 2 - The Decemberists

STTN=Sleeping Thru The Night

My response to a fellow mom whose baby is not yet STTN on one of the parenting message boards i read religiously every day:

i feel your pain...my SB just turned 3 months this week and in our eyes he's pretty much STTN. He goes to bed (after a bath and a story) around 7 or 8 but still wakes up around 11 or 12, drinks a bottle and quickly goes back to sleep til about 4:30, is up, drinks again, goes back to sleep for another couple of hours. So even though he's not technically sleeping through the night, this has been his longest stretch of sleep so we're actually relieved to get more than 2 hours of sleep at a time now.

Now, the only reason he has been able to finally get this "long" 4-5 hour stretch is because of an ingenious simple change that DH did. Something you may already be doing but is something I NEVER would have thought to do. DH put him to bed one night, as soon as baby started to calm down and yawn in his crib, he TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS with only the night light on. And SB was OUT for his longest stretch EVER. When DH told me what he had done, we tried the same thing the next night, and it worked AGAIN! I felt like a total dork and was ecstatic at the same time. I always assumed the baby would want some light on so he wouldn't be afraid, alone in the dark. My point is the smallest change can make the biggest difference. SB has been sleeping well at night ever since that tiniest of changes. So, i suggest talking it over with your DH even if he's not there at night because he may think of something that you may not have even considered.

GL!


MMBL (Mommy Message Board Lingo, i totally made this one up):
GL: Good Luck!
STTN=Sleeping Thru The Night
SB=Sun Baby, i.e., the nickname this board has for our July Babies, hehe!
DH=Dear Husband

Storm King

Storm King
Originally uploaded by siraulo

We've started a new family tradition of going to the city of Beacon every October. Boy did we (ok, fine, B gets credit for choosing and planning the day, hehe) pick a great day to go. Blue skies, pleasant weather...nature was truly a canvas for the great works of art at Storm King Art Center. Click here for a slide show of some great pictures taken by B, and maybe 1 or 2 by me:)

Parting of the hair

Parting of the hair
Originally uploaded by siraulo

I've finally found a more natural parting of L's hair (as opposed to his Jose Rizal looking 'do or his just-struck-by -lightning look, hehe). What do you think? In unrelated news, I can't login to my email, therefore can't add any youtube videos here directly. Check out my multiply for recent videos, especially this one of L rolling over numerous times!

Green Blur

Green Blur
Originally uploaded by siraulo

Unrelated exchange:

E: anong oras?
S: 1-5
E: thats good, it has a definitive end. i told B not to let me let my mom host parties for us anymore coz 1) mom stresses out & 2) there's no deifinitive end. i like definitive ends to parties
S: well, we have no choice, it's not at home. 4 hours isn't long enough but oh well
E: believe me you'll be glad you have a definitive 4 hour party...you'll be tired...definitive ends are good.

Definitive end is my phrase for today, can u tell?

Walk in the Park

B, L, and I went for a stroll through the park even though it was a little chilly last Saturday. I wish I had done this earlier!

Monkey Business

Smushed

Smushed
Originally uploaded by siraulo

I sooooooo wanna move him down but considering we had another sleepless night, I will not dare...How the heck did he get up there?! He started in the middle of the crib, I swear!

Free Upgrade!

Free Upgrade!
Originally uploaded by siraulo

L is no longer content to lounge starin up at the ceiling - he wants to sit! So, we place a pillow underneath the boppy to tilt him up a bit.

Hand Explorer

Hand Explorer
Originally uploaded by siraulo

Papa B says that everytime L sees his hands again, its like he's discovering the moon for the very first time.

Choir baby

Choir baby
Originally uploaded by siraulo

Presenting, Lukas, the newest future member of the choir! right now, he's building up his lungs in the chapel, hehehe!

Another stroll!

Another stroll!
Originally uploaded by siraulo

If I keep this up this month, I'll be able to say "weekly" stroll rather than "monthly"! Heehee...

Nerdy Mama

Nerdy Mama
Originally uploaded by siraulo

I'm not saying I'm a great mom, or even a good one when I label myself nerdy Mama. Yes, I do write down his nap and feeding info. Its not like I enforce a schedule on him, he actually settle into his schedule quite naturally. I realized this when I started taking data (one of the perils of being an ABA teacher. Before that, B and I were mostly clueless about why he was crying. We would try different things like, wake him up, keep him up much longer than he should have just coz we were afraid he was sleeping too much. After reading enough books and a bit of our own trial and error, we realized we needed to trust our baby to know. To know how much he needed to eat, how much he needed to sleep. And with the help of the data (to reassure me, really) and paying attention to his signals to us he's pretty much settled into a good daily routine.

To be continued...

Sleepin' Stinker

Sleepin' Stinker
Originally uploaded by siraulo

He's been sleep about 3 hours now, making up for last night's lack of sleep. He has been good and predictable most nights, ready for bed, after his bath around 8pm. On the bed with a story and a bottle before 9pm. He dozes off, wakes up around 11 or 12 for another feeding, then he's out til 3 or 4am. After that feeding he's usually out again within minutes and sleeps til 7 or 8 in the morning. For some reason (well we kinda know the reason) on the weekends, though not every weekend, especially Sunday nights, he totally screws with us by waking up every hour til about 2 or 3. See the next post for my nerdy reason for his occasional screwy sleep...

Applewood Orchard

Lukas and Papa B's first time apple pickin'! B didn't get the point of apple picking but eventually cracked a smile as his hunter/gatherer instincts kicked in, hehe...Lukas had a kick watching his dad climb trees for apples. I enjoyed a perfect autumn day.

Wedding: Return to Renaissance

Wedding: Conservatory Garden

Dear Lukas, Month 2

Bumbo Bee
Originally uploaded by siraulo

September 23, 2007

Letter Number 2 (Month 2)

Dear Lukas,
You turn 2 months on your Papa’s birthday – isn’t that wonderful? You have had so many milestones in this quick month! You’ve even sort of slept through at least one night. That made me extra proud and thankful. You have tried to talk to me with many different sounds, you’ve smiled and nearly giggled for me and your Papa, and you rolled over on your side for Lola Aida and for me! We took you to the U.S. Open this month with Lolo Ernie and Lola Aida. That day we brought you to Flushing Meadows, you first discovered you had hands and you could not stop staring at them. You were even able to suck your thumb on you very own.
There are so many milestones you have gone through this month but most notably, you became a Catholic. You had so many loved ones witness your baptism. We took up 3 rows in Church. I was really happy and surprised about that. You have 4 sets of Ninongs and Ninangs and they were all very generous to you. Hehe.
This month, I was going to tell you the story of when you were born, but that might take me a while to recollect in the way I want. Instead let me tell, what else you have been doing. Besides practicing sucking your thumb, you’ve also had lots of tummy time this month. As I end this month’s letter, you finally made lift off and proudly pulled your head up high and pushed your arms on the boppy AND in the activity gym. I’m so glad for my cellphone camera. It’s the best.
We also started a bedtime routine for you, even though you still wake up once or twice in the night. Around 8 or 9, you have a bath. Mama can finally bathe you all by herself! We’re in the bathroom now, instead of the kitchen and you absolutely love taking your daily bath. You are so calm and you look up at me with such peaceful loving eyes everytime. Then we go straight to the bedroom, I change you and if you’re hungry (you usually are!) you have a nice warm bottle of milk. My favorite part (and soon becoming yours!) is reading a storybook for you. Right now, your night time book is from Ninang Clara. It’s a wonderful book called The Circle of Days, based on writing by St. Francis of Assisi.
This month seemed to go faster than last, and I fear the days will only go faster. At your 8 week appointment, not only did you have your first set of vaccination shots, but we found out that you are now 13.5 pounds and you are 24 inches tall! I love seeing your every new development and I will be sad to have to go back to work in November but I’m glad your Lolo Ernie will be able to witness your daily growth in my place.
I love you more each day, my Mr. Pogi!

Love,
Mama