Girl, Boy, Whatever.

Inspite of the practical side of me and the fact that I just love the way my boy adores me, I've been finding myself praying fervently that God answer my boys' prayers. They really want the baby to be a girl, and for their sakes, I've been wanting the baby to be a girl too. Maybe it won't be so bad to have a princess in our family--would sure teach my Roo to be more gentle. I know I would enjoy shopping for a girl--there are just so many cute and adorable outfits everywhere just waiting to be picked off the shelf. And it would perhaps be a welcome change to have a baby who wouldn't be all over the place all the time she's awake, just like the older brother, that is, if she won't be anything like my Roo. I envision my princess, quietly reading in her corner, or playing with her dolls without turning our place upside down. Such bliss that would be!

But after the visit with the sonographer, alas my hopes have been taking a nosedive, and I'm trying ever so hard to believe that things could still turn around. While it is still too early to tell definitely the gender of the baby, we saw 'something' several times that could mean we're getting Roo a brother. The doctor didn't want to confirm it but like MY man says, it's more like 80% positive that we're having another boy. I didn't know how to break the news to my little man, and when I did it, he was busy romping around with his lolo. When the news finally sank in and we were getting ready for bed that night, he had tears in his eyes, and he was fighting not to cry over the disappointing news. Despite that though, he's been telling people ever since that he might be getting a brother. But when he's alone with me, he talks about how sad he is that he cannot have a sister. My heart goes out to him, and I wish I have the power to give him what he wants. We keep telling him God knows what's best for him, and that we should be happy no matter what the baby is, we'll love him/her for who/what he/she is. And while there's still a chance that we might be wrong, the big brother is slowly starting to accept it, and talks about the games he will play with his brother. Whenever we discuss names, and we'd suggest a girl's name, he'd remind us that we should be thinking of boys' names instead because the baby is a brother. My little Roo sure is showing maturity that I'm so proud of--I don't have any doubts that he is going to be a wonderful big brother!

Happy 2010

A blessed and happy new year everyone!

We're safely back in the land of smiles--the trip was too short; too many family and friends we were not able to meet, still too many dishes we haven't tried (mainly because MY man specialized in eating bangus for almost every meal), and too much shopping money leftover (read: holiday crowd gave me the dizzies every time I attempted to do some shopping)--but we had a great and relaxing time in the homeland. It was just heavenly to be back in a place where help abounds, so we woke up to the inviting smells of breakfast every morning, we didn't have to worry a thing about cleaning up, nor doing any laundry. For the four days we were there, we were spoiled to the max, thanks to Sara and N. Flor!

'Twas refreshing too to have spent some time with my mom's sisters, and cousins who didn't go home to Roxas--felt good to have laughed like the old times, and catch up on each other's news. Roo had such great fun romping around and playing with his cousins, he didn't want to leave! He played and played with the boys, riding trikes, building blocks, blowing bubbles, painting pictures, building forts, kicking and shooting balls, the whole afternoon we spent at their place till he was dead batt. His daddy had to eat dinner with one hand, and hold him with the other hand as he snored and recharged all through dinner.

Can hardly wait till we get to go back--next time around, we hope to stay longer so we can get to meet everybody.

Hope you all are starting the new year with smiles! Have a blessed and wonderful 2010!

Selling or Begging?

I first noticed the boy as I was walking towards the taxi queue. He was a chubby one, between ten to twelve years old, dressed in an over-sized dirty tee shirt and short pants. In his hand was a bunch of stringed sampaguita flowers which he was trying to sell to a lady waiting in line. For a minute or two after that, my attention riveted to how long the queue was, and how long it would take for us to get a cab to go home. Exhausted from walking in the mall for about two hours, this pregnant mommy was all but ready for a nice, warm shower.

The next time I saw him, he was about two feet behind me. This time, he was sitting down on the curb, still holding on to his flowers. Then and there, he got my full attention. His tears were flowing down his cheeks and he was wiping them furiously with his free hand. I glanced at MY man who was in the queue with Roo--they were about five feet away from me and he mouthed something which I couldn't really decipher. When they finally reached the point where I was standing, MY man explained to me that he overheard the boy telling the woman that he'd get beaten if he doesn't sell off the flowers. Whether that was true, or just an act which is really hard to tell, we don't know until now. What I know is, parental instinct hit me, and I wondered why his parents would do that to him--started imagining my Roo in the same situation and my eyes watered. MY man reached into his pocket, got fifty pesos out, and handed it to the boy. Still sobbing, he accepted the money, then counted five strings, with about five scrawny-looking flowers in each string, and gave them to us. That was the last we saw of him as we finally reached the end of the line and took a taxi home.

There's a big chance that the boy was part of a scam, that the crying was all an act to sell the flowers and make money. Or to give the boy the benefit of the doubt, his lazy parents, or whoever was in charge of him, was just using him to get money from people. Not exactly begging, but it could still pass as another form of begging.

Oh that children be spared from this heartless practice!