monday dinner

so it was a monday and a holiday in our little country and the four of us -- the hubby, the little big man, the little girl and me -- went to dine out, for the heck of it.  mainly coz we didn't have househelp during weekends and holidays  and hubby didn't want to cook.  and y'all know i don't.

so in our pambahay and tsinelas, we went al fresco at chow king -- a couple of hundred steps just outside our home.

migo had fever since sunday night but still had an appetite so we decided to get him one of his favorites, sweet and sour pork.  no softdrinks, thank you.  i'm proud of him that he is not into that.

julla was her usual self, trying her mighty best not to eat anything.  i force fed her some siomai and tiny bits of pork with sweet and sour sauce mixed in with rice by bribing her that she won't get any lollipops tomorrow.

and their dad?  well, he pretty much ate everything up just as he usually does.  since i don't eat much during dinner, he gets to consume my share of the meal.

i like it that we have these simple feasts.  it makes me secure that this little family is well-bonded and happy.

Julla@Work

the little girl striking a pose at my desk at work

i brought julla to work today.  migo had badminton at 7:30 in the morning and would be going to taekwondo practice at 6:00 in the evening.  i figured the poor girl had no activity for the day so i decided to bring her along.  besides, the new nanny is still -- what... new, so i don't want to leave her alone with her yet.  yes, inang yaya mode it is.

with tita nem

we ordered mcdonald's for lunch.  around 2pm, i was with a supplier downstairs when she decided to ask her tita nem for milk and later on fell asleep on her lap.  i was kinda surprised coz she usually never sleeps without me around, lest of all, new people around.

we left the office at 3pm. when we got home, migo hugged us both and whispered, sa susunod ako naman sama mo sa office ha.  i gladly said yes.  i love that they love being with me, wherever i go.

nanny diaries

we're losing the nanny tomorrow.  officially.

a couple of weeks ago, she announced that she wanted to go back home in tacloban to finish her studies.  might i mention that i have been proud to have her eversince she arrived.  she's an intelligent girl for she was once a scholar, i think in chemical engineering but she quit school. according to her, the money she gets from her scholarship was extorted by her father so it made her lose interest in studying.  that was why she decided to work.

i vividly recall her first few days at our house.  we were in the room and she timidly asked me if she could read my books.  i had dozens of books.  i said sure as long as she returned them exactly where she got them from the shelves.  hubby, who heard this, suggested to her to read the harry potter series which i had only until book 4.  to which, she replied that she had already read those that i had and if i had the next books?  which sent hubby tumbling over.  then she told us if she could read the hardbound shakespeare.  hubby double tumbled.

i could share many anecdotes about her.  she's not funny but she usually makes me laugh in disbelief at the things she says or does that i believe normal nannies or househelps don't say or do.

last december, our helpers from the store told hubby and me that she was not treating little julla well.  we had to confront her and she explained that yes, sometimes, she pulls julla a little too roughly when the little girl is a bit hard-headed or that sometimes the two of them get into arguments.  but that she never actually hurts her.  the next day, she sent me this text which i saved in my phone and shared with my colleagues:  ,ate i fil guilty..i nvr thought ds wud hapen and i cnt help blaming myself..on d othr hand,i'm hurt kc dy hv judge me based on wat dey see w/o listening2 my syd...i wud nver hurt d only person hu luv;if not,accepts me 4 hu i am..julla's my haven cuz w/hr dr are no pretntions...other pipol myt not see it but i show my affection in my own way...and it's just between me and her.  14/12/2009  12:21:33PM

then she goes:  ,i may not b good in conveying wat i fil but i do care a lot for them (julla@migo) ..and i'm grateful ol of u bcame a part of my life even if i missed to say it.  14/12/2009  12:29:50PM

to be honest, over the last 11 months, i've really become so dependent on her in taking care of the kids.  i've had most of my facebook time because of her.  i've been able to go through late nights because i have her around.  i am in fact, at this moment, blogging because she just gave julla's milk and they are busy watching cartoons right now.

once, i asked her to do something for me which i cannot recall now.  but after she completed the task, i texted her my thanks and told her, i mean it thanks talaga.  just to show that i appreciated what she did.  this was her reply (which again i saved in my phone):  ur most welcum...(just wen i tot na im not that efficient...whew..! tnx 4 making my day.)  10/02/2010 09:24:39AM
 

so today, i give tribute to this young woman.  i cannot say she doesn't have flaws.  she actually has a lot, to which, hubby complains a lot about.  but generally, we have been glad to have her and are very thankful.  the day she told me she wanted to study again, i was not hesitant in letting her go.  she deserves a better life.  we're not sure if she really is gonna do that but then, it's her life.  we'll let her decide.

here's hoping we find a new nanny/househelp soon. meantime, goodbye and good luck to you, ate lyn.  we will miss you.