Holy week, motherhood and Tina Fey
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Holy Week. What are you all up to? Where are you?
I didn't grow up going on vacation during Easter week. It was always a bit solemn for us even though we weren't exactly the most religious family. But I remember having to be very still and quiet on Good Friday. Back in my childhood when we were still living in Manila, it meant days and days of extreme heat and nothing to watch on TV except classic oldies depicting the Passion of Christ. In Toronto, it was just a normal work week. Except we Catholics went to church more. Then everything looks up on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday and we celebrated spring. I love Easter Sunday Mass.
It seems to be a very Pinoy thing to equate Holy Week with the beach and travel. Nice. I wish we could do that, but the hubby is against hype and crowds. So every year, we stay home. But it's not like it was back when we were kids. Home now is bustling with activities and events. We do Visita Iglesia as well. And Easter Sunday will involve a few rounds of egg hunts here and there.
Kiddie pools are so much fun. It's so cute and retro. Even if they have to squeeze in it, all three of them.
Today was crazy. How did anyone accomplish any work? It was so hot. Normal heat for this time of year. But we've been spoiled by the extended cold spell that we all forgot what life was like during April in the Philippines. We put air in the kiddie pool. The girls stayed in it practically all day. We also baked cupcakes. Then the yaya made fresh melon juice (cantaloupe). Our neighbour - the girls' BFF since birth, came over as well. The house was bustling with activity. I did very little work and no blogging. I just wanted to enjoy my girls - not that I don't in other days. But today I offered no distractions. I think I only tweeted once or twice.
Here are some scenes from my home from the past few days.
Today I had ice cold fresh sugar cane juice from the supermarket. I haven't had this since I was a kid. And back then we used to gnaw on the cane and get the fibres stuck in our teeth. But it was so much fun sucking out the nectar then spitting out the fibres. Do kids still do that these days?
At the nearby supermarket I bought little monobloc chairs which I'm sure my husband will freak out about. He hates monobloc or any semblance of temporary furniture. But I thought the mini ones were so cute. Perfect for little Stella when she's at the back or the lanai. Besides, the other day I caught the yaya sitting in this Philipe Starck Loulou Ghost chair that's clearly meant for kids only. Gasp! (This was a gift from Ninang Chuvaness. I placed the shoe to show the scale.)
I have to admit, I'm the one spoiling them this time. We never used to buy toys because they just automatically came in a balikbayan box delivered to our home from Canada. But this time, I'm obsessing over these cute wooden kitchen toys. Perfect for their mini kitchen.
Lily is on break from ballet this week. And she misses it already. She still dances like no one is looking... remember this post?
And she turns every horizontal surface/mass in the house into a ballet barre. She said, "I'm exercising." This is the Cobonpue chair in my closet.
Stella loves to be in everyone's way. I am teaching tolerance and kindness among the bigger sisters. The only time she keeps still is if she sees Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Yes she watches a bit of cartoons. Just a little bit. Monitored and limited. No, I'm not defensive...
Sophia is reading The Charmseekers series. I'd never heard of it but a sales attendant in National Bookstore showed it to me last year. I liked the free charm concept. So I got her one book - the 9th book out of 13 - last year. She never read it and forgot about it. But a few days ago, she picked it up and read it in one day. (It's a thick book). She was engrossed with the enchanted world of fairies, dolphins and other fictional age-appropriate creatures. I bought her five other books yesterday (1 to3 compilation, 4, 5, 10 and 11). I was scared they'd run out of stock. I was thinking it would be her summer reading loot. I was floored! She read the second book today! In one day. So she's averaging one book a day. Wonderful! And gasp! I wish we had a good library. $$ Haha.
It seems I've been blogging a lot more about my family lately. This must be because the past few months have been the closest I've gotten to be being a stay-at-home-mom. UZ has been on production break since February. I'm really enjoying the kids. This is a wonderful summer! It's such a gift to be able to be with them at their ballet, Glee singing lessons and swimming lessons. I am so grateful for this time.
This morning, Hanni sent me an email with this link. I've cut and pasted Tina Fey's cute, harsh and real poem for her daughter. She read this at a show promoting her book, Bossypants.
"The Mother's Prayer for its Daughter" by Tina Fey
First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.
May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the the Beauty.
When the Crystal Meth is offered,
May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half
And stick with Beer.
Guide her, protect her
When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the nearby subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock N’ Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.
Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance.
Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes
And not have to wear high heels.
What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.
May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.
Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.
Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long,
For Childhood is short -- a Tiger Flower blooming
Magenta for one day --
And Adulthood is long and Dry-Humping in Cars will wait.
O Lord, break the Internet forever,
That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers
And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.
And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister,
Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends,
For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.
And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord,
That I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 a.m., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.
“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck.
“My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental note to call me. And she will forget.
But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.
Amen.
I love Tina Fey.
.
Holy Week. What are you all up to? Where are you?
I didn't grow up going on vacation during Easter week. It was always a bit solemn for us even though we weren't exactly the most religious family. But I remember having to be very still and quiet on Good Friday. Back in my childhood when we were still living in Manila, it meant days and days of extreme heat and nothing to watch on TV except classic oldies depicting the Passion of Christ. In Toronto, it was just a normal work week. Except we Catholics went to church more. Then everything looks up on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday and we celebrated spring. I love Easter Sunday Mass.
It seems to be a very Pinoy thing to equate Holy Week with the beach and travel. Nice. I wish we could do that, but the hubby is against hype and crowds. So every year, we stay home. But it's not like it was back when we were kids. Home now is bustling with activities and events. We do Visita Iglesia as well. And Easter Sunday will involve a few rounds of egg hunts here and there.
Kiddie pools are so much fun. It's so cute and retro. Even if they have to squeeze in it, all three of them.
Today was crazy. How did anyone accomplish any work? It was so hot. Normal heat for this time of year. But we've been spoiled by the extended cold spell that we all forgot what life was like during April in the Philippines. We put air in the kiddie pool. The girls stayed in it practically all day. We also baked cupcakes. Then the yaya made fresh melon juice (cantaloupe). Our neighbour - the girls' BFF since birth, came over as well. The house was bustling with activity. I did very little work and no blogging. I just wanted to enjoy my girls - not that I don't in other days. But today I offered no distractions. I think I only tweeted once or twice.
Here are some scenes from my home from the past few days.
Today I had ice cold fresh sugar cane juice from the supermarket. I haven't had this since I was a kid. And back then we used to gnaw on the cane and get the fibres stuck in our teeth. But it was so much fun sucking out the nectar then spitting out the fibres. Do kids still do that these days?
At the nearby supermarket I bought little monobloc chairs which I'm sure my husband will freak out about. He hates monobloc or any semblance of temporary furniture. But I thought the mini ones were so cute. Perfect for little Stella when she's at the back or the lanai. Besides, the other day I caught the yaya sitting in this Philipe Starck Loulou Ghost chair that's clearly meant for kids only. Gasp! (This was a gift from Ninang Chuvaness. I placed the shoe to show the scale.)
I have to admit, I'm the one spoiling them this time. We never used to buy toys because they just automatically came in a balikbayan box delivered to our home from Canada. But this time, I'm obsessing over these cute wooden kitchen toys. Perfect for their mini kitchen.
Lily is on break from ballet this week. And she misses it already. She still dances like no one is looking... remember this post?
And she turns every horizontal surface/mass in the house into a ballet barre. She said, "I'm exercising." This is the Cobonpue chair in my closet.
Stella loves to be in everyone's way. I am teaching tolerance and kindness among the bigger sisters. The only time she keeps still is if she sees Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Yes she watches a bit of cartoons. Just a little bit. Monitored and limited. No, I'm not defensive...
Sophia is reading The Charmseekers series. I'd never heard of it but a sales attendant in National Bookstore showed it to me last year. I liked the free charm concept. So I got her one book - the 9th book out of 13 - last year. She never read it and forgot about it. But a few days ago, she picked it up and read it in one day. (It's a thick book). She was engrossed with the enchanted world of fairies, dolphins and other fictional age-appropriate creatures. I bought her five other books yesterday (1 to3 compilation, 4, 5, 10 and 11). I was scared they'd run out of stock. I was thinking it would be her summer reading loot. I was floored! She read the second book today! In one day. So she's averaging one book a day. Wonderful! And gasp! I wish we had a good library. $$ Haha.
It seems I've been blogging a lot more about my family lately. This must be because the past few months have been the closest I've gotten to be being a stay-at-home-mom. UZ has been on production break since February. I'm really enjoying the kids. This is a wonderful summer! It's such a gift to be able to be with them at their ballet, Glee singing lessons and swimming lessons. I am so grateful for this time.
This morning, Hanni sent me an email with this link. I've cut and pasted Tina Fey's cute, harsh and real poem for her daughter. She read this at a show promoting her book, Bossypants.
"The Mother's Prayer for its Daughter" by Tina Fey
First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.
May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the the Beauty.
When the Crystal Meth is offered,
May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half
And stick with Beer.
Guide her, protect her
When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the nearby subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock N’ Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.
Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance.
Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes
And not have to wear high heels.
What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.
May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.
Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.
Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long,
For Childhood is short -- a Tiger Flower blooming
Magenta for one day --
And Adulthood is long and Dry-Humping in Cars will wait.
O Lord, break the Internet forever,
That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers
And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.
And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister,
Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends,
For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.
And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord,
That I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 a.m., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.
“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck.
“My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental note to call me. And she will forget.
But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.
Amen.
I love Tina Fey.
.