Month 19
Dear Desi,
It would seem that I am remiss that your every other month letter is one month late. But this was not because I forgot, not even (primarily) because I was busy. I was busy. Very busy. But that wasn't the main reason your letter is late. The reason is because we didn't have internet until about two weeks ago, and I figured, since I also inadvertently skipped Ate Lia's 18th month letter, why not make it a sort of tradition and write to you on your 19th? This is all a big coincidence of course. But for the sake of fairness, it works.
The reason we didn't have internet has very little to do with you or how you've grown, but perhaps it would be good to write about it to you anyway, so you would have an idea of how things were when you were this age. We moved to our house in Merville just 7 days before you turned on 18 months. That entire week was spent packing and moving and unpacking and fetching things that were left behind. But the house was pretty much presentable by September 26. However, on September 27, Metro Manila was besieged by the most devastating typhoon we've had in decades and most of the city was submerged in flood. To this day, one month later, people, no, entire cities are still reeling from the effects of Typhoon Ondoy, as several more storms came and ravaged the country almost every week after that.
So you see, I did want to write you an 18th month letter, even without broadband internet in the house, I thought I could use Daddy's Smart Bro to at least write about how much you've grown. I might not have been able to edit and upload any pictures, but at least your letters were on time. However, as the devastation became apparent, and thousands of people lost their homes and loved ones to the disaster, it seemed incongruous to the times to tell the world what a lovely, beautiful child you've grown to be, and how proud I am of everything that you are. So Mommy busied herself trying to help the victims in whatever way she can, and promised you I would write you when you reached 19 months. And here you are.
I must say, Desi, that you seem to have made the most of the past three months, in terms of growing up and learning things. Actually, many of the new things you are able to do are recent developments. I can't help but think that you took to moving to Merville really well, not only because you seem so happy to have so much space to run around in, and rooms to enter and exit, you've also started to do and know things that you've never seemed inclined to show before.
Before we moved, it was already apparent how much you love books. You love to say Boo! and sign "book" until I pick one out and read it to you. Or, you would pick out a book yourself, bring it to me, and then grab my hand and make my fingers point to the words, as if to say, read! Read! This made me very happy and proud, because both your Daddy and I, and you Ate as well, love reading very much, and that you would show an interest even before you've learned your letters filled my heart with joy. So we would spend countless afternoons reading Dr. Seuss's Alphabet over and over again.
Before long I noticed you started to recognize certain letters. The first letter you seem to have learned was O. You would silently listen as I read you an alphabet book, and when we reach the page after N, you would yell O! You have no idea how cute this was! Later on it was obvious you've learned A and B (although for B you didn't say bee, you said buh), you skipped C and knew D and E. And then M. And most recently, G. This random knowing of the alphabet is so fascinating to me because I've never seen anything like it before. And it is very very exciting.
And then just today, you impressed Tita Michelle that apparently, you also know your numbers! She would show you flash cards and you know most of the numbers already. Sure, you say Wa for 1, and Tee for 3, and Bebe for seven, but it cannot be denied that you can identify the letters. I had a clue you already knew them because in Katipunan last Sunday you pointed to a rubber tile and yelled EIT!!! Sure enough, the number eight. You are definitely a smart smart baby girl.
You also know your animals. You can sign Dog, and when you see a cat, you say MIAOW! When you see a cow you say MOO! You know the body parts, not only to point at but to name. You like to snuggle with me up close in bed, point to my eyes and say "Ah!" Point to my nose and say "No!" My mouth and you say "Ma!" My ears, you say "Ee!" and then you would pat my head and say "Heh!" And then I would ask you, where's your pusud? At which you would smile and then curl up in a ball to cover your tummy cause you know I will tickle your belly button. You never resist too hard though. I know you enjoy the tickling too.
I guess you've started to learn so much more now that we live in Merville because of the big change in your daily routine. Where we used to just stay home all day, either playing in Mommy's room or in Lola's house, basically wherever Yaya brings you, now you have more freedom to move around and be active. You wake up very early each morning, so you and Yaya and Lola Cora usually go to the park for a morning stroll before breakfast. After breakfast, we watch a little TV, take a shower, and then have a nap. when you wake up we have lunch, and then play with Mommy. Later in the afternoon, after Ate had woken from her afternoon nap, it's back to the park for you and Ate and Lola. So, since we've moved, you've been getting a lot of exercise, seeing a lot of new things, and moving around much more. It is infinitely better than being cooped up inside the house, especially since you're such an active baby, and so brave and daring. Our new home has really been a blessing for you.
These days I tend to hug and kiss and baby you so much more than before. Your baby cousin lives with us now, and you seem to be aware that you are no longer the youngest. At first you seemed extra malambing to me and your Yaya Fe (whom you call Aya) but soon I think you realized that the new baby is not your Mommy's baby. I want to reassure you that I love you and will always be my baby, even if soon after you turn two years old, you will have a younger brother or sister, and he or she will definitely be Mommy's baby. My dear, darling Desi, you will never be replaced, you will always be my baby, even when you're old and graying, I don't think I will see you as anything else. Be that as it may, I know that when the new baby comes, I won't be able to spend as much time with you, reading and playing puzzles on the iPhone, or just cuddling in bed and watching TV. So I'm doing my best to hug and kiss and spend one on one time with you as much as I can before that happens.
I'm sorry that you don't have a lot of photos with this letter. Mommy was too busy to take many, and also we lost several pictures when we upgraded to a new computer. However, I think the few that were left show how lovely you are growing to be. I hope they make up for the lost photos.
I love you so much, forever and ever,
Mommy
It would seem that I am remiss that your every other month letter is one month late. But this was not because I forgot, not even (primarily) because I was busy. I was busy. Very busy. But that wasn't the main reason your letter is late. The reason is because we didn't have internet until about two weeks ago, and I figured, since I also inadvertently skipped Ate Lia's 18th month letter, why not make it a sort of tradition and write to you on your 19th? This is all a big coincidence of course. But for the sake of fairness, it works.
The reason we didn't have internet has very little to do with you or how you've grown, but perhaps it would be good to write about it to you anyway, so you would have an idea of how things were when you were this age. We moved to our house in Merville just 7 days before you turned on 18 months. That entire week was spent packing and moving and unpacking and fetching things that were left behind. But the house was pretty much presentable by September 26. However, on September 27, Metro Manila was besieged by the most devastating typhoon we've had in decades and most of the city was submerged in flood. To this day, one month later, people, no, entire cities are still reeling from the effects of Typhoon Ondoy, as several more storms came and ravaged the country almost every week after that.
So you see, I did want to write you an 18th month letter, even without broadband internet in the house, I thought I could use Daddy's Smart Bro to at least write about how much you've grown. I might not have been able to edit and upload any pictures, but at least your letters were on time. However, as the devastation became apparent, and thousands of people lost their homes and loved ones to the disaster, it seemed incongruous to the times to tell the world what a lovely, beautiful child you've grown to be, and how proud I am of everything that you are. So Mommy busied herself trying to help the victims in whatever way she can, and promised you I would write you when you reached 19 months. And here you are.
I must say, Desi, that you seem to have made the most of the past three months, in terms of growing up and learning things. Actually, many of the new things you are able to do are recent developments. I can't help but think that you took to moving to Merville really well, not only because you seem so happy to have so much space to run around in, and rooms to enter and exit, you've also started to do and know things that you've never seemed inclined to show before.
Before we moved, it was already apparent how much you love books. You love to say Boo! and sign "book" until I pick one out and read it to you. Or, you would pick out a book yourself, bring it to me, and then grab my hand and make my fingers point to the words, as if to say, read! Read! This made me very happy and proud, because both your Daddy and I, and you Ate as well, love reading very much, and that you would show an interest even before you've learned your letters filled my heart with joy. So we would spend countless afternoons reading Dr. Seuss's Alphabet over and over again.
Before long I noticed you started to recognize certain letters. The first letter you seem to have learned was O. You would silently listen as I read you an alphabet book, and when we reach the page after N, you would yell O! You have no idea how cute this was! Later on it was obvious you've learned A and B (although for B you didn't say bee, you said buh), you skipped C and knew D and E. And then M. And most recently, G. This random knowing of the alphabet is so fascinating to me because I've never seen anything like it before. And it is very very exciting.
And then just today, you impressed Tita Michelle that apparently, you also know your numbers! She would show you flash cards and you know most of the numbers already. Sure, you say Wa for 1, and Tee for 3, and Bebe for seven, but it cannot be denied that you can identify the letters. I had a clue you already knew them because in Katipunan last Sunday you pointed to a rubber tile and yelled EIT!!! Sure enough, the number eight. You are definitely a smart smart baby girl.
You also know your animals. You can sign Dog, and when you see a cat, you say MIAOW! When you see a cow you say MOO! You know the body parts, not only to point at but to name. You like to snuggle with me up close in bed, point to my eyes and say "Ah!" Point to my nose and say "No!" My mouth and you say "Ma!" My ears, you say "Ee!" and then you would pat my head and say "Heh!" And then I would ask you, where's your pusud? At which you would smile and then curl up in a ball to cover your tummy cause you know I will tickle your belly button. You never resist too hard though. I know you enjoy the tickling too.
I guess you've started to learn so much more now that we live in Merville because of the big change in your daily routine. Where we used to just stay home all day, either playing in Mommy's room or in Lola's house, basically wherever Yaya brings you, now you have more freedom to move around and be active. You wake up very early each morning, so you and Yaya and Lola Cora usually go to the park for a morning stroll before breakfast. After breakfast, we watch a little TV, take a shower, and then have a nap. when you wake up we have lunch, and then play with Mommy. Later in the afternoon, after Ate had woken from her afternoon nap, it's back to the park for you and Ate and Lola. So, since we've moved, you've been getting a lot of exercise, seeing a lot of new things, and moving around much more. It is infinitely better than being cooped up inside the house, especially since you're such an active baby, and so brave and daring. Our new home has really been a blessing for you.
These days I tend to hug and kiss and baby you so much more than before. Your baby cousin lives with us now, and you seem to be aware that you are no longer the youngest. At first you seemed extra malambing to me and your Yaya Fe (whom you call Aya) but soon I think you realized that the new baby is not your Mommy's baby. I want to reassure you that I love you and will always be my baby, even if soon after you turn two years old, you will have a younger brother or sister, and he or she will definitely be Mommy's baby. My dear, darling Desi, you will never be replaced, you will always be my baby, even when you're old and graying, I don't think I will see you as anything else. Be that as it may, I know that when the new baby comes, I won't be able to spend as much time with you, reading and playing puzzles on the iPhone, or just cuddling in bed and watching TV. So I'm doing my best to hug and kiss and spend one on one time with you as much as I can before that happens.
I'm sorry that you don't have a lot of photos with this letter. Mommy was too busy to take many, and also we lost several pictures when we upgraded to a new computer. However, I think the few that were left show how lovely you are growing to be. I hope they make up for the lost photos.
I love you so much, forever and ever,
Mommy