Savannah:
1) Mommy, I'm Odette!
My reply: I miss Savannah! Oh how I wish she would come back home!
2) Mommy, when I grow up, I'm going to have a baby in my tummy just like you, and her name will be Georgia.
My reply: When you're married, and to a good man!
3) I'm going to marry Derek.
My reply: Derek needs to talk to Daddy and get his permission, ok?
4) Mommy, do you love me? Do you love me still? Are you proud of me?
My reply: I will always love you!! Whether you're good or being naughty, I will love you always! I am very proud of you. You
make me very happy! You are a wonderful big sister, and a great helper to Mommy!
Gaby:
1) I do it!! -- usually followed by "Caillou", as she pretends to be Rosie.
My reply: I do it, MOMMY.
2) Oh no! She sad! She crying!
3) I got it first!
4) No thank you!
5) Gaby too!! Gaby too!! -- sometimes we wonder if she thinks that is her name.
6) My shoes!!! MY SHOES!!!
7) No...not like that!
I love waking up in the morning to the sounds of Savannah and Gaby playing in their room. They have such great imaginations! It is a melting pot of all their favorite episodes of Caillou, Veggie Tales, Handy Manny, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Charlie and Lola, and Disney movies. I hear them interacting and playing roles as if in a play, taking turns directing each other.
Other mornings, I do wake up to the not-so-great sounds of screaming and arguing and crying. Even during these moments, my girls make me proud. With no one to guide them and give them the words, I hear them apologize and forgive each other. Thank you, Lord, for helping us teach them to seek forgiveness and forgive others.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Humor
Kelly joked around about this, but secretly I've been hoping it WOULD happen that Serafina be born today. Wouldn't it be awesome for all my girls to be born on the 26th, just two months apart from each other? As of right now, I am less than two hours to saying goodbye to the 26th of June with no signs of any changes or start of the labor process. God has His own timing, and has planned as to when Serafina will be born. So, we continue to wait. 2 weeks today!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Happy Father's Day!
Savannah, Gaby and I treated Robert with his favorites on Father's Day. We grabbed breakfast from East Coast Bagel Co. on the way to church. Then for lunch, we went to Wahoo's where we all enjoyed some good grub and conversation. Of course, we got coffee for the trip home! We stopped at the grocery store to pick up ingredients for the Rice Krispies treats the girls wanted to make for their Daddy, then we finally went home. From one place to another, Robert did not have to do one bit of driving!
Robert had a relaxing afternoon, laying out in the yard on the picnic blanket as the girls ran amuck and I spent some time sitting around indoors. In fact, he was so relaxed that he ended up taking a nice long nap under the trees.
The rest of the day was spent with Lolo. Carlo, Kelly, Judy, and Ruthella joined us for dinner. Thank you to both Mom and Dad--even though it was YOUR special day--for doing all the cooking!
A FEW THOUGHTS:
When we were having lunch at Wahoo's, I asked Robert:
"What has been THE MOST significant part in your life as a father? In general, and for each of the girls?"
I asked my dad this same question during dinner, and their answers were similar: TIME SPENT WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
It is just as special and important to children how much QUALITY time they spend with their dad's. I don't remember much from my first 3 years when my Dad was still with us in the Philippines, but my Dad recalled how I would wait for him to come home from work. One day, when my Dad was already living in the States, my Mom wrote to him that she couldn't find me for hours. She had looked everywhere and finally found me sitting outside the gate of my Lolo's and Lola's house. I was waiting for him to come home.
Savannah and Gaby are the same. Close to the time they know their Daddy is coming home, they are looking out the kitchen window or from our bedroom window upstairs. They squeal and run out to greet their Daddy before he can even get out of his car. And the hours they spend with both their Daddy and Lolo, making up stories, and running around screaming with delight--THESE are the moments they will remember their whole lifetime.
My fondest memories of my Dad were doing building projects to house another pet he helped me bring home. We would draw up our design, buy the materials, and build bird/rabbit cages and a dog house from scratch.
ONE TO THINK ABOUT:
Here's Robert's question:
"If you were to die today, do you think you would leave the legacy you want your children to have?"
It doesn't matter how long you've been a parent. What legacy are you leaving behind? What will your children remember about you? What lessons in life have you taught them so far? What do you want them to know and remember?
I don't want my children to remember that Mommy was always busy cleaning and cooking, but didn't have time to sit down and tell them stories or read to them. I don't want them to remember us sitting in front of the computer searching the internet or playing games, or spending hours in front of the TV and calling it "family time". I want them to remember the Saturdays we would get up and make our pancake breakfast. Weekend after weekend of baking homemade cookies and making ice cream from scratch. Doing arts and crafts and making cards. Playing hide-n-seek in the living room. Using Daddy as a slide or pretending he's their horsie. Daddy coming home and taking his girls our for an ice cream or hot cocoa date. Driving Lolo around in a pretend bus and visiting people and places in their imagination. Sitting out in the yard and gardening with Lola, and having Lola sing them to sleep with her made up "Lola-bies". Most of all, I want them to remember that we all talked to them about Jesus, and told them about God's love. That one day, having Jesus in their heart and evident in their lives WILL BE the legacy we leave behind.
Robert had a relaxing afternoon, laying out in the yard on the picnic blanket as the girls ran amuck and I spent some time sitting around indoors. In fact, he was so relaxed that he ended up taking a nice long nap under the trees.
The rest of the day was spent with Lolo. Carlo, Kelly, Judy, and Ruthella joined us for dinner. Thank you to both Mom and Dad--even though it was YOUR special day--for doing all the cooking!
A FEW THOUGHTS:
When we were having lunch at Wahoo's, I asked Robert:
"What has been THE MOST significant part in your life as a father? In general, and for each of the girls?"
I asked my dad this same question during dinner, and their answers were similar: TIME SPENT WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
It is just as special and important to children how much QUALITY time they spend with their dad's. I don't remember much from my first 3 years when my Dad was still with us in the Philippines, but my Dad recalled how I would wait for him to come home from work. One day, when my Dad was already living in the States, my Mom wrote to him that she couldn't find me for hours. She had looked everywhere and finally found me sitting outside the gate of my Lolo's and Lola's house. I was waiting for him to come home.
Savannah and Gaby are the same. Close to the time they know their Daddy is coming home, they are looking out the kitchen window or from our bedroom window upstairs. They squeal and run out to greet their Daddy before he can even get out of his car. And the hours they spend with both their Daddy and Lolo, making up stories, and running around screaming with delight--THESE are the moments they will remember their whole lifetime.
My fondest memories of my Dad were doing building projects to house another pet he helped me bring home. We would draw up our design, buy the materials, and build bird/rabbit cages and a dog house from scratch.
ONE TO THINK ABOUT:
Here's Robert's question:
"If you were to die today, do you think you would leave the legacy you want your children to have?"
It doesn't matter how long you've been a parent. What legacy are you leaving behind? What will your children remember about you? What lessons in life have you taught them so far? What do you want them to know and remember?
I don't want my children to remember that Mommy was always busy cleaning and cooking, but didn't have time to sit down and tell them stories or read to them. I don't want them to remember us sitting in front of the computer searching the internet or playing games, or spending hours in front of the TV and calling it "family time". I want them to remember the Saturdays we would get up and make our pancake breakfast. Weekend after weekend of baking homemade cookies and making ice cream from scratch. Doing arts and crafts and making cards. Playing hide-n-seek in the living room. Using Daddy as a slide or pretending he's their horsie. Daddy coming home and taking his girls our for an ice cream or hot cocoa date. Driving Lolo around in a pretend bus and visiting people and places in their imagination. Sitting out in the yard and gardening with Lola, and having Lola sing them to sleep with her made up "Lola-bies". Most of all, I want them to remember that we all talked to them about Jesus, and told them about God's love. That one day, having Jesus in their heart and evident in their lives WILL BE the legacy we leave behind.
Another Appointment Down...Two More to Go!
We're down to going every week now. I love this part because it makes the wait seem to go by faster! Two weeks and 3 days left, and I've only gained 25 lbs. so far!!
Serafina is stretching me out more than either Savannah or Gaby did during my pregnancies with them. My doctor made a comment that she seems to have grown a lot since the last time he saw me. I definitely am feeling the belly weight. My left knee hurts a little when I go up and down the stairs. It's getting harder to get up from the floor, so I try not to put myself in that situation. I need to support my belly just to roll from one side to the other. My entire body moves when Serafina moves.
Aside from the discomforts, and lessening amount of energy, I am enjoying these final weeks as a pregnant mom. I officially stopped working last Thursday. As an added bonus, I didn't even have a session on my last day. I did miss spending my last 2 weeks with one of my favorite kiddos, but was thrilled to be able to join him and his family celebrate his, and his sisters', 3rd birthday. So far, I have spent my time sleeping in, and relaxing more. Savannah and Gaby are thrilled that Mommy no longer has to leave for work on Tuesdays and Thursdays and have a line up of activities for me to do with them. In fact, Savannah's request upon finding out that I didn't have to work on my last day was for us to make pancakes for breakfast!
The girls' room, family room, and our bedroom are now all ready to welcome Serafina. I feel more at peace with my surroundings, give or take a few more things I would like to fix up. I am satisfied enough and can turn a blind eye to all the other little things. Pray that Savannah and Gaby will fall back into an earlier Night Night routine, and that Gaby will have an easier time falling asleep. We've also started introducing Gaby to the wonderful world of "going to the potty", and hope that we can stay consistent and get rid of another set of diapers/pull ups. Savannah continues to be my right hand, and super helper! I am truly blessed!
Serafina is stretching me out more than either Savannah or Gaby did during my pregnancies with them. My doctor made a comment that she seems to have grown a lot since the last time he saw me. I definitely am feeling the belly weight. My left knee hurts a little when I go up and down the stairs. It's getting harder to get up from the floor, so I try not to put myself in that situation. I need to support my belly just to roll from one side to the other. My entire body moves when Serafina moves.
Aside from the discomforts, and lessening amount of energy, I am enjoying these final weeks as a pregnant mom. I officially stopped working last Thursday. As an added bonus, I didn't even have a session on my last day. I did miss spending my last 2 weeks with one of my favorite kiddos, but was thrilled to be able to join him and his family celebrate his, and his sisters', 3rd birthday. So far, I have spent my time sleeping in, and relaxing more. Savannah and Gaby are thrilled that Mommy no longer has to leave for work on Tuesdays and Thursdays and have a line up of activities for me to do with them. In fact, Savannah's request upon finding out that I didn't have to work on my last day was for us to make pancakes for breakfast!
The girls' room, family room, and our bedroom are now all ready to welcome Serafina. I feel more at peace with my surroundings, give or take a few more things I would like to fix up. I am satisfied enough and can turn a blind eye to all the other little things. Pray that Savannah and Gaby will fall back into an earlier Night Night routine, and that Gaby will have an easier time falling asleep. We've also started introducing Gaby to the wonderful world of "going to the potty", and hope that we can stay consistent and get rid of another set of diapers/pull ups. Savannah continues to be my right hand, and super helper! I am truly blessed!
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