There’s a snowstorm raging outside the quiet and warmth of our co-op. Angel is sleeping on his multi-quilt play area, and Alan is snoring away on the other couch. I’ve been trying to work on my postcard website offline, but there are just too many things to work on I don’t feel like I’m going anywhere. I guess the fact that I have grown my collection in the past couple of years doesn’t help any, but I am confident in time I will get it done.
I’ve been wanting to go online all day, but taking care of my little guy is a full time job at home. I still get a respite once in a while from mom, but the little guy knows when I’m around and will not settle for anything less than Mama. He even refuses the bottle now when it’s my turn to feed him and prefers to be nursed directly. I’m truly heartened by his obvious preference, but I’m beginning to have qualms about how weaning him will go. But that’s still some ways off.. for now, I enjoy the special bond between him and me.. even if it meant being awakened from a light nap by his bite on my leg. I know he still has no concept of how painful that can be, because after all, he’s doing the biting.
I look at him looking at me all wide-eyed and I see the gargantuan task of educating him and trying to make him a good person when he grows up. I can only keep my fingers crossed and pray. Meanwhile, I sing to him as much as I can. I could to him in Tagalog from “isa” (one) through “sampu” (ten). He now knows to let me guide his right hand as I make the sign of the cross for him when we say our evening prayers. He delights in the words, melody and accompanying choreography of “Sampung mga Daliri” (10 Fingers).
He now knows how to kiss by putting his open mouth next to our cheeks, blink his eyes distinctively when asked to show his beautiful eyes, and he slaps his hand on his Dad’s when asked to “give a high five”. He is slowly discovering consonants and keeps talking to us in his primitive way, and we are constantly delighted by his antics.
Angel never ceases to amaze us with each passing day.. and I wish I could slow down time to savor every bit of his innocence and purity, while at the same time wanting to fast track time so I can see him grown up and talking, telling me “Mama, I love you..” over and over again.
Pinay New Yorker 