Our Tenth Merry Little Christmas

Random Thoughts

We have our regular sleeping positions at night. Lia on my right and Rocco on my left. The three of us in bed while daddy Rolly catches his Zzzs on his own mattress on the floor.😅 This has been the setup since the day we brought Rocco home from the hospital. For years, it hasn’t been easy to get a sound sleep, with all 4 legs finding their way to my chest or face. Many times, I wake up with two extra heads (now bigger heads) on my pillow, kaya pala hindi ako makabiling.😂 At pinakamadaming beses, I would wake up with an aching body because unknowingly, nagpaka-contortionist pala ako the previous night to make way for the malikot bodies of my kids while sleeping.🤪

Pre-motherhood, I used to treasure my sleep. And to be honest, I miss sleeping soundly. But that’s nothing compared to the joy of having little warm bodies wrapped around me every single night.🥰 Tiny creatures fighting over whom I should hug in bed, to whose direction I will face before we close our eyes, which body will share the bigger blanket with me because all three of us can’t fit in one.🥲

I hope this stage can last forever. Nalulungkot na ako agad thinking that one day, Lia would already want to sleep in her own room. Or when Rocco outgrows snuggles with mommy. But until that day comes, I will enjoy every uncomfortable night, and every waking day with an aching neck or shoulder. Because truly, these are the best days — and nights — of my mommy life. 💖

Lia Turns Six

Today, our darling firstborn turns 6!  Happy birthday, Lia love! 🎂

Maybe the most overused phrase across many posts in this blog is "time flies" --- oh boy indeed, it does.  I still remember the day I gave birth to you.  It was an easy, peasy experience at the hospital, but the day we brought you home and onwards was an entirely different story. 😂 You were a tiny baby, with a tiny face and a big nose and puffy lips the moment you came out of my body. Hehe.  Now you're six, and moving up to Big School a few months from now. 

OUR NINTH MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

Sending holiday cheer despite the year! 🥳

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas from a social distance!

Rocco Turns Two

I will not let my little boy's birthday month end without an entry on the blog. Happy two years, our Pietro Joaquin! 🎂

#theDLRs Youtube Channel

I have been inactive on the blog lately because I've found myself making content for our family vlog instead! 😂 Creating videos takes much more time and effort, but I think I am also enjoying it more (so far). Below are some of our latest published vids.

Here, our madaldal kids take viewers on a tour of our house. I'm amazed by how natural it was for my firstborn Lia to talk on cam! Most of her words here are her own, we only instructed her to say "This is our terrace," for example, then the rest of the chika are already hers. Our little boy Rocco, on the other hand, just mostly mimics his ate. Haaay, these two.😍

On this next video, I cut Lia's hair! 😂 Her hair was getting longer and more awkward already (her hair is naturally wavy and puffy), so I thought I should trim it. Yay or nay?😁

Here, Lia unboxes her Trolls World Tour Happy Meal toys! She's so happy doing this one.🤩

I'm not a pro at editing, but slowly, I will get there. What's more important is that I get to document our family's moments -- both through blogging and vlogging -- moments that we could happily go back to when the kids are already big, when their worlds do not revolve around Mom and Dad anymore.😢 Waaaah, matagal pa yun!

If you feel like it, please subscribe to our channel. Just search #theDLRs on Youtube and you will find us there.  Thanks in advance! 💋

Finding Myself in Motherhood

If there’s one change that has had the most powerful impact in my life, it’s becoming a mom. My world shifted 180 degrees and there’s no turning back. Suddenly, I was no longer the old me. I’ve become selfless and strong, sensitive but invincible, discovering things in myself that I didn’t know existed. Everyday, I find myself in a roller coaster of happiness and worry, delight and exasperation, energy and exhaustion. But despite the steep slopes and tight turns, I feel the purest kind of love and joy in my heart that no tantrum or meltdown can erase. Others say that you will lose yourself when you become a mom. I disagree. It’s in motherhood that I found who I was always meant to be.

#LiaSays

While working, my five-year old daughter walked up to me and I cupped her cheeks in my hands.

I said, "I love you."

In response, she cupped my face, too, and whispered,

"Me too. Even if you get mad at me sometimes."

I was moved.

There is really nothing as beautiful and pure as the heart of a child. 💕

Blessings

Everyday, make it a habit to count your blessings. Not just the big ones, but especially the little things usually ignored. Food on the table. Clean water. The smell of coffee. A bed to sleep in. The presence of family. Friends. A home. 

Name each blessing and you’ll find yourself in love with the life you have. Pay closer attention to the positive instead of the negative. To the highs instead of the lows. To the favors instead of the troubles. Pause, look around you, and choose to be genuinely grateful today. I tell you, it’s a wonderful, powerful feeling that will strum a lot of happy strings in your heart.

Right on Schedule

Do you like waiting? Maybe not. In a fast paced world like ours, we are hardwired to want everything now. Immediately. In an instant. When God asks us to wait for something important to us -- a child to be conceived, a promotion we feel is overdue, a painful trial to be over — time appears to stand still and we wallow in sadness, anxiety, and disappointment. But did you know? As you wait, God isn’t only getting things ready for you, He is also getting YOU ready for them. Let go and have faith. Trust that His timing is impeccable, not a moment early or late. Don’t worry, what is meant for you will come right on schedule. And when it’s finally there, you will know why the wait was necessary.

Remain Humble

Don’t let your status, accomplishments, money, or influence get to your head. Life is neither a race nor a show, and it is much more than one’s list of great exploits and accolades. When God sends you to the top, don’t let your soul leave the ground. Don’t feed your ego by believing you’re a VIP. Don’t think you’re better than everyone else because you’re not. There will always be someone smarter, faster, or more powerful. Treat people with equal kindness, respect, and courtesy regardless of social status. In the throes of triumph, strive to remain humble knowing that every success story is from the Lord.

Don't Blink

Do you ever stare at your children and say, ‘where did the time go’? Because in just the blink of an eye, they’re a little taller, a little older, a little more different. So be present in the moment. Put your phone down. Play with them. Study their faces. Hold them and smell them. Listen to their gibberish. Watch them laugh and fight and cry. Applaud their every song and dance. Pay attention to what they say. Get dirty and sticky and sloppy with them. Snuggle and cuddle before you put them to sleep. Read them their favorite story and notice the sparkle in their eye. Remember, the best part of being a parent is in these little, fleeting moments. So be present, try not to blink, and take it all in.

The Grace to Forgive

Has a loved one wronged you? Caused you pain? Broken your trust? It must be very difficult to forgive, especially during moments when you remember the hurt. But you know what I realized? I cannot go back to my happy, peaceful state if I keep on scratching the wound and reliving my pain. I have to let go, accept the past, and move forward. The wound will leave a scar that could remind me of the pain, but it could also remind me of my strength and my love. Love that made me pursue healing rather than punishment, compassion rather than anger, forgiveness rather than hatred.

The Three Hats of Parenting

Yesterday, I came across a Facebook post that mentions the three hats of parenting. I got curious. The post is rather short and I knew there could be more I could read on, so I looked it up. Apparently, the concept was heard from a talk of Bo Sanchez, a preacher and bestselling author in the Philippines. Brother Bo said that parenting is a journey that requires parents to wear three kinds of hats.  It is a must for parents to change hats as the child grows. So what are these three?👒

The Power to Cope

How long has it been? Whether it has gone on for years, months, weeks, or days, have you noticed how it seems easier now than at the beginning? Not to say that the anxiety or pain is no longer there, but now it’s a little more bearable. This is the new normal, and whether we are ready or not, there is no other way but forward. We can’t stop the time, we can’t go back to the past, we only have the present, and cope we will in order to survive and thrive. Don’t rely on just time to help you heal. Be intentional. Pick yourself up and walk on.

The Gift of a Happy Marriage

If there could be one gift that you could give your children, let it be a happy marriage. Imagine them growing up in a home that’s filled with love and laughter, because their mom and dad adore each other? Imagine them facing the world full of confidence and optimism, knowing they will always go back to the arms of their parents, their place of loving refuge, at the end of the day? Imagine them growing up, trying to recreate the same loving relationship with their future spouse and in turn, building a family of their own that is just as happy? The world will be a very beautiful place. Sounds idealistic I know, but why limit our dreams? Why give your children something that is less than your best? Strive to create a marriage where love is so strong, it becomes visible and tangible for your little ones to see. Trust me, it’s a gift they would love to unwrap every single day of their lives. 

Rocco at 1.5 Years

Happy, happy one and a half years to my little fireball, Rocco Boy baby! 🎂

my little binata 💙

Lia Turns Five

High five to our lovely little lady who turns 5 today!💖
Happy birthday, our darling Riella Noelle! 🎂

Our Leap Day Getaway at Sheraton Hotel

They say one way to boost your kids’ happiness and intelligence is by giving them experiences instead of toys. And last Leap Day, Rolly and I decided to bring Lia and Rocco to Sheraton Hotel to add up to their collection of happy experiences with mom and dad! ❤️

We’ve always known that Lia loves the water, she enjoys spending time in the bath tub at home or swimming at the clubhouse pool. For Rocco, we didn’t know yet until Feb 29. It turned out, he’s just like his ate, and even more!🏊 He was immensely happy waddling in the pool, even though it was rather windy. I feared that he might catch a cold, but as I was staring at his very joyful face, naisip ko, di bale na nga kung magkasipon. His happiness was just priceless.😍 (It was Rocco’s first time to go swimming, because when we were in Pico de Loro last year, he was still so small and we didn’t dip him in the water.) 

Overall, we had a great time at Sheraton!👍 And don’t get me started on S Kitchen’s breakfast spread, super sulit! We will definitely come back! 💕

Are We Saying Goodbye to Blogs?

Recently, I tried visiting a blog of my idol influencer and I was surprised to find out that it's no longer active.  It's been a while since I last checked it out so its disappearance from the worldwide web came as a shock. Why??? 

I guess things have really changed now.  I myself no longer write as often as I used to.  I've kinda moved on to watching Youtube videos (and creating some) instead of browsing through the blogs that I used to follow daily. Oh well.  Nothing lasts forever.  

Will this page of mine last forever?  I certainly hope so, or at least until Lia and Rocco are all grown up and they've already read every single post here about them.  I started this anyway not to be a "blogger" but to document my life, the fleeting moments that I'd like to remember forever.  People who know me know that my memory can be a little problematic, and so I am trying to help myself by immortalizing memories through this journal.  I am never deleting this, unless Blogger.com itself is killed.  I hope not.  Never, please.