Looking Forward to 2018

I am hardly an optimistic person and there are still two weeks left but I am looking forward to 2018. 2017 is my annus horribilis: with major surgery and a cancer scare and consecutive deaths of my Daddy and Lola. I guess it’s like that saying, there’s no other way but up, so I’m wishing, kinda expecting, that 2018 will be better.

Since my Daddy died, I noticed that I let go in dealing with my clutter. I guess it’s a reflection of what I feel: chaotic and wallowing. So next year, I hope to declutter, declutter, declutter. My word for 2018 is SIMPLIFY.

And, I’m putting this out to the Universe: I want to get pregnant in 2018. So help me God.

Balesin Active Trail Run

Maybe the Universe decided that after all the recent heartaches I've been through, I deserve to go to Balesin.

ICYMI, Balesin is a members-only island resort in the province of Quezon. One can only go there as a member or accompanied by a member. I'm not acquainted with any members so my chance of going there was zero to none. HAHA. Until Run Rio announced the Balesin Active Trail Run which was open to non-members. Hubby did the math and said that the registration fee was sulit for a 3D2N stay with accommodations and flights. 

We were able to persuade one of my classmates to go with us so we availed of triple sharing. At first though, we thought that the run will not push through because we did not get any details after registering. We were only told about our flight the day before, it was because there are no scheduled flights to the island, just chartered ones. Maybe they should have informed us that more clearly.

We flew from Clark which is nearer to our place. Twenty-five minutes after take-off, we landed in paradise. It was cloudy and rainy when we arrived but we could see that the place was beautiful.

 

Lola Insing

There goes another cliche - "when it rains, it pours".

The early morning of November 6, my Lola Insing passed away. She is the mother of my mother, and my last immediate living grandparent. Her demise was not untimely, as she was already 87 years old and has been bed-ridden for a year. She was not sick, it was classic old age. Her remaining days she has taken to not eating, and would only take milk and oatmeal.

It still hurt, so much so since she left three months after Daddy.

She died on the birth anniversary of Lolo Bete.

We remember her as one strong lady who would commute to our house, with her other apos in tow, bringing vegetables and rice. She sew most of our pambahay shorts then and she made the yummiest espasol. I craved her espasol when I was pregnant three years ago but the vigorous stirring wore her out so my aunt made them for me. She had many Ilocano expressions that us apos would mimic and say to each other.

2017 has been my personal annus horribilis. Hoping to look forward to a better 2018.

Clichés and Idioms

I always thought clichés were just... so cliché. I’ve been taught to avoid them when writing. But when you experience them firsthand, you begin to understand why they suffer from long overuse - simply because they are true. “Immeasurable grief.” “Unbearable sadness.” “Depths of despair.” “Gut-wrenching pain.”

I even understand clearly for the first time why a father is referred to as “haligi ng tahanan” - “pillar of the house”. Why I have this shaky, unhinged feeling since you left. Because I miss you, Daddy. My pillar of strength, my calming force.

Daddy

We were scheduled to go home to the province on the last week-end of August. However, I was hesitating if we would push through because two years ago, we were stranded when our place was suddenly flooded overnight.

Daddy was confined in the hospital on Wednesday, August 23. Mommy said that he was feeling weak because he was unable to sleep the previous two nights. We had a group video call that night and I saw Daddy sitting on a monobloc chair in the hospital, hooked up to a dextrose, eating dinner. I thought he was just regaining strength in the hospital.

The next day, Thursday, I texted him and asked him how he was but he did not reply. Mommy texted me that he has been transferred to the Coronary Care Unit and was just regaining strength until we bring him to the Philippine Heart Center for an angiogram. At that moment, I was still made to believe that he was okay. That he was just weak.

We decided to go home that Friday instead of Saturday. However, it was the day that typhoon Jolina made landfall, it was raining so hard it was zero visibility when we traversed NLEX. We arrived in the hospital at 8:00 P.M. I was angry because Daddy was confined in the public hospital of the city and I wanted to transfer him to a private hospital immediately. However, Mommy told me that he was not stable. When I saw Daddy in the CCU, both of his hands had IVs and he was intubated so he could not speak. But when I gripped his arm, he gripped back my arm tightly. He even made a P sign asking for Pio but children were not allowed inside the CCU. He pointed at the IV lines connected to him. He gestured that he was feeling hot and to massage his right shoulder. However, as we did not have dinner yet and visitors were not allowed to stay long in the CCU, we went home. Mommy stayed in Daddy's room aside from the CCU.

The next morning, my two other siblings arrived. They were supposed to sleep first before going to the hospital when one of my sisters told me that the cardiologist wanted to talk to us. We had just eaten breakfast but have not taken a bath. I was confused. Cardiologist? The only illnesses of Daddy that we were aware of was that he had kidney stones and he often complained of his acid reflux.

The cardiologist gathered us and told us that Daddy could go anytime. I was shocked. Daddy went for regular check-ups and laboratory exams and he always told me that he was okay. I was however pushing him to get a colonoscopy/endoscopy because of his acid reflux but he always said "Next time na lang." The cardiologist told us that at that time, Daddy's heart was at 20% efficiency and his lungs had fluid. They were giving him diuretics but he was not peeing much.

My siblings and I took turns going inside the CCU. Daddy's blood pressure was in the 50s. The nephrologist took me and my brother aside and told us that if his BP improved, we should transfer him to a private hospital and undergo dialysis.

At around lunch time, I was about to send off P to go home with his ates when my sister called me. When I entered the CCU, I saw the nurses pumping Daddy's chest. He had flatlined at 12:17 P.M. He was declared dead at 12:45 P.M.

And just like that, I lost my Daddy.

We had no idea that he had a heart disease. I personally registered his Death Certificate at the Local Civil Registrar to expedite it because I had to send it to my sister abroad and I was shocked to see that his cause of death was "cardiogenic shock secondary to acute coronary syndrome NSTEMI".  It was only then that it dawned on me that he had a heart attack. All along in the hospital, I was made to believe that he was just weak. 

I looked through his previous text messages to me and he underwent a check-up just last July 21 and he replied to me "ECG ok no blockade BP normal 120/80".

Days after, doctor friends told me that acid reflux was actually a symptom of a heart disease. But how come in all of his check-ups, no one told my Daddy to have his heart checked?

Actually, a week before that, he wanted an executive check-up done in Manila and I scheduled him in Medical City on September 9. But he died on August 26 and was buried on September 7.

The next days were a blur. My sister abroad had to get a special permit to travel back to the country and we waited for her. The wake went on for 10 days. It was raining on and off then but it was sunny and bright when we buried Daddy.

I cry every day. The worst times are before I sleep and upon waking up. Sometimes, I get the urge to text him and then I remember he's gone. But since Daddy has always been quiet, I sometimes feel that he is just in his law office or inside their room reading or watching TV.

So many people came to his wake and his burial. They all spoke of his humility, his kindness, his patience, his humor.

Daddy always had a big heart but in the end, his heart failed to keep up with him.

Reply 1997

Since I am currently on house arrest, I am mostly in bed, watching TV or on my phone. I downloaded  Netflix and have actually finished The Crown,  Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories and all the seasons of Gilmore Girls and Gossip Girl. A few days back, I started watching Reply 1997, a Korean drama about 6 high school friends. The stories whip back between the present 2012 and when they were in high school in 1997. It is mostly about the travails of first love, with some teen issues like fangirling over celebrities and issues with parents and siblings interpersed between.

I am not an avid watcher of K-dramas, I mean, I have no problem watching them but I don't go to great lengths to watch them. But why is it that Japanese/Korean/Taiwanese dramas are more nakakakilig? Though set in a Korean high school, I was transported back to my own high school years, especially since I was a high school senior in 1997. I guess high school issues are universal.

I finished the last episode a couple of nights ago and I was silently squealing as P was sleeping beside me. I re-watched it last night and I was still giddy. Then I started watching Reply 1994 which is set im college but I can already tell halfway the first episode that I will always prefer Reply 1997. For one thing, the leads are better looking in Reply 1997, especially Seo In-Guk! :)

Forced Weaning

P is currently 30 months old and I've been thinking of weaning him after he turned two years old. He only latches before sleeping and when he's fussy in the car. Every time I tell him he can't latch, he kicks up a fuss so I end up feeding him.

When my operation was scheduled, I once again tried to wean him but I could not bear his crying. Besides, he became extra clingy after my ovarian cyst was discovered, as if he knew that something was wrong. I was not about to push him away then, figuratively speaking.

So we ended up forced weaning cold turkey. I spent 2 nights in the hospital. My sister was the one who slept beside him and she said ge tried to pull up her shirt while half-asleep. Hahaha. When I got home, he tried to come near me for me to carry him and I would show him my bandages. He'd say, "Funny, Mommy." At night, we kept pillows between us especially on my stomach area, and he'd try to cuddle. However, he never specifically asked for "dede mommy".

I guess that's that, we're weaned. Now I have to wean him from the bottle and maybe potty train him.

Ovarian Cyst/New Growth: Part II

My OB recommended to remove the cyst via laparoscopy as it was minimally invasive. However, the amount she quoted was quite high and besides, she was not accredited by my office's health card. While I wanted to be operated on by her, we resolved to search for an OB who performs laparoscopy.

During the long week-end, I searched websites for doctors and cross-referenced them with Kaiser over the phone. I gave the names to my OB and she recommended Dr. Elizabeth Ocampo of St. Luke's. At first we went to her QC clinic but she was doing an operation so we went to her Global City clinic.

After going through my records, she said an operation was in order. Thanks to my original OB, I've already finished most of the labs required - CBC, FBS, ECG and chest x-ray. The operation was set on July 10 when hopefully, my period was already ending.

Friday before the operation, I was already on soft diet. However, my period has not arrived. I told Dr. Ocampo and she made me go to her clinic. She said we can still proceed with the operation but she won't be able to check my fallopian tubes.

On Sunday, July 9, H and I went to St. Luke's Global City at around 6:30PM. As I was filling out the paperwork, I realized I failed to get a signed CF1 form from the office and my operation was the next day (mommy brain!). Thank God for helpful office mates and Grab Express, they sent the form the next day. Anyhoo, the nurse gave me this solution to wash with to prep for surgery. At around 10PM, my dextrose was put in. They tried my left hand but the vein popped so they tried my right hand. Huhu. I was no longer allowed water and soft food by 11PM and since I was on soft diet since Friday, I was a tad cranky. I fell asleep at around 12MN.

I woke up at around 4AM to pee and prepare. I was wheeled down at 545AM and lost track of time. H said I was operated on at 7:50AM. I woke up around lunch in the recovery room. The OB said the cyst was benign so she was able to save the ovary. But we had to observe it. I was in my room at 2PM but was not allowed to eat or drink until 6PM. So every time a nurse checked on my pain, I'd reply that I was more hungry than in pain. Alas, I was only allowed soft food until I passed stool. 

I was discharged the next day and it kinda felt like I gave birth. But the harder part was my baby seeing me and demanding to be carried but I can not do so. :(( Worse, I contracted cough and cold so the stitches hurt when I sneeze or cough. Sigh.

Ovarian Cyst/New Growth: Part I

I'm not sure if I have mentioned it here but years ago, I was diagnosed with PCOS - polycystic ovarian syndrome, which made it difficult for us to conceive. I was put on metformin and folic acid and underwent work-up. We finally conceived while we were on a break from work-up.

I admit I was delinquent with going to my OB after giving birth. I guess as a mom you're more concerned with your baby's health. Apart from my 6-month post partum check up and Pap smear, I did not return to my OB.

Recently, H and I were talking about baby # 2. I started taking folic acid on my own and charting my period again. Early June, my period was late but the pregnancy tests turned up negative. Then, my period came on June 3 and lasted only 2 days. Since I remembered that an ultrasound was better on days 4-7 of the period, I went to a new OB recommended by my office mate. I went before going to the office, thinking that the ultrasound would be quick and I'd be put on metformin again.

The OB had her own ultrasound machine. She took her time then directed me a nearby lab with a bigger machine because my left ovary had a fairly large cyst. I went, waited for hours and missed lunch. When I went back to the OB, here's the kicker - I needed an operation to remove the cyst and possibly my left ovary. Worse, she recommended that I undergo a tumor markers blood test which I later Google-d meant to check for cancer! I said I will get a second opinion and ended up crying outside as I called H. I ended up not going to ths office anymore and filed a sick leave.

Days after, I went back to my original OB and she ordered another ultrasound. She said that the cyst still needs to be removed as it was fairly big. We also had to wait for the result of the blood test whicj took a week! Thankfully, it was negative. But my OB said it had to be determined during the operation if my ovary has to be removed or not. 

On Planners

I can't believe it's already July! Half of the year is over. By the way, Happy Fourth of July!

Have you noticed the influx of creative planners lately? Heard of bullet journaling? End of last year, I wanted to jump into the planner frenzy. I wanted to get a kikki.K or a Midori or a Filofax, fill it with stickers and accessorize with washi tapes and clips and charms. As usual, I tend to overthink these things and the cost (this stuff is pricey once you add them up!), so I ended up getting none of the above. I just bought a small Belle Du Jour planner that I can carry to the office and a slightly larger Typo one for more thoughts. 

The initial plan was to jot bullet points in my Belle Du Jour planner during the day then take a few minutes at night reflecting on my Typo planner. Ha! For most days, I manage to write bullet points but it'd take days before I started writing on my Typo one. Lately, I've been unable to write on both real-time, so I had to consult my phone photos what happened on that day, hahaha. (Funnily, I'm shocked that I eat at Ramen Nagi with my office mates that much!!!)

Last night, I was updating my Typo planner and I was amazed that I managed to write until July. Pre-baby, my planner writing tends to taper off before mid-year. It made me think tuloy if my life was really boring back then. Ironically, I had more of a social life back then. I guess being a first-time mommy to a kulit toddler and having househelp provide more fodder for my planner, haha. 

Flashback Friday: Pencils

One of my earliest childhood memories is something that I should be ashamed of, haha. I was five years old, in the Kinder afternoon class. Whenever I remember this memory, I see it from the point of view of my teacher. I was at the table where our supplies were located and I had my lunch box with me. I took ALL of the pencils out of the canister and loaded them into my lunch box. My teacher, bless her heart, just watched me and did not say a word.

At home, I transferred all the pencils in this wooden blue shallow box that held alphabet blocks. My mom discovered my supply of pencils and promptly ordered me to return them the next day. I did, and I don't remember being scolded by any of my teachers of it. I don't know what possessed me to do it. And I promise I have not stolen pencils, or anything else, since then. :)

Britney Spears: Piece of Me in Las Vegas

In light of Britney Spears' recent concert in the Philippines, I've decided to blog about the time I watched her concert in Las Vegas last year. Hubby, P and one of my sisters went there for our sister's wedding (which I'll try to blog about soon!)

Like anyone who was a teen-ager in the 90s, I'm no stranger to Britney Jean Spears. While her singing voice is not stellar, her dance moves and showmanship more than make up for her voice. Whether you like it or not, you are bound to know the words to her songs. (Toxic forever!!!)

Thanks to my new brother-in-law, my sisters and I watched Britney from the pit.

As a resident at The Axis, Planet Hollywood, she had performances two to three times a week. Hence, she lip-synced to her songs. Understandably, her dancing prowess was not the same as in the 90s but who cares, it's Britney, b*tch. She performed for almost two (2) hours straight.

Spring in CA 2016

This post is a year delayed, haha. From NYC, we made our way to visit hubby's relatives in California. While we were discussing the itinerary, the FIL made it sound like it was a short ride from LA to Visalia to San Francisco. And we were there for five days only, we spent most of the days driving aaak!

In LA, we visited the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Grauman's Chinese Theater, Beverly Hills (sign, haha), and Rodeo Drive.

We also tasted the famous In-N-Out burgers and fries for the first time. Yum!

We then drove for four (4) hours to hubby's relatives in Napa Valley and San Francisco. We made quick visits to a small vineyard and Fisherman's Wharf and a drive-through of the San Francisco traffic. We did not even see Lombard Street for super lack of time!

Flashback Friday: First Time in Manila

I have a few more topics I should be blogging about, but yesterday, I find myself drafting a Flashback Friday post in my head. After giving birth, it seems like I've developed short-term memory loss, but there are memories from my childhood that keep popping up from time to time. I thought of writing these unbidden thoughts lest they completely leave my memory bank.

It was my first time to go to Manila. I can't remember though if it was my first time ever or my first to go not on a school field trip. Daddy attorney was going to Manila for work and he brought me along. His client brought a van and driver. I was in elementary school, I think I was 12. I may be over-reaching but I think I wore a baggy white shirt, long green shorts (this was the 90s), and white high-top rubber shoes with neon yellow/lime accents. It was not branded but I remember some boys looking at my shoes. In hindsight, I don't know if they were looking in awe or thinking I was baduy.

We had lunch at Max's and it was my first time. It was also the first time I had the cream of mushroom soup and I thought it was delicious. Then we went to their arbitration. Afterwords, we went to a mall and National Bookstore, and had Daddy Attorney buy me Sweet Valley books which were P50.00 each then. LOL. We went home the same day. It was cool and drizzling that day, and the memory comes to me on cold and rainy days. 

 

Last Day of Summer School

Since P has been crying every session of his summer school, I decided to go with him on his last day. Due to perpetual mommy guilt, I brought a cake for the teachers who had to endure his crying two days a week, haha.

Predictably, he started crying as soon as we arrived. He clung to me until we got to the play area. He was still crying until he realized that there was space for him to run around.

During the free play, he was identifying letters, shapes and numbers which apparently surprised the teacher aide that he knew these. Of course, he spent the previous sessions wailing.

Then they were ushered inside the class room for singing and activities. He did not want to sit down and preferred to roam around. Ayayay. They did a couple of crafts wherein he surprisingly participated in. Teacher had to tell me, "Mommy, ngayon lang po nag-participate si P." Wahaha. 

Yun lang, he painted the table and not the paper. And he did not want to wear the hat he decorated. :))

And then, the two hours was over. He was given a certificate and pictures for posterity, When I looked inside his envelope, his work sheets were untouched, haha. Oh well. I guess it is too early for him to be in a structured environment as he was the youngest at two (2) years old. Again, this confirms my plan to enroll him in a couple of years.

P Goes to Summer School

We enrolled P in summer school for the month of May. We wanted him to have more interaction with other kids. I was thinking tuloy, when I was younger, our parents' problem was that we wanted to play all the time that we sometimes go home at dinner time already. Now, as parents, our problem is that our kids seem to have no one to play with outside. Also, his cousin was supposed to enroll in Filipino tutorial classes at the same schedule but the same did not push through. Unfortunately, we have paid a P3,000.00 non-refundable deposit.

We enrolled in a small progressive school near our place. They meet twice a week for 2 hours. I was a bit surprised when I saw the requirements – birth certificate, immunization and baby book records, and a long list of clothes and wipes and shoes to bring to school. Akala ko summer school lang?

I went with P on his first day, only one companion was allowed inside. They started with songs, then free play, recess, then an activity. P was the youngest in the group and he showed no interest in participating. Waaa. In the subsequent sessions, he went with his dad and ate, but they were not allowed inside so he kept on crying daw. It was only during the last class that his ate was allowed inside. He still would not participate but at least he did not cry much.

We have 3 more sessions to go. I'm just sad that there's no Gymboree Trinoma, that would have been the best place for him to learn to play with others. And I concede that he is really too young for a structured school set-up, seems like I am right in my plan to enroll him when he's 4 years already - plus I have time to save up!

Coldplay in Manila 2017

Judging from social media posts, almost everyone was in Mall of Asia Concert Grounds last April 4, Tuesday, for the Coldplay concert.

Their first album, Parachutes, came out in 2000, the tail-end of my college years. This was the time of downloading and ripping MP3s, hence, I'm sure I came across their songs because of the hubby, then BF. Instantly liked Yellow, Sparks, Trouble and Shiver. Later on, there were crying episodes set to The Scientist and Fix You, haha.

So when it was announced that they will be having a concert here, I bugged hubby that we will watch. Like most people, we were dismayed to learn that it will be held in MoA - we prefer the acoustics in Araneta Coliseum. We tried to buy during the Globe pre-selling for its subscribers which started at 9:00 A.M., and the section we wanted, Silver, was promptly sold-out by 9:01 A.M. Boo. We also tried to buy tickets in Singapore through my brother-in-law, but he was unsuccessful in even buying for himself. Thankfully, hubby has a Citibank card and we were able to buy during the pre-selling last November.

In the months leading to April, I would listen to the AHFOD Tour setlist on Spotify, However, my powers of memorization may have completely left me as I can no longer memorize all the lyrics.

Fast forward to April 4. Hubby picked me up from the office at around 4:30 P.M. He asked where should we eat first, I said it was too early, he asked, have you seen the lines? Turns out people have been lining up since noon. Gahds! We had dinner at Yellow Cab Harbor Square then encountered traffic on the way to MoA. We ended up parking at the Pay Parking area near the business offices of SM.

We saw long lines at around 7:00 P.M., turns out it was for the Bronze and Gen Ad sections. We breezed through the line, but inside, the Silver section was already packed. We tried to get positions in the middle of the crowd, but it was clear that we will not see the band except on the screens.

Then right before the band went onstage, there was an earthquake. We exchanged looks with a couple beside us, but most of the people were oblivious.

As promised, the concert had effects like laser shows, confetti showers and big balloons. However, these were only appreciated by the people near the stage. In fact, it was only now, looking at photos, did I see that the confetti were multi-colored or were lit by colored lights. And I think the xylobands would have been better appreciated if the crowd was on multi-level bleachers. Maybe next time, Coldplay? :D

P Can Spell His Name!

I started teaching him last night at bedtime and he did it today. Hooray! Granted that his first name is only 3 letters so it's not much of a stretch, but still! *happy dance*

His daddy also took him swimming in the neighborhood pool yesterday and they told me he cried. Well, it was because he imitated his dad who dove under and thus gulped some water. Boys will be boys. Now we're thinking of enrolling him in swimming lessons, among our many many other plans!

P's Moments This Week

I have a bad case of Mommy brain since I had P, which I really hate. The Mommy Brain part okay, because I used to be really good at remembering things.

Anyhoo, a few updates this week:

• P has been tagging along when Daddy brings me to the train station. After a couple of days, he has started to willingly offer his cheek for me to kiss as soon we turn right on EDSA and see the train. 

• Last night (March 8), I was reading his book "Tree" to him and I noticed that he'd say the last word of every sentence ahead of me. I'm surprised because this book is more complicated than his other books. Whoa. Which is making me re-think if I should enroll him in pre-pre-school. Based on my computation, we should enroll him in K1 on 2019 pa. I don't want to put him in school too early eh. Maybe we should reconsider Gymboree even if he hated the first class haha.

• He can say "agi", "andi" and "ney" which are Pangasinan and Ilocano words. He can say "ayaw" for "no" or "hindi". His "n" comes out as "m", so he says "wet lam" for "wait lang" and "en dem" for "and then". Haha.

 

P's Moments last February

P is becoming more and more talkative lately. Like any mommy, I was a bit worried when he is not as talkative or bibo like other toddlers but then I attributed it to his being a boy, because boys are generally not talkative, right? He likes to sing though, as in he sometimes sings in his sleep, or as soon as he wakes up.

Here are some of his notable moments last month:

• Last week-end, we went home for my Dad's birthday. P used to shy away from his grandparents because he rarely sees them. Now, he's more sociable. My parents want to be called "Momsy" and "Popsy". Note: none of P's grandparents want to be called "lolo" and "lola", H's parents are "Papa" and "Mama". Anobeh. Anyhoo, this week-end, P called my dad
  "Pa-see" and my mom "Mam-es". Kyot.
• He preferred his "Pa-see". He would grab Pa-see's hand and drag him to the sala then back to the rocking chair in the bedroom. And they would make a pit stop in the bookself in the aisle.
• P knows how to kiss and "nose-to-nose".
• P can already say most of our names.
• P can sing "Versace on the Floor" because his ates always listen to it. Waaa.
• P likes ice cream and popcorn. He can demand for juice, water and "Ka-ki" for Chuckie.
• P recognizes the Jollibee and McDo signs.
• P likes to color his hands and the high chair.
• He can recognize letters and numbers.

P Eats like a Viking

Hubby celebrated his birthday last Monday and we had dinner at Vikings. Hubby's meal was free due to the birthday promo while P still qualified for the free child meal. Hence, we only paid for my meal. It was sulit though because P ate cheese fries, popcorn, mac and cheese, quite a serving of pancit canton and two scoops of ice cream! All washed down with a glass of Four Seasons juice! He indeed ate like a Viking! :)

To see more of Vikings promos, click here


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First Times at Gymboree

Last January 22 was P's first time at Gymboree for gym play. As soon as we set him down, he made a beeline for the balls and the basketball hoop. He had the time of his life shooting balls, going down the slide and diving on the big mattress, but he basically ignored the rest. Haha.

On February 4, we took him to his first preview class. He was placed in Level 5. When we arrived, he immediately played with the balls. And when the class started, he basically bawled his head off. He did not want to participate! At one point, they were instructed to look for cars on the floor, he promptly took the car another kid was holding and played with it. He did not want to give it back. When the box of maracas was brought out, he wanted to open the box immediately. He only calmed down during the bubbles time. He again cried at the end - he did not like the parachute. I apologized to the teacher and she told me it was normal for first-timers. Haha. I don't want to put him in school yet but I want more socializing activities for P. Hmmm...

P Update: Saying Our Names

Whoa, I can't believe that February is half-over. I've been such a bad mommy blogger, well, make that a bad blogger. I intended to use this blog to document stuff so I won't forget, but I forget to update. How ironic.

Anyhoo, P just learned to say our names. I remember it was February 5, he and I were downstairs walking when we saw his daddy up on the terrace. I called his Daddy by name and he repeated it. Glad I caught that on video. Then I started teaching him my name but he has a hard time saying it. Hubby suggested that we teach him my second name which is what I'm called by my family but it came out as "Ke-ke" - not nice to hear. Eventually, he's been saying my first name. He has also said the names of his aunts. However, I have no video of him saying my name because as soon as I switch on the phone camera, he clams up! Loko-loko!

Registering with PHILHEALTH as a Household Employer

As with SSS and PAG-IBIG, my kasambahays and I filled out the Kasambahay Unified Registration Forms which can be downloaded here: https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/downloads/

For Quezon City residents, proceed to the PHILHEALTH Office along Quezon Ave., Quezon City. Upon entering, get a number for the Membership desk. I presented our registration forns, you can print extra copies as receiving/file copies. After a few minutes, I had my Philhealth Employer Number and my helpers' Philhealth Identification Number. I was also given our respective Membership Data Forms and the helpers' IDs. After that was Payment. Interestingly, there is no penalty for Household Employers so I just paid P200 per month per helper.

The whole process would have gone faster if their system did not go offline while I was paying. But just the same, the entire process took me only 2 hours. Yey for PHILHEALTH!

Read about our SSS Registration here.
Read about our PAG-IBIG Registration here.

Registering with PAG-IBIG as a Household Employer

Since PAG-IBIG has an online registration system for household employers, I opted to try it before PHILHEALTH. Go to: https://www.pagibigfundservices.com/kasambahay/default.aspx

Print everything that comes up after registering. For me these were the Household Employer Unified Registration Form and Household Employer Unified Form which came out pre-filled out. I separately printed the Kasambahay Unified Registration Form and had the kasambahays manually fill them out. You and your kasambahays will receive your respective Registration Tracking Number (RTN) via SMS.

Then, I went to the PAG-IBIG branch near GMA Kamuning MRT station to submit the above forms. I asked the security guard to direct me where I can register for kasambahays. At first, the lady there told me that I had to go to the Caloocan branch which has jurisdiction over our barangay. But I told her I registered online and already have the RTNs. Thankfully, she accepted my forms and assessed me for late payment. I paid at the tellers downstairs, photocopied the receipts and submitted them. 

I asked where can I pay the premiums and I was advised that I can pay in advance, so I did. The entire process took one hour and the best thing about it was, unlike my SSS experience, I did everything in one building hehe. Thank you, PAG-IBIG!


Read about our SSS Registration here.
Read about our PHILHEALTH registration here.

Registering with the SSS as a Household Employer (With Penalty)

As any (Filipino) working momma will tell you, kasambahays nowadays come and go, sometimes for the most inane reasons. Hence, I was not exactly raring to register myself with the SSS, Philhealth and PAG-IBIG as a Household Employer lest they suddenly leave even before the whole process is over. Our present helpers started with us last August 2016. I knew that I will be paying a penalty for registering late but that was fine by me.

Our helpers don't have any SSS, Philhealth or PAG-IBIG numbers yet. There SHOULD be a Kasambahay Unified Registration System wherein you are told that you can register with any of the three offices, but currently, it's not yet in place so you still have to go to each office. I decided to register with SSS first.

The first step is to make sure the helpers have an SSS number. If none yet, they can register online. They will be provided an SSS number but the status is "Temporary" because they have to submit supporting documents PERSONALLY to any SSS office. In our case, the helpers went to the satellite office in SM North Edsa Annex.