Baby kisses and hot running water

I can't decide which one of these fairly recent events is more exciting:

1) Raja is kissing now. He keeps his mouth open wide as he's coming for your face, then right before he lands, he purses his full little lips and plants one. I just want to kiss my cuddly little guy all day long.

2) We have been taking cold showers for the last 7+ months. Apparently, we had a hot water heater that ENTIRE time that we didn't know about. It has been fixed and now we can take warm showers!

Raja's fade and Jaya's priorities

Here's Raja with his big boy haircut. He looks so cute with a fade! I love his perfectly round head. We took him to the salon and Marei held him while I spoon fed him mango shake to keep him still. He loves to eat! Food is one thing that will keep him semi-still.

Raja doesn't say more than a couple of words that are recognizable as English (or Malayalam or Tagalog or Cebuano). He does make his feelings and emotions known and he is LOUD. We don't always know exactly what he is saying but we do know exactly what kind of mood he is in.

He is in the adorable phase where he wants to use everything the way big people do - phones, utensils, crayons, golf clubs, etc.

A few nights ago, I mentioned to Marei that I was going to read Raja Brown Bear, Brown Bear for his bedtime story. Raja toddled over to the stack of books, rifled though them, pulled out Brown Bear, Brown Bear, grinned as he gave it to me, and climbed up and settled in on my lap expectantly.
He comprehends so much and loves to do what we ask. "Bring me the block." "Give this to sister." "Stand up." "Close the door." "Go to daddy." "Put the toy in the box." He rewards us with that huge grin every time too. He knows when he is listening, and he clearly knows when he is doing something he isn't supposed to do - the sneakiness registers on his face clear as day. He's been going to the nursery class at church. Usually we would wait until he was 18 months old, but since he is so eager to listen and cooperate, they are thrilled to have him in there now.

Jaya has been trying to give up her afternoon nap. The effort has been largely unsuccessful. No nap means an inevitable meltdown later in the day, while the usual hour or two nap means staying up way too late. Staying up way too late results in multiple night time wakings. What are we to do? Well, we just implemented a 30-minute afternoon nap. Never thought my cell phone alarm clock would come in handy for my 3 year old, but so far it's working great. It is such a relief to have our old wild thing back. The sleep deprived one's a little too wild for every day.

If anyone leaves our house, Jaya HAS to look out the window and wave good-bye. When we arrive home or at another destination and get out of the taxi, she HAS to stand and watch the taxi leave until she can't see it anymore. When asked by her father why she needs to do that, she replied, in complete seriousness, "Because it's important to me." Can't argue with that, right?

The other day, after a period of deep
thought, Jaya said to me, "MAMA! If we go back to the United States, I will be a baby - I won't be able to talk anymore! I won't be able to talk!" She was clearly terrified by this prospect. I had to reassure that she would still be able to talk and would not revert to babyhood when we came back.

Developing a healthy body image, part I (Jaya-style)

Jaya today, twisting around to check out her booty:

"I have a chubby bum...and I LOVE IT!!!"

Sinulog!

Tourists come from all over the world, and people come from all over the Philippines, to attend Sinulog. The history of Sinulog reflects the unique history of the Philippines. We felt pretty blessed to already be here and to have friends who could be our guides. The festivities were nine days long, culminating in a grand parade, which we went to see. We traveled via jeepney close to the parade street, and walked the remainder of the way to the actual parade. Raja slept on me as we traveled, and woke up amidst throngs of people. We live in a city of 2 million people, so while crowds are nothing new, this was intense. The parade route was 5km long, and it was estimated that 2 million Cebuanos and visitors filled the area. The streets were teeming with people. Raja loves to people watch, so it was priceless to see his big eyes in his little face, wide as saucers and trying to take everything in. We were basically just swept along in a current of people. It says something about Filipino culture that even though we had two small children (and I'm the anxious-about-safety type), we weren't too concerned about getting trampled or anything like that. People just helped us along the way and made room for the kids. When Raja needed to breastfeed, a one-legged man gave up his stool for me to have a place to sit. People smiled and moved out of the way as Jaya danced in the street without paying any attention to who she was bumping into. Jaya even got to sit on a float.
The weather was overcast and high 70s. Around us, people wore long pants and long sleeves - and seemed cool and comfortable, while we dripped with sweat in short sleeves. We were relieved when it rained for a minute here and there and cooled us off.
There were all kinds of floats and dancers. There were gigantic papier-mache figures called higantes. Music was blaring, bass was thumping; there were painted faces, henna tattoos, and colorful costumes to see everywhere. Many parade goers wore feathered hats and headresses. People squealed and cheered as celebrities waved. Some clamored for souvenirs thrown from the floats. Vendors were hawking water bottles, trinkets, and food at every turn. We could see those who had traveled to Sinulog with little but a cardboard box to rest in. The distinctive and uniquely Cebuano Sinulog beat played everywhere, and you couldn't help but dance.
Raja was content to watch. Jaya wanted to see things up close. She wanted to know everything - "How does the big costume move if there's people inside and the people are small?" "Why that lady is wearing crazy clothes?" "Why is the dinosaur wearing rubber shoes?" "Why it's so crowded??"
As much as the kids (and we) loved it, we didn't want to overwhelm them and didn't stay too long. We hopped back on a jeepney and made our way home. We had our friends over for dinner and rehashed the day, and Jaya spent the evening practicing the dances she'd learned.

What an experience!

Here are some moments from our Sinulog adventure...there is a lot of footage we just couldn't get, but hopefully this gives you an inkling of what it was like.

A friend of ours who lives nearby called for a taxi today...

When he got in, the driver said to him, "I thought I was coming here to pick up that foreign family, do you know them?"
"Which one?"
"The ones with the 2 kids - the husband is a pastor, and his wife looks like Halle Berry."

(We found this hilarious.)

Dear Mr. Bill Gates,

You know, although I am so totally a Mac woman, I don't think you're half bad. I mean regardless of the PC issues I used to have (that is, when I owned one of those antiquated machines), you and I agree on a few things. I mean, I know so many people personally who have benefited from your Gates Millenium Scholarship, and I too, am seriously concerned about the plight of our public schools today and wish I had millions of dollars to pour into the cause of improving them. We'd probably do different things with the money, but I digress. Anyway, Bill (can I call you that?), I do have to take you to task for one thing - that pernicious Xbox.
Bill, my husband is an amazing man. I would even venture to say he is a truly rare breed of husband and father, and I don't think anyone who knows him would argue with me. But your little box of evil has, on more than one occasion, turned him into...well, someone else. A glaze-eyed zombie with little on his mind except, "MUST. WIN. NEXT. LEVEL. MUST. KILL. ALIENS. AND. SAVE. WORLD." And, Bill, I just don't think that's right. Or even in harmony with what appear to be your ideals. I mean, if it does this to my husband, don't you think those high school and college kids you care so much about are being affected too? Think about that one.
So I wanted you to know first, Bill, before I told anyone else. He sold it today! It's gone! No longer will he be sucked into that 360 vortex! He hasn't even been playing it that much in the last year or so. I'll be honest though, Bill, even the mere existence of it in my house could, well, throw me into a rage. My children thank you, Bill, from the bottom of their little hearts. Angry mama is gone! I will never again fantasize about being alone in a room with a hammer and one of your precious little Xboxes.
I wish you the best in your public endeavors, Bill. Keep providing scholarships to those who need and deserve them. Keep doing that charitable thing. If you need any help with reading scholarship essays and the like, give me a call, I'd love to help. Shoot, I'm so happy right now, I'll donate time and money. Just keep that box out of my house.
Thanks for taking the time to read this Bill. I just thought, well, you never know...a guy like Bill Gates just might listen to a former Xbox widow and give up a lucrative vertical in the video game industry for the betterment of society. Maybe, just maybe, I could give others in my situation the experience of an Xbox free home life. I had to try.

Sincerely,
A concerned citizen

P.S. Not to rub salt in your wound, Bill, but you know what he's doing with the money? Getting an iPod. Score another one for Steve! I'm pretty sure he'd be okay with me calling him Steve. You know, being the hip, accessible one and all.

*Disclaimer - this is written (mostly) tongue-in-cheek.

Birthday Pool Party in January

We postponed the kids' birthday party until January, because really, who needs more parties/things to do in December? It turned out to be a really lovely day.
We held the party at the Sandtrap in Banilad. The facilities were really perfect for what we wanted. We had about 40 guests, half children and half adults.
The forecast called for scattered thunderstorms, but luckily it only rained for about 15 seconds of the party. The kids swam and swam all morning, with Marei serving as unofficial lifeguard. We played games, sang to the birthday boy and girl, and cut the cake. The lunch was provided by Sandtrap. After lunch, we did the pabitin, a Pinoy game similar to a pinata. Jaya and Raja gave away lootbags to all of their friends, and then we swam some more!
The party was wonderful, and the primary reason why was our group of amazing friends. Our dear friends helped us with every aspect of the party - planning, finding a venue, decorating, providing transportation, organizing games, making the pabitin, supplying prizes - basically everything! We are so thankful for them, and for all of our friends for coming to celebrate with us!

The Wild Things Maternal X Chromosome

I think it is safe to say...

...we know where Jaya's eyebrows came from.

*Other genetic phenotypes possibly linked to the Wild Things maternal X chromosome:

a penchant for shoes
loquaciousness
bossiness
being irritatingly particular about fashion
a propensity for the dramatic

Significant Wild Things Family Accomplishments this Holiday Season

Jaya
Has become a expert swordswoman, and invented the game "Sword-fighting princesses and monsters."
Plays an excellent princess, and an even more excellent monster.
Also plays a convincing doctor.
Willingly gave away toys and clothes to "other kids that need stuff."
Is learning Malayalam. Current favorite word is mookala മുഖള (boogers).
Is mastering jigsaw puzzles (By MYSELF!)
Could rival most supermodels with her catwalk strut.
Had on-stage dancing debut, entirely improvised.
Refused to wear anything except her favorite long blue skirt 9 days out of 10.
Runs really, really fast.

Raja
Recognizes lots of words, can point to nose, light, sister, daddy, etc.
Uses the same word for Mama and Food - Mamama.
Plays an adorable monster, and a credible nurse, despite the climbing all over the patient.
Has developed a dancing repertoire - the head shake, the twist, the booty bounce, the wrist dance, and the ever present one-leg wag n' stomp.
Is an opening filler - sees a hole, has to figure out what can fit into it. (Dangerous - includes electric sockets and nostrils, therefore needs constant watching)
Is becoming a master walker.
Can throw both over- and underhand.
Loves to help - brings Daddy his glasses, feeds Mamama, brings Jaya toys.
Grew his missing front tooth.

Marei
Is expanding his cooking skills to include much more than oatmeal and scrambled eggs.
Reread the Book of Mormon in 31 days.
Is the funnest stay at home Dad ever.

Leatha
Read The Alchemist.
Wrote some poetry and some prose.
Inspired someone to tandem nurse.

the whole Wild family
Dressed up as a family of crayons for a holiday costume party, in accordance with our cheap costume philosophy.
Made the best of canceled beach outings and rainy days with dance parties, sword fights, the "Be still!" game, Charades, building blocks and anything else that qualified as a generally wild rumpus.
Attended parties, receptions, and birthdays galore.
Missed family and friends a lot!

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