Fast Growth

What amazing things three months can bring! Lois is a talking-pro now. Though still amateurish with her vocabulary and pronunciation, she is able to communicate in full sentences. It even goes to the extreme when she would throw a very curious question to us and we would not be able to answer because we literally do not understand her talk. Our smiles and nods work for now. I hope she doesn't realize that we're giving her blank answers.

Lois is able to follow commands already. The other day, I gave her coins inside a plastic bag and told her to give those to her Ate Irene, their current nanny, as payment for the water bills. She willingly obliged, and heard her clearly state my instruction. "Ate I, bayad sa tubig." Oh, I feel so proud of Lois and what she's able to do now. Her 'po' and 'opo' are there, though not all the time. The pleases and thank yous sometimes pop out, and we're quick to remind her to use them, especially the sorry's. She has this distinct attitude of getting angrier whenever she notices us getting upset because of something she did. This kid doesn't get mad, she doesn't get even. She gets angrier!

She calls herself Wiswis, and often she would talk in such a way that she would pertain to herself as Wiswis. "Who threw all these toys?," I asked. "Wiswis!," she would answer with all pride. I've heard that babies really don't know how to use pronouns also. So we are careful to drop them too when talking to her.

Baby 2 has grown so big too! He's probably around 9 kilograms already, and long as can be. Most of his clothes do not fit anymore, even those hand-me down ones Lois wore up until she was six months old. He's been smiling and chuckling so much, just like her big sister when she was the same age. Family and friends adore him because he's a laughing machine. He giggles and giggles and giggles. But boy, how loud he cries especially when he's hungry or sleepy. It could send the neighbor panicking at our doors. It's a good thing the units in our new place here in Quezon City have been designed to block out noise from the other units. Or not! Could they just be being so nice and forgiving because we have two kids? Well, we couldn't hear them from inside our unit. I hope they're not just quiet or away.

Lois dances well now. Her favorite video is Zoe's Dance Moves from Sesame Street, given to us by Kuya Mark and Ate Jam. We've seen it so many times we're able to recite their lines any given time. She hops, skips, twirls, shakes her head. She even makes up her own tune. She's so funny, our almost-big-girl Lois.

Baby 2, or Twatwa to Lois, on the other hand has a stronger back now. He's able to pull up his head straight up when he's lying on his tummy. He's not so good in rolling over though. His hands are eager-grabbers, with most landing on the mouth. I've noticed that when we're eating, he swallows too. If it's an indication that he's ready for solid food already, we're missing it. Daddy Paul thinks we should wait until he's neck is not wobbly anymore before we give him his first spoonful. We missed his last well-baby check-up last first week of March so we don't know if his pediatrician would allow him to eat solid food. Basing from Lois' case, doctor didn't give the go signal until her teeth came out. Luckily, her pearly whites came out on her sixth month.

As for Lois diet, it's still milk mostly. But we've shifted to chocolate flavor. It's a hit to her! Most people say she has gained weight, which is really a good thing. She has never been on the heavy side, unlike Baby 2. He's all cuddly and husky to me. I like it. Lois eats fruits, preferring apples, bananas, mangoes and grapes over the others. She still calls all meat fish or chicken whether it be pork, beef, fish or chicken. Noodles are comfort food for Lois. Tears would stop falling if you tell her you'd eat pansit or instant noodles. She has her personal version of the TV jingle which goes: sopas na paborito, paborito ni Lois at ni Baby 2 at ni Daddy Poh. She eats breads too. Her favorite are donuts and Spanish breads from the neighboring bakery.

Honestly, I like this time now. The kids are big and small enough and their nanny's perfect. I am able to work. Yes, Virginia! I do web designing now, though I still need lots of practice to improve that skill. And I'm back to doing ministry work for our church. I am able to regularly attend small group also. This time, always with Lois in tow. Oh sweet, sweet life. Thank God for all these blessings.

And have I shared that Lois is already toilet trained?