Month 19

Dear Lia,

I know, I skipped Month 18. Anubayan, Mommy! Once every two months na nga lang, can't write a letter pa! I am quite ashamed and I'm really sorry. It's just, this didn't turn out to be as sustainable as I thought. What with my resolve not to blog in the office and my tendency to not go on the internet on weekends. Well, sure I haven't actually been to work much in the past month, but all that time at home was spent curled up in bed feeling sorry for myself. Or watching Grey's Anatomy reruns. Or playing with you.



To be honest, now that you can talk (sort of) and can understand what I'm saying (mostly), it's really much more fun to talk to you than it is to write to you. I mean, at least when I play with you and talk to you now, I know you like it, and we have fun together. Not like when you were teeny tiny and all you could do was roll your eyes or fall over and there's so much I want to tell you and remember, that I want to write it all down for you to see later on. Now it's much more fun to just be in the moment and be there while you grow, and become more and more of who you are, rather than jot everything down and make sure the Internet is updated.

It's not as if you haven't given me anything to write about. You are a very brilliant baby. According to Tito Jojo, your developmental level at 18 months was at the level of 21 months. You can identify several body parts by saying No (nose), Ee (ears), Ay (eyes), Maw (mouth), Ne (neck), Hed (head), and lots of others. You even say Piggy! when we ask what your toes are and you know. Because the last one says wee wee wee wee!



And also, for the record, I did start writing you a Month 18 letter several weeks ago. I was just getting to the mushy part when for some reason I had to stop. Probably to lie down, but I really can't remember why. I won't post anymore here but if you want to read it, I hope I saved it somewhere for you to see.

If I listed down here everything you could do, I'd be wasting mommy's blog readers' time because you can do A LOT. You know about 10 animals and their sounds. Although, I'm not sure chicken counts because you know chicken as a food you like to dip in gravy and then lick the gravy off of. You know everyone in our house by name. Even Marissa, whose name you can't pronounce, you've dubbed her Dida and now that's what everyone calls her. And you call your Daddy's parents Lolo and Lola and Mommy's parents Dan! and Binchu! Yes with exclamation points. You know Ninang and Ninong and Calo (at lease when he was here) Ia and Ayo and on Sundays you are subjected to much prodding and kulit while everyone in St. Ig tries to get you to say their names. Good thing you know Nana and Nanu. Those are the most important ones.



A couple of weeks ago, after you turned 18 months, you invented a word. Danggo. It refers to your old receiving blankets, with the pocket on one corner that you like to wear on your head. ALL DAY. When you've gotten your mind on it, we could not pry your Danggo off your head for fear of your wrath. It is immensely entertaining to try to snatch it away from you. Watching you with your Danggo is better than any TV show, ever.



But the most exciting thing for me you've learned to do is count. Yes! At 19 months, you can reply to One, with Too, Tee, Po, Pab! And then we get to say, Six, and you say Seben, and we say Eight, and you say Ten! Then we say, NINE! And you say TEN! Yay! I could do that all day. But you can't, because if we ask you to do it too much you answer One, with peepopapeepopa! Like you're saying "You already know what comes next mommy! Why do you keep asking?!"



In the last few weeks that I have been stuck at home feeling sick and miserable, you have constantly been a reason for me to smile (and wince when you decide it's fun to elbow mommy's stomach). Daddy has been away all week and we would fall asleep together to Baby Einstein, and wake up in the morning to each other's eyes, and everytime we have alone time together, I hold it as a precious and dear moment, hoping this counts for something someday when can't snuggle alone in bed anymore, just the two of us. I often wonder how different it will be when the new baby comes. Hoping that having a newborn that will need as much attention and strength as you did when you were very little will not mean the end of precious times with you.



And while I cherish every moment I have with the Lia you are now, I also wish you would grow up quickly so you can understand that a baby brother or sister is on the way and be excited about it the way Daddy and I are. I know you will be a good Ate someday, you will help me take care of the new baby and teach him to do sign language and count its little piggies with us. I know it won't be the same when he arrives. But I also know it will be better.

I love you Lia, you will always be my favorite First baby.

love, mommy