Usapang Balong 2

When my son was around 1 1/2 years old he developed a rather nasty habit – he seemed to have found bliss in biting me. He particularly loved to bite me on my thighs and upper arm, if he couldn't get a hold of any of his favorite spots, he'd bite anywhere. I didn't mind it at first, I thought it was just normal, parang tuta na nangangati ang gilagid, I thought. But it continued until he was well over 3. His cute little bites began to feel like a form of battery. I was black and blue all over, I teased my husband that I could go to NBI and tell them that he's assaulting me, they'd probably believe me, they're not CSI, I could get away with it. Isang sad story lang katapat nun. Hehe...

One time during his monthly well-baby check-up, I mentioned it to his "Tita Doctor," she explained to me that it is rather common for babies specially to baby boys to bite the ones they love. He didn't know how to express his love or happiness or even frustrations to me, so he bit me. I started to work again when he was five months old, pinalaki ng iba-ibang yaya ang batang ito. Kawawa naman.

He was probably frustrated that I was always leaving him alone in the care of strangers 5 days a week... so, he bit me, "that ought to teach you a lesson," he probably thought. When I got home at night, he's probably too happy to see me, so he bit me some more, "it's about time you got home, what took you so long?" he probably thought. On weekends, I took care of him and my daughter so he would bite me all the time. Because he loves me. What a way to show love and affection!

When he was about 3, he had a major stuttering problem, it got me worried for a little while. I seemed to be the only one worrying about it. My mother was teasing him all the time, sometimes she imitates him, I didn't like it but I kept quiet. He had trouble starting a sentence, it went something like this: "N-n-n-na-na-na-na-nanay! di ka ba a-a-a-a-a-alisss?" It went on like that until he was about 4.

He's 5 years old now, boy, am I glad the biting and stuttering has stopped. And like any five year-old, he's very talkative, curious and asks questions all the time. He tells me he loves me all the time, he's an overall sweet kid. And lately, he's been giving me "gifts" all the time. He picks flowers from school and gives them to me when he gets home, he draws me all the time and gives them to me as a "gift," and lately he's been into cutting papers and pasting them, he gave me this as a gift:

I have no idea what it is. :)

I asked him the other day why he gives me "lavish gifts" all the time, he told me, "Kasi di ka na kasi aalis lagi-lagi. Alam mo nanay, happy ako sa 'yo kasi wala ka tilbaho eh, lagi ka under the table pagdating ko galing skul. I love you, nanay!"

Because of what my son told me, I think I'm not gonna hurry to find me a regular job, I think I'm gonna stop for awhile (and smell the roses?) and spend more time with my kids.

My mother thinks I'm making the biggest mistake of my life. Well, if it's the biggest mistake of my life...it's my favorite mistake, hehe...which reminds me of Sheryl Crow...I'm genuinely sad that she and Lance have split up. They seemed so right for each other. I wonder what happened with those two?

I hope I don't get "mad" again, I hope I won't get bored, I hope my mother won't pester me too much about my decision. I hope...