There are ways on how people document experiences. When I was a young girl, I liked writing in my journals. I had tons and tons of them but sadly, I was only able to keep the one and only journal I was able to recover in my childhood home.
At this age where everything is digital, there is blogging, digital imaging (taking of digital photos) and social networking. My journey as a Mom is kept on this blog which I am trying to update from time to time.
What do I want to document now at this exact moment?
Well my Nicky (Nicole) is already nine years old. She has gone very tall and skinny! She has never been prettier and calmer in demeanor. Sometimes, too calm for my comfort ha,ha! But that is another story!
She is now in grade 4 and is so much into a lot of things. Right now, aside from her usual load in school, she is into sports as a member of the Ateneo Girls Volleyball Team. She is also into music and arts. AS grown up as all these may sound, my baby as of this time, still likes to PLAY! And play she does when she gets the chance – whenever her hectic schedule permits her. She has this American Girl Doll which I got for her from the States that she plays a lot with. She likes anything doll sized. Her doll has a room, a bed, and a complete wardrobe. Last week, Nicole started learning how to sew! She made pillows and pillow cases for her doll. She is not quiet done with her Lalaloopsies yet, despite the presence of her AG Doll. She still sleeps with her Japanese Kimono Lalaloopsy together with her white teddy, brown teddy and her ugly stinky favourite teddy that she lugs around wherever she goes.
Every morning when her Dad takes her to school, she brings along her teddy and leave it in the car until she gets fetched again in the afternoon. Poor Daddy, he had to explain to a lot of people (mostly his workmates) why there is a tiny ugly teddy bear in his car while he is at work.
Another thing about Nicky is, she has this dream right now of starting a pastry shop when she gets old enough to get close in an oven by herself. Her savings is growing! She has kept her cash gifts from family and friends and saves her allowance so that she can save. She intends to fund her baking training this summer of 2016 and she also plans to fund her very first capital for the pastry shop she is going to start a couple of years from now. We always talk about it and she takes tabs with every deposit she makes to her bank account.
I love how she is very knowledgeable about money. I think we did pretty well in educating her about saving and thinking about the future. She knows we have insurances for her and we are preparing for her funds for college and beyond. Sometimes I ask her permission to get a portion of her savings to buy MUTUAL Funds so that some of her money will grow faster compared to just depositing them in a bank.
She accounts that too! Her Daddy makes her sign on every deposit she makes and files them in one folder. She gets Php 100 Pesos a day allowance in school and only spends half of it so that she can save the other half for the ‘future’. It helps that she isn’t fond of eating (that is why she is skinny) so she doesn’t have to spend much in school.
Well, with all the good things I have mentioned about Nicole, she also has her ‘moments’. Our challenge with her right now is waking her up in the morning and making her develop her sense of responsibility. Maybe it’s because she is the only one and she knows that we always have her back no matter what.
Still, we encourage her to be more independent and more responsible especially on her studies.
For example, we ask her if she can wake up on her own in the morning without being forced. My husband and I are always stressed (well VERY STRESSED actually) about this part of the day. Secondly, Nicole Loooovves to sleep. Put her in an airconditioned room or car and turn on the radio and off to dreamland she goes. She can sleep in seconds! She probably got this from her Grandma on my side of the family ha,ha, o it is VERY HARD for her to wake up whenever we need to alight the car already. It is so hard sometimes I want to pull my hair thinking of ways to avoi this without risking our mother and daughter relationship! In other words, our major problem with her right now mostly involves waking her up from her slumber whether in the morning or at anytime she is in the car on the way to somewhere.
Nicole adores her cousin Denise and she thinks she is the sister she doesn’t have. She also loves her cousin Marco. Her bestfriend is ikina. People think she is her ‘twin’ because they look almost the same.
At this point, we are trying to teach her what friendship is all about. We tell her that for her to have true friends, she has to be a true friend herself. She still has a long way to go and long way to learn about friendships, but part of my prayer for her as a Mom is for her to be blessed with friendships that will last a lifetime.
We teach her though that we cannot chase friends and all she can do is just be kind and love people without expecting anything in return.
Lastly, I am very proud of how she is right now. I have noticed that though she is still young, she is mature and sensitive about other people’s feelings. She very kind and thoughtful to others. Is not competitive and quiet secured as a child.
Everyday I pray that I be a good Mom. That God will help me raise her well. I only have one child and I take it seriously that I raise a good, God fearing child.
Motherhood is life’s greatest blessings, I am trying to do my best, NOT REALLY to be a PERFECT Mom, but to be the best Mom I can be J
The Life We Live 