Halloween Party at TLC - Oct 22, 2010

Joshua did agree to wear his Superman costume to the school party.  He was actually happy at first, until he got spooked at school due to the large number of people cramped into the small space.  I think he also tends to be clingy when me and his dad are present, so when it was time for the parents to go, he started crying. But his teacher was able to calm him down, and he brought home a lot of candies!

These were taken before we left for school...as you can see he was still excited :)

At school - photos with Daddy and Mommy:

And photos with his classmates and teachers...this was when he started getting spooked and worried that we were gonna leave him behind...those are real tears!  Thanks Teacher Anne for calming him down and letting him have a good time.

PTC Meeting - 2nd

I attended my second PTC meeting at Josh's school at TLC last October 15th and discussed Joshua's progress in school during the first semester. We discussed his report card and his teachers and I were very pleased with his progress and development. My little boy is thriving and loving school! Below is the report card that I received today.

JOSHUA HAN UY CHUA

As Joshua's day unfolds at the Toddler Connection level, we provide several opportunities for him to enjoy the development of his gross and fine motor skills. At TLC, we help children develop their movement and object control skills, stressing the importance of experiencing, practicing, and learning control of these movements. While doing so we emphasize safety and encourage self-discipline, the benefits of play and the suitable use of equipment and materials.

One of the very first activities that Joshua encountered in class was making his own placemat. Joshua was excited to do the painting activity. He immediately got hold of a paintbrush using his left hand and made marks on the cardboard with green paint, which became his class color. After the painting activity, Teacher directed him to the comfort room to wash his hands. Joshua needed assistance in washing his hands for he would just place his hands directly under the faucet without rubbing them together. As of now, Joshua is still being to properly wash his hands by himself.

During snack time, Joshua independently retrieves his bag from the cubby. When he comes back inside the room, he goes to the table where his placemat is and climbs up on the chair on his own. He waits for his classmates to be seated then joins them in the prayer for snack time. He is able to follow the prayer hand movements like clapping, pounding or rolling before putting his hands together. After prayer, Joshua opens the zipper of his bag and brings out his food container. He would only ask for help in bringing out his water jug due to the constricted space of his snack bag.

After snack time, the toddlers are free to roam around the room and play with the toys of their choice while waiting for others to finish eating. Joshua would usually head for the toy kitchen set. He would pretend to put the pots inside the toy gas range / oven.

Outside, Joshua prefers to play with the wheeled toys. Recently, he started to enjoy playing on the slides. He is able to climb up the stairs and slide down on his own. His face with register the excitement he feels every time he plays on the slide.

TLC's goals for Joshua's first school experience will revolve mainly on the enhanced growth of his emotional and social development. It is the development of these aspects in Joshua's personality that will be his ultimate tools toward affective and cognitive success.

Joshua went through the separation anxiety stage, which is common among children who go to school for the first time. He was hesitant to be left alone in class by his yaya. He would miss out doing table activities then because he chose to stay beside his yaya who was asked to just sit and stay in one corner of the room.

Within the span of two weeks, Joshua eventually got over his separation anxiety. He was able to mingle more with teachers and classmates. He proved himself to possess a jolly personality who laughs easily at the slightest silly happenings in class.

Joshua loves Circle Time. His limits in language development does not hinder him from actively participating and being enthusiastic in doing hand body movements for the different songs and fingerplays. He readily gives a hug and reaches out for his classmates' hands when the song calls for it.

While at school, Joshua's attitude towards his experiences and the attitudes he presents will be the indicators of his ability to enjoy and learn from his Toddler Connection activities.

Joshua constantly shows interest in most of the activities presented to him. As soon as Teacher instructs the students to go to the table to do an activity, Joshua rushes towards his favorite place, which is usually the one near the bulletin board.

Joshua's first school year has been rife with a constant presence of various learning methods and enrichment activities. His view of himself and the abilities he has will then determine the pace he will set in accomplishing our developmental goals for this year.

Joshua can be independent with a lot of things he puts his mind to and with constant guidance from people around him. There were times that he gets a little upset when he cannot seem to do the task asked of him. A frown crosses his face or sometimes he tilts his head down. However, with continuous prodding and adding a little humor, he goes back to work and gives it a second chance.

TLC's core value as and educating institution is respect. It is because of this mindset that we effectively afford each child the respect he and his ensuing development deserve. At the Toddler Connection level, we model for Joshua this respect that he is to afford his environment, peers, facilitators, persons in authority and concept of learning in general. Thus while he grows in our environment, this respectful atmosphere permeates and is then intrinsically imbibed.

Despite the limitations in language, Joshua maintains a good relationship with teachers and classmates. He interacts at play through eye contact, handling of toys and jargon sounds. It helps also that he is very transparent in showing his emotions that immediately registers on his face. Nonetheless he is constantly encouraged to express himself and is able to interact with his teachers and peers.

TLC is appreciative of the trust that you have in our ability to best nurture your child. We then fully appreciate and enjoy each child as he is with the end goal in mind of fostering his ability to learn about the person that he will be. We then ensure that his self-confidence is necessarily scaffolded so he may be secure in facing the discoveries he already has made and those he will be making.

Joshua exhibits confidence that needs to be enhanced in order for him to do more than what he has showcased already this semester.

It has been our aim for Joshua to encounter, enjoy and learn from the skill set encompassed in his Developmental Checklist. Here you will then find a summation of his abilities to stay focused and get a glimpse of his personal initiative towards experiences and avenues for growth.

TLC presents each child with various challenges so these can be used as Learning Connections towards accomplishments. The multi-faceted and interconnected aspects of this skill set grow in a natural progression such as self-control, understanding and appreciation of others, ability to adjustt and acceptance of experiences as Learning Connections.

Joshua knows how to stay focused in class. There are times he gets distracted and inattentive, but readily focuses again on task at hand when Teacher calls his attention.

Joshua's willingness to overcome all obstacles that come across his way is very noteworthy. He takes everything in with open arms and tries to deal with it one step at a time. He also knows how to ask for Teacher's help if needed. With his open-mindedness, determination and capacity to find humor in things, TLC knows that Joshua will be able to do better in the coming months.

--Teacher Anne and Teacher Mariel

*** will post his Developmental Checklist for English and Chinese next.

Superman and His Captive

Here are photos that I took of the boys tonight.  I had to fit Joshua's Superman costume on him since they're having a Halloween party at school next week.  He didn't want to wear the costume until I told him that I was taking his photo! 

Superman to save the day!

And here is Superman's Captive, the evil Kenji, muahahaha!

This is what you get for stealing my toy BUS!

Pregnancy Journal - Part I (JOSHUA)

The next 2 entries are long overdue, but I'd still like to work on it so that I can share it with my sons when they grow up. I now have a 2.5 year-old toddler and an 11-month old baby at home. When people say "They grow up so fast", I didn't think they really meant it! But here I am with two wonderful sons, who I love to pieces, so here it goes:

My Pre-Mom Life: Before we decided to start trying for a baby, Rod and I lived at Guevarra with my mom and grandparents. We had to live there for the first 8 months because our current house at Liege was still under renovation. So transition to married life was quite easy for me. It was really Rod who had to adjust living with my family. We decided to wait after moving to our new house before trying for a baby. We officially moved into our new house on August 4, 2007.

The First Inkling: I really had no idea that I was pregnant, until I thought about visiting an OB-Gyne for some other concerns. Then I remembered that I haven't had my period for quite a while. I have a very long and irregular cycle so it took a while for it to hit me. I also noticed that I found some food, which I normally eat, would make me feel queasy. So I asked Rod to buy me a pregnancy kit, and true enough, after using up 2 kits, it was confirmed. 

Picking a Name: For some reason, the moment I knew that I was pregnant, I was really sure that we would be having a baby boy. We first wanted to name him "James", but decided on "Joshua", after I saw Josh Duhamel on the Ellen Degeneres Show. God he's HOT! The middle name of "Han" is after both Rod's father and my Dad.

The First Trimester: By the time I visited my OB's clinic and had my first TV ultrasound, I was already 8 weeks pregnant and given an April 24, 2008 due date. The first three months went by in a breeze. Aside from a few bouts of morning sickness, everything was textbook and normal with my pregnancy during this period. I just slept a lot because I felt so tired everyday and I had to stay away from the kitchen. Strong scents and tastes made me queasy so I ate very bland food like hard boiled egg with rice, and I had the maid rewash all my clothes without fabric softener.

The Second Trimester: When I entered my 2nd Trimester, I had to be put on bed rest for a month because I had some spotting. Had to go in and out of the delivery room to get non-stress tests and also had to take quite a few medication to stop the spotting. My OB said that I had a polyp in my cervix that was causing the bleeding. This was probably the scariest and most depressing time of my pregnancy. I was really emotional and crying a lot from the loneliness of being stuck in bed the whole day, not being able to walk or take the stairs at all, and having to worry about whether my baby would come out okay. It was also quite sad because it was around Christmas time so everyone was out going to parties, but I was lucky that Rod really stayed in bed with me to take care of me.

The Third Trimester: I was lucky to be allowed to fly to Cebu for a short vacation with my family, to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday. We spent a weekend at Shangrila Mactan and it was great because it was one of the few times that we were complete as a family. My dad, mom, Rod, me, Aaron, Donald, Puisze and Kaka went. At that time Puisze and I were both pregnant at 5 and 6 months, respectively.

My Changing Body:  I'm thankful that I didn't really get too big while I was pregnant.  I gained the recommended amount of weight, like about 25-30 lbs. the whole 9 months and I'm proud that I ate healthily, making sure that I drank 8 glasses of water and ate my fruits and veggies.  But I also had a sweet tooth, especially during my final months when it was the middle of summer and all I could think of was Razon's Halo Halo, YUM!  I didn't really get a lot of stretch marks on my tummy as well, but I felt ugly.  My nose was really big, and I feel like my neck, face and armpits were darker.  One thing I have to be thankful for when I was pregnant was that I seem to have really good hair and nails.  They grow so fast and shiny.  Other than that, I was a miserable woman.  I really didn't see the "glow" that they always refer to in magazines when describing pregnant women.  Poor me.  I don't think I even have that many photos while I was pregnant.  But here's a couple.

My Labour Experience:  On April 12, 2008, I woke up to go to the bathroom and felt like something was leaking.  Since this is my first time, they said that labour would come slowly, so I took my sweet time.  Took a shower and had my breakfast, before going to the delivery room.  True enough, my water has already broken and I was admitted at 9:00am.  I just stayed inside the labour room to wait for my contractions to come naturally.  By 4:00pm, I was asking for epidural and was ready to push.  After 2 hours of pushing, and with the help of forceps, my beautiful Joshua came into the world at 6 lbs, 13oz , 52 cm long.  What a relief!  I was really scared that I would need a C-section.  My Rod was also a trooper, who stayed with me during the whole delivery, and he was there to hold my hand and encourage me to push harder.  At least he didn't faint at the site of so much blood and mess. 

Will work on my entry for Kenji next.  Later!

Honor and Excellence (Prof. Monsod's last lecture to her class)

Hope we have more educators like her.

DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON?

This is a very good article. Those who are still single may learn something from here... 
Those who are already married or in a commitment may take it as a guideline to improve your marriage & relationship ... 

DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON? 

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, "How do I know if I married the right person?" 

I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?" 

In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?" 

Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind.

Here's the answer. 
EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse/partner. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies (unconventional behavior/habit) . 

Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. 
You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU. 

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU. 

Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria (excitement) of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts. 

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage. 

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?" 
And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. 
This is when marriages or relationship breakdown. People blame their spouse/partner for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage/relationship for fulfillment. 

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. 
But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, excessive TV, or abusive substances. 

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it. 
I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. 
You could. 

And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this): 

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE/RELATIONSHIP IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND. 

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression "the labor of love." Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage/relationship work. Sure true love can only happen after you've fallen out of love. When you begin choosing to love, even if you don't feel like doing it ---- that's true love. And that's the foundation of a lasting and strong marriage. 


Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage. 

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships.

Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. 

It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable. .. you can "make"love. 

Love is indeed a "decision".. . Not just a feeling. You'll not just go away with your relationship just because the feeling is gone. In the Bible, love is a command. You make it happen.

Remember this always: 

"God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go." 
- Ruth Beltran

"Marriage is more than saying I Do. Marriage, like a precious plant, needs constant tending for it to grow, flourish, and bear fruit to last a lifetime, and beyond."
-David and Evelyn Feliciano

Josh Groban's version of Broken Vow

Lara Fabian - Broken Vow

Had a short discussion with my brother yesterday about marriage, monogamy and fidelity.  And last night, while putting little Joshua to sleep, I heard this song on the radio and it touched a nerve in me.  This is one of my favorite songs and I first heard it from Josh Groban's album "Closer".  Thought I'd post the original female version, sung by Lara Fabian, who I think has one of the best voices in the music industry.    I can listen to this song over and over again.  Enjoy!