Mark (20-months) and Matthew (5-years old). Photos taken on January 7, 2012

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Originally posted in Facebook, December 14, 2011:

Bargaining by a 5-year old …

Me, to Matthew: Matthew, turn off your game. It’s time for bed.

Matthew: But I’m not done playing yet.

Me: Okay. I give you 10 minutes to finish, then it’s time for bed.

Matthew: How about 100 minutes?

Me: Stunned…

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Originally posted in Facebook, January 11, 2012:

When I woke up Matthew that morning, he was not happy. He was still sleepy, and he kept complaining about getting up. I dragged him to the bathroom anyway, telling him it’s time to prepare for school.

Matthew: Mommy, I am so mirror ball.

Me: What?

Matthew: I am so mirror ball!

Me: What are you talking about?

Matthew: (Louder) I am so mirror ball!

Me: Are you miserable?

Matthew: Yes! I need a nap.

And then, he laid down on the bathroom floor.

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Matthew was playing Angry Birds in the iPhone. He handed me the iPhone and asked me to play a level. He just couldn’t pass that level, and he’s gotten so irritated over it.

When he saw that I wasn’t passing that level either, he said to me, “I’m warning you. I am getting really frustrated.” This gave me a chuckle. I have never heard him use word frustrated before. When I still wasn’t passing that level in Angry Birds, he started crying. Well, he did warn me.

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What a very useful word “Stucked” is to Mark, 21-months old right now,…

In the mornings when Mark wakes up, and wants to get out of his crib, he’ll yell out “Stucked!“. And then, I take him out of the crib.

After he’s done with his meal, and wants to get out of his feeding chair, he’ll yell out “Stucked!“. And then, I take him out of his feeding chair.

When he wants to take off his clothes but he can’t unfasten his shirt or pants, he’ll yell out “Stucked!” while he struggles to pull his clothes off. He’s stucked to his clothes, so I take his clothes off.

When he is at the car, fastened to his carseat, and he’s bored and fussy, he’ll yell out, “Stucked!” and struggles. Unfortunately for him, he must remain stucked to his carseat.

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Mark (21 months) helping himself to some Krispy Kreme Donuts for dinner. Photo taken Jan 20, 2012.

Hubby had been using an iPhone for almost 2 years now, and he loves his iPhone! While I had been using a basic talk-and-text phone, which I REALLY didn’t mind.

He had been planning to upgrade his iPhone during the holiday break. It’s sort of his Christmas gift from Santa. The day before New Year’s Eve, he surprised me with his intention to get me an iPhone, too. Honestly, I hesitated at first, because, I think an iPhone will be a waste with me.

I have basic use of a cellphone. For me, it’s just for the minimal calls I make, or the calls I receive. I don’t even text much. Actually, I HATE texting! And half the time, I don’t even know where my phone is. I am just NOT attached to my phone. I figured I don’t need a top-technology phone, like an iPhone, since I really don’t need it more than to make or receive calls.

But Hubby convinced me by telling me, “… You are missing out!“. So in the end, I said OK, let me try an iPhone. For 2 weeks now, I have been HOOKED to my iPhone, which I very rarely use as a phone.

Apps I love…

• Dragon Dictation. Did I mention I hate texting. I hate texting because because I hate tapping those little keys to form the words. I completedly understand why people opt to mispell words when texting or emailing using their cellphones because it takes too much to tap the keys to form words and sentences. But I don’t like mispelling words, even when texting, and I don’t like tapping either, hence I don’t like texting. With Dragon Dictation, I dictate the words in the sentences, and the punctuation marks needed, and they are all formed in texts, well-spelled and mostly accurate. I few corrections here and there, but otherwise saves a lot of time tapping. I compose emails and status updates for Facebook in the iPhone with the help of Dragon Dictation!
• The Weather Channel , recommended by Hubby, is better than the Weather app that came with the iPhone.
• Facebook . Need I say more?
• Scrabble . I have only won once so far within the two weeks that I have been playing with a random opponents, but I enjoy Scrabble anyway.
• Pandora Radio . My source of currrent music.
• Angry Birds, Burst , and 30-plus more game apps. Matthew and Mark loves these games!

Apps I so want to work on my iPhone, …

• WordPress. I just can’t get this to work  on my iPhone,.

Happy Feast of the Epiphany, a.k.a. Feast of the Three Wise Men!

Before the holiday break, Matthew brought home Christmas ornament projects he made in school. I am so proud of Matthew and these Christmas treasures.

As Hubby and Matthew are back to school, there is no more denying that the Christmas holiday is officially over. Starting today, all the Christmas decorations are coming down, put away until next Christmas. Sigh!

Note to self, for next Christmas: Get new Christmas lights!

For those who are interested to know what Matthew got us when he went Christmas shopping in school: Matthew got us a ‘MOM’ and ‘DAD’ keychains and pens for me and hubby, and a pink dolphin plush toy for Mark. I am so happy about the keychain, as it’s my very first ‘MOM’ keychain, and I am glad it’s from him.

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We are trying to get back to our old routine. For Matthew, sleeping early at night, to wake up early in the morning for school. And homework after school.

For Mark, a little later bedtime and wake-up time would be nice, except he is having a hard time falling asleep by himself. Sigh! So there are more rocking him to sleep lately.

There is a little bit of adjustment going on, especially for Mark.

On hubby’s first day back to work, Mark was missing his Daddy so much! It was way, way pass his naptime, but he just wouldn’t nap, continued to be fussy, and kept on going back to the kitchen door to call out for his Daddy.

On Matthew’s first day back to school, when Mark woked up, he didn’t cry but kept calling for his brother. I think he noticed that his big brother Matthew is not in his bed, where he used to be when Mark wakes up.

As of right now, he has figured out that he now can open the closet door in the playroom. He now has access to the toys I have put away in the closet. Sigh! At least this keeps him busy, opening and closing the closet door, and taking out some toys …

For quite a long time during the holiday break, I thought Matthew’s school resumes classes tomorrow, Tuesday, January 3. A few days back, I found a school-memo that states that classes resumes on Thursday, January 5, NOT Tuesday, January 3. What was I thinking?! I’m glad I found that memo in time, or Matthew and I would have been standing on the road early in the morning, waiting for the school bus that would never come.

Today hubby goes back to work after 2-long weeks of holiday break. It was a really good long holiday break. Lots of quality family time, togetherness, and restful fun. Matthew and Mark played really well with their Daddy. Last night, Matthew told his Daddy that he doesn’t want him to go back to work. Sigh! I’m sure hubby will be missed terribly today. I miss him already.

Today, I go back to my routine. Actually, more like getting things in order in the house again. In the past few of days, I am COMPLETELY over-run. Time to get back to MY order of things.

Welcome 2012!

Matthew … played T-ball again in Spring … went to Disney Magic Kingdomfor the very first time! … turned 5-years old! … started and doing great in Kindergarten

Mark … started walkingat 10-months old in February …. turned 1-year old in April. … is now 20-months old , happy, healthy, walking, running, almost talking toddler.

Hubby … had the honor of the military school yearbook dedication. He won the military school cadets’ landslide vote to dedicate a whole page for a big photo of him and the cadets’ words of appreciation for him. … got a shockingly expensive laptop that he uses for work. He is so happy about this laptop, he thinks it flies. I think, with how much it cost, it should fly literally , like a plane.

I … gratefully, gracefully turned 33-years old in March! … got my tubes tied!

With only a couple of days left in 2011, I am so happy and grateful for this good year. There are less travels but there are more meaningful and restful get-togethers with friends and family. There are a few transitions that we dealt with gracefully. There are so many blessings to count!

Thank you, YOU, who have been there for us for a little bit or a lot, for your contribution to the greatness of 2011!