HE IS A WOMAN TOO(the song, I mean)

Jehan is my fifth sister and the fourth sister to join us in increasing the number of our little "mafia" here in Italy. She came last Sunday just in time for our niece, Noemi's second birthday. The last time I saw Jehan was when we went for a vacation in the Philippines last 2006. She was always with her daughter Erica who was 2 years old that time.

Its great to be reunited again and she had been reminding me of so many things I did when I was, errr... you know, ahhh... younger hahaha.... Like this film, The Thing Called Love, I've watched a million times but totally forgot that I love it... So much of the many things marriage made me forget, actually(lol). I can't even place the name of the actor and I said, "Ah yes, that movie! Christian Slater, my old boyfriend. Poor guy he died of OD". Then my sister squinted with out her eye glasses and asked, "Really, he died? When? Dead? How could that....?"

Goshhh! What happened to my brains? That's River Phoenix for old time's sake!!!

WHO IS READY? (Part 2)

(A CONT. TO THIS: WHO IS READY?)....

Last year's winter, we told Lukie that he will start to sleep in his own room on summer. An idea he wouldn't even consider and tells us, " I won't! I will be having bad dreams". We did not insist and we agreed that - "He is ready when he is ready!".

Another forethought, if Lukie will transfer to the other room, Dylan must do too. We don't want our eldest to feel "more" left out and hate his little brother for taking everything he used to have. I for one would be very hurt seeing my parents with Dylan in the middle of their bed while I am here in the next room entertaining "life ain't fair"(lol).

None the less, we pushed through with redecorating (more on saving the ruins of chaos) the extra room. All the piles of books, clothes, papers and other unnecessary stacks of I don't know what were either thrown, salvaged or (again) filled the "real" store room underground the house.

Then I initiated painting the walls, staying deaf from my husband's protest of "no painting needed". He can't take the looks of my first coating so he continued the job. He was proud of the outcome and I was proud of starting it first.

The old wardrobes were replaced with a 'cameretta'(bed with built in cabinets and drawers) we ordered from SME. One divider was left in the room which my husband didn't want to take off even though its taking almost all the space. He was thinking of where to put the books if we throw that piece of furniture.

With Dylan, Jing and her husband - Manong Jojo, we went to IKEA. I was only suppose to buy a bookshelf and linens for the new room. I ended up buying a study table, carpets, baskets, meatballs(yeah, they also sell food made in Sweden) and etc...etc... Wanting to replace the divider my husband wants to keep, I also bought 3 bookshelves which I know will raise his hair because the supposed 2 items to buy became etc... etc...

Having my own money now with my new part time job, it was fun to shop(hehehe). All my one month pay went all to IKEA that day. That's the secret of me lining the cashier confidently after stuffing my cart like its IKEA's last day of business.

Naturally, disapproving face with everything I took home, my husband showed it while checking out all the stuff - add that its all "do it your self" furniture's (5 things to build plus the chair).

Manong Jojo was right, he said its all but normal to disagree but when its already made, Boogie will like all of these. "You'll see!" he added.

True enough, putting up each furniture, my husband was enjoying it. Now that everything is in place, he may not admit it in words but he is showing it in deeds that his wife is great with "home furnishing" after all hehehe...

Will Lukie finally move to the new room?... to be continued....

CARTOON CREDIT: www.CartoonStock.com.

WEEKLY QUESTIONS 24

Since I am a week behind for Teacher Julie's Weekly questions, this entry should have been for the All Soul's Day. Nevertheless, we don't want to miss one question so here it is.

Who among your dearly departed hold(s) a special place in your heart?

As Teacher Julie said, "there's no playing favorites" because all my love ones who had gone to the "place beyond" will always be in my thoughts, heart and prayers. But, my dear Mama will always come first.

"How was she able to manage with six children?", me and my sister Noeda (who also lives here in Venice) would often ask specially when mothering is testing the edge of patience. Maybe she would say, "Oh, the Lord was kind, you're all girls!"

WHAT'S UP HERE?

Here is Italy's contribution to history of having the first black American president. A cute and not so cute comment from this side of the world hehehe... 'Tanned Obama' questions anger Berlusconi

WHO IS READY?

I thought I have read it from THE SEARS but I've been flipping their book and I can't find that page. I've read somewhere about that study of co sleeping with your children. Now I give up! I've been browsing 3 different authors now from our bookshelves and the page I'm looking for is hiding pretty well from me.

I'll write this anyway, before my boys will wake up with those needy eyes for breakfast. Then I'll just get back to my "supporting and published" facts when I find that book.

Trying to remember it right, the study says that Asians are knit close to their family - has something to do with co sleeping or welcoming their kids in the warmth or their bed... It brings a better connection or "bonding" between the mother and child. Oh, since I share my bed with my husband, OK, he too is taking part with the "bonding".

When our eldest was born, his crib was placed next to our bed where he had slept for more than a year. I can't remember the first time we had let him doze in our midst but what I do recall is, sleeping for us became better and longer. His abandoned bed had to be dismantled and was kept to the store room for future "sibling use".

Then the sibling came. Little Dylan did not just took Lukie's babyhood but so is his turf in our comforting berth. Dear Lukie in loath, moved to the left side of our bed so I could be "accessible" to both my boys. Being in between my sons may have had limited my freedom to stretch these arms in the coziness of a good night sleep, it did work for 1 year and 2 months. Lukie holding my neck, Dylan with my "nursing gear"(breast feeding, duh...) and yeah, Boogie got my feet. Lovelyn's "night life", that is!

With our first born's limbs growing uncontrollably, our "enormous" bed became small. With the "convincing power" of persuasion, Lukie got reunited with his crib and took the first step of independency from my neck. Though countless times, I wake up and he is coiled next to me.

I forgot to write that his crib is pulled "really" close to my side. Most of the time, like Plastic Man, my son extends his hands - reaching for his precious Mama.

Again, those limbs getting longer and the crib looks funny having Lukie there. Picture Incredible Hulk out sizing his shirt and pants - My son too except that its his feet and hands that are protruding from his crib. But, he still is comfortably asleep having been bigger and all that.

We can't pop the crib and make it big nor will not allow Lukie to keep those limbs grow more, so, we had to do something about it. Then the HUGE work has to take part. The messy, scary messy and really messy extra room had to be stripped off and trashed. It took us a month to finally furnish it and make it livable.

From Lukie's dependence from my neck to having his own room now... to be continued

IMAGE CREDIT: Brocklehurst Secondary

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

STAGE MOTHERING was for Holloween 2007. Here is our 2008 PUMPKIN montage which we had a day later because it was raining heavily last Friday.

WEEKLY QUESTION 23

Teacher Julie's topic for this week is about Annoying People .

Who is the most annoying person that you have been unfortunate to have met in person?

Since its unethical to name names, I'd rather answer it to why they are so annoying. For this time its those people who are very much into land disputes with out equipping their complains with legalities. Them who always think are being fooled when its more of ignorance.

I'll keep this post short because I don't want my Sunday ruined. No worries anyway, we are on the RIGHT side so let them be. To keep bitterness with age is just plainly sad - that goes to me and "them" too.

When I have my PMS, that's another story. But, who else would I "land" my annoyance?.... My dear husband of course! Well, that's love ahahaha...'Trueness'!!!!