Last Tuesday, mateo started complaining about tummy aches after lunch. He slowed down a bit, but didn’t quite lose his usual happy mood until he fell asleep. However, when he woke up before dinner, things got a bit serious. He continued to complain about the pain in his tummy but every time we asked him to point out which part hurt, he pointed at a different area in his tummy. While eating dinner, he barfed and wasn’t able to continue eating anymore. We thought it might be just gas but he’s passed gas several times without any signs of relief afterwards. By 9:30 he’s vomited 4 times already and that’s when we decided to bring him to the closest hospital.

On the way to the hospital, he was closing his eyes already, perhaps weakened from not having to eat anything since lunch. The only thing that was giving us a bit of a relief is the fact that he didn’t have any fever so we know it wasn’t Dengue. But we were still worried.

We didn’t have a lot of money in the wallet. We also didn’t have any Blue Advantage or any other health card for that matter. So we were running a bit tight. Fortunately, when the doctor (a female ER doctor) came to see mateo, he perked up, started jumping on the bed, and started flashing me silly grins.

The doctor told us that he must have eaten something in school that didn’t go well with his stomach. All he really needed was to get rid of it on his own and he’ll be back to normal.

The day after, I asked mateo if she remembered the doctor that he saw last night. He said yes. Then I asked him if he found her beautiful. He smiled sheepishly and said yes again.

Thinking back about what happened, I’m now certain it was something he ate that gave him an upset tummy. However, what I’m not sure of is what made him feel better. Was it really the vomiting or was it because of seeing the lady doctor. I wonder.

I just got an update on my status and the things i have to prepare for with regard to my application to a school in Brunei. Apparently my papers have to go through several agencies for approval and it might take 2 to 3 months for everything to get settled. By October though, I should have my contract and work visa already. However, because the school has exceeded the maximum number of Filipinos they could hire directly, I am now to go through an agency of their choice.

Everything still seems alright except for the fact that I needed to go through an employment agency. That’s gonna cost me some additional dough, which at the moment we’re running quite low on. But I don’t mind. I can’t afford to mind. With everything we’ve given up to get to this point, we have no other option but to go forward. Never mind the wrinkles, the sleepless nights, and everything else.

The wrinkle creams and the sleep can wait. The future of my family goes first.

A week ago, andrea told me that we just received our first complaint from school about mateo. I was shocked when she first told me. Apparently, mateo’s teacher was given a letter by one of his classmates –  a letter complaining about mateo’s behaviors  in class supposedly. According to the teacher, the grandmother of one of mateo’s classmates reported that her grandchild was supposedly being disturbed (regularly if I might add) by our son (our 3 and a half year old mateo).

I don’t know exactly what I wanted to do and what I felt when I fully understood the situation. Let me explain the circumstances that made me feel a bit angry.

First of all, my son is the smallest in the class (on the average standing to only a shoulder of his classmates). Second, he was also the youngest. He just turned 3 and a half years old last July 15. His classmates were 4 and 5 year old kids. Lastly, it’s his first time in that school (Kindergarten) unlike most of his classmates who are coming from a year of classes there (nursery). So how can mateo get the better of any of his classmates there? I know our son can be dominating sometimes but that only happens when he’s already completely familiar with the class. He’s not only younger and smaller, but he’s also the newcomer in the group. In fact, he doesn’t even know the names of all his classmates yet up to now.

Is it just my paternal instincts acting up or is mateo’s classmate badly in need of a testosterone booster?

On the other hand, I guess that just means I don’t need to worry about our son getting bullied.

What is the best way to get thin? I’ve often find myself pondering about the question every once in a while, especially now that I’m almost completely sedentary.

I’ve read hydroxycut reviews, herbal thermogens, slimming teas, and other supplements that supposedly does  the deed, but there doesn’t seem to be one that does not involve money. I’m beginning to worry because I’m starting to build a significant mass around the tummy area (an effect of eating as a means to stay awake longer) but I also can’t afford to buy any fat-eliminating drug. I can’t stop eating because it’s the only thing that keeps me up (until dawn) without ruining my mood to work. Besides, who doesn’t love food?

If only I can go back to exercising, I might be able to stop myself from gaining. Huhuhu! Anyone who knows of a moneyless slimming method that does not involve going on a diet?

I’ve had a good look at the mirror this morning. I shaved, pinched off some blackheads, and tried combing my morning hairdo into submission without much luck. Apart from the slowly receding hairline above the temples, the next prominent signs suggesting my impending approach to 30 are the three deeply carved (or deepening) wrinkles on my forehead.

It’s actually sad. I don’t feel as young as I used to anymore, and I don’t think the best wrinkle cream would help either. No, it’s not just the hair nor the wrinkles. It’s the whole weight that comes crashing down your shoulder when you realize that you have not yet achieved something of significance when you’re already  this close to 30.

Don’t get me wrong. I value my family and I can never weigh how important they are to me. What I’m referring to, however, when I say something of significance is something a little bit more grand, encompassing, not necessarily in terms of wealth, but more of influence.

I want to start a school, and perhaps a business to keep it alive. I want to teach less fortunate but deserving kids and give them a good chance to compete with others. I want to travel the whole country and promote greener architecture because we have so much more to protect than those who have developed the technology. I want to raise children with the same advocacy and who are willing to sacrifice white collared positions for spreading education and love for nature. I want to do so many things… so many things…  a lot… but I haven’t started on anything yet.

I’m seriously hoping that by going away for a while, I can finally  earn enough to start seriously on my dreams, hopefully before I reach 40. I have no choice. I’m giving up on the 30 deadline.

Mateo is a confident kid. I think andrea and I agreed to raise him to be so. He is not afraid to pose for the camera, raise his hand when I ask for who’s handsome, and sing (and dance) in front of people he doesn’t even know. His confidence even shows in making friends with other kids. He’s not afraid to approach others especially if they have toys or animals with them. And we’re glad he’s like that. I just hope Mateo remains that way even when he’s old enough to be needing acne treatments (as in the teenage years).

You see, I’ve seen a lot of kids change from being confident to being a worrywart, with their backs broken by peer pressure. Heck, I’ve been teaching students in high school for 7 years and I can easily count the number of students I had that did not care about the brands of shirt that they wear during no-uniform days.

I hope mateo’s confidence stays with him to keep him strong enough from being affected by what other people say. We don’t want an arrogant kid, just someone sure enough of himself to be happy and content with what he’s got.

38th week is just a few days away and I’m getting more and more frantic about seeing anika. I can’t help it. When I’m not writing articles, or playing with mateo, or doing chores, I find myself thinking about her, andrea, mateo, and the delivery.

The bags are packed, the papers are almost ready. The money, well… it will come. It’s not like I’m expecting enough to justify buying an rfid wallet or something, but I’m optimistic. According to a former colleague of mine, babies come with their own allowances so you don’t have to worry about money. It will come as long as it’s for the baby.

So I’m not thinking too much about the money. My thoughts are on anika, andrea, and mateo, (well mostly anika). I’m so excited, and scared, and worried, and excited, and I’m going crazy thinking my baby.

Since andrea reached her 36th week (of pregnancy), I’ve not been able to stop thinking about our baby Anika. What would she look like? How is she going to react when we hold her? Would I still be able to send out baby announcements, or would I just break down and cry upon seeing her? It’s both exciting and a little frustrating, this long long wait.

I know andrea’s gynecologist prefers that she reaches her 38th week before giving birth, but I don’t mind. I’m ready to hold her now.

It’s been a nine-month wait anika, and I’m so excited to see you already.

Stay-at-home dad? Nah?! I never really thought about being one until, well, now. (For the lack of better options). It’s mainly because I never thought I’d like staying home. Ever since college days, I barely spend more than a few weeks at home (at home meaning staying home the whole day). In fact, I took subjects during summer to lessen the load during the regular sems, and of course to get allowances.

Now, after several months of staying home; working from my laptop; doing chores; bringing my son to and fetching him from school; helping him with homework, costumes, props, and all sorts of things; I’m starting to like it. So much so, in fact, that I’m  kinda worried about adjusting to work again when I get to Brunei.  But, never mind about that… for the meantime.

For now, I’ll just try to enjoy as much as I can from being a stay-at-home dad and husband.

Our current daily routine:

• 7:00 AM – wakeup, eat breakfast, brush, get ready for school
• 7:45 AM – bring mateo to school
• 8:00 AM – walk home from mateo’s school
• 8:15 AM – start writing articles, clean the room, (depending on the day, start doing the laundry/cleaning the car/giving the dogs a bath)
• 10:20 AM – fetch mateo
• 10:30 AM – playtime with mateo and homework (Showtime on the side)
• 11:30 AM – lunchtime
• 12:30 PM – calm mateo to sleep
• 1:30 PM – mateo’s asleep, write more articles
• 4:30 PM – mateo wakes up, one of us stops writing articles and plays with mateo while the other one continues writing articles
• 5:30 PM – mateo stops playing outside (plays inside instead), andrea prepares dinner while helping mateo continue his homework, I continue writing articles
• 6:30 PM – dinner
• 7:30 PM – evening rituals/toothbrush/taking a bath
• 8:30 PM – calming mateo to sleep again
• 9:00 PM – we both try to finish all the articles
• 11:30 PM – andrea falls asleep, I continue articles
• 12:30 AM – andrea goes to the CR for wiwi, I continue articles
• 1:30 AM – I fall asleep, andrea wakes up to make more articles (dunno when she goes back to sleep anymore)
• 7:00 AM – we both wake up again

Glaring points:

1. The terms most frequently mentioned above are mateo and articles
2. The only places mentioned are home and school (the only days we actually have variations to this routine are on Tuesdays when we go for andrea’s checkup and on days when we absolutely have to go out for groceries because we’ve ran out of  food)

You get the picture?