After several weeks of hard work and extra hectic schedule, I finally had the chance to spend the last 4 weeks with my 2-year old daughter Maria Gwyneth. Being in school, 7 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon, Mondays to Fridays, is already a huge sacrifice (not to mention some Saturdays spent in school) for me as a mother to Gwyn. You see, I took a one year leave just so I could give birth to my baby well and of course to take care of her personally in her first months in this challenging world.
Gwyn was barely 8 months old when I came back to work. You see, my nature of profession and career isn't that easy. I am a high school teacher in a nearby Catholic private institution. What makes it more challenging is that my doting husband Gleen is a teacher too but in a public high school. This would mean mean to say that we only look after Gwyn after school. That is from Mondays to Fridays 5-9 since after that, she's already fast asleep. We could only spend more of our time with her on weekends.
You might think this is just another ordinary anecdote of a young couple. But, I am just so proud to tell the whole world what a lucky woman I am for having Gwyn (credit goes to dadi Gleen too).
Honestly, being a mother has been a difficult and struggling task for me. This, I guess comes from the fact that I got married at a young age though I am not yet emotionally stable. I was raised by my grandma only and that I wasn't able to have a "family" that would exemplify what it is and what should be done "having one" on your own. I was not surrounded by children that even when I was young, I was not asked to go out of our house. And even when I was on my teens, I could not socialize with peers like others do. You see, being raised by a grandma is different by being raised with your real parents, with siblings at that matter. But still, I greatly appreciate what grandma has done to me. After all, I would not be where I am now if not for her hard work. I salute Lola! Though sometimes, I feel a lot of pain and depression because my way of treating Gwyn is sometimes a cause of argument between my husband and I. Maybe because we are still beginners on marriage and parenting or maybe because there is still this misunderstanding of some sort between us. But despite our petty quarrels, I still acknowledge the patience my husband gives. He doesn't know this but actually, in every pain I feel whenever we have petty fights, I just become stronger to face what lies ahead of us especially that I do not have someone else to turn to (if we have petty fights) now that Lola is gone.
Well, Gwyn and Gleen are the most precious possessions I have in life as of the moment. It's as if my marriage was a blessing in disguise. It was when I experience what a joy it really is to be a mother to her and I also feel the joy of a daughter (a feeling I never felt when I was her age) she shows us. This, I really think is an exchange of "firsts' between us.
I’d like to tell the world just how proud I am as the mother of Gwyn. I never thought just how beautiful my baby has grown up to be as of now and I know in the years to come – inside and out. Yes, I’ve always known how she easily capture people’s attention whenever we go to the malls or even in our neighborhood only. But more than just this manifestation, I am proud at how good and smart she is - even at her very young age. She is so sweet and loving. And while she continually shows her playfulness and is sometimes getting hyperactive, and a "maldita" still she manages to be obedient little by little. I hope she continues to be. She does things we ask her to do like getting something or even putting something back to its proper place.
God, I can’t describe the feeling… My heart truly melts as I hear those oh-so-beautiful-words from my daughter… Her words are more than enough to soothe my tired and sometimes broken heart…Her simple " good night mi, good night di, lov you mi, love you di" just make us smile. One thing that is so surprising and note-worthy is that her appreciation to the value formation and discipline tha twe have been trying to instill in her. She knows if something is bad. She would just then say "bad na" or would utter "tama na, tama na". I just can’t imagine how, at her age, had she learned to appreciate that. I think most kids usually don’t.
My daughter never really ceases to amaze me!
I was startled to see my 2 yr-old Gwyn confidently imitating Angel Locsin doing her own version of the pole dancing. Moreover, she can actually turn on and off the television on her own. Another thing that amazes me is her ability to communicate well and act especially in Filipino and a little in English. She loves to sing and dance and do the catwalk (with matching flying kiss and seducing eyes). But what really makes this little girl stand-out is her in-born talent of making people laugh! Yes, I see a natural talent in her. She knows exactly how to make us all laugh. And she actually finds pleasure in doing so. Indeed, I am the number one fan of this little one!
Like other kids, she also has flaws that we cannot just simply ignore. As I've said a while ago, she really is a "maldita". She has this temper of a child we really are trying to understand. I guess this is one of the challenges of having her as a child.
As of now, I just feel so richly blessed having her around. I just pray that as we discover more of her talents and traits, she would grow as a mature and responsible individual. I pray that I can be there for them and guide them as they grow up…
Someday, she will learn to find this blog, and read this. When she does, I want her to know how much she makes me proud and happy as a mother, and just how much she and her dadi Gleen make me feel fulfilled as a person despite some problems that come our way!
