WHAT BEING A MOTHER OF TWO HAS TAUGHT ME...

I've been a mother for almost 7 years now…and I may say that my girls brought a lot of changes within me as a person. The way I think and feel about life and the future is totally different now. It’s not just about me. My girls became my focus and admittedly, there are times when I can’t believe how much motherhood changed my priorities and interests! But honestly, I consider being a mother as the best thing that happened to me (aside from finding the most loving & loyal husband of course)! It taught me how to take pleasures in simple things…and that, I realized is something really awesome! Here are, in no particular order, some of the other most relevant things that being a mother has taught me…

1. God’s goodness can easily be seen in ordinary things like seeing your kids wake up healthy and happy each day.

2. Kids just know how to bring their parents on the verge of explosion so patience is the most effective tool every mother or parent needs.

3.Simple smiles, cuddles, hugs & kisses can be so precious! They truly can warm your heart and light up your day.

4.Being a mother doesn’t mean I can have control over everything. To guide rather than force is the best motherhood technique that every mother should master. I cannot make my children into children they are not. I can only help them be their best and be happy with what they’re doing and guide them in finding their way in the world.

5.You can be up all night with your sick child and still be able to deliver a good presentation to your boss, and still be at your best the whole day.

6. In the eyes of a child, walls are a great canvas for their artworks, so beware of permanent markers because they are really permanent! :-D

7. Having children will deepen you & your husband’s commitment to and for each other, because as parents, you will share everything about them. You could never look at your children without being grateful to your husband for helping you bring those wonderful children into this world!

8. To be a mother means being responsible for the life of another person and it truly is not easy but I believe it is the most rewarding job and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

9. It’s only in having your own children that you will feel what your mother really felt years ago and everyday, you will realize that you’re like her in so many ways whether you enjoy the thought of it or not.

10. One of the qualities you would want to pass on to your children is self love and acceptance – to be able to do that, you must have it first. So acceptance of who you are as a person, a woman, a wife, a mother, a sister or a daughter is a must! You should be happy with who you are.

11. Nothing compares to the fulfillment you feel in seeing your children succeed in things they love doing and in knowing that they grow into values and morals that a parent can truly be proud of.

12. A mother spends so much time doing things for everyone else that sometimes, she forgets to do things for herself. The world will not end if you give yourself 15, 20, 30 minutes or even a couple of hours! Get a bubble bath, a facial, go tanning, go shopping, get a massage, paint your toenails…do whatever you enjoy doing! If you do not take the time to care for yourself you can't be effective in caring for anyone else.

13. Having children means not having a spotless home. Don’t be disappointed to see toys here and there - Kids should be allowed to play with their toys! If your children decide to write on the walls, don't fret. Once your children are grown up and out on their own, you will have plenty of time to clean and keep a perfect house.

14. You should embrace every moment in your kid’s life - they grow up way too fast. You only walk this road once and if you don't stop to enjoy the moment then you miss out on so much.The time you spend with your children playing, talking, reading is what will matter most to them. They will not care about your college degree, how many hours you spent at work, how you look, or how big of a house you live in. All they will care about is that you were there for them…you listened…you understood…and you loved them, their imperfections and all.

25 Random Things About Me

1. I have a Christmas birthday…quite hated it when I was a kid!

2. I love cakes and my faves are Red Ribbon’s Mango cake, Figaro’s Sansrival (miss them sooo much)..and Cheesecake Factory’s Dulce De Leche Caramel Cheesecake!

3. I would love to see Pierce Brosnan, David Beckham and Michael Vartan in person.

4. I’m a Registered Electrical Engineer (REE) - never practiced it though!

5. I spent the first 16 years of my life in Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines and almost all Saturday mornings of my early childhood were spent at Suqui beach, but I didn’t learn how to swim! Gosh!

6. I may be the only Batangueña who’s not a coffee drinker…but I do drink Mocha Frap when my taste buds crave for it.

7. I only have one sibling…and he’s 2 ½ yrs older than me.

8. I had my first serious relationship at 13. We broke up 5 years after. My love story with Ryan began almost 2 years after that. Oct. 28, 1993 when Ryan became my bf…and it was exactly 7 yrs after when we got married – Oct. 28, 2000 was our wedding day. Ryan & I were schoolmates in elementary...became good friends in high school...and crossed paths again at UST Faculty of Engineering. I think that's what you call destiny! ;-)

9. I just love cooking! Name it and I’ll cook my own version of it! ;-)

10. I’m really not into singing & dancing since I was a kid…ask me to recite a poem, do monologue, declamation, oration or interpretative reading, but don’t ask me to sing or dance...coz it would be terrible! I sing in the bathroom though…LOL. And I sing nursery rhymes and lullabies to my girls too! ;-)

11. I went to Catholic schools from elementary to college. Holy Infant Academy in elementary & high school…and University of Santo Tomas in college.

12. My father is a native of San Jose, Batangas and my mother was from Malolos, Bulacan. It was in Malolos where my brother & I were born, but we grew up in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. My father was assigned to work there and I was 1 year old when we relocated.

13. I just can’t let close friends’ or relatives’ birthdays pass by without greeting them no matter how far they are. I put all birthdays in my phone’s calendar & set an alarm for each so I won’t forget.

14. I was bitten by dogs 4x when I was a kid! It’s good that I didn’t get rabies…but I think I enjoy eating bony meat because of that! haha

15. I learned how to knit out of boredom during my first year here in Dallas…and within that year, I was able to knit 6 ponchos (1 for me, 2 for Clarise & 3 for Cherlin), 4 scarves for my girls, 1 blanket & 5 pairs of booties for Cherlin, and 2 purses for Clarise. Now, I’m trying to finish a scarf for Clarise...I started it around October last year, haven’t finished it til now. Whewwww…I think I can only do it when I'm bored! (",)

16. I just love Japanese food! How I wish I can go to Japan for a taste of authentic Japanese food!

17. I am a diabetic…but I still don’t deprive myself of sweets!!!

18. I was an instructor for a year at UST Electrical Engineering Department…and Differential Equations, DC/AC Circuit Analysis, Electric Machinery and Electrical Shop Practice are the subjects that I handled.

19. I’m really not into signature stuff…I just love to use & wear whatever makes me feel comfortable and beautiful…(^_^)

20. Perfume is one thing I can’t live without! Lacoste Pour Femme, Estee Lauder’s Pleasures and D&G Light Blue are among my faves.

21. Blue and black used to be my only favorite colors…but now that I have my two girls, I can’t help but like pink and purple too!

22. I don’t remember finishing a book after I graduated from college…except for bedtime storybooks that I read to my daughters…haha.

23. I love collecting angels and refrigerator magnets.

24. I’m a very forgiving person. I always believe that forgiveness is the noblest thing to do which in return will give you peace and happiness. But once a person betrays my trust, it will be too hard to win it back.

25. I seldom watch TV and go to movies after my mother passed away…coz everything just seems to make me cry. 24, House, M.D., Chuck and American Idol are the only shows I watch on TV. When they’re not on, I can stand not looking at the TV even when the whole family is watching.