from 23-dec to 2-jan

Christmas and New Year came and went, and I didn’t post anything here. The reason? I was on leave for almost two weeks, and the days were spent bonding with my daughter. We didn’t travel or anything because Hubby was at work and he always took the car; we just stayed at home. That doesn’t mean that I was bored the whole time, though. As a matter of fact, those days were filled with simple joys as I witnessed my daughter do and say so many things that amazed me, made me laugh, or scold her in frustration.

Usually when Hubby and I go to work in the mornings, no matter how sleepy she was, Caila would wake up and ask to be carried so that she would see us leave. In the first few days of my vacation, she would do the same thing and we would say goodbye to Hubby, then we would either go to sleep again or have breakfast and then do all sorts of stuff. Sometimes, she wouldn’t wake up at all, probably because she was assured that I would be there when she woke up. When she did wake up later and would find me beside her, her face would automatically light up and say “Good morning, Mommy!” Those were the best!

Since I was home, I made sure that TV-watching was done at a minimum; there were even days that we didn’t turn the television on at all because we were too busy playing with all the gifts she received for Christmas! And when she did watch her favorite programs on Disney Junior, it was only for a maximum of 2 hours in a day. I was proud of her for not making any tantrums when she wouldn’t get her way with the TV, but I was more proud of me because I was able to stand my ground, not give in, and keep my sanity (hahaha!). During the times that she did cry or scream when I said no to what she wanted and I would get angry, she would usually run to her nanny, and then later go back to me and act as if nothing happened or return to her sweet self. Sometimes, she would ask me “Bakit away mo Caila?” (Why did you get angry at Caila) and I would explain to her calmly. She would then proceed to play with her toys, forgetting all about our fight. And in the afternoons, I would lie down beside her so that she would take her nap. Most of the time, I would doze off before her!

Believe me, as much as I want to be a stay-at-home mother, I don’t think I’m quite ready to become one yet. Of course I enjoyed the break from the corporate world stress; but the rare times that I became bored and tired of doing the same thing over and over made me realize that I’d have to be really creative, imaginative and very patient to spend every single day with my daughter. Oh, and I have to be physically fit too to keep up with her, because she’s really active and always wants someone to play with. Her favorite activities are painting, making stuff from her Play-Doh and Lego Duplo, kicking a ball, playing catch, hide-and-seek, and piggybacking on me. It was pretty tiring...but very fun!

The only time we went out (not counting the times we went to the nearby supermarket and the park) was on the 2nd of January, the last day of my leave. I took her to Deira City Centre where we went on the rides, played the machines, and window-shopped. By the time we arrived home, she gave me a big smile and said “Mommy, enjoy Caila!”

The time was definitely well-spent with her, and I’m really glad that I had those days to bond with her the way I did.