The Bible and Jesus

My daughter did something again yesterday that melted my heart. We were in the backyard (because she demanded to go bye-bye) and I took the Bible with me. I was reading aloud a passage from Revelation and she blurted "Amen!" How in the world she knew I was reading the Word of God?

Because of that, I asked her what I was holding. She enthusiastically answered, "Bible!" I followed my question with "Who's in the Bible?" Without a second thought she responded "Jesus! Jesus in Bible!" Oh really, she knew that? After all of not sitting still during our Bible story in Sunday school, she's actually paying attention to what we said? I was impressed. What she did truly create in me a joyful heart.

Evie is in our Sunday school class for an hour. My husband and I are teacher-volunteers for the two year olds at 11 in the morning. Because she's already 2, she's obviously under our care for the said schedule. Before this, my husband and I wondered how she will behave when Mama and Dada is in-charge of the class where she belongs. We only got the answer to our questions when we started the Fall session.

Well, she doesn't sit still during the Bible Exploration time. While most toddlers are on their chairs, my daughter walks around and play. As a parent and teacher at the same time of the class, it's challenging. We do not know what goes through her mind. Does she feel too secure and comfy because Mama and Dada are here? Is she acting out? Whatever it is, the scenario has been like this for 3 Sunday schools now. She will only settle down if either me or her Dada holds her on our lap.

Showing the Bible to kids and asking them what and who is in it is the typical introduction in our Sunday school class. This is the time when she tries to roam around the room and shows no interest at all—reason why I was surprised yesterday when she knew what I was holding and who's in it. I do not know what's in my daughter's mind. What I do know right now is that she knows what a Bible looks like and Jesus is in it.

"Salamat Mama. Opo."

I noticed that my daughter has been using this new trick lately. She will tell me "Salamat Mama. Opo." when she asks for something and she gets a clue from my facial or verbal expression that she's not going to get what she wants. For a Mom whose native language is not English and hears her child speaks it too (at least a few words), the words she utter sound like a sweet melody in my ears. I have been teaching my Evie few basic Tagalog and Visayan words. Words like "salamat which means thank you," "sarap which means yummy," "opo which is a polite and respectful way to answer an older person," "bato which means rock."

It is so amusing to hear everytime she says these words to me. Of course, I could not say "no" to her whenever she tells me these words (only if she can actually have the thing she wants). I love the fact that she is learning my language. Unfortunately, in a tricky way. :)

Like Mother Like Daughter

 As promised, I am posting pictures of the Bible costumes I made for Evie that are identical to mine. She used these dresses when my husband and I volunteered for the Vacation Bible School in our church. I decided to just let her wear the costumes on the last two days of the event. People who saw us wearing the same costumes were saying how cute it was. I am quite glad that she liked wearing those. She never complained even if the armpits of the golden yellow costume is a little bit tight.

Making Bible Costume

Been quite busy the past weeks and so I have not gotten the chance to write and update. Most of the things that I have been busy with are church-related stuff. My husband and I just officially started our volunteer work every Sunday in our church to teach and take care of the two-year-olds while their parents are attending a class or church service. Next week is the Vacation Bible School (VBS) and we also volunteered for it. It is a whole week activity, so, I am expecting a busier week ahead.

Speaking of VBS, volunteers are going to wear Bible costumes. So, I have been a busy bee sewing costumes for me and my husband. Later I decided to make my daughter her costume too. Don't get me wrong, she's not going to volunteer :) But since there were still extra cloths from the ones that I used, I thought of making hers too. I actually made her two dresses. The colors are the same as mine. She got so excited when I let her try it on. Maybe because I was wearing my costume and she saw that the ones I put on her have the same colors as hers. She was running around the house wearing the dresses. It's funny when she put on the one which length is too long for her height. She said "where toes?" because she couldn't see her toes. So she sat down and pulled the dress and exclaimed "there it is!" It made me laugh to see how excited she was to see her toes again. Her costumes still need accessories. Thought of posting the pictures when I am done with it. I just realized that these dresses are the first outfits I made for her. Please don't expect a pro's work because I am not. I can sew, but I am not a tailor.

Snots and Kisses

If Hershey's got "hugs and kisses" my daughter got "snots and kisses."

I found my Evie so funny and sweet this morning. She woke up at 7 and was asking for milk. Because I was still so sleepy, her Dada got up and took care of her needs while I drowned myself in dreams.

Every now and then, I got awoken by someone opening the bedroom door. Who else but my daughter? That's what she does everytime I'm still in bed and she's awake. She keeps checking on me. Since I was too immersed in my dreams, I fell back to sleep. Too persistent to wake me up, she tried to arouse my sleepyhead by kissing me in my lips with matching snots. Well, the wetness and slimy touch on my skin from her snots was not pleasant at all. With my eyes closed, I smiled of what she was doing. It may be moist and sticky, but the gesture was so sweet. Her Dada told me that she checked on me four times this morning. Ah, the joy of being her mother!

She Calls Me "Mama"

Ever remember of those very first moments your child called you "Mama" not because it's a word she just learned to say, but because she knew you are her Mama? How was the feeling? Did it feel like your heart bursted? Or did it feel like you were floating on cloud nine?

It's been a week now that my daughter has been calling me "Mama" whenever she needs or wants something from me. "Mama" is no longer just a random word that comes out from her mouth as she continues to sharpen her vocabulary skills. "Mama" now means the woman whom she knows and feels nurtures her, comforts her, and lavishes her with so much love. My heart swells everytime she calls me "Mama." It's the sweetest word to my ear at this point in my life as a mother. It makes me feel vulnerable; vulnerable of the knowledge that "someone" loves me unconditionally. It melts my heart. At the same time it makes me stronger inside because this "someone" is totally dependent on me. For now, I am her rock. I am her everything.

It makes me wonder if would there ever come a time when "Mama" becomes a common word, a familiar name. A name frequently used that makes it become an ordinary name.  A name that is no longer as special as those first moments she called me her Mama. I hope not, for all I want is for that name to remain precious not only in my ears, but most of all here in my heart.

"Mama" is more than just a name. It is life. It is love.

"Bye Bye Balloon"

She went home with a red balloon and a big smile on her face from buying grocery with her Dada this morning. She LOVES balloons. What she had this morning was just one of the few balloons that made her day so fun and blissful.

She had to ask for help everytime it's floating up there. This morning she showed us how she already knew to pull the balloon down to her hands through the string. I remember, the last time she had a balloon, she got upset everytime it let go off of her hands. She didn't know how it worked by then. So, it was surprising that she demonstrated her new ability this morning.

We had one of the most amusing moment with her balloon today. It was up there, so she asked Dada's help. The string was almost on his reach since he was sitting on a chair. So, he asked her to give him the clothe hanger laying on the floor so he can use the tool to grab her free-floating toy. The delight on her face holding the string was priceless.

Few minutes later we cracked into laughter. Who wouldn't get amused of what we saw? The little girl was holding up the clothe hanger, reaching for the balloon touching the ceiling. What an imitator. What a smart, tiny creature.

Tonight, she wrestled with it, sat on it, squeezed it as her laughter echoed the living room. It looked like it's the best toy in the whole wide world. She adored it, no doubt. And then I heard the sound "POPPED!!!" She immediately stood up, panicked, and looked up. Her eyes surveyed the ceiling. "Where did my balloon go?" she must have asked herself. It never crossed her mind that it was gone. She kept looking up, hoping she will see it floating up there. It felt so touching watching her innocence. I took the broken balloon and showed it to her. Since she doesn't know the concept of "gone" yet, I just said "bye, bye balloon" a few times, as I waved my hand goodbye to her most treasured toy. She grabbed it from me and checked the airless, lifeless balloon. It took her a little while to scrutinize it. Then, she held it on her chest. Maybe that time she already got the idea that it's gone. My heart was moved. All I could do was give her the reassurance that we will get her another one.

So sad. "Goodbye my dear friend."

 Seriously checking. Probably asking what happened to her toy.

Holding the dead balloon close to her heart. She did this gesture many times.

Even if it's broken, she still loves it.

Took her a while to accept that her toy was gone. She sat on the corner and checked it again.

A look in her face that made Mama's heart melt.

Evie Goes Dirty

One of the favorite things that my daughter and I loves to share in our afternoons is going out in the backyard. Well, she loves it more than I do because she can explore things that she can't while inside. She gets excited everytime I water the plants for two reasons: playing the sprinkling water with her hands, and the mud the water creates when the ground gets damp. The latter is what she's more delighted about. She loves DIRT... she loves MUD!!!

I let her play with it. She likes scooping the mud with her hands or uses a tool to spread it. I just make sure that she doesn't put it in her mouth. Another thing she discovers is the fun of stomping on it. Obviously, her shoes gets so dirty too. But each smile that flashes on her face makes me forget the torment of cleaning filthy shoes. 

My heart is gratified each time my own eyes witness my daughter is enjoying her childhood. Would I be able to let her relish her childhood to the fullest? It's what I want. But I do not know the answer to my question.

 However, the joy of playing in the mud is one of the things I do not want her to miss while she is still a child. I had the share of bliss back when I was a little one myself. Mud could be dirty, but it helps me appreciate the beauty and innocence of childhood.

Afternoon Escapade

It was already 6:36 P.M. when Evie and I decided to go out for a walk around our neighborhood yesterday. Here in Arizona, we typically get a nice glimpse of the sun even at this time of the day during spring and summer. So, a 30 minute stroll is still perfect. It was a little bit cold and windy. Didn't put socks on because I wanted her to get used to the climate. Besides, socks don't stay too long on her now. She'd either pull it with her hands or rub her feet against each other until her feet are socks-free.

She likes spending time outside. Maybe because she gets to see a lot of things in the outdoor that she doesn't find inside the house. She's the most behaved on her stroller. Most of the time, quiet. Well, except when something catches her interest then she'd babble.

 My husband and I like to tread on this trail. We can actually stay on the smooth surface of the street if we want to, but everytime we go strolling, we always go this way. Makes me feel closer to nature (with all the grass, rocks, and eucalyptus trees) than the boring roadways.

Our short walk was gratifying having to see the colorful blooms of various kinds of flowers around our community, not to mention the exercise I got from it :). It was almost 7 PM  when we started to heed home. Darkness was starting to engulf the surroundings. When I checked her teether which she was chewing on for minutes, it was gone. She dropped it! Mama had no choice but to go back. And so we did.

 There it is! Glad the distance where I noticed that it's gone to where she dropped it was not too far. Probably, 100 meters away. Not bad.

I'm looking forward for more walks with my daughter this spring. It's an awesome afternoon escapade that we can enjoy together!