A is for Apple Pie

You floored us
Last Easter
When you uttered
Your first three-syllable word:
"Apple Pie"

E is for Easter

When you woke up
This morning
You found an Easter egg trail
Waiting for you
How excited you were
To find at the end
A choco Peter Rabbit
And a whole bunch of chocolates
Especially for you

C is for Childcare

We started with childcare last Tuesday. Childcare is where Daddy and Mommy bring you to when they go to work. You see, we have moved to a new place where your Yaya cannot come with us. There are trained personnel at childcare who look after you and play with you while Mommy and Daddy are at work. There are lots of other kids there too you can play with and whose mommies and daddies are also at work.

You cried big fat tears when we left you at childcare last week. Mommy cried a lot too. This is not easy for us. Mommy rings up childcare during the day to ask how you are, if you look happy, if you have eaten, and whether you had taken a nap. When last week ended, you looked so exhausted and miserable with your runny nose and nasty cough.

Very soon, you’ll see, you will have fun at childcare. You will make new friends, play new games, and learn a lot of interesting things. It will also prepare you for school. When you are old enough to start with school, you will not be that boy crying for his mommy. You will be big, ready, and excited to tackle Kindy!

best wishes eric & dulce!

Today was your

first participation

in a wedding entourage

You were

Dulce & Eric's

Bible-bearer

self-feeding

It's messy business

But that's how you'll learn

Next step will be

Cleaning up the mess

snippity-snap... anton lee's first haircut!

BEFORE

 

 

No protest, no fuss.

 It was all over quickly.


Now you really look like Daddy! :)

 

AFTER

and off goes anton lee!

The Chinese say that the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.  You've definitely started your journey, little man!

 

sand, sea, and Anton Lee

When there’s a will, there’s a way;

And when there’s a child, there’s a will.

         -  Marcelene Cox

 

It does not look like you just travelled 125 kilometers, in these photos! You have the energy and the stamina of somebody who had several double espressos along the way.



At 11.5 months, walking confidently with just one hand held for support.

Anton's first beach adventure

Fellowship:  The Next Generation

Manila Zoo

There are two books you quite enjoy these days: a book on baby animals and a spiral book on zoo animals which Kent gave away at his 7th birthday party.

Mommy has thought some time ago to take you to the zoo so you can see what these animals look like in real life (so, so much bigger!) The trip was brought forward as there have been newspaper accounts that Maali, the resident elephant at the Manila Zoo, might be transferred. We had to pay Maali a visit just in case the reports turn out to be true (Not true, said the new Mayor of Manila who is the Philippines’ ex-President who was almost impeached from office but was not because the procedure was aborted but he had to leave his office anyway, because of People Power. And they call the United States the land of opportunity? Bah, as you see, in the Philippines, even ex-Presidents who’ve served detention time can be re-elected to public office.)

Sorry, Mommy digressed (digress means to go another way or to take a different path; this is similar to us going inside the bookstore when we are supposed to be doing our grocery).

Anyway, back to our zoo story.  Last Sunday, we went together with your friend Alon (of course Alon’s nanay, tatay, and yaya) to visit Maali.  Hmmm... Did not look like you boys were impressed with Maali’s long trunk nor Maali's flapping ears!

Two not so excited little boys with Maali in the background


We went to see the rhino, monkeys, a school of fish (now, Alon perked up on this one!), tigers, cockatoo, peacock, and a zebra (You have to remember this Anton Lee: In the Philippines, you pronounce “zebra” as “zee-bra” but “zeh-bra” when you are in Australia.  This is because the Philippines follows the American-English pronunciation while Australia follows the British-English pronunciation).

 

 Do you remember what quite impressed you? It was the… Giraffe!  He was sooo tall!

 Sadly, the Giraffe wasn’t real (Can’t blame you though. He looked real enough to Mommy).  Daddy has promised that you’ll get to see a real one in two weeks’ time.

PS:  There are interesting things we’re learning from your book on baby animals.  A baby Monkey is called an Infant; a baby Elephant is called a Calf; a baby Zebra (don’t forget what Mommy has just told you about the pronunciation!) is called a Foal. Oh, a baby Vulture is called a Chick (fancy that!)

PS2:  Mommy doesn’t like name-calling as it shows a total lack of imagination and an inability to intelligently defend your position. For example, if you’re losing an argument, you cannot say, “Hey Monkey-face, go back to your cave!” It is so wrong. But if you must resort to name-calling (this is really reserved for extreme cases), you can perhaps say, “You’re such a Jellyfish”.  You know why that’s extreme? A jellyfish does not have eyes, ears, heart, or a brain. Ha.

PS3: This trip to the Manila Zoo goes to show how much you’ve changed Mommy.  Mommy’s been living in this metropolis for more than half of her life, has been working in an office which is practically next door to the zoo for more than seven years, and has managed to see this same zoo only four days ago.  Because of you. And not because Maali might be leaving.

how we announced your arrival

Daddy and Mommy were married on 11 November 2011 in Australia.  One month and a half later, you came to us.  Can you imagine how excited we were of soon becoming a happy threesome?

Mommy and Daddy kept the news to themselves for several weeks until they were able to check with your doctor that you were truly on the way.  Ten weeks later, when the ultrasound test result confirmed you, that was when Mommy and Daddy decided to announce your arrival.

It was a beautiful day.  Mommy and Daddy solemnized their wedding vows in Church (you see, because of the concept of separation of Church and State, even if a couple gets married under the laws of the State, they have to go through another rite to be considered married before the Church, and vice versa).  About 120 relatives and very close friends came to witness Mommy and Daddy say their vows. Mommy’s former workmates in the real estate company she used to work for helped Mommy and Daddy to be able to get married in this chapel in the Philippines.  It was previously not allowed to have marriages celebrated in said chapel because of certain Church regulations on jurisdiction (oh yeah, you will be meeting these words "regulation" and "jurisdiction" often as you go through life, but let this not be your concern for now, little one).

 

The priest blessed Mommy and Daddy and told them to become good parents (the Priest must have had superpower vision to see you inside Mommy’s tummy!).

 

 

 Then we all proceeded to the hotel nearby for dinner.  Your Ninang Menchu and Mommy’s former workmates in this hotel ensured that we’d have a really nice time.  Your Tita Blessy even lent us her nice, white car!

 

An elegant quartet provided us music all throughout. But it was the numbers given by your Tito Ian, Tita Maimai, Ninong Matt, and Kuya Julian which made the evening quite special.  Your Ninang Cristine and Tito Frank also gave touching messages.

Towards the end of the evening, that’s when Mommy and Daddy announced your arrival.  As the saying goes, "we saved the best for last". Your Daddy raised his champagne glass and proudly said that you were now 10 weeks inside Mommy’s tummy. Everyone broke into loud cheers! Then the quartet played some more music.

 

You see how proud we are of you, our dearest Anton Lee?

first flight, first holiday

In three weeks’ time, we will be flying back again to Adelaide.  This is the second time you will be doing an international flight, the first one being last Easter time, when you just turned six months. 

But do you remember when you took your first flight? This was in December 2012, when you were three months and one week. We flew to Tacloban City to spend the holidays with family on Mommy’s side. This trip was memorable for several reasons. 

It was the first time that Mommy’s family got to see you. They said you look like Daddy! Your lolo even kept calling you "Vinci"!

 

with Kuya Karl, Ate Kim, and Kuya Julian

That year, you were the newest member of Mommy’s big, happy clan.  As you grow older, you will see how fun it is being with this big, rowdy family. Mommy spent so many wonderful summers playing with her cousins (your titos and titas).

It was during this holiday that you started getting really interested in books.  This was probably because the books Daddy brought you were the ones that gave you your “a-ha!” moment.  The books were a three-volume set of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Old MacDonald’s Farm, and The Wheels on the Bus.  These were colourful, hard books with pictures that could be rotated. We’ve got your friend Jack to thank these for.

 

It was also during this holiday that you were able to hold your head.  At two months, you could already briefly hold your head but it was in this trip that you started to do this with confidence.  When we were on our flight back home, we had to use the tarmac to disembark from the plane. Oh boy, the tarmac was the type that we had to go down several steps. Mommy used her left hand to carry you and her right hand to hold on to the railing.  You dear belloching, bravely held your head up high as we navigated the steps.  The ground crew applauded when we reached the last step!



One luggage for Daddy, one for Mommy
and another for Anton Lee!

This is why Mommy and Daddy are big believers of travel. Trips are not only fun but provide vast opportunities for experiencing and learning new things!

Christmas day at the Leyte Park Hotel



 PS: We spent your first New Year at the Dusit Hotel in Makati City.  This is a tradition in our little family. Each new year, we try to spend it in a new, different place.

 

give me an "A"!

You started crawling around your second month, sliding yourself this way and that like a little uod.  It did not take long for you to discover that you can move faster if you use your knees as well.

Lately you have been practicing coordinating your arms and knees.  You raise your arms, then your knees, squirm about, move forward… oops, you lose your balance! You don’t give up.  You prop yourself up again with your arms, raise knees… wait, that’s your butt up in the air, bello.

Persistence - that is an admirable trait that you are learning. Genius is over rated. Of course an IQ score of 190 is not something to be sneezed at, but as Malcolm Gladwell explained in his The Outliers, "knowledge of a boy's IQ is of little help if you are faced with a formful of clever boys." And these days, clever boys seem to be dime a dozen.

Remember the story of the Turtle and the Rabbit which Mommy told you about? The race does not go to the swift, or to the strong.  It does not always go either to the Mensa members.  The race is mostly won by those who persist, those who strive, and those who do not give up.  Mommy used to have a favourite champion figure skater. Her name was Dorothy Hamill.  Hamill fell on her face several times before she won the gold medals. Whenever she’d fall, she would sing, “I put myself up, brush myself up, start all over again!” 

Dear Anton Lee, we are giving you not only an “A” but an “A+” for effort. We have no doubt that very soon you will be crawling faster than the speed of light (in a manner of speaking)!

5.5 months!

"Mommy, Mommy,  I can't let go!!!!"

We tried to make you sit in your tub this morning while we were bathing you. You held on to the sides of the tub, as if hanging there for dear life.

Something tells us that you are going to be much better than Piscine Molitor Patel in besting a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker in the middle of the deep, blue sea.

awesome

You gave Mommy a jaw-dropping moment this morning. After you had your milk, Mommy made you sit with her arms around your tummy to support you.

Then . . .  Mommy let go.

You propped yourself with your hands with a look of amazement on your face.  You must have been saying to yourself, “Oh gosh, I am awesome!”

Or. . .  was that a look of bewilderment at why Mommy was raising so much fuss?

Anton's Baptism

09 December 2012

 

A Baptismal Payer

 

Heavenly Father,

In your love you have called us to know you,
led us to trust you,
and bound our life with yours.

Surround this child with your love,
protect him from evil.

Fill him with the Holy Spirit and
receive him into the family of your  Church,
that he may walk with us in the way of Christ,
and grow in the knowledge of your love.

2 months!

You are now two months old, Anton Lee Thomas!

“What to Expect the First Year” lists down the following milestones for two-month old babies. You’ve all been able to do these:

1.       Smile in response to a smile

2.       Follow an object in an arc about 6 inches above the face to the midline (on some days you can actually follow the object for 180 degrees, i.e., from one side to the other)

3.       Respond to a sound in some way

4.       Vocalize in ways other than crying (cooing, grunting)

We have been doing tummy time more often the past few days for you to practice raising your head. You amazed Mommy this week when you raised your head up high several times for several seconds.  You are doing this movement better and better each day!

We’ve introduced you this week to the Swatting Game. We’ve been suspending objects on your rocker and your bed for you to practice your swatting technique.  This game enables you to improve your hand and eye coordination.

 

Thank you Baby G for loaning me your rocker!
 

Port Power!

We’re going to see the pediatrician tomorrow, bello. We hope that you’ve gained some weight. In last month’s check-up you weighed 3.5 kilos which translates to an average weight gain of 5.64 ounces a week.  Babies should gain about 5-10 ounces a week in the first month and 5-8 ounces a week in months 2 and 3.

skyping with daddy!

 

You truly engaged today with Daddy over skype, bello! You were in amazingly great spirits the whole day!

Buon giorno!

Buona notte!

happy halloween!

Thank you Tito Mark and Tita Emily for my cool outfit!

 

You have just gone to your first Halloween party! You came dressed as a human-remnant-after-the-worms-have-gotten-to-you (in simple parlance, a skeleton).  There were lots of games but you are still little, you just contentedly sat on your stroller and watched the ensuing activities.

 We’re sure you are looking forward to next year when you can join the other kids in the games.

 

 

one month old!

You are now one month old, dearest Little Pebble.

Mommy was astounded to wake up one morning to hear you talking! Daddy who thinks that you’re an accelerated child was not a bit surprised.
 

 

 

                                                                                  Daddy and Mommy have been working this week to get your legal documents in order. We’ve been able to get your Certificate of Live Birth from the City Hall and we will be submitting documents this week to jumpstart your acquisition of a passport.  As we’ve told you before, little one, you’re a child borne from much travelling and your passport will be the beginning of wonderful adventures to come. We’ve taken you to a studio to have your picture taken and you looked smart in your photo, appearing all set to take on the world!

 



You’ve become a chick magnet in our building, Anton Lee Thomas! The ladies emit squeals of delight when you in your stroller pass them by in the morning on your way to get your morning sun. A couple of days ago, a Korean girl held the elevator door for you and followed you all the way to the swimming pool. On another day, two ladies approached you and said that you’re going to become the next Fil-Aussie hot sensation in show business! Mommy is not impressed with these.  You can’t have these adulations go to your head, young man. Mommy is telling you that looks fade but what the vagaries of Time will not be able to take away from you is a kind heart, a hearty sense of humour, and an unwavering faith in the Divine Providence. And no courting girls, until you've finished college, is that clear?
 

Daddy and Mommy are getting to know you better, Little Pebble. We know that when you are not fed on time you get so upset that you turn red all over, clench your fists, and it takes a while before you unclench your hands and return to your normal colour (Mommy wonders if watching all those boxing matches have any bearing on your behaviour).

You have also learned to amuse yourself and you make all sorts of funny sounds while you’re looking at your toy zebra or just studying your high contrast black and white panels.

Mommy is happy this week. She’s been able to have you sit attentively on her lap and you’ve finally paid attention to the book she has been reading to you.

But you know what’s been the best so far? It’s  those quiet moments after your bath in the morning, you looking content, and you staring at Daddy and Mommy as if assuring us, "Hey, you're not doing too bad a job."