The Parenting Diaries

A couple of days ago, Pristine complained of pain in her molars. WTH!? We have been brushing her teeth and practicing oral hygiene since the first tooth came out. What went wrong? Her father has not experienced toothache ever so naturally he was shocked.

I checked the tooth today and found a small dark colored patch, located in between her two molars. It looks like it’s really tooth decay in action! I just hope the pain will not bother her until we go back to Japan then we’ll go to the dentist as soon as we can.

Pristine and I are in my parent’s house in the Philippines and enjoying ourselves, doing uhmm, nothing. Right, nothing. I am basically a homebody and every time I’m back for vacation (which happens at least once a year on the average) all I do is rest, meet a few friends but mostly, just rest at home. It’s my sacred time spent on sleeping, chatting with my family and staring blank at walls in between.

Most of my friends are either working and living outside of the country or out of reach (I don’t know how to contact them). All of my close friends, except one are not in town so I don’t really go out that much. Besides, I see an awful pattern whenever I see people I know: they always comment on how “big” I have become, which is very annoying. I know I had been really thin before I left my town 12 years ago and have gained a lot of weight during those years but do they really have to shove it in my face every single time?

I have been going to the gym for the past months and had some progress but it was just wasn’t enough! I guess I live in a town with ultra skinny people. Honestly, one of the reasons I don’t go out and meet the not-so-close friends is that it’s so tiring to go out and meet them and just take home a really bad comment. I am so affected by it, I know, my bad but still.

My question for anyone reading: Do you go out and meet your friends whenever you visit your old home town? (granted you’ve been living away from it)

On our long haul flight from Dubai to Hong Kong on our trip to Japan, Pristine wanted to open the cabin window cover.

P: Mom, can we see what’s outside?

Me: No, not now, we can’t see anything right now.

(Ignoring me and still trying to open the cover. The sun is just starting to rise in East Asia.)

Me: No, don’t! You’re not listening to mama, are you deaf? I said, we can’t see anything right now.

(This might sound harsh but I really told her in a very gentle way…)

P: We can’t see anything? Are we blind?

We are finally leaving for our summer vacation tonight. The day I had been dreaming about for the past 12 months is finally here. Everything is packed - I am packing light, so light it seems that I’ll just go over the back fence to grandma’s house! Since M won’t be travelling with us. I only have my own arms and shoulders to carry one backpack, one handbag and push a stroller.

I am excited with this trip. Pristine had been counting down to this day too. We would always talk about how many nights left before we go “fly” in the sky. We’re going back to Japan after 21 months (the first since our relocation to Dubai) and I am excited to reacquaint her with the sights and the language!

When I blog again, I’ll be in Tokyo. Have a great week, whoever is reading this!

Aah, Saturday morning, past 8 am and I am still in my sleep wear? When was the last time I was like this? Maybe not in years!

My leave officially started today and for the next 45 days, I will wake up without thinking about work six days a week. Woo hoo! Normally I work from Saturday - Thursday, yes, including your normal weekends so it’s such a welcome break for me to stay in bed longer and spend the day the way I like it.

This is the time of the year when temperatures soar up to 123F here in Dubai. I workout in the gym but what’s the temperature got to do with it, since I’m working out indoors? Nothing, so I thought too. But after doing my gym time, I take a shower and that’s when the hellish experience begin.

The water coming out of the shower could cook an egg. I swear! Water tanks are located on top of buildings and when it’s too hot during the day, the water coming out when I turn on the cold valve is so hot I feel it can scald my scalp. One hour of sweating then I take the shower only to sweat more! It was enough to scare me from going to the gym. I have skipped going there since last week. I feel dizzy with the hot water.