Christmas traditions

Last night I was thinking how much my Christmas tradition has changed since I had a family of my own. I was a little wistful. I did enjoy getting ready for Misa de Gallo then going home waiting for 12:00 to greet every one Merry Christmas and the opening of gifts begin.

The past Christmases, we had to have the Noche Buena and opening of gifts earlier in consideration of the sleeping time of the kids.

As I cleaned up the torn gift-wrappers, I was missing that old tradition. But then I flashed back a little and recalled Alon's excitement of opening every gift.

"Awwww! Nice. I like it." He hasn't really given it much look.

"Ay, so sweet!" to every time I tell him who gave the gift.

"Ako na mag-open. Kaya ko na kasi malaki na ako." This is when we offer help.

I realized, this is my tradition now... to enjoy the look of anticipation on the faces of my sons. While they are still young, I will have to relish that unconditional joy from just opening gifts, of seeing their pile grow. 

When we were settling for bed, I asked him if he was happy, He said he was. I gave him a little reminder that it was the birth of Christ and that people gave gifts to each other to show their love and to honor Jesus. He was scratching his eyes, nodding his head. I don't think he absorbed what I was trying to say. 

I doesn't matter though. There is always every day to remind him.

Merry Christmas folks! May we all rejoice in the joy of the season.

Not SW7 spoilers

I am fascinated by how noble the people on my FB feed have been with regard to Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

1) I have quite a few honest-to-goodness eager fans who watched during the first two days of showing.
2) They have shared their excitement but have kept mum on the movie itself. Which just validates their honest-to-goodness fan-ness because they know how awful it would have been to be deprived the experience of going through the SW journey again after more than 30 years. (Obviously, I'm counting from the original series and not the prequels. I'm still baffled by its existence.)

With that, I'd like to note down my thoughts on the movie. No spoilers.

1. "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...." appears on the screen. I wanted to cheer and clap and wolf whistle (if I could) and whoop. But the theater crowd was the prim and proper sort so I had to content myself by squeezing Jan's biceps to express my giddiness instead.

2. "Episode VII" and the rest of the text scrolls up the screen. Goosebumps! A little bubble of childish joy was welling up in my chest. I'd have whooped and cheered but...

3. It's the sphero-droid!

4. Aha! Sense of humor in the lines. I'm going to like this.

5. BB8 is so cute! How can a series of beeps sound so adorable! He's the ball version of Wall-E!

6. Brienne of Tarth! Yeaaaaah.

7. OMG. International Humanitarian Law violations! But would it apply to another planet? Shall we call it Intergalactic Humanoid Law violations? Why so much violence in the galaxy? Oh wait. The movie's title is Star Wars. But even wars have limits, noh. Sigh.

8. This Storm Trooper angle is a welcome one.

9. The girl is cute and likeable. She's not so graceful which makes her more bad-ass! Bad-ass.

10. BB8!!! Does BB mean BingBong? Cuuuute! Like my son, I now want one.

11. Is that THE ship? It's the ship! Pew, pew, pew, pew!!!

12. Waaaaait! It's that guy from "About Time." Oh dear, I can't take him seriously anymore.

13. Ah. "The I'm bringing bad news to a Sith Lord, I will most likely die" face. Still there. Awesome.

14. Matt Parkman is in the movie!? Matt Parkman is in the movie?!

15. Did that just happen? Noooooooo!

16. Original cast appearing one by one. I want to whoop and cheer and clap but... Han, Chewy, Leia, etc. Aaaaaaaaaaaah!!!

17. I still can't get over Matt Parkman and the Gleeson guy. They're in effin' SW.

18. Andy Serkis is in the movie too! Whu-whut!

19. That thing that happened really happened, noh? Shite.

20. Jan's biceps must be really sore from all the pinching.

21. I need to remember to breathe. I held it too many times since we watched.

22. The Storm Troopers must have had a LOT of gun training. Their aim has improved. Dramatically.

22. Hmmmmm. More theories, which will remain theories until the next movie.

And a few more which can spoil it. So hah! What an exhilarating ride for those who loved the original series. I did not leave like I did during the prequels ("what the hell was that about?! why ruin it!). I left with theories and questions and anticipation.

You go, JJ Abrams!

Alon takes my photo!

Ta-daaaaa!

It's a fluke. The rest were blurs. :)

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Godzilla

Alon has developed quite a fascination with Godzilla.

These past few days, he has been requesting to watch Godzilla videos. His favorite is video of stills of Godzilla over the year. Another is just his various roars. (find his attention span fascinating when he is truly interested in a particular thing.)

When Alon was a year and half, his cousin Eo generously gave an old Godzilla toy he no longer played with. He has renewed fancy with the toy at three years and four months.

One day, I arrived home finding Godzilla with double-sided tape plastered over him. Apparently, he got hurt so Alon put band-aid on him.

The photo above also has a corresponding story, as told by Alon.

"Ito si Tatay Godzilla, Ito si Alab Godzilla. Si Alon Godzilla, nasa day care."

I asked him, "asan si Nanay Godzilla?"

"Nasa office."

It seems Nanaz Godzilla is a working mom like myself. :)

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First gift for 2015

I asked Jan for an iPad mini keyboard for Christmas. Somewhat inspired from having bought him a bluetooth headphones he wanted. I figured I might as well get a gadget for myself too. 

Today, we received the delivery from Lazada.com. (Wheeeee!)

Right now, I am trying it out.

I am kinda hoping this will allow me opportunity to write more. I do so miss writing. I haven't really given it much time and effort since motherhood and Facebook. Hehe! I find it tedious to boot up the laptop. I've had so many journals which lay forgotten once I get to the middle of the notebook. I have become one of the unfortunate ones who developed the preference for a keyboard rather than the pen. This is probably because my penmanship is awful. 

I'm liking this keypad thing. 
I'm still getting the hang of it. I do like the fact that I still feel like writing despite not having any particular thought. I'm just rambling on through the keyboard. Exactly what I was hoping for when I asked for this. I'm quite rusty so I need a whole lot of work. I sincerely think it will take while to get the groove back. Just writing is a start. 
So, wheee! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!