A time once travelled

We start with a clear objective

We welcome visitors

We like to have their comments

Friendships created so easily

Enemies too.

One thing I’ve noticed in the blogosphere

There are those who make friendship so quickly

You know call us by names only our mothers do

And then with just a snap of a finger

Kill that friendship like we are the worst enemy.

There’s no sorry, so much hatred

No forgiveness, so much pride

That sucks.

But blogging goes on…

And write like no one is hurting.

That’s just sad.

Ito na: One more dinner, one more nocturnal sleep, two more diaper change, three bottles to wash, and one more only-coffee breakfast and we are off flying.
Current Mental Status: tense, panicking, nervous, excited and happy.
Current Physical Status: more than exhausted, eyebrows needing serious mowing, don’t even think of the manicure and pedicure, forget the red eyes and the sunken sockets.
Luggage Status: over-exceeding on the weights allowed, 80% David’s stuff, 15% pasalubong, 5% mama’s and dada’s stuff.
To do list status: 95% done.

And the rants about my body doing its job regularly, I can’t be more regular than that. Twenty-eight days later and my period has arrived. Just perfect for the abundant second day while we are more than ten thousand feet above the ground. Looking forward to several diaper changes! For me and David! And my head feels like hell!
I have just found out how to avoid this THING to happen again. Philippines. What a simple solution!!! I haven’t felt the “blues” this time around!

See you guys in my next update. Take care everyone and have a wonderful weekend!

To do list :

-         print french nationality requirements

-         print baptism requirements

-         print baptism reception infos

-         print complete list of godparents’ name

-         bind booklets

-         pack old baby clothes

-         collect certificate of residency at the embassy

-         collect the list necessary to obtain the french nationality at tribunal d’instance

-         make tags for giveaways and invitation card

-         bayad sa eload

-         bayad sa hachette

-         list all contact addresses (atty. Pulido, hotel,
asia travel, pal, nso, sss, website addresses etc.)

-         check laptop

-         copy david’s 18-19 months old photos in cd

-         print all email transactions

-         buy mamang’s medicine

-         prepare david’s emergency kit

-         update MP

-         pack dada and mama’s travel bags

Day/Night before the departure:

-         pack toiletries, dada’s electric shaver

-         pack david’s bottles, food, cereals and milk

-         pack extra clothes for the plane for david and mama

-         pack two video cameras, ordinary camera, digital camera

-         recharge cameras and cellphones

-         pack david’s emergency kit

-         don’t ever forget baby filou and papa filou

-         passports, priest’s letter, tickets, other important docs

-         battery chargers for cellphones, cameras and laptop

-         extra pairs of eyeglasses and sunglasses

-         david’s books, coloring materials and favorite toys for the plane

-    david’s favorite dvds

-    david’s carnet de santé, WHO vaccination certificates

-    livret de famille (ty nin)

* Done

** Not yet done

David had a bad night, waking up several times during the most unforgivable time. We decided to camp in the sala (again) where he slept on the couch and us on the floor next to him. Around
4:00 am, I felt him falling off and landed on the pillows I arranged just below him. Didn’t even fuss nor cry, just went sleeping his butt off. I was in and out of my consciousness, trying to grab as little peace as I could. I felt him at my feet and when I checked, he was sleeping with butt on the air.  Then two hours later he woke up. It’s autumn, it was still pitch dark and the world was still in its slumber. My son started to move around, treading his way towards me as he tried to see things in the dark. I groaned, told him to go back to sleep, hopeful he would do so. And then booooom!!!! Right on my nose David fell. I heard my nose cracked and closed hard my eyeballs that went totally awake in the instant! I literally saw stars and my head spun. David cried a little, I couldn’t get up to check where he got hurt, my hands were on my face. Cursing silently. I wasn’t angry at him. Just pissed off of the way this morning started. Yes, no broken nose, perhaps a bruised tendon inside. 48 hours later my nose still hurts and the pain creeping towards my forehead.

Time is precious. Writing takes time. Thinking of what to write is even more time consuming. And so seeing all of your comments here in my blog, and particularly in the previous post (tax exemption), makes me feel honoured. I really, really appreciate your messages and thanks a million for your good wishes.

Analyse, merci beaucoup for referring me to that forum. He he he, obvious na walang klaro ang isyong iyan, kahit doon, iba-iba ang mga experience… I’ll keep my eye on what’s new in the forum.

Lucille, salamat mare. Lucky you, smooth ang process. I’m going to collect the certificate end of this week or next week. I will call you one of these days to ask about passport processing of the kids. David has two, French and Philippine, I don’t know what to show to the two customs dahil pagdito sa France, when you show your French passport, they don’t stamp it, eh sa atin tinatakan yata ng departure date and arrival. Anyway, it’s quite confusing for me so I’ll call you later.

Kala dear, oo nga as in nakakainis. I got a printed copy of that Balikbayan Tax Exemption program from the Phil Embassy of
Canberra, it’s really clear. Pero pagtao na ang kaharap mo, the message seems to get twisted. Kaya mabuti ng sigurado ano?

Bless, oo nga when the law gets applied, marami pang nuisance, mismong awtoridad ang gulo. Kaya tayo naguguluhan din. Kung transparent lang sila, di di ko na sana sila nablog. Thanks ha, as in we are excited. I’ll kiss MSU for you.

Carlota, salamat din sa yo. Gusto kong makuha ang certificate na ito dito sa Paris, para wala ng hassle pagdating sa Pilipinas.  Much more na sa pagbalik namin sa France, kami na lang dalawa ni David. Ayokong tatakbo dito-doon kadkad ang 20 months old ko, ang likot pa naman nito. Kaya mabuti na kompleto lahat

Nina, again merci, merci beaucoup. Dahil nga sa yo, binigyan nila ako ng papel. When they give that application form to me, parang kinonfirm mismo nila na di rin nila alam ano ba talaga. Kung totoong nagchange na ang regulations ng travel tax exemption, they should get a notice of it from the DOT/DFA Main Office. At pag may humingi sa kanila, yon na lang binibigay nila. Or at least a letter from them or whatever, something legally black and white, not just words. Words can go from one ear and exit to the other…

Che, thanks to you. Honestly, I haven’t packed anything yet. Inuna naming mga legal documents, bookings, hotel reservations, baptism planning, David’s vaccines, medicines, and whew you can’t believe the anti-mosquito, anti-insect spray his dadi bought for him. As I said to Nina, when I saw all of it, parang hindi lang mga insects ang mamatay eh, pati yata si David ma poison na rin. Ayayay, paranoid to the extreme na kami!

Francesca, salamat din sa yo. Actually iprint ko lahat ng comments nyo dito para may guidelines ako, o di ba Nakipag-peace na sa yo si Butler?

Ligaya, musta na? Salamat din sa yo. Ganyan talaga dito sa Paris, may mga stations na wala talagang escalators or elevators. Kung meron man, yong iba not working time to time. Kaya exercise lagi ang mga tuhod. Pero pag may baby o malalaking karga or for the disabled, as in mahirap talaga. I’m frankly both excited and tense. Travelling with a toddler is different. At kahit sabihin mo pang bakasyon, pag may baby ka, parang wala ring bakasyon, umiba lang ang environment. Siguro pamilya ko makakatulong din kunti sa pagbantay, but oh, may baby din sila doon mas younger pa ni David, at as super-buntis din yong only sis ko kaya, parang full time din ako kay David. Mas “full time” pa nga siguro dahil naku po baka kung ano-ano ng makikita niya at ilagay sa bunganga argh! I don’t want to hire a yaya. Paranoid that I am, baka pagnagkasakit si David, sa kanya ko pa iblame. Kaya ako na lang he he he. Kiss to Ninev. She has changed a lot pala. Read your latest post, I love her swimsuit. Little mermaid

Evi, hello! Thanks for passing by. I was writing this post when your comment arrived Haaay naku, pumuputi ang buhok ko dyan. Ngitian ko na lang. You take care…

Hey Joy, got your email. Friday is ok with me. I’ll call you Thanks for the email ha, I’ll wait for your whole kwento!

A million thanks to everyone na hindi ko na namention dito. You know how appreciate your visits. Spread peace and friendship in the blogosphere! Have fun!

Haaay naku! I don’t even know how to start. Most of you know that we are leaving for the Phils. in few weeks time. Lots of things have already been done, and still lots more to finish. Like that tax exemption program. I’ve inquired many of my friends who have just arrived from Phils about this matter. I even started a topic in MAD Pinoy’s forum about it. I got mix messages, sa tingin ko parang based on experience ang nangyayari. So to finally get the “official” version, I called the Consular section of the embassy. Twice. The first call, they told me that there was no need for me to apply for tax exemption. Once in the Phils, I just have to present my carte de residence and that’s it. I’ve talked to other friends again and they said the embassy sent them application form for such thing. So I called the embassy again, and this time they told me to go to their office and file my application. I told my friend Nina about it, and she confirmed me that indeed I really need to apply for it before we go to Phils.

So Friday I went their after my eye check-up.  The metro (train) ride was ok, David was enjoying the trip kahit antok na antok na sya. He was saying “chooo-chooo” during the trip. But it was really a pain in the ass when we arrived at our destination. The elevator and the escalator were not working. There were old people insistently pressing an intercom to request for the elevator down. To no avail. I had to carry the stroller with David on it plus all his drinks and food, up on a winding staircase. By the time I reached the top landing, I felt my knees shaking. I glanced at the ticket area to see what those metro people were doing. The window shields were pulled down and there was not a single soul working. I thought about the old people waiting for the lift and for a second, thought about going back down to tell them there was no one working. But fought against the idea. “I am not going to make that bloody stair trip again!”

As I arrived at the Consular office, there were only two of us. Good, I thought, then this process would be quick. To my total dismay, an employee told me there was no need to apply for it. WHAT!!!! I told them with an irritated voice and FACE that I called twice and I got different versions. I asked them how come I have friends who got their application forms anyway. If the tax exemptions rules have been changed they should be consistent with their words and actions. Nga-nga ang binibini, she said she’ll ask her superior. She appeared a minute later telling me to take a seat because her “superior” was still on the phone. So I waited. And waited. And waited. I decided to call Nina to ask the name of the person who gave her the “come and apply” version. She told me she’ll call the consular office herself.

That was the saving grace, Nina is my Peter Pan, dahil for some reason, after a long wait, another person called my name and gave me the requirements and application form. Ang nakakainis lang there was no clarification of the matter at ALL. As in until now hindi ko alam ano ba talaga ang totoo. I still have to go back there in one week time to get the certificate.

Postscript:

When I got back home Nina called me and asked what happened. Binuhos ko sa kanya ang aking inis at pagod. She later told me na “pinagsabihan” niya ang mga tao doon sa Consular na since wala din lang clarity itong isyung ito, bigyan na lang nila ako ng forms. Anyway, from the bottom of my heart, merci infiniment Nin!

Another trip to the doctor. This time for my eyes. It started badly at the elevator. It was so tiny, only I and David could get in sans his stroller. Five minutes wasted self-debating on either leaving the stroller at the lobby or bringing it up using the staircase. I needed the stroller to strap David in once the doctor checks my eyes. I opted on leaving it behind and took the lift anyway. As we got inside the doc’s office, I realized the stroller wouldn’t even fit in there. The moment I sat in front of the optometrist, David started crying. A déjà vu of last Wednesday’s. There was no choice but to put him down, and as the doctor started checking my eyeballs, David was pulling my leg. Naturally, the doctor couldn’t do her job. She decided to sms her husband and asked him if he could take David out, while we were doing the exam. The husband unceremoniously appeared few minutes later, hair unkempt, wearing a bathrobe and who looked like he was dragged out from their matrimonial bed. Much as he tried being friendly with my son, it didn’t help. He took a wailing David out and as I read the letters on the screen with the doctor searching for my perfect vision, I couldn’t help but wondered if David has already developed an iatrophobia.

* iatrophobia - fear of doctors or going to the doctor

Happy weekend everyone!

That part of the brain that helps control memory. Brain experts estimate that the hippocampus is about 40 percent mature at birth, 50 percent mature at 6 weeks, and fully mature at 18 months.

Now I fully accept David’s madness last Wednesday at the clinic for his routine vaccine. The moment both of us entered the lobby, David threw out the loudest scream and was wailing mad. He clung to me like a Koala clinging to a tree for dear life. Whole body totally rigid. People at the waiting area gave me strange look. He was absolutely horrified. I was stressed out, but quite happy of this scenario. I knew then he remembers the place, what it is, and why we were there. A brain at work. His eyes kept on glancing at his doctor’s door, he was scrutinizing every male who passed by us, as if sensing this could be le méchant (the bad guy). We waited for 15 minutes. One of the longest waits in my life.

When we got inside the doctor’s office, I thought David would be totally exhausted his screams would at least abate. But no. The undressing was a fight. He almost fell off from the weighing scale. And when I laid him down for his height measurement, gosh, his body, all ten kilos of it, was so stiff and unyielding, it was only his head and feet that were touching the table.  I wanted to tell the doctor, forget the general examination, just give him his vaccine and let us go.

Everything finished off blurry. My head was spinning, my ears were ringing and my arms were pumping blood beyond their limits, a promise of muscular aches.

David was still sobbing when we exited the doctor’s office. But for all his horrific display, he still managed to give me, the doctor, and the people there a laugh. For in between his sobs, tears and snots, he so eagerly said “au revoir, au revoir” and waved them all goodbye.

That’s the Chikka text I just received from my one and only sister. As in I’m soooo, soooo over the moon. I can’t wait to go home. Luckily, I’ll be there to witness the baby’s arrival. That is if they allow a nutty big sister to get inside the delivery room. Baka ako pang hihila ng bata sa over excitement. Whatever, I’m just so happy for her and her family. I’m so happy for us! Congratulations sis and bro, I love you! Wait and see when I’ll get home, I’m going to pick your brains to know how to make a girl. Mwah!

I laugh out loud rewatching Sydney Bristow slumped helplessly crying over the dead body of her murdered fiancée. No, I’m not apathetic nor I have PMS. I’m just laughing at the fact that while my girlfriends were lustfully hooting over the greasy-toned butts of the Chippendale dancers (well that’s how I imagine it), here I was rushing out from the bath my very own little Chippendale who has pooped inside his bathtub.

Previously on the day, a girlfriend called inviting me to go with them.  A twin-birthday celebration for the wives. I had no second thoughts. I turned down the invitation. Right these nights I prefer the smell of my pillow. On the other hand, if it was Chippendale GIRLS (does this exist?), I could have been convinced to come. My friend was rather surprised to learn that I prefer watching women than men. It is true. Honest to goodness, I have no idea why. Perhaps, I just find a woman’s body beautiful, soft and sensual compared to a man’s. Or perhaps because my alter ego is just that. Physically perfect Eve. Gracious. Beautiful. Butt-kicking chick. However, if my alter ego is indeed me, I won’t be dancing for a show. But then again who knows?

Now where was I with Sydney?