December 2020

 Merry Christmas! Today is December 25, 2020.

We're thankful for all the blessings that we are continuously receiving. We are thankful as well that we are all safe and healthy. This has been a very unique year for everyone, but also a meaningful one. It was quite nice having everyone home for a few months--literally like not leaving the house for weeks. Given our jobs, even with vacation leaves, it will never stretch out up to that long. Again, it had its ups and downs. Losing jobs, not starting school, birthday and Holiday lockdowns. However, if it means being safe, I wouldn't want it any other way. 

This Christmas, I had Camilla read the names on the gifts! She has been learning to read simple words which both amazes me and makes me really proud. *Pats own back* We have been doing homeschooling and man, it's been tiring but worth it at the same time. It's been 3 months and we have learned about community helpers, sight words, learned how to use the scissors, write our name, identify patterns, sort, learned about our 5 senses, different weather, memorize the Pledge of Allegiance, know a bit about Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims, different Christmas traditions, a bit of sign language, and of course read! Words like To, In, Like, The to words like Nap, Map, Sit, Jet, Santa and a lot more simple words. She started to really read around late October-November, she is 4 yrs old :) Of course, she's still great with logo recognition. Thus, I am trying to see how we will do with flags. We'll see.

Camilla has been very expressive, emotional and of course vocal. She would hug me sometimes and say "thank you mama for taking care of me", when she's leaving my room when I'm working she would say "K see ya later! I love you a million hundred 32234421 (random number she thinks of) times", she and I are forever playmates of course, when she's shy she would talk in a really small voice. One time she said "mama is it hard work to take care of me?" A lot of times she would say "You upset me" when she didn't get what she wants. But then she would hug you and say "sorry" once she knows that she's wrong. She still whines but laughs really loud, giggles, sings in her vibrato voice and at the top of her lungs. Her fave songs would be Clarity by Foxies, Reflection, Loyal Brave True, she can sing Zombie by The Cranberries, Into the Unknown. When talking to lolo, lola or ate Joy she would say "I wish you could be here" or "I wish I could go there so I could hug you or play with you." She knows that we are staying home because it's still not safe to go outside because of the virus. She would get mad if you didn't wear your mask when you're outside. She would remind you to put your seatbelt. She would pray before eating, before going to bed and after waking up. She's way too good with the tablet and phones. She could watch all day and even until before she sleeps or when she wakes up really early. It's like her white noise sometimes. She still sleeps in our room/bed, still wets the bed and wears diaper at night. She's potty trained 100% since June 2020. Still loves slime and play doh. Likes watching Janet and Kate, Ben and Holly, Peppa, The Croods, Ryan, Gnome Alone, Mulan, Avengers/Spiderman. She poses like a professional lol. Go figure. 

I will leave it here. My next update could be by next year. Again, Merry Christmas! Maligayang Pasko!