Dirt!

I love how Mateo loves to explore the world around him. I want him to experience the outdoors, including playing with dirt! Okay, just gravel, soil, and sand, and grass, rock, water, or whatever it is that makes his face light up. At one point I started to allow him to play with shoes because I was just too tired trying to stop him from rummaging through our shoe rack😀.

I couldn't stop him. He picked and rummaged through the dry leaves, grass, dirt, everything on the ground. I had to forcibly move him to a more grassy area.

I believe in giving him almost free reign to explore his surroundings in order to expand his experience and nurture his developing brain. Babies and toddlers learn by playing, anyway. So Mon and I take any chance to go out of our house so we can catch more pokemons Mateo can have more opportunities for these "explorations." It started when we went to Gardens by the Bay and allowed him to crawl on the grass. It was like unleashing someone restrained for a long time -- he was THRILLED! Living in an HDB unit even with an adjacent park simply isn't enough.

My desire to expose Mateo to the outdoors more started with this. He definitely loved our trip to Gardens by the Bay with his cousins last May.

So a couple of weeks ago was another day to explore the world (or Singapore). With his lola, tita, and ninang (and of course, mommy), Mateo once again went out for an adventure. This time in Chinese Garden. It took us a while to find a decent patch of grass, but it was worth it. He loved the grass, even the dirt. There was also a large rock he climbed. He had so much fun that I had to carry Mateo back to where the titas and lola were taking rest. He just did not want to stop, but it was getting late and we had to go home.

Happy :)

As a side note, I'm simply happy and thankful that I'm now doing good. My doctor thinks I'm doing good, and the pain is slowly getting milder and less frequent. My only concern now is my weight, even though the doc's okay with. He said I had gotten really sick so it surely takes time to fully recover. Keeping up with Mateo makes it difficult to gain weight (I burn calories fast and more than I usually eat) but makes me fit at the same time (unintended exercise). Though I have to thank Pokemon Go, too, for that extra motivation to go out and keep walking.

My little rock climber. Obviously, I couldn't let go. 

Singapore has a lot of green spaces, and we will take advantage of it. Time to keep our shoes (and hands?) dirty!

Mateo is now 1 yr and 1 month!

My little baby is now turning more into a toddler! Just last year he was literally our "little" bundle of joy. Now, he looks chubbier than Mon and me.

I have intended to write a "one year old post" for Mateo but I got busy/lazy, and I prefer typing in our laptop but I could rarely find time to use the laptop in peace. And while I originally intended to do a sort of nostalgic written account of what he can do at this age so I won't forget, I'll just write it in bullets to save time (and because I'm thinking of many milestones for my little baby!)

Mateo during our mini photo session before his birthday. It is not easy to take a photo of an active baby without any help.

At 13 months, Mateo:

• loves to show affection. He is sweet even to his Big Bear Ninong Jic and Ninang Mau lent him. He loves that bear so much that he kisses and hugs it. He even hugs the monster looking stuffed toy ironically named Honey Crumb. With that kind of affection, he somehow made Mon and I sweeter.
• loves to go out. He will insist on going out. He tries to put on his shoes (or asks us to put on his shoes), climbs his stroller, and point to the door keys.
• loves to see the world. Mateo can fight his sleep when we're out. Thankfully, he rarely gets grumpy when he misses his nap. But when he gets grumpy, he is grumpy.
• loves to meet people. He seeks out attention especially in the MRT or lift. He usually gets that attention - not by wailing, but by making eye contact, smiling, babbling, and even touching/patting whoever happens to sit beside us.Mateo is truly more sociable than me.
• likes to play ball. He has taken his first "many steps" while holding a ball each in his hands.
• loves to listen and dance to music. He particularly likes the happy birthday song, and previously Tatlong Bibe before it got very repetitive. He dances even to slow music.
• likes to read books. It is easy to keep him busy even with a small book.
• is impatient. I think he got that from me.
• loves to eat. He eats a lot. Anything. I almost cannot keep up.
• can stay up late. Especially when there's a gathering, he stays up late. What a party boy!
• loves birthdays. See above: he likes the happy birthday song. He loved his 1st birthday party (hopefully I can write about that at a later time).
• can climb up and down our bed with ease. This is a good thing so I do not have to carry him to go up and down the bed. I am still not allowed to carry him, and I don't think I ever will be (he just keeps getting bigger).
• loves to brush his teeth. He even does it himself. We take turns brushing his teeth. I used to sing to encourage him to brush his teeth, so now he dances even when I do not sing. I hope this won't change.
• loves to take a bath. He loves the water, but not the beach.
• has already taken more than a couple of steps without assistance. That's his "first many steps" last 2 Sep 2016, at 13 months. So proud and happy! He just stood up and walked towards me on his own without coaxing. He was also proud of his milestone. :) We're still working on making him walk on his own more.
• shows his interest for his independence. He wants to eat on his own and hold his own utensils. I have been a proud mommy when he insisted to do it on his own while it wasn't in my mind yet. It is just messy. But fun.

I cherish every moment that I'm taking care of him. I have missed bonding with him during his infancy. That surgery was just brutal. I can still feel pain from that surgery, but it isn't as brutal anymore. I still feel grateful. Every chance I have now to care for him is simply precious.

Almost a year after the surgery, I have finally been able to take care of Mateo on my own. I did it! I was able to do it with Mon, of course, who has simply been a super dad and super hubby. For a month now and for one more month, mama (Mon's mother) is here to help us take care of little big Mateo. Well, she's also here to nourish Mon and me (although only Mateo has been visibly getting bigger). So for a month more, I'll have an extra bit of rest for myself. I haven't fully enjoyed it, however (motherhood is really a full time job with overtime all the time, but still amazing).

I am looking forward into Mateo's toddlerhood. I am excited (because really missing that infancy felt so cruel), but I'm also a bit anxious because well, toddlers. I love you, Matmat!