Up Close and Personal

What are you lookin' at?


"This is my neck..."


Theo eats bananas (his favorite fruit!) with his friends


Mr. Cool...in front of Kasumi Supermarket


(minutes later) ZZZZZZZZZZZZ............

Poo-poo Time

This time, it was a complete success!

We've been toilet-training Theo for quite some time now, but more often than not, he would either (1) say "tae" after he has already emptied his bowel in his diapers, or (2) say "tae" even if he's not yet ready; he just wants to sit on his "throne". This time, however, he was certain that it's coming, and just a few minutes after we eased him on the toilet bowl, and just after the photo above was taken, he was already gripping the handles, his face getting red, as he pushed with all his might whatever it is that sprang forth from his tiny, rosy red anus. (I hope that ain't graphic enough, hehehe...)

But as you can see, even if his bottom's snug on the toilet bowl, he's still as cute as ever! (Ever met a kid who wants to wear his baseball cap while relieving himself?)

We noticed recently that Theo has a very sharp memory. He can remember the words that we had taught him more than a week ago. Sometimes, he would even use words that we hadn't taught him before, and Mommy D and I would just ask each other who had taught him. I thought most miracles happen only during the first year of life; they actually continue to happen as the child grows older. Surprises never seem to end.

One advantage (or sometimes, disadvantage!) of being away from our relatives is that Mommy D and I are forced to be hands-on parents ourselves. There are no nannies, aunts or grandmothers to whom we can leave Theo for even just a few hours. Thus, when it's a weekend, full-time fatherhood is a given. Mommy D takes care of the rest of the week while I'm off to work.

So far, it's been fun, and we're sure that it'll continue to be fun. With a toddler like Theo, surprises never end. And by the way, you should see him dance!

Chickenpox: Part 2

While Theo was already on the verge of fully recovering from the chickenpox virus, it was my turn to experience the scourge, only this time, it was far worse! I never knew till then that I haven't had chickenpox before when I was kid.

Last Sunday, I was feeling very weak and lethargic and I thought it was just the effect of hay fever or the onset of a bad cold. The following day, however, the first blisters appeared on my belly. By evening, I was already covered with numerous red, watery spots from head to toe. By Tuesday, I was tied to the bed, feeling so tired, lethargic and feverish. The light at the end of the tunnel came shining on Thursday when not only did I feel better, the blisters had also started to subside, esp. those on my face. Only then was I sure that I will survive the viral attack relatively unscathed. Luckily, the blisters did not appear on my eyes; otherwise, there would have been complications.

Adult chickenpox isn't a walk in the park, as you can see here. There is even an article in BBC News which says that "Adult chickenpox deaths rise". This usually occurs when the immune system is weakened because of other causes such as HIV or cancer. Healthy adults need not worry too much; nonetheless, the possibilities are very real.

All this time --- while I was in the deepest of pits --- Theo was happily bouncing around, probably wondering why his father is at home when he should be in the lab working. In the first few days, however, it was impossible for me carry or hug him without bursting some of the watery spots on my trunk. (Yuck!) Besides, with what I had felt then, playing with him was the last thing on my mind. At the height of the chickenpox attack, there was only one thought running in my head: "This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me!"

I'm glad that it's (almost) over and that I should be back to work next week. Thanks to the antiviral drug that the doctor prescribed, the viral replication was effectively controlled at the outset. If there's anything positive out of this, it's that I am now immune for life to the chickenpox virus and that I had spent a full week with Mommy D and Theo at home.

Not exactly heaven, but also, not exactly hell.