Goodbye, April

I took a quick look at last year's April entries and I am pretty amazed at how different the blogging batting average was then compared to this April. I realized that while last year was challenging, especially since I was a full time mom with no help, this year has been action-packed, now that I am a (temporary) full time mom to a toddler.

Ugh. Toddler. I still have problems with calling Lucia a "toddler."

Anyway. For one thing, it's pretty amazing to realize, albeit via hindsight, how much "free time" I had back then. Lucia took more and longer naps and she could stay in one place and be hunky dory. Goodness, running after a toddler is vastly different. And this time around, I need to be a lot more animated, because Lucia's standards for entertainment are pretty high. Oh, and I learned to love Elmo and Pocoyo. I mean absolutely love them. They don't know how much they've helped me keep Lucia occupied.

Oh, but the smiles, the babbling (sssh, don't tell her I called it that -- she firmly believes she's talking sense already), and the manipulative crying (and I say that with impish glee -- for now)! It really is amazing to see how much she's growing.

But April is about to end. That means work's about to start again, I go back to being out of the house for about 12 hours (more if you count the travel time). I am plagued by the usual dread, but I have to admit, it is now coupled with a little bit more excitement this time around. I'm looking forward to meeting my new students, new co-teachers, old friends. But more than anything, I kinda miss having thoughts that are my own, said in a mental-voice that isn't high pitched and singsong-y. :)

And so it goes. Goodbye, April. Hello, May. Let's see what you shall bring.

Hodgepodge

Lucia just turned 17 months old last Sunday. Yup, no longer a baby.

She has a personality of a firecracker (ehem), with a quick smile and a haughty gaze to knock you down.

The days are getting intolerably warm (and yet I remember having hotter summers than this), so she spends a lot of time either in her kiddie pool or in the tub. For all her flailing before (well, she was only 3 months old at the time), this little munchkin sure does love the water.

It's April, so I'm in full-time mommy mode. Which means I'm virtually exhausted most of the time, but also much, much, much happier. :)

She's napping now, so I better nap along with her. Last time I decided against it, I regretted it a few hours after, hehe.

On the Mend

Just that. Things are on the mend. Just as I was reticent when things began, so shall I be as things are...on whatever stage this is. Things are on the mend, and I shall be all right. All shall be well. :)

For those of you who were at our wedding, you will know what this song means. ;)