Letter to Santa From Mom

This came from a forwarded email. Though I can't say that I can relate to all things here it's just too darned funny I had to post it here.

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Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, and sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my daughter's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year, I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight, and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and “Take your hands off your sister," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience
immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my daughter saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think she wants her crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always,

MOM

Little CAMP Christmas Party

Had a great time today at both of the parties we went to. But I'll write about the second one tomorrow since this will be a long post.

The first party started around 11AM and was held at Kids At Work in SM North EDSA. It was Little Camp Clinics Christmas Party. Sam had a blast (as far as I can tell) though he didn't really participate in anything. I guess all the colorful banners just wowed him and all the people in the place pretty much overwhelmed him. He ended up staring staring and staring at everything. He sat in his own chair almost the entire time and didn't complain once... That's almost 2 hours! Way to go Sam! I wish he reacted more but he did smile at the pretty baby (Andy) who won the best angel costume award.

The prizes were really great too with as much 1000 pesos worth of gift certificates. Little Camp must have had a sponsor since the party fee was really small. Everyone who wore a costume actually got a Gift Pass but since we weren't able to buy any for Sam he didn't get any. It's not really disappointing though especially since Ninong Rico gave Sam some GC's on the second party. Hehe.

The kids had a talent contest though only four participated out of the 60 students. Remember they're all special kids so it's pretty hard to force anyone to perform. The last performer (there were 2 performances only) was so darned cute and funny. He danced to the song "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" while crying that he wanted to go home the entire time. He never stopped doing the steps though while he cried as he performed. What made me get all choked up though was the first performance where 3 kids danced to the tune of "Breaking Free'. Everyone was smiling and having a great time though so I really hard time fighting the tears. The only reason I got choked up was really silly but I couldn't help it. The first lyrics I caught when the song started was the part where the guy sang..

"You know the world can see us in a way that's different that who we are .... but your faith, it gives me strength , strength to believe we're breaking free ."

Aw shit. Just thinking about it makes me all weepy again. But hey can you blame me? I was in a room full of special kids (my son being one) and there were three precious little boys in front seriously dancing to a tune that I know is such a big hit with all kids nowadays. They were all different, from most kids and also even from each other, and almost everyone there is usually perceived by the world in such a different way. People pity them, people are curious about them, people sometime feel indifferent, and people sometimes even feel repulsed. But to us who love them and breath and live for them, we see them differently. With enough patience, enough therapy, enough encouragement, enough love they can break free. It might not be big deal to others but the mere fact that those kids can dance, that the kid on the other table was feeding himself although the spaghetti kept on falling off his mouth again, that Andy can now run, that Lindon can now speak, that Ram can now sit a little (he's more than 10 years old already), and that my own little Sam smiled as soon as he saw baby Tesla approach him and wanted to play though he can't crawl nor walk yet, to us each of that little step is breaking yet another barrier, another hindrance. These kids can be more, do more, they're not to be pitied but to be loved and admired for fighting to overcome so much. Special kids need not be doomed to a dependent and utterly "useless" life. We see them differently and hopefully with enough education the rest of the world will too.

I just wish I had pictures to show the world how cool the coolest party I've ever attended was. It wasn't the event. It was the precious souls there. A million angels must have been celebrating with us then.

I Have a Party Dress

We've been planning on attending the OCS Christmas Party for weeks now. Mark was adamant that I wear a dress instead of just some jeans and a nice blouse since their Christmas party was themed disco and his officemates were talking about wearing dresses (at least the girls were). So even though it wasn't really part of our budget and we had really none to blow anymore (because we already blew it first weekend when we went on the Jag and Lee Sale at LB and invested on some office clothes for Mark and a few nice blouses for me) I decided to buy a new outfit for the party since none
of my dresses fit anymore. As a dutiful wife and a vain girl I didn't want Mark's wife to end up looking really drab or washed out. Besides I really got all excited too when I realized that I haven't really dressed up in YEARS. I was even planning on arriving early so I can get a facial and have my hair curled and set. I think the last time I tried to dress up a bit was when I got married and nobody will claim that I was really all dolled up even then since I was just wearing a sundress that was a bit too tight on my belly and a cute flip flops because I couldn't wear heels. So anyway the day before the party (that was Wednesday) Mark suddenly chats me up in Gtalk and here's how it went...

Mark: pero promise me di ka masyado magagalit..

me: hehe ok.....

Mark: kasi la palang guests sa xmas party. sorry. the whole time assume ko kasi na pwede.
i feel really bad.

me: nye!!!

Mark: i'm sorry love.

me: wahehe

Mark: :(

me: teka bluff muna

Mark: no. no bluff. kkverify ko lang sa hr.

me: langya ka pinhirapan mo pa loob ko...ok lang beh

Mark: i know..
no.
i feel bad.

Mark: pero i realize na at least naalala kong tanong..

me: oo noh super nakakahiya kung bigla akong sulpot bukas!

Mark: love, di ka galit? ok lang kahit oo. promise.

me: di sa ibang event ko nlng suotin damit ko

Mark: my my my badd sobra.

me: di nmn

Mark: :(

me: at least may time na ako para mag sulat

Mark: sorry beh

me: its ok. sayang lng ung damit..hehe

Mark: nope, di sayang yan..

me: isip ka nlng ng event na masusuotan ko

Mark: yup. :)
ok love, ok lang tlaga?

me: ok lng po

me: haha. yup. yan pwede na akong kumain ng picnic kasi di ko na kailangang crash diet :p

Imagine what would have happened if I walked in there the only wifey who dared show up!!! So there I have this nice bordering on the weird black party dress and new black high-heeled shoes with silver trim but no party to attend. Anyone care to invite me to one where I can get to wear my dress?

BTW the OCS Christmas Party was a success. Mark's team (Tools) won second prize for their dance. As punishment for his blunder I'm thinking of asking Mark to dance his part next we see friends. ^_^ I'm not really that disappointed about the whole thing though the only disappointing part was that Mark and I were thinking of having our own after party party. ;-)

For the bimbos my dress is a cross between the two shown below. It was really cheap too and knowing me when I say cheap totoo yun kasi kuripot ako. Good bargain so if I don't find an event to wear it to maibenta kaya sa eBay?