44

My college roommate M once observed that I always did everything ahead of everybody else. And in some respects, well, that's true.

While my playmates were busy with their cups and saucers, I was busy with my little crushes. I started having babies while my girlfriends were knee-deep into their careers. And by the time they started throwing birthday parties for their children, I was, for all intents and purposes, a single mother.

When I became a grandmother two years ago, one of my friends, who was still happily single, walked up to me and said, "Jing, I don't even have a kid yet and you have a grandchild?! Pressure!!"

I've never been much of a sprinter, so I don't really know why I've been rushing all this time. Fortunately, all this rushing has its unintended benefits.

At 44, I could sort of see the finish line, at least as far as steering my kids towards their futures is concerned. This is my eldest's last year in college, and my second's first. My third is on his last year in high school, and my youngest on his second. With a little bit of arithmetic, I gather that I'd be working like a dog for the next four years, but after that ... after ... I could take things a little easier. And this thought just excites me no end!

What would it be like, I wonder, to not be singularly responsible for the lives of four individuals? I'll be their mom for the rest of their lives, of course, but just the thought of not having to buy Finetti and shaving foam and hotdogs and Nido Junior, unless I wanted to, is quite a thrill. I'd probably end up sleeping till two in the afternoon, and I won't even be 50! Mwahahahaha Coolness!

Seriously, I can't wait!

Pregnant Pause

And so she goes to me: “How many months are you along?”

I am at the Pregnant Pause event of Urban Mom and I have never seen so many pregnant women in my life! Because it’s an affair exclusively for expectant moms, L naturally assumed I was pregnant as well. OK folks, I am not pregnant. Let’s not give my mom, who just got out of the hospital yesterday, a heart attack Mwahahahaha

Anyway, I love it that all these pregnant women were just blooming oh-so beautifully. Apart from being in such a happy and exciting phase in their lives, they were also dressed quite fashionably in clingy maxi-dresses that showed off their beautiful bellies and V-neck dresses that highlighted their gorgeous cleavages.

I love it that today’s pregnant women have embraced their burgeoning shapes, which is so unlike the time when I first got pregnant almost two decades ago. Back then, maternity dresses concealed rather than highlighted those curves. Pity! This maybe why I couldn't find any photograph of me pregnant. I must have thrown all those pictures away because I looked like a big fat blob in my maternity wear mwahahaha

Here, some snapshots courtesy of Mommy Mundo from that wonderful afternoon!




Rome asked a very simple question: When you start going on labor, where do you go? And you know what, for a couple of long seconds, nobody could answer her! Mwahahaha





Two of my favorite mommies, Janice and Rome





OK, that's me playing paparazzi. Notice anything? There were a lot of dads who came, which is such a delightful surprise!





Love her outfit, and her baby girl!





Love her dress and the way it clings to her curves





Another one of my favorite moms, Lexi, shares some advice to her fellow moms





Isn't it obvious what a blast we had?





I don't quite remember the joke, but I sure was trying hard not to laugh




... OK, can't help myself Mwahahahahaha





I blame my maxi-dress for the how-many-months-along-are-you question Mwahahahaha

Margaritas at Fred's

There was much laughter that night.

After months of not seeing each other, there we all were drinking margaritas and munching on bagnet. I'm turning 44 this month, so of course, the girls and I had to get together, catch up and celebrate. G talked about the highs and lows of running a pub. R told us of her Baby R's antics. P told us where Aga really is. D shared a bit of shoptalk and I shared some pictures of my latest adventures.




Fred's Revolucion, the pub that G owns with her partner D [who cooks!!], is a nice little speakeasy that reminds me of all those nights I spent drinking with my girlfriends. It's at Cubao X, which used to be Marikina Shop Expo and which is filled to the rafters with twenty-somethings. But no need to worry, Fred's ain't exactly for twenty-somethings. You won't find cheese sticks here (I think, if my alcohol-addled brain remembers right), instead they have whiskey and wine, and real food like bagnet and baboy ramo! Yes!





Taking a pause between bursts of wild laughter. J: G, I'm so glad you own this pub. Nobody's going to tell us to shut up. G: We can't get kicked out!





Last time D and I almost got silly drunk together was at her birthday party.





R was late because she had to drop off her daughter at her mom's place, but she more than made up for it with her crazy kuwentos. P couldn't even bring down her kubyertos for this photo, sarap kasi ng food!





OK, you'll see more of the food here. The thing that P just couldn't stop eating was Fred's version of Fish and Chips, cream dory in beer batter with lots of dilis! How's that for a combo?! Oh, and the potato chips were so good. I've only had a few of them, but when I looked at the plate, they were all gone! D was munching on them pala! D, another plate, pretty please!!





Had fun, girls! Mwah! Mwah! See you at Janylin's mwahahaha

Shoe Break!

I was in the middle of one of my editing sprees when Baby S went up to me with a pair of shoes: "Lula shoes! Lula put!" I tried putting them on--pink mary janes with glittery sequins--but her feet had already outgrown the pair. And so, I asked her to get another pair. Off she went, only to give me another pair, which she had also outgrown. One by one, we tried them on until we found a pair that fit. By then, we had five pairs lined up on the floor, and stressed out Lula decided it was time for a break, time for a little photo shoot with the camera-friendly babe. And here she is :)




Sophie jump!





Sophie pose!





Sophie dance!





Sophie is wearing her favorite elephant slippers. So many pink shoes--obviously her mom's favorite color Mwahahaha





Lula makes a guest appearance Bwahahaha

A Hair Story Part 2

You all know that my daughter has this thing about her hair. Well, finally, after years and years of doing all sorts of stuff to it, subjecting it to all sorts of treatments and other forms of "hair torture," she just let it go. A couple of weeks ago, she had her hair cut and let her curls run wild, and I must say that I like it. It looks good on her, don't you think? :)