The Three Trees Presentation

Zaki and the rest of the Bridge School kids had their Christmas presentation last week, a play entitled, The Three Trees.

To say that all parents (and grandparents) were excited would be an understatement. There were lots of singing and two Beatles' songs in there, too. Zaki and the rest of the Younger Pre-school kids sang, Georgies' Here Comes the Sun and All You Need is Love.

And yes, it's alright.

Grainy vid below. Would love to see other vids since there were plenty jockeying for space to get their shots off. Paging other parents who have awesome vids of the show.



Some pics here and more vids, too.

A Few Hours from Now ...

It has been a really busy week already at Morph Labs and at the same time with all the preparations for the school's Christmas' presentation. Nevertheless, it looks to be fun even if we're a bit late with handing out the gifts to the other kids and missing a few ones still for tomorrow is gonna be the last day.

Strange to hear Zaki asking me a a bunch of times if I'm coming to watch her presentation - last one while she was almost half asleep. Must be because for the longest time - 4 days, I wasn't the one bringing her to school and instead went to office earlier (and coming home late even) and adding to the transgression, even missing her birthday party :)

Also got a 'luv u daddy' from her twice this evening. Sob. Lots of making up to do ...

Love you, too Zaki!

Thankful for Another Dec 8 Birthday!

I do admit that there are times when it just gets so difficult writing week after week. Not that there are no special things to speak of nor shout about but it must be the grind that is getting to me coupled with my health not cooperating as it had in the past. This isn't exactly how blogging should be for me (and this is exactly where the paths diverge between revered journalists and people such as myself).

Yet today is a special day! Zaki is turning four (or as she pronounces, "foy").

Year three was a blast (as we got blasted, too). School, being on TV and just everyday being terrible! But at least we get to leave her now with her yaya for the first time in her life and still be fine.

Hopefully, her fourth year will be nothing short of fantastic! [Dad promises to be better; too much of a grouch this year I admit and really sorry for it]

Here's some pics taken from my cellphone to celebrate the last few days of her as a twee year old! Just in case your memory fails you, PacMan won yesterday against Dela Hoya but it doesn't mean that punching people is right!

Pagbibigay Salamat [Thanksgiving!]

No turkey, to dress-ups, no sit down dinners. No problem.

I've a lot to be thankful for -- like being able to wake up each day with wit intact and with body that is still able to follow mental commands. In short, I'm alive!

But what good is it to be alive...

Good thing, I've got 1 perfectly good reason....

Hope I always remember

Shame on them

Dang, idiot box.

Just one more proof that you just can't put your trust on traditional media. They simply don't get it.

Dads got a lot of explaining to do but this time, we'll just have to do it one person at a time, beginning and ending with Zaki.

[I know Dad's list of misdeeds and offenses just got longer but if it's any consolation, Zaki, you may want to read this in the future]

Flashes

In full Flash regalia, almost daily!

It has been awhile since I posted something about Zaki. So far, she has been attending school the whole morning 5 days a week and the only problem we have is that she doesn't wake up as early for us to be relaxed driving to school. Usually, it's a 20 minute drive and she wakes up just 15-20 minutes before we leave in a huff.

She doesn't take a bath anymore (splash baby cologne instead, yeah). What I do is give her a sponge bath, wash her hands and legs then quickly put some pants or skirt on her. The skirt or shirt is something we put on as we're parked somewhere near the school already. In case you see a shirtless kid on a car, with a driver in front, that's us.

A full 2 or 3 hours before she wakes up, I'm already up doing some web work. And I do take a bath before we leave for school. The difficult part is that now, after school, I go to the office and travel for at least 2 hours one way. It has taken a toll on my health but then it might just be adjustment problems on my part as I take the challenge of walking distances and climbing stairs on my way to ride the elevated rails with what seems a ton of a backpack. The earliest I arrive home is around 10 pm and I guess I'm really spent. Been coughing for almost 3 weeks now and I can say I am a true Filipino now that I may have developed Tuberculosis.

She likes Michael Jackson but since we don't have a red jacket...

Zaki and Leriz as well as our househelp, Tere has gotten to spend moments together ever since I leave the house regularly and that is something worth praising and quite a development. I still do give the early morning medicines for Zaki before I go and even feed her for lunch but more and more, she has gotten accustomed to me not being on her side all day.

Though mentally, I am and will always be. (But my, how she has grown and often still eats her 2nd dinner daily with me when I get home. Takaw!)

Zaki at School

Much delayed videos of 'silly' Zaki at school with classmates. Teacher says that she always tries to be funny. I think she got it from mum.

Beef Stew, Woohoo.

Pool at Bridge School (now pool of tears, mine and Zaki's)

It's third week of school and Zaki doesn't seem to be excited attending classes already. So far. she's missed 3 days already. I'm bummed out and can't help think it's all my fault.

She had a great first week until I had to fly to Cebu and mess the routine. The 2nd week, when I was away, teacher said that she demanded to go out after snacks and take her meds which I usually give except I'm not around that time. That's when trouble began and she wasn't too happy in school since. Saw it myself when I came back and took her to school that Friday and she was crying her lungs out the whole morning, I mean more than 3 hours with 4 different teachers trying to comfort her and all the while she was mumbling and pointing to me outside saying, "daddy". Excruciating.

I guess she felt betrayed and could be that she was fearful I'd leave her suddenly again.

Strangeways, here we come.

What's with the title? When you ask her what's the name of her school, instead of Bridge School, I'm sure it's what I'm hearing.

School Dazed

'Twas Zaki's first day at school. Look how excited she is :(

No need to point out who's more excited than the kids and the teachers.

More pics to come as soon as I get over it.

Puzzles

If there ever was something Zaki could do that really amazes us (besides her sharp memory for people's names, new wave music & DC and Marvel comic book characters), it's solving puzzles.

Posted a few videos which I took on a hot summer afternoon. Really. Although, both kid and dad do have penchant for looking skimpy at home:-) Our way of saving soap and water for laundry.

Spidey



Pooh Part 1

Wait till she learns to master two 50-pc Justice League puzzles we bought her. She's almost done with it and on her way to really piece those without much help. Look for Part 2 of her Pooh puzzle video and another surprise one on stating her identity on Youtube

Pensive

IMG_0551,
originally uploaded by Zakishymn.

Zaki looking pensive when in reality what being with her is - EXpensive. No worries, though - she being with us is more than enough payment!

Duyan

IMG_0561,
originally uploaded by Zakishymn.

Lying in the 'duyan' or hammock is one thing people won't be able to get too much off. Maybe it's the outdoor feeling of being care-free is what we normally associate with or maybe, it's because we all secretly long to feel like babies again.

(Unfortunately, they had to take this duyan down after a few days to give way to something more pleasurable to them: drinking tables and benches made of 'kawayan'. Zaki and I dig those, too)

Almost 6 Months Too Late (but what the heck)

There was a time when things weren't really going for us back then when Zaki was born. Still, we had to find sources of strength, hope and inspiration in nearly all places we laid our eyes and mind on. Fortunately, we found those both offline and online.

Having friends, relatives, loved ones and medical personnel for support and help did get us through a lot. And never did I discount the possibility of music to soothe our aching selves. And as if on cue, I was able to find my way back to the Pale Fountains and to a sanctuary where people who were likewise touched by Monsieur Head's music kept the flame of a certain musical taste we could all relate to, alive.

Oh, how I deeply regret not being able to give my timely appreciation last December. Just so that I will always remember their kind words which I failed to acknowledge properly because of Eedious. Shameful.

"Zaki, call them Dad's kindred souls". Boss that.

Shacknet.

Thank you for the way ...

Appeal for CAH kids

Been having a really hectic week and going about completing Zaki's requirements before he gets officially enrolled in school this June.

But now to more important matters.

Just so you might know, Zaki and about 80 other kids who suffer from CAH need daily medications in order to live. Zaki takes two kinds of those daily and like the others would have to take the medicines for the rest of her life to be able to control the negative effects brought about by having this condition.

Unfortunately, those medicines are not available for sale in the Philippines. But thanks to kind souls, we get to receive donations of these medicines and distribute them under the support group which I am a part of.

For about a month now, we've ran out of hydrocortisone and too bad, our order from the local affiliates who we are working with, still isn't available. Zaki's stocks are also quite few and we cannot afford to lend some as what we've done earlier this year. As a result, most kids (who belong to families who live well below the necessary comforts) are now put under risk and are forced to take substitute steroids which doesn't have the same positive effect.

And now comes the really troubling part.

Our friends have already responded quickly to the appeal and sent out medicines through a courier. Unfortunately, owing to some quirks of not being exactly the same department or division but still under DHL, the courier is asking we pay an outrageously huge amount for the tax unlike in the past where we have been given exemption after presenting the required documents.

Despite an appeal that the medicines are strictly for indigents and patients, the contact person wouldn't budge and remains solidly behind payment and not working out a compromise. Now, it's really not just about money. It would be easier to pay but why should we if we think we are justified in what we are asking and besides the money could be very well spent buying additional medicines.

And so the problem persists at the expense of kids with CAH.

If you have an idea on what step we need to take, please share.

Owe you forever if you could help.

First Plane Ride - Cebu Trip

First Plane Ride - Cebu Trip,
originally uploaded by Zakishymn.

If only keeping those seatbelts fastened were as easy as sending photo posts from Flickr. Haaayyy.

Makin' Up

It has been 2 months ago since I've posted something here. Blame it on several factors such as work, uhhhmm ... work and work. But really, it is not as though we never had enough good times with Zaki during the past months. On the contrary, Zaki had a couple of first experiences - first time to meet cousins from the US, first time to ride a bike and just a few weeks ago, her first plane ride. Enough said, here are the pics which paint a thousand words.

With cousin Gabby

At my Lola's house in Silang

Where's the other photos? Just head over and view them at Flickr

Floppy-socked kid

It never fails to get my attention the moment I see something that bears his name. Every time.

All this time I wasn't sure what the attraction was; maybe it is the wizardry or maybe the sport. But seeing this photo made me realize it was something else....

It was like as he was playing to world adulation, he wasn't really there. His eyes betray he was somewhere else - searching for answers.

The Pistol.

Yes, Zaki. Mr. Maravich's life captivates Dads. Almost a year ago, too.

Maybe next year, Mr. Kriegel would send me a complimentary book.

2008

Just a couple of pics I took of Zaki via my camera phone. Ain't that bad, don't you think ...
See if you can spot her mummy ...

One and the same

Looking over at the image at the top of this blog would give you an inkling of two things I'm really passionate about. Can you guess what those two are? Yes, graphics and transparency. Makes sense but no....

Read for clues here.

Recession fears

There are times when news certainly brings you down. More than Heath's death, there are some things that are equally painful to hear. Like this one from, sigh, Yahoo! Of all companies!

Came across this great article (really!) on things to do in case you lose your job this year. Or if you care about finding one.

One more thing. It would be easy to say that we all should "live within our means", but I do believe it's true (however difficult). Here's a nice article on care of personal finances, as recession sure seems just about here already.

Last Night. Lost Knight. Dark Knight.

Last night. Zaki just cajoled me again into buying her a new 'Dark Knight' (circa Batman Begins) figure amidst the surprised looks from the salesladies at SM who kept offering her princess' items and other cute characters instead. Never thought Heath would bring a whole new meaning to the item and the day past.

Lost Knight. Ledger appeared as a Knight, remember? But simply brilliant in Brokeback Mountain!

Dark Knight. After Spidey and Silver Surfer: Fantastic Four, Zaki and I had reason to be excited watching a movie again soon that we've repeatedly watched the new trailers available. Snicker, cackle, maniacal laugh and all.

[Joker] "Let's put a smile in that face of yours!'

Sob.

Buy, bye

One of the few words, albeit annoying, that Zaki has already mastered. And taking the cue from her, upon seeing this news, Buy!

Reminded me of 'Finding Neverland'. Great movie while Zaki loved the theme.

Bless Krispy Kreme, Go Nuts Donuts + Gatorade

No offense to Dunkin Donuts (my wife and I do love Bavarian!), but I really need to extend our gratitude to Krispy Kreme, Go Nuts Donuts and Zaki's official beverage aside from milk in times of trouble, Gatorade (Tropical Fruit Flavor?/ Red one) for keeping her up the week after she got out from the hospital.

You see even though she looked quite well by Christmas day already, Zaki still was having watery stools for about 5 more days upon checking out of the hospital. She wasn't eating and was complaining of aching tummy - although stool exams were negative. Good thing she kept eating Donuts and drinking Gatorade. It saved all of us the horror of having her put on IV again and more importantly abetting any CAH related crisis. Slowly, she finally felt really good by the New Year. So were we.

Uhmm, one other thing. Prayers did help, too.