It’s all ABCs and 123s and colours of the rainbow at home. Santino is very good at aping his sister – “red, owange, leyo and blue” and I could not help but laugh. I know a model parent should be encouraging but I am. I just couldn’t help laughing at the crazy antics the kids are prone to stage, the same way that I cannot help myself from cursing out loud when I get excited. Well, the kids, they take it as a sign that nothing should be taken seriously, even one’s self.

Beauty and Brains.
I make it a conscious effort to make my kids value intelligence over attractiveness. For very young minds, it is so easy to be moulded by the prevalent thinking of putting so much weight on physical appearance. In this age where vanity is a celebrated status, the TV, the Internet, the Barbie dolls and just about everywhere you look, you get bombarded with “beauty is a must. “ And as I cannot screen all external stimuli, I have to rally my own defences and that is by way of reinforcements. Praises and prizes for good school work.

Una came home the other day with additional note on her diary – an instruction for making a sash. She was appointed the muse of their class for the Sports Fest. When I drilled her, I must have sounded like a Nazi interrogator for she was so scared to tell me that someone told her she is the prettiest in class. I got the juicier details from her Aunt.

I wanted to raise a geeky daughter but if this is what I get, then a sash I will make. I unearthed my old crafty self and proceeded to raid the hobby stores.

And the sash it is. And Una came up to me to thank me and confirmed - “Muse ko kay bright ko?”

It’s Saturday and the malls are calling us — “Come to my arms you poor miserly loves. Your plastics are most welcome.” We head out to the nearest mega structure, Market! Market! in Fort Bonifacio. The first consumables that greeted us were cars and gym equipments.

I tried this and that and in the end, decided that the stripped-down version of the StairMaster is the best for my bulges. We headed to the ATM and on our way decided to check out other shops and lo! They have the same equipment at 25% less than the price.

The frenzy that ensued — we tried a dozen or so equipment and noted the degree of strain on our muscles. In the end, we were both too frustrated and hungry that we ended in a pizzeria and gorged ourselves. That is gustatory exercise and straining the abdominal muscles with food.

I heard Belo dropped their liposuction rates that is, if you are brave enough for another incision. Because I am not.