Plants

Tonicci has one chore in our household. It's watering his 3 plants. Two of them were from what he planted in school. He planted the other one with our group of friends. Whenever I'd ask him to water his plants, he would drop everything he's doing and come rush to get the cup of water. So far, he's been doing a good job! Since  he doesn't have any siblings nor do we have any pets at home, this is my way of giving him some responsibility over something quite important.

Baking

I decided to make the boys some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. I asked Tonicci if he wanted to help me and he willingly obliged. He really is my best little helper!

Splash Pad!

It's hot in Toronto! We decided to beat the heat by taking Tonicci to the splash pad near our place. The water is a bit cold so after about 20 minutes, he gave up.  He doesn't seem to enjoy the water or swimming but I try hard to expose him anyway with the hope that he would learn to love it one day. :)

Happy Fathers Day Daddy!

Dear Daddy,

Thank you so much for all the patience, love and care that you give us each and every single day. Life here is a constant grind and the job doesn't just stop at your work place.  You are a father and a husband once you get home. "Me time" is a concept that you never get to have anymore (except when you do your exercise) and your weekends are comprised of chores, bringing me to my activities and  well, more chores :) You may complain that you are tired, fat and aging but we just want you to know that we appreciate everything that you do for us. The little time you have outside of work is never yours alone and we are so grateful that you are selfless enough to spend it with us, doing simple things that we will treasure forever.

Being a father takes sooo much patience, love and sacrifice. Despite all the hardships that we have been through as a family, you remain as our rock and strength.

We love you and Happy Fathers Day!!

Love,
Tonicci and Mommy

School Barbecue

Last Wednesday, Tonicci's school organized a barbecue to officially kick off summer. There were hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and drinks. Mayon's dad also organized interactive games for the kids to promote his Krudar Muay Thai gym.

Tonicci had tons of fun and we are just so happy to see him interacting with his friends in school and getting into the games and activities that the Krudar team organized.

Gymnastics Class

It's Tonicci's last day in gymnastics class and it will be his last session as well. He's been doing gymnastics since he was 2 1/2 years old. During that time, a parent/caregiver is supposed to accompany their child during the class to guide them because they would be too young . I remember how Tonicci was so unsure of himself on the balance beam, trampoline and the other obstacles. I also recall how he used to get so easily tired during the class, was so shy, and  how he didn't want to try out things that were new to him.

We kept on enrolling him season after season and I must say gymnastics class has helped him with his endurance, strength, coordination and learning to share the space with other children. When he turned 4, he could start walking for longer than usual with little or no complaints. He listens to instructions well. He learned the concept of sharing and taking turns. He became less cautious and his confidence was just so evident. Of course, a lot of other things contributed to this but I always felt that gymnastic class really harnessed all those positive elements.

Among those who are close to him, Tonicci is perceived to be someone who is a bundle of pure kinetic energy. In larger social settings, he tends to clam up. On that last day of class, as I watched him do all the work/exercises, I couldn't help but feel so proud of the little confident boy that he has become. The once shy and timid boy has finally come out of his shell :) Proud of you, love!

Parenting Center

It's really been a while since we last went to the Parenting Center nearby. Things have really changed in the past 6 months. For one, Shelly - the coordinator of all the activities is no longer around. In her place now is a new girl named Zara. Tonicci used to LOVE going there. There was story and music time, snack program and all the kids can play with all the toys and read the books that are available. All of that for FREE!. It's the place where we practically met all our friends here in Toronto. During this visit, we happened to bump into Adelle, who was there with her new baby brother.

as usual, Tonicci built something using the blocks

Past pictures of Tonicci at the Parenting Center:

we miss Shelly so much- she was my go-to person when I needed advice and parenting tips during those difficult times with Tonicci

Outdoor Soccer

Tonicci loves playing soccer! Now that we are gearing up for the summer, we decided to enroll him at Sportball's outdoor soccer program. It's a 1 hour class and unlike the indoor program, parents can watch on the sidelines while their kids play.

It's such a relief that Tonicci is enjoying different kinds of sports. It wasn't like this before. I remember putting him in a sports pack program when he was 2 1/2 years old and he absolutely hated it! He did not follow directions and he ended up doing his own thing- which often times resulted in tantrums. Fast forward to today, we can't believe how much he has grown and changed. The best part is, he really is having fun :)