First Word

I'm soooo ecstatic!

Last night, I witnessed a milestone in one of my babies' lives!

Luisa, my niece, spoke her first word at only Four Months and Three Days Old!!!

And her first words? "Mama!!!"

Wow!

This happened while we (the Philippine-based Corpin Clan) had our Christmas Party at Tita Fides' house. We were all gathered in the Living Room waiting for the games to start. Ate Mhin, Luisa's mom, was holding her while my sister was playing with Luisa. Then, just out of nowhere, Luisa said "Mama!"

We were all surprised! She's just turned 4 Months Old, but she already spoke her first word! She's just so advanced, that kid!

Actually, Luisa can already do things that babies aged 6 to 8 Months are doing! Luisa can already lift and hold her head. She can now roll on her belly, without any help. She's already trying to crawl. And... Most astonishing of all... She can already stand up (with support, of course)!!! Next thing I'll know, she'll be running around with her big brother, Matthew!

Well, I wouldn't really be so surprised if she does her Alphabets before reaching her 1st Birthday. Matthew can already identify the Alphabets and Numbers (from 1-10), imitate animal sounds (horses, monkeys, dogs, cows, cats, etc.), and he already communicates well. And that he can do at only a year old!

Sigh... I'm so proud of my little angels! They're so intelligent and advanced in their mental growth!

And I congratulate my Ate and her husband, Ernest, for feeding their kids with a lot of information and imagination!

I can't wait to see what other developments will happen in these next few days!

Down Memory Lane

My Pretty friend, Tin, tagged me a long time ago, but I had absolutely no time to answer.

So now that I do have time, let me post my reply.

10 Years Ago...
My siblings and I went on our First Trip to the United States... Unaccompanied! Saw and reconnected with our cousins, got to go around the US (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Nevada, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York).

5 Years Ago...
Graduated from College (De La Salle University-Manila) and left for the United States for some R&R and some work on the side.

1 Year Ago...
Started working for American Express-Membership Travel Services. Had my first nephew, Jude Matthew. Started Blogging.

Yesterday...
Woke up. Cooked some Pork Chops. Watched some telly. Called my Mom in the US. Took a bath. Drove my brother to Makati. Drove me and my sister to the Reflections Concert of Regine Velasquez.

Today...
Ate dinner at ChowKing Vito Cruz with some of the RVF. Drove my friends to EDSA-Ayala. Picked-up my brother from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Greenbelt 3. Drove ourselves home. Called my Mom in the US. Called my Cousin Liezl in the US (to ask for Chocolate Truffles! Hahaha!). Blogged. Will go to sleep. Will take a bath. Will pick-up some Meds my Mom was asking for. Will pick up my nephew and niece. Go shopping with my Babies, my Brother, my cousin, and the Nanny. Go to our Family's Christmas Party. Will take another bath. Will take my nephew, niece, cousin and the Nanny home. Will go to work.

Tomorrow...
Will go home and sleep! Bwahahahaha!

Reflections

Just got back from Regine Velasquez's Concert, Reflections, a few hours ago. It was okay. It was one of the few times I had guffawed my arse off! Ai-Ai De Las Alas is really THE BOMB!

I won't say I didn't enjoy it. The music from the '80s was really refreshing. I loved the English songs, since I've grown up hearing them. I did, however, had a ho-hum time during the Filipino Medleys, since I am utterly unfamiliar with them. But, overall, it wasn't bad. Worth the PhP 1,500.00 I shelled out, and then some.

I must admit, I used to be a crazed Regine Velasquez groupie. Yes, my friends, a G-R-O-U-P-I-E. An over-zealous fan. Some of my friends even thought I was obsessed. (Well, they haven't met the RVF! Lol!). I was almost everywhere Regine was. Tapings, shootings, what not.

That was until a year ago. Some things are better left unsaid, but let me just say that it was worth everything I went through. It made me see what other "certified," "zealous," "devoted," and "fervent" fanaticals still refuse to see. They fail, nay, refuse, to realize that Regine Velasquez is just a person... A person, like all of us.

I still admire her tenacity, her drive, her willfulness in her career. She has withstood every single trial in her life, and has taken them in with a grain of salt. She continues to conquer her every endeavor and does not boast about it. Her inner humility is the flicker of light that keeps me in awe of her.

But she is not the only person I admire to have such qualities.

Because of everything that happened to me last year, I was able to see a broader perspective of life. Put focus on my priorities. I was able to develop more as a person.

Steve Green, a Contemporary Christian Artist, who has inspired me and my fellow Youth Ministry members, had a song, which is very appropriate with how I now view all the things, in the past year, that used to burden and hurt me. The song was entitled, The Refiner's Fire, and let me share with you the Chorus of the song that really touched my life.

The Refiner's fire
Has now become my souls desire
Purged and cleansed and purified
That the Lord be glorified
He is consuming my soul
Refining me, making me whole
No matter what I may lose
I choose the Refiner's fire

Maybe you guys are thinking, "What the heck does this have to do with Regine?"

Well folks, let's just say I was burned badly by being myself in the world of fanaticism. That burning, served as my "Refiner's Fire" -- God's Message to me. It made me see everything in a different light, and it gave me the hunger and drive to be a better person... A Better ME, outside of being a Groupie.

Now, I can say that I'm doing a little better at work; Blessed to have beautiful babies (Cousin Izabella, Nephew Matt and Niece Luisa) who I love; At peace with myself; Having personal plans that, with God's help, will soon unfold.

I don't have any regrets at all. I was being myself all the time. But I think, God wants me to be the same person, if not better, to other people. And I know, God will continue to mold and shape me, without removing who I really am.

Because God Loves ME for ME.