Her firsts at 4

I know I told myself I would prefer that Laila doesn't follow my career path. Journalism is a messy, unpredictable, energy-consuming career that leaves one little energy and time for anything else. (That is to be distinguished from my desire of wanting her to learn to value and take pride in hard work.)

But I wanted her close so badly that I took her with me to a press conference.

This is her at the main briefing room at the defense department. She insisted on sitting at the table where every other reporter is sitting. She also wanted to speak on the mic (and this is where I put my foot down).

As is customary practice, there was an ambush interview after the press con. Laila insisted in being in the middle of the small crowd that huddle a health department official talking about the swine flu.

She obviously thoroughly enjoyed herself.

But what really melted my heart was when she approached me during the presscon, right after I fielded a question, and told me that I did good. She was looking straight into my eyes when she said it. She looked so sincere and I could just eat her up.

For this little girl, I would do anything, be anything.









Here are a few other 'firsts' now that she's 4 years old. (Who says a baby's firsts are all experienced in her first year.)




The statue is that of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo that guards the parade grounds in Camp Aguinaldo. While walking to the gate from DND, Laila saw the lush green grass and just had to have a romp around. This is just my second time to sit and relax in front of the statue.






This is her first swim at the Cambridge pool. Behind her is Kuya John who had as much a good time as she.

Smart Alec

Daddy Cat and Laila had a father-daughter date last Friday before they picked me up from the office.

As a treat, they both got new toys--Laila bought a stuffed brown Basset Hound while Daddy Cat got a new GI Joe action figure. Laila was excitedly telling me about it as we drove out from the office driveway.

And then she decided she wanted to sit with me in the front seat.

For months now we've been training her to sit at the back. One, because she's grown too heavy to sit on my lap for too long a time and, two, because The Bump is growing too big for me to fit in the front seat by myself.

So anyways, Laila was insisting to sit on my lap, and Daddy Cat was dissuading her.

Daddy Cat: You have a new toy and kids with new toys sit at the back.

Laila: You have a new toy and you sit in front.

Daddy Cat: I'm driving, that's why I sit in front.

Laila (pretending to hold a steering wheel): I'm driving too.

I couldn't help but praise her for knowing how to reason out. It's proof she's processing her thoughts. :)

But, as she grows up, I really should teach her how to be less irreverent though. If I'd said something similar to my parents I'd get a smacking for sure.

But I've always been irreverent of authority myself, to the dismay of the Lolo (bless his soul) and the Lola, who still do not know where they went wrong in raising me.

Nephew Utoy is as much a smart alec. I used to warn Ate that she ought to learn how to control him, because smart retorts are cute coming form a 2 year old, but not from a 10 year old.

I have half a decade more to train Laila :)