Existential Questions at 4, and then some

Sleepy and exhausted, I had to grapple with questions from Rama. A couple of exchanges.
The following may contain language unsuitable for young audiences. Parental Guidance is advised.

Rama: Ayokong tumanda.
Me: Buti na lang, tagal pa nu'n.
Rama: Mamamatay ba ako?
Me: Oo, anak. Lahat ng tao mamamatay.
Rama: Ayokong mamatay. Kaya ayokong tumanda. Ikaw, matanda ka na ba?
Poch: Medyo. Pero hindi pa ako mamamatay.
Rama: OK.

Rama: Di ba ang baby galing sa puday ng mommy?
Me: Oo.
Rama: Masakit ba?
Me: Oo.
Rama: Ayokong magka-baby.
Me: Pwede namang hindi.
Rama: Eh pag nagka-dugo ako sa puday, magkakaroon na ako ng baby!
Me: Hindi pa, kailangan pa rin ng boyfriend or husband. Guy na magiging papi.
Rama: Ayokong magka-boyfriend.

Rama As Foodie (and Wino)

THAT is a Veuve Clicquot. In December '05, we chanced upon Westin KL's Sunday brunch (fabulous- queue at the buffet ONLY for starters; for the main dishes, the chefs bring them to your table and serve you! I can still taste the shrimp tortellini...) Anyhoo, this was Rama's first taste of champagne. Sarap daw. What a lush.
Here's another amazing thing about Rama- her food preferences go beyond kiddie spaghetti. Of course she likes the usual things, like chicharon or balat ng Chickenjoy. But! Just a random list of stuff she likes - with a passion:
1. Brocolli.
2. Capers. (She picks capers from dishes, like when she sees them on pizza. Or, once, we were having dinner at a friend's, she just wandered into the kitchen. As the pasta was just being plated, she plucks a caper from one of the plates!)
3. Black Olives. Pinapapak.
4. Romaine lettuce. She often gets a leaf from my plate and just nibbles away.
5. Asparagus
6. Chicken Masala. I was worried when we took her to an Indian place for lunch, but she ate the masala with gusto. And stuffed her face with nan.
7. Black Olives. Oh, have I mentioned Black Olives?
8. Manchego and Queso de Bola ("kapatid ng Manchego"). Manchego is her favorite. Woe, we have managed to turn her into a cheese snob. I hear reports that in other homes, she won't touch the Edens of this world. Sigh. Mahal ito.
9. Baby carrots
10. Raw celery
11. Okra. Shoot, not even I like okra.
12. Fondue. Chocolate, of course. (Though she hasn't tried the cheese. Hmmm) She'll teach you how, if you look like you're fumbling. Don't make the mistake of casually asking her what she wants for dinner. Fondue yan. With the correct pronunciation - fon doo!
13. Suman. She can live on budbud kabug.
14. Pesto.

I heard from my sibs that at their place, she was leafing through recipe books. Maybe it was for lack of alternatives, but I'd like to think that she's getting into food. Seriously.

Anti-Disney!

Injured - Part 1

This is the first installment of a 3-part series of Rama's ER adventures.
Asian Hospital. Rama got a nursemaid's elbow. So-called because it's common among kids with yayas who yank them into place! At least that's how i remember the descripton. But she got it while hanging from the stair's railing. She wouldn't move it! No crying, just lack of mobility. So troop to Asian. Guess who the ER doctor is? Dr. JP, a cousin of mine. A very not-bad-looking cousin. This wasn't lost on Rama, who was charmed into raising her arm and allowing The Good Doctor to, well, re-insert the elbow in its socket. And not a word of protest from Rama. After, ang comment: gwapo niya, no? So she goes home in this sling and prescriptions for pain. And a new crush.
This goes for all her injuries - Rama is such a brave, uncomplaining child. Even when doctors say she is supposed to be hurting, all we notice is that she isn't moving the part that's injured. She will joke and play as usual. What a trooper!

Can't Fool Her

One kulitan session with Tita Hon and Me-ann.
Tita Hon: Sino ang maganda?
All of us raise hands. Me-ann raises hands. Rama protests. They have a love-hate thing going, don't ask.
Tita Hon: Sino ang payatot? Mataba? etc, and so the game goes. Until we get to, sino ang maputi?
All of us raise hands. Me-ann too. Rama pulls her arm down.
Me-ann, turning her fore-arm, to show a fair spot: Eto o, maputi.
Rama: Hindi, light lang yan.

Yes, hija, lighting is everything....

What is it with you and toilets?

Rama has a thing with toilets. Any new place we go into, within the first five minutes, she will ask to go to the bathroom. Once there, she doesn't just do her business - she checks it out. Whether the toilet seat bangs down (the one at home doesn't - neat feature makes it slow down upon descent!), whether there is an exhaust fan, how strong the water pressure in the sink is, the walls (in TOSH, she noted that they had bricks, just like a wall at home). And she is always generous with her comments - laki ng CR, ganda, ay liit, ganda ng light, etc etc.
In another banyo, she was told, bubuhusan na natin ang banyo (coz walang flush). Rama corrects the adult - Hindi banyo, toilet yan, dapat sinabi mo, toilet...

Di Mo Na Kailangan Mag-office!!!

Rama's school is a short drive away from home. So is my office. So we usually have lunch together, whether out or at home. After lunch, Rama will always ask, oi, may office ka pa ba?
And always, of course, I will have to go back to work. Many reasons are valid and acceptable - my friends are there... the things I love to do are at the office... (all healthy reasons for working, yes?). Inevitably, one of the reasons has to be, really, to have money. Para may pera tayo.
Cut to.
At home, we have a small box, repository of loose change. All 1 peso coins. (The tens and fives go in a piggy/doggy bank each, but that's another post). So Rama comes to me, holding the box, saying, "Mommy, hindi mo na kailangan mag-work! Ang dami na nating pera!!!"
Wish lang natin, bottomless yan noh!
So, our mini-stop funds come from this box. As she witnesses the slow but steady depletion of funds, the easier it is for her to understand that, indeed, mom's gotta go to work!

I Heart Pio

Pio is Rama's crush, if that is at all possible at four and a half. It first manifested itself as a random comment: "Nagwagwapuhan ako kay Pio..."
Yesterday, when we picked her up, Rama excitedly points out, "Tignan mo, ang ganda ng color ng jacket ni Pio!!!" (It was orange.) Teacher Nikki also said that during romp time, Rama made a point of playing in the House, where Pio was: "Dito ako, malapit kay Pio, para makita ko sya..."
Or, practicing writing letters at home, Rama will ask, "Pa'no spell name ni Pio?" And proceeds to write it.
Afraid.

Alam Ko Lahat... Not!

Rama is at this stage where she replies "Alam Koh!" to EVERYTHING.
Me: Ayaw mong ipatong ang paa mo sa table, Rama.
Rama: Alam koh!

Teacher: Rama, what letter is this?
Rama: silence
Teacher: Letter L, right?
Rama: Alam koh!

So one time, after a similar exchange:
...
Rama: Alam koh!
Me: Meron ka bang hindi alam?
Pause.
Rama: Ano ang tagalog ng aircon?

haylovet.