Kwentong Canton

I realized that Rama was spending way too much time at her Papi's house after this exchange:

Me: Rama, I can make you brocolli tonight! Would you want that?
Rama: Can you make... pancit canton?

And from what I know of his household, the pancit canton there is more the Lucky kind.

Druggie?

After work, I go to the park to meet and pick up Rama. She was enjoying a cup of raspberry-flavored ice cone. She promptly offered me a taste.

Mommy, have some! It's yummy! Tastes like medicine!

Mr. Henry Sy...

Me: Rama, anong mas gusto, magkaroon ng wings para makalipad, o tail gaya ng mermaid?
Rama: Wings.
Me: 'Pag nagka-wings ka, sa'n ka naman pupunta?
Rama: Sa SM.

How Old Are You?

Ever since Rama could ask this question, I had been consistent in my reply. I always said I was 12 years old. And she never questioned that.

Recently, though, Rama challenged the truth of my statement.

Rama: Mommy, how old are you?
Me: Twelve.
Rama: Pa'no ka naging 12? Ryan (a friend) is 10. So, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10- ELEVEN! TWELVE! Malapit na siya maging adult?!

Or, another argument:

Rama: Pa'no ka naging 12? Eh di, nanganak ka 7 years old ka pa lang?

Laughing Over Buns

Last night at the dinner table, Rama asked, Can I say “butt”?

So is “butt” acceptable for dinner-table conversation? I thought so, so I said yes. (Earlier, I had pointed out that “utot” was impolite to say over a meal. Likewise “poop”)

Apparently, she wanted to share a bit of a memory.

Rama: Nu’ng sumakay kami ng airplane ni Mommy, binigay nu’ng Miss, tinapay na mukhang “butt.”

I had forgotten about that. It was on our flight from Manila to Toronto. We both had a good laugh about that bun. Funny what sort of things kids remember.

Whoa!

Here's Rama as a Springfield resident.

Thanks to www.simpsonizeme.com

She's Soooo Easy

Going to bed, I'm prepping Rama for the following day.

Me: Rama, tomorrow, we're going to do laundry, then lunch, then we'll take the subway, there's just one thing I have to do. And then after all that, we can do whatever you want. We can go to the zoo, the park - anything.
Rama: OK.

The following morning, upon waking up, she says, sleepily: Mommy, I don't want anything. We can do whatever YOU want.

She made no demands that day. I got to do all my errands. But when we found ourselves in H&M later in the day and she saw ballet slippers that she wanted to buy, she held me to my word.

Rama: Can I buy this?
Me: Today is just for looking, Rama. We're not getting anything.
Rama: But last night you said I can do whatever I want!
Me: I said we can DO whatever you want - not BUY whatever you want.
Rama: Oh. Ok.

I'm not sure what, exactly, but I must've done something right with this child.

Picture taken on her birthday this year at her school. She turned 5 last May.