Happy New Year from M. Proust

In an unscheduled book-browse a week ago, I had found How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton. I have not read Proust, but I had bookmarked De Botton on my Ted Talks favorites and I grabbed it when I saw his name. This book turns out to become a Christmas and New Year surprise gift sent from Above.

It was the perfect read to kick-off 2010 - with chapters titled How to Suffer Successfully (the title alone made me laugh!), How to Express your Emotions and How to Take Your Time. All good, but my favorites are How to be a Good Friend, How to Open Your Eyes and How to Put Books Down. De Botton made me think and laugh and have a meaningful Saturday afternoon with a light, easy read. Chapter titles notwithstanding, this is not some cheesy self-help book though. Can anything that references Proust be cheesy?

It took 37 years, but original Nona will be happy that

I'm finally going to pick up In Search of Lost Time.

Oh and, Marcel Proust himself gives an explanation to one of my own "maladies" of sometimes preferring the company of books to people, certain people at least. Apparently, this is okay and not weird at all, but that yes, at a certain point we must put our books down. Because, sorry this is kind of a spoiler, but I have to say, Proust will not change your life. You will.

I will. So, this year I will be more accepting of myself. Also, adjust my expectations of others. It was a relevant reminder as the holidays did highlight some strange and not-so-kind behavior from certain-personalities-who-need-not-be-named.

But in life there is always some bad, so I should really not complain. We are not entitled to perfect lives and people treating us perfectly all the time! That's me being Proustian and opening my eyes, and it's only day 3 of year 2010. The point is I am grateful to be blessed with much, much more of the good than the bad. There is a chapter called How to be Happy in Love, and I will toot my own horn (it is a new year) to say that I have that down pat. See photo....

Bragging rights. Happiness in Love achieved.

Thank you to those who blessed the start of our 2010 with their warm wishes... and to the constant cheerleaders who add to the good. You know who you are. Now I say... happy new year to ME!

2010 Here We Come!

2009... what a year. Whew! I am making peace with the heartache and frustration that came along with it. Goodbye! But more importantly, thank you to the year-that-was for the many good memories and lessons learned. And for the blessings. Lots of blessings.

Hopes and wishes are on my mind as we run up to January 1. So here's another video mishmash filed for the kids to look back on, and a reminder for them that... you are always loved. At the very least by your so-mushy, very-needy mama who asks for too many hugs and gives too many sniff-kisses.

Passers-by, see if you can spot your face or the face of a loved one in here....

2010 Here We Come! from Nikka Santos on Vimeo.

To those who pass by this little part of cyberspace and who generously share their thoughts... thank you for making us feel like we're not alone. See you in 2010. We're going to rock it!

Dear Santa

Tato has mailed his letter:

Mak has made his list (and checked it twice!):

Christmas is finally here. That was fast.

You could say I was one of the lucky ones. I knew Santa. I shared priceless moments with him once a year, every year, for about a decade. The scene was always the same. A party at my grandparents' home with family, friends of family, and friends of friends of family. Typical party fare, the usual chit-chat with the not-so-usual special guest. Sometime in the middle of merry-making there'd be whispers that Santa's bell was just heard from a distance. There'd be a hush in the room and I would get butterflies in my stomach. The excitement too much for someone so little.

Check out the look on the kid's face. That's BigBro behind shocked kid looking pretty star-struck too

As the sound of the bell clanging would get louder and louder, our grins would grow wider and wider. Santa's "helpers" would open the garage gate and there he'd be. What a vision, I tell you. Snow in his boots, trademark white beard, sacks filled with presents, a twinkle in his eyes and the sweetest smile you ever saw. I could have sworn I knew those eyes and smile from somewhere.

Santa and me (at 2 years old). That's oh-so-glamorous original Nana having a holiday drink, by the way.

Some years later when a certain grown-up-who-gave-birth-to-me slipped big time and told me a little bit more about Santa than I cared to ever know, I became his helper. I was suddenly the little elf with the big job and the biggest secret. I still got butterflies in my gut when he came. The excitement still a tad much for someone not-so-little.

Finally Santa's helper. That's me in the white dress taking my job a little too seriously.

Santa and LilBro. BigBro and a buddy in the background being Santa's elves

Dear Santa, I wish the Mak-Tatos get the chance to know you the way I did. I wish my dear old Abuelo (who always had to rush out suddenly for work those afternoons) could have met you. You would have gotten along brilliantly. And I wish you got my letter thanking you for the memories.

Wishing you and your families another Christmas filled with beautiful memories.

Charlie's Christmas

Nothing like the melancholy, introspective Charlie to make us think about the essence of the season. It was Linus who gave the speech, but it was Charlie's emotional upheaval that led to the Christmas epiphany for the entire Peanuts gang. Watched A Charlie Brown Christmas with the kiddos this morning. Bear thinks Lucy "shouldn't be so mad all the time" but how can you not be amused by this precocious girl?

Lucy: I know how you feel about all this Christmas business, getting depressed and all that. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really want. I always get a lot of stupid toys or a bicycle or clothes or something like that.

Charlie: What is it you want?

Lucy: Real estate.

From Lucy to Snoopy and Sally... Charlie bemoans how no one gets that it is so depressing how commercialized Christmas has become and how it brings out the gimme-gimme sense of entitlement in people. The poor guy also thinks Christmas emphasizes that no one likes him.

Charlie: Thanks for the Christmas card you sent me Violet.

Violet: I didn't send you a Christmas card, Charlie Brown.

Charlie: Don't you know sarcasm when you hear it?

Oh Charlie... I always feel like giving you a hug. But it's Christmas after all, so Charles Schulz gives us the gift of a happy ending and lifted spirits.

I have to add, there's nothing like decorating our tree at home while playing that classic Vince Guaraldi soundtrack in the background. Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!

Saving the Day

While Bear was expertly building things over there, we engaged in some piecing together and stitching of a different sort over here. It was quite a day. To say the least. Early this morning while dashing around the house like he usually does, Tato slammed his forehead right smack into the corner of one of our steps. I shall save you the gory details. Let's just say it wasn't pretty. MacDaddy, Tato and I were hospital-bound in minutes.

Temporarily bandaged and happy to ride a "chair with wheels"

All smiles for the camera on the X-ray table. Nothing broken. Thank you!

GrandadDoc, the world's best pediatrician, was a gem as always and got us the best plastic surgeon and anesthesiologist in town. The trio rocked! Seven hours later Tato was finally given the clear to go under sedation to suture the wound.

After a day of brave faces and smiles, this is him finally in tears. Not too happy with the look of the hospital gown and the needle that was coming at him!

All done in an hour. Being carried to the recovery room

Recovering quite well. First words: Im dizzy for now. Really really dizzy. What is Mak doing?

On the ride home with me behind the wheel and him still woozy from the sedative and safely belted next to me (no time for car seats. it was an emergency remember? ) he says: "When I am big I want to fix things and save the day."

And as I call it a day I am thankful for people that fix things. For those that save the day. And for those who inspire my son to do the same.

Lost in Lego Land

The box says for 7 to 14-year-olds, and not to sound ungrateful - as this was a birthday gift for Bear - but first thing I thought was, "great he can play with it in 2 to 8 years from now."

Muchas gracias Grandnana!

Surprise, surprise... it was played-with and constructed all on his own, a few days later. All he needed was some free time on a Sunday afternoon. Bear has built a lot of the smaller sets by himself. He is our resident Lego fanatic. He actually likes reading manuals. Viva la geekery! For posterity, this is the second "big" set he has built up-to-specs.

The first set he built was this...

Thanks Ninang Nana!

But after he had built it, the plane fell to the floor in pieces, his heart was shattered. It took him two weeks later to overcome the "emotional anguish" and to re-build.

I am essential to his projects though - I'm his official sticker-assistant. As he says, "I'm not good with stickers." He really isn't. Those darn cute stubby hands! But he's great at the more important stuff. Proud pappy just helped position a thing or two when it was almost done. I could never do this, or have the inclination - even if I'm waaay past the recommended age range. When I look at all those teeny tiny gazillion pieces and think they have to be put together to create a plane or a ship, I get a little dizzy.

I'm the one lost in Lego Land, but I have a pretty good guide.

You can guess what he asked from mama moi, daddy paps and Santa.

Fun in Fundamental

Here's a basic question for you : Can adding FUN to the mix lead to better human behavior?

Moms have to do it almost daily. It protects our voice box. It preserves our sanity.

When Tato stopped eating vegetables I resorted to tomato soup. No luck. I served him tomato soup with alphabet noodles "floating and swimming" in the soup. He wiped the bowl clean. Oh, and I was told I needed to buy more Ms and Ts to "spell our names". Score: Mom 1, Tato 0.

Getting the kids to pack away feels like pulling teeth over here. Until Mission: CleanUp with this Mama as the Clean Police hiding under the guise of Spaceship Commander. Enter radio-static crackling sound effects while on a make-believe walkie talkie formed by Mega Blocks piled high. "Mak, Tato. You have a mission. My spaceship needs to make an emergency landing. Make room for my battleship." Minutes later the area looks somewhat like a room. Somewhat ok? Score: Mom 2, Mak-Tatos 1/2.

With the FUN THEORY, Volkswagen asks the very question and puts the theory to the test. And they have video cameras to prove it. The experiments range from getting people to take the stairs, recycle glass bottles, and find the time for yoga right smack in the middle of a busy day. There is so much more. Check them out right here and watch how throwing in fun, fun, fun makes strangers do, do, do.

Here's one:

This one is my favorite:

Now go. Do something nice. Get someone to do something nice. And have fun while you're at it.

Sea of Shoeses

My godson Jackaroo would say, "Pooh eated all the honey!" And our Chicha would say, "oh so many shoeses!" These toddler word mishaps are so endearing and funny, I tell you. What else gives us a good chuckle at home? Chicha's fashion mishaps. Fresh snaps captured by Pappy for Chicha Pambahay Style 2009 series....

Again, I am not responsible for styling.

I am not this creative.

Mid-photo-shoot she tells us, "wait, mama wait..." then runs out to get the hand bag her classmate gave her as a gift. And voila...

She changes her clothes 10 times a day like it's a sport.

Haaay Chicha....

Shorts made by Tita Faye, red top by Zara Kids, shrug from a Gingersnaps outfit, bag from Erica, shoes raided from my closet. We obviously don't have Jane's (of the original Sea of Shoes) budget for couture, but someone's gaining the posing skills.