A Mommy’s Rainy Day Musing

I went with my sister to get her medical requirements for Australian visa application. Companions were not allowed so I waited at the dingy restaurant across the St. Luke’s Medical Center building in Malate. There I saw two babies both about a year old but under very different circumstances. One was sleeping peacefully as her mother went around the tables asking for alms while the other was bawling his eyes out as his young and very attractive parents tried to console him by bringing him back in the air-conditioned confines of their luxury car.

Maybe at infancy we already start adapting to life’s situations. When you’re used to all your needs being met, you get easily troubled by the slightest discomfort while if you’re used to heat and hunger, you learn to just sleep them off.

I thought about how I’m raising my son… he’s at the terrible two stage where he exhausts the lights out of me. Nacho can get very physical and temperamental that I start to wonder if it’s him or I might be doing something wrong. I already cancelled access to his favorite Incredible Hulk videos, introduced him to coloring activities and would reward him with dessert only after a proper meal, but nothing can seem to alleviate his stubbornness. Parents I know tell me this worst part will eventually pass… I really do hope so before I turn into a Casey Anthony.

When my son is old enough to understand I will expose him to the reality that while he will not get everything he wants, he still luckier than most kids… I just pray he grows up to be grateful for his blessings and selfless enough to share them.

Girlfriends

The Amigas, as we called ourselves back in college, thought we would be living the Sex & the City life as we go about our successful careers, sharing a posh condo in Makati where we can shop, dine and party as much as we want.

12 years later...
Tams a.k.a Charlotte - the pretty and always proper prom queen is a stay-at-home mom of two with businesses on digital designs, production and printing on the side
Mau a.k.a Samantha - the adventurous temptress is a single mom working in a global financial institution whose stability belies her complex personal life
Ivy a.k.a Carrie - I thought I was Carrie but given her edgy take on fashion and wanderlust, Ivy is it... a blushin' newlywed who avoids the public pressure of childbearing by jetsetting with her husband
Me a.k.a Miranda - self employed mother of a terrible-two with another baby on the way. tries to remain sane by putting household and everyone within a mile radius in order

It's been ages since we got to catch up... oh we would get together in one or another's wedding and one or another child's birthday... until finally, a proper dinner in a nice and quiet restaurant with just the four of us!

Ordering was an icebreaker in itself given new food preferences and restrictions. after going through Momo Cafe's entire menu all with portions for sharing, we finally settled on Momo salad, potato skin with cheese fondue, chicken wings, pizza and cheesecake - that out of the way, the chatterfest began!

Updates although hurried were candid, quips and quotes flew back and forth oblivious to the posh diners surrounding our table. We all had cameras but we were so deep in conversation that nobody remembered to take a group photo of that very rare occasion! It's funny that no matter how much you thought you've changed, you always revert to the unpolished rock you were when thrown back in the mines. We were raw, stripped of all pretensions... who else can we be our truest selves with other than the dearest friends who knew us before we became diamonds.

Without a cue, we unanimously decided at 10pm that it was time to go home to our individual lives. We are all someplace we never thought we would be but without any regret... we have after all become better versions of ourselves at least in each others' eyes.

Shrimp & Roasted Garlic Spaghetti in Tomato Cream Sauce with Kesong Puti

Got my hands on some really fantastic Mr. Moo's kesong puti (white cheese)which I knew will be quickly banished to oblivion if I start spreading it on hot pandesal. Wanting to share it with the rest of the family, I decided to use it on pasta because Nacho just loves showing off his skill in slurping a full-length spaghetti!

I made this yesterday for our mom & son lunch date so I used tiger prawns to make it extra special - he shunned the toppings but loved the pasta as usual, but despite the snub, it really was pretty good!

Shrimp & Roasted Garlic Spaghetti in Tomato Cream Sauce with Kesong Puti
1/2kg Shrimps (shelled)
1/2c Mushrooms (optional)
1 large head of Garlic
150ml Tomato Sauce
150ml All-Purpose Cream
1tbsp Butter
5pcs Basil Leaves
4"sq. Kesong Puti (white cheese cubed)
500g Spaghetti or Penne (cooked)

1) Bake garlic (unhusked) in oven toaster for 15mins. Peel and mash with fork.
2) Saute garlic in butter, add shrimps, mushrooms and basil.
3) Pour in tomato sauce and all-purpose cream. Season with salt and pepper. If sauce is too thick, add in Olive Oil.
4) Turn off heat and add Kesong Puti.