It's going to be a blah blah blah summer!

It's officially summer in these parts. Seems like just yesterday when nephew Juancho started grade 3 and niece Martina, kinder 1. Wasn't it just last week when I was tearing up at the sight of Martina in her first-ever uniform? I had the sinking feeling at the time that it would be all downhill from there. Soon enough, Juancho would be too cool to like me (I'm needy and chock-full of childhood issues) and Martina would stop asking for naptime stories. *SOB*

But wait, maybe all is not lost just yet.

Just the other day, Juancho (9 years old but knows how to fix his hair with clay – take note, not gel) and Martina (5 years old but still wears her clothes from 2 years ago) were playing some hidden clue game, which, if I understood correctly, involved Juancho hiding drawings of family members throughout our house and giving Martina clues on where to find them. Side note: it was the kind of game I would've invented and loved playing in my childhood. Why was I not invited to play this game??? (Like I said, chock-full of issues, man)

Anyway, I accidentally saw Juancho's drawing of me and immediately did what any touched auntie would do in this day and age: I shouted THISISSOCUTEJUANCH!!! ... and posted it on Facebook.

I can handle 5 tennis balls without even looking

There are so many things I like about this drawing. First of all, Juancho drew me with bangs, which, for some reason, makes me think he's really smart (obviously, I have my own unique logic-generating apparatus). Next, I love the smirk and crazy eyes, which were most likely unintentional yet so accurate. Oh and the tennis racket (I am assuming it's a tennis racket on account of the round balls spewing out of it)! How detailed is that???

I love this kid (Juancho, not the kid in the sketch).

That same day that I saw Juancho's drawing, Martina asked me for a story before we took a nap. She wanted a loooooong one this time, she said. She wanted it to be as long as (*big gulp of air*) "like if Lolo Jesus stood on top of Lolo Rene and on top of Tatay and on top of Mom and Tita Mia and you and Juancho and EVERYBODY!!! THAT'S HOW TALL AND HOW LONG I WANT MY STORY!!!"

I said no.

(Well, no to the tall/long story but I did end up telling her a short-ish story later on. I'm not heartless.)

To distract her from the idea of a story that could possibly go on for 2 weeks, I asked her what her kinder teacher wrote in her goodbye note (Aww! Did my teachers ever write me goodbye notes?). Martina knew it by heart:

"Dear Martina,  

Be a good girl ..."

I cut her off and asked, "Wait, do you know how to be a good girl?"

"Yes!"

"So how do you become a good girl?"

"Um, you do blah blah blah things."

"What are blah blah blah things???"

"Ask mom. She knows."

*Staring contest with Ms 5-year-old Smarty-pants*

Not the actual staring contest but a pre-enactment

It's going to be a long summer ... really long, like if Lolo Jesus stood on top of Lolo Rene and on top of Tatay and ... you get the point.