Watching her running around our garden with her Mommy, eyes bright with happiness, I couldn't help but send a prayer of thanks. When Maine and I got married, I thought that would be the best day of our lives, but having Rosie showed us that life could get even better.
Though she generally looks like me, she has Maine's eyes - big, brown, beautiful and expressive. But her personality - me.
One time, we were asked by the Day Care Teacher to come because she needed to speak to us. Rosie punched a 6-year old boy twice her age. When we got there, I asked, "Rosie, we said it's not nice to hurt people. Why did you do that?"
She turned to me, pigtails and pink-frilly dress, and with a determined look said, "He lift my skirt, Daddy!"
I explained to her to make sure to talk these things out first next time and tell the teacher. I also explained this to her teacher and conceded that while Rosie was wrong to hurt someone, I would not allow her to be bullied. Later at home, I will make sure she knows that defending herself is not wrong.
I turned to Maine, unsure what else to say to our child. And all she said was, "Did you hurt your hand, Baby?"
There was a time Maine and I were arguing again about her habit of eating our sili plant. "We talked about this na. I've asked you not to keep eating our plants, Meng naman ano ka ba?"
"Oo nga. I don't na! I get sili once in awhile nalang."
"Oo. Binawasan mo sa sili, ngayon naman yung kamias yung inuupakan mo."
"Hindi ko ganyan ka-favorite yan para gawin yun 'no?!"
As I pointed to our plant, we saw the culprit: our little daughter, nginangatngat yung kamias. Meng na Meng. May lahi yatang kambing 'tong dalawang 'to. But don't tell Maine that, baka hiwalayan ako.
Another time, I panicked because when I called to check on Nanay, Maine and Rosie, I heard frantic screaming and crying at the background. "Nanay, ano po nangyari?"
"Hay, anak. Naglalaro yung mag-ina mo kanina ng taguan. Ayun nauntog."
"Nauntog si Rosie? Malaki yung bukol? Kelangan ba itakbo sa ospital?" I was already preparing my bags to rush home.
"Pareho silang nauntog. Okay lang si Rosie. Si Meng yung naririnig mong nagwawala."
"Susmaryosep."
