Nanny McME

Lately, I spell luxury: S-L-E-E-P.


By-the-book nanny

I was "prematurely" introduced to full-swing nanny hood about two weeks ago, when my sister finally arrived home with her little bundle of joy (draining all her energies for 9 hours full of labor pains, ending with a slice in the belly, when all labor inducing drugs seemed to immune her). I couldn't exactly say I've prepared for his coming well enough, yet I did ready myself just the same. As they say, you'll never know how it is like until you get to spend your first day (or night) with the baby.

She being a first-time mother, my sister is grappling with parenthood big time. I being her big sister, had to most of the time pretend that I'm not even half as stressed as she is with baby-sitting; and avoid ending up baby-sitting both mother and son. I may deceivingly look like a mom with my cellulites screaming all over me (shamefully), but frankly, I am totally clueless with baby care. We needed truckloads of parenting inputs to grab.


We're quite fortunate to have relatives -- traditional and modern, to rescue two helpless fledglings. My cousins wasted no time at all in delivering their hand-me-downs to my sister. However, what I consider the best among these hand-me-downs is this hardbound handbook of pregnancy and baby care by Good Housekeeping (GH). One cousin lent it to my sister when she was still in her first trimester of pregnancy, and it has been really helpful ever since. We now turn to it as our baby bible. Although what we have is the first edition (I searched away Amazon.com and discovered that GH has come up with a paperback edition, which makes it literally handy), the principles of nurturing are of course, universal. I especially found the color photographs most practical. I'd secretly consult this book whenever my sister is occupied with other things (I had to pretend I'm no dummy, remember?).


"Tita-Yaya"

Half-way through my very disheartening (almost 3-foot high) laundry, I paused for a minute and yelled at my cousin (who was at the bathroom at that time), "Waaahh!!! This is not me!!! I want my old me baaaaack!!!"

These two weeks saw major, MAJOR changes in my routines. I've been reporting late for work for 7 days straight to date (late, to mean 20-30 minutes late). I spend four hours at most for laundry chores - which my sister usually does for the two of us every single week. I no longer check the Internet for cable programs to look forward to in the evenings. I haven't come home late from the mall like I used to (although this is not a regular habit) as of yet. My business nowadays is to catch up on sleep while I can, master the 101 techniques of diaper-changing, help out on pinning pediatrician and vaccine appointments, cheer on Sherwyn (our baby!) as he feeds on his mommy's milk.

Wait up. I am the aunt, not the mother. But look at me. I overreact way more than Sherwyn's mom. How much more if it were my own baby? Push me to the door now and shoo me off.

Don't get me wrong. This is all new to me, yes, yet I do welcome these changes embracingly. I perceive it as my pre-parenting dry run. I now enjoy cuddling a newborn, whereas before I was really, really scared of cuddling a fragile baby. I still panic whenever I change his diapers (he might pee again when I'm still not done changing him), but maybe in a few weeks' time I'll do just fine.

Having to take care of this bundle could be so, so exhausting. And yet when I'm in the brink of complaining, he would smile with his eyes shut close and the weariness just magically goes away.

Acknowledging

One of the recurring characters in this blog has been my ordeal with graduate school. I promised myself lately that I won't keep my paper locked away too long in my procrastination chest anymore, as I did in the past. Well, roll the drums for me. After nearly 7 years, I now hold a Master of Library and Information Science degree. FINALLY!

I couldn't have done it all by myself, of course (sidebar: for my research, I developed a thesaurus on gender and sexual and reproductive health and rights for use of local NGO resource centers in Metro Manila). There were so many people to thank for and give credits to. This was my acknowledgment page (let me bore you for 3 minutes):

Being an esteemed member of the elite scatterbrained society, I consider this portion here the most challenging page I have ever written so far; even tougher than putting this thesaurus together and writing five chapters of this paper. This early, I am begging for pardon from those whose names could be unintentionally left out mentioning, but do not necessarily go unacknowledged. You know who you are and I am indebted to you all.

I thank my respondents for taking my research seriously and have made it all possible for me to get through graduate school: Dr. FLORENCE TADIAR and the STAFF of ISSA for this research opportunity; Ms. AIDA ARACAP of DOH Library; Mr. ROBERT ROMERO of NCRFW Resource Center; Mss. EMILYNE DE VERA and NOEMI BAYONETA-LEIS of HAIN Resource Center; Mss. GIGI FRANCISCO, SUSAN ALBAO, REMY GAMBOA and ANA DINGLASAN of WAGI; Ms. TEENA CAMPOS of WCC; Dr. CAROL SOBRITCHEA, Mss. DHANG SIOSON and ARDIS GONZALES of UPCWS; and Ms. LEONNIE DELA CRUZ of UPCSWCD Library. I also thank Ms. ROWENA O. ALVAREZ for sharing her expertise with me.

And to Binsent, for recommending these highly efficient people to me.

My sincerest appreciation goes out to my adviser, DEAN ROSALIE B. FADERON, for believing that I can write good stuff. I thank you for being my perpetual referee. I count myself blessed to have been mentored by you.

SIR ROD TARLIT, for putting invisible pressure on my shoulders. I thank you so much for that huge motivation for me to finish this paper.

And to Binsent, for the added push.

Mrs. AFRICA CASTILLO, for her hawk-like eyes. Thank you so much for reading my paper, never minding our geography. I am grateful for your time.

To the ILIS ADMIN STAFF, for not banging the phones and doors on me whenever I pay them "purposive" visits. Thank you so much.

Likewise, for Binsent's incredible, incredible patience.

The ILIS LIBRARY STAFF, for the extraordinary help for my extraordinary requests, maraming salamat po.

The late DEAN JOSEPHINE C. SISON, it was always refreshing to capture memories of your quips and smiles. Thank you for letting me experience all of those.

And to Binsent, for his occasional one-liners, sending me off to frantic laughter.

The VL.IR, for taking me to Europe and to my STIMULATE 4 professors and classmates, thank you. SAHDIA KHAN, the most patient program secretary there is, thank you for always keeping our lines burning.

PROF. ALAN HOPKINSON of Middlesex University (London), for his faith in the Filipino scholars.

Mrs. FLOR MALLARI, to me you are the perfect reference librarian. Your professionalism is worth emulating. I am humbled by your confidence in me. Thank you.

Mrs. SALVACION ARLANTE, you inspire me of your big dreams to revolutionize the field. Thank so much for allowing me to think out of the box.

I also thank Binsent for making sure that I not only excel in my career, but also in perfecting my sinigang na baboy.

Many thanks to the entire UPD MAINLIB PEOPLE: My fellow "athletes" at the stroke of 8 in the morning (hehehe); to my GENREF family, thank you so much. I have always been proud of our teamwork; to all my Ate at the ACQUISITIONS SECTION for keeping my stomach full; all my Kuya at the MEDIA SERVICES for keeping the Section up and running; the ladies of the L.O. -- ATE GILDA, ATE MYLENE, ATE VANGIE and ATE MARLENE, for the on-the-house peanut butter sandwiches; and ATE GAY, for her special treatment...Salamat sa inyong lahat.

To the "superninangs": DENISE, YANI, EMANG (gracias tia, for correcting my barok Spanish each time), ATE ELVIE, KLIT and GRACE T. Thanks to GENE and CHITO for accommodating the superninangs. I owe you people.

To ANDO, MARCKY, LEA, AL, and the rest of the PINOYS IN BELGIUM (PSB), thank you for the rice meals and the motherland feel. I also thank ALICIA and MARJ for our friendship made in Sunday flea markets.

Para mis dos mejores amigos del otro lado del mundo -- el Cubano ORLANDO y el Chileno MANUEL, mil gracias por haciendo mi vida en Europa una aventura cada dia. Si me iria por detras, lo hare todos otra vez con vosotros. Os echo de menos, ambos. I will see you two again.

And of course to Binsent, for putting up with all my ramblings. Thank you.

To RICHARD, for the friendship behind the CD collection.

To KRAM, for making me his Ate Christine.

The ABRIGO HOUSEHOLD, thank you for adopting me as one of your own. I thank your big brother Binsent for keeping the coffee jar packed to the brim for me.

My brothers and sisters at the METRO MANILA CHRISTIAN CHURCH (MMCC), for making me see and experience the love of God. You are all precious to me. My heart goes out to every single one of you.

LORNA, for her motherly instincts. You will always be engraved in my heart.

NIMFA and IRENE, we are now walking in the quarter life of our friendship. You are both amazing.

To my COUSINS and PAMANGKINS, I always look forward to our Sunday luncheons. You all make me smile.

To AUNT JAZ for being my surrogate mother.

PAPA, SHERYL and our little SHERWYN, you three inspire me to grow up everyday. I love you guys.

MAMA, I am invincible because of your still presence.

BINSENT. We repel yet we connect. You are so everywhere, everyday, every time. Thank you for being so everywhere, everyday, every time.

Above all, I am overflowing with gratefulness to my FATHER GOD in heaven. No amount of words can ever begin to describe Your perfection. You are awesome. I bring You back all the glory. I love you.