"Shallow Happiness"

It’s amazing how seeing Baby’s used shorts on the floor could fill me with so much happiness. Here’s the context – (1) the “floor” the shorts was on, was directly next to the laundry basket; (2) Since the day he was able to walk, I’ve already been asking Baby to put his used clothes to the laundry. So it really felt amazing to see him finally doing it on his own, without my having to remind him all the time. It filled me with a sense of pride and brought me so much happiness. It made me realize that mothers really have “shallow happiness” (mababaw ang kaligayahan hehehe).

It’s really amazing how Baby is starting to “shape up” under my very eyes. He had this tiny set of drawers that I also labeled. I always grew irritated before everytime I’d see Baby’s clothes are not in their proper places. So one day, I painstakingly labeled his drawers. I also drew on them. I’ve taken to putting in his pajamas on the topmost drawer. Another house his socks, shorts and nickers. The next drawer had his shirts and sando's while the bottom drawer is where his extra sweatshirts are. Each drawer had drawings on them, showing exactly what is in them.

It wasn’t really my intention to use the drawings for Baby’s benefit. When I was doing that, I was really paying homage to my artistic self more than anything else. What I did not know then is that it would come handy when it comes to “training” Baby.

Lately, he had been such a show off, always insisting on putting on his clothes himself, putting on his socks, etc. Every time he does that, I would have to “praise-overload” him least he would give up trying altogether. And it would always amuse me how his face would lit up every time I tell him how “very good” he is. It’s really cute.

So now, everytime I’d ask him to change his wet shirt or shorts, he would run to his drawer, point at the drawing on his drawer and say, “This one, Nanay?” or “Kani, Nanay?” And I would be grateful for the drawings. Just the other day also, while I was folding our newly laundered clothes, I let Baby take charge of his clothes. From where I sat, he eagerly got hold of his folded pajamas and ran to the other room only to come running back to get his folded shirts. When I checked, he had managed to put them in their exact drawers except for a couple of pajamas that strayed to where his shorts are. And while I was checking, he was eagerly waiting for my approval and it greatly amused me. I also felt my love for him doubled a hundred times over. Ah, motherhood truly has its rewards.