Dear Jaco,

It's been a bittersweet weekend. We checked-in at the Richmonde Hotel in Ortigas (a family favorite) and had so much fun with your cousins. On the other hand, Tatay has to leave for the US in a few days and hard times are up ahead. Be strong, babe. I hope when you grow up, you remember not the sad fact that Tatay had to leave, but the fun we all had as a family.

Love, N

Dear Jaco,

This is the first house that we lived in as a family. It's nothing much but we had tons of fun in it. Like you guys here on our "porch". :)

When you grow up, i want you to remember that it doesnt matter where you are, the size of your house or what part of the city you're in, what's important is the people you're living with.

Love,
Nanay

Dear Jaco,

Today we're watching Toy Story in 3D. It was just a movie, i know, but we rarely watch one at the cinemas so it was kind of special.

Im sorry if we didnt so it more often. We just thought we as a family could save our resources for more worthy needs. Besides we can watch whatever we want in the comfort of our own bed with our favorite junk food and drinks (our favorite family quality time activity, methinks). More importantly, there are more fun things we can do that won't cost us a cent.

I want you to keep in mind that you dont need to spend a lot to have fun :)

Love,
Nanay

Dear Jaco,

Yes, this happened! The Kili-Killers!

Love, N

Dear Jaco,

You and Tatay love taking pictures of me and each other sleeping. I don't know what for, aside from blackmail, you just did. You guys are weird.

Love, N

Dear Jaco,

You took swimming lessons (finally!) with Kuya Sting and Miles. That's you on the left. After maybe 5 lessons, you were able to swim roughly 3 or more meters already! We're so proud of you!
(i have it on video!)

I hope you learn to swim really well coz i can't :s

Love,
Nanay

Dear Jaco,

You finished preschool! It breaks my heart that I'm not there (it's also my students' Moving Up Day). :(

But like I tell myself over and over, there are more graduations to come (hopefully!) and I'll totally make it up to you. Congratulations, baby! :)


Love,
Nanay

Dear Jaco,

I can't stress enough how much fun we had at our small apartment in Kitanlad. You'll be hearing about it from us well until you're old enough to have your own family. Just goes to show that wherever you put our family, we'll make the most of it. I hope you keep that in mind when you have your own too.

Love, N

Dear Jaco,

First Raya Olympics! You did very well running and relay-ing (what? I'm not sporty), and I had fun watching you and Tatay at piggy back ride relay. Good job, boys!

Love, N

Dear Jaco,

Apparently, you took after your father in more ways than one. You inherited some (if not all) of his little quirks, including that quirky (but sometimes seriously scary) asthma.

I remember an early morning when you had an attack... You woke up crying and couldnt breathe. Tatay was on duty and it was four in the morning! Nevermind the time, or the fact that we live in the middle of creepy welcome rotonda, and that im not sure if i have money at all. I picked you up and marched to the nearest hospital for nebulizing. That was one for the books!

Love,
Nanay