Cibo with the Kids

TODAY I was supposed to have a Serendra day with Jake, Sam, their lola and Spikey.  Je said she wanted to bring my nephews along.  Enzo was so eager to meet Spikey.  Alas, at 10am, I received a message from their lola to meet them in Shangri La Plaza because they had a party with their dad and had to be home by 4:30pm. 

I leave TMorato after a meeting and get lost along the way.  I find myself heady, my car moving to the side of Edsa that would take me home.  I say a loud prayer to Him, "Please let me be on time.  I miss them.  Lord, guide me...guide me please."  And miraculously, I make a left in a side street to Mandaluyong, make a U and find myself in the highway flocked by buses leading to Shangri-La.  Today, the Lord performed a miracle and in the midst of Christmas traffic, I found myself with the valet to Shangri La Plaza before two minutes 12:45.

So I meet J&S at Cibo, along with their lola, and momentarily we are joined by my brother's young family.  I thought it was an awesome day to observe all 4 kids interact.  Sam and Jake seemed so amused by their younger cousins.

Following lunch, I sat across them while lola leaves to run errands.  I enjoy watching them both.  Sam, reading.  And Jake, playing on his Touch.

Sam is such a first-born.  Tough, opinionated & smart.  Her lola says she reads soooooo much.  Takes after me daw. (Just the habit of reading!!)  She reads so fast, omg!
I don't remember being that matter-of-fact as a child.  Clearly no pushover. 
Today she asked me, "Mommy, what does 'nefarious' mean?  (Astig diba?)
She's definitely mature for her age.  But when I told her I'd bring her to Fully Booked to get books for Christmas as she is a voracious reader... she tells me in a tiny voice, "Mommy can I get a toy nalang?"
Schwing.
And I realise that she is a kid, after all.
(Thank God.)

Jakob is the typical second-born.  Limber, athletic & naughty.  
His timidity reminds me of my own as a child.  I find it adorable when puts forth a shy face.
He wanted so bad to get a comic book but all his picks had been violent that lola didnt want to buy him any.
He wanted a Ripley's 2010 book but his ama and Sam were against it.  They said he wouldn't really read it.
I felt so bad for him and actually wanted to get it for him. (Maybe I will.)  Poor kiddo.
Like him, I loved Guiness Book of Records and Ripley's Believe It Or Not as a kid.
He's so shy and sweet at the same time.

Hobby-wise, I definitely take after her.  Demeanor-wise, I see more of myself in him.

As we went up the escalator, I ask them if they slept late because I wanted to spend Christmas Eve with them.  They're both nodding, the adorable things.  "You can stay long, because we sleep so late."  Sam, "I sleep at maybe 11 or 12..."  And Jake chimes in, "I sleep at around 1..."  I honestly slept at 9am when I was that age.  Kids these days are kid-dults.  But it makes me smile.  

My. amazingly. beautiful. kids.

S is happy & blessed!

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