Mommy Moments: Encounter with animals

Before there was Cj, there was Mozart (the very guy below Cj on my left side bar). Mozart is my "first-born." I had him when I was a happy-go-lucky, brand new wife. When I started noticing that Mozart's milk is more expensive than my coffee, his toothpaste quadruple the price of my Colgate, I began thinking I'd be better off having a real baby.

Little did I know that with Cj's birth came along a tough job explaining to Mozart why I was spending less time with him. I gave him a toy saying it's a friendship gift from Cj, but Mozart, the spoiled brat that he is, snobbed the toy. When Cj arrived, Mozart welcomed him with tiny, dry pebble-poo in groups of 3-4 all over the floor. I had to give Mozart lots of hugs to assure him he was still Mommy's baby. That was the first lesson I learned on sibling rivalry. I had no prior experience on what it's like to be insecure or jealous of siblings as I am an only child. I just learned it from my boys.

The chaos has just began. Mozart growls, Cj cries. Mozart asks to be carried as soon as I start feeding Cj. Mozart doesn't want Cj to cuddle him. So much more drama ensued. I was losing hope of ever seeing my sons showing love for each other (tubig at langis ang dalawa). Til one night:

Cj (11 months old that time) was playing on the bed, Mozart was sulking in the corner and I was chatting with friends online. It must have been just a minute or 30 seconds, but the next thing I saw was accident happening live before me. My dresser stool was wheeling away with Cj's hands gripping the edge while his feet are still attached to the bed. I thought I was witnessing a trembling infant acrobat. Instead of running to catch him from falling off, I froze on my seat. But quick as a dart Mozart prostrated himself right below Cj's hanging body as if to cushion Cj's fall.

Had Cj dropped, Mozart would have been crushed. But apprarently he didn't think of dying. He just wanted to save his baby brother. A dog is indeed man's best friend. That moment Mozart sealed his place in my heart forever. The bank account that I set up for Mozart's monthly expenses in the Philippines is only a little attempt to repay his heroic act for Cj.

This was taken December 2007. We used the jeep to haul in food from the palengke for the christmas and new year festivities. My boys finally learned not to quarrel while side by side. This was their first jeepney ride and they didn't want to get off.

At the Underwater World in Pattaya this summer. He was hesitant to approach the sharks

Cj's first encounter with a working animal.

I have shown related photos in other posts. I consider this important as I hope Cj learns that animals, besides pets, are to be loved, protected and appreciated for their role in the environment.

Head over to the Mommy Journey site to view more children's encounter with animals.