February 2021: Parenthood 3.0, Home Improvement and Buzz Growing Up

 February 2021 is a re-introduction to parenthood again. For the third time. Majority of the brunt in taking care of the kids was taken by my wife despite the being newly operated. 

For the first few days of Buzz, he sleeps most the time in the morning until early evening. He wakes up every 2-3 hours around 11pm until 6am. Paputol na tulog. While everybody in the home is asleep, my wife and Buzz are both awake. Both are sleeping in the morning while Bubu, Yza and I are busy making noise as soon as the sun rises. There were moments were tempers are exploding because of difficulties in balancing work, home chores and child rearing. Once the pattern our baby's sleeping was established, then we got an idea of what kind of routine we will have in the next 12 months. 

One of the foremost agenda in our brief stay in our Tarlac home is to do some house renovations. Since the side of our house leading to the cooking and kitchen area, all sorts of insects and animals can just go in and out. Summer in Tarlac can also be punishing due to extreme temperature so a roof would be a great help. 

I contracted a team of all-around construction team which has expertise in roofing, steelworks, electrical installations and carpentry. Day 1 is schedule on February 3, my 39th birthday. Construction supplies arrived a day before and family evacuated to the home of a generous neighbor. Based on the plan, the construction team will work on the following sequence: 1. build a firewall next to the neighbors house, 2. build wall foundations, 3. attach the tubular steel at roof, 4. set the wiring, outlets and switches, 5. lay the insulation foam, 6. attach the hardiflex sheet, 7. smoothen the wall cement, 8. attach the door and 9. other minor home renovations (CR damages, kitchen sink tubes). 

Then work has started on the February 3. Before the work starts, I discussed with the team leader on what must be done and how the outcome would look like. The work then started while I do my programming work. From time-to-time, the team would inquire on the angling and positioning of structures and amenities. It has been a pleasure for me to be really hands-on in the whole construction and renovation process. Not only that I am able to monitor the budget, I am also learning basic carpentry stuff along the way.  First day is over and it is time to celebrate my birthday on my own. It took the  6 days for the team to finish the whole renovation process. Voila, a new office for me, a wall protection against uninvited guests and roof to protect us from extreme summer temperature. Total damage is 65,000 pesos. 

We still got two more weeks in Tarlac before the family decides to go back to Baguio City. Buzz is growing fast and weighing heavier. We celebrated his 1st month with a simple lunch and a ceremonial cake. HE had his first actual clinic visit on February 17. Pediatrician told us that he is as big as a 2 month old baby. The second vaccination was administer to Buzz and endorsements have been made for the continuation of his consultation in Baguio City. My wife then went to consult her OB-GYNE most especially the recurring high blood pressure. 

Adjustment to new routine - Checked, Home renovation - Checked, Checks-ups - checked. On to fixing the paper for our return trip to Baguio.