Mo cuishle

Just in case you were wondering, the title is an Irish Gaelic translation of "my darling, my blood". Its literal meaning is "my pulse". This line was used by Clint Eastwood in the movie "Million Dollar Baby" when referring to the character of Hillary Swank. If you will recall, the movie is about a down-and-out boxing trainer who develops a stronger-than-blood bond with a female amateur who to prove her worth by becoming a successful boxer.

But this is not about the movie nor Clint Eastwood. This entry is about mo cuishle -- Anton.

Nearly 15 months have passed since Anton came into my life. While I admit that being pregnant with him was unplanned, it was still something I welcomed with open arms. From the moment I saw the two pink strips appear on the pregnancy test kit, I knew that my life will be richer, fuller and much happier because of his presence.

Seeing him grow up has become our household's favorite past time. My dad, for instance, has gone loco just being with his favorite apo (by default, i think kasi Anton is the only one right now). My mom, despit e her occassional vertigo attacks, can't keep her hands off the little one. By his mere presence, mo cuishle has made our family life richer and closer. All of a sudden, weekends are spent at home --doing groceries, playing in the park, and watching videos of Barney and Spongebob. Anyone who knew me 4 or 5 years ago would affirm how different my life is now from what I had then. From a social butterfly, I have transformed into a pretty much domesticated mom.

While I admit that there are certain aspects of my former life that I miss, I still wouldn't trade what I have now with what I had then. Despite the added responsibilities, the life I have now is more peaceful. More serene. And I have mo cuishle -- Anton -- to thank for that.