It all started on August 13...

Teacher Divine: Gab, look i have a train. He's name is Percy.

Gab: *tries to grab it*

Teacher Divine: No grabbing Gab. *Plays with train*

Gab: *watching*

Teacher Divine: Look, the train is moving. It's making a sound.. CHOO-CHOO..

Gab: *looks at the teacher's face*

Teacher Divine: Train sounds... CHOO-CHOO..

Gab: CHOO-CHOO-CHOO..

Teacher Divine: That's very good train sound, Gab. *gives the train to Gab.*

I saw and heard everything that happened that day. I was so surprised to hear Gab imitate the sounds produce by another person. It made my heart so warm and my eyes teary. I was so proud of him.

after his ABA session that day, we constantly asked Gab to imitate different sounds to make him more familiar with sound imitation and responding. We started with train sound, then dog, then cat, then pig. the whole evening he was able to memorize the sounds of those animals.

A week after he started imitating and responding to requests for simple talks, he had his evaluation with Teacher Rena already and his therapy program was changed already. Teacher Rena commented to Gab "naku naiiyak naman ako sayo bebe, ang bilis ng progress mo!". Hearing those words, my hopes are really soaring high.

Just last week, i was training Gab to say "OPEN" first before i open something that he likes (like food). His tolerance now is very high, making all the efforts to imitate "OPEN" while watching my mouth positions.

Now, he can say functional words (though not yet polished) like "OPEN, EAT, DRINK, GIVE". Sometimes i have to provide verbal cues for him to talk, sometimes he says it already by himself ^_____^

It's been 5 days already since we moved out of my parents house again. We packed and moved ur stuffs last Sunday and planned to stay in the new apartment already, but ended up sleeping at my parents house because Gab doesn't want to stay in the apartment yet (maybe because everything's a mess).

Monday was sooooo tiresome because me and my husband alone had to arrange all the stuffs we brought to the new apartment. Since it's a 2-floor crib, running up and down the stairs many times to move things was quite a challenge, especially since i grew up in a house that doesn't have any stairs at all! Thank God that before it got dark we have finished arranging all of our stuffs.

When my mom's maids came to the apartment with Gab, I have already anticipated that he would scream and would not want to come inside the house. So, I really prepared the TV and DVD player with Barney's dvd to attract Gab's attention and showed him that all his toys are inside so that he would feel at home. It worked!!! ^____^

I felt relieved to see that Gab easily got used to the new apartment. Before, i was worried that his sleep will be less because he will feel uneasy with the new environment and throw tantrums during his homebased ABA classes. I was amazed at how fast he adapts now to changes unlike before. Even his ABA teacher said that she was not expecting Gab to be behave and compliant in the next few weeks because he might have difficulty adjusting to the house. But we have both underestimated at how much progress Gab has now.

Living on our own again is not scary for me already since we have done that already last year. But the one thing that makes me scared now is that in a few days my husband will be leaving us to work in Singapore.

So, it will literally be like "living on my own (me and Gab)". This is now something that I have to get used to. How i wish i have Gab's ability to easily adapt to changes.... ='(

As promised, my husband replaced the watch that i lost several weeks back. We waited for the Great Northern Sale at SM City North Edsa, hoping to get a watch at 50-70% off.... LOL i wish! But anyway, i already told my husband that he can only spend 4,000 pesos for my watch (almost same price of the watch i lost). I really needed to wear a watch most of the time because Gab keeps a daily schedule.

Sale Day Friday...

We went to SM last Friday to let Gab experience the busy and crowded atmosphere in a mall that is on sale. Gab hasn't played in a paid play-area inside malls for more than a year already because of some unknown reason he doesn't want to enter those areas suddenly. That day, we were surprised because Gab was the one who insisted to enter one of the play areas inside SM Cybezone. It think he played for about 3 hours there!

So while Gab and his yaya were enjoying at the play area, Mark and I hurried to SM Dept. Store to check what were on sale and grab the toiletries and luggag

e necessities that Mark will need for his trip.

Sale Day Saturday...

After Gab's speech therapy lesson, we went to my in-laws house to spend the weekend. Also, part of the plan is to go to Day 2 of the sale with only me and Mark because he needs to buy some dress clothes that he will bring to Singapore and check on the watches that are on sale.

The waiting line for the fitting rooms were like opening day at the cinema, so Mark decided not to fit the pants that he will be buying.

After buying pants, we bought some other stuffs that Mark needs then headed to the watches area inside the department store. To my dismay, most of the watches that i had my eyes on were only on sale at 15% off the tag! Mark insisted that i checked on the others also that were not on sale anyway he has money to spare. But i wanted to stick on my 4,000pesos deal. At the end, we didn't buy any. We just went to Sky

Garden and ate dinner at Ineng's and grab a frappuccino at Starbucks for my sis-in-law.

Sale Day Sunday...

It's the last day of the Great Northern Sale. My husband had to go back to SM because the dress pants that we bought doesn't fit him well... too tight lol! He asked me if i wanna go with him to give my plan-to-buy-a-watch a last chance. I refused to go and just told him to get something nice for me.

He came back after 3 hours with this...

... At the end of the The Great Northern Sale... me, Gab, and Mark were happy ^___^

P.S.: I super loving this watch ♥♥♥

Yesterday, i got a notice from the post office to pick up a package that was sent to me... i instantly thought "oh, i've been waiting for this from Sally!".

Sally has been one of my first 10 students since i started working as a online English teacher. We really got along very well because we share the same likes and our communication was pretty good because her English is excellent. She's not studying with me anymore because she had to stop online studies to concentrate on her upcoming university entrance exam (i pray she passes the exam without any problems).

The last time that we chatted on skype was the day that i was starting to teach again at home. I remembered her line "oh finally, i was waiting for you!". Maybe she was checking the past days if i was online to ask for my address. We had a great chat like old friends catching up with each others happenings.

Anyway, i have uploaded some pics of what's inside the package.... have a look..

TO MY DEAR SALLY: thanks sooooo much for the gifts... i'll send something soon also ^_~ i really miss you.... xoxo