The Godfather

I was about to post this yesterday as I came from my Pediatrics class and I can say FOR NOW I am really enjoying the topics. Maybe the hype of having a niece or a nephew (I’m not updated on this one yet) in coming 4 months made the subject more interesting. I also have a niece from one of my cousins and she’s 4 months old now so I was imagining the things that our little Helena can do.

This made me also realize that it’ll be easy for me to have an idea what kind of gifts will I give to my 2 Godsons and my Goddaughter this coming holidays. I’ve been saving you see and since I only have three Godchild I can give an allowance for their gifts.

So here are some of the important milestones that I have to keep in mind.

Sophia Christine is my goddaughter from one of my college buddies. Her dad was the first one from our group to have a child and had the opportunity to get all of us as Godparents. I remembered a post regarding her last August when she celebrated her first birthday. A one year old:

• Can stand and walk alone (on a toddling gait)
• Can crawl upstairs
• Can pick up fine objects
• Drops and throws toys (casting)
• Knows and turns to own name (my professor told us that the most commonly used nickname of a child at this age here in Philippines is “baby” and when you’re in a crowd with these toddlers and yell “baby” all of them will look back at you and also she told us that give at least one nickname [for example if each of the family members called the same child with totoy, junjun, pogi, bunsoy or baby] cause kids may get confused daw! nyehehe)
• Jargons loudly
• Understand simple instructions
• Plays pat-a-cake (I guess Appear/Disappear is the Pinoy version of this) or say bye bye

Sam is the son of my other cousin, and they are currently residing in Paris, remember my story about our exchange gift this coming Christmas? Luckily, I got his name as well so I can save money for that and just add a little something for his present. Hehe! While MJ is the son of one of my classmates here in Med School, me and Mj’s dad were friends since first year and when he told some of us that we will become godfathers, I was kind of surprised cause it’s just been a short time since we knew each other. But isn’t it cool to have all of your Godfathers and Godmothers are physicians? Hehe! Sam and Mj are both 2 and a half, and based from what I recalled yesterday, a 2 year old at least can:

• Run and do squat
• Climbs on furniture
• Walks upstairs (but not using alternating steps)
• Sits on a baby tricycle (not driving it yet)
• Could at least build 6 cube tower
• Scribbles spontaneously
• Can turn a page of a book
• Can use 50 or more recognizable words and put simple sentences together
• Refers to self by name
• Can point to body parts
• Spoon feeds
• Has make believe play
  

I hope these things can help me decide and make my shopping easier. They say it’s practical just to give a toy or money as a gift but I guess we must make sure first of the development of these kids’ skills, health and intelligence which are far more important than materialistic things. For the past couple of years when I give a gift, at least I make sure I have thought of it well. I just hope I won’t end with a teddy! hehe