Wedding Ninang for the 3rd Time

Saturday, December 13, 2008
Wedding Ninang for the 3rd time
Yesterday my nephew and his fiancee came to formally ask my husband and myself to be godparents to his wedding. Twenty-six years ago, he was my baptismal godson. Twelve, maybe thirteen years ago, he chose my husband to be his confirmation godfather. Last week he called to ask us to be his wedding godparents. yesterday he formalized his request.

How time has flown. Soon after he was born, as soon as his mother resumed work after the designated maternity leave, he'd be brought over by his parents or picked up by my driver (yes, I had a driver then, his salary assumed by my father until a sister groused that this was unfair) so he'd not be alone in his parents' apartment. So basically, I was a surrogate mom of his then, I was newly paralyzed. In fact, when I was confined in the hospital, his then 7-months pregnant mother would take care of me, visit me a lot in all her pregnant glory. So my nephew and I, we go back a long way.

His parents got him one playpen which was put in my bedroom. Each morning, he'd be put there with some toys. And from a distance, I'd play with him, make sounds that would cause him to perk up, silly things. When I'd go out with the maid and driver when he was much older but still a day boarder in the house, we'd bring him. He'd sit on my lap. Sometimes, my knees would shake, he'd know what to do. He'd put his hand on top of my leg then he'd say "stop that." We always teased him because he'd pronounce all l's like y. So we'd say, say "Tolota" and of course he'd say "Toyota". Once we were cruising Aurora Boulevard and he looked out the window and said "gabby" when he saw Gabby Concepcion's posters in one of the theater's frontage. Because he was with us a lot, we'd have rules for going out. He liked to stick in his index finger inside his nostril and that would usually be rule number 1. "bawal mangulangot." Rule number 2 would be "bawal mag-aya umuwi" because usually, we'd get him a treat - a toy, Brown Cow, etc. and as soon as he had this in his hands, he'd say "uwi na tayo." GI Joe was his favorite and one time, December 24, we were still looking for one he particularly liked, or that is my husband then boyfriend was, braving the last-minute Christmas rush in SM Cubao. Yes, he was like a son to us, so much so that when my own son was born, six years after my nephew was and we'd bring my son to Unimart, the guard there asked, "Saan na ang panganay niyo?"

In a little over nine months, he will get married and we'll be part of it. My first son is all grown up. He who joined my real son during the kite-flying activity because my husband couldn't make it. He who now takes pictures of my son during gigs he chooses to be part of.

My favorite nephew. Shhhh... while the rest of my nephews and nieces may sense that, they do not necessarily officially know it.

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After posting the above I remembered other things and I think they should be written about because they are precious memories. Like he'd say "onits" for orange. And when I was pregnant, by then he was six years old, he'd still come over and we'd play catch ball. A big, red dotted ball (I could never catch a small one) we used. I was maybe 5 months pregnant and he'd toss it hard to me from the door. One time he threw it particularly hard and I said, "hina-an mo, matatamaan ang baby ko". He said smugly, "taba lang yan". Another time, we got him books for Christmas. I couldn't remember what these books were but they must have been truly special because I excitedly told him to open the gift. When he did and saw what was inside, he turned his back and disappointed apparently, he complained, "akala ko maganda." I've since learned my lesson - not to expect all children to like books. Toys are still the safest bet. But trust me, his children will not be spared. I'll buy them books. I'll be a "mean" lola and get them books. In fact, unperturbed, I got him books even after that public disavowal of anything in print. This time, the books I chose had a character whose name was similar to his. I don't think he ever read it either.