The Box

36. additions

Ian curiously looked at Maia then suddenly lifted his shirt, bent a little backward, and tried looking at his belly. Maia found this cute and amusing that she imitated her son and giggled. Ian kept on looking back and forth at Maia and at his tummy. "Only Mommy has a baby in her tummy. Yours has..."

But before Maia could continue, Ian farted loudly. He looked at Maia and said, "...,kissme" to apologize.

Maia was slightly startled and she giggled some more. "Do you need to go poopie?"

Ian shook his head, "No! Yaw!" but at the same time, he was slowly turning red and began straining. He spread his legs slightly and grunted. A few moments later, began to cry and waddle along with Maia and Yaya Alma to the mall's toilets.

When Yaya Alma tried to pick him up to change his diaper, Ian squirmed and stood his ground. "No! Yaw! No!" he screamed.

"Ian" Yaya Alma calmly coaxed the crying child.

"No!"

"Sige na. Let Yaya clean you na and change your diaper."

"Yaw! No! No change! No!" Ian cried some more.

"Ay! Gusto mo maging mabaho? Nag-poopie ka na sa diaper mo o" Maia said. There was a slight tone of frustration in her voice.

"Yaw! Yaw change...like Nanan..."

"Anong gusto ni Nanan?" Maia asked.

"Gusto Nanan...baho!" Ian wailed. "Yaw Yaya!"

"Mommy?" Yaya Alma suggested. Although Maia had taken care of Ian when he was still an infant, Chuck took most of the responsibility of taking care of Ian especially at night. When Maia became pregnant, Yaya Alma began taking over since Chuck (also) needed to go back to work and Maia's belly was growing, and she was felt uncomfortable whenever she tried to lift Ian. To make up for it, Maia occasionally watched over Ian especially when Yaya Alma needed to do some chores, but these were mostly less 'physical' activities like reading a book, putting Ian to sleep, or just letting him play nearby as she worked at the table.

Upon hearing Yaya's suggestion, Ian glanced at Maia, hiccupped and nodded. When Maia nodded to acknowledge his request, Ian allowed Yaya Alma to pick him up and lay him on the changing table. When Maia was done, Ian was back to his "normal", jolly self.

---

"Hi! What did you do today?" Chuck asked as he entered the bedroom. He gave Maia a kiss and then kissed her belly.

"Pina-check-up ko si Ian. May sipon kasi sya ng tatlong araw na."

"Oh, and what did Ginny say?"

"Continue nebulizing for a few more days. Binigyan din sya ng mga vitamins"