My Son is No Longer a Baby: Starts Nursery This School Year


Time really flies, whether you’re having fun or not. My son, who’s now 3.5 years old began school last Tuesday, June 10th. I have been taking him to school everyday and I stay there for 2.5 hours.

It brings me sheer joy to watch him grow up as an adorable little boy, slowly learning how to do things on his own.

His teachers have told me how participative he’s been in class and his confidence to speak in front of a lot of people amazes me. He probably got that from me, as I never hesitate to volunteer in class, speak in front of a crowd and raise my hand in enthusiasm whenever my teacher throws a question I feel I know the answer to.

Emilio “Io” with his cousin Nini

My son is growing up to be all I wanted him to be and more. He socializes with people, smiles all the time and is gracious with praise. He listens intently to his teacher and his inquisitive nature shows how eager he is to learn new things.

He has a way with girls as well.. hahaha.. must have gotten it from his father. Maybe he just looks cute to them or maybe he’s just too adorable and charming to miss. Whatever it is, it is both flattering and a bit alarming..hahaha.. I guess I’m so afraid with the reality that one day, one or two girls will melt his heart, make him fall in love and leave us to live a life of his own. That’s way ahead into the future, I know, but the mere thought of it breaks my heart as early as now. He is the sweetest boy in the world, one hug and one kiss melts my heart so fast that I tell myself, I must have done something good to deserve such a wonderful boy.

My son starts Nursery today. Next year, Kinder.. the following years, highschool and college. Yes, that’s way ahead into the future. But right now, I’m just happy that he’s here with me, that I see him grow each day, learning to trace broken lines, coloring pictures and making sure his crayon strokes don’t cross the lines, dancing in a rhythm all his own and raising his hand enthusiastically with every question thrown..

If there’s anything that puts meaning into my existence in this world, it is my son.

It’s ironic that someone so little, so fragile, and so helpless could be a source of strength. Of all that I’ve done in this world, he is probably the only one that I’m totally sure is so right. And I’d live my life the same way all over again just so I can have my Emilio, my little boy, whose big heart has enough love to last me a lifetime and beyond.

4 responses to “My Son is No Longer a Baby: Starts Nursery This School Year”

  1. He looks “bibo”.

    by next week he will have his girlfriend and by next month he will marry some one. LoL.

    “Ang bilis ng oras parang kahapon lang…”

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  2. he is really “bibo” and very sweet too.. oh dear, i wish he doesn’t marry too early… :)

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  3. Sunglasses, toothbrush…. he’s learning the essentials early! :D Life is truly a series of milestones. Congrats.

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  4. hey, thanks! :) i sure am very happy with how my son is learning a lot about “life skills”.. little things he does in school like getting his own notebook and putting it back inside his bag seems like an unremarkable activity but seeing it first hand makes me really happy and proud.. thank God for children..they make this world seem perfect if only momentarily.. :)

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About Me
Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera Marmol aka RJ Marmol profile picture

I’m RJ Marmol — writer, musician, and independent creator based in Manila.

I write songs, essays, and books about the messy overlap between money, overwhelm, creativity, identity, and rebuilding. Much of my work circles around what happens when life stops feeling manageable — and how we try to think clearly, make decisions, and keep moving anyway.

I’m also the author of Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur, a nonfiction book published under Steady Hand Press. The paperback edition is listed under my full publishing name, Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera.

On the music side, I release work as HeyRJ. On the writing side, this site is where I gather my books, essays, notes, and whatever I’m building next.

Music

HeyRJ is my sonic soul project. I create raw, minimalist-style and deeply personal music interpretations that feel like a late-night conversation with your truest self.

By blending lo-fi acoustic textures with poetic honesty, my work explores love, loss, grief, healing, and the quiet in-betweens of life. Each song is a letter — a journal entry — a gentle companion for when the world feels too loud or too quiet.

While my catalogue began with intimate cover renditions, my work is increasingly being shaped by original writing, drawing from years of poems, lived questions, and emotional survival.

“Stuck Home Syndrome” released on March 20, 2026 is my first original 20-track album written during a period when time felt compressed and days began to blur into each other. The songs came from sitting with thoughts that had nowhere else to go — unfiltered, repetitive, and sometimes uncomfortable. It’s a concept album that isn’t built around singles or polish. It’s closer to a continuous inner monologue, recorded with minimal production and very little ornamentation and meant to be listened to as one cohesive body of work. The goal wasn’t to resolve anything, only to document how it felt while it was happening.

On May 29, 2026 I released new original singles – “Rapturous”, “Uh Huh”, “Look At You”, “All That” and “Blew Print”. I continue to release both original and cover songs and intend to so for as long as I can so check back every once in a while — you might. just find something you’ll like.

For business inquiries relating to music, email me at: heyrjmusic[at]gmail[dot]com or my personal email at: rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com.

Books

Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur

A nonfiction book about what debt does to the mind — and how to begin functioning again when financial stress has made everything feel blurred, urgent, and overwhelming.

Rather than treating debt only as a financial math problem, the book explores the emotional and cognitive realities of financial distress: shame, decision fatigue, avoidance, panic, relationship strain, and the difficulty of making sound decisions while mentally depleted.

Published under Steady Hand Press. It’s available worldwide in ebook and paperback formats on Amazon. Bookstores and libraries can also be order it wholesale via Ingram.

Contact

For book-related inquiries, media requests, bookstore questions, or discussion-group invitations, you can reach me through the contact page on this site or send me an email to rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com or hello[at]steadyhandpress.com