When Paolo Contis and LJ Reyes became a couple three years ago, his foremost concern was how to get close to her son Aki.
Paolo knew it was important to LJ, if he wanted their relationship to last, that Aki trusted him.
Luckily for the GMA-7 actor-comedian, circumstances made it easy for him.
"Si Aki, he's a very friendly kid," he told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
"I think he just had to get used to seeing me, ika nga. Very lovable naman kasi siya…
"Kung ano mga trip niya, nandun ako, e, nagkataon din na during the time nung naging kami ni LJ, she was a little busy, and I wasn't kasi Bubble Gang naman yung ginagawa ko.
"So, ang nangyari was, there were days when I can spend time with him. Nakita din niya that his mom trusts me…
"I think nasanay din siya na seeing me, and then it started there.
"I had to gain his trust, then his love, and then sunud-sunod na yun."
Paolo could still recall the moment when he realized he had won over Aki.
The celebrity dad related, "Minsan may nangyari ba, naumpong ba siya o nasugatan?
"'Tapos ako pinuntahan niya, hindi si LJ.
"Normally, kapag ang bata nasasaktan, pupunta iyan sa nanay, di ba?
"Nung time na sa akin siya lumapit, alam ko na na yung power to make him stop crying, may effect na.
"May trust na yun. Alam mong pinagkakatiwalaan ka na niya. Alam niyang hindi mo siya sasaktan, alam mo yun?
"So, for me, that's a big sign na nagtiwala na siya sa akin."
In some of Paolo's Instagram posts, he showed photos of him and Aki hanging out, especially now that LJ is pregnant with her second baby.
Paolo, LJ, and Aki recently did a fun maternity shoot with the theme "Expectation versus Reality."
LJ is due to give birth in January 2019.