To My Daughter, A.

APRIL 2010

Dearest A,

You just turned 8 and I already feel old. Wasn't it only yesterday that you had no hair and Momma made you headbands with huge flowers just to make you look pretty and all dolled-up? But you were and still are a pretty girl. Not so little now. :)

I still remember how you used to make "gigil" and everyone got a kick out of it. How you used to dance to "Asereje" and how it was the only song that would calm you down and keep you quiet in your car seat during long drives. Yes, you are so much like your brother in a sense, since like you, only one song keeps him strapped to his car seat. But his song choice, Break the Silence, is way better than yours. Haha! You always have a knack for the fad songs, no? Asereje, Nobody, Boom Tarat Tarat, Pinoy Ako, and all those songs Yaya J taught you when you were little. Nyar.

You've always been strong. Physically, you are our creatine baby. I can still recall how you'd hold on to daddy's arm, hang there for a few seconds - at 7 months! How you learned to walk at 8-9 months and how we surprised yaya when she came back from Bohol, to find you walking already! You didn't even crawl! You are still strong, in fact, you under-estimate your strength. Do remember to be gentle, especially when handling your brother, because you don't know exactly how strong you are. And of course, because you are a girl. A little lady. Even when you still think you are Momma's baby. :) And you are, you will always be.

I am so thankful that God gave me a smart, smart girl. You have always been bright. At 1, you already knew how to operate the video player. You knew how to sign the alphabet and even taught your Yaya how to sign. You mastered spelling simple words at such a young age, we were so amazed. You've always been the little techie! People were surprised to see a little toddler using a digicam properly, or playing Bubble Bash on my mobile. Yun nga lang, you were bulol. I remember listening in to you playing with your Barbie doll and found that Barbie was also bulol! LOL!

Eight years! Wow, time flew! And look at you now. You're almost as tall as mom! Thank you so much for being a good girl. You are a great big sister.

I pray that God will bless you with wisdom, and that you will grow to love Him even more. I am amazed at your resilience, but I know that sometimes, life hurts. But do not forget that Momma loves you very much and that God is always there for you. He knows the missing parts in our lives and will fill the holes. Someday, things will be better for us. I promise you, it will. Never stop praying and believing. God's promises are waiting around the bend.

I love you, Sweetie! Happy 8th Birthday!

Momma