Time flies. And as for growing children, time flies even faster. How could it have been five years already since we took home this sleeping jewel in our arms?

The day after Aya was born, Baggy and I just stared at this tiny breathing, wailing, demanding (don’t you dare take your eyes off me), red and toothless thing – you mean we really have to take this home with us? As first-time parents, we were fraught with anxiety and fear.

Sleepless, countless nights followed. We lost track of time; day and night blurred into each other. Food became something we just shoved into our mouths to keep ourselves going and going and going like the Energizer rabbit. We were pushed beyond the limits we previously thought we would never dare cross.

All because of her.

I almost couldn’t believe that it has been five years. Five challenging, but glorious years. Aya has become such an amazing, talented kid. Maybe I’m just saying that because she’s my daughter. But how else can you describe someone who:

• At age 1 can already speak comprehensible words
• At age 2 can sing Ang Bayan Ko
• At age 3 can speak Japanese and Filipino (Tagalog) fluently
• At age 4 can speak a third language, English (with slang pa hehe)
• Can now play the piano with both hands
• Can write her name, and all the letters of the alphabet
• Can play the game “Mahjong” on the computer – and finish it, too!
• Can read phonetically simple words such as “can,” “bat,” and “dog”

Perhaps some of those things are not out the ordinary, but are completely normal for someone her age. But for me those are amazing. Equally amazing is the opportunity to watch her develop and grow into a unique individual. Not like me, not like her Tatay. Different, and uniquely her own.

So on this day, I count the years, and I count the blessings. Happy birthday to you, my dear girl. May you grow up to be the best person you can be. Your Tatay, Titas, Titos and the rest of the family will be here to cheer you on.

Gifts? Oh, she got some lovely presents. Our gift for her would be a little later – I’ll blog about it when the time comes. But for now, special mention goes to Tita Karen and family for these wonderful things:

Aya’s first-ever t-shirt that has her picture on it! 🙂 The other one (with the bigger picture) is a mousepad (do you think I can make money selling mousepads with her face on it? Heh.). Anyway, thanks a lot to the Sacdalan family! Of course, thanks a lot, too, to Tito Ricky and Tita Jeanet, and Tita Lai and Lola Genny for their gifts. Lovely. Just lovely. You made this day special for her.