A Birthday Post for Dania - 4 Years Old

My Dearest Dania,

How time flies. Ibu just can’t believe that you’re four years old. How grown up you seem to me. It seemed just yesterday you were learning to walk, then learning to talk, then talking non-stop. What will you be like by your next birthday? Will you still love the Powerpuff Girls? Would you still be afraid of the dark? Will you still enjoy sitting on my lap as we watch cartoons or animal documentaries from Animal Planet? All your questions; Why did the monkey fall down? Why did the elephant cry? Why did the bird die?, all needed answers that made sense. In fact, I learned a lot from you too as I would sometimes listen to you explain stuff you saw on TV to me when I got home from work.

Your birthday party today was small but meaningful. Ibu apologizes for not being able to buy a Powerpuff Girl cake like I knew you would have liked, but you were excited enough seeing The Incredibles instead. To add more birthday cheer, we bought party; green for you coz that’s your favorite color and yellow for your sister, coz according to you, that’s her favorite color. The look on your face as you blew out the candles and as you cut the cake was as amazing as looking at the Grand Canyon for the first time. You awed me with your sincerely thankfulness for everything, eventhough it was just a small cake with four, small candles on top. You never seem to amaze me with your antics; sometimes being so hard to please, yet at times even the simplest things like seeing a little bird land on our porch would send you into an overexcited frenzy.

My Dearest Buttercup,
Can I mention again how much you’ve grown since last year? Your favorite TV shows are no longer Bob the Builder or Jojo’s Circus but Hi-5 because of the cute uncles shaking their booty to the songs. Hahahaha. You even love watching CSI with me, even though you always have 2,310,897 questions about the show.

You’re so independent now; it freaks me to think ahead to the time when you’ll no longer need my help. As a mother, I need you to need me, but I guess as time goes on, I'll have to adjust too and learn to let you go. Until then, I'll cherish having by you my side everyday.

You’re such a big girl now; so eager to help with “grown up” chores. Can I water the plants, Ibu? Can I help with the lawn, Wan? Can I play with the computer, Abah? Can I help sweep the floor, Kakak? But trying to get you to tidy up your toys is like trying to pull teeth from a raging bull. Torturous!!

My beautiful Flowergirl,

Thank you for providing me with so many wonderful memories. Thank you for all the hugs and kisses you’ve given me. Thank you for all the “I love you” and “I love you, too” whispers we give each other during bedtime. Thank you for all the back rubs and hair combing sessions, giving each other makeovers and putting on pretend fashion shows.

Most of all, thank you for being in my life and for being such a wonderful daughter. I hope for this birthday, all your fairy wishes come true.


You are, and will always be, my little princess.

Love, Ibu