So today is my dearest Zienne’s 3rd birthday.
Sometimes I feel like it’s been longer than three years because of how she thinks and acts, how she responds to circumstances and talks, but I have to remind myself that she’s only had 3 years of life. And in those three years, she’s definitely become her own person, so different from her older sister, yet desperately trying to imitate her. She knows all the songs Emma brings home from school, all the songs Emma has grown to love, and all the shows Emma prefers. Zi has always been great with memorization and names, always asking “what’s her/his name?” so she knows every character in every show or movie she watches, people she’s familiar with, all her Ates and Kuyas, Ninongs and Ninangs, cousins, Titos Titas, and even all her AND her sister’s stuffed animals that get pushed back on the shelf.
She’s already sang in the kids choir once, once with the adult choir, and braved two special numbers with her sister, holding her own mic, and singing out the words. She is indeed a musical girl, even trying to practice piano exercises that Emma is being taught. She can sing on key, and when she learns a song she likes, she’ll sing it over and over until she masters the words. Sometimes, she’ll even tell me not to sing with her so she can prove to me that she can do it herself.
At two, she learned how to use the toilet much earlier than Emma, particularly when it came to #2, and potty training her for #1 only took about 2 days. She takes such pride when she doesn’t even require help getting up the toilet. Sometimes I just hear her scream, “Mamam, I’m done! I went to the toilet! I’m not a baby anymore; I’m a big girl.”
At two, she learned her 1st memory verse, John 3:16, and is the first to request to pray for the food. Also, if she’s sad or hurt, she’ll ask me if I can pray to Jesus. She’s also a blunt reminder when I get mad at the girls, recalling that Jesus would want us to love each other and that “even when we’re mad, we still love each other.” She’s very big on “I’m sorry”, always giving it freely if she knows she’s done something wrong, then she’ll say, “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” That’s the discerment of my two year old. Her emotional capacity to understand feelings of others is not as sensitive as Emma, but Zi can really understand so much of the tone of her surroundings. Also, when she feels sad, she’ll ask me to construct an original song, tending specifically to what is hurting her, and vice versa, if she feels I need some comforting, she’ll make up a song to sing for me.
I can go on and on about Zienne. She amazes Perze and I every day, with what she says, what she remembers, her behaved attitude during events (even at the ballet), being wise to ask for permission, knowing facts, reading her letters & numbers & shapes, asking questions during a movie, etc…I feel like I should have written more along the past year so she will have a glimpse of who she was at 2. And she was definitely a force at two. I can only imagine who she will be at three.
We’ll be waiting for that, anak, with such expectation and joy. You are such a pleasure to raise, a challenge, a reward, a blessing and a reminder of God’s love. This year, your Tatay and I will recite your life verses, the passage we picked out for you and prayed over you the day you were born:
“May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests. Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.”
-Psalm 20:1-8
We love you, Zienne. You are our heart walking, laughing, and playing outside of us, for all to see and experience. May you continue to be a blessing even at such a young age.
Happy birthday, dearest one.
Her favorite:
Shows: Doc Mc Stuffins, Peppa Pig, WowWowWubbzy, MickeyMouse Club House, Little Einstiens, Care Bears, My Little Pony, Veggietales, Lalaloopsie Dolls, Barney
Movie: Annie, Lilo & Stitch 2, Rio
Color: Blue
Stuffed Toy: Cream Monkey, Barney Monkey
Cereal: Honey Comb
Food: Ketchup, Eggs, French Fries, Fried Chicken, popsicle, Lychee Jellies, shrimp chips, Avocado shakes, milk
Place: TARGET, Tita Gay’s Sunday School Class, Jollibee
Toy: iPad
Person to talk to on the phone: her Tatay
What she wants to be when she grows up: a Zebra
Things she says on a regular basis: “Look at me, I’m beautiful” “I miss Tatay” “I miss Ate” “I do it myself”
Most shocking things she’s said: “Fine, you don’t love me anymore.” “Ok, I’ll give you money, and you scratch my back.” “Mamam, what’s a boyfriend?” “Ate likes JonJon.”
First Memory Verse: John 3:16
Things she hates: being treated like a baby (using a booster seat or high chair, helping her on the toilet, being called a baby, wearing a diaper), bugs, losing to her sister, eating “Larry” (vegetables…Larry- from veggietales)
