Month 54

Dear Lia,

Happy four and a half years! So many things have happened, and you've grown quite a bit, that I have no idea where to begin. I've been sitting here wondering how best to describe the last six months for several minutes now. I still don't know how to start. I suppose I should start with how pretty you are turning out to be. This is actually a fact that you are well aware of. You often say, Mommy, I'm so pretty!



You don't say it cause you're boastful. You probably say it because people tell you everyday that you are pretty and so you have taken it to be a truth. Lately, you've also been describing yourself as smart: "I'm going to be a teacher when I grow up because I'm so smart!" You really are quite smart. You are already a gamer. I could leave you at the laptop for an hour or so, and you know how to turn it on, and find the links that lead to your Nick Jr. and Playhouse Disney games. And you would play these games online without supervision. It's great that most of these games are educational. I think you may be learning a lot from these games. And I know that using the computer is an important skill that you will use for years to come. Daddy just loves the fact that you're a gamer like him.




You are such a fun-loving funny girl with a big imagination. You have an imaginary big sister and big brother. Their names are Sandra and Genie, and they live in your old house. You often say they will come over to play with your toys and are just happy to talk about them even if of course none of us have ever seen them. You like to talk about your real friends too. You are in a new class in school and even if you are no longer classmates with your friends from last year, you've made new friends fast and often talk about Thomas, Isabel and Saila. Your classmates love you very much. When I brought you to school today, your friends all shouted to greet you: Lia J!!! You are very friendly and well loved.




One new thing since my last letter is Ducky. Around the time I was about to give birth to Ramon, Lola Cora took you to the mall and Yaya Felma won for you a stuffed duck from a Dream Catcher game. You were so excited by the process that you have formed a strong attachment to this duck you had christened Ducky. Ever since then, Ducky had to be with you everywhere. You can't eat without Ducky, or sleep without Ducky, and everything you do you have to do with Ducky. We try to dissuade you from bringing Ducky out of the house because we are afraid that if we lose Ducky you will be inconsolable. But so far, even if you insist on bringing her (you told us Ducky is a girl), you're happy to leave her in the car so she won't get lost. One Sunday you accidentally left Ducky in Katipunan (Lola Vinchu told you not to take her out of your bag, but apparently, you did) and you didn't raise a fuss when we went home and Ducky was not there to sleep with you. Lola Vinchu brought Ducky with her to the office and Manong Ben went and got her the next day and you were very happy to get Ducky back. So, even if you tend to be obsessive and fixated, you are also quite mature for a four-and-a-half year old.





It is also impressive how well you handle your strong emotions. Once in a while you wake up in a bad mood, and your Yaya and Lola try to console you with words and candy (respectively) but I'm sure even you don't know what can make you feel better. So I would ask you, if you want to lie down with me in my bed, and you'd say no. I'd ask if you're hungry and want to eat breakfast, and you'd say no. And I would ask you, do you want to just finish crying? And you would say yes. So we would lie in your bed and let you cry a little bit more. Soon you calm down and fall asleep again. When you wake up, you are back to your happy cheerful self. It's times like these I have to remember that you are only 4 and a half, and may not be aware of why you have moods and such. But I'm glad you know how to deal with foul moods. I am very proud of you for that.

i guess you have to be mature for your age, because you are the eldest kid in our family. You are a real Ate. You like to take care of your baby sister, brother and cousin. When Desi is sick, you try to console her. You hug her and say, it's ok Desi. When Ramon is crying, you would go and find him and try to help make him feel better. Same with Luis, who loves to play with you. He always likes to play with whatever toy you are playing with. And when you share and give it to him, he loses interest because you are no longer playing with it. You do your best to be patient, to always share, even if you want to keep things for yourself. You like to tell Desi what to do and what to play. Most of the time she is happy to play along and follow you. Sometimes she likes to say no or to mess up your game just to annoy you and that makes you yell DESI! with exasperation. But always with a smile, you do your best not to get pikon. Sometimes you do get upset, but I can tell you do your best to be patient. You know that Desi is littler than you.




Oh Lia, you really are one of the most engaging, entertaining people I know. You like to sing for Ninang Michelle's guests, or even at any party. You like to perform magic tricks for us during our evening bedtime routine. You like to hide under the covers and say, "Mommy! Say 'Where's Lia?'!" You say a lot of funny things like, "I'm in a bad situation," and when I ask you about it, you describe a TV show episode you had watched before where someone was in trouble. You like to read the Princess magazines your Lolas give you and when you see crafts described in it, you want to do them yourself too. Which is why you have a couple of egg carton trinket holders in your room. You've even gotten it into your head to bake cookies with Ninang and you remembered her promise to help you bake, she had no choice but to scramble with some cookie mix. I think you will be baking cupcakes with her next.




Lia, you truly are an amazing child. Your Dad and I would look at you sometimes and wonder how we lucked out on such a good, smart and pretty daughter as you. You make us proud everyday, and we're sure you will continue to do so for four, eight, sixteen, thirty two and many more years for as long as we are all alive. I am extremely honored to be your Mom.


Love, Mommy