P-Day

Last night, I was giving Rama a preview of things to come today.

Me: So! Tomorrow, we first make pancakes, then go to the puppet show. Tapos, punta na tayo sa park. Hey, they all start with the letter P! Pancakes, puppets, park! It's P-Day!

Rama, wide-eyed: Yes! And I'll be with Poch!

So, About This GOD Idea

The Creation has been one of our favorite stories. We go back to it every now and then. Today, while crossing the street, Rama had something on her mind. Something a bit existential, actually.

Rama: Bakit kay God, walang gumawa?

I first heard this question in a college class. Modern philosophy, I think - if god made everything, who made god? Except she already sorted out that, ok, nobody made god (which I don't remember explicitly pointing out). He just IS. Why lang daw kaya.

Birthday Kwento 3

One of Rama's gifts this birthday was a fairy ensemble - wand, headband, armbands, dress, and slippers. The slippers were fabric - really meant for indoors only. They were more like slipper-socks.

So she put on the whole thing and played played played. Soon it was time for the guests (yes, people came and sang to her. So she had the normal birthday ritual - may mga tao) to leave. Rama and I walk them to their cars. I noticed she was still wearing the slippers.

Me: Rama, yang slippers, for inside lang, ok?

Rama: Eh bakit si Tinkerbell? Pwede siyang lumabas naka-ganito.

Me: Kasi most of the time lumilipad siya, hindi siya naglalakad.

Rama: Pilay ba siya?

BIrthday Kwento 2

Birthday went like this. Rama went swimming in the morning. Then she had a nice lunch at a neighborhood cafe - pancakes with real maple syrup! Then came school. After school (where she stalked new crush Zach in the playground), we bumped into new friends who, on a whim, took us to Chuckie Cheese. Think Timezone but brighter and they serve food (pizza and drink-all-you-can from the fountain). So it's a real party place which gets packed on weekends. There were mascots too, except these were mechanized so "the band" was playing and dancing all afternoon. Unlike Jollibee who can only make a 15 minute appearance because the poor crew person inside the mascot could actually collapse from heat and exhaustion. Today, we practically had the place to ourselves.

So the kids did what kids do - go on the kiddie rides, shoot some basketballs, etc. At the end of the afternoon, you collect all your tickets and choose your prize. Rama chose these funky glasses, along with other stuff like beads, a ring, crayons. Everyone loved these glasses.

Birthday Kwento 1

So the plan is to keep it low-key. BIrthday morning. Balloons EVERYWHERE. Around her bed. Then as she lies in bed, still stretching, a little birthday cake with lit candles is brought in. Her Papi and I sing her happy birthday.

Rama: Asan na ang mga tao?

Just Another One Of Those Hirits

Frantic morning. Adult missing wallet. "I think I left it here. No, I think upstairs. Or maybe jacket pocket? Yadda yadda." Adult eventually finds wallet.

Rama: Naglalakad ba ang wallet mo?

BIrthday! Birthday!

Rama turns 5 on Thursday, May 3.

Last year's celebration was a big shebang. Check out the invite.

This year, it will be very low-key. I thought maybe just cupcakes for all 5 of her classmates. So I asked her teacher and guess what she said: Sure, you can have a little celebration. But nothing edible. ?!? Some kids might be allergic to something or other, so to be safe, no feeding of the schoolkids. Instead, we'll just bring party favors.

I asked her what she wanted. Rama's birthday wish: Sana mag-kasya na si Honey sa seatbelt ng airplane. Para makapunta na siya dito sa Canada.

Honey is Rama's lola, whom she sorely misses. When we moved to Canada, Rama asked why Honey won't be joining us. We just said that Honey was too chubby, she couldn't fit in the airplane seat.