Rafa's Third Birthday
12:07 PM
"They grow so fast and that phrase seems both so totally true and totally false at the same time, because in the day-to-day of it, nothing seems fast at all. A meal can take an eternity. A sleepless night a lifetime. And yet everyone says so.
And so I want to hold him in my arms a little longer today because already my baby is gone. Already there is a little boy in his place. And one day, not too far in the future, there will be an older boy in his place, then a teenager, and then a young man."
* * *
Today, I feel a little bit emotional and I guess, the quote above written by Liz Curtis Faria, 'In the Nursery, Where Time Stands Still' perfectly explains how I'm feeling as a mother, now that my only child has officially turned three.
Motherhood is indeed filled with a rollercoaster of emotions. One moment, you'll feel so exhausted from nursing, changing diapers, dealing with colic, sleep deprivation, and all the mothering thing. Then the next day, you'll get surprised and eventually realize that the innocent baby, who you once held in your arms, is already a grown up and doesn't even want to be kissed or hugged anymore. And then, you'll secretly wish to yourself for them not to grow up too fast. Truly, the days are long but the years are short.
Whenever I look at Rafa, I cannot help but miss the baby in him. Nevertheless, I am glad and grateful that I was given the opportunity to be with him 24/7 and watch him evolve, grow, and mature into the sweet, smart, and loving kid that he is today. Certainly, Rafa is the best blessing we have ever received in this lifetime!
So to celebrate our little one's special day, we (me, my husband, and my sister) prepared a modest surprise for him -- a Mickey Mouse themed birthday party! It's just a simple kiddie party, nothing fancy. We simply decorated our house with few colorful balloons and a banner to give it a festive feel, used Mickey plates and cups, wore cute party hats, bought a small red velvet cake, cooked pasta, and ordered some pizza and roasted chicken.
We decided not to invite our friends anymore because we wanted to keep Rafa's party as low key as possible. We're scheduled to fly to the Philippines a few days after my son's birthday and we don't want to stress ourselves anymore with throwing out a big party, thus the very intimate event.
Anyway, here are some of the photos from the said event:
That sweet smile on his face, upon seeing the festive decors we put up for him the night before his birthday, was really heartwarming.
He was so happy and surprised! Oh, cakes and candles fascinate him a lot!
Blowing off his candles!
Rafa's birthday cake is courtesy of my sister or "Nana" as my son calls her.
Rafa's DIY birthday banner is courtesy of his dad -- absolutely made and crafted with love!
I don't know exactly what you call this thing, but ever since Rafa encountered it in one of the kiddie parties we have attended, he can't seem to get enough of it and told me he wanted to have one for his third birthday. Wish granted!
Surprises definitely make birthdays fun and exciting! Opening his first gift from mommy and daddy.
Our building's natur also came knocking at our door and handed Rafa a gift. Such a thoughtful friend!
After taking his afternoon nap, Rafa woke up again to another birthday surprise...
Mickey Mouse themed paper cups and plates, complete with festive party hats! And oh, by the way, we also did have pasta, pizzas, and roast chicken for lunch. (We didn't get to take a photo of it, for the obvious reason that everyone's starving already! lol!)
Nana gave a gift too! Rafa's reaction was priceless!
The birthday boy with his honorable guests (L-R): my sister, me, and my husband
This year's celebration was obviously a lot simpler. Nonetheless, I'm positive that it's as equally fun and exciting as his previous birthdays. Not to mention, this event was also planned and carried out with so much love!
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