Earlier this month—bago pa magsimula ang pasukan and while the sun was still shining—we had an advance celebration for Twinkle’s 10th birthday at The Royal Branch. Swimming party siya, habol pa before the rainy season officially kicked in. Alam mo naman, once the rains start, goodbye na muna ang outdoor fun!
The pool party was full of giggles, splash fights, and summer joy. Twinkle had so much fun swimming with her cousins and friends—jumping in and out of the water, floating with her shark salbabida, and of course, striking cute poses for photos with her party shades on. We kept things simple: just snacks, drinks, and lots of laughter. The best kind of celebration, di ba?
On Her Actual Birthday
Twinkle’s actual birthday was just the other day, and we had a smaller, cozier celebration with her BFFs from the neighborhood — yung mga kalaro niya araw-araw sa bahay ng Nanay Pinky (my sister who calls herself Anney 😂). Their house is just right across ours, so it’s their regular tambayan-slash-playground.
I set up a simple merienda spread with all their favorites:
🍗 Jollibee Chickenjoy and Spaghetti (no fail combo!)
🍟 French Fries
🍫 Chocolate Cake for that sweet, birthday finale
The kids were so happy — nagkakainan, kwentuhan, and then straight to their usual playtime routine. Running around, laughing over silly things, doing pretend play like they always do. It’s the kind of childhood I’m so happy Twinkle gets to enjoy, carefree and surrounded by love and friendship.
Lootbags for the Win!
Of course, the day wouldn’t be complete without lootbags! Hindi man party-level ang celebration, gusto ko pa ring may konting pasalubong to take home. We filled them with:
🍪 Cookies
☕ Hot chocolate mix (pang partner sa rainy afternoons)
🍬 And a few candies for a sweet treat
Each one was packed with a little bit of love and a lot of sweetness—just like the whole celebration itself.
Reflecting on Ten Years
It’s still so surreal to think that my bunso is now TEN. Double digits na! Parang kailan lang we were celebrating her first birthday with a Sesame Street party. Now she’s this smart, thoughtful, and hilarious little lady who makes our lives brighter every single day.
Celebrating her birthday—whether with a swimming party or a simple merienda with friends—reminded me that it doesn’t take much to make a child happy. What matters most is that they feel loved, celebrated, and surrounded by people who care about them.
Happy Birthday, Twinkle! 🎉 You’ll always be my baby girl no matter how grown up you get. We love you so much!
