GIRL TURNS 5…
The Family Files

Days before her birthday, Luna asks her brother “Kuya, what is your favorite body part?”

Rio: “Eh? Well, duh! The brain!”

Luna turns to her mum and Kala thinks the question is weird. She replies anyway: “Hmmm… That’s an interesting question. Brain!”

Luna, a bit disappointed with the answers, turns to me. “Ako rin, brain!” I answer.

But what about you, I ask Luna. “What’s your favorite body part?”

Luna: “My favorite body part is kuko! My nails!”

Rio, Kala and me: “Huh?!”

Luna: “So I can put cutix! I like nail polish. My favorite body part also are my eyes! And cheeks! And lips!” She's just like my youngest sister Yammy, who is beside Luna while the girl is holding a leaf...

Rio: “Duh. They’re just accessorizable body parts.”

Luna: “I don’t care.”

There’s about five seconds of silence -- then mad laughter, from everyone.

Yla Luna turned five in the middle of November, and what a blast it was. A small party was put together for her but since Kala and I have been either out of the house, out of town or out of the country too often, we just had to cross our fingers and hope enough people would come to Luna’s bash. We kinda flubbed the invitations part to our friends – Kala thought I was sending to so and so but I thought she was sending to the same people. And then we sent invites a little late…

The event was held at the original Max’s restaurant (the best!!!) and although we were expecting 20 kids and 30 adults, in the end, over 50 kids came (cousins and classmates and friends) and 75 adults showed up. Yeyey!

Lunalu was sooooo happy.

She wore the dress that her lola gave her and each time I tried to take a picture of her, she would do a curtsy if she were standing or if she were sitting she’d cross her legs. Amazing kikay to the max, just like Yammy.

Kala hired the outfit of Kuya Mao to entertain the party’s guests and what a grand show it was. Kuya Mao was formerly with Batibot, and whose repertoire was just magnificent. Kids and adults were all in stitches over Kuya Mao’s ventriloquist performance with Elmo, which was followed by an even more hilarious puppet show, then finally a magic show that was so interactive everyone was still laughing by the time the whole birthday party ended. Ibang klase! Look at Sophie and Julia! And Luna has doubled up. Tingnan ang tatlong anak ni Ateng -- halakhak ng halakhak!

If you have an event coming up, I tell you, get Kuya Mao’s show! It’s for kids and adults together, and for birthdays, Christmas events and office parties – he da man. Just write me if you’re interested and I’ll give you his coordinates. Sobrang sulit po, as you will see in the photos of laughing people in Lunalu’s birthday!

Kuya Mao a lot of characters with their own funny personalities – Superman was there and so were Spongebob, Barney, Lolo and Buboy, and Elmo/Elma.

He made sure everyone had fun -- the adults were laughing at the antics of the children and the kids got stomachaches laughing at the silly adults in front of them. Here you see Auntie Maki and Ninong Teddy wearing Kuya Mao’s costumes while singing nursery ditties. Nakakangilo! And right below that is top Tito Pogs – one of the country’s top telecom execs playing weird bunny… Creepy!

So many friends came and it was unbelievable. I saw long-time best buddy Jenny and Auntie; also Bituin (Filipino for star), whom Luna once said was her natural partner ”kasi ako , ‘moon’.” Bituin brought her mom -- birdie-girl and sandbox playmate Annabanana. With his three kids in tow was good buddy Peter Sing, former senior media man and now co-CEO (with Gilie) of the best-selling Pan de Pidro Bakeries. (If you’re thinking of special gifts to give to special people this Christmas, put Pan de Pidro on top of your list. Your friends and family will love you for it, though they’ll hate you for the calories; drop me a line too if you want to order, though Pan de Pidro branches are all over Metro Manila now even though they’ve only entered their second year)

Also present was Ninong Teddy and Ayen; the Pulido brood led by Miggy, Megan and Sophie, and the Constantino clan/Dada Ming’s troops led by Ia, Taro, Jedi (from Maoi) and Julia (Hochi) and newly wed CP and Ani.

I saw my university buddy Alphonse, who came with his kid and Teacher Fe and so many other COLF teachers.

On the pic here you'll see Luna giving a kiss to Dada Ming and also to Lola Dudi. She shouted to me that Dada had arrived with Lola and she was jumping up and down, her eyes gleaming.

Ninja with CJ and Aldo were also there along with Tito Pogi and Tita Winnie.

Leizl and her kids were there and Teban and Gigie also, with gorgeous Juliana – the pretty little girl hugging Luna in the pic.

Ang dami. My mind has lost track of who turned up. Sayang Kala and I again forgot to bring a guestbook...

The food was superb – Max kasi! – and the service was as crisp as the chicken and the ambience was appropriately rowdy (there was a big play area right behind Kuya Mao’s set). So many of the guests left saying they had a fabulous time. (And they were not just being polite; some were insisting they had humongous fun and were asking for Kuya Mao’s details...)

Luna can only agree. She was the most patient, giving away loot bags, holding the hands of her classmates, laughing with her cousins and sharing party food.

Soon as the family got back home, Luna went straight to her presents and nimbly opened them one by one. She said it felt like Christmas, since so many brought nice things for her, and indeed, it looked as if she received an advance barrage of gifts. Her immediate favorites were Annabanana and Bituin’s ceramic bird call (sobrang galling!), a dress from Peter’s youngest, Tiny’s Doggie Storybook and the doodling pad from Ninang Delia, the mum of Jenny.

Kuya Rio was a dutiful big brother throughout, helping entertain his young sister’s guests and having great fun in the process. You can see him here in his camouflage pants, laughing at one of Kuya Mao’s puppets.

What a fine day it was.

Luna has begun to read at will and she was delighted to receive so many books. Of course, the many art thingies that she got occupied her attention on the very day after her celebration. She was out in the garage, painting and drawing, as soon as she woke up. Right after she played with her most special gift, that is.

We gave the little girl a dresser. And oh boy o boy did she love it....

“I’m a big girl now,” Yla Luna told her parents as she batted her eyelashes and smiled at her image in the mirror.

Yes you are, Luna.

But you will always be our little girl.

Thanks for dropping by. #

Big thanks to Annabanana for some of the pictures here!