A Letter to Reign Malaya on Turning Two

By: Lou Maningas Cabalona

 

We were choosing between a special dinner with family or a private party with your friends at a play place. But 2020 had other plans.

It was in the middle of readjusting to new life under quarantine when we celebrated your 2nd birthday on April 18, the day after your real birthdate. It was also right smack in the middle of Papa just having recovered from Covid-19 and Mama starting to show symptoms that later confirmed I have it as well.

Despite all of that in the background, we celebrated Reign Malaya’s Two-reffic Birthday Paw-ty online via a Zoom party, this time allowing friends from all over the world to join. It was fun but also frantic — setting up a physical party with all the decorations and Filipino food while also figuring out how it should look from the computer screen or how we at home – Baron, myself, Mima and Pipa — will hear all all the guests online and vice versa.

Now the zoom video recording is a funny souvenir reminder of the technical glitches we all happily ignored so we could sing Happy Birthday, barely in sync, before you blew out the candles of your Secret Life of Pets themed cake.

I still remember Papa trained you to blow air out from your mouth a few weeks before. When last year you surprised us with walking unsupported a month before you turned one, this year, you learned how to walk up and down the stairs holding on to the rails and you decided you can now confidently climb up your own high chair before your big day.

As you were nearing two, you quickly progressed from repeating animal names after me as I showed you where it was on the picture book; to you, “neigh”-ing and pointing to the ponies in answer to me asking “Where is the horse?”.

You uttered your first sentence formed by your own thoughts, “Oh no, fish is dead” seeing the grilled Pampano at the table one night. By that same table, you closed your eyes and swung your head side to side listening to Pipa play piano. As a fun exercise, I would sing random melodies or song lines to you and you’d sing the same thing back – at perfect pitch – almost every time!

All that you surprised us with always made for many entertaining dinners at home.

And it still does, until today.

I know by this time I should already be used to the fact that you, my baby, are growing and learning day by day. But I still can’t help be delighted by every little thing you do.

I love that you can now tell me “mama, go out” (of the bedroom) when you are ready to start the day and cry out “hurt” when you’re in pain and respond with “yeah” or “no”. Although, I would prefer less of the latter.

I don’t think I will ever forget that one morning you quietly yawned “I love you mama” as you were waking up.

Hearing you say “thank you, mama” in the most unexpected situations — like when I handed you your fork at breakfast or while opening your arms for a hug after I explained why I put you on timeout — is mommy’s perfect happiness.

Just today, you were swimming in the kiddie pool that papa set up in our backyard. You and I had been playing happily with the floating balls and the toy froggy and ducks until you realized it’s probably more fun if I was in the pool with you.

“Mama, sit.”, you said, tapping the water with your palm.

“I can’t, Boom Boom. I don’t have swimmers”, I explained in the simplest way I can justify a no.

You then hopped out of the pool and walked up to the lawn chair where I was sitting. You took my hand, pressed on it to keep your balance while you lifted one leg and said “Mama, take. Swimmers!”.

I thought you wanted me to take you to the grocery to buy swimmers. It took me a few seconds to realize you were actually asking me to take your own swimmers so I could also enjoy the pool as well.

At nearly 28 months old, I can already see the intelligent, sensitive and gracious boy you are becoming and you make Mama and Papa so proud.

Now here, listen to mama, BoomBoom. I know the next few months ahead will be more difficult for you.

I am starting to see a little of it now. You want to make your own decisions. You want to say what you want but find you don’t have the words to express it. You desperately want to do things on your own and you will fail multiple times, or us grown ups wont even allow you to do it if it seems too dangerous.

All those are very good things yet they will be very frustrating for you.

And for now, the only way you can let frustration out is by crying, maybe kicking and screaming like the whole world is crumbling down. Because, perhaps, that’s exactly how it feels for you.

It is going to be a bit frustrating for us too.

I try to remember that, other than a warning of things to come for us this year, the “terrible twos” is more a description of how you are feeling, going through this age. And it helps me be better.

Here’s one thing I want you to be assured of. Whether you’re two or 22, Mama and Papa will be right next to you as you learn more about the world and decide to do braver things. We will try our best to understand you – what you have to say and what you can’t, and eventually when you get older, what you won’t.

We love you very much.

Through virus outbreaks and temper outbursts we will conquer this year (and many years after) together! Always and forever, Your Mama

Like many other children this year, Two year-old Reign Malaya (aka Boom- Boom) celebrated his birthday via Zoom video conference.

Family and friends from Chicago, California, Kansas, Philippines and Vietnam joined to sing BoomBoom a happy birthday song

BoomBoom’s comic personality shining through in this outdoor picture taken with Mama Louella on his birthday weekend

May 31 – Celebrating Lola Veronica’s Birthday at Moretti’s in Rosemont. First time gathering and eating out after a long time!

June 29 – BoomBoom visiting the M&Ms Store in Vegas with Papa Baron, Mama Louella, Tita Carmen and Ninang Lee Maningas

July 25 – The Cabalonas enjoying the perfect sunny weather at the Tabor Hill Winery and Restaurant in Michigan for Tita Jean Gavina’s birthday

Special Shoutout to a sweet lady, Jean Gavina (front row, 2nd from right) who celebrated her 40th birthday with this fun bunch (clockwise from bottom left) Reign, Louella and Baron Cabalona, Lakhi Siap, Everett Icao, Mark Custard, Bill, Rachel Hevro (partially hidden), Maria Custard, the birthday celebrant Jean, Paula Arnedo, and Lea Villena at Tabor Hill Winery and Restaurant.