Yui was helping me hang the clean clothes in her locker when she spotted one summer dress and asked for it. I gave it to her and went about my other chores. A couple or so minutes later, she rushed back to me with a big smile and exclaimed, “Mommy, pretty dress!”. She managed to work out the buttons and put the dress on on top of her clothes and just kept the buttons unhooked as they were at the back (I couldn’t manage back buttons myself either). 

She then asked that we play catch ball. She was so passionate with it that I had to ask for time out a number of times to catch my breath. And during those times that I was holding my chest, catching my breath, she did pirouettes and laughed as her skirt twirled and swirled around her, saying “pretty dress, pretty dress”. She also skipped and hopped around in between pirouettes. So sporty yet so girlish and stylishly feminine and kikay. 

Seeing the happiness on her face and hearing her beautiful laughter, my heart too is suffused with joy and thankfulness to God for giving us this happiness in the form of Yui. And with the happiness is the conscious thought that she’ll be growing up so fast; in that before we know it, time may come that she’ll be one of those students wearing their school uniforms on a Sunday because of some school activity. The thought pinched Mom’s heart a bit. 

But really, it is a reminder yet again to treasure the now and maximize the time we have with the baby Yui.