On a lazy Saturday afternoon, in an attempt to evade schoolwork, I gathered some old birthday photographs and tried to remember as much birthday memories as I could such that I could piece together this very timely post (welcome to my birthday week!). Believe me, I did my best. It’s just that I have little memory from my childhood and these are all that I could squeeze out from my brain. After all, I’m getting old. :))

1st birthday (1993)

Of course, I don’t recall this at all. All I know is that I had a birthday party at Jollibee and I have this picture on wood and it’s hanging in my room for the longest time.

2nd birthday (1994)

Another birthday party. People from the neighborhood as well as my cousins attended the party, which was held at our garage. Oh look! That’s little Denden there holding a string of a balloon. :)

3rd birthday (1995)

Hetty Spaghetti! Yes, another birthday party at Jollibee. I was a party girl at such a young age. Haha! Kidding. I guess this is just one of the perks of being the firstborn. :>

11th birthday (2003)

First time to dine at T.G.I.Friday’s. Saw and had a picture with Shaina Magdayao and tada! Here it is. My brother keeps on teasing me (yeah, until now) on how ugly I look next to her.

16th birthday (2008)

This is by far the best birthday gift I’ve ever received! On the midnight of my birthday, I got a message telling me that I passed the UPCAT.This was a week after the ACET results were out so you could just imagine how thrilled I was when I learned about this. I even remember yelling at the top of our staircase, May future na ko! And yes, I was that happy that I even saved the page of the online results. Hahaha!

A week later, I invited my friends to come over at our place for my birthday treat. :)

17th birthday (2009)

Since our birthdays are just 3 days apart, Raphee and I had a double celebration with our college friends at Burgoo. Back then, we had no idea what was ahead of us. Which is each other. Back then, we didn’t realize that our names would be associated to one another in a different way. That is, as a couple. And back then, little did we know that it’s not only our birth month that we’d share together. But love as well. :”>

18th birthday (2010)

First time to attend a mass with Raphee. After the mass, Daddy picked me up along with my brother who handed me a bouquet of roses. Then I entered our house only to find some 5 or more bouquets of different flowers, in different colours. Family members gave me their gifts and I opened them one by one. I know there’s a video of the whole celebration somewhere but I’m too lazy to find it. Anyway, I was really touched by what they did. I mean, even though I refused to have a grand birthday celebration at some hotel or restaurant, they (especially my mom) still made sure to make my debut a memorable one.

Three days after, Raphee gave me these rabbits as a birthday gift. My dream pet! Thank you, dear! :*

19th birthday (2011)

It was a Thursday. It was a school day. But before our last class for the day started, Raphee entered the room and surprised me with three roses. I already had a feeling hours before that he was up to something because Kevin kept on calling his phone, which is unusual. :)) Still, I was deeply moved because more than the just flowers, the way he gave them to me was something. In the classroom, while classmates were watching, and he was quite shaking too which I find really cute. :”>

20th birthday (2012)

We’ll see. :>

That’s it. I’ll just add more if I manage to remember anything significant. And if tumblr’s still here 20 years from now, maybe I could make a similar post for the 2nd quarter of my approximated life span (I do want to get past the age of 80). I think it’s nice to look back every once in a while and see how our lives change within that time frame. I bet when that time comes, my birthday celebrations are a lot different from how I do them now. :)