"Mama, Baba, look what I can do!" Noelle exclaimed proudly as she did a front flip on the trampoline with the aid of her brother.

   "Wow, sweetheart! That was great!" Kylie said encouragingly while Ruru let out a double thumbs up.

   "I can do it without help," Amir said as he did a front flip of his own.

   "Good job, Kuya!" Kylie encourages as Amir looked at his sister with a smug face.

   "You guys are getting really good at gymnastics. Next thing you know, you'll be doing the Olympics," Ruru smiled at them.

   "Baba, I can do a handstand all by myself," Noelle said proudly with her hands on her waist.

   "Well, I can handstand and walk with it too," says Amir.

   "Really? Show us nga," Kylie claps her hands together.

   Both of the kids did their individual handstands, as their parents watched with bright smiles. They couldn't help but chuckle at how Noelle was trying to walk in her handstand like her brother was doing. Their kids did compete with each other a lot, especially when it comes to gymnastics. They actually had to remind the kids consistently that they are a team and their supposed to build each other up because if they don't, the kids would just knock each other out trying to be 'better'.

   "It's unfair! Kuya's so much better than me!" Noelle exclaims pouting and crossing her arms together.

   Cutest brat ever.

   "That's because I've been doing gymnastics longer, Kikay. You'll get there," the doting kuya encouraged. This is what makes Kylie smile. Yeah, the two competed a lot but at the end of the day, Amir was this loving and protecting kuya to Noelle.

   "But I want to do tricks like you!" Noelle stomped her foot.

   "It's okay. Just keep practicing, right Mama?"

   "That's right, Kuya," Kylie nods.

   "See?" Amir patted his sister's shoulder.

   "But you'll help me Kuya ha?"

   "Of course, I will," he said zipping down the net of the trampoline to get down.

   "Kuya, you promise ha?" she said as Ruru helped her get down.

   "I promise nga."

   The three settled into the couch as they watched a Disney movie. Kylie wasn't there yet because she was in the kitchen preparing snacks. Noelle cuddled up to her father while Amir waited for his mother to get back.

   "Baba, I want earrings," Noelle blurts out.

   "You have clip-on earrings upstairs, sweetheart. Want me to go get them?" Ruru asked caressing her hair.

   "No, like real earrings."

   "But you'll have to get your ears pierced for that, Baby," he explains.

   "Okay, I'll get my ears pierced," she said nonchalantly.

   "Anak, you know it will hurt, right?" he tried scaring her and elbowed Amir to ride along. He really didn't want her to pierce her ears yet. For him, it was something the 'big girls' would do and his baby was far from being a 'big girl'. It's too soon.

   "I can do it, Baba," she said bravely.

   "Noelle, you know what happens when they pierce your ears?" Amir asked.

   "No," she shook her head.

   Ruru smirked," Well, it's not much. They just get a burning hot needle and they have to poke in your ears really hard so it gets through."

   "Yeah, and there's gonna be blood everywhere coming from your ears. While there's still blood, they will put the earrings on," Amir scared with big eyes for emphasis.

   "Remember your flu shots? Yikes! It'll hurt more than that," Ruru faked pain. The two boys continued speaking of the 'excruciating' pain she'll have to go through as Noelle listened in horror.

   "Hey, what's happening here?" Kylie interrupts as she slowly put the snacks down on their coffee table.

   Noelle quickly ran to her mother and hugged her tight, "Mommy, I don't ever want to pierce my ears ever!"

   Kylie was bewildered because just yesterday she discussed about really wanting to have her ears pierced, "What? I thought you wanted to pierce your ears, Baby?"

   "Not anymore," she replied as she was carried by her mother.

   "Why, princess?" she asked in a comforting tone.

   "I don't want my ears to bleed all over the place, Mama," she reasons, her eyes glossy.

   "Bleed? Honey, your ears won't bleed. Who told you that?"

   "Baba and Kuya," Noelle answers. Kylie glared at her two boys. The glare that said ,' I will kill you.' Amir pointed to his father and Ruru smiled innocently.

   "Don't listen to them, Sweetie. You'll be fine," she patted her back.

   "No bleeding?" Noelle asks in a small voice.

   "No bleeding at all."

   "Will they use a really hot needle?"

   "No, baby. They'll use these things that look like guns and put it in your ears. They'll count to three and then you'll hear a clicking sound and it's over," Kylie explained.

   "Will it hurt, Mama?"

   "Just a tinsy-wincey bit."

   "Like a shot?"

   "No, it'll hurt more but just a bit and then you'll have really pretty earings."

   "Okay, I'll get my ears pierced," Noelle beamed to Ruru's horror.

   "Alright, so what are we waiting for? Let's go get dressed!" Kylie bounced her in her arms as she nodded to the boys to get dressed.

   "I wanna wear something really special, Mama," Noelle said looking at her wardrobe full of clothes.

   "Do you wanna wear a dress?" Kylie asked going through her clothes.

   "Yeah, a nice dress!" she exclaimed.

   "Oh, look at this one, Sweetie," Kylie said as she pulled out a light blue dress with a thin, golden brown belt.

   "Oooh! I'll look just like Amihan!" Noelle bounced. Her children grew up knowing their mother's favorite character and learned to love her too. But Noelle was the one who was in love with her mother's character, even wanting her own Amihan plushie.

   "You're right! Do you want to wear it?"

   "Yeah!"

   Noelle gently got the dress from her mother's hand and started wearing it. She then asked her mother to fix the belt.

   "There you go, Kikay. So pretty!" Kylie compliments, " How do you want to do your hair?"

   "Amihan braids!" she exclaimed in return. Kylie chuckled. She looked up to Amihan just as much as she does.

   "Alright, sit down," instructs Kylie as she brushed her daughter's hair.

   Kylie started braiding her daughter's hair while the little girl opened her jewelry box that her father gave her. She went through her necklaces showing them to her mother for approval.

   "Go for the one with a rose charm," she said as she finished up and tied Noelle's hair.

   "Mama, help me put it on please?"

   "Sure, sweetie," she replied and buckled the lock together.

   "Now, wear your white doll shoes na para Mama can change," she instructed which the child obediently followed.

   Kylie hurriedly changed into a floral romper and flats. She held her daughter's hand and they walked down the stairs to see the two boys staring at them.

   "Wow, Mama! You look so lovely!" Amir exclaimed.

   "Huy, I'm the only one who can tell her that," Ruru elbowed him. Kylie shook her head.

   Noelle cleared her throat trying to catch their attention. She twirled around.

   "Woah! Ganda naman ng baby ko!" Ruru said.

   "Duh," Noelle rolled her eyes.

   Was this girl five or fifteen?

   "You look like Cinderella, Kikay," says Ruru as he carried her in his arms.

   "No, I don't like Cinderella! I'm Amihan kaya, Baba," she pouted.

   "Of course, you are. Ang aking munting Amihan," Ruru said and winked at Kylie who smiled in return.

 
   On the way to the mall, Noelle could not stop babbling about what kind of earrings she should get. She squiggled in her carseat when they got there. Ruru opened the door and got her out of her carseat slowly on purpose.

   "Baba, so slow! Faster please!" she exclaimed causing him to laugh.

   "Wait lang kase. Patience is a virtue, Kikay," he laughed and carried her to put her on the ground.

   The moment her feet touched the ground, she ran to her mother and held her hand. That was a surprise because usually, she would be clutching to her father.

   "Mama, which one should I get?" Noelle asked looking through the stud earrings that she could get.

   "This one oh. Pearls," Ruru suggested.

   Pearls to shoo away love life.

   "I don't like."

   "This one, Noelle. So nice it's just clear white but look, when there's light it's a rainbow," Kylie suggested.

   "Okay, that one po, Ate," Noelle says to the clerk.

   Noelle sat on the seat and the ladies started cleaning her ears. She was beaming as her mother and father started taking pictures.
   "Today's the big day huh?" the lady asked as she put dots on the girl's ears.

   "Yup, I'm so excited!" she exclaimed.

   "Kikay, I have an offer," Ruru said.

   "What is it, Baba?"

   "If you don't pierce your ears today, I'll give you five toys and books that you want," he offers.

   "No, I wanna get my ears pierced," she said determinedly.

   "Okay, Darling, you can hold your daddy's hand if you want to," one of the ladies said holding the piercing contraption on one hand.

   "Baba," she said and held her father's hand.

   "It's gonna be okay, Kikay," Kylie smiled. Her eyes drifted to Ruru who looked like he was gonna give birth. She giggled.

   "Love, calm down. Noelle's the one getting her ears pierced not you," she patted his shoulder.

   "Now, we want you to breath in and out and at the count of three, we're gonna do it."

1

2

3

   "There you go, sweetie!"

   Noelle had this distorted face and she squeezed her father's hand really tight. She was stunned by the pain.

   "Wow! Look at that, you didn't even cry. Such a brave girl you are, Kikay!" Kylie exclaimed. Amir just looked at his sister with wide eyes.

   The lady showed her a mirror, "Look how pretty you look."

   "Does it hurt?" Amir asked quiet mindlessly.

   "Just a little bit. I'm pretty, right Kuya?" she smiled.

   "Yeah."

   "Wow, my Kikay is so brave. No tears! I'll give you a reward," Ruru said as he cupped her face.

   "Really? What is it, Baba?" she asked excitedly.

   "You can get any earrings you want."

   "Baba, she can't wear those earrings until a few weeks later," Kylie reminded.

   "It's okay. You can pick them out today," Ruru smiles at his daughter and tucked her stray hair behind her ears, "There, para makita yung earrings mo."

   "Careful, Baba. It hurts," she winced.

   Later that night, Noelle sat on her bed getting her piercings clean by her father while Kylie stares at how cute they looked.

   "There you go. Now lay down and go to sleep na," he instructs.

   "I'm sorry, Baba, what?" she said. He forgot his please. Kylie laughed.

   "Go to sleep na please," he smiled.

   "Song and bedtime story, Baba, please?"

   "Of course."

——————
    How old are you, peaps? Just curious.

   Sorry if it sucks.

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