December 23 will always be special to me because just before sunrise on that day in 2003, God gave me a wonderful gift – a precious little angel.

For the past twelve years, Pristine has made it easy for me to become a mom/parent. There were no phases of terrible two or three’s or fours (or it was too mild I can’t even remember it’s been hard).

 She was an easy child past that colicky baby stage. When people see how a good girl she was when she was 5, 6 or 7, they would tell me, “Oh wait till she gets to 10, 11 or 12!”

She was still good all those years. And now that she’s 12, they’ll tell me “Oooh, you better be prepared for the teenage years! Next year!”

I wish these kind of cursing would stop.

A few weeks ago, I asked her what she wants on her birthday and Christmas since these days are so close together. She could not point out what, saying “but I have everything I need, mama, so I’m ok with anything you like to get me.”

We all know the most difficult gift is that anything thing.

I asked her which restaurant she would like to go have dinner and she pointed out a very modest, inexpensive place, the restaurant where we go for our weekend lunches. We’ve dined in some fancy restaurants but these never even crossed her mind right now. Either she doesn’t know fancy or did not want us to ‘splurge’. Or should I believe when she said, “but I really like the food in that (modest) restaurant!”

I am proud to have a very sensible, loving and caring daughter, my best friend till forever.

I don’t know what I did in a previous life to deserve a daughter like her in this lifetime. Whatever it was, it must have been incredible for me to end up with an incredible daughter like her.

To Pristine: You give me what no other person on this planet can give – you. I feel so lucky to have you as a daughter (may you never change, ok, you can change but only for the better!). Happy 12th birthday and I wish you many, many birthdays to come!