My Niece Turns 12!

Time really zooms! My niece Eunice, who was a cute "siopao" at six months old is now hitting the roof of tweendom. In our Purple Wedding photos, she was just three years old!

How I wish hubby and I could celebrate with her and her mum in KL. They had lunch (and yummy dessert) at Secret Recipe in The Curve. I love this place! It's classy and not crowded at all -- plus, it's close to IKEA! And that particular branch of Secret Recipe is our favorite. Now if I can only actually taste the American Brownie I asked them to order for me...

My sis sent me text messages about this birthday lunch plan, as well as her gift to Eunice, a couple of days ago. So, I'm in on the surprises. Since I don't think Eunice will get to read this before she gets her surprise, I guess I can divulge it here -- it's a Yamaha C40 guitar!!! Cool!

My niece got interested in playing the guitar during their visit here last December. I have a guitar that looks so much like hers (now), but it's not a Yamaha -- boohoo! My envy aside, she picked up some basic chords pretty fast from her mom (who plays the guitar much better than I do), and I guess she got bitten by the guitar-bug. I guess she'll be strummin' away tonight!

Eunice also plays the piano and is continuing with her lessons. Her mommy dearest is also taking (or should I say "continuing") piano lessons at the same school.

Have I mentioned that my niece is also a chess geek? She's been winning school and inter-school tourneys left and right! I never took a liking to chess, so I'm hardly a candidate for a chess playmate. I'd rather play Equalizer with her (great game for practicing your Math). Anyway, I'm just happy that she is given many opportunities to grow and develop her skills and talents. Later on, she will start using and recognizing the giftings God gave her.

She does Math in her head (like her Aunt Goo), reads a lot of books, likes solving Sudoku puzzles (I do crosswords instead), loves licking peanut butter off her spoon (yuck!), goes for wrestling in bed (I'm too old for that, please!), writes her own songs, poems, and stories, loves to sing (she and her mum know the latest songs and artists), loves to tell jokes, and runs around after me just to pester me -- he-he! That's my niece!

So, here's to a very happy and blessed birthday. God loves you and will always be with you. I love you very much, my little big niece!