It’s crazy how we get so busy preparing for our kids big day. We want to make it special for them. We want to make it fun and memorable. After all, it’s their most awaited day of the year. I for one, though tight on budget, still tried to pull one.

Customized cake, colorful balloons, loot bags, birthday banner, invitations, lots of kids, and all of those other party favors that spice up children’s parties.

She was jumping for joy when she saw the banner and the balloons, she was all smiles putting her dress on and waving her magic wand, and she was truly delighted at the sight of Super Why characters on her birthday cake. When she opened her gifts, she was ecstatic! She loved every toy and couldn’t stop playing. If only we could freeze time and not let the day end. It was fun-filled and overwhelming.

But you know, when we finally reached bedtime and started our night prayer, it turns out, those were all just icing on the cake. I was expecting her to say, “Thank you dear God for my party, for all the wonderful presents, and so on…” but those weren’t the first on her list. I got teary eyed and I still get teary typing this now because her exact line was,

Thank you dear God that I am now 3 and that Daddy is here.

Oh my gummybears. The gift of life and the gift of family. It was an awww moment for us because Daddy flew in from Bohol for this celebration. It was truly heart warming to hear her thank God for that over everything she received during the day.

After that prayer, I realized how truly important family is to little children. I guess they know better than adults. What they value is actually what counts the most.

Sometimes, when we get too excited with the party preparations, we fail to realize that it doesn’t have to be too fabulous nor too expensive because at the end of the day, it is not what matters to them.

Whether we admit it or not, birthday parties sometimes turn out to be an occasion for the parent more than the child. Aside from playmates and classmates, there would be a number of invited adults whom the child isn’t familiar with or haven’t even met at all. Not that I’m against inviting lots of people. In fact, if I had the money, I also would. After all, celebrations are great opportunities to get together and see friends we seldom see. The only thing we probably shouldn’t miss is to “be there” for our children.

That night, I learned that nothing tops presence. Our daughter didn’t show any extra sweetness to Daddy that day. Just their usual conversations. She was busy with everything that was happening. Little did we know, that though it seemed like it wasn’t as big of a deal to have her Daddy around as it is to how she reacted to the cake, the balloons, etc., it was the highlight of her day.

That Daddy made the family complete on her special day.