The lead picture was edited by Canva.
Last May, my little boy Boris turned four years old. Like any excited kid, he already knew exactly what cake he wanted — a Spiderman cake. Of course, as a good mama, I gave in. On his birthday, we brought out the cake and his eyes went so big. His smile was so wide you could see all his teeth! I thought, “Okay, mission accomplished.” I really thought the story would end there. But no. Just a few weeks later, Boris comes to me, very serious, and says, “Mama, for my fifth birthday, I want Spiderman cake again.” I looked at him and said, “Anak, your birthday is still a loooong way from now. You just had your birthday three months ago!” But in his mind, I think the next birthday is tomorrow.
Then I remembered something — his first birthday cake. I told him, “When you turned one, your cake was not Spiderman. It was Paw Patrol because that was your favorite when you were a baby.” Of course, he didn’t believe me right away. So I took out the old pictures. There is a photo made me laugh. There I was, sitting on the wooden floor at my in-laws' house in my peach dress, while baby Boris — who still couldn’t walk properly — was busy pulling tissues out of a box. Not a toy, not a ball… tissues! And he looked so focused, like he was on a mission. Then I showed him the second photo — his big, two-layer Paw Patrol cake. It was colorful, with all the Paw Patrol characters around it. On top was a bright yellow number “1” candle. I still remember how proud we were to show it to our visitors.
And then the family picture. My husband holding baby Boris, me beside him, and his two sisters in front, all smiling. Except Boris. He looked more interested in the candle than in the camera. When Boris saw the cake picture, his jaw almost dropped. “Mama! Two layers!” he said, like he had just discovered a hidden treasure. Then, after thinking for a while, he announced, “Hmm… maybe I change my mind. I will have Paw Patrol cake for my next birthday.” I couldn’t help it — I laughed so hard. “Boris, anak, don’t think too much. You will change your mind many times before your birthday comes!” And knowing him, I’m sure tomorrow he’ll say he wants Batman cake, then maybe dinosaurs, then maybe Spiderman again. This is the thing with kids — their choices change faster than the weather.
Looking at those old pictures made me a little emotional too. I can’t believe how fast time has gone. From the baby who was happy just playing with tissues, he is now a big boy who talks non-stop, makes birthday plans months in advance, and knows exactly what he wants… at least until the next idea comes. One day, years from now, I imagine we will look at these photos again. Maybe he will laugh at himself and say, “Mama, I can’t believe I wanted Paw Patrol again when I was already four!” Or maybe he’ll say, “Well, two layers is still better, Mama.” For me, it no matter if Spiderman, Paw Patrol, or even a plain cake with no design. What matters is the laughter and the memories we make. And for our Boris boy, there’s never a shortage of both. So for now, I’m just waiting for the day he comes to me again and says, “Mama, I know what I want for my next birthday!” And I’ll be there, ready to hear his latest “final” choice… which I know won’t stay final for long.
