Today, February 12, 2020, Mar Roxas and Korina Sanchez are celebrating two occasions—the 2nd birthday of their twin children Pepe and Pilar and the Lunar New Year.
Korina marvels at how fast time flies.
She tells PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) in a text message, "It is surreal to me that Pepe en Pilar are now 2 years old going on 18."
"They're so smart. Can 1 year olds actually say the alphabet from A to Z with matching C is for cat then meow?
"These kids are from another planet, I swear."
Well, the favorite twins on social media do seem to have their own way of talking.
Korina's Instagram followers are already familiar with Pepe saying "ridi" instead of "ready" and Pilar calling him "Pipi."
In the same text message sent to PEP.ph executive editor Karen Caliwara, Korina shares more anecdotes about her twins, conceived through in vitro fertilization and born via surrogacy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The proud 56-year-old mom says, "We dance to VST and Co. Pilar tells Pepe “Pipi, choose ONE, only ONE”.
"Really! And Pepe can dance to any song you play.
"God is good. There was a time in my life I doubted for a second it would actually happen.
"Now I have another reason to live that trumps all others in the list."
And because it's Chinese New Year, the birthday feast on the table is adorned with chocolate gold coins and 13 kinds of round fruits—watermelon, star apple, chico, grapes, pears, apple, pomelo, oranges, melon, ponkan, longan, guava, and honeydew.
The centerpiece is a tray laden with pineapple and radish tied in red ribbon, ginger "for pagsasama ng mga mag-asawa," and charcoal.
There is also a bottle of Moet champage, "a sign of prosperity," according to Korinna, and tikoy.
And because it is their birthday, Pepe and Pilar are each allowed to have two pieces chocolate gold coins.
Pepe likes it so much he almost puts one into his mouth without removing the foil.
Korina ends her text message with a short birthday greeting, "Happy 2nd birthday to my sweet children Pepe en Pilar."
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