Marian, Dingdong Mark Ziggy's 1st Birthday With A DIY Celebration (And A Haircut!)

Because of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes yesterday, April 16, 2020, marked Ziggy's first birthday with a simple gathering at home. Based on their posts on social media, it feels like parties of old times.

First, dad Dingdong gave Ziggy a nice haircut. It's been a Filipino tradition to cut babies' hair only after their first birthday. The dad of two promised he'd allow his son to give him a haircut when he's older. (See here celebrity DIY haricuts.)

Mom Marian was so busy in the kitchen. With her superb cooking skills, she made spaghetti, chocolate cake, and chocolate ice cream. We bet it was yummier than the store-bought kind since it's personally made with love.

Marian, Dingdong and Zia, including their helpers at home, dressed their best, to share a meal together. Before that, they connected with their family via the Zoom app to sing the birthday boy a happy birthday.

It proves that the EQC doesn't mean families can't c elebrate kids's important milestones, more so first birthdays! Ziggy's birthday may not be as grand as kiddie parties have become in the past years, but he has got everything he needs: the love of his family.

Dingdong wants to make the world a better place for his children.

Dingdong also wrote an open letter to Ziggy on his birthday. Perhaps, he would have wanted his son to read it in the future when he asked about celebrating his first year at such extraordinary circumstances.

"Today, it's just going to be us, Buddy — you, me, your mother, your Ate Z, Ate Cecile, Ate Glenda, and Kuya Emerson," the dad of two wrote on Instagram. Dingdong, however, assured Ziggy that many people would have wanted to celebrate his birthday and be with him physically.

He also shared his realizations about humanity, the planet, and spirituality during the ECQ, that everything that's happening is a result of actions and inaction. But as parents, it's his and Marian's duty to raise their kids ready to brave the world and make it better for future generations — just as he wants to do now.

"Though there is fear, it is also you (and your sister) who give me courage to carry on and strive to make this world a sustainable place to live in. You give me the drive to make me want to be a better version of myself," Dingdong wrote.

Addressing grownups, he said: "We should get our acts together and ensure that when the time comes, you can freely walk the streets, breathe all the air that you want, play ball with your friends even at close distance, ride a bike, and return the hug to all your well-wishers today."

The dad of two ended his letter with "In times of fear and uncertainty, I had found hope —through you." Awww.

Happy birthday, Ziggy!

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