Nothing beats the smile of your first-born. And for first-time parents, Carmina Villaroel and Zoren Legaspi having twins must have felt like heaven.
Maverick and Cassandra came into the world last January 6, 2001. Mavy, as his parents fondly call him, is older than her sister Cassandra by two minutes.
In between takes for the program "Sis," Carmina describes her four-year-olds, "Sobrang kulit pareho but different personalities talaga. Mavy is very playful and malambing. During nighttime, he would say, 'Mommy, can you ba-side me?' and gives me kisses all the time. When I come home from work, they would say, 'You look great, mom' or 'I like your dress.'"
The little girl Cassandra or Cassy is very much like her mom, "Sobrang mini-me. She's very talkative like me. When I make kwento, I'm very expressive. Cassy is like that, too. She's a late-sleeper unlike Mavy. When I don't have work, I make sure that we're in bed by 10 o'clock, but Cassy - she's still awake and is fond of telling me stories," says Carmina.
Cassy and Mavy have appeared in some episodes of "All About You" and "SIS" but its too early for them to comprehend their parent's work, "They don't know what artista means but we bring them along during tapings. Gusto naming makita nila kung ano yung work namin as early as now. Bonding activity na rin namin yun kesa maiwan sila sa bahay," Carmina shares.
Bonding activities with their parents include reading books and practicing how to write their names. The girls, Cassy and Carmina, get busy with coloring books while the boys, Mavy and Zoren, dabble in painting. "We're lucky that we have neighbors who are the same age as the twins. They go biking or watch cartoons."
Mavy and Cassy also love to watch "Mulawin" and know all the characters in the show. When they see their parents on TV, they say, "Look it's Mommy or Father"; but Carmina wants the twins to concentrate on reading books and their writing skills, "Si Maverick mahilig magsulat and draw like Zoren."
With their good looks, it is not impossible for the kids to enter showbiz. We asked Carmina who among the twins are fond of the camera, "Mas mahiyain si Maverick. Pero nung may ginagawa kaming shoot sa chroma naaliw sila na makita yung sarili nila sa monitor. Si Cassy, marunong mag-pose. I always have a digicam in my purse. Sa akin palang, sanay na sila sa camera. But as much as possible, sana ibang profession. Pero I will support them kung ano man ang gusto nila i-pursue in the future."