Tag Archives: birthdays

Celebrations…

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Sunday morning bliss. A relaxed morning listening to music after breakfast at the local diner. It has been a really good week. A week of celebration, of Anjali turning 4. First we had close friends and family for samosas and cake last weekend. And then celebration at Anjali’s classroom at her Montessori school on wednesday where I got to participate and have lunch with all the children. Then, her actual birthday on Thursday when she got a new 16” bike, as promised. This one with all the frills – white and pink with a basket in front. Anji loves biking and will do it morning, noon and night, if she could. And she has outgrown her 12” (which she rides without training wheels!). She took to her 16” like fish to water.

Speaking of water, she also had her first swim lesson on Friday, which was a true delight to witness. Being a non-swimmer myself, I was touched by how much she enjoyed being in the water and learning to swim and how she trusted her teacher immediately.

And the last party (but certainly not the least) with her neighborhood friends at the local art studio yesterday with one of her favorite teachers. (While I got to snooze at home and Abhi got to watch a movie!).

A week of celebration of time passing by. My daughter is growing. I’m so excited for her and also moved by her new strides. She stays in her room in the morning watching the clock until it shows 6.00. I could never have imagined this. And when the clock strikes 6.00, thats when she comes over to snuggle in our room.

She is a stickler for rules. She loves rules and she also loves to tell others what the rules are. Like no shoes into the house. and no coming out of your room before 6.00! :). She is wonderfully creative and can play with her baby and little guys for hours, inventing stories. She also surprises me many times with her affectionate questions. She asked me last night if when she grows up, she could sit next to me for MY bedtime. I hope when I get old, she will be sitting by me! And we also have a deal that when she grows up, she is going to get a motorbike and take me for a ride. These innocent and spontaneous love-filled moments fill my heart and I’m moved to tears. That Anji is so happy with the small things in life. Playing outside. Riding her bike. Listening to bollywood songs and singing aloud and grilling us as to what the words mean! :). Truly, life has many surprises. It has been a week when I have had tiring moments – cakes to bake, errands to run, shops to go. But it is all worth the effort when my daughter told me last night – Mama, I like everything you do. I want to paste these words so I remember them during the down moments.

Anji you are amazing, awesome, and you heal my heart and bring me joy every single day. and you are my greatest teacher – of patience, persistence and forgiveness. I love you.

Turning 3…

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My little girl just turned 3 this past week. Its been three mom years for me. It is so mind-boggling to me! Just now, it seemed like she was born, nursing in my arms, sleeping for hours, utterly vulnerable and dependent on me; on us, as parents. And already it has been three years. And she is a sheer life force of energy moving dancing jumping always ready. As Suzuki Roshi called it, an alert readiness. A readiness for life. When she is upset, she is passionately upset. and when joyful, joyful with her full body and mind. My passionate wild darling. Sometimes too much like her mother. (“and the lily, how passionately she needs some wild darling!”, Rumi, Maybe thats what I asked for.) Perhaps a little temperance maybe in order. But that’s not something I have ever learned properly. Dad will have to chip in on that one.

My sleeping baby is my favorite moment of the day. She holds my hand, even now, into her fourth year, before dozing off, into dreamland. sometimes she has some last few words, some mumbles before sleep arrives fully. She is always so warm. and she curls up like a cat, with her other hand rubbing her belly. Sometimes she sings, until that very last moment of sleep. itsy bitsy spider (her most favorite song!) mostly, sometimes twinkle twinkle. Perhaps there is a reason these songs are so popular among the little ones. The melody that one can repeat over and over again. It doesn’t end. But then it does. Everything ends, just as the baby years end and the toddler years arrive, and then the preschooler years.

Right now, thats where my baby is at. So incredibly brave, learning so many new things, giving herself fully to each new day and what it holds. It is amazing to me how much she is open to, how present. More and more I am aware of how many complaints I have. and I don’t do half as much as my little one does each day. So I learn slowly to drop them.

So here it is, to our little ones, our little buddhas. May we cherish the moments, of their touch, their tiny hands holding ours, their small feet flexing, the pouring of water in the tub from one cup to another, the wearing of tiny shoes themselves, and braving it into the worlds with their tiny lunch bags. Thats my diva, my angel, my rock star. Happy birthday my sweetheart!