Letter to my daughter on her 3rd birthday!

 

My darling daughter! 

‘DAUGHTER’.. oh goodness! How sweet that word tastes on my lips! It has been 3 years since the story of you was gifted to this world. When you took your first breath, the world changed for the better.

Last 3 years have passed so quickly, in a series of blinks & blessings. 

At some point this year you left toddler-hood behind, and started telling jokes, singing, dancing, and twirling through the world. You say, “Look at me guys” so often, and with the intention of making others laugh. It cracks everyone up in the room immediately. I never want you to lose that Dia. It’s a very rare skill to make people laugh and be able to laugh at yourself. I am proud of you. 

Pro Tip: A joke is funny once or maybe twice. When you keep repeating it, it’s essence wears off ;)

Your energy is so infectious. You laugh SO. BIG. In a deep old man voice sometimes. It’s hilarious. I try to get all of it on video. You will thank me later for all these million videos of you :) 

You smile with a twinkle in your eye. 

You jump with both feet. You want to try anything and everything, and you want to do it on your own.

You follow Ansh everywhere and want to be just like him. Sometimes you forget that you’re only half his size ;) 

Your favorite toys are whatever Ansh is playing with at that moment. You take it away from him, and then claim it to be yours. It’s hilarious because now Ansh has started tricking you into believing what your favorite toys are. ;)

Like, the other day, he wanted to play with his Bakugans, but he knew you’re going to take it from him. So, he started playing with his dinosaurs instead, and when you took those away from him, he took out his Bakugans like a thug. That moment was so precious to watch. Lol :)

We also trick you into eating medicine by feeding it to Ansh first, so you’ll try it too. Lol… I know, not the best parenting, but you want to do everything that your big brother does. 

Your fashion sense is epic. You choose your own shirts and pants. Most of them are either Dinosaurs or dinosaurs. You won’t wear anything other than that. For this birthday, I got you 4 dino shirts. 

You look just like your Nani. Even with a bald head (yes! We shaved your head this year. But you will thank us later for your amazing hair :)) 

You’re magic. Pure magic. Embrace it. 

You have a joy that other people feel. You don’t owe it to anyone, but know that when you share it, it truly is a gift. 

You are loving. When you wrap those sweet chunky arms around someone, the arms that haven’t quite stretched out and lost their baby rolls, it’s a balm for the soul. 

You’re absolutely fearless when it comes to heights and flips and turns. You’ve fallen down the stairs and heights so many times, yet it doesn’t scare you and you’ll try it all over again. 

You have achieved so much in the last 3 years. Laying down some highlights from last year: 

1. You started speech therapy this year. Mama and Dada were a little concerned that you weren’t speaking. You’d use sign language a lot, and get your way through communicating everything you needed, but you won’t say words. Your teachers say that you’re the most expressive kid in class because you communicate through expressions. However, mama got a little worried (read: panicked and anxious), and started therapy. And since your speech therapy started, you haven’t stopped. It’s the most fun to watch you use words, make sentences, and communicate. My favorite one so far has been, “I Love you, mama”, “Where is baby Arth?”, “Follow me mama”, “Look at me guys”, and “Not Stegosaurus. Not Brachiosaurus. I want a REAL dinosaur” 

2. When you say, “I want cup cake”, it primarily means that you want the frosting ;) You’re a sweet tooth, just like mama. You eat cake batter more than the cake. You lick condensed milk more than desserts, and you want to share all of mama’s chocolates. 

3. You transitioned from a crib to bunk bed this year. Suddenly you found this freedom at nighttime, and it’s a pain to put you to bed now. We hear laughter and giggles from your room, much after we’ve put you to bed. You love jumping on your bed, throwing things room one bed to another, and just climbing up. You’re not much of a sleeper. 

4. When we call you “Baby”, your immediate response back is, “No Baby. Dia” 

5. You love singing Happy Birthday. But when others sing it, you cover your ears and shout “TOO LOUD”. Funny part is, you’re being the loudest then ;) 

6. The most exciting of all, Arth has now moved to Seattle to be closer to you. You both have a love-hate relationship. You’d find a toy, and both fight over it until someone gets hurt. Yell, howl, cry and physically fight. And then one minute later, you’ll share the same toy like the scarring episode, a minute ago, never happened. 

7. You also watch out for Arth (sometimes). Like when he goes to bed, you’d ask everyone to shush, coz “Baby Arth is sleeping guys” 

8. This year, you took a trip to India. You got to meet your Dadu, Pashi, Fufa, Vidyut Bhaiya for the first time. You truly kept everyone entertained throughout :) 

9. You also visited Nani ghar, and was pampered beyond limits by Nanu and Nani. As you should be. Lol :)

10. The best of all.. The first time to said “Abhishek”, we all got very excited and laughed. And you thought that “Abhishek” is a word that makes everyone laugh. And since then, no matter where we are or what we’re doing, you’d just say out loud “ABHISHEK”, and everyone would burst out laughing.

11. Also, in-case you didn't get it from the previous 2 letters, and maybe all the future ones to come.... you are your daddy's princess. If it was to him, he would cradle you and wrap you up in his arms forever. You own all of his heart and some more :)

You’re so so funny my baby 

As you move into this year, my hope is that you will just keeping being the wonderful, funny, strong willed, and beautiful you that you are. As long as you remember that Mama and Dada loves you the most, and Mama is the best ;) Don’t worry about the latter. I remind you of that every day. 

My love, more than anything in this world, I want you to stay true to yourself, and all will be well. Stay strong, let your voice be heard, be kind, hold your family close. Know that you will always be loved, no matter what. And no matter how old you are, you will always be my Baby Girl. 

I know the twos were supposed to be terrible, but while they definitely had their challenges, watching you grow has been incredible. Hearing you say “I love you too” for the first time and getting your sweet kisses on my cheek coupled with your aggressive happy hugs has made the twos less terrible and much more fun (despite the tantrums and sassy “nos”). While watching you grow older and more independent is bittersweet, I’m looking forward to what the threes bring. I love you more and more with every passing day my sweet little girl. Happy Birthday!

With all my heart,

Love,

Mama

Happy 7th my sweet sweet boy

 My Sweet sweet baby boy Ansh, 

Let me begin by saying that I love you so much that each year these letters get tougher and tougher to write as I get more and more emotional over you growing up! 

I know my job as your mom is to raise you up to be a man. You won’t stay my little boy forever. One day you will leave our house and marry and have a family of your own…. OMG! Okay, I wasn’t ready for that. 

I’m going to park that thought until we must cross that bridge. 

You’re my biggest blessing. Know that I will always be there for you (even if I get mad at you sometimes for taking 20 minutes to just put your shoes on ;)) 

Seven Years ago today, I saw your beautiful face for the very first time and I fell madly in love. 

My heart couldn’t contain all that love, and it started to flow through my eyes. I remember that moment so vividly when you made me mom. 

You were an 8.1 pounds, perfectly gorgeous baby with a head full of hair and an infectious smile. I can remember the hours that followed were filled with complete and total bliss. Your dad and nani were here to welcome you in person and everybody else on facetime fighting each other to see you. 

There was so much chaos as to who will hold you next and touch your sweet hands and feet. 

Our first night at the hospital, you laid next to me while I watched you sleep. 

I felt the rhythm of your breathing. I gazed at the precious swoop of your nose, the soft flutter of your eyelashes, the length of your fingers, the curves of your cheeks. I soaked in all the little details of you. I promise I won’t do that when you’re a teenager. 

You definitely get your good looks and that wit, and sarcastic humor from your dad, but your heart? Your heart and sensitivity come directly from me. Yup! I take full credit for that. I made you, so I take credit for you :)

I want you to know that your heart makes you special. It makes you unique, and stronger. You’ll never leave anyone behind. You’ll never forget an important day. You don’t flinch before sharing your toys with your lil sister and brother, even though you know you might never see it in one piece again. And I think, that is what makes you the best big brother ever. 

You’ll probably cry if you don’t make the team, if you don’t get into the college you want, when a girl breaks your heart and when you graduate from high school. But the good news is – I’ll be crying right along with you, so we’ll be there to lean on each other. 

You are smart. Wicked smart. Don’t ever forget that smart is cool. Sometimes you say things that blow my mind, and I’m left stumped. 

Like the other day, you were showing your science experiment to your dad, and your dad said, 

“Are you a doctor yet?” 

And you immediately responded saying, “I’m just a kid dad” 

If I had to give you a piece of advice, it’ll be “Smart is cool, but so is trying again”. 

Sometimes, you get disappointed when you don’t win, and you give up easily. My goal is to teach you how persistence and grit is crucial in life. Remember that success is a lousy teacher. Effort matters. 

You did well in first grade, Buddy, and I’m so very proud of you, but starting next year, homework is going to take longer than 10 minutes. Just a friendly warning from your loving Mommy ;) 

Your teacher this year brags and brags on you which fills my heart with pride. 

She said, in her own words, “If teachers were allowed to pick a favorite kid in class, Ansh would be mine. He is kind to his friends, listens to instructions patiently, and always helps his peers out. He has a big heart” 

You truly are a light to your peers. The best part about you is that you lead without being a “know it all” and you are a friend to everyone. 

 My favorite part of the day is when you come running of the bus to meet me and tell me all about how your day was. I love the excitement you have when you see me. I cherish that moment!!! 

Sometimes I worry for you because I fear you’re too fragile. Timid, sometimes nervous to stand up for yourself. I fear you might get bullied in school. I see a bit of myself in you, and so I have this urge to protect you all the time. 

Right now, at seven, you come to me with everything. You are completely transparent. If you get in trouble at school, if you make a bad decision, if you are mean to your sister, you confide in me. We have our own little secrets, and it’s so fun to keep them from dad sometimes ;) It’s like you and me against the world. 

I realize as you get older, turning to me may not always seems as easy, but know this, I will always be here for you, no matter what. I WANT you to come to me – with questions, with worries, with concerns. I am here to protect and guide you – forever. 

Did I mention I don’t want you to grow up? That I don’t want you to ever stop snuggling with me at night or early in the morning? I want to hold you tight forever. I’m sorry that I can’t make it for your bedtime every night but know that I miss you dearly when I’m not there. I don’t ever want you to stop saying, “I love you” in the middle of the day. I hope you won’t ever be embarrassed to run and jump in my arms in celebration after winning a game. 

Here are a few of my favorite moments from this year: 

1. 

Me: “Ansh, what theme do you want for your birthday this year?” 

Ansh, “Mom, how about you surprise me” 

2.

Ansh, “Mama I made a surprise for you for mother’s day” 

Me, “oh yeah? What is it?” 

Ansh, “I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise. I have to give it to you on Sunday. But I’ve been working very hard on it” 

(20 seconds later) Ansh, “Mama, can you promise me that whatever I’m about to tell you, you will forget till Sunday?” 

3.

When I came to your school for a demo, you introduced me as, “This is my mom. Her name is Deepali. And in Hindi, I call her “Ma”” 

4.

Me: “Ansh, you wanna go to Mexico next month. We can swim in the ocean there” 

Ansh: “Mom, I would rather just go to Nikita’s house” 😂🙄 

5.

Me, “Ansh, if you don’t clean up your toys in the next hour, I’m going to throw them all away” 

Ansh starts crying and goes to his room to clean up. 

Comes back 2 minutes later 

Ansh, “Mom, if you don’t help me clean up, I will go and live with Abhishek and Tanya” 

6.

You participated in your first ever dance showcase this year. It was such a proud moment for me to see you own the stage. A few of my favorite moments from the showcase:  

 - During tech rehearsal, you sat in between Jaspreet and Shibani in the audience and said, “Oh! What a wonderful moment. I’m sitting in between my best friends.” 

 - When Nolan came to see you after the performance, you said, “come let me show you backstage and introduce you to my friends”. 

Surprisingly, all of YOUR friends” were not your dance buddies, but all MY dance buddies ;) and then you said, “Yeah! Everyone here knows me pretty well” 

- The moment where you were supposed to be on the stage for next act, and no one could find you because you went to sit with Abhishek in the audience ;) 

- You found your newest best friend in Rucha. Throughout the showcase you were stuck to her like a limb. So much so, that when you went to India to visit your grandparents and they asked you if you want to stay back in India, you said, “I would love to, but I need to go back to Seattle because my best friend Rucha is there” 

Oh Ansh, you’re the happiest and kindest person I know. You have my heart. Happy 7th birthday, my sweet small dude…. I love you very, very much.

Love,

Mom