Happy 2nd birthday! (1.11.2014)

My Dearest Baby Vrinda,

Look how fast another year has come and gone? I remember, it was just yesterday that I waited a million years to see you for the first time. I remember, holding you so tightly in my arms at 3 months – rocking you to sleep and vowing to never let the world harm you. I remember, the countless feeding sessions leading to mess all around the house. I remember, the breath taking happy moments that we have witnessed together and also the unbearable painful times of seeing you fall sick. 

Now, I can barely keep up with you and your incredible sense of wonder! I love your curious and adventurous personality (which goes to extreme sports at times), your infectious smile (that steals away everyone’s heart), your charisma (that makes you the center of attraction everywhere you go) and your insistent determination to do things no matter right or wrong (hoping one day you will understand the difference). I so want to bottle you up completely and keep your Good Twos’ right here and right now, at this age forever. You my girl are just so much fun to be around, hard to stay mad at (even when you intentionally spill over full glasses of water like it’s your job) and it’s impossible not pull you close and cover you in kisses and hugs innumerable times each day. 

  

Anuj and I are so grateful to have been blessed with you, to have you in our world. We are so proud to be the parents of such a joyful, bright, energetic and innocent child. The 2^nd year milestone has been crossed and we couldn’t be prouder in any other relationship than being your papa and mumma. To have a child like you, it’s been a dream come true. Every day is a new exciting adventure filled with hard times, grumpy times, cranky times, testing times, but mostly joyful times! You are the love, the light and the essence of our life. We hope you never forget what love we all feel for you. We also hope you always live your life with that contagious energy you seem to never run out of, from morning until bedtime every single day.

I remember when you turned 1, I thought you had already become so old. And now at Two, I can't believe my baby is not really a baby anymore. The toddler years have taken over, so has the energy, the language development, the curiosity, the tantrums and the extent of everything good and bad.  Looking at your first birthday pictures, I feel you seemed so little and so baby-ish in all your expressions. You were barely saying anything distinguishable or understandable. You were hardly standing up by yourself then. And now, you run, hop, jump, climb and talk constantly - from the minute you wake up until the minute you fall asleep ( sometimes in the middle of the night too).

On her 1st B'day

Your big stubborn streak has come out really loudly and strongly in the past couple of months. While it's usually half-strange to half-funny, half-frustrating to half-irritating to constantly hear, "No Vrinda, don’t do this, don’t touch that, don’t climb there, don’t’ sit there, don’t spill food, don’t run out of the house”, you still invariably do it! And you do it all! Day in and day out I realize what a big girl you are becoming. Behind my NOs and DON’Ts I pray all the time that you remain stubborn for all the good and right things as you grow up. 

I love the fact that you are also becoming affectionate. I can see your affection towards smaller babies, dogs and other animals, friends and people who assist your Mumma in the household chores. You have never been a baby who cuddles or stays in our arms for more than 5 seconds. But lately you have been giving me and Anuj, a few moments every day where you come running over, give hugs and kisses and look at us with those love spilling eyes and that too without asking. We just adore that, cherish it more than anything in this world and can never get enough of it. We treasure in the biggest chest of our hearts, each and every one of those moments. 

As a mother. there is always going to be a part of me that is sad to see how quickly you are growing up. But oh, how unbelievable it is to see you grow! I so wish I could freeze time and keep you this age - teetering somewhere between a baby and a big girl. I love you so much it's hard to put into words. You are the child I prayed for before you were born and the best child I would ever have. I am soaking up every second that I can with you, my precious daughter because I know it somewhere that with the blink of an eye you will be out of our house for higher studies. It makes me teary even thinking of that day. I want these years with you to go by in slow motion so I can enjoy them slow and steady.

I Love You so much

Mumma