Vir, you're 5!

Dear Vir,

This week you turned 5! From here

to here

to here...in a flash!

Daddy and I are still coming to terms with it. You were our little one who is now officially a big boy! You are a very independent and a very caring 5 year old and should I add a stubborn one too! ;) While kids crawl, walk and then run, you went from crawling (very fast crawling) to almost running. Speed has stayed with you. You run, you hop, you jump and you rarely walk. There is always movement where you are.

You independently served yourself breakfast for the first time when you were 3 years old and continue to demonstrate independence. You always want to do everything on your own and when things are done for you, you get upset, very upset. :(

Our hearts swell with pride with the care you show for your family, friends and even those you don’t know. You love to share; be it toys, books or your favorite snack or food. You recently made Gingerbread cookie at school and you made sure you saved it to share with us at home. I ate it slowly so I could enjoy it longer, it was delicious!

You got a free snack at your swim school for your birthday, it was a box of Pringles. Another child around you wanted it too, he asked his mom and his mom said they had snack in their car, you were listening, you slowly went and offered him a chip. His mom let him have it, it was very sweet!

You continue to surpass expectations and I am amazed at how content you are. Stay your sweet, caring and content self.

This year you are in a junior Kindergarten program at the Village Green Day School. You are enjoying the routine and the material you are using in the class. You have made new friends and are enjoying the two recesses you get each day. You love to be outdoors!

You are reading now, words and even sentences, when you are in the mood, you would read the whole level 1 reader book. You love books and are exposed to a large variety thanks to your older brother!

During the ride to school, you often read Calvin and Hobbes or Astrix and I hear you cracking up on the jokes. Some jokes you have heard many times when Kabir reads and some you get by the pictures and the big bolded words. Whatever it is, it brings happiness, when I hear you crack up on jokes after reading them and you would often share them with me too.

These days you are enjoying the Dogman series, anything Star wars is also a favorite and Dr. Seuss too!

You adore Kabir, his word is the last word in everything! You are enjoying building with legos and also with magnet tiles. You love building things with wheels and then adding people to your creations, it’s like a scene. It’s very cute. You often sleep with your creations.

Guess who else loves to build, Kabir! Kabir loves to build so much that he often takes over and when I intervene, you protect him. It’s very sweet. It reminds me of Sumit Mamu and I growing up and when Nani used to come to discipline one of us, we would take each other’s side. :)

Overall, you are are very wise soul with an enormous heart and while this is your one side, the other is wild and adventurous!

We started your birthday celebration over the weekend and visited your favorite Air and Space museum!

Kabir got you a toy airplane as a present! You were so excited that couldn't wait till your birthday to receive it! :)

On your birthday, we celebrated with your friends and teachers in the Giraffes class and later celebrated at home with dinner of your choice (spaghetti and meatballs!).

Together we decided that in lieu of a birthday party this year, we would donate. You are big on donating things you are outgrowing and when I brought the idea of helping others and bringing happiness to those in need, you were with me. Not once you cringed or said you wanted a party instead. I am SO proud of you!

I reached out to A Wider Circle and asked how we could help and they sent me a few options. It was hard to pick one, AWC supplies key items to 150 families each month, they also needed diapers and wipes. They shared they never have enough diapers, usually they don't have enough to even give one packet or even half a packet to the families. Knowing the need, it was hard to pick one thing to donate, so we donated a mix of things from boxes of diapers, wipes, toilet paper, laundry detergent, all purpose cleaner to pasta. Things are starting to arrive at AWC today! It's a great feeling.

Thank you for making an impact and being selfless at this young age.

Vir, I wish you always do for others and bring joy to those you know and also to those you don't. I wish you stay curious and wise. I wish the spark in your eyes that brings us smiles, never fade. I wish you and Kabir always have a very strong bond.

Vir, you fill my heart with pride. Many happy returns of the day, my love! May God bless you always.

With love,
Mama

Fall the season of festivities!

It's Fall y'all! The colors are gorgeous outside and the season is brimming with festivities! First Halloween and then Diwali, it’s been fun and busy weeks!

Halloween is big in our house especially amongst the boys, I participate in the excitement minus the dressing up. This year however was different, you'll see as you read on!

The costumes are discussed, researched and bought way ahead of time. This year, Tarun had his ready before boys decided on theirs; yes that’s the type of excitement, I'm talking about! Scary movies were watched, decorations were discussed but only if we parents could put them on!

The morning of Halloween Kabir (7) asked me, what I was going to dress up as? I responded with my usual answer “myself”. Then with great disappointment in Kabir's voice came “Agggaiiin!”

I knew I had to do something. The day was long and busy with the Halloween parades at the two schools, along with a parent interview in between.

We got home at 4pm to leave again in an hour for trick or treating at Great Falls Village and a visit to the haunted house. The haunted house was really what the boys wanted to visit, not that they didn't want candy, especially Vir!

I was exhausted and all I needed was a nap but just to make Kabir happy, I took a trip to a store to find myself a simple headgear to get in the Halloween spirit. When I got to the store, they only had a few items left and I found a simple headband with a witch’s hat! I got home excited, put on the headband, showed it to the boys, there were “Yays!” I felt good. I felt I achieved something and made the boys happy. It really was a happy moment. (You'll soon know why I am stressing so much on "happy"). Soon we left for trick or treating.

Another couple of hours of excitement and fun and we were back home. I felt pretty good and decided I was going to reuse the headband. All my future Halloweens were planned!

The next morning, as Kabir ate breakfast with his eyes glued to a book and I sat next to him sipping coffee, there came a voice, “Mama, next year, you are definitely dressing up. We will all wear inflatable costumes and you’ll be the inflatable unicorn.” I sat shocked, in complete disbelief.

I thought I had nailed it last night. What was Kabir saying? I could hear the disappointment yet again. I was sad, very sad that he was disappointed in me but also proud of the way he handled the whole thing.

So now what? An inflatable costume is in my future... what about what I had planned just the night before for ALL the future Halloweens?! We shall see, I might surprise myself again. I never thought I would wear a witch's hat either! All we do for our children!

This week was Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights and guess who was very excited and wanted to dress up?! ;)

The food preparations started early on, the clay lamps, the tea lights, the sweets were bought, Rangoli was made...there was so much excitement! Even sparklers were bought to make the evening more exciting for the kids.

Diwali takes me back to my childhood; decorating the house with flowers and rangoli, lighting the candles and diyas, the gift giving to relatives and friends. I am fondly reminded of the time in our prayer room with my grandparents, parents and my brother. I am back in that room each year in my thoughts as we get ready to pray. I am reminded of my brother and I mischievously giggling while the grown ups prayed. Such fun we had!

I re-live the Diwali evening back home each year when I soak milk and water in the silver bowl my grandparents used and add silver coins and rings in it just like they did, when I request Tarun to make the holy symbol with saffron and rice like my grandfather did in the plate with the sweet offerings. I love having these rituals that I can continue in my family and share with my kids .

As I drove around running errands today, reflecting on this sequence of Halloween and Diwali, I appreciated my children’s excitement for Halloween more and their expectation of me to dress up just like I have from them on Diwali, when I take out the Indian Kurtas for them to wear. The Kurtas I have chosen and bought when I visited New Delhi last. How much I want them to immerse in the culture and enjoy the festival as I did growing up...things that bring me joy, the family, the love and the memories I relive and want to continue to make.

This week has been a flood of emotions and today I am thinking of Mama even more. I feel she is closer to me today than she was 12 years ago when she left us this day, for a more peaceful place. I am so thankful for her and her unconditional love. So much of who I am is because of her. Mama, I miss you so much. I am so lucky to call you mine. Love you tons, then, now and always. :-*

I wish my family continues to celebrate together, enjoys little things and makes countless memories. At the end, memories are all we are left with and hold so dear.


xoxo