Kabir plays Oom Pa Pa!

Last night, Kabir dressed up to take the stage at the Katzen Art Center!

Kabir played Oom Pa Pa, a piece he had been practicing the piece since early December. While he would rush when practicing at home, he kept a nice pace when performing. It was absolutely beautiful! I have been hearing it on repeat. :)

I was so excited cheering him up that I missed a second or two of the start, while recording.

I was lucky to accompany him. Our evening was full of special moments, we arrived the art center with enough time at hand to walk its hallways and check out the art on display. The Charkha took me back home!

The performances were all very beautiful. They gave me my fill for a musical evening! Thank you, Kabir!

The very happy mama and Kabir then dined at their favorite Chinese restaurant Q by Peter Chang. Over conversations of building forts at recess, the controversies and trials that happen in 3rd grade, to the upcoming class play, we savored Peking Duck and schezwan fish for dinner. It was happiness at its best, being with this sweet kid who is growing up with a beautiful heart and a little too quickly.

God bless you, Kabir, always! I'm excited to experience your musical journey.

Love to you,
Mama

Vir is 6!

Vir,

You were longing for your birthday and counting months and days to it! While we had been so excited for your special day and the celebrations that came with it, I am so behind in writing about your year around the sun. I am so sorry. As I write this today you are 6+ and just as sweet, if not more. I love you!

Your excitement for your birthday reminded me of myself as a child and even as a young girl. The waiting, the planning, it was all so magical and exciting. While my excitement for my own birthday has died over the years, I wish for yours to live your lifetime, I'll help! :)

You started planning your birthday in Fall, wishing for snow and having a snow ball fight party at home, over the weeks of thinking you thought spy party would also be fun. While we celebrated your birthday indoors at Kidville, it did snow the night before your birthday! I was so excited for you! When you wish for something with all our heart, it does come true!

You had a fun time celebrating at Kidville with all your friends, building in the construction zone and playing in the gym. You said zipline was your favorite! On the day of your birthday, you celebrated in class with chocolate covered strawberries as a treat for all KXers.

At home you had wished to go out for Sushi for dinner at Wasabi, which is attractive to you and Kabir for it's sushi train, however, you were so overjoyed after cutting cake and opening presents that you decided we should just order food in! The magic of presents and wanting to play with your new toys! :)

This has been an year of new beginnings and growth. You started Kindergarten at a new school. While you had Kabir when you started, you have made many friends now. Your teachers say, they never see you alone. You seem to love it. Your favorite things to do at school are Choice Time, Exploratorium and recess.

Your school is a Quaker school and even the youngest kids sit in Meeting For Worship for 20 minutes each week. I wondered for your love for movement, if this time of silence and centering would be challenging for you. I attended the first meeting for worship, that was open for parents and was so proud at how you and all your young friends sat in silence. It is not easy and an early start is a great gift that I hope you will use as you grow.

You are full of energy and bring out the child in us. What I love about you most is your very caring and thoughtful nature. I am amazed by the way you think, you are a wise soul in a 6 year old's body. You care and speak in the most meaningful ways such that no one feel hurt and everyone is included and loved. 

You are also very observant, you have great vocabulary. You love stories and science. Super heroes are also a favorite. Our trips to the library involve reading super hero books, one after the other. I have to get creative to sneak in a different book and I don't always get lucky. Over time your interests are expanding. You are over Dog man (Yay!). There was a big phase of "why?" and I attribute that to reading a lot of Dog man.

You are my teacher, you are teaching me patience and also creativity to redirect your attention. Daddy is better at it than I am but I am learning. You are strong willed and it's impossible to make you do anything. You like to know what's coming and be part of the decision making.

You love to help, off late you are starting to help make breakfast. This is a huge help and I appreciate you and your helpful nature so much!

You look forward to iPad time on Friday nights and movie nights on Saturdays! You are a Star Wars fan!

You love playing board games and card games. Chess, Risk, Uno, Sleeping Queens are some of the favorites. 

You love machines. You love putting batteries in devices, you love to open things and learn how things work. Robots excite you, you sometimes even talk like a Robot...you'll say C.A.L.C.U.L.A.T.I.N.G while adding numbers.

You like listening to podcasts on your way to and from school. Wow in the World, goop tales or other story pod casts are your favorites. You ask for them to be played in a very sweet voice! :)

You like to build...mostly pods. Whether you are building with Legos, magnets cardboard or other material, your creations always have people in them. You like army and battle fields, troops are hiding everywhere in our house! My encouragement and redirection for more peaceful games hasn't worked so far...but I am hopeful this is a phase! ;)

You love to try new foods and drinks and I love having you as my taster. 

I love you, my sweet Vir and I wish you the very best time growing up! Stay curious, stay kind and continue to bring out the best in us all.

Much love to you, always!

Mama