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

A new pre-schooler in town!

If I could keep you little,

I'd keep you close to me.

But then I'd miss you growing

into who you're meant to be!

                            By Marianne Richmond

Vir, this was another big week at our house. You started regular pre-school on Monday! You will be going Monday through Thursday from 9am till 1pm.

We'd been talking about it for days and you were super excited, excited for your backpack, excited to be a ladybug and excited to have new friends.

And it showed pretty well, last Monday, when we just couldn't contain our excitement!

I walked you to your classroom yesterday and met Mrs. Haq. Her words were "Feels like Vir has been in the class for an year. He is settling in so well and he's the youngest of all!"

How lovely, Vir! I saw you pick your name tag and check-in all by yourself. You found your name tag, there's no picture on it only letters. Yes, you can read your name! :-)

Next, you went to put your backpack in your cubby. You did it all independently and then walked straight to the rug to sit in circle. You sat at the spot assigned to you (the map of Philippines). Mrs. Haq and I were very proud!

I was all smiles seeing this. You were focused and happy. You didn't even notice when I left.

When I shared this with Kabir in the evening, he said "What a good big boy!" We are all so proud of you!

You have been coming back and sharing little things from your day. It's very sweet. Like you said  the other day, "I made a good choice today but I didn't put the marble in the jar"

Me: Why did you not put the marble in the jar?

You: because I didn't want to!

Yet another day, you shared "I had music today "

Great first week, Vir! I am SO excited for you! 

Enjoy your time at school. Make new friends, learn new things, have new adventures and love it all. You are very independent, so I hope and feel that the Montessori program would be a wonderful program for you.

As you take these big steps forward, always know and remember that we are here for you and you're still our baby. 

Always, always, always be your sweet self.

We all love you SO much! Kisses all the way!

Mama

Nani sent you a letter the first day of your school. Here goes:

Hey  Little ( Big )  Boy  !!             You have been surprising us from day one  . We believed that you are born weak but you proved that you are strong , brave , big & what not . You are so fast that you can't wait doing all that your big brother does . Mommy got tricycle for you thinking that you will practice to paddle . No ! That  was not to happen . You are far ahead of this . You began with driving your Tesla  & then took to biking  Kabir's  bicycle . It was yesterday only you were going to Mommy  & Me sessions going to school just for an hour or so & that too two days a week . And Today you made it to Ladybug class --- staying in school for full five hours  all five days a week . I can't recall when did you grow this big ! You are already known so well in your class -- be it your Teachers Or Friends  they all know you & love you a lot . Am sure you too are going to have wonderful time in school  surprising us every single day with your new stories .

            Here I send you hundred kisses & a warm tight hug  wishing you all the very Best for Always !

          Much  Love
  Friends For Ever
      Nani

Happy 19 months!

Dear Vir,

You have turned 19 months today. I am sorry, I couldn't do a post for your half birthday last month but I promise I have a lot more to share this time around.

You have grown in a wink of an eye! You are equal parts cuteness and equal parts naughtiness, making it hard for us to discipline you as most of the times when one of us wants to say "No Vir", the other one cracks up and there goes discipline!

You are full of energy, when I say full I mean you are unstoppable. Cars and trucks brighten your eyes. I don't think you notice the trees, flowers and people around you. I have to ask you to look at nature too but I am starting to accept that some things are just how they are. Boys and their love for machines!

There are so many words you say now, like open, eat, aqua (Mariela taught you this and it has stuck with, milk and water are both aqua for you, or at-least they were, now, you do say milk or at-least understand it :) ), up, down, car, truck, more (this you say with a beautiful smile, whenever you like something you are eating and want more of it. We all love it.), book, bye, hi, duck, fish etc. but what started recently was Kabir playing "cops and bad guys"  and reciting the word bad guy and you repeated it right there "bad guy", I hear you say it every now and then now and I smile. :)

You have been enjoying reading books. Bubbles owns up is your favorite amongst some of the Disney Car books, Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you see? and Little Blue Truck series.

You enjoy playing with cars, trucks, working on puzzles and building legos.

You have been climbing up and down the steps with ease, running super fast, going in circles, climbing tables and chairs....

You know some of your colors and some animal sounds.

You are very independent. You want to feed yourself, push things yourself, put on your shoes yourself. You don't like any interference!

Your toilet training started at 13 months and sometimes you are able to tell when you need to go. It's very impressive. I hope you are trained by the time you turn 2. Here's wishing! :)

Daddy is your most favorite person. You are always very excited to see him and he loves you a lot too.

Recently you traveled to Portland to visit Sumit Mamu, Aman Mami and Chubz. Long flights and super active you, not  a minute of rest but not a whole lot of crying either, lots of running in the aisle and jumping on me and the seat. We survived somehow, both the times! :)

Great trip to Portland, visiting family. The weather was too hot the whole time we were there, so while we couldn't do a lot outside, we would still go out to the nearby coffee shops, water front, any shaded grounds we could find for you and Kabir to run around. When we were home, we were happy enjoying each others company, gorging on some delicious cart food and having a good time.

One day, we visited OMSI and you and K had a blast.

Sumit Mamu also took us to the Nike employee store and shoes were bought for all! It was like you were in a candy store, you have a deep love for shoes and you wanted to try them all!

At home, you know everybody's shoes and you bring the right pair out for the right person and then ask him or her to take you out and you call shoes "ooze". Being outside is your favorite thing. You enjoy playing with the ball, sitting in the car, riding your bike or K's bike or just walking and running. Being outside just makes you happy and when you are in the playground, you want to be all over the place, running, sliding, climbing...doing all kinds of things!


One afternoon, Sumit Mamu, Daddy, Kabir and I also went to the Nike Campus, which I really wanted to see. You were home taking a nap but I took some pictures to share. It's a beautiful campus and I think you will enjoy going there in an year or two.

You and Kabir have enjoyed Nani's company to the fullest, now she is in Portland and you have been asking for her since we got back. She misses you both and sends you and K her love.

Happy Growing up, Vir. To more exciting milestones, lots of learning and having fun.

Like Kabir says I love you double one hundred or some other large number, meaning I love you a lot!

Vir, you are OUR HAPPY and you are LOVED! God Bless you, Sweetie!

Mama

Happy 11 months!

Hi, my not so little one! :) 11 months already! What's the rush?!? :)

Vir, you're definitely showing new traits and telling us that you are getting big! You are like Kabir's tail, going behind him wherever he goes and doing what he does! It's super cute! :)

Screaming continues at the pitch of your voice. Not sure why, but you do it a lot and then Kabir follows and I have to shut my ears! Please, please, please slow down and give your throat and my ears some rest.

You seem to have interest in music and instruments. You sit or stand and play the keys on the piano for a good amount of time.

This is how some weekend mornings look like at home. It's hilarious! :)

It's on my list to sign you up for the music program next year!

You now have 4 teeth! You love to eat and not just your food but also whatever we give you from our plates.

This past month, we had our best friends visit us from London. We met after 7 years but it didn't feel that way at all. That's Meenu massi!

You were the cutest Elmo this halloween! Kabir and you went trick or treating together in the evening and you were so good the entire time, even though it got a little late for you.

Since that evening, you have made attempts to get your hands on the halloween candy! :) Just a couple more years of wait, before you can taste! :)

It was Diwali this past month too and we celebrated by dressing you up in Indian clothes and doing a simple pooja at home. It was your first! :)

We also celebrated Tikka! Kabir of course didn't want Tikka on his forehead but was very interested in the present he was going to get and the one that you were going to get! :)

You can now stand without support but for just a few seconds. You are also walking while pushing. You are doing a lot more of it now and much more confidently.

Your grip is great, today you held my finger, while we sat across from each other and were swinging it! :) You are starting to eat by yourself, when we put little food in front of you.

Since you are doing so well with standing up and crawling and now even walking, I tried to teach  you to climb the steps, but you were not interested. :)

I have to tell you that Kabir gives you the cutest names. One day you are "little diddle" and the other day, you are "ushie tushie" and then something else. Can't wait to see how this is going to flow once you start showing your creative side and invent names for him.

Kabir does enjoy being naughty. Look what I caught him doing. He has not had his hand on the apron since then.

Keep smiling lovie, it sure brightens us up!

Happy Birthday! I love you!

Mama