She has doubled her age!

A letter to my daughter, on her second birthday:

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
There's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?

This song by Jason Mraz is one of the latest radio hits.....and these lyrics seem to partially convey how I feel about you. You made me a mommy, and I am grateful that you have given me the best two years of my life till date. Happy 2nd birthday my precious child.....let's take a short trip down the memory lane and recap the past 12 months:

We started off your second year with celebrations. We had a grand birthday party with so many family members, cousins, friends, and loved ones around. You were spoilt rotten with lots of gifts. You learnt to walk, and went from taking wobbly steps to running to jumping with both feet high up in the air. Now when we go for walks, you walk along with daddy and mommy, while continuously telling us "No walking on the road" :)! We've hardly used the stroller all year....infact, we don't even carry it with us on trips anymore! Our favorite spot to walk to is the top of the hill right outside our community, where we enjoy watching a fantastic sunset all year round!

You started going to daycare....you call your caregiver your other mumma....and she rightly deserves it. I don't know what we would do without her presence in our lives. It was a rough transition for all of us.....it took us more than a couple months to get you adjusted, but over time, we have found this safe haven for you, where you are loved, nurtured, fed and have found playmates to keep you happy and busy all morning. You take a good solid nap (3+ hours) in the afternoon, and daddy is always waiting for you as soon as you wake up to bring you home.

Our evenings are always full of fun - we go for walks, we go to parks (splash parks in summer are a huge hit), we go to the museum or library or zoo, we go to our neighbors' houses to play, we go to your maamu's or maasi's houses to socialize, or we just stay home and do fun stuff. Bath time is your favorite.....we always do long baths....and you enjoy them to the fullest.

Bedtime is probably the worst for you, but best for mommy and daddy. It's when you let your guard down, and talk to us about your day. It's when you practice your vocabulary, or your singing. It's when we read books all cuddled up together. I am so glad we co-sleep, coz I could not survive without all the cuddling and snuggling at night.

We have done a lot of traveling this year - and I am so glad that you enjoy all the trips. We have gone to San Diego, LA, Bay Area, Mexico, Hawaii, Yosemite, and many other interesting places within the country. You absolutely loved all the beaches in Hawaii, and you surprised me with all the walking in Yosemite. It is still your favorite park of all, and whenever we ask you which park you want to visit, you promptly say "Yosemite" :). It is the first National Park your mumma visited in the US, and she holds it close to her heart....so its only natural that you are fond of that place as much as your mumma.

One huge thing that has been relieving for me is that you love both your mommy and daddy equally. This was not the case during your first year, and it was only natural for things to be that way, mainly because of all the bonding time I got with you during our nursing sessions, as well as the 9 months of leave I had to just be with you. You also heavily depended on nana-nani for most of your daily needs, and although daddy was part of your life, you did not get as much 1:1 time with him. This year has been remarkably different....you and daddy have the strongest bond that I could have ever imagined, and I am so very happy to see that. You miss him in the mornings when he is not home, and you don't sleep at night without having him by our side. He takes you everywhere....he brings loads and loads of books for you from the library.....he gives you a bath everyday.....he wakes up at night to change your diaper and brings you a bottle of warm milk early in the morning....he showers you with hugs and kisses all the time.....you've got him hooked!

You have quite a striking personality at this young age. Your smile is no doubt infectious. The curls in your hair are gorgeous. Your vocabulary is mind blowing. Your passion for books is endearing. You love nature - flowers, grass, trees, birds, insects, moon, starts, sunsets, beaches, parks. You are a complete water baby - bubbles, water balloons, swim classes, splash park outings, getting drenched in the backyard - it is something that you could live for....I really wish we had a pool in our backyard for you to enjoy everyday. You are very stubborn, but very sensitive too. I see glimpses of both our personalities in you.....and although some of it terrifies me, I think you are growing up to be a wise humble compassionate soul.

Between music and dance, I think you have more passion for music. You love the piano, know how to sing saregamapa, you can sing poems and songs and even phrases in different falsettos, and you love all the music videos we play for you on the laptop. With dance, I don't see you as a natural....even though you know many moves and can move in tune with the music. Your daddy has an amazing voice and sings so well....I hope you will too. Every child is an artist....the problem is how to remain one as you grow up, and I will do my best to retain the little artist in you - always!

You are going to be a big sister very soon.....and I am so thrilled and excited for you to have a sibling to grow up and share your life with (and bitch about us when times comes ;)). I know you will have a rough few weeks during the transition, but when I think and look at the long term picture, I only envision lots and lots of happy and fun times ahead for you and your beebee! You may at times feel that you are not loved enough....but the greatest thing about love is - there is always room for more! I cannot wait to expand our hearts and welcome your beebee into our lives!

You are very blessed in your life, my precious sweetheart! So many people love you, and care for you, and willingly spend quality time to just play and be with you. Both your grandparents, maasi/maasa, foi, adaa, and your three first cousins adore and love you. Your mommy and daddy are not perfect parents, but they try in infinite ways to be the best they could be for you.

Here is a lullaby, which I chanced upon the internet, that I would like to dedicate to you today:

Mother's Song
a Traditional Lullaby

My heart is like a fountain true
That flows and flows with love to you.
As chirps the lark unto the tree
...So chirps my pretty babe to me.

There's not a rose where'er I seek,
As comely as my baby's cheek.
There's not a comb of honey-bee,
So full of sweets as babe to me.

There's not a star that shines on high,
Is brighter than my baby's eye.
There's not a boat upon the sea,
Can dance as baby does to me.

No silk was ever spun so fine
As is the hair of baby mine.
My baby smells more sweet to me
Than smells in spring the elder tree.

A little fish swims in the well,
So in my heart does baby dwell.
A little flower blows on the tree,
My baby is the flower to me.

The Queen has sceptre, crown and ball,
You are my sceptre, crown and all.
For all her robes of royal silk,
More fair your skin, as white as milk.

Ten thousand parks where deer do run,
Ten thousand roses in the sun,
Ten thousand pearls beneath the sea,
My babe more precious is to me.

I wish you a very happy, healthy, adventurous, fun and blessed year ahead my betu.....this mumma of yours loves you truly, madly, deeply :)!

Gazillions of hugz and kisses to you my love....wish you a Happy Happy Birthday!