Dear baby: This is the story of the day you turned 2

Dear baby, We had lots of plans for your day. I wanted it to be a perfect little mama-daughter day while your baba worked and then have a sweet little family celebration in the evening. But then we woke up to a red faced, sick baby and a bright sunny day as beautiful as the day you came into this world. We took you to your balloon filled room. Despite being sick you were so excited to see the balloons and spent a long time trying to get all the strings in your hand and then walking around the house with them. I changed your clothes because sick or not, you have to look pretty on your big day right? Totally! Then you skyped with your bari phupo, phupa and apas, and then your nani and khalas. You loved it when everyone sang Happy Birthday to you and had a big smile on your face. We had to run to the doctor's office then, you all dressed up in your frilly little pink skirt and your red face. You hate doctor visits so as usual you were not happy when he had to check your ears and look inside your mouth, but the 'Gora' (Dora) sticker made it a bit better. On our way back, we thought what the heck if we cant do what we had planned to, at least we can grab some cake pops (and coffee for mama) sing aloud to our favorite songs and go for a drive in this gorgeous sunshine. So we did just that (you were more busy making a mess in your new car seat with your 'cake cop'). We came home, tried to get you to eat something, but all you wanted was your 'dudu', milk. The medicine started making you drowsy so we read books in bed till you dozed off. As soon as I would stop reading thinking you're finally asleep, you would open your eyes and tell me to 'just keep reading woman', in your own little vocabulary that is. While you slept then, mama got to her cake and decorations because you know there are some things that you just have to do! I listened to all the loving phone calls and read the sweet messages on facebook for you. You are one super loved baby! You slept and you slept, which was good because mama was all ready for you when you woke up. Your Baba came home and as usual that was the best part of the day for you. You tried on your birthday hat for him and then sat and watched cartoons instead of running around and screaming with him like you normally do. We had our dinner and then cut the rainbow cake your mama was so excited about trying. You looked at the candle on the cake really hard and then said 'ONE'. Haha. We're confused what that really meant. Do you think 2 is the new 1 or were you counting the number of candles? Maybe you can solve that one for us when you get a little older? Anyways after telling me ‘Mama Happy Birthday cake’ for so many days, you wanted to have nothing to do with the cake, not cut it not eat it! It was then that I remembered, maybe you only like Chocolate cakes!! Well, for next time, I guess. You opened your gifts then, loved the wooden train we got for you along with the burlap teddy that we picked up at the last minute from Safeway:p. Your Nadia Aani and Ali uncle dropped by then and you were excited, specially with the gifts they got you. You almost tried on the dress and kept saying ‘Kapare’, clothes. Your bari nani called and you talked to her on the phone, and when she sang happy birthday for you, you turned to your baba and said 'keh ri hain happy birthday to you' she's saying happy birthday to you. Nadia aani tried to tell you the story of the day you were born, and how you almost shared a birthday with her. When they left, we gave you your medicine, disguised in chocolate, but you were too clever. We waited for it to start working while you were busy bringing all your toys in our bed and reading all the books we had ever got for you. Finally more than an hour later, you finally went to sleep.

So this is the story of your second birthday. Imperfect and totally not what we had planned, but sometimes not perfect is so so better than perfect. Right? Also, come to think of it, life is never perfect, even if it looks and feels like that sometimes:)

You have literally made our lives complete and there has never been any looking back since that beautiful day that you entered our world mA. May you always be a source of happiness for all those around you. I love you more than life itself.

Xoxo, Your Mama

(FYI: phupo is for dad’s sister, phupa is phupo’s husband and apa is for elder sister/cousin. Nani is for maternal grandmother and Khala is mom’s sister. Bari nani is for mom’s grandmother. mA is for mashAllah, which literally means ‘as God has willed’ but is used routinely when we praise anything, in acknowledgement that all blessings and good things come from Allah)

Thanks for stopping by!