The First Few Milestones!

Hey Ananya,

You are more than 6 months old now. You are continuing to grow into a beautiful little girl. Your mother is taking utmost care of you and she doesn’t get tired at all. She is happily putting up with what your heart desires. She laughs along with you, she cares for you, plays games and pampers you when you cry. She’s even extended her leave from office to spend a few more months with you. Not many young children are as lucky as you are. You should always be grateful. 

Alright, I think it is getting too serious. Life is meant to be enjoyed. So, let me take you through all the beautiful moments that I can recollect.

The world looks different – A rendezvous with perspective

It was 8 am in the morning, 7^th of December 2017, two to three days after you turned four months old. You were all well covered. We wanted to help you feel warm as the temperatures in Mumbai had dropped considerably.

On the majestic bed, at your mother’s house in Andheri, you rolled over and went upside down. Suddenly, the world looked different. The ceiling was no more what you saw. Rather you saw your bed very close to your face. You did not know what to do. Then, as if you brain had instructed you to, you moved your tiny hands below your chest and began to raise your head. That’s when you discovered that you could lift your head and see afar. What a feeling it might have been! Were you scared? Were you delighted? It seemed to be a mix of both when I looked at you. I am sure life would give you many more such experiences. Relish them and enjoy those moments. And like the upside-down moment, you should share the experience with two people for sure – your mom and your dad. Wishing you many more such joyous experiences.

Making Sense of things

Carrying you around has been a delight Ananya. When I would carry you around, I feel a sense of calm and comfort that I have never felt. However, unlike your younger days, you now seem to make sense of things. You make some noises and try to probably tell what you feel. However, from your actions, the only thing we could comprehend is that you were amazed, delighted and sometimes, even curious about things around you. Things such as lights, fans, paintings, photographs and new people whom you would have seen for the first time – all started making sense to you. I am amazed at how comfortable you are around people. You give them a lovely smile and make their day.  It is a great skill to have! Keep it up!

A birthday celebration

The day is 19^th December. It was your uncle Jagdeep’s birthday. Your aunt Shruti brought a cake for us to cut. Whenever there is a birthday, it is a practice to cut a cake and celebrate. If you are reading this, you would be aware of the same by now.

This was the first birthday celebration that happened after you started making sense of things. You saw a delicious cake being cut and people feeding cake to each other. You enjoyed the occasion. The mobile cameras, the photographs, the cake cutting etc.

First Taste

Let me explain this to you. Our family comes from a state called Kerala in India. Keralites have a concept called star birthday. (I will explain this when we speak).

Between the fifth and the sixth month of the birth star, a function is organized and is attended by your parents, grandparents, uncles, aunties etc. During this function, your mom and I gave you the first taste of food.

Your mom has been following the best practices in raising children. She was determined to ensure that you would be fed only mother’s milk in the first six months. This is very important and is the biggest reason for the good health you enjoy today.

Hence, this occasion was just a teaser into the delicacies that you will gorge on in your lifetime. You loved the taste of the various food items. This function was held in Shri Krishna Temple in Andheri (West), very close to your mom’s house. So, another milestone was accomplished. It was in the last day of the year 2017. The date was 31^st December 2017.

The joy of spitting

And it was during this time that you discovered the joy of creating saliva and spitting it around your mouth. You probably thought it was a game. You may have liked the feeling of doing it.

While it is not welcome for an adult to spit around, for a baby it is adorable. Your spitting expedition was an adorable one and we will cherish it in our heart and etch it in our memory.

The 6-month Anniversary celebration

Days turned into months. Months turned into half a year. We were all so happy. You had become six months old. I went to office very early so that I could leave a bit early and be back in time to celebrate with you.

We ordered a cake for you. A chocolate cake from a nearby cakeshop called Baker’s treat. This was the first cake that was cut for you. We put a little bit of chocolate on your face too. You were looking amazing. Your pretty white dress and a little bit of brown chocolate on your face made you look beautiful!

These six months have been the happiest for your mom and I. Hope you are your happy self all the time and cherish these joyful moments. After all, life is all about such well-lived moments enjoyed in the company of your family and loved ones.

I do not want to get into preach mode. So, I sign off here. Wish you all the best for the next six months! Enjoy each moment, cherish each experience and leave your worries, if any, to your mother and to me.