7 Weeks Young

Dear Ms. Aditi Kumari,

Well we've hit the 7 week mark and your growing and growing and growing and growing. Almost but not quite 12 pounds - Daddy weighed you this morning. Pretty soon you'll be catching up to Rohan... not! Your big brother is really a BIG brother. But funny, in the pictures you two don't look that different in size. Even Balaji doesn't look too far behind...

You're starting to give us the cutest social smiles, even in your sleep but not for the camera, not yet. We get really excited when you do smile though. And you're starting to talk. It's fun to watch you try to talk, waiting with baited breath to see what you'll say next. Mommy still wishes she could understand you better but if wishes were dollars we would be millionaires.

The other thing you're doing better is keeping your head up. Daddy loves doing tummy-time with you and this great thing with the boppy. Mom tried it today but it didn't work quite as well. You get really frustrated and it seems like you just wish you could take off. Don't worry, you'll be off like a rocket soon enough I believe.

Still a little colicky at night even though Mommy has cut out all the fuss foods. The only time you don't have a bout is when Mommy skips lunch but that doesn't seem like a good thing to do regularly. All the other moms we talk to sigh and say it'll be over in a month or two. I'll cross my fingers that you don't remember your colic though - it's still a little sad to see. But we're all learning to get through it and the bouts are getting shorter and shorter.

So my love, just like one of Ramananda's co-workers said, "You're pretty and we're not just saying that because you're a baby!"

Love, Hugs, and Kisses,
Mommy

Mommy's favorite photo... so far

You are so beautiful to me it takes my breath away. Sometimes I want you to stay itsy bitsy for ever and then sometimes I want you to grow up so you can talk to me. Then I remember that this moment is the most beautiful moment and I bring myself to the here and now and just look into your lovely eyes.

Touchdown!

Dear Aditi-Ma,

Your little feet touched the ground yesterday on grass surrounded by a protective octagon of string and wood that your daddy put up. He tried real hard and did a Ganesh and Guru puja. Mommy muddled through a Dhanvantari puja and Dharmanidhiji gave you some quick protective mantras in the form of playing (these were probably the most efficacious of all!).

It was a lovely celebration, just the immediate fam. We served a dish from each of your ancestors, both blood and spiritual. Your Lola was there but Grandma Jean and Grandpa Dick couldn't come because they're in the process of moving to the Bay Area.

You've had a pretty eventful 6 weeks. For your first 10 days, Mommy and Daddy didn't leave the room. Then you came out and it felt like we were leaving the house all the time (although we probably only went out about once a week). You hate the car seat right now and only sit quietly in it if you are passed out. We bought you a pacifier to use in the car and it only works for a few minutes when you are really fussy.

Speaking of fussy, you have colic :(. We are very sad about this, you cry really hard, tears pour down your face, and sometimes when it is really bad, you scream. There were a couple of times you transmitted your pain so well that Mommy started crying too. We're trying lots of different things but none of them seem to work so well.

I'm just starting to accept that maybe you're little intestines are gonna hurt until that magic 3 month marker parents of colicky babies always talk about. Let's hope not (but hope IS poison so let's just see what happens).

But you are the cutest little thing for sure. So serious, so serious. You are starting to talk a little bit, just a bit of cooing and a couple of gah sounds. You look at us very intently sometimes when we are making funny faces of shapes with our mouths. Sometimes I feel like you would talk if you could. You're super silent around other folks though. Did you inherit some of your mom's reticence?

Anyway beautiful one. Gonna sign off now - you've just fallen asleep in your daddy's arms after another bout of the colic-ickies. I hope you don't remember this stuff and let it go into the ether where it belongs my darling. And we'll keep trying to figure it out, we won't give up on you.

Goodnight my love,
Mommy