Trayi's Birthday 2018

She turns 13 today, the light of our lives. Anything I write about her, she will likely read and say ‘Mom, you’re biased’. Yes, I probably am, and proud too. Of the adolescent she now is, of the adult she is on the road to becoming. 
Sensitive, perhaps too much. Perceptive, perhaps too much. All of which seeps into her writing. Self aware, too. Like even adults rarely are. Kind and Righteous, as she should be. Studious, just enough according to me, not enough according to her dad. Loving..Enough still..

When your wards are young, you are worried for them to grow up with the right values. Are they learning the lessons you are trying to impart, you wonder. But we are imperfect beings, ourselves. And sometimes, along with life’s learnings, and our strengths, we pass on our failings, too. It is therefore, gratifying, when you see your adolescent respond to life’s turbulence, with a resilience, an equanimity, you only wish you had. I see her disarm her critics with tongue in cheek humour, and I am amused, but more importantly, I am amazed. Amazed because it is a skill I’ve never had, and one I still struggle to acquire. Often now, I see her as a confidante, a helper, a friend. Somebody I nurture and cherish, but also somebody who I look forward to talking to, to watching a movie with, to cracking silly jokes with, and although I don’t tell her this, to imbibing from. She has raised the bar for me for the person I need to be, the mother I need to be, so she can be as proud of me, as biased about me, as I am about her. Happiest Birthday to my teenager!

Trayi Birthday : Annual Writeup 2017

Every year, I have made it a tradition to write about my daughter on her birthday. These posts capture for me, our daughter, at a moment in time. And over the years, they have helped me trace the trajectory of her growth, preserved in a few words. I go back and read these posts occasionally and I marvel at how quickly Trayi has grown, how much she has changed. She turns 12 this year, but the year has gone by much too quickly. My daughter is my buddy now, the reason for my smile when I return home everyday. We tease, we laugh, we fight over silly things. The tables have turned and instead of she clinging to me, I cling on to her, beg her for her company, a favour she occasionally obliges me with. She still retains her sensitive core, but has a self protective edge now. She has started to notice the world too, more keenly, wanting to educate herself about current affairs, and learning to form her opinion and voice it too. She is of a firm mind , our not so little girl- not easily swayed or influenced. Unabashedly nerdy, she has become more focussed and willing to work hard, both at her studies and her hobbies. She enjoys her own company more and more, happy to be with her book, or a laptop. Happy to just be. She has had this comfort in her skin for a few years now, a sense of self-containment, which gives her remarkable confidence and resilience- a trait I can only envy. 
I am a proud parent I know, but on this day each year, I truly feel grateful and often humbled by the remarkable fortune we have had, Ajit and I, to be parents, friends, confidantes, to our child-woman. Happy Birthday for tomorrow, darling.

Father and Daughter - Nov 7, 2016

He carried her home in his arms when we left the hospital after her birth. He has always been the more patient parent..when she would fuss to fall asleep, he would rock her for hours (while I snored) When she refused to eat, he would whip up something fun and then patiently feed her- he still does that all the time. Whenever she craves something ( especially a good homemade Thai meal) he cooks it for her. He used to carry her on his shoulder whenever we went out, well after she could walk..till he no longer could physically. His day begins with her voice and his day doesnt end till he hears her speak. She is the apple of his eye, the centre of his universe. And he, hers. I pull her leg all the time - who do you love more..mommy or daddy. The first time she admitted that she loved daddy 'a little bit more' she teared up, but held her ground. It is her birthday tomorrow and he couldnt bear to be away...so has taken the day off even though she will be in school. I know Trayi is blessed to have as her 'dampu' , Ajit - her mush filled dad.This might be a note about my daughter and her father, but even as I write it, I want to honor every daddy's little girl and every little girl's dad. We moms, we might become our little girl's best friends, their confidantes, but their heart , rightfully belongs to their daddy. Happy birthday once again, little daddy's girl, Trayi Ajit Happy birthday to us Ajit Venkataraman. It is our 11th anniversary as parents.

7 Nov 2016, 21:56

Trayi's Birthday 2016

It is that time of the year again..when I look back with wonder and amazement at how time has flown, since our marvellous miracle- entered our lives. She turns 11 a couple of days hence, our precious daughter Trayi Ajit..and as I look back over the last one year, I see how much our baby has changed. She is a young lady now- smart, sassy, poised, funny, confident and totally comfortable in her skin. Her sense of humour, always one of her strengths, is now tongue-firmly-in cheek, and totally spot on. When she was little, Trayi was a soft, sensitive, child -easily hurt, easily upset, easily bullied. Somehow, somewhere, she has converted that into a strength - gentle still, with lots of empathy, but almost impossible to get to. How I wish, I could be like that, sometimes.She has had a lot of growing up to do this last year - my insane work schedule, combined with Ajit Venkataraman living out of Mumbai has meant she has had to become far more self dependent, far more on top of her own game than ever before..and she has handled it with aplomb. She is already becoming more and more of a buddy, who loves to go shopping with me and loves to gossip into the night in our bed. She loves her music and plays me her favourite songs, sometimes. Often, I have to remind myself and her that she is still a pre-teen, a very precocious one, that's all. Her dad, wistfully yearns for her babyhood to return..for him- she is still his little baby doll. I was a reluctant parent before Trayi was born- but she made motherhood into the best experience I've ever had. I loved her infancy, her toddlerhood, and every other bit of that first decade of her life. I can see I - no.. we- are going to enjoy this next coming decade so much more. Infinite love to you, our precious one.