A mother writes a lovely letter to her daughter as she grows up.

 

Dear Buzz,

The past few weeks I have been doing a lot of looking back and missing all the little things you did, say a year back. I went through all the pictures we have taken of you till date and could not believe how much you have grown. Your Paa and I sat and reminisced about this or that, feeling sad that our little girl was growing up too fast.

You hold on to me for a good five minutes while I smother you with kisses, when it hits me, “I don’t mind this at all”.

As I stand in the kitchen brooding about all this, I hear your quick footsteps as you run upstairs. Your Paa and I looked at each other with a smile on our faces. You are up from your nap. You come down, demand to be picked up and the minute you are in my arms, you give me a hug and don’t let go. You hold on to me for a good five minutes while I smother you with kisses, when it hits me, “I don’t mind this at all”. And just like that I am back to enjoying all the things you do currently.

The running behind each other, the pretend hide-and-seek behind the sofa, the spinning in circles, the helping me while I put your toys in their right place, the saga called potty training, the playing with spoons as I load the dishwasher, the fake crying when you are given a timeout, the super sweet “Hi Mumma” when you want something bad, the splashing together as I give you a bath, the fit you throw if I don’t hand over clothes to place in the washer and dryer while I do the laundry, the high heel sandals of mine that you wear and try to walk around in, the endless books you want to read, the roaring like a lion while walking on all fours, the trying to say everything that is said to you, the demand for Roti, the pointing to the phone when you want to talk to your Nana/Nani, the “Please…thank you” and grudging “Sorry” that you say, the wanting to be held endlessly.

So today even when my heart gives a thud, as you move on to calling ladybug dadybu...

All things unique to the present you. All things I would not trade for anything in the world. So today even when my heart gives a thud, as you move on to calling ladybug dadybu, rather than your customary baboo or nana changes to banana, I remind myself not to panic. You might outgrow certain things but along with that you will bring new reasons to smile in our lives. You are growing and very fast at that, but the joy you bring stays just the same. You fill our world with laughs. You make us a stronger family. We might give in to melancholia every now and then, but we are ever so thankful to have you with us, growing bigger, growing independent, growing stubborn every day.

Stay the same mischievous, adventures imp, sweetheart. Stay happy, stay healthy always.

Loads of love,

-Maa

PS: Below the stove is really not a good hiding place for your toys. Trust me on that.

 

This post was originally published on Sands of Time in November 2010.