I’m currently watching a TV series called Once Upon A Time. It’s where all our well known fairytale characters are living in a modern time. Adi and I are hooked by its creative ingenuity… We are enchanted by the romantic notion that fairytales may actually exist in real life.
They certainly do in my real life:
Once upon a time, on the 4th of June 2014, a little fairy blessed me with the title of Mumma. My little fairy, my little Aanavi.
In a few hours you turn ONE and this year has been a fairytale in the making…
We’ve had moments of love, laughter and bliss as your learnt your many firsts – when you first sat up, crawled, stood, ate, walked… Your first holiday, your first Diwali, Christmas, trip to the park to feed the ducks, your first words, “ball”, “open”, “Aarna”!
We have had dark and dangerous times with projectile poops and sleepless nights.
I’ve laughed and cried like in any great story. My heart has soared with your giggles and broken with your tears.
You’ve even managed to have your first kiss already from your buddy Huxley!
Fairytales consist of a struggle overcome – and this first year of parenting has been the hardest yet most joyful year of my life!
Fairytales have a moral and you, Aanavi, have taught me many of life’s lessons in these 12 months:
In month 1, you taught me that I am stronger than I ever knew.
By 3 months, I realised there is no such thing as right or wrong parenting… There is only intuition.
In your fourth month, your Nani had a car accident and you taught us all that happiness can heal all pain.
At 6 months, we travelled and explored; your curiousity for the world was contagious. Your zest for life all around, your eagerness to make friends with all whom you meet proved to me that we are designed to be a One World Family.
9 months later, I started listening to my body again as you reminded me about the holistic perspectives of Health. Simply by focusing on your growing demands, I paid more attention to mine. We share the same needs – nutrition, sleep, exercise and mindfulness.
We are at twelve months of Aanaviness and by far the greatest learning of all is that I will never stop learning. I will never know it all and the acceptance that I don’t want to. I love that everyday with you teaches me more about myself, about life, about childhood and education, about people and family. The greatest knowledge is that with you, learning is infinite.
Finally, all fairytales have an element of magic. In my fairytale, that’s your smile.
My wish for you today Aanavi, is may this magic last a lifetime. May we live Happily Ever After.
Happy 1st Birthday Aanavi.
I Love You.
Mumma.