I meant to write this when you turned four, but one thing
led to another and I never got round to it. It is now time to pen down all my
thoughts, when you are four and a half. Before time flies and you turn five.
I need to tell you, my dear sweet J, what joy you bring your
Baba and me. We start and end each day with happiness flooding our hearts. Even
through those difficult days and sleepless nights, we never forget how lucky we
are to have you in our lives.
And on days when I am grumpy and cross, you continue to
shower me with your endless love. Surely, it should be the other way round for
I am the grown up in this relationship. But you, my darling child, with such a gentle disposition and kind heart, you find it in you to look past my shortcomings and love me
regardless.
“Aai, Aai, Aai!” The sweetest words that I had waited so
long to hear. They are now my call to action from the moment you wake up to the
time I kiss you goodnight. Then as I turn to leave, you speak up again, “Aai, I
love you.” It would take a heart of stone to not melt at those
words. I retrace my steps and plant another kiss on your angelic head. One last
hug before I tuck you in and hope you will sleep through the night.
Then there is all that pillow talk. Questions about Life,
the Universe, everything. And death. Your greatest anxiety, my greatest fear,
the inevitability of life itself. I wish I could say to you that we are all
going to live forever, but that would mean telling you a lie. I cannot do that.
So I tell you the brutal truth as gently as I possibly can.
Being four and a half means you now have a wide-ranging vocabulary in addition to that naturally inquisitive mind. We have some truly remarkable conversations. They range from the intellectual to the frankly hilarious. One moment we are discussing gravity, the next we are talking poo. I have no idea how poo seems to find its way into all our chats. It always does.
And babies. That has been your favourite topic for a while
now. You love to hear how you were in my tummy. Honestly, I love telling you
that, and how little you were and fit in my hands.
You like hearing how big you have grown. You stand up next
to me and want to know just how far up my tummy you now reach. You are right up
to my chest now, and it won’t be long before you are taller than me.
Not just yet, though. You always seem to be in such a hurry to grow up that I have to keep telling you to slow down and enjoy being little. I want you
to enjoy being four and a half. And I want to enjoy it with you. All the love,
the laughter, the quirks, the tears, the fears. I want to take it all in.
Take your time, little one. There really is no need to
rush. Take your time growing up, so I can savour every moment of your
childhood and carry the memories in my heart for eternity.
Stay blessed, sweetheart xxx
What a lovely age. It isn't poo here it is farts (of which we have learnt to say passed wind)
ReplyDeleteMy youngest is 4 and a half too - it is a gorgeous age isnt it - lovely post x
ReplyDeleteThis is sooooooo heart warming, Vaidehi. Makes me go and kiss my little one.
ReplyDelete-Soumita
What a gorgeous heart felt letter Vai. It does go so quickly and there is no rush to grow up at all.
ReplyDeleteA brilliant age. I love how you intended to write this at 4 but somehow six months have flown past. Everyone always says how wuick it goes but you never believe them.
ReplyDeleteAww this is lovely, I miss my children at this age. Every age is wonderful though!
ReplyDeleteOh Vai this is just beautiful - what lovely family you are. You are all so very blessed. Much love, Kaz x
ReplyDeleteEliza is about to turn 5 this weekend and it is such a fabulous age where they just absorb knowledge like sponges. Hope he is enjoying school xx
ReplyDeleteAw this is beautiful. My littlest always seems to talk about poo aswell and she is 5.
ReplyDeleteMy eldest is nearly five! I love the questions he comes out with too, they are often hilarious or too technical for me to answer and then he has to ask his Dad!
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely letter, Vai :-) I love the conversations I have with my children too. My daughter is 4 years old and is asking lots of questions. x
ReplyDeleteAww this is such a lovely post. Bless your very lovely boy and your amAzing relationship xx
ReplyDeleteAww this is so lovely! It was such a lovely read, it sounds like you have a truly wonderful relationship
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely. What a great idea to capture your memories of this age in a letter.
ReplyDelete