Slow down.. I write these words and bite my lips. Do I really want you to slow down? I better be careful about what I ask you for. Because you take all my wishes and advice too seriously. I told you to be here by Thanksgiving and you came a day early. I told you to be a naughty one. And you are superseding my expectations in that area. I told you to be good about solids since I want to make all sorts of stuff for you. And you have taken to them quite well. 

(While we are talking about solids, let me go off a tangent here and tell you something. I won’t fret over the fact that you don’t like spinach or squash… or any other veggie for that matter. To heck with it. Your mom did not eat brinjal until she was 31. And there are some veggies that she still does not like – for e.g. Okra. Don’t worry sweetie, you will hardly get any okra in this house. I am not a fan of cooking that slimy thing. Now that are our dear cooking lady has left us, I have no clue what to do with that frozen mini bhindi in our freezer. I did OK in spite of not eating some of these veggies with the fondness that probably some other kids did, and may be you will too. Who knows, you might grow up to like them once you start cooking them yourself. Just like I love green peppers now.)

That was a long tangent. Back to slowing down..

In just three weeks you have achieved so much. And I am not going to write and marvel at your achievements here. All kids grow up – they turn, they crawl, they grow a tooth and they stand and then they walk. You are no exception. But you are in a hurry. And I want you to enjoy each phase instead of rushing through. Take your time to smell the roses honey, you won’t even get to see one on your birthday when you are thirty. Life is long and we all have to march on our own beat. But pick a a little slower beat. Just a tad bit relaxed. It will help you in the long run. It will help you be at peace with yourself.

I did mention this to you in Mom’s virtues. And I will say it once again.

I ask you to slow down because I don’t want you to be like me. Always chasing the next thing. Always sprinting towards the next milestone. I missed smelling the roses sweetie, I just was in a rush and my fate accelerated my pace. And here I am still running. Never took a moment to stop and stare. Reflect I do. But I am never still. Always moving. Always planning the next trip, the next career move, then next party, the next goal, the next surprise, the next meal. And I try to slow down but I find it very difficult to do it at this age. 

So, yes I do ask you to slow down and enjoy your age. There is no rush to grow up. I can wait for a few months to run behind you in parks and streets. Take your time. Smell the roses 🙂

Tara you are such an inspiration to me. When people at other tables in a restaurant laugh, you join them and laugh with them. When I look at you from far away, you give me a warm smile. When we leave the day care, you smile at Lois and Christina. You also give them a smile every morning when we enter Glacier Bay. Smiles are infectious. And you always have one ready. I need to learn more from you.

I also admire your relentless spirit. I am sure all kids are just as relentless and I admire all of you equally. Why do we adults forget to never give up?

And lastly I admire your determination to not open your mouth when you have had a tummy full or don’t like something. Stay just like that. Always stand up for what you want and never give in. Not even to your Mommy who tries to sneak in a spoon of egg in between a few spoons of pear.

Oh and one more thing – I have been stealing hugs and kissies from you when you fall asleep in my lap. You are so busy all day running around and moving from one place to the other, you hardly have time for Mommy to hug you and give a kiss. So I found my way of getting my quota of kissies and hugs. Hope you don’t mind. Even if you do, I will still persist 😉

Until next time

love

Mum