I'll Love You Forever

Nanma and I have this game . After her bath, I wrap her up in her hooded towel (which barely wraps her up from head to toe now!) and I carry her to the bed to get dressed . But if Ashwin is around, then I place my bundle in his arms and we pretend she is our 'kochu baby' (tiny baby).

Nanma loves this . She also points to a picture of herself all swaddled up in our arms as a newborn baby and says "Adhu pola kochu baby" ( A tiny baby like that) .

Last night as I carried my freshly bathed and wrapped bundle of love into our bedroom, she looked up and noticed the ceiling. Eyes and mouth wide open she looked around, noticing things she never had paid attention to before.

That sweet scene gave me a lump in my throat . My heart did a little flippity flop as I was taken back to the day she was born . After screaming her lungs out for 5- 10 minutes and after her first feed, she lay in our arms, all swaddled up and wide eyed for more than an hour! she kept looking around, taking in all the new sights and a few familiar sounds! Everyone who saw her then remarked at how wide eyed and full of wonder she looked ( After gasping at how tiny she was, of course !)

Looking at her now, she 10kg+ almost 2, walking, talking, singing, dancing and drama queening.... I can't help but feel a rush of love and thankfulness take over me . Over and over again, I am reminded of the meaning of her name . GOODNESS . It isn't this little girl that's full off goodness . She is more full of mischief than goodness , but it is the God who created her.... He is so very good, I just cannot wrap my mind around his goodness !

Dear Nanma,

From a microscopic little embryo baby, to a screaming newborn, to a two year old, God has preserved and protected you . Your Appa and Amma still cannot believe He chose us to parent a little jewel like you . You have brought us more joy that we ever thought possible from a tiny little person ! In two years, our lives have changed more than ever before, and we can't imagine a better way to have it !

Sometimes Appa and I try to imagine what you will be like when you're older . We just cannot even think that far ! You are a very smart girl and you love to make people laugh. You are curious by nature and seem to love learning new words and ideas . You look at the world around you with such wonder in your eyes ! Our prayer is that you never lose that sense of wonder when you see God's creation and that little things in life give you pleasure all through your life. The God who created you and brought you so far has a plan for your life. And I hope and pray that we will be able to lead you the right way through the first few years of your life.

You're growing to be a big girl Nanma, but whenever I wrap you up in a towel after a bath, and I hear you say "Adhu pola kochu baby" I am reminded of Robert Munsch's book "I'll Love You Forever" ** and I sing that song in my head.

“I’ll love you forever,

I’ll like you for always,

as long as I’m living

my baby you’ll be.”

Love,

Amma.

** Please go over to Robert Munsch's website . I am in love with his books . I personally don't have any for Nanma, but when she's old enough I can borrow some for her from my school's library. Every time I read one of his books, I feel like I'm back to being a 6 year old again! If I ever get to meet this man, I will go and give him one big bear hug!

Oh, P.S:

Nanma's birthday is on the 19th and that is Saturday. If you want to pass on wishes, hugs, cuddles or kisses, I'd be glad to!