Like falling in love for the first time

There is nothing special about this picture of Sachi today. But I took it because at this moment, I was thinking how being with her is like falling in love for the first time. I am overcome every day with the emotion I feel for her.

I sometimes (and generally always want to) lie around with her all day.
I am constantly looking at her when she is not watching.
When she is asleep, I lie next to her listening to the rise and fall of her breath.
Everything she does makes my heart melt.
(Today before I gave her a bath, she peed on the floor--so cute)
She is perfect in my eyes.

Sachi's Birthday

Sachi's surprise birthday was lots of fun...about 40 people came out to celebrate. Sachi hung out with a few of her boyfriends(keshav & akash), and made some new friends with all the children that came. She also got to eat some yummy ginger cake.

Sachi now has more toys than she knows what to do with.

Which one should I open first??
I got lots of cool stuff this year...my own MP3 player, lots of educational toys, books (boops), clothes, a hindi alphabet puzzle, stuffed animals, accessories, and money for my e-ju-macation fund. Okay, cool...so where's my milk at?

Curl quandary

Sachi has such terrific curls, that it has become a quandary as to whether or not i should cut them.

In all practicality, they are in her field of vision and who wants to see a big black mass as you are trying to reach for your toys...or better yet, gain your footing so you don't fall on your face! But the curls are so cute, and each one has such a distinct personality. Right now, she has one that goes at almost perpendicular to her forehead. I love that curl.

I know the right thing to do is cut them, or pin them back--but sometimes I don't. Agghhh, am I a bad mom or just obsessed with these cute curls.

Garba Showdown

This is Sachi with her cousin lovingly called "Khushu" by his mom and dad.
They are at a garba and Sachi is pretty sure Khushu has nothing on her. She's got rhythm and a feisty spirit. She is mocking him with a tough smirk. He responds like a gentle dove.
They are both 1/2 gujarati, and have a fighting chance at some fancy footwork.
Bring it!

A new house

Sachi sits pensive wondering what gifts and challenges our new house in Oakland may bring. Will I make new friends? Will they make me sleep in my own room against my will? How will I know how to find mommy in the new house?

Sachi's views on the economic crisis

Many have been wondering what the crisis is doing for us babies. It certainly has not taken the shirt off my back or reduced the rolls on my belly. I still get all my mommy's attention, mom's milk, yummy homemade baby food, and trips to the park.

One day when I learn about money, I am guessing this stuff might start to get me down. But right now my wealth is measured by how much love and food I get. So, call me rich!!

Photo Shoot with Liz

My friend Liz did a terrific photo shoot with us a few weeks ago. She captured Sachi in so many precious ways--so many angles and expressions. She also captured how much we LOVE Sachi, and each other.

To the beat of her own drum

Sachi will make music of anything including sugar packets at restaurants to the light clink of my credit cards tapped together. She loves music, and now she owns a *REAL* pair of drums thanks to Reva's good friend Caroline. Her little hand, although dwarfed by these drums, is getting a decent sound out of them. Her technique's not bad either!

I urge all parents to have real instruments as toys. It is so much more fun for parents to play with this stuff then brightly colored plastic noisemakers.

Sachi's devotees

Sachi seemed to start her own sect of Jainism at the Jain Mandir last week focused on baby worship. This particular sect of Jainism is most attractive to little girls who are enthralled by Sachi's babbling. Sometimes she speaks with such gusto...perhaps the girls thought she could be channeling messages from the divine.

Over the 5 days at the temple last week, children would actually come looking for Sachi each day. It was fabulous.

Focus and Discovery

Sachi has adopted a very cute expression of focus when she is discovering new things, or manipulating objects. She sticks out her tongue just a little bit. It's the best!

I love this look of concentration...hope she keeps it for awhile. It is yet another "expression of the sachi". This one is on Venice beach. I see why she is in bliss. The apple does not fall far from the tree.

Mornings

Anil took this picture a few days ago. This is the image he sees before he leaves for work everyday.

This is my favorite time of the day...mornings with Sachi. I love seeing her first smile and hearing her first words when she wakes up. We lie there together for awhile and play in bed before we ultimately start our day.pp

Bringing Sachi to our old stomping ground

Anil, Sachi and I had a fabulous stay with our friends Varun and Shakti in Venice this past weekend.

It was a trip down memory lane for us...walking barefoot along the walk streets and spending the day on the sand. We imagined what our lives would have been like if we stayed in Venice. The beach would be Sachi's larger than life sandbox.

Anil and I both know that it was those two years in Venice that we were happiest. Maybe someday we could return there. We would have to win the lottery to afford to live there now.

Constructive silliness

They say music with infants can be a great method of practicing "constructive silliness". Babies in the west are bathed in verbal language, but don't spend hardly enough time soaking up nonverbal language. Apparently music is a great vehicle to practice some of that nonverbal communication. Sachi now has 4 different musical instruments...enough for us to erect a home based band. What we play is silly, off key sometimes...but frequently we catch a good rhythm. Anil and I will play some beats, Sachi will wait, and then she joins in with her own beats. This has totally become a highlight of our day!

"Best in Toe"

There is no category in the olympic games for this, but there certainly should be. Sachi wins the Gold Medal for "Best in Toe". It is totally limber and retractable, such that she may perform tasks that even monkeys struggle with. Where in the genetic pool she may have gotten this is a mystery... And whether future generations will see another toe like this is unknown.

Anil's QT with Sachi

I know i just posted but couldn't resist adding this pic and commentary.

Anil spends his quality time with Sachi on the weekends aggressively looking for a house on all the online listings and websites. If you know Anil, he's always got an obsession of the month which includes purchasing something. Before it has been a new television, camera, phone, dvd player, bluetooth device, and now it is this house. It doesn't stop. Sachi sometimes will look at listings with him, but even she has her limits...

"This is boring. Get a house already, daddy!" Once we get that house, I have to be prepared for many more obsessions...finding the right contractor, gardener, sand box for sachi...the list goes on and on.

Remember when?

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It is difficult to fathom now, but there was actually a time when Sachi was not that cute. Since I am her mom, you probably think this statement is blasphemy...but i call it like i see it. (And now I feel just a little bad about criticizing babies for their lack of cuteness.) But, this photo was not taken during one of Sachi's better moments. She was brand new (2 wks.) at the time keeping her mom up at nights. Gaining pudge and getting some vitamin D has been good for this munchkin.

Unlimited expressions of the Sachi

Baby Sachi has unlimited expressions. As time passes, we start seeing more and more. This photograph is part of a series of pictures her autie Reva took. This is Sachi's "fishy face". Anil thinks she got this look from me. Grandma Madhavi thinks Sachi should be a child model. I am thinking of managing her modeling career full-time. Watch out Gerber, here Sachi comes!

I am pretty sure she is advanced

I often wonder if Sachi is advanced.

Many things have been happening to validate this suspicion.

Just last week she said Mama and Dada. She learned how to say Mama first for the record :) The crazy thing is we didn't even try to teach her...she just said it. She also says Mama specifically to me now when she wants me to pick her up, or wants food. She also started sitting up unassisted at 5 1/2 months, and the doctor said this this was unusual given her age.

And now she sits in our rocking chair and even reads books on her own!!

Who knows what's next, advanced mathematics? physics? esp? the infant spelling bee?

Wanta hear me squeal?

One of the many daily sounds we encounter around the house is Sachi's sometimes gleeful and sometimes sorrowful squeels. She definately like to hear the sound of her own voice and believes everyone else does too! Sometimes she screams so load that she startles herself- and sometime falls over...

Here's a [sideways] sampler video...

Splish Splash

Here is Sachi hanging with her main man, Keshav-- who puts everything in his mouth. If given the opportunity, he also likes to pull Sachi's hair. Ouch. Sachi was not so cheery at this time. She didn't like the cold pool water, and then 5 minutes after we got in, we were asked to evacuate. It was announced, "there is a contamination". Ew. We assumed a kid pooped or vomited in the pool.

Or maybe she looks like grandma vasa...

She definitely has her curls and light skin....hmmm...
Grandma Vasa couldn't stop kissing Sachi's soft cheeks and arms

Who does Sachi look like?

Breakdown: (based on concensus)

Chubby cheeks: Dad
Never-ending Chin: Dad
Flinstone Feet: Dad
Thick Strong Legs: Dad
Fingers and Toes: Dad
Back and Shoulders: Dad



Sparkly Eyes: Mom
Soft Curly Hair: Mom
Reddish Skin: Mom

Disposition: Mom & Dad
Toothless Smile: Too early to tell :)

Sachi's Cousin

Is this my sister??
Mommy tells me it is my cousin...first girl cousin in the United States.
She was born almost on my mom's birthday, and is 5 months younger than me.
Her name is Urvi, and she lives in Corona. This is very far.
I would have to fly to Orange County to visit her.
Maybe when we are 3, we will go to Disneyland together.
I like to touch her face.
She looks like such an angel. Oh how I miss my youth.

Sachi's personality

Sachi is a magnet.

People are drawn to her...wherever we go, people ask to pick her up. I think it is because she is very generous with her smiles, and attentive with her eye contact. People can't help but wanting to take her into their arms.

It happened at this restaurant in Puerto Vallarta where we were eating, and it happened today when we were in a class on baby sign language. It happens all the time.

I used to think her cuteness was due to her chubby cheeks and thunder thighs...now I know it is because who she is. I can't believe I can already describe her personality!

When does Sachi get her new laptop?

Lately Sachi has been Very interested in Anil's laptop. She looks at the screen and watches Anil's fingers as he types and moves the mouse. She imitates him by putting her index finger out and moving it around near his touch pad. It is so cute, we are gonna have to get it on video. As I am typing this entry right now, she is moving her finger on the touch pad. Looks like we will have one more person competing for the computer in this house.

Mommy's Bangles

My latest fascination has been with mommy's bangles.

Usually every morning she takes me to the mirror and says, "Who is that?", and then answers, "Baby Sachi". For a long time, it made me squeal with joy.

But lately, she has been taking me to the mirror and I don't even stop to look at myself. All I see is her hundreds of bangles on the dresser. So many colors, I can't take my eyes off them. She lets me run my hands over the bangles in the morning. She gave me one bangle to play with. It is now one of my favorite toys.

my milk drug

i have it for dinner
i have it for lunch
i have it for every meal
and man, it packs a punch

i dream of raining milk clouds
that fall like white lace

milk drops into my mouth
and the rest is left on my face

Slinging on the Westsiiiide

Wow, my face almost looks bigger than auntie Anita's. Maybe I am the grown up and she's the baby. The only dead give away is that she is holding me in the sling.

You think if it were just our faces, I could be the grown up?

My Baby Lumps

Yes I have rolls, and I rock them

They grace my belly, thighs, and double chin

My rolls recieve untold affection

Daddy kisses my rolls and I laugh hysterically

Mommy massages them lovingly with olive oil

Strangers look upon them with sighs

Love your rolls, and others will follow

Baby Feet

What is it about baby feet? Why are they so damn cute?
I think it has something to do with how they move. They move so freely toes pointed, spread, foot flexed...in a matter of seconds. When is the last time you moved your feet like this? Adult feet have been rendered inert by the confines of shoes. We need to learn from these babies.

Sachi's Suitors

Much to Sachi's father's dismay, Sachi has many suitors.

To the left is Keshav, a punjabi boy who is from her same township of Menlo Park. They have been seen together at storytime, and at a few restaurants. He is 6 weeks older than her, which she feels is a good age difference. Her only gripe about their relationship is she feels like she does all the talking. And somehow, that also scares Keshav.

Sachi's next suitor is Rohan. He is yet another north indian boy that has tried to set his stake on Sachi. While they have only met twice, but he thinks it is enough to make his decision. He is nearly double Sachi's age (at a whopping 8 months), but he feels this will not matter in time. Sachi does not like the fact that this relationship would be long distance. He is in Southern California, and neither of them have a cell phone yet.

Starting a blog on Sachi

Being a new mother, I thought it would me nice for me to create my blog on my daughter, Sachi. I am calling the blog Saritascope, which is essentially "Sachi through my eyes".

Every day, there is a new memory created, and moments that I don't want to forget.

Perhaps this blog can serve as a receptacle for my memory, and as a tool to share Sachi with the people I love.