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lil sontakey

Cute like my mommy, smelly like my daddy

6 Months Old

April 22, 2017 ·

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Dear Sareena,

You are 6 months old in these photos.

This was a month of plenty of milestones for you. You learned to crawl. You said your first true words with meaning rather than just babbling them out, “Mama” being the first. You were introduced to your first taste of solids. Most of all, you welcomed your very best friend in to the world, your baby cousin brother Kiyaan.

Hearing you calling me mama while look at me with purpose and calling out specifically to me melted my heart (you would also call me “emma” and “ma’am”).

You simply adore affection. There’s nothing quite like watching the way your eyes light up and smile every time we kiss you, squeeze, cuddle or hug you. We love this quality about you and hope this doesn’t change.

Toward the end of your 6 months, your baby cousin brother Kiyaan was born. Your involvement in his birth was one of the most precious moments. You exhibited a calming presence throughout, acting as a mini doula. You would stroke your Akki’s head as if saying “there there, Kiyaan will find his way to you soon.” You even gave her a little snuggle for comfort. You would communicate throughout in your little cough language with your grandparents. You entertained us throughout.

We were all astonished at what a nurturing soul you already were, you continue to amaze us day by day with your loving grace. Your heart is so pure and innocent, and we can already tell you’re born to nurture and love. I wish there was some way I could preserve your pure innocence. Bottle it into a jar and show it to you someday, when the horrors of the world and the indecency of some human-beings leave you in tears. And although I wish I could protect you from pain, and find a way so that you will never suffer, I know that this is not how life works. Instead, I will continue to try and teach you the things you need to learn, and support you through your daily discoveries. In the end, it’s not our job to toughen up our children to face a cruel and heartless world, it’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless. I know this world has already become a better place with such a sweet soul as you, Sareena. We are so blessed to have you in our world.

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So much sass and personality!

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Still obsessed with using the bedrail to stand… mommy kept having to pull you away because it was so dangerous!

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At the airport on your way to see your grandparents, aunts & uncles, and to meet your GREAT grandparents!

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You were going through major separation anxiety and stranger awareness, so unfortunately it was difficult for everyone to get a chance to know you properly because you kept calling out for me to hold you. I was glad to hold you throughout as I usually do, but I had to share you so your extended family could get to know you. I’m so sorry! You kept looking at me as if I had betrayed you even though I was always right next to you, it broke my heart. The only person who was able to hold you for longer than 10 seconds without you crying was Shivani Mausi! She was so flattered.

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You are just so loved, my little one.

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You are the sweetest thing ever. Look at you cuddling your akki up, telling her it’ll be all okay throughout her marathon labor.

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You didn’t even bother anyone during your nap times, you just slept peacefully like you always do snuggled up against me in our Tula! <3 IMG_1418

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The next morning, you finally met him! It’s as if you’re like “Oh, so that’s what was in your belly. Man, what took you so long to come, Kiyaan!”

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“Alright, let me see how you’re taking these photos. I’m the director here”

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And now time for a few videos of your goofiness and firsts

Still enjoying our mommy & me classes!

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You are the sweetest soul, we are so proud to be your parents <3 Love you forever & ever, Mommy & Daddy.

Filed Under: Sareena

5 months old

February 25, 2017 ·

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Dear Sareena,

You are 5 months old in these photos.

Your extreme love and fascination with doggies began here. Dogs are the perfect best friend and companion for a child to grow up with. They are powerful conduits of loyalty, compassion, and selfless love. The sound of your squeals of delight and joy whenever you play with them is one your daddy and I always cherish. I look forward to seeing you grow with them while even getting into all sorts of mischief. I’ve noticed children who grow up with dogs as being part of a family are known to be one of the most emotionally intelligent & compassionate human beings. Your Akki is a beautiful example of that, and I had hoped you would get those same traits. You undoubtedly have!

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You were just so fascinated by the pups

We celebrated daddy’s first father’s day. You’re so lucky to have such an amazing daddy who loves you with all his heart. A father’s job isn’t to teach his daughter how to be a lady, it is to teach her how a lady should be treated. Your daddy has always treated me like a queen, and likewise he has treated you like his princess. He is the most loving, devoted man I’ve ever met and it’s because of him we have our dreams come true.

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You were so sassy & full of personality! You were also SO obsessed with trying to stand at this age. You would pull up against the bedrail and use that to stand, you would pull up against me or your daddy to try to stand. You couldn’t sit up on your own yet, and you were just obsessed with being on the move!

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For the record, you didn’t get your first tooth until a few months later!

Someone shared a video on how babies sleep using a cloth to lull them to sleep. It had the opposite effect on you.

You are the perfect Bambo Nature ambassador!

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You’re our happy sparkly little baby!

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Enjoying bath time as usual!

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Of course, I’m your footrest

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Beckoning me with your foot, as if you’re saying “Come hither, my footrest!”

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Typical bedhead

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and typical sweaty head when you wake up from your nap

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Getting some wise advice from Tenley, your 2 year old pal

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I adored dressing you up in beautiful dresses sent by Macy’s & one of our favorite dress brands: Kids Dream! You were so easy-going and loved looking at yourself in the mirror admiring your pretty dresses.

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Business with daddy

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With your Akki

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You were just obsessed with the pups

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All set to go!

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Wait, I need a snack

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Napping like an angel in your little potato sack. You always wake up so cutely and sweetly.

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And you sleep so squishy too. I miss this squishy face

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Our regular routine of me walking you to the grocery store and you’d just fall asleep half way. What a simple, easy life.

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We celebrated your first 4th of July and took a nice stroll along the Venice Canals. You were enamored by the ducks.

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I usually hold you and daddy holds me. But sometimes I like to turn around to hold daddy, and you IMMEDIATELY turn around in your sleep to hold me. You are just too cute.

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No matter how big you get, you’ll always be the right size for us to hold you in our arms.

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We’re growing together. We are seeing the world like it’s new. I will open my heart and love will rain down all over you. You’ll giggle, and I’ll do it all over again. And we will walk hand in hand, always and forever. Your daddy & I made you, but you made us parents.

Love you forever & ever,
Mommy & Daddy

Filed Under: Sareena

Welcoming Baby Kiyaan

December 25, 2016 ·

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Today’s post will be reflecting on the babyshower I hosted in June 2016 for my sister in law welcoming baby Kiyaan. Though I had only 2 weeks to plan and put this together, I had a lot of fun with this event! We invited some of our closest friends and it was overwhelming to see the amount of good wishes and support pouring in for her journey to single motherhood.

The baby shower location was a complete surprise for my sister in law. She relied heavily on both family dogs for emotional support, and she credits them to helping her stay strong and get through the separation of her marriage. I naturally had to find a beautiful location that would allow and accommodate the pups, and was thrilled when I came across Calamigos Ranch in Malibu that was VERY dog friendly! My favorite part was sending her a surprise invitation that was specifically addressed to Drogo and Snow!

I fell in love with the storybook oasis. We were surrounded by a pond with ducks that were being trailed by their ducklings! The waterfall splashing and live band created the perfect ambience. I loved all the rustic details malibu cafe is comprised of. I decided to go with a Tiffany Blue color scheme mixed with some pink blush florals.

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Sareena was asleep for most of the party while I was wearing her in the Tula! So when she was awake everyone tried to grab the chance to hold her. She was a little confused and definitely had a case of stranger anxiety. Look how adorable and stylish she looks though!

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It’s true, we love you! You’re an amazing mother to a beautiful baby boy. Kiyaan is lucky to have such a strong, wonderful mom! I’m so happy to be able to call you my sister, Rati Tai 🙂

Venue: The Malibu Cafe at Calamigos Ranch
Diaper Cake: Bambo Nature
Desserts: Colorfun Parties
Florals: Francesca Blume

Filed Under: Uncategorized

4 Months Old

November 2, 2016 ·

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Dear Sareena,

You are 4 months old in these photos. You are my absolute baby doll! Your daddy and I simply cannot stop admiring your beauty.

We took you on your first hike here in Brentwood. You were sleeping for half of it, and then the rest of the time you were busy looking fabulous. You have such a BIG personality and are already pretty sassy. We’ve been going on nature walks pretty regularly and you seem to be in awe observing all the different flowers, trees and leaves. Your favorite flowers are roses; you enjoy smelling their fragrance and picking apart the petals!

Your laughter is our favorite sound in the world. We never tire of hearing it. We constantly search for ways to make you laugh. Your joy is our love and happiness. Your favorite nursery rhyme without a doubt is The Wheels on the Bus. You also love a few silly songs that I’ve made up. Singing is one of your FAVORITE ways to interact with me, your entire face just lights up. You also enjoy rocking on my legs going up and down. We spend so much time cuddling and babbling and singing.

We celebrated our first Mother’s Day together. Being your mother is a privilege; I am so lucky to have gotten you as a daughter. Your daddy reminds me that you chose me to be your mommy for a reason and I thank the universe for that. I must have done something amazing to have you for a daughter and your daddy as my husband. I promise I will raise you with love and devotion to be a good person. Your happiness and character is what’s important to me above anything else.

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You went on your first mini road trip to San Diego! You were such a delight.

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Here I am looking all fabulous for your usual stroller walks.

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Just kidding I usually wore yoga pants and a tank when I’d take you in your stroller. And then you’d nap while I grocery shopped.

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On the other hand, you actually did look fabulous 100% of the time we went hiking.

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Work it

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And then you had to take a break to nap.

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Much to my dismay, you did not seem to care for story time yet. You wouldn’t even tolerate being read to.

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But you totally loved playing dress up!

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Although matching with us seemed to make you want to barf. Just kidding you just happened to spit up during these times.

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A lot.

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You were a drama queen.

And had a lot of personality

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You were so physically active already trying to move around so much. We wanted you to slow down and relax! We wrapped you up in a blanket to contain you as a joke. Your foot just sprang out.

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There you go using everything as a foot rest.

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You’d love chewing your toes!

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And of course, your secretive self soothing..

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Toward the end of each day, you would observe me cooking on the counter. Sometimes I tried to make it like an interactive cooking show. I like to think you enjoyed it.

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And then you were our dinner centerpiece. And entertainment.

We can’t handle your cuteness. Everytime we look at you we just want to squeeze you and freeze the moment.
Then we realize we can’t.
And we want to cry.

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Wait for it..

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We love you so much!

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With lots of love,
Mommy & Daddy

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Challenges:
Emotionally invested in extended family situations

Our family was going through a devastating situation regarding my sister in law’s marriage breaking while she was pregnant. There was so much going on and I was so emotionally affected by this because I love her as my own blood sister. I was there, I personally saw what was happening to my SIL firsthand and was experiencing it all with her. I couldn’t sleep, and if I did, I’d frequently wake up from the nightmare of a situation. I don’t want to disclose details here, but long story short, I was so consumed in my role of being a sister that I felt like I was falling short in being a mother.

I felt so guilty that Sareena would constantly be staring in my eyes and smile up at me as I’d nurse her but I’d be too wrapped up in the intense phone conversations to respond back to her. I would actually break down and cry at times because this is the time I felt so overwhelmed with guilt and as if I was being such a horrible mother by not interacting with her as much. I felt like I missed out.

I overcame this by choosing to change my perspective and viewed it as an opportunity to teach Sareena a valuable life lesson. I was teaching her how to be a sister, how to be a best friend, and how to be there for others. We may not be able to fix everything, but it is important to be there for the people we love, no matter what. That’s what counts, and that is what helps loved gain the strength to get through anything. I had to pull back a bit as I was way too emotionally invested, but we found our sense of balance as we happily continued to be there 🙂

Love Always,
Shveta

Filed Under: Sareena

3 months old

October 27, 2016 ·

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Dear Sareena,

You are 3 months old in these photos. You had the sweetest personality and would often laugh at the silliest things! We enjoyed our daily morning routine of singing nursery rhymes together. You would reward me with such smiley eyes and an ear to ear grin. You would often coo and babble trying to join in.

You’ve been exploring different noises and sounds for a while, but you recently started babbling mamamama a lot! I know it’s way too early to speak yet, but it made me so happy to hear you say that while looking at me and grinning.

You went to your first wedding here in Los Angeles. It was an amazing Filipino-Indian Wedding! You were such a hit, everyone complimented how adorable you were and how surprisingly well behaved you were! You were so observant about everything going on and constantly smiling and giggled. People were in such disbelieve when I told them it was normal for you to hardly ever cry. Maybe it’s because you were always with me, so you never really had a reason to. ☺

I’m serious, you hardly ever cried, and if you did it was nothing that me holding you and cuddling you couldn’t instantly fix. We just couldn’t get enough of each other. I am always here for you baby girl, I hear you, I see you, I believe your wants are your needs, and they are valid. I never feared spoiling you because there is no such thing as spoiling a baby with too much love. I treasure the fact that all it takes to make you happy is my presence. I secretly hope that never changes, because I’m always here for you.

I often caught you staring up at me in awe and when I’d look right back, you’d get the biggest smile. It’s as if you were waiting for me to just look at you. You would melt my heart with each giggle, squeal, and coo. We would babble back and forth and have frequent conversations. We did this for hours and hours. You aren’t just completely immersed in my world. You ARE my whole world.

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At the wedding

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With daddy and the pups!

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I love having you everywhere with me. You’re my little buddy and pretty much my partner in crime.

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Drogo liked to check in on you to make sure you were okay in your carseat.

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But then he remembered were just a straight up G, even in your sleep.

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One time, I put my fingers in front of you and you reached for them to try to get up. So I helped you sit up. Since then you’ve been OBSESSED with trying to get up, it would make you SO happy!

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Just chillin’ with your Akki

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You started to self soothe here and there around this time on your own using your fingers. We were told that this is actually a really beneficial thing for you to do and helps regulate emotions naturally. There was no need to interfere with this as we weren’t worried about it becoming a habit since we knew you would stop on your own (lo and behold you stopped by 6 months). But you still felt the need to do it in secret for some reason…

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Hubba hubba (you were never amused by daddy’s antics)

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Bath time fun

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There you go, using me as your footrest again. No matter what, you demanded comfort.

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Hanging out with your mommy & me pals

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Such a happy silly baby

I can’t think of a witty caption but you’re definitely thinking something interesting.
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Your check up visit!

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We loved playing..

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I’m going to get you!!!

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We just couldn’t handle how cute you were. We just couldn’t take it!!! We just wanted to squeeze and squish you all the time.

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With lots of love,
Mommy & Daddy

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Challenges:
Husband feeling neglected

The challenge I faced during this time was figuring out how to make Sameer not feel neglected. He felt as if I forgot all about him and that all my love transferred over to Sareena! Of course, that wasn’t true one bit and I couldn’t help but laugh. It took me a while to realize he wasn’t joking and was actually scared I didn’t need him anymore! He thought Sareena replaced him.

I had to gently explain to him that there is now another family member I have to take care of, especially since this family member is so little and brand new to the world. Babies constantly feed and want to be cuddled. Whether we like it or not, they require a lot of time and attention.

Sameer told me how he wished I were more available so we could do everything together like we used to. All he wanted was to spend time with me. Not as mommy and daddy, but as husband and wife once in a while. To resume our dinners at home where we just focus on each other, with conversations that don’t entail parenthood, to keep getting to know each other even after 3 years of marriage. To simply continue to date each other and be our silly selves. To just be Sameer and Shveta.

That broke my heart. All my husband has ever wanted is my love and attention. He is happy as long as I am happy. He has never asked for anything more than time with me. I’m glad he was vocal about this because I would not have realized this until much later on! I am grateful I had the opportunity to fix this early on.

We’ve had to become more mindful and creative with spending quality time together. It is definitely possible; we just have to work harder at it now. As a result, we cherish each other even more and we really value each moment alone together.

Love always,
Shveta

Filed Under: Sareena

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