A Diamond In My Sky

Raina turned 2 on May 9, and to mark this occasion, I'd like to talk a little bit about my daughter (I shall strive not to gush). If there were one word I had to use to describe Raina, I would say she's radiant. She radiates positivity and good will. She talks pretty nonstop--she's been talking in sentences since she was 18 months--and I think one big reason for that is her love of song. She loves to sing and be sung to. The first phrase of song she learned to say at about 15 months is "like a diamond in the sky."

I remember during the first tough 6 weeks after she was born, she would cry and cry and the only way I could get her to stop was by singing pretty continuously from about 10 p.m. till about midnight. If I'd make the mistake of clearing my by-then hoarse throat, the wailing would start. I sang to her every song I knew--nursery rhymes in English, Hindi film songs, even a couple of Marathi ones I'd learned in school and -- wonder of wonders! -- still remembered. The language didn't seem to matter to her, it was all Greek to her anyway, as long as I sung away.

As she grew to 6 months, I'd play CDs of Sanskrit shlokas and nursery rhymes while she was in her high chair. I ended up learning a few shlokas myself. Now, she can say the Gayatri mantra out loud -- an attribute that earned her quite a few encores in India. She thrives on the attention and has realized pretty quick that her singing, her toothy smile and her big brown eyes get her loads of that.

Out of all things that I love about her, I love best the way she laughs. She has a very infectious laugh that seems to come from the core of her being. She doesn't like being tickled, though, unless the doer of the deed is her daddy. She kisses with her mouth wide open, saliva dripping, but it's only a blessed few that get that privilege (the rest can count their blessings). But she blows kisses with abandon to all and sundry.

Like her mommy, she's crazy about books. There was a time when she would do nothing but sit in my lap and get me to read book after book after book until I was begging for mercy. If that isn't enough to convince you that she's a bookworm, the fact that she gets excited about a trip to the library should. Her current favorite toy is her tea set.

She loves the swings at the park. Every park visit starts with half-hour at the swings. It's the only time she's quiet, blessedly, blessedly quiet. Other than naptime and bedtime, of course. And oh yes, she'll go to bed only if Brownie The Dog, Teddy The Bear and most important of all, Simba The Lion, accompany her. She seems to love the color blue. She dances in circles.

I could probably go on and on about her, but I did promise not to gush. Happy 2, Raina!