Tag: grandparents

  • Motamummy’s House Rule: Baby First, Logic Later

    Motamummy’s House Rule: Baby First, Logic Later

    One day, when you’re big enough to read this on your own, we want you to know something. Before you ever remembered anything, you were already the center of everything.

    Motamummy’s house was a place where time moved slowly, arms were always ready to hold you, and love showed up loudly and unapologetically. It was you, your mom, motamummy, japa aunty, mamu, motapappa—and a whole lot of laughter wrapped around a very tiny human.

    You didn’t need toys back then. You had people. People who made absolute fools of themselves just to see your eyes widen. We sang you the weirdest songs—songs with no tune, no logic, and lyrics that changed mid-way. Sometimes we sang about milk. Sometimes about your tiny hands. Sometimes we just sang your name like it was the greatest song ever written. Motamummy took these performances very seriously. You watched us like we were fascinating or mildly confusing. Either way, you stayed quiet, so we counted it as a win.

    And oh, your expressions. You had this way of looking at us like you were already figuring things out. A serious face that made us wonder what you were thinking. A sudden smile that made the entire room freeze and then explode with happiness. Sometimes you made a face so strange that all of us burst out laughing together. You had no idea why—but somehow, you were the joke and the joy at the same time.

    We didn’t just talk to you. We talked as you. In a deep, confident voice, we’d say things like:
    “Relax everyone, I’m in charge here.”
    “Yes motamummy, I know I’m cute.”
    “Mamu, good effort. You may sing again.”

    We gave you a personality long before you could show us yours. You were witty. Slightly dramatic. Very aware of how adored you were. And motapappa—oh, motapappa adored you in the quietest, purest way. Day in and day out. Holding you, looking at you like you were the answer to something he’d been waiting for. You didn’t have to do anything. Just being you was enough.

    We talked about your future a lot. At motamummy’s house, you were already a singer, a storyteller, a traveler, a dreamer. Sometimes you were all of those in one afternoon. We imagined you laughing, walking into rooms with confidence, being kind, being curious. No matter who you became, one thing was always certain—you would be deeply loved.

    I watched all of this with a smile I didn’t even know I was wearing, already saving these moments for later. Motamummy held you like the world could wait. Japa aunty stood close, proud and protective. Mamu brought noise and fun. Motapappa brought calm and endless love. And you—so small, so new—somehow made everyone feel complete.

    Motamummy’s house wasn’t just where you stayed. It was where you were celebrated. Where your earliest days were filled with laughter, silly songs, made-up stories, and a family that thought you were magic. 

    One day, you won’t remember any of this. So we’re writing it down for you. So you know that before you could speak, you were spoken for. Before you could laugh, you were the reason we did. And before you knew what family meant, you were already surrounded by it—every single day. Always remember this:

    You were loved from the very beginning. 🤍

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    Tummy time
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    Sleepy baby
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    Sharva becomes Sharvari
  • Loved Across Every Distance

    Loved Across Every Distance

    This is something written for you to read someday—when you’re older and curious about how deeply you were loved, even during the moments you were away from people who loved you.

    When you went to your Motamummy and Motapappa’s house in Ahmedabad for the first time, something quietly changed back in Rajkot. The house felt a little calmer, a little quieter. And your Dadu and Dadi felt your absence in the smallest moments and missed you more than words could ever explain.

    They called often. Not because they had any questions —but because you were important.

    “Is he awake?”
    “What did he do today?”
    “Did he smile?”

    Every call was really just another way of being close to you. Hearing about your day, seeing your face on the screen, listening to your tiny sounds—it filled their hearts in a way nothing else could. They missed holding you. They missed watching you sleep. They missed the way you made even ordinary days feel special.

    Your Dadi carried you in her thoughts all day long. She spoke about you constantly—what you must be doing, how fast you were growing, how much she wished she could hold you just once more that day.

    And then there is your Dadu. He is never someone who shows much on the outside. Quiet, reserved, not very expressive. But with you, something changed. His love came out in little questions he asked again and again, just to know more about you. It showed in the way his face lit up every time your name was mentioned, in that big smile he couldn’t hide. I had never seen him like that before. You brought out a tenderness in him that words never could.

    And when they both talked—almost every conversation came back to you. You were the center of their world, even when you weren’t in the room. From far away, they loved you quietly, completely, endlessly. Distance never changed that. If anything, it only made their love reach farther.

    So when you read this one day, remember:
    Even when you were at your Motamummy and Motapappa’s house being loved day in day out, you were never really away from your Dadu and Dadi. You were always with them—in their calls, their conversations, their smiles, and most of all, their hearts. You were and are loved more than you could ever imagine by everyone.

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