5 months and still counting...........

Hi Sweetie!

Today is your fifth birthday. A lot has transpired since my last letter to you. We have taken you on your first ever plane trip, and first international travel trip, all in one. Your first flight ever was on United from LAX to Washington Dulles on December 12, 2007. Contrary to all the chatter about United being a bad airline, the plane was a new 777, the flight was pleasant, and the flight attendants were very nice. Your mom thought the interior could use a good cleaning, though. We are lucky your mom insisted we pack some peanut butter and cheese sandwiches, because they had no food on the plane. And your Mom and I are too cheap to spend five bucks for a ‘box’ of food.

The packing was miserable. I stayed up all night getting this and that together, making sure I did not forget anything. I was hoping to pass out on the plane, but didn’t get much of a chance to do that. We were so worried that the altitude would hurt you, but you were such a trouper! We are so very proud of you.

Your mom insisted we pack your exersaucer, and it was a great idea. It is such a wonderful toy, you get to have fun. You are growing really tall, I am about to increase the height on the exersaucer to its highest level.

Your dada and dadi arrived in HYD the same night that we did. They love you so much, Dadi didn’t even bother to watch her TV shows that she loves during that week.

We have spent the last weeks enjoying your company. You are now able to raise youself up on your elbows and you can worm and wriggle your way across half the bed. Soon you will be able to start crawling, a milestone that your mother and I look forward to and dread at the same time.

We had a puja for you two days after we arrived. We fed you your first solid food-a bit of rice cereal. You were all into it, and took little morsels from various persons. As always, the event was thoroughly documented on video and still(with your mommy’s wonderful gift to you dad three years ago).

You have started to desire solid food. When you sit with us at the dinner table, you stare at the food longingly, so much that you start to drool, like a little puppy would. It is so very cute. We love reverse-anthropomorphizing you. We call you a ‘gotlu’, a ‘gobble’, and all sorts of words.

Yesterday we went to a party here at the AP Police Officers Club. A nice little haven in the center of the city. India’s national animal, the mosquito, was in full force. Daddy killed about seven of them. Next time, he will take the electronic flyswatter and try to get some more. You were so well behaved, once you fell asleep, you slept the whole time. Your mama fed you(as always), and held you in his arms the rest of the night. Your mother and I are sure that you will have as deep a bond with him as with us. And since he has declared that he is not going to get married, he can devote all his time to you. You can pay him back by setting him up with girls, since a cute little baby like you is the *ultimate* chick magnet.

Well, gotlu, that’s it for now. I promise to write more soon!