Surina Meets The Sun

Yesterday was a beautiful day. At five in the evening the temperature rose to sixty. The sun was shining and the grass sported its new tentative green shade. Jyoti bundled up Surina and took her out onto the driveway. Surina gleefully turned to the sun to enjoy its rays on her face. It must be instinctive to pay homage to the life giving Surya.
Jyoti and Jeff had left Surina with us for four days and gone to Detroit to visit some friends and to watch the final four games of the National Basketball Championship. They were to return on Monday but flew back a day earlier. First separation is very hard on new parents. While they were away we stayed in touch through the phone. In addition Surina kept them informed of her daily routine via text messaging; but there is nothing like actually being there.
First meeting between mother and daughter was effusive. There were fireworks on both sides.
They could not get enough of each other. For a while they shut out the world.
She has 'first lady' status with the mamus. Their phone and face book are plastered with Surina's pictures.
She holds their hearts in her hands and knows it.
Surina is four and a half months now.

At 16 lbs. she is the most precious thing in our home. Her many moods and expressions amaze and amuse us constantly.

She can stare you down with her unblinking eyes

Or melt your heart with winsome smile.

She is a charmer. There are no two ways about it.

Whenever she comes over we drop everything and spend time playing with her.
Suraj loves to fly her like an airplane.

Ravi loves to play barbie doll with her.
(He always did like to play with dolls as a kid - to the extreme annoyance of Suraj).

Ravi is convinced she looks like him.
Burlingtons see her as the spitting image of Jeff.
Sachi and I see many of our family members reflected in her.
I put the black bindi on her to keep off the evil eye.

She is carrying all of us into the future.

Last month the Burlingtons held the baptism ceremony for Surina at their church; the same church where Jyoti and Jeff got married. It was a beautiful ceremony.
Surina looked like a white lotus flower.
Naren and Vivek were chosen as the 'God Fathers'. They stood with Jyoti and Jeff and took the oath to nurture and guide her. Surina could not have found better guardians than them. Watch out world!
All the Burlingtons and Mahapatras got together to celebrate this occasion. It was a wonderful family gathering. Later Jim and Norma treated all of us to dinner at the Wilderness Ridge Lodge. We spent a lot of time playing with our pretty angel.
And admiring the young men vying for her attention.
Of course that does not mean they did not horse around. They sure looked good and made us feel very proud.
Surina gobbled up the attention like a trooper and was back to her usual routine next morning. We grown ups took a little longer to recover.
Her afternoon naps are supervised by Aja while he contemplates the News in the Newspaper. Her eyes are covered with cloth to help her sleep. If we forget to do that she uses her hands to cover them.
She loves roaming the house on Ravi mamu's shoulders
and being tickled by Suraj mamu.
But nothing matches cuddling with dad.
Grandma Norma visits often to make her feel super special
Biji pampers her with long baths and dines and shines her till she thinks the world revolves around her.
Of course she is absorbing every version of this world being presented to her.
"I will sort things out for myself later. Right now I just want to be cool."
For I have these cousins to impress. They have been queens since before I was born.
Not to worry though. Life is nothing if not a challenge.

And I accept it.
************************************
Sachi and I love all of you who sign in and follow the blog. Thanks Babi for enriching the entry with your beautiful words. Thanks Leema for sharing a slice of your wonderful life with us. We all may be scattered all over the world but are joined together in this digital medium.

"Where there is a will there is a way"