I am not sure if I’m ready to see you grow, Azu, and as I sit here typing this letter for your third birthday, I can’t believe where the last year has gone. It’s been a year filled with lots of adventures for you, and definitely lots of exploring. Oh baby boy, do you really have to grow up so fast? And although you don’t like being called a baby, know that you will forever be my baby.

Your first plane journey

After all the uncertainty brought ahead due to Covid, you finally took your first plane journey and it was to the UK to visit your Nana-Nani-Mama. A seven hour flight in which you watched the movie ‘Paw Patrol’ thrice! It was also the first time for you experienced cold freezing temperatures since we did travel in December, but you looked cute fluffed up in the multiple layers of various clothes. Cozy for sure as you managed to sleep every time we’d sit in the car. You got to see the Christmas lights of London’s Oxford street, sing ‘Rudolph the Red nose reindeer’ with Nani and loved wearing the red Rudolph jumper while picking up random fallen branches and acorns from the street. From chocolate covered mouth at Bournville’s Cadbury World, to breaking stones at your grandparents garden, you’ve had many new experiences. Ones I doubt you’ll remember much of, but I know I will.

Fire Engines, Marvel and more

While you were crazy about trains previously, this last year has been about so much more. You are into fire engines and love dressing up as Fireman Sam spraying water around the balcony. You are a mini Marvel fan, and love pretending to be fighting crime with your sister. You are crazy about dinosaurs and even enjoyed watching half of the movie Jurassic World at the Max cinema. You slept for the remaining half of the movie 🙂

You enjoy playing with puzzles and are really good at it too. You love telling stories and jokes in your own way. Your sister is your best friend at the moment, and even though you two argue, you always patch up soon. You love story-time just before bed, playing in the bath tub, and spraying water to the plants or balcony windows. You love celebrations, running in the malls and fast cars on the road. You loved ‘Opti’ the robot at Dubai Expo 2020, and towards the end visiting Expo every weekend was something you looked forward to.

Foodie

Even though it may not look like it, you are a foodie when it comes to your favourite foods. You could eat pasta sprinkled with ‘pizza cheese’ everyday, love munching on cheese ball crisps and your morning doesn’t begin without a glass of ‘pink Dudu’ (rose syrup in milk). On weekends it’s all about chocolate spread on pancakes. It’s absolutely adorable watching you dip pieces of dosa in chai and savour the flavour. No matter how much chai we give you, you always seen to gulp it down before papa or I finish it and end up asking for more. You definitely have a sweet tooth too, and love the Mc Donald’s ice cream, donughts and rainbow cakes. And drinking hot chocolate from the coffee machines at clinics has become a new favourite thing as we wait in the waiting area.

Big milestone

You start the big school this new academic year in September. Big sister has been preparing you, sharing how fun her school is and so far you appear very keen to go. After all, you are always waking up at 6:00 in the morning, ready to say good bye to big sister as she leaves for school. With your super friendly nature, I think you’ll cope fine, have lots of friends and be the teacher’s favourite, yet I am not sure I will be ready to let you go. I will miss the mornings when it was just me and you, doing lots of fun activities. However, today’s not about me, and only about you, my little one.

Big emotions

For someone so little you sure have lots of big emotions. Whether it is jumping to hug papa as he returns back from work, or trying to explain why you are upset as you try to blink away tears, you are full of feelings. You express yourself with so much ease; sometimes with words and sometimes with actions, and we love that about you. It’s difficult for you to sit still. We always see you jumping off the sofa, climbing the bed’s head board and burrowing yourself under lots of pillows. Your energy and joy is infectious, and there’s always a buzz from the moment you wake up to when you go to bed. 

There’s so much more for you to explore and experience, and we can’t wait to see what this new year has in store for you! May you be blessed with excellent health and success, joy and love pave your way. Happy Birthday Azu!

If you enjoyed reading this letter, you may also like to read the letter I wrote on his second and first birthday. There’s even birthday letters for sister Azmu. Follow us on Instagram for more.