It wasn’t the plan to do too much on Ishu’s second birthday. He doesn’t fully understand that this is HIS special day, so I thought we’d give him a blue cake pop from Starbs and call it a day.

But, of course, as they usually do, the family had other plans for this little man.

We started the day out with cake pops for breakfast – shipped from San Francisco! – made with love by Ishu’s Masi, Masu, and Mayasaurus.

And, because the universe was also celebrating Ishu’s birthday, the weather was GREAT. Sunshine and in the 60s all day.

In the evening – when Ankur came home – he brought up a lot of packages that were sent for Ishu.

All of Ishu’s cousins and Masis and Masus and Mami and Mamu gifted him a strider (which he is currently riding around the living room as I am sitting here typing this) and a kitchen set. Basically, over the last two years of his life, our family has stocked our entire living room with toys and books and gifts and furniture for Ishu. This kid has no idea how lucky he has it.

We did a Zoom call with the cousins to cut Ishu’s cupcakes (and to show off his strider skills). We even got Tarun Bhaiya to join in from the “surgery room.” Ha. LOVE YOU FAM.

Ishu’s favorite part was blowing out the candles and, lucky for him, he had TWO to blow out. Once he was done inhaling the sprinkles off a blue cupcake, he rode the strider some more.

Then, we got to talk to Richard and Gina Masi and opened up the present from them. They got him an Ishu-sized couch that rolls out into a bed/recliner. Richard has a Paw Patrol one and they got Ishu a space one. Ishu and Richard were having fun laying on their respective couches and then getting up and running around the room (that was definitely the sugar high from the cupcake frosting!).

When we hung up with them, Ishu cried and screamed, “MO DIDDARD” (More Richard!).

But then quickly became happy when he got to see his Dadi and Babaji and show them all his new gifts.

Eventually, the sugar crash came on and it came on HARD. So we quickly shuffled him to bed and I followed quickly after.

We were both so sleepy, I “slept in” until 7am and Ishu woke up around 7:15am. That almost NEVER happens.

And now it’s FRIDAY!

(Fun fact: When we say “Happy Friday,” Ishu responds by saying, “HAPPY WEEKEND CLINK CLINK CLINK.” Parents of the year, over here).

Got a lotta things to do for work before I earn my weekend, but can’t do ANY of it until I’ve got my coffee. So, GOODBYE AND GOOD DAY.