To my dearest Chotu,

These posts are becoming harder and harder to write because it feels like you do something new EVERY 20 MINUTES. It’s also coming two days late because, well, time is flying and we just kind of forgot that you turned a whopping 7 months old!

This past month, you’ve done some big, visible things like being able to sit up independently on your own. You scream and demand food like nobody’s business. And you talk to us. All the time. And then, when we respond, you’ll talk back some more.

You’ve also changed in smaller, less notable ways. When mama walks in the room, you start to whine because you realize your tummy is hungry. You recognize your name as being “Ishu” or “Chotu” and you make eye contact with us each time we call for you.

Many things have also remained the same. You poop pretty much five times a day. Minimum. You are obsessed with your pacifier and refuse to sleep without it. You still prefer books to toys. Everything still goes into your mouth immediately. And your eyelashes are still longer than mama’s leg hair after 7 months of quarantining.

This past month, we got to dress you up for Halloween. We couldn’t decide between a pumpkin or a bear so you got to be both. For a grand total of 5 minutes because how dare we try to put something on your head.

You also got to be a part of history as we booted out the worst president this country has ever seen.

You got to drive back to your first ever home and meet your Nikku Chacha. He was the original “chotu” of the Mathur family but he’s happy to concede that title to you.

You celebrated your first ever Diwali and were spoiled rotten with so many gifts and love. We did a virtual Tikka with the rest of JAVI (and in Jiya Didi’s words, the ‘passengers’ of JAVI, which are essentially all the family members that aren’t one of you four). Your sisters were so thoughtful and got you your favorite foods and so many other special gifts.

We had a socially distanced hangout with Jen and Juan and Ila and Junie and you got to swing on the swing for the very first time!

You’ve tried so many different foods this month. Heck, you even tried a few bites of my Jersey Mikes sandwich and you absolutely loved it (you are totally your Ruchika Masi’s nephew).

You went on your first hike under the redwoods and all that incline must have tired you out because you slept the entire way back down the trail. (Coincidentally, your mama and papa did this same exact hike exactly five years ago – to the day – before they got married. Crazy.)

You are not yet crawling, but you are so eager to move. You’re climbing all over my legs, the couch, your crib. You are gonna be on-the-go when you can crawl and walk.

I joked with someone the other day that I had NO IDEA what “tired” was before I became a mama. But I also had no idea that my heart could hold this much love.⁣⁣

Happy seven months to you, little guy. Thanks for letting us love you so hard and for putting up with the hundreds and thousands of kisses we give you each day.