Lots to catch up on

Finch turned a year old a week and a day ago. And I've missed documenting almost everything that has happened since October.

She is the happiest baby I've ever seen and reciprocates our smiles as if on cue.

She doesn't crawl or move on her haunches yet but, stands when someone makes her stand. She's either slothful or has mesmerizing control over her parents to get them to do her motile bidding.

She has 4 teeth already and has had them since she was 8 months old.

She babbles. A lot.

I sing my riyaaz paltas to her in as disciplined a manner as possible.

She is really loud. And she gets angry when she doesn't get what she wants, very angry.

Finch loves to take a bath. She hates her face having to deal with water and soap and she absolutely hates the after-bath ritual of drying up, getting moisturized, and putting her clothes on.

She loves Beckett (and Beckett her), but she doesn't like Beckett lifting her or trying to lift her.

Finch displays patience and kindness much beyond her 12 months and a week. 

The trust she puts in me when she rests her head on my shoulder to sleep without any care in the world, the way her face lights up when she sees me after a long day of being away, how she makes a lunge toward me to lift her in my arms is terrifyingly overwhelming. It is one of the greatest joys of my life.

Beckett and Finch are two very different people. Beckett is the quintessential, gregarious, connection-seeking, flitting and frolicking Gemini. Finch, on the other hand, even though it is too early to tell yet, can be a pensive, brooding, yet elated and beatific Cancerian.

And while both of them belong to the future and not to either one of us, Beckett is Mumma's girl; Finch takes after yours truly.