cousins who love the surf, sand and sun almost as much as they love each other.

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

my oldest son, nikhil, turns 8 years old today. E-I-G-H-T!!! how did this day happen? wasn’t it just yesterday he was my first born and small enough to fit in my arms? and now he is a big man with big ideas, big opinions and big dreams.

my heart bursts when i look at him these days. a helpful son. a responsible older brother. a thoughtful friend. an eager student. he is always on the go, go, go and ready to travel, explore and learn. i just want to freeze time and keep him as this happy eight year old boy.

we celebrated with family and friends yesterday. and although the rain came down with moments of thunder, it did not stop the party. niko had an everlasting smile from ear to ear and reported that he felt so, so, so happy. and the harry potter cake from dream day cakes was truly the icing on the cake.  beautifully designed and absolutely delicious, gainesville is lucky to have such talent.

here is my pensive, loving and brilliant birthday boy….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

i just returned home from a 3 week vacation in new york and new jersey. this is my home away from home so it was a wonderful time spent with family and childhood friends. one of the best parts was visiting my cousin, neha in southern jersey. she has two spunky boys, naveen and ajay, and a beautiful home. we had so much fun watching the boys play together, like we did when we were younger. and she spoiled me with her expert indian cooking - dosa, samosas, pani puri, YUM! what a blast! here she is (isn’t she gorgeous?!) with her handsome men….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

i am so excited to share photos of my brand new niece, karina anjali. my brother’s beautiful baby girl. the closest thing i will have to a daughter. she is dainty and sweet with long fingers and porcelain skin. there is no mistake that she is all girl. and in a world of boys, she is a lovely gift for all of us.

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

one of the highlights of our california vacation was meeting our new nephew, deven. almost four months old, this little cutie was super alert and had the sweetest smile. he was soft and cuddly and just almost made me want to have another baby (i said almost!). he was happiest in mama’s arms, as she was to hold him. and what a handsome mix of indian, filipino and puerto rican heritages! he is destined to be a heartbreaker.

here are a few snaps of bright-eyed mr. deven….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

happy birthday to my little akshay! one year old today. we are celebrating on the west coast with a trip to san diego, ojai valley and los angeles. we LOVE california and love sharing it more with our three boys.

it’s hard to believe one year has already flown by. but then i think about how much my baby has grown - he is taking a few steps. he drinking with a straw. he is eating everything in front of him. he is full of personality…feisty, friendly and sooooo curious. and you should see this boy dance!

here is the one year old birthday boy….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

today is my darling husband’s birthday. the big 3-8! and although he’s (i should say we) getting closer to the big 4-0, he still reminds me of that twenty something cool cat i met on the dance floor. he still has me laughing. he still has me smiling. he still has me dancing. and now we have three beautiful beastie boys to join our journey. happy happy birthday sunil!

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

snip, snip. my baby gets his first real haircut.
step, step. my baby takes his first wobbly steps.
gulp, gulp. my baby is drinking real milk and is off formula.

a weekend of firsts for my baby Akshay. he is growing and changing right in front of our eyes - AMAZING!

here is sir fabulous with his new hairstyle….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

almost walking.
almost talking.
almost one.

11 months today, my akshay has started crawling up the stairs. eating real fruit like strawberries and pineapple. walking with the help of a chair or walker. loves to take things out of bins and garbage cans and drawers. puts everything in his mouth, especially dirty shoes.

he is feisty and sweet and funny and social. his hair has grown out of control and is often called a “pretty girl”. he is my sweetheart.

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

even though i haven’t had a solid night’s sleep in 8 years and i can no longer have a conversation without interruption. and my afternoons are spent driving in the car from one activity to the next. all the while cleaning drool, snot and paw prints off my clothes. motherhood is still an amazing ride filled with high, lows, challenges and heart swelling moments. i am a proud mama to these boys. three sons. my princes. my first, my last, my everything.

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra