Best Birthday Ever

Suvo and Diya planned a surprise party for me this evening for my birthday. It was just us but it was beautiful. It really was a big surprise because there was no way for this to come together. We had earlier planned that we will attempt to go out for dinner with the kids – nothing too fancy, someplace close by, it would have been challenging but we had decided to give it a try.

Aadi and I are sick – I had fever all night and all day today. Diya is coughing too and Suvo is starting to sneeze as well. It has been raining nonstop since yesterday and it is very cold and windy. I could not even make it to work. We decided to drop the dinner plan.

Suvo got home from work and picked up Diya from school. Suvo looked quite beat up but Diya’s eyes twinkled. She came to me and told me – “Mamma, we went to the store but did not buy anything special – okay”. She was trying hard to suppress her smile. I was too dull to register. I asked Suvo if I should go pick up Aadi (since he looked so tired). He was happy to oblige. On my way out, Diya came running and said – “Mamma, drive very slow” … I thought she was concerned about the slippery roads … but then she added “don’t come back too soon”. Now something clicked but before I could put the pieces together my reflexes yelled at her to go back in the house or she will catch a cold standing in the garage without a jacket.

It took me longer than usual to bring Aadi back as he was still finishing his food at daycare. Diya was hyper excited when we entered home. Aadi was throwing a fit as he wanted a longer car ride and did not want to come home yet. Diya asked me to close my eyes and instructed me to come with her. I left Aadi rolling on the floor and followed her. She screamed “surprise” and I opened my eyes to candles, lit up fire place and dancing strobe lights !!! Happy Birthday !!!

Diya was in her red princess gown all dolled up. Suvo was busy cooking in the kitchen. They had bought a chocolate cake, a bunch of cupcakes with “happy birthday” signs on them and arranged in a tray with candles burning all around. Diya had decorated the family room with all her art work on the walls. She also had selected several gifts for me which included several pairs of earrings – one set was all bright blue, another pair looked like hanging quarters and there were some other fancy ones. There was also a lipstick, a candle and a box of mini oreo cookies which she claimed for herself. She and Suvo had bought cards. Her card had a little dangling paper bird – there was a huge fight as Aadi wanted the bird for himself. Suvo’s card said that I was his wife as well as his girl friend.

I changed into a sari by popular request. Aadi checked out my sari and my jewelry and exclaimed wow many times and then started to pull at these to dress himself up – so we changed him into a kurta. Only Suvo ran around the house in his shorts and vest cooking and arranging and taking pictures. Diya started getting restless about cutting the cake. We patiently waited until Suvo could free himself from the kitchen. Meanwhile the kids danced to Boney M (our favorite evening activity).

Finally, Suvo was done cooking and changed and we cut the cake or cakes. Aadi wanted to play with the knife and the candles but in the end satisfied himself with the plastic “happy birthday” signs from the cupcakes. Suvo announced to Diya that he was going to put on music that “Mamma liked when she was a little girl” … hmmm … what music? He surprised me with a song that I knew I liked but could not place …. It was “All out of love – from Air Supply”. I used to love this song back in college. How did he know about it? I do not remember ever telling him that.

Soon Aadi got tired and hungry and needed a change of diaper, meanwhile Diya managed to burn her leg with the strobe light (yes it gets that hot). A lot of crying ensued from both Diya and Aadi. We quickly changed gears (both literally and figuratively) and got going on feeding, changing, calming and dressing the kids for bed. That done we cleaned the kitchen, did the dishes and had dinner with “Dil to bachcha hai ji – from Isqiya” playing in a loop. Not so surprising end to a lovely evening.
All in all, one of my best birthday celebrations – one that I am not likely to forget.

End of a Tiring Day

Sobering end to a tiring day ...

After an exhausting day at work Aadi served me a glass of red wine.

The off-white carpet in the basement drank it all.