Ariv Raja Gautam - Month 12

Ariv baby!!!!!! How are you 1 years old already 😭 time has truly flown. You are the happiest boy and had the happiest birthday! We got to spend it with lots of family and close friends at your Nani and Thatha’s house! We were nervous you were not going to be happy because you didn’t take an afternoon nap but you proved us wrong - and were just as smily as usual. 

This past year you have taught us how to slow down and embrace the chaos. How to enjoy the smallest moments. How to always keep a smile on our faces. You have grown to be such a positive force in our lives and I can’t wait to watch you grow into an amazing human. But at the same time I want time to slow down. It’s bitter sweet how you are already 1 - it gives us all the emotions. 

This past month you have started to really transform into a toddler. You truly never stop and are a ball of energy from the moment you wake up. You go go go until you drop! You have started to shuffle between items without any support so we think you are very close to walking. You still love balls and you got a fun new bball hoop as your bday present! You have started to be a little pickier with food but love chomping down and biting things with your two bottom teeth. You got your first real taste of sugar today and you loved it sooo much! Going to be a sweet tooth just like your sister. You still light up the most when you see your sister and you two are starting to interact so sweetly together! 

It has been an amazing past year and you have grown SO much - no one believes you are only 1 years old. We love you to the moon and back and are excited to see all you do in this beautiful life. Keep being our happy boy! 

Ariv baba!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can not believe time flew by so fast. What a crazy year for you. You were born in Brooklyn and turned 1 in Columbus! You have been the brightest light for me, your mama, and definitely your sister. You continue to absolutely adore your sister and she loves to play with you, tickle you, hold you, and hide from you! 

You have become such a BOY! You love to play with soccer balls, basketballs, and love it even more when someone is playing catch with you or passing you a ball so you can pass it back. You've shown us how much you like trying new foods and are growing so fast. You are SO BIG! We keep joking that you will become bigger than Layla if she doesn't eat her food.

You continue to smile in every room you're in and your laugh has started becoming so big. Just like your sister, you love music and dancing and grooving. I've officially started roughhousing you and we love to wrestle on Layla's big girl bed. Sometimes she joins us, and sometimes I make your mama join us too! You still love being outside and enjoy every opportunity you get to be outside. 

Ariv - you have made our family complete. We continue to learn so much about ourselves, about raising you and your sister together, and you've helped your sister grow in new ways. You both are so lucky to have a built-in best friend for life. We can't wait to watch you two grow together. Me and your mama love you so much and you were the catalyst to help us take our next big step together as a family in moving to Columbus. You are going to love it here. We are building a new home that we can't wait to bring you and your sister into next year. We have such a fun journey ahead of us baba and you're gonna be right there with us every step of the way. BUCKLE UP!

Ariv Raja Gautam - Month 11

One more month until you are 1!!! Happy 11 months my not so little baby - you have grown physically and mentally so much just in the last month. You are going to walk any day now and are so comfortable cruising around the house with just a little support. You still love to play with all kinds of balls - throwing them, chasing them, catching them. Dada loves playing catch with you - its super cutie. You have started to communicate with us in your own way and clapping. Your first official word is ball! Dada will claim it was Dada but Mama will say that was just babbling. You also say uh oh and call Mama "Na-Na". You got your first tooth just a few days ago and your second one is about to pop out. Its made you super cranky but you are the cutest little bub that we don't mind and just want you to feel better. Teething is the pits. You also got really sick this past month but handled it like a champ and continued to give us cutie smiles throughout. 

You and Layla have started to play with each other and its the most amazing thing to watch. We have been in Ohio for about a month but you have already perfected crawling up the stairs. You think you are able to crawl down all by yourself but you are not big enough just yet!! You have really taken to your new nanny Grace and love giving her big hugs when she comes to the house. You are going to have her all to yourself soon when Layla goes back to school - lucky boy. 

Your laugh has become so big, you love playing little games, and you've started enjoying walks and playing in the parks of the suburbs. You are also finally taking to your car seat - you used to cry every time you were in it. 

Just one more short month and we will be celebrating a big milestone. You being 1 and us surviving a year with you and your crazy sister. You both are our sun, moon and stars. We cannot imagine what life was like before you guys. We adore you and Layla. 

Let's see what the next month has in store! 

Ariv Raja Gautam - Month 10

LOOK AT THIS BIG BOY!!! Ariv you have grown sooo much this past month in so many ways and you are definitely shaping up to be a strong and fun boy. You are so tall and pretty heavy! This past month we moved from New York City to Columbus. You have been such a cooperative little bubba and have even taken to your big boy crib very nicely. We introduced you to a new nanny and you are getting along with her really nicely. You and your sister are going through such a huge transition right now but you’ve continued to have that big bright smile on your face. The move has been hard for everyone but your jolly little face makes us forget about it all and be in the moment with you.

You are still 100% your mama’s boy and have started giving her big AWAH kisses all over her face. You’ve started jumping to your dada too now because you like to play catch and have started having fun when I rough you up. Your little boy energy is definitely starting to surface now. You love climbing up and down the stairs and LOVE standing up on your own now. You’re super strong and can quickly pull yourself up to stand almost anywhere but it’s so funny watching you get stuck because you don’t quite know how to sit back down. 

You’ll be walking soon, I know it. Your sister is going to be in for a surprise when you do!!!

Love you. 

Ariv Raja Gautam - Month 9

What an amazing past 9 months - we are truly in awe of you and all you have done just in the last month! You and your didi keep us on our toes and there is never a dull moment. You are still such a happy and chill baby and bring so much joy into our lives. 

It has been a busy past month planning for our upcoming move to Columbus in a few weeks. Not only have you started to crawl but also pulling yourself up to stand. You are moving so much we had to 'box' you into a little play area in the living room. You love love love to play with balls and still love your food. You like to have something in your hand when you are eating so we have been experimenting with you feeding yourself! You make a huge mess every meal but its so fun watching you eat and try new flavors. When you really love something you make a 'mmmm' sound. 

You have fomo when one of us is spending time with your Didi and have started to grunt/squeal in frustration so we come to pick you up. As the weather has gotten nicer, you have spent a lot more times outdoors and are starting to experience new terrain in the grassy parks. You seem to be an outdoorsy baby like your sister but still wary of the sun. 

You are very curious and love to watch everything that is happening around you - always with a big smile on your face. Your smile lights up the room and makes everyone around you happy. Your grandparents love to coax out your smile when you are on facetime. 

This next month will bring about a lot of exciting changes and we are excited to see how much more you grow! We love you so much! 

Ariv Raja Gautam - Month 8

Bubba!!! 8 months!!! You have become such a big boy. First and most importantly, your first word was Dada. Specifically, dadadaddadada. You are babbling so much and trying to communicate with us. You also love to squeal - very loudly! You have the absolute cutest smile and it melts our hearts. 

You have been loving trying so many new foods that mama and dada make for you. You started rolling both ways now and are such a rolly poly! You are sooooo close to crawling too. When me (Dada) and your sister are playing together you always turn your whole body and try to crawl over to play with us. We end up coming to you and giving you a big hug. Sometimes your sister gets tooooo excited and hugs you too hard and you don’t like that very much. But she loves you so much. You still love Layla as much as you always have. Your face lights up the second she enters the room and you get so excited. Your mama is still definitely your favorite and sometimes she sneaks in naps with you so you two can cuddle even though we’re supposed to be sleep training you. 

You’ve been a good bubba. Still so smiley and jolly and just like your sister (and your dada) you LOVE when you’re around other people. You have started going down more to the playroom with your sister and going out on walks during the day. It has started getting warm and since you’re a winter baby it’s funny to see you being in such sunny and warm weather, you’ll get used to it! You have started to play with balls and you love throwing them and trying to chase after them, but you get mad when you can’t reach them - you will very soon when you can crawl.

We love you bubloo. You are growing up to be so fun to be around and we’re loving the little spurts of personality budding.