Ashni turned 17 weeks old today and she has already been on a number of adventures. We’ve been camping with her twice and we’ve also successfully traveled with her to the east coast – more details on that trip in a bit. Ashni has also hit some amazing milestones. When people say that babies grow up fast, it’s truly an understatement. The way things are headed, I know I’m going to have trouble keeping up with this girl. It’s just a matter of time.
We took Ashni on her first camping trip in late April when she was 10 weeks old. We headed back to the same exact spot on Lake Travis where we camped almost a year prior. But this time at Arkansas Bend Park, there was no rain or lightening, just us and the same friends we were there with before. Also, despite the cold weather, Ashni loved being outside. She had a crying spell during dinner, but after getting her calm, she slept happily beside me, nestled in my sleeping bag. And the next day when it warmed up, she napped on the lake shore. She didn’t even stir as Chris, Jaidev, and Josh spent a good portion of the morning helping a stranded park ranger. The poor ranger got the wheel of her truck stuck on a tree stump when she drove out on the isolated peninsula where we were camped, but the boys successfully got her out.
Our next camping trip was when Ashni was 14 weeks of age. This time we went to New Braunfels and set up on the shore of the Guadalupe River for our friend Krystal’s birthday. And on this trip, Ashni was a genuinely happy baby. She contentedly stared at trees and the people around her while she sat in her car seat protected by a mosquito net. Everyone remarked at what a good baby she was. And in the morning when we woke up in the tent, Ashni surprised me and Chris by rolling over completely on her own. Luckily I was prepared and caught it on video!
Three days after we got back from camping, Chris and I embarked on a plane for Atlanta. Passing through security wasn’t too stressful, but getting there took longer than usual since you can only get a boarding document for a “lap child” at the ticket counter. But once we did that, everything else was okay. TSA officials were surprisingly kind – something that I wasn’t expecting. Also, Southwest let us check the stroller and car seat at the gate for free. And once we got on the plane, Ashni peacefully slept/nursed during the entire flight. We were expecting a rough time, but she wasn’t the least bit bothered by the whole experience.
After arriving, we rented a car and drove to Marietta so my parents could meet their first grandchild. They had never visited us in Austin because my dad isn’t in the best health. He’s coping with stage five of Parkinson’s disease and my mother serves as his caretaker, so they preferred that we come to them. And when we got to the door, we were greeted with much joy. My mom excitedly cuddled Ashni and cooed in Bengali before placing her in my father’s lap. And at that moment, tears streamed down his face. My father has never been the type to express any emotion, so this was pretty moving. It’s almost as if the illness makes him more human.
After spending a few days at my parents’ house, Chris and I drove with Ashni to the outer banks of North Carolina. We stopped for a night in Raleigh at a comfy Airbnb home before continuing on to Corolla for the wedding of our dear friends Sam and Sean. They had a beautiful little ceremony on the beach and everything was very baby-friendly which we appreciated.
We stayed a couple more days to enjoy the ocean and even dipped Ashni’s toes into the Atlantic – her very first experience in a body of water. Also, on the night of our five year wedding anniversary, Chris and I slipped away for a bit to sit with Ashni in a gazebo overlooking the moonlit beach. My heart was full of love for our beautiful little family and I felt so very blessed and happy. Then Chris pulled out a gift for me – his great grandmother’s wedding ring. It was so sweet, but even without it, I know for certain that I would marry him again in a heartbeat.
After our getaway at the beach, we drove back to Atlanta, but this time without an overnight stop. Ashni napped a little in the car, but she also had a few meltdowns where she was absolutely inconsolable until I picked her up and held her. Despite this, given her history with the car seat, we found her to be much more tolerant than expected.
Once in Atlanta, I got a couple more videos of her. Ashni has gotten pretty good at standing up while being supported. She can also scoot around on her belly a bit, but I wouldn’t call it a full crawl. It seems like her legs go full strength, but she doesn’t know what to do with her arms – the end result looks like she’s plowing her face into whatever surface she’s on.
So like I said before, this girl is growing up unbelievably fast. On Saturday, I visited a high school friend who had just given birth three weeks prior and Ashni looked like a giant compared to her newborn! And when we got home to Austin on Sunday, Chris’s parents remarked that she was a lot more interactive than when they saw her a couple weeks before. So not much longer until our baby is cutting teeth, walking, talking, and driving off to college…
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| Hiking with our little adventurer |
We took Ashni on her first camping trip in late April when she was 10 weeks old. We headed back to the same exact spot on Lake Travis where we camped almost a year prior. But this time at Arkansas Bend Park, there was no rain or lightening, just us and the same friends we were there with before. Also, despite the cold weather, Ashni loved being outside. She had a crying spell during dinner, but after getting her calm, she slept happily beside me, nestled in my sleeping bag. And the next day when it warmed up, she napped on the lake shore. She didn’t even stir as Chris, Jaidev, and Josh spent a good portion of the morning helping a stranded park ranger. The poor ranger got the wheel of her truck stuck on a tree stump when she drove out on the isolated peninsula where we were camped, but the boys successfully got her out.
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| Cooling off after some hard work |
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| Enjoying the Guadalupe River Bank |
After arriving, we rented a car and drove to Marietta so my parents could meet their first grandchild. They had never visited us in Austin because my dad isn’t in the best health. He’s coping with stage five of Parkinson’s disease and my mother serves as his caretaker, so they preferred that we come to them. And when we got to the door, we were greeted with much joy. My mom excitedly cuddled Ashni and cooed in Bengali before placing her in my father’s lap. And at that moment, tears streamed down his face. My father has never been the type to express any emotion, so this was pretty moving. It’s almost as if the illness makes him more human.
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| Ashni Meets Didima and Dadu |
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| Ashni looks more like my mom than I do. |
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| Hanging out with Uncle Ru |
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| Three Generations |
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| Karaoke at the Beach House |
Once in Atlanta, I got a couple more videos of her. Ashni has gotten pretty good at standing up while being supported. She can also scoot around on her belly a bit, but I wouldn’t call it a full crawl. It seems like her legs go full strength, but she doesn’t know what to do with her arms – the end result looks like she’s plowing her face into whatever surface she’s on.
So like I said before, this girl is growing up unbelievably fast. On Saturday, I visited a high school friend who had just given birth three weeks prior and Ashni looked like a giant compared to her newborn! And when we got home to Austin on Sunday, Chris’s parents remarked that she was a lot more interactive than when they saw her a couple weeks before. So not much longer until our baby is cutting teeth, walking, talking, and driving off to college…
