I can't even begin to put into words what throwing a birthday party for a six year old is like... especially when that child has never had a birthday, never celebrated herself... doesn't even have an understanding of what a birthday or age really is. Kajal does know who Dora is though... she LOVES Dora and Diego. These television shows and DVD's bring Kajal total joy.  She's learning her English and Spanish (a little confusing for this little Marathi speaking child) from school, her Mom and Grandmother but definitely with some additional help from these singing and dancing, animal saving, adventure seeking, bi-lingual Hispanic set of cousins. Thank you, Nicolodean! All I had to say to Kajal was, let's have pink Dora cupcakes and she was jumping up and down shouting with excitement. Her Grandmother was returning the day before her birthday and these two events were joined in her mind. I was so worried about triggering her fears of abandonment when my mother left town that I got a calendar and drew a picture of Grandma and a plane on Feb 9 and then a big birthday cupcake on the 10th. Every day we looked at the calendar and talked about Grandma coming coming home for her birthday. At first, after Grandma left, Kajal just cried at night and in the mornings... crying her name but as she looked at the calendar and we called her Grandmother every day and talked about her birthday party she seemed to come to understand that this was one time in her life when someone would actually be coming back to her. The day Grandma arrived we were waiting at the aiport and Kajal went screaming her name and practically jumped in her lap the second she saw her. We had probably just taught her the most critical of all the lessons we had to teach her.. that we really are her family and when one of us leaves, they always come back.



On the eve of Kajal's birthday I pulled out the Dora decorations and she squeeled with joy. I had ordered a special dress for her, all pink and pale green... lace, satin and silk. The perfect little girls party dress. In one of Kajal's favorite Dora video, Dora has to turn into a true princess to save her best friend, Boots, the monkey. When Kajal put on her dress for the first time, she gazed at herself in the mirror. Then turned to me and softly said 'mommy, me a true princess'. I cried. She was so happy.


The party was everything we could have hoped for, she laughed and danced... played pin the bracelet on Dora and pulled a Dora piniatta Her friends, Manisha, Caleb, Anne, Griffin and Brian were all in attendance with family and friends. When it was time to sing happy birthday and blow out the candles, Kajal just climbed on a chair... took in the singing and smiled like she was the happiest girl in the world. As she blew out her candles for the very first time, she was.
blowing bubbles with her Aunt Linda