Our son, Sky has been a wonderful blessing to us. This past January, he turned 4. Each year I try to host an event that is memorable to everyone, especially my son.

The first year, we were in Nepal and hosted a grand party for him there. It was a wonderful event to meet both of our extended family!

The second year, we hosted an even grander event. In Nepali culture, we celebrate the 2nd year of the child’s life more than the first year. It probably goes back to the old days, as  life, health, and longevity was a serious issue. Nepal lacked and in some places still lacks the suitable conditions to live a long and healthy life. If a child lived past 2, it meant that the child will most likely SURVIVE. So, we celebrate the 2nd birthday like it’s their first! For Sky’s 2nd birthday, we had a black tie event and all the guest dressed up accordingly. We had a photo booth for the adults, and a face painter and balloon artist for the kids. We even had adult and children party favors. It was so much fun organizing the party!

His 3rd birthday party was Bollywood themed birthday party. Everyone dressed up in Bollywood attire and danced the night away. Everyone (kids and parents) has started looking forward to Sky’s birthday party, as it is a surprise and a lot of fun each year. A fun surprise for Sky was that Spiderman came to visit us at the party.

So this year, for Sky’s 4th birthday and as we moved to a new place, I wanted to celebrate and be thankful for what we have. We hosted a Lakh Bati Puja during the day and celebrated his birthday with Spiderman (again) in the evening. Most of my family from Colorado (20 plus people) came to celebrate with us. The event was beautiful. In the evening, we enjoyed the awkward smiles and amazement of seeing Atul dressed up as Spiderman. The kids’ reactions were just amusing. Thank you for the effort, babe!

What is Lakh Bati: An ancient Nepalese tradition of lighting 100,000 hand-made cotton incense. Lakh Bati, is a ritual that cleanses all karmic doshas (blemishes) and opens doors of good fortune. There is no true trace of why or when it started, but people believe that hosting a Lakh Bati Puja or being part of the event will lead to great fortune, health, and happiness. Hosting the event is not easy either, as there are strict ways to make the “Bati” (light). For me, this day truly would not be possible without the guidance and the help of my mother. Thank you, mommy.