Friendship 12 years later, still going strong

Have ever written about my good friend Naina? (I have once, I was one of her bridesmaids). How she's an amazing mother? How her son and James are the same age? How although she lives all the way across the country, we still have a strong connection? How she had a HUGE hand in my marriage to E?

I didn't think so.

Naina and I met when we were 16 in history class. She thought I was weird. I thought she was weird. We readily admit this to each other.
Two years later when we were seniors in high school I invited her to sit with us at lunch. We clicked. We got each other. She was the type of friend I would cry to (I remember feeling so frustrated over my AP English class and Naina was always there to listen, for like two hours a night, every night).

We talked on the phone a lot in high school. We talked about everything. How we wanted to decorate our homes when we were older, boys, and if we ever wanted children.
Around January of our senior year I remember pulling Naina aside between classes. I had something to tell her. I liked this guy. Her best friend. She had liked him at one point to, and I needed to make sure it was ok that I liked him, and that I wanted to start to hang out.

She said of course, that she had only liked him for a short time and that she would arrange a date for us. (Remember I said that E and I went on our first "real" date in Park City? Yea, Naina was there.)

Only problem? When she invited him over and me over to her house, she was a poor awkward third wheel. Thing is, she stuck with it. She knew this guy and I were a good match.
And we were a good match.

Because the guy that I liked was E. The man I ended up marrying.

It is so awesome to me that I asked Naina if I could hang out with him. What if she had said "no"? That he was her friend and she didn't want me butting in?

Luckily she didn't say that, and E and I have been amazingly happy ever since.
And then two years ago Naina and I were chatting on gTalk (which we do a lot). She was acting quiet and scared. I asked her what was up. She said "I'm pregnant and other than my husband you are the first person I have told."

I couldn't believe it. I was so happy for her.

But also? Also, I was pregnant and had yet to tell a single soul other than E. I told her right then and there. We shared nervousness about our pregnancies. We shared hopes. We assured each other that we were going to be amazing mothers.
Nine-ish months later be both gave birth to baby boys.

Never in a million years did we think we could love our little boys as much. Never did we think how life changing motherhood could me. Never did we ever imagine we would be this happy.

This week Naina and her sweet son Avi are in town visiting friends and family. James and I are lucky enough to be included in that very exclusive group.

Isn't her son just beautiful? He has the most amazing eyes.
And although this is blurry I had to post this. This is so Naina. We can really get each other laughing.
And does this photo look familiar? Only took it yesterday but James is in the same outfit visiting the same tree as the photo above in my header. This kid likes his trees.
Lots more Naina and Avi posts to come. We've had such a fun week.