Thursday 4 November 2010

15th Month

I now confidently walk, actually run and sometimes fly in the air due to my speed. J Ma says that at times I have my legs in the air for a fraction of a second. I get very excited about walking, you see. I enjoy playing at nursery and have made friends with many. Whoever comes to pick me or drop me gets a warm greeting from my friends. I have got used to dada/dadi dropping me to the nursery. I give them a hi-five and wave them good bye after which they leave. But I won’t do this with ma or papa. If they come do drop me, I feel bad and always cry, especially when ma drops me, I can’t hold back my tears. It is extremely good when ma or papa picks me up though.

Navaratri was good. Everyday, there would be aarti and I enjoyed being a part of it.
Dada dadi are now going to go back, I guess. I sense something happening around me and the packing and talking have changed. Dada/dadi are going to see bua and then go to Jodhpur for Deepavali.

Ma, papa and I went to South-end-on-sea for the weekend and we had a good time. I enjoyed my first rides in the Adventure Island. That was really good. I liked just walking around the adventure park as it was so colourful, moving and having lots of kids around. I loved it. It was short trip though.

I felt very bad when they left. It has started getting dark early and with signs of me and ma at home for a long time till papa returned made me really scary. I just cringed to ma all the time till papa came home. He started work the same week as dada/dadi left and his first week was loooong, really long. Finally, doddamma came to my rescue. Everyone thought that I would not remember her. I thought, too. After she entered the house, I felt something familiar about her and in five minutes I was thinking that I knew her. It took just one night to get close to her to everyone’s surprise.

Now, I don’t like to go to the nursery. I have started playing around when ma had to take me to the nursery. I enjoy the place once left, but before I go, I make a lot of ruckus to avoid going to nursery.

I am so looking forward to having deepavali. Ma and papa had their former colleagues come home during the weekend. It was good as the house was full with kids and uncles and aunties. I was baffled but soon gained composure and started playing with them.

I have become confident flyer and like to fly (walk as I call it) everywhere. Ma enjoys autumn and she ensures I enjoy it, too. I just like the noise of the dry leaves in the park. It is sooo nice though my shoes get dirty. I have made friends with the squirrels, ducks and many birds in the park, too.

Doddamma has taught me to say how a tiger makes noise. Doddamma has bought me a tiger mask and I recognise it, easily. I have become a big boy now and I can recognise so many things, understand what ma and papa say. Ma thinks I can understand 3 languages easily. I’m not sure what it means though.

I like to see ma’s purse and count for changes. I know where she keeps all her change and I have learnt to take them out. She’s now become smart and keeps the change inside her purse. Nevertheless, I carry her purse and go around, even though it is a little heavy for me.
I love to walk in the park, on the road or in the city centre. People trick me to walk for 10 minutes and then put me back to buggy because I wander around one place when free and ma papa think that they have lots to do.

Deepavali has come and I am enjoying the lights inside the house and the sparklers. Plus a lot of eateries ma has cooked for the festival. I am in new dresses and enjoying going out with ma and doddamma and sometimes papa.

14th Month

I have now started liking to walk. I take few baby steps and fall off. Everyone at home encourages me to walk. The other day, I walked for long holding ma’s hands towards park. I am becoming a confident young man, you see!


As usual, my life has been busy adjusting to dada dadi and going around London every weekend. Along with the travelling, I get to see new places and talk to people on train or anywhere. The weekend travel does tire me a lot.


I got my first molar and due to that I was very ill for two weeks. When I was about to recover, I started getting another one. I keep biting ma really hard. I had fever for few days and one day was rushed to emergency due to very high temperature. Ma and papa panicked when they learned that I had 41 degrees temperature. It was finally down to ear infection and I recovered in two weeks.


Good thing was papa was home for almost a month and that gave me nice time to bond with him. Ma was also having good time taking time off whenever I needed and working from home.
I am becoming too naughty, everyone says. I nod my head for everything I don’t want and point to everything I want. I get pampered by dada and dadi. Dadi gives me chocolate and namkeen mixtures which I like a lot. Everyone hides all savoury stuff from me because I remember where they are kept and point them to that location, whenever I remember or see it.


I feed the ducks and birds in the park, and enjoy going to park. Ma and papa do take me out most of the days. I sometimes get to swing and sometimes not. I know the location of swings and ducks and direct me to take to those places.

I forgot to tell you that I was dressed as little Krishna at the Mahalakshmi temple, East Ham. See it to believe it:


http://www.srimahalakshmitemple.org.uk/gallery?func=detail&id=95














Wednesday 25 August 2010

10-13th Month

All blame goes to Ma for not writing about me. I have been very busy. Papa went to India leaving me, ma and doddamma in London. Though I missed papa initially, later I forgot and started enjoying with doddamma and ma. I also started going to the nursery once/twice a week, in preparation to welcome dada/dadi.

Nursery
It was very difficult initially to adjust in the nursery because I would be there only for a short while. It was an all new experience. I didn’t like being away from doddamma, at all. She would play with me, sing to me and take me to park for hours. I missed all that. But, once I started going regularly in July (sometime before my first birthday), I started liking the place. I have new friends now and I like Lindsay who takes care of me.

10th Month
Though, I have been busy adjusting to London, Ma working and Papa in Norwich, it has been good too. I like going to the park and swinging for hours. Ma and doddamma took me for long walks, busy and colourful Ilford streets, fruits everywhere etc have been very interesting. I have been making serious efforts to stand on my own. I like to crawl as fast as possible and outpace ma or anyone for that matter. I like to play hide n seek in different rooms. Steve uncle bought me a nice toy and I liked it very much. I cut one more teeth below.

11th Month
Off! The heat has been crazy. I got rashes all over and was itching. I cut one more teeth have now got 4 of them. Teething is really hard work giving hard time to everyone including myself. Then, papa came along with dada/dadi. It took some time for me to understand what was happening. Though I recognized papa after a month’s time, I took some time to get close to him. Days were busy with doddamma getting ready to back and dada/dadi adjusting to new place and on top of it, myself adjusting to all these changes. Ma took me and doddamma out for a couple of places before doddamma was due to go back. I liked the Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden area. They were so lovely. I like to talk to anyone who looks at me though I shy a bit, I must talk. Ma, ba, da, la, pa are all the words in my language which is growing by day. Isn’t it musical? ;)
I started going to fulltime nursery. But I liked papa being home, too. I finally stood up on my own and was so happy doing it again and again. I would stand up, fall and then turn and stand up again, going on in circles till I got tired. That was exciting! I uttered my first complex word – “Light”, I would say “ight” and point to the light. I would go on showing my new found intelligence, to all. ;)

12th month
Soon, I was going to complete 1 year. I am now a big boy! I have been changing quickly and trying to understand a lot. I have started saying yes no, by nodding my head. I point my finger like Ambedkar, to what I want and clearly indicating.
Doddamma got me a trike and I like to go on in it. It is my favourite thing now. My Birthday was celebrated nicely. Ma baked cakes and muffins. Though not many could come, the house was pretty full. Gary gifted me a cricket bat and ball. I like to hold the bat, but need some support to hold myself with bat. J I like the Noah’s ark with various animals making various sounds. I liked the party, though I started feeling a little sleepy then. Later, I slept for a while and replenished my energy store to play with everyone. Finally, when the day ended, I didn’t like them going home. We celebrated dada/dadi’s anniversary, then my birthday and then dadi’s birthday.

13th Month
We took dada/dadi to Tower Hill and Canary Wharf. It was wonderful. We have been going around somewhere or the other every week. Anu aunty came to see me and I liked to play with her all the time. I did the same thing when Sourach chacha, Nidhi chachi and Avni came. I initially liked having Avni around, but when I started realising that I had to share the limelight with her, I didn’t like it. L I should get in terms with it. I am working on it. I have started taking few steps occasionally. I like going out to the park everyday with ma/papa and dada/dadi. I like to play with the ball, walk holding ma’s hands and feeding ducks, birds and squirrels. I know what are ducks, birds, tiger (the little doggy on the fridge) and so many. I can now say remote, and duck easily. My favourite thing is to watch the flights fly and show it to everyone if they have missed watching it. Now, I know the way to the park and inform everyone to take me to the park in the evening. I can recognize our house, the way to park from various locations. I am very naughty at times and play with ma. I have learnt to fake cry and fool others to think that ma is troubling me.



Some photos













Tuesday 25 May 2010

7th to 9th Month (February -March)

Things have been slow. I slowly got used to the UK winter after being in India. Mom would try and take me outside everyday for a walk around the city center, and sometimes to the library. I liked going to the library and seeing colorful books on display. I have been very active and trying to flex my body.

We had many gatherings too. Anu aunty had come to see me. Vijay and Vinayak chacha would come on Fridays or weekends. Suresh uncle and Joy auntie would come with Pranaya. Jiji auntie would come with Alyzza and Josh and we would go out for a walk. Tania auntie would try to meet us every week. Oh! days have been very busy.

Monday is the most difficult day for me after the joyful, fun packed weekends. I would clinge to ma and not get down at all.

We celebrated papa's birthday with a lot of fervor as we both share the same day and Doddamma came to help me from India. Ma was supposed to join work but something happened and she was home for long time. Needless to say, I liked it. I started enjoying dodda mma's company. We would get dressed up and go out most of the days. Every Wednesday, would go to Tiny Tots session in the library and sing rhymes with other kids. Ma was busy going around, but I still had good company so it was nice. :)

I have been poorly for sometime as I was trying to cut a tooth. I liked to cut Ma's chin and jaws as it served perfect for my mouth. There was sometime when everyone at home was sick - Ma, doddamma, me, and sometimes papa. It took quite sometime for me to get well. I spread conjunctivitis to all and it was doing round and round.


Meanwhile we were preparing to shift from Norwich. Initially we were not sure where to, but later it was decided that we would move to London. Everyone was busy winding down at Norwich, as the decision came late, and on top of it, I demanded that everyone played with me.

We moved to a flat in London and we were left high n dry as the flat was not cleaned properly. It took more than 3 weeks to settle down.

Activities
I learnt to crawl and liked playing peek a boo. I think everyone thinks that I crawl really fast. Ma took long time to get me to crawl. I love to sing aloud, nobody understands what I sing, but I enjoy. If anyone joins me while I sing, I get encouraged and sing(scream) more. I eat a variety of fruits and veggies. I specially like it when doddamma gives me cucumber sticks or rounds. If it is a ring, I like to pierce my finger in the center of the cucumber and hold it in my tiny hand. I don't like carrot though. It is very hard.

Whatever fruit is offerred to me, I like to get a bigger peice than my mouth can hold! So, I try to open my mouth as wide as possible and fill in the fruit and then throw it as I cannot close my mouth to hold it.

I like to talk to people and see myself in the mirror. I think that there's someone at the opposite side. I specially like it when ma is with me in front of the mirror. I like to pick everything on the floor. People think that I have microscopic eyes, but they don't know that I just have the normal ones.

I like to share a cuppa tea with ma or papa, specially when it is mint tea. I can smell it. I have a favorite cup blue colored flowery print all over. It tastes special to have tea in it. I like to fit my mouth and eventually my face inside the cup to get a sip. And I have made it a custom to have tea with everyone.

I like to eat my dinner on the table with everyone. Isn't it really nice to share the dinner with everyone, and be able to put my fingers into every possible plate that is in my reach as well as out of my reach.

I have learnt to sit in the swing and love it when it is swinged. I like the whole park thing. A little sunshine of the late winter and spring adds more to my lively day.

November - January (4th - 6th Month)

Air travel
I finally got to go to India. I liked the beautiful colors and lights of Christmas trees in the airport. I was initially so energetic about the travel, seeing lights all over, and then the experience of the take off, landing etc. It was completely action packed for me.

I got a nice companion who just days older than me, sitting next to me. I liked to talk to him, but he was in his own world. I was given a warm welcome and some toys, I loved it.

By the time, we reached Dubai and were to take off, my energy started draining and I wanted to get out soon. Finally, we reached Bangalore, unaware of the action to come in few days. I got a wonderful welcome at Goutham Mama's place. He, Satya atte and dodda together had decorated a room for my arrival with teddy's and toys and little net, and ballons. It was sooo cute. My mother didn't take a picture of it. She should have taken one, I will excuse her because they were sleepy too.

Naming Ceremony
The day slowly unfolded as Mama was planning for a naming ceremony for me and started inviting people, arranging the location and dates and so on. As papa spoke to dadaji, he heard that Bua was going to undergo ceaserean the same day. (Bua delivered a baby boy, named Darsh midday. )Then, there were confusions, and the plan for my naming ceremony was cancelled. Again a round of phone calls. By evening, after some bric-brac, it was decided to continue with the naming ceremony on Sunday and then reach Jodhpur on Monday. Again, phone calls were made.

Despite all odds, my naming ceremony was fine and many people gathered. As usual I loved the attention given to me by so many granny's, aunties and cousins. I didn't find anyone very close to me though. :) I managed to get through the ritual and be happy despite all the new things and surroundings.

Jodhpur, Mundan
Monday early morning we left to Jodhpur to see Dada, Dadi and Bua. I was flanked by the crowd in Jodhpur. I met Dada, Dadi for the first time. And even Floppy was interested in me. We went and saw bua and Darsh. Days started unfolding and due to the heat, I got rashes all over. After 11 days, dadaji arranged for a havan in his house, and the same day was decided to have the Mundan ritual, so that later my head can be shaved off. I liked everything about the havan, but was scared to go to the barber's hand where he cut a tiny bit of my hair. There was a party arranged and I liked going to different people.

New Delhi
Soon, papa was to go back to UK, leaving me n mom at Jodhpur. We went with him to New Delhi to see Lovely mausi and Gagan mausa. I liked to be with them. Bala naani gave me a nice winter dress. I was very happy to be with all of them. Lovely mausi gave me a nice jacket.

Udupi/Mangalore
After coming back to Bangalore, I was taken to Udupi, Mangalore, my mothers native town. I enjoyed being driven in the car, went to Subramanya, then Prema dodda's house, and then to Kavita atte's house. Next morning after visiting many temples and Krishna matha in Udupi, we went to Maddu maamajja's house and then to Baby dodda's. I was welcomed nicely and everyone loved to see me there. I also enjoyed the cats, cows and the village surroundings. Soon we came back to Bangalore.

Bangalore
We stayed in Bangalore sometimes in our house in HSR and sometimes in Maama's place. We went to Hema periyamma's house and I loved being there. I was given traditional oil bath, which was new to me and was scared of it. I met many some friends of my parents like Nimmi auntie, Suganthi auntie, Lokesh uncle, Srini uncle, Kami uncle etc. I could not meet many of them though.

At this side, papa was alone battering the cold weather of UK. I soon came back to Norwich on January 14th. We had a small celebration on Sankranthi where different things were poured on me. Vijay macha and Vinayak chacha came to see me.


Activities
I have started to move forward on my tummy and I have taken a liking to doing that.