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.