- The way you put your arm around my neck when you know I might have to leave the bed and your side for a day's work.
- The way you kiss me of your own freewill and on both cheeks too. Sloppy wet kisses that are the best.
- The way you look for me as soon as you wake up in the morning with an announcement of 'amma'.
- The way you say 'bye' to me when asked to and then immediately demand 'thooki' with a naughty glean. You know I have to leave and sometimes say gibberish (which is rare for you) to keep me talking. It is an "Awww" moment for me every time.
- When you are content sitting on my lap reading a book with me.
- How you want to snuggle close to me when drinking your milk.
- When you say 'Itsy Bitsy' knowing I will sing it and tickle you silly.
- You and me sitting on the porch swing listening to the birds settling down at dusk. It never ceases to amaze me how you can sit perfectly still for about a min or so when I point out a bird sound.
- The three of us horsing around on the bed on a Sunday morning when we know we have no place better to be.
Monday, August 31, 2009
For moments like this...
I am glad I did not have to wait a lifetime. Recording those that I remember while I remember them.
Sippy Love en route?
Thu AM:
RK had some of his milk in the sipper.
Thu noon:
Had some of his milk in the sipper.
Thu night:
Had his milk in the sipper. Does he know by now mom means business and won't let him go till he has some milk? Hmm...
Fri AM:
Had some more of his milk in the sipper.
Fri noon:
He had a little bit in the sipper...still fighting it?
Fri night:
Had the milk in the sipper. Pretty tired after an evening running around at the park.
Sat AM:
Had milk. Not too much fuss.
Sat noon:
More like Sat evening. It was a very hot day and he enjoyed the milk slightly cool.
Sat night:
Had his milk. I had to hold the cup and he enjoyed letting it go a moment after I let it go. Loves teasing mom...
Sun AM:
He had his milk from the sippy. However he declared 'Kaaka thookittu poachu' (The crow took it away) referring to the now missing from a week bottle. His way of bidding goodbye bottle finally?
Sun noon:
More like Sunday evening due to the weekend schedules being all over the place. He had milk in the sippy but we are not at the stage where he will drink on his own like with the bottle. So while I miss the freedom of being able to hand him his milk and get few mins to do something I enjoy holding the sippy and cuddling with him :-)
Sun Night:
Had the milk. I read the book to him and tried to constantly encourage him to hold the sippy by himself. That is not done yet. But we are getting there I dare say! Soon he will not want me to hold the sippy. One more thing he can do by himself.
It has been a week since the bottle has been retired. Can I hope the struggle is at its end and that RK will drink milk in his sipper? My biggest worry at this point is that so far he has only had his milk in the sipper (almost completely that is) when I give it to him. I am hoping that is no longer the case. There are more struggles I know. I also know that he needs to learn to sit and drink his milk holding it on his own. The next stage would be to try and use a glass and a straw if needed. But for now, I am secretly happy that he wants me to hold his sipper and snuggle close to me when he has his milk. I savor those moments especially since he is growing up so quickly.
RK had some of his milk in the sipper.
Thu noon:
Had some of his milk in the sipper.
Thu night:
Had his milk in the sipper. Does he know by now mom means business and won't let him go till he has some milk? Hmm...
Fri AM:
Had some more of his milk in the sipper.
Fri noon:
He had a little bit in the sipper...still fighting it?
Fri night:
Had the milk in the sipper. Pretty tired after an evening running around at the park.
Sat AM:
Had milk. Not too much fuss.
Sat noon:
More like Sat evening. It was a very hot day and he enjoyed the milk slightly cool.
Sat night:
Had his milk. I had to hold the cup and he enjoyed letting it go a moment after I let it go. Loves teasing mom...
Sun AM:
He had his milk from the sippy. However he declared 'Kaaka thookittu poachu' (The crow took it away) referring to the now missing from a week bottle. His way of bidding goodbye bottle finally?
Sun noon:
More like Sunday evening due to the weekend schedules being all over the place. He had milk in the sippy but we are not at the stage where he will drink on his own like with the bottle. So while I miss the freedom of being able to hand him his milk and get few mins to do something I enjoy holding the sippy and cuddling with him :-)
Sun Night:
Had the milk. I read the book to him and tried to constantly encourage him to hold the sippy by himself. That is not done yet. But we are getting there I dare say! Soon he will not want me to hold the sippy. One more thing he can do by himself.
It has been a week since the bottle has been retired. Can I hope the struggle is at its end and that RK will drink milk in his sipper? My biggest worry at this point is that so far he has only had his milk in the sipper (almost completely that is) when I give it to him. I am hoping that is no longer the case. There are more struggles I know. I also know that he needs to learn to sit and drink his milk holding it on his own. The next stage would be to try and use a glass and a straw if needed. But for now, I am secretly happy that he wants me to hold his sipper and snuggle close to me when he has his milk. I savor those moments especially since he is growing up so quickly.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Bye bye bottle... but no welcome sippy yet
We have contributed to the sippy cup market @ rate of one per quarter if you consider that he has had/has 5 sipper cups and is not yet 18 months old! We have the ones with straws, ones that are like a bottle, ones that have cars and SpongeBob and Patrick. Only SpongeBob and Patrick have disappeared with regular cleaning. Pat on the back to DT and me! ;-)
We figured its high time RK started milk in a sipper. Why? Because at the 18 month checkup we will need to fill out a form that asks if he has switched and what we are doing for it, because his daycare caregiver suggested that it is time, because all(OK, most) of our friends kids are off the bottle! Is that enough pressure or what?
Here is how it went or it is going I should say:
Saturday AM:
DT and I sang, danced, cajoled, threatened, bribed, pleaded, shouted, time out etc etc in a 30 min session where half of normal morning milk volume was consumed. The rest was mixed with cereal and I even conceded to letting him ride his car around the yard while he had breakfast!
Saturday noon:
Post lunch we had to drive to see a dear friend's new born, in the movement of the car and with sleep coming on RK had half of his usual afternoon milk amount.
(So far ok since I gave cheese to compensate)
Saturday night:
RK flatly refused to have any milk and went to bed tired, angry and cranky.
Saturday nearing midnight (right when the last 'Mad Men' episode was over and we were ready to hit the bed!) he got up demanding 'paaaaal' (milk). DT was asked to go down, warm the milk and bring it up in the sipper of course while I tried to console and prep him at which he howled some more. His grandma came knocking by this time demanding why we were troubling her grandson so! After all this drama RK refused to have milk again and went to bed in our bed. Battle won for RK. Rough night with kicks for DT and me!
Sunday AM:
I told RK 'Bottle kaaka eduthutu poachhu'. (The crow took the bottle away. I know...)
Since he was probably famished three fourths of the milk was consumed. 2 sippers , one with a straw and one with a spout and a glass and straw were put in action to achieve this end.
Sunday noon:
Sleep overcame RK who consumed half of the milk and took a nap.
Sunday night:
He refused to have milk downstairs. The sipper was taken up to bed and all toys were bade good night. Then I prepped RK for milk with a book. I refused to read until he had some milk. After some tug of war about half of the milk was consumed. Whew!
Monday AM:
I am ready to leave to work when RK gets up! He has about two thirds of the milk. I stay back and leave late. Priorities. I have no regrets whatsoever.
Monday noon:
No milk is consumed. RK fights the sipper like no one's business. This is one persistent child.
Monday night:
Most of the milk is consumed after some protests, threats etc. I keep insisting I will read the book only if he drinks milk. He keeps pushing the sipper away. I alternate between getting frustrated and working on distracting him.
Tue AM:
Almost none in the sipper. His grandma gives him bread dipped or rather as drenched in milk as she dare. That way milk gets consumed.
Tue noon:
None again. It is as though RK doesn't want milk in the noon if its not in a bottle to suck! More proof that he uses the bottle as a comfort.
Tue night:
RK is pretty tired after swimming class I think. After what is no considered a mild protest in hindsight, he drinks all the milk in the sipper. Turns out, it was a one time thing. Lest I get my hopes up!
Wed AM:
RK is given milk with raagi (cereal). In that way milk gets consumed. He also has a little cheese with tomato which he is currently favoring. And these are tomatoes from a very kind neighbour aunty's backyard which in addition to being organic are so juicy, red and tasty. But I digress.
Wed noon:
Again, none. Grrr... So I suggest he have a afternoon snack of a cup of yogurt which he eats. Thank god the kid likes milk in other forms too.
Wed night:
We start the process in the family room. I hold him in place in the crook of my arm sort of hugging but more like pinning him in place!I offer him the sipper. He refuses. Moves his mouth away. I persist. He says 'Get down'. I say after you have milk you can get down. A little goes in. We repeat this sequence about 20 times for a third of the milk to go in. I am exhausted. It was a time that I exercised GREAT self control. It was so so difficult not to scream@ him or give him a little spank. Oh c'mon...we all feel that way. Then we took the rest of the milk up. He had it in bed with a book. Again after me refusing to read if he did not drink. It was a good 20 mins for the next half to go down. Well, most of it.
We figured its high time RK started milk in a sipper. Why? Because at the 18 month checkup we will need to fill out a form that asks if he has switched and what we are doing for it, because his daycare caregiver suggested that it is time, because all(OK, most) of our friends kids are off the bottle! Is that enough pressure or what?
Here is how it went or it is going I should say:
Saturday AM:
DT and I sang, danced, cajoled, threatened, bribed, pleaded, shouted, time out etc etc in a 30 min session where half of normal morning milk volume was consumed. The rest was mixed with cereal and I even conceded to letting him ride his car around the yard while he had breakfast!
Saturday noon:
Post lunch we had to drive to see a dear friend's new born, in the movement of the car and with sleep coming on RK had half of his usual afternoon milk amount.
(So far ok since I gave cheese to compensate)
Saturday night:
RK flatly refused to have any milk and went to bed tired, angry and cranky.
Saturday nearing midnight (right when the last 'Mad Men' episode was over and we were ready to hit the bed!) he got up demanding 'paaaaal' (milk). DT was asked to go down, warm the milk and bring it up in the sipper of course while I tried to console and prep him at which he howled some more. His grandma came knocking by this time demanding why we were troubling her grandson so! After all this drama RK refused to have milk again and went to bed in our bed. Battle won for RK. Rough night with kicks for DT and me!
Sunday AM:
I told RK 'Bottle kaaka eduthutu poachhu'. (The crow took the bottle away. I know...)
Since he was probably famished three fourths of the milk was consumed. 2 sippers , one with a straw and one with a spout and a glass and straw were put in action to achieve this end.
Sunday noon:
Sleep overcame RK who consumed half of the milk and took a nap.
Sunday night:
He refused to have milk downstairs. The sipper was taken up to bed and all toys were bade good night. Then I prepped RK for milk with a book. I refused to read until he had some milk. After some tug of war about half of the milk was consumed. Whew!
Monday AM:
I am ready to leave to work when RK gets up! He has about two thirds of the milk. I stay back and leave late. Priorities. I have no regrets whatsoever.
Monday noon:
No milk is consumed. RK fights the sipper like no one's business. This is one persistent child.
Monday night:
Most of the milk is consumed after some protests, threats etc. I keep insisting I will read the book only if he drinks milk. He keeps pushing the sipper away. I alternate between getting frustrated and working on distracting him.
Tue AM:
Almost none in the sipper. His grandma gives him bread dipped or rather as drenched in milk as she dare. That way milk gets consumed.
Tue noon:
None again. It is as though RK doesn't want milk in the noon if its not in a bottle to suck! More proof that he uses the bottle as a comfort.
Tue night:
RK is pretty tired after swimming class I think. After what is no considered a mild protest in hindsight, he drinks all the milk in the sipper. Turns out, it was a one time thing. Lest I get my hopes up!
Wed AM:
RK is given milk with raagi (cereal). In that way milk gets consumed. He also has a little cheese with tomato which he is currently favoring. And these are tomatoes from a very kind neighbour aunty's backyard which in addition to being organic are so juicy, red and tasty. But I digress.
Wed noon:
Again, none. Grrr... So I suggest he have a afternoon snack of a cup of yogurt which he eats. Thank god the kid likes milk in other forms too.
Wed night:
We start the process in the family room. I hold him in place in the crook of my arm sort of hugging but more like pinning him in place!I offer him the sipper. He refuses. Moves his mouth away. I persist. He says 'Get down'. I say after you have milk you can get down. A little goes in. We repeat this sequence about 20 times for a third of the milk to go in. I am exhausted. It was a time that I exercised GREAT self control. It was so so difficult not to scream@ him or give him a little spank. Oh c'mon...we all feel that way. Then we took the rest of the milk up. He had it in bed with a book. Again after me refusing to read if he did not drink. It was a good 20 mins for the next half to go down. Well, most of it.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
My first Ribbon
RK's that is. First, thanks to dancer mom who did all the research and got RK's friend 'Mountain Boy' (MB from now on) enrolled in swimming. I followed suit thanks to her follow up! Second, this post is only about RK and is an attempt to capture for him the story of his first ribbon and I do not mean to be insensitive to the other kids in class. Every child is different and I mean that!
Every week one evening RK and me go to swimming class. The one swimming class that me and dancer mom could not make it the fathers went and boy was it hilarious! But that is a different post. (Reminder to self - record that before you forget!)RK has always loved swimming (swimmie, as he calls it) class. He has been good about following the instructions, holding on to me/wall when asked etc. Yes he does howl if the pool toys are taken away from him. He is learning to float as well. Started with him resting his head on my shoulder and floating (with me holding on) to now floating with me holding him away from me. Through all this floating I have to constantly engage him with stories of lets go see Nemo, lets go see rainbow fish etc. That works since the pool has all those fishes hanging from the ceiling. From the last 2 classes he has been comfortable going under the water for a couple of seconds. With shouts of 'Ready Down' he can go under and then I bring him up on his side and into a back float. He loves the game of jumping off the wall to 'Humpty Dumpty had a great fall'. He likes kicking to the 'Motorboat motorboat' chant.
Also kudos to the instructors there. We have Mike and Mike both of whom have been amazing with the kids. They know when to indulge them, push them, be a disciplinarian etc. And the staff is friendly and warm. The pool and the facilities are clean. I must that that is a very important factor. And I can say that cause RK has not (ward off evil eye, touch wood) fallen any more sick than other times after he started swimming. So folks in the east bay area, American Swim Academy @ Newark is a good try. Bottom line it forces me to spend 30 quality mins with RK helping him learn with no distractions of housework etc. And that I realize is so important in our crazy busy lives today!
Every week one evening RK and me go to swimming class. The one swimming class that me and dancer mom could not make it the fathers went and boy was it hilarious! But that is a different post. (Reminder to self - record that before you forget!)RK has always loved swimming (swimmie, as he calls it) class. He has been good about following the instructions, holding on to me/wall when asked etc. Yes he does howl if the pool toys are taken away from him. He is learning to float as well. Started with him resting his head on my shoulder and floating (with me holding on) to now floating with me holding him away from me. Through all this floating I have to constantly engage him with stories of lets go see Nemo, lets go see rainbow fish etc. That works since the pool has all those fishes hanging from the ceiling. From the last 2 classes he has been comfortable going under the water for a couple of seconds. With shouts of 'Ready Down' he can go under and then I bring him up on his side and into a back float. He loves the game of jumping off the wall to 'Humpty Dumpty had a great fall'. He likes kicking to the 'Motorboat motorboat' chant.
Also kudos to the instructors there. We have Mike and Mike both of whom have been amazing with the kids. They know when to indulge them, push them, be a disciplinarian etc. And the staff is friendly and warm. The pool and the facilities are clean. I must that that is a very important factor. And I can say that cause RK has not (ward off evil eye, touch wood) fallen any more sick than other times after he started swimming. So folks in the east bay area, American Swim Academy @ Newark is a good try. Bottom line it forces me to spend 30 quality mins with RK helping him learn with no distractions of housework etc. And that I realize is so important in our crazy busy lives today!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Of merry and solemn weddings
A neighbour is getting married. A couple where both are south indian. And to anyone who has been to (most) south indian (SI as my dear pal PP calls it) weddings you know there is a lot of chanting, rituals, long hours convincing the fire god that you can handle a marriage (so to speak!). Purists, please dont judge me, just thinking out loud here in this anon world. Many north indian weddings (yes I am being very generic) have mehendi, baaraath, sangeeth etc etc. All fun stuff.
What got me wondering about all this is that this couple decided to include all the fun stuff in their wedding ceremonies. That is so cool. It also got me wondering how as a people south indians came to have weddings that are solemn, ritualistic affairs. I would understand if this were the case for south indian brahmin weddings alone since traditionally brahmins are known to practice chanting, prayer, rituals in daily life etc. But that is not the case. Why or how did a ceremony like marriage become a serious affair? Well, it is serious business I agree. But the only 'fun' in a cousin's wedding was all of us singing 'Gajara Re' albeit after asking permission from the head priest. And since this was in Mumbai and it was a SI getting married to a north indian it is probably a different story. All other SI weddings I have been to in the south have been routine affairs made interesting only by the sarees, jewellery, gossip etc...(including mine yes).
Kerala weddings (on the basis of the 3 I have been to) are simple and short. That is in keeping with the kind of culture there. The people are generally well managed. Everyone is seated and the ceremony takes place and then everyone proceeds to wish the couple and have their lunch. In fact at a friend's wedding where a bunch of us had gone (guys and gals) a funny incident took place. The guys expecting it would be long drawn ceremony out went sightseeing for a couple of hours and by the time they got back the wedding was over! Ha ha... and to think we had all gone miles to be there for it :-) (That wedding story is another post)
There is the 'nelengu' that is the 'fun' element to SI weddings. Granted, these days it is optional and some couples/families choose not to have it. Personally I think the reason for that is at the end of all the wedding ceremonies (2 days), most couples would rather rest than take the effort to participate in this and I cannot blame them. This 'ceremony' has a certain set of games that the bride and groom play which are meant to bring a level of casualness to the whole solemn affair.
But hey, do leave a note on how much of 'fun' your wedding was!
What got me wondering about all this is that this couple decided to include all the fun stuff in their wedding ceremonies. That is so cool. It also got me wondering how as a people south indians came to have weddings that are solemn, ritualistic affairs. I would understand if this were the case for south indian brahmin weddings alone since traditionally brahmins are known to practice chanting, prayer, rituals in daily life etc. But that is not the case. Why or how did a ceremony like marriage become a serious affair? Well, it is serious business I agree. But the only 'fun' in a cousin's wedding was all of us singing 'Gajara Re' albeit after asking permission from the head priest. And since this was in Mumbai and it was a SI getting married to a north indian it is probably a different story. All other SI weddings I have been to in the south have been routine affairs made interesting only by the sarees, jewellery, gossip etc...(including mine yes).
Kerala weddings (on the basis of the 3 I have been to) are simple and short. That is in keeping with the kind of culture there. The people are generally well managed. Everyone is seated and the ceremony takes place and then everyone proceeds to wish the couple and have their lunch. In fact at a friend's wedding where a bunch of us had gone (guys and gals) a funny incident took place. The guys expecting it would be long drawn ceremony out went sightseeing for a couple of hours and by the time they got back the wedding was over! Ha ha... and to think we had all gone miles to be there for it :-) (That wedding story is another post)
There is the 'nelengu' that is the 'fun' element to SI weddings. Granted, these days it is optional and some couples/families choose not to have it. Personally I think the reason for that is at the end of all the wedding ceremonies (2 days), most couples would rather rest than take the effort to participate in this and I cannot blame them. This 'ceremony' has a certain set of games that the bride and groom play which are meant to bring a level of casualness to the whole solemn affair.
But hey, do leave a note on how much of 'fun' your wedding was!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Tantrums are here I
And they are here. Hands flailing, legs kicking, its tantrum time. They come in various forms too. Captured are some of golden moments...I am sure the platinum are awaiting the right day and time (muhurat)
3 AM: RK in crib, DT and me in bed right next to the crib
RK: Amma...(wails)...Thooki (pick me up)
Me: Taachi pannu..allarumay taachi (Go back to bed, everyone is asleep)
RK: Amma, thooki...crib taachi no no..RK bed taachi
So of course it being a Saturday night when DT and me stayed up with LOST (ahem, the series) and me being too bleary eyed to protest he got to come to the bed. RK scores one!
8:15 AM: We are trying to get RK to have his milk in a sipper and leave the prized bottled. Ooh,..what terrible parents we are!
RK: Paal (milk)
Me: RK, ethula paal kudikanum? (What must RK drink his milk in?)
RK: Silent,..looking at me. Sad puppy eyes already starting to take shape.
Me: RK sipper la paal kudikanum. I go on to name his friends that have moved on from the bottle (whether or not they have!)
RK is put in his chair. He refuses to open his mouth for the sipper spout. He is constantly talking, repeating etc. but nothing goes in. I insist. Hand flail...legs kick. His forehead creases. He develops a sniggering cry (if you know what I mean!). He pushes the sipper bottle away, his hands clear anything in their way. God forbid we make the mistake of keeping anything close by that can tear, break, fall etc. I give up. Tantrum successful. RK scores one!
More to come...
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