Growing up too fast

RK saw me crying and said 'Don't cry amma'; in that tone which only he can use - part concern, part command.
And later RK told me 'Dont be sad amma, RK is with you'.
Later that evening he said 'RK is your friend amma'.

Yest I asked you to call appa to get ready to go for a haircut. You were busy playing. After a couple of mins I got up to go call him and you said 'No no amma'. You proceeded to push me back into the room and made me sit on the couch and then went out and passed on the message accurately. I didn't even have to tell you again. Now I know you are listening even when you are busy playing!

You developed a good command over language early on. I sometimes wonder if that is what mislead us at times into treating you like you were older than you actually were. It is still the case a lot of times. This is such a vulnerable age and I cant help thinking if we are doing things right. It is one of those where we do the best we can at that moment given our limitations and knowledge set and we will not know the impact of that decision till it is too late to change. Maybe I am just melancholy. But there are times when I realize how inconsistent we as parents can be and how confusing that can be to you. I am sorry.

Toddler Talk II

1. I heard some noise that sounded like water dripping and I was asking DT about it. RK chimed in 'Appa, come we will check it out'!
2. We were playing with his animals, RK and I and RK pointed to one animal and said 'this is Horse amma'. By the time I could correct him (it was a goat) he said 'No sorry goat'. I was amazed that he knew what context to use that sorry in.
3. 'Cow gives milk amma'. 'Yes kanna (endearment). That's right'. I respond. 'Cow gives milk to RK; cow gives coffee to amma' he said.
4. Post dinner one night I was cleaning up the kitchen and the lil one was running around my legs eating a strawberry. He wanted me to sit down and play with him. He said 'Sit down amma'. I obliged. After a couple of mins I started to get up again and he said 'Sit quietly amma'. And I sat laughing softly:-)
5. One Saturday morning we were playing and my pal called. She and I were chatting up and RK comes to me and says 'No phone amma'. He wanted me to keep the phone down and play with him. As simple as that.

6. Hasta la vista animals - This started as a way for me to get RK to leave an activity he was busy pursuing to change a diaper or eat dinner or have a bath etc. I didnt want to drag him away and he would always start a protest for every such situation. So I said 'Ok RK we need to say 'hasta la vista' and 'I'll be back' to the animals. And then we can come back and play after...' He caught on to that and for a couple of weeks used it on everything. There was hasta la vista elephant, tiger etc.; hasta la vista train, hasta la vista book and so on. The best part is the way RK said 'Baby'! He said it like 'Bebe-ee'.

Sense of humor

1. A couple of months ago you had just finished dinner and started playing with your animals. And then you said 'Giraffe va grass chaapada vechutaan RK.'. (I kept the giraffe to graze). You then looked up at me and said 'Giraffe kku bib pottu vidu amma'. (Put on a bib for the giraffe amma). I looked at you funny and then you started laughing. It was so funny and you knew it.
2. You and me were going through what sounds all the animals make. Then you said 'Amma, bull says?'. And I asked you back 'What does the bull say RK?'. You responded 'Bull says bull bull' :-)
3. Another time when we were reading a book you have on farm animals, I told you that paapa (young) goose are called 'gosling' and on the next page I mentioned young ducks are called 'ducklings'. We turned the page and there was a chicken with some chicks on it. You said 'Paapa chick kku peru chickling' and you laughed with your pearly whites showing and your eyes all smiling. And once I laughed, you made this joke many times afterward and still do :-)
4. Yesterday we were driving back home after a weekday dinner out. Dinner out is a rarity these days (consciously so) and on a weekday even more so. But DT and I had a stressed out week and so needed a break. Anyways, on the way back you did something really cute and I said 'Amma loves RK'. I then looked over at DT driving looking handsome with a new haircut and clean shaven etc and said 'Amma also loves appa'. You responded 'Nooo..'. I said 'Yes, amma loves RK and also amma loves appa'. You responded this time with 'Amma, don't love appa'. Needless to say DT and I burst out laughing and thankfully you are not old enough to take offense and you laughed too :-)