Sunny days

Well, so now that sunny days are here Gabdu, Mamma does not take you downstairs in the heat even if say you have a holiday at school simply because it seems too hot on some days.. So today after returning from a field trip when you said "Mamma Neeche Chalein" .. I told you "Nahin Beta bahut dhoop ho rahi hai" .. and then as an afterthought to ensure she does not protest unnecessarily next time if need to go out in the sun with her, I added a sort of disclaimer.."Jaa sakte hain hum dhoop mein lekin Cap pehen ke" .. so pat came the reply " Mamma Bal (Hair) not enough? Only Bal pehen ke nahin jaa sakte?" Kids come up with the most interesting stuff don't they?

Sleep/Potty Training , Tooth Brushing and other updates ;-)

Gabdu,

Been intending to post this for long but keep getting lazy. When Nanu Nani were here there were lots of milestones/changes/updates that happened - heres a quick list of the one between Jan and now

1. You dropped one of ur two naps around Jan end or so which wud be around 18-19 months. Also you have started sleeping quite easily for ur only nap which is around 1.30 pm everyday, No more rocking/feeding/coaxing/begging/crying etc etc. You usually take a 1hr nap and wake up and after that it depends on whether mamma gets lucky. You could get up again after an hr or every fifteen minutes and eventually have a total of 2 hrs of sleep in bits or sometimes its 3 hrs with breaks every 30 minutes. How I wish this wud improve too.
2. You started speaking full long sentences and using words whose meanings are a little difficult to visualize as in words like Bhi, Gussa ( which u say Bussa for some reason), Dard, Khujali etc etc.This happened again beginning of 2007
3. You started climbing the steps leading to slide finally around Jan mid. Its a major milestone because we felt we would have to keep putting u at the top forever because u showed no inclination to climb !
4. You started to eat your fruit lik grapes/apple etc mostly on own if given in a chotta plate.You started using the spoon to have dahi and some solid stuff occasionally
5. Watching Aarushi Didi you wanted to drink water Aapi aapi and so you drink comfortably off the steel tumblers without spilling. You drink water on ur own but for some reason milk drinking requires quite some coaxing if aapi aapi so we just hold the cup for you to drink.
6. Your dislike for the tooth brushing reduced as you saw aarushi didi do it every night. So its pretty much a done thing before sleep. We are yet to introduce it as regular feature for the mornings.And did I mention 4 of ur teeth ( all incisors)sprouted around 18-20 months.The molars and premolars seemed to be sprouting from the looks of swollen gums for the past 3-4 months but looks like its just our imagination 'cos it can't take that long ;-). So on last count you have got a total of 8 teeth
7.You dropped from multiple night feeds to a feeds only after 4.30 to 5 am with water sessions in between if you woke up. This happened with sleeping with Nanu Nani for abt 4-5 days just before they left ( They told you I was at office if you woke up asking for me;-)). It had improved ur sleep quite a bit till there was some reversal because you were a little sick and also because mamma was at times too tired to put u back to sleep any other way and nursing while lying down was easiest.Anyways now we have started working towards changing it and for past 4 nights you have gone without "Mamma walla Duddhu" for the night and the first after wake up feed.But then you are quite a fighter and keep asking for it and keeping us as well as urslef sleepless for long periods in the fond hope that mamma papa will eventually give in. Lets see how that goes ;-). As of now only the late evening (7.00 pm ) feed is to be dropped which is quite an achievement!! So applause for both mamma and you !!
8. You can remove ur underwear urself so depending on ur mood and if u decide to be nice to mamma you often inform me abt 'susu' and we do it on the commode which has now a smaller seat that we put for u if you need to use it.Apart from 1-2 max accidents a day we mostly do susu on that but potty is a diff challenge and you insist that u will do it in the "front room" as u call the living room and in ur panties. Hopefully this will change too

i think this covers the key updates I wanted to pen.More later

Luv
Mamma

Games I play

a) Hide and Seek

Names I use interchangeably for this game
a) Peek-a-boo
b) Chuppa-Chuppi
c) Guddu Kahan Hai?


All I understand of this game is seeing the person and screeching and laughing loudly and then running in the opposite direction
I often tell Mamma to hide saying Mamma chuppo and if I can't find her by just running behind her I just stand making the hand gesture and saying Mamma Kahan hai
and then Mamma calls out and I find her and I feel extremely thrilled and sometimes say phir se and at other times I say "Guddu Chuppega" and run and then wait if Mamma is not right behind me- I basically want her to know where I am going right?
I mean what if she cannot find me ! And if Mamma pretends to be searching for me high and low though I am right in front of her - I promptly tell her "Guddu Ye raha !". I love this game. Its all abt screaming and laughing..right?


b)Catch Catch

Names I use
a) Catch
b) Pakado

Well I dunno why this is called by a different name -isn't is smthng similar to the peek-a-boo?I mean its similar with all the running and laugther and screaming
I love catching Arnav, Aarohi and Arsh. I guess Arnavs too fast for me so I often just give up!Off late I have figured that in the building lobby where mamma papa often run around the area to play with me, I can actually catch them faster if I run in the opposite direction
Its great fun to do this- I mean I have figured that what goes round comes round !! And shh... its much easier - that way they do all the running and I catch them easily !


c)Lip reading:
Also sometimes play a modified form called Secret!
Basically Mama tries to say smthng silently and I try to read what she is trying to say... Its good fun and I mostly figure out all familar words - sometimes I guess very quickly from the context! I mean if Mamma says "Atthai" then I am almost sure she will say Chennai next so sometimes even without seeing her lips I say Chennai !!
I love it better when Mamma murmurs in my ears . Its so ticklish and so damn funny !!I dunno yet how to tell a secret in the ear but because I know its a murmur - I often murmur meaninglessly !Mamma also uses these games when i read a book and tries to tell me what the picture is when I am unsure or guess incorrectly !


d) Pretend Play
This is smthng I really love !Gives me a chance to be in control of things and behave adultlike and ape the elders.
I make "Bhaiya" ( the ragged doll - why do we kids love the oldest and the most ragged of the dolls) sleep, make him clap hands, walk, jump,sit on a chair, do potty, scold him etc! I try changing his clothes also occasionally. I am often so involved in pretend play that I would rather say "Bhaiya ko susu aaa raha hai" when I would like to go or "Bhaiya ko Paani de do !"


e) Bat Ball

I can play this with just about anything - and in any manner. It all started when nanu nani got me the first bat ball. I then decided it was more fun to play bat ball by swapping ... so the minute i meet utsa or arshu, we swap bats and balls. Slowly I figured out that one can actually hit the ball wit the bat (was that supposed to be what bat and ball are meant for). Of course each kid has to play with a one ball and one bat- we do not play cricket like the way elders do - so no concept of some one throwing ball and other person hitting etc .We just throw it ourselves and then sweep it away just the way the jhadoo does. More often we all just carry our bat and ball and run behind someone else !
Now the second part of the fun starts - i play bat ball with the rolling pin and a small ball, with spoon and mustart seed / black pepper, with balloon stick and plastic pieces of other toys, with play-dough ball etc. etc.
Also mamma does not seem to understand how to hold the bat when I improvise on what the bat is- Mommy the broader part is the right side down and the other narrower portion to held !I often have to correct Mamma by saying Mamma Ulta - seedha Karo !


f) Slide/See Saw/Swing

I like swinging - the first few times, i couldnt sit, and fell off two three times. Then suddenly one fine day, i started sitting in swing myself. I sometimes ask mummy or pappa to sit and seat me on their lap, and swing me ... And sliding is some fun, provided someone puts me on top. Mummy pappa are making me climb the slide steps - i can do that, but the question is why , why should i put so much effort going up only to fall down the slide ...


g) Play dough

Names I use
a) dosa

I love pinching out little pieces and pretending I am making something !I also try to press it against the moulds and say ye dekho kya banaya ! Bunny or whatever .. But mostly I make my parents do the hard work of making something and let me tell you that they are pretty sad at it and they stick to the moulds instead of trying anything different or creative !

h) Imitation - the monkey ( and parrot business)

Well I love to repeat anything and everything irrespective of whether it makes any sense or not to me ! Also I love making faces that different folks make - I have a face a week that I pick and choose that I keep going for the week, making my parents a tad worried abt whether somethings amiss with my lips/eyes/nose etc !! I love the look on their face say when I pout or make a silly face !
Also I love remembering some characteristic sound/face/statement by various people and then keep repeating it oodd occasions ( like middle of the night /middle of lunch or any random time with no context) - saying"Pappu Uncle kaise kare hain" and then doing the action/sound/statement associated with that person. If I go wrong I correct myself saying " Sorry Pappu uncle nahin Sunaina aunty karti hain " or some such amazing statement !

Remember - Imitation is the best form of flattery !
i) Dandiya

I like playing the dandiya - basically twirling a stick of any dimension, and hitting it on some other stick of someone ... So i exchange bats and beat arshu's bat .. or i just beat two ladles in the kitchen ... calling out "dandiyaa re thathaa dandiyaa re"
I often use my bat/spoon etc for dandiya ! I have taught arshu also this and we often play this variation of using the bat instead of cricket or any such mundane stuff that adults try to teach us

Ulta Chor Kotwal ko Dante !! - Pearls of wisdom from Gabdu

Gabdumms,

Some pearls from you in your usual chatty times that are typically before sleep time

a) Mamma Guddu ko Tang kar Raha hai. Guddu Ro raha hai !! ( This is when you troubling mamma in resisting sleep and when Mamma is close to tears !)
b) Mamma - Guddu ko Calcium do ! ( To which Mamma says nahin kal lenge because you are close to falling asleep and though mamma has indeed forgotten to give you calcium, mamma can't just afford to let you get active again by giving switching full lights on and giving you an excuse to wake up. Moreover Mamma lazy to get up and get the calcium !!) So you promptly sit up when Mamma says "Kal Lenge" and say with a severe expression ! "Doctor Uncle Ne kya kaha tha - Mamma Guddu ko calcium do !!"
It was an amazing comic as well as embarassing moment for Mamma
c) Ankit Mammu had come over to see Aarushi didi and when he was leaving he was trying to put on his shoes standing .. so it was quite an effort. So you end up making an observation " Ankit Mammu Shoes pehen rahe hain ! Shoe tight ho raha hai !!"
d) Mamma is bathing you and because of your newfoud obsession with "Guddu Swimmming Karega" meaning wanting to sit and splash in the tub, Mamma ended up wet so Mamma says " Guddu dekho Mamma Gilu Gilu ( wet) ho gayi ! Aise Mat karo" You continue your splashing and say " Mamma dress badal lo"
e) Topping this list is the way you tell Pappa or Mamma angrily if we try to talk to each other esp in Tamil or English or actually even in Hindi.. you loudly interrupt us with a " Pappa Mamma ko Nahi Baat karo" Grammar completely wrong and yet conveying ur pt of " I am the center of attention and the world" emphatically !
f) Of course you don't let Pappa give you water/sit you on the potty and other such stuff saying Pappa "No" and hitting him. I feel sorry and jealous of him at the same time. You vehemently say "Mamma karegi !"


The list goes on but I think these are like top 6 !!

Luv
Mamma

Dahi Kahan Gayan

Gabdu,
you do come up with most hilarious interpretations of whatever we say or shud we say the "holes" in the way language is used are exposed with your interesting interpretations
I take you every morning at around 9 am for soaking up some sunlight both for you and me..So I told you the other day as I have said many other times " Chalo dhoop khatein hain Guddu"... so when you were refusing to come to the areas where the sunlight was ample, I said "Beta phir dhoop kaise khayenge ?" and you showed the eating action with all sounds to go with the eating :)

It was so funny that after that I think I let you play in the shade !

Today as we were having our dinner ... there was " Guddus Dahi" that Mamma was trying to feed you. So naturally there had to be "Papas dahi" and "Mammas dahi" also by induction. So you asked " Mama ka dahi kahan Gaya?" As I was already done with my food, I said " Mamma ka dahi peat mein gaya". After couple of minutes I found you pulling my top and looking in from the top standing next to me and Saying "Mamma ka dahi kahan Gaya? Peat mein Gaya" !! It was so hilarious to see you trying to find Dahi under my clothes near my stomach !

I can't remember other stuff right now but there have been so many such instances and you really bring a smile on our face even at the times when we are exasperated, most often by some naughty thing u've done !

Luv
Mamma

GabduTalk

We were giving you Shelcal ( the calcium syrup the doc has prescribed for you) last evening. There was a picture of a mom holding her son on her hip. So you said "Baby Mamma ki Godi mein" and stopped .. so I prodded you " Baby Mamma ki Godi mein kya kar raha hai?" You looked at me - and thought hard and said " Baby Mamma ki Godi mein Adu Godi kar raha hai !" Now Adu is a word that you've used for Godi since you were one and now that u've learnt Godi also, you typically ask us to do "Adu Godi" which is essentially pick me up.It was so funny to hear you say " Baby Mamma ki Godi mein Adu Godi kar raha hai" for the lack of better options to express yourself !You sure know how to get out of a spot don't you?

Crush(ing)News :-))

Dear Guddams:
Lots of things happening in your life
New words, new sentences (full ones) ... and new friends ... well not exactly ..
It is a commonly known fact that you have found your crush - your first crush .. Arsh ...
Well, it is like this - when you see him, you run to him and are ready to play with him. You run with him, scream and screech, and have a good time.
The other day, you were sitting in the lobby of the neighbouring building- and refused to budge from your seat even when mamma pappa were pleading with you to play with them. Then came Arsh. He came on his cycle - the moment he saw you, he jumped off his cycle, while it was not yet stationery. And you jumped off from the chair - seeing him, you could not wait a minute. Then he came and took your bat and ball, so you went to his maid and took his bat and ball, and then the two of you took off, running and playing with each other.
You play with no other kiddie than Arsh and he plays with noone but you. And you guys get along really well ..
Mamma pappa are sure this relationship is just going to take off !!!
Love pappa

Tit Bits :-)

Dear Gabdu,

The topmost thing on mammas mind is accomplishing night time weaning and getting down to max of 2 regulated feedings ( by regulated i mean quick and continuous 10-15 minute nursing session as opposed to how it is now with u taking breaks and coming back at ur ease and screaming murder if Mamma asks if u are done and she can shut shop :-)), a day.
As I sit thinking abt it, I am looking back fondly on the nursing sessions we have had in the past. Abt how you literally do a joy of dance if Mamma says Chalo Beta when you say "Diddhu" in ur cute baby voice with a question mark.You hold Mamma and lead her to the bedroom these days and say leti leti and do a "Hu Ha Hu Ha " with a naughty and happy glint in ur eyes if Mamma complies with ur wishes. And everytime Mamma asks u " Duddhu Bas?" you look up while drinking and briefly disengage and demand "Aur Chahiye " with all the "its my birthright" tone .. and then continue without waiting for my response...And if Pappa dares says "Guddu Duddhu Bas - papa Godi?" to start his process of putting you to sleep you kick him so badly - that ouch it hurts badly ( when U laugh;-))). Even his presence anywhere close by spells danger to you and you think his sole purpose is to take you away from ur milk ! You give him glares and often kick him very hard with the slightest hint of him opening his mouth assuming he is gonna try to disengage you. And sometimes , if and only if you decide ( YOU are the supreme authority) you will say "Mamma Bas" and then as if to ask Mamma to hurry up if Mama is continuing to lie down without shutting shop as we call it, you say "Bandh Kar Lo !".And you have learnt to say this side that side and flip your back and wait eagerly on the other side for Mamma !

And I also remember the number of times you have bitten me and when mamma said "No biting" you often did not understand said "No biting " and continued and when Mamma said Ouch you realised the pain and wud start wailing loudly saying "Mammma no biting" !! And when Mamma is in pain for any reason and Mamma asks you to disengage saying "Beta Nikalo" you promptly do that which is sooo sweet and understanding !

Hmm ... so feeding you has given me fond memories for life but at the same time I have many back breaking tales also which I wud reserve for some other letter to you

luv
Mamma

Talkathon Candidate:

Well kiddo I can see you participating in such events from whatever age you are legally allowed to do so :)Read in the papers that the average number of words women speak is 20,000 and the men about 7,000. Well seems like kids can surpass these and need to be given a separate category !You love to talk esp in front of other folks. And in the past two months you've picked up so many usages of the spoken language that well to put in short, its amazing !Previously it used to be one word or max two words in combination. And mostly nouns that we had taught you specifically. Now you pick up almost anything we speak and not only do u repeat it promptly in part or full, you internalize it too ! And end up using it in some context again! We need to be really careful abt what we speak and the language we use for anything we speak abtBut thankfully you've graduated from being an intensely negative person to a balanced one - lest you get angry abt how I look at u, lemme explain ! You were till may be oct primarily using nahi no etc for vehemently saying no when u wanted to and a vigorous nod when you wanted something. Now you say yes and no very clearly. You are able to communicate quite clearly. Its not yet fully formed sentences but mamma gets to know what happened during the day quite well from the conversation we have in the evening. Now if thats not communicating, what is ?The other day I asked you " Kaun kaun mila tha neeche khelne ke liye" you said "Mukund Shriya" the names of two toddlers a little younger than you. So I asked what Mukund and Shriya were doing. You said Walky Walky ( which means walking in ur language). I asked patti whether Mukund and Shriya had started walking ! She said yes ..Amazing isn't it !You know so many animals from their pics that it amazes me ! Panda, Kangaroo and pata nahi kya kya ! I can distinguish a Kangaroo and a dog and your dads taught you Okapi ! Now did u know thats an animal ! I didn't ! And to worsen matters he promises to show you Okapi in his kiddy book and gets u so desperate to see it that mamma has to frantically turn pages to find the darn animal she's never heard abt !You know two three words of most rhymes and can identify the page of the book they come on and in fact for some you know even the full line " Ringa Ringa roses !" and if prompted you continue tooIdhar, Udhar , yahaan , Wahaan , lo , do etc I thought were difficult words ( in terms of concepts) but you seem to be quite familar with them !You say stuff like Paani gir gaya ! Papa Office Gaya and pata nahi kya kya !And the best part is the hand action that goes with stuff like "Clip Kahan Gaya ?" you shake your hands so cutely. Also in the morn when you wake up and walk to the kitchen and don't find mamma there you put out both ur hands indicating where and its so cute !You've got a cap fetish as of now .. cappie or cap as you call it depending on ur mood . Its good for us as winter is in and we'd better keep u warm when you go downstairs Hmmm .. I've got sooo much to update on the so many amazing things u are upto but I guess I will continue laterAnd yes you do amzing dance moves now ... Sitting all the way down twisting as you move down and moving ur hands and then slowly twisting again and standing !And in between all these amazing growing up stuff mamma wonders why you refusing to grow beyond a 1 month old in the sleep department !!. It kind of averages out stuff does it not?
LuvMamma

Word Building :)-

Literally.. I mean u say like tons of words. babycenter July 05 board had a poll on how many words kiddos of ur age speaking and it ended at more than 20 words. So mamma thot she wud put down the various words u speak and see whats the count for ur vocab.Heres the list

Eatables& Related
Cheese, Dahi, Pappati(for Chappati), Appurr ( For apple), Juice, Duddhu ( for Milk), Aaaloo( for any veggie), Paneer, Daal, Rice,Cheeko,Paani,Khana, Bitta for Biscuit,Carrot,Sugar,Bottle,Bread. And the word Nice for anything thats tasty :) . Poon for spoon.Hot and Cold. The count is 21 words !

Names(friends, toys, dolls)/Relations:
Mummy,papa,Patti,thatha, Nannu,Nani, Mami, Aunty,Uncle, Atta( for Athai),Arsh, Arnav, Sheeya for Shriya, Aarhi ( for Aarohi), Didi, Baby, Bhaiya,Ishaan, Utsa, Bai,Dolls& Toys- Noorie, Candy, Teddy, Munny( for bunny), Monkey,Mbo( for Jumbo), Meow, Bowwow,Mickey, Minnie,Boat,Babusha for Babushka,Anu,Birdy,Ball,Bat,Ananya That makes like 37 in this category !!

Other stuff
Do (for give), No, Nahi, Addu ( for lifting u up), Godi, oopar for up, Gaya for gone, Bye, Allo for hello, Phone, Soi for sleeping, Kaun for who, Sha(d)ow,Itty ( for Itsy Bitsy),TV,Car,Book,Eyes,Nose,Bus for enuff, Susu , Potty,Towel,Shoes,Open,Car,Auto, Office, Dadar,Noiaaa(for Noida),Aapi, Kangi, Bib, Abba for Dabba,Dhoi,Cheddi( for underwear), Dress, Saree,Pant,Brush 39 words!!


Wowowowow !! You say abt 97 words and I am sure I have missed many !! Also u do try to say sentences like papa office gaya!! Bottle dedo etc !!
Go Girl !!! U have hit the centuryin terms of number of words

More later

luv
Mamma

When Poosh became Spoon

Well , so u said spoon instead of poosh .. and guess what mamma told u while handing it over - here take the poosh :)) . So looks like u'll be speaking our language and we urs in a few days and hence still have a communication gap . Ah yes ! before i forget a critical milestone u achieved .. well u picked ur nose yesterday and well no furtive "teerithumulli" looks yet from u but soon u shall find that its a gaffe to pick ur nose in public and u shall do it only when u think no ones watching :))
Other new stuff
Clearly saying Thank you
Saying Ayesha for the husha busha or whatever portion of Ring-a-ringa roses !
Bib
Badda has now become abba ( for Dabba)

Interesting to watch u learn the language we speak :)

luv
mamma

Vocab updates

Heres what u've been saying newly last week

Shriya ( for Shriya - ur friend who is abt 3 mnths younger to you)
Bead ( For Bread - actually u pbbly say bread but because I think its very difficult to say that I assume u missing the "r")
Pamana ( for Banana I think)
Papaya ( For papaya)
Bitta ( for Biscuit)
Botty ( for Bottle)
Potty ( For Potty)
Aappy ( For doing stuff on ur own - aaapi aapi)
Hot ( For hot stuff)
Nice ( For nice eatables - and u say it so selectively that I really think you know the concept of "Nice")
Monkey ( For Monkey from ur Animal Safari set)
Kangi( For Kanghi as in comb)
Shaow ( or smthng like that for Shadow - U just love Shadows of Itsy Bitsy Spider)
Itty ( For Itsy from "Itsy Bitsy")
Eaa Eaa( You actually almost seem to know the complete rhyme - I mean u say Eaaa Boww Eaaa Moww ... :) - For the rhyme old man donald had a farm ...)
Can't recollect more but u speaking like tons of words !!!
Oh yes and Thanku ( For Thank you whenever u give some one anything)
You said Cut Cut today.. when u asked for the knife from Mamma
Also u said Pehno when u gave mamma the Apron to wear .. did u mean Pehno ( as in wear in Hindi)
To say the least I am thrilled to bits that u speak many words :)
Easier to understand u
luv
Mamma