Bliss !

It’s festive season here, and everything – from schools to offices are closed. So Law has got free time and we, along with the in-laws and cousins have been outdoors…enjoying the cool and the awesome weather. Yesterday we were at one of the cornische from morn till night.
And let me say it once more, the weather was just a.w.e.s.o.m.e
The headlines of yesterday’s trip was that after fishing for around 7 hours at a stretch we caught 1 small,teeny weeny fish
This was especially funny ‘coz while all these grown up guys from our group could manage to catch but 1 fish, there was a small boy of about 9-10 years who caught about 5 fish in about 2 hours and even gave one fish to these guys as a way of consolation !!! hahahaha
Ryan had a amazing day what with so much fresh air, the open sky, the water and the green grass. Not to mention the fact that all his cousins were around .
Today we are off to Dammam, but before signing off, here’s a pic of me and my chimp. He dozed off in my arms and I had the entire universe to thank for the awesomeness of the moment – with my darling in my arms, the water in front, the cool air and flanked by the family

Been long..

…since I updated the any of the many wonderful things that Ryan does or says.
The last post was when I reached Saudi, and that seems like from eons ago !! Life kinda got too lazy in here…with me turning into a lazy bone cum lazy bum
So let me warn you before hand: this post is gonna be real jerky. You see, it’s been ages since I blogged. Or wrote anything else for that matter !!
There are so many important things that I wanted to post about…for starters, Ryan turned 2 this August and about the same time He got his first pet – a pair of guinea pigs which were [and are] so lovey-dovey that they have had 6 babies so far! Since only 3 of the babies survived their population count stands at 5
now !!

Ryan has started communicating, like really communicating… He had started talking quite a while back but now I hear him responding aptly to what is being spoken to him. I am really amazed with his lingo and his vocabulary. Like yesterday I happened to make this amazing fish curry [check out the recipe at here ] and when Ryan tasted it He said: Mama Chilli…full chilli.
After a lil while when I tasted it, and looked at him with water in my eyes, this is what he had to say with a worldly-wise look: Yayan say [told] mama, fish curry full chilli. Take this. Drink mumum [handing over his water sipper to me].
Ryan has some quirky traits too, like holding on too a small thing while sleeping. It could be a chocolate, could be a small toy, my mobile…Oh! by mobile I recollect: He loves talking on the mobile. One can find him making ‘serious conversation’ and jotting down important points [like dada] and saying: take yayan number,198734,ok?? got it?? and while he is at it, asking all of us to keep quiet: “no make sound ok mama? ok dada? Yayan making inteportant[important] call to uncle. yayan busy”
Till a while back, he used to describe himself using the word ‘pretty’…Now the word has been replaced by ‘handsome’. He loves to lay his hands on the steering of the car, loves to turn on the wiper. He is still as clingy and as fuzzy eater as before **sigh**
But he is also a very balanced and sensitive kid…so what, if it’s his momma saying it so ??

Ok, That’s about it for now. I know..I know…The post was jerky, here and there and all over the place .But I warned you before, didn’t I??

Let me sign off with a recent picture of Ryan:

News from Saudi Arabia

We flew on the 19th of may to Dammam [Saudi Arabia]. And what a reception we had in the airport… Law, Bua, chachu, mama – all with big smiles and warm hugs – felt really happy to be with the family. Ryan was and has been an amazing kid right from the time we have reached saudi…Gone is his clinginess. He has a big smile plastered on his face most of the time and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes forever. His vocabulary has always amazed me,but now that he has started constructing sentences and ‘communicating’ in the real sense of the word, everyone is taking notice and forever praising his linguistic skills.I love the fact that he has start communicating so well . I am damn proud of him and I’ m sure Law is too.
Oh! and did mention that he just looovveess his dad?? So Law is treated to teary goodbyes while going to office and warm and extremely excited cries of “dada Yayan pick-up” [meaning: pick Ryan up] when he returns. I am forever praising and sending a silent thanks to lord almighty for these beautiful moments.
In the 3 days that we have been here, Ryan has already figured out that dadiji keeps a ‘thitha’ in her purse invariably and that R chachu is a lovable perennial joker . He has also understood that in case he wants to see his dad and his dad happens to be in the washroom, all He needs to shout is ” Mama, Yayan tummy potty” [ Ryan's tummy wants to do potty] !!!
He is still a fuzzy eater but the situation is better than before.
However there is one thing that bothers Ryan . He does not have access to see squirrels and birds and butterflies like before. Also We have to wait for Law to be back from work so that we can go out. I think that at times he feels like he is being ‘held’ in the house.But he is making the best of what he has …
Here’s a recent snap of his [ his first outing in Saudi]:

Child development, Nutrition and inter-personal relationships :)

The officer at the Driving License counter asked the lady “What is your occupation?” The woman seeking renewal of her license seemed to be puzzled. So the officer said “Ma’am, are you employed, have your own business or…….. The woman replied “Oh, yes!! I have a full time occupation. I am a mother.”

Officer: “We don’t have ‘mother’ as an option for occupation. I will write it down as ‘Housewife’. That takes care of all questions.”

This had happened long ago, and was forgotten. Years later when I went to get my license, the Public Relations Officer was a somewhat pompous woman. “Your occupation?” she asked in a rather authoritative tone.

I just had an inspiration and replied “I am a researcher in the field of Child Development, Nutrition and Inter-personal Relationships.” The lady officer stared at me in amazement. I calmly repeated my statement and she wrote it down verbatim. Then, unable to conceal her curiosity, she politely asked “What exactly do you do in your profession, Ma’am?”

I was feeling good about having described my occupation so calmly and confidently. So I replied “My research projects have been going on for a number of years (mothers never retire!!). My research is conducted in the laboratory as well as in the field. I have two bosses. (One is God and the other is my entire family). I have received two honours in this field (a son and a daughter). My topic is considered to be the most difficult part of sociology (all moms will agree!!). I have to work more than 14 hours every day. Sometimes even 24 hours are not enough and the challenges are tougher than many other professions. My compensation is in terms of mental satisfaction rather than money.”

I could see that the officer was thoroughly impressed. After completing the licensing formalities, she came to the door to see me off. This new viewpoint about my occupation made me feel much better on my way back home. I was welcomed by my 5 year old research assistant at the door. My new project (my 6 month old baby) was energetically practicing her ‘music’.

I had earned a small victory over the Governmental red tape today. I was no longer ‘merely a mother’, instead I was now a highly placed functionary in a service vital for mankind – Motherhood!!

‘Mother’ – Isn’t it a great title?

P.S: This email forward is an awesome one…one of those which deserves a read by as many people as possible. I read it in one of my friend’s [scorpria] blog and didn’t feel like not posting it on mine . Have a good read

caught unawares !

Mom's can't get ill

Mommies CAN’T get ill when their kids are young and can’t fetch for themselves. Learnt it the hard way when recently got hit by a bad viral fever.

A Beeeg Boy Now…

Fruits !!!

Ryan woke up about half an hour ago. After cuddling, hugging and singing some rhymes to get the mood bright and energetic, I wanted him to have some cereals. He had one spoon and off he went saying “nahin” !! Thinking that he was in no mood for cereals, I asked him if he wants chikoo or Grapes. He said “chickoo”. As I came out of the kitchen, carrying in a plate the cleaned and deseeded chickoo ,Ryan came up to me with with a slice of raw mango in his hand and said “mango”…. Thinking that the chickoo will go uneaten,to tempt him I said “chickoo..yummy. momma is gonna eat them. My muscles are gonna grow .”
Ryan Countered me saying “Mango..yummy. Chickoo dirty. Yayan muscle” [Chickoo is dirty and mangoes are yummy. Ryan's muscles are big !!!!]
From a non-talking baby, to a communicating small boy, hmm…it’s amazing and I am not just talking about the words he uses, it’s also about the actions that accompany those words…worth a watch anyday!!

From here

My lil one is no longer a lil one. He has become beeeg.From an infant to a toddler to a child who can communicate.

To here

Am I proud ?? You bet !

From the book shelf.

These are Ryan’s [current] fav books .

A Day on the farm

Suggestions and recommendations regarding any other book/books are welcome

‘Frustrated’

The day started crankily enough…what with Ryan waking up and crying. Oh! how I hate those days when he wakes up crying. 
I’ d Prefer him to wake up fresh and happy.
Anyways, once he got up I took him to the washroom. He didn’t want to pee. Started crying again. So I hugged and cuddled him thinking that it would pass. Immediately he wanted to go out. Ya!! wanted to wear his shoes and go out to unk’s [uncle's] place…Now I don’t know which uncle he was referring to. Anyways, that tantrum over, he wanted to listen to ‘sog’ [song] from a CD. In the 45 seconds that it took me to put the CD in the player and start the whole damn thing he started crying and repeated ‘cd’ ‘cd’ at least 45 times…I still controlled myself knowing that he wasn’t keeping well and hence the tantrums…
Once the songs started playing he just wanted to listen to the ‘chilly’ song and nothing else…It might have taken me another minute to figure out at which number this ‘chilly’ song was located. And he started crying again, not crying but howling as if tsunami hadn’t really hit japan but had hit us in mumbai. And of course he kept reapeating ‘chilly’ ‘chilly’ all through out the time that it took me to play it. And I finally located and played it ,ONLY,The ‘chilly song decided to play up that very ‘fine’ mornin and started getting stuck. oooooooOhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!. During the whole time, Ryan’s howling spree and his ‘chilly’ shouting was full throttle . I picked him up tried distracting him showing him flowers,squirrel,birds…to no avail.I tried giving him chocolates..to no avail.
What I metioned above was hardly a 30 minute description.Imagine the whole thing continuing for hours at streach and me being the only one to handle it. And the icing on the cake is the fact that he hadn’t had anything to eat.
By around 4 pm, I was beside myself with anger and frustration. And then it happened. I had offerd him smashed potatoes to eat.Ryan again started with his crying and howling spree and I just lost it. Gave him a beating on his thigh with a thin stick lying around. And you know what, he just ate the entire quantity that had been given him. After an hour,I gave him milk and I just had to casually mention about the stick to have him drink it completely. Of course it wasn’t in a single gulp.It took me about 20 minutes spinning stories and showing him animals but what really matters is that he finally finished the milk . Hurray!!!!

I personally am against hitting kids to get them staight.I have always thought of beating as a last resort.Rather I believe in making them understand, being patient and looking at things from their viewpoint. But yesterday was just not one of those days where in I could implement these thoughts. I can handle almost anything other that a non-eating child. I am sure that if Ryan was well fed and throwing a tantrum I would still not have lost it.
Anyways, it is good to remind Ryan occasionally that I am his mom and he is my baby and not vice-versa. Throwing tantrum to this extent is NOT okay.

PS: Getting to know of the day I was facing a dear friend ‘P’ send me these links, hoping it would ease things for me.Here I share them with you… if you are mom it might come to your aid http://www.indusladies.com/forums/baby-kids-foods/4993-foods-9-12-month-old.htmlhttp://www.wholesometoddlerfood.com/

Introducing Mr.Ginger…

Best friends forever !!

Mr.Ginger
14 months old,
Gosig Bulldog
Brown coloured with patches of white
Bought from Ikea, Dubai.
*********************************

This post is dedicated to Mr. ginger – Ryan’s best buddy, an accomplice in all endeavours and a sleep and travel companion as well…. I have never seen Ryan sleep without hugging Ginger. Whenever we travel long distances, the first one to get into the car is Ginger.
Mr. Ginger has turned into an integral part of Ryan’s life. Thank you for being Ryan’s constant friend and companion. Woof Woof to that !!!
This post appears kinda silly. Well, Only to you, ‘coz anything that is important to Ryan is important to his momma, and deserves a mention in this blog

Freeze it !

Courtesy: www.shutterstock.com

Out of nowhere:

“Mama !”

“Noonu ?” [Ryan's 'sometimes called' petname]

“Mammmaaa” … ['look here immediately' tone]

Ya baby ?? [Going closer and bending low to reach his eye level]

“Ummaahh” [a wet,sloppy kiss on the cheek accompanied with a 'love you lots' look]

And the li’l Noonu is off to where he came from.

Aawwww… I wanna freeze this scene forever. FOREVER.

imagine…

.…a world without the thoughtfulness and alternatively thoughtless activities of 1 and a half year old kids….Peace and tranquil some would say, boring and monotonous, I’d say!!!

Mirror, mirror on the wall

I am my favourite!!!

Let me be the first one to shout it out : Ryan is a vain lil creature.
He loooovessss mirrors…to be more precise, he loves his image in the mirror ! After putting on a new dress after shower, he has to check himself out. After combing his hair, he has to check himself out. If he gets a new ‘something’, let’s say a watch or a bracelet, he has to wear it and check his reflection out. If one of my hand bags is lying within reach, he grabs it, puts it the way I do and runs to the mirror. I have seen him fight with the mirror [ya! you read it right!!] , I have seen him observe himself pronouncing certain words in different ways , I have seen him pointing to his teeth , tongue,eyes,nose etc and gazing at them fondly….I hope you get the drift of this post
And what’s more, as expected, he loves getting his pictures clicked. You can hear him say ‘smile’ and giving a pose whenever the camera comes out. It’s a different story that he is never able to stay still and hold his pose longer than 2 seconds.
Here’s this vain lil creature’s latest snap:

The hunk

P.S: The date on the camera needs correction.Apologies!!!