Big Boy

Once little Bobby boy had fixed his few moments of intense concentration on my face, I had to have this straight one on one talk with him:
Look at you! You're not a little newborn baby boy any more, are you? You're a big boy now, almost 1 month old! No longer the newborn tiny baby any more, are you?! You're a big boy now, right? A big 1 month old boy!
He seemed to listen and appreciate the gravity of being all of one month old! :)

Andrea Bocelli

When little miss Haana was about 6 months old, I was flipping channels on TV one day and came across an Andrea Bocelli concert recording on PBS. I kept the channel. The little girl had just started standing up holding on to the couch. She was fidgeting.

I turned up the volume a little bit to listen to the concert recording. He was singing Conte Partiro (time to say goodbye). All of us, the little girl especially, just stood stoned by the richness and beauty of the voice. I've always felt that Andrea Bocelli's voice is how the voice of Gods must sound. It is beautiful beyond words. It matters not that neither of us could understand the lyrics of the Italian song. His voice has an effect beyond words and language. And even babies grasp that. Little miss Haana stood glued to her spot holding on to the couch, transported to a different place by the power of that beautiful voice.

Yesterday I was listening to a concert Bocelli sang in Milan for Easter, he sang of hope in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic that has stalled life across the planet. I was sitting holding Bobby boy, all of 3 weeks old, and fidgeting as babies oftentimes do for any number of reasons. I had not heard most of the songs he sang in the concert. And yet, both Bobby boy and I were mesmerized listening to the concert on YouTube. The boy stopped his fidgeting, and stared at a distance listening intently and quietly. 30 minutes passed. I played the Conte Partiro after that and hummed along that beautiful song. Bobby boy seemed to appreciate that too.

What is it about such music that even few weeks old babies just get! Outside of language, training, education, culture. Happy easter everyone.

Bobby Boy - What's in a Name

I will be honest, I'm not quite a baby person. I don't see babies and melt inside, want to hold them, coo at them or make baby sounds or faces at them. None of the above. In 99.99% cases, I'm the person who, compliments the parents on how cute/sweet the baby is, says some form of baby hello, and then moves on to other topics of conversation.

The first time I found a baby heart-meltingly cute and breath-takingly beautiful was when i saw, for the very first time, little miss Haana. She was (and  is) so perfect, I felt scared if I take my eyes off of her, something might happen; like I might get woken up from a beautiful dream. I kept her in my arms and could not sleep the first night at the hospital. Over the years there were a few babies I found cute.. two who would become little miss Haana's best friends - Rushil and Anya. Then, several years later little miss Haana's cousin and my nephew Varam. Some friends' children.

But then there was Umber, and suddenly i'm hit by the same wonder. How perfect and how amazing is this little baby boy. Is he really real. Just watching him, holding him, caressing him is so special.

Another side effect of this cute-ness is that calling just 1 name just doesn't seem enough. Little miss Haana has had several nicknames, they sprout whenever, wherever. Whichever word I fancy and find befitting with cuteness. Sweetles, sweetledo, baby thing, cutely, pyaara (hindi for lovely), sweeta.. The list is long and endless. Over time the names ranged from how she appeared as a baby to how she was as a person, as I learnt more about her. Over time the nicknames would be ways in which I would laugh at her and with her; almost as much as I am in love with her. Gugu has been the mainstay nickname for her; ga-ga-gu-gu were the first syllables the spoke, and hence the name!

Now with the baby boy Umber, history is set to repeat itself. Apart from the list of names little miss Haana and I came you with a while back, new names pop up every other day. He routinely goes by The boy, Bobby boy, Bumblebee, baby bells, inky dink, dinky ink, billa (hindi for male cat)...
The list is open ended but the mainstay seems to be Bobby boy. For now anyway!

Tummy Time

Yesterday evening, I put little Bobby boy on a play mat on his tummy. Putting small babies on their tummy is important for their physical and mental development. It encourages them to pull up their heads, bringing better head and neck control as well as better motor control. Tummy time also ensures their skull, that is still made of disjointed bones, is developing well. I'm sure there are other benefits i'm missing here.

So, last night, I thought it's time to crack the whip  and get the boy working on his tummy. I was bracing for the worst too; little miss Haana didn't make any secrets about her dislike for the tummy time. As a baby she would hate it, grunt, get red in the face, get mad and finally scream bloody murder! But not the boy. He froze for a few seconds, trying to figure out what's happening. But then he pulled up his head, turned to the other side. He did this several times. Kicked his legs too.

Little miss Haana and I watched these efforts with the excitement of cheerleaders. We clapped and cheered him on,  "Yeah! You can do it!". The obvious next step for our cheerleading was to come up with our own jingle to cheer him on, although, there wasn't a direct connection between his efforts and our cheer leading.
"G.O.B.O.B.B.Y, yeah, Go Bobby, Yeah Go Bobby...", I went, while little miss Haana came up with the beats vocals for it! And most certainly encouraged by our singing and instrumentals, the trooper boy kicked on!! :D

2 Week

Yesterday was Bobby boy's 2 week check up with the pediatrician. While he and I waited for his doctor to show, we heard another baby in the room next door crying out loud. I worried about what our near future will look like.

Soon the doctor was here. He got weighed, measured and checked out. He got a good report. And then it was time for some blood. He got poked on his left heel and oodles of blood was collected, all  accompanied by angry crying, all for metabolic testing!

Meanwhile, at home, a new development milestone umraveled. Unlike the sleepy baby just back from the hospital, content being swaddled tight into a cocoon, now the little Bobby boy's legs are starting to kick and cycle!

Diaper Changes

In the very first meeting with my newborn Bobby boy, we realized he doesn't have a booming loud voice like some little baby we have known (Not naming names, but the name might start with an 'H' and end with 'aana'). In fact at the operating theatre, hearing the little baby cry was beautiful music to my ears.

But not having a loud crying voice must not be mistaken as not having an opinion! As was learnt soon enough, little Bobby boy doesn't appreciate having his diapers changed. Or his leggy legs exposed for the outside world to see!

He would be looking all sleepy and sweet, calm and serene. But then, as soon as those legs are exposed or one begins to embark on a diaper changing expedition, suddenly, the sun is covered with dark grey clouds, thunder claps, lightening strikes. Calm serene baby is now mad and red. And there is screaming. Good old, wide mouthed, full throated, God-forsaken anger in earnest. Though the volume levels aren't quite like some babies we've known; no one will second guess on the anger levels with this one!

Of course the question I get is, where he gets all his opiniated anger from. Both he and little miss Haana. "I don't know!", is my standard reply.

Win-Win

Finally, all the classes and the riding on little miss Haana to make her practice, and the heartburn and fights when she didn't; all of it is finally paying off!!

Little miss Haana is such a sweet, caring big sister. Last few days as soon as the little Bobby boy is unhappy and fixing to cry, she immediately runs to get her violin and gives him a private performance. He immediately grows silent and watchful and listens with appreciation! She has a captive audience. I have a calm baby. Bobby boy feels better, at least for the time being. It's a win- win for everybody!!