If Suhaana could write

If Suhaana could write, here's what she would write:
Yesterday at sleep time daddy took me upstairs to put me to bed. I somehow made it through the diaper change and face wash. And then daddy put me down on the bed to get me into the sleep sack. Oh how I love to get to the bed! It's the fun-est place! I love the pillows. I love it when I stand against the pillows and sometimes suddenly the pillow falls over me. And all of us fall down and land back on the bed. Its a lot of fun! I was monkeying around with the pillows when daddy started the hide and seek game.

One time daddy hid behind the bed, I didn't know where he went. I thought I'd go looking for him. But he suddenly appeared, out of nowhere! I turned around, scrambled and ran but almost ran over mommy. Mommy got me in her arms. But Daddy was right behind. And he got me too. And I was giggling and giggling. And mommy and daddy were laughing real hard too. And we did this over and over again. It was so much fun.

Located a new found skill

Located a new found skill - put your hands together and clap! And on occasion, mood permitting - waving! Now that's some serious skill arsenal in the already cuteness filled babyhood.

Who is Suhaana?

Remember the tiny little flickering dot on the grainy ultrasound screen. Isn't it amazing that that little flickering dot is today this naughty little, super active, heart melting cuteness!

Remember the grainy profile of a tiny baby on the ultrasound, when trying to capture the leg; the baby quickly moved away to hide her leg away? That's this naughty little thing.
Just doesn't stop amazing me!

So Long Adventure Sports

We are now a gated community and guess who is not happy about it.

We just installed a gate on the stairs so Suhaana cannot go crawling on the stairs. Yes, Suhu was quite upset and cranky when she realized the new found adventure sport she was just beginning to enjoy so much is now behind bars - literally. But ever since the gate's been affixed, she's been eying how we open and close it carefully. She's making a mental note of it. I think she realizes that we've gotten an upper hand right now, but only for so long.

Reminds me of another game that I just pulled out of her reach this evening - blinds. The living room window blinds are low enough for her to reach up to. And once she reaches them, there's no end to how much fun can be had :-) Lately my naughty little baby has been climbing up to the blinds and pretty much hanging from the blinds. Very dangerous. And very fun to babies. If babysrus makes blinds as toys for babies it'll be an instant hit!

Just cannot remember what it was.

Once again during the evening as I was spending time with Suhaana, a thought crossed my mind and I made a mental note to duly note it in my blog post. And not for the first time, I'm sitting here trying to recollect what it was, and just can't remember it!

Its like chasing butterflies.. Always so close, just at hand, but wickedly elusive and enticing at the same time!

Stairway to Heaven

This past Saturday, we were hanging out at home. Raj was sitting on the stairs while we were talking. Suhaana crawled close to Daddy. Then, while we were busy talking, she began tackling the stairs. Before we realized what she's up to, she was up 4 stairs! That was Saturday and with some effort.

Come Tuesday, it was time for a second try. Mummy and I were watching her, and she decided the stairs look like they need some conquering. So she took off, this time with effortless ease and speed. I kept watching (at arms length for safety) in disbelief as she quickly took off TWO FLIGHT OF STAIRS in seconds!!!

Stairway gates have been duly ordered and expedited since.

Bedroom furniture

It's human nature to see the grass as being greener on the other side and of growing increasingly tired of the furniture you own long before its anywhere near worn out ( all those baby cribs that are advertised as convertible to a full/twin sized bed- probably wouldn't be around long enough for that). I'd grown really tired especially of my bedroom furniture. But given the paucity of time and the fact the I'm picky about what I like (have grown to be that way), we've learnt to coexist.

But my bed just experienced a tremendous change in fortunes, so as to say. After being ignored for this long, finally there's someone who appreciates all the delicate work and moldings that it's constructed with - as much love and attention to detail as much wood itself! Yes, Suhaana loves the bed. The headboard has some carvings, and she loves to stand up holding the pillows and get up to the headboard and run her fingers over the wood work. She enjoys it so much, she starts on it usually as soon as she gets up in the morning. She has a blast, usually peppered with her falling off the pillow, falling back and landing on the bed, full of giggles! I'm sure our bed feels vindicated!

Roarrr

Birds chirp. Horses neigh. Cows moo. Dogs bark. Cats meaow. Sheep bleat. And Suhaana? Roars!

These days this little lioness gets up on her toes and tries to pull herself out of the pack-n-play or crib and while doing that lets out a variety of sounds most resembling a roar! It's a surprise the crib slats don't just melt away in fear :-)

I want her- not you mom

Now that mom is here, we got Indian channels on television. She doesn't watch a whole lot of tv, but it's still a much needed entertainment option for mom.
The other day, i had the pleasure of not watching this indian reality series where they were showing a real life family scuffle- the wife/mom was quite tired of having a female relative over, and wanted her out. The relative in question, she couldn't leave because the kid (teenager) wanted her there. They asked the 'kid' in question, and he says, my mon is never around (she worked), and never helps me with homework or encourages me to do anything or is involved with what's happening with me. I want to stay with my aunt and not with my mon.

Now, earlier, my take on this episode would've been just a general dislike and disapproval at the degenerate content of prime time shows. Dealing with incessant family drama, propagating backward thinking and social fear mongering.

But now, being a parent I had another take on it. (I do still dislike such shows and usually can't stand to watch through them- but in this case, I didn't have the 'pleasure' of watching it- I just heard about it.) My first thought was - it must be hard for a parent to hear from your child that I'd rather stay with someone else instead of my mom- for whatever reason. And not being able to spend as much time as you'd like for any reason is as much a difficult choice for a parent to make as a child to go through. I somehow like to think it's easier on the child because they get busy with other stuff - caregivers, grandparents, siblings, school- whatever fills their days. That may be a little bit of wishful thinking too. Knowing or at least feeling that your child is having a great time away from you, makes your own separation anxiety ease off a tiny little bit.

On the other hand, it's probably not too out of place for teenagers to rebel against much of what their parents do; feel that they're being oppressed or somehow wronged in all sorts of imaginative ways. I get that. But it's a lot easier to swallow when there isn't another person involved - when it isn't I want her- not you mom!

I wonder how I would react to something like that. And I really don't know. I just feel crazy in love with this little girl, and I hope when she grows up, she's as close to me as she is right now.