Love - Reign O'er Me

I heard this as a friend's friend's account of her feelings on motherhood; but I found it so true for me - (so plagiarizing but hope to be forgiven):

I understood what love truly is when I saw Suhaana for the first time. And then, every single time I've thought of her or looked her in the last 22 months. 

(Love Reign O'er Me - sung by The Who)

Changing Time

A 22 months old baby is not the only one in our abode that's wearing a diaper these days. And before anyone rushes to conclusion, let me just explain:

There is a white teddy bear with blue t-shirt and an Elmo diaper hiding amongst the other (stuffed) animals in our living room.

Suhaana has been very vigilant about the health, hygiene and welfare of her toy buddies. She gives her sheep (on wheels) a bath daily. Once in a while, she'll take Minnie with her and give her a bath as well. And this morning, it seems Papa did not pay attention, but Teddy Bear had a dirty diaper that needed changing. So Miss Haana took matters in her own hands, and embarked on changing Teddy's diaper. She also told Mumma later (diaper was changed again this evening- obviously!) that it was in fact that Teddy had poopy in the diaper that Mumma had neglected to check.

On one hand I'm entertained at Miss Haana's new antics. On the other hand, I'm equally relieved we were only talking about virtual poopy!

The Future is Suhaana - Part 2

I admit it. There are household chores I hate but have to get done every so often. The chore I hate the most will be a closely contested competition between doing laundry, tidying, ironing... Even coming up with this list is getting painful!

But then I saw glimmers of hope today. 

Today Miss Haana was sitting on the bed with a t-shirt and pants waiting to be worn. I was busy checking something online when I noticed the baby was busy by herself. She had her big, fat mermaid book of poems with her. And then she erupted with: "Hot!!" What was she doing?

Well here's what: 

She was laying the t-shirt and her pants flat on the bed. Once she made sure they were really flat, she got her big, fat mermaid book. That was her iron! And she was ironing her t-shirt and pants and exclaiming at how they were both "hot" once she had finished ironing! We couldn't help but laugh in amazement. We don't even let her be around in the closet while ironing usually, but obviously someone has been watchful! 

When I finally got over my amazement and delight; and was able to stop laughing, I couldn't help but casually mention to the little Miss Haana- you know baby, Mumma has several shirts that need ironing, but no pressure :) Did I mention I was on a recruiting spree? 

Unsatisfactory State of Affairs

Someone in this establishment is dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. Especially as it relates to hygiene. So far I was under the impression that we do just fine. We do regular tidying and cleaning. Laundry once a week usually on Sundays.

But that dissatisfaction became apparent when this morning I found the laundry basket full. It is only Thursday. Somebody has been filling the laundry basket. 

On closer inspection, the following were excavated from the laundry basket: bathroom slippers, hair dryer, contact lens fluid bottles, unopened soap boxes, little cloth purse, hair brush, band aids, clean t-shirts...

I think I know where they are coming from.

Don't Cry

When Raj ordered for a batch of books for Miss Haana, he didn't expect what she'll say when she reads/sees it:

"Piggy crying."

And then:

"Don't" "cry" "Piggy"!

:)

Latest Chart Buster Game

One might begin to have serious doubts about my mental state by the time one finishes reading this blog. 

When I pick up Miss Haana from her day care, the little girl and I have ourselves some fun in the car. Our games are simple and yet superbly effective. They also rotate and change periodically. For a sneak peak here is our latest chart buster game:

It's a two player game.

Both players look at each other and grin. Then when ready, player one (also called Mumma) says:

"Onnneee".

"Twooooo".

"Threee"!!

That's when all the fun begins. Both player one and player two (also called little baby) open our mouths wide and shout and scream our hearts out loud "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh".

At the end of it player one and player two (the baby) giggle and laugh uncontrollably. Player two even claps with delight!! Both players are thoroughly content and feel like a merry good time has just been had. 

Good games such as this one can certainly be repeated any number of times. 

The best laughs are those that are had for no reason at all :)

Smile for the Photo Please

I was looking at one of an older photo I have of little Miss Haana and I couldn't help but laugh out loud. 

The photo is taken on the day of her birthday in October last year. We were in Vienna that day - we were on a 18 day trip through central and eastern Europe by car for her birthday. It was October so it was slightly chilly. I was paranoid about her (or either of us) catching cold and so would make sure she's very well insulated against the cold. 

That day we were going to spend considerable part of the day outdoors sight seeing Vienna on foot ending the evening with a ballet-opera-symphony performance. It was ambitious but I was determined none of us was going to catch cold in that trip. So I bundled her up in tights, hat, sweater, gloves. I was about to put her jacket on when she retorted- she's had enough of it! She probably felt like a Michellin tire (poor thing). But I gave her a well meaning lecture of "What if you fall sick? That would be no fun at all! ". She gauged this wasn't a fight worth fighting and resigned to her fate. I bundled her up. I was carrying her with me on a sling (I loved carrying her, keeping her close to me where I can kiss her head and talk to her and show her things the whole time!). 

I think even though she resigned herself and wore the jacket, she was sort of pissed about being super bundled up like that! The photo was taken once we left out hotel room and were in main area of Vienna where I'm all happy carrying this little baby. She is looking somewhat given up and somewhat pissed off but well past the phase of fighting it. :)

Yes, in case you're wondering the jacket did come off soon enough and she enjoyed the day thoroughly. Especially the ballet-opera-symphony performance where she was mesmerized with the show! I carried her jacket most of the day. She didn't catch a cold.

Meanwhile, I remembered the photo returning from work today and I couldn't stop laughing at the sullen expression.

Which Color Is That

Little Miss Haana and I were playing the game of Name-The-Color with the above painting going over the colorful compartments of the dragonfly's body. 

We started almost at the bottom- the "blue", then the "green", then "yellow", then "orange" (twice). Then when I reached the top one and asked her which one is that?

She replied "Bug"!!

Can't really argue with that :-)

I'm a Little Teapot

Maybe words don't adequately express this little girl's cuteness especially when she sings so many of the children's songs and does all kinds of actions her little hands and legs along with it! She sings 'Itsy bitsy spider', 'Do your ears hang low', 'I'm a little teapot', 'I love you' (the barney song) and many more.. And every time she's finishing the song, she'll look up with a twinkle in her eye, and the look of complete self satisfaction that would be a crime to let go unnoticed!

I'm a little teapot, short and stout (hands show short and stout)
Here is my handle (left hand on waist becomes teapot handle)
Here is my spout (right hand is raised to become the teapot spout)
When I boil over, I scream and shout (hands around mouth - screaming and shouting)
Tilt me over and pour me out (Baby/Teapot tilts over)

"One, two, three, four, Goooo"

"I'm a little teapot....... Tilt me over and pour me out"

"One, two, three, four, Gooo"

"I'm a little teapot... Tilt me over and pour me out"

(Repeat endlessly punctuated by crazy giggles, gleaming eyes!)
Now if she would let me get my hands on her and crush her into a sweet paste of naughtiness!

I Feel Terrible

I just feel terrible!

For one- there have been so many big and small things with my little baby (going to turn 2 in a couple months now-- baby!) and I haven't been able to write about them because I've been busy. Preoccupied with other stuff which clearly is less important. And then I've just forgotten about writing it! I feel bad about that- like sand slipping through a clenched fist, I feel this time and my memory will fade away if I don't quickly embalm it and store it away for eternity. And I didn't do that. I feel terrible!

But then today was one of the bad days. I'd had a very busy and also unproductive day at work. At home little Miss Haana was constantly fussy and cranky about one thing after the other. These days the challenge is when we tell her to do or not to do something- how do you get her to do what we want. As smart as she is, I have no doubt she understands what's being told to her and what's being expected. And yet- she chooses otherwise. I was loosing my patience. She was crying as a retort. It was just a bad, bad cocktail of sequence of events! Poor baby was cranky and crying quite a bit. 

Finally, after a bath, she was tucked in and we both read two Abigail books as she fell asleep. So the day did end with a cute little cuddly baby curled up and tucked in to bed. All cute as a button! But when I think back to the evening, I feel terrible!

The Future is Suhaana

Yesterday something happened that made me profusely hopeful. I'm seeing a life on cruise control, with plenty of help on hand in my future!

Yesterday I was eating a snack in a bowl with a spoon and offered the little girl a spoonful. Anticipating much of my offering will go dripping down to her dress (don't ask me how I know that), I knew I needed a bib. Instead of getting up to get it, I told little Miss Haana - "Gugu, can you go and get your bib and wear it?" The bibs are hanging from the grill in the staircase gate. She coolly turned around, walked up to the stairs, pulled out a bib (dropped a couple others, but I'm not complaining), and came back to me wearing one of her bibs!

Imagine how proud I felt! And now, also imagine how this opens a plethora of such pleasing possibilities- where she does as I say, and in time, she'll be helping her Mumma with all kinds of chores around the house, and be helping me out!

Call me delusional but I'm smiling tonite.