Thursday, November 27, 2008

My Son

Last evening, Ashwin and I were alone at home as Raghu had gone to play cricket. The weather being gorgeous, we decided to take the tricycle and go to the playground by the river.

Along the way, Ashwin was stopping every two minutes or so to ask me a question (why is that man walking on the grass? Doesn't he like foot path? *I* like foot path) or observe something (the water level in the river has gone down. Has someone removed the plug?) or to adjust his tricycle.. My patience was wearing thin. We left home at 6pm and had to be back at 7pm for dinner. I had a plan to execute and Ashwin was not helping me.

I noticed that the passers by were all slowing down when they approached him to smile at him. He would yell out "Hello" and they would respond with big grins on their faces and make conversation with him. I couldn't believe that every person we met on a Thursday evening was just being polite to a child, so I took a few steps ahead of Ashwin and turned to see what it was that they saw..

I saw a bubbly bright eyed preschooler on a tricycle wearing a yellow helmet with his hair sticking out of it. I saw what it meant when someone says "enjoy the journey". I saw 'being present in the moment'. I saw a child's curiosity and no attempt to curb it. I saw unabashed happiness. I saw his joy and actually saw it oozing from him to all those around.

I saw my son.

Precious Bytes and Nibbles: The Allure of Chain

This is my 100th post in this blog. Never thought I would have the endurance to get so far, but thanks to Ashwin for the inspiration from his never ending cuteness, here we are! I want to start a new feature in this landmark post where I simply record his words that bring a smile to my face. Precious Bytes and Nibbles...

The weather was fabulous this morning and we were having breakfast in our backyard.

"Four years aanaka naan big boy aayduven. Apparom enakku chain kadaiyum (opposite of kadaiyadhu). (Indicating his neck) Inga potukarathukku, romba big chain"

(Translation: After four years, I will become a big boy. Then I will get a chain. To wear around my neck. A very big chain)

Totally out of context, but at least now I know why he wants to grow up!

Big Day Tomorrow...

I have my appointment for the second trimester ultrasound tomorrow. In Ashwin's words, we are going to the hosipish where they will press Amma's tummy and we will see the baby on the TV. I'm pretty excited because we will learn tomorrow (fingers crossed that the baby's legs aren't crossed!) if we will have another boy or a girl. We don't mind either way, a healthy baby would be delightful whether it is a boy to kick ball around with Ashwin or a girl so that we can have some pink and fluff in our house. But I don't like the suspense, Baby, do you hear? You know what to do tomorrow...

I'm needing divine help in another matter tomorrow too - Ashwin believes that after they do my ultrasound, they are going to do the same for him (press his tummy) and we are going to see his thoppa kulla baby on TV. God help me explain to my son why there won't be a baby on view in his tummy. And in case, as Ashwin says, there really IS a baby in his tummy??! GOD HELP ME!!!!!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Birthday celebration at Little Rascals Childcare


So happy his cheeks are flushed!


All his friends ready to sing for him


My cute birthday boy!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

!~!~! THREE !~!~!

Birthday Boy


Ashwin turned 3 over the weekend and we have at home now an adorable 3 year old baby-boy who proclaims he is 4, but that he is still a baby (at least when he wants to be babied). How adorable is he? So adorable that I'm hoping I would be able to give birth to a three year old directly the second time around, despite how fabulous my son was in his years leading to three. That's saying SOMETHING.

We asked Ashwin what he wanted for his birthday and based on his reply, I highly recommend asking this of every three year old before you spend more time, effort or money than necessary to make them ecstatic:

Balloon. Big balloon. Romba perrussa big ballon. Too much big-ga.

Romba Perussa Big Balloon


He was greeted with this when he woke up on his birthday and he has cradled it in bed, danced with it, played bounce, catch, shared it with friends in the evening at his party, until it burst. VALUE FOR MONEY!

We started the day snuggling in bed with his birthday gift. Raghu gave him birthday bumps hostel style (thankfully, only 3) that had him in fits of laughter. We then showed him photos of when I was pregnant with him and him being a brand new baby in the hospital. It was nostalgic for us, but for the first time, Ashwin believed that he grew in my belly like the current baby is growing and I think he now understands that a baby will be coming home as a result of my growing belly. My darling compassionate sensitive son's reaction to the photos however was : Why do you have a sticker (plaster) on your hand amma? Does it hurt? Will you have a sticker again when baby comes out? Said with such concern that I scooped him up and ate him right then.

(Dont worry, Ashwin has perfected a method by which when I eat him up, he points at me and goes "pssh pssh" and back at himself with another "pssh pssh" and he is restored.. For my future eating pleasure.)

This is the first birthday that was actually about him, in the sense that he understood it was HIS birthday and looked forward to it for a long time. (Is my birthday coming? Is it her now? now? how about now? when is my birthday coming? Is it saturday now? now? now? now?) He knew there was going to be a cake with candles for him to blow and that his friends were going to sing for him and was high with anticipation.

CAKE


We had a gala party in the evening (HIS party) and there were toys, there was noise, there was cake, noodles and kids. We all had a great time. Ashwin was celebrated.

Photos are here.

Happy birthday baby, here's to many more healthy happy years!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Thinking on his toes (or fingers in this case)

A few days ago, we had made plans to go out to a restaurant for dinner.

As soon as I arrived home from office that evening, Ashwin came up to me and said he ate chocolate. I asked him how many he had eaten.

Counting on his fingers, he began:

One chocolate, and one more chocolate, and one more chocolate, and one more chocolate ...

In that case, we are not going to the restaurant for dinner, I said. He couldn't possibly be hungry after that many chocolates.

He stopped in his tracks and looked down at his hand where his little finger was still folded in.

I did not eat THIS one more chocolate, he said pointing at the little finger. So let's go to the restaurant.

Who knew chocolate made your thinking quick??!

Monday, November 10, 2008

i-Ashwin and i-Friends

At bathtime yesterday, Ashwin moved over from the side of the bath tub he normally occupies to the opposite corner. I inadvertently started a game of searching for him in his usual place and when he was not there, I ignored him in his new corner of the bath tub and continued searching for him everywhere. Ashwin soon joined in this game declaring himself to be amma (in addition to myself that is...) and we searched for Ashwin together. He found the imaginary Ashwin (i-Ashwin) playing with the teddy bears.

After chiding i-Ashwin for leaving the bath early, he told him to put on his underpants quickly before a cockroach came to bite the pen*s. When picking out clothes for day care, we also picked up some i-clothes for i-Ashwin and Ashwin helped i-Ashwin get dressed: Sit down and hold your pant like this. Put this foot in.. No no. Wrong leg. This foot. yes. Now put this foot. Good boy! We left the house with Ashwin holding i-Ashwin's hands and leading him to the car. In the car, Ashwin lectured i-Ashwin about the necessity to keep the seat belt on failing which spiderman will come and swat you on the bum. You can remove seatbelt after amma parks the car. Once in day care, he introduced i-Ashwin to the carer, and I had to say good bye to i-Ashwin and my son, and by this stage, I was not sure who my son was!

By evening, his imagination grew even wilder!

When he came home after cycling before bed time, all children came home with him. All children consisted of Carol, Karen, baa baa black sheep and possibly a few more. All children put on their night dress and went to bed. He had to go to the toilet at least thrice in 5 minutes because all children wanted to do susu. Raghu almost got the boot from the bed y'day because Carol was sleeping in his place. Eventually, Carol was kind enough to move over a little and Raghu had to sleep in a tiny corner of the mighty king size bed, now taken over by i-friends.

i-Friends were still on this morning. They brushed their teeth with Ashwin and rode the police car with him (giving me a break from that job). They all played music together, had their bath together. Half a dozen underpants came out of the drawer when it was time to get dressed. I had to set 4 plates at the table for breakfast because all children wanted to eat upma. Of course, all children came to day care with us. Once in the drive way, I had to pull over because Carol was not wearing her seat belt and I had to fasten it for her! From then on, Ashwin took care to see that none of his i-friends took off their seat belts! My responsible boy..

I can't wait to get home in the evening to see where his imagination will take him next. It's top class entertainment!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Excuse me while I blow my trumpet

When I dropped Ashwin at the daycare yesterday, I was chatting with the carer. She told me that Ashwin loves singing and that when they do singing time, she often calls Ashwin to come up to the front and sing to the other children alone.

"He just gets so into it, especially with his favourite songs like crabs and seashells or wind the bobbin", she said.

That's my son. Being called upon to perform solo in front of a group. And not yet 3 years old.

Mama peacock (peahen?) is bursting with pride!

Everytime he sings "I'm a little teapot" and gets to "tip me over and pour me out" with his whole body tipping to a side, I want to eat him up.

Monday, November 3, 2008

This nasty growing up business...

Every morning after his bath, while he is still wet in his birthday suit, Ashwin asks me to "Baby carry" - I get to pick him up and cuddle him - squishy bum and all. I love this time of the morning and usually hold him as long as he will let me. What's not to love about a freshly bathed baby?

This morning, however, once he had finished his bath, he said, "jojo finished, I want crocodile towel".

What about baby carry? I asked. To which he replied:

"No Baby carry. I am in big people".

Oh.. In that case, I want to carry big people I said.

"No, no big people carry. Big peoples is heavy".

Oh no!