Letter from ammA

Hi, I am sharing this letter from my ammA. She is the biggest toy I own :)

My dearest rowdy,

It has been quite a ride after you came by. You were a little cuddly kutty who has now grown to be a goof ball. I enjoy your goofiness as nothing is serious or worrisome when you are around. But you are also developing this wonderful technique of taunting me. When you learnt "raara venu" song you learnt the words right. Now the creative bug that has bitten you is making you change the words. Singing the words wrong and checking with me for correctness just to see how I react is not what ammA enjoys :( Just for the record I have quote how you have been taunting me. "rajitha sadguna dana sheela" dhaane ma (Is it rajitha sadguna dana sheela ammA?) How many times have I told "no Madhura it is "rajitha sadguna jaya sheela" thinking that it was an honest mistake?

We have been putting a great effort to get you potty trained. I am so happy that you have cooperated and learnt well. You have been using the urgency with which I attend to you when you say ¨moochA¨ (pee pee) as a way of getting attention and taunting me. Like yesterday when you said " jetti moochA¨  (pee pee in underpants) I dropped the job on hand quickly to attend to you. Then sitting on the potty you slyly smile and say ¨jetti moocchA, pant moochA, shirt moochA, hairband moochA" (pee pee in underpants, pants, shirt and hairband) When I check your pants, I see nothing. I should have known when you said pee pee on you hairband :(

Keep your taunts and mischief coming. But dont forget ammA needs your hugs and kisses to keep up with you everyday as you grow. Happy growing pattu!

lots of love,
ammA  

Bird watching

It was a pleasant evening and I was all set to go down to the park as it was my consolation for being left behind by Paaduka. Paaduka and appA went tata without me :(

It was getting dark and gloomy suddenly and ammA told me that it is going to rain and we went to the balcony to enjoy the weather. There we saw a lot of birds flying in flocks and separately. I was excited just to stand in the balcony and watch everything going on. Soon the ground down below got boring since I saw only people going by, vehicles honking and car wash and repair shop making weird noise.

Sky above is so much interesting. "thapotaH... thapotaH" (Pigeon in sanskrit baby talk) ammA pAdhu (ammA see). ammA got excited :) ammA showed me a few parrots which I loving call "shuthaha" (Parrot in sanskrit baby talk) A couple of them were sitting on a tree near by and I waited and waited for them to fly but they were quite happy staying put. To make things interesting and happening I started seeing expressions in the birds :) "shuthaha chicchaa" (the parrot smiled) ammA played along. So now ammA and I were sitting down and and scanning the sky. "garudaH" paaru. kazhuthu white-a irukku (see the eagle. It's neck is white) ammA yelled! Why is that a big deal? But I played along now and said "woooow".  We saw a couple of them gliding close by. Then  we spotted a couple of hawks too. ammA said that they see something to eat and so they are flying around the area. I think I said it better "gadhudhada sonna mammu ikku. star cereal sappanum. madhuyaa oda share panna matten nnu sonna. " (The Eagle said "I found food to eat. I am going to eat star shaped cereal. I will not share with Madhura")

After all flowing water body (even though it might be filled with sewage) and a vacant piece of land with trees still attracts some feathered friends. High rise buildings are not bad too it takes us a little closer to the birds.

So ammA and I have something to look up to everyday :)

(Pictures) July 2013

more sweetness here

I am in charge

 I love playing jigsaw puzzles on ammA's phone whenever I get an opportunity. Her phone does not have charge and goes blank whenever she does not want to share her phone with me.  Wonder how my ammA and the phone get into a bad mood together!

Once when I was bored sitting in a shop with ammA, I pestered her to give me the phone to play a game. She said her phone did not have charge. This time I decided to explore the phone and find out myself. I turned it on and found that there was enough charge left to play. Poor ammA had no clue where to see to know how much charge was left. So, I shared my knowledge with her.
(showing the top right most battery icon) "ammA inga paaru (ammA see here) charge itthu (charge is there) game vilaiyaadalaam (I can play a game) passport podu (enter your passport- yes I think passport is the right word and not password)

I am the keeper of ammA's phone and have to tell her more about using it better :)

Notes from India

My new found freedom
I walk inside the car now! No more car seat and belt. I walk and choose where I want to seat and for how long. I have banged my head a few times when the car stops suddenly. So now I am understanding why it is good to sit in a place. Then again I am FREE :)

My biggest compliant
It's been 22 days since we took that long flight. We live in an apartment which does not look anything like the house which had toys :( That's pretty much what I probably feel but I have not been able to tell my parents. They brought so many suitcases and keep digging into them often to see if some toys are hidden away but NO luck so far.

My love
"ammA yaaro ding dong panna" (ammA, someone rang the doorbell) is my favorite thing to say repeatedly before I open the door even though ammA says not to. Now the house is latched high up so that I cannot access it.

"phone adichi ammA, pesu" ( phone is ringing speak ammA) and I force the phone to my ammA's face. "Ding dong and tring tring " sound brightens my mood  but ammA is hardly excited hearing it.

My fear
I refuse to walk on the road. I am startled every time a vehicle makes noise. There are loud speakers on the streets which scare me. I believe that being carried is the the safest mode of transportation.

My new friend
My new friend is a big person. Anthony uncle who comes to clean our house everyday enjoys my company and looks forward to meeting me. He enters our house wishes my ammA and next thing he asks is "kutti pAppa enga?" (where is the small baby?") I follow him when he is working and share tidbits of information about whats happening at our house.

My biggest puzzle
I enjoy playing with the car window. Whenever I feel like, I can "on kaathu (air)" by rolling down the window and "off kaathu (air)" by rolling the window up. Once we traveled by autorickshaw. It was like a roller coaster and I squealed when we went up and down potholes but when the traffic got better the auto picked up speed and kaathu(air) blew into my face. "kaathu off appA, kaathu off pannu" (switch off the air appA) but appA could do nothing. Our hair was flying and every one had there eyes almost closed. I can see that every one were finding it difficult but why did appA not "off kaathu". Wondering about the unsolved puzzle I slept on ammA's shoulder turning away from the "big fan"

My new role
I am a stress ball. I now understand that people in Bangalore are in so much of stress. When I go down to the kids' park to play, walk in the apartment complex, roam around in shops or just in any place of congregation, people just squeeze my cheeks. But they do it with affection is what ammA says! I feel like a mobile stress ball that people use often. Now I am getting used to my cheeks being squeezed and pinched and asking to shake hands.

My Rhymes Album

I can

I right now think I can do many things myself. My constant plead "nAn panren" (I will do) does not have any impact on my parents. They just think it is soo cute :( So I decided to demonstrate my capability.

 After so many trips to the restroom following pAdukA, I know what it is like to use the restroom. I ask my ammA to take me to the restroom to sit on the nice Dora potty seat, wait for five minutes, get down and pull a few sheets of tissue paper and throw it in the potty and flush. Isn't this a fine example of how I can do things by myself. Still not convinced?

ammA was lying down and was not sleeping, so I decided to help her sleep just like my parents do to me. I patted her a few times. It did not make any difference. I covered her with a blanket but she was still awake. Since these did not work, I used my own technique to fall asleep. I forced my thumb into her mouth to help her sleep. It works for me but ammA laughed and washed my hands! I had the right idea but my subject was not compliant. Oh well.... do you know about my diagnostic capability?

Once I got hurt banging my head against the wall while running. I started crying and everyone gathered to console me. I had to think of what I needed even when I was in pain. Crying I called for "iishh, iiish" (ice...ice..). Then it dawned on everyone to get me some ice. I know from observing appA and thAthA that ice and "pacchai marundhu" (green medicine) cures almost everything. So, I prescribe either of these when someone is no feeling well.

And so I think Machuya (Madhura) can !

(Pictures) Jan-April-2013

for more sweetness

for even more sweetness

Reading a book for dummies

I have seen Paaduka read book aloud and I figured that I could also do the same. Here is the dummies guide to reading a book. It works well if you are under 2 years of age though.

1. Find a good place to keep your book
2. Make sure everyone is watching you
3. Open the book and scan for pictures.
4. Make sure you know to say or (almost say) one or two things shown in the picture in the book
5. Flip the page one by one and say one word clearly and the rest is just some noise you can make

The most important thing to do is to look sincere while reading and enjoy it as much as you can. You can
go over the same book twice or thrice at increasing speed to show how much you like reading.

Here is a video guide -
(notes - I am using only two words all through the video -  appu (means apple) and bae (means bear))

Four legged people

I touch my appA's injured leg gently and say "thaal" (meaning kaal- leg). It's a magic touch that makes my appA smile immediately everytime.  Right now appA has four legs.  Two of which pAdukA and I borrow  to play "pAtti pAtti" (grandma-grandma) when appA rests. Just when appA was hopping down the stairs to go to work with 3 legs and one injured leg, I blurted out " paatu po"  (go carefully) joining ammA's daily routine. I surprised both ammA and appA. While I see cats and dogs comfortably jumping, running and walking with four legs, appA seems to be so careful and cautious with four legs! Just when I adjusted to appA being four legged, ammA decided to add more to the confusion. She also has four legs now and is struggling to handle them!

I think when we become big boys/girls we add two more legs. Right now pAdukA and I are small and we have only 2 legs. I totally love my little fast legs which can give my parents a tough time :)

As far as walking is concerned pAdukA and I are far ahead in the development curve and ready to teach appA and ammA how to walk with just two legs again!

Brushing conundrum

My parents were worried that I did not have teeth till I was about 13-14 months old. Now that I have a bunch of them and they are worried. Again! Now it is because I have teeth and I am not allowing them to brush it well.

I love to get up in the morning to be smothered with hugs and kisses. Everything is fine for a while before a trip to the bathroom and I know what that means:( My parents put this prickly thing with a sweet paste on it and "ammikki, picchi" (press and hit) my teeth. Everyday I say to myself that I should not open my mouth for the sweet paste but I keep doing that mistake every morning :(

Do you know what it is like to have a big sister who likes to brush and floss? Yes that's right. She likes to BRUSH AND FLOSS. She likes it to be done 2 times a day! What is wrong with her? I watch when she brushes. Shaking your head, opening mouth wide while appA/ammA puts the prickly thing in your mouth does not look fun to me. Fun for me ends after I swallow the sweet paste. My sis has really pampered my parents by being compliant. I now have the reputation of being the trouble maker. Thanks pAdukA :( I have new teeth growing and I dread what it is going to mean.

(Pictures) Dec-2012

more sweetness here

Teaching a language

Teaching a language is not easy. Really :) I have been wanting to talk to my family for sometime now but all I see is just some sympathetic nods and "appadiyaa.." (is that so?) always. I understand what they speak but somehow they do not get it when I talk and interestingly their attempt to talk my language is a babble :)

This is my assessment of the students of madhura-bhAshA :) (madhura's language)

appA - say "thee thoo vaai" at least 10 times a day. This is my favorite phrase which I say with quite a style that everyone at home wants to imitate and perfect.  has being trying hard.

ammA - "appA nAni ye" is a song that I have composed. Please sing the song with the right wordings. Please please do not change it to "ammA nAni ye" I will come up with some song for you.

"ammiyaa" is what you say when something is delicious. You cannot say that about everything you want me to eat and you cook ;)

pAdukA - "amiki, pichi, acchi" are my complaints to ammA and appA so I do not want you to use them to report our fights. Not fair...Find your own words.

Every one comes and asks if I started talking. How can I ?My family is trying to learn and perfect my baby language instead of teaching me to speak their language !

hmmm... I like it this way as I am the boss of our home :)

hum hmm hmm hmm

I love to hum a tune when I am engrossed (playing or being mischievous) I have composed quite a few songs with two syllables with captivating tunes. While you await my album here is the sneak peak into an enchanting tune.

Guess whom I had lunch with?

Very often appA comes back home and asks "Guess whom I had lunch with today?". He shares stories of the people he meets for lunch ( surprisingly all of them are grown up! ). I try to make it interesting for ammA everyday with new challenges but it does not make a great story for her to share.

On Dec 20th, ammA sat down with her food and mine hoping she can feed me while eating. It was pasta! - My favorite :) I grabbed my fork and bowl; sat beside ammA and started eating by myself. ammA was surprised and was looking at me and not eating. It dawned upon her that she is not eating alone but having lunch with a little person. Next half hour was so much fun. So who had the best story of the day? :) ammA could not contain her excitement for appA to come from work. She had to call after lunch to ask him "Guess whom I had lunch with?"