What is this image?

What is the first thing that comes to your mind as to what is depicted in this image below?
Write in the comments about your THE VERY FIRST THOUGHT - just put one thing and then I will tell more about it!

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The answer-
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It was really interesting to see the what creative things we thought this article in the image above was. From clothespin to a ladder to an artistic imitation of Eiffel tower! My first thought was it was some kind of a artistic Art Stand. I really loved going through everyones responses! Thinking different...going beyond the regular stuff! Loved it!!

So what is it? Only one of us guessed what it was actually - AN EASEL.

Yes that's what it is..an easel..for painting and coloring ..for kids! :D So Cee Kay aka GettingThereNow, the prize goes to you for guessing it right!!

What did Anirudh say about it?
He said "Yeh to teda meda A hai!" :D

So what does it show or mean? If a 3 year old child and all these adults all find it as an "Alphabet A", I think it could mean we all are little kids by heart which in my opinion is a wonderful thing!

So what do you say guys???

Some tid bits of Anirudh-Talks!

Tidbit 1:
Yesterday night when the cook came to tell me she's done with her work, Betu who was sitting by my side, told her in these exact words "Didi, ab lautna nahi. Kal subah aana!" :D

She was so amused with his response and so were we! So the maid replied back to him "Nahi, main to aaj yahin rahungee." So he tells her "Nahi. Aap apne ghar jayo. Main apne ghar mein hoon na? Aap bhi apne ghar jayo."

Tidbit 2:
Yesterday night when hubby changed into night clothes, he didn't wear the T-shirt over his vest and shorts. As soon as Betu noticed this he goes "Papa T-shirt to pahno. Dekho, maine bhi pahni hai na? Mumma ne bhi pahni hai na? Aap bhi pahno" :D DH had no choice but to say "Ok" and to go and wear it.

The way he applies our style of dealing with him back on us is just amazing!

Tidbit 3:
Today morning while I was dressing up Betu after his bath, the cook asked me if she needs to cook anything for him...you know anything for his breakfast. To which I replied saying "No." Betu immediately looks at me with such a sad face and asks "Aap mere liye kuchh nahi banayoge?"

I was so surprised at his question and told him "Banayenge. Zaroor banayenge. Par Mumma banayegi. Didi nahi banayegi." In response to which he hugged me and said "Thank you Mumma!"

Tidbit 4:
Lately whenever he does something nice whether its painting or coloring or making up puzzles I usually say 'Awesome'. And he surely likes hearing that word. So ever since he realised its a positive word which means the same as 'good job' he wants me to say it every time to him.

Once I didn't notice what he had done as my attention was towards something else. So he comes up to me and says "Mumma! Main awesome ho raha hoon!" :D

Diplomatically manipulative!

Remember I had done a post on how he has become so manipulative some time ago? This one is an addition to his manipulativeness behaviour.

Anirudh was unwell last night throwing up 3 times. So today I didn't send him to school despite the fact that he was hale and hearty in the morning - fit as a fiddle. And he himself asked me "Nahai nahai karte hain fir school jayenge!" (Lets take bath and then we will go to school). So I had to tell him that today Betu will spend time with Mumma at home and he was ecstatic!

So we played a lot of games in the morning. And when I asked him to put everything back he makes such a tired face and in a low voice says, "Mumma meri tabiyat theek nahi hai na. Please aap rakh do!" Give due emphasis on the word 'Please'..ok?!

What would you have done if you were in my place? I'm sure just like how I did..melted down at his request and kept them away! Although I didn't let him puppet me again in the evening when he tried to repeat the act!

Rendezevous with the cricket!

Anirudh got to watch his first cricket match on September 24, 2007 - the finals of the Twnety20 World cup. What better to start with a match between India and Pakistan.

We had the invites for the special screening at Priya Cinema, PVR Group at Vasant Vihar, New Delhi and watching the finals on the big screen was too tempting although we were worried Anirudh might not fuss there but we still went on thinking "Dekha jayega". So all three of us - Anirudh, myself and Hubby went there along with our cousin Bhaiyya-Bhabhi to relish the match on the big screen. Weaving through the after office traffic at 6 PM we managed to reach there just before the Pakistan was to start playing and felt sad that we missed India's batting. What a game it was..not just for us but for Anirudh too!

The PVR people had distributed whistles to all and whenever India would take a wicket the whole theater would be shouting and jumping and blowing the whistles. The first time Anirudh got so scared that he started bawling!! But later I explained to him that everyone is happy like he gets and shouts "main jeet gaya" when we play any games at home. So he understood and could relate it easy with what he does when he wins a game at home. So at the second wicket, when we all cheered and jumped he joined us with full enthu too!! He was jumping up and down, blowing the whistle shouting "Yay! Yay!"

Looking at him we all thought "Here comes another fan of the cricket!" :D And there was no stopping after that! At every wicket or good bowling he would cheer and shout along with us. He was quite amused that he was not being stopped or scolded for doing it. But I guess he was more amused that Mumma-Papa who usually stop him from shouting were doing so themselves!

When once one of the fielders caught a ball and thus getting a wicket, Anirudh immediately said "Good job! Yay! Yay!" copying us exactly as we do when we are playing throw-and-catch with him.

But that was not the end of it. After winning the game, we went to Pizza Hut for dinner and he was shouting there also. But when we stopped him saying you can't shout here he gave us such a bewildered look as if saying "Whats with them? One moment they are shouting and jumping and the next they are stopping me!" Hehehe...

On the drive back home after dinner he tells us "Mumma, crciket dekhne mein bahut mazaa aaya!" He is still in the cricket mood though. Today when I was playing cricket with him, in our living room with his plastic bat and plastic ball, he hit the ball so hard that it hit the ceiling at the other end of the room so I said "Sixer!!" and he in a very ceremonious style waved his bat in the air saying "Main jeet gaya! Yay!" I smiled and just nodded looking at this budding fan of cricket! But then who knows it may just be a short term love for the game and may wear down soon! Or maybe its just the beginning??

Nani-Amma!

That's what Anirudh calls his Parnani (my dadi). Amma - because that's what we call our Dadi and Nani since she's from my side of the family. So thus was the name coined by us for him to refer to his Parnani - Nani-Amma!

I clicked this picture on September 15, 2007 when we had a family get-together. And when I was looking at this pic after downloading it on my PC I was smiling...a real big smile. But then I felt a bit sad that I didn't have any good pic of Anirudh with his Parnana (my Dadaji) when he was still alive. I've a few but somehow in none of the pics both their faces are visible completely. Anyhow, no point in crying over spilt milk.

But I'm so glad that Anirudh is also able to spend time with his Nani-Amma. Reminds me of our times with our set of great grandparents. We have such fond memories of them. And when I hear from my friends most of whom hadn't even seen, forget about spending time, all of their grandparents I feel so very lucky to have not just spent time but have great memories of my Great grandmothers - from both paternal and maternal side of the family. And I'm glad Anirudh will also be able to say the same when he grows up.

But then it also made me wonder about one thing. We, the people from our generation, have started having our babies so late that by the time they are of school-going age, their grandparents are already 60+ if not more. And I've noticed this age difference is growing even more lately. And I wonder, if we will be ever able to see our great grandchildren and probably even our grandchildren? The ages at which we are getting married and at the age when we are having our children I really wonder how much of a possibility will this be.

Handsome kuchh nahi khayega!

About an hour ago at 8:00 AM when I was dressing up Anirudh for school, I thought he was looking really nice in his denims and his new pair of semi formal shoes.

So I hugged him, gave a peck on both cheeks and said "Anirudh is looking so handsome!" He just smiled at me..a very diplomatic smile..which vanished in less than a second.

So once he was seated in his high chair and I had clicked this pic I asked him what he would like to have for breakfast. I gave him couple of options- a pear, an apple, slices of butter toast and even his favourite sweet buns. After thinking for a while he goes "Handsome kuchh nahi khayega!" :D

I was literally speechless for a few seconds hearing his response. I wonder how much he really understood the meaning of what he said. Or is it that I undermine him and his little (or not so little) brain?

But I really get awed by his responses..such witty responses!

Anirudh solving Sudoku

Anirudh observes me solving the Sudoku puzzle every day. And when he sees me writing on the paper he wants to do the same. And he gets really annoyed when I stop him from. I'm sure he must be thinking "She writes herself and doesn't let me write!" :D

Today day I very generally told him that we fill in numbers in the boxes from 1 to 9 in this game. He was so elated hearing it and said "Mujhe numbers aate hain!" I nodded and said yes to him.

So as I'm thinking what to fill in, he just took way the paper and pen from me and started solving it on his own. And his logic for solving the puzzle was that if there is a number 5 written in a box, the next empty box has to be 6. Why? Because what number comes after 5? Number 6!! hahahaha...

But well..his logic was correct in his own way..right? I was so amused that I let him solve it the way he wants to. So look at him solving the Sudoku puzzle - probably the youngest progeny in the world to be solving one!!

Hurting himself goes way back....

In my last post I had written down few incidents that happened in the recent days when Anirudh managed to get hurt and on his own without any need for any interventions from anything or anyone :P

I recently remembered the first incident when he hurt himself and he was just 3 weeks young! Can you believe it? But you better!! I guess you will when you read what happened. Me and MIL, who was here for my delivery and post that to help me taking care of him me being a first time mommy, were sorting out clothes and stuff that we need to carry. In about a few days time we all were to travel to Jaipur where his Dadu was eagerly waiting for him and also the place where we would be doing his namkaran ceremony.

Anyhow, so as we are sorting the stuff we need to carry in one corner of the room and Betu is lying on the bed in the very same room, we hear his shrill cry! Me and Mummy both turn around to see what happened and we just saw him lying there and crying. So I went over to him to see maybe he has peed or pooped as he was a total panditji in that respect. He liked to be cleaned up that very minute the deed is done. But no, it wasn't that. He's wailing and has his arms over his head towards the sides. So as I try to pick him up I notice he was crying because he had caught his own hair in his tightly closed fist and now when he was trying to get his hands down, he was unknowingly pulling his own hair and thus the wails! :D

So you see, hurting himself goes way back in the history.

There's something seriously wrong somehwere!

It has been 10 days since Anirudh has been getting dangerously hurt himself! How he's managing to do it is beyond me!

September 2, 2007 :
We are leaving from Appa's house and he rolls down 8-9 steps. I'm shrieking more than he is looking at him going down the stairs. He has been up and down those stairs at least 100 of times uneventfully (thank God). But it happened..what I had been dreading all the time! Luckily he didn't get hurt except for a few bruises on his right leg. I was more shocked than he was. I needed more calming-down than he did.

September 2, 2007:
We are DH's Mausi-Mausaji's house and Anirudh is playing around having fun with his Yashu Bua. Then he goes to watch a DVD on her laptop and sits down on the chair. We left him for not more than 5 mins and we hear a crashing sound. The chair had toppled over and he had cut his tongue by his own teeth with blood oozing out. WE immediately put sugar and ice there and it stops withing minutes.

September 6, 2007:
Despite us telling Anirudh not to climb our glass top side tables, he just doesn't listen. It was around 9 AM and I've gone to the loo and I hear a crashing, glass breaking sound and wails of Anirudh. I hurriedly run out to see the side table has fallen sideways and the glass is broken and Betu is standing there between those pieces of glass and crying. I was aghast and immediately scooped up Betu and make him sit in a different room and looking at his body to see if he got hurt from the glass breakage while trying to calm him down at the same time. Luckily nothing..not even a scratch! The glass on the table top was 1 CM thick so thankfully it didn't shatter into tiny pieces but just in 4-5 pieces. So that kind of saved him from getting hurt.

September 8, 2007:
I'm in Kitchen, DH was shaving and we hear this clink and then crash. We both run and see Betu is holding remains of what were 2 glasses with glass pieces shattered around his feet. Again we scoop him out and as he is minutely examined for no injuries and when we ask him what happened he said "Main to cheers kar raha tha!" He had noticed us doing cheers and clinking our glasses and he was trying to do the same thing on his own but I guess he used too much force. We just rolled our eyes and calmed him and asked him to not do it again.

September 10, 2007:
Don't remember what me or DH were doing but suddenly we hear Anirudh's wailing sound and we rush to see he was trying to climb or god knows what with the broken side table and he hurt his right eyebrow badly because of that. He got a little bump on the center of his forehead too. Even after putting loads of ice-pack the bump just refused to flatten out.

September 13, 2007 (i.e today):
Myself and Anirudh were having a pillow fight and he suddenly runs toe the living room where his Richie Rich cartoon was showing and suddenly I hear his big shriek! I ran, DH ran and DH scooped him up with blood flowing out from his lower lip as if someone had opened the water tap. I immediately rushed to take out ice and some sugar (sugar supposedly helps in stopping the blood) and we put both there on the injured inside of the lip. But it took about a minute for the blood to stop flowing out and then we noticed it was a 3-4mm gash in the inside lip. We sprinkled Ferrum Phos powder on the gash too. He was again trying to do something with that broken-top side table and hit his face right on it.

Me and DH got so angry...not at him so much as on ourselves. And now we have put away that broken-top side table in the store but it feels so bad that why in the hell did we delay it so much. We should have kept it away then itself when the first incident happened.

So looking at so many accidents in the past 10 days is really scaring me out and I'm thinking like those old aunts on the lines of "his stars are not good these days". And I'm praying no more suchincidents to happen in the near future. Really praying hard!

Pulling my cheeks!

My cheeks are hurting from his "Mumma Cheekoo" antics! He has been pulling them so often and so hard saying "Mumma Cheeko" that even if I touch them from outside they hurt.

And when I try to do the same to him and quite softly, he will start crying. Uff...kya karoon is ladke ka...

But then he's such a cutie too. When he comes home in the evenings, I can hear him calling out to me "Mumma! Mumma!" when he's still not entered our house gate and he comes running over to me and I get smothered with his sloppy wet kisses and cuddly hugs! By the time its my turn to do give my share of kisses to him, he's already trying to wriggle out of my arms to do his own things!

So basically he decides when he has to kiss/hug/cuddle with me and ALSO when I can do the same to him. Uff...kya karoon is ladke ka....

Proud to show off his assessment sheet!

Yes! I'm a proud Mommy! Very proud! We had a PTM (Parent Teacher Meeting) on September 8, 2007 and we were shown his assessment sheet for the month of August! My little boy has fared amazingly well. The sheet boasts of 'A' and 'A+' completely except for English Conversation where he was graded as 'B+'. Since in their grades chart even 'B' stands for 'Adequate', so no concerns on that part too!! Its not his fault as such. I mostly talk to him in Hindi and even if I speak with him English and he replies to me in Hindi, I never tried to make him say it in English. But he surely likes to use English when he gets angry. He repeats what I say when I'm angry such as "No talking to you!", "Stand in the corner!", "No toffee, no chocolate for Mumma!" etc etc. :D

Anyhow, seeing his grades in the sheet made me so happy! Although for a moment I thought "Come on..he's not even in class I. This is just a preschool assessment" But I just waived off this thought and said "So what!" Him doing so well in any level is as good as it can be and every parent should be proud of their child's achievement however big or small it may be!

Frankly I was not really knowing he would fare this well because whenever I would do alphabets with him, he would just jumble them all up and not say them all correctly. But his teacher told us that he never falters there in the class leaving me " o.....k......a.......y" and wondering if at home its me taking his test or is the other way round?

So here's the Mumma proudly showing off the pic of her son's assessment sheet displayed for all to see and applaud!

Wow! Its so beautifooool!

Whenever Anirudh finds something nice appearance wise whether its food or a picture or just about anything, this is how he describes it "Beautifooool!" And its so funny hearing him say it. Its obvious that he's picked it from me because I know I use this word quite often. I've tried to correct him to say it in the right way but no luck as yet. But I also know that he will learn soon. Its just the matter of practicing with him.

I've had to work on his pronunciations quite a bit as far as talking in English goes. Especially the alphabet 'S' when used with 'T' or 'K' or 'C'. For e.g he used to pronounce 'Star' as 'tar', 'Stick' as 'tick', 'Scooter' as 'cooter'.

So I had to first make him say 'Ssssssss" and slowly he started to say it almost right. So now 'Star' is "Ssstar' and 'Scooter' is 'Ssscooter' :D

Now the other problem area is saying 'Sh' and 'Z'. He pronounces 'Sh' as 'Ss' and 'Z' as 'Jed'. Therefore 'Shape' is 'Ssape' and 'Zebra' is 'Jebra'

I'm sure with a bit of practice he can say it right. But it is so funny seeing him the way he pronounces things right now :)

Anirudh's favourite corner!

Anirudh has found his favourite corner in the house. Of all the places it is the space under the clothes hanger that we use to hang clothes inside the house. He will just put a cushion there underneath, lie down with a book or two and just talk to himself or pretend to read a story. Why I say pretend is because he mostly makes his own stories using the articles and people and things that he sees around himself. It sure is quite funny hearing his self made stories.

So here I leave you with some pictures of his favourite spot in the house!

Who is the baby here?

Its definitely Dadi! See how I'm holding her in my lap!

Of course it is! See how I'm making her do ninni!

Answering questions about body parts!

Anirudh and I were cuddling in the evening today and he goes "Mumma, mere ek tummy hai aapke 2 tummies hain!" And I ask him "Nahi Betu, mere bhi ek tummy hai (pointing at my stomach). 2 kahan hain?" So he points at my chest and says "One tummy, 2 tummy!" I was so dumbstruck at his statement and tried to tell him that it is not a tummy. So he asked me what it is and again I was lost with no answer and told him those are nothing. Since he was not satisfied, he plainly said that those are 2 tummies and the matter was closed. Closed more so because I couldn't think of an appropriate answer to explain and tell him what they were.

And its been really really long since I have changed clothes in front of him so definitely it is something that he is recalling from his earlier memories.

Ohh boy! Any suggestions on how to tell him about them? And do I need to? Can I ignore this question if it pops up again? Have you faced this questions from your lil ones?

Meaning of sorry!

I know I know..I've already done 2 posts (this and this) on trying to make Betu understand the meaning of sorry. But I think I've reached the finale and he has actually understood the meaning. This time I told him that when he says sorry it means he will not do it again. And as usual he nodded his head in affirmation. This was about 5-6 days ago.

And yesterday when we three were having dinner at the table, DH dropped some curry on the table cover while serving him some. So Betu immediately goes "Say sorry!" Fine.. DH said so. But that was not it. Betu says "Sorry ka matlab hota hai dubara nahi karunga. Aap bolo aise!" DH had a little laugh and when he repeated what Betu had told him to, Betu goes "Good boy!" just the way I say to him.

And here I present the master Chef Anirudh!

So here's my sweet little son preparing his own dinner :D

He just loves to roll out the atta using the rolling pin and sometimes when time is not a constraint I let him. :D

And I wonder if he will be as helpful as he is being now when I would really want him to be....

Enjoying the rain!

In our recent trip to Jaipur - Aug 25-28, 2007, it rained quite a bit on almost all days. And I let Anirudh enjoy getting wet in it to the max! Watching him run over the puddles, trying to hold the stream of water between his fists, opening the mouth wide to 'eat' the raindrops...everything he was doing reminded me of my childhood and how I also used to love playing in the rain. Here are some pics of him doing the rain dance!