Family outing

So, because we wanted to meet the reality of being parents of two tiny kids head on and with a let's-get-on-with-life-attitude, and also because we're that stupid, Vijay and I decided to take both of them out to the mall today. This is one of those things you dread when you have one kid and you're expecting your next. Because you know what chasing one of these things in and out of stores and away from glass railings, while telling him for the hundreth time why he can't have that toy or that ice cream or that chocolate is like. And you break out in a cold sweat when you realize that you have voluntarily taken steps to multiply the fun by two and that it's really only a matter of weeks before you'll be someone you hitherto only shook your head sympathetically at as they frantically ran after one kid while swinging his sibling by the arm as he clung to his ice cream cone.

But this is one of those things you dread and then the day comes that you have to do it. And then you do it and it's just like ripping off a bandaid. Ripping it off really slowly so you can feel each hair come out of your skin with a little plink. Today was that day and it was everything we had dreaded it would be.

To start off, we had only one stroller which we planned to use for Tara so that Vir could walk besides us (told you, we're that stupid). However, Vir decided to throw a tantrum that today of all days, he really wanted to be in the stroller. So we decided that this might actually be a good thing because at least Tara won't run off and slap someone's butt (yes, that too has happened). But of course, Vir soon realized that being strapped up in the stroller wasn't as much fun as he had imagined and being jealous of Tara is no fun if you get what you want. So he threw another tantrum to get out. "Okay," we said philosophically, "let's go with the flow," and switched again. Tara, who as I've previously documented is an absolute angel decided to surprise us today by not sleeping at all through this whole thing and also by commemorating her first mall outing in the only way she knows - by pooping. Ever accepting of the challenges life throws us, and with more philosophical nods, Vijay and I went about the task of changing a poopy diaper in a very public place while also chasing Vir who by now had realized that this was his chance to escape and had run off to try to get into a car on display not far away. Thinking that we might as well make this whole ordeal worth it by shopping (stoooopid), we made our way into a store where I wanted to pick up some clothes. It was quite interesting trying on clothes with a two month old screaming outside and a 28 month old crawling in and out of the trial room through the space below the door. Fun times. Lunch was another adventure but by that time we were so exhausted that we met this challenge by putting Vir in the stroller and loading him up with some chocolote dessert. We did go through the formality of offering him some healthy hummus and pita bread first, to which he gave us his formal are-you-kidding-me-you-clowns-you look. Once again, Vijay and I exchanged understanding and sympathetic looks that reaffirmed that we're in this together and tried not to think back to who had initiated the let's-have-that-second-kid-now conversation.

All in all, I'd say that it was a fairly successful trip out. We had a few laughs, learnt a few lessons, gained some grey hair, lost some extra calories, and came back weary and sleepy but also happy and thankful that we're a family of four.

Two months!

I find it hard to believe that I've been a mother of two children for two months now. Two months ago today, I hadn't even seen Tara - she was just a wish at that time since I didn't even know she was a girl. I don't think I'll ever forget the absolute burst of sunshine that was my heart when the doc told me she had arrived. And now, two months into being her mother, I'm amazed at how much I love this child. I used to wonder how it would be possible to love anyone as much as I love Vir and was almost guilty towards her even before she was born. Now I know how silly such doubts about how to love your second born are. 

I'm waiting for her personality to unfold, but if the last two months are anything to go by, she's the best baby in the whole world (touchwood). She has nothing on her agenda except to get through her days and nights without causing trouble to either herself or to anyone around her. She has a clear you-don't-hurt-me-I-won't-hurt-you philosophy. She often puts herself to sleep and spends a lot of time talking to herself and grinning happily at whatever part of the room she can see. If you happen to drop by to chat with her, she'll happily talk back for a bit. If you don't because you're busy chasing after her older brother, she'll understand and won't hold it against you. So she's calm for the most part but if you happen to piss her off by taking too long to serve up her meal, or God forbid by holding her in a way she doesn't want to be held, she'll make sure you're suitably chastened. If she doesn't want to be held up against a shoulder, she doesn't let a tiny detail like the fact that she's two months old come in the way of fighting you. There's no doubt that she can take on any one of us single handedly, and win. All we can do is always try to make sure things are always her way. What a ride this is going to be!

Tara, if you're reading this, I want you to know we're thrilled to be on this ride with you. You're the sort of stuff stars are made of, and don't you forget it:-).

Angrezi

I found him in the kitchen this morning screaming, "What's problem? What's problemmmmmm?" Turned out the problemmmm was that Mamta wasn't giving him water to spill on the floor. When he wants something and doesn't get it or things aren't working out the way he wants them to (for example when his cars don't stack up one on top of the other), he screams "I'm sorry. I'm soreeeee." When he's talking to his cars (yes, that happens all the time), he asks them how they are and "what's going on." When he wants attention he says, "Mamma, look at me." He loves to order Baggdu to "eat properly." The other day he told me he wanted a "particular" car (he thinks one of his red cars is called "particular" because he heard me tell Vijay once that he was looking for that particular one!) And he seems to love the word "actually" because though he doesn't have a clue what it means, he scatters it between his sentences in a completely random and hilarious way.

I'm seriously thinking of canceling our Tata Sky subscription and saving 250 bucks a month! Who needs TV with all this live entertainment. Of course, the Tata Sky remote comes with a mute button, which gives it that edge. Then again, the Tata Sky remote has never come up to me, given me a hug, and said, "mamma, mujhe pyaaaaar karo."

Seriously, boy!

So in an effort to sneak some nutrition into my son's almost non-existent diet, I mixed a mashed up banana into a scoop of vanilla ice cream and served it up with walnuts and a dash of chocolate sauce as an ice cream sundae. He had almost the whole thing but without the enthusiasm he normally displays for ice cream.

I thought I had won this round till he walked up to me today and said, "Mereko ek ice cream sundae chahiye, banana ice cream ke saath...lekin usme kela nahin daalna aur akhrot nahin daalna." (I want an ice cream sundae with banana ice cream, but don't put any bananas or walnuts in it.)

Summer days with the gramps

Running first thing in the morning to nani's mandir and blowing out the diyas. Grabbing the keys to the black car and green car and running out to get his early morning look at the cars. Being chased in and then running up to nani for a morning hug and chat. Waking up Tara by kissing her endlessly on her face and head. Tracking down the orange box filled with a hundred cars from wherever we've hidden it and making nani open it for him. Playing "takkar takkar" with nani for as long as it takes her to find a way out and escape. Begging for a calcium toffee and always getting it. Then begging for a black imli toffee and again getting it. Running up to nani as soon as she opens her cupboard hoping for something interesting for himself...and again always getting it. Running off to the inverter and switching it off and then giving chase to me to get it on again. Waiting for nana to arrive from his game of golf and then attempting to repeat a dose of the calcium toffee but failing. Torturing Powder no matter where he hides himself. Running out the door again to scatter some mud on the verandah floor and possibly sneak a look at the cars again. Going off with nani in the green car to buy vegetables and coming back armed with a box of juice, a big bag of chips, and a packet of gems. Creating a fuss when said goodies are stolen away by mom but easily distracted because of number of cars scattered on the floor. Parking cars up and down nana's legs as he tries to sleep after his game of golf. Stating his breakfast preference and then changing it about 5 times. Running into the kitchen for a lick of peanut butter as mom makes breakfast and for a chat with Mamta didi, mostly about the green car. Being chased for breakfast and throwing a few tantrums. Having a brilliant bath in his blue tub with nani standing by and trying to save herself from being completely drenched. Giving loving baths to the chosen cars of the day. Coming back and waking up Tara again, just for the entertainment value. Spending the entire afternoon running between nana nani's room and mom's room with handfuls of cars and spinning stories about cars, fire engines, tractors, and airplanes. Waking up anyone who has managed to take a nap in all this chaos. Splashing in his little swimming pool in the lawn. Drenching everyone and everything with the hose pipe. Washing the cars with Ramu bhaiya. Watering the plants. Throwing a tantrum when it's time to come in. Getting in the car with nana or nani and driving off to the Sugar Box for a purple pastry. More car talk in the evening. Another round of takkar takkar with nani if he's lucky. Jumping games with nana and nani that always start with "mein aapki chutney bana doon?." Lots of chasing and tantrums to get cleaned up and changed for bed. And finally, to everyone's relief and exhausted sighs, after a day that's been everything that it can be, my little Mr. Mischief goes off to sleep.

I just wish Vir would remember forever the carefree fun he's had this summer because I can't think of anything more priceless than these memories he's creating for himself and for all of us.

Now I know my ABC

I had absolutely no intention of teaching Vir the alphabet at this age because it's hardly the most important thing for a 2-year old. It's way behind all the other things he needs to work on right now, such as not spitting out food that he doesn't like and handing it over to the nearest person, not running around naked in front of guests screaming "nanguuuuu nanguuuuu" (nakeeeeed...nakeeeed), not peeing first and informing me later, not eating ice cream with his hands, and other important life skills.

I did end up buying him one of those wooden alphabet puzzles in my never ending quest to keep him productively occupied and out of trouble. If the speed with which he has picked up the entire alphabet is any indication of ease with which he will navigate the Indian school system, I'm quite relieved. We now know that he is good with rote memory, which is all you really need, right? Now if only we can figure out how to make him sit in one place...hmm.

Anyway, he still doesn't know the actual letters...for him, everything is a B. But he does know words that start with each letter and never misses a single one. This is how he sees things:

B for Aita (his grandmom)
B for Baggdu (our dog)
B for Car (could there be anything else?)
B for Dehradun (the place of eternal fun and freedom)
B for E (not that we know why, having never actually tasted one)
B for F (again, no clue what it must be like)
B for Gogoi (took him forever to get the pronunciation right causing much anguish to Vijay)
B for Huggie (he really does get those perfectly)
I for Icecream (can't go wrong on something so important)
B for Juice (which he makes nana buy from the shop at our gate every single day)
B for Kite (just by rote...he has never actually seen one of those)
L for Lion (don't ask me why he gets this right)
B for Mamma (sigh)
B for Nana, Nani, Powder, and Pirate (he clubs them together as a family unit - the last two being my parents' pet dogs)
O (for nothing...he just knows what it is)
B for Papa (also known as Vijaaaay when he's not responding to the politer version)
B for Queen (doesn't have a clue what a queen is but could fool you with his confidence)
B for Rabbit
B for.... (he hasn't learnt this one yet!)
B for Teta (his grand dad who has a police car that goes waaaaaooooon)
B for Udit mama (my brother)
V for Vir (this one is important for his school admission interviews, I'm sure!)
B for Water
Axe (that's what he calls it!)
B for....(still working on this one too)
B for Zebra

There you have it...his first piece of formal learning wrapped up around the people and things in his world. I'm just happy that B is for Mamma:-)

Conversation between brother and sister

Vir: Tara, aapko shop se kya chahiye? (Tara, what do you want from the
shop?)
Tara: Stares blankly and not even at Vir
Vir: Chocolate? Chocolate chahiye (Do you want a chocolate?)
Tara: Changes expression but only slightly and still doesn't look at
Vir
Vir: Theek hai. Main chocolate le ke aata hoon. Theek hai? (Okay...I'll get
you a chocolate. Okay?)
Tara: Looks at Vir...wait...no not really.
Vir: Okay...main shop ja raha hoon! Bye! See you! Take care! Be good!