This is one great spider

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

Climbed up the garden spout

Down came the rain

And washed the spider out

Out came the sun

And dried up all the rain

And Itsy Bitsy Spiter

Climbed up the spout again

Now, I'm normally not a fan of spiders. In fact, I can safely say I won't miss them if I never saw one again. All except the Itsy Bitsy one that is. He's different, and very special. If I meet the Itsy Bitsy one, I will bring him home and cook him pancakes just to thank him for the hours of entertainment and diversion the kind fellow has provided Vir in his life. This guy gives spiders everywhere a good name.

So, Mr. Itsy Bitsy, with all my heart - thank you!

The little one is growing up...

...and brimming with an independent spirit now! From his first bath when he couldn't even hold his head together, much less know what was going on, to now when he is actually filling up a mug full of water from a bucket and pouring it on himself! He won't have it any other way, in fact, so his baths take a long time now. All I do is sit there and try to make sure he doesn't slip or fall into the bucket. Meanwhile, he plays with the running water, splashes around with the mug and the bucket, tries (unsuccessfully) to rub soap on himself, ends up throwing the soap somewhere he can't reach it, and generally has a blast. We both come out drenched and happy and it's good times all around. The good thing about this terrible weather is that Vir can have his little bath party twice a day. All you have to do is tell him it's nhai nhai time and he starts trying to rip off his T-shirt while on his way to the bathroom.

Mysteriously enough, despite this frequent scrubbing and splashing, he still manages to look like a little scoundrel who has made his way out of a sandpit most of the time. Sigh. Serves me right for having a boy!

I've heard this before, but never in quite the same way...

Me: "Vir, can you say mama?"
Vir (so naturally): "Mama"

Sigh. I couldn't be happier if you bought me a ticket to Venice at this moment.

Who are you and what have you done with my son?

I just can't get used to this new look! Vir had his mundan yesterday (it's traditional to shave off all of a baby's hair somewhere between 1 and 3 years of age. Apparently, the significance is that this act gets rid of unwanted traits from a past life and lets you get on with this one afresh). This is typically a pretty big event and gets done in a big way with tonnes of people and all the fluff. We just took him to a salon. I think he will thank us for this when he grows up. This is also probably the reason he was so peaceful throughout and didn't cry at all. (Who can blame the baby for crying with a thousand people surrounding him while someone comes at him with a fairly scary looking blade?)

Anyway, I'm glad it's over. I was terrified - 0f the blade, of Vir's possible reaction, of the fellow's possible incompetence, of possible rashes on his head post mundan, and even of how he will look! But it all turned out okay - the guy who did the mundan seemed to really know his job, there are no cuts and scratches on Vir's head, he didn't cry, and he even looks super cute (although I really did like him better with his lovely curls. Too bad this whole past life stuff had to come in the way.)

We had to work hard at making this a smooth event of course...Shroopie masi entertained him alternately with ice cream, her cell phone, and a big bowl of water while Ajesh was at the camera and Vijay was busy with the video camera. I was holding Vir since he refused to sit in his hot pink car shaped seat, designed, no doubt for just such occasions. Here's the visual series of steps!

The "before" picture with dad:
The "before" picture with mum:

Halfway there and Shroopie's efforts to entertain and distract are working:

Seems to be quite resigned to the idea of getting rid of unwanted traits from a past life.
I couldn't believe how different he looked immediately!

Not just resigned...almost spiritual about it.
The "after" picture with mum:

This is yet another milestone (though a ceremonial one) that he has now crossed and I'm so thankful for it. Here's to many more milestones crossed with smiles and happiness and friends and family just like this one was.

A tad oversized, perhaps?

I'm so thrilled

Vir actually said "Mani" today - clear as clear can be! And not just once...multiple times. Of course, it would be more polite to say mamma instead of calling me by my name, but there's time for manners yet.

He's trying to talk all the time now. There's a language only he can understand that he's very fluent in. But there are also several words from English/Hindi that he's picked up: car, dede (give me), bucket (comes out batit), mani, papa, nana, mamamama, and ball (comes out bal). I can't wait for when he's talking talking, so we can have real heart to hearts. Maybe he'll finally be able to tell me what elusive thing he wants to eat and I can get it for him, and he will finally eat an actual meal!! Or he can tell me knock knock jokes. Or his opinion on the climate debate. So far, all indications are that in this particular area, he has not taken to his father. He's definitely on the chatty side of the spectrum!