Some recent pictures

This is how early it starts!

You know how the whole business of farting is so amusing to even the most mature people? Well, apparently, it starts really early. Vir has found the humor in this smelly little joke and it's hilarious to watch. He farts, gets a mischievous and conspiratorial sort of grin on his face, and then just bursts out laughing at the sound he just produced. I guess the smell doesn't bother him just yet, so it's just pure happiness untempered by the not so pleasant byproduct of the funny sound! I guess it helps that his dad is who he is and his sense of humor is what it is...so at least we know where he's getting it from!

The next level of communication!

So far, Vir's way of asking me for things has been to point randomly and make little grunting sounds which become more and more insistent if I don't get it, or pretend not to get it. Another less effective way he sometimes employs is to throw himself dramatically on the floor and twist himself weirdly while pretending to cry so maybe I'll notice him. But we had a breakthrough today! He walked up to me and said in a slightly whiny voice: "Mama, nhai nhai" (bath). A subject and an object. If nhai nhai is an object, that is. I don't know, really. The fact that he was able to identify me, get my attention, and then state his requirement just blew me away. This little titch whose first cry was so soft I could barely hear it is now talking in almost sentences. A part of me is thrilled and another part says too fast too fast...he's growing up and I'll miss having this!

Kids at play!

I've been taking Vir to an infant-toddler program for the past month or so. It's a little play group sort of thing twice a week for him and others his age to play, sing and dance, eat, listen to stories and stuff like that. He has quite a blast each time he goes because there are 4-5 other kids and lots of fun toys to play with. I didn't feel like taking him this week though, because he hadn't been sleeping well and was looking a little tired. But, I got a text message from the guy who runs this thing in the morning asking me to bring an extra change of clothes and a towel for him since it was "splash pool day." I thought he would love that, so I changed my mind and took him anyway! It was great - his first swimming pool experience. The pool was probably about 2 feet in diameter, half a foot deep, and shaped like a fish!

Here are some pictures!

I guess you can't really tell from the pictures that it's shaped like a fish. But anyway, the whole thing was such a success that I went right out and bought him his own little spalsh pool. I've inflated it and am waiting for him to try it out tomorrow. I even bought him a little pair of swimming trunks for the event. I couldn't quite believe that they make swimming trunks this size. Turns out they do and everyone has them. In fact, Vir is that only one in that splash pool above wearing undies. Every other kid has on a designer swimsuit or a pair of trunks!

Yikes!

He's growing up too fast. I took him to the park to play after a long time today. He goes everyday, but with my maid, so I guess I've been missing some things! For one, he has an entire social circle downstairs. The first thing he did when he walked into the park was wave hello (really, wave hello!) to an old lady standing in the balcony of one of the apartments. She waved back as if this is a daily ritual. Then, he walked up to the kids' slide, went around it to the back, and climbed-up-the-steps-to-the-top-to-slide-off!! I had to help him a little, but I was so shocked that he knew about these secret steps that I almost didn't and he almost fell. Really, how the hell does he know this?!

I never thought I'd be one of those moms...

...but I am. I love to show off the brilliant things that Vir can do when I meet a willing admirer or someone who can do a good job acting as a willing admirer. A typical showcase of my son's genius goes something like this:

Me: Vir, what does a tiger say?
Vir: Rrrrrrrrr
Willing admirer: Oh! How sweet!
Me: Wait, there's more! Vir, what about a cooker? How does it go?
Vir: Sssssss
Willing admirer: How wonderful!
Me: You think so? There's even more! Vir, what does a dog say?
Vir: Baw baw
Willing admirer: ho hum
Me: (Not sensing the waning interest). Oh, you haven't seen anything yet. Vir, can you give willing admirer a kiss?
Vir: Mwaaah.
Willing admirer: mwaaah (can't resist this one, can you now?!)
Me: Vir, can you cough like nani (grandma)?
Vir: cough cough
Me: Vir, can you cry like nani?
Vir: Puts his hands over his eyes
Willing admirer: ho hum
Me: Don't you just love him, oh willing admirer? You think I should send him to Harvard now? Wait, there's even more - can you believe your luck! Vir, can you say sorry?
Vir: Puts his hands over his ears...misses...puts them over eyes instead
Willing admirer: tweedle dee
Me: Vir, can you say bye?
Vir: Waves bye in a dramatic demonstration of extreme genius
Willing admirer: Nice! (Suddenly perky because "bye" might mean the performance is ending.)
Me: Wait, there's more! Vir, can you say "I love you?"
Vir: Puts his little hand over his little heart...misses...puts it on his shoulder instead.
Willing admirer: tweedle dum
Me: Isn't he great??!! This is all for now, but wait till you come over next time!
Willing admirer: Makes fervent notes to self about avoiding certain situations in the future.

You have to know, Vir, that your most willing admirers will always be your father and me. And you won't even have to put up a performance to get our votes!

Plonk

So Vir has picked up this horrible habit of flinging things. He just picks up stuff and flings it on the floor. Doesn't matter if it's breakable or expensive, he's not really picky that way. Today, he was tired and sleepy and whiny and generally irritable and all of this was irritating me. Then he decided to pick up a bottle of tomato ketchup and fling it on the floor from the bed. Luckily, I caught it right before it rolled off the bed. But, I lost my cool and whacked him. Not a little tap (he's had those before), this was a whack. I think it might have actually hurt him instead of just making a point. I can't believe I let this happen. I feel terrible. And what's worse is that after this incident, he still hugged me and clung to my arm and slept. I can't wait for him to grow up so I can apologize.