Predictably Unpredictable !

Ever since I managed to get lilP's paediatrician to resignedly give his nod for starting her on the bottle, I have been mentally fast forwarding to the hard times that are going to be instore for me to persuade her to wean her off it...

Since lilP was a preemie and severely underweight, the most important thing for me was to see that she fed properly, even if it was through the bottle..notwithstanding the absolute paranoia with which I would indulge in the laborious bottle sterilisation sessions, I used to get orgasmic joy at seeing her guzzle down a bottle of milk.:-) And so even though well-meaning docs, friends advised me to stop the bottle sooner than later, I steadfastly stood my ground and decided to turn a deaf ear to their pearls of wisdom....when even after the 18 months mark, she was still using the bottle, her doc gave me a dressing down, ordering me to stop giving her the bottle. The logic being since lilP was eating her solids well, if she wanted her quota of milk...she would use a sipper or glass. Not that I hadnt attempted to encourage her to drink her milk through a sipper/glass, etc but invariably she just managed to take in a sip or two and then would never be interested to drink the rest....not that she would miss it either, she would just carry on doing whatever she wanted...as if the milk drinking session never happened. And so I resisted...since I didnt want to deprive her of something she loved...milk that is.

19th month still had her enjoying her bottle of dudu...and so push coming to shove...I decided to take the plunge in the weaning process. I knew I would need to have nerves of steel to not give in to her tears for a meagre bottle...but had heard enough about how one just needs to be firm and that eventually they accept the change.Having bookmarked all the resourceful sites on the said subject, reading up on every chit of paper (read article) on the same, I felt I was truly armed to begin this much dreaded process with lilP....

Cut to Day 1 of task....dudutime and momsy very conscious about enthusing her voice with positive excitement brings out the glass of milk...lilP takes one look at it and goes away disinterested....repeated efforts at getting her to touch her lips around the glass bear no fruit...shoulders begin to sag...and then an Einstein moment happens...a straw is whipped out of thin air....lilP takes one look at it and like a tail wagging puppy immediately makes a bee for it...momsy does a small demo for her and viola...lilP takes to it as fish to water and before I could say WOW...has the milk down her throat....What an anti-climax !

Ofcourse...after that moment, never once did she ever ask for the bottle...it was as if it never existed...so much for transition theory and all my preparation. thats lilP for you...stumping you with her unpredictable behaviour!

An ode to 21!

My darling lilP turns 21 months today...soon we will outgrow the monthly milestones and make rapid strides into years...But we shall think of that later. Now is the time to revel in the moment.... So here's my wish for you sweetheart....."may you always remain healthy and happy.".......Also a snapshot of 21 things which are so "you"......

• The forcefulness in the way you say "de...." to anything you want.


• The tight pursing of your lips as you try to restrain a smile, while your eyes give it away.


• The complete adoration with which you look at yourself in the mirror....(sigh!...how i wish you looked at me like that)


• The fearless manner in which you try to feed the cat...while yours truly gapes in horror..(apologies to menaka gandhi....but we are like this only)


• Crispy banana wafers are devoured promptly, while grated apple is thrown out because you are too lazy to chew anything healthy...(who wants to be size zero after all!!)


• The cute way in which you blush...(reminds one of hindi film heroines of the black n white era), only to look furtively whether the subject you are trying to woo is still looking at you.


• The way you walk..."chhati tan ke"...


• The way you turndown your lower lip...and go and stand in a corner with your back towards us....took us a while to figure out that you were actually sulking:-)


• How you hate to be excluded out of any conversation....nd would do anything...from making noises...to pulling clothes...to if all else fails....sit on the persons lap and pull their face to make them look at you.


• The endearing manner in which you sing "tick....tock...tick tock" with both your hands moving...when asked where is the clock


• The compassion in your eyes, when you find me sad or with tears in my eyes....and the way you look at me silently from afar...before you come to me and tenderly say"Mumma..a"


• You love to mop the floor with any clean piece of cloth (and no dispute on that) and scrub it with every ounce of energy in your body.


• you love to doodle with pens called "pain" on any scrap of paper


• You stake ownership to your aai's (granmom) lap...forget other kids....not even your mama (maternal uncle) is allowed to so much as come within touching distance to her.


• You have made a slave out of your baba (granddad)...who excitedly runs to even clean you up after a potty session, just because you call out to him once you are done...


• The way you pompously smile when I say "Comeone everyone clap your hands for LilP" to encourage you on something well done and you look around to see if everyone is actually clapping.


• your insisitence on "dog" being pronounced as "Doji" and the firm nod of your head which accompanies it ...as if to say...comeone mumma...say it right.


• You wiggle into non-existent space between two people and slowly and steadily push them to make room for your ample butt:-)


• Not getting your way puts you in tantrum mode....first you kneel on the floor...with head touching the ground..(as if praying)...and get your act together....then start banging your head with your palms (a la...professional mourners)...all this while we struggle to keep a straight face and ignore you.


• You keep yourself abreast of the latest happenings in the world by reading newspapers...in exactly the same manner in which the others in the household do....imitating them to the last bit...in holding the paper in the correct manner to turning the pages...to moving your eyes across...its quite a sight.


• your killer moves on the dance floor are legendary in our house.....strains of music and you are up and about...moving to the beat!!

I could go on and on....but you are truly one-of-a-kind....and just a dimpled smile is all we require to be willing slaves to your highness "lilP"

Space

...in Relationships is very important....something I have heard advocated ever so often.
But what if SPACE for someone is DISTANCE for another?

Relationships

" Relationships are worth fighting for....But sometimes you cant be the only one fighting..

Sometimes, you need that someone to fight for you too..

And it hurts so much when they dont!"

.....need I say more

Why...?

Why does one feel alone in a room full of people one knows?
Why does the mind justify but the heart crave for more?
Why does one expect from those one loves ?
Why does the face show something and feel something else?
Why does the pain never go?
So many whys...............

eyes..eyes..everywhere!

Twinkling little eyes that follow our every move...and imprint it in her mind...to throw it on our face when we least expect it! Oh yes..they belong to no one else but my lil Princess (hereafter referred to as lilP)...some glimpses into lilP's kingdom

1. Momsy reaches home from work with a song on her lips and the IPod plugged in....removes ear phones and sets the IPod aside and sweeps lilP in her arms...the next few minutes are blur...with both momsy and lilP showering each other with slurp kisses and sweet nothings....Cut to the next day....repeat act...with a variation. As soon as momsy puts lilP down and turns her back...lilP promptly trots away and reaches out to the IPod....the earphones firmly in place in her ear...excitement replaces confusion....calls out to momsy...puts the other earphone in her ear and says "mummaaa....no eeya...eeya...o" (which for the uninitiated means...music)....momsy innocently bats her eyelids and says...."no sweetie...give to mumma"(congratulating herself on having remembered to switch it off)....joy shortlived...lilP not one to give up easily...looks at the damn thing in her hand...turns her back to momsy and goes a few steps...before turning back with a huge grin plastered across her face......nd squeals "eeya...eeya....mummaa..eeya..eeya"....yes the little mite has figured out how to turn it on!....now momsy has another task on hand...to find a new place for her beloved IPod....!!

2.Momsy has horror written all over her face as her eyes register the needle on the weighing scale....decide there is something wrong with it and pushes it into an obscure corner below the cabinet......a week later...lilP on finding the object of momsys displeasure...protruding its tail out...reaches to it...and hauls it with her tiny hands....nd plonks it in front of aghast momsy....stands on the scales.....looks at the needle...and then at momsy and smiles coyly...pleased with what she sees...jumps off...tugs momsy...pats the scales....almost to say ur turn now!!!

3. Its official. lilP has a new fan.....the most important person in the household - OUR MAID! And yes...lilP following her like a devoted lamb has a lot to do with it...Every morning lilP is more than a mute witness to the maid mopping the floors. So this day, believing in dignity in labour.. lilP reaches out to a pristine white starched dupatta of momsy and decides the floors need to be cleaned...and as if dry cleaning them is not good enough.....spills (no make that pours) some water from her sippycup on the floor and goes scrub...scrub at the floors with an expression that says....who says floors should only be mopped with rags???????

U know its definetly here....

U know Recession is definetly here....
1. when......u decide to grab a quick bite at a happening (read: crowded on weekdays and waiting time on weekends) joint and are surprised to find you can actually choose your favourite seat...coz the whole place is yours for the night!
2. when...u stretch your luck to see if you can get movie tickets at the (nth-1) minute for a Oscar nominated movie...lo behold...u not only get the tickets but also get to know that there is only 1 person apart from you who wants to see it....!
3. when...last but not the least...u are pleasantly upgraded to the gold class (of recliner seats...with fresh towels, cushions, blankets and the works... fame) because it makes economical sense to screen the movie for 7 ppl (yeah gold class had only 4 others booked in)...than 3!
4. when...u think that maybe you are myopic and cant read the writing on the wall....that its recession time and you shouldnt really be doing this in the first place!!