Birthday preparations

Anvitha's second birthday celebration preparations have started.
As we could not celebrate her very first birthday last year, this year we thought of making some preparations.
Moreover, through her favourite rhyme video 'Happy Birthday to you' and looking at the only photo of her last year's birthday she wants her 'Happy to you'(her way of saying it) everyday. And we are forced to tell her that it's on the next morning.
For the event, as we went ordering the cake and shopping for a dress, both me and S had a discussion about our birthday celebrations and the age at which we first cut our the sooo called 'birthday cakes'.
That was probably at the age of 25 we saw ourselves blowing the candle and cutting the cake. Even then our elders would scold us for blowing the candles out as they said those lights should burn till the end:)
Even more amusing sight for me during her dress selection was 'me taking her to the trial room to try on different outfits and the way she would come out to show them off to her father!'
These trial rooms too we hadn't seen till we entered these metro cities.
Whatever it is, only thing I wish is that she should learn to know the value of money and the hard work that goes in to earn it.

Our growing friendship

There are lot of things these days which me and my daughter enjoy doing together: dancing to some of our favourite beats, acting crazy at times, our evening walks, daily visits to her favourite temple, our story telling session and more importantly both sharing and enjoying our chocolate bars:)
And thus, there seems to be another relationship forming apart from just mother and daughter: friendship.
Of course, we do have our times of tantrums but both of us have learned to make up after the fight.

Back beat

24x7 chatter box...

...It starts at around 8'0 clock in the morning and closes at around 10 in the night:
talking is what she does the whole day. Observing, repeating, gesturing, imitating, lip-reading and whole lot of other modes of communication comes out to convey her messages. She has even learned to address her grandfather by his name rather than calling him 'ajja'. And her mom has become 'amma shuti'. Talking to her favourite doll, talking over the phone, saying prayers (which is mostly 'Om Anvita':), repeating letters of the alphabet and numbers(her new amusement); everything is a part of her language learning routine now.

Butterfly

How on earth can a butterfly get into her tiny nose!?
Every time there's a tickle in her nose she complains that there's a butterfly gone inside it and the best part is she can't even pronounce the word properly!

Together

Understanding pain

The cry of the infants when they are in pain is completely different from how they would cry when they are hungry or bored.
By the time they turn 2 years, at least they can verbalise as to what pain they are undergoing.
They can even start understanding the pain of others, especially of their parents.
Of course, not the kind of pain that they inflict on us while they are playing pranks on us such as pulling hair or biting or pinching but the real pain which one undergoes when someone is not well.
Anvitha can clearly make out when either me or S is in pain and it hurts her as though she herself is in pain.
When I underwent surgery, she completely understood that her mom was not well and transformed her own self not to trouble others.
And when, I stopped lifting her because of the surgery...she silently obeyed by not asking me to carry her.
Recently, when I tried to carry her (first time after two months) the first words she said was 'Amma abbu' (abbu means pain).
Now, each time I try to lift her (which I seldom do) she repeats the same words.

Morning Sun

Reunion

There are so many emotions and experiences which are best said in silence...
Looking at my daughter after 6 days was one such experience- Indescribable...
Both of us didn't know how to react...
I just cried while she found comfort hiding her face in her papa's arms.

It's amazing how she has stayed away from me for all these days!!!
Five whole days, not seeing her mother.
Her father has become her world now.
A thought of possessiveness and jealousy grapples me at some corner.
Because i know from now on she is 'papa's girl'.

There were times when I wished that I would get some spare time for myself midst cooking and taking care, and playing with my girl.
How I wished to go away for a little while (alone) from the mundane activities of life.
Now, that I am on complete rest- no taking care of anybody, no cooking and the like whatsoever.,I am indeed missing all those.
Especially my daughter!
It's been 5 days since I saw her and may be one more day will go by so...
But all that i can do is watch her videos recorded in cell phone.

'My Bicycle'

Aaha

Aaha.... and a broad smile is what the expression Anvitha gives whenever we understand her language successfully.
Though me and S have learnt a lot of 'her words' and 'her language', sometimes we miss out especailly when she has learnt a new word and we are unaware of it.
We can easily make out through her facial expressions if we are deciphering her correctly or not.
When ultimately we decode her language, her joy is boundless.

Literal Meaning

Sometimes it's funny how Anvitha understands the language- literally.
If I ask her to sit, she will sit promptly but doesn't realise if that is a place to sit; she will sit wherever she is.
If I ask her to close her eyes while going to sleep, she has to put her palms against her eyes to shut them. She doesn't understand that eyes can be closed just like that:)
Funny of course, but so innocent.

"The flute is sweet, and the guitar is dulcet; so say they who have not heard the babbling speech of their little ones".

Whoever has said this I think it's very true.