Just another play moment

I thought I would take a short video of Anjali at her typical play time. Nothing special, just a routine game with one of her favorite toys.

New characters

Husband's mum and dad are coming tomorrow to spend two months with Tutu. The cast of characters in Anjali's fan club expands.... More stories when I return from my week break

We can open drawers

And if mummy puts the child safety lock on, we open two drawers at a time!

What mischeif can we get up to next??!??

Navaratri time!!!

Anjali at the temple during Navaratri. I wish I could say that she enjoyed herself a lot, but actually she got rather cranky during the programs, firstly because she was carried around so much and secondly because she got distracted by the speakers. Standing in the middle of two speakers, she was unsure where the sound came from and therefore got annoyed.

But annoyance did not stop her from making mischief, nor did it stop her from crawling to everyone eating food and grabbing their plates, and making a big ruckus when she discovered that people actually dared to, on purpose, hold their plates such that she wont get her hands on the spicy chutneys.





Nor did it stop her from looking cute in her pattu pavadai (more photos of this later)


Or from giving presents to the children (though it did stop her, on the first day, from eating her rice and fruit.)

But Tutu's navaratri did not finish there. On Vijaya dasami, Sunday night, Anjali sat on mummy's lap in front of the altar and wrote her first letters, Om, Maa, and a few scribbles. I think she is still too young to decide whether to write with her right or left hand and she wants to play it neutral until she can make an informed choice. So she writes with her mouth.



We decided to stop when she began to write on my hand.

The mischief maker's mischief mounts

Anjali's mischief meter keeps increasing its scale. This afternoon I was chatting with granma while eating. Granma was sitting against the kitchen sink holding Anjali on her shoulder. I look up and gave a squeal. Anjali had successfully opened the kitchen cupboard (where all the frying pans are kept) and was happily peeking into it.

She did it on purpose too. Because after we took her hand out of the handle, she put it back there again and opened the door again.

And now she flips on her belly while drinking milk. She used to do it off and on, but now it has become a real habit with her. This afternoon, the little bag of tricks latched herself, flipped on her belly, then tried to crawl, all while still being attached to the breast. Finally I had to pick her up and give her her milk, whereupon every thirthy seconds she stopped drinking, looked at me with a look of dawning wonder and expectation, kept staring at me till i kissed her nosey and then went back to her milk. Bundle of tricks. Guess she wasnt really hungry and just wanted to play.

Daddy's new name for her, Little octopushie. She wiggles so much that it is hard to believe that she's only got two legs. When I give her a bath, she almost always puts her leg over the edgs of the bathtub. Tried to get husband to take a video of her bathtime gymnastics, but he says it is too indecent for the blog.

same goes for her breastfeeding gymnastics I guess, so I got to contend with describing them. Well, husband has gone all prude now that he is a daddy,

Anjali's real nature study lesson

After the last attempt at nature study got botched by the sofa bed , We decided to take her to the botanical gardens yesterday.

Anjali is a class act. The nice thing about babies, and especially Anjali, is how easily they are delighted and surprised. Some babies show their surprise by laughing and squaling, but our Anjali speaks with her eyes. A lift of the eyebrow, a crinkle of the corner. I can see a laugh coming in her eyes. I always know when she is going to stop breastfeeing and look at me to smile, just as I always know, even before she reaches out her hands, that she is going to grab for the spoon. I know when my girl is going to drop everything she is doing to chase after a plate, and when she is going to start crying. Not by her actions or words, but just by looking at her eyes.

In some rare occasions however, Anjali shows her pleasure by speaking. The first time this happened in a Buddha temple, the second time at the art museum. The little girl got very vocal when we entered the park, but after a while subsides into silent, wide eyed wonder, looking left and right.

She was very fascinated by the fish in the water, and the dogs in the path, following their movement until they went out of her field of vision.

It was my long standing wish to put Anjali on the grass on a towel. However, after last week's attempt, I forgot to bring a towel to put her on the ground, and so put her in a saree. And guess what she did? She flipped over, and didnt like atall the poky sensation of the mowed up grass. So she started crying very hard. We picked her up, gave her a cuddle and put her again in grass. This time was better. She was inquisitive, oh yes, and she didnt cry. Nor would she put her hand on the grass. Even when her toy was put just out of her reach.

"I want my toy, but I wont move" was her message. Well, we picked her up after a while, but I will be trying the grass thing again sometime soon.


A grassy meadow and two cute girls
And a cute daddy!
The cutest girl exploring her grassy bed

And looking all around to find the source of water that makes the noise
Acting very surprised about something.

Bath bubbles

Anjali is growing very fast. Every moment of watching her play is a relevation. Here she is, bursting bubbles that I was blowing for her entertainment.

See how delighted and surprised she is when the bubble disappears?

The knockout clown

With winter (or cold weather, for lack of better world) sets in on this part of the world, we decided to pop Anjali into pants last night before bed.

She doesnt like pants much. of course, she has a penchant for nakedness only babies of her size can have.

But we cant put her to sleep in her diapers, since it is cold and she keeps kicking her covers. Hence the pants.

I said she looks like a clown (because of the dress).

Husband said that she is a knockout (Husband says she is a knockout atleast three times a week), because of her expression and eyes and all the rest of it.

So there you are Ladies and Gentlemen...

Presenting...

With great Honor and Pleasure...

Our very own...

KNOCKOUT CLOWN!!!!

Anjali has a tub full of toys. yet, she likes to play with her utensils a lot more.

Spoons, plates especially everyone else's and if it has got food on it (her favorite being dosas, apple pie (atleast she likes my cooking), ice cream, etc)

Yesterday she had a lot of fun with her washing bowl. Notice how she closes her eyes when she bangs the bowl on the floor!!

I had fun taking the video, but decided that I have to stop when she saw the camera and abandoned the washing bowl for it.

Anjali likes to eat

In fact, she likes her food so much that she tries to wrestle her spoon out of the hand of the person who is feeding her.




The result is, predictably, catastrophous

Favotire photos part 2

This post is full of favorite photos, again, in no particular or chronological order.

In spite of my earlier post to the contrary, Anjali is quite fond of her rocking chair. Afterall, she chose it on her trip to Toys R US.



I like this photo for the baby wearing effect, and Anjali almost always sleeps when I wear her like this, so she must like it too

This is when Anjali was three months old, and we put her often on her belly after her massage. See what big eyes she has...

Again, when she was three months old, on dialogue with daddy

One of the first times that she ate her feet, at four months.. This is a milestone moment as well as one of my favorite photos.

Anjali's first trip at the swimming pool, an illustration of how my little girl faces new situations with a smile and full of courage.

This is husband's favorite picture, again, Anjali is smiling. If I am not wrong, this picture was taken on the same day as her first swim, the same day as the previous picture.
Just around three months when Anjali turned to her side and tried to roll over on her belly. This was my favorite picture for a very long time because of how big her eyes are.
Taken on the same day as the previous picture, Anjali's face is full of expression.



Anjali's first center walk, when she was four months old in August. Her experience in the walk even came out in the review that Jaishree aunty wrote about her.

Taken on the same weekend as Anjali's first center walk, this shows her acting cute when she wore her green dress for the first time to a wedding reception.

At just past 6 months and playing with her windmill, she turned around at the click of the camera. She looked so cute staring at the camera that I just had to take this picture.

This is before her 6th month birthday, having successfully wrestled her milk bottle from granma's hand she proceeds to drink her milk all by herself. Taken just last weekend when Anjali is just over six months old. Again, I like this picture for the babywearing factor.

At a month old, this photo was also my favorite for a long time, mainly because Anjali is on her belly, and also because this is the first time that I put her on her belly.

Close contenders to the favorite photo prize at one time were these two pictures, with Anjali and granpa when Anjali was three months old. Everyone said that the pictures looked as beautiful as black and white photos. I should try entering one of them for a contest.


This photo came out of a series of clicks. When Anjali was three months old. Before she turned on her side, before she rolled on her belly. before she began eating her legs.
One of the first pictures of Anjali when she turned on her belly. My grandfather wanted a copy of it. She looks like a celluloid doll, he told me on the phone.

Favorite photos part 1

While everything Anjali does is beautiful to our eyes, once in a while we get a totally genius photo.
The definition of genius changes over time, but here are the photos, marked according to how old tutu was when the picture was taken

Around two weeks, posing asleep on granma's shoulder
Less then a month, daddy is burping her
Looking blase on her stroller at just around 3 months

Just around 3 months, looking at granma's face when bathing

Just past a month old, one of Anjali's first smiles
Again, just past a month old, this is one of my favorite times with Anjali, as granma was having a class in the living room and me and tutu were singing songs and laughing for over an hour

Anjali laughing during the singing session described in the previous photo. This is one of her first laughs

Adi took this picture of her sleeping, as , like he said, she looks so beautiful. She is about 2 months old

At just over a week old, and already very cheeky. You can see that even her umbilical cord has not gone in

Anjali at birth

Anjali is growing so fast that it is hard to imagine that she was the tiny little thing that came out looking like a froglet (and kicking like one too)

Although she does look at the world like a princess

Elephant rides

First a tigress and now an elephant. Our house is becoming a veritable zoo

My most embarassing mummy moment so far

This morning granma was going on about how a piece of tissue landed in the laundry and how husband's shirt was full of tissue.

And I suddenly remembered...

Of how, during Anjali's nature study lesson, we took her down to cafe cartel for breastfeeding.

Of how, in cafe cartel, husband discovered that the flower on her (new) dress that she was so happily chewing was running its colours.

Of how, we made her stand on the table to remove her dress because the little piglet simply wont sit put while we got it off.

Of how, in the midst of removing her dress I noticed a funny smell coming from her diaper and realized that it had better be changed.

Of how, deciding that it would be too scandalous to remove Anjali's diapers while she stood on the table and people were eating all around us, husband laid her down on the next table and changed her.

Of how, after changing her clothes, we got distracted by another baby in the table behind and started comparing excited notes about Anjali's development.

Of how, after finishing our (and Anjali's) drink, we whisked out of cafe cartel since we were already late and we needed to get that sofa bed before the day was out (and days get out early with Anjali needing to be in bed by 9.30 (fed and watered and cleaned and everything).

While remembering all this, I also suddenly remembered

Of how, due to the lack of dustbins in cafe cartel, Husband had stowed the perculiarly smelling diaper in a plastic bag and chucked it into Anjali's bag for a more opportune moment.

And of how the opportune moment never arrived until granma was talking about tissue papers in the laundry this morning, three days later.

All I can say is that I am glad that my mother didnt see me sneak the plastic bag into the dustbin this morning.

(reading it on the blog doesnt count, its post reflective analysis)

A tigress in our midst

I am not entirely sure when my daughter mutated into a tigress, I suspect it must have been around the time that she started grabbing for things, but mutate she sure did.

And she has gotten even better these days, now that she has started crawling. She watches for her minute, and then, when no one is looking, lunges. If you watch very carefully, you can see her minute of lunging.

Well, if you are careful and whisk away the thing she lunges for, then just like a tigress, she gives chase until she catches it.

Teaching Anjali to love nature

Well, the plan to teach Anjali about nature was to bring her to the botanical and orchid gardens over the weekend. However, plans didnt go according to schedule. The temple concert on Saturday meant that we goot home at 10.30 last night and Anjali had to be put to bed.

Husband tried several methods to wake me up on Sunday morning, the least dramatic of which was to sit Anjali on my tummy and sprinkle water over both of us. They didnt work too well as I went right back to sleep. "Picnic!!" he kept saying, while I turned over and buried my face in my pillow.

Finally, we set off around noon. No sooner had we set off that I remembered that we didnt yet have a bed f0r husband's parents to sleep in when they come to visit two weeks from now. Detour, we said, and lets pass by a furniture shop.

Well, we couldnt find a suitable sofa bed (and husband was fixed on a sofa bed, since it was a guest room bed). So we went all the way shopping.

It was too late after that to go to the botanical gardens, so we decided to get the sofa and go home.

And tutu's nature study turned out to be a set of wooden toys, which she chose herself, from daiso and ikea. (She does prefer wood to plastic, and it is safer)

And Anjali can pretend that the wooden coaster is a flute.

*sigh* Maybe we can make the park next weekend.

A happy baby

Anjali is generally a happy baby. Laughter and smiles are as integral a part of her as are learning, love and curiosity.

It was therefore surprising and upsetting for us when she cried a lot last evening and Monday evening. It took us a while to figure out why this was so. It was all mysterious. She used to be very delighted when i arrived home from work, but start crying as soon as I started feeding her solids. With a bit of entertainment, including dances by granma, daddy and granpa, however, she fiinished her solids.

Fed and watered, we put her down to play. However, no sooner had her head touched the floor that she began to cry in earnest. We picked her up and took her downstairs for a walk. However, she began to cry again after we got back. It was all very mysterious.

Then husband hit the nail on the head.

"Did you come back for lunch today?" he asked.

"No." I replied. "Anjali is growing big and I should break off the habit myself. I havent been back since Monday."

"Come back for lunch." he said. "Atleast every two days or so."

So it was settled. I went back for lunch this afternoon. And met a very happy, playfull piglet that, once she saw me, began to smile and laugh and kick and bottom jump, all at once. It was extremely funny.

And when in the middle of her welcome, I received a phone call and sat a bit away from her to answer it, she turned on her belly and crawled toward me.

All through the afternoon, the bundle of tricks tried to crawl up my lap.

The joys of being a mother...

Laughter is the best medicine

Seeing Anjali laugh is a much better medicine

Making her laugh is its own reward and granma is the best at the job.

Laugh and be happy, thats why babies are so special. They make us happy no matter how stressed we are.

Fatherly love

(At kiddy palace)
Daddy: I really like this baby cot, we must get something like this for Anjali
Mummy: She'll never sleep on it, she's too happy sleeping in our bed
Daddy: But I really like it
Mummy: Buy it then, and you sleep in it. That way there will be more room for me and Anjali in the big bed
Daddy: You think you are so funny

(At Mothercare)
Daddy: let's get this pillow for her stroller. That way she wont lean on the side and spoil her spine

(On the way to the pool with Anjali in her carrier)
Daddy: I really must invent a new kind of carrier for men, or get some Tae kwan do pants

Daddy's favorite lines
"She is so Shweet" (Looking at Anjali) "You are sho Shweet. Do you know that you are teh Shweetest girl in the world? Yesh Shir."

Anjali's weekend out

In preparation for Bali when husband's parents arrive in November, we are trying to keep Anjali out for long periods of time. This includes taking her out for several hours, taking her solids out with us and such things.

This weekend was the first of many day excursions, although we are careful to keep our excursions within reach of a taxi, in case of emergency.

We began the weekend with a trip to the swimming pool, followed by rehersal at the temple, a birthday party in the park and a talk at the center. Anjali was very active the whole time. She swam like a fish, bounced all over granpa's legs at the temple, didnt have a choice but to stay in her stroller in the park (there were many ants there) and in the center crawled all over the floor, amusing everone. Sashi uncle told me that he had taken a lot of photos of her crawling at the center. I will put them up soon.

When we came home, she was completely tired out, but still played a bit after eating her solids (vanilla and carrots). She has really discovered crawling and moves like a real caterpillar. Mostly she chases after stuff, not her toys, but things like spoons, my bangles, plates and bowls when everyone around her is eating.

Sunday was another full day, the first time we took her out for more than 10 hours consequtively. We began by going to Sashi uncle's house for brunch. Anjali was an instant hit.

She doesnt like much to be picked up and joggled, and when Jayalakshmi aunty gave her a pinch on her cheek, she gave her such an outraged look before bursting into tears. Incidentally Meenakshi and the rest of the kids pinch my cheeks a lot these days. Their excuse is that they cant pinch Anjali's cheeks and therefore are pinching mine.

However, after a while the crowd got to her, and she got a bit annoyed by the carrying and joggling, so I left her with husband on the living room with a plate and a spoon. Anjali was fascinated by the spoon. Seemed to think that it was some sort of caterpillar and enjoyed flicking it and chasing after it.

Dhana took her then, and showed her some fish in the garden. Anjali ate some watermelon and grapes in the comfort of the garden (that girl knows a luxurious life!)

We took her then to the art museum, where we realized that our daughter was a very good music critique.

She had something to say about every painting in the gallery, that is, until she got tired and then decided to fall asleep in my shoulder.

Incidentally, the tie that I am using on her is the hip cross carry. I love it. and I think Anjali does too, even more than she loves her carrier. The tie is simple. The only thing is that Anjali is fast outgrowing my duppattas.

This is a modified baby in my arm hip cross carry. I found the instructions somewhere on the web, but forgot the link. I prefer doing the wrapping while holding her, it makes her understand that I am doing something for her.

I start off by holding Anjali on my left shoulder and then putting my shawl over my right. I bring the back end of the shawl around my back and tuck it under Anjali's left leg. Then I bring the front end of the shawl over Anjali's bottom and tuck it under her right leg. I bring both the free ends together and tie them around my waist.

But like I said, Anjali is growing a bit big for my dupattas, so I am bugging my mom for one of her thicker sarees so that i can tear it up to use as a carrier. Gosh!! I love this girl. And looking at the photo above makes me love her more and more.

Anyway, to continue the story of Anjali's adventurous weekend, she fell asleep and we continued our foray in the arts museum. when she woke up, we went into Coffee Bean to have a drink and got a couple of hillarious videos of Anjali trying to drink coffee.

The next part of our adventure took us to marina Square, to Mother care and kiddy palace, where we got some new Anjali supplies, and laughed at some very ridiculos baby items, like a bathtub cum changing mat (who uses those stuff?). It even had special compartments for holding diapers. I guess the intention is good, but why on earth?

I remember having a conversation with my mom about getting Anjali a high chair. My mom said "Dont clutter the house. You eat fine, and you never had a high chair." I guess a lot of things that we seem to think are essential for the baby are not really essential. Like bouncers and high chairs and playpens and strollers. Think about it, the women in philippines carry their babies all day tied to their backs when they are harvesting. They donot have strollers - just a piece of cloth does the job!

I guess changing mat cum bathtubs fall under the house cluttering category as well, as do baby cots.

We took the train back home in time to give Anjali her solids (pumpkin and vanilla). She amused herself on the train ride by hiding behind garfield.