The Evolving Chatterbox

Photo Courtesy: Betterphoto.com

Shash just crossed his 13 month mark recently, and it seems to me that he is telling me something all the time! Not much like words, but he is definitely trying to communicate. For about a month now his hand gestures were becoming clearer; he had no trouble waving to people, or using his hands to call me nearer, to raise his hands to be picked up and so on. He even blew sweet little kisses using his little palm, and I lost no opportunity to steal my share of flying kisses And the last couple of weeks he has been babbling non-stop, coming up with a string of phrases, for instance, when he is eating his favorite fruit cereal. There seemed to be a difference in what he said when he liked his food and when he didn’t – only I could not tell exactly what he was saying! He would go ‘izzzz sa baa’ if he likes his food and then make a sudden move to eat up from the spoon, impatient or what! And if he doesn”t like it, his facial expression leaves no doubt, but he feels the need to reiterate with phrases like ‘neee aaa’ or a big huff, depending on his frustration level!!

Well, his attempts at talking don’t end there. He seems to be constantly articulating; coming up with adorable babytalk. Saying ‘chibazee’ or something like that when he finally finds his favorite toy, or ‘dubba’ when he couldn’t locate what he was looking for. He would admonish me if I took away a paper or a sharp object that he somehow picked up, or if he didn’t agree with something I did, like take away his books because it was time to sleep! And if I caught him banging away at one of the kitchen drawers and pull him out of the kitchen, he would scream daggers! Well, I can only imagine how he would chide me once he actually begins forming words. Perhaps he would elaborate on what exactly he was saying all this while! And you know what, I just can’t wait

Journey Into Toddlerhood – Hold On Dearie!!

Does time really fly? Not unless you have an active toddler at home who seems to be growing ‘too quickly’.  And far from feeling a sense of self congratulation at Shash’s rapid development, I am almost wistful about the times he was an infant, fragile and delicate, unaware of his surroundings yet lively and zestful. I can vividly recall the times Shash reached each milestone, the first time he rolled over, his first smile and then those bubbly giggles, his unsuccessful attempts at sitting up, and the first time he could come onto his knees yet not really crawl. Seems like yesterday.

Cliched though this sounds, I think most moms wish that their kids grow fast, yet pray that each phase lasts just a little longer. Slow down I want to tell him, I am not ready yet, to see you running all by yourself, to watch you take your first outing with papa, sans momma Slow down, there is time still. But no. As Shash crosses each phase, it becomes shorter. He was barely walking a month ago, and now he can’t wait to dash to the kitchen the moment he wakes up from bed. It was just a week ago that he was finally comfortable in his little shoes, walking unsteadily still, and now he is running all around the play area, squeaking his little flippers! A while ago Shash would not be away from mommy’s sight for a minute, and would watch with endearing eyes if anybody picked him up. And now he doesn’t mind all that much.

A reversal of sorts, it is now mommy who achingly watches her beloved little prince becoming a big boy! Moms are pathetic or what! Ever unappeased - wanting more of their old lives, yet secretly delighting on their clingy kids. Can’t wait for their toddlers to become more independent, yet wishing their kids never grew up. What a bunch! A mix of endless love, lots of emotion, a dash of yelling, a dose of frustration, and a bag of conflicting feelings – well, what do you know that’s the mommy community for you. Insane huh?!

Rock A Bye Baby

Photo Courtesy: www.betterphoto.com

What is it about kids and sleep times? Well, they certainly don’t go together that’s what. As a newborn, Shash was a horriffic sleeper. Typical isn’t it? Those were the times when even carrying that frail little bundle daunted me. And to have to placate a howling infant to sleep, well the very thought exhausted me! Evidently, it was my mom who played my role, pacing the room well into midnight, trying to get Shash to doze. She would sing every lullaby that she knew, for my benefit too, I may add! It was months of trial and error that finally saw Shashank sleeping throught the night, well most nights at least. And now that he has crossed the threshold of infancy and reached the tricky toddlerhood, you would think I have mastered the art of lulling him to sleep. Well, dream on (no pun)! Ok, there are days when he is practically nodding off, but I can count them on one hand, seriously. A while ago when Shash had trouble snoozing, I attributed it to teething troubles. And now that he is through with that, he should sleep ‘like a baby’ right? Wrong! That phrase is an absolute misnomer, if you ask me.

Alright, I sound frustrated do I? You bet I am. Ever heard about how sleep deprivation can get to you. Well last night was one of those. Shash slept rather fitfully, crying out for no reason, and refusing to be mollified. Getting him a bottle of warm milk didn’t help either, and I was up at least a dozen times. And this morning he was up early, fresh as a daisy, while I was decidedly torpid!  I mean there are the ‘mom’s good days’ and then there are the bad ones. So as I dragged myself out of bed and prepared Shash a bowl of porridge, I mulled on how best to get him to get some shut eye. Well, I didn’t hit on any bright ideas, but one thing I decided was that henceforth Shash was going to bed only after a sating dinner. I told myself that a growling tummy is no help to a peaceful slumber. Yup, that’s what I will do, and I fervently hope that will get Shash his dose of zzzz’s. And get me mine too!

Mom Interrupted

One thing that kids this age need is constant attention. And by constant I mean like a minute to minute watchover. With Shashank it means that mommy stays within his line of sight – period! The instant mom moves into the kitchen or even to the bath, expect Shash to follow close behind. I refer to this in jest as ‘wherever mom goes Shash follows’ after the Hutch tagline. Jokes apart though, it’s not that I don’t enjoy the feeling of being needed by someone little and my own, but sometimes it feels wonderful and frustrating all at once. The vexation comes from being under constant pressure to keep the house going, have meals ready and the dishes done, the laundry and Shash’s nappies done and dry, getting him clean and fed, attending to Shash’s unexpected accidents (!), and get personal chores done too. And to top it having Shashank follow around as I get everything done is enough to make any mom weep. It ain’t easy being a stay at home mom, especially if you want to have some exclusive mom-baby time.

Perhaps I am painting a bleak picture here, which is definitely not the case. I do try to make lots of time for Shash even if it means letting the house be messy for the day! I pick and fuss over him as I bustle around the kitchen to get his meal ready or sterilize his bottles. And sometimes we stand beside the window and enjoy the breeze and the view as I point out the tress or the people taking a stroll with their pets. We take walks down the block to the nearby park where Shash loves to watch the kids mount the knotted climbing rope, and I carry some snacks for him to munch on there, titbits of idli or mashed sundal. A much needed break for mommy and child at the creative play area in a relaxed neighbourhood – picture perfect! Yes, being a mom sure is tough, but it has its moments. And those are the ones that keep mothers sane!

Feeding Blues

It’s every mother’s pet peeve -  a child’s poor eating habits. And judging by Shashank’s evident reluctance to eat up at every meal, I am not really surprised. Shash is your regular finicky kid. And one with unpredictable food choices at that. Offer him a bowl of his favourite cereal, and he will gobble it up one day and summarily reject it the next. Yesterday his much preferred ragi koozu met with a similar fate. After nearly an hour’s struggle all that Shash permitted was a few mouthfuls, so down the drain it went – the concoction and my efforts both.  And on most days Shashank treats his lunch – a bowl of rasam sadam – with absolute disdain! Which for the life of me I can’t fathom why – it tastes delectable to me! Admittedly it’s something I prepare at home, and I guess to Shash, mom’s cooking sucks, Big Time!! But I am yet to give up hopes especially since there are days when Shashank devours his pappu and rasam sadam complete with a dash of ghee, not to forget his favoured veggie accompaniment.

But why are kids fussy when it comes to eating even foods they seemed to relish sometime back? And how does a mom cope? Well, I think the answer lies with offering a variety of food textures and tastes as well as limiting portion sizes based on the child’s preferences. Although it’s rather difficult to judge serving sizes since his appetites fluctuate, usually I go for three fourths of a bowl. As for altering tastes, I find this the most challenging with the limited ingredients and spices that I think a child’s palate can handle, but I am experimenting. And if Shash is open to a little variation in his meal routines, well so am I! So here’s to making Shashank’s meals more interesting – to prepare, to serve, and hopefully to endure!!

The Sing Along Funda

Shashank has lately developed a ear for catchy music and rhymes. Well, he did have a couple of favourites that he responded to even as early as 6 months, but the past few weeks has seen him get hooked to many a rhyme.  For instance, there are a handful that are much appreciated, such as the appealing ‘If you are happy and you know it’ theme, the wheels on the bus’, and the ‘five little ducks’ song. But certainly the alphabet song is on his top picks, and I can swear he almost seems to sing along. I tell you he does respond by making his own version of the letters in the alphabet. Albeit that nobody else would catch that he is responding to ‘A’ with an extended ‘aaa’! Ok, so I am exaggerating, but who can blame me; it’s the “mommy pride” phenomenon at work!

As for Shashank’s repertoire of filmy numbers, the ‘kangal irandaal’ theme has been a big hit with him for quite sometime. And when I play the ‘nenjukkul peidhidum’ song from vaaranam aayiram he is mesmerized! No prizes for guessing that it’s one of my personal favourites too. Playing much liked songs is a god send for a harried mother trying to feed her fussy baby. As an added bonus is the fact that you get your toddler to appreciate nursery rhymes and learn a rudimentary vocabulary. Just goes to show that when it comes to teaching kids it’s never too early, and what better way than with some fun and music.

The Angry Man!

Of late I am noticing sparks of anger and frustration in Shashank’s generally tame temperament. Shash is usually the calm kid around, always maintaining a cool facade, mind you only when we are out though (!); but even while other kids howl the roof down Shashank won’t bad an eyelid! I can say this was true even when he was like 4 months old, when we would catch a cab or board the metro, all new experiences for him. Often I heard other mothers complaining about how difficult their little one was, and how unmanageable with strangers around. Not Shashank. The ever serene litlle monk he was! Not anymore. Well, he isn’t really rambunctious, but he is spirited surely. If you catch him gnawing a piece of junk and try to take it away from him, be prepared for a strong reaction, a fierce protest, and sometimes a full fledged crying bout. The other day he was having a go at one of his board books and I tried to distract him so I could remove the half worn book. Well, my attempts went in vain as he gave such a throated holler that I let him have his way, if only for a while!

Seems to me that with kids this age cajoling is a futile endeavour. Distraction works, but not always. And reprimands are no use either. Perhaps, this is a phase, I console myself. Not particularly tantrum prone he is, but one thing I can definitely say is that Shashank is one spunky dude!

That Little Pearldrop

I think moms in general are very anxious people. Worrying about the silliest things. Well, let me tell you, I don’t pride myself on worrying; on the contrary, I used to be irritated when people ‘worry’. But when it comes to kids, it seems a natural emotion actually. Ok, here’s what bothered me. Shashank was not teething. Now, that’s not such a bad thing you say? Well he was nearing his 10-month mark and he was still not teething!! I mean, there I was seeing other new mommies talk about their 8-month olds who by the way flashed some gleaming pairs of frontals, and I was pretty concerned. Not concerned, I was dismayed! Perhaps I was over-reacting, and I knew this as I voiced my concern to the doc. Well she just calmly explained it was normal to teeth anytime from 6 to 12 months, and her knowing smile riled me no end! But, she was right I told myself, and decided to stop comparing with other kids and just let Shashank do it in his time.

Guess what! The little pearls do seem to be peeking today! Well, it must have started a few days earlier, because Shashank was gnawing quite decisively on his spoon as I fed him, almost all this week. And today I happened to be giving him little titbits of dosai, and quite unexpectedly he grabbed my hands, and I felt definite pinpricks on my finger! Behold, there I see two little eruptions on his lower jaw, not much like teeth as of now but he’s getting there for sure. Eureka!!