Sing along...

I have been singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and ufffff... I've been singing all the time! With my besuraa, be-taal, voice, making up songs after songs, dancing along at times. And someone seems to be enjoying it so much! He in fact wants me to sing in a stupid way rather than listen to great singers' recorded songs. Uff... my boy!

And evening and weekends, D does the honors! Of course Adu wanting his appa to sing is understandable given the fact how much he used to sing for me and him during my pregnancy. There used to be some singing sessions when he'd sing song after song and I'd listen happily. After mom joined us, she too continued the trend and sang some forgotten songs. And she did continue it in his initial couple of months and he loved it.

But me? Why me?? With my infamous singing skills??? Well, one because I am his mother, and two I am alone with him the whole day and he does need some entertainment, doesn't he! Whatever be the reason, I've been singing along.

I'm glad I have at least got back my pre-pregnancy voice finally, after having lost it for many months, during pregnancy and initial days after his birth. And this is helping me recollect some forgotten favorite film songs, (how many lullabies can i learn!?). And some I make up songs with some funny words and those are his most favorites! I sing about his burps, I sing out his nappy change, call him a dirty boy, all in a self composed tune and voila! he loooooves it!!!

And the reward I get is his lovely toothless smile, more gurgles, some lying down dancing steps, and a happy baby! And I love it!

Adu @ 3 months

My fingers are so tasty!!

Adu turned 3 months a couple of days ago. Three months and so soon! They say the first 3 months are the most difficult period (during infancy only; there will surely be more difficult periods going fwd) for parents. And looking back, I don't feel it was difficult as such. Of course there were many sleepless nights, and times of confusion when we'd not understand what he wanted or why he was crying... but all those got sorted out pretty soon. Almost by the time he turned 2 months, we could associate his different cries to different needs, get better sleep, and so on. Of course there are a few difficult days when he goes on crying and we feel helpless, not knowing what to do, but that is quite rare.

A friend recently asked me how it was, the never ending, sometimes hourly feeding-nappy changing business. And frankly I said it wasn't as bad as they say. I'm really enjoying it all... Never once did i feel frustrated for having to wake up so often during the night. I am surprised myself, how it is so, for someone who needs so much sleep generally! May be having help of mom and D really helped too... And may be I was well prepared for this too!

We're finding this phase of his very very interesting, with him doing different things every day. He's exploring his surroundings, trying to make different sounds, makes out our different expressions both facial and verbal, shows his joy or sometimes anger too! It is such a joy just watching him or talking to him...

• A little after he completed two months, he started looking at our faces and conversing with his coos and gurgles. This was not random sounds anymore and he would specifically look into our eyes and make different sounds with expressions, as if to narrate something. This has been the most wonderful conversation I've ever had!! It is so much fun, talking to him in his own language!!
• He did roll over on soft surfaces a few times in his second month, but seems to have forgotten or given up on that now. His interest has shifted to communication from mobility!
• He notices gadgets in our hands very keenly that's a point for us to take care not to use too much of mobile or laptop when with him. Of late, if we are engrossed in the gadgets and don't pay him attention, he complains quite noticeably! Good for us!!
• A colleague of D has gifted him with a book made of quilt like material, of a famous Swedish cartoon Bamse, a bear. We've started reading to him from the book and narrating him and he LOVES it! He gets so involved in it and gets excited as soon as we take out the book!
• He has been munching his fingers quite a bit! Of course mom does not give anything to chew on, and he still hasn't discovered the ability of his hands to grasp things, so he has not many options!
• He clearly has names for the three people he knows I am Ungaaa, D is Ababu and ajji is Andhe! He cries out these words depending on whose attention he wants!!
• BTW, his ajji left when he was just about 2 and a half months and he had been looking for her for a few days. And sometimes call for her and cry.
• And he has been able to recognize her voice on phone or skype and feels excited and even responds! When my in-laws try to talk to him on phone, he would just give a confused look and not bother to respond. Now i deduce that it was because he is not familiar with their voices and tones yet, whereas my mom's voice is something he has been hearing from the beginning.
• And another important thing is that he loves sitting in his rocking chair in the kitchen and watching me work! His first bake with me was a brownie, to which he gave me company happily, talking to me all along. And he got used to the mixer sound as well, when I demo'ed it to him after his initial fear! I felt so sad that I cannot feed him a bite yet! 

Ahh the amazing way a little being grows, learning so many things along!

Well, on the health side, he is happy and healthy when his amma is dairy-free and not otherwise. Unfortunately soya too doesn't seem to be working for him. I did try it a couple of times and he was upset for a couple of days. Eggs on the other hand he seems to be okay with. So I am an egg eating vegan ;) Well, I know i can't say that.. so rather can I say I am a dairy free ovo-vegetarian?! But I am happy to discover so many possibilities that I would have otherwise not done. So that's it for now!