7 Months!

Dearest Athiboy,

Before I begin writing each month's post, I make sure to read the previous month's post to remind myself of what all I have written. While doing so this time, I was kind of surprised at myself for having written so much. I don't seem to have too many things to write about this month, because life and the whole world as such is seems to be moving in a pace so slow that even the snail's walk seems faster. So here goes this month's updates -

Foot in mouth - Check! Yes, right after a couple of days since you turned 6 months, you managed to put your toes in the mouth. Reminded me of the good old Gokul Santol Talcum Powder logo. But the real joy lay in seeing you constantly trying it, and how your feet would just wriggle out of your hands most often as you tried to lift it up till your mouth.

I have finally figured out that you have started recognizing me as your mother (This word still makes tremble a little with excitement and anxiety). There have been days when you make a sudden cry while sleeping, and the moment I lift you and put you over my shoulders, you calm down in an instant. I simply can't put in words, the way I feel at that moment, purely priceless. I love the way you give your toothless grin when I come out after work to play with you. All these little happy moments make all the tough times worth it.

Evenings are for Terrace Walks, which you absolutely enjoy. The excitement on your face the moment we put you are made to wear a shirt is a sight to behold. You have a couple of "mottamadi buddies" already, a Thatha from the adjacent flat, the Moringa Tree, and the flat neighbors who come in for a walk in the terrace in the evenings. Spending anywhere between 30-45 minutes, you return back to take a power nap for 30-45 minutes as if you are tired after a whole day's work. 

Finally after 3 months, we are back to my parent's place for 15 days. And guess how you reacted! You see each person and started crying, and the moment I come near you, you start laughing. I wasn't sure if I had to be happy that you'd recognized me or sad that you weren't happy with so many people around. But slowly you started adopting and in the next 2 days, you got used to everyone around and have started playing with anybody who wants to play with you. Putting back on the floor / bed after playing with you is like diffusing a bomb, you either roll over happily or start crying a.k.a demanding you be lifted off the floor again, there is no in-between. Its surprising to know that you realize and understand the warmth of a human touch. Great job there, kid! 

You day naps are a shame to naps themselves, because they last not a minute more than half an hour. Sometimes, the time taken to make you sleep is more than the time you actually sleep. But I am not fully complaining because you sleep during the nights, so thank you! 

You have started sitting with some support, and hence, we have got you a feeding chair. Feeding you food in it is comparatively easier, because you can't really move around in it. Without that, it is a big task to make you sit in one position and feed, because you keep jumping to your feet and always want to keep standing. As for eating, you have started accepting other foods pretty graciously (I'm not sure if that's the right word). Right now, you eat koozh, idlis, mashed apples and bananas, a bit of rice with boiled potatoes, carrots etc. I believe you will grow to like and appreciate food, because you really enjoy eating. Also, nobody can eat their food when you're around without feeling a twinge of guilt, because you simply keep staring at their plate pleading with your eyes to give a portion of it to you.  

As such you are a happy kid, as long as you are not hungry or sleepy, and enjoy your time, rolling around, putting random things into your mouth or trying to lick the floor or having long last conversations with the digital clock.

You enjoy the car rides we take when we got to the hospital for your monthly check-up and I sincerely can't wait to take you out to the beaches and parks and to all your cousins' homes. 

Signing off with the lines of a song that resonates so much with me right now. Its from a tamil movie called Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal. A very rough translation of those lines are - At one instant, the mother wants her child to grow up and care for her, but the next second she wants the child to stay as a kid forever. I think this is more of a Mom's Syndrome, and every mother would go through this at some point in time. 

இந்த நிமிடம் நீயும் வளர்ந்து
என்னைத்தாங்க ஏங்கினேன்
அடுத்தக்கணமே குழந்தையாக
என்றும் இருக்க வேண்டினேன்

Love, 

Amma