20 Months

Dearest Athiboy,

I skipped the 18 months timeline for my post, hence, writing this now when you arw almost close to 20 months. Time is literally flying, but only for you. When the whole world is almost in a standstill because of Corona, you seem to be growing and learning new things. This phase of your life is truly engaging and joyous. Watching you do all the things that you have learnt by observing us, is a real joy. 

After about a month or two walking around with the Nadavandi you switched on to walking on your own. Well, special thanks to V, as he was the one who initiated it, by making you stand a foot away from me and letting you go, so that you'd just do a thathakath buthak walk without support and reach out to me. (It reminds of the way people helped me swim in Nagala during one of the treks). After we kept doing it for a couple of times, you got the hang of it and started walking around. For the first 2 weeks, you'd walk only when you wanted. Neighbors in the apartment would literally beg you to walk while in the mottamadi (in the evenings) but you wouldn't budge, and would simply go around crawling on the floor. Slowly but steadily you understood walking was more fun and less of an hassle than crawling and you shifted on to walk. There was no stopping you then. These days, you run like crazy from one room to the other in the house, in the car parking and the mottamadi, anywhere and everywhere. There still some slight unbalance and  you do fall quite a few times everyday, but that will only stop you for 2 minutes at the max, when you demand an ice pack, and then you are back at running again. Your energy levels are unmatchable. 

Fishes are something that you really enjoy watching. You demand that the lights on the fish tank (at home) be turned on every time you look at it. You also mimic trying to feed them food, the way Thatha does everyday. Observation skills on point! There is a small fish pond in the apartment complex that my parents live in, and you have never missed to stop and admire them, every time we go to visit them. Also, fish is probably the first set of words from your mouth after amma, appa, enna, etc. And yes, its not fish, its ish for you, F is silent. (or rather F is hard to pronounce)

If there is one thing that can make you sit down in one place for more than 5-10 minutes, its got to be the books. We have a decent collection of books for you, some bought and some gifted. You seem to enjoy flipping through those, and by now, are able to identify quite a few things. We have almost established a night time book reading routine. I am glad you like books. There is a whole world out there in the books which I really don't want you to miss, and I wish you'd like books as much as I do, as you grow.

If there are two things that have not changed almost since the beginning, it has got to be your love for Bathing and Drums. Both of them are your utmost favorite things. There have been numerous times when we have taken you to the bathroom to get only your hands & legs washed, but ended up bathing you. And what more, these days you demand you need your bath tub while bathing. We got you a small bath tub when you were about 4-5months old, and always bathed you in it. But there are days when we'd want you to have a quick bath, so we don't use your bath tub. But in the recent days, you have made sure we always use only your bath tub while bathing you. If not, you keep calling out "ab...ab...", pointing out to it all the while until we bring it over and put you in it.

As for Drums, its something that comes naturally to you, and something that you enjoy seeing / listening to. Our latest favorite is the Violin & Flute cover of Ottagatha Kattiko. The joy on your face when you see that thumbnail on the TV and realize that's the song we are going to play is unmatchable. You have also started enjoying songs like Life of Ram, Unnaku enna venum sollu, for the visuals, especially the fishes, birds, amazing locations. 

We have finally put an end card to our breastfeeding journey at about 18 months. The weaning itself was quite challenging initially, but slowly everything settled in. Thanks to you, for liking bottled milk and a huge thanks to mil who was more than happy to have you sleep with her so that we wean. 

Your food choices are almost similar to my very own, only difference being your indispensable love for curd. I am not much of a curd person per se, but you seem to li(o)ve curd. Its always curd with idli / dosa / upma / rice or anything for that matter. Its your first and only choice. The way you lick it off the plate or cup is so adorable (except for the fact that I have to bathe you once more for all the mess you create and become). Your fruit intake is quite low, but that's matched up with an overflowing love for carrots and potatoes or any vegetables for that matter. Carrot, I guess owing to its bright orange color, seems to be your favorite in veggies. Till now, you are not much of a fussy eater, and mostly happy with whatever we feed you, which is a real savior for us. There have, however, been days when you refused everything but curd, but thankfully they were just short phases.

You love bike and car rides, and don't think twice before jumping into the arms of anyone who offers to take you for a ride. We did go out to a lake sometime last month. Though you love bathing at home, you simply refused to set your foot into the water there. I think we might need to take you there more often to help you like that place and enjoy the waters. A friend had a small inflatable boat which he had brought to the lake, and you loved sitting on the boat with V and rowing around in the water. From that day on, whenever you spot a boat or a raft or anything floating in water with a person, you immediately assume it to be V and point to it and call out Appa - its been a kannula thanni vechunda moment for V.

Lastly, thank you so much for coming into our lives. Your little antics and actions make our every day interesting and joyous. Its really wonderful seeing you grow.

Love,

Amma