adventures in parenting...
Life with the offspring has taken on a definite rhythm now. Whether it's the unpredictable change of sleep or feeding cycles or his new high-pitched manner of crying or his sudden smiles (which AREN'T gas as opposed to what the baby care experts have to say); life with Siddharth has been kicked off properly.
For example: that no matter how well and how much I plan, his knowing when Mommy needs bath time and loo time continue to astound me. So does his knowing when I'm in the midst of a particularly good part in a book or indulging in juicy chats online or over the phone. His potty timings are erratic enough that the moment the delicate aroma of doodoo wafts into my nose I yell out "POTTY" and Red and I are truly jubilant.
But that apart it's really no rocket science in raising a child. Just go with the flow, viz his, and life's roses! Feeding him (breast feeding and not bottle) in the car (front or back seat) while Red negotiates the traffic or orders for take out is now old hat. The intial discomfort at letting the city cabbies have a glimpse of the forbidden treasure was uppermost in my mind but a particularly hair-raising wail put paid to that!
Now clothes are chosen keeping in mind not the occasion per se but lack of anything that might chafe him, irritate him or just might have to be taken to the cleaners if he barfs up on it :o)
He's a fairly quiet child though I must say. Pretty contented to flail his arms and legs and gurgle away. Although he does make most of his faces when I talk to him...all languages that I can manage and pretty much imitating everyone under the sun. It took him a while to pin down my voice since each time he'd hear a different tone, pitch and whatnot!
But it's his and Red's bonding which is to be seen. Pretty non-verbal and almost unblinking, father and son do the staring act. This kid will win the who blinks first contests hands down!
I'm also quite curious about what his first words might be. Which language it might be in. Red and I talk in English, Red talks to him in Telugu (occasionally) and I talk to him in gibberish and pretty much any damn lingo that comes to me...but speaking in Hindi might actually happen over Bangla or Telugu...considering that I lapse into it almost by reflex and am S's primary contact-vocally, even when Red's around.
We've started taking him out in a sling and have brought a stroller for him today. Red's currently wheeling him around the house and S'sall googly-eyed and probably wondering why the people around him can't leave him be with an unending supply of grub and clean diapers :o)
But the changes in my child have been quite startling. Going from a thin infant to a fairly chubby, glossy-cheeked, pug-nosed lil munchkin, he seems to be changing right in front of my eyes...and he's manipulative to the core!!! I swear he knows which faces melt my resolve to not give into more lap time for him and which ones make me rush to him even when he's not overtly demanding of my presence.
Red is a little more balanced. He's also quite matter of fact in the face of injections and such things. I have to admit I closed my eyes when I saw S go silent with his pain when the innoculations were given. He was shaking with his pain and tears but no sounds were coming out. I did glare at the nurses then...and my son and I made plans to have him kick them in the shins when he's a little more grown up.
What can I say? Am a total pushover! Ain't it fun!!!
For example: that no matter how well and how much I plan, his knowing when Mommy needs bath time and loo time continue to astound me. So does his knowing when I'm in the midst of a particularly good part in a book or indulging in juicy chats online or over the phone. His potty timings are erratic enough that the moment the delicate aroma of doodoo wafts into my nose I yell out "POTTY" and Red and I are truly jubilant.
But that apart it's really no rocket science in raising a child. Just go with the flow, viz his, and life's roses! Feeding him (breast feeding and not bottle) in the car (front or back seat) while Red negotiates the traffic or orders for take out is now old hat. The intial discomfort at letting the city cabbies have a glimpse of the forbidden treasure was uppermost in my mind but a particularly hair-raising wail put paid to that!
Now clothes are chosen keeping in mind not the occasion per se but lack of anything that might chafe him, irritate him or just might have to be taken to the cleaners if he barfs up on it :o)
He's a fairly quiet child though I must say. Pretty contented to flail his arms and legs and gurgle away. Although he does make most of his faces when I talk to him...all languages that I can manage and pretty much imitating everyone under the sun. It took him a while to pin down my voice since each time he'd hear a different tone, pitch and whatnot!
But it's his and Red's bonding which is to be seen. Pretty non-verbal and almost unblinking, father and son do the staring act. This kid will win the who blinks first contests hands down!
I'm also quite curious about what his first words might be. Which language it might be in. Red and I talk in English, Red talks to him in Telugu (occasionally) and I talk to him in gibberish and pretty much any damn lingo that comes to me...but speaking in Hindi might actually happen over Bangla or Telugu...considering that I lapse into it almost by reflex and am S's primary contact-vocally, even when Red's around.
We've started taking him out in a sling and have brought a stroller for him today. Red's currently wheeling him around the house and S'sall googly-eyed and probably wondering why the people around him can't leave him be with an unending supply of grub and clean diapers :o)
But the changes in my child have been quite startling. Going from a thin infant to a fairly chubby, glossy-cheeked, pug-nosed lil munchkin, he seems to be changing right in front of my eyes...and he's manipulative to the core!!! I swear he knows which faces melt my resolve to not give into more lap time for him and which ones make me rush to him even when he's not overtly demanding of my presence.
Red is a little more balanced. He's also quite matter of fact in the face of injections and such things. I have to admit I closed my eyes when I saw S go silent with his pain when the innoculations were given. He was shaking with his pain and tears but no sounds were coming out. I did glare at the nurses then...and my son and I made plans to have him kick them in the shins when he's a little more grown up.
What can I say? Am a total pushover! Ain't it fun!!!