Getting naughtier by the day!

Lasr week i was in spring cleaning mode and was attending to the fridge. Emptied the fridge of all its contents,  wiped it down and rearranged the items.

Among the items to be discarded was a container of cut watermelon..it was about 2 days old and had started to taste chalky.. so out it went. While i was going about my business, Tiny was watching keenly. I assumed he was fascinated and also let him help me with some small stuff. Soon..I was done and moved on to another zone while the boy kepy himself busy with something (what..I realised only 3 days later!) in the utility.

The day was done and 2 more days zoomed by without much action. 3 days later. . I noticed a horrible stench in the utility area.. i mean horrible. .like something was dead and decaying!! I looked everywhere. .in the balcony,  below the sink..behind 5he washing machine. .in nooks and corners but couldn't find anything!  It continued to stink. *shuddering just at the memory of the stench*

I decided to wash the small load of clothes piled up in the laundry basket..just in case. As i loaded the washing machine. .the stench grew stronger! I feared something had died in my laundry basket! !! And then..when i picked up a bedsheet it appeared. .the container full of rotten watermelon. .in the laundry basket..cleverly hidden under a pile a clothes!!! *shudders again*

I called my boy and asked him if knew who put it there.  To which he proudly responded.."I did Amma.. you said the fruit was dirty so I thought it needs to be washed and put it in the laundry basket!"

*face palm *

Exploring a new country together

It was exactly around this time in 2013 that S and I did a recce to Singapore. Just the 2 of us, leaving baby back home in the comfort of his Ajjibear's arms. S made up his mind of wanting to move to Singapore, and I have always maintained home will be where S is. So he decided to move countries.

Earlier this year, we made our first trip to Singapore as a family and it was Tiny's maiden trip to a foreign country. I had my parents for support and they really managed Tiny well, through the journey and even at home. I don't know what it was - nervousness or some fear of the unknown, but I was in a nasty mood through the trip. All 15 days. And to top it up, Tiny was at his constipated worst. Poor baby. And within 3 days of getting back to India, he would start with his new school. His first time at a big school. I think all the anxiety and mixed emotions about having to manage by myself in Bangalore while S tries to settle down here and make things a lot more comfortable by the time we move was just making me cranky. But I had to deal with it. And I did.

I was back in Singapore for 12 days last month, to help S move houses. We moved to a place which is likely to be 'home' to us for several years to come. We moved. Settled down. Started cooking. And I went back without any clue of how soon I would be back here again.

Now, This was the second time this year that I had to leave Tiny back in Blr while I traveled. He usually copes well, but I think my anxiety rubbed off on him and he started developing insecurities. He would panic if we were not to be seen for a few minutes. It was of little surprise that when S made an impromptu plan that we all go back with him to Singapore, within 2 weeks of being back in Bangalore, and stay there for a couple of months, I jumped at the offer. It was just what Tiny and I wanted - time together - the 3 of us - our small family, together. So we packed in 2 days, got permission from Tiny's school, shopped for staples at record speed. And flew all the way to Singapore. :)

This time around, Tiny hardly took any time to adjust to the new home. He familiarized himself with the layout the moment he stepped in. It is after a very long time that Tiny and I are in each other's company the whole day, without getting time off from each other. Like when's out at school or when I step in to office for a few hours, leaving him with his grandmother. It's almost like we're just discovering much much fun it can be to spend time with each other! I've actually left my fears behind and except for meetings, I've decided I'll take him along wherever I go. So, in the one week that we've been here, I've taken Tiny on his first Double decker bus ride (oh he was soooo thrilled and kept squealing throughout), took him for a haircut, and yesterday went looking for a courier company across town.

I must say, he's been great company. He's also slightly more grown up and the big school has taught him additional social skills, so it's a lot easier. He's not as brash as the previous time - running out of the MRT at every stop (!!!). He's a lot more patient and understands when I tell him that he needs to wait for our stop or that we need to wait for our turn in a queue etc. And...it's so much fun talking to him. Looking at the world through his eyes. Stopping to look at wild flowers growing off the pavement or to look at ants marching in a line or to see car or monster shaped clouds floating through blue skies. We've also stuck to the routine which we followed in Bangalore, so the familiarity of the routine is doing him some good. We're spending more than 2 hours of quiet time with books and colours. Yes, am really enjoying my 4 year old's company.

Am sure this trip will be a memorable one for so many reasons!! Looking forward to the next 3 weeks of exclusive time with my little boy who's growing up so so fast. 

Advantages of being Tiny

   He can crawl under anything 

N

He can sit on AnyON

He can fit INTO anything!

Big boy!

Tiny had to wait an extra 10 minutes at school today as we were running late. The moment we reached school, I jumped out of the car and ran to the gate only to find Tiny happily cycling away with 2 other children. The teachers watching them and having a good laugh. He looked like he didn't care much that we were late. In fact, I had carry him out of school forcefully as I had interrupted his cycling race! 

I managed to have a word with his teachers and they seemed so pleased! Am surprised because Last year was dreadful for us...with a complaint almost everyday. Most complaints would be about how aggressive he was or how he chose to sit by himself and not mingle with other children or how he preferred playing outside to staying in class etc etc. 

Initially I used to get worked up and worried myself sick about how to set things right. Then I figured that letting him be and just giving a lot of love and attention may help. So through the holidays we would sit and tell each other stories, go for long walks, play in the park, visit his cousins and have them visit us, get busy in craft and so on. Basically a lot of time together. And it seems to have helped. Now, he seems like a much more secure child.  The teachers said that he's much more gentle with the other children now, sits through class and follows instructions well. 

He's grown up so much in just a few months....My big boy.

Learning for me: given time, lots of love and attention, children will turn out to be just fine. :)

       

First day of school...

was good :). It was an amazingly fuss free morning.  The glass of milk was finished within minutes. I didn't have to chase him around the house for breakfast. Nor did I have to drag him out of the bathroom after his bath. He'd chosen the clothes he wanted to wear to school and allowed me to dress him up without any traces of resistance! 

It was almost like he knew he had to go to school and that he is going to a bigger class and should behave appropriately. Maybe. What else could explain such good behavior?! Anyway, the bag was packed, 10 mini idlis arranged neatly in his snack box, water bottle around his neck, Tiny was all set. 

Before we left for school, he looked at me and said, " Maa, am going to school. I'll be back in 2 hours. Ok?" and hugged me. God, he's such a big boy already..tugging at heart strings and all! *sniff* 

We walked to school, which is 2 houses away, with me praying that it would be a good first day. No fights, no tears, no complaints...just lots of fun, that how I wanted it to be. And the moment I saw him coming out of the gate, with a wide grin pasted across his face, I knew that he had a wonderful time. 

I walked back home, satisfied, with a happily tired and hungry toddler who had just rediscovered his time away from home with peers. Hope this is a sign of a fuss free academic year. *keeping fingers crossed*

How was your child's first day back at school?

A brand new year at school

Re-admission. Check. Orientation program for parents. Check. Collect school kit. Check. Control enthu toddler who wants to run into school every time he passes by...:) check! 

I was never much of a school person. All stories of my first few years of schooling start and end with tears. Because of my dad's transferable job, We changed cities and I changed schools almost every year till high school. The obvious problems being letting go of friends whom I'd just started to get along with and making new friends all over again. I never quite settled down and in 29 years, I have just 1 friend, that too from junior college, who I've managed to stay close to. 

For Tiny, it's going to be different. With our businesses headquartered in Bangalore, am assuming we won't pack up and move cities often. We plan on taking admission into a proper school next year, when he's old enough. Till then, it's the play home next to home, where he'll spend a few hours every day with other children his age. 

Tiny started school at 1.8 years...mostly because I needed some help in keeping an overly active toddler constructively engaged while I balanced other aspects of our lives like work, domestic chores etc. the beginning was troublesome. He'd end up going to school only 3 days a week. Most days I would get a call from school asking to pick him up as he was standing by the gate and crying. I was even tempted to stop school and start afresh the next year, when he'd be older, and probably more prepared to manage on his own. We even discussed it with his teachers and decided that we'd try for one more month and if nothing charges, we could stop school. Then something changed.

. I did not send him to school of,r a whole week and he would sit by the window watching parents drop his friends off at school. And he suddenly wanted to go to school. Just like that. Without any fuss.  No effort from our end. And when he did get back, he was a different person, as the teachers told me. He enjoyed being with other children. Loved sand-pit and splash pool time. Looked forward to singing and dancing sessions. Enjoyed the group activities. And I thanked God for that!

Ever since the vacations started over 2 months ago, Tiny has been looking forward to getting back to school. In fact, every time we crossed the school during our evening walks, he'd just stand there, peep through the gates and ask me how much longer it would be before he went to school again! The good news came last week. By courier. An invitation to their orientation programme along with a schedule for collecting the school kits. :) 

So my big boy is all set, with his new waker bokel, snack box, uniform and a cap, to go to school tomorrow! Here's to a great year ahead..full of fun and of course, lots of learning! 

                      

Accident prone

Tiny is a tough kid. He jumps, falls, brushes himself and goes back to jumping again. We've never fussed over him too much either. When there's an owie, we hug, kiss, cuddle, comfort him only till he feels better and then let him get back to playing. This is only when he,s not in trouble...and I mean serious trouble. He's all of 2 years and 8 months old and there's a list of accidents we've been through already.

Common and almost everyday.. Things we don't even bother much about and respond a kiss and a hug

- falls, bruises, scraped joints

Often, but not Everyday

- cut lips as a result of walking / cycling into walls or furniture. These result in a few drOps of blood and am on high alert. I usually try and soothe it with turmeric / ghee and TRY to restrict him from running too fast 

The irregular ones

When he was learning to walk, he'd lost balance in corners and hit his forehead on some piece of furniture. This has happened thrice already and he's got 3 cuts with visible marks on his eyebrows.

The horrifying one's 

- the first time was on a lazy Sunday morning when S and were playing with Tiny and the little fellow started this thing of bouncing off S's stomach. After doing it several times and with us laughing our heads off, he just started jumping and before we knew it, we heard a loud thud. He had hit his head against the foot of the cot and had slit his eyebrow from half tillthe end. We were so stunned and then the blod started flowing. He was crying and I couldn't think! S was comforting him as I jolted myself back into my senses and brought  a cold towel to press on the wound. Thankfully, the hospital was just 5 mins away from where we lived. Turned out that someone had expired and the staff in the ER was busy completing formalities. We waited, Tiny and S drenched in blood. By now, the little fellow had calmed down and was ready to get back to playing. He was smiling and gurgling at strangers who looked aghast at the sight of a bloody baby. Finally when we did see the doctor, they were thankful that the blow had landed on the socket and missed the eye. He needed to be stitched up, though! So now he sports a scar on a left eyebrow, in addition to the small cut marks he gets every time he walks into a piece of furniture.

- then the incident at the food court in a mall where he fell, face first, off a chair and ended up with a broken tooth!

Inspite of all this, he continues to play the same games, jump to and from places you wouldn't even step on, slide down head first from a big slide (!!!!) etc.