Christmas 2011 - A time for gifts, family and good cheer!

Its the holiday season and its time for shopping!! On Saturday, Dec 24, we landed up at Ishi's school to realize there was no class. So we used the time to go shopping! We wanted to show her Santa too, so we took her to Ambience Mall. Here is its huge gift pyramid and christmas tree, and other xmas decorations.

 


We didn't see any Santas around, so it was off to the kids stores. Since our usual haunt 'Mom & me' was shut for renovations, we raided Mothercare! Top on the list was a car seat for Ishi. We finally got one..and its Pink! With butterflies! :)

Ishi - sleeping in her new car seat on the way back home from shopping!

But that was not all! Apart from clothes and woolies, we found another 'must have' item at the store - a playpen! We had been looking for one for ages! Here is Ishi store testing the one on display!

We got one with bars all the way around instead of the net. Though it gives a more 'jail' like look, she can hold on to the bars all the way around and move about. The net, on the other hand, is more confining and she had no hold on those sides. The units of the pen can also be used as room dividers and gates!

Then it was Christmas Eve! Dida and newly-weds Tuki Maashi and Deepak Mesho came over with cake and more gifts! Dida was fresh back from her Nepal trip and Maashi & Mesho back from their Kashmir honeymoon! They brought back T-shirt for Dad, pashmina shawls and glittery beads for Mom and a softer-than-soft yellow poncho for me! I love it! That night was one of the coldest Christmasses ever (almost 0 degrees Celsius!!), but our house was full of warmth and love. Here we are celebrating Xmas 2011.

Xmas Video 2011

'Tis the season to be jolly, tra-la-la-la-la la-la la la!

Good morning!

Ishi is a morning person. She loves to read/ play with the morning papers.

Want to hear today's news?

Hmm...lets open up the pages

I wonder how it tastes?

Is there anything at the back too?

Just like a grown up!

News in profile

Hunger for knowledge...or paper!

But why can't I eat it?

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Why do we wear clothes?

Ishi's latest antics are taking off her clothes. Leave her alone to play in her cot, and a little later you find her pyjamas taken off and bundled in one corner, while she stands up holding the edge of the cot, laughing and dancing by moving her hips from side to side. Today, she went another step forward and took out one arm out of her shirt sleeve (full sleeve mind you) and then had great fun hanging over the cot bars with her shirt all bunched up at her neck on one side!

It is full length one piece rompers for you little lady if you keep this up!

Doctor Visits

October started with all of us getting ill. First Leela got a cold. Then Ishi's dad did. Then I got one with a bad cold, dry cough and blocked ears that went on for so long, I actually had to visit a doctor. And when I started getting better, Ishi had her first real illness with a slight cold and cough which started getting worse on of all days, her first birthday October 19, 2011. After a couple of days of coughing and runny nose, we took her to her pediatrician. Though she did not have any fever, she did have prolonged expiration and the possibility of a slight wheeze, specially given the bad air quality near Diwali, made him a bit cautious. We ended up with three medicine prescriptions! Nasivion, nasal drops to help her breathe; T-minic, for her cold and Sarbutamol syrup, a broncho-dilator to help her breathe. Additionally, we tried to keep her room humidified and switched off the AC. On her post Diwali visit, she showed improvement, but still the prolonged expiration and doc advised to continue medicines for another couple of days. I was a bit concerned she might not be well for her birthday party, but her medicine course ended on Saturday and she was as fine as a fiddle on Sunday for the party!

Post the party, we took her back to the doc on Monday for an all clear and final check up. He also completed her 1 year milestone check - all developments checked so far! Then came the time for vaccinations. Poor Ishi ended up with two - chicken pox and hepatitis A. One on her thigh and one on her arm. She is now beginning to understand syringes and associate the pain, and didn't like it at all. Still, she cried only for a bit, and daddy cuddled her and walked her up and down to soothe her. Another visit check on her doctor card. Next visit is at 15 months.

First Birthday Party

Last Sunday (October 30, 2011) was Ishi's first birthday party. It was a culmination of almost a month of planning! It was well attended by friends and family though we did lose some last minute guests to seasonal flu and the first ever Indian F1 race which was on the same day!

The venue was beautiful. We chose the lawn tennis ground, which was covered with lush grass and enclosed with green creepers with little purple flowers. There was also a big children's swing set with a ropewalk and a slide just next to the venue. We decided on a Pink/Lavender color scheme to create a magical place for a beautiful baby girl.

It was a delightfully sunny autumn afternoon. The guests entered under a fluffy balloon gate, flanked with a board announcing the party, in the courtyard filled with splashing fountains. They found themselves in a lush fairyland with two huge gazebo tents and stand alone umbrella tables and chairs.

The pride of the place went to a large collage of Ishi's photographs, flanked by two bubble machines that floated iridescent orbs over the guests. Spread on the table counter just under the collage was a big chart for the guests to write their messages for the birthday girl. To the left was the place for gifts, while on the right was an overflowing bowl of candies surrounded by lollipops, party hats, noisies and party masks!

  

A little ahead, and in the middle of the two gazebos was a beautifully draped cake table. The cake itself was an enchanting princess castle with beautiful sugar towers, ivy with flowers on the walls, pink windows and doors, all decorated with hearts and colorful gems and sprinkles. Inside were layers and layers of yummy chocolate and vanilla, which everyone raved about. There was even a smaller eggless version for the pure vegetarians! The candle was a pretty lotus that bloomed on being lit, and a sprinkler candle on the cake, that shot fiery sparks!

 

     

Opposite the collage was the children's area with jungle bouncy, a tattoo artist who painted live tattoos and a candy floss maker who spun sugary delights! Beyond this was the catering areas where Moets the caterers served a delicious menu! Doing the rounds of the guests were the starters - dahi kebab, chilli potatoes, mini veg pizza, murg malai tikka, mutton galouti kebeb and fish orly. They were washed down by assorted soft drinks and juices. For the main course there was shahi paneer, cholle, veg biryani, murgh makhani, mutton rogan josh, goan fish curry, live pasta and noodles stations (veg and non veg), assorted indian breads, green salad, dahi bhalla and papads. On the dessert counter, the cake was joined by rasmalai, tiramisu and ice cream. Everyone raved about the food! Some loved the paneer, some the fish, others went gaga on the noodles ... the pasta ... the tiramisu - the menu got a resounding approval from everyone!

After the good food, the conversations and the fun, when it was time to leave, the guests were again surprised with a variety of return gifts. For the kids there were flash cards for the tots; dolls, jigsaw puzzles, play dough and ramp cars for the young ones; and sliding puzzles, nail art, candle making sets and Ra-One Shahrukh Khan notebooks for the elder children. The adults were not forgotten, and went back with sparkly and ribboned boxes of chocolates.

At the end of the party, all of us (Dida, Dadu, Tuki Maashi and Deepak Mesho included) went back home loaded with gifts and yummy leftovers! 

Once at home, it was an gifts everywhere as the unwrapping and the fun began! Boxed toys, wheeled toys, soft toys, clothes, books, even a silver spoon covered the living room! So much love, good wishes and loads of blessings for our little princess was the perfect ending to a magical day.

Happy birthday little angel. We love you!

First Birthday Invite

Ishi's first ever birthday invitation formally went out on facebook last night.

Video version: Saisha's Birthday Invitation

Painting Class 101: Red & Green paint make Brown Art!

Ishi had her proper trial pre-preschool class today. She was with a bunch of other kids, mostly 15-17 months old. There was free play time, painting (washable non-toxic paints with aprons!), music, a story, colorful fabric (parachute) flapping, bubbles, and lots of constant activity followed by snack time! We are signing up for the Saturday class for now - one class per week till she is 15-16 months or so, to help her get socialized to being with other kids and people.

 Here is her first piece of art! One blob of red and green paint each, mixed thoroughly with her (mostly left) hand and half her left arm, covered with paper and banged upon to imprint her first masterpiece into permanence!

Off to School

Off to first Pre-school trial class at Intellitots. Both Daddy and Mommy came to check out the place. Ms Namita took us around the premises, explained the class progression and we sat in one of the class sessions for 10 minutes. Age group for this class varies from 8months to 14 months and beyond. This particular session had senior tots, all of them happily running around..no crawlers/wobblers! Going back on Saturday for another trial for a new 1-2yr batch. After that will decide when to start school! The plan is to start 1 class a week in the beginning and move to 2/week after 6-8 months! Depending on how the trial classes go, we might wait for a month or so till she is more confident standing upright/cruising, before starting classes...but undecided on that.

Ishi's behavior in class was a bit dazed. So many kids around, so much noise! She sat quietly, fiddled with the bows on her pants and then tried crawling about a bit on the mat. Not much to see in 10 minutes. But we feel a gradual introduction into socializing with kids, with one of us around, would be much better, than waiting for a later date and then starting with a bang. Lets see how it works out!

Rocking away to Pre-Preschool!

It seems its never too early to go to school! Intellitots, a preschool in Gurgaon, runs a parent-infant program for babies from 6 months onwards! So while we've been taking it lazy, other parent-infant combos are bonding in a more structured and educational manner!

So I've signed us on for a 30 mins trial class tomorrow. While the lady was very happy for us to join the trial class, I'm informed there is a waiting list for the actual class....erm what? So she is 10 months old. This class runs 6m-12m and 6m-14m kids. Plus they are starting something new for 1yr-2yr olds. So, she will be too late for option 1 (due to waiting), but too early for option 2??? What are we getting into??? "Come for the trial class", says she, "and lets see what happens."

She is just 10 months old and we are late already??? <Space reserved for entirely unsuitable exclamations>

Oh the horror of being taking-it-easy parents!! Well no more! Also on the agenda tomorrow morning, is a visit to a nearby Pre-school that starts admission from 1.6yrs onwards. So what if its 9 months (almost double her current age) away. We may already be in the 'lax parents' category!

An optional item on tomorrows agenda is a rocking horse. Brad Pitt has bought Shetland ponies for his brood. Surely we can buy a rocking horse for Ishi. I mean come on...its a rocking horse! I love them...erm...I mean she will love it! Assuming it is age and price appropriate...and space appropriate...and...ahh come on...its a horse! Or an elephant (as I saw in a store). On further research on the net, rocking toys are a category by themselves, with some amazingly fun combinations. Though when I try to check for its educational/development qualities, all I get is a bunch of businesses named Rocking Horse. But surely such a classic wouldn't be a classic without some fantastically supreme qualities. It will teach her balance...and ...er rocking..and ..umm...something more too. Google is not my friend today. But a rocking horse might soon be Ishi's. Maybe...hopefully..could be. Which kid wouldn't love a pony .... adults included! :)

Sketched on iPad

Milestone Checks

Pulling self up to stand up completely from sitting postion: August 31, 2011
First taste of boiled chicken: August 31, 2011 (courtesy Dida's sandwich)
Big people breakfast - Egg (yolk) Sandwich (sans sides): September 1, 2011

Other achievements since her 10 month birthday:
Shuffling from one end of the cot to the other holding on to the cot side
Holding on to someone's hands and taking steps to move forward
Stamping left foot repeatedly (almost like a dance move!)
Lifting up to all fours (but still using belly crawl for crawling)
First set of photos sent for publishing: To Child Magazine courtesy Tuki Maashi's friend Vandita
First possible fungal infection: White patch on right elbow (being treated with Surfaz)

First Painting

Ishi's first ever finger painting.... On a Toy Story activity book on iPad.
So it's her first digital-digit painting :)

Riyaaz

Up at 6:30 am, had milk, roamed around in the house in Leela's arms, now its some cot time and time for riyaaz!

Aaaa-waaa-waaa-waaa-waa-waa ...

Sketch

- Sketched on iPad!

Cute inspiration!

Last evening I was out dining with a colleague. He saw Ishi's pics on my iPad. Today he tells me that he was so thrilled looking at her, he actually may have got inspired to go the family way :D He even had the 'talk' with his wife! Now that's one lady I'll need to stay clear of !!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Food for thought and action!

Life in general is just peachy :)

Ishi had her 10th month birthday and celebrated with her first custard! There was supposed to be blueberry cheesecake as well but the bakery goofed up. She also had her first rakhi earlier this month. Prithvi bhaiya came over with Piya Maashi and Vikas Mesho. We had also sent a rakhi to Shubham bhaiya. Menu for rakhi lunch was chicken pulao (Prithvi's favorite chicken leg!), home made cholle-bhature and boondi raita, and kaju barfi, brownies with honey almond ice-cream for dessert. Yumm!

In other food news, we are in the process of planning Ishi's first birthday. So far, the venue is finalized as Club Florence in Gurgaon, caterer most probably Moets. But we are still debating the date! 19th is a wednesday and we want to hold it on a sunday. 16th is a good date, but there is some superstition about celebrating birthdays early. 23rd, the next sunday is too close to Diwali (on 26th). So there we are at present with less than 2 months to go!

On the development side, Ishi has started to clap hands! She can also pull herself up holding someones hands and hang on to the side of the cot. But not pull herself up using the cot bars yet. She is displaying clear moods, likes and dislikes. When she gets angry she does the cutest little left foot stamp, and if on her playmat, stuffs small blocks under the armchair! Today I made her stand holding on to the side of the armchair. Many enticements to try and straighten up failed, but what worked was a bright shiny macbook ... just a little out of reach! uh-oh!

A day in my life

A day in the life of 10 month old Ishi. Wake up at an amazingly early hour when only daddy and nero will stir out of bed. Spend some happy time playing in cot. Drink milk with Leela (and only with Leela). Have massage, bath, change and breakfast. Watch local wildlife, i.e. monkeys. Play in cot/gym. Greet mommy - the late riser. Play in gym/playmat (if jadu-pocha is done). Take a short nap. Playmat time. Throw in some lunch in there. Play gym time (because siestas are over-rated, but mum/leela need some time to do other stuff/rest). Try climbing out of the play gym, despite highly heaped barrier cushions. Attain gravity defying positions. Have evening fruit snack. Check the views from various balconies. Spend time in the stroller. Watch nero go walkie, jump around. Throw stuff down from stroller. Sometimes, go down for a short stroll. Take a short nap - optional. Play in gym/mat. Have dinner. Greet daddy back from work. Play with daddy. Change into Pjs. Play some more with daddy. Bunk down for the night.

Video Conferencing & Escaping from the Gym

Yesterday, Ishi had her first Video Con. Daddy got a new I-Pad and had gone to Noida to meet the architect of our to-be-built new house. He skyped Dida, Dadu and Maashi from Netaji Nagar. Ishi was asleep so I had taken the laptop to her gym to show her asleep, but she woke up and spent a dazed few minutes on the laptop before going back to sleep after the call was over.

In other news, this morning, she again fell off the bed, this time towards the door side. She was happily playing in her gym when suddenly I turned and saw her fall down. She had pushed the barrier cushions off and rolled off! Now I'm bringing out the big bolsters to block the gym sides. But she has already learnt to pull herself onto all fours, though she doesn't hold that position for long. Once she figures that out, the bolsters might not be much of a barrier. So then its going to be the floor mat or the cot. No more big bedtime.

9 months in, 9 months out

Ishi celebrated turning 9 months old on 19 July 2011, by eating her very first chocolate fudge cake. Yum Yum Yum!

What is that mom? Give me a taste...

I can play with my cake...

... and eat it too!