Life etc.

2011-11-07T10:30:00.001-05:00

I'm back
LAst night I was telling Kedar about the cute things Ella's been saying, and he told me to write them down before we forget. Seriously, that's why I started this blog.My days continue to be filled to the brim. I was thinkung the other night about the abundance of love I get from my kids. It's a fountain of love that's constantly giving, and it's the most wonderful awareness.
Anyway, before I go off the deep end:
Ella keeps saying " It's complicated!". I'm sure she heard it on Big Time Rush or one of the shows that she watches with Ro. Also, " Ankees" for Yankees. " Uncle" for Ankle ( as in, my uncle hurts.) She used to say "peep" for keep. " Peep it deya". It was so adorable!!! She's a very independent-minded and opinionated young lady. Favorite past time: smearing lotion on stuff (go figure.) Also, dancing to Usher. Seriously, since Rowan started hip hip class, our house has been filled with the sound of Usher and Bruno Mars. We're loving the music! Already we'e learning thinghs from our kids.

Five!

2010-04-14T10:43:00.005-04:00

Rowan turns 5 in 2 weeks. Last night as I was putting him to sleep, I felt a surge of pride. He's growing up so fast and he's a great kid. He's kind and funny, gentle and imaginative, silly, and sensitive. He loves food, his friends and Ella. He's full of curiosity. He's a little person with definite opinions and preferences - who still needs a daily dose of cuddles. He's come a long way!

Yaya

2010-01-26T16:55:00.002-05:00

"Yaya" deserves a post all its own. Yaya is a small yellow robotic hamster, popularly known as a Zhu-zhu pet, that Ella has developed a great affinity to. She wakes up in the morning and goes looking for him, all the while yelling " Yaya! Yaya!" When she gets home from the babysitter's house, she looks at me, hands turned up, asking " Yaya?"
It's so freakin cute.
"Yaya" is also her generic word for all animals. With Rowan it was "Baaoo".

Yaya? Baao? Where do these kids come up with this stuff.

Neglect!

2010-01-19T11:43:00.004-05:00

Neglecting this blog is actually a good thing. It means I've been too busy taking care of the munchkins' extreme neediness to blog. Oh and besides, Kedar had major hip surgery. AND we had the winter holidays ...
Long story short, it's been an eventful couple of months. These are the days I'll look back on and wonder "How did I do it?" And the answer is what every parent will give you: "Somehow, you just do it."
Somehow you just summon up the stamina for one more feed at midnight, one more dose of Tussin DM at 2 am. Somehow you hold them for 3 hours straight when they're burning up with fever and don't want to be anywhere else except your arms. Somehow you feed them, make sure their underwear is clean, get them off to school. And in the midst of all this, somehow you shower (every other day), stumble into your clothes (whatever fits/is clean) and show up for work.
But.
Ella now sports FOUR fashionable new teeth.
Rowan has a new "victory" dance routine that's even more hilarious than the hockey dance.
They're playing with each other more and more every day and love is blossoming.
So that's what makes it worth it.
I hear it gets easier when they're bigger. Busier but easier. I'll take it!

A Pome

2009-11-04T11:21:00.001-05:00

To the Sun

Perhaps we shall meet soon
Some rather quiet afternoon
On the street where I live and love
Shaded by the mighty oaks above.

Perhaps the sky will blush
With that heady pink rush
Which only you can bring
With your promise of spring.

Perhaps the grass will wake
And out of its green gloom make
A carpet for me and mine
Scented with dew and pine

Then again, you may decide not to show -
In which case, you ought to know,
You are our sun, our only sun
For all our tomorrows come.

Vocab Update

2009-10-13T10:02:00.002-04:00

I have to note this for posterity.

Soupcase
Sectember
Octover
Wood cream
Chimp-panda

Mommy!!

2009-09-01T11:51:00.002-04:00

I was in the bathroom upstairs getting ready for work when I heard a strong little voice call out " Mo-mmy!" several times. Finally my brain registered what it was, and I ran down the stairs to find Ella sitting at the bottom of the stairs calling out to me. I can't describe the feeling, really. Ella brings such joy into our lives.
She's a content and happy child. And these days she's on a roll... she's having fun exploring every corner of the house. Last night as I was making dinner, she found her way into the mudroom, checking out our shoes. That's my girl.

Update

2009-08-10T16:05:00.003-04:00

Commando style, Bottom Shuffling, Crab Walk, Scooting, Ella's done it all. For months now, she's been mobile in her own creative way. If you ask me how she gets from Point a to Point B, I'd have no idea how to explain her "repertoire of moves" as a friend of ours put it. She pushes herself backwards, shuffles her bottom, does a bit of rolling sideways - but eventually gets there. It's hilarious!
On August 8th, in the middle of a bad viral infection, she finally started crawling the way most babies do. She's tried to do this kind of traditional crawl for months but couldn't figure out how to get one of her legs unstuck!
Too bad she hasn't had the time to practice more - she's been pretty sick, poor thing.
And so has Rowan.
Having two kids very sick at the same time --- let's just say it's been surreal. Even when Rowan has been an ideal sick kid.
I'm going to turn once again into the Purell fiend that I was in the early baby days.
Also been busy planning Ella's first birthday bash! It's going to be a huge turnout... can't wait!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-24T15:27:00.002-04:00

Ella Update

2009-06-11T10:28:00.002-04:00

She's taking her time. She's not crawling yet. No teeth either. But she's on a roll wit lots of other cool things. A week shy of 10 months, Ella:

Screeches

Babbles "Da da Aa Da"

Fake coughs to get a laugh from us

Scoots backwards

Waves bye-bye

Laughs loudly

Throws things on the floor

Eats pancakes, sweet potato

Doesn't like Cheerios

Loves to have a bath

Scratches her head and her tummy

Loves being outside

Eight

2009-06-08T10:45:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow is our 8th wedding anniversary. It's been a very eventful time, to say the least. A lot happened since that sunny day - June 9th, 2001 - when we tied the knot on a boat on the Charles River in Boston. We became homeowners and I became an American citizen. We traveled to India, Mexico, Italy, Canada, the Bahamas. Then Rowan came along and irrevocably changed our life - and our marriage. Almost immediately after, Kedar took the big leap into becoming a solo practitioner. He started his own practice and our other baby was born. Like Rowan, "The Practice" needed round-the clock nurturing and regular checkups. Thankfully, both are growing well and turned 4 this year! Then we had a few more hiccups along the way in the baby making process... and finally in August 2008, Ella came along.
If our marriage is the star of this blog spot, then our strong supporting cast must get due credit. We would be absolutely lost without both sets of grandparents, who have given unselfishly of their time again and again, as Kedar and I muddled through 2 am feedings and potty mishaps; bedrest and skinned knees; work deadlines and earaches. With his unassuming demeanor and quiet strength, Kedar's Dad is a constant help and our soft place to fall. My 4 ft. 11 mother was a pillar of strength, our rock, running our house single-handedly during both my complicated pregnancies.
There are times we felt that our marriage was crumbling under the enormous pressure of a house, 2 kids, 2 jobs and an all-consuming business. When we were literally like two ships passing in the night. When we fought constantly and couldn't remember why we were married. But somehow we found the common sense to step back and get a perspective: sometimes it rains and sometimes it shines. That's life. That's marriage. And we wouldn't want it any other way.

Spring

2009-05-13T09:53:00.003-04:00

Pretty dresses and dewdrops on the grass.
That's what spring time brought.

Rowan's 4th Birthday Party at the Zoo

2009-05-07T09:50:00.006-04:00

Friends

Assorted Zoo Animals

The Cake

Vocab Update

2009-04-12T22:10:00.003-04:00

Recorded for Posterity (to get a bunch of laughs) as of April 2009:

"I smell like eating eggs."

" I finded the hunting eggs today." ( Translation: I found all the Easter eggs today.)

" No, not 5 minutes more. 3 minutes more."

" What o'clock is it?"

And not to forget: Niverous, Siverous and the one and only Adovo!

Da da da da

2009-04-08T11:59:00.002-04:00

Ella's talking!
She just started babbling yesterday - da da da da, ma ma ma ma. At one point she said what sounded distinctly like "Mommy" - but I think it was just a coincidence. A very happy one. Suddenly, she's transformed from this lump to a talking person. Remarkable how that happens!
I'm sure now that's she's started, she won't stop talking. If she can get a word in sideways, that is.
Rowan keeps up pretty much a constant babble, piping up all day with remarks, comments and dubious demands like, "Mommy, can you wipe me?"
I must be mad, because I can;t wait for Ella to say the same.

Sitting pretty

2009-03-27T19:40:00.002-04:00

Ella decided to skip the - yawn!- rolling over stage and went straight to sitting up. Personally, I never got the whole deal about rolling over. Sitting up is much more fun. After months of lying flat on your back staring at the ceiling, it's a whole new perspective on the world. And Ella lunges forward with a vengeance too - almost ready to crawl. Not bad for a 7 month old!

2009-03-27T19:34:00.002-04:00

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

2009-03-27T19:31:00.002-04:00

So it goes

2009-03-26T16:43:00.002-04:00

There are days when I feel so unbelievably lucky to have these 2 little people in my life. When I feel blessed to have such a perfect family.
Then there are those other days.
Those days when the uppermost thought in my mind is: "WHAT HAVE I DONE!"
2 kids. And I am their mother. The single most important person in their life. I have to raise them right. Make sure they grow up into kind, compassionate, confident and loving adults. The thought is enough to send me into spasms of sheer, blind panic.
Shit.
How exactly am I qualified to do this?
Some days, I have to remind myself that I'm the adult and they're the babies. Resist the urge to stomp off to my room and slam the door or throw a tantrum.
Which just proves my point.

A hair-raising experience

2009-03-05T10:53:00.002-05:00

Before

After

With Rowan's first haircut seared into my brain, I was prepared for histrionics. Tears. Screams. Major drama. Complete mayhem in the salon. But Ella was the epitome of calm. She all but whistled while Amanda, the same girl who gave Rowan his first haircut (and lives to tell the tale), did her thing. We kept waiting for the screaming to start - but nada.

I was proud of her.

A rare family picture

2009-02-11T22:22:00.002-05:00

Ro & Ella

2009-02-11T22:18:00.001-05:00

Ella Bella

2009-02-11T22:15:00.003-05:00

Lollipop Love

2009-02-11T22:12:00.002-05:00

Goodnight Moon - for Moms

2009-02-10T16:28:00.000-05:00

In the messy red
family room
There was a telemarketer ringing the telephone
And a crying baby
because her brother just popped her
red balloon
And a picture of--

The cow jumping over the moon (which someone colored on with permanent marker)
And there was a missing
teddy bear, and a girl with
gum in her hair

And one to be scolded
And laundry to be folded
And a very hungry spouse
And something stinky in the house
(that no one else seemed to smell)

And a comb and a brush and a colicky baby who just won't shush
And a frazzled mommy screaming #*%#@

Goodnight messy room
Goodnight scribbled-on moon
Goodnight cow getting out while she can
Goodnight telemarketers and the
popped balloon
Goodnight long-gone teddy bear Goodnight cereal bar smeared all
over the dining room chair

Goodnight spitup
And goodnight leaky sippy cup
Goodnight much-too-little house and goodnight grumpy spouse
Goodnight comb and goodnight brush
And goodnight to a certain 4-year-old who just needs to hush right now I mean it

Goodnight Elmo
Goodnight toys we'll pick up tomorrow,
or the next day
Hello chardonnay and TiVo--
"me" time finally

- reproduced from Parenting magazine

Winter Blues

2009-02-04T19:35:00.004-05:00

I hate, abhor, despise winter on the East Coast. Rowan spent most of his first 2 winters battling a never-ending parade of viruses. He was sick almost every week for months. Every week! Now it's Ella's turn. She's 5 months old and already on her 6th cold. And this one is so bad we can hear it rattling in her chest every time she breathes. She's had the loosies, a rasping cough, a terrible diaper rash and congestion so bad that she's lost her voice. And the really fun part for her is - every morning, I have to schlep her in 20 degree weather to the babysitter's house.

I think I'm getting very close to the point where I'm starting to think that we'd be happier living in a warmer place. My kids getting sick for months at a time is too high a price to pay to live here.

Extolling

2009-01-13T10:06:00.004-05:00

I couldn't just leave this momentous occurrence at that Mastercard spoof. As you may have guessed from my earlier post Rowan. is. now. completely. potty. trained.
At this time, in this moment, there is nothing else I want from life. I have it all. My son poops in the potty. If there's a heaven on earth, this is it. The potty. My son on it. Pooping.

12/26/08. This is how it happened. Before Christmas vacation started, we resolved to throw out Rowan's Pull-ups. As much for us as for Rowan. That way, we wouldn't wimp out. Christmas Eve came, then Christmas Day. We opened presents, we made a nice dinner for the family, we went shopping. We played at Kids Kingdom. We had playdates. We went to brunch. We went to a Holiday party. Through it all, Rowan refused to go and held it in for 3 whole days. We panicked and called the ped who uttered the 2 best words in the English language: Mineral Oil. 2 tablespoons later, Rowan HAD to go. There was absolute terror in his eyes, he hyperventilated, he cried, he fought. I had to physically hold him down. I told him to breathe deeply - in and out. In and out.
And finally, he pooped.
Day 4. Repeat above scenario.
But after those first two times of holding it in, he suddenly realized that he was fine. That no body part of his was coming out of his butt. That he hadn't been sucked down the potty hole. Whatever terrible fear he'd had, it was gone.
My son is pooping on the potty. And I have it all.

OH. YEAH.

2009-01-13T10:02:00.002-05:00

Lightning McQueen Underpants: &6.99

Bottle of Mineral Oil: $1.79

Never having to change another stinky diaper: Priceless

Earrings!

2008-12-16T10:05:00.002-05:00

Check out the teeny studs in Ella's teeny ear!!! Yes, we got her ears pierced by her ped at her 3 month appointment. True to form, she took it in stride. A few seconds of crying as the doctor "shot" her ears, a nice bottle and nap afterwards, and that was it. I think she likes them!

Rowan and Ella

2008-12-15T21:38:00.002-05:00

Elly Belly

2008-12-01T22:02:00.003-05:00

What can I say? Ella is a joy beyond any other. Except for Rowan. When I was pregnant, I'd lie awake wondering if I would love her as much as I do Rowan, and what if I didn't and how that whole thing works. No more wondering. I seem to have this infinite store of love.... more than enough for the two of them and then some.

Feet elbows

2008-11-22T11:23:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, Rowan looked at Ella's knees and said, 'Mommy, look at Ella's feet elbows.'
I mean, the most creative grown-up in the world wouldn't be able to dream that one up.

And this (when asked what he was thankful for):
" I"m fankful for my baby sister. And for cupcakes."

BURP

2008-11-03T14:50:00.001-05:00

Burping. One thing I"m not going to miss from the early baby days. The happy expression on my face is a total con. ;-)

Who built the trees?

2008-11-03T14:07:00.002-05:00

The mind is working over overtime. The eyes hold a permanent question mark. The questions keep coming at wocket-ship speed.
Mommy, who built the trees?
Ummm... God.
Who's God?
God is... err.. like Superman.
Oh. Why is he Superman?
Because he builds things.
Why does he build things?
Hey, look at at that big garbge truck! Cool,huh.

And the imagination runs totally wild. There are pigs on the roof. Elephants in his room. Big bad wolves blowing houses down in River Vale. Plus Spiderman and Mermaid don't like each other. Can you imagine that!
Animals play a starring role in everything. Especially shoaks ( sharks). Shoaks are mean cuz they bite people. Being bitten by a monster shoak is the ultimate tragic fate.
I barely stopped laughing long enough to post this.

Horseplay

2008-10-13T14:23:00.001-04:00

Lil feet

2008-10-13T14:21:00.000-04:00

Out and about with Ella

2008-10-13T14:10:00.002-04:00

Introducing Big Brother Rowan

2008-09-15T10:41:00.003-04:00

Meet Ella, Rowan's little sister. Rowan hs surpassed our expectations and has been an adoring big brother to her from Day 1. Will it last? That remains to be seen. For now, I love the constant hugs and kisses he showers on her, how he looks worried when she cries and how he talks to her while she snoozes. Reaaly didn't expect him to be so cute. And I hope I didn't just jinx it!

Getting there

2008-08-06T13:58:00.002-04:00

Translation:

Mommy, my belly hurts.

I want your belly back. I don't want this big belly.

Is she out yet?

Mommy, when my baby sister comes out, you don't leave me.

2008-07-03T12:58:00.000-04:00

Arjun!

2008-07-03T12:46:00.003-04:00

Is my nephew going to be a surfer dude or a Silicon Valley icon? No matter. Big sis Esha will keep him in line.

Where is everybody?

2008-06-30T19:17:00.005-04:00

Kedar and Rowan have been in Los Angeles for the past week, visiting with Kedar's brother. And I'm here, still under house arrest with my bedrest. What an utterly weird week it's been. I'm convinced someone's added at least 3 more hours to the day.
How did I spend my time before I had a kid?
But haven't I longed for just this kind of respite for the last three years? Now that I have it, it's biting me in the butt. ( Ok, I admit being on bedrest isn't exactly the restful, toddler-free break I yearned for, but still.)
The house is eerily quiet. No "Mommy!!!!!!! every 2 minutes. No annoying Diego/Wonder Pets on TV. No poopy diapers. No messy dining table. The playroom is so neat I have to pinch myself to believe it's real. It's all so goddamned perfect.
I HATE IT.
I can't wait for my little whirwind to come back and bring all his toddler chaos with him. Can't wait to smoosh his face and play Kiss Monster. Hell, I can't wait to change his diaper.
Such is the Mommy life. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

update

2008-06-13T16:32:00.004-04:00

Rowan hit another major milestone last week, by saying "Ca/Ka". Come on, after a year and a half of saying "tar" instead of car, that's a big deal!

He's officially talking like a 5 year old. "Wow, that's humongous." "Did you ever see that...?" " Hey, you know what? I'm a big kid now." And on and on.

The pretend play takes a life of its own now. Just the other day he made up a whole story about a castle that's over the bridge and has a giraffe (and MUCH more.) He's also made up a song called "Lizard" - a truly original composition.

He's Mr. Independent now. Loves dressing himself. So what if he goes to school in mismatched socks? At least he's much more creatively dressed than other kids!

And the 2 big updates:

He starts summer camp in a new preschool in a few weeks! If all goes well, we'll start him there in September. This school is much more hands-on than his old one (if I get one more crayoned drawing, I'll scream. I mean, that's all they do here!) The new school has a pool, soccer and tennis lessons, nature walks, field trips, music class... even foreign language. How fun! I think he's really going to enjoy it.

And finally, he's taken the news of the new baby's arrival remarkably in stride. He asks me when she's coming out so he can play with her and read to her. He's also going to get her... umm... an owl for a birthday present.
How many new babies do you know who get such an awesome present?

Beatle Mania

2008-05-20T10:25:00.002-04:00

Rowan recently discovered the Beatles - and has already become something of an expert. His favorite is Get Back and he knows the whole song! Yellow Submarine and Going Home are close seconds. He's also into Colin Hays (Men at Work). Sings Be good, Johnny all day!
Now when we play his nursery rhymes CDs, he throws a hissy fit saying, "That's for babies!" We're eternally grateful to be released from the misery of listening to Farmer in the Dell 16 times in a row.

More Birthday

2008-04-29T09:51:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday from Chuck E. Cheese

2008-04-29T09:45:00.002-04:00

Go, Diego, Go!

2008-04-21T13:42:00.003-04:00

Vedant Kaka ( Kaka means Uncle) in his effort to spoil my son even further ( he and the other kaka, Mandaar, spoil the kid rotten already by buying him all kinds of toys ALL the time) took him to see the Diego show at Radio City Music Hall. Nothing but the best for the nephew. Vedant, if you think that these kind of bribes are going to make you Rowan's favoritest uncle ever, then you are so right.

Fun playdate

2008-04-21T13:37:00.002-04:00

The pizza got gobbled, the toys got played with, the kids got along like a house on fire, and finally, we found the perfect use for our new kitchen island!
Thanks J, M, Sadaf and Jeff for coming. We had so much fun!

Bestest-est Friends

2008-04-21T13:17:00.003-04:00

Rowan's best friend ever is Lindsey. The two are inseparable. Look at those angelic smiles. These were taken at Van Saun Park on Lindsey's 3rd birthday.

Anya's visit

2008-04-21T11:34:00.002-04:00

We had a little visitor this past weekend - Rowan's little cousin sister, Anya (my brother's daughter). She's now at the ripe old age of one month. I'm already imagining all the summer fun these two are going to have. Our extended family showed up to visit her as well. Hope to see you again soon, Anya!

Go fish!

2008-04-21T11:06:00.004-04:00

Spring is finally here!! We awoke from our annual hibernation this weekend bathed in the golden sunshine of a perfect day. After cherry blossoms and magnolias what better way to herald our favorite season than with .... worms? Hillsdale, the next town over from us, organizes a fishing day for kids. They fill the stream with trout and distribute worms to the uninitiated. So off we went equipped with fishing rods (Sponge Bob - what else - for Rowan) and fat worms to try our luck. And although no trout deigned to nibble at our line, Rowan had the best time just holding the rod. With the innocence of youth, he thought the whole idea was to get the worm in the water.
For added entertainmentm we got to watch a duck fight break out a few feet from us. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed such a small thing as watching ducks swim. I read somewhere that as parents we always try to make the grand gestures for our kids - taking them to famous museums, or shows or musicals, for instance (and we're guilty as charged)- when it's the small things that brings them the most joy. It's a lesson we learned on our fishing day. Trout or no trout.

Potty strike

2008-03-28T16:20:00.002-04:00

It's actually rather endearing (in a way that only parents can use the word "endearing"!) While pooping, Rowan has a spot behind the couch where he goes for privacy while doing the doo in his pull-ups. But he refuses to try it on the potty. What gives? The pee-pee situation is ok, he even stays dry all night some days. But why the block to going poo-poo in the potty?
Any ideas on how to get him to the next level?

Is it normal...

2008-02-28T09:59:00.003-05:00

To constantly feel behind the 8 ball? To feel like you're always struggling to keep up and never quite catch up? To feel like it's all on your shoulders and you just can't keep everything together and it's all going to collapse if you look away even for a minute?
Even though I admittedly have a penchant for the dramatic, it's no exaggeration that this is how I've been feeling lately. Our bedroom, my past undisturbed sanctuary – where I would read poetry, light candles and always have flowers by the bedside – is now a big heap of clothes and an assortment of objects – plastic doohickies, firetrucks, boardbooks. The laundry NEVER EVER EVER gets done. I can't sit on the couch without moving a bunch of things over. The mail sits unopened for days. Phone calls are not returned. Rowan routinely goes 2 days without a bath or shower. And he hasn't even weaned off the bottle yet, because I just can't deal.
Everywhere I look, all I see are chores waiting to be done.
Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.
I suspect that as much as I want to think that mine is a unique situation and indulge in a wild pity party, this is what life is like for most moms, working or stay-at-home.
Perhaps it's time to accept the chaos that comes with a toddler. Accept that my house will never be as tidy as I'd like. Rowan will not always look like a Gap Baby ad. The laundry will never get done. My closet will never look like something out of Real Simple.
You would think after 3 years, I would have. But I'm slow like that.

Sleep issues

2008-01-24T14:09:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks, Rowan has been sleeping with us. Used to be that I'd put him to bed in his room, where he would sleep for a few hours, and exactly around 2-30 a.m., he'd call out for me wanting to come into our bed. Finally, I got tired of the nightly wakings and took the easy way out – started putting him to bed in our room, where he, and therefore me, would snooze peacefully until the morning.
Now we feel like he needs to be in his own bed and so begins the odyssey all over again. He's almost 3 and still rarely sleeps through the night.

I suppose it's my own fault. I should have stuck to my guns and never brought him into bed with us. Let him cry it out till he slept through the night. But the crying it out thing never sat right with me. Plus I get so tired at day's end and I just want us all to SLEEP.

ZZZZZZZZZ. Oops, sorry, I just dozed off for a bit there..

Let's face it though – which kid is going to choose sleeping all alone in the dark in his own room, with all those monsters under the bed and what not, when he can snuggle up with his Mommy and Daddy?

Tonight's a tossup. Will he sleep in his bed or ours. Depends on how tired I am by 9 pm.

Pee pee

2008-01-20T16:42:00.000-05:00

Guess who's going pee-pee on the potty EVERY morning?! Ah, the stuff that makes parents happy. Your kid peeing in the pot. Wow.
Sarcasm aside, we're so proud of Rowan. Every morning, he goes to the bathroom, and takes his pants and diapers off and sits on his cute Elmo potty. Then he pees. He looks so proud of himself! And we make a HUGE fuss about it, like he's discovered a new law of physics or something. We called all our family so he could tell them and then Kedar takes him to Dunkin Donuts for a treat before dropping him off to daycare. Bribery is highly recommended.
Now the biggie - going poo-poo in the potty. That might be a few months away. Wish us luck!!

Puerto Rico

2007-12-20T16:44:00.000-05:00

Our annual winter migration to warmer climes proved to be a breath of fresh air in more ways than one. We left behind the heavy, dark, cold and oppressive (you get my drift - bad pun unintended) Northeast winter and flew to Aguadilla from where we proceeeded to Kedar's family friends' home in Mayaguez. Their house is actually on the side of a little hill, surrounded by mango trees, incredibly scented flowering tress of some sort and lush tropical vegetation. A wall of glass windows overlooks lush mountains and sunrises. We spent a few lovely evenings sitting on the balcony and basking in the sheer difference of place. The coqui ( a kind of tiny frog) came out to play often and we could hear their pretty chirps when we slept and at daybreak. (Imagine, this is a place where frogs sound like nightingales.) Seeing Rowan toddling about carelessly barefoot and in a clothing-optional sort of way was fun. He seemed to blossom in the warm days and tropical nights. Then we went off to San Juan for a week of beach fun. We stayed at the lovely San Juan Marriott (highly recommended) in Condado. We couldn't get enough of Old San Juan. And for a little Indian like me, fresh coconut water and Piraguas – a rare treat.

Family

2007-12-12T14:21:00.000-05:00

This post has been a long time coming. The reason: sheer laziness on my part in wading through the hundreds of digital photos we have. I'll keep adding photos to this post as I uncover the pictures of grandparents, brothers, nieces and nephews.

Diwali pictures

2007-11-13T22:41:00.001-05:00

Diwali's coming!

2007-11-07T16:14:00.000-05:00

It's the same thing every year, however much I try to fight it. My childhood memories of Diwali come rushing back and I start feeling that special excitement all over again. I'm lucky to have some incredible Diwali memories. A few stand out - my grandmother making dozens of painfully delicate lamps out of flour. My Mom starting her Diwali prep a month in advance, with a massive grocery shopping trip and spending hours and hours making treats for us. And of course, the actual Diwali which every kid who grows up in India loves - waking up at dawn for the special bath, all the new clothes you get, unlimited amounts of yummy treats all day, bursting firecrackers with friends... and no school for almost a month!

So far, each year I've tried very hard to duplicate this idealistic version of my childhood Diwali. Thing is, I want Rowan to feel all that excitement and have all these memories too. ( And to let you in on a little secret - I want to relive my childhood a teeny bit as well.) I realize of course that it's just not possible. Things are too different. I'm too far from home... my grandmother is gone, and I don't know how to make lamps out of flour.
Still, as Rowan grows up, I plan to make a big fuss about Diwali every year. I'll try to do some things the old way, like my Mom and her Mom, and some will be my own. And whatever mishmashed, rehashed version I come up with will become Rowan's Diwali memories. It's all good.

An apple a day

2007-11-05T13:59:00.000-05:00

On a bright sunny day in October, we decided to go apple picking at Demarest farms. What a great way to introduce the concept to Rowan that apples actually grow on trees, not in Shop Rite. We had a wonderful time.

A Swashbuckling Pyrant

2007-11-05T13:49:00.000-05:00

Halloween saw Rowan turn into a cute little pirate. Or in Rowan's words, a pyrant. No way is this kid going to look fierce or scary.
He probably missed his afternoon nap, which all pirates need, as you know. Hence the grumpy look in all the photos.

Drink like a...

2007-10-24T11:35:00.000-04:00

He must have heard the phrase somewhere. As I was drinking a glass of water, Rowan says, " Drink like a man, Mommy!"
I'm still laughing.
Halloween is around the corner and Rowan is going to be a swashbuckling pirate. Yesterday I told him to say "Trick or treat, smell my feet!" and of course he proceeded to sniff his feet quite thoroughly.
He's like this miniature person now, who speaks long, grammatically correct sentences albeit with baby pronunciations. "Look" is "Loot". "Tiger" is "Tider". And "Coming" is "Toming".
It makes for very interesting conversation all around.

What the

2007-10-01T22:10:00.000-04:00

Today, while building a choo-choo train with his blocks for the umpteenth time, Rowan suddenly giggled and said, " I fart!" When we started laughing, he said, " I fart a lot!" Except - he says "fart" like " Faoot".
Hysterical laughter.
Also, since my Mom told him that the only reason I go to office is to get him candy, he seems to think I work in some sort of endless supply store of sundry items. "Got that in office, Mommy?" was the Question of the Day.
Then we made a green snowman with Playdoh and he put a tail on it.
What a trip this child is!

Update

2007-09-24T11:38:00.000-04:00

Just a note to round up the last few weeks. The singing continues with much enthusiasm. It's really really REALLY cute when Rowan sings - and he does it all day long. While playing in his playroom with his school bus, he'll burst into" Wheels on the bus go wound and wound". If we're going to buys a present, it's "Happy booday to you!" and so on. His current favorite is the days of the week song ( Sunday, Monday... what's the weather?) and " Oh my dauleen, o my dauleen" ( darling). What fun!

And we're still gaping on a regular basis at all the astonishing things he says. A few months ago I would write them down, but now there are too many and my poor brain can't keep up. Suffice it to say that we're constantly asking" Where'd he learn THAT?!"

He seems to have been bitten by the shyness bug lately. Hides his face and runs away when we see even old friends that he knows. Hopefully, it's just another phase.

This morning, he took my hand and brought me to the potty so he could sit on it. Kedar has been talking to him about it, clearly something clicked. So proud of him!! What a big boy!

A day at Bushkill Falls

2007-09-05T09:35:00.001-04:00

We recently spent a lovely day at Bushkill Falls in Pennsylvania.
We decided to climb all the way down and then come back up the other side - quite a climb, overall - and guess who kept us company? Except for a couple of really steep flights, Rowan managed to climb all the steps by himself. Along the way, he even tried to climb a tree. The falls were spectacular but the highlight for Rowan was the guitar player near the cafe. We had to literally drag him off that dance floor.

Cruisin'

2007-08-29T13:41:00.000-04:00

On our 6-year wedding anniversary in June, we celebrated by taking a cruise around our favorite place in the world - Manhattan. Rowan kept saying he wanted to go on the boat. He didn't realize until much later that he was already on the boat! He loved looking at the water and the view of the Statue of Liberty against the backdrop of downtown.

More summer

2007-08-29T13:31:00.001-04:00

Summer fun pictures

2007-08-29T13:22:00.000-04:00

I finally had the time to upload all the 441 pictures from my camera. Have a look at what our summer's been like.

Awight?

2007-08-23T21:43:00.000-04:00

Rowan's latest favorite word is "awight?" ( always a question.)

Mommy, I do shopping ana buy fud, awight?
Don't fy, Mommy, I tum bat, awight?
I love you, Mommy, awight?
Daddy, I making pizza, awight?
I teen (clean) up, awight?

Awight, awight!

Aji-Pappa

2007-08-23T21:25:00.000-04:00

My parents are here. The last time they saw Rowan, he was 3 months old. They're completely bowled over by him. And he really knows how to get his way with them, especially my Mom. It's funny how perceptive kids are. Ro just senses that my Mom is a softie and he can play her.
It's nice having my parents around and showing him off. (I'm such a typical proud Mommy.) They've been in Boston this past week and he asks about them daily. My mom is all about feeding him and cleaning his room and washing his clothes. What a big help! And my dad takes him for a walk every evening - religiously. He waits all day for Ro to come back from daycare. It's great to see him interact with Rowan.

On another note, my job is so fulfilling, it's unreal. I can't believe how cool my ad agency is. It's a bunch of people trying to do great advertising - deep in the Jersey burbs! I'm definitely feeling the rush again, after many years. I don't know which I like better - my 13 minute "commute", Friday morning "breakfeasts", or the free massages we get twice a month. Told ya it was cool.

Sting

2007-08-06T17:03:00.000-04:00

We went to see The Police in concert at the Giants stadium last night. A rare evening out. We dropped Rowan off at my in-laws' house and I attempted to enjoy the evening. It had its moments ( I mean, come on, it was STING!) but I had a feeling Rowan wouldn't do well. It turns out he cried most of the evening, so hard that he threw up - twice- and didn't have any dinner. But the point of this post is: he woke up bright and chirpy this morning and started talking something fierce. ( Fy is cry.)

Ro: " I fy so much yeteday."
Me: Why'd you cry so much?
Ro: " When Mommy go, I fy a lot."

Kid just TALKS like he's FIVE.

Killing with cuteness

2007-07-23T13:03:00.000-04:00

Be warned, Rowan is armed and dangerous - he's wielding a deadly weapon kids his age do - CUTENESS. I always had a problem with the word "cute" - it's so overused. ( Like "empowered.") And broad. I mean, I've heard people say "cute mountain" or "cute elephant."
But is it cute when Rowan says " I like it eggs." (Or "I like it pants.") Is it cute when he wakes up singing loudly and goes on all day with his favorite song - ABCDEFG? Is it cute when he says, " Wow! Eesh nice outshide."
There is a goofier side to him too, as we're finding out. Aiming for a reaction from us (which he always gets) he'll wear one of my high heeled sandals and clomp around the house. Or try to do somersaults on the bed.
Kedar and he have a game (one of their many goofball games). When Rowan hears a bird chirping, he says with a comical look on his face, "What? What, birdie? You want candy? Noooooo, you can't have candy, you gotta have broccoli!"
You should hear it with his baby accent - if that's not cute, I don't know what the heck is.

Job

2007-07-17T20:23:00.000-04:00

Been very busy this last couple of weeks interviewing and freelancing. I've decided to go back to work, hopefully it will be a good work-life balance. I'm enjoying the frenetic pace at my current ad agency gig! After chasing after a toddler all day, juggling multiple deadlines is, you know, a picnic. A piece of cake. A walk in the park.

Summer of fun

2007-07-03T16:58:00.000-04:00

Well, we've been very busy having fun these past few weeks. In fact, we've totally OD-ed on carnivals, pony rides, animal shows and arcades. I'll happily sit out any and all carnivals and fairs until next summer.
But Rowan is the epitome of excitement every morning - eyes shining, huge grin on face in anticipation of the wonderous things that await him eac day. He's changing so much this summer. He's taller and fuller and bolder - and talks nineteen to the dozen to anybody who'll listen. His behavior is getting increasingly extroverted and yes, goofy! He'll call out loudly to some random woman, 'Hi, somebody's Mommy!" or elbow his way into some big kid activity somewhere. Lately, he's taken to running around in circles, yelling loudly, and then collapsing in a fit of giggles.
And the singing still continues with much gusto. The kid can definitely hold a tune, let me tell you. I'm not boasting. Just stating an obvious fact.
Happy 4th!

I boy.

2007-06-19T22:42:00.000-04:00

No, it's not another gotta-have-it gizmo from Apple. Gender roles are getting established around here. Today Rowan said, " I boy". And as happens on a fairly regular basis, I gaped at him.
The "I" thing started a few weeks ago. "I eating". " I sitting on chair". " I walking." But "I boy"?
I amazed.

What is this life if, full of care...?

2007-06-13T10:18:00.000-04:00

WHAT is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

(Leisure by W. H. Davies)

We're getting there

2007-05-27T13:09:00.000-04:00

Slowly but surely.

The dog days of summer

2007-05-25T16:36:00.001-04:00

Ah... summer. Lazy afternoons, basking in the sun, watching things bloom.
And mowing the lawn. Eating ice cream. Just hangin'.

Crafts, Rowan-style

2007-05-22T14:29:00.000-04:00

BBQ at our new neighbors'

2007-05-18T21:54:00.001-04:00

Vocab Update

2007-05-15T11:06:00.000-04:00

"Mommy, say that."

"I don't want blanket/eggs/yellow lollipop/socks."

"I want blanket/eggs/yellow lollipop/socks."

"Want some?"

"Daddy eat ice-cream!"

"Go outside."

"I want do it."

"It's sunny out."

"Wow! Look at that!"

Merry Maids, you've got competition.

2007-05-15T11:01:00.000-04:00

Sunday night, we had a special crew come in to clean up. So what if they used Kleenex Handiwipes to err... scrub the basement walls.

We were very pleased with the results and plan to use them again. Our yard could use a good sweeping.

Past tense

2007-05-10T13:03:00.000-04:00

This past week has been rough on everyone because Rowan's been sick. The constant night wakings have taken a toll. So today I found myself thinking wistfully about my past life, when I would sometimes wake up at noon - yes, noon! - on weekend mornings. Here's a poem I wrote back then, about my leisurely single-gal weekend mornings in Boston.

Waking up in # 40, 1164 Boylston Street

The Saturday sun in especially bold
Bursting in rudely through wispy white
curtains, making itself at home
in the tiny apartment

The room fills up with light, gradually
Like the old, cracked bathtub with water
The dust motes are up to their old games
Flirting shamelessly with the sunbeams

The lilies stir up a scented frenzy
Hearing the wrens in the tree
The newspaper lies outside the door
Quivering with anticipation

Slippers wait impatiently to be warmed
They know the time is near
The coffee pot beckons furiously:
The milk is starting to get worried.

A collective sigh goes around the room
At the smell of Arabica in the air
The water rushes out, joyous, in the bathroom sink
The rug is a sunlit garden.

More birthday!

2007-05-04T20:59:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday To You!

2007-05-04T20:53:00.000-04:00

I had a fun happy birthday to you day and I blew out
my happy birthday to you candle on the cake. I also
had about 20 somebodies hum to my happy birthday to
you party. I laughed and had fun at the NJ Children's
museum where I got to ride in an ambulance for
20 minutes even though my mommy and daddy were bored
after about 30 seconds. I also sat in a helicopter
and fire engine. We all ate pizza too.

Weight Wait

2007-04-30T23:00:00.000-04:00

It's official. Rowan weighed 21 lb 8 oz on his second birthday. He's a lightweight even in the lightweight category. I always worry about him in this respect. I mean, this kid really is tiny. At the same time, I'm so proud of him for all his accomplishments in the last 2 years. I think of how far he has come and it's absolutely astounding. Today, he woke up singing ABCD, and got up to V. That's AWESOME, dudes!!! And he counts to THIRTEEN!
Everyday he blows me away with his ability to learn new things so quickly. I don't think he's going to stop anytime soon. In fact, Kedar's expecting him to recite the Theory of Relativity by next week.
As for the weight, we'll just wait.

Sodium Phenyxldichloride, Maltodextrin & Disodium Phospate

2007-04-26T13:14:00.000-04:00

At a recent dinner with some Mommy friends, the inevitable subject came up: food. Rather, feeding. Feeding kids healthy meals of veggies and fruits, meats and milk - but without the sodium, the hormones, the preservatives...
It scared me to death. While we opt for Organic milk for Rowan, everything else he eats is pretty much - what's the word - inorganic? I figured he's not about to scarf down a pound of sausage or turkey at dinner or eat a whole cantaloupe. In small amounts, regular old food with its preservatives and hormones should be ok, right? Right? At least that's what I thought.
The other moms were much more enlightened than me.
"Stay away from anything that looks orange" ( Cheetohs - which Rowan LOVES)
"If you read Nitrite on the label, put it back on the shelf". (That includes sausages, hotdogs and lunch meats - all regulars at the dinner table.)
"Canned stuff with its high sodium content is a no-no."
Am I feeding my son crap?
My husband likes to point out that we all grew up eating foods containing Malto.. ( read title!) and drinking regular old milk with who knows what additives. And we all know that the exact ingredients in a hot dog are one of life's great mysteries.

So I'm a bit lost.

No Cheetohs?

I lulloo so much

2007-04-26T12:59:00.000-04:00

One afternoon a couple of days ago, I was sitting on the kitchen floor when Rowan toddled by and sat on my lap. I gave him a hug and said, " I love you!". He raised his head, looked me in the eye and said, "I lulloo too!"

There have been times when he has said " I lulloo, Mommy," or " I lulloo, Daddy" unprompted. Every time, those words leave us thunderstruck and absolutely humbled.

In this case, I was silent for a whole minute, contemplating the enormity of those words and the fierce emotion they generated.

Meanwhile he was already off rooting for a snack in the pantry.

Cousin Nish's birthday

2007-04-22T17:45:00.000-04:00

Got some big shoes to fill

2007-04-17T09:43:00.000-04:00

And that's no mean feet... err.. feat.

Rembrandt got his start here

2007-04-06T12:24:00.000-04:00

Horsing around

2007-04-06T12:17:00.000-04:00

Messy messy messy!

2007-04-06T12:07:00.000-04:00

What are you smiling for? You're upto something, aren't you?

NOOOOO don't, it's open!

Not that - keep...!

Stop throwi... noooo!

Metamorphosis

2007-04-04T12:15:00.000-04:00

From "Ba ba ma ma" to "Mommeee! Come here!" and "Rowan want it!" - Rowan is changing from a little baby to a little boy under our very noses.
He now sleeps in his own room in his own big-boy bed. Never thought that day would dawn.
He plays by himself and talks to his toys.
When he got back from a birthday party recently, he said, "Happy Birthday fun!"

Just yesterday, he picked up his toy guitar and started singing the Alphabet song.

But I thought -
He was -

I thought he was my little baby!

He was.

Just yesterday.

Chatoo Moot

2007-03-08T09:31:00.000-05:00

We introduced Chocolate Milk into Rowan's ever-expanding palate. Need I add that he loves loves loves it? He calls it "Chatoo Moot" ( go figure). Strawberry Milk is " Peen dudu". ( Pink dudu.)
Fortunately, he's happy drinking just a splash of it mixed in with his regular milk. For now.
He's got a terrible cold since yesterday. We're going to stay in and take it easy today.

Feelings

2007-02-26T12:31:00.000-05:00

Who says boys don't talk about their feelings?
When he's scared, Rowan says, " Wawa tared". When he's tired, he says "Tiya." And when he's happy, he says "Happy."

And then there are all those times when he doesn't need words. Words are so inefficient. Instead, he squeals with delight when I chase him around the house. Laughs till his eyes tear up at a funny face. Pants with excitement at seeing Daddy. Gives me a tight hug after a long day. Burps loudly after an especially favorite meal.

Words? Words are for boring old grown-ups.

NO!

2007-02-21T11:54:00.000-05:00

Heard in the Gokhale houshold about a dozen times a minute.
Accompanied by glaring eyes and fierce frown.
Usually followed by piercing wails, screams, redness of face.
Coming out of the mouth of a previously sweet, mellow baby called Rowan.

Who are you and what have you done with Rowan?

Wee, Bow, Wad, Lallow!

2007-02-12T15:49:00.001-05:00

Come on, you haven't figured it out yet?! It means Green, Blue, Red and Yellow.
Rowan's colors. And "Bap" (Black) and "Wahtt" (White). Kid knows his colors already, has known for a couple of months. I think he's going to be a prodigy of some sort. ;-)

A special mention

2007-01-29T18:52:00.000-05:00

This is a special shout-out to my friend Rina to wish her a Happy Birthday! Rina and I first became friends in high school when we were 16. (A LONG time ago!) We've had tons of absolutely crazy, madcap adventures over the years. And shared so many laughs through good times and bad. We now live in different countries and haven't see each other in years - but I feel as close as ever to her. I feel like I can call her anytime and get through, in more ways than one, across the miles and years.

Plus she's the #1 fan of this blog - she reads it everyday!

So Happy Birthday, Rat.
Love you and miss you.

Words fail me

2007-01-24T19:57:00.000-05:00

These days it seems Rowan's saying new words every few minutes. He's been tossing out "Babige" (Garbage) often, and refers to himself as Wawa. Says "Allo" on the phone, "Oh-oh dow" when he drops something, and "Oh-oh Maash" (Mess) when he spills something.(That last is used VERY often.) And "Tata" is Santa ( a hot fave.)
When it snowed for the first time this winter a few days ago, he looked at the snow and said, "Vow, no!" (Wow, snow!)
Oh and the singing! He "sings" 2 songs so far:
Row row row your boat: Wao wao bot
ABCDEFG: BCBCBC