Venky has grown up (?)

Now a days we like to prepare Venky a little for our impending departure to office. Soon after he wakes up, we tell him that we have to go to the office. He ususally says "No, Please don't go.." and we have to keep pacifying him till we leave. However, this ensures that he knows that we have gone to the office and will come back in the evening.

Today morning it took an interesting turn (As narrated by Vibhu)

When Vibhu told Venky that we have to go to office today, Venky said that he wants to come to the office too. To which Vibhu said "Venky will go to office when he grows up". After some more discussion on that, the conversation ended.

After a while, Venky said that he wants to pee. Venky is undergoing potty training so Vibhu told him to go to the bathroom and pee. Venky said that he wants to pee in his diapers. Vibhu replied "You have grown up now, go to the bathroom and pee". Venky was ready with the retort - "Venky is a big boy, he'll go the office!" and he happily ran to the bathroom without waiting a second. :)

10 Seconds of paradise

It lasted only 10 seconds, but it will easily classify as the most wonderful moment of my life. Vibhu had taken off since he was not too well and stayed home with Venky. I came home at little later than usual and was informed by the nanny that both father and son were oversleeping their afternoon nap. I tried to quitely tiptoe into their room, but Venky woke up. He took a huge 'angdayee', flashed his widest smile and threw his arms wide open. As I went into his little arms, he kissed me and said "I love you". Such a dream come true! Now I know why everyone has kids! I just wanted to hold him and stay like that, but Venky was soon restless and wriggled out of my hold.

I was smiling all through the evening. Vibhu was having a tough time handling his envy. "This is not fair", he kept saying, "I was the one who stayed home with him".

As goes the old adage... Everything is fair in love and war :)

Bihar Calls

We recently visited Didi in Delhi. That was quite a bit of culture change for Venky. For one, eveybody could understand what he speaks (his prime language of communication is Hindi). Plus a whole bunch of cousin sisters doted on him and gave him so much of attention. Venky was totally loving it. Till his sisters decided to take him to the apartment's park.

Venky found a slide and captured it. After a few minutes of play on the slide, he had company. Another kid who was twice his size and age and twice as fast joined him. Even before Venky could complete one trip, he finished two trips for the slide. Venky's ego was hurt and he decided that he could definately not let him do a 3rd round before him.

So, he pushed him (before we could react) and said "Mujhe jana hai!". The kid's nanny held him back and let Venky complete his round. But now, Venky was not ready to relent at all. He just wouldn't let that kid use the slide and was constantly trying to push him. After a while, the older kid stopped pretending to be mature and pushed him back.

That was quite a fall, and we thought that Venky will be wailing. But even before we picked him up, Venky was on his feet and pushed the older kid again. All this, without a frown on his face. Now, all the elders intervened and separated the kids. The older kid's nanny took him to another swing which he got interested into and we took Venky to the nearby temple.

Well, Vibhu was proud of his son's bravery (the fact that he took on an older kid and wasn't scared of him) and couldn't help hiding his joy. He was thrilled at the fact that his son was a true blue "Bihari" and not a "Murgi". I have to confess that I was grinning too :D

The Pampered Parent

Yesterday, as we were preparing for bed, I slipped and fell. I had a laptop in one hand. So, intinctively I tried to save it, so I landed flat on my back. While I was gathering my senses, Vibhu shouted and asked if I was alright. Venky, who was playing nearby, also ran to me. I lay still for sometime to figure out if I was hurt and decided that everything was ok.

By the time I sat up, Venky had pulled a long face and was about to cry. He immideately pulled me into a tight hug. He looked very upset and on the verge of tears. I had to reassure him for a long time that I was fine. He just clung to me all the while.

Later in the bed, Venky put the pillow on his lap and asked me to sleep there. He then stroked my hair and cheeks as if patting me to sleep. He had noticed Vibhu checking my back to see if I was bruised. Venky checked my back too as asked "yahan pe chot laga (are you hurt here) ?". When I said "yes", he rubbed it and blew on it. Then he insisted on giving me gripe water and made me have some :D

Needless to say, I was enjoying all the attention. I have to confess that I pretended to be more hurt and bruised than I was (actually I was not hurt at all). After giving me the gripe water, Venky asked "theek ho gaya (is it alright now)?". I answered in affirmative but I guess Venky was not too convinced. To pep me up he said "Tum sundar ladki ho (you are beautiful), I love you." Whoever taught him that!!! Venky is still 1 month away from being 2 and most of the kids are not even able to frame sentences by this age. Such lovely sentences coming from him! I was ecstatic.

Venky followed it up by telling me the stories that I tell him in broken sentences. In fact I fell asleep before he did. Yesterday, I was a thoroughly pampered parent. I wouldn't mind a few such falls every now and then! :-)

Lessons in Love

This incident happened almost a month ago. It keeps coming back to me and I think I'll always remember it. Nevertheless, I still want to jot it down.

At 11 pm , we are the most sleepy and Venky is the most playful. Probably because that is his most exclusive time with us and we are shower him with all our attention to get him to sleep. After playing, reading and cajoling him, I often have to put on my "strict parent" demeanor to put him to sleep.

That day was no different. Venky was in an extra playful mood and did not take my strictness to well. He threw a tantrum. Venky often uses his head as a weapon, and just bangs it on when he is angry. So, there came his head right on my cheekbone.

The sharp pain made me bury my head in the pillows. It actually took me a while to gather my senses. I could hear Venky beside me saying "mommy chot" (meaning mommy is hurt). Venky was able to realize that he had caused the damage and was trying to lift my head from the pillow.

I was too hurt and angry for his cuteness to pacify me and I pushed him back asking him to get lost. Now, Venky was howling with tears in full flow. Vibhu tried to console him but he would not stay with him. He kept coming back to me saying "mommy, mommy" and crying.

Vibhu urged me to pick him up and I reluctantly did that, still upset with him. That is when I noticed that there was a bump on his forehead. He was hurt too! Venky finally stopped crying in my lap and went off to sleep.

Later, when I discussed the bump with Vibhu, he told me that Venky had not bothered about his own pain at all. When both of us were hurt, Venky was only touching his forehead and trying to lift me up to see if I was alright. Later, when I pushed him away, he was crying because he thought that I was angry with him. Venky kept coming to me till I picked him up.

All this from a 20 mo old toddler. He was more concerned about my pain and anger when he was hurt himself. How does that make me feel? - Extremely guilty and humbled. As we grow up we unlearn to love others. We just start loving ourselves. How can I stop Venky from doing that? I guess first I'll have to learn from him and then teach him back.

For now, I'll just thank Venky for loving me more than I love him. Its hard to accept, but that's a fact.





This blog post is an entry for IndusLadies mother's day blog contest

Conversations with a 21 old

Venky - "mommy"
I - "Yes..."

Venky - "MOMMY"
I - "Yes Venky"

Venky - "MOMMEEE"
I - "Yes Sweetheart"

Venky - "I Lob you"

:):):)

Outsmarted by 21 mo old

Venky and I are reading a picture book.

I - "Yeh kya hai?"
Venky - "Butterfly"
I - "Yeh kya hai?"
Venky - "Dragon Fly"

Now we reach the "Beetle" page which Venky has never remembered so far

I - "Yeh kya hai?"
Venky - "Uhmmmm ....Book!" :D