Customization

We couldn’t make it to the temples last weekend. J paati was busy with another appointment and we have postponed the plan to next week. Chittu has started rolling over in the right side too. But she is finding it a little difficult to take off the right hand which is caught between the floor and her stomach / chest. She is lifting her head for more than half a minute and looking at the things around. S mama calls her "Penguin" for her head slightly shakes back & forth and is not completely fixed yet

After innumerable trials, she has started enjoying the projector soother which her V athai had given. Currently I’m showing her only the simple slide – A big Star fish with small coloured fishes around. She smiles and coos at the picture & tracks it if I change the wall on which it is projected. Also, when I carry her on my shoulder, all these days she was only grabbing my salwar / shirt. Off late, she is beautifully putting her hand around my neck / shoulder and keeping herself secure. There are no words to explain the soft caressing she does while doing this. Still she is camera shy and stops her activities (rolling over, smiling, gurgling etc) when she sees the handycam. Strange that she is OK for digi cams. So, it is getting difficult to capture her videos.

For all babies in the household, we have the habit of tweaking and customizing well know songs to suit the situation / the kid to konjjify them. Chittu is NO exception to that. Here are a few that we sing to her

சிட்டு வந்தாளாம், பாலு குடிச்சாளாம்
ஏப்பம் விட்டாளாம், தூங்கி போனாளாம்
No tune for this. It's just a rhyme

நைனாவே நைனாவே என் பக்கத்துல உனக்கொரு இடம் தாரேன் வாராயோ
என்னை பார்க்க வந்த நீ, தூங்கித் தான் போவாயோ
வாரா வாரம் வந்து  நீ, இந்த வேலையே செய்வாயோ
In the tune of “Mainaave mainaave” song from தித்திக்குதே when Chittu's dad catches a weekend nap

அம்மா: ஏண்டீ நீ சமத்தா இல்ல அசடா
சமத்தா இருந்தா பால் குடிப்பியா
அசடா இருந்தா மொரண்டு பிடிப்பியா
சிட்டு: ஏண்டீ புதுசா கேக்கற என்னை பாத்து
அடுத்தாத்து குட்டி பாப்பாவ பாத்தேளா
அது எப்போவுமே அழுதுன்றுக்றத கேட்டேளா
அம்மா: அடுத்தாத்து சங்கதி எல்லாம் நமக்கேண்டி, சிட்டு நமக்கேண்டி
அது Lactogen-ம் Nan1 -ம் குடிக்கறதுடீ
 In the tune of “Aduthaathu ambujatha paathela” song from  எதிர் நீச்சல்

சிட்டு செல்லம் தான், தாத்தா கட்சியில், நேத்தைக்கு சேந்தது
In the tune of “Chinna ponnu dhaan vekkapadudhu amma ammadi” song

சிட்டு சிட்டு, எங்காத்து சிட்டுவாம், சமத்து சிட்டு, சக்கர சிட்டு
குட்டி சிட்டு கோந்தை சிட்டு, எங்களோட தங்க சிட்டு, வைர சிட்டு
In the tune of "Ek do  theen " song

வீட்டில், கொசுக்கள், மொத்தம் எத்தனை
உன்னை, கடிக்கும், சுருக்கு சுருக்குகள் மொத்தம் எத்தனை
In the tune of "kaadhal aNukkaL" song

அழகிய சென்னை நகரினிலே, சிட்டு என்றொரு பெண் இருக்காளாம்
அன்புப் பொண்ணு, ஆசைப் பொண்ணு, எங்கள் சிட்டு குட்டியாம், எங்கள் சிட்டு குட்டியாம்
1 . கருப்பு வளையல் போட்டுண்ட்றுக்காளாம், வசம்பு காப்பு போட்டுண்ட்றுக்காளாம்
நெத்தியில் திலகம், கன்னத்தில் திருஷ்டி பொட்டு வெச்சுண்டு இருக்காளாம், பொட்டு வெச்சுண்டு இருக்காளாம்
2. Round-u மூஞ்சி இவளுக்காம், கன்னத்தில் குழியும் இவளுக்காம்
Carrot துண்டு, போல இருந்துண்டு, எல்லாரையும் ஆட்டி வைப்பாளாம், எல்லாரையும் ஆட்டி வைப்பாளாம்
In the tune of  "azhagiya mithilai nagarinile" song 

Vaccination & Shopping

Pentaxim 2^nd course& OPV is done yesterday. Chittu was a darling – and cried only when the shots were given. Otherwise she was grinning throughout. Dr.S appreciated her attitude and when I told her about the roll over, she commented “That’s too quick” and smiled. Weight gain is 580 gms, which was as expected. If she gains another 600gm by next visit, we can continue with exclusive mother feed. Else, we would be suggested a supplement. Let us see!!!

This time around, Chittu did not have fever, but she was uncomfortable throughout the night. She did sleep, but it wasn’t a peaceful one. Poor thing, kept crying every now & then in sleep. We haven’t given her bath today as she looks very tired. “Get well soon kiddo! I’m waiting to see you back in form”

From the doctor’s place we went to meet her K paati. She had fractured her left hand last week & I wanted to visit her. She too wanted to see Chittu as it has been a couple of weeks. Because I’m in mom’s place & the formal “koNdu vidradhu” is not done yet, I couldn’t get into the house. So, went to the neighbour’s place and made paati come there to meet us. Paati felt bad that she couldn’t lift Chittu and has promised that she would, the next time. S & J Perimmas also came over to spend a few minutes & play with Chittu. Later, we bought a baby bath tub which can be used a couple of months later & a stand-alone covered wardrobe to keep Chittu’s stuff.

I had a MotherCare gift voucher which had to be redeemed. So made a visit to that store too. This is the first time I’m going there and was amazed to see a diaper change & feeding room. “Great Going India!!” Bought a pair of pants for Chittu – which mark the first purchase of clothes by MOM J

As usual Chittu spent a majority of the time in travel – SLEEPING. She is still not even trying to roll over on the right side & we have left her to take in her own stride. Next vaccination is due on 10^th March 2011. We are also planning to go to Maangadu & Thiruverkaadu temples this Sunday. So more updates on that later!!

Temple Visit

We took Chittu to the temple yesterday – for the first time. Her first outing other than doctor visits. We had been planning this for a very long time now, but couldn’t make it – either because Chittu was sleeping or I was lazy to get ready!! Finally, yesterday being Thai Amavasai – an auspicious day, we decided to venture out. Me, mom, dad & Chittu started at around 7 PM in the evening and went to a nearby temple. There were shrines of PiLlayaar, Lord Shiva – Ekambareshwarar, Kamakshi amman, Vishnu Durgai with Maha meru, Dakshinamoorthy, Naagar, Sarabeshwarar, Guruvayoorappan, Subramanya Swami with Valli & Devasena, Lord Rama with Seetha & Lakshmana, Hanuman, Dharma Sastha with Poorna & Pushkala, Navagraham & Kaala Bhairavar. We performed archana to Subramanya Swami (our family diety) and Guruvayoorappan. Chittu was awake when we entered the temple & saw piLlayaar after which she promptly dozed off J Because we went in the evening time, it was an effort to keep the mosquitoes at bay.  For me, it was more of a Thanksgiving visit and so I thanked HIM profusely for having blessed me with the precious gift – my lovable Chittu. I prayed for all our well-being & good health. I prostrated & sought all the strength that is required to bring up Chittu in the best possible manner. So now that the temple visit is done, we can take her officially to other places too!!

Other updates – I started driving from yesterday after a very long gap. Still don’t have the confidence, but am sure I will pick up. Chittu just enjoys all the attention that she is getting & starts crying when she is left alone without anyone talking to her. Her favorite ad is Bingo and laughs uncontrollably when I say “Potato, Tomato, Onion, Brinjal, Drumstick” :D It is a sight to watch her toothless dimpled smile.

Her thatha talks to her daily in his own way. He asks her

“Indha ammavum paatiyum unna romba padutharaaLaa?

Unna naduvula paduthukka pottu rendu pakkathula irundhum romba nasukkaraaLaa?

Madhyaana veLaila aathula yaarum illanu aatam podaraaLaa?

Nee enakku phone paNNanumnu nenaikkara aanaa unnaala mudiyalayaa?”

When he speaks all this to her, she would silently mouth over something & moves her lips and it would look as if she is answering all his questions. She just loves these sessions.

Her S mama got his first salary on 31^st Jan in the new company that he had joined. So, he bought her a baby gym – which can be used in 3 stages – lying on the back, roll over & crawling (it can be converted to a hut). It has octopus, sea horse, starfish, etc in the mattress and ball and a few rattles which can be hung in the arches. Occasionally, Chittu kicks the ball, but is yet realize and play with other hanging toys. He also bought her a Head n back – a baby sleep positioner which has a foam pillow and two small rolls in the side which look like “thindus”.  All frocks that Chittu has are traditional patterns – either zipped or buttoned or knotted in the shoulder. So he got her a new model which she doesn’t have – where in top half of the back is open and the knot has to be tied around the neck. It is slightly big for her. So we will have to wait for another month or so before using it. J paati got her an “Aalilai Krishnan” dollar to match the chain that K paati had given her.

Nowadays, I have made it a routine to sing Naama Ramayanam & Hanuman Chalisa to make her sleep. But, how much ever tired she is, Chittu makes it a point to be awake for longs hours in the night – atleast once a week.  Still Basha pose (with all fingers folded except index finger) rules. S's weekly shuttles are continuing and he misses his daughter throughout the week & waits for Saturdays to come. Chittu lost one of her vasambu valayals and we will have to buy them for her again. She is not staying in one place. I put her like "I" and within a minute she is like "--". J paati calls it "chakra valayam suthrathu". Chittu is making all efforts to lift her head while lying on her tummy. K paati says her head will be completely fixed soon once she succeeds. I make her sit on my lap for a few minutes. All she wants to do firmly press her legs & stand up. She does this art of jumping out of our lap / hands (thuLLardhu) by bending her back and giving full force on her foot.

Her 3^rd set of vaccines are due on Monday – 7^th Feb 2011. May we be granted the powers to have a smooth cruise!! Rest in next J