Century

Chittu has crossed her 100 days mark! She is 104 days old today and when I see the photograph taken on her 2^nd day, I just can’t believe this little one has grown up so much. She can hold our fingers tightly, can talk in her own aaah-aaaaahm language for minutes together, can light up our moments with her toothless pokkai vaai smile, roll over on both sides and completely lift her head. She is also trying hard to move on her tummy, presses both hands firmly on the ground, lifts her body, but doesn’t know to move. After N number of tries she starts crying. Initially I was worried that she is not trying to turn on her right side. But now, if it is roll over, then it is right side only. Rarely does she do it on the left side. And the beauty is, she tries to roll over half way through her sleep & starts crying as her sleep is disturbed. So apart from the sleep positioner rolls, we are also keeping pillows on both her sides while sleeping. Also, earlier she used to catch the roof rail of the mosquito net & cry, but now she keeps holding on to it silently until one of us see & relieve her. While nursing, she places her hand conveniently on my chest or hand. She watches a lot of TV / computer monitor because of the attractive color & lights coming out of it. So we deliberately turn her attention towards something else. Also her most comfortable position is placing her head on our shoulders. When she is too tired or too hungry, she would lean on our shoulder and protest if we try to change that position. So that is an indicator to put her to sleep or nurse.

My long time concern was on her hearing. She wasn’t paying heed to the sounds around her. However, while sleeping when there was a huge noise she used to get disturbed. But now, she automatically turns her head to the side from where sound is coming. We ring the pooja bell, clap our hands, play the Musical Dalmatian to keep her entertained. S mama’s gift for this month is the Rocker cum chair. Chittu just loves the rocker and enjoys it to the core. J paati has started going to office from 28^th Feb and so Chittu is under my complete care (including her bath sessions) I will treasure these days of exclusive bonding till eternity. While I have my breakfast / lunch / evening coffee, she goes to C maami or T paati’s (our neighbors) house and delights them with her presence.

When we went for our very first review with the pediatrician – Dr. S, she had told me not to bother about Chittu’s watery eyes and light yellow / white discharge in the corner of eyes. It seems that most of the new born babies generally have a tear duct blockage and she asked me to do massage with index finger / little finger in the corner of the eyes (where eyes and nose meet) and I have been doing it. The right eye became normal in due course of time. Sometime around 20^th Feb, I noticed a redness in the skin below her left eye (kajal area) and the eye looked a little small. But it was not there always – kind of ON & OFF. The area inside the eyes looked completely normal though. To avoid any uncertainties took her to Dr. S for an adhoc visit on 23^rd Feb. She said it could be due to involuntary rubbing movement of the kid & prescribed Ciplox eye drops to avoid infection. I continued the massage & also applied the drops thrice a day for 1 week and then thankfully the eyes are absolutely alright now.

And we (Chittu, me, J paati and T paati) made it to Maangadu & Thiruverkaadu on 17^th Feb 2011. We started at around 10.30 AM and went directly to Thiruverkaadu. When we reached abhishekam was going on, so we had to wait for around 10 mins. Then we took the Rs.25 entrance and had a wonderful darshan and Devi Karumariamman was glittering beautifully in the alankaram done after abhishekam. The priest placed Chittu in the step that led to sanctum sanctorum. From there we went to Maangaadu. There again, we had to wait for 10 mins or so because “Lalitha Sahasranama archana” was going on. We had a serene darshan there too. The Maha meru was completely submerged in the flower heap and Kamakshi amman was at her best in thanga paavaadai. They had placed a table just in front of the Maha meru and the priest asked me to place Chittu on that. In both places we did archanai and lighted lamp during Rahu kaalam in Maangaadu. It was a day of complete satisfaction and divinity.