Catching Up on the past few months

Yes it's been a while since I updated the blog. I'm giving serious thought to ending the blog since I don't seem to be updating it regularly.

Here is my attempt to bring everyone up to speed. Let's backtrack to where I left off.

October
What a month this was. Nathan was in full temper trantrum mode. We thought this was early terrible two's. In hindsight I laugh at this.

When we picked him up from daycare it was kicking and screaming. It seemed he didn't want to come home. If we went to a store it was the same behaviour. If we putting him down in the store he would knock things off the shelf. And his screaming would bring the store to a standstill. It reminded me of when my sister Rina was little. She knew how to throw a tantrum and I'm afraid Nathan inherited her talent. Other parents were not shy about what they thought about my son't tantrums or my parenting skills, or lack there of as they not so kindly put it.

Then I read a book and made me feel better. Keyoor and I thought we were the worst most inept parents in the world until I read "What To Expect - the Toddler Years." Turns out that Nathan's behavior was normal and he would grow out of it. In the meantime we refrained from going out anywhere.

Later that month, we went to visit my cousin in San Diego. He and wife just had a baby that was so cute we had to jump on a plane and see Nathan's youngest cousin. It was also Diwali and the family was getting together in San Diego. Nathan did great on the plane. It was a 2 hour ride that turned into a 3 hour trip because we had to sit on the runway for an hour while the fog cleared in San Diego. Other than kicking the seat in front of him, Nathan behaved. Our fear of flying with Nathan was subsiding. In San Diego Nathan loved being in the hotel pool. He took to water like a fish. It's hard to believe that this child once had a fear of water.

I was most proud of Nathan on Halloween. I thought he would go nuts over the candy but he stuck to all the rules I taught him. When he would go up to a house and the home owner would put out the candy bowl and say take whatever you want, Nathan would look at me and wait for me to say it was okay. And then he would take just one candy. And when the home owner would say, you can have more. Nathan would shake his head no, because he knows the rules, only one candy allowed. Words cannot express how proud I was of my baby following all of the rules and manners mommy taught him. The cutest thing was, Nathan did not understand why we rang people's doorbell but never went inside their house. Why would we just take candy and leave.

More next time.

December pictures

Here are pictures from the continue of Nathan's mundan haircut, his first christmas with us and his first birthday with us. Nathan turned two on December 29th.

December 2009

Fall 2009

It's obviously been a while. So much has changed in our lives.  Let's start with pictures.

November 2009

October 2009

September 2009

Mommy Mommy Mommy

It's been a while since I have updated the blog. So many changes to report. I am back at work full time now. That means Nathan is in daycare full time. During June and July Nathan was in daycare 2 days a week. In August and Sept I changed it to 3 days a week. As of last week it was full time. He goes to a home daycare. Nathan loves it. He has several friends there and has learned so much as a result. I grew up with a stay at home mom so I have always been apprehensive about daycare. But seeing how Nathan has flourished, I have to be a big fan of daycare. It has helped him speak more and behave better. Although I tout all the benefits of daycare, my friend Katherine pointed out that I am carrying a tremendous amount of guilt about not staying home with Nathan. I love being a mom, but being a stay at home mom not my thing. I wish it were. As a result, I have heightened sensitivity when anyone makes comments about how I should be handling my son or my time. Is it really wrong of me to take a nap or go shopping for an hour?

Nathan is saying so much more these days. Not fully talking yet but speaking lots of sentences. I'm amazed how he knows what to say. This morning he was talking baby talk and Keyoor told him we couldn't understand him. So Nathan responds "never mind" and walks away. Here's another cute story. Whenever Nathan wants more food, he says the word more and signs the word more. Yesterday Nathan was walking around with his security blanket and left it in the hall when I took him to change his clothes. Suddenly he says and signs "more." I was confused since he wasn't eating then, so I asked him "more what?" Nathan says, "more blanket."

As of last month, Nathan is now sleeping in a toddler bed. I'm glad we got a convertible crib since he was not in there too long. My little boy is growing up. When we first got him, Nathan was a 9 month clothes size and a size 3 shoe. Now he is 18 months clothes size and size 6 shoe. His food tastes are changing and things he liked before he no longer likes and vice versa. His favorite snacks are figs and fruit roll ups. Frozen peas and blueberries are another favorite. I'm already having a tough time getting him to eat indian food. He always wants hot dogs. He no longer drinks warm strawberry milk. Cold plain milk it is. He loves juice and lemonade but we found that keeps him up at night, so I don't allow it except for weekend mornings.

My birthday was a few days ago, what did my son get me for my birthday? Just the best present ever, he started calling me "mommy." I have been waiting my entire life to hear that and how perfect it was that he started calling me mommy on my birthday. Up until then he called me by a random nickname he created, "Ty". Not sure where he got that. Needless to say, all weekend it was "mommy, mommy, mommy." I love it.

Spring 2009

Now that I finally figured out how to link pictures, here are pictures from our time with Nathan in India and the first month we were home. Or as I like to refer to this period - When Nathan was new. I hope someday Nathan can see these pictures as they bring tears to my eyes knowing how he was and how he has blossomed. For now, these pictures bring tremendous anxiety to Nathan. We showed them to him and he freaked out for days, nonstop crying. I think seeing pictures of the orphanage and his earlier baby pictures from that time, are a period of his life he wants to forgot. Nathan is a child who embraces life, he never wants to look back to what was. He loves his mommy and daddy and his home. Everyday he wants to do family hugs and everyday he gives us kisses. How lucky we are.

May 2009

April 2009

Summer 2009

Here are pictures of Nathan from this summer. As you can see he is a very happy child. Loving life. Growing every day. Love does that to you.

August 2009

July 2009

June 2009

Grouchy Kid Contest - Vote for Nathan - Contestant #6

http://www.mix1065.net/Sesame-Street-Live-2/5126295

My sister Rina entered Nathan in a grouchy kid contest. He already made it to the top 10 and won 4 tickets to Sesame Street Live. The winner gets front row seats to the show. The show is in the Baltimore and we will not be flying out for it. But we are donating the tickets to charity. So some very deserving child will be able to attend the show. Please vote.

And to address concerns, Nathan is not a grouchy kid. He is a very happy child with tremendous acting ability. He loves to pose.

Nathan is Contestant #6