Anvesha @2.5 years

....... And I am back !!!!! I haven't been blogging for over a month: no excuses whatsoever, sometimes life just gets busier :) Not that I didn't have anything to write, there are many updates, but first things first...... Anvesha is 2.5 year old now !!!! Call it the terrible twos or the terrific twos, she is a hyperactive child ... so much so that it gets difficult to keep up with her energy level. Its a good thing though that she is inquisitive about her surroundings and is a curious soul :)

Just two weeks back two of her second molars erupted and this time they came with a fever. She is slowly gaining height which also means she is looking more thin :( But I have stopped fretting about it for the simple fact that she is a happy child ( touch wood !!) and is pretty active as compared to kids her age.  She loves to pretend play.... which means kissing her doll or teddy, putting them to bed, covering them with blanket and finally good night :) Anvesha started talking a little late, but in just a matter of six months she has learned many many new words and now she actually speaks in sentences :) She is able to understand simple instructions and responds to few questions that we ask. Reading books, rhymes, singing songs, talking often are all great ways to enhance the language skills of a child.

Anvesha can identify her body parts, count till 20, knows her ABCs, knows the twelve months of the year as well as the days of the week, she can identify basic shapes and colors too ( Proud me !!!). She is beginning to understand the concept of big and small and few other opposites. The other day she pointed at my hands and said, "Mamma's hands are big, Aanu's hands small !!!!" She is able to work with simple puzzles with guidance and enjoys crafts, coloring, drawings, although much of it looks like scribbles right now. I have been collecting all the crafts that she has made, I feel it will make a great keepsake once she grows up :) She loves books and is able to understand what is happening in the pictures and the story books. At this age a child is an active explorer and enjoys learning about new and different things. It is during the first few years that the brain is most flexible and adaptive so it becomes all the more crucial to expose her to all the new experiences.

Anvesha isn't 100 % potty trained, but has shown remarkable progress in the last few months and I am pretty confident we will get there soon. Speaking of toilet training I couldn't resist myself to post this video... like I said earlier, she loves to pretend play and this video will certainly bring a smile to your face when you see it :)

She is a fussy eater, but there are few things she loves to eat, these are fruits ( she is a fruit lover ), potatoes, paneer, cheese, curd and I have to come up with innovative ideas every day to sneak those veggies in her diet. She loves to sing, dance, play with balls and absolutely lovvveees Elmo and Minnie Mouse. This gives me some interesting ideas to plan her next birthday. So will it be Elmo or Minnie Mouse this time?? Hang in there and you will soon find out !!!

I feel she is getting ready for school and we plan on getting her into preschool starting this fall... but more on that later...... This is a wonderful age to be in. All said and done I would call it the TERRIFIC TWOs..... 

Out and About

The best things in life often come free.... like spending time with your kids. You don't need a loan to take them out on fancy vacations, just a visit to the neighborhood park is something they will enjoy and you will create thankful memories of giggles and grins.

By default, I often take Anvesha to the same parks, play areas over and over again. I feel like I am in a rut when it comes to exploring the plethora of play grounds/kids places. With the weather getting nicer, I am ready to explore!!! Summers are especially the time to take advantage of the myriad wonders of nature and other outdoor play spaces.  What better time now to break out of that rut !!!

Sammamish is a great place for kids. When we moved here from Bellevue, I had mixed feelings about how we are going to settle in since I had been in Bellevue for 5 yrs and was quite comfortable with the surroundings. But as they say, no matter how hard we try to resist it, change is always good :) There are infinite parks, trails, lakes and kids' activities that go on all year round here. First things first, I got her enrolled in the music class and she has completed the spring session :)

Outside play time is absolutely essential for a child's development. Firstly, it takes the child away from technology like computers, TV and there are a lot of developmental tasks including exploring. risk taking, developing fine motor skills that a child can achieve while playing outside. Some of my favorite childhood memories are ones from my outdoor activity. Coming home after play with my hands dirty, clothes full of stains almost daily ..... playing cricket, even though we didn't have fancy playgrounds in our neighborhood, making boats out of paper and following it right till the end of the dirty "naali" is something I will remember forever. We used to come home tired and hungry with yummy meals waiting for us :) So when Anvesha comes home with stained clothes, I don't fret since I know she has had a good time outside.

                                              

Some of the places that we have explored apart from the neighborhood playgrounds are Pine Lake Park, East Sammamish Park and of course our backyard with the big pool :) Hot summer days are here to stay and its the best time to inaugurate our brand new inflatable pool. Anvesha can spend hours inside it splashing water all over.




When we are outside she loves to collect leaves, sticks and while running skipping or learning how to pedal her tricycle, she nor only exercises her body, but also her mind. I guess this is why outside playtime is so important.

Anvesha's first haircut

A child's first haircut is the cutest thing ever and is also a monumental step signifying the end of babydom. No matter how long we try to put it off, its an inevitable milestone that we all have to face some day. Some parents do it themselves, wielding a small scissors and cutting those tiny locks, while others go for all the bells and whistles of a kiddy salon- yeah you read it right: A kids salon !!!! Chairs that look like trains, or fire engines or airplanes !!!! cartoons on multiple screens !! Lollipops !!! Stickers, plus a fancy toy to take home to.

Technically speaking Anvesha already had her mundan ( hair shaving ceremony ) at 11 months, but I would not call it her first haircut- it was more of a traditional thingy that  HAD to be done at a certain time. So by  the time she was 28 months she desperately needed a haircut- a professional one. It was time to tame the unruly quaff and repair the uneven growth that only toddlers are privy to. Plus, I was tired of putting it in barrettes and clips to hold them from falling into her face, just to have her pulled out 2 minutes later.

So to get Anvesha prepared for the big day , I started telling her stories of how a princess once cut her hair just to look more prettier. A girly girl that she is, she really looked forward to the "haircut" just to look cuter than ever before :) So I took her to a kids salon named Bratpack kids. Its a salon designed especially for kids and the waiting area has a train table and many dvds for kids to choose from for watching during their haircut. Iam so J !!!!! I wish I had such a fancy salon while I was a kid :(

Anvesha chose to watch the Minnie Mouse dvd and hopped onto the chair and sat gracefully... her little body was covered by a giant yellow cape  while her hair was being trimmed and dolled up; making her look like a genuine Gerber baby.... so proud of you Aanu !!  I had to plan it though, making sure the appointment is in between mealtime and nap time- that way she isn't hungry or cranky. I went thewir a little early so that ANvesha kind of "absorbs" the surroundings.  I would highly recommend Teressa from Bratpack for anyone who is looking out fr their kid's haircut. She is good with kids and Anvesha loved her. 

She also got a certificate of her first haircut with a strand of her hair attached to it : how cute is that !!!! 

The new Look !!!!

Anvesha is now all set for summer in her new look :)

This Mother's Day

So it is mother's day- my third mother's day... a day when  I revisit the fantastic memories that I have had with my lovely daughter Anvesha. Every mother's day for me has different memories. The first one was rather special, for the simple fact that it was my first Mother's day.  I remember when we brought Anvesha home, I was so terrified since she was so tiny and helpless. Would I be a good enough Mom? Those sleepless nights when I would stay awake all night just to watch her go to sleep. Those tiny hands that held me tight while learning to take the first steps... those first words that were music to my ears. Anvesha's first 2 years have left such profound memories in my heart.

But motherhood is not all rosy picture..... I have witnessed my baby crying uncontrollably at 3 am demanding to be nursed while I was trying to wean her off. I have also chased a two year old through a quiet library- screaming. I have bribed my daughter as we go grocery shopping, begging my way down every aisle. I have packed my dinner in a to go box because we simply couldn't make it through a meal in public. I have hated some days and longed for the quiet house that comes with the "sacred" nap time hour. And for as many challenging days, there were infinite times as many that were simply good . Sweet chubby hugs, chocolate kisses, the brilliant moment of teaching something new, stroking sleepy heads, the wonders of every day. While I know this wonderful phase won't last long, I cherish each day, knowing that it is precious, One day I will be alone in a perfectly neat and quiet house waiting for my daughter to come back from school....

This mother's day here's something for Anvesha. Hope she reads it one day with a smile :)

"Dear Aanu,

As mother's day approaches I have been thinking about you- I know its supposed to happen the other way around , but that's how we moms are, we can't help it :) I know I am not perfect- Yes I get cranky, Yes I nag about going to bed early and huff and puff when you take longer than you should and yes, you sometimes test my patience, but rest assured I love being your mom. I don't always get it right, but I am trying to be the best mom for you. I am trying to keep this family of ours together and balanced. Your dad is wonderful and walks right along side me in this parenting gig. You are growing up fast, which I hate and love at the same time. You are the joy of my life and I would choose you every time if someone gave me a second chance...even if I am having a bad day and I ( wrongly) take it out on you.....even if you are having a hard day and I am not able to handle it well. Our family is the best part of my world which means YOU are the best part of my world.  You have given me moments of joy that I never thought possible... you have made me dance around the house like a kid again and made me play hide and seek. 

I am so glad that I am your mom.  Thank you .... since I am the only person in this world who is honored to have the title of "your mom"  and that makes me a very lucky person indeed. 

Happy mother's day Aanu..... a tight hug to you.... Muaahhh !!!!!

Love you heaps, 
Mamma"

Lets play some music !!

I believe music has some healing powers and everybody is musical including children. We don't need to wonder if we have a musical talent- of course we do. It may lie somewhere undiscovered and unused, but it's there. How do people learn music? How do toddlers learn music? Children learn through play, they may want to listen, move, sing  or play an instrument at home, sometimes for extended periods of time. Thus, a child's musical growth occurs best in a playful, musically rich and developmentally appropriate setting.

At home all three of us sing and play and Anvesha thoroughly enjoys dancing to her favorite rhymes. It does get repititive though, but this is a regular routine at our home after dinner :) I happened to bump into Miss Julie from Lake View Music Together at the Sammamish libray and that's where I found out about the music together classes. Curious to know more, I took Anvesha for a trial class last week. Its a music class for children - birth through 5 yrs.  It was such a comfortable and exciting experience for both of us and Anvesha danced a lot that day. I signed her for this class immediately.

So what do we do in this 45 min class? Well, there are wonderful sounds, interesting instruments to play, other children to watch, silly things to laugh at, an inviting Miss Julie to follow, last but not the least, music that Anvesha loves !!! Every child participates at his/her own level in singing, dancing and exploring the musical instruments. It is a great experience for me as well.  It is exceptionally satisfying for me see Anvesha  respond so positively to music.

One of the delights of going to the music class every week is rediscovering my own relationship to music. I  get an opportunity to get an instrument that perhaps I haven't played in years. Dancing suddenly feels new and wonderful, especially when its removed from the anxieties and performance pressure :)

Both Anvesha and me come home smiling and singing- with a satisfaction and joy in making music together :)

Swim Baby Swim !!!

Swimming is such fun and a wonderful way to stay healthy for life. Babies are born with a love for water and studies have revealed that a new born is most comfortable in water as opposed to a normal atmosphere... surprized ???  Well, I definitely was when I saw this video . Upto 3-4 months, bathtub is a perfect place for the little ones to develop a healthy relationship with the water. In my opinion, an early introduction to aquatics is  best as they are less likely to have a negative attitude about water.

I do not know swimming and this is something I really missed especially at our Hawaii trip last year. Not only is it a great exercise, but also a great stress buster and of course fun. I know its never too late to learn to swim and I will certainly learn it one day, but until then I definitely want that Anvesha should learn swimming. There you go...... we got her enrolled in the swim lessons at Bellevue Aquatic Center. The program that she is in currently is the parent tot 1 in which one parent/ caregiver is allowed to accompany the child in the pool. I was a bit hesitant to go there at first since I don't know swimming, but was relieved to find out that this is not a perquisite.

Anvesha's first day at the class was really interesting. She enjoys being in water and was the oldest one among others in her class !!!! The youngest one was 6-7 months I guess.... and seeing these tiny tots made me wonder why hadn't I got her enrolled earlier? But, as they say, "better late than never".These swimming sessions are designed so that the child explores the water and starts feeling comfortable in it. There are songs, water play, getting in and out of water with help, sliding into the pool and many other fun activities that keep the children occupied and entertained. Pairing a melody with the movement can actually help them remember what to do. This is also a great way to develop a good bond between the child and you.

We are already half way through her swim sessions and she will graduate to parent tot 2. Yayyyy !!!! She might not learn swimming independently as of now, but at least she will get a hang of it.

Just out from her first swim class... 

Time to forward face

Experts recommend rear facing your baby till they outgrow their car seat, or until age 2. The rear facing position is not only considered to be safe but also comfortable for the kids. Though we did have many challenges to get Anvesha to sit in the car seat initially... the girl would scream and resist being buckled, making it hard for me to drive her around alone. But then some magic happened- we got her a magical ( yes, that's what I call it ) mirror and she enjoyed it so much that her car seat became a happy place for her:) Going on long drives became more enjoyable and this continued until she turned 2.

 By 22- 23 months, Anvesha used to be all cramped up with her legs and feet struggling to get some space and her shoulders were way above the straps of the car seat.  from the look of it, she wasn't very comfortable too. So on her second birthday, we decided to transition her from rear racing to a forward facing seat. I had kept my fingers crossed, hoping that she will find this position more exciting. So we told her that now she will no longer sit in her old car seat - now she will sit in her "new-new" car seat. She seemed thrilled to get some newness into her life.

The first few trips were more of experimenting with the new seat.... what is the best position for her...whether she can sleep comfortably or not. For this we made a trip at her nap time so as to check and be sure its comfortable. Yes, we can still rear face her car seat, which we would have if she was even remotely uncomfortable. But we decided to keep her forward facing as the rear facing position was rather boring for her now. She can watch me drive the car, sing along "wheels on the bus" as the wipers move from side to side. While getting into the car, all that she says is "new-new" car seat :)

Here's my happy baby in the forward facing car seat.