Birthday Preparation

Two more weeks to go and here it comes Aryan's Birthday (16th March). We are very excited for the celebration but on the other side I feel there is something missing. Our parents, friends and relatives in India are missing. I just wish all my near and dear ones were here.

This is Aryan's 1st Birthday and I don't know where I will be. I have got new assignment in NY starting from 5th to 16 March so whole plan went upside down. Finally I have decided to take Nimisha and Aryan with myself and we will celebrate in NY. But this is just begining of all problem. NY being new city, I need to find friends who can join us for celebration. I need to find right shops for shopping. I need to find venue for the celebration. My brain getting fused. Nimisha is bit upset with so much uncertainity in IT life.

We have started the preparation and we have bought shirt, tie, suit and black leather shoe for Aryan. His trouser was not the right fit so Nimisha is busy in doing alteration.

I am finding friends who are in NY, Newjersey and near to this cities. I contacted three friends and unfortunately they have moved to other city recently and third guy has gone on vaccation to India.

I am making invitation card but can be complete only when venue is decided.

The 1st thing to do in NY is to find out whether the guest house apartment has any party room. It's very unlikely that the apartment companies in NY will have party room. If not will have to look how big is the guest house and whether we can have party in guest house itself. Initially I thought I will have number of friends and may be we can celebrate in some Indian restaurant but invitee list is decreasing so now I believe we can even do with guest house.

Once venue is decided, I need to finalize menu with some Indian restaurant. We won't be having much utensils in NY so Nimisha didn't got chance to show her culinary skills.We also need to find out good bakery shop for birthday cakes.

Once important task of venue and menu is decided we will take plunge for shopping. We need to buy birthday balloons, caps, whistles, crackers and return gift for all kids. Then we will finalize some fun games for kids and families.

There are too many things to do and just few days left. This is one the occasions where I really miss India. My little angel birthday will keep me quiet busy for the preparation.

Winter time @ Baltimore

Nimisha and Aryan enjoying snow time on pavement

This year winter was pleasant considering we had snow just 4-5 times and twice city was covered with snow.

During winter, it's my habbit now, the first thing I do is to watch outside the window and find out how is weather: snow, rain, windy or sunny and then plan to dress according to the climate.

One fine day, I found that pavements and roads are covered with snow and it seems it snowed heavily during night. I dressed up and took big umbrella (given by iflex during holiday party) , basically it's family umbrella, an umbrella so big that entire family can come inside. As I was walking, I saw stretched marks on snow, kind of mark that reflects people had a nice skid before minutes back. I was careful and was balancing myself but leather shoe was not the perfect shoe for this weather. I did slipped number of times but fortunately didn't fall.

I reached downtown and saw snow vehicles clearing snow from the road, another vehicle spraying salt but nothing has been done so far on pavements. Some shop owners made their own efforts to clear the snow at the entrace. Thanks for the effort!! I was just thinking that if I fall, I may get hurt or may be clothes will get dirty and I may have to come back. I was in the middle of thought that I had a nice skid and was flat on the pavement. Fortunately, my clothes were not dirty and I stood up again and walked down to office.

Then came Friday, and it was day for Mother Goose on the Loose for Aryan. Snow had partially melted but pavements in some places were still covered with snow. Nimisha took Aryan in stroller and went out for the library and half way she realized it's not possible to cross the road using stroller so she came back and kept stroller at home and took Aryan in her arms and went to library again. It was slippery and she balanced herself but finally reached library and had a nice time at library. Attendance was thin and there were just three kids.

Both Nimisha and Aryan are having lovely time in snow. Aryan loves watching snow flakes falling down on ground and even claps occasionaly.

Below are few snaps outside our apartment.

Aryan trying to cover his face from snow flurries

Aryan watching snow on ground

Nimisha with Aryan at the apartment entrance

Car covered with snow

Car covered with snow

Nimisha with Aryan walking on pavement

Flower pot covered with snow at entrance

Jab main chota bacha tha

Jab main chota bacha tha

Badi sharart karta tha

Sirf teen daat se sabko kat taa tha

Bhalu se do haat karta tha
Laptop par gana sunta tha


Kapde ko bhi khata tha


Kursi ke Niche chiipp jata tha
Papa ko race mein harata tha

Papa ki friendee ko miss call marta tha

Nawab kee tarah nahata tha
Chaan kee nind sota tha

Papa ko ghora banata tha


Chori kar ke khata tha




Magar kabhi kabhi meri chori pakdi jaati

Aur mujhe pack kar diya jata tha

Friends

After Bath?

How to make call?

Playing with papa

Crossing the bridge?

Sliding down

Riding a horse?

Completed Eleven months

Duplicate??

Today, I was chatting with my cousin Neel and Bhabhi, who saw Arayn after six months, and they pointed that he has grown up. My little angel has completed Eleven months and there were lot of new happenings in his life.
He has started expressing himself. If he dislike a food he shakes his head NO and turns away his head whereas if he is happy while doing some activity he claps and I can see excitement on his face. He has started understanding that papa or mummy is not happy with him. At times we have to scold him not to touch certain thing so if I stare at him and say "NO Don't touch it" he understands there is some problem and he should not do it and he stops.

He has started experimenting with his hands. He wants to touch everything whether its dustbin or electric socket or even inside my mouth as why dad has teeth and I have only gums. He has learned to take out plugs from socket and tries to insert plugs in the socket (not successful till now) . Now the problem is that he knows we can put somethnig inside those holes so he will try to insert mobile charger pin (pin inserted in the mobile) which being thin can easily go inside. Though we have pasted cellotape but all the holes are not covered and also not sure as why sockets in US so near to floor.

Someday, I wonder whether he want to be "Kachra King", you blink your eyes and he run to kitchen and tumbles the dustbin. Few more minutes unattended and kitchen is mess.
Both Nimisha and myself are right handed so was curious what will be his choice and he started playing with soft ball and throwing it towards me with his right hand and it seems he has inclination of using his right hand more for his activities.

Sipping tea

He gets bored with his toys very often so he plays with one for few minutes and now he wants next. Fianlly kitchen utensils have come for rescue. If I sip tea, he wants my cup and I have to move the cup from one hand to another, left-right front-back so now I give him another cup and he is happing sipping it (without anything inside). If I drink water in the glass, he wants the glass so you give him the glass and he will try to bite it. I have started believing that he wants to be drummer, you give him spoon, steel bowl and steel glass and he keeps on banging spoon on bowl and glass and keeps on saying babababa dadadada (baby languages), at times claps to show his excitement see how much noise I can make.

He is going through separation anxiety so if I opens the door and says "bye-bye" he knows I am going to office and he starts crying. If I go to bathroom and closes the door he will stand at the door and keeps on banging, crying as why are you inside and why have you kept outside. He oftens wakes up from his sleep and if he doesnt find mummy within arms reach he starts crying and if just wave your hand on his head and back he will again go back to sleep.

There is one thing which I am trying to do for a long time but didn't got much success. He gets frightened seeing lot of strangers so if someone comes to our house he doesn't wants to go to anyone. We have enrolled him in Mother goose on the loose programme and is doing extremely well in the surrounding of other kids but takes time to mingle with my friends. This is quiet normal for all kids of his age when he starts recognizing his parents or person whom he meets everyday and people whom he think is a stranger.

He learned to do "peek a boo", I didn't teach him but he saw other kids doing that in the library and he too started doing it. Kids learn fast in company of others.

As we play, we have invented few games, climbing the hill - so I keep pillows on top of another or I stretch my legs and he would like to crawl and jump from one side to another. Even if I raise my legs and try to stop him, he has his ways to cross all blockades. Then we play "catch me if you can" so Nimisha sits at the center and he is at back of her and I at the front so now I crawl and go to left to catch him and he runs to right so now I comes to right and he goes to left. He is so active and so happy and excited with it that no toy can compare with the fun he gets.

Playing handball

Then we have handball (A football version but with hand), both of us crawls and tries to catch the ball and pushes it from one side to another.

Why this Bear is sitting on chair? Pull it down

Let's open this refrigerator and find out foodies inside.

Boys are boys and will not sit for a moment and has given sleepless night especially to Nimisha. Like me :-) he doesn't wants anything in place so will stand and throw photoframes, toys and decorative piece from entertainment center. He has learned to open door and he will open closet, beneath the washbasin, and will throw one by own. He will go to kitchen open drawers and will strewn flour anything which is within his hand.He has even toppled book rack, chairs on him fortunately he didn't got hurt. If I charge mobile or connect laptop he will pull wire. If I look at him he will snatch my spectacle. I can see "Home Alone" movie series being created at my home. Nimisha says the best part of her day is when he sleeps for few hours during daytime

Nimisha - It's the time for disco :-) - complete all pending work

The best part of his eleven months is that he has started standing on his own and he walks few steps before he falls down. He drags his musical chair through out the room and the way he is walking it seems he will start walking before his 1st Birthday. His Birthday is next month and we have grand plans but not sure where we will be. Lot more is awaited next month so catch him for nore stories.

Clock

After moving to US, Nimisha was telling we don't have a wall clock at our house. One way she was right but then I pointed her to Aryan sleeping position.
If we keep Aryan at North-South position on the bed then after few hours I find him in East-West position. Intially we used to keep him back in North-South position but then I realized there is no point in doing it. If you keep him for another few hours in East-Position position, he will be back to this original position.
While everyone is sleeping, he is working hard, following clock position, moving from one angle to another. Now do we need a clock?