Tell me its a phase and will pass soon

Crying the moment his demand is not given into, throwing tantrums when he is scolded for something wrong, hitting at us or just anyone when he feels upset, not wanting to share his toys with anyone, wanting whatever the other child has! Ohh boy I really don't know how to handle all this.

Me and hubby just try and pacify ourselves that his is just a phase and he would be out of it soon. But I really wonder if it really is. I've seen this drastic change in him in the past 1 month or so.

Throwing tantrums at the drop of a hat has become his second nature now. And when the tantrum mode is on sometimes he will cry, sometimes he will hit anyone who comes to talk to him or pacify him or he will start throwing things around. We usually try and ignore him and tell him that he's not behaving good so none of us are going to talk to him. Sometimes I've even given him punishments of "go stand in the corner" or that he won't get the goodies that we have. And at times we give him a slap too (sometimes on the cheek and sometimes on the back) and he realises we are really angry. Then he will come and snuggle with us still crying and will say sorry and "Main dubara nahi karunga. Aap gussa mat karo" (I will not do it again. Please don't get angry at me). But sooner than later all is forgotten and he's back to square one in his behaviour. I really don't know how to handle this. Any ideas?

And the recent habit which he has started is whenever we are going out, be it for dinner or some basic house needs shopping he would want us to buy him something. I know that partly we are responsible for that. And we are trying hard to get him off this habit by not giving in to him. We succeeded last night when we were passing by India Gate and he wanted the light-ball which lights up when you swing it using the elastic band attached. But we managed that by telling him things such as the seller has gone to bed or to have dinner. And that we will come again etc etc

But I really wonder if this is the right way. We did try to tell him that we buy him things so often and we will not buy every time we step out of the house. But that didn't work and probably won't. I feel he needs to be a little more older to understand that. And the latest fad is whatever advertisement of a DVD or a toy he will see on TV he will say"Mumma/Papa, Mere liye woh le kar aana. OK?" (Buy that for me) while pointing at the item being advertised. I just look at him and say nothing and he assumes we will and gets busy with other things.

Another new behaviour he has started to show is whenever he meets people, he will hide behind us and not say hello. Which is just the opposite of how he used to be. When we go for the parent teacher meetings at his school with him, he will cling to us for his life. He will not even play with his friends or say a single word to his teachers or his classmates or to the nannies. And his teachers and the principal all say that when we are not around he's such a talkative, bossy little guy and so freely playing around and doing things. They also wonder why he behaves like this when we are around. *Sigh* ..we wonder too!

Yeh Anirudh nahi hai!

Looking at the slide show on this blog he asked me who this baby is. When I told him its him only he just shook his head in negative saying "Yeh Anirudh nahi hai!" (This is not Anriudh) And then after a few pics he could recognise its him. So he goes 'Yeh Anirudh hai. Woh betu nahi hai!" (This is Anriudh. That was not Betu - referring to the earlier pics of him as a baby).

He had such conviction in his tone and expressions that I decided its best to leave it at that :D

Longest nap ever!

Anirudh took his longest nap ever this Sunday evening i.e on Nov 25, 2007. He slept at 5:40 PM on Sunday and woke up at 7:30 AM on Monday morning i.e Nov 26, 2007. Can you beat that? A non stop 14 hrs of sleep? And I was so worried because he has never slept this long ever that I would keep going and checking on him just to make sure he's fine. :P

He's never slept for 2 hours at a stretch even when he was an infant when I used to hear babies sleep for 4hrs at a stretch easily. And what worried me was it was soon after his trampoline rendezvous and I kept wondering if that didn't do any harm to his brain or any other internal injury. Funny parents we are..right?

And when he woke up in the morning after his kumbhakaran-nap he drank his milk without even one prodding from me or hubby. On his own, just like that! And once he had gulped down his milk, he himself asked to get his teeth brushed! Me and hubby laughed that something definitely has happened after that trampoline jumping but its for the better! Hehehehe....

But when the everyday fuss ensued over his bath, we both sighed and said "Sab waisa hi hai! No change!" (Everything is the same) and laughed again! :D

Electric trampoline jumping!

I'm sure all of you would have seen these electric trampolines in the malls where they put a kind of a belt around the child and the kids are swinging up and high, to and fro and just having fun.

I used to be quite amused with that and last year when he was about 2.5 yrs young I tried to get him into it but he started crying within seconds. So we took him out immediately. And every time we would go to a mall, he will eye that trampoline and kids jumping interestingly but was never keen to do it himself. He would always say no when we would ask him if he wants to do it.

This Sunday as we went to a mall with his Nanu, he himself told us that he wants to do it and he added "Main nahi darunga" (I will not get scared). I was surprised and happy at the same time. But just to confirm I asked him again 2-3 times if he is sure he wants to di it and every time he would reply back "Sure!". Ok then...we went ahead and he waited anxiously for his turn. And he had such a wonderful time and was so happy. Although when he started to go a bit faster and to quite a height he did get uncomfortable a bit so we asked the operator to slow it down. And then the operator changed the mode from going up and down to the swing motion. And Anirudh loved it even more! I asked him "So who is this flying here? A Spiderman or a Superman?" He immediately answered "Spiderman!" :D

Here are some pics that I clicked from my phone ..ahemm..new phone! :D

Waiting for his turn!

Getting all set!

I'm ready!!

Trying to jump on his own!

Here comes the Spiderman!

Yippee!! Catch me if you can!

And he loved it so much that everyday morning he asks me if we can go 'jumping' again and waving his hands up and down. And I have to tell him that we will go on a holiday or Sunday and he would then insist that today is Sunday! :D

What's the good word?

Whenever Anirudh is excited he says some words in a hurry and as a result jumbles up the end of the word with the middle one. And instead of telling you such examples I'm going to make it a quiz for you to solve :D So guess what's the correct word for each option in your comments and soon I will tell you the answers :)

a) Dilawi
b) Chikap
c) Umpa
d) Carema

Happy guessing!

Funny and amazing at the same time!

His vocabulary and how he talks to others leaves me amazed and laughing all at the same time. He will use words like adults in his sentences that leave you awed with a smile on your face.

He has recently started using the words 'udaas' (sad) and 'yaad' (remembrance) quite often. For e.g when I go to pick him up after school, he will ask me "Aap udaas ho rahe the? Aapko meri yaad aa rahi thi?" (You were feeling sad? You were missing me?) And I just smile and nod.

Then a few days ago he tells me "Hum Nanu ke paas jayenge. Woh udaas hain. Woh betu ko yaad kar rahe hain." (We will go to Nanu. He's sad. He's missing/remembering Betu) :D

And day before yesterday when I was trying to put him to bed and telling him a story, he interrupts me and says "Mujhe Nanmun ki yaad aa rahi hai!" (I'm missing Nanmun) He was referring to his younger cousin who is 1 year 3 months young who went back to Bangalore after Diwali break. I felt so awed at his statement and hugged him and told him that Nanmun had to go to school too and thats why he's gone back. That kind of worked but he still misses him often. And why not as they had lots of fun together. Nanmun would try to kiss Anirudh over and over again. He would be so happy just having Anirudh around and playing together.

And can you imagine a 1 year 3 months young toddler and a 3 year 5 months young boy fighting? It was really so funny looking at them fighting over things and toys. And its not that Anirudh had an upper hand being so much older all the time. He also would take Anirudh by surprise sometimes and that was so hilarious for us to watch.

A cool biker!

Watch our for this cool biker!

Hat Competition!

Anirudh has a hat competition today at his school along with a party on account of Children's Day. The catch was that the hats had to be handmade by parents. They had told us about this about 2 weeks ago. But last week when we were away at Jaipur for Diwali I just forgot about it. Late evening around 6:30 I remembered about it and realised I had nothing to make one out of. Immediately I went to the local market and got some paper, some stickers and a fevicol stick.

At night around 10:30 when the Betu had gone to bed with his Papa, I started at it. And then the mind seemed completely blank! I just couldn't think of what to make. I knew I can't make just a conical regular birthday kinds. It had to be different. A little bit different at least. What turned out wasn't great but I think it was a decent effort and a decent output. What says you guys?

He's sporting his trademark fake or shall I say diplomatic smiles? Its very rare that you can click him in his natural smiles these days! Its another story that you just can't click him easy these days! He will make sure to look other way or make those funny faces!

Although I know the hat isn't something amazing but I am already wondering if he will win anything! Errr...ok ok...I'm thinking more on the lines if I will win anything since I made it :P

His vocabulary amazes me!

It was around 6 PM today. Me and Anirudh walked down to our local market as I had some stuff to be given for dry cleaning. Right next to the dry cleaners shop was this electricians shop who had displayed various styles, shapes and sizes of electric decorative lighting. There were so many since Diwali is just round the corner.

Looking at such colorful flickering decorations he was so excited and wanted me to buy one too. I told him we have one at home and that we will put it on tomorrow. But he kept insisting to buy one and when I finally told him that we will put it on as soon as we reach back the house today itself, he finally calmed down. And as soon as we reached, as promised, I took out the lighting and started to work on putting it in. After nailing down a few nails, and placing the wire across the wall, finally we were all done and the moment I plugged it and switched it on, the lights started to blink in waves. He was ecstatic! He jumped up and down and said "Yay!". After admiring it for a few seconds he goes "Arre waah! Kamaal ka kaam ho gaya!" (Oh wow! What a great job done.)

I was so taken aback by the usage of word 'kamaal' by him. I asked him who taught you this? At first he kept saying kisi ne nahi? Then when I probed further he called out a name of his teacher. I thought ok fine but does he know what it means? So I asked him "Iska kya matlab hota hai?" (What does it mean?) and he said "Achha kaam ho gaya" (Good job done) leaving no doubts that he does know what it meant :)

He's soooo funny!

Just now, 30 seconds ago, I scolded him when I turned around from the comp to see he had emptied his CD case and strewn over all the DVDs over the bed. I was furious. And he got a big scolding from me for doing that. When I scolded him he said "par aapne to bola tha ki main wahan rakh loon" (But you had told me that I can keep them there). And then I remembered that a minute ago he had asked me if he can keep the CD case on the bed and I had said OK for that. So I told him I had said that to keep the case as it is and not take out the DVDs. So I told him sternly again to put the DVDs back in the case. The moment I turned back my head to look at the monitor to carry on what I was doing I hear him say to himself "Kitni Mumma daanti hai!" (Mumma scolds so much). I had to control my laughter lest he gets easy. :D

And just now he came to showing me the case saying he has put all the DVDs back inside. And as I asked him to show it to me by opening he immediately ran away with the case saying "nahi..." (no..) which means he has not put the DVDs back in each slot but has just zipped the case by dumping them inside and now doesn't want me to see that lest to get another big scolding. Oh boy! He's becoming such a brat day by day!

Expecting conversation in return of a conversation!

Today morning as Anirudh and myself walked towards our local market to get milk and some other stuff, he was talking all the way to me. And I don't remember what exactly I was thinking but I know I wasn't listening to him as such and going 'hmm' every time he would say something. After a minute he asks me in a little irritated tone "Aap baar baar hmm kyun kare rahe ho?" (Why are you saying hmm again and again) and aped me by saying it multiple times himself "Hmmm...hmmm....hmm..." :D

It was so funny looking at him doing that. But realised that now he wants full attention whenever he talks to us and he can't be taken for a ride by just saying anything. He realises and understands very well when we are actually listening to him or not. So now it has to be a conversation in return of a conversation always!

And when he talks, you HAVE to listen to him immaterial of how important thing you must be doing. This incident will tell you what I mean. If me and DH or any two people are talking to each other and he's saying something in between, he was told to say "Excuse me" long back. Must have been more than a month since I taught him that. So now if I'm in deep conversation with anybody in person, he will keep repeating "Excuse me" till we actually stop our conversation and listen to him. So just try and imagine a small child going on and on like a stuck record saying "Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me...." Hehehe..funny isn't it?

And that's not it. If he has already said these magic words 4-5 times and we are still not responding to him he gets really angry and on the top of his voice will shout. "Main excuse me bol raha hoon. Aap meri baat kyun nahi sun rahe?" (I'm saying excuse me. Why are you not listening to me?). He definitely is a grown up little boy now!

Somehow all this reminds me of a song in Hindi that went something like this "Chhota bachha jaan kar humko na bahlana re.." hehehe...

Some more of Anirudh talks!

Incident 1:
Today evening me and Anirudh were playing some games together and after a while he decided its enough and told me "Bas! Thoda rest karenge!" (Stop. Lets rest a while). So as we both sat down he came over to me and started to cuddle. As we were cuddling he pulls him away and says "Apna chashma to utaro! Mujhe dardi ho rahi hai!" (Take of your specs. They are hurting me) :D

Incident 2:
An hour ago I had to go to the nearby market to get some documents photocopied. The moment I entered inside the main gate he came running out of the main door of the house and goes "Aap kahan gaye the? Main pareshaan ho raha tha!" (Where did you go? I was getting worried.) I was so awed at this statement and bent down and just hugged him.

Incident 3:
Today morning when DH was going to get milk I was telling him a few more things that need to be brought. Once I was done, Betu immediately piped in saying "Aur ek Munch(chocolate) bhi lana betu ke liye!" (Get one Munch too for Betu). How swiftly he added his item to the list of items to be bought left us laughing and awed.

Incident 4:
Yesterday Betu was insisting continuously to me to buy him a chocolate saying "Mumma please ek Munch(chocolate) khayunga! Only one!" (I will have just one Munch). But since this weather his bronchitis gets aggravated at slightest of things like eating chocolate or toffees or not being warm enough so I was telling him no he can't have it again and again. Finally after asking me for about 4-5 times and seeing that I was not complying, he goes "Main please bol raha hoon na!" (I'm saying please) And the expressions on his face were so innocent and pleading like. How he changes his behaviour as per the situation amazes me. Just like a chameleon!