Lovable Laughable Clifford

Abigail's Rhymes

The following are some rhymes Abigail and I composed together:

The Library Song
Visit visit visit
visit the library
sit sit sit
sit and read
fun fun fun
reading is fun

The Sun
The sun rises in the east
The sunsets in the west
santa lives in the north
and penguins in the south.

My Doll
I have a doll with 2 pony tails
I name her is Amu
I look after her just as my mother takes care of me and my brother.

Tick Tock Clock
Tick tock tick tock
Wakes me up
Tick tock tick tock
Time for school
Tick tock tick tock
Plan my work
Tick tock tick tock
Good night!

Abigail's Jokes

Abigail likes to hear and share jokes with others. Many times she says the same joke again, and again. What is more important is that she expects to see the same excitement and smile on our face the first time we heard her joke! The following are some of her funny instances she repeated to any new friend/relative that I could recollect (not in any particular order):

She loves to call her little brother Siddharth by many pet names - like "Bootha", "Moni", "yeah mera Gujrathi", "mera-mera" etc. Once she called him "Diwali". We explained to her that Diwali is a festival that is celebrated in India. On this cue, she asked about other festivals celebrated. We told her about Kolu, Pongal... She remembered Kolu, but not Pongal; so she asked "So is sakara Pongal a festival too?" We explained that sakara Pongal is a jaggery-sweet variety of a dish made during the festival of Pongal. She accepted but continued on the same path: soon after that she asked "Is payasam a festival too?". Hahaha........

One winter day we were walking towards home from the school. The climate was good, so Abigail first removed her cap, then scarf and then her gloves. Soon she coughed, so I asked her if she could put her cap back on. At this she asked "Why do you worry? I am coughing through my mouth not my head!" (she had wanted to say since she was coughing I should have asked her to put on her scarf first and then the cap!) Hahaha........

When Abigail started rhyming:
* She asked if her doctor - Dr Klos - was Santa Claus!
* After looking at the mail box, she asked if it belonged to our family or to Emily (her friend).

Recollections of Burping Infant Abigail

I feel burping is an important phase in a parent's life. At first I was not inclined to accepting his phase; after delivery your body and mind would need some rest. But more than that I was apprehensive if I would be able to carry it out in the correct manner. At that time, Abigail's head needed support; she would attach to my shoulder. I was not so sure to handle the baby during burping.

After 2 months with Abigail's neck gaining more strength, it was much more fun. I could gradually accept this phase. Baby's soft skin touches our shoulder that would be my source of energy to love this job. As per experts there may be different ways to burp a baby, but my choice is using the shoulder. Using this technique we will get a close contact with the baby. Baby and mother can smell each other. Especially when the baby shakes her head our hand would brush their hair. If we put the baby on our shoulder then they try to see around, her head would get some support so they would turn around easy. Those were some very nice experiences.

I feel burping is a very special job for a father in the beginning. After regularly changing the diapers, burping is a welcome relief to fathers! In fact my husband and I would race to reach for the baby to burp her!! :-)

Budding Hobbies

Time flies; I remember it was like yesterday when we brought a new born baby home. And now, a new phase has started when Abigail has started saying that she wants to go to school. These days she is getting bored inside the home. She enjoyed the past summer when we used to visit library sessions. She is clearly missing meeting her friends. Keeping a baby engaged full-time is certainly difficult.

In the past few days, she has started following my routine tasks - cooking, watching soap-serials and culinary programs, and reading. Whenever I cook, in most probability she would join me - if she is awake, is in good mood and not engrossed in any other of her favorite tasks. She would put up a stool, stand in front of the gas stove and repeat her regular lines: "Amma, teach me how to cook?", "I would cook very safely (without getting fingers burnt)", "Amma I would add salt", "Amma, Abigail would cook alone - please let me cook on my own". Indulging her fancies, I too let her handle the ladle up-to an extent. Often, I proudly boast of her willingness to help at such a young age; at the same time, I have felt my heart pound hard when she is near a boiling pot.

Apart from these real experiences, she would also "cook" separately - which I admit I adore - safe, far away from the gas stove. Though she has her own set of toy pans, pots and spoons, she prefers mine any day over hers - as if saying "only then would I get the feel of cooking!" She would take full onions, peel them and put them with potatoes, garlic and tomatoes in my kadai. She would add water up-to the rim. For the remaining inaccessible ingredients, she would just name them out verbally - as if a uttering a magic spell over a pot of boiling concoction! Using my ladle she would gently mix (act of frying) cover it with a lid and walk off. Even after a few minutes, if I ask her about her cooking, she would say "Wait Amma, it has to cook for some more time". When she remembers her incomplete task, she would rush back to the abandoned spot. Sometimes, she would declare her dish having been prepared, other times, she would pack the result of her effort in a box and ask me to keep safely in the refrigerator or give it to her Appa as his office-lunch!

Having observed me closely, she would carry out each of the above-mentioned tasks with enthusiasm. Many times, I notice many small traits (that I would not have realized having them) she would have picked from me. Watching her cooking is like watching a replay of mine -just that the actor is much younger! I've asked my mother many times - did I too ape her during my childhood? Sigh! she does not remember the details.

I am sure she would get over these "hobbies" soon after joining pre-school, yet I wonder if she would ever recollect having gone through this phase. I cherish these memories, and document them in the form of this blog.

Teddy Teddy Teddy

Abigail has now entered into her "teddy-age". She loves her Teddy and her doll, Ammu. But her farvouite is Teddy. She plays with her Teddy a lot, so much so that many days I and my hubby have got envious of her Teddy.

The first thing that she does after every sleep/nap is to pick up Teddy, hold it close to her nose and say "Thithi thihi thithi!", as if saying "Teddy Teddy did you have a good sleep?"! She would then hold her Teddy in her arms and roam about (re-)introducing Teddy to her butterfly and all other toys. Sometimes she would console her Teddy - just like we pacify her - by saying "Teddy Teddy don't cry! Keep smiling."

Many times she would ask me to feed her Teddy. Other times, she would use real utensils, prepare an elaborate meal. I was surprised to note the extent of her observation of my manner of cooking; she knows how to prepare rice (saadham vadikkurathu) - including holding the hot pot with a cloth, prepare chapathi with the plate, roller and dry wheat powder, filtering tea from a pot into a glass - all this using empty vessels or just water. She would then pick a cup and spoon and feed her Teddy.

She would take her Teddy on her back (giving a piggy back ride). She would place Teddy on the chair by her side and both would sit and enjoy. She would tell rhymes to her Teddy. She would read books to her Teddy, when they are playing and before going to sleep. She would put Teddy to sleep by singing the following:

Thaache thaache Teddy thaache
Thaache thaache Kutty thaache
Thaache thaache Ammu thaache
Thaache thaache Appa thaache
Thaache thaache Amma thaache
Thaache thaache Abigail thaache
Thaache thaache thaache...

Abigail's Mom's Birthday

My mom has her likings - she is particular about her favourite dress, pen, food etc. She becomes very excited around the days of festivals. One such event is her own birthday.

Like any other annual event, the festivities for my mom's birthday began a week ago. First, the coutless visits to apparel departments in search for her new dress. Then on Sunday, we went out to the movies. Yesterday, my appa suprised us with big balloons and a cake. Today is her birthday; but the celebration does not end here - tomorrow evening we are planning to go out for dinner!

Today she got up happy and energetic. She prepared a quick breakfast of spicy adai, and got ready. After the last big festival, today we all got together to say our morning prayers. When my appa offered adai to my mom, she said that the first bite of the day should be sweet so that the whole year is full of fun and success! See how sweet she is?

She spent some time searching for some good dish to prepare for the evening. And just by chance she came across the recipe for "aravanan" - a grand dish prepared exclusively for the Lord on celestial occassions. Taking cue as a blessing from the abode, she prepared this amazing dish. Everyone loved it; my mom was overjoyed!

She bought herself a long skirt and matching tops for her birthday. I think she is compensating her age by wearing such a nice dress! Just kidding! :~) My mom is inncoent. I love my mom.

Our home is filled with balloons, and I particularly enjoyed playing with them.

HAPPY B'DAY AMMA!