Daddy Cool

This one’s for my Daddy because he’s the bestest Daddy in the World. I know this is true because of everything he does for me and the wonderful time we have together. I love Mommy more than I can even express but she plays like a girl so my day doesn’t get really exciting till Daddy comes home.

I am to be found hanging from the safety gate at the top of the stairs the minute I hear the front door open in the evenings because I know it could only be Daddy, and then I fall on him with glee and we have a right old wrestle.

Sometimes I run away with his socks when he changes into his ‘home clothes’. He then chases me down (not very well, I’m very quick) and tickles me till I let go of them. I’m not sure why Mommy and Daddy don’t want me chewing on worn socks; maybe they think it will spoil my appetite for dinner.

After we’ve had some time to play, Daddy makes dinner and we all sit down to eat. Nowadays, we all eat the same food (or so they tell me but it still looks different- all gooey and mashed up in a plastic bowl, with none of the colours and textures I can see on their plates)! Anyway, I do like some of the food I’m given but I’m not a big eater so the last morsels always end up on the floor (where else would you leave leftovers?).

While Mommy cleans up afterwards, Daddy gives me a bath. This is my favourite part of the day because although I miss Mommy for a little bit, I forget as soon as I’m immersed in the soothing, warm, bubble bath in my own bluey-green tub with the orange and yellow fish on it. I’m joined by my blue whale which has different shaped holes in his tummy through which I expertly push the right shaped objects; this is super-squelchy and fun! I also have three, yellow, rubber duckies who bob around me comfortingly in a protective circle and my collection of bath books. These are brightly illustrated rubber books about sea creatures that I simply adore which have to be read to me many, many times a day, in or out of the bath. I can tell Freddie and Sid from Wanda and Tilly and I always point out the interesting details in the pictures such as the little fishes, brightly coloured shells or undersea flora, for Mommy and Daddy to admire.

My favourite is Sid the Shark who is in terrible pain as he’s growing new teeth like me but when they are all out, the pain goes away and Sid becomes the proud, pain-free owner of a sharp collection of new teeth. It gives me hope.

When I tire of my tub and persistently attempt standing up in it (to show my parents that I’m a busy baby with things to do; I can’t afford to while away the whole evening lying in a bath!), Mommy wraps me up in my fluffy, blue, baby bathrobe and dries me and puts me in a fresh nappy.

In the meantime, Daddy makes my favourite meal of the day- rusk with milk, banana or apple for supper! I’ve seen him slip something else into it, he says it’s vitamins, I think it might be a Mickey Finn because I invariably fall asleep soon after! Of course, I don’t stay asleep for very long- no, not me, I’m not one for sleeping and babyish things like that- but the lovely, warm, bubble bath and my yummy supper gets me through two or three hours.

On weekends, Daddy and I have lots more fun; all three of us go to loads of places together but sometimes I take Daddy to the supermarket on my own if Mommy is tidying the house and doesn’t want him underfoot. Now that the weather is better, we spend time in our garden which is full of wonderful new things for me to explore. I scuttle all over the grass finding twigs and soil to chew on and little flowers to shred; activities Mommy and Daddy don’t seem too keen on, so, Daddy, then, takes me out into the Close for a good workout with my walker, and like in Calcutta or Dubai, my stellar presence soon draws the neighbours from their houses and within seconds, I’m surrounded by cooing grown-ups and not able to get much exercise at all. Still, I’m not complaining- who doesn’t like being appreciated after all?

Which brings me to why I’m writing this post- because I want my Daddy to know, on this, his birthday week, how much he’s loved and appreciated, both by me and Mommy. And though we couldn’t do anything really special for him this time as we were both down with flu (not swine flu, I think, the only little piggies I know are on my feet), we hope he still enjoyed his birthday.

He got cards and phone calls from all over, and Grandma and Grandad took us to our favourite baby-friendly pub for a hearty dinner (the ice cream and chocolate sauce was particularly good) but this had to happen the day before his birthday as he had the dentist to visit for two nasty fillings on his big day (big day for pain morelike, poor Daddy)!

Never mind, Mommy and I are at this very moment planning his next birthday, his 35th, so that it’s ultra-cool for a supercool Dad. In the meantime, there’s fun stuff to do as I’ve bought him the Dark Knight on DVD which I’m sure we’ll enjoy together (though I often find myself being rocked to sleep just before we settle down for a movie, coincidence or cunning plan, do you think??).

The Next Big Thing is my 1st birthday, coming up on Sunday. Tell you all about it very soon!

Further Tales from the Orient

Where was I? Oh yes, I wanted to tell you more about my Kolkata trip- the people, the parties and the presents! I would’ve written this post sooner but I have been busy growing up- sprouting two more teeth, standing without holding (very occasionally and only till the wobbles bring me down to earth with a thump!), pointing to make myself understood, talking non-stop in my own language and mirroring Mommy and Daddy’s every movement.

So, travel back in time to Kolkata with me now and let me introduce you to the people I met there because that’s what made it so special.

I’ve already told you about seeing Dadu for the first time, being reunited with Dida, meeting Budida and Pishi(moni)dida, also for the first time, and then, of course, the Ma-sheep landed (no, I haven’t got my critters confused, the Ma-sheep is the only one of it's ilk that can fly)!

But to go back to the beginning- within a few short days of our arrival, I had settled in nicely into my new routine of starting the day sharing a biscuit and a turn on the sunny flowerpot-filled terrace with Dadu, with me pushing Dida’s wicker stool ahead of me for balance (and Dadu hoping he won’t need to do that for another twenty years at least!). This was followed by brekky with Mommy and Dida, a chilly (aaaargh) bath in my own blue tub with Daddy’s help, elevenses and a rousing game of ‘Peek-a-boo’ at Budida’s, lunchtime, siesta and balmy evening trips to local markets and shopping malls interspersed with play, play and more play.

Playtime in the evenings with Dadu was fabulous fun because it involved boisterous tussles which I inavariably won! And just because Dadu was such a great sport who didn't mind losing every day, I always rewarded him with my special Headbutt of Love which I know he enjoyed (how could he not?).

I had exciting things to play with too- the toy train that chugged along happily but eccentrically by itself, a range of squeezy, squeaky (and Dettol-fiiled!) cars and a bright soft ball that jingled when rolled. I also had all of Dida and Dadu’s venerable Filipino cane furniture at my disposal. Then, there was the paper, masses of paper- paper to roll in, to chew and to tear (and to read, of course, but the reading experience is definitely enhanced by giving the stuff a bit of a mauling first; trust me)!

And while I worked hard at giving Dida and Dadu’s home a new, more natural look (I call it ‘windswept’ but I guess it could also be called ‘hurricane-hit’!), a steady stream of guests poured in every evening, all of them bearing toys and books and lovely clothes for me. Even if they hadn’t brought a thing, I can genuinely say I would’ve enjoyed each visit for all the attention they lavished on me. Every evening ended with me doing a victory lap with my wicker stool after every baby trick of mine had been met with great approbation and applause!

Then, one evening Dadu and Dida disappeared, to return triumphantly several hours later with the eagerly awaited Ma-sheep. The Ma-sheep is Mommy’s younger sister and would ordinarily have been called ‘Mashi’ (‘maternal aunt’ in Bengali) but her curly hair and delight in mothering me made the self-christened name seem very apt, and so, it stuck. She, too, brought gifts (watch out for my snazzy navy and yellow Cookie Monster track suit!) and a whirlwind of activity into our quiet Calcuttan existence that culminated in Dida’s 60th birthday bash.

Don’t get me wrong, the Ma-sheep herself is a bit too chilled to occasion comparisons with forces of nature (which is equally true of Mommy and all her family, maybe even the whole of Kolkata) but with her arrival, life at MJP became positively frenetic (by Bengali standards)!

Dida’s birthday was, of course, just 'round the corner and the party was supposed to be a surprise, so, arrangements were being made every time she stepped outside the house. It was a little surreal, like a game of ‘Statue’ where whilst the ‘It’ turns her back on her playmates, the latter run up as close as they can, but when she turns round to look at them they have to freeze. The objective of the game is to touch the It and run away before she turns you into a statue yet again. So, while Dida was at home, everyone lounged about as if they hadn’t a care in the world (or a party to arrange), but the minute her back was turned the house became a hive of activity- crockery and cutlery being set out, my messes cleaned up, invites being issued, food ordered, my messes cleaned up, and so on...

The big day arrived, and Mommy and Ma-sheep finally stopped speaking in whispers and even considered breathing a collective sigh of relief because everything seemed in place. Everyone else involved in organising it (notably Dadu, Mesho and the household help) had been sworn to secrecy, and Dida and anyone who'd asked had been told categorically that there was nothing happening. It was to be an extra special surprise because Dida’s friends from school, university, teaching and her choir had been invited- in a 'This is your life' sort of way. It was going to be perfect!

Except, of course, that a few hours before the bash, Dida started getting a barrage of phone calls from her friends (obviously more lost than long-lost!) asking for directions to the house, but the final straw was the call from the caterers to the wrong mobile (Dida’s instead of Ma-sheep’s) to say they (along with all the food) had gone astray!

I know Mommy and Ma-sheep were a trifle disappointed with the turn of events but Dida has assured me that she was still very surprised and enormously pleased with the party she was thrown. I know I had fun! I got to mingle with yet another throng of terrific people including Mesho. Everyone tucked into excellent food, sang happy birthday (mostly in key), and left replete.

Unfortunately, that was the beginning of the end, because after that, first Ma-sheep and Mesho flew back to Bangalore and then it was our turn to go home. I missed Ma-sheep heaps but worse was to come, I was going to be parted from Dadu and Dida and Budida too. We were all terribly blue that it was over so soon. Tears were shed and hugs and kisses exchanged at the airport and promises made to visit in a few months. There was a lot of drama regarding flight seats on the way back (that’s another story) but it was overshadowed by how bereft we all felt on our journey home.

I still miss them now that I am home but I have plenty to look forward to too; I’m spending Easter with my English family tomorrow, after that, it's Daddy’s birthday- the first one I’ve spent with him, I may also be joining a nursery school very, very soon and I have my first birthday coming up in 3 weeks!

And then, later in the summer, I will be reunited with my Dida and Dadu who will come to visit me in England!

It’s gonna be a brilliant summer!