I Am Two Today!

Mommy and Daddy say I'm now double the trouble but also double the fun!

I can do so many grown-up things that I'm practically an adult.

Building stuff, playing elaborate games of imagination, jumping and climbing higher and higher (when Mommy's not looking!), bathing and feeding myself (and the table and the floor) with confidence, and chattering non-stop with my parents (though usually dropping the last syllables of words that just have too many of 'em) and knowing how to work every gadget in the house are amongst my favourite things in all the world!

I read (from my extensive collection of fairy tales), sing and dance and draw (abstracts or family portraits mainly). I help my parents change and dress me (though I might seem to hinder), I can copy their gestures and words, tone of voice and actions to a T (I don't know what that means exactly but I think it means 'exactly')!

I love building things with Daddy, I enjoy gardening with him and riding my tricycle or playing ball outdoors, I like running non-stop playing tag with friends or just exploring in the garden (as Mommy and sister watch me in wonder; I'm sure the look on their faces is one of wonder at my prowess with mud, I can't imagine what else it could be)! I also adore animals and cars (that's pretty much anything on wheels including vacuum cleaners)!

But most of all, I love my family to bits, especially my sister. There's nothing I like better than playing with her but Mommy and Daddy always seem to get in the way of the best games of rough and tumble, although Sis is more than a match; no-one does a nice, sharp kick in the shin quite as well as she does when I get a tad carried away!

And I just luuurrve a good party and I had a fantastic one yesterday- tell you all about it very, very soon!

Advanced Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Mommy had big plans for your 35th birthday, which she has now deferred to your 40th because she says we keep her busy 'round the clock, but we're hoping you won't notice the absence of a big bash with big people because small people can partaaay too!

I bet we can make as much noise and as big a mess as big people at a party (Mommy certainly seems to think we're equal to the task). In fact, we plan to stay up with you tonight, well into the wee hours, to usher in your 35th in style- Syon and Ayana style (I know you're wondering how that's different from any other night)!

Whatever happens, we know it'll be special for all four of us because it'll be your first birthday we celebrate together as a foursome.

And so, from the three small people (including Mommy) who love you more than words can express- here's wishing you a very happy birthday tomorrow, and soooo much more!

Kolkata Kalling

I know you’ve all been waiting with bated breath for our report on our Indian adventure and I’m sorry it’s taken us so very long, but you can breathe easy now, because we are over the jetlag and earache and various other hurdles, and ready to delight you with details of our derring do!

Let me tell you all about our first week there, culminating in the wonderful party our family threw for us, and then my big bro will pick up the thread of the narrative and run with it, all the way home.

Do, also check out our new slideshow (on the right hand side of this blog page), so you can see for yourselves how much fun we had!

I haven’t used the phrase ‘derring do’ lightly. It was incredibly brave of us (some may call it foolhardy) to attempt to travel the 5000 miles to my Mommy’s home, with people of a certain age. No, I don’t mean me and my bro, at 4 and 21 months respectively, but my parents who are now in their mid-thirties and have begun to feel their (dot)age.

Luckily, the day-long journey was relatively smooth with my parents on their best behaviour, though my mommy did get rather upset when they refused to serve my brother food on the flight claiming he wasn’t entitled to any! As it turned out he was supposed to get a hot meal but the airlines had messed up, so my bro had to make do with the crisps and chocolates and jammy dodgers which we had with us. Even co-passengers felt sorry for him and chipped in with yummy snacks from their stash - poor Syon!!

I have to commend him for his hardiness though, while I was carried everywhere (well, you can hardly expect me to walk at 4 months!), he gamely covered long stretches of airport on his little toddler legs as Mommy and Daddy tottered under the weight of bags full of baby paraphernalia!

Kolkata airport was a bit of a nightmare too and Mommy gave the masked man at the Swine Flu checkpoint a piece of her mind (but he wasn’t havin’ any)! I can see why he was so keen on concealing his identity as he made us wait a whole hour in a mosquito-infested hall and got us all in a lather! Talking of soap, it was a steamy journey home as Kolkata was experiencing an unseasonably hot spring (hot spring-ha ha!) and Syon and I jumped into a big blue tub of refreshingly cold water the minute we got to Dida and Dadu’s.

It was great to be in Mommy’s home city though, because the weather only accounted for 10% of the warmth we experienced. The rest came from the interest taken in us by family, friends and sometimes total strangers!

From the great big bear hug that Dadu’s best friend gave us at the airport, to the smiles and helloos of strangers along the way, to the welcoming cuddles and kisses from Budida and Pishidida when we finally arrived at our destination, we got VIP treatment all the way!

The best bit for me was, of course, meeting Dadu and Dida for the first time, being scooped into their arms and cuddled. Syon got cuddled too but as he’d met them before, he was a bit more blasé about it.

The most exciting thing for him, I think, were the many different types of colourful and noisy vehicles along the way. He must have shouted ‘cah’ a thousand times in my ear on the way to our Kolkata home (I have to hear that word so often I have a good mind to expunge it from my vocabulary altogether when I start speaking)!

The super-high point of his ride from the airport was the policeman who drew up his car with flashing lights alongside us and waved to Syon. Syon was really tickled; he continued waving to the policeman long after the latter had disappeared in the distance, in a cloud of dust. And then we were there- at D&D’s.

My first week ever in Kolkata was wonderful- getting to know people, playing in the sun, and basking in the admiration of the many who came to see us.

Mommy and Daddy enjoyed catching up on their sleep (I don’t know why they don’t sleep at home, it isn’t as if we ever disturb them!) and eating lots of yummy Indian food (Not even a morsel came my way, despite making it as clear as day that that was what I wanted)!

We stirred ourselves occasionally to prepare for my Annaprashan. Our strenuous bouts of shopping at the shiny, new South City Mall left us too sapped to do much else (luckily there’s never any housework to be done in Kolkata)!

Mommy and Daddy got us some lovely clothes from the mall with the gifts of money we received from our family, the rest of the time they just chilled. My parents claim that it takes a whole village to look after us and they had to do plenty for us even if they didn’t have the mountain of chores they usually have at home, but as far as I could see Mommy’s most pressing task in Kolkata was chattering away with friends on the phone and inviting them to my Annaprashan.

Then, finally, my Big Day dawned bright and clear, and I couldn’t wait to sink my gums (I don’t have teeth yet though they are on their way and oh, how they irritate me; but that’s another story!) into my first solid food. It was the Saturday of my Annaprashan and what a day it turned out to be...

(Please come back for the next installment of ‘Kolkata Kalling’ from Syon’s perspective)

Sisters are doing it for themselves...

Well,I can't stand on my own two feet yet (I'm only 2 and a half months old) but I now feel ready to write my own posts and will start with this wee declaration of intent. It may seem a small step for a writer but it is a giant leap for baby bloggers everywhere.

My big brother (now all grown up at 21 months) was a pioneer amongst baby bloggers- he started the trend of babies writing their own blogs instead of letting their parents do all the talking (yackety yackety yack yack and rarely a word of sense!).He gave us a voice. Before his groundbreaking work, how many of you listened when we talked about the universe, or expressed our interest in Pointillism or Calculus? Admit it, you'd sooner pinch our cheeks and coo gibberish at us than have a meaningful discussion about the things that matter to us such as regime change or carbon emmissions(the latter being a BIG part of a baby's life as any parent would attest)!

He struck the death knell for that sort of parental high-handedness, and here I am ringing my own bell(as Annie Lennox would say)! This sister will be doing it for herself, along with my brother, and all the other baby bloggers who have in recent months wrested control of their baby blogs from the dull grown-ups who used these to tell a cringing world of the colour of their baby's poo and should they administer one or two drops of dipsydoo when Baby pukes?

So, although it is a bit too early for that overwrought all-encompassing Oscar speech, there are people I want to thank for getting me to this point where I can do my own blogging.

First, I must thank my brother who has been a real brick (that's B-RICK, except when he sends his toys whizzing past my ears). He fetches things for Mommy when she feeds me, brings me my nappy when it's time to change, vacates my vibrating chair without (much) fuss when it's my turn, plays with me, kisses me lovingly (less saliva would be good though!) and has written dozens of thank you notes to all the generous folk who sent me gifts and good wishes, on my behalf. Where would I be without him?

To my parents, I say thank you for all their tender loving care and for giving me this tool and the skill to express myself freely, and (hopefully) well, at such a young age.

Finally, I say thank you to all my family and friends and random readers who happen on this site (especially to those who return!); I hope you will carry on reading as I take my first tentative steps as a scribe, and continue to support my brother on his juvenile journalistic journey (oh the joys of alliteration!).

Syon and I are travelling to sunny India in the coming months and will bring home stories of it's many wonders, for you, very soon!

Babes R Us

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Beyonce is a babe. I am a babe of nearly 20 months (and kinda cute too, I'm told) and my 6 week old sis is a babe in every sense of the word! So, it was only right that us 3 babes got together to rock the joint on New Year's Eve (Mommy and Daddy were also there, to keep an eye on us, and quaff some champagne) and usher in our new-look blog. Beyonce turned out to be a good egg (Daddy agreed enthusiastically) although not the most punctual ("Typical Diva", Mommy muttered, but rather cheerfully, as there were big, heaped bowls of chocolate everywhere at our wrap party).

But once the chocolate, the champagne and Beyonce had all gone, what remained was our brand new joint blog which Ayana and I had worked through the night to produce (Just the two of us, and not Mommy and Daddy, as some would libellously suggest). We have a new look and a new name and we'll both be reporting on the events in our lives from now on. Do post a comment to tell us what you think of it all. There's always room for improvement, so constructive criticism is certainly welcome (but do be gentle as Ayana's only very ickle).

To celebrate the passing of the previous year which was fun and eventful, we have posted a new slideshow so all our friends and family can join us in reliving those special moments. As I was fairly regular with posts and photos right up to my birthday last year, the photos on this slideshow start with the fabulous holiday I had with my Dida, Dadu, Mommy and Daddy in the Bath-Stonehenge area (Ayana was there too, in Mommy's tummy, but she doesn't remember much). This was followed by my very first visit to the seaside with Grandma and Grandad which was great fun too.

Though Dadu and Dida had to leave and I was sad to see them go as I wouldn't see them again for months (though we have been having wonderful webchats almost every weekend since), the Summer ended on a high as I won the neighbourhood's first ever fancy dress competition. In October, I went Trick-or-Treating for the first time in my very first Halloween costume. I'm reliably informed I made a very cute pumpkin. I also amassed a stack of sweets which have since gone missing! Mommy looks strangely guilty everytime I enquire after them, though I couldn't tell you why...

In November, my little sister was born, which was the biggest event of the year. It was also the biggest event of my life, right after my birth, of course! I wrote about it in my last post and I am sure my sister will relate her side of the story sometime soon.

The year came to an end with a bang as Christmas was celebrated with gusto at my Grandparents'. There was a lot of frenetic christmas shopping and tree-decorating leading up to the Big Day. It was a White Christmas this year and my first real experience of snow which I thoroughly enjoyed playing with (and rolling about in, when Daddy's back was turned). Ayana wasn't allowed to play in the snow this year, but that's because she can't sit up yet (though she can write!) and might have got a trifle cold.

I woke up to a beautifully decorated house and a Himalayan heap of gifts on Christmas morning, way too many to list. Santa had clearly listened when I visited him (twice) in the run-up to Christmas and I had obviously been a very, very good boy (Mommy and Daddy seem sceptical about this). Ayana got a load of lovely gifts too. After brunch, we drove over to my Grandparents' for a magical Christmas Day with my family (and another mountain of presents). Boxing Day was an endless whirl of activity with my cousins, but the very last day of the year, I spent quietly snuggling, being read to, and fed treats by Mommy and Daddy (and living it up with Beyonce in a parallel universe!).

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas too, dear reader. Wishing you a fantastic 2010 from Daddy, Mommy, Ayana and me!

Surprise Package

It's just over 16 months since my First Post and I've had many an adventure, but none quite so exciting as the one last Tuesday...

Mommy and Daddy left the house early - I wasn't able to join them as I had to look after Grandma and Grandad who had come to visit. Daddy soon returned home alone and I was a little worried for Mommy, especially when I was bundled into the car and we all headed off to the hospital.

However, all became clear on arrival when I was not only re-united with Mommy, but was also introduced to my beautiful, new, little sister Ayana, who had been delivered at 11:14am, weighing 6lb 2oz (which was 4oz less than me so I really am her Big Brother in every sense of the word!).I like her name, it sounds a bit like mine ( pronounced Ah-yun-ah) and means innocence or purity.

Take to her though I did, I was quite happy to keep visiting her at the hospital and was a trifle surprised to see her back at home, snug in my old crib! Still, having to share things, I guess, is a small price to pay for a wonderful, new best friend, a very special playmate and eventually, partner-in-crime (shhh; I have plans but don't tell Mommy and Daddy)! Talking of sharing, from now on this will be a joint blog for the pair of us, and will need a bit of rebranding, a new name (all suggestions welcome), a lick of paint...

So do keep your eyes peeled for our relaunch which should be sometime soon. Should I get Beyonce or Rihanna for the wrap party, d'ya think?

A Princely Prize

I know I have left my faithful readers without comfort or a purpose in life for far too long and for that, I'm truly sorry, but I have been a terribly busy toddler of late. My Dida and Dadu came to visit me this summer and we had the most fabulous time together. I have also been busy swimming, visiting zoos and brand new cousins, and practising my ever expanding vocabulary (but only in private; my public will have to wait, I'm afraid, till later this year). And I promise to regale you with an account of all that and more in my next post.

Tonight, all I have time for is to tell you that I have won my very first, first prize (the first of many, said Dadu) in the neighbourhood fancy dress competition in the face of very stiff competition from fearsome pirates, twinkle-toed ballerinas and a glittering fairy or two. I went as a Maharaja and scooped the princely prize of a dashing silver teddy in pirate gear with his loot of chocolate bars. I fear my Mommy has her eye on some of the latter, but she deserves a share of the spoils of my victory as my outfit was her idea (and my impressive curling moustache her handiwork) but Daddy's due a great deal of the credit too as he fashioned my turban from Mommy's scarf, and my regal raiments, a gift from my Dadu and Dida for my Annaprashan (What's an Anna-er-um-thingammie you say? Check out my old post) last year.

So it was all cobbled together from bits around the house at the last minute which is why the win was so special and unexpected. Every contestant was a winner though because they all looked fantastic in their finery. The best thing about the evening, for me,(even better than my terrific new teddy) was how pleased and amused everyone seemed to be to see me in my great get-up, and the many compliments they lavished on me. Sensible 16 month old toddler that I am, I lapped it all up and had a wonderful time.

But with every triumph comes an onerous responsibility (sigh)- I now have a seriously heavyweight title to defend and need to dream up yet another unique entree that will dazzle the judges next year! All ideas welcome!

Reviver of the Lost Art...

....of walking in a manner that's tremendous fun!

You'll see what I mean when you play the video. Don't knock it till you've tried it; it's a lot more laughs than your oh-so-solemn 'I'm-all-grown-up-and-must-be-taken-seriously' walk! And don't bother giggling because my gait isn't as elegant as your's (yet), I'm the one enjoying my half-run-half-toddle-tumble-every-two-minutes brand spanking new walk.

When was the last time you enjoyed the way you walked? I tell ya, you gotta try my way- I've been at it non-stop since last Friday and have had such a great time, I haven't really bothered to eat or sleep! And while you contemplate giving it a go (I know adults take a long time deciding to do anything), have a look at my 'Summer Syon' slideshow- it's all the fun I've had in the last two, sun-drenched (for England) months, starting with my first birthday. Thanks to all the super birthday gifts you gave me, I've had a fantastic time playing outdoors.

And finally, since I have taken time out (from my high-octane toddle-a-thon) to post this piece, I must thank all my readers once again for continuing to check in despite my sporadic blogging. I have now had a thousand hits (and none of them Mommy, Daddy or me) and feel very privileged and humble that there are people out there who care enough to keep reading (even in Brazil, apparently!).

Thank you all, and do let me know if you enjoy walking my walk!

Big Brother

Hello! I know I’ve been away a long time and, unfortunately, this post is not my eagerly awaited return. On the contrary, it is with a heavy heart that I must say goodbye to my loyal readers, at least for a few months…

I know how lost you will all feel and I’m crying inside for all of you (I’m not crying outside because that will bring Mommy running)! But this is a sacrifice I must make; giving up the adulation of my fans is very hard indeed, but I’m a big boy now (all of 13 months) and have heavy responsibilities weighing on me.

You see, I’m going to be a Big Brother soon, and this is a Very Important Position. As the man of the house when Daddy’s out, it’s my job to look after Mommy, not only because she is carrying my (obviously big fat) brother or sister, but also because she hasn’t been so well.

She’s got too much sugar in her blood, which makes her diabolic or diabetic or summat (as Daddy would say). I always knew Mommy was sweet but now the doctors have confirmed it, and, apparently, that’s not a good thing to be. Mommy needs to be a lot less sweet so my little brother or sister doesn’t grow too podgy to pop out! Mommy had high blood sugar before I was born too, but I was a smart baby and stayed svelte. Any sibling of mine should be the same but you never can tell!

Mommy also has Es-speedy. I’m not sure what this is (no-one except doctors and pregnant sufferers seem to know) but I can see it’s painful from the way Mommy hobbles around- it makes her anything but speedy!

But enough about ailments! I’ve had a few since I last blogged but I rather tell you about my achievements. I’ve notched up a brace in the last few months while preparing for big brotherhood. After all, I have to set an example for the new baby- show ‘em how it’s done (and maybe just nudge them along with a gentle poke or two if they falter).

I had my 1st birthday on the 3rd of May and it was loads of fun (at least the bit I was awake for). All my English friends and family joined us for the big day. They brought me fantastic stuff to play with and really trendy togs to wear. My family in India sent a heap of fab clothes too.

I started the day being sick and then, falling asleep on my Grandma’s lap but after a good long snooze, I was roused for the cake cutting ceremony (if I look a bit dazed in those photos, that’s why!). As everybody sang ‘Happy Birthday’, I blew out the single candle with Mommy’s help. Daddy helped me cut the scrumptious chocolate cake. While all the grown-up guests tucked into Daddy’s delicious Chilli Con Carne and other snacks and desserts, I shared the yummy fruit-filled jelly that Daddy had made (with my name on it in bold raspberry-red letters) with the other kids. All us kids then played a game, which involved tearing tons of newspaper to find sweets or a beach ball or other random gifts which rather baffled me (I’ve asked my parents to leave the party games to me next time). I was sad to see everyone leave my (sorta animal-shaped) balloon and banner-decked home at the end of this very special day but soon perked up when I saw just how many fantastic new toys I had to play with!

Since my birthday I have done one new thing after another- I have started nursery, made new friends and developed new skills. I’ve been making up my own songs for ages, and dancing vigorously along, but last week at the nursery, I added another feather to my cap (this is figurative, you understand, I wouldn’t trust a cap as far as I could throw it). I did my first painting in lovely blues, greens and yellows- an abstract of a gorgeous summer’s day, because I do love the outdoors and I’m out playing every chance I get.

My Dida’s presence this summer also means I’m picking up lots of new words in Bengali. I always called my Daddy ‘Baba’ (Bengali for father) and Mommy, my very own variation, ‘mum-mum’, but now I can say ‘Dida’ too, and a range of phrases that sound suspiciously like Bengali but not quite! If my pronunciation (in either language) isn’t spot-on yet, I make up for it by having a very expressive face and gestures that leave no one in doubt about what I mean. I wave, clap, point, and mimic and do many other apparently hilarious things that send everyone into paroxysms of laughter.

Of course, I’ve been speaking for a while now so the really big news is that I have taken my first unaided steps. I can also climb (and clamber off) really well and run ever so quickly with my walker but everyone seems far more impressed with those little unexciting steps I’ve been taking. I now not only stand on my own for ages but also lift quite large, heavy items while standing unsupported which makes Mommy wonder whether she should have named me Bam Bam instead!

Mommy and Daddy and Dida will probably tell me there’s more to write about, but I must bid you adieu for now because I’m a busy baby with things to do. Mommy has another flurry of hospital appointments this week and I am determined to give her moral support. This is hard but satisfying work consisting of never letting her out of my sight when she’s at home and letting her kiss and cuddle me to her heart’s content (though I’m a tad too old for it now but I won’t tell her just yet). All in all, I’m a baby with serious responsibilities that I must discharge to the best of my abilities.

So, it’s goodbye for now but I will drop in to say hello and update you on my exciting life every now and then and when my little brother or sister is born, you will be the first to know!

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!