All of One

No, this isn't Syon reminiscing about his first birthday. It's me Ayana- I am one tomorrow!!

I'm a really big girl now. Not in size; I'm petite (and cute as a button, Mommy and Daddy tell me). But I'm not just a pretty face either, I can do loads now! I can walk a bit unassisted. I've been talking for a few months now but my vocabulary is growing and I can make myself perfectly understood (specially when I want food; I always want food!).

I had a really wonderful early birthday party on Sunday and I'll tell you all about it real soon. I know we keep promising action-packed posts and don't deliver but this time there's a really good reason for stalling (much better than my brother's line about sleep deprivation and exhaustion, that would never stop a party girl like me!). The truth is that I'm trying to cobble together pictures from my bash to show all of you because our camera malfunctioned on that fateful evening! I know my friends and family will come to my rescue with some great photos. And should all else fail, my bro and I hope we have a way enough with words to paint you a pretty picture of the proceedings. A report of which I think you'll enjoy because it was quite a good gig. I certainly had the time of my life! I'm definitely looking forward to many more such over the years (hint, hint, Mommy and Daddy!). But now I must say adieu, it's way past my bedtime and I have a MAMMOTH day tomorrow- my very first birthday!!

'Night night everyone and sweet dreams...

The Comeback Kids

As our joint blog has now had its 2000th hit, despite our not having written in nearly six months, we felt we really had to post something new.

Our fans have been simply wonderful, of course, continuing to check our blog in the hope that we’ve written when we haven’t managed a line in half a year, and with ne’er a word of complaint when they’ve had to go away empty- handed.

We could blame the bedlam that is our lives, the result of having two hyperactive parents who just seem to want to play in our playroom all night, but no, I think we should take the blame squarely on the chin and admit that we have been slack. We could’ve been writing instead of doing all the wonderful new things we’ve been doing in the last few months but somehow experiencing life and writing about it rarely co-exist!

So, even tho’ we are still sleep-deprived and exhausted, we thought we owed you an update before the next big thing- Ayana's first birthday!

Since our last post, my baby sister has learnt to turn over, sit up and crawl. And now, even walks with support (sometimes just holding my hand!)and is more and more often to be found standing without any support whatsoever!

She echoes my every word and talks with meaning too (when she can be bothered!) like when she wants to watch Bob the Builder or Postman Pat on TV or when playing cars with me; 'car crash’ being amongst her favourite phrases, as it was mine when I first started speaking. Of course I have gone far beyond that now- there isn’t a word or phrase I can’t say and have complex conversations with the people closest to me. I am shy however (I blame my parents for passing this trait on to me) and tend to be laconic with most people. However, Didou (as I call our Dida) who has been with us this last month will tell you what motor-mouths we are when we are at home (in every sense of the word)!

What else have we been doing over the last few months?

I am a really quick runner, a good climber (Sis-sis is showing lots of potential in this area too), and a promising artist (glowing reports of the cuddly brown bear I drew the other day has now gone ‘round the world)!

Sis-sis is turning out to be the musical one in the family. Although I like music too, she seems to have an innate sense of rhythm and a fine pair of lungs that can only be the result of some sort of combo-gene (No such word? Well, there is now!) from both Grandmas, as Grandma Handley could’ve been a dancer and Grandma Sen is a very good singer who still sings in her church choir.

Both of us also love the water (as we discovered on our trip to Cornwall, more about that later) and books and green vegetables (yes, I know, amazing isn’t it?!). We love building blocks- I love building intricate skyscrapers and colonnades with them and my sister loves chewing on them. The only kind of block we don't like is Writer's Block which Mommy says is what prevented us from writing these past few months!

There’s so much we’re both doing and enjoying now that we didn’t six months ago that I could go on forever. I could tell you about my culinary flair which I’ve definitely got from Da. My chocolate chip cookies, my Nursery Key Worker said, were the best in (play) class!

And I haven’t even got started on our fantastic parties, trips, days-out and many firsts in the last half-year, but in the interests of actually finishing this piece (the first to be finished in many months), I’ll wind up here and leave my tales of our travels, revels and great times spent with family and friends for the next post.

In fact, dear readers, I promise not stay away for so long ever again because I’ve missed you guys (and a promise on our blog is binding, not at all like the toys me and Sis-sis sometimes give each other and take back)!

So, toodloo and pip-pip and I hope you return for the the next instalment because the two of us have had such fun together this year, that we’d love to share it with you, and we’ll line up some extra-cute photos too, for you to look at.

See you soon!

Missing you, Great Grandad.

Love
Syon & Ayana
xxx

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!