Me (to Mummy, upon being admonished once again for jumping on the bed when told not to): When I will be taller, and you will be smaller, then I will send you to the garage.

I'm going to have a sister! Mummy found out at her 18-week inspection today.

(Mummy sorts through the daily mail. One of them is a filer from Geico. Out pops a fake note.)

Me: Mummy, what's that?

Mummy: It's money.

Me: No, it's money you could be saving with Geico.

I did not like the movie as it had the same uncle, but one gunned the other.

That's a new category I'm coining for movie reviews in my inimitable style and Twitter's economy of words.

Mummy: (to the gardener) Hey, what's your name?
Gardener: Marguerito.
Mummy: (to me) Rishi, can you say uncle's name?
Me: Mosquito.
(Mummy suddenly remembers some rather important work in the kitchen, where she proceeds post-haste).

I got 49 dollars.

(Upon looking at this video:)

Me:Sharoo Khan.
(Upon further thought:) Didi ban gaya.

[Ed: We're moving, and the apartment is almost empty. Carpets way more visible].
Me: Mamma, there's so much ... grass.

Me: Spiderman dekhoge.
Papa: (in an effort to entice me to have my breakfast) Ok, I'll put on Spiderman, but you have to eat first. You know what makes Spiderman strong? The food he eats.
Me: (after some thought). Spiderman doesn't eat. Spiderman flies.

Another birthday rolls by, and this time I was aware enough to enjoy it for that. I was woken up early in the morning to be wished, hugged, and given my gifts.

Seeing my enchantment with all things Dora, P-M arranged for a Dora theme for the party in the evening, and I was overjoyed with the balloons

the cake

and all the rest of it. We had a small gathering, but all my friends were there - Adhik, Pratik and Hemant, and of course Sonal and Amit uncles and Pooja and Mamta auntys. P-M had decided to give me a leg up by teaching me to blow candles to the tune of "Happy Birthday to You", and I put that to handy use. I had a whale of a time during all of it,

and even taught Adhik a few dance steps.

After a long 4 months in India during which I chalked up quite a few miles shuttling between grandparents in Patna and Banaras, I am now back in the US. Papa was unsure about whether I would recognize him after such a long time away. He surprised me with lots of funky balloons. I surprised him with how much I had begun to talk.

From a precocious ear for music to an earworm. "Jhalak dikhla ja" marks the first song I've begun to hum. Himesh Reshammiya - now he's got the number for babies. That nasal voice - I'm sure he picked it up as a kid to annoy grownups. And lyrics like "aaja aaja aaja aaja" - pure kiddie bliss. Now that's what I call dance music!

As my vocabulary grows, I'm putting what I've learned to good use. For example, today I took a look at myself in the mirror and said "Handsome!".

People

Mamma
Mummy
Papa
Dadi
Nanna
Nanni
Didi
Chacha
Thotu (for Chhotu)

Expressions
Hi!
Hello
Ba-Bye!
A-ha! (for anything yummy or beautiful, including Mummy when she dresses up, or lets me put on one of her bindis; spoken with an impish rolling of the eyes)
Na-na
Handsome

Things
Ball (for ball or balloon)
Car
TV
Dudu
Tucky (any yummy food)
Chipsh
Nosey
Tummy
Hannu (for baths)
Gaana
Birdie
Munny (for monkey)
Cow
Doggy