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sushmit n. - One with a pleasant smile. Also a conjunction of |
born :
- Nov 28th, 2004 @ 4:40 PM Santa Clara, Calif., USA - 9 lb 6 oz / 20.5" - a Sagittarian - in the Year of the Monkey |
Our apartment had organized a sit-down with Santa for this Christmas season.
Unlike last year when I didn't even break my nap, this time I was awake, but as you can see, mostly disinterested. It's boring how Santa wants a celebrity photo-op with me every year.
Downtown San Jose has been spruced up for Christmas, and Papa-Mummy took me along today to watch the decorations. It was really exciting. There were all these Xmas trees decorated brilliantly. Carousels and Ferris wheels had been set up. Elves were busy at work in the various floats. There were lots of balloons, candy canes and lights. There was even a snow machine blowing snow. It was lovely!
Alas, the excitement was all a bit too much. Papa-Mummy had left me unstrapped in my stroller to more easily pick me up, so seizing my opportunity I jumped at a balloon. Unfortunately I missed and took a headlong dive onto the pavement.
I ended up bruising my nose, but Papa-Mummy were really scared and rushed me to the Emergency Room. The doctor pronounced my health okay and my adventurousness firmly on track.
In the end, I returned from the hospital with little more hurt than a red nose and dented pride.
My formal bash for the fans was held today at the Elan Apartments clubhouse at Sonal Uncle's place. Looks like everyone I knew here had come - Vandana and Vinita and Namita Buas and Vicky Chacha, Rajju Chacha, The Rachnawasi uncles and aunts, Papa's office gang and Mummy's colleague. Thanks, fans, for coming, I love you all! The pester pack grows - I met Safwaan , and Meghana and Krish are growing up rapidly.
The excitement was a bit too much and by the time the cake was cut, I was ready to nod off. Which I promptly proceeded to do after a cuppa milk.
Right after my first birthday, I have begun to take my first dawdling steps. As they say, a small step for a baby, a giant leap for disasterkind!
It's amazing how fast time has passed. I'm already one, and boy, are those predictions I made coming true!
At the stroke of midnight, I was attacked by a mob of frenzied fans (read: Papa and Mummy) and adorned with this crown. Cute!
In the day they took me to the Sunnyvale temple.
Come evening, I cut my first cake. Look at me, can you tell it's my first time?
Mummy gave me this ginormously big and gigantically cute puppy.
And Papa gave me this ab-so-lutely-rocking rocking pony.
Mummy's expected delivery date, today, has come and gone with nary a peep from me. Mummy sure can't wait another moment to see me now. As for me, I can't decide whether to enjoy my private haven a few days more or oblige my fans. Not even born yet and so many decisions ...
Fall - my first one - is in full bloom now. Our apartment complex has some really nice trees.
Papa-Mummy have been pretty regular about taking me to the parks. So long I had mainly been interested in the other kids there. But now I have begun to look past them to the swings and the apparitions themselves.
Most fun is this swing.
As you've always known, I rock!
As ever, I remain adept at the indoor variety of games. Added to my repertoire are advanced levels of peekaboo.
As the festival season approaches in the US, the Indian festival season winds down. This was my first diwali. Unfortunately, that very day I contracted stomach flu. It was really nasty and I lay writhing for a long time. Papa-Mummy rushed me to the hospital. Thye doctor too couldn't help much. Once I came back, though, I puked a few times, and that brought soem relief. My new kurta-dhoti and the laddoos also went some way towards bringing my cheer back by pooja time.
Then on Thursday there was Dawat Pooja, the Kayashta celebration of education and worship of the tools of it. Pens and scribbling - now that's something I understand!
Arrr! Halloween is upon us, and ye courageous pirate is comin'!
Truth be told, I was not so hot on this outfit initially. Headgear of any type does not quite do it for me. But when Papa-Mummy clapped their enthusiastic applauses, I took a peek at the mirror and liked what looked back. You know, even celebrities like to let their hair down once in a while.
I meant my hair, not Papa's. He brought up the other part of our ensemble. We were the Pirates of the Carribbean - I the pirate, and he the Carribbean!
Papa had carved the two pumpkins above to guard our doors.
We had a haunted castle at the apartment, and lots of kids showed up in their costumes. Though, frankly, I thought a lot of them were way out of their league. I mean, they were scared by the witch and ghouls there. Imagine that!
We trick-and-treated at a few places in our complex, and then went over to Sonal Uncle's home.
I came back with a decent treasure as my loot!
With Halloween fast approaching, Papa-Mummy are panicking about getting me a costume. We went down to Toys 'R' Us today, and to my delight Geoffrey was there! A fellow showbiz character! Not one to let a photo-op go by, I asked Papa to snap away.
I also shook hands with Bunny the Magician's Rabbit.
Admittedly, there are certain perils to being so devastatingly handsome.
Like, sometimes you break hearts. And sometimes you get heartbroken.
Then I go into this Incredible Sulk.
Maybe it was a sudden and belated burst of ... umm, culture guilt? Maybe it was just the lure of shaking a vagrant leg for once. Anyway, this year Papa-Mummy decided to celebrate Vijaya Dashmi in a small way. Meaning, they decided to go to this Dandiya dance.
The important thing is it gave me an excuse to don a Gujarati dhoti-kurta. The dandiya stick also gave me some food for thought.
It was nice to see a large and colorful gathering of Indians at the Mission College Auditorium. A lot of Papa & Mummy's friends had come.
However, while I liked the beat, and adults trying to poke each other with sticks was funny, all the spinning around left me dazed and I rolled off into a sleep soon after. Papa-Mummy carried on undeterred.
Some of the Dussehra goodwill prevailed the next day and we went to see Durga Pooja at Palo Alto. More icons, more chanting, more colorful clothes, more yummy Indian food.
My first teeth are beginning to break through. First up were the lower central incisors, then the upper central and lateral incisors (translates to 4 up top, and 2 below). Adds an extra dimension to my already photogenic smile.
In yet another step up, I have gone from standing up with support from furniture or people, to standing up all on my own without any support, for short durations.
Yes, I know, this photo doesn't quite show me standing unsupported. Papa-Mummy, in their infinite wisdom, thought that that was the one photo not worth clicking.
It was time for another visit to the doctor. Papa and Mummy are getting rather antsy that I'm not adding much weight. I put it down to a growth spurt, my growing teeth and the fuel I burn from my workload of activities throughout the day.
Height : 30.25"
Weight : 21lb
Mummy has resumed classes at the San Jose State University. That leaves me in Papa's care for some time everyday. Mummy has taken classes in the mornings and evenings, so Papa usually stays back. But every so often he will take me to work with him.
I became a big brother today! Rohan was born today to Bade Papa and Badi Mummy, in Scarborough, England. Dadajee and Dadijee had gone there to see Badi Mummy through the delivery.
So that makes 3 boys 
in the family in my generation. Can't wait to get together and create some royal scenes.
Rohan looks so cute. Tell me, doesn't he look a bit like I do?
