The high-pitched shriek.
Ah-da-da.

I'm back in the US, after another long and harrowing road- and plane journey. Mummy thought I was very well behaved in the flight. I amazed the air hostesses and other passengers with my talkativeness.



And Papa, he was well and truly smitten. Once again, in trademark style, I was sleeping when he came to pick us up. But I woke up on the ride home and regaled him with tales of my journeys. I sometimes have my doubts if he understands half of what I say, but he was thrilled regardless.

It's going to be lonely here after all the attention I was getting everywhere in India. But I think I'll make up by pestering Mommy at home. I have recently acquired the skill of blowing raspberries/bubbles, and it exasperates her no end.

Papa seems to be taking his hobby a lot seriously. He had covered up a whole wall in my bedroom with pictures of me. Mummy was quite speechless. I'm speechless anyway, unless you count vowelizing sounds.



And then there was this big one of me.

Speaking of which, this blog is supposed to be about how I'm growing, but Papa seems to be morphing every few days as well.

They found out about me today. Sure took them a long time. I dunno what's got them so excited. Did they ever suspect my prowess at hide-and-seek?

This was my first holi (the Indian festival of colors, for the uninitiated), and I got to see up close what the festival was all about. Though they tell me that babies don't develop long-term memory of events until about the third year, so I probably won't remember much of it but for what's in this blog.

Much to my disappointment, the full color treatment was ruled out for me, but that didn't stop me from donning some gulal.



And if everyone thought their painted faces were going to scare me, they were in for a disappointment as well. It only amused me. Especially Mummy in that silly green alien hue.

Here's the promised headshot in all its hairless glory.

I am back in Kanpur with nana-nani, for a final visit before I head back home. I had a spot of viral infection in Patna, but have gotten better now.

I went to watch another movie with everyone, "Bewafaa" this time. At last I found some more people who believed in conversation my style - shouting and even occasionally crying from the screens - and I had a grand time talking to them. For some reason Mummy & others didn't share my enthusiasm and kept mum most of the time.

More photos here.

Got me a haircut, my first real one. Photos later.

Eh-bah-blah!

I'm really adding up those frequent flier miles! (OK, what do they call miles accumulated on a train? "Frequent Mover"? "Frequent Trainer"?) Today I traveled once again to Patna, to give Dada-dadi another short teaser before I come back home. Things were a lot more sane this time around compared to the excitement of the marriage the last time. Dadi says I've grown into more of a "button-eyes" (that's a name she had for my pop when he was a baby, owing to his big eyes).

My vocabulary at this point may be limited to coos and a few "aah"s, aside from my arsenal of wails, but that doesn't stop me from striking up a conversation with everyone who sits down with me. In fact, I demand to be talked to when I find the grown-ups' attention wandering off me to more mundane topics, like earning their living. I keep shouting until they turn back to me.

I've long had my eyes on the bottle of formula Mummy feeds me, and now that my hands are striking up a nice rapport with my eyes, I'm beginning to grab and hold the bottle with both hands too.

I've been able to hold up my head for short durations for some time now. Lately I have also learnt to flip over to my tummy when laid down on my back. About time, I say; the view that way was getting monotonous - all lights, ceiling fans and faces. Now I can also see toys, worms - and faces.

That guy is my inspiration these days. I too hate it when I have to don any clothes north of my waist. And I too find that this look is a great hit with the girls! It's just that I can act better when it comes to the cry