Annika first learned about mini chips about two months ago and called them,"Baby Chips". She proceeded to love them, hug them, and sing them to sleep. Until she realized they had melted in her hands. I expected she might cry but instead she licked her hands. She amazes me with her ability to just enjoy the moment. : )
A few Anni words:
"Awk-a-bye bay-bee" = Rock a Bye Baby (the song)
mommy-daddy or ma-daddy = daddy
"Antan Masi" or "Giggly Masi" = Nutan (my friend in DC,"Masi" is Gujarati for Aunt)
"pay more" = Play More
Annika has just grasped the concept of friends. Her friends are: (listed as she told them to me) Ariel, Mommy, Daddy, Reese, L.J, Tarzan, Mowgli, and Baloo the Bear. She has also reached the point of knowing cause and effect (i.e. manipulation). She realized that is she tells me "Potty" or "Hungry" before bedtime, I will delay bedtime because her eating real food or using the potty on her own is something we work so hard to accomplish. Ofcourse, she says this purely as a decoy to get out of sleeping and has no intention of doing either.
Amara is truly made of sugar and spice and everything nice. You would usually find her smiling a beaming full-faced smile, chewing on something, and cooing in sing-song voice. She loves to coo and gurgle in a way that sounds like she is doing the Indian scales of "sa-ray-ga-ma-pa". Both girls are so musically talented its ridiculous. I am looking for some classes or a program that will encourage this in them without making them feel pushed or controlled. Let us know of any ideas. She also loves to stand holding fingers. She absolutely hates to be alone or bored. She is like Samir in this way. She needs to have constant stimulation or be totally asleep. Samir and she have two modes: on and off. Annika and I are more similar in that we have several more modes of operation. Barely awake, awake, going strong, getting tired, really tired, and lightly asleep. : )
Ami
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Birthday Fun Galore!
I did not know you could have too much birthday cake. But it happened for the first time in my life and probably the first time of many more to come for Annika. Annika turned two years old on June 23rd and the festivities have been small but many. We started with celebrating with my cousins and their 3 kids and a few friends on Saturday. This warranted an Ariel whipped topping birthday cake, ice cream, and Aglemeises' chocolate. Then on Monday Annika had a small kiddie party with her daytime playgroup (enter buttercream cupcakes from servatiis). Then we celebrated with family on Monday night (a second Ariel whipped topping cake) and today (Tuesday) we are celebrating with Samir's parents (a finale of cupcakes from Busken). We are all tired, dehydrated, and a bit shaky from all the sugar and chaos.
Amara is a fantastic eater. She was quite frustrated that she could not partake in the cake, ice cream, and pizza. (Okay, she did have some ice cream but don't tell her pediatrician who recommends one new food group a week and ice cream is not one of them.) Amara is almost 6 months old now and so adorable and gummy. She has gummy, soft arms and thighs. A soft, gummy mouth that is always trying to chew whatever she can. She loves to mouth toys, her sister's hands, other people's hair, shoulders, and noses, and her own feet are her favorite.
Annika and Amara are beginning to really enjoy each other. Annika is a big help and lets us know the obvious like, "Sissy's CRYING!!" and tries to help sometimes with, "Hush Sissy!" or "Its okay, Marrra". She pronounces Amara as "Mar-rr-ra". Yes, that is actually a three syllable "r" she believes is in the middle. Amara loves to see Annika peering over her crib and follows every move she makes. Annika is always telling her "Sissy - no tickling!" as Amara lunges towards her in a full throttle roll with her death grip fingers extended. Amara's grip is something out of this world.
A few months ago we went to the 4 month appointment and Amara grabbed the pediatricians stethescope (spelling help for the future doctor?) and refused to let go. The doctor first thinks its cute and laughs, then 10 seconds later while she is still trying to pry it away from Amara she says, "well, this one is stronger than most". Then she gives a dry, awkward chuckle. It actually takes her both hands to open Amara's death grip.
Well, that is a healthy sized update from the Kulkarni's. Samir and I are heading to Florida for our first vacation sans kids in almost a year. We will be there for four days so hopefully we will find time to post a bit more. We are using this blog as a tool to keep in touch but most of all for us to keep track of the adorable memories of these wonderful baby filled days. There is so much we have yet to capture. Already a few super cute things have become past tense and we never captured them in any way. For example, Annika used to love to lug around anything large and heavy and say, "HEA-BEE... HEA-BEE" (her version of heavy). She was looking for us to tell her how big and strong she is. Just last week she changed it to the official term of "heavy". I was so sad, but this is life. Just when you fall madly in love with a moment, its gone. Luckily, with kiddos in the house, there are many moments to fall in love with.
I will end with the top 3 most memorable things from Annika's birthday extraveganza's.
3. Annika always says, "Hi Pilot!!" to any plane flying overhead. On Saturday morning, she went to the local airport to pick up my cousin's husband who flew in from Buffalo. She actually was able to go up to the plane and meet the pilot. She said, "Hi Pilot..." with the most fear and shock in her voice as she realized that planes are a lot larger in person than they appear in the sky.
2. Someone had accidentally placed a wrapped box of gourmet chocolates next to Annika's gift so when she rips open the wrapping paper and box, 25 dark chocolate covered english toffies fall onto the ground and the children rush the floor like the ultimate pinata just opened from the heavens. In a matter of 2 seconds Annika and her friend Reese have shoved multiple toffees into their mouths and refuse to spit them out.
1. As I am carrying the beloved cake to the table, Annika jumps up and uses her ninja abilities to slide her hand inside the box of cake, sweep out a handful of icing, and runs off to eat it before we can start singing or cut it for anyone.
Hope this first post of mine meets expectations. It was a joy to write and I will do it again soon hopefully. Thank you to Emily and Zui for reminding us of our deliquency.
Ami
Amara is a fantastic eater. She was quite frustrated that she could not partake in the cake, ice cream, and pizza. (Okay, she did have some ice cream but don't tell her pediatrician who recommends one new food group a week and ice cream is not one of them.) Amara is almost 6 months old now and so adorable and gummy. She has gummy, soft arms and thighs. A soft, gummy mouth that is always trying to chew whatever she can. She loves to mouth toys, her sister's hands, other people's hair, shoulders, and noses, and her own feet are her favorite.
Annika and Amara are beginning to really enjoy each other. Annika is a big help and lets us know the obvious like, "Sissy's CRYING!!" and tries to help sometimes with, "Hush Sissy!" or "Its okay, Marrra". She pronounces Amara as "Mar-rr-ra". Yes, that is actually a three syllable "r" she believes is in the middle. Amara loves to see Annika peering over her crib and follows every move she makes. Annika is always telling her "Sissy - no tickling!" as Amara lunges towards her in a full throttle roll with her death grip fingers extended. Amara's grip is something out of this world.
A few months ago we went to the 4 month appointment and Amara grabbed the pediatricians stethescope (spelling help for the future doctor?) and refused to let go. The doctor first thinks its cute and laughs, then 10 seconds later while she is still trying to pry it away from Amara she says, "well, this one is stronger than most". Then she gives a dry, awkward chuckle. It actually takes her both hands to open Amara's death grip.
Well, that is a healthy sized update from the Kulkarni's. Samir and I are heading to Florida for our first vacation sans kids in almost a year. We will be there for four days so hopefully we will find time to post a bit more. We are using this blog as a tool to keep in touch but most of all for us to keep track of the adorable memories of these wonderful baby filled days. There is so much we have yet to capture. Already a few super cute things have become past tense and we never captured them in any way. For example, Annika used to love to lug around anything large and heavy and say, "HEA-BEE... HEA-BEE" (her version of heavy). She was looking for us to tell her how big and strong she is. Just last week she changed it to the official term of "heavy". I was so sad, but this is life. Just when you fall madly in love with a moment, its gone. Luckily, with kiddos in the house, there are many moments to fall in love with.
I will end with the top 3 most memorable things from Annika's birthday extraveganza's.
3. Annika always says, "Hi Pilot!!" to any plane flying overhead. On Saturday morning, she went to the local airport to pick up my cousin's husband who flew in from Buffalo. She actually was able to go up to the plane and meet the pilot. She said, "Hi Pilot..." with the most fear and shock in her voice as she realized that planes are a lot larger in person than they appear in the sky.
2. Someone had accidentally placed a wrapped box of gourmet chocolates next to Annika's gift so when she rips open the wrapping paper and box, 25 dark chocolate covered english toffies fall onto the ground and the children rush the floor like the ultimate pinata just opened from the heavens. In a matter of 2 seconds Annika and her friend Reese have shoved multiple toffees into their mouths and refuse to spit them out.
1. As I am carrying the beloved cake to the table, Annika jumps up and uses her ninja abilities to slide her hand inside the box of cake, sweep out a handful of icing, and runs off to eat it before we can start singing or cut it for anyone.
Hope this first post of mine meets expectations. It was a joy to write and I will do it again soon hopefully. Thank you to Emily and Zui for reminding us of our deliquency.
Ami
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