i thought i would skip it!

But then a monthly update is something I enjoy doing and it's so much fun to read later! Cubby turned 17 months aka 1 year and 5 months old on 20th of Dec 2008. We celebrated in style at Pune with a lovely dinner at a gorgeous place called Khaana, Peena, Jeena. My life's motto I say! :D But then this post is about Cubby and let me rack my brains about what's new!

You have started proving the adage that kids always do exact opposite of what their parents tell others. We kept telling your grandparents, what a pain you are to feed and you behaved like an angel the 10 days we spent with both sets making them wonder what the fuss is about?! Ofcos they struggled a couple of times and didn't think we were making up stories! Phew!

You are a constant chatterbox now. We still can't figure out most of it, but you are in what I call "parrot stage". You just wanna repeat whatever we say. Considering you picked up Oh Shit! when someone passing by said it, we better watch our tongue. You tried and almost succeeded in saying complicated words like zabardasti (zabardatti) and musibat (started as musitab and moved on to right pronouncation!). Your Mama who flew down from the US taugh you useless marathi words like Yedpat (silly) and Chamya (I dunno how to translate that!). Both Chashma and Camera were Camma till you said Camea today! :) You have learnt many many more words which i just can't remember and you are already trying to make sentences too! Oh yes, aeroplane is aeopaya and you refuse to call even helicopter anything but that. Among veggies, you love to say Bainga for Baingan! Meethi for homeopathic pills which we call meethi goli! :) You finally made your nana happy by saying Ajoba and you love the word so much that you chant it very often! Everone including Aaji (previous fav word) and mama are called Ajoba!

Trying to put socks on Daadu's feet!

Your power of association and sharp ears amaze me. In our area, a lady comes to collect the kachra (rubbish) everyday and she rings a traditional bell (the sort used in puja) to announce that she is there. We being on third floor don't hear it often and have requested her to ring the door bell also connected from ground floor. The moment you hear her regular ting ting bell, before she rings the door bell and we realise she is there, you start saying Kacchi! Kacchi! Same goes for dogs barking in some far corner and you going Bhoo! A stray cracker somewhere and you go Patti. That day you zapped us by saying Meethi when papa said he will give you some Chamomilla! You actually KNEW that it's your homeopathic medicine's name. When we change you, its standard that once pajama is through your legs, I say stand up to pull it up your bum. You say "stan up" on your own once step 1 is done! Awesome i say!

Step By Step! One step at a time!

You love climbing steps now. And you want to do it the grown up way by putting just one foot at a time on the step. When there is no support to get going on all fours! It's so cute to see you do that. Plus you also love to Jump down with our help. As soon as we say one, two, three... you say Jump! Or you say it even when you want us to help you do it.

I might know nose, but i still LOVE showing my Tummy! Sigh(from Mommy)!

You finally know some body parts! Yaaaayyyy! From showing your eyes, nose and ears on your head to being able to show other peoples nose to being able to figure out your own nose, it's all so much fun! You now know nose, ears, chin and hair perfectly. Cheeks and eyes are still found just about anywhere. You also insisted on raising your pajama and showing your knees when asked where is your Bum. You seem to have sorted that out (keyword being almost!) and get tad confused with finding your knees when they are not covered by full pants that you can raise! Hehe!

It has added sugar? Preservatives? Colours? Then give it to me!

You can ask for a few things now when you see them. So you managed to successfully flick the a pen from the lady at Kingfisher check-in counter by chanting Pen! Pen! till she gave it to you! You also ask for Paani when we are having some and Bikkite (biscuit) when we are having our chai. What would i give to hear you ask for normal food! :p

Trying to read in the cab on way from Pune to Mumbai!

You love your books alright. Everyday you hop into my lap saying Godi and pick up a book. Depending on your mood, you point to everything asked correctly to not even recognizing your fav cauu (cow)! Lot of times, you point to both the pages to show the said object making sure one of them is right anywayz! :p Like your mom, you never say no. So what if you don't know or won't do that thing later!

Hurry up you slow coaches! :p Dont miss the UCSB Tee Mama got from his college in US!

You LOVE walking. We can make you walk for long time and you are happy to oblige. Once you are tired, you will refuse to move and thats our cue to pick you up. Wide and open spaces drive you nuts and your happiness is infectious when you start almost running all over the place. This time in Mumbai, you walked at Gateway and Colaba. You also entered a mall looking place on your own whim and mommy got a great bargain on some stoles out there! Following you has its own benefits! :D

You have started showing signs of throwing tantrums. You now can shed tears within seconds of being told no. You sit down without bending your knees when offended. Thats our way of knowing you are angry with something even if you don't cry! You throw things too often for our liking, but pick them up once told firmly or if we offer to help.

You have suddenly developed a bit of stranger anxiety. That doesn't mean you cry as soon as you see someone new, but you don't always go to people with smile as easily as you used to. But then again, it all depends! You also cling a LOT MORE to us and i guess it because you understand that we are not around all the time. Ofcos there are other times when we have been asked if you go to a playschool because they find you verry social for your age.

Showing his "Dhaaga" tied during the Vaastu-Shanti Puja in Pune.

You now point to your chest, when asked Cubby kidhar hai and follow it up with Idha hai! You can almost say Cubby Jain when asked to repeat.

You keep chanting either Mummy or Papa depending on who isn't there in your immediate vicinity! And the crying when we go to the loo continues.

Trying to play Foo-Ba like older kids in the terrace where his Mommy used to play!

You love mimicking us and try and do things we are doing. If your Papa is exercising at home, you try to copy him and even attempt spot jogging! :p Plus, you KNOW you are being cute and follow the copycat act with that fake smile of yours!

You can finally give a hug!! Well, almost and not always. Mommy tells you "give me a Huggie" about 1000 times and you might just oblige twice. But the feeling is incredible!!! You bend forward with your l'il arms outstretched and mouthing Uggie and give the best hugs ever!

All the people who met you this time around and gifted you toys, but saw you playing with bartans instead, have sworn to just buy you vessels rather than expensive toys! While you chucked Elley the adorable stuffed elephant and ignored the gorgeous wooden car, you were thrilled to see the kadhai rotate for endless amount of time!

You love Dhakkans (lids/caps) also known as Dhanka in Cubby speak. You love to close lids of everything in sight. Bottles and dabbas. We manage to shove a few spoonfuls of food with the help of those Dhankas. As you concentrate to get it right, we get the spoon in your mouth! When not that, you cannot even wait till we finish having paani and keep chanting Dhanka till the bottle is given to you.

You have a funny quirk where the sound Su is pronounced as Foo. So while see-saw is see-sa and sargam is sadgam, su-su is foo-foo, soup is fooppa and Suhas is foohas. Add to that Coffee is Cosee! Really weird!

How can we NOT be crazy about someone as adorable as you are?! :)

There are lot of things you do, which I cannot even describe with mere words! They have to be seen to be believed and appreciated. Your little reactions, nuances of doing things that you keep picking up, the smile that cannot let you get anyone upset with you for over 5mins, the cute gait with which you walk and the words you keep learning and repeating are a joy that I could have never imagined possible!

Rock on, Dude! :)

Love you mostest! Belated Happy 17th to ya!