Happy Birthday LG : You turn 1 year and 7 months today

It's that day of the month again when I sing "Happy Birthday" all through the day and LG looks at me and The Seniol as if we were nuts. But yea, he enjoys all the attention and gives him more reason to climb over us and jump on the tummy.

This past month I've noticed significant changes in him than in any month since he turned one. To begin with, this will be the last time we celebrate his monthly birthday in Pune. He would be amidst chaos next month in Bangalore.

The most happiest moment for me was the day when he first kissed me. I need to ask him just once for the kiss and he is all eager to climb over me and plant the most affectionate one on my cheeks. Whatever he is in the midst of doing wherever, he drops it right there to come over to me which is unusual otherwise.

The "owwwww" (read : phone) is off the hook. I was forced to disconnect the phone after numerous damage sessions that involved the receiver off the hook for a good part of the day, pressing random buttons and once hitting the redial button. He can't talk yet but has this long imaginary conversations which imitate real ones full of high-pitched laughter, excitement in the voice and I am surprised he does this for hours on end. If the phone remains engaged during LG's waking time, it doesn't really serve any purpose to have one, does it. Anyways, we used the land line very minimally so it didn't make any difference to just pack off the handset and later disconnect it. Now he toys with the wires and takes good opportunity of those few times when I wasn't careful in keeping my cellphone at a 5 foot height - on top of the fridge or TV. If he lays his hands on, the same drama is enacted after which it duly lands in the parapet wall or in the kitchen sink.

The transition from small potty to the adults one with a seat happened a couple of months back. There have been no accidents so far, he makes those funny faces and sounds to get my attention. Bladder control hasn't set in yet which means I find River Nile flowing in different sections of the house. When questioned, I am duly answered with that mischievous grin and the mop cloth in other hand all the way imitating my action of wiping the mess.

The Master of Imitation enjoys being on the driver seat - something I'm not really proud of. He exerts more force in getting away from me than mine in keeping him on my lap. When The Seniol gets off the car, he is quick to jump on to the seat and imitate in an order of turning an imaginary key, releasing the hand brake, changing gears, adjusting his windows etc. No exaggeration seriously - I was surprised to see him do everything so meticulously last evening.

Gyrating to the tunes of "Nagada Nagada" and "Mauja hi Mauja" from Jab We Met continues even after two months. I've lost count of the number of times I've seen the movie in the past fortnight. He has no interest in the movie once his lunch/dinner sessions are over. The rhymes session are on as well.

Our evening routine of playing in the park is more exciting for I've something to look forward to - which kid is going to complain about LG getting near their ghar-ghar setup with a motto of destruction or whose chappals he is going to fill with sand and pebbles. I'm within a 2 feet distance of him always yet he manages to find his escape and do his stuff. Sometimes I let my hair down -- to heck with careful parenting. So long he is not bothering other kids who mind it, I let him wander around the park and the temple. He is at his best and the most happiest during his park visits.

LG's fondness for balls has grown by a 100 times. Every lane we pass by, he will sight a shop that has a bunch of balls hanging - those colorful ones that comes at Rs.10 per piece. He now has green, red, yellow and orange ones in his collection and is craving for more.

Times when I sit on the floor or on his mattress on the ground, he is quick to climb over my back and gently tap on the shoulder asking me to get up and gallop like a horse around the house. Another funny game is when I tie the FP dog with the black thread around his tummy ..the dog follows him around the house doing "bow bow".

He took a ride on the horse he sees every evening and one in the miniature car as well.

Anything hot like a steaming cooker or boiled milk that lets out steam is "ou..ou" for hot. It's the same for cold too.

I'm trying to get him off the bottle. He was very fond of milk until a few days back..now it's a struggle to make him drink a cup of milk. I've just started experimenting with Bournvita and he seems to like it a bit. No big changes in food habits but his exposure to outside food has increased dramatically from soups to idlis.

Our mornings start with a small song for which he enacts every part to perfection .."Brush your teeth; do potty; wash your face; comb your hair; drink your milk". The order is sometimes jumbled :)

His mom is his hairstylist..the saloons in our area are every bit fussy when it comes to giving a haircut to kids. After three unsuccessful trips to the saloon, I said, "To hell with them. I will give you a cool one and did." Only that this time it was not the rocking step footballer cut - a plain one!