Phew!

I am waiting for August to end. Personally things are going pretty smooth but then a few of my friends are going through a very rough patch that is hurting me a lot too...You know who you are and my prayers are with everyone of you. I am sure that whatever you all are doing is the best and in the best interest of everyone involved. Be brave and I am sure that everything will be fine...Life has to go on no matter what. If I could, I would really stop the clock go back and set things right so that none of you would have to go through what you are going through now!

On a more friendlier note...things that have been putting a smile on my face...Babbi...yes my daughter...now she is called Babbi...just shows the transformation of her name as she grows up from being Baboo to Babbi...there are some who call her Babli though...which is also cool...

For the last month and a half my MIL is taking care of her at home. Babbi feeds well, sleeps well and has been growing (brain size) in leaps and bounds...a few of the things she can do before her 10th month birthday...

• Walk...at least 6-8 steps without holding anything.
• Say 'Ba' when she goes looking for her ball.
• I taught her to say 'tat tat tat tat' when I ask her what does an OWL say...and she repeats it.
• Say "mam mam mam mam" when hungry
• Sleep through the night.
• Show where her head is when asked (08-14-08)
• Laugh at silly faces I make
• Play patty cake with me
• Follow me or either one of us to the bathroom.
• Play some home made games such as falling backwards on the bed when we say 'Boom.'
• Play 'Jhoom-Jhoom' on her rocker.
• Walk around the house talking as if she busy having a conversation with you.

Most of it are courtesy the patience of my MIL who repeated everything a 1000 times just to get her to do them...I don't think I would have the time or the patience to teach them to Sanj...a few of those are because she is bound to naturally do them at some point in life...and a very few of them are mine and mine only!

My college professor, Thirumeni, used to ask me if I started talking when I was 8 months old because I was so talkative...but hey my daughter really started to between her 9th and 10th month birthday...kudos to her!

Oh and one last thing...today is Indian Independence Day...Jai Hind...

We have this tradition called breakfast club at work...where one of us bring breakfast for the rest of us in the group once a week and take turns at it. It is really fun! This week it was my fellow-desi colleague's turn and she bought Sambar/Ildi/Green chutney symbolizing the Indian Tiranga. She also stuck the Indian flag in the kitchen and both of us have small Indian flags in our office space...it is so much fun. I also stood up for the national anthem card that this same girl had sent me.

With India winning its first individual gold in the Olympics and all that I am so much more prouder now!

Now that's what I call a long blog!

Go for it India!!

Love
ART