April: Baby goats, thambi, and a duck race

It is springtime. Or so says the calendar. Amma says that so much rain isn't very usual. Anyway, springtime means little things appear everywhere. Little flowers, little cows. And baby goats, baby goats! We got to go to a goat farm and see a bunch of really cute little baby goats (3 weeks old and even two that were 1 week old). They were hopping around a bunch, trying to climb things. There was even this little race with kids (the goat kind) and kids (the human kind); however someone ran into me, which wasn't that fun. Maybe I'll try again next year though.

I have more and more fun hanging out with little Thambi too. We had a lovely Easter where we got dressed up for church (actually I even got to have two cool outfits that day, including one with a little hat), Thambi was baptized, we had a nice brunch at Amma's house, and then went to great Aunt Eryn's for a big family party. The highlight of that party was getting to search for a bunch of Easter eggs! (Though Amma learned not to buy play doh yet for me...)

Were you wondering what I did related to trains this month? I got to go to the train museum in Golden with Grandpa (and amma and thambi)! It is such a cool place. We of course watched the little trains race around the track a bunch, but my favorite was exploring the red caboose near the roundhouse. No one else was in there (and it was even a little dusty), so we got to go all around it and even climb way up high and look out the windows. Nearby I got to explore something else that looked like a crane and even got my hands goopy. Grandpa also showed me how to turn a bunch of brake wheels and we looked at a bunch of couplings.

Recently I've been interested in Batman. And I got a pretty cool play Batman who is actually not so little; it probably stands around two feet high. He has this cool cape and can fly around places like my room or the back yard. Occasionally I take him to sleep with me, but that spot is usually held tightly by Moosie.

Finally, since the creek was running strong, we raced little plastic ducks in the river! This was really fun - basically Isla, Nima, and I threw our ducks in the river upstream and the moms (mostly Shannon and Mariko) caught them downstream, though sometimes they got caught in little eddies (I think the moms involved decided that the whole thing was a lot of fun and a little dangerous).

Thank you God for springtime, for little flowers, little brothers, and for water.

2.75 yrs: Trains, mittens, and flashlights

The big thing this month was that we all took a train ride throug the mountains to Winter Park - we even made the front page of the Denver Post (see the middle photo below)! We went through 28 tunnels, including the Moffat tunnel at the end. I got to try on my friend Emily's helmet (even if it was pink), play in an old train playground, warm up at the fire (even if it was already pretty warm), and go on a short gondola ride a few times. Appa and I went tubing too, which was a bunch of fun (and included time on a magic carpet ride).

I believe I perfected sliding down the big curly slide at the park - I cruise down this thing forward, head first (like superman), or can flip mid-slide. I am practicing for self-arrest flips on snow someday.

Encouraging words are good. So I like to use them, such as: Faster Amma! (when we are driving) Good job Amma! (for example when she dries off with a towel) Thank you Amma. (this one comes in handy most days, and can be used for anything from getting me water or food to handing me Moosie before our walk to the McGregor's.) I am also getting better at my numbers and working on my letters.

In case you are ever in need of them, socks work mighty well as mittens. Now Thambi's socks are a pretty good size for this, but my socks work fine as well. The only trick is getting the second one on, and sometimes Amma helps with this one (and the phrase above "Thank you Amma" comes in handy yet again). I guess this trick is another good one to store for the mountains (in case you loose your actual mittens).

We went on a hike up Mount Sanitas on a beautiful spring day, and my friend Mila (and her dad) came with us too. I made it about two-thirds of the way up hiking on my own, then Appa graciously carried me in the backpack to the summit. Amma learned that it is a good idea to bring apples in addition to bars on a hike.

Thambi continues to be fun, though not quite yet as resilient and I would wish for. Someday I bet he will be pretty tough, but for now if he falls over he cries, so Amma holds him or tries to show me how to hug him and be gentle at the same time.

I hung out with Grandpa, Grandma, and uncle Chris one day. I got to help out Grandpa with a little project at home, and he brought me a flashlight (that was amma's back when she went to camp in middle school). This is pretty awesome, but somehow I see it strangely dissapearing in the near future.

Thank you God for Thambi, for big slides, for friends, for Appa and Amma, and, of course, for trains.

Have you ever...shot the sun?

Have you ever tried putting a carrot on your nose? You should. That's how the snowmen do it.

Have you ever tried jumping off a rock? You should. That's how you have fun on hikes (like when we went all the way to Royal Arch). Though I must admit that it is best to be holding onto your appa's hand (or that of another trusted friend) so you don't fall flat on your face or loose your balance.

Have you ever been so high up in the air that you just couldn't believe it? You should try it. The roads and cars and trucks and houses and rivers are really tiny. It is almost like you are on a rocket! I got to sit next to the window on an airplane when Appa and I went to Atlanta to visit some friends for a weekend. I also was the guest of honor there and had fun.

Have you ever listened to the music in your head or the singing of Kristin or Amma and couldn't help but dance? You should try letting loose. It took me a while to warm up to African singing and dancing with Nii Armah, but Amma and I had a lot of fun with the moms and babes (Tuu wah, tuu wah, mambana tuu wah tuu wah. Awah awah awah a tu, awah a tu).

Have you ever shot the sun? Grandpa has (and Amma too). Grandpa showed me his sextants including the one he used to sail to Hawaii! Maybe some day we will get to shoot the sun.

Have you ever felt so comfortable in the snow you decided to make it your home? With my McGregor's friends we built a cool snow fort that even had a tunnel entrance. As a bonus, you could jump off the wall. We also had fun sledding - I even carried my sled up the big hill at the high school!

Have you ever taken a toy away from a baby? Okay maybe this is one you shouldn't try. I am being helped to figure out that you should try to avoid this, but if you do take one you should give another one in return. And happily most of the time I bring new toys to Thambi Mano. He is also fun to spin in his little Exersaucer, to sit with in his crib listening to music, and to hug.

Have you ever climbed up a log? You can pretend that it is a horse and it becomes even more fun.

Have you ever seen a baby gorilla tease its parents or uncle? I got to see one do this at the mountainside zoo (in Colorado Springs) and it is quite fun. There were also elephants (yanni yanni yanni!) eating. Oh and a whole lot of giraffes, plus tigers and lions who were roaring. And ... a huge Moose! My moosie still comes with me daily for my nap and I sleep at night with him (along with a new addition - my little Buzz Lightyear spaceman).

Have you ever climbed up a rock? It is pretty fun to do, but you should be careful because it can be slippery sometimes. We visited pretty rocks (Garden of the Gods) and I got to hike around and climb some rocks.

Have you ever encouraged your Appa to "Sit here!" or your Amma to "Sing!"? I guess making your wishes known is generally a good thing. Most of the time the requests are honored, though not always (which I suppose is a good thing for me in the long run, but at the time can be quite frustrating if I really want that piece of cake, for example).

Have you ever had a playdate with your friend? I recommend them highly. I had fun hanging out with King Bailey (see the picture below). And in case you didn't know, I am the Muffin Man.

Thank you God for red rocks, for the spirit of trying new things, for singing and dancing, and for Thambi, Appa, and Amma.

P.S. Don't try to eat a candle. They don't taste very good.

January: Rockets, blanket forts, and snow

The first half of the month I was still in India. Appa and I had all sorts of fun visiting family and friends in Chennai, Madurai, and Bangalore. We did a reverse triangle trip from the way we went on my first trip to India (back in October 2013). In Ayyamma's house there is even a swing inside! Plus it is big so I got to swing on it with my cousin Shukthika as I mentioned last time (check out the video). There were plenty of three of my favorite things on this trip: airplanes, trains, and fruit.

 

When we returned, Amma was really happy to see us. At the airport, I was so happy to see Thambi that after we went through customs and I saw Amma carrying Thambi I yelled "Thambi!", ran toward them with open arms, and crashed into them to give them a big hug (Amma still smiles remembering it).

As a family, we all got dressed up to go into the snow, drove into the mountains (to Brainard Lake), and went hiking in the snow. Actually I was going to try my new skis! I watched a video with some people skiing in it and was excited. I put them on in the parking lot, but it was super icy there, so Appa and Amma held my hands (/pulled me) as we went to the snow, but the conditions weren't quite right for me to try it out (instead I had Appa carry me on his back). We will try it out another time.

When I was gone, Amma says I grew some: physically (I'm kind of in between sizes right now) and in my language (I am very good at repeating new things). One of my favorite recent phrases is "dump it!" Like dump the blueberries and raspberries on my plate! Or dump the goldfish in the bowl. I can tell some good stories with this phrase too - like when the trash truck comes and stops and picks up the trash bin and lifts it up and then... (ready?)... it dumps it! Friday mornings are fun. Another few words I like recently are steam and engine, as in the steam that comes out of a engine on a train! Oh and I like to think that there are a bunch of rockets (sounds like rocket-ball) in the sky (though they might just be airplanes).

I like to read before bed under a blanket fort (using the big green blanket). Amma says it gets hot, but it is fun. I like to try and ride Mopy (my big stuffed dog). And I love to wear my safety glasses. When I have them on upside down, I say "Oh noooo, Flip it!"

I like to eat big scoops of peanut butter. And get it from the jar myself. I like to put raspberries on my fingers and then eat them.

I like to wear my hat backward. I like to sleep with Moosie, and he accompanies me daily to the McGregor's. There I continue to have a bunch of fun playing, singing, running, throwing, drawing, experimenting, hiking, listening, scooping, laughing, constructing, dancing, observing, climbing, and imagining. Stick together, big guys help little guys, be kind.

Thank you God for raspberries, trash trucks, and playtime.

December: Hugs, a gingerbread house, and India! (2.5 yrs)

I am a hugger. Amma loves this. I like to hug Appa and Amma and Thambi. And my friends at the McGregor's. Oh and Moosie! Moosie is a new addition to my days and nights (my first 'lovie' that I am attaching to - though Moosie took an extended trip in LA on the way to India, so it is fortunate that Amma found a replacement Moosie at Grandma's house). Anyway, hugs are nice to show love and excitement, share warmth, show that you're sorry and ask for forgiveness. All around great things.

I am also a tiger. Or at least I like acting like one: growling, tilting my head, and walking slowly toward Amma, picking up my knees. This works especially well when I wear my new pajamas that have tiger stripes. Tigers are adventurous and love to play.

I am a runner. I enjoy running in circles around the room (this goes well with the Mulberry bush song as I mentioned last time), or running from tree to tree when walking home from the McGregor's.

Some of my fun new sayings this month were: Cool, Yeahhh!!!!, and "Quiet!"(this last one is funny for Amma because when she is saying something or singing a song that I don't like, I just tell her 'quiet').

December was the season of Advent, culminating in Christmas, though we actually celebrated a little early since Appa and I were in India on Christmas day. We had a beautiful Christmas tree that I liked a lot - it had many shiny balls and sailboats to spin (and break, oops!). We went to church and it was decorated with a million (or so) white lights and everyone was singing good songs.

Amma and I made a gingerbread house over a few days. I love making the dough, where you get to knead, poke, roll, punch, stretch, and roll it (just like making the dough in my book Pizza Party!). I liked eating the gingerbread men cookies we made alongside the house, and of course after we finished decorating the house there was leftover candy!

Me, Amma, and Thambi Mano

I watched a few Christmas-themed movies: Mickey Mouse Christmas and Curious George's Christmas. And when we gathered with grandpa and grandma and opened presents, I got some fun things. Of course the book with Thomas the Train stories (nine of them!) was a hit, the boats for the bath were great fun, and I now have a Lego bear! Also I got some cross-country skis - right away I was trying them in the living room and I look forward to trying them outside in January.

I have fun playing with Thambi (and I am pretty sure that when he is walking we will have even more fun together). Now I bring him a toy if he is crying, get him dizzy in his new exersaucer, and lie next to him when he is on his play mat.

Time at the McGregors continues to enrich me. We spend time discussing time itself, planets, and rotation. We do a lot of singing, eat good (and new) food, play in the snow (building forts and jumping on ice), make music with water glasses, play tennis (at least experiment with racquets), grow little plants (I also like to read the book "The Seed" at home a lot), and create stop motion with strobe lights. We even all wear red hats when it is cold.

I'm getting into the zone where I may not need my afternoon nap. Translation: bedtime is still pretty tough. Amma and Appa were letting things be though since I had a 12-hour time-zone transition ahead of me.

Me on the plane heading to India

Finally, my big adventure this month was that I traveled to India! This was my third trip. Since Thambi is still so little, he and Amma stayed home in Colorado and I went to India with Appa. We went from Chennai to Madurai to Bangalore and met with family and friends. I loved swinging on Ayyamma's swing in her home, especially with Shukthika my cousin. And of course I loved the trains everywhere! I get back to Colorado in early January.

Ayyamma and me in India

November: Songs, movies, and the potty

SONGS stick in my head. Just like Amma. My favorite this month was Ding dong the witch is dead (which old witch? the wicked witch! Ding dong the wicked witch is dead). But you could also catch me going around the house singing Do you know the muffin man? The Mulberry bush song was a fun one because you can dance around in a circle at the same time and then it has an exciting ending (Pop goes the weasel!) One of my stories this month was about the house coming down in the wind and the dog.

Amma made up a very pragmatic song - "Every morning and every night, Kavi brushes his teeeeth." I guess it helps because I protest the chore a little less when we are singing.

Amma and Appa were pretty good at avoiding TV and movies with me when I was little (even if the occasional Wheels-on-the-bus YouTube did sneak in). Their goal was to avoid movies for at least my first two years. So having met that milestone a while back, they thought it would be okay to introduce the occasional movie (especially during strategic times). Soooo, this means I got to see a few fun movies! My first movies were Planes (zooooom), then Turbo (a story about a snail that wanted to go zoom), then Cars Too, all of which were animated.

For the past few months I was introduced to my little potty, sat on it regularly, and even pee'd a few times. But in November I did something that caused Appa and Don and Barbara to do a little dance and clap - the thing, of course, was my first few poos in the little toilet. I still use diapers, but this marks the beginning of the end.

As my language continues to expand, I'm using longer sentences. Example: man sitting (in the) chair.

Thambi continues to get bigger and more fun to play with.

Unfortunately, I've had some trouble sleeping. Especially when Appa travels occasionally for work. But we will soldier on.

I wore a few nice outfits this month - the first was for when it snows! I've got an integrated snow suit that zips from my feet to my neck and keeps me nice and cozy warm. Amma and I made tracks through the snow (kinda like a train). Another one was a beautiful Indian outfit that I wore on Thanksgiving (check out the middle top picture below, thanks Tonje!). Thanksgiving itself was a nice gathering of family at Eryn and Steve's house (I also got to hang out a little with my cousin Jayce who is my age).

Finally, a lot of fun was had at the McGregor's: drawing and drums, fire and seeds, Thanksgiving stories, always music and singing, sledding and running, exploring ice and melting snow, and the Wizard of Oz (this is where that song came from initially). "Get your shoes on and let's go see the world" is Don's call to arms.

Thank you God for snow suits, for Thambi, for books, and for friends.

Sleep, games, and words

The big thing this month was sleep. As in getting me to sleep more regularly. As I mentioned last time, we got a lot more regular about my sleep routine. When I sleep the whole night in my bed I get a sticker. For the most part, it has gone well (don't ask Amma or Appa about last night though). We will continue to work on it so it goes more smoothly.

Games are wonderful. I have a lot of fun playing 'choose which hand it is in' - like when Amma has something to give me and she puts her hands behind her and then I get to choose one. I prefer the left hand, but occasionally will go for the right. Then I try playing this with Amma or Appa and they think it is cute. I also like to hide. For example, I like to hide in the hall closet and surprise Amma or Appa, or get wrapped up in the shower curtain and surprise Amma. With thambi, for now our games consist of me saying googoo gaagaa to him, but I am sure they will get more elaborate over time.

I still love telling stories, and they are getting more involved daily. Especially ones that involve cars, trucks, and crashes. Or of course ones that involve trains and cabooses (one of my newer words). Some of my favorite words and phrases this month were: PUMPKINS! (both the kind on the ground and when you make them into bread, which I call cake), come in!, faster, and "no please" (Amma thinks this variation on 'no thank you' is cute), sorry, and hug (these last two sometimes go together). I'm becoming more expressive with sentences, such as "get it" (say, referring to a book on the ground or an apple), or "Va (come), sit down bed" (which I say when Amma is trying to sneak away before I am asleep). Appa keeps teaching me more Tamil words (like counting, through enje-5-up to batey-10), pointing out the nayees (dogs), etc. I expect to learn a lot more Tamil when Appa and I visit India over Christmas break.

Time spent at the McGregor's is really great. I now walk there on my own (most days), instead of being carried by Amma. I have good friends there. I love our excursions and singing and adventure modules (like space!). Of course we play a bunch of fun games. And there always seem to be freshly picked apples.
 
As a family, we went hiking (in the snow and in the mountains without snow), visited two pumpkin patches (and carved pumpkins), and visited the TRAIN museum again (which I don't have to tell you was great). We rounded out the month with visits from friends, dinner parties, birthday parties (I love singing the happy birthday song no matter the day), and a fun trip to the mountains with friends from Appa's high school.

Thank you God for this month, for family, and for pumpkins.