After a blogomanic month of August, only two post so far in September
seems like a low. Well, I am alive and kicking. No one asked though,
but I thought I can dispense with this information. An update of last
week/weekend should explain my absence from the blogosphere.
Two days after my return from a vacation to Hyderabad, my parents arrived. Not unannounced of course :-) I was awaiting their arrival for awhile now and that too with an eagerness of a child awaiting his/her coveted gift. Needless to say that I am enjoying myself, not to mention R who continues to get pampered, and is now actually showing signs of becoming a spoilt brat.
While on the note of R and his grandparents being around, we are witnessing a good deal of change in him. He is definitely getting naughtier and more stubborn by the day. A foreboding of having to deal with the inevitable terrible twos is clouding my senses. The change isn't quite sudden and dramatic as I put it but this particular incident has definitely set alarm bells ringing, loud enough to startle the person next to me, in my head. Now, we parents are of those kinds who do not really indulge in buying too many toys for the little brat. We do not mind spending money on any amount of books but toys come home at a lower frequency rate. We have also never experienced any tantrums in a toy shop so far when we would at times have to say no to R's demands. Distracting him has also been not too difficult. So, this incident left me perplexed, nudged me out of my utopian reverie where kids who throw a fit in a store are always someone else's and landed me in a this-cannot-happen-to-me moment. (this is not to be confused with putting-on-an-air of perfect parenting.)
Coming to the incident: ever since the time my parents came home, there has been some talks of my mother wanting to buy a tricycle or the likes for R. The other day, my parents, R and I went to buy some groceries at a near by store. The store also stocks other items like toys and other fancy stuff. While we were busy checking out a few things, R found a ride-a-car toy and promptly mounted on that. What was surprising was that he did not call out to me, instead he called out for pati and said, "Pati, car..car..". Kids!!! The said toy seemed a little old, dusty and not worth the price tag. Also, there was no other fresh stock available. So, I tried to distract him by saying he'll get one the next day (one that usually works). But not this time. He bawled, rolled on the ground to my horror. As I dragged him away, my mother, the doting pati, said she'll probably buy some other toy/book to mollify R. I was still recovering from the initial shock of dealing with my first public toddler meltdown, so acquiesced. R went next to the toys counter and pulled out three toys and insisted on playing with all of them on the shop floor. We managed to put back all but one toy onto the rack. R held on to the one toy with all his might and didn't let go of it even at the time of billing, much to the cashier's amusement and my embarrassment. Not sure, if this is temporary or clear symptoms of the onset of the terrible twos.
Hmm..will wield the stick later. Now it's time for some grandparent time and of course carrots.
It has been celebration time for a couple of days now. Our apartment complex celebrated Onam, as other festivals alike, with great grandeur. Since the festival fell on a weekday, the cultural fest was held on Sunday. The festivities that included rangoli (pookalam) competition for the adults, drawing competition for the children, cultural programs that saw adults and children perform with equal elan and grace, culminated in a grand Onam feast. Traditional dance numbers, peppy and melodious Malayalam solo songs, group songs, all together interspersed with a quiz session on Kerala and Onam made the event enjoyable even for the non-mallus.
I entered the second year on the wrong side of the 30s a couple of days ago. B'day celebration is generally in the form of a lunch/dinner at a restaurant. This time, hubby presented the idea of a couple dinner minus the kid since my parents were around. The idea appealed to me since it was quite sometime since we got some time for ourselves and my parents too agreed immediately to the proposition. So, thanks to them, we, the hubby and me, ended up having a nice time actually having a proper conversation (after what seems like ages) over good food and ambience. Cheers!
So, guys, I am back!
Two days after my return from a vacation to Hyderabad, my parents arrived. Not unannounced of course :-) I was awaiting their arrival for awhile now and that too with an eagerness of a child awaiting his/her coveted gift. Needless to say that I am enjoying myself, not to mention R who continues to get pampered, and is now actually showing signs of becoming a spoilt brat.
While on the note of R and his grandparents being around, we are witnessing a good deal of change in him. He is definitely getting naughtier and more stubborn by the day. A foreboding of having to deal with the inevitable terrible twos is clouding my senses. The change isn't quite sudden and dramatic as I put it but this particular incident has definitely set alarm bells ringing, loud enough to startle the person next to me, in my head. Now, we parents are of those kinds who do not really indulge in buying too many toys for the little brat. We do not mind spending money on any amount of books but toys come home at a lower frequency rate. We have also never experienced any tantrums in a toy shop so far when we would at times have to say no to R's demands. Distracting him has also been not too difficult. So, this incident left me perplexed, nudged me out of my utopian reverie where kids who throw a fit in a store are always someone else's and landed me in a this-cannot-happen-to-me moment. (this is not to be confused with putting-on-an-air of perfect parenting.)
Coming to the incident: ever since the time my parents came home, there has been some talks of my mother wanting to buy a tricycle or the likes for R. The other day, my parents, R and I went to buy some groceries at a near by store. The store also stocks other items like toys and other fancy stuff. While we were busy checking out a few things, R found a ride-a-car toy and promptly mounted on that. What was surprising was that he did not call out to me, instead he called out for pati and said, "Pati, car..car..". Kids!!! The said toy seemed a little old, dusty and not worth the price tag. Also, there was no other fresh stock available. So, I tried to distract him by saying he'll get one the next day (one that usually works). But not this time. He bawled, rolled on the ground to my horror. As I dragged him away, my mother, the doting pati, said she'll probably buy some other toy/book to mollify R. I was still recovering from the initial shock of dealing with my first public toddler meltdown, so acquiesced. R went next to the toys counter and pulled out three toys and insisted on playing with all of them on the shop floor. We managed to put back all but one toy onto the rack. R held on to the one toy with all his might and didn't let go of it even at the time of billing, much to the cashier's amusement and my embarrassment. Not sure, if this is temporary or clear symptoms of the onset of the terrible twos.
Hmm..will wield the stick later. Now it's time for some grandparent time and of course carrots.
It has been celebration time for a couple of days now. Our apartment complex celebrated Onam, as other festivals alike, with great grandeur. Since the festival fell on a weekday, the cultural fest was held on Sunday. The festivities that included rangoli (pookalam) competition for the adults, drawing competition for the children, cultural programs that saw adults and children perform with equal elan and grace, culminated in a grand Onam feast. Traditional dance numbers, peppy and melodious Malayalam solo songs, group songs, all together interspersed with a quiz session on Kerala and Onam made the event enjoyable even for the non-mallus.
I entered the second year on the wrong side of the 30s a couple of days ago. B'day celebration is generally in the form of a lunch/dinner at a restaurant. This time, hubby presented the idea of a couple dinner minus the kid since my parents were around. The idea appealed to me since it was quite sometime since we got some time for ourselves and my parents too agreed immediately to the proposition. So, thanks to them, we, the hubby and me, ended up having a nice time actually having a proper conversation (after what seems like ages) over good food and ambience. Cheers!
So, guys, I am back!
How much I can relate your post Uma!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is throwing up tantrums and getting stubborn everyday.
She wakes up in the middle of the night and cries for 'maum-maum' (meal), I try to pacify her, she cries louder. I try giving her biscuits she asks for Chapati. Our home's roof is cracking already!!
Terrible twos!! I dread!! she is just 18 months, I know.. "yeh to abhi trailer hai, Picture abhi baaki hai"
Btw, good update. Why don't u put up some pics of our handsome R with the update posts?
Wow! I could see myself in R. Good luck with me..err...I mean with R.
ReplyDeleteThe Unwise Prevails Over the Wise
OH!!!! Belated happy birthday!! On the 12th, i know u said. I actually thot I'd remember to wish you that day, then never did :) So glad you were able to enjoy some alone -time with hubby. Hope you had a wonderful day otherwise as well!
ReplyDeleteWill comment on the rest of ur post later :)
Hi again Uma,
ReplyDeleteI think R is exhibiting fairly typical behaviour for his age:) At this point, all you can do is hope that it was an isolated incident and not the onset of the terrible twos. For Ads ages 2 and 3 were really bad but he settled down after 4. With Y, the 2s have been pretty good, lets see what the 3s bring! Good luck to you!!! :)
Sahana: aah! welcome to the club! yeah..picture abhi baaki hai, although I do not wish to see it..:-(
ReplyDeletepics..umm..nt sure yet I want to post pics of R on the blog..am sure you understand the reasons for it..:-)
Prateek: err..hope you turned out to be a good boy later..;-)
Aparna: Thank you Aparna! yes I did have a good day..:-)
Ads went through the terrible 2 and 3 phase? can't believe it. If he has turned out so well post that phase, then you give me hope..:-)Thanks again!
Uma, if this post had come some 6 months back, I would have howled with laughter, imagining R bawling and ur face! Lekin now even if I think of laughing, Jr starts kicking from within, reminding me that *such fate might await me too* :| :P
ReplyDeleteohh!! happy happy birthday too!
ReplyDeletePurnima: lol..yes, be prepared!
ReplyDeleteand thanks for the wishes!
your post reminded me of a very old incident... i must have been around 5-6 years old at that time... i slightly remember that i cried a lot for an unusual kind of a pencil that costed around 20-30 rs.... although my dad bought it for me, i had got a nice scolding for behaving that way.. :D
ReplyDeleteAnyways, when was you b'day??? Belated happy b'day!! n you can wish me too... mine was yesterday(14th sep).. :)
Hey, you a virgo too!..belated happy birthday!!!
ReplyDeletehope u had a gr8 day!
Belated Birthday Wishes Uma!!!!! So glad u had a good day:-))!!!
ReplyDeleteTemper tantrums are usual....dont give it 'too much' attention. All Children test their limits & our patience by doing this.
Dont let him go thru the tantrum thinking tht he'll cry & realise we wont get it for him. All we are doing there is making him more stubborn.
Keep your calm and get the child away[from the area] before he really gets into the tantrum.
I cd be wrong ofcourse becoz with diff kids we have to deal differently. Just tht it used to work with my kids;-).
And generally when grandparents are around they get spoilt a bit & we get a bit upset. But its ok. When it gets back to normal they'll be alright within a day or two or max a week.
Nancy: Thank you so much Nancy!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat you're saying about tantrums is quite true and what you are suggesting is what I read in parenting sites too. Well, I guess its time for some practical lessons :-)