The amazing Om

Plays peek-a-boo all by himself...give him a blanket and he will raise it over his head and start giggling while waiting for me to say "Where's Om?" This is so cute I just want to die. Sometimes the blanket won't cover his head completely, and one of his eyes will be uncovered, but he still thinks that he is "hiding. "

He is a hand clapping monster. Throughout the day I say "Yaaay" or "Clapping clapping" and Om will smack hands together in happiness. Om also randomly claps while playing or while crying (which blows Mommy's mind...clapping while crying? Don't get it). Also it's nice to get applauded everytime I walk into a room. :-)

Today I was putting Om down for a nap when the phone rang. Decided to take the phone call, and put Om on the sofa next to her while chatting. Om was frustrated, but occupied himself for a while. Then he climbed onto my lap and wriggled around, reaching for the phone on my ear. Also made lots of funny faces and fake cries showing his frustration with an interrupted nap and the fact that I wasn't paying him any attention. After sometime, Om FELL ASLEEP on my tummy, face down snuggled into the many folds of stomach tire. His body was half twisted in mid-crawl. He remained asleep for a whole hour and a half (during the phone call). This was so cute and new, because he NEVER falls asleep without a bottle of milk and a blanket. It's also amazing that he remained asleep for the entire phone call...usually I have to go upstairs to talk because any sound will wake the sleeping prince.

25 Things

I am the last person on Earth to do this. Tagged by Hitha and I think someone else...AARGH who was it? Let me know and I'll edit this post to mention you! I am such a ditz. (Mom Brain)

1. The only way to prevent biting my nails is to get my nails professionally done every month! As long as there is money in the bank.
2. Alchohol dehydrogenase is malfunctioning in my body. A few drops of ethanol transforms me into a drooling, slurring zombie.
3. I would get a massage daily if I could afford it.
4. I LOVE reading. Libraries are like candy shops to me.
5. As an elementary school kid, I beat up several boys in our neighborhood. I am not proud of this. Mom would get complaints. Personality changed drastically when puberty hit.
6. I loved playing in the high school orchestra. But I hated practicing the violin at home.
7. Can't whistle.
8. After 4 years of Latin in high school, all I remember is watching I,Claudius and making a toga.
9. As a teenager I made tea for my Dad all the time and hated doing it. Now I make tea for my husband all the time and hate doing it. (Recipe: Chai)
10. Never knew how to hold a baby, change a diaper, or feed a baby, until I had my own baby!
11. In my teens I used to paint beautiful pictures, embroider intricate designs on pillows, and crochet.
12. I've always loved going to work, whatever the job. (Me = Nerd)
13. Total dog lover. I love their noses the most, want to squeak them!
14. Took a year off between undergrad and law school to reevaluate my goals (i.e., slack off for a year) and worked as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens drugstore in the meantime. For some reason, I found that work to be highly satisfying and fun, despite low pay and highly demanding environment. I also met one of my best friends at that job.
15. Nothing disgusts me more than a raw onion. That being said, I briefly held a job at Grandma's Saloon & Grill making onion rings!
16. I was born in India, then when I was 2 years old moved to Minnesota, at 10 years moved to Oklahoma, at age 18 back to Minnesota, and now after getting married live in Washington State.
17. I was the kid who always won the coloring contests at the grocery stores, schools etc. Yeah I'm bragging about this LOL.
18. Was very religious in my youth...Now I am labeled agnostic, and have little patience for the various rituals and ceremonies in religions.
19. One of my dreams is to adopt a child from an orphanage, preferably from India.
20. I broke a foot bone while running, slightly intoxicated, in sub zero Duluth, Minnesota weather,in high heels, at 3am, on slippery ice.
21. I am one of the most sensitive people ever.
22. Love cheap gas station coffee. Like seriously, I want one now.
23.Went through a phase in my teens where I was fascinated by Greek/Roman/Egyptian/Indian mythology, astrology, palmistry, numerology, tarot cards...now forgot everything, and no real interest to go back and learn all that crap. :-)
24. The 9 months of pregnancy was physically the worst time of my life.
25. The song "all of my love" by Led Zepplin makes me think of my husband everytime I hear it because it used to be his ringtone on my cell while we were dating. I don't know what I would do without him, & thank my lucky stars that I met him.

Mom's a total wimp

Commercials that start the waterworks:

State Farm Insurance Teen:

Gerber Start Healthy Stay Healthy

If you can't see the videos, what should I do? Is there youtube available abroad? Priyanka - I know you can never see the vids, maybe a search on google video?

Baby needs a new pair of shoes!

On Monday Om saw Dr. Mosca at Seattle Children's Hospital for a club foot checkup. Dr. Mosca said that Om's feet look great. His left foot is in the top 5% of club feet cases, and the right foot is in the top 1%. Again, it is all based on dorsiflexion, and according to the doc, Om has dorsiflexion very close to a normal foot. The achilles tendon has been growing wonderfully and is flexible.

I love that hospital...the atmosphere, the decor, how organized the system of check - in is (although I end up going through several lines and waiting a lot for a 5 min check up!). I don't mind waiting to a certain point as long as I know why I am waiting.

First the orthotist came and checked Om's feet and measured him for his growth. He determined that Om needed an upgrade to his Denis Brown Bar and Shoes. While we waited for him to adjust the new shoes, Om's weight was checked. After the orthotist put on Om's new shoes, we waited for what seemed like an eternity for Dr. Mosca. Thankfully the rooms and hallway are child friendly with pictures of sea creatures etc to entertain Om. I also took the time to feed Om breakfast and let him play with the paper cover on the patient table. Dr. Mosca almost always has a sidekick with him...whether it be a resident, a nurse, or another physician who is shadowing Dr. Mosca for the day. Dr. Mosca is very knowledgeable about this birth defect. When I ask him a question, he doesn't hesitate to go into a mini lecture explaining the dynamics of a particular problem. I actually like the explaination, because I have the habit of looking things up on the internet/library so why not save some time and have it come straight from the source? :-)

Om will continue to wear the brace 12 hours a day. And we got the okay to keep Om in the shoes for the straight 12 hours and do not need to bother with putting them on during the day. Om is incredibly mobile, and wearing the brace during the day is just annoying for his active legs.

Om munching on a mum-mum while waiting in the room.

India Packing Checklist

Suitcase #1 : All of Om's outgrown clothes (months 0 - 7), receiving blankets, boppy pillow, and baby gym. (These are items we are giving to my sister in law who is expecting).

Suitcase #2 : G's clothes, my clothes to wear during one month stay. Also personal care items etc. I will have less clothes because I CANNOT BEAR HEAT in jeans and western wear so am having some cotton salwar kameez's stitched for me there. G is lucky, he can just wear his shorts. Do men realize how easy they have it in this world?

Suitcase #3 : 5 boxes of formula, 3 packs of diapers, some baby food, medicines, baby sunblock.

Suitcase #4 : Whatever doesn't fit in suitcase #3, plus a few gifts. and Om's summer wardrobe. (18 assorted cotton onesies, 3 pairs of shorts, sleep sack, warm romper in case it gets chilly in the evening in Shimla, hats, and socks)

Suitcase #5 : Since Om is coming with us and we are traveling business class, we get one extra suitcase for baby items. This suitcase will contain extra items that don't fit in suitcases 1 - 4, baby wipes, plus a safety booster seat that Om no longer uses because we got this instead. (We'll use the safety seat in India and then leave it there).

Also add a stroller, carseat, and two carry-ons.

Shoot me now.

Om Update! Long overdue

Om turned 8 months on April 18th. He is very mobile now, commando crawl and rolling all over the place. He also began sitting up by himself (before we would need to put him in the sitting position, but if he fell to tummy position he wouldn't be able to get back to a sitting position by himself).

He gets into everything...his curiousity is at its peak! He's eyeing the table tops and sofa cushions for potential toys. I don't let anything hang from tables otherwise he pulls the cords HARD and down comes whatever else was with it!

His eyesight is keen...he sees the tiniest crumbs on the floor that are camoflauged to my eyes (and then proceeds to insert nasty item in mouth). He notices and hears everything. If his Dad is upstairs getting ready in the morning and we are downstairs, he listens to the music coming through the walls and the sound of water going down the drain pipes. If children are playing outside, he tilts his head around looking for the origin of the sound. Birds are his favorite...the chirps that I have learned to tune out he relishes and looks toward the window in hopes of seeing said bird. One of his favorite activities is watching the crows eat crackers that I've put out in the backyard.

Om is such a little fireball. Set him down anywhere, and he immediately searches for something to play. We have attended a few playdates and storytimes, and Om is not hesitant to venture away from Mommy and explore the new world around him. He especially likes interacting with other babies and tots. He will grab their hair, ears, or toy they are holding without so much as a glance. The expression on the other babies faces is priceless...they are usually left wondering what happened to the toy they were mouthing and why was hair just pulled? During storytime at the library he sings his own words along with the rhymes...I have to bounce him to get him to quiet down so that we can hear what the storyteller is saying!

My favorite part about Om is his sense of humor...he smiles so easily....he doesn't hold any facial expression back. If a cashier is talking to him, he will gift her his toothy grin. If I am across the room busy in something, and then suddenly look up to see where Om is, he will display a wide mischevious grin and say "eeeeeeh" and then turn away in an almost shy manner when he realizes he's being noticed. Sometimes I just need to look in his eyes and laugh, and he will laugh back at the secret joke. One of our favorite games is to pretend that there is a baby stuck to my head. I take Om and put him on my head and say "there is a baby on my head! get it off get it off! eeeek!" and then Om giggles. Another game is blowing rasberries on his stomach....there is nothing sweeter than the sound of a baby's laugh!

Om's current favorite toys are his jumperoo and any container taken from the kitchen. He also enjoys watching Baby Einstein videos while sitting in his high chair and munching on crackers. He smiles and coos at the puppets. For eating, it is a cycle...some days Om will eat 16 ounces of baby food, and other days he will not even allow a spoon to enter his mouth. Last week he was 17.5 lbs, so he is gaining about a pound a month. Not sure if that is normal, but I don't know what else I can do to encourage weight gain...this month we have started full fat yogurt so maybe that will help.

He loves to take toys and wave them in the air. I think he is trying to determine how the toy works and what sounds it makes when bumped against something. Speaking of bumping, Om bangs his palms on any flat surface, such as tiles, hard wood floor, or table.

The worse part of this time is the seperation anxiety...Om doesn't last more than 5 minutes in any play area unless I am sittng very close. Stranger anxiety has also set in...he loves interacting with people from afar, but not necessarily when he is in their lap.

Om is blissfully continuing to sleep through the night. He goes to bed at 8pm, and then wakes at 6am without any feeding during the night. Sometimes he wakes up at 5am, which is when I feed him and then put him back down to sleep. He'll babble to himself for a while before going back to sleep until 7am. We attribute his good sleeping behavior to sleeping in a seperate room from us.

Our house is filled with the sound of "Daa daaa dadada" all day long...I don't think Om knows what he is saying, but it's his favorite word, and it is usually associated with some material thing (toys, household items). He also blows rasberries frequently. I think the rasberries are associated with pretend play...he takes a toy and then holds it up and blows a rasberry...maybe he's mimicing a sound that he imagines must be coming from the toy? :-)

Om and his best friend Jovin. You can tell which one is Om hehe.

Exhausted

Don't know why...thyroid issues acting up again? Baby who needs Mommy's attention 24/7?

Feel like eating the entire refriderator and then passing out in bed for 24 hours.

Trying to prepare for exam. HARD when after 8pm I just want to SLEEP.

On another note, I hate being so negative...should write something positive! Was reading a blog where the SAHM complained in every. single. post. And she didn't work, or study, or excersise, or ANYTHING and only had one kid (Om's age). Complained about how messy her house was (don't we all) and also how she didn't have time to cook at all. How they ate pizza daily.

Umm...what does one do with a 7 month old all day if one is not also working/excersising/cleaning/studying/cooking? Maybe the baby is a monster who consumes every single minute of her day?

Yeah I'm being judgmental again. BLAAAH.