Me & My Dad!

This picture album is specially for my dad. The song in the background, "tu is tarah se..." is kind of our family song now! My dad has been singing this song to me from the day I came home from the hospital. I don't know how to express my love for my dad, so I thought to make a photo album with our pictures together and dad's favorite song in the background. I've been learning so many new things from my dad and he is going to be my idol. He is the one who makes me smile, gives me comfort if I'm crying or not feeling well. I love to be around him (I wish he could be "stay home dad"!) and can't wait to grow up and play tennis with him! ( That's what he is waiting for!) Here's to us, dad!

First self-eating meal and some fun activities!

This is my first self-eating meal - Cheerios cereal. As you can see, from the beginning to the end of the video, I learned how to eat by myself, in about 5 minutes. Not that it was going to be a problem, since I had been eating (or trying to eat) lints, paper, and anything else I can find on the floor. But, this is different, since my parents also wanted me to eat this, as opposed to, say paper. Although, I must tell you that these Cheerios are not very filling. You have to eat a lot of them to get full. The way I've been learning new things, my dad thinks that I'll be ready to have a job in couple of months. We'll see.

My parents bought few delicate things and they came in paper wrappings which they had to get rid off. Cookie and I offered to help as demonstrated in the following video. Our strategy was to shred the paper into small pieces and then, eat it. My parents didn't mind the shredding part but they didn't approve of the eating part (as can be seen in the video by their constant interference) and since Cookie and I are too small to protest, we had to be contended with shredding and tearing, which in all honesty was still a lot of fun. I'm hoping that they'll have something noisy to get rid off (like crockery or glass items), because that'd be so cool.

Cookie was just given a bath and as you can see, guys (or at least my dad) don't dry the dogs that well. Hence all the rubbing on the sofa by Cookie, which is fine by me since it's so entertaining and I get to see it only once a week. My dad is waiting for me to grow up a little bit so that I can give Cookie her bath and take her for a walk and feed her and play with her. In short, he wants to dump everything on me as soon as I'm ready. Not that I'm complaining.

My first outdoor recreational trip!

This is my first recreational outdoor trip. I've been to doctor's office and my parents' friends, but what's in it for me, right? So, my parents took me to Spy Pond in Arlington, near our old apartment. They used to go there for walks last summer. People were having a good time there, including dogs and ducks. But, it was little too sunny for me. Thats it, I'm never going out again without my cap and glasses. Also, this was just before my nap-time, so that didn't help much either. I was dying to go in the water, but I saw other people there who just sat there in their chairs reading books (you can see them in the background). What's the point???? Why couldn't they have done the same at their home? Even the dogs seemed to have more fun than some of the adults. I stand by what I had said earlier - I don't understand adults.

I think this is what it means when my dad sings to me that song "Tu is tarah se". You know, "Yeh aasman, yeh baadal, yeh raaste, yeh hawa". It was perfect weather. You couldn't get a better weather even if you paid for it. Lovely wind, blue sky, white clouds, water, ducks, boats etc. etc. My mom's secret hobby is photography, as she took more of the nature than me in this video. But, who am I to complain? I get enough of attention as it is. Also, you can see Cookie on my dad's t-shirt. We couldn't take her as we had to make couple of other places, but she was with us in spirit, on the t-shirt. One of these days, he is going to put me on his t-shirt.

This is the last segment of the trip. My mom wanted me to have a pony-ride, but as there were no ponies in the park that day, I settled for my dad's shoulders and I must tell you, it was better than I had expected. Who wants to ride a pony when you can ride on your dad's shoulders? I had a good grip too as he is due for a haircut. And if you think that camera is shaking a bit too much, that is because my mom saw couple of European movies lately and in Europe, a shaking camera shot is considered "artistic". Can you believe that?

In the crib!

Here, I'm in my crib. My mom says that its good and safe for me, but she also says the same about spinach and broccoli, so.... Like all new things, I was excited about the crib for few minutes (as can be seen in the video), but I didn't like it much. My parents tried to slip me in the crib when I was asleep, but I'm too smart for that. I immediately woke up and refused to go back into the crib, even though they promised me chocolate. Besides, I know other ways to get chocolate.

Here, I'm playing with my best friend, Cookie. You see, its a battle of wits. I want to grab her and chew on her ear and she wants to lick my face since I always have some interesting food on my face. When she can't lick my face (I can be very fast when I want to), she starts playing with one of my toys and I start chasing her, as she is doing in this video. Its a win-win situation since everybody is happy, including my parents since they don't have to worry about either one of us for few minutes.

Now, in this video, you can see my progress. I have started to say "ba ba ba ba" and "pa pa pa pa", which is a big step up from only "da da da da". My mom said that I kept discovering new ways to say dad and papa and she is waiting when I'll say "ma ma ma ma". Also, I'm crying because there is no cushion in my chair since it was in the laundry. When I'm old enough to help my mom with laundry, I won't have to sit without my cushion. My dad says that I can get away with anything with that smile and you know what? I tried it and it works (when I pulled the stroller down and it fell with a bang and I managed to get my parents not angry at me. I smiled instead of crying and my mom thought it was very cute. Mothers, right?)!

This is an extension of the above video. Cookie is doing her thing in the background, which is to get sunbath in the balcony or on the sofa near the window. She is very particular about getting her daily dose of vitamin C or is it vitamin D? The one you get from the sunlight. I can never remember. Also, its quite frustrating when you try to tell something and your parents don't understand it and keep thinking how cute you are. I've promised my parents that once I start talking, I'll never stop. Although, my dad thinks its not supposed to be a good thing and I should reconsider my promise.

For once, my hair were properly combed like a gentleman, my forehead was clear and you can see my whole face. I'm kind of tired and giving all the signals like the sound, rubbing my eyes and ears and all that stuff, but my dad still can't read them and kept filming me. He should take a correspondence course from my mom about how-to-know-when-your-only-son-is-tired. I mean, a guy needs his beauty sleep. And I can walk now by holding on to the sofa. One small step for a baby, one giant leap, also for a baby.......