Red Shiny Shoes

I bought a red pair of bally for myself on November 18th. When Agastya got back from daycare and looked at those shoes he caught a fancy for them. It has been three days since. He has been wearing them all around the house saying "my shoes" and also have been sleeping in those shoes. made a futile attempt to wear them to a party with Agastya in a tow. He screamed all along the car ride and as soon as we got there he literally snatched the shoes from my feet and wore them and I had to be bare feet all along.

Ashish named him Mr Dorothy in her ruby red shoes.

Just like "My Papa"

Sudipto, a good friend of ours got a picture book for Agastya titled "Just like my Dad".
Agastya loves it so much that everytime I say "Just like" he finishes the sentence himself by saying "my Papas"

Two daredevils on treadmill

Swati and Agastya reminds me of Calvin and Hobbes as their adventures together are nothing less. As if jumping on bed, walking on sofa trims holding the walls were not enough - they both devised a new play. Swati manually pushes the running belt of the treadmill whereas Agastya stands in front holding onto the rails and running at the same time. They both together have a blast. I stand there - admiringly at their new game and panicking at the same time that they will fall and hurt themselves.

Agastya's category of animals

It is amazing how each child is different. Swati by the age of 15 months was able to recognize all different animals and to my surprise could even identify closely looking animals. For example, she would distinguish between whales, sharks, and dolphins. Whereas Agastya categorizes animals in three categories - birds, fish, and bhaoo bhaoo (hindi name for dog bark). To him all land animals are equivalent to dogs. We went to SF zoon this saturday and this was Agastya's first visit to zoo. Ashish told Agastya - "Don't call a lion dog else he will get offended. It is a lion Aga". Agastya was sitting on Ashish's soldiers and was quite fascinated by the lion. He looked at it for a couple of minutes and then with a serious thought he pointed towards the lion and said "Bhaoo Bhaoo"

Doing your best

Yesterday, I picked Swati from her camp and we were having discussions about putting your best and doing the job as best as possible. And then I said doing your best never hurts. Swati immediately said "Except you do not want to do a great job of falling from the tree"

Thing one, thing two

The other day Swati and Agastya were playing and Swati out of blue started referring Agastya as "Thing one". And suddenly our whole family was Dr Seuss characters. Swati herself was "Thing two" while Ashish became "The cat in the hat"

Swati - A Wasted Baby

This was winter of 2006 and we went to New Zealand and Australia on Christmas break.
Swati was 4 and 3/4th and Agastya did not exist.We were in Tongario National Park and was just about to head out to Taupo. Swati wanted to spend more time there and we told her no. And she got upset. And that is how this started.
Swati said sobbing and crying, "Why did you have me when you did not want me? You wasted me. When parents have children when they do not want them, they waste them. Now I am a wasted baby. Now I have to go in a jungle and live alone and be sad and unhappy. Tell me why you wasted me."
Not to mention both mommy and daddy were just laughing listening to her.

An Eeeny Weeny Breeze

Swati is seven.
It was a hot day. Swati said, "I want a gale or a gust in the car. I do not want an eeny weeny breeze."
Her brother Agastya is one.
He was not hot. He did not want a gale. He did not want a gust. He was happy with an eeny weeny breeze.
When papa turned up the fan in the car he said, "Na" to the gale that came out.
When papa cracked open the window of the car he said, "NAAA" to the gust that blew in.
Swati said, "Agi, I do not like this one bit." Agastya waved his hands very fast in front of his face and said, "NAAAaaaa." Then he put out his lower lip and gave papa a pout.
As soon as the car stopped, Swati jumped out of the door like a monkey and blew some air on her tummy and said, " I am never getting in a car with this Agi again."