They say that being a parent is a tough job. The first 5 years we try to teach the kid to walk and talk and the next 5 years to shut up and sit down.
I am now in the teaching to talk phase. The typical conversation with my toddler on a normal day goes like this.
7.30 AM Ryan is up before me and R.
Ryan –“Wakie wakie Mama…sun is high up in the sky.
Me- “Sleep for 5 minutes more Ryan. Mamma is still tired”.
Ryan- “Mamma gimme milk. I like milk Mamma.
8.15 AM
Milk and Coffee in the balcony overlooking a mountain.
Ryan-“Thanks Mamma. It’s very tasty”.
Ryan-“Mamma, can we go all over the mountain.”
Me –“Yes Ryan”
Ryan-“Now?”
Me –“No Ryan. We’ll go on Friday, when Papa is home. We’ll go in Papa’s car.
Ryan-“But where we’ll park Mamma?"
Me (ROFL)-“There’s a temple there with a parking lot. We can park there. OK?
9.15 AM I’m getting dressed to go to my Yoga class and convincing Ryan to be at home.
Me-“Ryan, Mamma has to go to yoga class ok...I’ll put cartoon for you. You can sit and watch it and have your food ok?
Ryan-“Don’t go Mamma… Please (with folded hands and puppy face).I like you. I want to be with you Mamma.”
Me-“I love you too baby. I’ll be back in an hour, ok? Don’t cry and eat your food ok baby”
10.40 AM I’m back from the yoga class. Ryan opens the door
Ryan-“Mamma… this baby didn’t cry…”
Me-“Good boy Ryan." I love you baby .You want to help Mamma water the plants?”
Ryan-“Yes Mamma. Plants are all shad (sad).I put water and they become happy. No Mamma?”
11 AM
Me-“Ryan, come Mamma will give you a bath”
Ryan- “Where this baby going?”(He takes a shower before school/summer camp. Hence presumes that I’m sending him somewhere after the shower.)
Me-“Nowhere Ryan." We’ll just be at home ok? No school today.”
Ryan-“Yeaaa…”
1 PM
Me-“Ryan come eat your food “
Ryan- “Yuck, what is theees (as pronounced by Ryan)?”
Me- “Its chicken Ryan." (Ryan’s staple lunch is ghee and rice… no veggies/meat. I know it’s not enough, but something is better than nothing)
Ryan –“But whaaayyyy?”
Me –“So that you become strong boy like Papa” (I’m hoping, not as big as him though ;-))
Ryan-“But I don’t like chicken Mamma”.
Me – “OK Ryan." Mamma will give you only Rice and ghee ok?”
Grumpy Ryan –“OKAY”.
And then I proceed to shred the chicken into the tiniest, unrecognizable pieces and feed it to him any way. A mother has got to do what she’s got to do.
Ryan-“I want water Mamma. Didi (to the maid), Mujhe Water chahiye. (He knows Mamma’s too lazy to get up once she sits).
3 PM .Ryan with a can of nuts in hand.
Ryan-“Didi, yeh open karo Na. Thanks”
After finishing the whole lot.
Ryan-“Mamma. I is strong boy Mamma. I finish all nuts. That’s why I is strong and big boy.”
Me-“Very good Ryan." Mamma’s proud of you, strong boy.” A kiss and hug.
Ryan-“Mamma, don’t hug me ok? "Cos is I is big boy now.”
Me-“Ok big boy”
4.30 PM
On the way to swimming classes.
Ryan-“Mamma, can you hug me (i.e. carry me to the pool)? I’m too tired Mamma”.
Me- “No Ryan. You are a big boy na? You have to walk to the pool.”
Any kid or dog he meets on the way to the pool is his friend.
Ryan-“Where my friend goving Mamma?”
Me-“He is going for his cricket/soccer/tennis classes Ryan.
Ryan-“I want to go also”
Me-“Mamma will send you when you a big boy ok? And we’ll buy a new bat/ball for you ok? “
Ryan-“But I already have it Mamma. (Referring to his plastic bat and rubber ball).
Me-“Ok Ryan." We are at the pool now. You have to wear your goggles all the time ok? Otherwise Mamma will take you out of the pool.
Ryan (Grumpus) –“Okay!”
In the pool
Me-“Ryan, where are your goggles? I want you to wear them now.
Ryan –“When Sir will come, I’ll wear it ok? Ok Mamma?
Me (rolling eyes and murmuring)-“(Whatever) Ok Ryan”
6.30 PM
Me-“Ryan, come out of the pool now. Let’s go home now.”
Ryan-“But my friends are still playing Mamma. Sir said, class not over.”
He’s the instructor’s pet so gets to go on the last solo lap with him. I’m fuming by now.
Me-“Ryan, if you don’t get out of the pool now, I’m leaving. Ok?
Ryan (squeaking) - “I’m coming Mamma”.
On the way back home
Me-“Ryan, please don’t pluck the flowers. It’s not a good habit.”
Ryan-“But, it’s very bootiful Mamma. I want to give it to Amachi (Grandma), that’s why I plucking it.”
Me-“Ok Ryan, just one, ok.”
Ryan-“Mamma. Can you hug me...please? I is very tired.”
ok. Ready get set go……”
Somehow we make it to the top and to home.
Ryan constipating...
Ryan-“Mamma, it’s not coming.”
Me-“Press your tummy in Baby. ‘IT’ will come.
Ryan- “Mamma, I too not well Mamma. I want to go to the Dotor”.
Me- “Ok, First finish your potty, and then we can go ok?”
Ryan (Grumpus)-“Ok .”
Dinner time
Me-“Ryan, come and eat your food baba.”
Ryan-“Baba Mamma, I want jam.aa aa.”
Me-“No Ryan, I’ll give it to you with chapatti ok baby?
Ryan-“Then this baby will become shad. This baby will go away? (Standing at the main door and threatening to walk out of the house!).I won’t ever ever anymore with you, gain, Mamma.”(I.e. I won’t talk with you anymore, ever again!)
Me-“Ok ok, come I’ll give it to you. Come.”
Ryan-“See Mamma, its night time .where’s my Papa?”
Me-“Papa is in the office no baba. He’ll come now ok.”
Ryan-“But why Papa go so much to office Mamma?”
Me-“To make money Ryan, so that we can buy your toys and chocolates.”
Ryan-“Okay !!”
8.30 PM R is home (Finally!!)
Ryan-“Papa, I bought some surprise for you!”
R- “Really? What is it Ryan?”
Picks up his biscuit packet form the kitchen.
Ryan-“This is your surprise Papa. Eat it. You can do it Papa. Mamma, I share some my biket with Papa. I is good boy.”
Me-“Yes baby. You are my darling .I love you baby.”
Ryan (happy face)- “Okay !”
Hence winds a happy, normal day in our lives.
This is just a sample .I wish I could record every second of his growing up years and cuddle him twice for every silly thing, because like he said himself, once he is a big boy, he won’t let me hug him anymore.
I jst loved it... Luv u Ryanu......
ReplyDelete