An Ingénue and The Kurumbi

…that’s her. French frills, Malayalee goondaaism and a healthy dose of Bhopali Bindaas! Who else, but the resident whirlwind of a wisp of a lass, Naira, who celebrates her birthday today!

Last year, I missed all the major ones, with the wee sprites. This year, it was almost a hit and miss, but I got in, just in the nick of time with the Senior N. (here) and here I am, with the one for the Junior N.

Naina is the Senior, and Naira the Junior. Naina is all Princess, Perspicacious, Precocious and Naira is all action, tornado, and unstoppable, in the same years that Naina went through!

Their father, Arjun, my first born, the Sun Child, as I call him (Link) was a tiny roller coaster of a child growing up – this one, Naira, his second born, is definitely his alter ego of those days!

A charmer, these days, she’s had her own schedule of doing things, and once she decided she would, she wasted no time getting totally into it! First, it was turning over on her tummy, then getting up on fours, walking, putting out her first teeth… she’s been on her own clock.

The last time I saw her and hugged her, she was getting the hang of words (she took the longest time to say something she could anyway, just to tease me – the word being Ammummaaa! ) That was the last week of February. These days we meet virtually, and she delights me with her string of words, complete sentences… all with the Naira-only-attachment at the end of it all .. alle. So, it’s ice-cream-alle, or doo-dooo-alle… much like Marathi, I do believe 😀

But yes, almost three months without meeting me, she still hasn’t forgotten her Ammummaaa… and gives me a replica of toothy grin that I give her, proceeding thereafter to make faces, which I mimic! This year’s birthdays, of both my N grandotties, I have missed being there, but yes, knowing they are comfortable, safe and healthy is enough celebration, in these uncertain and trying times!

Her mother usually calls out for her, when I ask for her, saying “Mashuuuu…. Ammumma alle, come come….” She runs to the phone. On the other hand, the older one is more sedate and full of news about how the Corona virus will go after 17 May, which, incidentally, is tomorrow no? Sigh!

What’s your name? I ask little N. And she gives me her look and says Maashuuuu… (there’s a back story to this – and you’ll understand only if you have seen Masha and the Bear, a Russian cartoon strip about this tiny girl, wearing a headscarf, and the lovable bear who cares for her, and puts up with all of her mischief! Masha became Mashuuu… given her predilection for Masha-like feats and naughtiness 😛 Oh my, she’s the best goonda ever!

Last year she was two, and this was written nearly three months later:

Ingénue, or The Kurumbi

Makes you think of this lovely lass,

Full of sass, interesting, errr, unpredictable?

Well that’s who she is, both innocent, and a goonda

The one, THE one, who has us all, going awwww…

Or O M G, get herrrrrrrr…. before she… errr

The air is then suddenly filled with any of these…

Silence, shrieking, or laughter of the open mouthed variety!

 

That, dear folks, is Naira, who’s two this May (2019)

Who this blog has introduced last year, on time

And this year, came by a tad late… The rambler

That wacky soul, here, was overwhelmed, up against

A mountain of stuff, that’s her excuse,

But glad all the same, that she’s here this day,

Having climbed that mountain, and let the forest

Of possibilities be, no weeding out, only growing

And moving onwards, inspired by this grandottie of hers

 

Naira. That Shining Soul. That unputdownable Sprite.

The one whose whole self lights up her soul

In the sudden smiles she gifts, and the (now)

Ammummmaaaaaa, mmmuuummmmaaaa

She bestows. She’s that rather happy, delighted

Delightful soul, who’s been given that space and love

To be who she is. Just who she is.

And my wish is just that…

A ton of blessings, prayers, charmed spells and flights of fancy, all the light and love to make a year of the most precious things glow steadfast in your memory, my dearest darling! My dearestest Goonda, my Nairakutty – Happy wala birthday to you!

3 August, for 16 May, 2019

Her First Birthday Blog

2018: https://ushus.wordpress.com/2018/05/16/one-and-the-show-has-just-begun/ 

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I wish I could give you that squishy hug right now, and tell you how much I love you Nairakutty! I miss seeing you go … Ammumma, nam nam alle… and phone alle… and Dancey dancey alle… I love you baby! Stay blessed and and awesome as your sister and parents! Mwaaaahhhh!!!

 

16 May, 2020

 

 

One, and the Show Has Just Begun!

Exactly a year ago, round about this time (1120 ish pm 🙂 ) the twinges started. She stayed put though. Just tiny stirrings, but nothing to heave about 😛 Till the next morning when it was confirmed that she was getting into the groove 😀 She led her mom a not so happy dance, but finally showed up late into the night, much to the delight of her big Sister, Naina, her parents and grandmoms 🙂

SHE showed up. We were ALL very certain, that it would be a HE,  don’t ask how. My thinking was, given the time that the doctors and the scans told us, this was a Made in Thrissur edition, so for some strange reason, it had to be HE. Plus a certain calculation of the appearance of the Momma. I’ve never been wrong. Oh wait! I have, I have. Just once before. With my own 😛 So sure was I that I was going to have a baby girl, that I asked the doctor to check, once he informed me that my second one was a baby boy. And this girl is the spitting image of her father 😛 Some miscalculation there! 😀

Paru had better sense and trust I know. He/She, it really didn’t matter, though it has cured me of my wish to try and predict the boy / girl thingy these days. Loss of faith 😀

So, yeah, this one, this ONE (hint hint hint 😀 ) was as cool as they come. Except that babies don’t come cool 🙂 Not in the height of summer. But darling Naira, to whom this blog is dedicated, was/is a pretty cool customer 🙂 For one thing, her parents (and grammies) were more experienced, and on top of the situation, and second, she had a great big sister to keep her sweet 🙂

Like her mother, and her paternal grandmother (as babies 😛 ), Naira has been really un-fussy. Her parents were boss, the rest of the family adoringly hers. She took to the car seat very young, and began her independently seated travel within three weeks. So easeful was it, that her mother could actually drive both kids around, by herself. So proud of you Paru, for that 🙂

Someone said, through a meme, recently, that the second borns are usually more troublesome. I’d say awesome is a better word. (Yes, I’m second born 😛 ) My second born would agree, as would Naira’s mom. 😛 We are really good babies. We love our Moms and Dads a LOT. More than the others. So much that we might just burst into tears if you just so looked at us. We’re sweet 😀

Naira is as laid back as they come. She took her time turning over on to her tummy, by about the end of the fifth month. Decided teeth were a problem and held off till the eleventh month, when she finally thought that her crawling might actually gladden others  – particularly her maternal grandmom 😀 Till then she was comfortable doing a little Michael Jackson-ish backward creeping/swimming, but getting to where she wanted anyway!

Through the nearly 3 weeks I spent in her company in March, I was sure that she would crawl one day, and give me the high of cheering her on. She waited, (did I mention she’s a cool customer? 😛 I know, I did ::D ) she waited, and slowly got on her knees. Then swayed gently, and lay flat again, on her tummy. She waited till the 2nd of April to finally move forward on her knees. Duh. She waited, oh yes, she did, till I left, to do that 😀 But once she found out about the pace she could use, there has been no stopping her 🙂 She also decided to show a couple of teeth, finally, so that all that murmuring around her would cease 😀

Naira means the shining one, the brilliant one. And she is all of that. A cheerful soul, smiles easily (now), and keeps you at arms distance if you are a stranger. Till she sees you regularly around her, she’ll smile, but keep her distance. Such a radical change from her friendly elder sister, Naina. 🙂

Naira, the second born is a determined young lass, already. She determines things right now, and somehow or other it does go her way. She calls you with a commanding Aeyyyy! Smiles when you respond, and gifts you a rare chance to carry her, just to please you, if you please her and let her be, initially 🙂

Babies do sense a lot about a person, and can hold back if you are too forthcoming. Patience is rewarded soon enough. This, I have noticed in the most startling way with this wee darling.

 

She’s one, today, the 16th of May, 2018. A day she will spend with her close family, since her Dad’s still on his way to meet her, having been transferred, and therefore being on the move.

Happy birthday, my darling gurl, our Naira ❤ You are wished much joy, and laughter. Happy times, fun times and the all encompassing love of family and friends that hounds you, scaffolds you, sustains you, surrounds you all the time!

Stay this cool always. This zany. With the brilliance of your beautiful smile zapping all those who meet you ❤

All our love, dearest Naira! Happy happy birthday to you!

16 May, 2018