meet the new boss..

somewhat different than the old boss....

we welcomed veena shanti kannan to the world on may 23r 2011. she is an absolute delight and a little angel from heaven.

now - can anyone tell me where my son is? i mean, the kid that actually listened to us? yikes!?

American Idol - Toddler Edition ...

we don't exactly know what he's saying. or where he figured out how to be so much fun with a six string. but we're convinced that he's channeling his inner bob dylan. for that matter, you can probably understand vijay just as much as you could understand bob... enjoy!

Giraffes gone wild!

I don't really have good words for this one, so I'll try not to ruin the movie...

Enjoy!

Happy First Birthday, Vijay

How did one year pass so quickly?  I am not saying it has always been easy (!),  but it has certain been fast AND fun.  I guess this is why parents always say that kids are 18 years-old within the blink of an eye.  At this rate, I believe it.  Vijay is trying to walk now.  After lots of struggles with eating new foods besides yogurt and sweet potatoes, he is happily diving into french toast, cheese pieces, soy (yes, I said soy) nuggets, and all different types of crunchy finger foods.  We are still working on those fruits and veggies (he is definitely his father's son... loves cheese). He is a joy- his smile is contagious.  

As you will see, he was thrilled to have a small family gathering for his B-day and got to crawl all over his grandparents and uncle.  While Vijay seemed a little scared of his B-day cake, he did take a tentative taste.  He also was presented with a silver bowl and cup from his grandma and grandpa and even had a few bites of indian sweets from the bowl!  We can't wait to learn what new surprises year two will bring.

Start 'em early...

For those of you who don't know, I'm a huge music nut.  And when Vijay came along it was all I could to to stop myself from taking him from the hospital and straight to Blues Alley (or rather, the Knitting Factory in NYC).  My better judgement barely took over, but he has gotten steady doses of guitar at home since he was born.  And the kid LOVES guitar (not so much the trumpet - which is loud - or the violin - which scares him for some reason).  All he wants to do is to climb on my lap and get his hands on that great big "magic toy".

So, at 11 months, I figured - "why not give him his first guitar lesson?"  The kid is a natural, as it turns out.  He's got strumming down and I'm going to work on his finger placement on the fretboard.  And finger picking.  

Well, maybe not just yet. 

Have you seen that baby?

There comes a day when you put your baby down, you turn around, and your baby is not where you left him (or her).  That day came early for us, as Vijay started scooting and then crawling around sometime in December.  And we have never been more tired...  This guy just doesn't stop - and Sharmila and I have become quite adept at crawling around on the floor with him.

These are definitely very fun days!  We get home from work, get out of our professional attire, don some play clothes, and start crawling.  And crawling.  And ... well, you get the picture.

We've attached a lil' video giving you a taste of what he's like at this age.  Enjoy!

Historic Day: President Obama's Inauguration

Today Vijay had the honor to be among the crowds of people who all came to Washington, DC to catch a little glimpse of the inauguration activities.  Living so close to the action, we were able to bundle him up (and I mean BUNDLE- poor thing probably felt life a  stuffed scarecrow) and take a walk to get as close as we could to the crowds.  We made it close to Pennsylvania Avenue to celebrate before heading back into the warmth of home!  On Sunday, we made it to the National Mall to watch the "We are One" concert and got to see performances by U2, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, James Taylor, and many others. Here are a few images that sum up the excitement of the moment.  Jai is very excited for his new President Obama to begin work in our city!