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!

Vacation in Puerto Rico Baby!

Shyam has been to Puerto Rico several times and we have been hoping to take a trip there together for years now.  Well, with winter setting in and a young infant in tow, what better trip than to relax by the blue, blue ocean, right?  Right- sort of.  We certainly relaxed and were able to check out Old San Juan and El Yunque Rain Forest.  Although a cold Vijay picked up slightly dampened our time late in the trip and definitely parent-tested us, we were happy to get him home safe and sound.  Aside from a sleepless night or two, you will see that we got some good rest and relaxation too...

8 Months Old= Constant Crawling and Giggly Play

The post 6-month age has been all play, giggles, and fun for Jai.  During this time Jai has been blessed with lots of hugs and kisses from grandma and grandpa in MD.  Since they live so close by, we can visit with the grandparents all the time.  They make him belly laugh like nobody else can!  Check out some of the fun Jai has!

Ramesh's Wedding Pics- Better Late than Never!

We have been very remiss in posting  photos from Ramesh's wedding, but here are some highlights from the festivities, including Robin's mehndi and their gathering of family & friends...

Hiking in Shenandoah

For our anniversary gift to each other, we chose to go hiking in the Shenandoah Mtns with Jai during the first weekend in November.  It seemed fitting since a rather harrowing hiking experience served as our first date!  But our hiking expert friends, Ben & Melissa, would be proud.  We did two fairly steep hikes with Jai in the bjorn all the way.  It was a joy watching him look up at the trees and colorful leaves in wonder.  He was very bundled up - it was freezing!  But we all had a great time- here are some of the highlights...

Peaceful Dragon

For those new to the U.S., Hallowe'en must seem like the strangest of traditions.  We take our cute, cuddly children, turn them into fearsome monsters and ghoulish creatures, send them to the homes of perfect strangers, and instruct them to come home with bags of sugary snacks.  And Borat makes fun of Kazakhstan...

But, being Vijay's first Hallowe'en, we were just as excited as the next parent to get in on the fun.  In case you can't quite make it out, Jai is a dragon.  A very scary, fearsome dragon that strikes fear into the hearts of villagers and sends knights running for the hills.

Well, maybe not.  The folks at daycare insisted that Vijay was a "peaceful dragon".  And I suppose that's a good thing, because it looked like he wasn't entirely thrilled about the propsect of suddenly having soft cuddly fangs and a tail.

Baby Giggles

Ever have a bad day? Ever get caught in traffic? Ever turn all of the laundry pink? Okay, maybe I'm the only one who still does that, but whatever ails ya', there's no better cure than the sound of a baby's laugh. Completely joyful and almost a celebration of the purest elements of happiness, babies just have the most adorable darned giggles. Ours is no exception.

Vijay just learned to play "peek-a-boo", and while I'm not sure why he finds this so funny, he certainly does. If I didn't stop playing (because I, unlike Vijay, sometimes have to do other things besides play "peek-a-boo"), he might well sit there and play and laugh for hours. Which is kind of what happens on any given weekend.

Enjoy listening to him laugh - I hope that it brightens your day as much as it does ours.

Uncle Ramesh Comes to Town!

Vijay was blessed to get a visit from his Uncle Ramesh and Ramesh's fiance, Robin, last weekend. The two were in town to prepare for their upcoming wedding (stay tuned for pictures of the festivities!). They were able to spend time with the little guy - and he loved every second of it.

Ramesh and Robin even included Vijay in some of their pre-wedding photos. He wanted to get all gussied up for the occasion in his white button down and khakis (last photo). We are already excited for their next visit in October and can't wait for the wedding!

Who Knew Rice Cereal Could Cause Such a Ruckus?

So, Vijay got the green light to begin eating "real" food a few weeks ago: Solids. All the literature encourages new parents to begin with the tamest of the solids- rice cereal. To me, it appeared a rather bland concoction of dry cereal and milk, however, for Vijay it was one of the most exciting things to happen in his entire life (all five months of it).

As you can see, Vijay began the process with skepticism, followed by annoyance, spitting, and true outrage. But with a few feedings under his belt, he began to actually come to like the stuff and even open his mouth for more, and more, and more. Although we spend alot of time wiping down the highchair and changing his outfits multiple times, the experience of watching him go through the various reactions and emotions about this bland food makes the work well worth it!

Bring on the strained carrots, puffs, and cheerios. He is sold on this solids stuff.

Road Trip!

We took Vijay on his first road trip ever during the first weekend of August. He got to visit his Grandpa and aunty Sareena on Long Island, New York. He also got to meet his soon-to-be born new friend (Lex) at my friend Shirley's baby shower, as well as his recently born new friend, Ryan, at my friend Trisha's home. Is was quite a jam-packed weekend and a long drive, but Vijay passed with flying colors! He misses his grandpa, but they got plenty of quality time together laughing and rolling around.

As always, Vijay enjoyed getting spoiled by his aunt Sareena, who happily carried him around where ever he wanted to go. We all went for a walk to a lake in South Haven Park and played with the ducks on the shore. Vijay also got his first mosquito bite ;o(

Vijay is so excited to have new friends only a few months younger than him. Even though they are in NY, he knows he will see lots of Ryan and Lex in the coming years!

My Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades

Well, as many of our friends and family have let us know over the past two months, we have been totally delinquent in updating Vijay'sblog. The return to work for me has definitely created a time black hole- where feeding, bathing, playing, and preparing bottles for day care the next day has taken top priority for our free time. However, in an effort to bring everyone up to date -- Vijay LOVES to play and is growing up way too fast.

He's been on tons of walks with us around our home in downtown DC and has also been on a few special hikes in Rock Creek Park, where he loves to look up at the trees and watch the creek flow by. Obviously, his shades are an imperative accessory for all these outings; he insists on wearing them all the time!

Vijay's animal gymini has provided great fun and lots of tummy time opportunities, but I fear he is quickly outgrowing it; if we turn our attention away for a moment, we find he has already rolled himself over clear to other side of the room! Here is a shot where he is giving us a break and staying on the activity mat... at least for a second. Are we ever in trouble when he figures out how to crawl.

Vijay is napping better these days and sleeping more consistently through the night, which as you can imagine is a great relief to me and Shyam. He has definitely come to enjoy sleep, even if he still prefers our bed to his crib!

We can hardly believe how he changes every day- both physically and developmentally. We keep telling him not to grow up too fast. He has yet to begin listening to us...