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...