I can stand, I can talk, I can walk a bit and can I laugh or what!?

Hi everyone. I can now tell you that it is an amazing feeling to graduate from babbling to my first few words. I can say a few things like "amma", "akka", "poo" (flower) and "aa umm" very nice and clear. Appa and Amma do make fun of me saying "poo" because I say it so softly. They say that I'm afraid I'll crush the flower if I said it any louder. I keep saying "amma" as if to remind myself who my amma is. As for "akka", that is a very broad category. Cartoon characters, including the Sunfeast biscuits smiling sun on the wrapper, other kids in the play area ... everyone is an "akka", regardless of whether they're girls or boys. When I'm hungry, I keep chanting "aa umm", or even "mum mum" sometimes, until Amma gets the message!

I say "aa umm" when I see others eating. Part of the reason is for me to show off my skills. The other part is to get some sympathy and a few bites of whatever they're eating. It could be fruits or pongal or biscuits or coffee. I have already told you about eating Milk Bikis. On holidays, when Appa and Amma have tea in the evening along with Marie biscuits, I also get to eat a biscuit. When I see them dip their biscuits into the tea and eat, I realize that I don't have any tea. So I go ahead and dip my biscuit into their tea but I cant fish it out of the huge cups they use. So it is left to them to either give me the same biscuit, soaked in tea, or a new one. When I'm thirsty, I say "idddddddddhhhhhhhhaaaaaa" because I cant say "thoothaa" yet. Sometimes Appa or Amma hold my water bottle to my mouth and I drink. But a lot of the time, if the bottle is around on the floor and I'm thirsty, I just drink water myself. It also gives me an opportunity to spill the water on the floor and have some fun.

Santhanam Thatha, Janu paati and Satish chitappa were here last week. I had a great time with them. They were seeing me after a while so they were really surprised at the things I could do. We didn't go on too many outings this time, possibly because everyone was wary of what I could do. We bought a new television set and a grinder so that I could start having idly. So we were at home most of the time and that allowed me to entertain them. I learnt to identify Satish chitappa. So when someone asked "Chitappa yenge?", I used to point at him. After they returned to Madras, if someone asks me that question, I just move my hand around as if to say "kaanum" or "I cant find him".

Aparna atthai came home, for the first time, last week. I took a liking to her immediately and started grinning at her, pointing at her etc. Appa and Amma were surprised at this since I normally take a long time to get used to new people. I have a book called "My Jack-in-the-box". I taught Thatha, Paati and chitappa how to stick the tongue out when the lines say "the music begins to play" as if I am singing "la la la la la". Amma taught me to do this and then everyone realized that I had a very long tongue. The popular opinion is that when I am in a mischievous mood and I put my tongue out, I resemble Mahesh mama. Was he mischievous too? I will need to ask Trichy thatha and paati that when I see them, hopefully, in a couple of week's time. Everyone also feels that I will soon be able to touch my nose with my tongue. Now that is an exciting thought!

Along with saying a few words, I also love laughing out loudly when others laugh. Sometimes the laugh comes out instantaneously while on other occasions there is a bit of starting trouble, I just open my mouth but no sounds come out. There is a long way to go, I guess. When I see something or someone I like, I give a nice wide grin and keep pointing to it/them with my finger. So when I get back home from either an outing with Appa & Amma or after getting myself all muddy and dirty in the play area, once we enter the corridor, I know where my home is and I start jumping around in the arms of whoever is carrying me. Then I point to the "thoppai ummaachi" (guess who the pot bellied god is?) which is hung outside the door as if to say I know where we're going!

Obviously my love for film songs is still there. If there's a song I like playing on TV, I just sit still and watch it until it ends. Sometimes I keep standing for a long time while the song is on. Of course, every now and then I look to see whether Amma and Appa are also enjoying themselves listening to the songs and music I like. Appa seems to think my taste of advertisements is rather poor, especially the ones that are shown on Sun Music during a break. I cant help it. Some of the new songs I like are "Unakkena iruppen", "Ding dong kovil mani", "Kannum kannum dhaan kalarndhachu" and "Suppose unnai". Sometimes Appa plays around and changes the channel when one of my favourite songs is playing. I am now bemused and cant understand what is happening. Then he switches the channel back and I'm so glad that I give him a look of contentment and gratitude. Since I've now achieved what I needed, I get back to listening to my song.

Appa and Amma bought a potty for me to ensure that I did not dirty the entire house. It is rabbit shaped and bright yellow in colour. I make some grunts to let them know that I need to "go". Well, if they cant hear my signals or ignore them, then its their problem to clean up the mess. But I am kind enough to look at the potty after I've done my "thing" on the floor as if to say "Yeah, I know I'm supposed to use it, but it really was urgent!". When I'm sitting on the floor, sometimes I can just get up all by myself without any support. I can also sit down from a standing position without support. This really amazes everyone! If I'm playing with something and if it is taken away from me, I let my feelings known by screaming and wailing. Of course, I am a very chamathu girl. You should never take something away from me. Just ask "thaaa" and I will hand it over to you, no questions asked!

I can take a few steps by myself. Amma makes me stand up and holds her hand out, as if inviting me to rush towards her. That is exactly what I do. Strangely though, I don't play that game with everyone. Most of the time with Appa or Thatha or Paati, I just make my legs wobbly and insist on sitting down when they try to make me stand up. That really frustrates Thatha because he wants me to walk towards him. Next time around, Thatha! As for my kissing, I am currently learning from Appa how to give a flying kiss. My hand goes upto my mouth but after that nothing happens. I will learn soon. When Appa comes back from work and if I open the door along with Amma, I blow him a kiss. I just started doing it on my own, no one taught me to! At night, when it is time to go to sleep, I love playing on the bed. I crawl around on it and then sit for a while. Then I just fall on my back and bounce around. I like lying down beside Appa and Amma when they say "thaachu" (lie down & sleep).

Here is the latest set of photos Appa keeps taking like a paparazzi photographer. The photo below is of me, obviously, along with my lamb. I was trying to get her to read a book but she fell asleep.