Birthday week

We celebrated two birthdays this week: Brian's dad and my mom's. On Monday evening, we surprised B's dad by calling him on his cellphone (it was Monday morning at where he is and he was at work) and had Craig sing to wish him happy birthday.

Then, last evening, immediately upon arriving after a long coach ride from Malaysia, my mom was greeted by a party of singing toddler, cake with candles and pizza as we celebrated her birthday. My mom's visit also signals a work trip for me - this time to Indonesia for a week. It will be an intense week for me as I would be conducting ten seminars during the week for university-level students.

Till then, a toast to the birthday boy and girl - may they live long and prosper!

The face of mirth

A candidly shot expression of Craig captured our joy this weekend. We did nothing spectacular - we simply played: Duplos, Playdough, trains; we read tons, we cooked and enjoyed our meals; and we took strolls around the neighborhood as the weather was surprisingly co-operative. We caught a glimpse of mirth this weekend and we love it!

In good hands

For the past year since I started back at work, it is almost predictable that Craig would fall sick either before I leave or when I'm halfway through my trip and at least 500 miles away. My trip to Chennai this time was no different other than the fact that Brian was home alone with him i.e. minus the maternal wisdom and hand of my mom who could not make it to us this time. Both did wonderfully over the weekend which was packed with amusement of every kind: breakfast at McDonald's, meet-and-greet Thomas the Tank Engine at the mall and a pizza party at a friend's.

But come Monday evening, I received report that C was down with a fever. The news did not come to me with great surprise for many reasons - one being, it is just the way things almost always go (mommy gone, baby's sick); and two, it is almost about time for another bout of cold to hit (BabyCenter informs that a child C's age gets at least 9 colds/flu a year. This works out to be one every 5-6 weeks. The last time C was ill was 7 weeks ago).

While some of our friends and family expressed concern that C is falling ill so often, his teachers at the creche had warned us about this phenomenon - kids fall sick frequently in the first 6 months of them being in a creche. And in checking with mothers of C's peers affirmed that toddlers falling sick this frequently is indeed normal (Phew!). Besides, we noticed that C's health has been slightly more stable in the last 3 months. Shout out to C's strengthening immunity!

At the conclusion of my meetings in India, after a grueling red-eye flight, I arrived home to a bleary-eyed little boy who was up early at 7am. I was greeted by smiles that portend victory against the viral onslaught. Sure enough, after another day of heightened temperature, his appetite and zest for all things fun returned. So off to the creche he went today...

Through all of these, I greatly applaud B who so confidently and patiently cared for C all by himself which meant little rest and sleep in the first 48 hours after the onset of fever. Yet another milestone is set - not by C but by B who is looking like he will bag the Daddy of the Year award again this year in our books!