Toddlerism

A toddler or especially a toddler between the age of 2 and 3 is the best entertainment to have around. You cannot help but have a constant silly grin on your face when they talk or try to talk.

They are usually very serious. They haven’t yet formed the silly bone. So, it is more so funny to hear the earnest words coming out of their cute mouths.

I have, throughout the week, tried to capture these precious fun dialogues that me and my daughter have. Its tonnes and tonnes more fun to experience it live, though! But then this is the only way I can share her antics with you.

• I am a hypocrite. I do not allow the toddler any gadget but I don’t stay away from my gadgets. I always have my Apple iPad near my bed, for the night. The toddler knows it and always looks for ways to take it and play. And when she sees mommy around, this is what she says:

“The Vevi is hungwwiee! Mommy cook, cook yummy noodles. The Vevi will work! Go, Go Away, na! ” (It is very well-known, if mommy is around, the gadget will be snatched away.)

• As a 10 month old, the toddler used to call Shampoo as “Campoo” and Pumpkin as “Cumpkip”. So even we started saying it. Now, one fine morning, her father is getting her ready for a bath. He tells her that he is going to get her “Campoo”. The toddler swiftly turns around and says:

“Baba, it’s not ‘Campoo’, its ‘Shampoo’, sh, sh, shampoo!” Yes! The father was trying hard not to laugh because the toddler had a real tough teacher look on her face.

• We are frequent visitors to temples. So the toddler knows the priests and the various going-about there. To her, a man without a shirt on and a beard is ‘Swamiji’ or the priest and needs to be respected with a ‘Namaste’. So the other day, an elderly relative of ours stayed over for an afternoon nap after lunch. He took off his shirt and slept in a dhoti (As is usual with most South Indian men). The toddler woke up from her nap and saw him and said:

“Momma! Swamiji came to the Vevi! And thatha went into Swamiji“, with eyes so surprised and full of awe.

• So last year the toddler learns the song “Happy New Year, Merry Christmas” in December. So after that every festival is followed by Merry Christmas.

Its “Happy Sankranthi, Merry Chissmas”, “Happy Ugadi, Merry Chissmas”.

• The toddler has a fascination with Airports and Aeroplanes. According to her, only two people can come from the airport, though. Her ‘Mama’ i.e. Maternal Uncle and her ‘Ajoba’ i.e. her paternal grandfather.
• She loves to play with play-dough or clay. She always pretends she is making some ‘Rotis’ with it. She will talk to herself saying, “Baba will come from office. Soon-soon”.
  
• She always pretends to read the newspaper and wants to make sense of the words. She once said, “Mumma, all black-black color. Nothing new-new for Vevi”.
• Now for some grossness. She is recently potty trained. It’s an achievement alright for mommy and her. She is proud of herself and she thinks everyone should know about her err bowels and the consistency of the same. She explains it to one hapless person each day. We are trying to get her to stop but we are first making sure she is totally potty trained. No regressions wanted here. So we bear the grossness! Oh! Also the sounds she makes to explain!

There are so many precious words that come out of that lovely cutie but most are for that moment and I forget to keep track of them. But overall, this is the best age of her. I haven’t enjoyed her more in her 2 years. I just love conversations with her and I am always ready for the unexpected!

An erstwhile Quality Analyst, Sirisha Achanta, is now a full-time mommy to an adorable 2-year-old girl and a part-time writer. 🙂  She loves to dance, dream and read a lot!