Friday, 6 July, 2018

Yesterday night was not as bad as day before yesterday’s while Papa feared the worst. The new mattress needed gassing-off. Hence the bedroom was deserted for last night - the small family slept in the guest room which now had 11 inches of mattress (coir + spring) and looks more like a raised platform than a bed. The metal springs screech for every bodily movement and Papa feared Avani would wake up if he tossed around too much. At 2330, Papa took Avani to sleep with Mumma by their side. Avani had fed well and seemed ready to sleep but started crying as soon as she went from “sleeping and walking” to the horizontal position. The night was off to a rocky start - however suddenly the screechy springs came in handy! Avani seemed to like the rhythm of the springs with Papa’s desperate ghazal vocals. 3-4 songs in, she yawned and stretched while horizontal. With her eyes closed and the screechy springs for background score, she seemed content. Then Papa stopped bouncing about and Avani revolted with another usual baby-cry. Off went Papa bounding on the bed with the sleepy baby in his arms. This happened stop-start happened 5-6 times after which the baby seemed asleep. Mumma-bear did her part soon and the baby slept off. Papa woke up at 4 am to find Mumma hurriedly trying to help baby fall back asleep. This went on for an hour in the wee hours - Papa learnt later.

Baby woke Papa up at 0845 am and played on the bouncy bed with the black-painted steel railings for headboard. Papa went to the washroom and when he was back, Mumma said baby was sleepy - Papa took the horizontal baby in his arms and within 10 mins, she was napping - nestled in the floor bed with the lights out. Papa wondered if baby Avani is going through insomnia - given that she always needs help sleeping - especially at night. Mumma explained to Papa that Avani is going through the 8 month-sleep regression. (Thankfully, I have been hitting the window of wakefulness right at the boundaries. However, the Witching Hour is getting to all of us - Mumma, Papa and specifically, Avani.)

Time: 16:20

Avani woke up at 10:30. Mumma left for work at 10:45 when Papa was having breakfast.

Avani and Mumma doing puja today morning

Avani cheerfully said bye to Mumma while she was in Lakshmi’s arms. Avani had her first installment of milk around 11:10 am. She played around near the balcony door with her trains and had her oil massage at 11:40. This was followed by a bath (with soap) at 12 noon. Avani peed on Papa while going for the bath. Soon after the bath, she finished off her first milk bottle (70 ml). Next bottle was readied quickly and she had half of it and turned down the rest. She seemed quite sleepy. Papa took her to the floor bed and played Tum agar saath on Google Home and Avani slept off even before the song got over at around 1225.

Time: 21:20

Avani woke up at 1350 and finished off her milk (70 ml) in 2 installments by 1424. She wanted to drink the milk while Papa was standing up. Then her play area was made available to her - near the balcony door. She became the subject of many of Papa’s clicks. Baby Avani was her cheerful self enjoying the damp sunlight that was streaming in. She blew raspberries on Papa’s thighs (went brrrrr on them with her rosy lips). She started her lunch at 1445 (boiled beetroot). It turned out that the beetroot was not boiled enough to her liking. Papa fed Avani some mango using his big spoon which she enjoyed and lapped up. Food (very small quantity) was done by 1525. Soon after this, Avani was fed her next bottle of milk (70 ml) in 2 installments by Lakshmi and Papa. It was 4 pm and seemed like the perfect time for Avani to sleep. But, Avani revolted to the notion. Papa brought her out of the floor bed back into the sunlight where she played for a little bit. Papa asked Lakshmi to walk with Avani with her arms. Lakshmi walked around with Avani and soon took her back to the floor and bed and emerged out of it at 1628 declaring the baby asleep - Lakshmi has now increased work for herself Monday onward. :) Avani woke up at 1710 right in time to welcome Mumma back from work. Mumma came back with a blue balloon in her hand and had to wait a long time for Avani to realize that the hands holding the balloon belonged to Mumma.

One of few selfies with Papa