Tuesday, 3 July, 2018

Time 14:52

Today morning, Papa got ready early just like when he used to go to office. Avani went with Papa to buy vegetables from the nearby Kisan store. Once back, she fed with Mumma and went to sleep. Mumma was getting ready for office. Papa and Mumma had breakfast together - poha. Today Papa’s favourite mixture - from Jamshedpur, used to season Poha - got over. Avani woke up during this time at 10:25. Papa brought her to the booster chair where Avani looked around and played while the elders finished their breakfast. Then Mumma booked her cab and said bye to little Avani. Avani looked a little sad but her stoicism was palpable - maybe Papa is reading too much into it. She smiled coyly at Papa in the mirror soon after - signs of a grief-stricken Avani. Papa brought Avani to the balcony where she played with her trains and the Android. She had 30 ml of milk from her bottle at 11 am and continued playing.

Avani in rampage mode. Note the ‘aghast’ toy in the background!

Papa took Avani to the bed room at 11:25. She slept at 11:50 after some coaxing. In the first attempt when Papa moved to leave her in the bed, she started suckling in air on his thai’s side - she was missing Mumma :( Papa felt very sad seeing poor Avani like this. He tried to get her the bottle of milk but she cried loudly when made to sit upright while half asleep.

Time: 20:06

Avani woke up rather quickly and cranky at 12:38 pm. Papa knew she’d look to feed now. But, she turned away every attempt (rocket, plane - nothing mattered) of feeding her and the bottle kept on the floor near the puja unit. She played a while with her trains etc and then suddenly went to her milk and started trying to drink by bending over it. Papa and Lakshmi were amazed to see this. Quickly, a jubilant Papa picked her up, coddled her and offered her the milk bottle so that she could feed. She did just that and very fast. Papa asked Lakshmi to get the next milk bottle ready quickly. Avani finished 80% of it too.

Then Avani played with her watermelon teether and the Android. She never let one go for the other - once or twice she tried to lick both of them together! However, she seemed generally cranky and sad today. Lakshmi got her bath ready and Avani was taken to the floor bed for an oil massage at 13:25. This was followed by a bath at 13:45 - today it was a no soap bath and Avani traveled the entire bathtub and wanted to stand more than sit in it. Soon after the bath and dressing up, Avani was offered milk which she rejected. Papa then tried to help Avani sleep. First he played Lakdi ki kaati on Google Home which Avani listened to with rapt attention. After that he sang to her to help her sleep - the dark and pleasant room got to him and he dozed off with a sleepy Avani in his lap. He had slept for 5 seconds when Avani cried out loud due to the absent audio maybe. Lakshmi came, picked her up and consoled the crying Avani in the utility area.

Finally, Papa went back to get Avani and put her to sleep at 14:45. She woke up soon afterwards at 15:20. Papa’s lunch was ready but Avani’s wasn’t. So he played with her for a short while her Lakshmi prepared her dosa. Avani played ate her dosa over 30 mins after that. She also pottied while having her lunch. Her diaper was changed after lunch. Maybe that was the reason she couldn’t have her lunch properly today. She played with Papa’s bag straps kept on the pouffe near the floor bed. Then she started sobbing, first slowly then loudly from hunger. Lakshmi quickly got the milk ready. Papa tried the new angled spout nipple on her bottle. Avani finished the entire milk (70 ml) in under a minute. It seemed she could have more, so Papa gave her the leftover from before - it was in the wider, bigger bottle. Avani turned it down. Once the contents were moved to her purple bottle, she drank it fully.

At 16:30 pm, Papa unsuccessfully tried to put the little baby to sleep and then gave it to her demands to lounge around. She was brought near the balcony door when she ventured into the kitchen deserting all her toys and playing with the onions basket.

Avani deserted her toys to go to the kitchen.

Avani playing with the onions basket while her toys wait.