A discovery

My Chinipie made a new discovery today. and she was absolutely thrilled by it!! Really, you could see it on her face. Babies are so inquisitive by nature. Anything new captures their interest so soon and bores them equally sooner. DH's colleagues had sent a bucket of goodies on Father's Day. Along with candies and fruits, were bibs and rattler for the baby. I thought this is the best time to introduce the rattler to her. The rattler is very lovely, with a little tiger sitting on the top. So, for the past two days, I was trying to hold her attention rattling it and making roaring sounds. Rattling did not charm her but the roars did! Eventually, I thought, my baby is a very unusual baby and may be doesn't like the rattlers or would like them a little later when she would make me go crazy with throwing the rattler down to the ground and gurgling as her mom picks and gives it to her every split second (some weird imagination, huh!! seems like i can't wait for my baby to grow up!!). Anyhow, I shunned the idea of using the rattler as a rattler and started using it as a prop instead. I held conversations with her holding the little tiger by its tail and roaring every once in a while. I also named him "Sherkhan, the tiger" (jungle book creature, if you remember). My conversations are nothing but silly mumblings like

" I am Sherkhan the tiger. Roarrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I will eat you up. Roarrrrrrrrrrrr (with the tiger going to her cheek or momma going all ga-ga over Chini's face and Chini with an amused look on her face)"

Now, this little girl of mine is very talkative and an intent listener! She dries up my throat, literally, with all the talking that she makes me do!! Today, as I was again putting up this act of mine, Chinipie was kicking her legs and arms, a definite sign that she was enjoying this while her momma's throat had started aching with all the talks and the roars. So, I just held the tiger by its tail and sat for a while looking at her. She, in turn, looked at the Sherkhan intently. "Wow!", I thought to myself, "This might be the beginning of her getting to know the rattler as rattler!" and in excitement I rattled the Sherkhan by its tail. She just kept looking at it and then at me and then started kicking her legs and arms again. There goes all my hopes and Sherkhan would always remain a roaring Sherkhan! But wait!! In her excitement, her arms boxed Sherkhan and poor fellow fell (I was holding the tail lightly, you see) with a, not roaring but rattling, sound. And this captured her attention! She stopped kicking and boxing and looked at Sherkhan as I picked and held the poor creature by its tail in front of her, then she looked back at me and then again at Sherkhan. Very cautiously, she brought her hand near it and touched it lightly; Sherkhan made a rattling sound but didn't fall off this time! Again, a look at Sherkhan, then at momma, and action repeat - with the blow growing stronger. Sherkhan again rattled, exciting her. With a gurgle, she repeated all the sequence and discovered that she can actually box with her hands, looked at momma with eyes filled with the joy of discovery and got back to fist the Sherkhan - poor Sherkhan, obediently rattled away every times he fell off and silently came back to hold his place in front of her - only to be fisted again!


Here's a snap of her, as she enjoys boxing Sherkhan down!