Driti now knows that a nod of the head in the up-down direction means YES and a movement from side to side means NO.
Ady actually taught her this. I've been trained to confuse everybody with my head bob like most South Indians. Is it a 'yes', is it a 'no', only the nodder knows. Our head bobs usually cover all the four directions.
With Driti, however, the problem is different. She sometimes gets confused between the meanings of YES and NO.
The answer for any sentence which starts with 'Do you want/ will you ...' is the vertical nod of head, even if she does not want what is being offered.
I speak to her in Tamil and she can clearly understand when I am asking her something. The questions usually start with Yenna - what, or end with appidia - Is it/ is that so. And her answer - always a YES.
Yes. I am an Engineer, I had to put my theory to test. She nodded her head in approval for anything from Do you want a slice of bread to a glass of pina colada to ... Do you want a hammer!!
Per Driti - 'A question always should be answered with a YES!' Only when they thrust something in your mouth, even if you don't want it, say NO. She is quite the positive person! :-)
What surprised us most however is none of the above.
After a triumphant pronunciation of 'cha-pa-ti', Ady and I thought of teaching her 'Encyclopedia'.
Czech does not exist anymore, so no point teaching her outdated info. We thought over the suggestion from our Senior in College, Jayadev and gave it up.
Today, early in the morning, we started with 'Good Morning' to which she responded with ''Mornin' as if to say, "that's all you deserve"
Then we tried 'Monkey' to which she responded with 'Monney' - "OK she's going in the 'right' direction", I teased Ady.
And then ... ENCYCLOPEDIA - her response startled us. She did not repeat or even try to repeat anything. Instead she nodded her head 'YES'
We weren't sure why. This is definitely not the response to Encyclopedia. Does she want it? Does she approve our usage of the word? She was confusing us.
We repeated the word a few more times - and the reponse remained the same.
Then we tried to split the word. Maybe she'll find it easy to pronounce? ENN CYCLO PEEDEEAA.
That's when Ady realized - "Hey this sounds like a Tamil question. 'Enna' and 'appadia'"
"What- cyclo-Is it?"
No wonder she was nodding her head. Baby girl felt we were asking her a question!
Aw.. She's teaching us soooo much! I hope we're able to impart as much knowledge to her as she is to us!
The Joy of sharing!
The soft drizzle, the gentle breeze, the lush greenery. It is the season when Zeus is in an especially good mood. It is also the time when we find a lot of couples walk hand in hand / under one umbrella - Raj Kapoor and Nargis style in Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua.
It is also the season for flies and mosquitoes. Mosquitoes love the flavor of my blood. The extra tasty dish on the menu is seldom spared. It is also a reason Ady finds me a non- rain lover.Blasphemy!! I have to shut the doors, even if it is pleasant and drizzling :-(
Anyway, so this weekend, we visited Amma's house. And Driti found two flies.
She started running behind to catch one. Yes. Easy task! :-)
Amma told her.. "Eee", that's what a house fly is called in Tamil.
So she knew what her bait was called now. She kept running behind the flies the whole time with "Eee" The flies seemed to enjoy the play as well, cause they indulged her for a good half hour.
And then when Driti had to had to eat her lunch, we got her into the house. Amma had spilled some cloves on the floor.
"Ee.." she ran and picked it up! Fully satisfied that her mission was accomplished. Just when we thought she was going to put it in her mouth and we had to take swift action right away, she put the 'Eee" in Appa's mouth! Appa was stunned! Appa's mouth was still open, so she even shut it :-) He had no choice but to eat it now. And Driti was so happy she had fed grandpa 'food'
The kid likes sharing alright!
It is also the season for flies and mosquitoes. Mosquitoes love the flavor of my blood. The extra tasty dish on the menu is seldom spared. It is also a reason Ady finds me a non- rain lover.Blasphemy!! I have to shut the doors, even if it is pleasant and drizzling :-(
Anyway, so this weekend, we visited Amma's house. And Driti found two flies.
She started running behind to catch one. Yes. Easy task! :-)
Amma told her.. "Eee", that's what a house fly is called in Tamil.
So she knew what her bait was called now. She kept running behind the flies the whole time with "Eee" The flies seemed to enjoy the play as well, cause they indulged her for a good half hour.
And then when Driti had to had to eat her lunch, we got her into the house. Amma had spilled some cloves on the floor.
"Ee.." she ran and picked it up! Fully satisfied that her mission was accomplished. Just when we thought she was going to put it in her mouth and we had to take swift action right away, she put the 'Eee" in Appa's mouth! Appa was stunned! Appa's mouth was still open, so she even shut it :-) He had no choice but to eat it now. And Driti was so happy she had fed grandpa 'food'
The kid likes sharing alright!
Mom Rules!
Driti's started going to Day Care. But she clings on to the teacher. She doesn't even look at the children there. "She prefers older and wiser people to young and immature kids", I keep comforting myself.
The other day, I went to the day Care to pick her up. She was sitting in the teacher's lap, refusing to get down. There was another boy, about a year older to her, also in the same boat... er .. lap, and the two of them were actually vying for a one-upmanship, or in this case, a one-upkidship.
"Driti see, Mamma", the aaya said, coming to the rescue of the teacher. Immediately the little elf jumped down the teacher's lap and came running to me. It was as if the teacher did not exist anymore. Arhaan, I found out the name of the other kid sharing the 'throne' with Driti, was her 'almost friend'. He tried playing with her and She prefered the teacher. That's why he mounted the lap. To sit with Driti. So cute! So as soon as Driti got down, he got down as well. The teacher came up to us - Driti and me, trying to kiss her goodbye. And No! She wouldn't let her touch her!
"This happens" the teacher said. "when parents come, children totally change", stealing my thunder. I thought I was that special person in Driti's life.
Arhaan came over "Deetee... bye..." and the girl... "Pffff..." she pushed her tongue out and hugged me tighter. Atta girl!No boyfriends just as yet. I hear her say... "My Momma's the best" If you put all the sounds together, you can hear her say that. Atleast I think so!
The other day, I went to the day Care to pick her up. She was sitting in the teacher's lap, refusing to get down. There was another boy, about a year older to her, also in the same boat... er .. lap, and the two of them were actually vying for a one-upmanship, or in this case, a one-upkidship.
"Driti see, Mamma", the aaya said, coming to the rescue of the teacher. Immediately the little elf jumped down the teacher's lap and came running to me. It was as if the teacher did not exist anymore. Arhaan, I found out the name of the other kid sharing the 'throne' with Driti, was her 'almost friend'. He tried playing with her and She prefered the teacher. That's why he mounted the lap. To sit with Driti. So cute! So as soon as Driti got down, he got down as well. The teacher came up to us - Driti and me, trying to kiss her goodbye. And No! She wouldn't let her touch her!
"This happens" the teacher said. "when parents come, children totally change", stealing my thunder. I thought I was that special person in Driti's life.
Arhaan came over "Deetee... bye..." and the girl... "Pffff..." she pushed her tongue out and hugged me tighter. Atta girl!No boyfriends just as yet. I hear her say... "My Momma's the best" If you put all the sounds together, you can hear her say that. Atleast I think so!
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