The last month has been an action packed one with more visitors, moving into our condo, a sailboat ride for Amiya and Kallol and more enjoyment of San Francisco in the fall. Through it all, the remote grandparents have been banging at our cyber-door wanting more pictures. Enjoy them!
Linda and Terry (Nami and Grandpa) flew down for the weekend to see the latest addition to their family. We all spent a couple of days lazing about the house holding the sleeping beauty and celebrating everyone being together with good champagne, Mitchell brothers’ ice cream and some goodies from Tartine. It’s hard to believe that the weekend is over already and that we have so many more pictures to sort through and put online!
In the left corner (of the country), in the light blue receiving blanket, hailing from San Francisco, California, the Sister of Disaster, weighing in at 6lbs 2oz, GITA DAS!
The latest member of the Das-Gardiner household, Gita, made her grand appearance on Monday afternoon at 1:42pm. Kirsti amazed (but not surprised) all who know her by having the natural experience she was targeting. The UCSF birthing crew were, however, all surprised by Kirsti’s tremendous effort. There’s no doubt that our positive experience was due in great part to our doula, Amy Hyams. She was a wonderful presence during Gita’s birth. (more…)
One day after bidding goodbye to Seattle and my friends at the biggest retail store on the internet in the world, Kirsti, Amiya and I found ourselves in Krates and Natsumi’s place in San Mateo, devouring some good old Mexican food. Pancho Villa, you may not have succeeded in your cross border land grab, but your namesake taqueria is a legacy that most revolutionaries must envy! Tomorrow, it’s back to work in downtown SF!
If it’s May, then it’s time for birthday cake, party favours and noisemakers at the Das-Gardiner household! Amiya turned two on the third and I turn thirty five in a couple of days. Amiya had a wonderful party at scenic Carkeek Park in North Seattle. (more…)
I have not been very diligent about posting but I have kept up the photo albums. Among the new albums is Amiya’s first day of preschool. The new setting has been fum for both of us. I have met lots of new parents and Amiya is learning that not all toys belong to him. He has also started bringing home his first art masterpieces. I have high hopes on the resale value of the playdough turkey.
Kallol, Terry and I finished the Portland Marathon. I wouldn’t say that any of us “enjoyed” the race but we were all happy to finish. Kallol got the honor of carrying Amiya over the finish line. I get to carry him the next marathon. I shudder to think how much he will weigh by the time I run another marathon.
We took an amazing trip to Japan in October. It was our first family adventure abroad and although I was nervous, Japan was a great place to travel with a toddler. People were very friendly to our little man and he was entranced with all the lights and people, not to mention the plethora of elevators and escalators. We can’t wait to go back.
We just got back from a snow filled trip to Whistler, Canada. The skiing was amazing for us and Amiya went on his first sled ride with his buddy Owen. There are also some great pictures of our trip to the aquatic park.
I hope you enjoy the new photos. I leave you with some new vocabulary words:
Amiya speak: Earlip=elevator, Nah=light, Om=orange
Summer has been full of trips to the wading pool and visits from family. Didima and Grandpa finally returned from months in Alaska but it didn’t take Amiya long to remember his grandparents. He has been spending quite a bit of time dancing around their living room to various types of music. As long as it has a good beat, Amiya can be seen shaking his head to and fro along with a few hip gyrations. Amiya still finds time to obsess about turning on every light and fan available and he can have a ten minute conversation with himself using only the word apple. I envy the focus that comes with youth.
Grandma Julane came to visit after being away for almost four months. It was amazing to think that Amiya couldn’t talk or walk the last time she saw him. They quickly bonded and we spent lots of time eating ice cream and playing in the park.
Kallol and I are nearing the end of our marathon training. The big 20 mile run is this weekend and then we slow down to get ready for the race October 1st.
I guess summer is over but I am not ready to let it go… Look for pictures of our first camping trip with Amiya coming soon.
Like everything about being a parent for the first time, watching language bloom in a child is breathtaking. Amiya, Kirsti and I have officically entered the world of baby-speak, conversing in our own patois of signs and single syllable words where context is critical. (more…)
Amiya learned to walk on Father’s Day, a great gift for his Baba. I know Kallol would have preferred the traditional breakfast in bed, (which at this stage would have consisted of a tub of applesauce) but it was wonderful to see Amiya tottering around the house. More and more accidents are sure to follow this latest development but I guess it is all part of the experience.
The last month has been a bit challenging for me as Amiya has been very clingy (picture him hugging my legs as I try to unload the dishwasher) and he is not interested in going to sleep most nights until 9 or 10 but still insists on getting up at 6. It is probably all the new things he is learning and his new awarness that when he goes to sleep he might be missing all sorts of exciting stuff. (more…)