October 04, 2006

The End is Near

Well... the end of the year, that is. At this time of the year, time seems to go by pretty quickly. You wait for Thanksgiving, and when that comes, Christmas is but a few weeks away.

It's always hard for me to go back to work after spending a weekend with Priya - especially when it's just the two of us. During the week, I get maybe an hour of time with her (by the time I have put my day behind me, it's time for dinner, and so on).

I had a little bit of a poignant moment last night. Priya was fussing around on the changing table, and didn't take too kindly to a couple of "No"s. So, as a measure of discipline, she got her hand slapped. That ticked her off even more, and she grabbed a hold of the blinds, and started pulling on them. Oh boy. Just as I took her hand to give it one more flick, I saw her flinch. Well.. a natural reaction... But it's the first time I saw her do it. And the first time I could see her realize that discipline can be painful.

A couple of nights ago as I was feeding Priya right before bed time, I was praying out loud with her for the families in Pennsylvania. We had a good time praying "together." Every time I do anything with my own daughter, I have a fleeting sense of despair for the dads that lost their daughters. I've had to turn off the radio more than once when they started describing how the girls were shot. It doesn't make sense at all.

Ok. Now for the star attraction...

Flailing around because the world, for a moment, doesn't revolve around her

Have friends - will have tea party

Friends with Cameron

Our vegetarian girl loves "grape" tomatoes...

...And Coldstone ice-cream


7 comments:

Kathy said...

Yes those moments of a parents life! I remember when Connor gave me the look of utter digust when I was going to flick his hand.

She is getting so big guys, I mean that in the nicest way, she is a "big girl" now.

Anonymous said...

you're a good dad, Bipin! That's the grace of God!

Unknown said...

So what would you say to a toddler who gets a spanking than looks at you and says, "NO!" No flinching, no tears...? I guess my spankings aren't hard enough :(

Its fun to see Priya with other little girls. Little Addy doesn't have many friends! I hope I"m not raising a socially challenged little girl!

Unknown said...

i don't get it - what do you mean what did I do?

As far as spanking goes we definitely intend to give a small measure of pain... you?

Kristin said...

Just wait until Priya's a teenager and you can't "flick" her hand anymore, that's what I am dealing with !! I just take away the car keys, HaHa!

candi said...

My boys run screaming from me when they know what is coming. Soon they will be faster and stronger, what will I do then?? I have learned first hand that if you fail to discipline, you produce a child that you end up not liking very much, so as painful as it is for child and parent alike, it is absolutely essential. There is a reason why God mandates it.

Bipin Sen said...

you mean you can't just talk and reason with them? :-)