Samedh's School Year

Today was Samedh's last day of preschool. There was a short program of songs they've learned, followed by a small ceremony where each student received a certificate and hug from the teachers. Afterwards, the kids had snacks and then played on the playground for the remainder of the time. I can't believe how fast the school year flew by, and just how much Samedh has grown and matured. I saw some of his biggest changes just today as he ran around the playground. He attempted new playground equipment that he never was interested in before, and even went down the big curvy slide by himself a few times. Even he knew the big slide was a huge step for him because he kept telling me about it. He was so proud, and I was proud of him too! I have a feeling that he'll grow and mature even more this summer, and maybe even become a little more daring on the playground! Overall, he had a wonderful year, and we are all looking forward to September when he'll attend preschool three days a week at a new location.

Just a little something that came home today in Samedh's folder from school...
(Click on the picture to enlarge.)

CBA's and 321's

Ever since Samedh was introduced to the Leap Frog learning DVD's such as The Letter Factory and Talking Words Factory, he can't stop talking about letters, vowels, phonics...you name it. I can't tell you how many times he and I have discussed the difference between a "soft G" and "hard G" or "soft C" and "hard C" at the dinner table or while driving in the car. He even asked me to make him a letter G in the snow this year. Never mind making a snowman, he wanted a letter! It took me about 20 minutes to shovel out a giant letter G in more than a foot of snow, and then he asked for a letter H. I was so exhausted by creating the G, I told him if he wanted any other letters he'd have to make his own.

The one thing that surprised us most recently is that Samedh can recite the alphabet backwards from Z to A. He caught me off guard the other day when he asked if we could say "our Z to A's". I agreed, and let him lead the way. He breezed right through them in reverse order, and I couldn't keep from smiling the entire time. Nowhere in sight was posted the traditional A to Z order; it was all in his head. Then the next day he recited them for Pankaj, who was equally amazed.

Last weekend, we were having lunch at the Indian buffet and Samedh shocked us again. He had been drawing in a little notebook when suddenly he wrote out the word C-A-T. I knew he could write an H, O, C, and letter I, but writing the word CAT just seemed to come out of nowhere. I was so happy and amazed that I just about started crying right there in the restaurant! Now I have to admit that for quite some time now, Samedh has been spelling words like CAT and DOG and his own name with the large red "shiny letters" we bought in the school supply section at Staples. He just sounds out the words he wants and arranges the letters on the living room floor. Playing "shiny letters" has been one of his favorite daily activities for the past few months. We also have "shiny numbers" from 0-9 that we've been using to help Samedh learn his address and phone number. But actually wanting to write the letters and putting them together in small words is something very new and exciting.

I've had mixed reactions to Samedh's new love of learning letters and words. Most people (including a former 1st grade teacher) are positive and encourage me to continue working with him as long as he expresses an interest. However, I was warned by a Kindergarten teacher that if he learns too much now, he will be bored by the time he starts Kindergarten. In my opinion, if Samedh is interested in learning something now, I'm going to do what I can to teach him. Besides, it is very likely that by the time he starts Kindergarten in 2010, he will be going all day, every day. I'm sure there will be plenty of new things for him to learn in all day Kindergarten.

Finally, we purchased the Leap Frog Math Circus movie recently to help focus on numbers and basic math as well. Now occasionally I hear Samedh reciting, "One plus one equals two. Two plus two equals four. Four plus four equals eight. Five plus five equals ten. And ten plus ten equals twenty." I know he just memorized those facts, and really don't know if he truly understands what it all means yet. But just being aware of the numbers and basic concepts of addition and subtraction is not going to hurt a 3-year-old. However, Samedh got me thinking a little the other day when he blurted out, "A + B = C". At first I told him that you can't add letters, but then I remembered good old Algebra. I'm not about ready to introduce him to that yet, but we'll see...maybe when he's 5:)

I highly recommend all of these learning DVD's because they have cute stories, catchy songs, and make learning lots of fun for preschoolers.

Samedh Goes to the Dentist

Here is a photo BEFORE the cleaning began. He was very cooperative at this time:)

First Visit to the Dentist

Samedh had his first official dental cleaning today. Six months ago, he had a "tour" of the office and got to ride in the chair and play with the equipment (pressing buttons to make the chair go up and down, using the mouth suction tool, etc.) just so he'd be familiar when it was his turn. The appointment went OK, and the hygenist (who happens to be our neighbor) said she could not see any visible cavities. Samedh just didn't want to cooperate during the cleaning, but at least let Miss Lindsay count his teeth. Once the dentist came in, it was different story. Samedh was more than cooperative, and found it amusing when Dr. Kevin confirmed that Samedh DID have a tongue in his mouth. We go back again in six months, and it should be even smoother next time.

1st Diving Board Jump

I just had to post this video today. For the first time ever, Samedh asked to jump off the diving board after class. All last summer, he enjoyed watching "the big boys" jump and dive off the board. Even yesterday he watched the other kids and their parents jump off the diving board after class. Then today, he announced that he wanted to try it. He liked it so much (I think) that he asked to jump a second time. For someone who has a difficult time jumping to me from the side of the pool, he sure surprised us. We are happy and proud beyond words. So is Samedh!

March Masti

It is finally March, and Samedh will officially be 2.5 years old on the 15th. We just completed Samedh's quarterly India post-placement adoption report, and continue to be amazed at his growth and development in just the past few months. Samedh has finally reached the 20lb mark, and loves riding facing forward in his car seat. He now has a new perspective while riding in the car and can now see where we are "driving to". He'll announce every upcoming hill and curve in the road, and can keep a better eye out for UPS and FedEx trucks.

Namaskar, Mamma's Car

Namaskar is a common way of greeting one another in India. We tried teaching it to Samedh recently, and the result was not what we expected. Samedh calls me "Mamma", which we pronounce as "Mumma". So when we say namaskar, he actually hears "Mamma's car".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We decided to try teaching him Namaste instead. That didn't work either. As you'd probably guess, Samedh says, "Mamma stay". For now at least, we are happy that Samedh knows how to fold his hands, bow his head and make the gesture correctly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I also started teaching Samedh how to pronounce our last name. He got the "Raja" part right immediately. He is still working on putting the whole name together though, and currently refers to himself as "Samedh Raja-rocks".

17lbs 4oz!

We had a quick weight check at the doctor's office this morning, and have wonderful news to report. Even though Samedh hasn't been eating that many solid foods, he still managed to gain a pound since last month's check. He is now a whopping 17lbs 4oz! I was so proud this morning, as well as shocked. I even had the nurse write it down for me so I would have proof.

Samedh's doctor also wants him to start drinking only Pediasure or toddler formula mixed with water from now on. No more "milk with extra bubbles" (whole milk, Carnation Instant Breakfast powder, and formula cocktail). We'll start this new drink as soon as he wakes from his nap. We may even try chocolate flavored Pediasure for fun.

After the weight check, we drove to Wyoming to visit Grandpa for an early Father's Day gift presentation. Grandma was on her way to work, but we got to say a quick hello. Samedh gave Grandpa his gift early because it needs to be planted. We got him a yellow mandevilla vine, and Samedh is so proud because he picked it out at Jonker's Garden the other day. Samedh likes flowering vines, so we bought two for our backyard as well. He especially likes the wisteria vine that grows on our fence from the yard next door. Actually, I think he likes the word "vine" more than the flowers, though. He likes to say "vine" all the time.

We also saw Aunt Dena ("Donna") at Grandpa's. She had the day off and was waiting to pick up the girls from vacation bible school at SJV. We visited with Aunt Dena and Grandpa for a couple hours, but didn't stay past noon because it got too hot. It was near 90 degrees when we left, and it was 79 degrees in the house. After some begging, Grandpa put the air conditioning on, but it was taking too long to cool off the house. We just had to leave. I found it hard to breathe and Samedh was sweating bullets. We blasted the AC on the drive back to Holland and Samedh quickly fell asleep. Once we got home, he went straight to bed and has been napping ever since. When it gets this hot outside, we NEED the AC. Especially during allergy season. On Sunday, our entire family is going to my parents' cottage up north, and it's supposed to be another hot day. There is no AC there, and the yard is mostly sunny in the afternoon. We'll have to see how everyone does. Maybe we can cool off in the lake. I'm NOT a "lake person", but if the weather is hot enough, I just might be converted!

A Smile Rarely Caught on Camera

This is a miracle photo! This little guy is so quick, I rarely get a photo of him smiling. Somehow, I lucked out this time.

My "Masti" is really growing up fast! He will be 19 months old on Sunday. Samedh has had many new discoveries this week. He started walking backwards, and has been spinning in circles every chance he gets. Oh yes, he gets dizzy, but he loves it! It's part of his masti (which is the Hindi word for mischief). He's even been "walking" on his knees around the living room for entertainment. I just can't tell if he's trying to entertain us more or himself...

I can't wait to see what forms of entertainment he'll be displaying at the airport this weekend.

Celebrating 18 Months!

Samedh had his 18 month physical today. He weighed in at 15lbs 15oz and is now 29.5 inches tall. His pediatrician reviewed the growth chart with us and indicated that Samedh is following an upward curve, though it is slow and gradual. As long as he continues to grow at his own pace, there should be no concerns. Samedh still has a small perforation in his right ear as a result of the recent ear infections. We inquired about a hearing test, just as a precaution. The doctor's office referred us to a local ENT, and Samedh's hearing test will be on Thursday, March 22. He seems to hear just fine, but we would like to know if he is hearing 100% out of both ears.

Samedh has also started learning new words, and seems to add new ones almost every day. The following words are a regular part of his vocabulary:
"uhmm" = milk
"I do"
"door"
"up"
"na" (sounds like "nuh") = no (short for nahin)
"ball"
"Bob" (he has a toy called Farmer Bob)
"Oh-oh"
"egg"
"hi" (his first word)
"bye"
"ya" = yes
"hot"
"Mamma" (we're still trying to teach him to say "Daddy")

Samedh has been walking for well over a month now, and has even started running. He can climb up stairs, but going down is still puzzling. He loves to read books and enjoys sitting on my lap while reading. Some of his favorite books include Curious George Rides, Goodnight Moon, A Mother for Choco, and Daddy Loves Me.

Samedh likes to have his teeth brushed, and seems to be getting new teeth all the time. He currently has 6 front teeth (4 top, 2 bottom) and three molars. One top molar is almost all the way in. He does a great job chewing foods and isn't as bothered with textures as he was in the past. At least not for now. That could change at any time. Right now his favorite foods include chicken, mashed potatoes, mashed egg yolk, Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, any kind of cheese, Yo Baby Yogurt, grilled cheese sandwich dipped in Prego sauce, and red or green grapes. We're still working on sneaking in the veggies (he hasn't caught on to me hiding carrots in his mashed potatoes yet:).

All in all, Samedh has made some amazing progress during his few months at home. He is full of energy, and quite the entertainer. He is very interested in movement and how things work. He'll tip his trucks and cars over on the side just to spin the wheels and watch them move. He also loves to watch the weather forecasts on TV, and is mesmerized by maps and doplar radar. Most of all though, Samedh has bonded with us beautifully. He is truly an amazing little boy, and we are so happy that he is a part of our family.

Was it a Pick or a Scratch?

Unlike Jerry in the famous Seinfeld episode, this was definitely a pick. Samedh was laying quietly in my lap while we were watching the evening news. Now and then he'd say, "Uhmm", and ask for a sip of milk ("Uhmm" is his word for milk). Everything was sweet, quiet and peaceful, and I was really enjoying this tender moment with my son. Then Samedh looked up at me and said, "Uh," to get my attention. I gazed down at him, and noticed he was sucking his thumb as usual, but this time his pointer finger was up his nose. Samedh just looked at me and kept digging. No smile. No laugh. He was serious, and I believe a bit proud to have found something new about himself. I didn't make a big deal about it, as it is only a natural thing for a child to do. I knew it would happen sooner or later. Now I just have to find a way to make sure he doesn't show off his "new talent" in public.

~~~

By the way, for you Seinfeld fans out there, I just found a website with all the episode scripts. Yes, the "pick or scratch" episode is there too. You can find the scripts at seinfeldscripts.com.

My Very First Hug

Samedh did something very tender and amazing last night: He gave me a hug for the first time! He wasn't all that ready for bed last night, so I let him lay on our bed while I was watching Lost. During a commercial, he stood up and walked over to me. He smiled and then opened his arms, leaned in, and closed his arms around me. He even patted my back. A very touching moment! I called out to Pankaj, who was in the living room reviewing his commercial loan packets, and he quickly came to the bedroom. Apparently, Pankaj has been teaching Samedh "how to hug" for some time now, and never thought Samedh was paying attention. I guess he really was! After my first hug, I got about 10 more in a row, each as sweet as the one before. Daddy got a hug too, before returning to his work. Then Samedh suddenly got very sleepy, and fell asleep next to me.

SAMEDH STARTED WALKING!

Taking a little break from sharing my India journal entries. Nothing much to report about December 6th anyway. That was the night we left Mumbai for home, so all the details will be posted under December 7th. Stay tuned tomorrow!

So Samedh started walking yesterday. So exciting! For him and for me! And Samedh even showed off his new skills for Daddy when he came home from work last night. Of course, I don't have a camera to capture these precious moments on film...Still looking for a new one. But we did get him walking on video. (Which reminds me, I need to recharge the battery...)

Still snowy and cold here in Zeeland. Probably not as snowy as our friends in the U.P., but close enough. Too cold to play outside, and most schools have been closed...even today. And you know when the Catholic schools in GR close, it's pretty bad out there. Even Catholic Central High School closed, and that rarely happened when I attended! I think I remember only ONE snow day, and they decided to close the school about 30 minutes after the day started. That was one drive home I'll never forget! Me sliding around GR in my red '77 Chevy Impala...That car was a lot different from my current Impala, let me tell you!