Thursday, August 30, 2007

A Big Baby

This has been happening consistently for some time now. Most days I laugh, some days I wonder whether I should get worried. Anyways, here's a chronological list of comments by some of the co-inhabitants of this island.

1. Age: Day 1 to 4 of life, Location: Hospital, Culprit: Grandma, Nurses, Doctor
All comment: So cute!!! BIG baby...........!!!!

2. Age: 8 days, Location: Home, Culprit: Malaysian Massage lady

Massage lady: She's a big baby, no?
After a pause..."hmm...big baby".
Massage lady (on observing the diaper being changed): She needs a bigger diaper.

3. Age: 3 weeks, Location: Doctor's clinic, Culprit: Doctor

Doctor: Oh.. she's so beautiful. You both are doing really well. I'm proud of you. She's putting on weight which is good. Some babies have a lot of problem and lose weight initially. So well done.
SM: Is she putting on too much weight?
Doctor: No, no. She's just fine. You're doing really well.

SM is wondering if we're doing too well since everyone seems to be commenting on how big Squiggles is.

4. Age: 4.5 weeks, Location: Doctor's clinic, Culprit: A Caucasian grandmother

We're sitting on the sofa waiting for our turn to see the doc. Caucasian grandma and Indian grandma start chatting.

Indian grandma: How old is your baby?
Caucasian grandma: 4 weeks. How old is yours?
Indian grandma: 5 weeks.

Caucasian grandma promptly turns away and starts talking to Caucasian mother in gibberish with frequent furtive glances at Squiggles. Clearly they are comparing their child to Squiggles and finding him sorely lacking. Squiggles is the clear winner (or not).

5. Age: 6 weeks, Location: Lift lobby, Culprit: Chinese Neighbour

Chinese Neighbour: What a lovely baby. How old is she?
Grandma (lying through her teeth and setting a bad example for Squiggles): 2 months
Chinese Neighbour: Oh! Big baby....

6. Age: 7 weeks, Location: Gym, Culprit: Mom's personal trainer

Personal trainer: Was that your daughter with the maid?
SM: Yes.
Personal trainer: She's about 2 months isn't it? She's quite a big baby.
SM: Yes (and starts pushing weights with more force).

7. Age: 8 weeks, Location: Doctor's clinic, Angel: Doctor

Grandma: Is she putting on too much weight?
Doctor: No, no.. she's fine.
Grandma (persists): How much weight should she have put on by now?
Doctor: About 800gms per 4 weeks and she's in that range.

SM starts calculating... Squiggles has put on 900gms in the last month and a month is a bit more than 4 weeks so... not bad. Phew!

But the saga continues.....

8. Age: 11 weeks, Location: Carrefour supermarket, Culprit: An old chinese man working as a security guard

Security guard shakes his head and smiles at baby. Then brings up his hand making up the sign for the number 4 and then number 5, enquiring how old Squiggles is.
SM (who has also learnt the art of lying by now): 3 months
Security guard nods head smilingly and walks away. SM is convinced he was referring to weeks and not months when enquiring about Squiggles's age.

9. Age 11 weeks, Location: Home, Culprit: SM

Excitedly she makes Squiggles try on this really pretty dress she bought from Chateau de Sable. She finds that the arms are too tight for Squiggles who has started howling by this point. Feeling like a miserable bitch she forces her arm through and realises there is no hope of her wearing this dress ever unless she alters it. Re-checking the label assures her that it's the right size - 3 to 6 months! The dress was exchanged for another sleeveless dress.

10. Age: 12 weeks, Location: Lift lobby, Culprit: Another neighbour

Neighbour: How old is she?
Indian grandma (hesitantly and after a 3 second pause)(lying has now become second nature): 4 months.
Neighbour smiles benevolently.

SM looks at her, waiting for the inevitable any minute. But no comment is forthcoming. There are 2 possibilities -
1. Squiggles is the appropriate size for a 4 month old.
2. Another neighbour is too polite to say anything.

Fervently praying that the first possibility is the case SM walks in to the lift.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

my princess is not gaining too much weight..she has a very mature looking face.. people are just jealous that their bachas don't look as intellectual. As per clothing not fitting her... have you seen how tall her father is? good gracious ! She needs meat on her bones otherwise she'll be a scrawny twig... lowe her pictures :) (and her cheeks)

david mcmahon said...

No, don't worry. Just enjoy your bubby. I am a father of three and my children are my life.

Unknown said...

aww...people will always have something nor the other to say...my mother was asked if I was an anorexic baby all thru my childhood!
Try not to worry to much..today its this tomorrow people will have something else to say...enjoy sqiggles!

Squiggles Mom said...

Masi poo - Thanks hon. I will try to remember that DD is tall!! And yes, I love her cheeks too. I keep kissing them all the time. They are irresistible.

David - Welcome! I will try to do the post on my fiat car fiasco soon :).

Random vignettes - I'm thinking it's better to be anorexic than big.. how sad is that. Don't worry I am enjoying her... I just wish I didn't have all these well meaning comments on her size, it's not like I'm stuffing her with chocolate!

Anusha said...

grrr- how annoying! with K, I was always at the other end of the spectrum...'oh!small baby'
are you all big boned ppl in the family?
and abt the weight, the minute she gets mobile, she'll start shedding pounds and you'll miss the roly-poliness.

Squiggles Mom said...

Kodi's mom - I don't think we're big boned.. she does have tall genes though. DD's quite tall. But she is roly poly and I love it :). And yes I will miss it.

Anonymous said...

Ah, these people. They'll find something to say either way. Maybe next time you should tell them you did feed her chocolates!
Enjoy those chubby cheeks :)

Maggie said...

Hey, she's being exclusively breastfed, right? There's absolutely NO way she can be putting on too much weight in that scenario. So just enjoy the fact that there's so much more of Squiggles to love! :-)

And on a totally different note - you have a personal trainer?!! Gawd! I must get off my fat lazy ass and do something....

Squiggles Mom said...

rbdans - Thanks... I'm quite liberal with my kisses :). I hope monster J doesn't turn up.

Moppet's Mom - Yeah, I'm her sole provider. I'm not stressed really, just a tiny bit miffed.
It's good to have a trainer... it means I'm on track for losing weight. You look absolutely fine in your pics.... I put on a mammoth 25 kgs and have only lost half of that. Hence, the need for help.

Just Like That said...

Am with Moppet- impossible to get overweight on your milk!And babies- the chubbier, the cuter. I honestly don't think Squiggles lookd FAT from her pics. She looks cutely all b-a-b-y!:-)

And you're in S'pore, right? Are people there smaller made than us?

Squiggles Mom said...

JLT - I love you........thank you :)))
Well the Chinese are small built compared to us Desis... so maybe that's why. Maybe we should move to the States...she will probably be classified as anorexic :).