When Akshu woke up this morning I realized that I only had one diaper left. We apparently were not able to refill the stock in time. So, Puja suggested that I take her out and get a pack from Duane Reade. I jumped on the idea and Akshu and I went for a half-hour walk this morning. The weather was gorgeous and we both had a great time. Akshu was in a great mood as she generally is when she wakes up in the morning. She is such a morning person and that is so great!

Puja had a work-related outing last night so I was responsible for taking care of Akshra after office. I was looking forward to it because this would force me to spend he kind of time with her that I rarely get a chance to. I reached home around 6.30 and took over from the babysitter who had just finished feeding her dinner. This is not usual for Akshra who generally takes her dinner around 7.30. However, Puja thought it would be best to let the babysitter feed her. This took a big task off my plate. However, I probably would've been OK at it. Akshra has this habit of not eating from a new feeder.

So, we played around for the new two hours. I took some pictures and a video which I will get around to processing later this weekend. I also got to do some work related to her invitations that I have been working on for what seems to be an age now. These are for the birthday party that we are hosting on the 8th of September.

Akshra is of course a darling and pretty much takes care of herself once you feed her. So, we both hung out and I helped her walk around the apartment which she is enjoying very much these days.

Around 8.15 I warmed some milk for her and changed her clothes into her nightsuit and we headed out for our evening walk. She in her stroller and me behind her. We went all the way to the exchange place path station and she started getting hungry and sleepy as we reached the station. I gave her the bottle and turned around. She was very sleepy and was having a hard time holding on to the bottle so I sat on one of the benches and helped her out. She drank what she usually does and feel in a deep sleep. I covered her stroller with mosquito net and headed back home.

Akshu made a real mess of our living room today. She pulled out all the DVDs from our entertainment unit and threw them all over the floor. She even opened some of the cases and took out the discs and rubbed them the right side on the floor before trying to eat them with her toothless gums. She also thew the magazines around taking special interest for the pretty National Geographic issues and showed utter lack of mercy for the shiny pages throwing them around, twisting them and pulling them apart.

Puja and I just watched and let her what she wanted to do. She was ecstatic and rejoicing her newfound freedom to move around. Even though she does not walk yet or crawl -- she moves around pretty much anywhere on her hunches with great alacrity.

We let her do what she wanted to. We don't want to stop her and scare her. We want her to feel free. Hopefully she only takes some advantage of this leniency.

Akshra is becoming such a joy now. She just turned 11 months a couple days back. She is moving around the house now somehow while sitting down. She bends her legs to the side and then somehow manages to propel herself forward. It is such a treat to watch.