222 days remaining.

I think I sort of understand how difficult my life is going to become in 222 days. However, I am still pretty excited about it for some strange reason. I guess that evolution is playing tricks on me.

We went to the doctor the other day and yes, Puja is pregnant! We've known it between ourselves from the 2nd of January but somehow we kept it from even ourselves, or at least tried. Well, holy cow! Another child!? Seems crazy! It hardly seems like we've quite learned to accept our situation with Akshra. I mean she is great and all but we'vecompletely and totally lost our lives and we are still struggling to come to terms with it and now we have to think about what it would be to have two children to deal with on a day to day basis. Yes, it is very stressful to think about it. At the same time -- it is incredibly exciting. I am sure this one is going to be less hard on us and also it will give Akshra a different perspective on life.

Puja on the other hand, is really really struggling. She is finding this pregnancy an order of magnitude more challenging and difficult than the first one. She is suffering from all the issues one can think of -- body aches, morning sickness, heartache, acidity, depression, stress and just plain old fear. She is really very worried and doesn't quite know what to do about it.

I feel for her. Her last pregnancy was so good that this feels even more difficult to her. Also the fact that we have Akshra to deal with at this time makes it so much the harder for us.

On Akshra, I just look at her and feel sad -- because she will lose this status of being the 'princess' of the house so suddenly and she will have to share it with another human being -- one that will certainly receive more attention, if not more love, at least in the early years. It breaks my heart. However, on the other hand -- she will win a life-long admirer -- who will love her, worship her and look up to her forever. It is a beautiful thing!

It is 224 more days to go.

Back from Puerto Rico late Sunday night. Akshra is probably the only one of the three of us that had fun! I guess kids figure out a way to have fun everywhere. It was also her first time at the beach -- which went rather well on day 1 but the water was a bit too cold for her on day 2.

Also, she ate well -- we took a laptop and some movies and we got a microwave in the room so we were able to make oatmeal and pasta -- which she would eat watching the movies.

She also slept quite well.

Akshra is (hardly) sleeping on her own bed now. The other night -- she called me on her bed and then every attempt I made to go back she kept saying -- papa, aap so jao yahan pe  - showing me my side of the bed.

Akshra woke up and slept in my lap for 15 minutes yesterday. It is hard to believe how important these small things become for you.

So we've finally done what we should've done several months or years ago. We've given Akshra the big room and we've moved into the smaller children's room. Akshra clearly needs more space and has more stuff. Also, her room now is attached to the living room which makes so much more sense. Puja is really good in thinking of and pushing these things through. I would just have wonderd and wondered and never actually done anything.

The flip side is that for the time being she is sleeping in the study which prevents me from using the Mac in the morning and the nights but I guess its OK until we teach her to sleep alone in her own room.

She already is in a different room and that has generally worked well. She is sleeping more and certainly more soundly. Good for her (and us.)

Akshra's new thing to get attention in the middle of the night is -- I've gone potty! -- and she knows that gets attention like nothing else. The little devil.

So another sleep training for Akshra last night. No, not quite in her room yet, but still trying to make her sleep on her own bed - alone, on her own. So, she woke up around 2am last night and wanted Puja to sleep with her on her bed. Puja tried to reason with her and tried to put her back but she got very angry at that and starting crying and the crying became wailing. Puja tried for a long time and it eventually worked at about 3am. Akshra was in her bed alone and sleeping soundly -- snoring hugely, actually :-)

I could not sleep though. At all after that. It was just frustrating.

How amazing and how adorably crazy Akshra is these days. Every day is a new story of new mischief and new moods. She is getting more hard to believe every day. Her whole act yesterday with Ravindra when she was trying to speak to him in English is probably one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. I no understand, zoom zoom, do you want kkake?? with a very british accent and adding 'zoom, zoom' after every few words. It was just too hard to even believe. I will put a video of that on this blog.