Apr 08 - recap

The past month has been eventful and I am guilty of not blogging about it. The main reason I started out blogging was to reflect back my thoughts on events and also to recollect back on events which otherwise might have been forgotten.
Before I forget about the events in Apr, I better make a written note about it.

My Birthday!!

Yep ... BP and cantaloupe celebrated my birthday in such a special way, I will remember it for many many years to come. BP worked till late night and when it was midnight, wished me right at midnight. Cantaloupe had asked her dad to be woken up too ... but BP dropped the idea since putting her back to sleep would be too much a task. Of course the first thing she did in the morning was wish me with a bright smile. I was not allowed to enter the kitchen ... while I relaxed on the rocker, I was served steaming hot milk. Yummy dosas with pickle completed the breakfast. The lunch was cooked and ready and BP left to work, promising to come back early and spend the evening with me. (he is usually home around 8:00pm)
For a week, I got suspecious that BP and Cantaloupe had planned / purchased some gift for me but never once did I get a clue of what it was. I kept thinking it was going to be an ipod or an iphone since we had talked about it a couple of days back. Anyways, breakfast done, BP leaving to work and Cantaloupe to school ... yet no sign of any gift. BP insisted he had not bought anything ... but I could not believe him. (not that he has surprised me with a gift every year... but this year, I somehow felt he was going to gift me. OK ... may be I wanted him to surprise me :))
Soon it was evening and BP came home a little later than promised, but much sooner than usual days. He handed over a packet to Cantaloupe and she promptly gave to me yelling surprise ... surprise. I opened the packet and it was a lovely Chocolate / icecream cake. Sure I was surprised with the nice cake ... but I guess I was expecting something else. My sister and BIL arrived around the same time. We enjoyed the delicious cake and headed out for dinner. My BIL wanted to get something checked on his new vehicle on the way. My sister said she was starving ... he promised it wasn't going to take more than 10 mins. So we went to the vehicle showroom. The sales attendant led us to the parking lot withing the building and then out of nowhere ... BP / Cantaloupe / Sister / BIL and the showroom staff start singing the birthday song while BP hands over the keys of our new Minivan ..... WOW !!! WHAT A SURPRISE !!! Not even in my wildest dreams would I have imagined this gift. Sure, BP and I had discussed about the minivan... narrowed our choice ... but getting it from him in this way was very very special .... It was a great feeling ... The sales guy went on and on about the features included in the van ... when I looked at him and said "The fact that we own this van is still sinking in ... more than half of what you are saying is not making sense to me !!!". I drove home the new vehicle and performed a small pooja and then we went out for dinner to a nice restaurant. Did I mention that the price of the vehivle was not disclosed to me till the next day ??? :))))

Community Event

April began with a bang with organising yet another community event. This time we organised a fun fair. The concept was new to the people ... the games were innovative ... the food was delicious and best part ... every one won something or the other. The event was organised with wide age group in mind. We had the following boothes: Riddle solving, Early bird special, Lucky dip, Mehendi, Face painting, Doll decoration (with supplies provided), Basket the ball, Dart, Bow and Arrow, Hoopla, Carrom, Rummy, Bingo .... The main attraction of the event was hot coffee counter :) It was such fun organising the event and the most rewarding was the crowd excitement on winning the prize. And guess what ... Cantaloupe won herself a coffee mug in the Hoopla and won the bumper Lucky Dip prize :)))

Cantaloupe's report:
This month was again rough with Cantaloupe refusing to sleep by herself. She sleeps for about 4 hrs and then if she doesn't find anyone around her, promptly comes to our room. This was the initial challenge as well ... and then she slept for a week or so through the night. Now she is back to her old habit. I really don't see an end to this soon.
The brushing challenge continues ... brushing at night is slightly easier than morning though.
She can read 3/4 letter words now (atleast straight forward ones)... is usually trying to read the signs / boards when we are driving. Holds the menu card in the restaurant as if she really knows what she is doing and tries to read it ... She is selected as the "Queen" in the skit the school kids will be enacting for the spring program.
She continues to go to her swim classes ... waking her and her dad early on saturday morning is proving to be big challenge. I hope we get a time change in the summer session... I can easily see a few classes being missed if we don't get a change.
BP is now so confident with her cycling that he has taken her to the nearby grocery / ATM / Library 0n her bicycle. (requires her to cross traffic signals)

Well... thats the summary of April. Looking forward to my mom visiting us next week. The next few months will be exciting :)