Today's conversation in the car while dropping Cantaloupe to school who was unusually dull
Me: Chinni, you are so dull today... what is the matter
She: Amma I am sad
Me (is she pretending again?): Hey ... you were just alright few minutes back ... what happened?
She: I want Ajji
Me: Ajji is in India
She: But why? Why can't she be here with us?
Me: She has to take care of ajja
She: Let chikki take care (chikki is my sister)
Me: Chikki stays here and has to take care of Chikkappa
She was silent for a few seconds and I could see she was sad ...
Me: Come on, cheer up ... I don't like my daughter to be sad ...
She: But amma ... Everybody has feelings ... I am sad. I really am feeling sad.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Junior gets her ears pierced
Finally ... I repeat finally we got Junior's ears pierced. She has lovely red stone / gold studs and they look great on her. (nevermind BP, who thinks she would have looked fabulous in those green stone ones) Her tiny ears with those tiny studs just make me start wondering when my earring collection will be attacked. They are already under threat from Cantaloupe, who has decided that the rings I am currently having on my ears are "Loaned" to me. She takes pride in that she has shared her earrings with me. The reason she thinks its hers is because I put them on her few months back, and she loved it and declared it was hers. I thought they were slightly big for her and said she could have them when she was old enough.
Anyways... coming back to Junior ... we had been pushing her ear piercing from the day she turned 2 months ... I think it was partly because we did not think it was our priority and mostly because I was too scared that my little baby would be hurt and that I could not bear to see her that way. With Cantaloupe, we got her ears pierced when she was 2.5 months and at that time, I was enthusiastic about the whole event. But this time, somehow I wasn't very sure. I have heard some people comment that baby looks all grown with earrings ... so I didn't want my baby to grow so fast :(
So after postponing the event for the past couple of months, we decided that the further we delayed it, the harder it would get to hold her while piercing. So off we went to the mall nearby. We went to the exact same place where Cantaloupe had got her ears pierced. The lady there was young and seemed efficient. (We watched her pierce for another client) We selected the studs from the available ones. I had loved a dark red set, but unfortunately those did not come with first time piercing ... so we settled for something close, a lighter shade of the same. BP sat down with Junior and Cantaloupe hovered around him trying to talk to Junior and explain the procedure to her. I had the camera and was capturing the proceedings. After a couple attempts the lady marked the spots for piercing on the ears ... by then Junior was getting anxious and did not want to be with BP and stretched and bended towards me. I didn't have any choice but to hold her in my arms for the piercing. I asked the lady which direction suited her best and held Junior firmly and closed my eyes tight. A second later I heard Junior shriek ... I knew why and did not dare to open my eyes ... few seconds later Junior did it again and I took the deep breadth and opened my eyes. My daughter was crying her lungs out and I think she was almost shocked that her mom did this to her. I tried to soothe her by distracting her with the kid store located opposite to the piercing place. Amazingly she calmed down in less than 2 minutes ... it took a couple of more minutes for me to be my normal self again. Sample popsicles were being offered at the corner. BP and I looked at our lovely girls in pride as they got busy with the popsicles.
Anyways... coming back to Junior ... we had been pushing her ear piercing from the day she turned 2 months ... I think it was partly because we did not think it was our priority and mostly because I was too scared that my little baby would be hurt and that I could not bear to see her that way. With Cantaloupe, we got her ears pierced when she was 2.5 months and at that time, I was enthusiastic about the whole event. But this time, somehow I wasn't very sure. I have heard some people comment that baby looks all grown with earrings ... so I didn't want my baby to grow so fast :(
So after postponing the event for the past couple of months, we decided that the further we delayed it, the harder it would get to hold her while piercing. So off we went to the mall nearby. We went to the exact same place where Cantaloupe had got her ears pierced. The lady there was young and seemed efficient. (We watched her pierce for another client) We selected the studs from the available ones. I had loved a dark red set, but unfortunately those did not come with first time piercing ... so we settled for something close, a lighter shade of the same. BP sat down with Junior and Cantaloupe hovered around him trying to talk to Junior and explain the procedure to her. I had the camera and was capturing the proceedings. After a couple attempts the lady marked the spots for piercing on the ears ... by then Junior was getting anxious and did not want to be with BP and stretched and bended towards me. I didn't have any choice but to hold her in my arms for the piercing. I asked the lady which direction suited her best and held Junior firmly and closed my eyes tight. A second later I heard Junior shriek ... I knew why and did not dare to open my eyes ... few seconds later Junior did it again and I took the deep breadth and opened my eyes. My daughter was crying her lungs out and I think she was almost shocked that her mom did this to her. I tried to soothe her by distracting her with the kid store located opposite to the piercing place. Amazingly she calmed down in less than 2 minutes ... it took a couple of more minutes for me to be my normal self again. Sample popsicles were being offered at the corner. BP and I looked at our lovely girls in pride as they got busy with the popsicles.
Friday, January 16, 2009
2009 - New Sankrathi beginnings
This time Sankranthi was special in more than one ways.
First and the foremost, it was the first Sankrathi for Junior. Though she may not understand anything much going around her, it was special for me. I say me, because BP is not the kind of person, who holds very high significance to festivals. He is the kind of person, who will be happy if I celebrate a particular festival and will certainly not care if I didn't. So the whole idea of celebrating anything is solely lies with me. And I am a person who rarely misses an opportunity to celebrate .... it makes it hard when festivals fall on weekdays. This year Makar Sankrathi was on a wednesday ... right in the middle of the week.
For some reason I had imagined the festival to be on thursday. So, it came as a surprise when amma told me on tuesday that the festival was on wednesday. I had prepared the "Sakkare Achchu" (sugar candies) over the weekend. But the yellu prepration was still pending. The yellu we prepare basically requires yellu (til ...of course), roasted peanuts, finely cut copra, finely cut jaggary, and roasted chana dal. While I was busy mixing the rest items, BP quietly helped me with the copra (dry coconut). That was a surprise # 1. I had not seen this involvement from him in the past ... so I was only too happy to accept his help.
The day of Sankrathi started as usual with BP and I rushing to office and kids going to their school / day care. I had an unusually long day at work and came home late. Now I had to cook as well go to friends' places to distribute the "Yellu". (this is an integral part of Sankranthi). I was rushing through the cooking in the kitchen when I noticed that BP was readying the kids for the distribution ... I was pleased by the gesture. But knowing his choice of clothes for the girls, thanked him for the sweet gesture and dressed the girls myself. Then came the biggest surprise ... BP got ready himself and said "Girls ... lets go and distribute Yellu to your friends".
I was totally dumbstruck ... BP offering to take the kids out meant atleast an hour for my cooking !!!! I was so touched by this at that moment, all I did was just kiss BP on his forehead. He was happy, I had appreciated his gesture. Off the girls went with their dad for the distribution, while I completed cooking and cleaning before they were back.
My BIL joined us for dinner and we had a great time together.
Growing up, my dad always took my sister and me out for the Yellu distribution. I had seen several dads take that initiative in my neighborhood ... so I had kind of taken this fact for granted that dads take their kids out. But after I got married, I was in for surprise when BP made his choice clear and did not want to be dragged into this. He did not infact insist on me going out either. I was going for the distribution only because I wanted to. This year, I am pleasantly surprised with the change in BP. THANK YOU HONEY !! I know you are doing this only with the intention of making me happy ... Thank you !
First and the foremost, it was the first Sankrathi for Junior. Though she may not understand anything much going around her, it was special for me. I say me, because BP is not the kind of person, who holds very high significance to festivals. He is the kind of person, who will be happy if I celebrate a particular festival and will certainly not care if I didn't. So the whole idea of celebrating anything is solely lies with me. And I am a person who rarely misses an opportunity to celebrate .... it makes it hard when festivals fall on weekdays. This year Makar Sankrathi was on a wednesday ... right in the middle of the week.
For some reason I had imagined the festival to be on thursday. So, it came as a surprise when amma told me on tuesday that the festival was on wednesday. I had prepared the "Sakkare Achchu" (sugar candies) over the weekend. But the yellu prepration was still pending. The yellu we prepare basically requires yellu (til ...of course), roasted peanuts, finely cut copra, finely cut jaggary, and roasted chana dal. While I was busy mixing the rest items, BP quietly helped me with the copra (dry coconut). That was a surprise # 1. I had not seen this involvement from him in the past ... so I was only too happy to accept his help.
The day of Sankrathi started as usual with BP and I rushing to office and kids going to their school / day care. I had an unusually long day at work and came home late. Now I had to cook as well go to friends' places to distribute the "Yellu". (this is an integral part of Sankranthi). I was rushing through the cooking in the kitchen when I noticed that BP was readying the kids for the distribution ... I was pleased by the gesture. But knowing his choice of clothes for the girls, thanked him for the sweet gesture and dressed the girls myself. Then came the biggest surprise ... BP got ready himself and said "Girls ... lets go and distribute Yellu to your friends".
I was totally dumbstruck ... BP offering to take the kids out meant atleast an hour for my cooking !!!! I was so touched by this at that moment, all I did was just kiss BP on his forehead. He was happy, I had appreciated his gesture. Off the girls went with their dad for the distribution, while I completed cooking and cleaning before they were back.
My BIL joined us for dinner and we had a great time together.
Growing up, my dad always took my sister and me out for the Yellu distribution. I had seen several dads take that initiative in my neighborhood ... so I had kind of taken this fact for granted that dads take their kids out. But after I got married, I was in for surprise when BP made his choice clear and did not want to be dragged into this. He did not infact insist on me going out either. I was going for the distribution only because I wanted to. This year, I am pleasantly surprised with the change in BP. THANK YOU HONEY !! I know you are doing this only with the intention of making me happy ... Thank you !
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Happy Sankranthi
HAPPY MAKAR SANKRANTHI / PONGAL !!
Enjoy your hot pongal / sugarcane / sugar candy (sakkare Achchu) / Yellu (til) !!!
Enjoy your hot pongal / sugarcane / sugar candy (sakkare Achchu) / Yellu (til) !!!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Junior starts day care
2009 has already changed a lot of things in our household. For one, Junior began her day care last week. My mom took care of her till such time when I went to work. Mom left over the weekend and Junior started day care.
Junior being a shy kid with a lot of stranger anxiety, is not doing great yet. My cousin who stays close to my office, runs a home day care and she goes there. The first day was hard on Junior and us ... the moment she saw my cousin, she started crying loudly ... I sat there for sometime and she stuck with me all the time and did not even look at my cousin. We had taken her swing and some toys, so she could be in some familiar settings ... so I slowly put her on the swing. After few minutes she calmed down and fell asleep ... and I left to work. I went there during lunch break just to see how she was doing. She was not very happy ... but she wasn't crying either. The moment she saw me, she started yelling out ... and 4 seconds delay that I made in carrying her, she started crying. I tried to divert her attention in all possible ways I knew ... but she continued to cry. After few minutes, she spotted the keys in my hand and wanted it. So gave it to her and made her sit beside me. My cousin went in and came back with another set of keys. So we gave her those and I took back mine and slowly slipped away from her sight. Called my cousin to enquire how Junior was doing. She mentioned that she was not doing bad on her first day. BP picked her up a little later.
There has been no change in events for the past week. She now smiles at my cousin, but only in my presence.
I know that my cousin is good with kids and has loads of patience, very much an essential when dealing with the kids. But there are a few negatives ... firstly, there are no other kids there yet. My cousin had taken a break from running the day for her daughter's wedding and has reopened the day care last week. So far Junior is the only kid there. That is an advantage as well, since that would mean 100% attentin for Junior. But on the downside, Junior loves to be in the company of kids, which she is not getting at the moment.
Another thing that I am unhappy about is, my cousin puts her to sleep for long times. She doesn't need so much sleep during the day. My cousin thinks that if she is awake, she might cry, so its better to put her to sleep. While I agree Junior obviously needs sleep during the day, but she can do with small naps.
We will see how she does in the coming days ...
Junior being a shy kid with a lot of stranger anxiety, is not doing great yet. My cousin who stays close to my office, runs a home day care and she goes there. The first day was hard on Junior and us ... the moment she saw my cousin, she started crying loudly ... I sat there for sometime and she stuck with me all the time and did not even look at my cousin. We had taken her swing and some toys, so she could be in some familiar settings ... so I slowly put her on the swing. After few minutes she calmed down and fell asleep ... and I left to work. I went there during lunch break just to see how she was doing. She was not very happy ... but she wasn't crying either. The moment she saw me, she started yelling out ... and 4 seconds delay that I made in carrying her, she started crying. I tried to divert her attention in all possible ways I knew ... but she continued to cry. After few minutes, she spotted the keys in my hand and wanted it. So gave it to her and made her sit beside me. My cousin went in and came back with another set of keys. So we gave her those and I took back mine and slowly slipped away from her sight. Called my cousin to enquire how Junior was doing. She mentioned that she was not doing bad on her first day. BP picked her up a little later.
There has been no change in events for the past week. She now smiles at my cousin, but only in my presence.
I know that my cousin is good with kids and has loads of patience, very much an essential when dealing with the kids. But there are a few negatives ... firstly, there are no other kids there yet. My cousin had taken a break from running the day for her daughter's wedding and has reopened the day care last week. So far Junior is the only kid there. That is an advantage as well, since that would mean 100% attentin for Junior. But on the downside, Junior loves to be in the company of kids, which she is not getting at the moment.
Another thing that I am unhappy about is, my cousin puts her to sleep for long times. She doesn't need so much sleep during the day. My cousin thinks that if she is awake, she might cry, so its better to put her to sleep. While I agree Junior obviously needs sleep during the day, but she can do with small naps.
We will see how she does in the coming days ...
Friday, January 9, 2009
Yaadoin ke geet
I love music ... I can listen to any kind of Indian music ... be it Carnatic Classical, Folk Music, Movie songs, light music, Devotional .... any type. For the most part of my stay in India, I always thought Western music meant loud drums, noisy guitars and songs with no concept of pitch. It was sheer ignorance on my part ... I really cannot understand why this idea got into me ... but it did ... and for quite sometime. When I moved to a different city from my hometown, I lived with my uncle and family. My cousins there always listened to Western or bollywood. Initially I felt being robbed of all my serene moments with Carnatic classical ... but soon I began to appreciate other types of music too. Anyways ... Music is an essential part of me. I am likely to be singing / humming something many times a day.
I also love to associate music with people. There are a lot of songs which remind me of a person and I relive moments spent with them during the course of the songs. Sometimes, they are pure magical moments ... other moments are not so pleasant. So, I'd like to list down the songs I associate people with ... mind you, they may not be the best songs, but they had an impact on me.
1. Minchu Hula, Minchadiru - My landing day in the US spent with my dear husband BP as a new bride
2. Deena Na Bandiruve - My dad ... even when I am typing this, I recollect moments spent with my dad ... I just long to run back to Mysore and spend time with him.
3. Kajra re - Cantaloupe - I remember this incident when I was listening to Jaane Kahaan Gaye woh din. The sad song that this is, Cantaloupe who was 2 then was crying profusely (for no other reason other than listening to the song which she obviously did not understand). Seeing her cry, I switched the song to Kajra re and instantly she started jumping with joy and danced almost perfectly to the beats :)
4. Doni Saagali Munde Hogali - My aunt and uncle. We were visiting them one summer and my uncle enthusiastically played the recorded duet he and my aunt had sung. My aunt had sung the song so perfectly in contrast to the below average singing of my uncle. None the less, the romance was definitely there in their singing :)
5. John Jonny Janardhan: The song my mama sang in his honeymoon. (did get to hear it ... but he repeated it for us once he came back from honeymoon)
6. Ek Pal ka Jeena: My cousin Y dancing to this song. He must have been 10 and was very shy. His mother, who was trying to build his confidence and encourage him asked him to dance to this song. (My cousin has a good resemblance to Hritik, minus those muscles) His dance was awful, but we couldn't laugh since that would insult him. So we waited for him to leave to his house and burst out :)
7. Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya: Those were the days my best friend and I were spending hours together on the office terrace, We'd talk to our heart's content with our respective guys and then order Pizza and endlessly talk. We sang this song almost everyday. (I hope my friend remembers)
8. Tera Milna pal do Pal ka (sonu nigam): I gifted this album to my sister with my 3rd month salary. She loved it and would keep playing it ... so this song reminds of the time, I used to religiously visit my hometown every week and just relax and catch up with amma, daddy and sister.
9. Laali Laali Sukumaara: My cousin R. She used to sing this song so beautifully when she was 3/4. It also reminds me of her mom, who passed away very very early. (when my cousin was 3/4)
10.Oduva Nadi Saagarava: My MOM: A lovely romantic song, which my mom never fails to sings with such enthusiasm.
I could go on and on with the list .... but let me stop here.
Do specific songs bring back your old memories as well ... I'd love to hear them.
I also love to associate music with people. There are a lot of songs which remind me of a person and I relive moments spent with them during the course of the songs. Sometimes, they are pure magical moments ... other moments are not so pleasant. So, I'd like to list down the songs I associate people with ... mind you, they may not be the best songs, but they had an impact on me.
1. Minchu Hula, Minchadiru - My landing day in the US spent with my dear husband BP as a new bride
2. Deena Na Bandiruve - My dad ... even when I am typing this, I recollect moments spent with my dad ... I just long to run back to Mysore and spend time with him.
3. Kajra re - Cantaloupe - I remember this incident when I was listening to Jaane Kahaan Gaye woh din. The sad song that this is, Cantaloupe who was 2 then was crying profusely (for no other reason other than listening to the song which she obviously did not understand). Seeing her cry, I switched the song to Kajra re and instantly she started jumping with joy and danced almost perfectly to the beats :)
4. Doni Saagali Munde Hogali - My aunt and uncle. We were visiting them one summer and my uncle enthusiastically played the recorded duet he and my aunt had sung. My aunt had sung the song so perfectly in contrast to the below average singing of my uncle. None the less, the romance was definitely there in their singing :)
5. John Jonny Janardhan: The song my mama sang in his honeymoon. (did get to hear it ... but he repeated it for us once he came back from honeymoon)
6. Ek Pal ka Jeena: My cousin Y dancing to this song. He must have been 10 and was very shy. His mother, who was trying to build his confidence and encourage him asked him to dance to this song. (My cousin has a good resemblance to Hritik, minus those muscles) His dance was awful, but we couldn't laugh since that would insult him. So we waited for him to leave to his house and burst out :)
7. Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya: Those were the days my best friend and I were spending hours together on the office terrace, We'd talk to our heart's content with our respective guys and then order Pizza and endlessly talk. We sang this song almost everyday. (I hope my friend remembers)
8. Tera Milna pal do Pal ka (sonu nigam): I gifted this album to my sister with my 3rd month salary. She loved it and would keep playing it ... so this song reminds of the time, I used to religiously visit my hometown every week and just relax and catch up with amma, daddy and sister.
9. Laali Laali Sukumaara: My cousin R. She used to sing this song so beautifully when she was 3/4. It also reminds me of her mom, who passed away very very early. (when my cousin was 3/4)
10.Oduva Nadi Saagarava: My MOM: A lovely romantic song, which my mom never fails to sings with such enthusiasm.
I could go on and on with the list .... but let me stop here.
Do specific songs bring back your old memories as well ... I'd love to hear them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)