Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Cantaloupe reads her first book

I slept satisfied last night. My 4+ year old daughter read Dr.Suess Hop on Pop all by herself !!!! She completed all 64 pages of reading in straight 10 mins. When I hugged her and congratulated her on her feat, expression on her face was priceless. She was so satisfied with herself and offered to read another book by herself.
WOW I never realised that her focus level had improved from reading 10 pages to 64 pages in one go.* Way to go dear !!


* Cantaloupe has been reading for a while now, only it was for short periods. This was the first time she read a book completely.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Me ... my family

We were functioning like a well oiled machine these days. Our schedule was fixed and almost predictable. Then came the day light savings and we seem to have an extra hour to spend in the evenings. It feels great since we spend this extra hour in the park as a family. Earlier, I always felt left out since BP went to the park with the girls while I came home and prepared dinner and completed the daily chores before they got back. Then we all spent the time together. Now, I get to go to the park as well ... the girls love the presence of both their parents and I end up exercising without my knowledge.

I am seeing gradual shift in the girls loyalties ... earlier Junior stuck with me all the time now she is daddy's girl. BP swears it is only because she follows her source of food ... now that I have weaned her, she tries to get those biscuits from her dad. (of course mama doesn't give her any of those). Cantaloupe is becoming my little girl these days. She is slowly but surely understanding that doing her math and reading is a guaranteed shot of winning mama's heart. She tries to initially get away from reading, but stern look on my face ensures she doesn't get away.

I introduced Cantaloupe to word building game sometime back and she took instant liking to it. She insists on playing it atleast once a day. Initially she had to just identify the last letter and say a word ... slowly I am trying to get her to spell the word as well. She can now comfortably read beginner's books in the library. I have new regards to Dr.Suess books these days ... they are simple and boast the kids' confidence.

Junior is the darling of the house. Each one of us whether it is BP, Cantaloupe or me want a piece of her all the time. Wonder if her cheeks hurt with all the kisses poured on her from us. Poor thing, just squeaks when she is irritated and forgets it soon. She crawls in and around the house most of the time and is on the look out for any tiny piece of dirt she can stuff her mouth with. She particularly loves to tear paper and mess up the neatly stacked DVD/CDs. Her favorite passtime is to grab any toy that her sister is playing with and throw it in random direction. Perhaps her way of involving herself in her sister's games. ("Amma, Junior is disturbing me... amma Junior is throwing my teddy is a mantra I hear all the time) Cantaloupe sweetly advises her sister "Kuchi (only she is allowed to address Junior as Kuchi), you never throw the toys ... you are supposed to play with them. Kuchi why don't you play with your toys".

BP and I love to watch the girls play by themselves ... though we get this pleasure for only a few minutes before it abruptly ends with either Cantaloupe yelling out her mantra or junior finding more interesting things like a small piece of rubber to chew.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Thus, I became a mom ...

IHM tagged me to do this one... and relive my memory... thank you !

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
Yes.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
Yes (always wanted babies after marriage)

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
I am already pregnant ??? Didn't we decide just few days back, we were ready for babies ??? Why isn't BP showing all the Bollywood style reaction. (BP just hugged me and said Congratulations ... lets call up our parents)

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?
No way.

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
Well ... just old enough to have a baby :))

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
Good old home pregnancy test.

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
BP and I waited for the home pregnancy test results ... and couple of minutes later told our parents.

8. DUE DATE?
Cancerian ... though I think BP was hoping she'd be a Gemini

9. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
Nope.... sometimes wondered if I was pregnant at all.

10. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Ate almost everything ... specially liked Strawberries :)

11. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
I rarely got irritated ...

12. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?
A girl.

13. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
Not really ... but almost everyone had told me it was going to be a boy.

14. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
42 pounds ... I was huge !!!!!

15. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
Yes.... the very next day of my mom's arrival.

16. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
I knew about it ... what I didn't know was all the arrangements could be made in less than 24 hours and yet the event would turn just the way it should be.

17. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
Initially ... I had some spotting / bleeding. I was travelling when spotting started and I thought I had lost my baby... however BP was confident nothing was wrong. Was advised rest for few weeks ... and I was good as ever after that.

18. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
California

19. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
Four-Five hours.

20. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL/BIRTH CENTER?
BP.... we had to drive to the hospital at 2:30 am when my water broke ... BP kept blaberring something ... he was visibly nervous and so was my mom. I was cool as a cucumber :)


21. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
BP and the gynae team

22. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
C-Section

23. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
You bet.

24. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
7.4 pounds


25. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?
9: 42 am :)
The Doctor announced that the time was 9:42am when she pulled out my girl and I could hear the little one's cry loud and clear.

26. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN THE DOCTOR ANNOUNCED THE SEX OF THE BABY?
I was sedated ... was grinning, was overwhelmed ... could not react much.

27. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION ON SEEING THE BABY?
Overwhelmed ... before I could react, I almost fell asleep. I think I slept for almost 24 hours on and off.

28. DID YOU CRY?
Nope ... I slept :)

29. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Cantaloupe !

30. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY
She is a four and half.

My first pregnancy was such a lovely phase ... I got ample rest and pampered lot during those days. I miss being pregnant :(

I'd like to tag Usha, Tharini, Kodi's mom, CeeKay, Boo and Poppy... infact all mom's are welcome to take up this tag.
 

My circle of life with BP, Cantaloupe and Junior and much more | Desenvolvido por EMPORIUM DIGITAL