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.