Sisterly love

Cantaloupe busy playing by herself when she is interrupted by Junior. (Junior thinks being part of Cantaloupe's game is her right and the right way to be part of akka's game is to take away all the toys akka has neatly arranged)

Fearing all her toys / books arranged, Cantaloupe yells at Junior "Go away ... I don't want to play with you"

Junior comes running back to me with tears in her eyes ... "Amma akka said go away ... I want to play with akka"

I talk to akka and request her to include Junior in her game.

Next moment " Go away"

"But akka, I love you ... I want to play with you"

enough to melt my darling older daughter's heart and the next moment, both are hugging each other and falling over all the toys and collectively making a mess :)


ps: We rarely talk to Junior in English ... its a different story with akka though. The entire conversation above happened in English and I was pleasantly surprised at how Junior is forming sentences in English already.

What is keeping me busy these days

Tangoes

Bought it as a gift for my daughter ... but who is using it the most? I'd say its a stiff competition between me and BP.
But someone is not complaining .... she is only to happy to create her own shapes and not bother to solve the shapes suggested on the puzzle cards.

Every time ..

my parents leave to India, it breaks my heart. Parents left yesterday ... after the flight delay drama, they left after lunch.
Had been so used to them staying with us for the past few months ... had no worries if I got held up at work... things seem to be magically taken care at home. (be it food, kids)
Thank you Daddy and amma for everything you have been doing for us.

After 9 days break at work ..

woke up today not in the best moods ... you know monday blues....
But Cantaloupe surprised me, by learning the family poem she was supposed to recite at school. (she had been postponing to learn the said poem for the past week ... all it took her was "focussed" 10 mins and she was ready)

So proud of you my baby !! You couldn't have pulled my spirits any better !

Field trip with Cantaloupe

I had volunteered for the field trip last week. The kids were first taken a Monarch butterfly garden and then they got to enjoy in the adjacent beach.

After a guided tour of the butterfly garden for about 90 mins, the tour guide asked, "Kids, how do you feel after seeing so many butterflies?"
Kid 1: Hungry
Kid 2: Tired
Kid 3: Sleepy
Kid 4: Happy (a smile on the guide's face)
Cantaloupe : Sad

Me : Uh ???
Cantaloupe: Because I want to be a butterfly ... I can fly around

This and that ...

Ever since I have read Zen Shorts ... Cantaloupe and I, both are relating every day events to the story.
No prizes for guessing the book she picked in the school library ... Zen Ties !!!!
Stillwater, you have found two loyalists here !!

In other news, nephew turned two ! The little fellow whom I nick named for his long head at birth is already two and plays pranks on me.

Junior hums ... sings to herself these days. And the sequence is set .. Polly put the kettle, Little Jack Horner, .... and finally I love you, you love me. (she is Not a Barney fan)

Cantaloupe started badminton classes ... for now extremely pleased with the patient coach. I know my girl likes playing badminton ... but easily gives up. She wants the easy way out ... tries couple of times and thinks she will master the sport in a week. I think these classes are a good beginning for her to learn patience and perseverance.

Debating about Abacus classes .... talked to her teacher at school. The teacher thinks its a good idea to enroll ... I am hesitant, more so because it is 2 hrs class at a stretch. I do know some of my cousins who have benefitted from these classes. (in India)

Oh yes ... Junior thinks she is a Chess champion !! And what does she do with chess pawns ... identifies all the pawns correctly, places the chess board in the right direction and neatly arranges all the pawns. (I am still confused on this part ... should the black square be to my right or left .. and the Queen ... where does she sit ???) Once she has accomplished this task of arranging all 32 pawns, she promptly packs them back.

Problem solving any one??

A camel needs to travel 3000 kms and transfer 3000 bananas.
Any given time, the maximum bananas the camel can carry is 1000
The camel needs to eat 1 banana for every km that it travels

What is the max bananas that the camel can transfer?