I found this tag here very sweet ... it reminded me of my days as a young bride and the non stop questioning of those aunties around. I wanted to take up the tag ... Then when I hoped over here ... and I decided I'd give it a shot anyways though I wasn't confident.
So here goes ....
Something in his(BP) email clicked
And thats how we got hitched
Today when I look at the same mail I wonder
What was it that made me surrender ...
It worked ... and already nine years have ticked
Friday, October 23, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Junior Updates
My darling Junior turns 17 months tomorrow ... yep 17 months already ... and I have barely 7 posts about her developmental updates. Hmm ...
She loves her family .. that is her sister, dad and mom and can express her love in action as well ... she comes around looking for us calling out akka .. appa... amma in the cutest voice and hugs us so warmly and starts patting us on our back. She might even plant a kiss if we are lucky. I hope she continues to express her feeling similarly for many years to come.
Her akka is her ultimate guru .... if akka dances, she begins to jump up and down ... err. ... dance. If akka does a somersault, (palti) so does she. Akka picks a book and a pencil, madam immediately demands she be given the same and it better be the same color akka has.
Just 3 night back, both girls were sleeping in their room when I heard a small wail coming out .... I slowly walked up to their room to see Junior awake. Most days I would have carried her and helped her fall asleep ... that night I didn't. I just paused and observed and what to I see. Junior looks at her sister sleeping next to her and calmly settles beside akka, hugging her. She is all secure and falls asleep. I was at peace at that moment ... I just stood there for almost 5 minutes too much consumed by the love I saw. I will never forget this incident ever ...
Just when I thought I had seen the best of sibling moment, another incident happened. This was when we came back from day care on friday. I had picked up grocery and was unloading the same from car. The kids got down from the car .... Cantaloupe carried her school bag and extended her hand for Junior. The little girl confidently grabbed the extended hand and started walking towards our house. We have about 30 stairs to climb before we reach our house I have carried Junior 90% of the time ... the rest of the times I have supervised her as she has climbed the steps. But that day ... she just confidently held her sister's hand and Cantaloupe patiently helped her sister climb up the stairs. In between while climbing, Junior would turn back and grin, almost challenging me to go ahead of her ... Once she climbed all the steps and reached our main door, I could see the sense of achievement in her eyes.
Junior now recognises some colors .. blue, purple, green, yellow, red ... loves to cuddle beside me while I read for her ... enjoys the music any time / all the time ... (she demands music be turned on by saying "Daddy daddy cool" :D)
Her vocabulary has improved a lot over the past few weeks ... most definitely communicates what she wants ... be it demanding her blanket which she calls "Talkie" (for blankie) .. or Toota (for water)... TeeVee (for TV) ... Nana (Snana or bath) .... Dapeeeeeer (Diaper) .. so on and so forth. For words she identifies but cannot spell out she uses a common sound "Thadaa".
She is the darling of our family currently and I hope she continues to be so.
She loves her family .. that is her sister, dad and mom and can express her love in action as well ... she comes around looking for us calling out akka .. appa... amma in the cutest voice and hugs us so warmly and starts patting us on our back. She might even plant a kiss if we are lucky. I hope she continues to express her feeling similarly for many years to come.
Her akka is her ultimate guru .... if akka dances, she begins to jump up and down ... err. ... dance. If akka does a somersault, (palti) so does she. Akka picks a book and a pencil, madam immediately demands she be given the same and it better be the same color akka has.
Just 3 night back, both girls were sleeping in their room when I heard a small wail coming out .... I slowly walked up to their room to see Junior awake. Most days I would have carried her and helped her fall asleep ... that night I didn't. I just paused and observed and what to I see. Junior looks at her sister sleeping next to her and calmly settles beside akka, hugging her. She is all secure and falls asleep. I was at peace at that moment ... I just stood there for almost 5 minutes too much consumed by the love I saw. I will never forget this incident ever ...
Just when I thought I had seen the best of sibling moment, another incident happened. This was when we came back from day care on friday. I had picked up grocery and was unloading the same from car. The kids got down from the car .... Cantaloupe carried her school bag and extended her hand for Junior. The little girl confidently grabbed the extended hand and started walking towards our house. We have about 30 stairs to climb before we reach our house I have carried Junior 90% of the time ... the rest of the times I have supervised her as she has climbed the steps. But that day ... she just confidently held her sister's hand and Cantaloupe patiently helped her sister climb up the stairs. In between while climbing, Junior would turn back and grin, almost challenging me to go ahead of her ... Once she climbed all the steps and reached our main door, I could see the sense of achievement in her eyes.
Junior now recognises some colors .. blue, purple, green, yellow, red ... loves to cuddle beside me while I read for her ... enjoys the music any time / all the time ... (she demands music be turned on by saying "Daddy daddy cool" :D)
Her vocabulary has improved a lot over the past few weeks ... most definitely communicates what she wants ... be it demanding her blanket which she calls "Talkie" (for blankie) .. or Toota (for water)... TeeVee (for TV) ... Nana (Snana or bath) .... Dapeeeeeer (Diaper) .. so on and so forth. For words she identifies but cannot spell out she uses a common sound "Thadaa".
She is the darling of our family currently and I hope she continues to be so.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Palkova - Continued recipe ...
Continued from here.
The family reached the temple bright and early. Amma called out the three names for archanam when Ravi added Anjali from behind. Puzzled amma looked over Ravi's shoulder to see a gorgeous young lady in saree. Memories of the past gushed amma's thoughts and she stood there still. The tension in the air was thick.
UPDATE: Continued here.
The family reached the temple bright and early. Amma called out the three names for archanam when Ravi added Anjali from behind. Puzzled amma looked over Ravi's shoulder to see a gorgeous young lady in saree. Memories of the past gushed amma's thoughts and she stood there still. The tension in the air was thick.
UPDATE: Continued here.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
When was the last time you relived your childhood?
Remember those carefree days as child when you jumped and splashed rain water .... you wore Hawaii chappals and walked without worrying about the annoying sounds it made while walking ... getting all soaked in the beach not worrying about your clothes getting wet or your body being exposed .... building sand castles for hours together and breaking them in minutes ... slurping on those lollies (popsicles) ...
Well I got a chance to re-live one of those moments last weekends. We were invited to a birthday party at this place.
Both the girls were excited from the get go. Cantaloupe wished the birthday boy and didn't waste any time in climbing one of those inflatables. Not to be left behind our Junior ran behind her sister ... but obviously couldn't climb up those inflatables and yelled out for her dad. I was exchanging pleasantries with the hostess and what do I see when I turn back ... 2 girls and their dad bouncing up and down in style. They then moved on to those giant slides. Without a hint of hesitation all 3 spent almost 30 mins on the slides ... when BP realised that there was another person who had accompanied him to the party .. ME !
He came towards me sweating because of all the jumping and urged me to try on the giant slide ... I was ill prepared for this kind of party ... had worn a skirt and refused his offer. But there was only so much I could contain myself. There was another mini slide beside and I just HAD to experience the thrill. I went in those inflatable dens (is that what they are called) and climbed up the stairs which I must admit was a daunting task given the wobbly surface and my long skirt and came down the slide .... AWESOME experience I tell you. I bounced up and down as if there was no tomorrow with my girls until my legs hurt. Actually No ... until it was time to cut the cake.
It had almost been ages since I felt so liberated doing such a simple task as jumping and going down a slide.
When was the last time you relived your childhood moments?
Well I got a chance to re-live one of those moments last weekends. We were invited to a birthday party at this place.
Both the girls were excited from the get go. Cantaloupe wished the birthday boy and didn't waste any time in climbing one of those inflatables. Not to be left behind our Junior ran behind her sister ... but obviously couldn't climb up those inflatables and yelled out for her dad. I was exchanging pleasantries with the hostess and what do I see when I turn back ... 2 girls and their dad bouncing up and down in style. They then moved on to those giant slides. Without a hint of hesitation all 3 spent almost 30 mins on the slides ... when BP realised that there was another person who had accompanied him to the party .. ME !
He came towards me sweating because of all the jumping and urged me to try on the giant slide ... I was ill prepared for this kind of party ... had worn a skirt and refused his offer. But there was only so much I could contain myself. There was another mini slide beside and I just HAD to experience the thrill. I went in those inflatable dens (is that what they are called) and climbed up the stairs which I must admit was a daunting task given the wobbly surface and my long skirt and came down the slide .... AWESOME experience I tell you. I bounced up and down as if there was no tomorrow with my girls until my legs hurt. Actually No ... until it was time to cut the cake.
It had almost been ages since I felt so liberated doing such a simple task as jumping and going down a slide.
When was the last time you relived your childhood moments?
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Morning Madness
I have started cooking in the morning ... and dishes are done at night.
But its not the cooking that takes time ... the dabba packing is really making me go mad.
I have to pack 5 dabbas
* One for BP and it HAS to be chapati and curry (one silver foil and one dabba for curry)
* One dabba for Cantaloupes' school lunch (sometimes its chapati and curry for her)
* One lunch box for Junior and one extra box with Yogurt.
* Snacks for both Junior and Cantaloupe which includes mostly fruits and a dabba with the day's breakfast (upma, idli, etc)
* One lunch dabba for self
Along with the above, I have to keep aside fruits for self and BP. I prefer apples, oranges most days since except for washing I don't have to do anything extra ... but then BP ends up buying mangoes, melons and I hate to see them go bad and have to cut these and put them in boxes as well.
By the time I step out of the house, I have another dabba of breakfast in my hand since I wouldn't have the time to eat it at home.
So what gets you mad ? Is it the cooking, doing the dishes or something else ...
But its not the cooking that takes time ... the dabba packing is really making me go mad.
I have to pack 5 dabbas
* One for BP and it HAS to be chapati and curry (one silver foil and one dabba for curry)
* One dabba for Cantaloupes' school lunch (sometimes its chapati and curry for her)
* One lunch box for Junior and one extra box with Yogurt.
* Snacks for both Junior and Cantaloupe which includes mostly fruits and a dabba with the day's breakfast (upma, idli, etc)
* One lunch dabba for self
Along with the above, I have to keep aside fruits for self and BP. I prefer apples, oranges most days since except for washing I don't have to do anything extra ... but then BP ends up buying mangoes, melons and I hate to see them go bad and have to cut these and put them in boxes as well.
By the time I step out of the house, I have another dabba of breakfast in my hand since I wouldn't have the time to eat it at home.
So what gets you mad ? Is it the cooking, doing the dishes or something else ...
Thursday, September 24, 2009
How do parents nurture their kids interests
I was reading Tharini's post on her decision to not put her son to Kumon classes and this set off a chain of thoughts in my mind. (the post below may appear random ... but thats just depicting the right state of my mind - Confused)
Cantaloupe is growing and is growing fast. I believe each individual is talented... some of them are lucky to recognise their potential and other's are not so lucky. And as a parent I think it is my responsibility to identify her talent and harness it.
I have always loved music and I wonder when my parents recognised this passion of mine. My mother being a trained classical singer herself taught me the basics of carnatic music until Varna after which I started taking music classes from a renowned teacher in our city. I remember starting my music lessons from my teacher when I was about 10. I started my dance lessons around the same time as well ... I enjoyed learning Bharatnatyam for the next few years and sometime during my board exams I found it difficult to cope with dance / music classes and studies and I quit dance. I continued learning music until I started working in a different city.
What should I do with Cantaloupe? She is just 5 now and I know she cannot tell me with certainty what she likes. She is most likely to be influenced by her friends. If a friend A goes to a certain class ... she for sure wants to go there. Its not the class that draws her interest ... but the friend's company. Cantaloupe has been taking her swim classes for almost 2 years now ... and she seems to enjoy it. Swimming as I see is more a requirement than anything else these days. I regret not learnt swimming for the silly reason of having to put on swimsuit. (I still cannot be persuaded to wear one)
Cantaloupe was enrolled in Ballet classes when she was 3 ... she was very young and we were naive. She didn't enjoy those classes as much and we discontinued and lost the money the we had paid. This summer, Cantaloupe attended Gymnastics. She says she loves it ... she was pretty good in her classes. We sent her to the community class ... but clearly if she wants to pursuit Gymnastics seriously we need to enroll her for some serious classes. But these classes are expensive ... I don't mind spending on these classes if she is really interested and continues to have improvise/ enjoy. But if she doesn't it seems like a total waste of money.
Any academic classes like Kumon I have decided she will not go - I enjoy teaching her. It gives me that extra time with her and I can afford it at this time. When I am not able to provide her the required assistance I may consider these classes later.
BP will be particularly pleased if she is enrolled in Badminton or Tennis classes. Again private lessons are expensive ... and she is not showing any particular inclination to these sports. But then what if she hasn't realised her potential ... I know kids at this age require some nudging before they realise their potential. She may really start enjoying these sports ...
Classical music, I would have loved her to learn ... but she isn't showing much interest in that front. She seems to be more interested in fast paced / rhythmic music be it bollywood, regional folk songs, classical. I know she likes dancing ... but dance lessons are offered for 6+ in some classes that I enquired around. She is interested in coloring ... but she is not very good with paint. (I know I know ... she is only 5) ... would arts and craft classes be good for her - I don't know :(
Some people around tell me, unless parents experiment on various options, there is no way to identify the kids interest ... some others tell me she is too young for anything. May be I should wait for atleast a year or two.
I am confused ... I wish I knew what she is good at so I could nurture her interests.
Cantaloupe is growing and is growing fast. I believe each individual is talented... some of them are lucky to recognise their potential and other's are not so lucky. And as a parent I think it is my responsibility to identify her talent and harness it.
I have always loved music and I wonder when my parents recognised this passion of mine. My mother being a trained classical singer herself taught me the basics of carnatic music until Varna after which I started taking music classes from a renowned teacher in our city. I remember starting my music lessons from my teacher when I was about 10. I started my dance lessons around the same time as well ... I enjoyed learning Bharatnatyam for the next few years and sometime during my board exams I found it difficult to cope with dance / music classes and studies and I quit dance. I continued learning music until I started working in a different city.
What should I do with Cantaloupe? She is just 5 now and I know she cannot tell me with certainty what she likes. She is most likely to be influenced by her friends. If a friend A goes to a certain class ... she for sure wants to go there. Its not the class that draws her interest ... but the friend's company. Cantaloupe has been taking her swim classes for almost 2 years now ... and she seems to enjoy it. Swimming as I see is more a requirement than anything else these days. I regret not learnt swimming for the silly reason of having to put on swimsuit. (I still cannot be persuaded to wear one)
Cantaloupe was enrolled in Ballet classes when she was 3 ... she was very young and we were naive. She didn't enjoy those classes as much and we discontinued and lost the money the we had paid. This summer, Cantaloupe attended Gymnastics. She says she loves it ... she was pretty good in her classes. We sent her to the community class ... but clearly if she wants to pursuit Gymnastics seriously we need to enroll her for some serious classes. But these classes are expensive ... I don't mind spending on these classes if she is really interested and continues to have improvise/ enjoy. But if she doesn't it seems like a total waste of money.
Any academic classes like Kumon I have decided she will not go - I enjoy teaching her. It gives me that extra time with her and I can afford it at this time. When I am not able to provide her the required assistance I may consider these classes later.
BP will be particularly pleased if she is enrolled in Badminton or Tennis classes. Again private lessons are expensive ... and she is not showing any particular inclination to these sports. But then what if she hasn't realised her potential ... I know kids at this age require some nudging before they realise their potential. She may really start enjoying these sports ...
Classical music, I would have loved her to learn ... but she isn't showing much interest in that front. She seems to be more interested in fast paced / rhythmic music be it bollywood, regional folk songs, classical. I know she likes dancing ... but dance lessons are offered for 6+ in some classes that I enquired around. She is interested in coloring ... but she is not very good with paint. (I know I know ... she is only 5) ... would arts and craft classes be good for her - I don't know :(
Some people around tell me, unless parents experiment on various options, there is no way to identify the kids interest ... some others tell me she is too young for anything. May be I should wait for atleast a year or two.
I am confused ... I wish I knew what she is good at so I could nurture her interests.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Doordarshan darshakon Ko Namaskar
Doordarshan completes 50 years of existence on 15th sep, 2009. And the serials I watched growing up on DD are so etched in my memory even today. I perhaps remember these serials better than some of the Survivor episodes I might have seen just few months back.
Recollecting some of my all time favorite serials on DD.
10. Neev (this was a serial about boarding school) - Sunday 12:00 noon
9. Vikram aur Bethaal - Sunday 5:00 pm
8. Showtheme - Saturday 3:30pm
7. Nukkad - Monday 9:00 pm
6. Kashish - Wednesday 9:00 pm
5. Chitrahaar - Wednesday 8:00 pm
4. The World this week - (Was it friday 10:30 ??)
3. Mahabharat - Sunday 9:00am
2. Buniyaad - Tuesday / Saturday - 9:00pm
1. Quiz Time - Sunday 9:00pm
Thanks DD for broadcasting some lovely serials.
Recollecting some of my all time favorite serials on DD.
10. Neev (this was a serial about boarding school) - Sunday 12:00 noon
9. Vikram aur Bethaal - Sunday 5:00 pm
8. Showtheme - Saturday 3:30pm
7. Nukkad - Monday 9:00 pm
6. Kashish - Wednesday 9:00 pm
5. Chitrahaar - Wednesday 8:00 pm
4. The World this week - (Was it friday 10:30 ??)
3. Mahabharat - Sunday 9:00am
2. Buniyaad - Tuesday / Saturday - 9:00pm
1. Quiz Time - Sunday 9:00pm
Thanks DD for broadcasting some lovely serials.
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