Oh my Sweet little Junior ...
what can I about someone whose smile just brightens the day for everyone in the house... about someone whose attention everyone seeks... who is barely one but has all of us including your stubborn sister tied to your little finger.
I still remember the day you started growing inside me .... this may sound crazy, but some how I knew I was pregnant way before I took the pregnancy home tests. Your dad was more keen about having you than your stupid mom who was scared of losing her sleep which she had barely gotten back. But the moment I realised you were going to come into our lives, my whole spirit was lifted and I was happy. This was going to be my last pregnancy and I wanted to enjoy every moment and I did.
You were a good kid inside me and did not trouble me much except when I forgot about you and organised a fun fair community event and over stressed myself when I was 32 weeks pregnant. Boy ! Was I scared I'd deliver a pre-mature baby at that time !! But you were fine and arrived just 5 days before your due date on 20th May at 12:49 pm. I was really alert when they operated me and pulled you out ... but once I got a glimpse of you and they took you for clean up ... I fell asleep. It was only after blissful sleep of 20 mins that I got to see you and I fell in love with you instantly. You were the most beautiful baby I had ever seen ... I still remember those lovely red lips and little eyes. Your dad and I argued about your eye color. You dad thought they were green just like his brothers ... and I hate green eyes ... and furiously shot back that they were brown. I am so glad you have such lovely eyes.
My mom, still maintains that you were the loveliest baby she has seen thus far .... an honor she had bestowed on your chikki (my sister) thus far :)
You were a great baby from the beginning .... a very happy and cheerful one ... you started smiling / responding very early and those dimpled simples always attracted people. In fact your chikkappa named you "Smiley".
I can see how different kids of the same parents can be ... while you adore your sister and almost worship the ground she walks on, you are very different from her. I can see that you have clearly inherited the love for pets from your daddy ... who I must add is very very proud of you for that. (he is tired of this grumpy mother of yours who is refusing to get a pet home)
You love music ... anything from carnatic classical to nursery rhymes to bollywood songs. But then you expect the music to be played everytime you are fed ... now that is proving to be challenge to change tracks for every spoon that I feed you. You are a very picky eater now and that is bothering me endlessly. It doesn't help that friends and family have commented that the once chubby you is now more like me. (I am extremely skinny and I am called Kaddi meaning stick). Its not that you do not know how to eat .. you had mastered eating chapati when you were 6 months ... you were fed rice when you were 6+ months ... and you enjoyed eating it nevermind you had no teeth to chew :)
Your first 6 months led all of us to wrongly conclude that you were a sweet little angel who just loved being by yourself and smiled at every single person in sight. The day after you completed 6 months, you turned out quite different... you learnt to sit by yourself , crawl, identify objects, switch to your daddy's side from being mommy's darling. babble, demand things when you needed .... it was as if someone switched on a button and you were a different person overnight. Your chikki who was in India during that period and came back after a long 3 months vacation could hardly believe the naughty little kid she was seeing was indeed you !
You have been a great baby thus far. You easily got adjusted to sleeping in your room in your crib. You refused the bottle but mastered to drink with a sippy cup from Day 1. You love parks, dogs, flowers, library, butterflies and birds.
You love your sister as much as she loves you. Please continue to brighten our spirits with your smiles.
God bless you !
Lots of love,
- Mommy
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Weekend that was ...
It was a perfect sunday here. Bright and sunny and I started mother's day rather early... woke to the bright smiles to my dear daughters. I almost felt honored to share the day with Junior first birthday. Her actual birthday falls on 20th May ... but per Hindu calendar, it was her birthday.
My darling ... the constant babbler ... the one with the warmest smile and cutest dimple in the whole wide world turned one. I don't want her grow so fast. I want to believe that she is not yet one ... she is still my little baby who will depend on me for everything.
We went out in the morning and bought her a very cute green polka dot swim suit. We headed out to the pool in the after noon and she had her first swimming pool experience. And boy ! She had a blast or what ! Everytime her God, her sister stretched her arms and kicked her feet (attempting to swim) the birthday girl jumped in joy. Tried to splash the water on everyone as if to say, I can do exactly what you are doing. Thankfully I remembered to carry the camera and recorded the important event. It was so hard to get her out of the pool ...
Later in the evening, we went out to cold stone and she got her first taste of Coldstone ice cream. The sucker for taste that she is, relished it just the way it should be. I had prepared special dinner which she enjoyed as well. I am so glad she appreciates good food just like her mom.
And oh! I watched the Amazing race and Apprentice finals. Both kids were asleep by 9:00pm and I decided to use the rare time to watch TV. Amazing race was ok ... but the Celebrity Apprentice was a stretch and waste of time. I could care less about who won. (and yet watched)
My darling ... the constant babbler ... the one with the warmest smile and cutest dimple in the whole wide world turned one. I don't want her grow so fast. I want to believe that she is not yet one ... she is still my little baby who will depend on me for everything.
We went out in the morning and bought her a very cute green polka dot swim suit. We headed out to the pool in the after noon and she had her first swimming pool experience. And boy ! She had a blast or what ! Everytime her God, her sister stretched her arms and kicked her feet (attempting to swim) the birthday girl jumped in joy. Tried to splash the water on everyone as if to say, I can do exactly what you are doing. Thankfully I remembered to carry the camera and recorded the important event. It was so hard to get her out of the pool ...
Later in the evening, we went out to cold stone and she got her first taste of Coldstone ice cream. The sucker for taste that she is, relished it just the way it should be. I had prepared special dinner which she enjoyed as well. I am so glad she appreciates good food just like her mom.
And oh! I watched the Amazing race and Apprentice finals. Both kids were asleep by 9:00pm and I decided to use the rare time to watch TV. Amazing race was ok ... but the Celebrity Apprentice was a stretch and waste of time. I could care less about who won. (and yet watched)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Study time for Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe and I have formed a routine of sorts now. 7:30 - 8:00 pm is STUDY TIME !!
She drops everything she is doing when I announce it is study time and obediently sits in the room after the gathering the books I ask her to.
We both say our prayer and invariably begin with an art. I ask her to draw something, usually something she has learnt in school that week, like a butterfly, spider, lady bug, house fly , bee etc etc.
Once she is done with the drawing, I ask her to tell me things that she knows / has learnt about the insect. She says 2-3 sentences sometimes... other times weaves an entire story around the bug in spotlight. I think this sets the right spirit for her to get going with her maths / phonics. We try to do different activities during this time ranging from a short dictation to addition to subtraction to patterns to crosswords to Kannada reading / writing. Some days go more smoothly than others and she really shows a lot of interest in doing her activities. Other days she needs some nudging, then some encouraging, then some more encouraging in the borderline of threatening and occasionally yelling :( Yelling is rarity ... but it has happened. I am working on it. But no matter what we sit together for atleast 30 minutes and spend quality time learning something. I think its important for her ... she is going to be 5 and will start Kindergarten this september. I am told that homework for kindergartners is close to 30 mins. Knowing Cantaloupe, getting her to sit in one place and concentrate on one activity at a time a big challenge and hence I am just trying to gear her up better for kindergarten.
I am glad we have a start .....
She drops everything she is doing when I announce it is study time and obediently sits in the room after the gathering the books I ask her to.
We both say our prayer and invariably begin with an art. I ask her to draw something, usually something she has learnt in school that week, like a butterfly, spider, lady bug, house fly , bee etc etc.
Once she is done with the drawing, I ask her to tell me things that she knows / has learnt about the insect. She says 2-3 sentences sometimes... other times weaves an entire story around the bug in spotlight. I think this sets the right spirit for her to get going with her maths / phonics. We try to do different activities during this time ranging from a short dictation to addition to subtraction to patterns to crosswords to Kannada reading / writing. Some days go more smoothly than others and she really shows a lot of interest in doing her activities. Other days she needs some nudging, then some encouraging, then some more encouraging in the borderline of threatening and occasionally yelling :( Yelling is rarity ... but it has happened. I am working on it. But no matter what we sit together for atleast 30 minutes and spend quality time learning something. I think its important for her ... she is going to be 5 and will start Kindergarten this september. I am told that homework for kindergartners is close to 30 mins. Knowing Cantaloupe, getting her to sit in one place and concentrate on one activity at a time a big challenge and hence I am just trying to gear her up better for kindergarten.
I am glad we have a start .....
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Morning madness
Another thursday dawned ... the alarm went off at sharp 5:30am. I snuggled in my comforter and hugged BP to latch on the last few minutes of sleep. Within 5 minutes we both were up and headed to get our chores done. I took my shower and came down to see Junior in BP's arms. He trying hard to feed her the milk and she refusing it. I continued to add on spices to the boiling water he had kept for our morning tea. We had our tea and he rushed upstairs to get dressed to work.
I prepared breakfast (poha), packed 3 lunch dabbas for BP, Cantaloupe and self, set the cooker for rice and dal, prepared fresh coffee decoction and was cutting the apples for Cantaloupe's lunch when I heard her voice. Meanwhile BP came down and left for work. I went upstairs to find Cantaloupe awake and wanted to play with Junior on her bed. The little was only too eager to oblige. Good... I can prepare rasam I thought and headed back to the kitchen. I could hear the girls having a good time. 10 mins later I went upstairs ... Junior jumped at me indicating she was done playing there and I asked Cantaloupe to come downstairs. We turned on some nursery rhymes and were singing and dancing for some time. I looked at the clock and it was close to 8'o clock. I asked Cantaloupe to rush to the bathroom so we were not late. Thats when everything started going wrong.
First she reminded me that she had not studied in the morning. (we usually sit together and study / pray for 15 mins in the morning). I was kind of worried we'd be late to school, but couldn't refuse her because afterall she wanted to "STUDY" :) She took her own sweet time to write the alphabets pausing every now and then to play with Junior and just look around or yawn. I was getting irritated by every second she was wasting but tried to be patient with her. It was around 8:20 and she was finally done. Good ! Now come on ... lets go for the bath I said. I am sleepy ... can I sleep? She asked. I knew she had her mind set on sleep .. How long? I asked ... Just 1 minute she assured me. I put the breakfast in a bowl and heated her milk and returned back and ordered her to go to the bathroom immediately. But I want to sleep for some more time she tried arguing.
Fine, I will get dressed and then take you to school in exactly the same state that you are in I said calmly. She thought I was kidding and didn't take me seriously.
2 minutes later I declared, I am done ironing my clothes, if I don't see you in the bathroom now, you will not get a bath. Perhaps it was my tone that made the difference and she went to the bathroom. I bathed her and out she came for a new tantrum. I don't want you to pick my clothes... I want to pick it. I said, its already picked and if you don't want to wear these, you get another to wear. She did not protest much.
She said her prayer and I gave her milk. She tried to be extra sweet and requested , Amma can I have my TV while eating breakfast. (she is allowed about 10 mins of TV during breakfast during which time I feed Junior and get dressed to work) It was already 8:45 ... I looked at the clock and said, sweetie you have about 5 mins for breakfast, I can feed you today if you want. But you don't get TV.
She was very very upset with the proposal on hand and yelled out. I could care less and continued to feed Junior. She repeatedly asked me to turn on the TV and I continued to ignore her. There is about 3 mins left I warned her ... if you don't eat now, you will not get any breakfast today. I don't want breakfast, I don't want lunch , I don't want to eat anything today ... she shouted back. Fine I said, and pretended to pull out the lunch box from her bag. She realised that I was going to have none of her gimmicks today. I want my lunch ... I will be hungry amma ... please keep the green apples for me. Her voice had gotten much softer now and she seemed more calm.
As I changed to my office wear, put on your socks and shoes before I am done, else you will go bare foot to school I announced. I heard no protest but she was crying by now. I picked my office bag to see her ready ... but she continues to cry. I asked Do you want me to clean your face or you want to tell today's story to your friends at school? Please clean me up, she requested.
We drove to school ... we were late by about 4 minutes. She apologised multiple times on the way to school for her bad behavior. Do you want to have some breakfast now I asked ... Yes amma .. she said. I immediately fed her few spoons of Poha (I would have never been able to eat in peace if she had refused her breakfast and I was damn hungry :( ) I waived her good bye and drove to work.
Most days are not so bad ... Cantaloupe understands her routine and likes her school. But to get her ready on time is somewhat a challenge ... but today was exceptionally bad. Most times I would have yelled at her for her bad behaviour ... it started out the same today as well ... but soon I took a different approach to deal with her. I think this "Non yelling" method is much better than the other one ... only I need to be consistent with it.
I prepared breakfast (poha), packed 3 lunch dabbas for BP, Cantaloupe and self, set the cooker for rice and dal, prepared fresh coffee decoction and was cutting the apples for Cantaloupe's lunch when I heard her voice. Meanwhile BP came down and left for work. I went upstairs to find Cantaloupe awake and wanted to play with Junior on her bed. The little was only too eager to oblige. Good... I can prepare rasam I thought and headed back to the kitchen. I could hear the girls having a good time. 10 mins later I went upstairs ... Junior jumped at me indicating she was done playing there and I asked Cantaloupe to come downstairs. We turned on some nursery rhymes and were singing and dancing for some time. I looked at the clock and it was close to 8'o clock. I asked Cantaloupe to rush to the bathroom so we were not late. Thats when everything started going wrong.
First she reminded me that she had not studied in the morning. (we usually sit together and study / pray for 15 mins in the morning). I was kind of worried we'd be late to school, but couldn't refuse her because afterall she wanted to "STUDY" :) She took her own sweet time to write the alphabets pausing every now and then to play with Junior and just look around or yawn. I was getting irritated by every second she was wasting but tried to be patient with her. It was around 8:20 and she was finally done. Good ! Now come on ... lets go for the bath I said. I am sleepy ... can I sleep? She asked. I knew she had her mind set on sleep .. How long? I asked ... Just 1 minute she assured me. I put the breakfast in a bowl and heated her milk and returned back and ordered her to go to the bathroom immediately. But I want to sleep for some more time she tried arguing.
Fine, I will get dressed and then take you to school in exactly the same state that you are in I said calmly. She thought I was kidding and didn't take me seriously.
2 minutes later I declared, I am done ironing my clothes, if I don't see you in the bathroom now, you will not get a bath. Perhaps it was my tone that made the difference and she went to the bathroom. I bathed her and out she came for a new tantrum. I don't want you to pick my clothes... I want to pick it. I said, its already picked and if you don't want to wear these, you get another to wear. She did not protest much.
She said her prayer and I gave her milk. She tried to be extra sweet and requested , Amma can I have my TV while eating breakfast. (she is allowed about 10 mins of TV during breakfast during which time I feed Junior and get dressed to work) It was already 8:45 ... I looked at the clock and said, sweetie you have about 5 mins for breakfast, I can feed you today if you want. But you don't get TV.
She was very very upset with the proposal on hand and yelled out. I could care less and continued to feed Junior. She repeatedly asked me to turn on the TV and I continued to ignore her. There is about 3 mins left I warned her ... if you don't eat now, you will not get any breakfast today. I don't want breakfast, I don't want lunch , I don't want to eat anything today ... she shouted back. Fine I said, and pretended to pull out the lunch box from her bag. She realised that I was going to have none of her gimmicks today. I want my lunch ... I will be hungry amma ... please keep the green apples for me. Her voice had gotten much softer now and she seemed more calm.
As I changed to my office wear, put on your socks and shoes before I am done, else you will go bare foot to school I announced. I heard no protest but she was crying by now. I picked my office bag to see her ready ... but she continues to cry. I asked Do you want me to clean your face or you want to tell today's story to your friends at school? Please clean me up, she requested.
We drove to school ... we were late by about 4 minutes. She apologised multiple times on the way to school for her bad behavior. Do you want to have some breakfast now I asked ... Yes amma .. she said. I immediately fed her few spoons of Poha (I would have never been able to eat in peace if she had refused her breakfast and I was damn hungry :( ) I waived her good bye and drove to work.
Most days are not so bad ... Cantaloupe understands her routine and likes her school. But to get her ready on time is somewhat a challenge ... but today was exceptionally bad. Most times I would have yelled at her for her bad behaviour ... it started out the same today as well ... but soon I took a different approach to deal with her. I think this "Non yelling" method is much better than the other one ... only I need to be consistent with it.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Around the world in 80 clicks
Reading the title of the post itself is sufficient for anyone to know what I am writing about here. I have been tagged by Kodi's mom to write about the 5 things I loved about motherhood.
Here goes my list: (A big HUG and thank you notes to Cantaloupe and Junior for this)
1. I love the fact that with motherhood I am able to let loose and enjoy life. All my student days I was the nerd who was quite content and happy with the limited friends I had. I was too busy with my books / music / essays / dramatics / debates etc to care about just relaxing and socializing Some mistook me that for egoism. Anyways, motherhood as liberated me. I have an extended social circle now .. motherhood introduced me to some great friends and I am thankful for the same. The quiet me has now become more extrovert than ever.
2. I love that I am able to don different professional hats in the name of motherhood. I am a fashion designer / hair stylist to my daughters. I spread out my artistic hands at times too ... I love shopping for my daughters. The transformation from a person who hardly went shopping in student days to an enthusiastic shopper is quiet amazing. I also love that I can bank on my girls for company :) (no more begging BP for company)
3. I love that I am able to love someone unconditionally. I know there are times when I may long for my solitude and quiet corner or peaceful nap and snap at my kids ... but deep down I love them unconditionally.
4. I have discovered new heights of respect for my parents. I am amazed by how they managed to raise us with so much love and care. I worship them now. I also have deep respect for my MIL for having managed to raise five kids on her own in a joint family with 25 people.
5. People who see me these days are stunned by my patience. My patience has reached new levels with no conscious effort from my end.... thanks to motherhood. My parents are especially proud of me for this :)
There are many many more things that I love being a mother ... but being a sucker for rules, I'll stop at five.
The whole world already seems to have done this tag ... but nonetheless would like to tag Noon, Asaan, Sujatha, Moppet, Poppins, Ceekay ... Ladies would like to hear about 5 things you love about motherhood.
Here goes my list: (A big HUG and thank you notes to Cantaloupe and Junior for this)
1. I love the fact that with motherhood I am able to let loose and enjoy life. All my student days I was the nerd who was quite content and happy with the limited friends I had. I was too busy with my books / music / essays / dramatics / debates etc to care about just relaxing and socializing Some mistook me that for egoism. Anyways, motherhood as liberated me. I have an extended social circle now .. motherhood introduced me to some great friends and I am thankful for the same. The quiet me has now become more extrovert than ever.
2. I love that I am able to don different professional hats in the name of motherhood. I am a fashion designer / hair stylist to my daughters. I spread out my artistic hands at times too ... I love shopping for my daughters. The transformation from a person who hardly went shopping in student days to an enthusiastic shopper is quiet amazing. I also love that I can bank on my girls for company :) (no more begging BP for company)
3. I love that I am able to love someone unconditionally. I know there are times when I may long for my solitude and quiet corner or peaceful nap and snap at my kids ... but deep down I love them unconditionally.
4. I have discovered new heights of respect for my parents. I am amazed by how they managed to raise us with so much love and care. I worship them now. I also have deep respect for my MIL for having managed to raise five kids on her own in a joint family with 25 people.
5. People who see me these days are stunned by my patience. My patience has reached new levels with no conscious effort from my end.... thanks to motherhood. My parents are especially proud of me for this :)
There are many many more things that I love being a mother ... but being a sucker for rules, I'll stop at five.
The whole world already seems to have done this tag ... but nonetheless would like to tag Noon, Asaan, Sujatha, Moppet, Poppins, Ceekay ... Ladies would like to hear about 5 things you love about motherhood.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Chak De India - complete analysis
Watching movie with my daughters is a rarity in our household. If we end up watching something together, it might be a Jungle Book or Lion King.
Last night I was tempted to watch Chak De India ... Cantaloupe was awake. I didn't think there was anything inappropriate in the movie and so decided to watch it in her presence. Bad idea ... the questions never seem to end
Sample this:
* Why is he shivering? (pointing at SRK who in the scene right after Indian team had won the world cup)
* Is Australian food very tasty ? (looking at girls filling their plates in one of the songs)
* Are they missing their family ? (when the girls are disappointed after their first game with Australia)
* Are they going to sleep in the saree? (the party scene where all girls are in saree)
* Why should they always listen to their coach ... can't they think?
And many many more ....
But this one is the best
* Does she want to use the potty?
She asked this question when SRK and his mother return back to their house after the world cup. They enter the house and SRK comes out and looks around. At first it didn't register in my mind why she has asked that question ... later realised that SRK and his mother had together entered the house and only SRK had come out and hence her question ....
Happy weekend !
Last night I was tempted to watch Chak De India ... Cantaloupe was awake. I didn't think there was anything inappropriate in the movie and so decided to watch it in her presence. Bad idea ... the questions never seem to end
Sample this:
* Why is he shivering? (pointing at SRK who in the scene right after Indian team had won the world cup)
* Is Australian food very tasty ? (looking at girls filling their plates in one of the songs)
* Are they missing their family ? (when the girls are disappointed after their first game with Australia)
* Are they going to sleep in the saree? (the party scene where all girls are in saree)
* Why should they always listen to their coach ... can't they think?
And many many more ....
But this one is the best
* Does she want to use the potty?
She asked this question when SRK and his mother return back to their house after the world cup. They enter the house and SRK comes out and looks around. At first it didn't register in my mind why she has asked that question ... later realised that SRK and his mother had together entered the house and only SRK had come out and hence her question ....
Happy weekend !
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Every Individual is Different
When my mother stayed with us, she bonded instantly with the kids. Cantaloupe welcomed her grandma with open arms and Junior was just a baby to know anything. My mother enjoyed spending time with her grandkids. The thought of leaving behind her grandkids saddened her days before she went back to India. She continues to miss them now that she is in India. But she has established a bond with atleast Cantaloupe strong enough to stand against the distance separating them. They just connect with their heart.
My MIL is here with us now. The friendlier child that she is Cantaloupe has opened up to her instantly. Junior is gradually bonding with her. But MIL is showing some restraint. Her reasoning is that it is easy to get attached to kids when staying with them, but she is going to mighty miss them when she returns back to India. So she doesn't want to bond as much with her grandkids.
Hmm .... two different grandmas.... two completely different views ... Which one suits you better?
My MIL is here with us now. The friendlier child that she is Cantaloupe has opened up to her instantly. Junior is gradually bonding with her. But MIL is showing some restraint. Her reasoning is that it is easy to get attached to kids when staying with them, but she is going to mighty miss them when she returns back to India. So she doesn't want to bond as much with her grandkids.
Hmm .... two different grandmas.... two completely different views ... Which one suits you better?
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