Friendly or over-friendly?

We're back,  minus the bang! :-p The 7-week long trip to India was a refresher, minus the illnesses, the hectic travel, and the flight delays during our return. 

San had a great time with her grannies, grandpas, cousins, uncles and aunts! It was definitely a big change for her, people-wise and atmosphere-wise, but she embraced it happily, apart from the initial days when she used to find everything 'yucky' and refused to use the 'squat toilet' (also known as the Indian-style toilet) at one particular place, because she found it 'scary'! :) 

Her friendliness surprised us at times, and it was getting better with time. She mingled well with everyone in our family, like she's known them for years. But outside the family, San's friendly attitude scared us. She has this ability to walk up to anyone and make friends within seconds! In the shops, in the restaurants, at the airport, in the flight - she made friends everywhere. It felt like she's forgotten the world, her parents, and everything else for those 'friends'. It's scary, very scary, at times. And I wonder if it is time to talk to her about Stranger Danger!

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All's well that ends well, and it ended very well for San. Her Christmas gift was waiting in the garage (for a change) when we returned. And her happiness knew no bounds when she saw her 'kitchen'! :)

Signing off with my last post of this year! Wish you all a very happy 2013! :)

On Vacation!

On a big little break! Be back on Christmas! :)

My flu-stricken l'll red devil

San and I have been a bit under the weather, and still are, thanks to the great coldy (San's vocab) weather that made an abrupt appearance. But then, it's getting better with all the sunshine! And among all the sniffles and coughs, we managed to be a part of a Halloween Party over the weekend. Although the theme was evil, I still managed to be a 'good witch', only for San. :) We also managed to get her into the little devil costume by convincing her that it's a red cat costume! ;)

For our first ever Halloween party, I decided to bake a 'cemetery cake' and make it look (only look, not taste) as gross as possible. When I showed it to San, I expected her to say 'yucky', but she said 'yummy' instead! :P What would you say?

San's Halloween class party is yet to come and she's all excited to wear her Dora-inspired costume (not a Dora costume for sure!) for it. :-)

---

Lemme also tell you that San totally loves her medicine! She wasn't very keen to have it from the little measuring cup or a medicine dispenser, so she brought a straw and offered to drink it straight out of the bottle! :D And the best part is that each time you ask her how she is, she tells you that she's doing fine, and good. I'm happy that she doesn't put up a drama when she's not well, just like I do! :P

The Mommy Brain Drain

Lately, I've found myself constantly nagging San about something or the other. I feel restless and talk rude when she struggles to get into her clothes by herself real slow, when she wanders off to her wonderland and forgets what she'd been doing, when she mixes all colors of the play-doh and comes up with an ugly-looking lump, when she reveals her finicky-self at the dinner table, when she happily sings her Dora song and stays in that Doraland... I know I'm not letting her be, I hate it, but I can't help it.

Maybe, I see a reflection of myself in her. The way I was when I was young... the timid one, the slow one...  the girl who always chose a quiet, dark corner to sit, the one who was super-choosy about her food, the one who always stayed in her wonderland cuz' she never understood the real one. I don't want San to be like that, like I was. I want her to be like those kids who scream their lungs out, who are aggressive, who get what they want from others without sharing their own, who are highly social, who eat whatever is edible, who have that great ability to turn the whole place upside down. Really? No. That is just a part of my momentary thoughtless thinking.

The other day, a kid hit San with his toy. She came to me and cried. She looked like a weakling who can never stand up to a bully. There isn't a big deal about this episode. It's a very common thing that happens when kids play... pushing, pulling, hitting... But it hit me more than it hit her. The Mommy me wanted her to defend herself and stand strong. And by that, I don't mean that she should've hit back, but just appeared and acted strong. Now roll your eyes and tell me, "Isn't that a bit too much to expect from a three-year old?" Yes, it is. But I'm unable to make the Mommy me understand this simple fact. Sigh!

Is it so difficult to let your kids be? No. All I need to do is switch off my overworked brain.

Some pre-Halloween talk

Flipping through the pages of the Party City's Halloween Special booklet, I asked San, "So what should Mommy be this Halloween?" San was a cat last year, and has several options to choose from this year, although she's insisting on becoming Dora, which I absolutely don't want her to be! To get her off it, I thought of letting her decide my costume.

"You be this, Mommy", said San, pointing to a cute Lady Bug costume.
"That's too cute for Mommy, San. How about this witch?"
"Witches are bad, Mommy!"
"I'll be the good witch, San, just like the one in that Dora's Halloween episode!"
"Okay, Mommy. You be the good witch and I'll be the baby witch!"
"What about Papa?"
"He'll be the scary monster, Mommy!"

So that is what was decided until tonight when San spotted the Bumble Bee. Now she wants me to be the Mommy Bee and she'd be the Baby Bee. Dunno what Papa is gonna bee, err be!

A year++

San's a big and a happy 3 already, and we haven't realized it yet! :)

The preparations for her Minnie Mouse party were in full swing before the D-day, and I panicked every now and then, like a perfectly worrisome Mommy. I saw pinks and polkas everywhere. I wanted everything to be pink and wanted to put a bow on everything. We were on a crazy shopping spree! From the decorations to the dresses, I wanted everything to be almost perfect. But among all this craziness, I didn't realize that San has her own choices now. After all, a Minnie Mouse party was her idea!

We had this illusion that San, like an obedient little girl, will like everything that we'd want her to like. How silly that thought was! :) She refused to try out the dresses that we chose for her. The dresses were too itchy and the shoes were too shiny. Sigh! We, in our birthday-freak mode, couldn't look beyond the itchy dresses and the shiny shoes! But finally, keeping San's choices in mind, we found a perfect, non-itchy, polka-dotted dress for her. An achievement!

Everyday, San used to ask, "Is today my birthday?" And we used to do our usual birthday countdown then. Seeing her excitement, I was sure that she'd enjoy her third the most! After loads of shopping, some brainstorming for decorations, and preparations for the food, the D-day arrived.

San wanted to wear the 'white necklace', one of my pearls, and she did. I beamed at her excitement like a happy Mommy. So what if she didn't wanna wear a bow and didn't wanna let me do anything with her hair? (Uh oh! :-s) All decked up, we entered the party hall. San entered, minus the bow, minus her smile, and minus her excitement... it was a complete switch off! My Mommy heart was restless. I wanted her to smile for the pictures, squeal with joy like the other kids, jump around the place like she does at home, and behave like a perfect birthday girl. But she was far from doing all of this. She was at her silent, introvert best.


I explained myself that I should let her be. I told myself that I'll smile, squeal, talk, and jump around on her behalf. I told myself that I'll not let my restless Mommy heart bother me (at least during the party!). Was I able to achieve this? Not completely. I wanted her to have fun. Maybe she did, but not my Mommy way. The Mommyness, ugh!

I lost my last night's sleep over her crown that refused to sit perfectly on her head, the pictures that didn't please my Mommy heart, the little imperfections that teased me, but I finally succeeded in convincing myself that everything went great, San is perfect in all her moods, and all's well that ends well.

---

So, my big girl has taken another step towards independence - she can wear half of her clothes almost perfectly and make a successful trip to the restroom, all by herself. Yay!

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The post is a part of the Mommy Brain Mixer!

 

Mommy broke Papa!

San asked a very tired me for a story last night, and I wasn't in a mood to create one. So I asked San to tell me a story instead. Here goes:

Once upon a time, there was a princess. Her name was Saanvi. Saanvi and Chintu (that is San's nick) went for a walk. They were walking and Chintu's Papa came from behind, and boo Chintu. Mommy was behind Papa. Mommy fell down Papa. Papa said, "O Man!" Mommy stepped on Papa, and Papa broke!

This one had me rolling with laughter for almost half an hour, but later, I realized how villainous I was in her story! 

Wanna play fetch?

"Mommy, Mommy, I'm a doggie!" (says San with her tongue sticking out)
"Ok!"
"Take this ball and throw it." (hands me an imaginary ball, which I pretend to throw)
"Say fetch, Mommy, say fetch!"
"Fetch!"
San goes and fetches the ball, brings it back to me, holding it in her mouth. Pants, while sticking her tongue out.
"Say 'Eww, sticky ball', Mommy."
"Eww! Sticky ball!"
"Woof!"

That's what we do (play) quite frequently these days. So, when San plays 'catch' with Papa, she tends to say 'fetch' at times. :D

---

Here's a little story that I overheard while San was telling it to her dolly.
Once upon a time, there was a dinosaur. Dinosaur went for a walk. Dinosaur was hungry. Dinosaur went to Walmart and ate apples. Dinosaur was happy. The end!

I'm not a squirrel!

San was enjoying the Tres Leches cake slice that we bought for her yesterday. There was a little sprinkle of nuts (or whatever it was) on the icing.

San (while driving her spoon around the 'nutty' portion): San won't eat this Jeera (Cumin seeds), Mommy!
Me: Those are nuts, San, not Jeera.
San: I can't eat the nuts, Mommy! I'm not a squirrel. I'm just a girl!

---

And these days, to get me off the laptop, she breaks into this (with very innocent eyes and hands on her tummy) - "I'm hungry, Mommy. Please give me some food.  Really hungry, Mommy! Please, Mommy, please!" And this, almost all the time, melts my little heart! Sigh!

Another first day at the school, Another favorite

New session began this week at San's preschool. Today is her first day in the new session. After a week's break, she wasn't so keen on going back to school, but we'd convinced her well! She was all happy in the morning until she reached her class. New teacher, new kids, some crying, and some screaming... she couldn't take it and started crying. I kept telling myself and Papa dear and the teacher that she'll be fine. Yes, she definitely was fine later, but for a moment, I was reminded of her very first day in school, and everything felt new and alien! Phew! What a feeling!

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Oh and this is her birthday month, yippee! God knows what has made her Minnie-Mouse-Crazy, suddenly, and we obviously didn't have to go through the trouble of choosing a theme for her b'day party. :) She's even bought herself a new Minnie Mouse night suit!

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Here's some more of 'San says':

San (on the way to home, in the car): Papa, go faster!
Papa: Okay! (pretends to go fast)
San: Wow! Papa, you're fastering!

San (in the restroom): The flush is gonna go by itself, Mommy?
Me: Yes, San. It's automatic.
San (after the flush thing happened): Wow Mommy, it's aumotatic!

San (today morning while brushing her teeth): I'm really tired, Mommy!
Me: Take a shower and you'll be fine.
San: But I'm feeling tired in my bum!

Being Mommy, Being San

Puzzles, puzzles, and more puzzles. Sketches, sketches, and more sketches. That is what San is up to these days. Oh and a bit of paper-cutting too, now that she has a shiny pink pair of scissors and an orange glue to do the job!

Recently, on one of her 'raid the closet' adventures, San found her pretty little infant pillow, and loved it. Why? Cuz' it was the 'moon'. But then, she soon realized that the moon is not so colorful, so the pillow is a rainbow now. She puts it on the top of her head and calls herself a rainbow! Okay, just one of the silly things that she likes to do, but it's cute! :)

Lemme also tell you about San's latest pretend play. She pretends she's the Mommy and wants me to play San. She, then, takes me to Walmart for shopping (she buys me really cool stuff, like ice-creams, chocolates, strawberries, and cherries). She makes sure that she carries a change of clothes for me in her little bag, and that I always am secure in my car-seat with the seat-belt on. She takes me to the swimming pool too! Yay! Phew! And lemme tell you, playing San is tough! Especially when you go on a restroom trip with Mommy and when you've to sit in the cart while Mommy shops! :D

---

Here's a little story that she told me today:
"When San was a baby, she slept on the rainbow pillow... and had milk from her bottle, and did goo-goo gaa-gaa, and pooped in her diapers... and Mommy said, "Yucky!"

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This post is a part of the Thursday Mommy Brain Mixer.

San's first dentist visit, haircut

Finally, after a lot of delay, we took San for her first appointment with the dentist. I had reached the heights of my anxiety (thanks to my dentist phobia) cuz' it was a family appointment. San did great for a first-timer, especially when she had to hold those weird films between her teeth to get the x-rays done! Thanks to the load of stickers that they gave her! :) Okay, why do I call those films weird? Cuz' I couldn't hold them even for a second, and thereby gave the worst performance of my life! *embarrassed*

So all went well (I'm not including myself here), until the doc started brushing her teeth. Yes, they do their job well, but the flossing part was scary! I was worried that San might get hurt. :-s It went fine though. And San happily came back home with her goody bag and two balloons. Phew!

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The first haircut, hmm, needed a lot of thought. How short? What style? We finally decided for a little trim, not more than an inch long. Papa dear likes long hair, and so does San. We took her to Snipits that specializes in kids' haircuts and is colorful enough to woo the kids! She happily sat through her haircut, enjoying the animal crackers and the bubbles.

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San's into paper-cutting these days, and keeps trying to cut sheets of paper into various shapes with her very blunt toy scissors! :D Her dedication makes us wanna buy paper scissors for her... but our only fear is that she might use it as a weapon in one of her bad moods! :P

Give her crayons and the first thing that she'd draw is a smiley face (and Papa, and Mummy, and a baby). :-)

Mommy and Baby

Daddy :D

A complete smiley

The Liebster Blog Award

This is something off-topic, but great! I finally got an award! The Liebster Blog award... tadaaaaa! Lemme extend my hugest thanks to Roshni, Mom of Little A and Big A, for presenting me this award!

Here are the rules of the Liebster Award: 

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself.
2. Choose 11 deserving bloggers and tag them in your post.
3. Tell them you've tagged them.
4. Answer 11 questions the tagger has asked you and give 11 questions to the people you've tagged.
5. No tag backs.

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A few random facts about me, myself:

1. I believe in 'forgive and forget', but I never forget.
2. I hate money matters.
3. My brain is active 24/7; I could have been a Scientist! :D
4. I always wanted to become a dancer, and I still want to.
5. I want to write a book, and I want the book to make me rich and famous.
6. I have a dentist phobia, a really bad one!
7. I'm bad at Maths.
8. I abhor the chocolate flavor (unless it's a Dairy Milk chocolate bar!)
9. I hate my nose; it's big for my face and has a dent.
10. I love mountains. I can spend my whole life with them!
11. I'm also scared of heights; so much that I feel dizzy while going up the second floor itself.

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1. What has been your best moment so far in this year?
I guess the best is yet to come. Maybe, all good moments so far were the best! ;)

2. What do you hope to achieve (can be a micro goal or mega goal) by the end of this year?
Make San drink everything from a glass!

3. Which TV program do you HAVE to watch?
I don't have a TV... how cool is that! :-D

4. Which sports figure, TV personality or movie star do you most identify with? Why?
None. I'm the uniquest piece on Earth!

5. Where do you plan/hope to go for your next vacation?
A cruise to the Bahamas!

6. What trait in your spouse drives you crazy (not with desire :P)?
His patience.

7. What trait of your spouse do you admire the most?
His cool!

8. Ask your spouse the same questions (6 and 7) about yourself this time, and let us know the answers!
What drives him crazy is when I do things thoughtlessly. What he admires the most in me is my caring nature.

9. What are you currently reading?
Sherlock Holmes - Vol. 2

10. What music do you love listening to?
Lively and foot-tapping numbers.

11. Which of my questions did you hate the most?! :D
The fourth one. It's boring! :-P

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Tag 11 people? Uh oh! Not possible, but I'll tag the following:

Martha, Marijke, Deeps, Jaspreet, and Noor.

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And here are the questions:

1. What's your favorite way to kill time?
2. Roses or Gerberas?
3. What would you do if you become invisible for a day?
4. What super-human ability would you like to possess?
5. Tea or Coffee?
6. What's your favorite season, and why?
7. Curly hair or Straight hair?
8. If you could go back and change one incident from your past, would you?
9. If you get a chance to change one thing about your country, what would it be?
10. Mountains or Beaches?
11. Your idea of a perfect birthday celebration?

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And I'm done, finally! Thanks, Roshni (although it was tedious! :D).

The ant-bit-me tale

San's second summer session at school started this week, it's the third day, and the third I-don't-wanna-go-to-school day too. I wonder why! And to top that, she came home from school with an ant-bitten foot and a runny nose on Wednesday. Runny nose, I can handle, but the ant bites that looked nothing close to an ant bite were scary!

"Mommy, the ant came in my shoe and bit me."
"Noway. Where did you play today?"
"No water play, Mommy."
"Did you play in the sand-pit?"
"No."
"Then?"
"The ant came in my shoe and bit me!"
"Where, San?"
"Ahaana no water play."
"San. did you play in the grass?"
"Yes, grass!"
"Ughhh!"

I was sure that she didn't play in the grass, and that the rashes were some kinda allergy. And I wasn't agreeing to San's ant-bit-me story, until I spoke to her teacher today. The kids did play out that day, San did not go in the water, and some kids (also a teacher) did go back home with ant bites. And then I wondered when to believe these kids and when not to. Yes, they're good at making up stories, but San has proved me wrong twice already, when I thought she made up a story. I feel so bad, sigh! :(

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Coming back to her cute little new words, San told me that she'd been 'clean-upping' the closet. Hoho! She's clever enough to know that the verbs end with an 'ing'. But then, she is yet to know where it goes! She anyway has a long way to go before she understands all that grammar.

And then, even before we start off with the scolding session, she tells (read 'screams') us that 'she understands', with a frown! It's like, "Okay, I've said it cuz' I'm supposed to say it. Don't expect me to mean it too!" 

San says some more

The news is that San can pedal her tricycle now. All thanks to Papa dear! :) Last evening, San was showing off her pedaling skills to me and going very fast. She said, "Look Mommy! I'm fasting!"

We were taking a walk and San spotted a bunch of kids playing basketball. She said, "Mommy see! They're playing soccer."

Yesterday, we were looking at the profiles of the players who are taking part in the Olympics this year. She was watching curiously. Papa dear asked San what she'd like to play - hockey or badminton. She answered, "Hockey in snow".

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Wanna hear something about the Terrible Twos? They're on, and getting worse. A lot of screaming, heaps of stubbornness, loads of furious bubble-blowing, and some biting too. It's just a phase and it shall pass. Phew!

San says

Tired (and tanned) after a hectic, but an interesting trip to the East Coast, I almost ignored this poor blog and kept delaying this update... no excuses! I owe a big sorry to the blog! :)

San was happy with the trip cuz' she got to travel in almost all modes of transportation... plane, bus, train, boat, ship... yup, almost everything she wished to be on! :) She's been watching Caillou since a long time now, and she always use to beam at Caillou's experiences of train and plane journeys. Now she can boast of them herself! But then, she was even happier to come back home. She really missed it!

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San's been talking a lot (as usual) and entertaining us with her very meaningful sentences. Let me share some cute ones with you. :)

San: Help me with the puzzle, Mommy!
Me: I'm ironing Papa's shirts right now. I'll help you later.
San: Papa won't go to office again today. Do it tomorrow, Mommy.

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San: Dolly is my friend. Pinky is not my friend.
Me: Why is Pinky not your friend?
San: Pinky is not happy, Mommy.
Me: Are you happy?
San: I'm not happy, Mommy. I'm Saanvi!

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Of words and scribbles

I'm San's 'best friend' these days, and this tag comes with loads of hugs and kisses. I'm loving it! Papa dear also gets that tag, but only for a limited time (mostly when she gets a scolding from me :D ). Another great compliment that she's liberally uses is "pretty Mommy". You can imagine that I immediately rise to the cloud nine when I hear these words! :-)

She's getting better at forming sentences. The ones that include a 'no' give her some trouble but she always manages to get the message across. Here are a few samples (the ones I love to hear):

- "I no wanna no eat."

- "You my no best friend, Mommy."

- "It's not working." (the only sentence in which she uses 'not')

Lately, I've been trying to explain her that the 'forehead' is not a 'fourhead'. :)

Her scribbles and drawings are also getting better. She can almost draw a fish, at times a whale, and also a chicken! :)

The whale

The chicken

The story-teller, the singer

San's a story-teller now. She makes up a story out of anything, and does it anywhere... while eating, while pooping, while trying to sleep, while riding on her bike... short and sweet stories where the beginning and the ending have nothing to do with each other. :-)

I wonder how long she can go on with her blabbers, stories, imaginations, and pretend play stuff... but there's obviously no limit to anything. They have an endless supply of energy, which keeps them on it forever! New words, new sentences, new phrases, new monkey acts... she never ceases to surprise us.

When we get a boo-boo, San tells us that we're fine and it's okay to have a boo-boo, cuz' she's gonna put a band-aid on it, and all will be fine. When we're angry, she tells us to talk slowly, and tries to entertain us with one of her stories. When we're sad, she consoles us with her kisses and hugs. Beautiful emotions and talks (along with the terrible twos acts)! :-D

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The summer session in her school is on, and I'm glad that she's attending it. The teachers do have a lot of patience to handle the 'terrible twos' bunch! :)

Oh and lemme tell you what she likes to sing these days...

"Brokkin in a baby bumble bee
Wona Mommy
Bisha ba ba bee"

If you're wondering if this is the same old Bumble Bee song, yes, it is. :-D I'd never heard this song, so I'd to look up the lyrics and correct her wordings. :) Cute song, this one is. At times, I even sing San's version. :-D

Here tit is for you all to hear: :D

Her fav pretend play: She pretends she's playing a piano and asks us to sing along. We always end up singing... you know what! ;-)

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Some new developments: She can write the letter 'A' and draw circles, triangles, smileys, and balloons. Yay!

The Twos Xpress

talk slowly, Mommy,
and let me play
i usually ignore
what ever you say

be it night
or be it day
all i wanna do
is scream and play

make some cupcakes
make some tea
make some mess
and then i flee

when you start to eat
is when i wanna pee
when you make that face
i giggle with glee

what you select
is what i can't wear
i'm the king, and
i choose my own pair

i'm a laptop pro
i'm an iPhone pro
how i do that
you'll never know

anywhere, anytime
i can burst into tears
and that i know
is the worst of your fears

now i'm happy
and now i'm sad
now i'm curious
and now i'm mad

but i say thank you
and i say please
these words are magic
i get it all with ease

And the Terrible Twos continue...

Just when I was wondering what terrible twos are all about, San showed me a trailer of what they could be like. It was nothing great - just a don't-wanna-go home scene at school, topped with a don't-wanna-go-in-that-car scene. Oh yes, I did feel embarrassed - not about the scenes, but about not being able to control San. I had to give up in the end and she happily went home in her friend's car, only to present a don't-wanna-come-out-of-the-car scene on reaching home. The day ended on the same note.

What San did was so not like her, but it was her. I never knew that San was capable of doing it. I also understood how other parents feel when their kids act up in public and they watch helplessly, among the mean stares, wicked smiles, and look-at-that-kid and it's-all-parents'-fault conversations of people. I've been a part of such 'people' at times, but it's another world at the other side of the table. 

A good friend told me that it all happens in phases. You have to bear with it and just hope that one day it will pass (only to be replaced by a different one). It goes on.

So just when you'd think that I'll stop telling you the terrible twos stories, I'll be ready to bother you with a new one! ;-)

Here's a little snippet that I wrote after long... does it sound rap-songish to you? :-)

I am you,

I'm the terrible two

Everything's mine

anything I can do.

Whine, I still shine,

and stamp my feet

Scream my lungs out

and accept no defeat.

No, nothing else,

only No I'd say

Scold, tear your hair,

or run you may.

Bear with my acts

in the middle of the street

Songs or howls

enjoy every beat.

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On a good note, here's what San's up to these days - solving puzzles, coloring pictures, and building stuff with blocks. :-)

Terrible Twos, what ARE you?

Suddenly, I feel that I'm experiencing the peak of San's Terrible Twos. She's become whiny; if you don't listen to her the first time, or happen to ignore her because you're busy, or because she is in a crazy mood, she acts up with the worst of the whines... sigh! And she's been telling me to do things 'slowly'; things like drying her hair with a towel, making her brush her teeth, combing her hair... I wonder if I've become harsher or she's become more delicate! She always demands the opposite of what I do or offer... quite common in kids, right? Why do they do that? I wanna read her mind!

Kids change avatars like clothes. Just when you're adoring the sweetest smile that she flaunted a while ago, she'll turn it all around with the ugliest scream! But then, even after battling with the different mood swings of your kid throughout the day, you end the day with a smile on your face, as you watch the angel sleep... and you know that all's well cuz' it ended well. (unless she keeps waking you up at odd hours with her sleep-talk and screams! )

I dunno when the Terrible Twos started and I dunno when it'd end. I dunno if it is even there yet! I wonder what it is! :)

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One day, for the sake of fun, I gave her the fake-long-hair-look with her towel. San calls it the Flamingo look, I wonder why!

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San's new-found love: The Jungle Book. She's even memorized the title song! I'm hooked onto it along with San. :)

Of Easter, Blue Bonnets, and Miscellaneous

San enjoyed the Easter party at school, it being the first ever that she got to attend. She'd missed the Valentine's Day and Christmas parties, and I desperately wanted her to be able to attend this one! Class parties are fun - that's what I feel, and what makes me feel good about them is the colorful things and the yummy snacks that we get to buy for them, especially for that occasion. Obviously, I'm more excited than her about her class parties. :D

I took almost half an hour to decide which Easter basket to pick for her... I finally went with the one that San was roaming around with since that half an hour. And then the eggs, and the candies, and cookies... phew and fun! :-)

But then, I couldn't get her to say 'Cheese' for the Easter special picture of her friend and her. She stayed tight-lipped, but did show off one of her eggs.. haha! :-)

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This year, we finally got to enjoy the sight of the famous Texan Blue Bonnets! San only knew that we're going to see some blue flowers and obviously wasn't much excited about it. When we reached the patch where we could take pictures, San wasn't ready to walk through the pointy grass. And then, the mosquitoes and butterflies bothered her a bit too much! That's my delicate darling, who still managed to grin, standing tall among the Blue Bonnets. :-)

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She's been imitating her teacher in her pretend plays since quite some time now, and it's just getting better! I love the new words that she surprises me with... and the tones, the accents, the pitches... it's all fun to see and hear. :-) Also, I wonder if the Terrible Twos would get more terrible than what it is now...!

Let me also tell you that it's a delight to see your toilet-trained kid move around without a diaper, but it's no fun when they take you on restroom trips every half an hour, especially when you're enjoying a hearty meal... sigh! And then, San darling always hides behind me when the flush roars. :-)

Of the Fears

It was a sunny Sunday yesterday, and we decided to take San to the park. She's been a lover of the slides and the swings, and was obviously excited about it. When we reached there, she wanted to go on the slides first.

And then, there it was - a small flight of steps, waiting to take her to the slide, scaring the excitement out of San. "No, San! You've done it a million times. Why not now?" I thought and wondered why she's suddenly scared of climbing the steps, of the small heights, of all the fun it holds. San stood there, on the first step, letting her fear out in the form of silly whines, waiting for Mommy or Daddy to hold her hand and guide her through the steps. I helped her climb up a few times, showing her how the other kids are doing it, telling her how she can do a 1-2-3 on the steps, assuring her that she'd not fall because she's holding the bars... and also telling her that we'd take her back home if she continues to be scared of it.

And worst of all, she was afraid to slide down too for the first few times. I watched her with a mix of embarrassment, anger, sadness, curiosity, and some more emotions. I hated the people who were watching her with a funny smile on their faces.

Papa dear asked me to let her be and not bother her. We watched her from a distance and cheered her constantly. And she did it again - the lost act. She suddenly froze at one point, anxiously looking at a crying baby, ignoring all the background noises. At another one, she vaguely looked at the people, like she's seen people for the first time. She kept smiling at the boys who were playing with their water guns, oblivious of her surroundings. We kept yelling, "Go, San, go! There are kids behind you!" "Look in the front, San! You'll fall!" But obviously, she wasn't listening. And then I walked up to her to wake her up, feeling like an ugly noise that disturbed a beautiful dream. Sigh!

She was fine an hour later, and I wondered why San did this, simultaneously cursing myself for going through those silly emotions. And then, it hit me - maybe she got it from me; the fear of heights and the lost acts... I saw my reflection in her and it was I who was scared now. I don't want her to be like me. I want her to be strong, fearless, and outgoing... not the timid one, like I was.

San happily watched the ducks later. And like all Mommies, I forgot everything about it after seeing the lovely smile and hearing the magical laughter of San... She's perfect the way she is!

New Class, New Pretend Plays

San has been promoted to the 'Big Girl' class in school. Last week was her trial period in that class, and she loved it. Why? Because they have a lot of pretend play stuff there... Cute little dolls to cuddle, plastic fruits and veggies to feed them, a little high-chair for the dolls (I loved it too!), and a little washing machine and dryer to wash doll's clothes. All that San wants is right there! In spite of that, I am more nervous than her about how she'd adjust in the new class. :-s Although, her favorite Sophia is in that class with her, I wonder how she'd cope with the new teacher, Miss Terry! I miss Miss Vera more than San does... sheesh! :-D

San likes to play 'school' at home. So whenever she's sitting idle (that happens when it's her poop time), she pretends she's the teacher and starts calling out the other kids' names. Randomly, she tells them to eat, take a nap, don't do this and that, and even gives them a timeout! :D Pssst! She even gives timeout to her crayons, wonder why! Maybe, they aren't coloring good enough! :-D

She's learned a new phrase today - 'Excuse me!' So, after every sneeze, burp, or even a hiccup, she's saying that. :-)

In Conversation with San

It was one of those days when I was whining about a white strand that I picked up while combing my hair.

Me: Mummy's hair is white! Boohoo!
San: Hair white, Mommy?
Me: Yes!
San: And teeth black, Mommy?
Me: No, San! I brushed my teeth.
San: Hair color, Mommy?
Me: Well...

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When she came back from school yesterday, I asked her the usual questions, like what she did in school, what she ate, etc.

Me: What did you have for lunch today?
San: Chips!
Me: What did Ava have?
San: Strawberries!
Me: What did Miss Vera have?
San: Bread!
Me: What did Ahaana have?
San: Chicken!
Me: Chicken? How do you know it was chicken?
San: *Blank expression*
Me: Did she tell you it was chicken?
San: Yes.

Since we're vegetarians, I had a million thoughts in mind. How did she know it was chicken? Did she ask? How would she ask? Could Ahaana reply? Maybe! Did she taste it? Uh oh! Stupid thoughts. Smart kids.

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San's latest favorite: The tea-set that we bought her this week, hoping that she'd stop using the kitchenware to cook her imaginary meals.

The Making of a Chapati-maker

San has been doing her pretend plays since quite some time now, and she'd added kitchen stuff to it too, lately. Like rolling the dough and making chapatis for us. And when one of our friends gave her an actual rolling pin and board (the mini ones) to play with, she wanted to make an actual chapati.

Here's San's chapati-making in motion! :)

Ready to roll

Roll Roll Roll the dough!

Showing off her great little chapati!

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School's going good and San is doing okay despite the frequent bouts of cold that she's going through. We blame it on the weather!

She talks in big sentences now and the grammar is almost right (going by the kids' grammar rules :D ). At times, she's a social butterfly. At times, she's a shy tortoise, not wanting to come out of her shell. I wish I could read her mind! :)

Accents, phrases, and runny noses

This week has been quite boring for San and me. We're struggling with runny noses and a stupid cough again. And it happened the same day, same time... and we're almost at the same stage of common cold. Amusing, isn't it? :-) San is missing her friends and play-dates. I too am!

I gave her some lukewarm water today, afraid that she'd find out that something's different. She took a sip and looked at me from the corner of her eye. "Mommy, honey?", she asked. "No, it's just water.", I replied. She took another sip. "Mommy, hot water?", she asked. "No, it's just plain water.", I said. She gave me the I-know-what-you-did look and took some more sips. Phew!

Here's another recent development, courtesy her School. San has started to say a couple of words in a great American accent... mostly, the words that start with 'C' and 'P'. Papa dear keeps pulling her back to a neutral accent, but then it's not gonna work. :-D

I've noticed that all parents, especially the Mommies, like to see their kids talk with an accent. It's almost like a milestone! A Mommy even told me that she wants to put her daughter in school only to see her talk with an accent, so that she can show it off back home. Hoho! Funny thoughts! I don't care till the time she's talking and talking good. :-)

"Stop that." "Don't do that." "No, it's mine." These are San's current favorite phrases. Quite rude, but she can't help it!

What can I say

"Please peel this orange, Mommy",

she said.

I was busy, so, "I can't",

I said.

She asked again

if I can do it for her.

I refused again

while handling the dishwasher.

She hanged around, hoping,

I might do in some time.

I kept working, thinking,

I'd do it after a while.

It was quiet for a while

so I looked for her.

She was trying hard to peel the orange,

was almost there.

She saw me and then beamed

at the good job she had done

"For you, Mommy",

she said, holding out one.

I sat besides her

happy and stupid, I felt.

As she fed me the slices of orange,

making my heart melt.

Diaper-free... almost!

With the start of the New Year, I kick-started the toughest job (according to me): San's toilet training! Yup, accidents did happen the first two days, but San did a good job thereafter. So, I finally decided to continue the same at school.

Yesterday was her first diaper-free day at school. I'd sent several clothes and training pants along with her, cuz' I was sure that she's gonna wet at least one pair. I was prepared to come back with a pile of soiled clothes, but, to my surprise and her teacher's surprise, she stayed dry all day! Her teacher was so glad that she used the potty seat very well and praised her for that. Another proud moment for a parent! I was all smiles like the earlier moment. :D I again wanted to brag about how well San is doing at home, but I again kept shut. Haha!

Every small step in the biggest of the tasks feels like an achievement. It might be no big deal, but I can't help feeling proud and happy about it. And I also can't help bragging about it to my friends, just like all Mommies do. Ah! What a happy Mommy I am! :-D

So, San is just one step away from the diaper-free days. Her nighttime diaper has to go!
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San has started enjoying school and adores her teacher. Yesterday night, when she was half-asleep, she told me that she wants to go to school, to Miss Vera, her teacher. I now think about her first few days at school, when I used to wonder when she'd start liking the school. It has happened, finally!

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Yesterday, she was dancing around with two candies that she picked up at a friend's place. Another friend's boy was eyeing the candies, and San was kinda teasing her with them. The boy finally walked up to San. San got into a defensive mode and uttered a mean 'MINE'! And sent me in a state of shock. She did give him a candy later, but I'm not so happy with the new word that she has learnt. :-s

Happy XMAS for San and a Happy Start of the New Year

Now that San had wished for lollipops last Christmas, Santa gave her a bagful of them! ;-) The expression of her face and the happiness in her "Wow" on seeing the lollipops was priceless. :-) She hasn't had any yet, but always counts them, and recounts them, unwraps them, wraps them back again, and then keeps them back in the bag to play with later.

Although, the bad weather and bad health of San and her Papa dear took a toll on their mood and restricted them to home, we managed to enjoy the Christmas lights and give a happy ending to the last year. :-)



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San's back to school and is quite happy. I felt so proud on hearing her teacher say that she's proud of San, cuz' she knows her ABCs so well! What a proud moment for a parent! :) I wanted to brag more about her ABC skills, but I kept my mouth shut and smiled a lot. Haha! All thanks to Papa dear. :)

Knowing 'No' is both good and bad. And kids do a great job at overusing it! San says No even when she's angry. Goes like this... "No Mummy! Chintu's book/ toy/laptop/chair/shirt! Don't touch!" For those who don't know, Chintu is one of her nicks. :-D

Her pretend play has reached new heights. She treats the doll like it's her baby and acts like me while handling her. She now laughs, gets anxious, and says "Oops" at the right moments while watching her cartoons. :-D

They grow up so fast... sigh! When she says a complete sentence, uses the potty seat perfectly, scrolls through apps on her Papa's phone like a pro, cleans up nicely, sings the rhymes and lullabies with perfect pitching, I wonder. I don't know what, but I wonder! :)

Her current favorites: "The wheels on the bus" and "Hush little baby" rhymes.