Aditi goes to School

Dear Aditi,

Today is your first day at the 'Big' school- a Montessori.

Unlike your sister who went to a reception class you went to a playschool.

Going by that experience, you will be happy here too. I hope.

You remained excited about joining your akka's school till a few weeks ago.

Once you realised that you will not be sitting in her class, you have become reluctant.

You keep asking if " Amma will sit with me?" at the very mention of school.

Your potty training is almost done and I think you can manage that bit well.

You have always been self reliant anyway when it comes to eating and wearing shoes etc.

And your communication skills take us all by surprise.

I am sure you will get over the initial fear and will love this place.

But I cannot call you a big girl yet - because you really are not one. ( you are about 3 months short of being 3 yrs old)

I hope you cherish the friends you make and that this school also brings out the best in you, moving at your pace and with your aptitude.

Anushka wants to check on you at break time daily but I am not sure yet if it is a good idea as you may cling on to her if you see her.

Stay well baby and remember home and amma are just a few hours away.

Love,

Amma

LUV at home

So we own an Ertiga now. It is a mini Innova from the Maruti stable. Practical enough for our needs.

We had the first long drive to Chintamani over the weekend, also had breakfast in Kolar ( Woody's will soon have competition from Adigas).
Seems comfy especially for the kids to stretch out and sleep on the last seat.

First time we have opted for a diesel version. Time will tell.
As for driving comfort- nothing changes for me. ( only because I still do not drive!)

Aditi let me go to the gym today. Do not know if it will translate into freedom from her clinginess and more importantly from the extra kilos.

Anushka's school reopened today and she begins second standard.
Still cant say 'grade' instead of class or standard.
And just in case you want to know-

I would never use luv instead of love though I use u instead of you often.

Summer Cool

Got the first batch of small green mangoes for maavadu. The cart was right across our apartment.

Celebrated Navy's star birthday yesterday with home made coconut cookies and gifted him, among other things, the grand finale to the Earth's Children series. I cannot believe I kept off the book for the last 2 months since I wanted it to stay a surprise for him.

Anush went on her maiden solo shopping expedition to the neighbourhood Nilgiris. I could not resist following her, of course, at an appropriate distance. Once she completed the task, i revealed myself and she was not pleased ;-)

Aditi's Second birthday

Here is Aditi's birthday in pictures:
Decor: Scrap cloth Bunting, paper wish bunting, tissue paper flowers, yellow balloons and flowers, yellow dress code


Food: Dhokla, Poha, Corn- pineapple salad, Popcorn, Gold fingers, Custard, 2 cakes( mango and duckie), juice, melon eggs and Tomato peel flowers

Clothes: 3 sunny frocks and one traditional one

Activities: Lemon and spoon, lion plate art, yellow collage with stickers, pin the tail

Gifts: The goody bag itself was a goody courtesy S and the NGO initiative she and her family support. Included wooden tops, smiley ball, Anushka's Puppets of India- a book and a golden yellow pen.

We also had a cake cutting session in school for Aditi, which her big sis attended.

12 years!

To my Best Man and friend,

Twelve years of being married - fifteen years of knowing you!

Here is to the joy of banter, sharing, caring, fighting, achieving, parenting .........................and just the pure wonder of just being together doing nothing.

A

21 and more

Aditi turned 21 months on Saturday. We celebrated Father's day at her play school and found she had really settled in well despite the agonising wails that continue, as we drop and pick her up daily. Anush joined in on the fun as a BIG sister.

I had a whirlwind trip to Mumbai on Friday and managed a visit to Andheri for lunch feasting on street side eats. Also went to Merwans! Took some of those treats to the playschool.

It was my folk's wedding anniversary on Sunday. Anush made a lovely card for them using gemstones. We enjoyed dinner at a not so known restaurant called Pink Popaddam, a part of Ishta hotel at Ulsoor. The girls both wore pink to the place and for once their mom was okay with that :-)

Very innovative, different and surprisingly yummy food- sample this- a paan- gulkand- vanilla shot!! Go there if you haven't already. Even if it is just to enjoy the best/ most informed service I have ever experienced.

Ring in the New with the Old!

We rang in the New Year with family and friends and attended a lovely terrace party in the Bangalore chill.

Then we went to Lepakshi to herald the new year and were completely wowed by the stories in stone.

A gigantic Nandi,  a floating pillar, a magnificent Ligan with a seven headed naag, the three legged dance teacher of the apsaras, the story of Sri Kala Hasti, roof murals, Sita's foot print( the size of her big toe was my foot size), a large 'Bombay Thali' in stone, a cow in three poses- absolutely educative and enchanting


On to Chintamani for a day and back in Bangalore. Time well spent with both sets of grandparents.


Do catch my first review of 2011 at ST. It was a book that really moved me. And do leave your comments on an earlier post on the pop up 10. Thought that you may have missed it in the Holiday season.


And yes there is an avaraikai fest at Sajjan Rao circle- one of a kind event. The akki roti from there was awesome.

Before she became my mother....

She had a crush on Nehru,
She loved Phantom comics,
She was an ace student,
She was independant, forward, spirited,
She was an experimentative cook,
She followed fashion trends....even high hair-buns and Spiderman glares

A bit of that changed, some of it remained, some more got added.

She became a wonderful mother and a fantastic grandmother- the best any grandkid could have!
Happy Birthday Amma!

Just another year...

This has been an eventful year for me ( bit more than ever)

A location change after 10 years ( turned out fine)
A work style change ( a lot of adjustment)
A School change for the kid ( all for the good)
From own to rented house ( not too bad)
A bit of working out ( Yes!!)
Almost no cooking ( this I miss)
Being a Mother of 2 in the full sense( the best thing ever)
Being almost a full owner of our second home( most of the loan paid off)
Being a reviewer for ST ( yeah to that)
Beginning my second series for Chandamama while MM will also continue ( Yipee to that)
Meeting some old friends and some more blogger friends
Doing a lot of weekend outings and activities with the kids


Thank you 2010!! Welcome 2011.Happy New Year Folks ! See you on the other side.
This year just flows into the next one.............

What a weekend!

First visit to Mother Earth store and was wowed. Like a friend put it , a bit over priced Dastkaar- but easy access and all under one roof all year round- so I am not complaining.

Jeeva was in her element at the Tulika Panchtantra story telling and Anush made a reluctant deer who went under the net in her favourite story Four friends. Got to meet the surprisingly young Nivie, the really graceful Radhika and the bubbly Tulika blog bird in person.... and some more.

Aditi had her first heart wrenching wound/ bruise very similar to Anush's when she had been a similar age- on her inner jaw- for once I am not feeling bad that she is teething so slow...else she may have lost her milk tooth early I guess. Everyone is reassuring me it will heal soon. Hope so.

Following in her big sis's footsteps she also managed to pull off her earrings ( twice so far) and the this time is refusing to let us put it on again. And yeah I forgot to register here that she weaned off breast milk without fuss ( like Anush again) , but contrary to our expectation, at 13 months.

Visited my friend N and his family and was very pleased to note the next gen getting along really fine. The previous week we had been to Fun City courtesy another friend U who has not changed one bit over the years. Cheers to both of them!

And Happy Children's day ! My gift to Anush- she will have her paati back from Mumbai by tonight!

Ayushmaan bhava!

Yesterday was Aditi's Ayush Homam followed by a lovely dinner with extended family.

Also relinking my latest post at ST since no one seems to have read it. Would love to hear from you on such books.

Nature Nurture

Just a couple of days and it will be one year... twelve months... this time last year I had decided to opt for the C sec as advised by the doc. What has changed.... well many things! What has not- my size :- O...

Click on the side link for my updated episode of Muthu online . It was supposed to be Nature Nurture and also you will find the online one has lot of typos. Not my doing but....

Five stars and seventy and ten

It was Anush's fifth star bday and my FIL's seventieth bday. A good excuse to have an elaborate family get together which turned out to be so much fun !!

On Saturday, Anush and I had been to Monkey Maze, a good place for activities and of course with a net maze/ obstacle course. Anush enjoyed herself though I felt the maze is more suited to an even younger age group. The lady who runs the place seemed enterprising and they offer some nice activities. Might check those out sometime. While on activities, Anushka is writing very well and enjoys abacus.

Jump Bunch conducted a complementary session which was okay. And also when anyway you do similar things at home it does not remain that special. Not as cool as gymbabes / Tumble tots in Chennai.

Took a family portrait " Amreeki " style at a studio- my ILs with their son and two daughters and all our kids- 14 of us in one frame. Priceless. Though I would have liked an outdoor natural one as well like the one here of the grand kids...

Missed the Strand sale but they are back in December and I hear from my neighbour that she gets good discounts even otherwise!! Missed the plays at Bal Bhavan but am sure if they were good they will soon come back to town

And yes, our cute bonda- Aditi turned 10 months on Sunday.

Pl go here to Saffron Tree for my review of a series that we LOVE on friendship.

Neem Peepal Banyan

Coconut, mango, banana....tamarind .... as the Karadi rhyme goes.

We saw these and a lot more at Lakshmipuram, a small village in Andhra. It was extra special since it was Aditi's first trip to her paternal grandpa's native place with fields, tanks and a temple. Great fun was had by both kids.

Also managed a quick dash to visit to wish Cubby and Abha.

1 and 1= 11 and 4

Eleven years ago, in Bangalore, the two - you know- a young Navy and a younger Art- became one officially- Artnavy.

Today they have 2 of their own and they live in Bangalore now, after 10 years and tonnes of memories in Chennai.

Life is good, as always.

Happy Anniversary Navy! And go here, here, here and here for some nostalgia.

Best foot forward

Anush had a bonus visit from her friend when her pick up arrangement from school backfired. Girls, at any age, just know how to have fun.
On the other hand, she slept right through a visit from her cousin uncles, who had come to spend time with her!!

Made a quick trip to Chintamani over the weekend. All in all a lot of fun.

My parents celebrated their wedding anniversary on Saturday. A close family friend shares the date and all of them went to ISKON. My memory of the Mumbai ISKON is dominated by the ghee fried puris.

Off to Chennai today

Wonderful Life!

Went for Ashtavakra staged by Dhaatu Puppet theatre. Absolutely engaging and delightful for both adults and for children. The play was in English and the songs in Kannada but I could follow most of it.

The entry was free and I wonder how they support this initiative. They also had a puppet gallery which could have done with a guide or some literature.

Went to Chamraajpet for the Brahmin's idli corner but it was shut and we ended up in Vidhyarthi bhavan and devoured some yummy dosas instead and got to see Gandhi bazaar as well.

We took Anush to her new school for a peek preview- truly peek because the gates were shut. She looked through the wooden slats and also I held her high over the smaller wall .....She seemed very pleased and even in the evening asked to go look it up again! If she settles in well, this move will be complete and done.

Aditi is able to crawl a few 'steps' and needs targets such as the remote for her to move towards.

We had a mini blogger meet at my place with usha, sandhya, crazy mom and an avid blog reader S joining us. Though I had met three of them before, Sandhya was new to me. It was like those times in Chennai when I bonded with "known strangers" and turned friends. I think there will be many such in Blore.

Anush and Aditi were completely indulged in terms of gifts and though both were sleepy, Anush enjoyed herself and shared her toys with A didi and the little A.

My SIL dropped by and her hubby amazed me with his energy levels and humour.... as usual. The kids are most lucky to have their cousins and new friends close at hand.

Went to Mangalore on work and another blogger Starry came to rescue in terms of a place suggestion for lunch- we went to the Village and had yummy food.

Utopia, Claytopia and back!

We had friends from Chennai (Itchy and D) who compleletly livened up our Friday evening or should  I say night. Anush looks forward to many visits from her favourite twins and their mom

Took Anush to Claytopia, she chose to colour a ceramic clay butterfly this time. It is a very innovative concept. When we pick it up a fortnight later she  has reserved a cat for that time!

We also saw an interesting bakery which claims to be the best bread in town and that they do not use yeast! The tart and quiche were good but not exceptional or maybe I am not discerning enough. Will try the bread and let you know my feel.

Went for a Satyanarayana puja to Navy's colleague's place. Anush's first time and even mine to view a home theatre.

Visited a lot of relatives on Sunday. Anush and Aditi behaved very well and though we were  tired, we were happy.

My father joined us after a very long year sand a half and as Anush said: "I am so excited that thaathu has come back"

And yes, Happy Birthday to me!! I am 34 yrs young. Flowers, wishes, blessings, gift of choice( money :-))all pouring in...

We did it!

This must be the longets break I have taken from the blog. Now that both blog and blogger are well rested, here is an update.


Bangalore welcomed us with rains last week!

The house is almost fully set and once again I feel that it is the people who make it a home. The separation from the houses in Chennai is no longer painful…


We celebrated Navy’s birthday and for the first time I could not send him flowers to his office. Luckily gifts had been purchased earlier and cards were made as well.
Anush and Aditi are settling in well and there is enough on offer within the building itself
Relatives and friends are pouring in, lots of cordial neigbbours as well
I traveled to Chennai officially and am all set to make this off site arrangement work
In any case the kids and office work at home keep me completely occupied
Am enjoying set dosa, halka murmurra ( puffed rice) and of course the weather- which incidentally is as dry as teh city is wet :-)
Am missing knowing the city and moving around as I did in Chennai
And yes, ironically the internet connection is still not done in this Delhi- like Electronic city!! So till then tata.

A new A, B, C to B

B to C
A, a Bombayite came to Chennai- very reluctantly
But the anticipation of being with her man kept A going
Soon they bought a house, had a kid, bought another house, had another kid, changed 5 jobs between them, had great times. .
Ten years went by. . .they fell in love with Chennai
A thought she had become a hard core Chennaite

Now A is moving to a new B- to Bengaluru.
Here we come.....