Right Choice!

After being offered a choice of all three schools, we or rather Anush opted for the one that is close-by and well established. Her reason was that the teachers were very nice and the test they administered was more interesting. After we paid up the fees she said that she liked school 2 better because of the campus. As my heart sank, she threw me a wicked grin!!

Aditi had her first hair cut and transformed to a naughtier avatar. She was pretty composed during the ( non) episode. Bless her.

Both kids are down with fever and we go through the drill yet again!

My dear Bonda

Aditi is 14 months old today!

- She has 4 teeth coming out simultaneously and still has one dimple
- Her favourite words are - mumum- food!! and Bye!!
- She likes to play ball and going out (Bye) all the time
- She feeds her sister and her dad assorted stuff
- She loves being tickled, posing that she is reading a book
- She gives flying kisses and hi 5s
- She hates her hair tied- so has an unruly wild mop ,
- She refuses to keep her shoes on
- She is more social now and bonds well with kids and known aunties
- She stands unsupported for a while but does not attempt to walk yet
- She watches Waybloo a bit on TV and calls all small kids "Baybbeeee" and all animals "Bowwow"
- She likes to hold on to random small stuff when she sleeps
- She has a great sense of rhythm and coordination - she can align bottle/ container lids
- She enjoys her tub bath and also yells to be in the pool with her sister
- And yes she can blow perfectly into a whistle

Happy 4th !!

4 years ago this blog was born.

Thanks to Anush & Aditi, books & movies, Chennai & Bangalore who make good subjects!

Thanks family and new found friends who still read on.

Thanks fellow bloggers who inspire .

Most of all thanks to those of you who leave behind comments which encourage and empathise!

Do visit my latest review of an audiobook at Saffron Tree

Home again!

The incredibly generous and arty Patricia is showcasing some corners of our Bangalore home with a sprinkling of our Chennai home pics as well. Thanks Patricia.

Do check it out and leave your comments.

Baby Steps towards Learning

Anush has been averse to attending any class outside of school. She usually wants me to sit in or do the teaching myself. The only exception has been one activity course at Vanilla Place and the occasional yoga with her paati, I guess.

Swimming and singing both masters were bid a prompt adieu. Dance happens only with me and I hardly know much.

A couple of days back she expressed a keen wish to join the neighbour's kids at Abacus. While I have no opinion about Abacus I am very excited that Anush is willing to try some new class finally. All the best baby! Hope you enjoy it and feel more confident about such experiences.

Singham, lion heart and more

Anush has been a rather timid/ clingy child, in the sense she does not venture out much with out me. She refuses to enroll in activities outside of school unless pressed to do so.

On Sunday, she proclaimed that she wants to go to her cousin's place and stay the night there as well. I was not prepared but put on a brave face and we packed and I reinforced my gyaan on susu, sharing , eating, taboos etc

As she was leaving, I told her ( half hoping she would change her mind) that she could call for us to pick her up if she wants to get back sooner.

As the day progressed I began wondering what she finds more exciting at her cousin's place than her own home. Of course she has kids who adore her and she hero worships. Other than that maybe??

Navy said I was reading too much into all this and she is trying to be independent and we shld encourage blah blah.... he was right.I used to scoff when they said mothers need to learn to set their children free- little did I know....I am a clingy mom!!

Anyway I was relieved ( no thrilled) when Anush called by evening to say she wanted to get back home.

What would I have done if she had really stayed on... maybe I would have joined her myself ... Just kidding. What, you don't believe me?

Of course I got good time with Aditi and caught up with Navy and we also saw a movie Singham. Mostly mindless, rather violent, fun ride. Some questions to the director- Does Air Deccan still fly? Why does Surya insist on wearing blouse shirts?

P.S. Anush went smiling to school finally!!

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...

I am a Bangalorean!

Went for my first Blogger Meet as a Bangalorean. It was a surprise shower planned by all the lovely ladies here for COS. So am I now a baptised Bangalore blogger? Need to change it on my profile I guess.

I relived my wonderful baby shower thrown by the Chennai gang, not so long ago.
Settling in well into my work, with the net connection coming in, though it is pressuresome to remote manage some urgent requests. The weekly trips should be useful though very hectic.

Got my Chandamama issue delivered to Bangalore address. Check out the latest Mister Muthu online episode on the side bar

Navy's parents visited and were delighted by the home and the kids.

Do look up my post at ST on a writer- illustrator I find really witty.

Went to Corner House, which is just a short drive from home and enjoyed the menu card as much as the sinful dessert. There is a Parsi restaurant there and Bombay Bhel in the adjoining . And me thinks their newly launched Belgian waffle is in honour of our moving to Blore!! Just kidding.

Valentine weekend

Anushka and her father went to the mini golf course at OMR this Sunday- thoroughly worth the small entry fee. Though Anush wielded the club more like Gatothkaj rather than Tiger Woods....

We went to Ashvita a cafe that has been advertising heavily
Nice food, though limited menu and great ambiance
They also have a book store with all Tulika, Blaft and Tara books.
Also got to eat star fruit.

Milestone
Aditi is at this stage of locomotion- kind of prostrating .... but moving backwards or downwards as the case may be
She has also taken to being fed with a spoon...

Milestone?
I have not seen any Tamil movie in the last 5 months!!
I am dying to see Ishkiya.
Finally getting a new cell phone after over 2 years.

City
BTW Cotton world sale is on.
Mc Donalds is opening in Velachery

Updates

My visit to office went off well with a warm welcome from those who matter.

Aditi and my mother managed well and my regular maid pitched in as well.

Today I will go for a longer duration and Anush may also miss me. But I feel everything will regularise in a week or so. Let us see....

Do check out my review at Saffron Tree of a book we love and the new episode of Mister Muthu( refer the right side- bar)

Scaling hillocks

While the fact is that we largely converse in English at home, Anush's vocab still leaves me surprised!

Anush accurately describing her art work of a mountain scene~this is a hillock, some hills and this is a mountain~

Anushka tells her father~ You are not responding appa... I asked you...~

Anushka' school review, last Friday, left me gloating. Not just her growing academic skills but also what they had to say about Anushka the classmate/ the person/ the student as she is in school.

I know I am supposed to be grown up and display equanimity but well... you know me:-)

Anushka's timings are also likely to get extended in a month or so.

We were told we can apply for Aditi when she is six months old!!

Happy Birthday to me!

3 years

630 posts full of memories

20 followers

10 regular readers

Many well wishers

Over a handful of new and dear friends

Thank you and keep visiting!

How nice a day can be

.......when kindness touches it... or thoughfulness for that matter.

Anush received her first letter( courier)-a birthday card and a gift today, courtesy Boo. It was a complete surprise and she was so thrilled. She made a necklace almost immediately with the bead set that Boo and her little ones had sent her.

While it would have been lovely to have the three ladies over, I must say the pleasure of receiving something addressed to herself left Anush " excited" in her own words. Pics later!!

Thanks Boo !

Had a reassuring visit to the gyaneac today. Only a month and a half to go!

The weekend that was

Artnavy unveiled- An unfamiliar face comes up to me at Shopper's stop and asks a little hesitantly " You are Art?" I knew that it had to be a blogger or a blog reader. She had recognised me because of Anush. She turned out to be a young lady from Pune who had moved to Chennai a year ago. So my not so little one is a celeb of sorts- this is a third time for me, that someone who reads the blog, but doe snot know me otherwise, has spotted and identified us!!

Sing Along- complete paisa vasool for any child between 2- 7 yrs. The ladies were energy personified. Navy felt I could easily have been a part of the troupe- with my singing- dancing ability and energy levels. I was really flattered by the compliment.

All the children/ and most parents had a ball. We are back with a cd that the group released and a new favourite song for Anush- Ring Ring by Abba. Her improvised lyrics include" Ring Ring why don't you give me a call? .. why don't you pick up the call?........... why did you not lift the phone?"!!

Haji Ali Juice Centre- visited it and I loved the fruit cream and the typical grill sandwich. However Navy did not relish anything at all. So this restaurant gets a mixed rating from artnavy. Also it is not on Greams Road proper, you need to take the left into the Dhaba express street as you enter from Mount Road.

We took a new found relative and now friend to Harry Potter- Half Blood Prince at Mayajaal. Despite being a Chennaite this was her first trip to Mayajaal! We enjoyed the movie and Anush found it excruciatingly lengthy. Her one very logical question was" Why are they not going to class if this is school amma?"

Anush revealed a child's innocence/ lack of diplomacy, when she asked this attractive single girl of 25, " You have a baby in your stomach? It looks like that!" Whatever she may have felt, the lady was very cheerful in brushing aside this comment.

My 600th Post

Saw Naadodigal- a rustic tale of friends to the rescue of lovers and how they feel let down. First half is simply superb, the second half in its attempt to give a message is a drag. Also it is inconsistent and difficult to believe that a friend who turned to you for help, will suddenly shun you completely. I also fundamentally disagree with the thought that marriages are meant to be forever at any cost- if they go bad it may be better to call it off. Anyway definitely worth a watch. The cast is fantastic. The music is good.

An Anushism I want to place on record- " Amma this elaneer ( tender coconut) is cut very well. Superb na , the coconut boss is?"
Me- "Did u say Boss Anush?"
Anush-" Yes amma, I don't know his name, I can't call him sir, so I can call him boss na"
.....Something she had noticed her Dad doing . . .

Michael Jackson is dead. I am not very sad but I loved his music back then.
Revisited an old biography of his that my mother had gifted me in school- I noticed that I had highlighted two things that long ago- that he was a vegetarian and that he loved the Carpenters . . . anything to feel linked to MJ those days.

And yes, this is my 600th post!!

Charge of the white brigade

Found my first two strands of white hair. If I take after my maternal side I will be totally salt (no pepper) in a few years and if I take after the paternal I have another 30 years to go.

Murphy certainly indicates the former is more likely- - hair oils, hair colours, conditioners for coloured hair- here i come.




Just finished reading John Grisham's The Associate
A kind of coming clean story of a bright young lawyer at the start of his career
A typical treat for Grisham's fans

Hope this will help me come out of the "no interest in reading" spell I have been under the last one month or so.


And yes, I hit over 1Lakh visitors finally.

Home News

Our not so new home made news. It was featured in Good living ( !!) by The Times of India- Times Property, Chennai edition. The article was flattering though the colours in the photos were somewhat distorted. Thanks D. The reference came through a chain of friends. But no one we know here reads the Times though, hopefully a few people read this blog and see this :-))

Did not do any of the things on the Check list of Friday-
Story telling- Not okay for kid to be escorted and Anush refused to sit through alone
Dosa fest- odd hour of 3-6 in the noon
Christmas Sale- When I reconfirmed on phone, they seemed to have only limited tree decorations with them
Sin- Navy would want to be a part of
.....and so on . . .

Train story

About 25 years ago, a little girl in Guntur, Andhra was enchanted by a gift- a Tommy Rail train set from her maama in "America". This was the only toy she did not share with visitors or even with her much younger cousins. She would assemble and display the rail set to select guests for show off purposes.

This train traveled to Vijayawada and then to Bombay and returned South to Chennai post her marriage with Navy.

Yesterday she shared this well preserved and cherished possession with her daughter. Almost willingly. Let her little one fix the track and the accessories.

Little wonder that the daughter enjoys her mother's train set more than her own!!

A case of how sometimes, the new gives way to the old.

My Killi ( parrot)

Anush's voice will be heard at least by thousands today.

My parents and the "uncle who came to see me from Appa's office " together recorded Anush's voice wishing Suchi good morning and wishing listeners a Happy Children's day!! It is on air today.

It is nice to watch Anush and my father in conversation. One little adult and another young adult in action. Appa's energy is infectious and his concern for Anushka amuses Amma and me since he has never been one to display too much emotion.

We usually spend time daily with my folks but it is rare for them to come over to the new place often, since it disrupts their routine. Also Amma has an evening job now.

Yesterday Appa delighted his little girl and her not so little mother ( me) by paying us a visit on Children's Day eve and Anush wanted him to stay the night and also call both her paati and my paati over. I am so glad that she is affectionate .

We watched a documentary on Botswana last night and I named some of the kids in it as Handa and Akeyo. Today she recalled it and said she thought it looked like Handa's home- Kenya!

And yes I won the first prize at the office held Saftey- Health and Environment Quiz. Rs 500 prize money!!

Happy Children's Day baby to you and all the little ones out there. And did I tell you I loved Nehru when I was a kid?Again at Landmark but at an appropriate hour this time.....

450. Happy Diwali!

A colleague asked me "How do you celebrate Diwali?"
I said " Wear new clothes, eat, socialise and make merry, light lamps, donate to some charity, enjoy a few noiseless crackers, maybe go for a movie..."
He accusingly asked " You do not pray?"
I said " I do not wait for Diwali to pray. I pray daily , any time, any where."

Happy Diwali! May there be more light!

Anush will enjoy both her paternal and maternal grand folks this weekend. And possibly my dear friend Apu will come over too.

And 450- that is the number of posts in this blog including this one.