Rewind 2013!

God knows how good my memory is, to be rewinding an entire year in a single blog! Every year, as I try to write a farewell blog for the almost-ending year, all I can recollect is the happenings in December, and at the most from November, and nothing more. But this time, sitting on the end of this year, I try my best to rack my brains, and list all that I can remember of 2013 – month wise J

January – Started to write three blogs for the new year 2013, one on why the world did not end in 2012, one farewell blog to 2012 and one welcome blog to 2013. Obviously, none of them ever saw daylight.

February – My elder one’s b’day month, and I was busy with my project schedule in office, and reached home at 10 in the night on her b’day. Shamelessly! Somehow, managed to blog her b’day letter!

March – Sorry, nothing memorable that I can think of, except that hubby yet again, forgot one of our courtship milestones.

April – Tried to decide the dream destination for vacation – Maldives, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Andaman, Leh-Ladakh, Goa and what not?

May – Finally had to settle down to Ooty for the vacation this year L Everything in Ooty made me compare my previous vacation in Kulu-Manali, and the disappointment only increased. Luckily, we had another unexpected trip to Yercaud, which saved the summer holidays from becoming a flop. And yes, the resort in Yercaud, needs a special mention in my blog post. It made the resort in Ooty seem like heaven. At the peak of the vacation season, when we couldn’t get bookings in any of the other resorts, and when this hotel offered us rooms for the weekend, we should have realized atleast then, that we were one of the selected few, who approached this resort, (let alone book) but did we? No, the vacation craze shielded our minds, and by the time we faced the drastic reality, it was too late. It was either the roadside or these rooms. Apart from the rooms, (which we stayed away from as much as possible during the day), the Yercaud trip was a hit J And oh, it was Swathi’s b’day month as well, and even more shamelessly, I couldn’t manage a blog post for her b’day. But, my darling is still too young to mind it anyways.

June – Came back to revive my blog with some couple of posts and absconded again.

July, August – Part-time memory loss J Oh yes, it was Independence day in August and we celebrated it in front of the idiot-box. (Indhiya tholai kaatchi varalaatril mudhal muraiyaaga….)

September – Anniversary month. Month of celebration for me, and god knows month-of-what for hubby. If not for the sports day in kids’ school, we would have managed yet another outing for the wedding day. But as luck would have it, we spent the day in town with a movie and dinner date.

October – Yippee…it was Diwali time – shopping, shopping, shopping. Now, what can be a better stress-reliever than shopping? Didn't we have navaratri in October as well? So, more shopping there J

November – Diwali itself. The entire week-evenings and week-nights prior to Diwali was spent outdoors with the entire group of kids in the street enjoying the crackers. Never did I imagine that the kids would enjoy bursting crackers this much. There was no surprises there, but the level of excitement displayed by them was contagious. All of sudden, the little one would come running inside the house, ransack the cover of crackers, and run outside with yet another box of crackers. And no, no, who would burst the silly  bijilee vedis? Nothing less than Lakshmi vedi or atom bomb would do. The sara vedis were also ok, but definitely not bijilees.

December – Surprisingly, I became interested in Indian politics post the AAP success in Delhi, and continue to do so. And yes, that it was mine as well as hubby’s b’day month requires a small mention here. No gifts, no surprises, but heart-felt warm wishes everywhere J

So, that was 2013 for me, coming with its own share of ups and downs, but as much as I can recollect, this year has been more of a neutral year, if you can exclude the frequent fights, shouts and screams with kids, causing hubby to give an exasperated sigh of ‘Started again?’

And hey, do you know, I have been included in this ‘Blogathon’ for the month of January, which means I-am-supposed-to post atleast one blog every day, for the whole month which I hope to complete successfully. So, keep coming back here for more posts throughout the next month. So, until the next post….a happy farewell to 2013, and a warm welcome to 2014.

Margazhi Kolams!!!

There used to be a time before marriage, when I just could not wait to finish my dinner, and complete my part of the household chores, so that I can recede to my room to be alone with my mobile and the person who gifted it. I face a similar anxiety again, ever since margazhi started. I just cannot wait to get outside and start drawing the kolams. Ever since my childhood, I’ve always been fascinated by kolams and the interest has grown to almost an obsession now!

Moreover, now I have an extra factor to contribute to my interest – my lovely girls. More than me, they are the ones who are more excited by my kolams. Everything is best experienced when shared, and so my neighbours add to the fun, by joining us, and our respective kids play judges to decide the best kolam in the street, and no wonder, my kids always declare that mine is the best. If the kolam next door is an inch bigger than ours, then, they wouldn’t let me rest until I have expanded mine to be bigger than theirs. With an inspiration like this, who wouldn’t be interested? So, presenting you the pics of my kolams this margazhi so far!!! More to be published as and when I find time :)

Thiruvaadhirai special

Happy B’day to me!!!

Today as I’m entering my second year in the thirties, I re-collect all my previous birthdays. When in school, my birthday would almost always fall during the Christmas holidays, and so, no color dress to school, no chocolates distribution to friends and teachers. Oh, how I would envy my friends whose bdays fell on school days, and how they would show off their color dresses to friends on their b’days! Today, when my daughter demands the type of chocolates she wishes to give her friends on her b’day, I can relate with her only too well.

When in college, it was again during the semester holidays or if my luck would have it, it would be the semester exams itself. Though the chocolate distribution craze had worn out by that time, the gifts and cards were always there to be opened and cherished. Something to look forward to!

Join the corporate world, a b’day cake was cut for my birthday, as a team of course, but still that was my first cake ever. Somewhere down the line, the craze of gifts and sweets had slowly worn out, not that I’m not enjoying my life. I’m still happy and satisified with the way my life is going, but I guess that with age comes maturity and so all the childish desires slowly fade out of interest.

But today was different. Apart from the special wishes from friends and well-wishers, one of my team-member, came and gave me a chocolate! Chocolates always lift my mood, but the fact that this person thought of giving it as my b’day gift was what made it special. And then, there was another chocolate from yet another team-mate, and then, one another! Its been raining chocolates today! More than the gift, the thought that my team-members had of wanting to gift me, was what made me feel special.

Thanks to all my well-wishers! Each one of you truly made my day! 

Home-maker???

The six-year old is becoming difficult to manage these days. Not physically, but emotionally. (The four-year old is more than enough to drain you physically.)

Just like all parents, the dad one day popped the question to her "What do you want to become when you grow up?"

And out came the answer: "I will become a home-maker"

When the mommy was still in shock, the dad recovered quickly and to make matters worse, asked "What for? What will you do being a home-maker?"

"I will pick up my kids from school, teach their home-work, play with them, and be there with them all the time"

The only words which did not come out of her mouth were "Unlike my mother!"

Whoever taught her the term "home-maker"!

How I wish I could make my kids dreams come true!

8 years of togetherness!!!

Dear Mr.kg3,

I know you will not remember, but still, it was the day we returned from our honeymoon. Soon after entering the house, you threw the suit cases on the bed and shouted at me in mock anger - 'That's it! The 'honeymoon' period is over. Now be an obedient wife & don't you dare disagree with me...Or else..................' And so eight years have passed like this! I know how much you hope that I will be an 'obedient' wife at least this year. But somehow, I just cannot stop arguing with you or giving counter-statements for whatever you say. But, this has not stopped you from loving me for the past 8 years, and I know it will be the same for all the forth-coming years, no matter how much I continue to argue or fight with you. The realization that you are still there for me after each argument and each fight, and the sense of belonging that comes with it, is something very hard to describe in words. Being your wife is a wonderful feeling, and the best I could wish for! Wishing us many more years of togetherness!!

"Vaalibangal odum, vayathaaga koodum, aanalum anbu maaradhadhu...

Malai idum sondham mudi potta bandham, pirivennum solle ariyaadhadhu..."

-Endrum anbudan...

We are a happy family

Smruthi's doodles

Who's the parent here?

I am a mother. Of two girls. 6 and 4. Period.

I hope this will suffice and give justice to all my poor tolerance levels, impatience and mood swings - not to forget the 'bad-mom' guilt?

On any normal day, mornings are literally a war-fare - right from waking up to wearing the socks to choosing the mode of transport to school. Even if any one of these tantrums doesn't happen, I can mark it as a good day. Like the other day morning, as long as I was out of sight of my lil one, she was doing perfectly fine with her father: woke up, brushed, bathed and dressed up for school. Near the end of breakfast, she announces 'Oh no ma! I haven't created any problems for you today!' (Aiyyoo amma! naan innum unna paduthave illa). As if getting on my nerves is a part of her daily routine. She is so used to make me scream, that she finds something amiss if she doesn't get on my nerves. So, as and when I was about to call it a good day, the size of the socks becomes a problem, she declares it definitely smaller than her sisters' and manages to create a fuss just before leaving for school! Target accomplished!

The best part about these is that even after so much of fights and screams, they manage to smile and wave me good-bye till they turn out of my sight without the slightest bit of bad emotion.

The other day, when my elder one was enjoying herself in the swing in our balcony, she calls out to me 'Ma, can you sit beside me in the swing for some time? I like it when its just the two of us!' I wanted to tell her that there was loads of cleaning to be done, but, there I was, sitting next to her, trying to forget my work-pile. We talked in the swing, for how long I didn't notice. But I noticed the butterflies she was showing me, how she liked to grow a garden in our house, liked to bring the street puppy home as her pet, the shapes the clouds were forming, and things that I usually missed in my hectic, always-on-the-run life. I realised that it was these little things which mattered most in my kids life, and I was missing them. I need to slow down. I need to be doing more of understanding and less of shouting! I look back and try to understand my kids more!

When my kids say stomach-ache, its 'You don't eat enough! Its hunger'. When its my 'those' days, they provide their pillows for my tummy, and say 'It will be alright!' Talk about consolation!

When they complain of body pains after an extra playful evening, I don't have the energy to massage them for more than 10 mins. When its me who is tired from office, they hold my hands and lead me to the bedroom and massage me till I am fast asleep. Talk about empathy!

When they get on my nerves, I shout 'Bad Girls'. But even when I shout at them, I still remain 'Good mommy' to them! Oh, how easily they forgive me and how guilty that makes me feel! If only I could master this!

Even when I am being in my worst looks possible, or my cooking is too bad, or one of my new dresses does not suit me, I have never heard my girls telling me that 'It's bad!' It would always be 'Not good enough!' or 'It looks only OK', but never in the negative. Never ever! Talk about positivity!

They would wake up early on festival days, simply to watch me draw elaborate kolams in front of our house. And they would call out to any passer-by on the road and ask 'Isn't my mom's kolam beautiful?' Even though this leaves me embarassed before the next-door neighbour who has put a much bigger one than mine, I beam at my daughters' tone of pride. Talk about sense of belonging!

I'm learning, and I am growing up! I realise that:

- It is ok, if the house is in a mess, clothes waiting to be done and the toys scattered on the floor. Nobody in my house cares about it anyway!

- It is ok if my girls take five more minutes to brush their teeth. She is consciously doing it to see if any more of her teeth are shaking.

- It is ok if the soap gets wasted for another five minutes. My lil one is trying to make the perfect soap bubble, which she likes.

- It is ok for them to make the regular tantrums. It gives me something to make fun of them when they grow up.

My girls are teaching me the art of enjoying life, come what may!

Are not the kids supposed to be learning from the parents? Aren't we the ones supposed to be teaching them? Do I see the roles getting reversed here? Or am I the only one like this?

Life is a blessing!

To come back home dead tired in the night, when you can't wait to hit the bed, the 'yours lovingly' notices it and issues orders, and two pairs of tiny hands and feet come rushing to the bed and massage you to sleep! Ah, the bliss!!!

Faathi...Faathi....

Its high time I wrote about my little-one, (actually not-so-little-one now). Not because it's been a long time since I wrote anything about her, but mainly because the brat's mischiefs are going a long way, too fast for me to remember to pen everything down.

First things first. About how your 4th birthday went, you didn't make any big fuss, (even when we delayed giving you, your gifts.) It was a neat affair. You got up, dressed up, gave sweets to everyone, had your regular fights with your sister, succeeded in making her cry, and got on your way. But you did create a big scene on your sister's birthday. How dare I deliver Smruthi first! How cruel of me to deliver you second! If I had been any fair mom, I should have given birth to you first and made Smruthi your younger sister. Then, your birthday would have come first, and you need not have been the one to keep asking her for chocolates. She would have been the one coming to you for the chocolates, if it had been your birthday first. But, since everything was in my control, I decided to favor your sister and made her birthday come before yours. Yes, that's very cruel of me! If only I had such power!!!

There was this day, when I made the stupid mistake of assuming that you would love to see your childhood photos and took out the entire collection of albums. You had one look at your 1st birthday album, peeped over to see your sister's album, and immediately all hell broke loose. How dare she come into your photo albums, but not single one of her birthday pictures had your photo in it. Again, the same argument why was I not the first? Oh god! Where does she get these ways of thinking! Darling, you still don't understand the perks of being the last one in the family.

 You are slowly leaving your kiddish slangs and coming to perfection. I remember the day when you came running to me and demanded me to ask you your name. "What's your name?" And you clearly, and very cutely replied "Shwaathi" instead of your usual 'Faathi'. I was not sure if I should feel proud or sad, because you are growing up. Oh, how I would miss my 'Faathi'! With a dull heart, I ask you the next 'sw' word, and pat came the reply - 'fimming'. Thank God, all was not lost. I still get to have few more days to enjoy your mazhalai.

You really are a lovey-dovey baby to have. Every day, you eagerly await my return from office. The moment you see my car near the gate, you come rushing to me even before I open the gate, grab my cell phone through the gaps within the grills, get inside the house and start playing ANGRY BIRDS, making me really ANGRY. For a moment, for a single fleeting moment, I had thought that you were coming to hug me, and you proved again that you are the more practical-than-emotional types. As long as I'm in the house, my mobile becomes entirely your property. To the extent, that you go and charge the mobile yourself, whenever the battery is low.

Unlike your sister, you really don't care to show me your school works or share your day's incidents at school. All you do is to re-collect and laugh at the funny things which your friends said or did at school. Like the first day, you said there was someone named 'Rica-Rica' in your class and laughed at how funny that the same name has to be said twice for her. We are not even sure if that's the real name or if its one more of your mazhalai sorkal. All this mockery even when you were not able to say your name properly enough. That is how your nick-name 'Faathi...Faathi' was born, and till date, even when you say your name perfectly, we love calling you 'Faathi...Faathi'.

You are totally rebellious. There are only very few instances when I can remember you obeying me. (And usually, they would be for an ulterior motive) All other times, you are very cautious not to do anything I tell you to, and to do, everything that I ask you NOT to. And the worst part, you seem to easily get away with it. There was this one incident where the floor was full of your pencils and crayons, and when I told you to clean up, you simply refused and demanded your sister to do it to for you. (Mind you, you didn't request, you demanded!) When I asked YOU to clean up before I counted five, you stood there staring at me. And when I started counting 1, 2, you immediately completed the countdown for me and ran out of the room- obviously without cleaning up. Smruthi and I looked at each other, and the floor was clean five minutes later, (by us, of course!) Your sister wouldn't have got away with half the things which you easily seem to get away with. Every time I try to be fair with you and your sister, I  seem to be fighting a losing game. The privileges of second-borns, I guess. So, now don't you dare accuse me of favoritism to your sister.

Even though you make me think that you are the not-so-emotional one, you do display your emotions rarely, when you come running to me to the kitchen, ask me to bend down, kiss me on the cheek and the times when we both are alone, you hug me tight and kiss me all over my face, and laugh at my reactions. I live for these moments baby. No matter how rebellious you are, how cranky you be, how much you irritate me, I can stand everything for these precious few moments. They make me realise how precious you are to me. My little preciouussss!!!!!!!!!!! My little princess!!!!!!!!!

6-yr old question bank

Smruthi these days is literally a question bank. She starts questioning anything and everything that she sees these days. I read in some childcare website that the kids' curiosity should not be controlled, and that as parents, we should try to answer them as best as we can, and never say, 'you will learn about it when you grow up", and so on. So, I try to answer them as best as I can, to the extent my patience stands. (If only I catch hold of the person who gave this advice!)

 At the beginning, it was only at the bed-time that the questions were raised. She would lie beside me, stare at the fan, think about something, and ask me questions, like "How does the sun go down and moon comes up in the night?" I try to answer her in the simple possible ways, and all she does is derive more questions out of that, until I become technically unaware of the answer, like this: "Why is that only the earth has to revolve around the sun, why can't the sun and earth take turns to revolve around each other, so that it will be easy for both?" Yeah, right! Explaining gravity and stuff like that goes way beyond my boundary, especially at 10 in the night. (Why don't YOU make it easy for ME by sleeping soon?)

But these days, the questions have started flowing all the time, how are saris made, how does bulb glow, and on and on. Like today morning, when she was out of the bath, and I was drying her, she looks at the bed and asks "How are pillows made?". I tried to explain her how cottons are grown out of trees and are then softened and stuffed to form pillows, quickly dressed her and ran out of the room before she could ask me any more questions on that.

And then, there are these not-so-technical questions, which makes me prefer the technical ones better.

The other day she sees my deo and asks:

"Maa, why do you use this deo?"

I explain her why deodarants are used, again in as simple way as I could, to which she answers casually, "No, no, I already know why deodarants are used. What I asked was why do you THIS deo? You can use Dove, right? It will make you fairer"

What? Why? (wondering how she knew about deodarants)

"Because that's what they say in TV ads. Use Dove for lighter underarms!"

(knock-out!)

And she is not a big TV addict either. She watches only cartoon channels for less than an hour a day and the ads are mostly kids based there.

Another incident, where she keeps admiring herself in the mirror, as I clean the room, and asks:

S: Maa, shall I stay in this house itself when I grow up?

Me: Obviously, where else will you go?

S: (as though I didn't hear her properly) Maa, when I GROW UP?

Me: Yeah, so what if you grow up? You'll have to stay here only right?

S: Maa, when I become like YOU

(I get a hint at where she is coming to, and try to drag the questions, so that I need not answer)

Me: So, what if you become like me? Where will you go?

S: (frustrated at my lack of understanding) Maa, when I grow up and have my own kids, can I stay in this house even then?

As I was wondering how to answer this one, luckily Swathi entered the room, an instant argument started between the two, (about what I don't remember now) and I was spared from answering this one. She becomes engrossed in her own thoughts, and springs up the questions at the totally unexpected moments. Makes me wonder at how much she seems to be observing and absorbing from the world around her. The cute little baby, I held in my arms 6 years ago, is slowly turning a girl, and before I realise, all the innocence seems to be vanishing in front of my eyes, and it pains me to realise the transition. These days, I stay in constant alert as to when she will pop out her next question, and am bracing myself for it. Now, you know why I'm searching for the person who gave that piece of advice.

Yeah, that's me!

Writers' Block!

This is what I'm suffering from right now! Neither that I'm too busy in office these days, nor that nothing interesting has happened! There were lot many incidents that I could have written about - like going to my parents' house without kids only so, I could read 'The Oath of Vayuputras' undisturbed (and how disappointed I was) or about this year's vacation to Ooty, or about watching Chota Bheem & Throne of Bali in Satyam, and many more. And then, there is the unforgivable sin of not writing for Swathis' birthday too! (Sorry darling! Am not making any excuses, simply sorry!) But, writers' block it is! Either the thoughts don't flow, or they flow all together at the same time, too fast for me to pen them down! I just can't seem to sit down and write anything, anymore. It simply doesnt come! God help me!

Happy Birthday Swathi

Dear Swathi, 

Happy Birthday darling! Wishing you the happiest birthday with the best of all that life has to offer you!

Love,
Mom.

Celebrating MY girls!

As I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and come back, I couldn't help noticing how my girls were snoring gently and peacefully in their sleep. Just a look at their childishness and innocence was enough to make me feel contented! How could anyone not want 'girl' babies, I thought! I mean being open-minded, and acceptance of either girl or boy is fine, but deliberately NOT wanting a girl baby is something I'm still unable to comprehend! I am not judging others' interest of wanting a girl or boy, but others imposing their interests on me and my family is not acceptable!

My thoughts brought back memories of my labor, and the successive reactions from friends & relatives when it was declared that I had given birth to a baby girl!

As I was nearing my due date with my first one, the entire world came out with predictions that I would be delivering only a boy. Whether they were predicting or hoping, I would never know! It was only my FIL who 'predicted' that it would be a girl. Even though me and hubby didn't have any gender-bias for my first one, when hubby shouted 'It IS a girl!' in my labor ward, I felt like jumping up and down on hearing the news (though 'relief' was the first emotion after labor!) and my FIL was to be seen literally doing the same on hearing the news. Though both sides of parents and most of the family was equally happy with the news, some exceptional cases would come and tell me, 'Its ok! Better luck next time!' Excuse me! Was that a consolation? Do I look like I need one? All I wanted was to shout 'Idiots! I feel lucky and blessed that it IS a girl.' Better luck indeed! What could be better than the cute little girl which I was cuddling in my arms then?

When I was questioned about my second arrival, I surprised many by saying that I preferred my second one also to be a girl. (including hubby I suppose). I had always wanted a girl from the moment I realized that I was expecting my second! And thank god, she was a girl! What would I have done, had it been a boy is a different question. (Probably, cried one whole day, and got on with parenting from the next day!)

'Oh! second is also a girl? Its ok! Nowadays, both boys and girls are the same.' would be some genius' way of congratulating me. Oh yeah? Thanks for your lovely comments! Am so glad to hear it!

When someone comes and asks me 'How many kids do you have?", I proudly say 'Two girls!', and the responses which I get are mixed. 'Oh! two girls?' and then there are the oohs and aahs about how having two girls can be the cutest thing in the world, which I am happy to hear. But for all the others, who try to sympathise with me for having two girls, no thanks! You can keep the sympathies to yourself. I don't need it now! I have a close relative who was very happy and relieved when my neighbor also gave birth to a second girl child! So, now, I need not be the only one in the neighborhood with two girls! If she had thought that she was empathizing with me, she was failing badly! She strongly reminded me of an old Doordarshan ad 'Aaana? Ponna? Aaana ponna porandhadhenna.....'.

And then there is this one other comment, 'You are lucky both are girls. Boys are extremely naughty and difficult to handle!' This may be true, may not be always! I do not know. In my humble opinion, pranks and mischief are child-variant and not gender variant! Even if we assume the above statement to be true, for all the pranks played by my girls, they might have as well been boys. They are being equally mischievous and naughty, probably only more than if they had been boys. Your sympathies for me are welcome here! If boys can do it double, these girls can do it triple! Just for the record, even though my daughters get on my nerves every waking minute, the fact remains that my life could not have been any better without my lovely little daughters. I am perfectly happy, happier and happiest (and if there is any better word, please include that as well) that I have two little girls in my life who make my life as special as I can best wish for!

Coming back to the night-time episode, I keep looking at my girls for some time, and being overcome by my love for them, I re-arrange their blankets, squeeze in the bed between them, kiss my elder one in the forehead, and whisper 'Luv you baby!' in her ears. To my surprise, I hear her whispering 'Luv you too!' back in her sleep. Expecting the same, I turn towards my younger one, kiss her and whisper the same, and I hear only her soft breath, and the sucking sound of her fingers! I smile and go back to sleep :)

Swathi's fav time-pass

Birthday-na adika maaten-nu nenachiya!!!

To like or not-to-like

Six months of tight project schedule and hectic time as a family-person, has drained out nearly all the energy from me, that realization has dawned on me that I should spend more and more of 'me' time. So, here I come - back to writing! Since this writing time is supposed to be 'me' time, I start by writing a few of my favorite things and our favorite 'Murphy' in each of those:

- Watching a favorite movie in the TV undisturbed: (ie, without hubby switching channels, or the kids interupting, or no house-hold chores to be done) aaaannnndddd - the power goes off during your favorite scene!

- Shopping like crazy in pondy-bazaar, coming home with handful of carry-bags, and displaying the goodies proudly to hubby, aaannnnnndddd - one of the favorite things which I shopped was left back in the shop itself!

- Reading a physical book after a very very long time, sitting in the balcony swing, with a cup of coffee, and enjoying the book, aaaannnndddd - the book ends all of a sudden with a 'To be continued' note, and the sequel is not available for the next 6 months or so, and suddenly you feel like a kid from whom chocolate was grabbed from her hand!

- Making round, crispy, dosas for the entire family, and hubby praises my talent, aaannnndddd - the final set of dosas which I make for myself gets stuck to the pan!

- In the theatre, the kids behave extremely well without any tantrums, so much that I'm able to watch the movie in peace, aaaannnnnddd the movie sucks!

-After every fight, I turn over to the other side, staying awake and waiting for hubby to come and talk to me first, aaannnndddd I hear snoring after a few minutes!

- As rare as Halley's comet, hubby gets me a surprise dress for anniversary, aaanddddddd the size is XXL!

- Sitting down to blog on the list of my favorites, aaaanndddd suddenly the list of my favorites simply doesn't cross my mind anymore!

27:02:2013

Dear Smruthi,

As you reach your sixth birthday, I cannot stop admiring at how much change the past year has brought in you! You are no more the baby I loved to see you as, nor do you like me calling you a 'baby'. Even if my statement is just 'Luv you baby'. You promptly ask 'Do I look like a baby to you?' You agree or not, like all mothers say, you will always be my baby - my lovely little daughter - and 'the best little girl in the world' (as your milk cup says)

You have grown big-enough to be a girl who can arrange for her own play-dates with your friend. On any Saturday morning, you just wake up and inform me that either you are going over to your friend's place or that she is going to come in to ours to play for the day. Warn you, it's just an information that I get, not permission. Not that I'm much happy about this, but still, I just stand back and see my little girl transforming. When you have nothing else to do, you keep dressing up and admire yourself in the mirror, and ask me how you look. Make-up or no make-up, you will always look beautiful to me!

You like to keep your things ordered and in a regular way. You cannot digest it, if your books are kept in the wrong sections of your school bag, or if your pencils are kept the wrong way in your box. Even if your table is a mess, you keep it a ordered mess. At any point of time, you can take the things you need from the exact location within the mess. You remind me of myself there.

As for you and Swathi, I give up! And I see that these days, even you have resigned to keep out of your sister's way. You just give up and compromise until or unless she gets on your nerves. For the record, it's not just your sister, there are times when you also pull her legs and irritate her just for the sake of doing it. Naughty you!

This year has been proof that you are mommy's girl - through and through. You are able to understand the story when you watch movies. In the most unexpected moment, you narrate the story of a movie, we once watched, and all this time, I was thinking that you were simply munching pop-corn in the movie. And you CRY, when the movies or anything in the TV for that matter becomes emotional - just like me. You just cannot accept not-so-happy parts of the plays, even if the ending is a happy one. For example, there are these 'bad' scenes in the 'Beauty & Beast' and 'Snow-white' which you are just keen on forwarding and move to the happy scenes. Your favorite cartoon in the TV is Doremon - Nobita :)

You are getting more glued to me with each passing day. And you never miss a chance to express your love to me - be it with a simple hug, or saying that I look good in a particular dress, or saying that I'm the best mother in the world! How I wish your dad learns from you! This means a lot to me, especially given my awfully bad temper. There was this one time, when after one of our regular fights and compromises, you told me that even though I go to office and you go to school, you always keep thinking of me - be it in school or home. Now, a statement this big from your little mouth is too heavy for me to handle dear! Especially when I am already whining to be a working mom. I never knew that I could love you even more than I currently do. Love you dear, as always and more than ever before. May you get the best of all that life has to offer. Wishing you the happiest birthday darling!

- With loads of love & kisses,
Your mom

PS: Thanks for making me write again. I just couldn't miss your birthday post :)