Excited

Super duper excited about so many things:

• Got my leave approved


• Going to Goa for a week


• Our first family trip, Su, Mu, Sunny n ME (I wish meme wud come too...but I think she needs to rest as much as she can)


• Chiku's birthday is coming up while we are in Goa...so need to do something special for her.

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!

Happens to me all the time...

Here I was religiously coming to work(but hving no work at all). Being sincere, in terms of staying at my desk for hours together, hoping, sooner or later, I would get work. And no work came my way. Infact, my seniors would cut the topics short just when they would know I was gonna start talking about work.

And now guess what?? Just when I decided to go on a holiday (for a week to Goa, ya I know I m gonna have a rocking time, thats if my babies let me) there has been buzz about projects coming in. People with similar profile as me are required. I just hope when I come back ONLY then they start taking people onboard and not before or during my vacation please. And I get some decent work.

Blocked Mind

The maid decided to call it quits!!!
Do I need to say more???

Silly

What do you do when you see a tall, ffffffffffaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrr, bald, lean, handsome dude walking like a Greek God, in your office premises, gives you a look ( a killer for that matter) and walks away into the office, whilst you are taking a walk(after lunch) with your friend????

Have you ever extended your walk and checked the elevator area, dude's not there, checked the staircase, found him, you walked up the stairs, pretending to tell your friend that your manager is in this building(instead of the other building where you sit) n you have come here to meet the manager?? And then seen the dude disappearing in the training room. Your friend says Trainee hai, and you say really???
Disappointing and so not fair, he is just a trainee and you a Veteran here.

Well, anklet and me did that today ;) followed a greek God, only to find he is a trainee here.

25 minutes to go

nope not talking about the MLTR lyrics. (Though, on 2nd thoughts I have all but forgotten the lyrics, I should start listening to music) . Nothing to do with the song. Nothing to do with the number, but ya something to do with the time.

Mornings are such busy times, especially, when you have to catch the office bus, which seems to come a couple of minutes earlier, only when you are late.
Me, I always manage to leave the house at the nth hour, correction, nth SECONDS. Distance from home to the stop, about 2-3 kms. Time it takes to reach the stop, if you are a snail like me, then 45 mins of leisure walk or half an hour of fast walking(which includes few mins of leisure walking too), or 15 mins of jog(few mins of fast walking...and a whole load of splash of mirk on my outfit...ya its thanks to the muddy dirty road). The bus reaches the stop ideally by 8:02am give or take 3-4 mins. The ideal time to leave the house, one would say be 7:30 and what time do I leave???

Today I left the house at 7:45am. Yes, you heard me right, 7:45 am. If that was the time when I left the society it would still have been ok. And then I tried catching a rick, no luck. So I thought to myself, if I keep looking for easy options it wouldn't work, I challenged myself and sprinted (read - Jogged) away and guess wat??? the bus was on time 8:02 and I had reached a good 30 secs prior to that. Lucky Me. But then ofcourse thats ME!!!!

The hell...

Parents go thru ya...

20th Sept
Last weekend was very hectic, what with Su's cousin and her mum coming down to stay over for the night. I was happy in a way coz the cous and Mummu get along quite well (Cous is millions of lightyears elder to mummu, so don't get me wrong there). Mummu is totally smitten by the cous.
But yday a strange thing happened. Just when I was putting her to bed, mummu asked me:
Mummu : Mumma what is this?? (pointing at her belly)
Me : (these questions are tricky and sometimes I pause to see if she will selfanswer)What is what??
Mummu : look here na, what is this??
Me : Thats your tummy
Mummu : My belly. and Yes this is my belly button. Mumma when I become bbbbbbiiiiiiiiiggggggggg na one day, then baby will come in my tummy. Mumma when will baby come in my tummy???

Me stumped, no, wait, superstumped. I didn't know what to say. I thought it through and asked her "who told you that ?"
Mummu : Cous

Me stumped again. Who's the kid here??? Cous or mummu??? called up Cous threatened her (if u so much as breathe such things infront of my baby, all ur diamonds will belong to me and those 30-40 tolas of Gold you will hv to donate it to 'Mycharityfund')???
What should have I done (considering that I m so bad at taking suggestions)??
More than that, I was wondering, is it time already to talk about stuffs(birds n bees, no wait, about baby-birds and baby-bees)??? And who should I be having the talk with first the cous or mummu?? Should I discipline mummu??? For the time being, she wudn't utter this nonsense infront of me, but, I m sooooooo damn sure she will utter the same nonsense infront of Meme, and knowing Meme, by the time, I reach home(remember I have joined work so I leave at 7:30 in the morning and reach at 7:30 in the evening), I might find strawberries in place of meme's cheeks and meme rolling on the floor with laughter(God Knows what wud that do to Sunny???).

Different

yet so similar...both these kids.

Sunny is 6 months old. And now he has decided to change his sleeping habits (Sighhhh!!!). If you know me, you know how painful that sigh is.

So now sunny wakes up as early (n i mean really early. IF YOU DON'T STOP THIS SUNNY, WAIT TILL U GROW UP BUDDY???), wants to be hugged and cuddled and wants u to play with him. Oh Jeez. I generally pat him to sleep, but then the poor boy won't sleep.
Just this morning he got up at 3am, played with me a little, but just wudn't stop crying. Somehow I put him back to sleep, n between crying and sleeping it was already 5 am.
I decided to give him his bottle of milk, and happily and with a cute smile dancing on his face he did pooh. After that he would just not let me be. I had to pick him up, soothe him, smile at him, put a bath, gave him a bottle of milk and after about almost an hour, he finally fell asleep. Phew. And then it was just time to get back to daily chores and get ready for work.

CHIKU -- when she was 6 months, would wake up early in the morning too, but I think around 6am, She would just want you to play with her, thats it. After about half n hour she would again fall off to sleep. There were days when we had to shake Chiku so vigorously to wake her up. Sigh!!!

Some

matured and some sweet and some interesting and some just push the wrong buttons in me, but all in all these days, these lil boys and gals, surprise me to no extent. I love some and don't like some.


Here's a list of them whom I love and think very highly of:
Hitesh : A boy in standard 6th, same school as Chiku and goes in the same van as chiku. I think he is a sweet kid cos I have never seen him fighting and I have heard him say positive things. Like this one day, one of the kids threw his kerchief out of the van and by the time he realised the kerchief was gone, the van was good a km ahead. Still, he got down got the kerchief and asked the boy to throw it again. He saw it as a game and enjoyed it. When he was narrating this story to me, he said 'aunty that ways I did some jogging'. How sweet, Hitesh? thats what I said. He takes care of Chiku like a baby. Holds her hand, helps her to get into the van, sometimes when there is no place, he puts her on his lap.

Annie: A very charming dusky babe, studies in Standard 6th as well. Her ability to rationalise, analyse and explain is unbelievable. You know, they say, that some children are gifted they are such well speakers that you are mesmerised by them. When I was expecting Sunny boy, I don't remember Annie enquiring me about my tummy or the baby. But when she saw me with a lil baby, she promptly came to enquire about the baby, what is the baby, a boy or a girl? what do you plan to name him? infact, she asked me have you named him as yet? I said no. She said I thought so. Then she went on to tell me story about how when her brother was born, they named him after 40 days and in the church etc. She is the first one who jumps into to crack close any argument between small boys and girls, a perfect pacifier. Chiku loves to play with her and generally is soothed by her if she is crying while going to school.

Rishita: A very sweet gal, but then I dont' know much about her. But I just like her.

Bhumin: A standard 1 student and one of the very first friends of Chiku. He is smart and confident and can bore u death with his talks, sensible talks, but he is a chatter box. He is the self-proclaimed cousin brother of Chiku :)

Then there are other kids, Naomi - she too talks very well. She is the one who keeps telling me 'Aunty send na Chiku to my dance class, when I am going na I will take her along with me. I will hold her aunty and cross the road', Mahi - I shouldn't say I don't like the kid, but then her level of maturity is different, she is the one who went and told all the kids in our neighbours that I was pregnant and that after 9 months I will have a small baby, Raunak - our neighbour boy, sweet kid and a kid, now chiku ties rakhi to him, Aman - good looking dude, always busy in his plays, and adores Arushi. When Chiku was 3 years and would go down to play, he would tell everybody to speak to her in english, cos she wud only speak english, Pratishta - a chatter chatter box. But I love talking to her. She would enquire about everything and everyone, Aunty why Chiku didn't come today, why is her bus late? where is your driver?? where is the other aunty?? where is that dog going?? that aunty who comes to pick up chiku who is she???etc etc, Arya - Kid with the biggest soda glasses I have ever seen. He is the first to come home and play with Chiku all the time during summer vacation and Su just doesn't like the idea of boyz coming home. Shreya - the first one to invite chiku home to play, but I think her mum doesnt like it at all.
Then there are pests of the building Meet, Harsh, Veer who are just as badly behaved as one can be and who are forever fighting.

Blessings

This year can be conveniently marked as the year of GREAT H.E.L.P.

During my early days of pregnancy, friend from the society Aanchal, used to give me a lift till the office. She herself was pregnant so that was a blessing in disguise.

I didn't find a good gyneac closer to where I stay so in the early days of my pregnancy I decided to go to my earlier doctor. Her clinic is close to where I work. It was convenient to go for checkups from work. But as the days were closing in I grew more and more paranoid about delivering somewhere else. If not for friends like Anjie, I don't know what I would hv done.
Anjie came to visit me the day I was admitted and then the next day she got me b'fast. Shiny and her mum got me food, lunch n dinner and that too a complete meal. I am anyways a big fan of malayali food. The very next day, Lakesh got me food. And thats how I survived my 3-4 days in the hospital. The day we were relieved, Shiny's mum invited us for lunch and asked us to rest and leave in the evening.

And now that I have started work and can't wait with chiku till her school bus arrives, we have Hitesh the lil boy who comes in the morning to pick up chiku for school, we have Hitesh who comes in the evening to pick chiku for some fun n games n play.

Thank God for Friends and their help. Its a huge Blessing.

M.I.S.T.A.K.E.S

And I have been making mighty ones and countless of them.

Sept 13th, 2011
Came back from work exhausted. Was happy to see the kids happy. Just when I was in the lift, a lil boy told me 'Aunty I have just dropped Chiku home'. And I was so glad to hear that. Finally, she is making friends and going out to play on her own. I took lil sunny, and fed him. He threw up some milk. I went to get a mop. I was just cleaning, just before that I instructed Chiku, not to walk on the wet floor ( she is prone to falling on the floor all the time). She walked down, without bothering to see where she was going, picked up the glass that had fallen on the floor, just close to where I was cleaning. I got so angry, I gave her a spank.
She looked angrily at me and screamed: 'I was only picking up the glass'.
I didn't know what to say.

Sept 14th, 2011
Finished all the chores before time today. Decided to leave for the office bus a little early so that I don't have to run for it and in turn catch the bus sweating like a pig. As usual, I took chiku along with me to drop her off in the building corridor where her other friends gather(shall I say wait for her), and I left for my bus not before giving a peck on her cheeks and asking her to stay put. She in turn said: ' I also want to do it'. She gave me a peck too and hugged me and I waived her bye. About couple of hours after I reached office, mum called me and was scolding me for leaving chiku alone. She told me that there was nobody with her and she started to cry and she was walking here n there aimlessly. Fortunately, my brother went down to check on me instead found Chiku wandering about and crying her lungs out. I am sure she must have been so upset and sad and in her own words 'I was sooooooo alone'.


Dear Chiku
I am sorry, for yesterday and today, and for all the days that I have been unreasonable and lost my temper without understanding or realising what it would do to you.
I am sorry for making you upset and scolding you, even when I know that you are still a baby and I cannot and shouldnot expect you to act like a grown-up.
I am not a bad mother and I am trying really hard to change myself.
I will try harder to keep my temper in control and to ensure that you are alright at all times.
luv always,
Mumma

Its NOT a Sin

(Pre-text : I have resumed work after a break of 6 months. Its been a week I have still not been given any work. So people are curious to know what am I upto when I am rattling away at my keyboard.)


Somebody (to be precise a Single unmarried gal in her late 20s) asked me
LS : So what are you upto? Any project?
Me : Nah, none. U know how it is out here ya?? Its just been a week for me, how will they give me work whilst people are waiting for ages now.
LS : So how do you spend time?
ME : I keep writing something or the other or reading.
LS : What are u reading??
ME : BLOGS
LS : Any interesting blogs
ME : Yup. Baking blogs and cooking blogs and mommie blogs.
LS : oooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh OMG. These are not my types
ME : Yup. They are my types not yours. But wait for sometime and you will be on my side of the world, and then we shall compare some notes about food and children and rashes and diapers and growing up.

'So what' I ask. I don't have to feel guilty about what I am doing, don't make me feel that way!!!
I am a mom of 2 and I have my interests in place.
I love to cook.
I love to bake.
And reading what other mommies are doing in their world is not a SIN.
Trying to be a good mother is not a SIN.
Growing up from being a party-goer to a mummy-dearest is not a SIN.

September

Chiku's and meme's birthday month. Chiku is going to turn 4 years soon and meme is always gonna be 35 years :) (ever-green).

Things that chiku says and does has to be a separate post (cos the list is very long).
Things that Chiku and Meme do together are here.

ACT 1:
Meme : 'तुमहरा नाम क्या है?'
चीकू : 'मेरा नाम डोरेमोन है।' और तुम्हारा नाम क्या है?
मेमे : 'मेरा नाम नोबिता है'
This goes on forever

ACT 2:
चीकू : 'अम्मा तुम आंटी हो और मैं डॉक्टर हूँ '
मेमे : ओके बाबु डॉक्टर डॉक्टर मुझे चेक करओ मैं बीमार हूँ
चीकू : क्या हुआ आंटी तुम को tउम कों बुखार है, पेट दुःख रहा है
मेमे : हाँ डॉक्टर
चीकू : एक इन्जेक्तिओन दूं क्या?
मेमे : नहीं नहीं डॉक्टर मुझे डर लगेगा न
and chiku pretends as if she is giving injection and meme pretends as if she is hurting n cries and chiku gives a big roar of laughter.

ACT 3:
Meme makes knocking sound.
Chiku : Whose that Amma?
Meme : Bui baba
Chiku : What bui baba do's
Meme : Bui baba is saying 'Aunty, Chiku hai kya??? main usko kachi kachi karunga' (as in i will bite her)
Chiku : No no amma, bui baba will kachi kachi u

ACT 4:
Chiku taking the pencil box in her hand and pretending its a mike and asking amma to speak in it.
Meme : Namaskar. Main airindia ki airhostess bol rahi hoon. Sab ka swagat hai. Aur sab baith jayiye. Aur apni peti bandh lijiye.
And then both burst out laughing.

I think and I strongly believe my mum entertains Chiku more than I do. I am forever disciplining her.

ACT 5: (this is as latest as yesterday 13/09/2011)
Chiku roaming around with her dark glasses. She looks really pretty with her glasses on. Then she made meme wear them.
Meme, after wearing them, pulled a lil lower so that chiku cud see her eyes.
Meme : मैं कौन हूँ
चीकू : तुम कौन हो
मेमे : मैं डाकू हूँ
चीकू : तुम डाकू हों!!!
मेमे : हाँ मैं डाकू हूं हा हा हा
Chiku : What daaku dos??
Meme : ahhhhhhhhh...(surprised!! what to say next)
So instead she laughs out loud. Then they both laugh.

Bond

Chiku was very touchy when I was expecting sunny. Here I was 6 months pregnant and my daughter requesting me to pick her up. Poor kid, she was just 3 years old, we had just celebrated her b'day. I didn't know how big she had grown till I picked her up. Her legs were dwindling on my 'sunny-filled' tummy. We were quite skeptical as to how this child will react to the new sibling. Sibling rivalry was penetrating so strongly out of the clouds.

But its so different now. Today, though Chiku might have tears in her eyes, but if Sunny is crying, she affectionately calls out to him and pacifies him.
Just this morning she was making him laugh and run. Now that he can crawl faster, Chiku was running from one end to another, she was challenging sunny to follow suit. Sunny was making attempts to follow her, but he would be half way through by the time she reaches the other end.
If sunny got stuck, while trying to turn cos of cushions around him, she would hold him and help him to turn, or while he is sleeping she would put cushions all arnd him so as to prevent him from falling.

The fan following is mutual. Sunny is equally smitten by things Chiku does. He watches her smile, watches her closely when she is talking, keeps staring at her when she is dancing or studying or writing or reading or playing with her toys or just lying down, tries to reach her whenever she is moving from one place to another. So smitten that he has picked up her habit of sucking his fingers, chiku sucks 2 fingers from her right hand and sunny sucks just the index finger from his left hand.

I hope they bond as they grow and bond well, become friends for life, like I have my brothers and sister.

Here comes...

Sunny...
He is going to be 6 months in a couple of days. Time as usual flew out of the window. From the time he wailed his lungs out, nights together, to today when he smiles at me when I talk to him, its just fascinating to see him grow so quickly and I still marvel at the discovery of new things about him, about me and everything about children, in general.

I am just reliving the day. March 12th was the date given for Sunny boy to arrive, when we went for checkup(one of the very few checkups that Su came for unlike during Mummu;s time when he was around all the time) the doctor was like its still not time, but yes anytime the baby should arrive. We were getting a lil agitated cos the doc kept saying 'not yet' for the next couple of days and kept saying that 'you should shift to vashi least there should be an emergency'.
And I was just not ready to park myself at anjies place least it should be incovenient for everybody. Finally on March 18th the doc was like, oh you are ready, if we induce you the baby should be delivered by end of the day.

Su, was so happy to hear that and he readily sided with the doc. We went for a quick lunch and in the meantime called up Amma, Chiku didi, Mama, Anne(tte mummy), Anklets, Anjie to tell them that the time has arrived. Went back to the hospital and on the way I became quiet. Su thought I was scared. WEll, I was actually recounting the previous incident of labour induction, and the process that went alongside it. WEll, honestly, I was recounting all the 'painful' times and trying to revise the breathing exercises. We reached the hospital at 4pm, after the first few painful processes, the nurse for a change advised me to walk as fast and as much as I can(which wasn't the case last time around. Mummu's time she just wudnt let me get up from the bed). Till 7 pm, the contractions were quite feeble n bearable and thankfully the hip exercises were relieving me of pain.
Anjie, came to visit me(that was very sweet) and whilst we were having a conversation(she asked me my age), I got a contraction. I don't know which one was more painful the contraction or the age question ;) . Anjie quickly decided to leave. It was 8 pm and the nurse again came to check. No progress. At this point, she made a general announcement that the baby will arrive only tomorrow. The maushi's were getting ready to leave for home. The other nurse had relaxed and ordered for some food and the doctor was informed. I was disappointed. To me it meant enduring the pain through out the night and being very tired on the baby's arrival.

But things were soon to be changed. 9pm everything changed. The nurse checked and was hurrying me to get up and start walking to the operation theatre. Mind you I walked to the OT(it was actually 10 steps away but I did walk. Mummu's time I have no memories of how I reached OT). Infact this time I walked on my own, from my room to the entrance of the OT and just when I was struggling with the door, the nurse shouted at the maushi to say 'how can you not help the patient?'. Once inside there was a big surprise for me. The OT was not ready, assuming the baby was only gonna arrive the next morning, nobody made any preparations. With the nurses shouting n abusing, I realised that the baby was gonna come out any min. The nurse was giving instructions to everyone, including me. Yes I was instructed to walk till the Operation table n lie down. I tried once, but the contraction was so sharp that I went and stood which felt much better. Nurse yelled at the maushi "put the patient on the table". There I was, literally pushed with a loud thud and the nurse got angry again "down throw her, I asked you to put the patient".

Between 9:15 to 10:04 all hell broke loose:
1. Doctor walked in, found the maushi's were not appropriately dressed ( as in no slippers, no cover on their head, hair flowing long) for the surgery/delivery, she refused to change into her own operation gown.
2. Maushis were standing aimlessly and were not understanding simple instructions given to them.
3. The nurse was not sure if anethesist could make it, since she had said she will be out of town.
4. The IV that was on my left hand had slipped off and veins had swelled up and were bleeding. I brought this to the nurses attention and no matter how much she would try the I.V wud come off.
5. I started to push and the nurse kept shouting at me 'not now'. Just breathe and relax. Cos the doc was not Ready.
6. The nurse and doc were having conversation, I had crams in my leg and I had no place to keep my feet, so I decided to take liberties, one feet on the nurses tummy n one feet on the docs tummy.

Finally, everything fell in place. The nurse, doctors and maushis all were ready and were encouraging me to push. The first time, I pushed only during half the contraction. Second time, I pushed, felt better and third time I felt the melon coming out. I knew I had a baby boy(the way the doctor was holding the baby, the bump was facing me :) so you see I knew).
I checked the time 10:02 pm(I was like if they forget to note the time like they did during Mummu, then???).

Before passing out, the doctor asked me do you know wat you hv got(unlike the last time, when the doc remembered only after good 45 mins to let me know that I have a Girl now)?

I smiled and said 'Yes, a Boy'.

Sunny boy finally arrived.

Expressions

As the time is flying by, mummu is filling my days with loads of dialogues followed by some cute expressions and gestures.

Scene 1:
I m seated on the sofa, watching (gaping) at my fav soap opera. Mummu, is playing and all of a sudden she runs to meme's room, picks something up, runs back to me. Kneels on one knee(a typical proposing pose) infront of the sofa where I am seated. There is a plastic flower in her hand. She poses as if to give the flower to me, calls me, smiles and says
'Mumma, yeh tumhare liye'
(Mumma this is for you)

Scene 2:
This Mummu generally does when I m really upset with her and she knows that if she upsets me more I m gonna scold her. She hugs me and says
'Mumma, main tum se pyaar karti hoon. Mumma I love you so much'

Dialogues

At a friends wedding:
Mummu always has been the types, when she sees people her own age she wud just run to them. We had been to a friends wedding in March, and luckily I was happy to see another gal (the Grooms niece, almost same age as Mummu) there. I was closely watching them. There was this girl AM, Mummu and another boy of the same age. In their playful activities, they had thrown the bride n groom off and occupied the sofa kept on the stage. Before mummu joined the gang, AM and the Boy, xyz, were happily running around. Once mummu joined, xyz started playing with her and wasn't following AM when she continued to run here and there. This I think bugged AM a lot, she called out for the boy. The boy meekly followed her, while AM pointed a strict finger at Mummu and said something, which seemed like ' u better stay here n don't follow us'. While AM and Xyz took one round of the reception hall, mummu waited patiently on the sofa. Xyz came back to her once he finished his running arnd and started playing again. AM called him the 2nd time for another round, the boy meekly followed her, while again Mummu was instructed to strictly sit where she was (atleast from a distant it seemed that way). AM and xyz ran and xyz again came back to mummu. The Third time, before AM called xyz to play with her, she shouted at mummu and I could clearly hear her say 'Don't play with us, sit here'. Mummu was burning with fury. I was on my marks, I handed Sunny to mum and was adjusting my sandal.

With the biggest tears in her eyes, she slid down from the sofa, kept both the hands on the sofa behind her back, and to the trailing figure of AM she shouted something.

When I heard that, I broke into a laugh and a sprint at the same time. Grabbed her, brought her back to where we were seated and cuddled her, told her not to cry and asked her what did AM tell you
Mummu : ' Mumma she told me, you don't play'
ME : ' what did you say?'

Mummu with tears still rolling out of her eyes and a big smile (as if she won the battle with that just one word) : ' I said Kuttey' (kuttey as in dog).

How could you not laugh at such a sweet thing. I, ofcourse, disciplined her later once we got back home, no point scolding the child, when she was so upset.

F.E.A.R.s (August 11)

The latest addition to my list of fears:
1. PTM
2. Mummu
Fears of PTM's , I thought I had overcome, what with Mummu's eurokids teachers giving a good review everytime we went there. I never thought, dreamt it would come back to scare me again, and it did. Honestly, I had all but forgotten about it, when the circular came from her new school, the fear just came back to me, followed by sleepless nights. In the end, PTM was postponed to another month. Sighhhhhhhhhh, Phew, Relief.
In the meantime, there was the Independence day celebration, and I was hoping it would be a school event. Well, it was a class event, supposed to start at 8:30 and it did start, we reached at 9 am. We actually entered towards fag end of a performance, infact the only performance that was organised(and if the teachers are listening, please, I cannot write my remarks based on just one performance when the music player was getting stuck every 5 seconds and the children didn't know what to do. Plus, whatever comments I have written down its for the childrens performance and not really for what the teachers taught).

When we entered, the last piece of music(title song from 'Chak de') was playing, Mummu without any hestitation just joined the gang and started dancing, we were so happy to see that there was absolutely no hesitation.

After the performance, we asked her who are your friends? She pointed at them from far, named them, but just didn't go to anybody despite the fact that half the children were calling out to her. This made me upset, but I am assuming cos sunny was also with us, she was more interested in coming back n playing with Sunny than her school friends(keeping my fingers crossed).

WE were more interested in knowing few kids, especially the ones who Mummu was complaining about that they beat her, pinch her or push her(wait till I find them grrrrrr!!!Wat I m protective about my kid, so wat???). Thankfully, none of those guys had turned up(thankful for them).
A typical conversation after she is back from school:
Mummu : 'Mumma today na that big boy pushed me'
'Mumma today na that big boy na took my chair'
'Mumma today na that big boy scratched me'

Me : 'So what did you do?'
Mummu : ' I na told teacher, teacher teacher this boy beat me.'
Me : ' Did you beat him back?'
Mummu : 'no mumma, I am so small na.'
While this made me smile and I am so glad that she doesn't resort to any kind of violence, I worry about her, I do not want her to be pushed or beaten ever.

First day @work

and back home.
Yup m back @work, after exactly 6 months of leave(what Leave??? Maternity leave !!! ofcourse). Well actually a lil short of 6months. But thats not important. How do I feel?? Nothing new. Felt like I had never left the place. Felt like I was always working. Staying at home was way hectic than coming to work. I had b'fast and lunch on time and in peace with Anjie and Anklets (not a peaceful thing at home). I joined on Monday, so that meant both Su n Me had to leave from home, and that neither of us would be arnd the kids for the entire day. I would atleast return late in the evening but Su wud come only on Friday. So the kids were at Meme's place.

The highlight of the day was NOT being in the office n surviving (that was easy!!!) it was getting back home. The festival of Ganpati had already started and it was just the 3 days so loads of processions on the road and just when we were reaching the destination a huge procession just blocked us for a quite 15 mins or so. AFter I reached home( a lil later than the usual 7:30), both Mummu n Sunny jumped with excitement. Sunny was pulling himself off Meme's grip and Mummu she was one who ran and opened the door for me. While Cuddling and playing with both of them,
Mummu asked : 'Mumma, where have u been?'
Me : 'Office baba. Remember I told u in the morning that I hv to go to work and I will now meet u only in the evening'
Mummu : 'Mumma why do u have to go to office'
Me : ' Cos mumma has work na and how will she get money then if she doesn't go to work( :) some facts of life can't be hidden )'?
Mummu : 'but why do u hv to leave me and go?'
Me : 'Cos there is work na baba. Why do you ask?'
Mummu : 'Cos mumma when you go office na, (crossing her arms infront of her chest)then I was so alone' (gave a sad smile)

ME, I just bursted out laughing. Don't know where she learnt that from. These days I don't know whats the next thing she will say.

Faith

hits technology, or technology hits faith. Don't know which one is this?

Yesterday, on my way back from work, I saw a small place(my eyes hv never travelled there), where there were hounds of people gathered and listening to some guruji's speech. There was still a thin stream of ppl flowing into this gathering.

What probably shocked me was this group of people were meticulously seated and in complete silence infront of a 40" flatscreen(I think it was bigger than 40") . I could clearly see the baba on the TV. Wow, technology has reached far n wide.