Yesterday, Chunchu had a poetry recital competition at her school. The poem was supposed to be in Hindi and at least 8 lines long. So I chose "Chunnu Munnu the do bhai..." for her.
She liked it so much that she got the hang of it within a couple of days. She practised and really recited it nicely. But she was not able to say 'rasgulla'. Anyway she sounded cute with her mispronunciation.
So, yesterday she stood on a stage and recited the poem into a mike, in front of everyone at school. I was secretly worried she would be too shy to do that, but she surprised me. And she was very happy when she returned home. She told me how everything happened. She said everyone had applauded her after her performance, so she felt very glad. Well, I felt proud of her!
Today, her teacher informed us that she had won the second prize and would be receiving the same on stage on her school's Annual day function. I almost cried with pride. I felt so happy. Such little achievements of a child matter so much to parents! But sadly, she did not share my enthusiasm. Rather, she started crying why she did not come first!!!! I had to convince her that even second was good and that she did very well; and that I was so proud of her. After a while, I realized she did not understand that second was next to first. So then I told her second means being number 2 out of many children at her school. Then, she felt fine. But still, she kept insisting she wanted to be first. So I told her that she could try harder next time for a first prize :-)
This is Chunchu's first ever win and I feel glad. I wish there would be many such occasions in life when I can be proud of her, and she could be proud of herself too.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Interview, ketchup stain, and everyday life
When you don't even realize until you are 5 minutes away from the interview venue that you have a ketchup stain on your shirt...and when you don't know that you forgot the notes you were studying from, until the last minute...that's the ways of a mother :-)
Yes, I had an interview and my little angel had her coloring competition. The fact that she got a certificate (her first ever!) for the same was even more rewarding than the fact that I have been given a green signal for the next round!
While both of us were getting ready for our respective activities for the morning, Shiku kept insisting that he wanted to 'ulol' (i.e. color) too!
Wow...sometimes I just don't have enough words to express the kind of wonders I experience day in and day out with my little kids around. It is amazing how Shiku keeps increasing his vocabulary still sticking with his basic style - keeping the first consonant silent! So, mamma becomes amma; didi becomes adi (or unchu didi for chunchu didi); Siddhartha becomes ida and sometimes iddhartha; masi becomes aasi and so on. He can say the same consonant when it is not the first letter of the first word in his sentences.
Sometimes, you wonder - life seems too busy and sometimes tiring as the kids need you all the time. They are so dependent on you for small things. But you get scared thinking of the time when they no longer will be. Would you feel unwanted then? May be there will be other ways in which you'll have to care for them, but this dependence on you will definitely change.
Today Chunchu cried when she thought I won't come home till evening, but what will happen when she wouldn't care anymore if I was there at home or not? When long hours with books/phone/Internet will keep her too busy to worry about the time I will be back home...or when the kids will not need me to feed them, narrate a story to them, sing a lullaby to them...how I will miss this time!
Sometimes, when I have lots to do, and Chunchu and Shiku are simultaneously asking for my attention, these thoughts help me keep trying to maintain a balance...between their instant 'spur-of-the-moment' wishes and my 'can-be-postponed' needs.
This thought keeps coming to my mind every now and then...wish God gave me super powers so that I could be at two places at one time, or I would not need to rest/sleep..ohh I wish!
Yes, I had an interview and my little angel had her coloring competition. The fact that she got a certificate (her first ever!) for the same was even more rewarding than the fact that I have been given a green signal for the next round!
While both of us were getting ready for our respective activities for the morning, Shiku kept insisting that he wanted to 'ulol' (i.e. color) too!
Wow...sometimes I just don't have enough words to express the kind of wonders I experience day in and day out with my little kids around. It is amazing how Shiku keeps increasing his vocabulary still sticking with his basic style - keeping the first consonant silent! So, mamma becomes amma; didi becomes adi (or unchu didi for chunchu didi); Siddhartha becomes ida and sometimes iddhartha; masi becomes aasi and so on. He can say the same consonant when it is not the first letter of the first word in his sentences.
Sometimes, you wonder - life seems too busy and sometimes tiring as the kids need you all the time. They are so dependent on you for small things. But you get scared thinking of the time when they no longer will be. Would you feel unwanted then? May be there will be other ways in which you'll have to care for them, but this dependence on you will definitely change.
Today Chunchu cried when she thought I won't come home till evening, but what will happen when she wouldn't care anymore if I was there at home or not? When long hours with books/phone/Internet will keep her too busy to worry about the time I will be back home...or when the kids will not need me to feed them, narrate a story to them, sing a lullaby to them...how I will miss this time!
Sometimes, when I have lots to do, and Chunchu and Shiku are simultaneously asking for my attention, these thoughts help me keep trying to maintain a balance...between their instant 'spur-of-the-moment' wishes and my 'can-be-postponed' needs.
This thought keeps coming to my mind every now and then...wish God gave me super powers so that I could be at two places at one time, or I would not need to rest/sleep..ohh I wish!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
My Little Chefs and Doctors
Yes, there are two little chefs and two little doctors at my home. They keep changing their profession every hour and I am the guinea pig almost all the time. And do I love it? Well, of course! Who won't be overwhelmed with emotions when your kids are playing doctor-doctor, and treat you for anything from pain to surgery? Yes, Chunchu and Shiku are busy doing what almost all of us did when we were kids. They are role-playing their prospective professions.
When they are doctors, they diagnose a disease by first asking very professionally, "So, Manisha, what seems to be the problem with you?" Sometimes, Chunchu would say "mom" and then corrects herself, explaining to me that since she is a doctor and I am her patient, I cannot be her mom anymore :-) Then, the bro-sis duo divides the duties of checking my stats and giving me an injection to sleep! They sometimes they clean and dress an old wound, asking me all the while how I got hurt. It's so much fun seeing them copy the doctors we have visited in the past.
When they are chef, they take order first and then give suggestions to what I might like to eat and drink. One of them, then, goes on to prepare dessert, while the other cooks vegetable and chapatis. All this while, they keep asking if I would like to add pepper or spices to my food; how sweet should the dessert be; if I want a coffee or tea along with it, etc.
Well, whatever they decide to be when they grow up, I wish they are as diligent as they are while playing their parts.
Another thing requires a mention in this post. Yesterday, both of them became 'mommy' by dressing up in a saree (draped using dupatta), though I rarely wear one. But they looked damn cute, walking and talking like a grown up lady :-) Of course, I kept telling Shiku he cannot be a mom in real life!
When they are doctors, they diagnose a disease by first asking very professionally, "So, Manisha, what seems to be the problem with you?" Sometimes, Chunchu would say "mom" and then corrects herself, explaining to me that since she is a doctor and I am her patient, I cannot be her mom anymore :-) Then, the bro-sis duo divides the duties of checking my stats and giving me an injection to sleep! They sometimes they clean and dress an old wound, asking me all the while how I got hurt. It's so much fun seeing them copy the doctors we have visited in the past.
When they are chef, they take order first and then give suggestions to what I might like to eat and drink. One of them, then, goes on to prepare dessert, while the other cooks vegetable and chapatis. All this while, they keep asking if I would like to add pepper or spices to my food; how sweet should the dessert be; if I want a coffee or tea along with it, etc.
Well, whatever they decide to be when they grow up, I wish they are as diligent as they are while playing their parts.
Another thing requires a mention in this post. Yesterday, both of them became 'mommy' by dressing up in a saree (draped using dupatta), though I rarely wear one. But they looked damn cute, walking and talking like a grown up lady :-) Of course, I kept telling Shiku he cannot be a mom in real life!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Getting Drenched in Rain!
Rain is always refreshing; what is more uplifting is getting drenched in rain, and if you can do it with your daughter by your side, nothing can beat it!
Chunchu was a little hesitant, so I jumped in. As soon as she saw me getting wet happily, she ran to me and started to dance, run around and simply have fun while the raindrops fell on us. Before this, it wasn't a good day; too many doubts creeping into my mind. But after, I feel awesome and so refreshed. Chunchu and I played like kids, and I can say I haven't had so much fun in a while now.
We tried to entice Shiku into the madness with us, but he had just woken up from his afternoon nap, so wasn't in a mood. He tried to hide himself in my arms, as I encouraged him to enjoy the downpour. But then, he refused. That didn't stop Chunchu from continuing her fun for another 20 min.
The most amazing thing is - as Chunchu hugged me after we were inside the house again and I was feeling grateful to her bringing out the child in me, she thanked me for being a good mom. Actually, she looked around and saw I was the only mom who was out there with her child, doing the crazy thing of being one herself, so she felt it was something unusual and she ought to thank me. Well, I said to her, "I am a good mom, 'cause you are such a good daughter."
On that note, I've to get back to her. She is back to her small every day demands :-)
Chunchu was a little hesitant, so I jumped in. As soon as she saw me getting wet happily, she ran to me and started to dance, run around and simply have fun while the raindrops fell on us. Before this, it wasn't a good day; too many doubts creeping into my mind. But after, I feel awesome and so refreshed. Chunchu and I played like kids, and I can say I haven't had so much fun in a while now.
We tried to entice Shiku into the madness with us, but he had just woken up from his afternoon nap, so wasn't in a mood. He tried to hide himself in my arms, as I encouraged him to enjoy the downpour. But then, he refused. That didn't stop Chunchu from continuing her fun for another 20 min.
The most amazing thing is - as Chunchu hugged me after we were inside the house again and I was feeling grateful to her bringing out the child in me, she thanked me for being a good mom. Actually, she looked around and saw I was the only mom who was out there with her child, doing the crazy thing of being one herself, so she felt it was something unusual and she ought to thank me. Well, I said to her, "I am a good mom, 'cause you are such a good daughter."
On that note, I've to get back to her. She is back to her small every day demands :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)