Thursday, November 24, 2016

Thanks giving!

Thank you mighty fella for that job, fooood and one lovable BIG family inclusive of two mothers - Amma and athai, dozens of cousins aunts uncles, one awesome thatha, three darling sisters, that bestest brother ever, zealous 50 something dad, cute chottus, few fishes, a couple of birds, three dogs, and that stray cat who HAS to steal fish from my kitchen counter :) and especially for that very patient husband and a cute little sandakari who is SUCH a rainbow amidst sunny skies! You guys are the best!

Bed time tale

So it's around 10pm and we're trying to sleep - daughter and mother, while the dad is happy glued to the TV in the living. The night weaned little R is on my tummy, singing rhymes, talking to me or to herself, finding a hundred ways to go out of the bedroom. Slowly she submits to the sleep mood and says -

R - Amma, thendrale paadu? (Amma sing Thendrale - a song from kaadal desam, which apparently is our lullaby)
Me - worked out about a 101 things not really in the mood to sing a lullaby or whatever, still I start.. "Thendrale Thendrale mella ni veesu.." The for the next stanza I stop singing the lyrics and shift into humming.. Better no, don't want to sing just hum? Win win?
R - Amma, Amma?
Me - enna ma? (What baby?)
R - "Thendrale paada venam" (pls don't sing)
Me - shocked "yen ma appdi soninga???" (Why did u say that baby!!!) And we slipped into a LOT of cuddles and tickles for shushing mum...

A few mins later, she gives me another chance..
R - Amma paadu (Am#ma sing...)

Haha. Makes me feel like Lata Mangeshkar :p every other night! :p so I'd better perform well? 

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Amma, carry me

It's incredulous how well little ones can soak up. Well, this happened at home last month

Week 1 -
Every single day. Mind you, every. Single. Day. She will ask me to carry her 'only' when I'm at the kitchen, cooking. And it would evoke a standard conversation

Little R - "Amma thooku" (carry me)
Me - picking a laddle in one hand and a kitchen towel, the nearest that I can grab quickly in the other, would exclaim - "Amma hands finish. Indhakaila karandi irukku, indha kaila cloth irukku, epdi thooka mudiyum?"
R - some tantrum
Me - some compromise

Finally we would decide to do some activity, she would agree to read a book sitting on the kitchen counter, far away from the stove knives and all that; or say would want to peel koondu (ie poondu ie garlic) or we'd do any of the quick Montessori activities until I finish cooking.

Week 2 -
R - "Amma thooku"
Me - "Amma hands finish. Indhakaila karandi irukku, indha kaila cloth irukku, epdi thooka mudiyum?"
R - throws both her hands up in the air and retorts - "ippdi thooka mudiyum" - you can carry like this \o/

Week 3 -
I am cooking, Rhea is in the kitchen too, opening a few of the kitchen cupboards, that which she can reach. I can hear her talking to herself - "samaikkum podhu, epdi thooka mudiyum?" and pays no attention to me.
Me - hehe, so there little woman!

Week 4 -
I am cooking, little Missy is nowhere near, I finish cooking and turn the stove off. I hear a voice
R - "Amma, samachu mudichittiya? Ippo thooku"
Me - *shocked*

Then we horsed around and of course, I ended up carrying her, for how long is the little one going to be carry-able I know not :)

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Bricks and stones!

If I were CEO or CIO I'd recommend all the managers to watch 'Scent of a woman' and pay attention to the part where Al Pacino says - "There's nothing like the sight of an amputated spirit. No prosthetic for that." Understand and imbibe and then go back to being the ***h*** you always were! :p

Screening of 'Scent of a woman' - mandatory Classroom learning :p

Footnote - If I were a principal or correspondent, I'll say this to my fellow teachers too!

Friday, November 4, 2016

Who changed the menu?

I loved to cook and prided myself on making 'the' awesomest kheema biryani, nasi lemak and fish cutlets! But today I whole heartedly love cooking these instead -

Beetroot rice
Spinach and corn wheat toast
Mushroom stir fry <3
Yard long beans - paneer poriyal
Stuffed channa paratha!
Thayirsadam
Ragi dosa with onion & thenga mammam!

No prizes for guessing who changed the menu. #lovebeingma