Car conversations - part 2.

Remember part 1? Something along the same vein...

So we were driving home from school.

Me: Ashu! you know what? Amma got my first speeding ticket, boo hoo! *makes a sad face*

Ashu: oh ho! what ticket amma?

Me: You know theres speed limit on the roads? Amma went too fast one time and the police have sent me a ticket by post.*makes a sadder face*

Ashu: oh ho! so is Appa at home?

Me: No. hes at office.

Ashu: when will he come? will he take care of us?

Me: what do you mean?

Ashu: When you are gone.

Me: *knowing very well whats coming* gone where?

Ashu: When you are gone to the jail, appa will take care of us, right?

Me: !!!!!!!!

Like I keep repeating myself, that that person,...!

The One in Which He Knows Me Too Well.

(during a random conversation)
Me - So! When will you become VP of a company, huh?
Hd - Only if I start my own company, I guess.
Me - Dude! if you start your own company, would nt you be like the President or something? Not just a VP!
Hd - I was sure you would want to be the President there too! No?
Me - *grins* Thats true.

The man sure is catching up with me, is nt he? :D

Ashu & Antu at 16 months.

Im sorry but I cant help doing this! :) Especially when I still ve some of the old clothes! Bear with me please.

ps.
previous posts here, here, and here .

Halloween.

We carved our first ever pumpkin today on the occasion of Halloween. I bought the smallest pumpkin in the store, took the print out of a template and the carving instructions, laid out the table with newspaper, the required tools and the pumpkin, ofcourse. And then outsourced the dirty job to Hd.

Daughter and Father had fun together while I tried hard not to criticize the work of art in progress!! So heres the result. To actually see how small the pumpkin is, another one with Ashu in it. The pumpkin is exactly the size of Antus head now! :)


Happy Halloween, everyone! Boo!


ps.
Thanks Sundar for the inspiration! :)

Bloggers block. Bear with me.

In no particular order,


Diwali went well. We celebrated in Legoland, Germany. They had special fireworks to begin the Halloween season. The universe does conspire, does nt it?

Antu came back from India with Hd and gave me a cold shoulder. Was more excited to see Ashu than me. Whatever! I dont care. I dont.

Did a Diwali do for Ashus class today. Im a natural after all! whowouldathunk it? I had butterflies in my stomach today morning before I went to school like before an exam. But I aced it. The kids had a blast. Ashu was so proud and went around "my mommy, my daddy, my baby" to all her classmates. It was so cute.

Antu is in a stage where I want to bottle her up and gift it to everyone. Sigh! And then they turn four!

Winter is here. I ve decided to make the most of it. Im not going to whine. Im not, Im not.

I joined this gym a month back. It has a beautiful baby care and Antu ,though cries a little bit when I leave her, is fine staying there for an hour. It has been 2 weeks since I went for one reason or the other. Wondering if Antu will be ok when I start to go again. We are older and wiser now, you know?

Ashu is happy now that she can wear tights, cardigans, jackets, mittens, scarves and caps. Weird, this one.

The other day a friend asked Antu, "are you eating a banana" and she said "yeah"! Instant reply. It was so cute. I think this was the first time shes answered a Q on her own.

My mom might visit in November. Ashu is on could nine. Im sure Antu would be too if she understood the concept of future. Me? Im dreaming about the dinners and movies out with Hd. I am a simple girl, that way!

Ashu is at her silliest. Now I know why kids push each other a lot. Hell, I want to just push her, out of a window sometimes, when she just would nt see logic and want something absolutely impossible. Like what, you ask? The same pink cup her friend is drinking milk from. Wanting a friend to stay back after quarrelling with him the entire duration of the play date. The "I am right" attitude even when she spells Sofia as Sofea and I correct her. Only because she asked me if the spelling was right, ok? Otherwise why would I make the stupid mistake of saying Her Highness is wrong?

A word Antu picked up on her own without any one of us teaching her - Dora. Do I even have to explain this?

Got back in to mailing with some dear old college friends of mine and God it feels so good. Just to think about the college days. sigh! But then that means - no Hd or kids, right? Hey wait a minute! What am I complaining about? ;)

The other day Antu was looking at Ashu with so much adoration. I told Ashu, "Antu loves you, Ashu. She thinks you are the best in the whole world"! So Ashu tells Antu, "No Antu. Amma and Appa are the best in the whole world"! Kids do know how to play us, dont they?

Are nt conversations like this supposed to happen when she is in her teens?

Amma, I don't like you.
Its OK. You don't ve to like me.
I am not going to talk to you forever.
That's OK too.
You are not my friend anymore Amma.
OK.
Amma..
(interrupting) I don't want to hear one more word from you.
But...
I said ...
Can I say one thing, Amma?
WHAT?
I don't like you.
Fine.
Fine.

Antus sudden vacation.

You would never guess but Antu is in India. Hd had this official trip coming and he was to leave on Monday. On Sunday morning I ask him, "Why dont you take Antu with you? She does nt need a ticket. And conveniently my mom is in Bangalore visiting her family. So you can leave her there." Much to my surprise, Hd said yes. I spoke to my mom and she was thrilled. I was also feeling not too well and the thought of managing both the kids for one whole week while Im sick did nt seem like a good idea. So after a little hesitation, I asked him to call the airlines.

Ashu went to school on Monday morning protesting. "I want to go to India too amma. I want to see Paati Thatha too. Thatha told me that I can come there whenever I want." I told her we both can have lots of fun here and sent her to school. Dad and daughter left in the afternoon. The flight was ok, Hd said. Only a dozen people asked Hd, "you are traveling alone with the baby?" and helped him carry antu, carry the bags,.. Even a co passenger helped Hd to make Antu sleep, it seems! Not fair, I tell you! People actually shoved me and went when I traveled alone with TWO kids! So not fair!

My dad reached Bangalore the next day and Antu is having fun at my grandmas place. Poor thing is too young to know whats happening. I knew my mom could handle it. I could nt predict how Antu will be since shes a little clingy to me. Ashu had spent loads of time with my folks when she was a baby. Antu - comparitively less. My heart did break that Im sending her away from me. I ve not spent a day or night away from Ashu yet.(except during the hospital stay when Antu was born) She has never gone even to a town away. But now at 15 months, Antu is thousands of miles away from home. Its a strange feeling. I dropped Ashu at school today morning and came back to the silent house. I feel so alone. Not a good feeling. Whatever I did with my life pre kids? What did Ashu and I do before Antu? Sigh!

The duo will be back on Sunday. 4 more days. I ve all the time to do some shopping peacefully. But do I want to? Nah! Kids! They just screw our lives like nothing else does. Come back already, Antu. We miss you! Even though Ashu says she does nt, shes only jealous. And Hd! What were you thinking? As if you needed more brownie points!

Bringing up Vasu.

Dear Parul,

During my recent India trip, we were in Landmark. Sis, Bil, Hd and I. As usual, I was in the children's books section and wondering if it ll be easier to just shift to the book store rather than lunging the books back to Zurich. In the two minutes I had to browse through the adult section, I picked up Bringing Up Vasu. Even though I had planned to buy the book and had seen how the cover looks like in your blog, it was a total shock to see the book in the shelf. I mean, books. There were more than one copy. Dozens, actually! If I was thrilled so much seeing that, I could totally imagine how you would ve felt. I picked up the book and grinned from ear to ear and showed the book to the trio. "Oooh! Nice cover", said Sis. "So this is the book you went on and on and pretended you were nt jealous about, huh?", asked Hd. (Liar!) The clueless Bil gave a blank stare and I readily explained to him. "My best friend wrote this book. I have nt met her, of course. Shes a blog friend but nevertheless this is the first book that someone I know has written. Cool, no?" (shhh Parul. Bil does nt read blogs. We are best friends, ok? ok.)

And yesterday, I finished the book. I could nt go and read your blog posts or leave comments while I was reading your book. The one time I tried, I wanted to leave a comment asking if Vasu got into Teddy Footprints or not! And did you actually meet a film star couple in Goa? The exact blog posts came to my mind when I read the similar chapters. Guess, Im your true blue blog stalker, after all! And it did nt help that I was on a train when I read Chapter 19. Baby Boo in Public? I was laughing out loud thanking my stars that I did nt name my blog - Baby Boos talk!

What Im trying to say is, I cant review the book objectively. I could nt even read it without picturing you as Mira. But that only makes me go in awe of you to have written a novel. The way you ve interwoven fictional stuff with your actual life and come up with this great read is amazing. I think with unknown authors, we dont know how much of the book is their personal experience and how much is purely fictional. So we can choose to empathize or not and judge the book without any qualms. Not that I know whats what with everything about your book, but I have developed a general idea. Its a book written by a friend (best friend if by a remote chance my Bil is reading!) and Im not able look past it. Now you ve gained a fan as well, Parul. A loyal one, at that! Thanks for the wonderful read. Wishing you all things wonderfull!

Luv,
Baby Boo :))

The Karmic connection between Saakku Pai and Ballet.

When I was in college, post grad, I used to take a bus or my bike(kinetic) to get there. Some days, my dad used to drop me in his car if he had some work in that area. So this one day, I was getting ready and he offered a ride. I accepted and we walked to the car. The scene that met me was unbelievable. You cant guess even if I give you a million years. Imagine! A 20 year old getting dropped by her dad to college. A car whose entire back is loaded with saakku pai (jute bags) filled with some stuff. My dads boss is sitting in the passenger seat. The office security guy in full uniform ,with a huge moustache to boot, is sitting in the back holding the saakku pais in place so that I ve room to sit at the back!!! I double backed and told my dad that I ll take my bike after all, I ve to go to a friends house after class. He gave me a look and said, "vandeela eru"! (Get in!) Not wanting to create a scene before his boss, I did,while cursing him under my breath. I mean, is he a Moron? Which self respecting girl will sit amidst saaku pai and get dropped in college? We made some small talk with the boss and neared my college.

As soon as the side gate of my college came to view, I screamed ,"Stop here, Appa. I ll go through this gate". But fate was nt on my side that day. "No no. You ve to walk a long way if you go via this gate. Let me take you to the main gate. Saar wants to see your college campus too", said the man! Why, God, why? What did I ever do to you? Was this because I made fun of Shanthi when she came to school one day with a shaved head when we were four? Or because I pulled Chitras legs since she and her 3 siblings came in a Maatu vandi(bullock cart) to school? Or was it because I sniggered at Gundamma Ratnamala who brought this huge tiffin carrier(It was anju adukku, for Gods sake!) for lunch? It had to be Karma coming to bite my behind!

So dad pulls inside the main gate. Oh yes, my secret crush is standing right near his bike talking to some friends. He had to be there, right? And some of my classmates too. Oh, goody! "Stop here, Appa", I say again trying hard not to yell. But no. the man does nt get a hint even if the said hint is dancing butt naked in front of his eyes with a huge neon sign! He stops the car at last, right in the middle of the parking area. All eyes are in the car. I try to open the door and wriggle out. But the security guy is faster and wanting to prove hes worthy of the pay check, gets down first and with his side of the door left wide open, comes running to my side and opens the door for me. As if the Maruthi 800 stuffed with saaku pai was nt enough, the security guy opens the door for me as well! If ever there was a time I prayed Mother Earth to swallow me whole, that was it! I just gave my best dirty look to my father and muttered, "You could nt have stopped at the side gate, could you?" and walked inside with my head bent. Nothing dreadful happened actually in college. At least nothing that lasted more than a couple of days. I could always count on Sharmila and her current new boy friend to take over any other news! But I remember the feeling of humiliation. Till this day. May be I over reacted, may be I was just shallow, may be I was just silly, but the embarrassment was true.

I relived this incident last week. But from this side of the fence. It happened when Ashu told me, "You dont have to come to school to help me get ready for the ballet class, Amma. I can do it myself." And if this simple statement can hurt me so much when in fact she said that because she believes shes a big girl now and can dress up herself, how much more will it hurt me when she starts getting embarrassed by me? Sigh! Refer to my Karma statement on Paragraph 2. Circle of life, my dears, Circle of life. Its vicious.

I only get jealous when I see such talents.

Ever since I heard this little boy sing this song,



Im hooked to this original song.



Why do I always, always discover songs late?

Needless to say, the song(both the versions) has been in non stop loop at Boo's! :)

ps.
ha! see the time stamp of this post? Cheap thrill. ;)