Party time.

As always, the birthday just flew away before I could blink. First year was celebrated with all the hoopla, Second year was quiet with just the 3 of us and a visit to the zoo and this year, just some close friends who came home. With 14 adults and 6 kids, we all had our share of fun. We ordered Pizza. But I felt so guilty that I was nt making anything for my little girls birthday party that I ended up making Garlic Bread, Aloo Chole Chaat, Salad and Kulfi for dessert. And I just barely pulled it off as even this tired me out completely and I spent the whole day yesterday lying in bed! And of course, I totally forgot to take the huge bowl of salad out of the fridge for the party so ended up eating salad for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner yesterday!! ;)

It was a colorful party as it did nt have a theme. Flowery "Happy Birthday" Banner and pink and white decorations. Colorful balloons. A few Dora decorations left over from last years party(the one my sister threw in the US). I also made Paper crowns for the kids. Since I had only white and blue sheets, the crowns were well.. blue and white! :) Ashu stamped the crowns with Mickey Mouse, Minnie,.. stamps in pink and blue colors because we had stamp pads only in those colors! I had bought some gift bags from the US which had beautiful illustrations of children's stories - Jack and the bean stalk, Goldilocks, etc... So those were used for return gift bags which contained a Mickey Mouse puzzle and a small bag with assortment of cookies and chocolates. I also printed out some coloring pages and tied the pages together to make it like a book and threw in a pack of Winnie the Pooh crayons as well which kept the kids occupied for like five whole minutes! ;) And most importantly, the cake. It was a chocolate cake with yellow frosting with animal fondants. Ashu asked for a crocodile, elephant, penguin, dog, cat and a lion. So they were there. The party could nt be any more uncoordinated!! (Do I pass, Kiran?)

Ashu wore a pretty pink frock which my in laws had given her last year. She was all excited about the party but when the guests started arriving and gave her the gifts, she refused to take it from them and turned her head and ran away. So I had to shamelessly accept gifts on her behalf! How much ever I pleaded her to, she did nt accept one gift! I don't understand this one! She was running around and playing with the kids but got really sleepy by 8 pm. Thankfully we wound up around 9.30. But of course, she was nt sleepy anymore as we were opening gifts. She has received loads of nice and interesting gifts. I always end up giving books or puzzles or clothes for the kids. So it was nice to see that there are actually interesting toys too! Like the Dora blocks, a small toy bath tub with pumping action and all(!!), clock, etc...

We had bought a laptop for Ashu in the US. I knew Ashu would like it but did nt know that she would fall in love with it! She saw one when we went to Sundars house last month and Junior generously shared hers with Ashu and she was hooked. That's when we decided to buy one for Ashus birthday. When we gave it to her yesterday afternoon, she was all teeth. She figured out the ABC game, some mouse game, tunes, etc... all by herself and started playing with it. Did nt keep it down even for minute. Then for the first time in her life, she asked for the laptop before going to sleep and hugged it to sleep!! She has never even hugged me to sleep, for crying out loud! All of yesterday, she was playing with it and I suspect shes *this* close to saying Google! Because she says things like "Amma, let me open my laptop and find out how to put these Dora blocks", "Amma, let me open my laptop and ask where my puzzle is", etc... And shes also avenging us for the torture we committed by not letting her touch our laptops for the past 3 years! She says "This is my laptop. Don't touch it!", "Im doing office work Appa. Don't talk to me", etc... Lets see how long this love lasts!

My sis and bil bought her the five disc DVD boxed set of the complete series of Planet Earth. We are half way through the first DVD and needless to say, its AMAZING. Ashu is talking about how the white wolf chased and hunted the baby caribou and ate it like a bad boy to anyone who would listen while Hd is wondering what a caribou is! I just read that the US version of this series is narrated by Sigourney Weaver. Thank God this DVD is not. I cant listen to anyone other than David Attenborough when it comes to these wildlife programmes. What a voice!

So thus ended another year. Sigh! And now she is 1,2,3 years old!

ps.
Thank you each and every one of you for the warm wishes you sent Ashu's way. Shes blessed to have all of you in her life.

27.04.2008

My Dearest,

How can time freeze and fly at the same time? I feel your twos has just gone in a blur but so much has happened in this year that I also feel it has been years since you turned two! The first thing that comes to my mind is school. You started day care just after you turned two and hated it. I hated sending you too, if it means anything to you. Thankfully, the India trip happened and once we came back to Zurich after a fun filled two months with the grand parents, you started play school and after a shaky start, you started liking it. You cant believe what a relief that was to me. Even today, Im crossing my fingers while dropping you at school. I know parents relive their childhood through their children but please do not make me go through this. My time is over, get it?

Two trips to the US happened this year, one after your 2nd Birthday and another one just before your 3rd. Your Aunt and Uncle are of course the only direct relatives you have and its only natural that you think the world of them. But I got to say I am so grateful to you for the love you shower on them. It makes us sisters bond more and also lets me watch TV in peace while you are pestering your Aunt to tell her a story while shes working from home! And the funny thing is, she does! And you do know that you have got her twisted around your little finger, you cheeky you! I see that sly smile of yours and how you run to her while I am scolding you for something you did. It does lighten my mood when you do that but Im also telling myself "Wait till you get home, you brat!" So be afraid my dear, very afraid! Ask your V Thatha if I am lying. For all the running I did to escape your Thathas wrath, it did nt do me any good once we were home. And how can I not mention the grand parents? You have to prefix their names even while talking to them and you only call them as V Thatha, S Thatha, R Paati and P Paati. You are a natural and you charm their pants off no matter what you do. Yeah, your paternal grandma does make you work a little more harder but let me assure you that its totally worth it. You got to make it for your mother who has miserably failed in that department. ;)

So we spent this year too without a night away from each other. That makes it 3 years in a row and the suspense is killing me. May be the night you are going to be a big sister? Oh, the thought makes me excited and scared at the same time. But don't worry if you see me screaming dear. You ll understand one day. Im sure nothing is going to change in three decades when it comes to child birth. Billions will be spent on producing an artificial uterus, sperm from women, cloning and probably a 20 blade razor for men for that ever elusive clean shave but labor pain will always be just that. Laborious P.A.I.N. And if this scares you then stay away from boys. And Men.

Until seven months back, your dad and I were nt even thinking about a second child and even the thought of making you a big sister was heart breaking. How can someone so small and fragile can become a BIG sis? How can you, the apple of my eye, become one of my eyes? How much ever we say that we want two kids so that they can grow together and have each other for the rest of their lives, its just one of the reasons. Not THE reason. I mean, lets face it! Would I have even shared the same bed with your dad if you were nt the angel that you are? Whatever shortcomings the guy has, he sure produced a good kid! I know its not from my side of the genes! So you are the sole reason dear. I don't mind another baby if shes going to be anything like you. How many times have I wondered aloud that I wish time froze and you remain the baby you are so that I can cherish those precious moments a little more. Well, my wish has come true now and come July, Im going to relive everything again. Yes, its a little scary. But then I have got you now, have nt I? You are the living example that I am a good mother. So far. And I am sure you are going to be an awesome sister. Yes, you wont hear it for another twenty or so years. But you ll thank me one day when you throw a baby shower for your sister along with 60 strangers! ;)

The bestest thing about you is your acceptance. Be it a chocolate or a lollipop, going out or coming back home, saying bye to your father or to your grand parents, leaving India or Zurich, leaving a park or a play area, wearing a pant or a skirt, switching off the TV or brushing your teeth,... You just accept whatever I say. Of course, everything flies out of the window when you are sleepy or hungry and you are totally fussy about food, but then pigs don't fly! And you are nt a robot! I am realistic if not anything else. I can totally understand that you can make my life hell if you want to but you choose not to. You know how proud that makes me feel? The other day while I was in the kitchen making lunch, as always you opened one of the cup boards and started playing with the plastic bowls. And as always you asked where the small red jar was. Usually, I would say Im using it and you would want it and I would repeat that I using it and you would let go after the umpteenth time. But this time, I was totally impatient and not to mention hungry and as soon as you asked me where the small jar was, I knew what was coming and said in an angry tone, "I am using it and Im not going to give it to you Ashu. So dont pester me OK?" And you said, "Thats OK Amma. I wont ask again. You use it and give it to me later after you finish with it ok? I don't want it now". You said it in such a polite and nice tone that I was so ashamed of myself. Don't you ever do that to me again, OK? That really shows me in a bad light!

Happy Birthday my little Darling! I love you. Thanks for being who you are and especially for making me what I am today.

Love,
Amma.

All set for the Oscar Speech.

OH. MY. GOD. is all I have been saying over and over again from the time I got up. Yaada Yaada called up first thing in the morning and began to shout at me for posting the blog and then going to blissfully sleep while the whole group was trying to undo what I did. A huge apology for my reckless behaviour. What else can I blame other than my childhood where I always had to do something rebellious and reckless to draw attention away from an over shadowing sister! ;) But man, did it feel good to read all your comments first thing in the morning complimenting me in the smarts department! ;) It was totally worth losing sleep over! Of course, Hd could nt understand why I was smiling like I have just won million bucks! :) Well, what does he know?

Thanks seems to be such a poor word to use right now. But Thanks Guys. You don't know how much this means to me. While the cat and mouse game was fun with a big F last night, when I saw the website today, I just died and went to heaven.

MayG - Where were you all this while? Though I know you from the comments you have left in my blog, you did nt have a blog until a couple of months back, did you? And to think you had a major hand in all this just blows me away. You are truly an amazing person. I salute!

The Riddlers! Where do I begin? Altoid, Gauri, Kiran and Sue - Whenever we meet, a drink/cofee/lunch/dinner/dessert or all of the above is on m, Deal? I was rolling on the floor laughing when I went to Sunitas blog and read the clue for Monas Blog. Gangster Ajit just called out to me "Mona Darling" and I swear I could hear his voice! Just because we are preggies, we don't want to be left out. We want our own riddles too! We demand it! So don your thinking hat again and come up with something, OK? Pretty please?

Suki darling - Your message for the moms was the most touching for me. You don't know how valuable it is. And I cant help but think how juvenile I was when I was your age! (Ah, darn! There I go. Its the beginning of my end. "When I was your age" indeed!) Whatever are you doing hanging around these baby blogs? :)

Timepass - Seeing the picture of Goddess Gharbarakshambikai unexpectedly amidst the other messages gave me goosebumps. My moms from that village and we believe our family is blessed because of this Deity. I have been to the temple loads of times when I was a child, with HD after we got married, while pregnant with Ashu and also when Ashu was a baby. So your message was extra special to me. Big Hug!

Tharini and Gauri - Hugs, hugs and more hugs to both of you for this wonderful, wonderful idea and boy, am I glad you are my friends! Where were you guys when I was in college? ;)

Dipali, Usha and Eves Lungs - Aadarsh Pranaams/Namaskarams. That you took time for us lot means so much to me. I truly hope that when I am at the place where you are now, with the same dignity. Its great to hang out with you guys, not to mention it makes us feel younger! ;)

Prema - I should have guessed you were involved in this too when I saw your comment. If I am the prime minister, you are the president lady!

Yaada Yaada and Utbt - Traitors both of you. One would nt even acknowledge that I was burning midnight oil to solve the riddle and go and ask how Ashu is doing! Who cares? And the other blood traitor, the one who cant keep a secret, who told the entire bay area that I was pregnant the minute I broke the news to her, who has always shared EVERYTHING with me would nt even help me when I asked her if it was 2As mom or 2Bs mom her riddle was referring to! True Death Eaters to the bone, both of them! And am I proud or what? ;)

And thanks each one of you. Will leave a comment in the shower blog. At this rate, my thank you speech will never end!

And whoever came up with that phrase??? Have nt heard of short logins and passwords? I shudder to think what if all 65 of you had decided to post the riddles! Thank god for small mercies! ;)

And you mom Trios - Poppins, Kodi and Moppet are going to be child prodigies and so are their siblings what with your code cracking abilities! I just filled in the blanks and without your excel sheets, I would nt have known where to begin! And the return rhymes are so cute, Maggie. Is there anything you guys CANT do? :)

And wow, the surprises dont seem to end. Thanks a bunch, DDMom. (Details later after the other MTBs join in!) It sure is a "keeper"! ;) Awesome idea. So what next? :))

ps.
And when can we join the discussion group? We want more dirt and theres also one on one thanking and bashing to be done!

Links:
Desi Girls Oscar Speech.
Poppins Moms Oscar Speech.
Moppets Moms Oscar Speech.
Kodis Moms Oscar Speech.
Lavs
Random Vignettes
Something to Say

So this is what is happening.

You guys seriously underestimated us curious cats, folks! Moppets Mom and Kodis Mom made excel sheets. Poppins Mom put together an impressive first draft and I sort of filled in the gaps. And with the ever enthu Lavs, heres our list of bloggers who are part of this FAIR GAME. Of course, we have to go a long way on the anagram and cracking the code. But we are happy with what we have achieved so far and can only be amazed by all the planning you guys have done and pulled this thing off. Hats off to you, really! And you thought I ll quit this soon and go to sleep. Sorry Kodis Mom, did some sleuthing on my own and figured we got the order a little wrong. Shobana has atlast posted. Tharini, Altoid and Anitha (Nikkis Mom) have rightly guessed our power and refrained from posting. The wimps! If only, I could keep my eyes open with match sticks and wait for them to post. But alas, the time zone plays the villain. (Drafted this post at 12 midnight and went to sleep)

2.00 AM - Ok, I am up for my loo break and the laptop found its way into my lap. After what seems like hours, I am almost there. Take it from here Kodis Mom. And once you go to sleep, Moppets Mom and Poppins Mom can take over. I am seriously tempted to crack the login and password using this phrase. But let me be a good girl and wait until tomorrow and conform to the protocol. Alright, Gauri? ;)

1. Utbt to Shobana - T
2. Shobana to Suki - H
3. Suki to DDMom - E
4. DDMom to Sujatha - S
5. Sujatha to altoid - Blank
6. Altoid to ?
7.Collection of Stars to Cee Kay - O
8. Cee Kay to Upsilamba - R
9.Upsi to Sunita - K
10.Sunita to Monica - A
11. Mona to Yaadayaada - R
12. YY to AA Mom - R
13. AA Mom to Kiran - Blank
14. Kiran to Daisy - I
15. Daisy to Mnamma - V
16. Mnamma to Asha - E
17. Asha to Choxbox - T
18. Choxbox to Tharini - Blank
19.Tharini - ?
20 Noon to Nisha - P
21. Nisha to Dot Mom - I
22. dot Mom to Birds Eye View - N
23. BEV to Trishna - K (The one with 6 blogs is Trishna. This really made us sweat. I formed the word then figured it!)
24.Trishna to Anitha - O
25.Anitha to ?
26Gauri to K3 - R
27. K3 to MM - B
28. Mad Momma - blank (Gotta be Ro based on the word. But Im not convinced.)
29.Rohini to Mummyjaan - L
30.Mummyjaan to CW - U
31.CW to Amrita - E
32.Amrita to Sue - G (Sue has a design blog with hubby. Duh!)
33.sue to Aargee - E
34. Aargee to Itchy - E
35 Itchy to Parul - I
36 PArul to Msytic Margarita - F
37 Mystic to Orchid - O
38 Orchid to Aditis Album - N
39 Aditis album - ?
40. Dipali to Yashodara - L (Nut as in Peanut? How did we miss this obvious clue and went in for the nutty siblings?)
41. Yashodara to nosh n reh - blank
42. noshreh to Silent one - Y
43. silent one to - W (Does Suki come here and Shobana points to someone else? Im stumped.)
44. Dee to Sahithis Mom- K
45. Sahithis Mom to Eves Lungs - blank
46.Eves Lungs to Compulsive Dreamer - N
47.CD to Rayshma - blank
48.Rayshma to Broom - E
49.Broom - W

The Stork Arrivet(h) Pink Or Blue Gee If Only W(e) Knew

Over and out. Will get up in the morning if Im still alive to celebrate! And would bow and touch all your feet if that was possible. Long time since I had so much fun! You guys are the best and I cant wait to see the site. And who ARE the riddlers? Awesome work!

Update: The Right List with the Links. Thanks to some super sleuthing by Poppins Mom, Maggie and Kodis Mom.

1. Utbt to Shobana - T

2. Shobana to Suki - H

3. Suki to DDMom - E

4. DDMom to Sujatha - S

5. Sujatha to Altoid - Blank

6. Altoid to Collection of Stars - T

7. Collection of Stars to Cee Kay - O

8. Cee Kay to Upsilamba - R

9. Upsilamba to Sunita - K

10. Sunita to Monica - A

11. Mona to Yaadayaada - R

12. Yaadayaada to AA Mom - R

13. AA Mom to Kiran - Blank

14. Kiran to Daisy - I

15. Daisy to Mnamma - V

16. Mnamma to Asha - E

17. Asha to Choxbox - T

18. Choxbox to Tharini - Blank

19. Tharini - Noon - H

20. Noon to Nisha - P

21. Nisha to Dot Mom - I

22. Dot Mom to Birds Eye View - N

23. Birds Eye View to Trishna - K

24. Trishna to Anitha - O

25. Anitha to Gauri - Blank

26. Gauri to K3 - R

27. K3 to Rohini - B

28. Rohini to Mummyjaan - L

29. Mummyjaan to Chronic Worrior - U

30. Chronic Worrior to Amrita - E

31. Amrita to MayG - G

32. MayG to Mad Momma - E

33. Mad Momma to Aargee - Blank

34. Aargee to Itching to Write - E

35. Itchy to Parul - I

36. Parul to Mystic Margarita - F

37. Mystic Margarita to Orchid - O

38. Orchid to Dipali - N

39. Dipali to YonEarthNot - L

40. YonEarthNot to NoshnReh - Blank

41. NoshnReh to Silent One - Y

42. Silent One to Sue - W

43. Sue to Dee - E

44. Dee to Sahithis Mom- K

45. Sahithis Mom to Eves Lungs - Blank

46. Eves Lungs to Compulsive Dreamer - N

47. Compulsive Dreamer to Rayshma - blank

48. Rayshma to Broom - E

49. Broom - W

WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?

At last count,

Parul
Itchy
Cee Kay
Birds Eye View
Nisha
Mona
Kiran
Gauri
Noon
Sunita
Y
Sue
Asha
Daisy
Broom

and any others I might have left out are playing FAIR GAME and driving me crazy!

So far, I have figured out that MTBs are Mother To Bes. Have I got that right, folks? And is it an online shower for the all the Preggies? If so, I am begging to be invited to the said blog. Happy? Please do so before I go bald. And if its nothing to do with me and I have put my big foot in my mouth thinking that the whole world revolves around me, I dont care! Just let me know. So that I can go make lunch and get my kid ready for school without refreshing Brooms page every 2 seconds.

By the way, I landed on Brooms blog first. Boy, was that confusing! So who started all this? Some brain, I tell ya! Come on, out with it.

Updating the list:
Sujatha
Sahithis Mom
Eves Lungs

Miss. Know-It-All.

So I was in school waiting to pick up Ashu. I was 10 minutes early and saw the kids playing in the yard. I did nt know how Ashu would react if she sees me, so I hid behind a car and was watching her. Another mom joined me and we both were talking and watching the kids. Then the teachers took the kids inside and they all came out 10 minutes later. I strapped Ashu in her car seat and was on the way home when Ashu asked, "Amma, what were you doing while I was in the School?" Wondering how thoughtful my darling little daughter is, I replied, "I was reading a book, Ashu." "No Amma! You were talking to an aunty. I saw you". "What? When did you see me?" "I saw you from the garden. You were talking to that aunty". Can you believe the cheek of her? I did nt even notice her noticing me. She has quietly gone inside and then has the cheek to ask me what I was doing in the first place to cross check. Kids! I'm sure my MIL will be so proud of her!! Its all in the genes, I tell ya! ;)

****

After we found out that the baby is a girl, I told Ashu that the Doctor has told me that the baby is a girl and to choose a girl name for the baby since Pinocchio is a boy name. But she refused. Later, I talked to her again and asked if Pinky and Pingu is OK? So she tells me, "Pinky is OK amma. But I will take care of Pinocchio. Put Pino in the cycle and go to school. Give Pino milk and hug Pino. I wont do anything for Pinky." If you mean it my dear, I don't even mind naming the baby Pinocchio officially! And do you see how very successfully she put an end to that debate?

****
One day she got curious and asked me, "Amma, your tummy will come out when Pinocchio comes out?" So I told her, No, the doctor will take the baby out of my tummy.
My sister who was with us in the room asked Ashu, "How will the baby come out Ashu?"
"From the hole."
What hole?
Ammas hole.
Wheres Ammas hole?
Inside Ammas pants.
Of course, I butted in and put a stop to this conversation before aunt and niece started pointing to certain parts! But how in the hell these kids infer all this? And the thing is even if I was given a million chances, I would nt have guessed what Ashu was going to say. Kids these days! Know-it-alls, all of them!

****
Yet another day when she was being really cute, I asked her as I have done a million times before, "Shall I eat you up Ashu? You are so cute!" As always, she screamed, NO!! I asked her why not.
So she says, "Dont eat me Amma. Because I am real". (Naan Nijam)
"You are real? Not a doll?", asked I.
"No amma, I am real".
"No you are not. You are a doll Ashu".
"No amma. I am not a doll. I am real".
"How do you know you are not a doll like the dolls you play with?"
"Like Appa is real, like Amma is real, I am also real" says she!
I am speechless, of course!

****

Back to School.

After the really long break, Ashu is going to school without a fuss. There! I thought I would never utter that statement in my life! Before the US trip, she used to cry even after a 3 day break. So I was really worried how shes going to cope after the 6 weeks vacation especially after having so much fun being with her grand parents, uncle and aunt. I was talking about school, her teachers and friends all the time during the vacation and made sure she did nt forget anything. But then, I really wonder how much what we do and say matters. I suspect that these kids have made up their minds about EVERYTHING even while in the womb and are only playing along as if its all in the parenting! Parents like lawyers only exist to find loop holes in the already sound system and make things worse! Ok, enough gyaan for the day.

Anyway, I was almost in tears on Monday expecting the worse when I went to drop her at school. But of course, she went into her classroom excitedly, said bye to me and held hands with Miss.M. I came out disbelieving my own eyes. She chattered non stop when I picked her up about all the things she did in school. Miss M even said that she mentioned Pinocchio in class. Well, whatddayaknow?! The whole week was perfect. Due to the jet lag, she was getting up very late in the morning and so she was nt sleepy in the afternoons while going to school. That really helped. But shes back to her usual routine now and lets see how this week goes. One can never take anything for granted especially when one is a parent, is it not?

The Pregnancy Diaries.

Is it just in Switzerland? I never had to be with a full bladder for the ultrasounds. In fact, every time I go for a check up/ultrasound, the first thing I am asked to do is to use the restroom.

There are wide screen plasma TVs hung on the wall where you get to see the avocado size baby sneezing in 3D. In color. (More like Sepia tone, actually!)

Not the Zurich hospital, but the hospital in Basel where I went for pre natal check ups and labor last time is a beautiful place. The lobbies are like that of a 5 star hotel, the facilities first rate, very good care and very friendly Midwives and Doctors. They are nt fluent in English but they try. Though the current hospital is not as huge as the previous one, I am satisfied with the care so far. I hope the labor rooms are good too.

The hospital is very close to home. Hd was held in a meeting during the last check up and I drove to the hospital by myself along with Ashu in less than 10 minutes without getting lost! That's a first! :)

Ashu sat near me on the bed when the Doctor was doing the ultrasound and screamed "Pinocchio baby" as soon as the baby appeared on the screen. "Look at the head Amma", she chipped in. The Doctor was quite amused. May be I should take her into the labor room instead of Hd. She sure seems to know a lot more than him!!

I gained about 7 kilos during the last pregnancy and promptly lost the same the very day I delivered the baby. Its another issue that I gained around 10 kilos in the next year!! The trend has been similar so far. I lost some weight in the first trimester and started gaining in the second. Of course, I am overweight enough to carry quadruplets! But we are just talking about pregnancy weight gain, are nt we?

I threw up only once during the last pregnancy and that was when the plane I was traveling on landed in Zurich from Barcelona. Hd was also in the verge of getting sick because of the turbulent flight, so no blaming my pregnancy then. And this time while coming back from San Diego by car. Blame it on the over ripen banana that Ashu was eating. Ewww....

Other similarities:
Snow Sledging while pregnant - Check
A long haul flight to India/US and back to Swiss - Check
Sight seeing to Barcelona/Mexico - Check
Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Check, check and check. (And this time, a ship too.)
6 weeks of pampering with Moms food - Check
Cramps in the calf muscle while sleeping - Check
And oh, Girl baby - Check! :)

We are Home.

Arrived safely in Zurich three days back and still unpacking. At the SFO airport, Ashu hugged, kissed and waved bye bye to thatha, paati, perima and peripa and walked into our gate without a glance backwards. I was the one on my tippy toes, waving to them and mouthing byes byes with a heavy heart. After all, Im the one who has to cope with the little devil once we land! We slept through our flight and got up only just before landing in London. We were in a three seater and the man sitting by the window commented how cute Ashu is and said that little girls make the best companions. When Ashu sang the alphabet song, he asked "she already knows her ABCs?" What more could a mother ask for? :)

As soon as we landed in London, Ashu wanted to know where her father was. I told her we were in London and have to take another flight to Zurich. So she says "Amma, lets see the Queen and get a present for Appa". (Reason: Hd got her a pencil box and a paddington bear from his last trip to London. And of course, the pussy cat went to London to visit the QUEEN. Get it?) Even though its supposed to be a short flight, there was a delay and we were stranded in the runway for more than an hour and I just could nt wait to get home. As luck would have it, there was this unsmiling guy sitting near Ashu this time and gave her a stink eye when she dropped her stuffed bear near his shoe. Well, it takes all sorts! We both were exhausted by the time we landed in Zurich. Hd was standing on the other side of the glass wall near the baggage area and Ashu did a tribal dance seeing him. I went to get some assistance to collect my bags. Within 10 minutes, we were out and were group hugging and then stuffing the huge suitcases in our small car. 30 minutes later, home sweet home! We are still not out of jet lag. Ashus school reopens after the Easter break tomorrow and hope everything goes well. Its raining birthday parties here and got 3 parties to attend from next week. Got to plan Ashus party too. Life goes on...