memories

Today is Kitu's birthday. I still mark the date on my calendar. Rediff sent me reminder mails showing me potential gifts. His friends have wished him on Orkut.
All I can think of is why would God do this to someone so young? Somebody who has yet to live his dreams. We were planning to go for a rock concert. Planning to visit him in Goa. Hoping that he would get a job in Bangalore. And its all been wasted. Futile. I can think of so many people who could have died instead of him. What was the karma there? What was the purpose?
Love you lots Kitu. Be happy.
Those dreams... we'll live it up next time. Promise.

The BH got back safe and sound yesterday (most importantly with all bags intact!).

Mowgli has been all over him. Dada dada a hundred thousand times. I still hold to my theory that the love came only after the BH opened his suitcase and got out the cars and toys for Mowgli :-) He has been fiercely possesive about the BH hugging him tight, clinging to him and announcing to all and sundry "My Dada!". I hugged the BH and told Mowgli "Not yours, Mine! My Dada" (Yes, I'm childish that way). I was given a sharp rap on the head by a toy hammer and a stern warning "ini cheeyvo?" (Will you ever repeat that again?) . From where did he learn that????

Dads and their little fans! Hmmph! I'm off to read my book in peace!

Conversations with a 2.5 yr old

"mama, no mayuti okay?"
"Why no maruti? Mama drives well, no?"
Diplomatism at its best! " Mayuti tired. go auto okay?"
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I'm trying to feed him something and he is refusing to open his mouth.
"Mowgli!"
"Mowglinu desham varuva!" (Mowgli is getting angry! Verbatim copy of what I tell him normally)
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Conversation on our way back from day care.
"Mama, Mowgli notty boy"
"Why Mowgli? Mowgli good boy alle?"
"No mama. daycare anty Mowgli notty cheythu" ( Mowgli did something naughty)
No idea what he did there but!
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I'm combing his hair and tell him "Mowgli smart aayello"
looks at me head to toe and says " Mama smart aayi" :-) My day is made.
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On our way to daycare "Mowgli... is Akash a good boy?"
"Nooo. Aakaaash notty"
"Purab?"
"pooraaab notty"
"Chetu?"
"Chetu notty"
"So no good boys in your daycare? All are naughty?"
"Mowgli good boy" and an extremely satisfied smile!!!! Talk about self confidence
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Super Woman!

i miss you so much when you are not here. Maybe if you were here, i might have snapped at you, shouted at you, cribbed about the work. but i miss you. i really do. even if its the snapping part :-)
On another note, I passed the test of "being a good Indian daughter-in-law" . Last night around 9pm I get a call from my sister in law that her parents aka my in-laws are landing here today and not day after tomorrow as we had thought before. The moment she hangs up, I rush to the fridge. Empty shelves look back at me . The vegetable tray has a lone shrivelled tomato glaring at me. I was planning to do the shopping today evening! I make plans to make a quick moru curry and some channa for their lunch and peacefully go to bed. Around midnight I wake up with a start. Its Vishu (Mallu New Year) today and it calls for a sadya!!!! Try as I might I cannot go back to sleep. Plan A, plan B, C all roll about. I will have to buy vegetables, make everything and clean the house by 9 am! The task called for superhuman strengths.
Started off at 5 am. Multi tasking in the kitchen, juggling Mowgli, making numerous trips up and down 4 floors ( Bloody lift not working again!!!), bought vegetables , cooked and cleaned the kitchen, changed the sheets, cleaned up the house all in record time. Called my mom at 5.30 am to ask for a recipe and scared her out of her wits. She thought we had again been robbed :-)Mowgli for once was really understanding. He played quietly with his toys opening his mouth occasionally for me to push something in amidst the mad rush. And did I tell you that Mowgli has diarrhoea. So we did go to the bathroom around 5 times and then his medicines were over, so again go down 4 floors, buy medicines and climb up again!
And then I looked at the table. There was sambhar, cabbage thoran, koorkha olathiyathu, pineapple pachidi, pappadam and semiya paayasam. Not bad, I pat myself :-)
Rushed to office after dropping them off at home, so no clue as to whether they enjoyed it or not.
My knees are creaking and my back is aching. But its a good feeling nevertheless to know that I can do this if I need to. Do all this alone along with looking after a kid :-) Ego boost!!!
By the way, Happy Vishu. Njoi!!!!

of little boys and their dadas

Yesterday night I was telling a bedtime story to a very restless Mowgli who absolutely refused to sleep.
"lion story venam" (Want lion story).
"Okay. Once upon a time, in a jungle, there was a baby lion called Mowgli lion. He had a mama and a dada and ..."
"Mowgli dada ebide?" (Where is Mowgli's dada?)
"Mowglinu dada venam." ( Mowgli wants his dada)
I mentally kicked myself for including a dada for the lion! #$#%##@! Thankfully distracted him with tales of how many cars and toys his dada will be getting for him blah blah blah..
The BH is travelling and his devoted son is missing him pretty badly. Day before yesterday, he woke up and told me " dada momo veetil poyi. car kalikua. mowgli screw koduthu. dada karayuva!" Roughly translated as his dada has gone to play cars with another friend and Mowgli gave him a good scolding, resulting in dada crying!
And to add to all this he wakes up with a fever today!!! I'm sure its psychological! Every time the BH is out, my son gets a fever or wakes up at 3 am and howls the place down!
I was told that sons are attached to their moms and daughters to their dads. Here its just the reverse!!!!
Waiting eagerly for the master of the house to get back!