When some body asked me 6 people I cannot do without..my son's pediatrician featured no 5. It really set me thinking on just how much this person featured in our day to day lives!! It must be a little frustrating to deal with a 'hovering near paranoia'
kind of mom. Every sniff and sniffle has to be analysed and explained to me in detail.. God save him if Nachikaet has fever..you get the point.
Well this doctor's day i decided to tell him just how much he means to us!!
So I became ghost writer for Nachikaet and gave him this little note along with a bunch of flowers
" Doctor uncle- I just wanted you to know,
I'll never find another like you even if I look high or low
You make my 'growing up pains' vanish
With sweet medicines and even sweeter words as garnish
The thought that you are just a phone call away
Makes me count my blessings everyday
A passing angel told me to listen to every line you say
'Cause God whispers through you ways to make me fit an fine everyday "
mom of all trades
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Janmashtami special-My custom made Makhan Chor
I must admit, Janmashtami according to Malayalam calendar comes next month. Still, keeping in with the spirit of Janmashtami nationwide we decided to amuse my son. (God knows we need cheering up- what with the recession and now the swine flu doing the rounds.). Krishna to me symbolizes... the little boy who never really grew up. He portrays in my opinion, eternal hope and courage in the face of adversities. Krishna is my son’s favorite action hero. He never tires of hearing how Krishna defeated the various demons Kansa sent to kill him. He can even repeat the exact order in which the demons were sent-Poothana, Trinavartha... you get the picture. So we dolled up Nachikaet in all the ‘Krishna ware’ complete with a flute and a cardboard crown. We read all his favorite Krishna stories and made sweets which he felt appropriate for the occasion. (He feels semiya payasam is “appropriate’ for all occasions).
One of the highlights of the day was that we had a really nice talk about how he will always be my ‘little Krishna’ and he being the “little chivalrous man’ that he is, promised me that I’m Devaki, Yashoda and super mom all rolled into one!! Talk about ego boost!!
The icing on the cake goes to my maid (who cannot speak any other language except Malayalam to save her life) when she yelled something which sounded like ‘maku joru’-turns out that keeping in with the flavor of the day she yelled ‘makhan chor’ having discovered my son in the forbidden area of the fridge-the chocolate section!!
One of the highlights of the day was that we had a really nice talk about how he will always be my ‘little Krishna’ and he being the “little chivalrous man’ that he is, promised me that I’m Devaki, Yashoda and super mom all rolled into one!! Talk about ego boost!!
The icing on the cake goes to my maid (who cannot speak any other language except Malayalam to save her life) when she yelled something which sounded like ‘maku joru’-turns out that keeping in with the flavor of the day she yelled ‘makhan chor’ having discovered my son in the forbidden area of the fridge-the chocolate section!!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Best friends for 70 years-and still going strong
In this age when we change “friends” every year or drift away from old ones, this story is like a refreshing breath of fresh air.
They first met each other when they were 10 years old. One from an orthodox Brahmin household and the other from a family of ‘zamindars’ and freedom fighters. They were as different as chalk and cheese. One was a demure, timid and painfully shy Brahmin girl coming out of the protective circle of home for the first time in her life, to go to school; while the other was a tomboy, climbing mango trees and player for the school throw ball team.
Well, to cut a rather long story short; friendship struck. Since the fateful day the tomboy rescued the timid maiden from the clutches of some bullies, they have been inseparable. They have been a constant presence in each other’s lives through good and bad times. Weddings, births of children, deaths, illness, and domestic problems saw the two of them seek each other out for support. Theirs was a self sufficient world with neither the need nor inclination to invite anybody else into their charmed circle. Last heard the tomboy was on her way for the bedridden shy maiden’s 84th birthday celebrations.
How do I know this? Well the tomboy is my grandmother and she still goes for sleepovers at her friends place. Wonder what they gossip about though!!
They first met each other when they were 10 years old. One from an orthodox Brahmin household and the other from a family of ‘zamindars’ and freedom fighters. They were as different as chalk and cheese. One was a demure, timid and painfully shy Brahmin girl coming out of the protective circle of home for the first time in her life, to go to school; while the other was a tomboy, climbing mango trees and player for the school throw ball team.
Well, to cut a rather long story short; friendship struck. Since the fateful day the tomboy rescued the timid maiden from the clutches of some bullies, they have been inseparable. They have been a constant presence in each other’s lives through good and bad times. Weddings, births of children, deaths, illness, and domestic problems saw the two of them seek each other out for support. Theirs was a self sufficient world with neither the need nor inclination to invite anybody else into their charmed circle. Last heard the tomboy was on her way for the bedridden shy maiden’s 84th birthday celebrations.
How do I know this? Well the tomboy is my grandmother and she still goes for sleepovers at her friends place. Wonder what they gossip about though!!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Turtle Tales
“Amma, I want to be Tommy the turtle” yelled my son last week, fetching us many a curious stare from fellow pedestrians. Turned out that there was a fancy dress competition happening at his school with the theme “aqua world”. Just in time to coincide with his birthday party preparations and guests staying over for the weekend. The next day morning saw me in “Ram’s costume” (the only costume rental store in our area). The place was already bustling with what seemed to be half the population of parents of kindergarten block!!! After much pushing and jostling I managed to come face to face with my “messiah of the day’- the owner.
Me: Do you have a turtle costume?
Owner: Blank stare
Me: Repeat the above question
Owner: What that is
Me: Show turtle like waddling action with hands
Owner: Giggles
Me: At wits end
Fortunately, a kannada speaking parent kindly translated and the owner with a relieved look dashed in and came out with what looked like a teddy bear body suit with a cap with a turtle head sticking out. The next 10 minutes was spent in assuring me that it’s the best costume I can get. In light of my current “packed schedule”, I quickly paid the advance and booked it. Feeling very happy with myself I sauntered to the school to pick up my son when I got a rude shock. There was a circular with the details of the fancy dress with the menacing words printed in bold’ HIRED COSTUMES WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED’.
Seething with anger I half dragged my bewildered son back home. Later that afternoon, something in me snapped when I heard my son describing in detail his fancy dress ambitions to his grand mother over the phone. I did some serious soul searching – “Can’t you spend a little time to see a smile on your child’s face?” bellowed the mommy in me…”yes, oh yes” I sobbed. With my new found enthusiasm I scoured the net for ideas. I must say I found some really good ones. One trip to the market and a 15 minute lecture session on ‘good parenting’ to my husband later, I was armed with the raw materials and an assistant. Sunday morning was spent in unleashing the creative demons in me with 2 assistants (my son and husband) at my beck and call. Finally it was over. The fruit of my sweat and blood, lots of the former and a drop of the latter when I pricked my hand on a needle. But the look on my son’s face when he wore the costume -that’s something that I’ll cherish for a long time. Do check him out.
“Amma, I want to be Tommy the turtle” yelled my son last week, fetching us many a curious stare from fellow pedestrians. Turned out that there was a fancy dress competition happening at his school with the theme “aqua world”. Just in time to coincide with his birthday party preparations and guests staying over for the weekend. The next day morning saw me in “Ram’s costume” (the only costume rental store in our area). The place was already bustling with what seemed to be half the population of parents of kindergarten block!!! After much pushing and jostling I managed to come face to face with my “messiah of the day’- the owner.
Me: Do you have a turtle costume?
Owner: Blank stare
Me: Repeat the above question
Owner: What that is
Me: Show turtle like waddling action with hands
Owner: Giggles
Me: At wits end
Fortunately, a kannada speaking parent kindly translated and the owner with a relieved look dashed in and came out with what looked like a teddy bear body suit with a cap with a turtle head sticking out. The next 10 minutes was spent in assuring me that it’s the best costume I can get. In light of my current “packed schedule”, I quickly paid the advance and booked it. Feeling very happy with myself I sauntered to the school to pick up my son when I got a rude shock. There was a circular with the details of the fancy dress with the menacing words printed in bold’ HIRED COSTUMES WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED’.
Seething with anger I half dragged my bewildered son back home. Later that afternoon, something in me snapped when I heard my son describing in detail his fancy dress ambitions to his grand mother over the phone. I did some serious soul searching – “Can’t you spend a little time to see a smile on your child’s face?” bellowed the mommy in me…”yes, oh yes” I sobbed. With my new found enthusiasm I scoured the net for ideas. I must say I found some really good ones. One trip to the market and a 15 minute lecture session on ‘good parenting’ to my husband later, I was armed with the raw materials and an assistant. Sunday morning was spent in unleashing the creative demons in me with 2 assistants (my son and husband) at my beck and call. Finally it was over. The fruit of my sweat and blood, lots of the former and a drop of the latter when I pricked my hand on a needle. But the look on my son’s face when he wore the costume -that’s something that I’ll cherish for a long time. Do check him out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)