God's in his heaven - all's right with the world!!!

There is always some thing magical about the ' end of the year' couple of weeks that lulls me into a comforting feeling that  Robert Browning so aptly put in his "Pippa's song" ...even though spring sounds like a distant dream at this point!!!! Its that time when the old year gracefully takes the last bow, giving us another chance to start afresh, another chance to be the best person we can be every single day.
Here is wishing every one a lovely year ahead and may every thing be right in your world!!!
...logging off for the year 2011!!!
Happy new year!!!!!!

Pippa's Song by Robert Browning

THE year 's at the spring,
And day 's at the morn;
Morning 's at seven;
The hill-side 's dew-pearl'd;
The lark 's on the wing;
The snail 's on the thorn;
God 's in His heaven—
All 's right with the world!

Juju- my own custom made "fairy god mother"

Marrion Garrety was so right when she said that "A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost"

Juju my younger sister gifted me an amazon kindle yesterday. To say I was shell shocked is to put matters mildly.

 A little thank you note for the person who knows me inside out and still loves me unconditionally just because I'm "Anu chechi"

Thank you Juju for being there for me when I needed you and even when I did not..

Thank you Juju for spending sleepless nights because I was sad...

Thank you Juju for  being ready to battle with people who hurt me..

Thank you Juju for loving  Kannan much as Keshav..

 and thank you for being the person that you are....I love you... 

ps. Keshav is my nephew and Kannan is my son

For matrimonial purposes only!!!!

For the past 6 months, I have been receiving phone calls from  what can be defined as the "mother of all wrong numbers". The callers range from dignified old gentlemen to over anxious mammas, all  for a single reason...for matrimonial purposes only!!! So countless are the times I have rushed to pick up the phone with the dishes on the stove getting burnt beyond repair, being rudely woken up by the persistent ringing in the middle of a heavenly siesta, only to be treated to detailed descriptions of  prospective brides and grooms.
    
By the time I manage to convince the caller that they have called the wrong number, in my broken kannada, (I can understand when its spoken but can't speak the language to save my life)  I would have gleaned enough information about the caller's family to qualify as his official genealogist!!!
 My house is as of today the "official head office" of "Krishna matrimonials" and I'm seriously contemplating
running a matrimonial agency as an alternate career option..I seem to have a natural flair for "attracting customers" ..We seem to be a match made in heaven.

Anya collections- own a slice of the world

 Anya collections is an online clothing and accessories store for women, stared in 2011 by the very talented Rajni Menon, who is based in the US. Anya collections is a unique store where the products are inspired by the culture, colour , fabrics and art of different parts of the world. The word Anya in sanskrit language means "foreign" -browse through their online catalogue to get a whiff of the  hand crafted  exotic products on display.

What makes this store special is that, each collection has an underlying theme, which is primarily inspired by a distant and exotic locale. Their first collection draws its beautiful lines and  gorgeous colours from the vibrant and colourful regions of north india.

Their collections currently include tunics, blouses and accessories for women. All the products displayed in the catalogue can be ordered online. The store is also planning to come up with customised wardrobe solutions for its clientele

Check out their webspace http://www.anyacollections.com/ and  get a taste of some global inspired fashion
Find anya collections on facebook at . http://www.facebook.com/#!/AnyaCollections

Thanks uncle elephant

Today, Nachikaet gifted me one of the  most wonderful gifts he could ever give me. He started to read for pleasure!!!!  Although he has always enjoyed being read to ever since he was very little, he rarely read by himself untill forced, cajoled, bribed etc depending on my mood. 
Uncle elephant changed all that. Its a book he has always enjoyed reading.  I asked him to read the first page for me; after promises for an action packed "kannan 10" story at bed time and a chocolate, he reluctantly started to read,  but when he did not stop even after the second page I kept quiet. I watched with sheer delight as my son laughed at uncle elephants's antics, was on the verge of tears asking me never to go on a voyage on a ship without him (the little elephant's parents get lost in the sea) and wanted to know if he had "uncles" whom he could go and live with just in case his parents were lost!!!
I loved the fact that that he was seeing the book( which I had read to him a dozen times before) in a whole new light; when he was reading it himself..that is the power of imagination.
 Welcome to the wonderful world of books my love.

' 

"Dolce far niente"--The sweetness of doing nothing

In the movie Eat Pray Love, when the protagonist  goes on a trip to Italy to rediscover herself, something that she learnt there struck a chord with me. The Italians take the art of doing nothing very seriously.They call it Dolce far niente- the sweetness of doing nothing
In our fast paced life where there is "no time' for savouring the "sweetness of doing nothing" an ode to one of life's most precious commodities...a little "me" time

Seize the moment, savour its sweetness..revel in its purity
It lets you be; like a mother rocking a child
..the demanding mistress .. turned into a docile dame.

Lose yourself in her gentle whisper
Leisure time is a fickle lover-
she slips away before you know.
Enjoy her for what she is..she never was and never will be fully yours.

The only thing you can hold on to are beautiful memories..
..to keep you company till she floats in again.

So be sure to treat yourself to a little "me time" every now and then and watch your spirit soar!!!

Random thoughts...

Tapestry of life

Colours of a myriad colours...which one will fill the tapestry of life?

Threads of different hues....forming neat stiches of events,some even some undone;

    -all form part of the tapestry of life.

The needle of life passes through ...forming the image bit by bit.

Light and shade interwine..much like our mood on a given day;

... the shade brings out the light, as grief sometimes makes us count our blessings.

The tapestry of life hangs on the wall of the mind;

 With each passing day we see it in a new light .

Baking up a storm!!!

I have always been nervous about baking. Although my mother has been baking lovely goodies ever since I was a kid, I have never really tried to bake anything. I was always under the impression that it was something of a rocket science...the measuring, the sifting , getting the batter to be "just so",  ....until  last week . I had the good fortune of attending a baking workshop which changed my perceptions about baking forever.

It  was a one day workshop..called "sugar rush saturdays"  conducted by the very talented Madhuri Kumar of http://www.bakenomics.wordpress.com/. It was a day filled with girlie chatter, delicious aromas, sticky fingers, boosted confidence and of course, lovely baked goodies. Madhuri taught me that baking, like everything else in life is  an art which requires equal amount of  dedication and passion....but most importantly the willingness to take the plunge. I was amazed to discover that I actually enjoyed the whole process of baking. Another highlight of the day was a very sweet friend that I made -Rashmi who was just as nervous as me about baking!!!!  

So here is hoping that this would be the beginning of a very long and hopefully illustrious  relationship with my brand new Morphy Richards OTG

Here is a picture of  the 'first time bakers' proudly displaying their baked goodies!!!

  

The sisterhood of waiting mothers (Friendship day special)

"If you're alone, I'll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I'll be your shoulder. If you want a hug, I'll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I'll be your smile... But anytime you need a friend, I'll just be me."- unknown

Sometimes we find friends in the most unlikely places. We met quite by chance , five bewildered women all sending out their kids into "the big world" of kindergarten. After the teachers had dragged in our howling kids, we were among the few parents who chose to stay behind till our wards came out. On that day..3 years ago, unknown to us, started the sisterhood of waiting mothers!!! Those '15 minutes before the school bell rang 'chat sessions soon became 'chicken soup for our mommy souls'. We were becoming an integral part of each others lives. There was never a dearth  of topics to discuss. We traded everything from class notes to moral support in times of need. Every birthday was celebrated and gifts given with child like glee. We have become more than "just friends" in these 3 years ...we are as they say "soul sisters"

Each of us bring to the relationship our own unique charms.. Roopa, super efficient and organised is

 the one to go to in case of a problem...(the lady has a solution for all of life's problems!!!!) next is the ever smiling Munmum who can cheer us up at any time . Brimming with positivity this lady teaches us how to smile our way through life.. Shyla, soft spoken and patient ..never too busy to listen to our woes and always ready to help... I hope I contribute too in some small way, to make a difference in their lives.

Happy friendship day girls...heres to many more years of companionship!!!1

It all ends here!!!!

Yesterday, Nachikaet saw his first 3D movie ..ironically the last of the Harry Potter series!!! Alas all good things must come to an end, and so Harry Potter bids us adieu. Nachikaet was enthralled with the special effects  and though my husband and I had to explain Harry's each and every move in detailed whispers , his pure unadulterated excitement made it worth while. .and when he asked in his loudest voice "who is that uncle/aunt?,for the fifth time in 2 minutes ,all I wanted to do was slink into one of the dungeons in Hogwarts with the suppressed giggles of  people resonating in my ears!!!! "Amma, Harry Potter doesn't fight at all.(all he does his point his wand).he has no powers ..how come he is a super hero?"..my son wanted to know, after Voldermort was killed..

 Harry potter..the boy whose only claim to fame was that "he lived". Harry Potter who shows us that the  magic is really within us...he has no extraordinary powers except for the fact that he never gives up no matter how hopeless the situation may be!!! So here is hoping that Nachikaet will meet the 'Harry Potter' in him in the not- so- distant future(one can always hope right??)

The F word

Finance and budgeting -for most of us, these words manage to produce  a few butterflies in the stomach . Give your child a head start in managing money with these simple tips.

• Introduce her to the concept of taking responsibility for money. Give her a piggy bank to 'save up' the money that you give her, and allow her  to buy something with it when it when it fills up.
• Along with responsibility comes freedom. Let her decide how she wants to use the money(as long as it is not something which she cannot afford)
• Introduce her  to the various ways of managing money. for instance you could give her two piggy banks -one for "immediate" or "current" needs and another for long term needs ..that could be like a fixed deposit. She can decide how to allocate the money that you give her between her two "accounts" So the "current account" takes care of those chocolates and small trinkets, while the "fixed deposit" can be used for bigger buys like that expensive doll or dress.
• Have realistic expectations when you hand out the money. For example, you cannot expect the child to buy the daily lunch from the canteen with her pocket money but if she feels like having something "special" then she has to dip into his pocket money.
• If she regularly demands more pocket money don't give into to her demand(unless its reasonable). this will teach her to operate within a 'budget' and make good choices.

           
        

Happy 51st post!!!!

I've completed 50 posts yipee!!!! I started blogging in August 2009 and while you may think ..its about time too; the fact is that, I can only write about those  things which I feel deeply about. Through this blog I attempt to capture the spirit, of the wonderful journey called motherhood that I have embarked on. It is filled with a plethora of emotions and experiences and at every turn there is a surprise ..some pleasant some unpleasant , but each one inspiring me, teaching me, prodding me , to be the best "me" I can be each day.
Only then can I ever hope to be a better mother!!!! I dream of helping my son have a happy, contented and fun filled childhood.. for "the childhood shows the man as morning shows the day"(John Milton, Paradise Regained)

So here is to many more good posts!!!!

A letter to my son

Dearest  Kanna,
                     Next month you turn six.I am writing this little note for you to  read, when you are old enough to understand what I have written..may be its in a years time maybe ten..the time really doesn't matter...
I want you to understand and hopefully remember, the lovely relationship we had for these past 6 years. Isn't it ironic that we humans can remember very little of the first few years of our life when we our most loved and cherished!!!!                  

We will never be as close to each other as we have been these last six years...we've had a lot of lovely moments together. Now as you enter a new phase of life I can see your baby features melt into some thing more mature..but every bit as adorable. You are growing into a sensitive and loving person and for that I''m thankful to god....for there is only so much a mother can do; the rest of it she just has to keep her fingers crossed!!!
Your occasional temper tantrums still continue to worry me ...well I guess we'll have to just work harder on that one.
 I know we may opt for different paths in our journey together, but I  promise to let you choose your own path.(though I will be following at a safe distance..I'm still your mother!!!!) I also know that having to let go of your hand from my safe clasp, will be more difficult for me than for you..but I promise to try my best, for your sake.
What are my dreams for you? My dream is that you be able to
                                                                   " think deeply, speak gently
                                                                     love much, laugh often

                                                                     work hard , give freely

                                                                     pay promptly and be kind"       

My dream is to see you grow into a happy, healthy contented person..happy at "just being Nachikaet"..exactly as your are on your sixth  birthday!!!!

I feel truly blessed to have you in my life...may god bless you always.

For amma, you will always be that little bundle of unimaginable joy that the doctor placed in my arms..six years ago.

Love and love always,

Amma 

                                 

Love in the times of homework

Nachikaet is a free spirited soul (which is a sugarcoated way of saying that he cannot sit still for more than 10 seconds at a time) so you can imagine what it is like to sit and make him do homework (although, how he manages to get stars for  his writing and impress the teachers is still a mystery to me!!!)
Last week he was even more fidgety than usual ...refusing to write neatly, throwing his erasers, breaking  his pencil's sharpened points, deliberately giving me wrong spellings..the works. After controlling myself for ten minutes, I blew my top giving him a few pinches and comparing him to his "intelligent" classmates(yes, i stooped down to comparisons!!!)
 He looked at me with tears streaming down his pencil- lead stained face and said "..still I love you amma" .
It was the "still" that did me in. What he was trying to tell me was that, in spite of all my imperfections(which adds up to quite a big list) he loved me unconditionally..and here I was, hurting him physically , wounding his dignity  and labelling him... just because he couldn't memorise a few spellings.I must admit, at that moment, I felt deeply ashamed of myself. The pinch marks on his hands will fade away in a couple of days I'm hoping his wounded spirit will heal quickly too...Sorry my love...amma is truly sorry!!!!

A slice of childhood

Whenever I think of ammumma(my granny) , the first images that come to my mind are the balmy kerala nights when we used to lie down side by side, and she would tell stories..it would be the same story every night.. but the sound of her voice and the familiar fragrance of  sandal wood talcum powder(with which she doused herself after her bath) and the comfortable warmth seeping in from my toes, tucked safely in the soft folds of her Saree lulled me to sleep. Most nights after the story, she would sing lullabies ..songs she had grown up with... songs scented with fragrant sandalwood sachets of memories.
My favourite one was "omama thingal kidavo.."* The soothing sound of ammumma singing in her slightly out of tune voice, is one of my most cherished childhood memories...On some nights, when I put my son to bed; singing this evergreen lullaby I close my eyes and I can almost feel ammumma's plump fingers softly stroking my hair...
Here is a picture of ammumma with Nachikaet taken some years ago when she visited us. We speak almost daily on the phone!!!!

*Omana Thingal Kidavo is said to be composed by Irayaman Thampi for putting the young Swathi Thirunal to sleep You can hear the lullaby here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPOLSSOfUGY

The pencil is mightier than the sword!!!!

After repeatedly reminding his father about his dwindling stock of "once in a while goodies' (biscuits, chocolates etc) Nachikaet decided to take matters into his own hands (literally)!!!
This is what my husband found in his lap top bag

It says"Anoop Anoop I want some biscuits please when this biscuit gets over..please Anoop"

It even has  a diagram showing the "generous" father handing over the goodies to a grateful son..with the mother looking on with a benevolent smile!!!

well a picture is sure worth a 1000 words!!!!

The world according to Ben 10

By his fourth birthday, Nachikaet had graduated from 'dinosaur mania' to' Ben 10 mania'. It is really amazing how a small boy with magical watch,pardon me...omnitrix  has managed to capture the imagination of kids across the globe. (For the uninitiated..Ben ten can turn into 10 different alien forms,each with special powers to protect the universe from evil outer space aliens) . Thanks to indulgent uncles, grandparents and friends amused by nachikaet's obsession with this character, he is the proud owner of all available alien forms.

At least two of them are our constant bedfellows( my husband and i have sadly resigned to waking up in the morning looking straight into a eerily grinning 'spidermonkey' or a spirit like apparition..aptly named 'ghost freak"
Then there are the lecture sessions where Nachikaet painstakingly dissects the features and skills of these alien forms and in which we are expected to participate enthusiastically..he has given up on me fortunately..muttering something about girls under his breath..well how the wounded feminist in me will deal with that is a whole different story altogether!!!
As of now Ben 10 has taken over our little world !!!!

A magical weekend

Last sunday my husband turned 34. While 34 is not a milestone year in most people's calender I decided to throw him a surprise birthday party..complete with a humongous cake, decorations, lunch and a bunch of his 'long lost' college friends(he hadn't seen most of them for the past 10 years, so that justifies' long lost')

Well, deciding that was the only easy part in this whole exercise . What followed was a week of lying, scheming, hushed whispers, deleting the call log on the cell phone and more lying!!!!
what amazed me was the enthusiastic response of the "long lost" friends. Each one of them had to spend almost half of a precious sunday just to reach my place (I happen to conveniently stay at opposite side of the city) The big day had all the makings of a masala bollywood movie. It started off early in the morning with the case of my missing wallet with all credit cards safely tucked inside. After a desperate one hour of frantic calls and memory jogging we got it back from an honest shopkeeper..may god bless him!!!

Then it was the turn of the chair and table rental guy to do his bit by switching off his cell phone at the eleveth hour;when finally after swallowing my ego and being mentally prepared to serve the guests food off the floor,
 he made grand entry complete with free table runners for good measure!!
The look on my husband's face made up for all the running around I had done. This birthday was extra special as he had never had a birthday party ..even as a kid.
The conclusion of the story is that my carefully planned birthday party turned into a reunion of sorts for all the guests and the hostess was the only one who didn't know any of the guests and had to be introduced to each and every one of them by a beaming birthday boy!!!!

Happy birthday Anoop..you deserve every bit of your special day!!!!

A cupful of happiness

        What makes you happy? something that makes you forget everything else for the moment and just compels you to enjoy and savour the moment for what it is..

 

I am constantly surprised at the small packages which gives me my 'happiness dose' for the day.

   Happiness is

                 ...a steaming cup of cardamom tea in my favourite mug in the middle of the day.
                  
                 . ....watching my husband blissfully tucking into the biriyani I made.


   

                        ...holding a card which says "Nachikaet luvs moter (mother) and not  wanting to correct   

                             any of the spellings.

                          ..... getting my  favourite magazines delivered with the morning newspaper.
                      

                          ..... getting a foot massage.

What made you happy today?

   

Preserving summer

Its the last few weeks of summer holidays and here are a few bottled sundrenched memories to come back to and savour when summer seems a distant dream.....

 

 
                                        flowers at my feet





crocs and racket..ingredients for a lovely summer evening

 




berries on plantain leaf


  



nestled in love




a splash of yellow


  



Mr green thumbs

           

For amma

This mother's day, a little note to amma to let her know what my sister and I have never found the "time" to tell her

Thank you amma

Today we two
are going to tell you,
somethings which ought to be told
which are worth their weight in gold.

Thank you amma for being there;
always showing us how much you care.
Thank you amma for dolling us up like queens;
through our childhood and through our teens.

Thank you amma for teaching us  to pray;
it has always helped us to find the right way.
Thank you amma for the countless lovely meals;
we can't make it like you even if we turn cartwheels.

Thank you amma for the bond between Juju* and me;
its so much easier to face life when "I" becomes "we".
Thank you amma for never giving up on us;
through all our tantrums and fuss.

Thank you amma for making us whowe are..'cause;
how a daughter is, her mother was.

Here is wishing you a wonderful mother's day!!!!


* ps: Juju is what we call my sister Amritha at home

Here is a picture of us with achan and amma

Leaving Kindergarten... memoirs of a five and a half year old of his "youth"

Today is a very special day in my academic life ..I have officially graduated from kindergarten. So I decided to pen down my thoughts on those "golden days". Like any hero worth his salt (they always start off  fighting with the heroine right? ) I started off, completely hating to go to school. It was my worse night mare come true, having to leave the safe confines of my home and venture off to an alien land filled with rules and teachers. My first year at school was filled with adventure ranging from attempted heroic escapades( I was caught sneaking out of the gate by the security and brought back kicking and screaming  to the class room) to being the only child posing for a class photo with my school bag on my shoulders!!!( my pre nursery teacher still remembers me as the child who refused to enter the class room and stood at the door with the school bag on his shoulders for the better part of the year) I refused to be parted with my bag even while being taken to the bath room!!!
  well, by the end of the first year, somewhere along the way i fell hopelessly in love with my class teacher ..Rekha Ma'am.  Every word she uttered became the gospel truth for me,much to the irritation of my mother(who until then had been the reigning queen in my life). In spite of all this I still hated going to school. It was only after I started L.K.G, that I began to be initiated into the beautiful world of friends. It was wonderful to be able to have little folks like me (who hated school too) to play with. The highlight of the year was the annual day where I was Michael Jackson(so what if there were 29 other Michael Jackson's all yelling "Just beat it!!!)
All of a sudden I became a "senior" in our little world, and   we "big boys" used to look scornfully at "little" kids clinging to their mother and crying. Slowly I began to look forward to going to school- to play with friends, share snacks, ask my teacher a thousand questions, do craft projects(though I still can't bear  copy writing!!!)
Now I feel I have  come a full circle...I have already started missing kindergarten. I shall never forget those wonder years which has taught me to savour life in all its colours.

PS: I thank my mom for letting me air my thoughts on her blog...

Sibling Revelry!!!!

This morning I chatted for more than 30 minutes with a friend from college days whom I've not seen for over 6 years. For all this time he had known me, he was under the impression that my younger sister and I were twins!!!( my sis and I did our MBA together -same year same college so i guess it justifies it) Anyway after 6 years he wanted to know whether we had married twin brothers  and whether we were finally living separate lives....So sweet of him!!! well, the point is it got me thinking as to what a big part my sister has in my life.
Now even though both of us are so far apart physically, we share a special bond that only sisters can share.... so this is for you Juju and a special thanks to my friend for inspiring me to write this post
My sister is 2 years younger to me and for the first few years of my life I was insanely jealous of her for usurping my position in the family!!!!
                                          Sister of my heart
                                         When we first met, my life turned upside down;
                                         I was the reigning queen, with a tiara and gown.
                                         When you first said "Anu chechi", my heart did a flip;
                                         I was the"big sis" with a stiff upper lip.
                                         When you first fought with your tiny fists;
                                         I lost, and my ego was forced to call it quits.
                                         When you first had your own pals;
                                         I had to act busy with various phone calls.
                                         When you first cried 'cause I hurt you;
                                         I felt the pain inside too.
                                         Now when we first part;
                                         my life once more turns upside down.

                          Now when you are ready to spread your wings;
                           may god bless you with all the best of things.
                          Anytime, any place you need something big or small;

                          I'm there ..you just need to make a call . 

                                        

                                  

Here is a picture of us with our grand parents.

A "normal" child

Last week at a parents teachers meeting, a lady sitting next to me was telling me how she was worried to death that her 5 year old daughter has not shown any signs of being a" maths whiz kid" even after a month of rigorous abacus classes . The poor lady was spending sleepless nights trying to convince herself that this was"normal". While i sympathise with her wholeheartedly ( i believe that to each parent his/her own..after all its their child!!!!) it set me thinking as to what would be the things which i would worry about in the case of my son(although only illness has the power to give me sleepless nights..i can sleep through a storm ;duly certified by my husband)
I would worry if my 5 year old son(as of now)

• did not give me bear hugs and slurpy kisses after coming home from school
• did not pester me to play with my maid's child as he pesters me to play with my neighbour's child
• did not believe that "Ben 10" and "chotabheem" can do "anything"
• did not daydream
• did not have friends
• did not think his amma and achan knows answers to "everything" (hopefully this phase will last for some more months..its such a ego booster!!!!)
• did not feel like"having something to eat" throughout the day
• did not know how to "live in the moment"

and most of all..
did not feel happy "just being nachikaet"!!!
Lets hope i can worry about the same things when he brings me(god forbid) a C minus maths report card!!!!

God of plastic creatures(We have not yet graduated to a complete plastic free life!!!)

Nachikaet has always been fascinated by animals ever since I can remember. He has always found them more interesting than humans (speaks volumes about the humans in his life). We have quite a large “zoo” at home and all kind of creatures ranging from farm animals to prehistoric creatures dwell in perfect harmony. The amazing part is that he has never “outgrown” these animals like he has with all his other toys. He takes them out at least once a week to assure himself that all his well in his “little kingdom” . Its heartening to see him line them up in military order and conduct a guard of honour.

For all their worth in plastic these little creatures sure have given one little boy many hours of pure joy and fun .Here is a picture of our apartment cleared of all furniture for the “drill”

 

Toothy Tales

Last month Nachikaet lost not one but two teeth!!! Having being brought up on a steady diet of stories (and a mother with an over active imagination) my son was anxiously waiting for the tooth to come out and the tooth fairy to do her bit. We had even got out a bottle and decorated it for holding the first tooth which would come out. But it was not to be. The first time, I was brushing Nachikaet’s teeth (being extra careful not to touch the wobbly tooth) when suddenly he grinned at me and I noticed a gaping hole in his mouth . Then began the frantic hunt for the “touring tooth “. Nachikaet couldn’t decide whether he had spit out the tooth or swallowed it. After frantic calls to an amused doctor we finally decided that the tooth must have slipped down the sink. It was a very proud boy that went to school that day showing off his toothless grin to anybody who would care to listen.
The second time we were very vigilant. The moment the second tooth started shaking we beefed up security. Every morning we could examine the tooth throughly and see if it was ready to be pulled off.

Then one day after school Nachikaet came running , words tumbling out in excitement . He had news about the second tooth..it had fallen off during a game of run and catch and the the little tykes who had never touched a “real” tooth before went wild with excitement. The precious thing was taken and washed in the class room sink and after detailed examinations was safely tucked away in my son’s pocket. How it got lost is an entirely different story altogether!!!!

So the bottle still waits ..maybe next time!!!!

Here is a picture of Nachikaet grinning toothlessly for the camera!!!