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!!!!