"Real" Krishnar's contact no. !!!!

Its Gokulashtami celebrations at Shreya’s school..and she was supposed to be dressed up as Radha for a programme.The last one week saw a little bit of shopping for dupatta,accessories etc…googling to find the way Radha wud be dressedup and she has jus been talkg Radha…

the evening before I had put Mehandi for her and she was all geared up for the day…asking me every other minute “Will u put Mookuthi??” “Will u put lipstick??” “Will Radha wear lipstick??”

After a lot of qn ans session and excitement, I made her lie down to sleep…Suddenly she pops “ Will I look like the “real” Radha on Laptop??  ( effect of googling !!)

I was already half way asleep…I said yes.....

Shreya – What will real Radha say if she sees me?

Amma- She will say, wow !! Shreya is as beautiful as me !!

Shreya – Can we call “real” Radha and Krishna home?? We three will be friends…

Amma- mmmm…Ok…..

Shreya – How will u call? Do u have “ Krishnar” no. with u ???? !!!!!!!

Totally zapped !!!!!!!!!!

Valentines Day 2010 !!

We are those kinda people who celebrate every occasion and find reasons to celebrate...This year our celebration for Valentines Day began on Fri Feb 12 th....

Valentines Day celebration at Shreya's school !!! I really liked the concept..Since monday she has been making red heart photo frame ( ofcourse with the help of teachers...or rather the teachers were doing with kids' help)...On thurs eve, she said, "Teacher asked me to bring the snap of whoevr u like the most and I said Mamma !!! Giv me ur pic".

She is capabale of cooking up her own stories and we dismissed it as jus another one...On fri, the kids were supposed to be dressed in white and red.

On fri, I went to drop her at school.At the entrance, the teacher asks me,"Where is the pic?" OMG...so she was indeed telling the truth !!!  the teacher with a big smile on her face...said,"Shreya said she likes Mamma and I want her pic in the photo frame that we ve made. She wants to gift it to U !!!"

Without wasting a moment, i rushed back home, picked one of my pics and gave it to her teacher...While pickg up my daughter I cud see all kids so happy witha goodie bag in hand and different art works...and ofcourse Shreya with the "red heart photoframe and quietly sits Mamma's pic inside".I was moved...Can there be a better gift for Valentines Day????

The story doesnt end there....This year we decided to celebrate differently by buyg smethg for Shreya( a symbol of our love).She has been eyeing a bigger cycle for sometime..So picked up a cute pink cycle for her on Sun...Her eyes wide open...she jus cudnt hide her excitement and happiness....She gave a tight hug and a kiss !!!Can there be a better way of sharing happiness???

Read more.....Since we din have any specific plan, thot of taking part in a contest"Kalakkal Jodi" in the eve.We did..there were different rounds...we were too tired by the end of the contest..But it was so much fun...I was so hungry..and I was worried Shreya wud be waiting for us...we were about to leave, when we heard the results being announced...after the 3 rd and the 2 nd places..."Winners of Kalakkal Jodi, contestant No.1 Shobana n Vijay !!!!"

We jus cudnt believe our ears....We were jus overwhelmed !!!! Happy...Excited....Elated...

Can there be a joyful,cheerful,blissful Valentines Day than this ????

Can we learn from the tiny miracles ???

This is one of my articles in the magazine....Posting it here as a blog....

Can we learn from Children?Yes…though they look like small devils,children are angels.Unknowingly they help us to explore a lot of things in life.As adults we think “we know all”.Its surprising to note that a few observations can change our whole thought….

Have you seen kids when they wake up in the morning?They stretch like a cat.Stretch one arm…another arm…fingers …arch your back…flex your toes.This is a great way to wakenup your muscles and get them ready for the day.

Laugh aloud.Children do not care about people around.If they find something funny ,they just laugh their heart out and enjoy.Its not something wrong to laugh to your content and enjoy the situation.Laugh at anything you find funny no matter how silly it is !!!Good for your health.

Cry aloud….Now this is a stress buster.No vouching required for this.Every child cries her heart out even for the smallest thing.But the next moment its out of her mind.Exactly…cry without shame.You are out of the distress the next moment!!!

Enjoy simple stuff.Have you seen kids face lighten up with the smallest of the things.Chocolate,pencil,balloons,ball….silliest things bring joy to them.We should also learn to derive pleasure from silly stuff.Try to live in the “NOW”.This will help you bounce back.

Learn to forgive and forget.Get curious and learn from quirky things.Go and play outside.Breathe fresh Air.

Who said kids learn from parents….There is always the other way around !!!!

Confessions of a Dieter

I ve never been thin in my life( atleast as far as i know !!!) Being a foodie, will try different cuisine in different places...mmm yummy food...hog without feelg guilty ...
Suddenly one fine day,it will dawn on me...( like Mahavir's realisation-for a change ...instead of Buddha...to prove that Im married to a Jain !!!)......that im crossing my limits.....
Alas !!! Im not fittg in to my old pair of jean....
 jus gettg ready for a reception and I find my blouses dont fit me ...
look at myself in the mirror and see a lot of unwanted bulges....
climbing the stairs...and Im panting for breath...uh uh...
where did prepregnancy Shobana go....( as if I was thinner then-come on yaar u can blame it )
Take a SWOT analysis...try to be back in track...try all kinds of fad diets....GM Diet,Carb diet,Banana diet( heard of it)..... water diet....OMG!!!!
Nothing works.....the thot of dieting,makes me eat more.....when i see others eating , i think about how many calories they wud be consuming...how do they burn it....now my whole mind is full of calories, negative calory food, metabolic rate,fruits,veges,salads,soups etc etc...and they horrify me in my dreams !!!!
Waiting for that moment when somebody wud say,Wow Shobana !!! u ve reduced....( inba then vanthu paintha mathiri irukkum )
Celebrating even a small reduction ( thirruppi back to square 1 !!)
At last found a decent,followable,eatable diet....Hopefully i should be able to fulfill my dream of gettg in to my old  jeans atleast ( illatti puthusa vaangalam...)
And this is a viscious circle and will go on for ever......
Hey....i can hear u all......sigh ......Is it ur story as well???

Children's Week at Shreya's school- Nov 2009

Shreya's school extended the  Children's Day celebration to the entire week...Though pouring rain was playing a spoil sport,it did not dampen the spirits of The school,parents and the kids

Thursday was the day for parents.Parents rather mothers( which father will have time for all these???) were asked to perform for the kids.We have a yahoo groups for annanagar A school.A few enthusiastic moms(like all of us !!!) came to gether .We planned to stage "Hansel n Gretel".The funniest thing is I played Gretel !!! With a skirt and a top,an apron on that,colorful hat, two kutti ponytails,shoe and socks !!! Ooops...I looked like a giant kutti girl !!!

We all met jus thrice for practice.The first day was a total flop...When my husband dropped me at school and was takg the car on reverse,the car got stuck in the mushy mud in front of the school...It took us nearly 2 hrs to get the car out ....The show was a sooper hit...The entire school was so...appreciative of all our efforts...

Friday was  fancy dress.But the school had given a topic."What do u want ur child to be in future?"When I asked Shreya she said "Doctor".The second time I asked her, she said "Dancer".Since we were informed jus a day before, din have much time...After lot of brain storming, I went in search of Bharatha natyam costumes for hire...They were too...big for Shreya ...and I din like the the other costumes...I came back home ..made up my mind to dress her up like a Kathak Dancer with available dress n accessories...

When my husband came back home at 10 pm , he said "No Dancer..how will she carry herself for  3 hrs with all that jewels?"Then he suggested tennis player..So we dressed her up with a white tee,mini skirt,cap,socks and shoes,pinned  Sania Mirza's photo on her t shirt,small tennis bat and a ball!!!

Sunday issue of Times of India ( Times of Annanagar) has a writeup of this.A spl mention of Shreya is also made in that!!!

First movie with Shreya- Oct 2009

Ooooh......I have been waitg for this day...I always wanted to venture out with my daughter to a movie...every time my husband wud say "no"...true its very difficult to handle a small baby in a theatre....lest we shudnt be left like the couple in that Horlicks ad.
Now that she is a BIG girl( after her 3 rd b day, thats what she says !!) we thot " lets experiment".We booked for the new movie "UP".This being a cartoon movie, I thot it will be within her comfort zone.
The D day was 1 Oct eve show...I had prepared her mentally abt our new experience...abt the movie...that it will be a 3 D movie....etc etc...Apparently she had told her teacher at school, that she is going to a movie in the eve...its calld "UP" and its a "Singam movie"
It took us more than half hr drive frm our house ...and at every slow down of the car she wud ask,"has the movie cme?"Atlast we were at Sathyam.The movie had jus started...The moment we entered, it was pitch dark and silent....and here goes my little devil...."WOW !!!! MOVIE !!!! THEATRE !!!!!
All heads turned and lookd at us !!!! For a sec I was embarrased...then I thot afterall we r here for her fun and enjoyment...let her have it all ....
All thru the movie she kept talkg( in tanglish)...laughed when everybdy laughed( though din understand most part of it)...watched morethan half the movie without the 3 D glasses !!!!!
But let me tell u...it was all fun....and I knew we gave her a new exciting exp...

Shreya's FIRSTS

As I wud always say...Kids grow so very quickly..It jus looks like yday I was there in the delivery room with a pumpkin sized belly..looking forward to hear the squeaking cry...of the long awaited dream!!Weeks in to months...months in to years...its amazing to see them grow.

Shreya is going to be 4 yrs next mth !! As Vj wud say “ Aarambichuttiya ???” Started planning for her bday celebrations...

Suddenly I became nostalgic..a small flash back...The time I had this tiny little miracle...always on my lap...when I wud religiously make a note of all her milestones.."HER FIRSTS"

First Smile on the 48 th day...and at me…and nobdy believed it !!  she was lettg only me know her happiness!!

In her 2^nd and 3 rd month she cameup with her social smile...a smile at others too !! Wud respond with a coo sound...Sucking her finger/s..trying to mouth everythg around...with a very unique sound..... mmmmchhkk !!

AND the very unusual fast leg movements when she was 3 mths old…Was on seventh heaven when people who saw it said, she is definitely going to be a dancer !!

Somersaults?? Oh no the roll over on her 117 th day...and the frequent turnups and downs thereafter...the way she used to hold both legs with both hands and try to mouth it like Aalilai krishnar. And the sweet cute smile for a Peekaboo !!

It was in 5 th mth that she made us go in splits with her unusual lifting her head even while on back..The head wud always be up without resting..probably she was gettg restless..wanting to jus sit up and play with Amma !!

In the 6 th month, I was surprised one day when she suddenly jus sat without any support !!And u know that was the oft repeated act thereafter and in high speed !! Shreya’s funniest act was moving backwards with legs like a frog..this was jus before crawling in the 6 th month.We cud sense the initial signs of naughtiness...

7 th Month witnessed crawling..clapping for Krishna Rama...and yes a very heroic milestone...she cut her first teeth !!

Shreya started cruising in her 8 th month..we thorughly enjoyed  her blabberings all thru the ninth month and a few words...and she started showing actions for “Bye,Hello and Good morning”

I became ecstatic when I saw her walking without support in her 10 mth !! And there started all my trouble..nothing was in place..and whatever was in place was broken..all topsy turvy...

And on Sept 23 rd 2007- she cud say “ HAPPY TO U ( happy bday to u !!) and Thank u ...ofcourse with a lot of monosyllables too..and her temper tantrums were galore..we din have to wait for “Terrible Twos”!!

I am so happy I was always around to witness all her first steps !! Moments which are very memorable..precious...treasurable...exquisite..and ofcourse exclusive !!!

As I wud always write- For every mom her baby is a treasure..the bond is so very different !!