journaling

Writing this journal, I've been doing it for years now - sometime regularly but most of the time not so. When I do not write, it really is that I do not have the time, energy or enthusiasm (or all 3) to write. But it is never that I dont have enough matter to write or good stories to write. Everyday is full of such exciting happenings around me (thanks to the hero of this journal), that it can be my full time profession - just to witness and write. And I realize, the more I make it a point to write these wonderful moments, the more I notice and enjoy them and more of them. And I'd love to do this job, full time - all the time! But I'm also doing the job of providing 'nourishing' dynamic setting for these moments to unfold - the regular chores and running errands, managing play dates and park plays, planning visits to library, museum, zoo and aquarium or simply tolerating all the mess in the house (sometimes adding to it too) and then tidying it up for another activity or event the next day (read more but different mess). And I'm also partly doing a full time job of curiosity quencher - answerer and reader and googler for all those 'tell me whys'. But if I dont write them, I know these key moments are lost forever. Hope I can make time to write, always.

observation

Kids are clever. Yes, more than us adults! Or should I limit this statement to just myself rather than generalizing it. Yesterday TV and I were back home from library. We love to take bus to the library and back. As we entered our building, TV exclaimed, 'look mom, Kevin has got a beautiful chair.' Kevin is our building manager who has a little office at the entrance. I looked at the chair, it was a normal sleek black office chair. He was not in the chair then. For a moment I thought then I asked TV, 'Is this new?' She nodded with a smile and repeated, 'and it is beautiful!' This morning when I met Kevin, I passed on TV's compliment. He looked visibly (and pleasantly) surprised for a moment and then said, 'she is clever. I changed this a couple of days back. The earlier one was bulky and I thought it was a little (ugly).' The earlier was not very different from the new one, now that I remember (ha). It was a black office chair, just a bit bigger and bulkier. (I hadn't even noticed that it was changed). 'She can sit on it, if she wants!' Kevin said, visibly impressed (not sure with what - my lil one or his choice of chair). But it sure seemed that this was the first time since he changed the chair, that anyone noticed and/or commented on it. To me, this just proves that kids are more observant (they see and remember a lot more than we do). They have a very open mind - that allows them to take inputs as they are - without judging whether it is important, relevant or significant. And most of all they are carefree - no thoughts of what to cook for dinner while entering the lobby or plans to tidy the house before cleaners arrive, or scampering the hand through a bag full of kid stuff to find a ringing phone. Whatever it is, kids are clever, they have a fresh mind - all the time, always willing to learn (and ask questions)

My birthday surprise

T: your bday is coming soon.
me: hmmm
T: we need to do special something.
me: hmmm. so what are you planning?
T: I dont know, you help me.
me: ask baba for help
T: why?
me: its MY bday. you need to plan something for ME -a surprise for me. Then on my bday, I'll see it surprised and say 'OMG, what a beautiful thing.'
T: maybe I could do a beeeautiful (we usually talk in adjectives and superlatives) painting for you.
Looks at me, pauses and says, 'I'm telling that to you NOW, now is not your bday. I wont tell it to you on your bday. then it will be a surprise to you.'
INNOCENCE personified!

valid question

Tvisha: mom, when I grow up will I be still a girl?
Me(driving her to school): of course
T: and Kian, will he still be a boy?
Me: yes
T: when I was a baby, I was a girl or a boy?
(driving me nuts)
Me: you were a girl when you were a baby, you are a girl now and you will always be a girl. (then a lil smarter side of me awakes) but why do you ask that?
T: because, I think all babies are boys and when they grow up some become girls and others become boys.

opened up my eyes lil one. never 'looked' at it this way. thanks for allowing me this privilege - of seeing the world in this special way. Also learnt a lesson (well yet again) - never evade, condone or doubt a child's questions - they always have a justified reason to ask.

photography workshop

Writing, not very far away!

Today tvisha went to Powerhouse museum with aai. This is what she did there;
(she has typed this on her own using the sounds the letters make)
Klok
Klring kya
Dol haus
Magic garden
Zois haus
Robot
Bioscop
Vatr pump
Kafe

Cricket fan

Hubby is a cricket fan, I'm not (not at all)
So, he tries to get an enthu company in watching the world cup matches from TV, whenever she's awake and around that time (has been a couple of times)

'bacchu today is India vs australia'
'wow' goes the 3 year old, with an artificial excitement.
'we'll watch it together,' hubby, 'good you took a nap today,'
'yippee' the lil fan.
'do you know what baba is talking about?' I intervene
'yes, cricket match' (surprised me, she hadn't seen or heard about cricket for almost a week now)
'it's between the country we come from and the country we live in now,' hubby's extra info.
'the blue uniform and the yellow uniform?' asks TV and both of us parents are bowled over.
'yes, wow you remember a lot,' hubby goes.
'and the red uniform? When are they playing?' asks our lil question machine
'Kenya?' 'Bangladesh?' 'Zimbabwe?' 'west indies?' we ask taking turns, while tv is eating her mandarins.
Once done, her mouth ready to talk, she says calmly,'canada' when are they playing? That's where Arjun has come from right?' that's her lil friend. And we are speechless.

Just shows how memory is stored and retrieved in lil brains! Wonder thy name is nature!

Tv is reading 'Pat the Cat'

'This is not like pat the bunny,' says my lil pocket rocket.
'no?'
'no, because in this book, no one pats the cat,' goes TV, 'it's just the name - pat the cat'
So that's the new one she got from her library. And it's so good for her at this stage, I only realized when I saw her read it by herself.

She knows her sounds (alphabet) and thanks to this one she can now read at and all the 3 letter words that end with at.
Cat, fat, rat, nat, sat, hat, pat,mat, bat.

Awesome timing for this flip book. Hope she gets more from the series. There are - Jen the hen. Tog the dog and mig the pig.
Or know what may be I can write some for her With the 3 letter words and rime.

Jen, hen, men, ten, Ben, den, pen, yen, zen
Dog, tog, fog, log, bog, cog, hog, jog, sog,
Mig, pig, big, dig, fig, gig, jig, rig, wig,

Fry, dry, cry, try, wry,
Pie, die,

Beautiful Holi videos

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhwIFbB5iuo&playnext=1&list=PLB9748A156D6A70E6"




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC3VBoIYr4I

Holi Hai!

Holi Rhyme for Tvisha from her atya ajji

Holi Hai!
"Here you are !
Ready to play?
Get the colours,
Get The Spray,
Let's Celebrate Holi
Till the end of day ! "

Wondering how I can introduce this colorful festival to kids her age in her Aussie school?

Tv is reading - you, me and the rainbow

This one she got from her school library - her first book and that she's being extra responsible about.

It's written by petrea king, a therapist, philosopher, consultant from NSW.

The beautifully illustrated book is about a little girl Mariah and her interaction and relation with rainbows.
It starts with a typical Aussie scene, Mariah running in an open green field with a double rainbow behind her. Then how she sees rainbows around - in the fields, in bubble bath, oil drops in a puddle, dew drops on leaf. And then a mention of the old myth of pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, which Mariah could never find.

We loved to read the book in the bed just before sleep. What TV loved the most is the part where mariah's mother wraps her in a rainbow colored blanket, runs her hand from Mariah's head to toe, wraping her in different colors. I'd read and do just that, 'imagine, I'm wrapping you in red - the color of cherries, strawberries, in orange, yellow, and individually in every color of the rainbow bringing out the best experiences of that color. Professional Ms. King training young minds to visualize, imagine and relax!

Mariah later wants to send all these beautiful colors and the lovely feelings associated with them, the rainbow to her father who's away on a business trip, to her lost puppy, to her grandparents and even to people whom she does not know. Thus spreading emotions of love and peace and eventually responding that SHE is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Deep thoughts, delivered subtly.
Lovely book. Returned today.

A rhyme for Tvisha from her atya ajji (thanks asawari maushi)
"The sun and the rain in fickle weather
were playing hide and seek together,
And each in turn would try to chase
The other from his hiding place.
At last they met to say
And, lo ! A 'rainbow' spanned the sky. "

Learning to construct - language

Mmm for mummy,
Mmm for monkey,
Mmm for milk,
Mmm for mess,
Mmm for MINE,
Mmm for mistake,
Tv is looking around and saying.

La for lizard,
La for lollipop,
La for late,
La for lips,
La for latte,

Ja for jackrabbit (that's introduction from an iPad app)
Ja for James
Ja for Josh

That's her game and revision From what she's learning at school. I guess it won't be too late until when she starts to make words from these sounds and hence construct - language. That achieved, she can pen her own poems and rhymes. Independence:) not very far away:))

Tv daily humor

11.
Tvisha: you are good mommy.
Me: okay...
Tvisha: you are gooder than other mommies
Me: thank you.
Tvisha: you are the best mommy.
Me: wow looks like it's mothers day for me today.
Tvisha: why?
Me: these are typical mothers day messGes.
Dad: and me?
Tvisha: you are some good.
Dad: why some good?
Tvisha: it's her - mother's day. Not father's day.

10.
On Friday,
Tvisha: I'm so bored to go to school, when is my holiday?
Me: tomorrow, it's saturday.
Tvisha: then?
Me: holiday again, Sunday.
Tvisha's thinking.
Me: then? what comes after Sunday?
Tvisha: not anything, she's the last one to come to school.

Sunday is in tvisha's school and so are Sixteen, Winter, April, June and her teacher is May.

9.
We're all ready, with sunscreens and hats, to go out.
Tvisha stands looking into the showcase, at an idol of laughing budhha (Sai, the one you gave). After much thinking,
Tvisha: aai, if he wants to go to the park like this, he'll need to put sunscreen all over his body and head, as he doesnt have any clothes.

8.
Tvisha: I already readed the book.
Me: I read the book, not readed.
Tvisha: why?
Me: bcoz there's no such word as readed. You read or read(red).
(does anyone have a better/convincing answer? pl help)
Tvisha: but why red? (smiles, her sly grin) why not pink? pink is also my favorite color:-1
(Realized that past of blow is blue. Like you blow up or blow away (your hard earned money) bcoz you (were feeling) blue:))

7.
Disclaimer: Discretion recommended
Monday,
Tvisha: Marco doesnt have a runny nose (she had)
Me:not everyone has runny nose at the same time.
Tvisha: no no, his nose doesnt run....(not done yet) his nose bubbles.
Wednesday
Tvisha: Marco's nose doesnt bubble anymore
(Thank god, we're off the topic, until next phase of runny noses at least)
Tvisha: now there's butter and cheese coming out of it.
(Done and out)

6.
Tvisha: Claudia asked me, will you come to my house.
Me: what did you say?
Tvisha: I said, not now. I ve a lot of work to do. I ll think about it later.

5.
Dad: Its ok bachchu,dont fret over small things.
Tvisha: (after a pause) you are not a small thing baba. I'm fretting over you.

4.
We were watching belly dance (talk about multicultural exposure)
Tvisha: why is she wearing that(dress)?
Me: she is a belly dancer and that's her dance costume.
Moments later Tvisha pulled her Tshirt just off her shoulders and started shrugging the shoulders saying, 'this is neck (shoulder) dancing and this is neck (shoulder) dance costume.'

3.
Me: the two of you are the love of my life..
Tvisha: okay......we don't mind.

2.
At morning brushing. Tvisha, 'aai I want to brush with you'.
'I already brushed my teeth early morning'
'then you can brush again with me, you should brush twice a day, right?'


1.
Tvisha was looking for her hair clip. 'where is my clip aai?'
'I dont know, look around.'
'Me?'
'Of course, whose clip is it? so who'll search?'
'lets ask google guys'

Tv s rhyme - couplets

To the farm and far away,
Cross the road get home today

Shoulder dancer

We happened to see a picture of a belly dancer in papers.
And TV asked, 'what is she doing?'
'dancing, she is a belly dancer,' i answered
'why is she wearing this dress?' TV. You see we dont just stop at one question.
We had recently been to Illawara music festival, where we came across different forms of dancing in different costumes. But this one must have seemed different to her.
'that's her belly dancing costume.'
'what is belly dancing?'
And then the emfbi mum that I am, with my limited exposure to belly dancing, and my humble capacity, I demonstrated to her a few belly dancing moves.
Moments later, TV pulled her T shirt a bit off her shoulders and started shrugging her shoulders.
Seeing me look at her in awe, TV clarified calmly, 'I'm shoulder dancing and this is my shoulder dancing costume.'

TV s new song

I didn't wash my hands,
Did you wash your hands?
Let's go and wash our hands...

TV WOW 2

WOW 2 - Save the Water. Do your bit.

Yesterday, back from school we went hand washing as usual. I was going about washing my hands, with a hidden agenda of demonstrating how to wash hands the cleanest. While TV washed her hands quick and stopped the water. I was done soaping and with my eyes still on TV's hands washing started to rinse.
'in my school,' TV started, as she pumped the soap, 'I wash my hands then I shut the water, pump the soap and then ily start the water when I want to wash my hands again.'
'I listened to my lil girl intently, knowing what was to come. That's the lesson I d learnt from my mum, often heard my younger sis tell others, I in the past had told TV. But now it was coming from my lil school girl. It must have been reinforced in school. I waited to hear more.
TV started the water, washed her hands and said, 'why don't you do just that. It can save so much water. You are wasting water mommy.'
Of course sweetheart, thanks for reminding me of a valuable lesson and hope you remember that forever.

TV WOW (Words of Wisdom)

WOW 1 - The importance of NOW!

We were driving to school this morning, when I realized my windscreen was dusty.

'My car needs to be dusted and cleaned,' I thought aloud.

'Why?' said my why machine, sitting behind in her car seat.

'Well, do you see the dusty glass. doesnt look too clean, does it?'

'No' said she, 'so we need to clean it.' I was surprised with her 'WE', but I just nodded.

Then almost as an after thought, realizing that we'd go to music class after school and lunch and be back late afternoon and that Tv is still recovering from her cough and cold, I said;

'May be we could do it tomorrow.' And that's when I could get a morning dose of TV WOW

'Not tomorrow, we'll do it today. Because tomorrow never comes. We'll have to do it NOW. After school and music class, after we get back, we'll go home and get the duster and do it NOW okay.'

Perfect plan, guru:) love you.

Flashback

TV has a peculiar favorite activity - she goes about collecting things from everywhere in the house my kitchen, office, toilet kits, brings them all to her play mat, plays with it with some commentary and packs it back into her shelf.

Her 'kacharkumbha' (junk treasure chest) includes cupcake paper cups, straws, her hair clips and elastics, tissues, rags, ear buds, bubble paper, empty glue stick, dads old bank swipe, pen drives, a casino token (how this one came in could be another post) amidst her small toys and other collectibles. her of getting things.

On Monday when she had done playing and hadnt put back things in the shelf, I suggested her to do that. But she was busy with something else and said a casual,'later'.

After an hour still when things were still lying, I urged her to do it then. But then dad had just come back from office and they were having their lil chat, so it had to be later. Then it was bath, dinner... Post dinner, before going for playing UNO session before bedtime, I reminded her yet again and she said, 'I will do it but tomorrow'.

And I went, 'not tomorrow. tomorrow never comes, it has to be done today, it has to be done now. If today is lost, all your things are lost.' And I began to collect her kacharkumbha.

TV rushed to pick up before I'd picked up even 2 and in a few minutes all was set in place.:)

TV humor 3

Tvisha was looking for her hair clip. 'where is my clip aai?'
'I dont know, I didnt see'

'but I want it' Tv

'look around.'
'Me?' TV
'Of course, whose clip is it?'

'Mine'

'so who'll search?'
'lets ask google guys'

Background

TV has a whole lot of questions, some are why why habitual but many are seriously challenging. Honestly I m learning with her. So the questions I cannot answer, I'd say lets check in encyclopedia or when the encyclopedia we have seemed dated (it's hubby's childhood collection) I'd take her to 'google' So much so the term was used that everytime she asked a question and I could not answer, she'd say lets check google.

Google guys were introduced to her some time last year when I was reading the Google Story. So in her quest for complete knowledge, TV had done pretty good a research on google guys, to be able to make them a part of her daily vocab.

Whats Mom reading?- Maria Montessori

The Secret of Childhood

As my lil one started Montessori, and I got some time and access to montessori book, borrowed this one from parent library at school. Have always been curious about early years education (at least since TV) and have been reading a bit here and there about various methods and new developments in the field. But honestly never really dared to read a Montessori (looks so much like an academic read - not too easy. had tried before but could only read thru a few pages without much retention). But as my kid started school, loves to go there everyday (despite runny nose, rainy days and hasty mornings), comes back happy and keeps talking about school, got curious to know what guides what goes on behind closed doors in between the handshake greetings!

The book IS written in an academic style - not too easy on casual readers, at least not until you start to make sense and find relevance to your own self and child. What I liked about it is the recurring message that

child is the father of man, he makes the man. and everything that a child does or goes through today is what would determine the kind of man he'd become

The points i'd like to note in my quest to give a wholesome, balanced and happy childhood to my kid are

1. a child through her early childhood will have certain SENSITIVE PERIODS - a transient phase when she'll have a special sensibility to acquire new traits/skills and adjust while evolving.

These inner sensibilities enable her to choose what's right for her growth from even a complex environment. they make the child sensitive to somethings and indifferent to others.

A child is sensitive to ORDER (recognizing and remembering the place for each object in relation to its environment) from a very early stage.

tantrums during early years, she says, and just expressions of some unmet need, or something not in order

I realise the significance of this Order wrt to TV. the only times she's thrown tantrums was when her routine was drastically changed over a period of time and when things were not in order. There were also some times i remember when, I in midst of something so urgent, and she'd ask, 'why is the box of tissue on this side table and not the other?' and I would go 'how does it matter?' or she would notice minor things like the first time she saw my sunglasses on my head instead of eyes, my watch on left hand vs right.

2. Sleep as an obstacle to growth

'A child must sleep, but if a child is so alert and so quick to observe, she is not a 'sleeper' by her very nature.'

Bang on for TV. She is alert through the day that she stopped napping almost at around 2 and could easily stretch until 8pm for bedtime, her eyes drooping, but mind still active. She is so alert until she goes to bed that she would recap what she did thru' the day or cite a funny/interesting experience she had or talk about next days plan and get my commitments on those. She s so alert in her sleep that if nature calls in the middle of night she would just get up and call for help to be taken to her potty (since she was 2years). she is so alert when she wakes up around 6:30 am that in a moment she's up, down the bed and talking while picking her hair elastic from bedside to be tied.

This was a girl, whom until very recently I tried (in vain) to get to sleep more. So this thought of Ms. Montessori is something that I found of immediate relevance.:) TV is surely happy.

3. Speech and use of hands are the 2 most important bodily movements intimately connected with man's intelligence.

And hence school activities involve usage of hands in different ways - pouring, scrubbing, cutting, sewing, scooping, crushing, color mixing, gardening, droppers..

4. A child is an eager observer and is attracted by actions of adults and wants to imitate them. And hence an adult can be an inspiration for child's actions.

Well this is something I observe TV doing very often - I, my sis, her teachers, my friends are her fav adults whose peculiar traits she finds inspiring.

I for one, try to always be conscious of this fact (even before I read Ms. Montessori) that my every action is being carefully watched, processed, at times copied or at others adapted and adopted.

5. Calm and measured movements followed by thoughtful consideration are the marks of a normal child. Adults as a rule are accustomed to look upon vivacious, cheerful kids who pass from one thing to another as intelligent. But actually normal intelligent children move about in a calm and tranquil manner.

TV is calm and tranquil, very very thoughtful. And frankly that used to bother me as a mother. As a typical adult, while looking at kids running around happily from one ride to another in a playground or one toy to another and seemingly enjoying every moment seemed like an ultimate model of carefree, happy childhood to me. While my lil one standing by the side, observing others with a look of 'whats going on guys?' on her face, then perhaps mentally gauging the length of the slide and the possible speed with which she could slide down and

measuring it up against her own ability to take it before actually getting on it seemed like a too calm and thinking a child for her age. I tried to get her excited by playing along and accentuating my enjoyment (although later I realized that TV was far too smart to see thru my intentions). I had to give up my futile efforts, thinking that that's her personality (after a bit of coaching from my husband). But on reading Ms. montessori's thoughts on this does calm down the mother in me:) And I'm also happy that TV is in a school that believes in this and respects her strength.

6. Child's environment (including the adults in that environment) should adapt itself to her needs. Adults should not be an obstacle to a child's independent activities, nor should they carry out for her the activities thru which a child reaches maturity.

7. What a child likes (and key characteristics of a Montessori program);

(i) Repetition of the exercise

(ii) Free Choice

(iii)Control of error

(iv)analysis of movements

(v)exercise of silence

(vi) good manners in social contact

(vii)order in the environment

(viii) care for personal cleanliness

(ix)training of the senses

(x) writing separated from reading

(xi)writing before reading

(xii) reading without books

(xiii) discipline in free activity

8. What a child rejects

(i) Rewards and punishments

(ii) Spellers

(iii)Lessons in common

(iv)programs and examinations

(v)toys and sweets

(vi) a teachers desk

9. Mission of parents - Parents are the only ones who can save their children by uniting and working together for the improvement of society, (one which respects children and their rights)

Tv humor 2

Well Tv and I talk about a lot of things as any mother and child would at this age (3). We talk about going to parks and playgrounds, we plan our days, what we d wear, things we d buy in our next shopping trip and some more serious global stuff like recycling, environment conservation, time zones and geographies (all TV led) and a few personal concerns or goals like getting tall, acquiring new skill - skating, scooting, overcoming fears - wind chill, waves. One such relevant topic we chanced upon (we always chance upon topics, they re never planned) was growth spurt.

TV is youngest and tiniest in her Montessori. This week a new boy, 1 month younger than her joined the class. I was taking to his mother as we gathered for pickup. And tv picked up some bits from our discussion.

Back home, tv asked me 'mom, is jojo my age' and I said yes. Then using her 2 hands she signalled a height difference between the two of them (so cute) saying, 'but he is (taller)'

And I said yes, I noticed that.

'why,' went my why machine.

And I said, 'maybe, he got his growth spurts on time' I shouldn't have said that, as I was in no mood to start a loooooong discussion. But say I did and now I had to prepare for what was to come.

'growth what, what is that?' tv asked a couple of times as I was still getting ready for it.

'growth spurt is when lil kids grow up very quickly, in a short time,' I fumbled through my answer.

'did I not get a growth spurt,' my lil 91 cm 3 year old, desperately wanting to grow taller (that's her new year resolution) asked and I said a no. Gladly she did not ask a why this time but rather went on asking, 'when will I get that?'

And I answered (smart), 'you ll know that not me. You ll know it when you start to feel hungry and want to eat more and more' my lil one has a small appetite and I took this as an opportunity to drive my agenda:)
'So whenever you feel hungry, just eat whatever is available or let me know and I ll stir up something fresh for you.'

So went on the discussion for some more time. But this is just the background.

The next day, Westlife CD was playing, I was in the kitchen cooking dinner and Tv was on her fav mat playing with her kacharkumbha (junk).

The song 'Ooh da bop bop baby please just let me know' started playing.

And TV said, 'the baby must have got a growth spurt'

Startled, I turned to her with a WHY?

'That's why he is singing, let me know (when you are hungry)'

Talk about situational comedy, I've a master at home:)

To make you feel better...

the days are getting really hot here in Sydney - hotter than what we can take, TV started her pre school Montessori program, after 6 months, since we moved here from Singapore. And she had a runny nose, definitely not feeling good about it in the afternoon. We were just back from school and I was helping her change into comfy clothes. A lil grumpy after 3 hours of school, a lil troubled with the heat, a lil annoyed with the fact that even today we might have to give the playground a miss. I held her close,and began to sing (spontaneous)

If I were a cow and you were my calf,
What would I do to make you feel better?
Action - lick the cheek ( amused)

If I were a dog and you were my pup,
What would I do to make you feel better?
Action - sniff between the temple and ear (loves it)

If I were a monkey and you were my infant,
What would I do to make you feel better?
Action - hold close, her arms around my neck and legs around waist and scratch( ha ha ha)

If I were a hen and you were my chick,
What would I do to make you feel better?
Action - cuddle, wrapping with the wings (feels cosy, absolutely loves this)

If I were a bear and you were my cub,
What would I do to make you feel better?
Action - tickle tickle (can't stop laughing)

If I were a fish and you were my fingering
What would I do to make you feel better?
Action - kiss

But I m your aai and you are my bachchu,
What would I do to make you feel better?
Action - everything
Words - anything, everything I'd do until you feel better!

Tv humor

Hubby and i were watching Obama speech in Indian parliament on YouTube - an absolute luxury in the current context (not Obama, or his speech or YouTube or the parliament) just the fact that we could sit together to follow some current affairs, outside of our household.

The apple of our eye was right there, trying to make sense and blend in to the 'group,'.

'who's he?' she asked
'obama' hubby's answer
Why is he talking alone and no one else is'
'he's giving a speech, and other people are listening to his speech' I chipped in
'who are they?' she asked pointing at the men in crisp white (about 6) standing behind Obama
'they are the body guards' hubby
'why are they standing?' TV
B coz 'they are the body guards' hubby
'yes, but why are they standing?' TV
The lil luxuries of life, why re they so short-lived? I m thinking
Tv must have repeated her question a couple of times, but both hubby and I must ve given up on our abilities to answer her why why's
'why why kay? Tyana basayala jaga nasel mhanun,' she reasoned herself and had both of us wow her over mr.Obama
Literally translated from Marathi it means, 'why go why why, they might not have found a place to sit':)

Onto the 'band'wagon, literally

A blogpost in a really longtime. Still settling in new place, new routines. Tv not yet in school and thus in my care, totally and me, in hers. She starts her Montessori next week. Should find more time to post a lot of interesting developments over her last few months.

For now, a very overwhelming,, repetitive and completely dominating her mind currently is her new year resolution (yes she has one, not me yet) - getting to the ,green band, at luna park. That's getting to 110 cm height and ride on more rides:-)

So much is she on the band trail that she would often categorize people into these bands
'only yellow band people can drink that (coke)'
'red band kids are allowed to cry in school, but not green band'
'I'll be able to carry my my own bag into the flight when I'm green band'

These are just a few specimens of the kind of dialogue we have in house these days - thru the days for over last 3 months.

The obsession with the band aside, but my lil girl has surely learnt the concept of making resolutions, quantifying them and working toward achieving them. I sincerely hope she gets close to meeting her 2011 resolution