What should I do?

A cold morning...

Narrow lanes with houses closely packed looked warm... 

The smell of freshly laid cow dung filled the air along with the scent of the wet earth that filled my senses, the morning dew were still on the little patches of grass that were strewn here and there on the so called side walks...

I recognised a familiar face walking in the opposite direction....

The face of the grocer who runs a humble grocery store right across my apartment.

Apart from being a regular shopper at his store, I have had no opportunity of meeting him outside his space.

As he walked by me, I wished to smile and looked at him

I saw his face dropped down as he passed me...

Would he have smiled in response if I had smiled the very first instance I saw him and recognised him? 

Would he have smiled if I had taken the little extra effort to greet him the cold morning?

There are these several instances where we come across people and just dont know how to react or there's this tiny time lag in responding....only to realise that, the instance has gone....

Oh Meluhan! - WIP

Loving the Shiva triology...
It's been almost a few months since I finished reading both - The Immortals of Meluha and The Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi and the Meluhan has had such a mesmerizing effect on me...that I had to start sketching my version of HIM!

"Har Har Mahadev"

Recycle, Reuse, Rejoice this Season!

Yes....my entry for Artsy Craftsy as well as for Lisa's Christmas Linky Party this December!!!
V has been travelling a lot lately and I have a tough time throwing out the luggage tags...I seem to like the elastic and I have seen my granny reuse them more like a rubber band to tie groceries that were left in the plastic bag.
kutti "r" received a small Christmas tree as a birthday gift and the luggage tags just seemed perfect!
I had all I needed....lots of luggage tags, few tags from new clothes, some craft paper, ribbons, buttons, glue stick, and a lot of stickers that I have been collecting...

I simply coordinated the tags and the stickers :) Voila! here they are!!!

And well...More coming up :)

Of colors, candles and ceremonies!

From colors, candles and ceremonies

to uncles, aunts and kids...

From flowers, fragrances and feasts

to fabulous friends and fantastic families

From music, mantras and magic

to Vows, wishes and warm hugs

the journey together began!!!!

This was done in the month of May and I just couldn't find the time to put it all together...
It has become a common sight to see the Arati ceremony during receptions in TamilNadu...
My favourite cousin sister and my best friend's lil sister were getting married and I had to do something special for them...
I wanted to do the arati ceremony for both of them and I needed to handcraft the plates!
A couple of days material shopping and a night to put it together...
Thanks to my darling dad who helped me through this colorful project! 

Halloween, Aliens and Cake as kutti "r" turns 1

I had to make it memorable for him. 

His fascination for Aliens was all I needed. 

We wanted to see what he would do if we had a small cake for him. 

It was October 30, 2011.

The Halloween weekend!

The occasion was just right. 

The orangeliens set the backdrop as kutti "r" was given a mission. 

Mission photos below!!!

1st birthday party preps - Sneak peak!

As the DAY approaches, I am excited to put up all those handmade decorations for kuti "r". I know his eyes are going to light up as he sees them all :)
A sneak peak from next weekend!
As I make some thank you tags to go with the favors inside the favor bags, I am using this as a reason to add another post on to my blog!

First Appearance!

It was another day

It was a part of the routine

It was the usual activity

Just that it didnt feel the same

Familiar delicacy

Familiar fingers 

And tender lips that parted

For the familiar activity

Just that it didnt feel the same

The tenderness only a little hard

The drooling only a little less

The color,  it should be

The sharpness, it's got to be

The FIRST TOOTH had appeared :)

P.S = Cheers to Mother Nature! 

I enjoyed waiting and watching for the teeth to appear...

KISSES!

I remember my DAD’s kiss

at the airport

When it was time for me to fly

I remember my HERO’s kiss

on a beautiful night

When it was time for a new life

I remember my BROTHER’s kiss

an evening in the midst of shipment packed

Privileged to have known his affection hive

I remember my PUPPY’s kiss

a cold and weary night

to all times shared

as he rose among the clouds and stars in the sky

and there is NOW - a time I want to buy

an attempt to remember

a wish to hold it long

a memory to play it back on and on

I wish I could freeze and put a hold on time

Oh Darling SON!

your kisses have given life a whole new rhyme :)

The Reader dreams!

With no my kind of programme on television to watch, I badly needed some kind of entertainment that would kinda works with kutti r's sleep pattern. Books were just perfect the last month. Been on a reading frenzy this last month. Just for my records, trying to list out the books

1.     Started of with Short stories from the World’s greatest authors and when I look back now, looks like I have a  list here

2.      Adventures of Don Quixote by Cervantes

3.      Osamu Tezuka’s BUDDHA  - Vol 1 - Vol 8

4.      The Immortals of Meluha

5.       Hobbit

6.        

The list for the upcoming month is here

1.       Midnight’s children

2.       War and Peace by Leo Tostoy

3.       A Christmas carol by Charles Dickens

4.       Siddhartha by Herman Hesse is on waiting list at the library. Hopefully I get to read this book this month. 

When you are away

Ah! the lone nights

When you are away from home

it is such a drag

The hands on the clock

seem to have frozen for eternity

Making it only harder

As I hug your scent 

and try to sleep

The walls echo your deep voice

and whisper sweet kisses

Making it only harder

Impressions on the mattress 

and the crumpled blanket - remind me

Of the shoulders I have leaned on

the torso I have played on

I spread myself to

try and fit your space 

Making it only harder

The air is cold

the room is emptier

The toilet seat is upright

it's your fragrance in the room

Making  it only harder

Your towel, your clothes - 

is what I see myself searching for

To get a whiff of you

and let your scent fill the missing blanks

Making it only harder

Its not even an hour

and I miss you already

Making it only harder

when you are away!

For the ALIEN ENTHUSIAST!

With an astronomy buff
And an alien enthusiast
Our humble bedroom is now
The abode of stars, asteroids, planets
And all those glittering celestial things!
What's outer space without aliens?
That's when
The one eyed greelien
The two eyed orangien
The three eyed polka dottian
Decided to block our entryway
And zap kutti r and V
Every time they try entering the cosmos :)

kutti "r" is psyched every time he hears the word ALIEN!
He seems to know where the ALIENS are!
Every time I ask him "Alien enge?" meaning where is the alien - HE LOOKS UP! LOL!

He Knew What To Do!

kutti "r" - first masterpiece

Never knew it'll be this soon

Never knew he'll know what to do

No instructions 

No hand holding

He got it all figured out

He touched the paint on the plate

Squeezed it inbetween his fingers

Felt the colors

And rubbed it on the floor

Oops, I pushed the paper towards him

And he knew what to do!

kutti r @ 8.5months amazes me!!! Never knew that this month's Artsy craftsy was colorful. Been away from blogging for awhile and had to save these images. When I saw this month's theme at mindfulmeanderings, I thought why not? the youngest artist has to be on board  at one of the most happening blogs :) 

A good deed

We hardly notice the miracles around us but it strikes us when we are a part of it!

Last evening was one...

I had just got back from a long meeting, that windy afternoon. I had to be a part of a call on my way back.

I knew I had to pick up the right change from my wallet. With the phone glued to my ears and my hands fumbling through my bag, thoughts of kutti "r" raced within me even though I had left him with the best pair of hands - my parents. A thousand questions about kutti "r" ran inside me as he has been a momma's boy for the past few days and has been saying "imma" referring to me his mother :)

As I hurriedly got out of the rick and paid the driver his "demanded" fare, without waiting for the lift, I paced the stairs in double stride only to see kutti "r" peacefully sleeping. With a sigh of relief, I rejoined my then discontinued call. 

Once the call got over, hunger hit me and as I gobbled down some poha, the doorbell rang. As my grandma opened the door, I recognized the rick driver along with our apartment watchman. Thoughts need no direction. Does he want more money? Why does he need it? I paid him what he had demanded. Didnt I? Or did I pay him less in my haste? What brings this guy to my door step? Such is the evil mind that usually reacts to a person who demands...Negative thoughts flush the brain even before someone could tell you why they are here. 

As I looked at him pushing the door away, he took out my photon USB. I didn't react well. I took it from him, smiled and said ThankYou. He left.

It took me a few minutes to even realise that I had lost it actually.

Yes, it was my very own USB. And I had lost it. And I didnt even know that I had lost it until this man brought it back to me.

It took me a few more minutes to even believe that this man who demanded the rick fare, found it in his vehicle, came back to my apartment, inquired the watchman about the lady who had just left his vehicle, came all the way to my flat only to return it without expecting anything in return - "A good deed" and I was at the receiving end.

I asked myself as I retold the happenings of that evening to my husband. Should I have said something more? 

It was indeed a miracle for me!

My first day!

As the night closes

a brand new pair of shoes await me

I look at the wardrobe to see

a set of track-pants and a tee

smiling at me...

I have pushed it long

pushed it wide

and gave excuses every time

Time to change

and do something new

If not today it will never be...

yeah! finally I have convinced myself into attending aerobic classes.

It take brave fingers to type this blog. A will to lose almost 15 - 20 kilos...Yeah! I know that's a big number. And its definitely not an impossible feat. 

Matter of time, effort, some conviction and the mind to resist temptations. 

I hope to update my progress here and I could do with all the cheer :)

I am feeling positive...I think I am going to lose it all :) 

My last cheat meal for this month - a nice mcgrill sandwich :)

It's my first day tomorrow...

It's been awhile!

Yes, its been awhile since I got on to my blogspot. Not that I don't have things to blog about or not that I did not check my gmail and facebook page. Every day has been busier than yesterday.
Family trips, much awaited cousin's engagement, trip to my best friend's place, shopping with my fav sister in Chennai, Inlaws and parents shifted base to take care of kutti "r", paati (potty) training, husband's busy work weeks, hosting nephews and nieces, parties of friends and families, outing with cousins and their families, and not to forget the WORK days :) .
Each day rolled as if there was no tomorrow with an endless to do list and a tired me...Life has never been this rewarding...After my inlaws left, I must admit I have been pampered by mom, dad and paati when it came to taking care of kutti "r"...but today has been different.
It's just me, paati and kutti "r"...husband's on a business trip, dad and mom out to fulfill family obligations...
I must say kutti "r" has been absolutely adorable and manageable :)
Baby call!
BRB :)

Cranes to the rescue!

Got this email from a friend of mine. I knew the timeline is approaching and I had to do something real quick. The flyers and brochures that awaits my pickup everyday on our doormat came to my rescue! Sending the cranes across...little acts go a long way :) 

Leaving the cause aside, they are such an entertainment for kutti "r" and I love how our plain walls are getting some quick color on them! And a pat on the back for recycling those flyers that lie untouched all over the lobby. 

Here's a quick picture of all the cranes I am sending to the store! 

     

And a maybe entry to this month's Artsy Craftsy?

From our evening walks!

The clouds were turning grey. The evening was closing upon us. The air got windy, the dust rose and came upon our faces. The honking of cars, drilling sound of construction next door, joyful sounds of kids got louder. Hurriedly I rolled the stroller on the gravel. As we approached the basement of our apartment...little kids in fleece jackets, colorful kiddie kick scooters, smell of rubber filled the basement turned playground.
One foot on the scooter floor, one foot in the air, the kids raced along with the wind, their little voices disturbing the passers by.

Round and round the kids raced with each other, ignoring a group of "little people" their sole visitors, who barely had anything on their body to wrap themselves in this weather. They raced. They watched. They raced. They tried to get a closer look. One kid from the block not older than five, stopped racing. She walked up to them and asked them to step out of the gate. The "little people" said no word and got behind the gate.
The wind got chilly...the basement got darker...the clouds became teary eyed...the racing continued...

Toy love!

I m an ardent lover of toys…The time spent in toy shops are definitely greater than the time I have spent on any kind of shopping…I enjoy reading reviews from parents, grandparents, uncles on different websites on the toys I want to buy

Many times after serious thought, I discard the idea of buying too many for the following reasons

• Kutti “r” is too small…its going to be awhile before his preferences develop
• The luxury of time to read reviews, search the web and identify the one for my lil baby as the months pass
• Space – we live in a rented apt and the lofts in one room are bulging out (Yes, I have inherited and accumulated enough kid stuff)
• Cost

I love libraries, old book shops and have a huge collection of children books already…but not all libraries carry toys. After being in the US for a good number of years, I have always liked the idea of libraries lending toys and I was happy to find a library in Bangalore that did the same.

I was happier when I came across “Bambaram” and this post is from the TOP Operating Officer who was a classmate in school.

Bambaram - India's First Multiple Intelligence Based Online Toy Rental Store

A brief note on Bambaram:
Bambaram is an Online Educational Toy Library based on the renowned Theory of Multiple Intelligences! Bambaram serves kids in the age range of 0 - 9 years. On becoming a member, one can rent Toys/Books/CDs every week for a nominal monthly subscription which starts from Rs 250 onwards. Bambaram serves parents working with various corporates/institutions in Chennai - Cavinkare, Mphasis, Polaris, Scope Eknowledge, Virtusa, Tech Mahindra - to name a few at their doorsteps (Home/Office). They also offer services to select schools, preschools & gated communities.

Origin & People Behind:
Bambaram was started by Santhosh & Parul. Santhosh is an IIT Kharagpur alumnus and has worked with ITES & Retail sectors before venturing into Bambaram with Parul. Parul is an XIMB alumnus and has handled various Sales & Marketing assignments with FMCG sector. She also holds a certification on MI from Multiple Intelligent Institute, Singapore. It was during one of Santhosh's stint with an NGO in upcountry Tamil Nadu, he realized the potential of Toys & Games as a tool for to make learning fun. Bambaram was born!

Why the name 'Bambaram'?

Being a north Indian, Parul found the words 'Bambaram' and 'Bommai' the easiest to pronounce in Tamil and had a close relation to what they intended to do. Finally it was Srishti, Parul's two year old, who picked up 'Bambaram' over 'Bommai'

Link to FAQ section - http://173.45.68.165/bambaram/index.php?c=staticpages&m=show_page&page=faq

And soon we'll have a section in this blog where fellow blogger moms are invited to participate. A toy review fun contest! Pick out the most popular toy from your child's collection and post a review on your blog and link it to our "Bommai review section". The reviews will reach Bambaram and if Bambaram picks a toy based on your review, the blogger will be rewarded. No rules here...Have fun and repeating Dr. Seuss, "It is fun to have fun But you have to Know how." – and it’s definitely OK to teach your kid how to have fun J

Holi Ramblings!

This happened a day after Holi!
Seeing bits of thermocol (polystyrene) strewn all over the apartment, I ask Anirudh who was immersed in the process of generating more work for the maid who cleans the common space...

Me - Why are you making the place dirty Anirudh?
Anirudh - Aunty, this is snow holi!
Me - "dumbstruck"

My love for scribblings!

Ever since I have known myself, colors, crayons, paint and canvas boards have fascinated me. With no formal training and only love for colorful expression, my creations missed a learning. The need to document and preserve. It has always been like draw and discard because I never seem to be satisfied with them and have never thought they are all worth preserving....

Luckily, I found a few which I did in the recent past....

Thanks to the fellow bloggers who have motivated me enough to get them on the web....

Title : Shakti
Medium : Oil pastel on handmade paper

Title : Pillayar
Medium : Oil pastel on multipurpose paper

Shades of love!

Need I say more? 

In an effort to freeze his baby hand print, I tried my best...but later thought that I should wait until he is a year old :)

the trouble kutti "r" went through!

 

Love, laughter and life - Dreams of 2011 take a new turn

Time truly flies while you are having fun! And yes its been fun...
March 1 resumed working and from then on its been a busy time...kutti "r" has become more and more interactive leaving very little time for me to do anything away from him. Its very hard for me to leave his side during his waking moments...cos I know he's going to grow soon out of this wiggly form...
He's such a ball of energy...
His marble eyes gleam with love and laughter and reminds me of how magical and beautiful life is!
His wide mouthed smile from the break of dawn until he cuddles close to me as he yawns to sleep tells me I need to smile more than what I do now!
His babbling and cooing are reminders of another individual in the making!
His expressive eyes show me there's more joy than we know in the little things we see and do everyday!

Love has got a new meaning into our lives..
I pick a book to read and there kutti "r" is awake smiling at me...I lose the book and hug kutti "r"...we begin our playing sessions there on...I sit to paint and I hear a muffle from the cloth cradle...I peep into see a wide awake kutti "r"....He lifts his arms up signalling me to lift him and carry him around the house...Oh we then go around the house looking at all the little things...I sit to blog and I see the cloth diapers waiting to wash and the cute little bum that has been rash free...Do I want a break? Well, NO....cos my mom constantly reminds me that kutti "r" will grow soon and  I will start missing his baby form..I already miss his one month old form...He was a little baby then and I have seen him grow into a cherubic little baby...(kala tikka)

V and me are so much in love with kutti "r"...and beyond that I dont know how to say it...

I have decided to pause on my dreams for 2011 and just go with kutti "r"'s dreams...
Let him be my personal planner...We go out, read books, sing songs, play games, act funny, workout, cook do almost everything that I have wanted to do but it's been the kutti "r" way and not my way...how does it matter? I get to do it all ! I love this ! I 'm laughing and having more fun than 2010 !
What more can I ask for?

THANK YOU GOD!

Naalaayira Dhivyaprabhandham - ambrosia!

My MIL and me were giving kutti "r" a bath and thats when my MIL said, there's a song for Lord Krishna inviting him for a bath...A week has passed after this conversation and we forgot to look for the song.
My MIL's MIL a fervent Vaishnavite has a whole collection of religious books and I have never tried to reach for a single one in these 2 years. Recently, I cleared her bookshelf, literally dumping her books in a bag asking my MIL to give it to her....so that she could keep those really old books elsewhere....
Her friend dropped last evening suggesting a few thaalatu paadalgal from Naalayira Dhivyaprabhandham. When I asked my MIL if we have that book, she said its among those books you cleared this morning. WOW! I had taken those BOOKS for GRANTED....Little did I realise the importance of those books...
When we browsed through a really really old book, my eyes beamed with joy to find the hymn we were looking for....

I have just started reading பெரியாழ்வார் திருமொழி  (Periyaazhwar's Thirumozhi)- the hymn "aravanaiyaai" where Yeshoda lovingly calls Krishna to nurse...only a person who has experienced the joy of feeding can compose such verses....
the verses are like ambrosia, intoxicating a person who loves reading Thamizh...Oh what love these Aalwars had for Lord Krishna....the joy they found in writing these hymns can only be felt as we read through the verses line after line, word by word!!!
The book dates 5th - 8th century AD with its modern form compiled by Nathamuni in the 10th century...

Why didnt I look into my dad's bookshelf which has atleast a hundred books, all in my very own mother tongue ?

Why was I always looking for English titles to read when I wanted to make my literary dreams come true?

Rhyme time - Tulika Blogathon - a delayed entry!

With a 3 month old at home, and with lots of people around there is never scarcity for funny rhymes and verses...Mil, granny, cosisters, nephews and nieces are constantly finding ways to talk to him and keep him engaged. As they play with kutti "r", little verses and rhymes spill out. After reading a post on Tulika's blog I couldnt prevent myself from collecting all those little verses.
To some, the words have defined meanings are, for many neither my mil nor her mom know what they mean. If any reader out there is able to decipher the meaning, please...

My mil claps her hand in rhythm as she sings the below one to kutti "r"....
The translation is crude....When my mil shared it with me word by word (I dont speak Telugu) she said nobody has looked into the meaning...it's always about the way they rhyme!

Thattandama thattanda (Pat dear, Pat)
Apachilu* Thattanda (Pat a flat bread)
Andhiriku petanda (Keep it for everyone)
Adhigodmena apachi (On a high wall is the vada)
Andhethiko boochakka (Reach high for it little dog)
Boochakka chellulu nenu (Little dog's sister is me)
Gudamanthralu nuvvu (
Thattandama thattanda (Pat dear, pat)

*Just like we say pappu mammu for dhal rice, apachilu is the word in baby language that refers to vada or bholi
The rhyme reminded me of the nursery rhyme "pat a cake pat a cake baker's man"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another one, especially when kutti "r" makes all the cute sounds hinting us to lift him!

Jo jo paapa (jo - jo - is just a rhyming sound use here)...(jo, jo baby)
Jonnakutti paapa (little corn baby)
Edaodhu paapa (don't you cry baby)
Ethikinenu paapa (I will lift you baby)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's another - My mil said, the rhyme below is as said by a little girl...again there is no correlation between the sentences...

Chandamamaku seerakatti (Let's dress up the moon with a saree)
Sanigaborugulu odila esi (Place chick peas and puffed rice on my lap)
Amma, nenu, chinna bida (Mom, me and little kid)
Alundu osthe ampodhu (Dont send me away when the Groom comes)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I was around 6 years of age, I remember playing this game with my cousins. All of us sit in a circle, we choose a runner who runs around us holding a handkerchief. The runner drops the handkerchief behind anyone he/she likes and joins the circle. It takes a while before the person finds out who the next runner will be. Sometimes, if the circle is too big, the new runner will catch the runner before he/she sits down in the circle. The game repeats until everyone gets a chance to be the runner.
The following rhyme is said when the runner runs around....

kulai kulaiya mundhirika (bunches and bunches of cashewfruit)

neraiya neraiya suthi vaa (go around many times)

kollaiadichavan engirukaan (where is the one who looted)

kootathile paar kandupidi (look into the crowd and find him)

Again, the translation is crude...When I was looking for the exact tamil verse on the web, I came across a weblink which had many such rhymes....Linking it below

குலை குலையாய் முந்திரிக்காய்

நரியே நரியே சுத்தி வா

கொள்ளையடிச்சவன் எங்கிருக்கான்?

கூட்டத்திலே பார் கண்டுபிடி

http://www.kalvithulir.com/index.php/rhymes/47-videos

Sign speaks

At my parents place, the living space is split in two tiers with kutti "r"s room on the first level. I was busy with kutti "r" giving him a sponge bath at the lower level. Only when I was wiping him dry, I realized that I missed the baby lotion. With kutti "r" in my lap, I called out for Muthu akka... (Muthu our maid-servant - I hate to call her that because she is almost like family now). I asked her to bring me the baby lotion from kutti "r"s room.

Little did I realise that she doesn't read English until she handed me the baby lotion. Infact, there were a couple of others on the table. But my dear Muthu akka had got the one that I had in my mind to my utter surprise and proudly said that she identified it because the bottle had a baby icon! 

WOW! If I had told my mom to get it, she would have definitely got me the J&J one, (not because she reads English...it has always been the baby brand). That's when I realised the power of signs! 

Sign language is one of the oldest forms of communication. Pictorial representation and hand signs have come a long way today. Thanks to signs, it saved me the trouble of giving an elaborate explanation to Muthu akka!

Grandma dearest vs diapers

She was against the concept of making kutti r wearing disposable diapers. It wasn't that kutti r was in diapers 24/7...It was mostly saved for the night time/ nap time/ play time on his rocker/play gym...

And according to her that was almost throughout the day! 

She used to crib that she doesn't have enough soiled cloth nappies to wash. She would never let any maid get close to kutti r's clothes. She hand washed them every single day, dried them in the sun and carefully folded them and made sure they were safely stored for the next use. (She is 80 plus with dislocated shoulders suffers from knee pain almost every day).

Today, as I handwashed kutti r's soiled cloth nappies, I fondly remembered the love and care that went into the process. The attention to detail - yes! you could never spot any stains "thedinaalum kidaikaadhu" and all the hours and patience that went into this activity. Many of us dont appreciate any work until we do it all by ourselves...Dont we???

And like she wanted, from the day I reached  my inlaws place, to my surprise - I am not using disposable diapers on kutti r even during the day time...

What brought the change in me?

Is it because kutti r has started to pee and poop a little less than before?
Is it because I didn't want to trouble her age while I was at my parents place with all the soiled clothes? (she never let me lift a finger while I was with her for any task big or small)

Is it her voice thats constantly ringing in my head?

Is it because I know deep within me that all she said was for my own good?

Dreams of my grandma dearest!

Its not even a week since I left my parent's house and I am already missing my grandma dearest...From May 2010 until Feb 2011, there hasn't been a single day without our steamy arguments. She always has her own way of doing things and like every other grandma wants me to listen to her without asking the WHY question.
And like every granddaughter, I always protest at the controversial things she says which according to me doesn't fit in the modern day context.
Well, as I look back into the heated conversations now, I think that there must have been some reasoning in those yesteryears which were just not passed on to the generations. So its upto us to make assumptions...

A typical conversation between me and my grandma goes like this...ever since she moved in to our house to live with us....
Grandma - Do this
Me - Why should I do it?
Grandma - Because I said so
Me - No I wont do it.
Grandma - It is for your good. So do it
Me - Tell me why and I will think about doing it
Grandma - Who taught you to speak like that? In our days, whenever our moms and grandmothers told us, we would blindly obey. We never questioned WHY!!!!

And after that, the task gets done either because of the stern look that I get from my father who constantly reminds me to listen to what my grandma says respecting her age and experience or I storm off saying I wont do that...

I want to slowly recollect those discussions, open the room for discussion on what other readers think on what our grandmothers said...
I have never told my grandma that I miss what she did for me...Maybe its because I never got to interact with her like I did in the past few months...It's time to pick up the phone and tell her "I miss you paati..."

Celebration of dad's work years!

I created invites for appa's retirment party and his 60th bday celebration at the temple.
Documenting those invitations here...

Borrowed the backgrounds from a free source on the web. Rest is all from the grey matter!
Appa loved both the invites! Glad to have matched his level of creativity. I have always looked upon to my dad for anything creative. He is such a good artist but it has always remained as his silent hobby. Maybe now he'll have time for everything else...

Invite for the high tea at our house...

Invite for appa's sashtiapthapoorthi celebrations

My crepe birdies! - Artsy Craftsy Challenge - Feb 2011

My first attempt...
After a long long time, I am doing something fun with paper.
kutti "r" couldn't be a part of it cos he isn't old enough @ 3 months to join me in these fun projects. Nevertheless all these are for him to see :)

Materials - Used CD's , Colorful Crepe paper, glue stick, marker, double sided tape

Method - Cut the crepe paper into squares, fan fold them, arrange them as it pleases you on to the used Cd's. Use marker to draw eyes. Stick a double sided tape and use these stick ons anywhere you like.

Other options - Paper plates or old wedding invitations in place of CD's. Can also string these birdies together.

All these little birdies (duck, turkey, flamingo, penguin, chicken) are stuck on the window frame box for now.  kutti "r" enjoyed his view of the birds for a few seconds today and as usual got distracted searching for newer things to see...

We will soon leave for his other grandparents place and these birdies will fly with us. I am also making some animals to take with me to Blore...

I have kept it simple and easy for kids to work on. If kutti "r" picks an interest towards crafty things, this would be on my to do list with him. No scissors used. Folded the crepe paper and cut them with a visiting card. I understand scissors can be tempting for little ones :) Neither has my love for scissors ceased after all these years...

kutti "r" loves to see colors and anything that moves in front of his eyes. So thinking of making some valence using streamers and crepe paper tomorrow...

Thanks Shruti! This month's theme helped me come up with something for kutti "r" to see :) 

January Dreams - looking back!

Well! January has been busy with appa's retirement party, sashtiapthapoorthi, trips to temples, house filled with relatives, third wedding anniversary, few cake cuttings, lots of saris to wear (finally!), catch up with cousins, rhyme time with nieces and nephews, a brief alumni meet, milestones for kutti "r", helping appa pack for the new house...
Dear Jan - It was fun. I know I didnt get most of the items on my to do list done but I loved the way time flew. And it is true that time flies when you are having fun. So Thank you :)

Hopefully February will help dreams to take shape! But here's to January!

Healthy dreams  -  hmm... I dont want to talk about it. (guilty)

Literary dreams -  Book - havent picked any book. Maybe February will give me some time to do it. Kannada - will resume from March 1 and that's when I reach Blore....looks like I have 4 blog posts....maybe that'll count towards blogging every week...thirukural/bharathiyar poems/fact a day - Still in the dream state....


Artisitic dreams - Painting and Crafting will have to wait until I get to Blore. I dont know how I am going to carry kutti "r" s baby stuff and mine to my inlaws place and from there to Blore. Too much to carry...I came to my parents place with a single duffle bag and now....God only knows how much I have accumulated over these months!

Travel dreams - Oh yeah! lots of travel for me and kutti 'r". First was to Sikkapattu (our ancestral village with our family deity), then to Pondicherry, then to Thirukarugavoor, then to Thirukadaiyur! kutti "r" was at his best...Absolutely no trouble while travelling and he slept well post journey. Touch wood for no fussiness.

Culinary dreams - hmm...just once this month...not bad...made some grilled veggie sandwiches..I'll get more chances in my kitchen....My mom seldom lets me inside her kitchen...

Musical dreams - yeah! just found one song I want to learn "kannan varuvan" from the movie "Panchavarnakili" Amazing lyrics...My voice isnt good for singing...but hey! who cares! I love to sing for my baby :)

My Little Distracted Chick - kutti "r" @ 8 weeks

Jan von Holleben, Mila's daydreams, Anne Geddes - all these made me work up kutti "r"

He was 8 weeks (Dec 30) when I took this picture...(low-res)...

I was reluctant to send entries to Artsy Craftsy challenges at Mindfull Meanderings cos I never had a working blog until last month...
This month's theme triggered me to send one of the many pictures I took of kutti "r"... One of our family friend gave kutti "r" his outfit. Yellow shirt and shorts. His bath towel came handy for the shot! My little distracted chicken was just waiting to get out of his egg shell (the towel). He loves to kick off any blanket that's put on him while he is awake...
One is never too young to join the dress-up party and this is our first entry into the Artsy Craftsy world!

kutti "r" - you make a new me every day!

Toy making dreams - B&W Panda boy

Just found time to click a picture of the other pillow I made for kutti "r". This was one other outputs of my pregnancy hobby...Scrap felt and toy filling...completely hand-stitched.

Still dreaming of books and beyond...

arghh....
Still dreaming....
Only thing thats been going steadily since the New Year is my baby journal...
Wishing all dreams take shape soon....
In a frenzy to pick a book to read I googled "Top ten books" and I ended up with a website which read my mind. "When so many works are within such easy reach, choice becomes torture. What to pick? Where to start? This one? That one? How about this—and that? What will I like? What's worth my time?"
and ofcourse gave out the 

Top Ten List for Top Ten Works of All-Time

1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 
2. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert 
3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 
4. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov 
5. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 
6. Hamlet by William Shakespeare 
7. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 
8. In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust
9. The Stories of Anton Chekhov by Anton Chekhov
10. Middlemarch by George Eliot

And I am hoping I will find one of these tomorrow at the bookstore closest to my house.

My health dreams - I dont even want to talk about it. Every night I think tomorrow will be the day...dreaming on...

Kutti "r" doesnt seem to need lullabies...He's happy to fall asleep by himself...Doesnt need a miracle blanket nor a pacifier....He does need his ammathaatha's shoulder though just before bedtime...So lullabies need to be modified...The whole of Margazhi went without me chanting the entire paasuram. Gosh! I feel so bad at times...but then "baby time" has always been the excuse that I have been giving myself...

One thing I did this weekend was when "V" came home, made him some good veggie sandwiches but nothing after that morning breakfast. 

It is sheer luxury when you are your parents place. My mom and granny go beyond their ways to make sure that I get what I want...They hardly call me into the kitchen. Granny takes care of washing kutti "r"'s cloth nappies while mom takes care of everything else. Its sheer bliss sometimes when all I do is feed kutti "r" and hand him over to my parents and granny. They provide him all the stimulation he needs during his waking hours. Wonder what I am going to do without them when I am back 2 Blore.