A year back Saumya spent all her TV time watching Maisy and friends. It's a fun and peaceful show where with a man's voice narrating maisy's moves and thankfully no mysteries to solve or adventures to undertake. Simple and mundane things that child does all day. But then she grew out of it. So yesterday, she took out a Maisy board where you put magnetic stickers to create various themes and started asking me if I remember this part and that part of Maisy show as if I am a part of some trivia game show. We started thinking of all the names of Maisy's friends,Charlie the Crocodile, Eddie the Elephant, Tallulah the chicken but we just couldn't get around the Squirrel's name. I said "wow I just can't seem to remember this little friend's name, I don't know sweety"
And the 4 year old brain got an idea! "Mamma if you don't know the Squirrel's name, open your laptop and ask Google. I am sure you will get an answer"!!!!

Very soon she will be telling me all about all the things I said I don't know, not because i didn't know the answer but just because I wanted to get out of the cartoons world and do something else! And you thought Google has made parenting easier!

Today was a wonderful family day. All three of us spent the entire day outside, me cleaning the cars, husband working in the yard and Saumya darling running around mindlessly while trying to get either one's attention.
Daddy see, I am digging the grass. Oh my, please don't dig the lawn Saumya!
Mamma see I can throw the rocks far away. Honey, throwing rocks can hurt someone.
Little girl was losing the typical childish frivolous animation about herself and was quickly becoming grumpy.
So daddy dear thought of using this 4 year old's time for a purpose and giving her a sense of worth. Hey Saumya, do you see all those weeds in that mulched area. We worked so hard but weeds are ruining everything.
Yes Daddy, its not looking pretty!
So sweety, can you pull out these weeds?
Of course I can!
And she haphazardly starting working in her usual playful manner.
So daddy thought of giving a lesson to the little girl in weeding.
Saumya, I will tell you a technique which will help you take these weeds out the easy way. Blah blah blah blah........went on for few minutes.
So you got it now?
Yes but Daddy another easy way to pull the weeds out which will take the weeds out really fast is that you do it with me!!

Recent questions by our 4.5 yr old girl

1. Who is exactly God?
2. What happens to us when we are dead and why can't any one see us then?
3. Why do birds have to fly around for food and why do my story books show them working in the kitchens like us?
4. Why only some teachers are good?
5. What is that thing in water that puts the fire away?
6. Why do we need summer vacation? (!!)

Once a friend in college asked me how my mom's baigan bharta tastes so good and I proudly said "she roasts it really well" and the next day she opens hr lunch box with chapatis and some black blob, I made it by roasting very well, taste it!! Oh Kavita, God Bless you!!
The secret to make good bharta lies on roasting. First the eggplants needs to be roasted well, so well that their outer skin gets charred and comes off with a crackling sound. I do this step under the broiler. And the second roasting step is done on the stove when the mashed up eggplant is sauteed with tomatoes and onions. This takes time and patience and if you hurry through this step, the eggplant will be undercooked and you will get that raw taste. Not something to crave or praise!
So if you promise yourself to not skimp on roasting process, here the recipe you can follow. But please don't get emotional like my friend and know when to stop!
Ingredients
Eggplants - 2 big. (while buying the eggplants look for the ones on lighter side, they tend to lesser seeds)
Tomatoes - 2 big , chopped
Onions - One big, chopped
Green Chili - 2 to 3, chopped finely
Ginger - an inch, chopped finely

Turn the oven on the High Broil setting. Make a cut in the eggplants with a knife for the steam to vent out. This is very important or they will burst inside the oven making a huge mess!! Put the on a cookie sheet and leave them in the oven for about 40 minutes.


Take them out of the oven and leave on the counter to cool.



In the meantime chop the onions, tomatoes, ginger and green chilies.
Put a pan on medium flame, put one tbsp. oil and saute onions. Once they turn translucent and little pink in color, put in the tomatoes, ginger and green chili. Keep stirring in between. While this is getting cooked, peel the eggplant and scoop out the flesh, leaving out as many seeds as you can. If the peels comes off very easily, it means you broiled them good. Now mash this flesh with your hands and then toss it in the pan with tomato onion mixture. Put in salt as per your taste, tsp each of coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder. Keep the flame below medium and keep stirring in between. It fills the kitchen with a delicious aroma, once all liquid dries up and bharta looks brownish red, its ready. Garnish it some chopped cilantro leaves and serve hot with chapatis and your choice of raita.

Yard Beauties

On a Sunday evening, family is having tea time watching Hindi TV, that's what my daughter calls Zee TV as that's the only Indian channel we get here. I am getting all nostalgic because they are showing a synopsis of HUM AAPKE HAIN KAUN, with few scenes and lots of songs. And then comes the songs "Pehla Pehla Pyaar Hai, Pehli Pheli Baar Hai



The couple keeps going around the room while Salman sings and Madhuri blushes all the time. I am enjoying every moment of it when I hear a 4 year old voice

"WHAT ARE THEY DOING?!!!!"

No, I do not deliver a smart parent answer rather I get in a fit of laughter which no matter how hard I try to stop, just keeps going. 4 year old gets agitated and keeps on repeating "WHAT ARE THEY DOING??!"
With no answer from me, she concludes he is giving her love.

Host of the show abruptly shows up and talks a bit and then shows another scene where Salman is sitting with a baby in his lap.

This time the 4 year old says "Mamma, dekho, wo pyar ker rahe thhey na pehley, ab baby nikal pada. Isliye hi to babies itni pyarey hotey hain" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Translation : Mamma, see they were giving love to each other and now they have a baby. That's why babies are so lovely coz they are made with love.

Hope you all ladies out there had a nice Mother's Day! My beautiful day started when I was sleeping. Well yes, because the other two souls in the house made sure not to make a peep so mamma darling can peacefully snore till she wants to. These well meaning souls didn't know or expect that mamma can really sleep for a very long time, so at 10 a.m they barged in with a big hug, chirpy smile and little hands holding a card written in prettiest handwriting which goes up and down and scatters everywhere like love. 

Ch-i-ca-go U-No, Chicago Uno, hey that's the resteraunt I wanted to go to! Stop here, its right here, I just read the name.

IHM tagged me days back to do this. It took me longer than I expected, sorry IHM! Lets get on to it without any further delay!

I became a mom about 4 and a half years back to a lovely girl who instead of being a part of my life, well became my life.

I love being her anchor, all the time. She runs to me to share her ups as well as her downfalls. she looks forward to my opinion and tries to match up to my expectations. I love being such a VIP in some one's life.

I love those big hugs that she gives me when I am sad. "Mamma, don't worry I am with you" these words just bring the world to me. And then asks daddy "What did you do to mamma, she is sad. Go take care of her"

I love the fact that my hugs can take care of most of the problems she has.

I love being a mom to this girl who is turning out to be such a fashionista, she wants to have her own designing company. She will be my accomplice in crime in future!

I love being a mom when my husband when sees me in conversation with 4 year old and thinks, I got to learn those skills!

I love being a mom when my girl tells her teacher in school "my mum is the best chef in the whole wide world"

I love being a mom when I get those little thank you notes appreciating all I do for her.

I love being a mom when every single day makes me realize more and more worth of my own mom.

I love being a mom when saying bye at the school door, she says to me "I will come back to you, so be happy"
Motherhood feels great most of the times. It makes me introspect more on my weaknesses as well as strengths. I love being a mom when my 4 year old questions things that we take for granted and force us to think more and talk about those little big things. "what is inside our body that stores love? why was I born?"
I love being a mom when every night while coming out of her bedroom I say "good night, I love you" and she says "I love you too and you know my love will never finish up"
My heart swells with pride when my daughter stand up for herself and doesn't care much about the popular opinion and goes "But I like it"
I do miss my child free care free days but I would not trade my motherhood for anything. I love being a mom.
Last but not the least by any means, I love being a mom when I wish my mom A Very Happy Mother's Day and she says "to you too"


image courtesy : http://www.inhomegallery.net/index.php

One casual morning, Saumya having her breakfast downstairs before she leaves for school. Mom isn't well, so daddy is getting ready to drop her today. Mom tells him to take her mittens with him.

Daddy goes downstairs

Kya laye ho? (Daddy, what have you brought?)

Main aapke Mittens laya hoon! (I brought your mittens)

Oh, wo to mamma ne diye hongey, aapko kahan pata hai ki mujhey kay kya le jana hota hai school (Mamma must have given you those, you would not know what I need to take to school)!!!!!!!!
Daddy embarrassed, roared into laughter thinking no one gives credit here!