Flavors of home

Our dinner last night! We served it to Saumya as Chip(Makki ki roti) and Dip(Sarson ka saag). She ate ever last bit of the green dip with thick chips!
I have not missed my mom like this before, she is on my mind all the time. It may sound weird but to feel closer I am cooking few of her favorite foods these days. She loves Sarson ka saag with makki ki roti but I never liked this dish and now every bite reminded me of the warmth of home, of ma's lovingly bringing rotis hot off the stove for all of us. I love you ma, I wish I could be with you.

Story Teller

Our 4 year old loves to read stories, loves to hear stories and is now developing the skill of telling a story.

Lazying around after dinner she told us two little stories.

A Plant
There was a plant who wanted to play. So the plant thought that she wanted to play. The plant decided to go out to play. The plant was outside playing. While playing the plant saw it's reflection in the pond and felt it needed a bath. The plant went to the beach where it played with sand and then plant's mamma called her inside the house.
The End

*Both of us, me and husband were in fits of laughter but managed successfully to hide from the storyteller*

The Rose
Once upon a time there was a flower- flower rose. The rose thought how nice it would be for someone to hold me. The rose wanted someone to draw its picture on a paper. The rose then wanted its picture to be cut from the paper and hanged on the wall so the wall can look beautiful.
The End.

I loved this story with a clear beginning, a plot and then a clear ending.

Jai Ho!

Congratulations to A R Rehman for winning 2 Oscars! Jai Ho!

Observe, will ya?

"Daddy, tomorrow Mamma is coming to my classroom to Observe"
Observe What?
"To observe me. Ms.C has invited her to observe how I work in the classroom"
Hmm, interesting.
"Mamma, you will be there, right?"
Would not miss it for a thing.
"It will be exciting, extra special day for me mamma"
Awww, come here, mvah, love you!

In the Classroom
Saumya is cutting a banana, which means, she was preparing a snack for me so when I enter the room she has something to offer me! Did I just melt seeing her or what!
Then she grabbed my hand and guided me to the observation chair and asked me to sit "Mamma pls sit here" Awwww, did I just melt again?
And then she went around the classroom serving snack to everyone and came to me as well. "Mamma, would you like to have a banana piece?"
Awwww, did I just melt again?!

After this she went about doing her stuff, cleaning the banana cutting work board, washed and dried the serving bowl, wiped the table and gave me the prettiest smile while working! Awwwww, did I just melt again?!

Not Simple

Last night, much against my liking, bedtime story that our 4 year old picked up was about Cinderella's simple wedding. One of my friend gifted her this book on her first birthday and I keep telling her that these stories are far from reality and if you are reading something better put your hands on something that keeps you close to ground. The book was hidden somewhere but the girl has such good memory that she made me dig for it. And sometimes I just let it be. So the story was how everyone wants Cinderella to have a fancy and lavish wedding with everything big and elaborate while she is hoping to have a real simple affair which in the end she did get and was very happy.
"Mamma, why was Cinderella getting married?"
"Hmm, because she wanted to get married. Like me and your dad"
"Mamma, will I also get married?"
"Yes, if you want to"
"But you know when I get married, it will not be simple at all. It will be very very special, with everything extra special. Yes, mine will be a fancy wedding"
IHM, in her post talks about how her daughter wants to have a big wedding too, seems there is a wave of fancy in the air!

Pyari Bitiya

I hear the alarm go off in Saumya's room and quickly run to the toilet to be done before she comes. As I am washing hands she open the door to our bedroom and comes in and doesn't find me on the bed.
"Mamma, dekho aapki pyaari bitiya aayee hai, pyaar do na" (mom see your lovely daughter is here, give love already!)

Step back, please!

Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed - Maria Montessori

A day at our house goes --------

Daughter - "I wanted to turn that light on"

Off and then on again.

" I wanted to close that door"

Open and close again.

" I wanted to take that sweater out of the drawer"

Sweater gets folded again, goes back in the drawer and then gets taken out again with a gleeful face

"I wanted to hang that towel back on my own"

Towel comes down the bar, girl steps on the stool and hangs it again.

"I wanted to put butter on my toast myself"

Hmm, this can't be undone, so she becomes the big person and says "Don't forget it next time, OK?" 

"I wanted to put my syrup on pancakes all by myself"

This can't be undone too, so she again tries to be the big person "Just like I said about my toast, don't forget that I will put my own syrup everyday" 

When will us, the parents, grow up??