Mother's Day

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. 

My 4 year old wrote   "Have Happy Mudurs Day" and then handed me a bag full of lotions and body cremes so your skin can stay as soft as it is. Mamma loves lotions, anything that keeps things smooth, if you know what I mean!

A single cup of tea was served with an announcement that we are going to have breakfast at The Hilton. Oh my, I love being a mother!! And boy did we eat breakfast like a king. Continental breakfast is one of the best ways to start a special day. Bagels, croissants, muffins, pancakes, coffee, tea, fresh juices, fresh cut up fruits, and someone pouring coffee every time your cup goes empty. What's not to love! Just when I thought the treats are over, came another announcement. We are heading to the mall to buy mamma this..........

Being a mother, when comes with perks like this, makes it even more of an exciting job. Father and daughter did a wonderful job making me feel special throughout the day. I had a fabulous day.
Thanks to everyone who sent me emails wishing Mother's Day.

Reader's Digest : 4 year old with No More MYS(miss)TERY

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.

"yeah, you can ready everything hunh!"

"Toys R Us" that is a toy store, its been many days we bought a toy. Let's go in here"

"Ba-r-nes.........ooooaaaaaawaaaaaa, daddy I was reading that and you just kept on driving, you didn't stop the car so I could finish reading that board. Mamma what store was that?"

Barnes and Noble, that is a book store.

"I need to buy books so I never have to stop reading, let's go in there"

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"Here Saumya, you needed a sun hat. Try that on but don't take the tags off yet"

"Mamma, you brought this from T J Maxx? The tag says T J maxx and the label says Oshkosh, so the company that made this hat is Oshkosh. I can read it"

Yes and yes

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T-o-y-o-t-a

"Mamma, that car store had a board on it that said Toyota. Is it a company that makes cars?"

yes.

"Our is VolksWagon, right mamma? I read in on your car manual."

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"That board says 'we have all kinds of flowers', lets go in there, we can buy flowers, I love flowers"

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On the back of a magazine

"It takes a special chocoloate to make everyone happy"

"Mamma, why does it take special chocolate to make everyone happy? You eat chocolate? Maybe we can eat one and become happy now"!!

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After reading the entire grocery list........

"Mamma, you didn't write mango in there, we need mangoes too"

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"I see UNO again, let's go to Uno. I am hungry. I just read it. Its right here"

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Saumya choose a book for bed sweety!

"Actually I will read it myself, you can listen"

Being a mother

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

Credit Crunch

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!

Have Spinach, Will Not Puree!

Every few days I get this idea of incorporating more and more greens to our food. Dear Husband says you know most of the wine bottles are green too, why worry with all the chopping and cooking! i say we have a 4 year old, we need to set up an example and then I do want to be here to be able to see her all grown up! And then comes the grocery day when I buy the dreaded old spinach, ehh, yuck! Ma would say , you know make palak paneer, its very good for health and tastes divine. Mother in law will say Palak dal is very yummy, FIl gulps down bowls of it, try it, you will like it. I made all those famous palak dishes and when we sit down to eat, I am unusually the slowest, daughter and father keep moving their spoons in the bowl and finally 4 year old will get the smartest idea of finishing all the paneer, leaving behind palak. Can't blame her, I do not like palak when its made into a puree. It reminds me of henna/mehandi and I just can't eat it. But you got to eat your greens!! So yesterday I sauteed leftover rice with onions, tomatoes and green chillies and threw in the usual salt, red chilli powder, garam masala and when it all got mixed in with rice, I chopped two big handfuls of baby spinach and tossed in, put the lid on and let it soften a little. Just before eating sprinkled a little lime juice over rice and I was in spinach heaven. If you are like me and run away every time you see spinach, I say try it, you might like spinach too!!

Morning Delight

On a Saturday morning, family still in bed.

"Mamma, I was thinking and now I want to tell you something"

Unhun, please do.

"You know I was thinking that God makes people and everything else. So when its time to make a baby, Mamma becomes God, so baby can be made, because you know people cannot make people, only God can make people and when the baby is ready to be born then God becomes mamma, because only mamma can take care of a baby perfectly"

And my saturday morning started with teary eyes and a big hug to this delightful 4 year old.

Revisiting School Memories

I have been close to bengali culture since childhood. My school used to get aid from the West bengal govt. and in turn they wanted the school to encourage bengali culture. Rabinidra sangeet was our school's forte'.  Most of our teachers as well as classmates were bengalis. Saraswati Puja was our biggest festival which is till today attended by the alumni as well. Every girl would dress up in her best clothes and it was like a red carpet event with seniors standing at the gate and giving a once over to each and every girl entering through the gate. "oh my, what a lovely sari, is it your mom's?" hey that lehanga looks nice and the more so called modern ones would go for trendy jeans and skirts which were otherwise banned in school!

"Bolo bolo saraswati mai ki, Jai" sounds would fill the ambiance from aarti pandal. Nostalgia :-)

Surprisingly I never got introduced to bengali food!! But yesterday, over at Asha's food blog , I read about Luchis and it being a bengali bread, brought back all memories from school. I recreated her recipes today and the biggest food snob, our 4 year old gave the verdict "Thumbs Up".

I did use haldi to make luchis yellow in color but surprisingly they turned pink, no one is complaining though! We love pink! I served those with Chana masala following Asha's recipe. Delicious!

Thank you Asha!

Happy Spring

Happy First day of spring mamma!!

Happy first day of spring to you as well sweety Saumya!!

Happy first day of spring Daddy!!

Daddy can barely open his eyes after working till 3 am.

Thank you Saumya. (sleepily)

Daddy, we don't say Thank you, we say Happy Spring to you too!! Kucch nahi aata aapko. (you don't know anything!)