All about azhagu rani

Well a conked laptop made me totally cut off from my blogworld. But thanks to my MIL!s iPad my blog is getting renewed life again So many things happened.

•  A lovely wedding a srirangam

  Adhu kutty was the first to climb the 1000 steps and reach the top. This brat really has some power i should say...

• Diwali celebrations. Adhu nicely bursted crackers. In the night we had a spectacular view of the cracker celebrations in my apartment

                                                   Her thatha admirning her antics

•  Come December, it was the month of holidays for Adhu, her vanaja paati was their for most of the time and they spent their time making colorful rangoli's , dressing up, puzzles and of course lots and lots of Chota bheem

Adhu is so atypical of me..i).Loves to do rangoli all the day (special mention of her vanajai paati who involves her with rangoli deisgns...not any flower designs, its elephant one day, lion the other, christams tree, doggies rangoli..etc..hehehehehe ii) then loves to wear flowers..iii) wear lots of bangles..hmpf.pretty high maintanence..)

•  Adhu is becoming big on talks, sometimes kiddish , sometimes wise and sometimes too matured and snobbish. Like ethe other day when I lost my phone

Adhu: amma you have lost your phone.?
Me: yes dear. It has very important contacts. I don't know what I wil do
Adhu: amma, oh no!my drawing class mam said she wil message about the class.

I just couldn't help rolling eyes and thinking of the proverb 'avan avanuku avan kavalai' Then the other day she went to a drop -in birthday party. She was there for two full hours. I just couldn't sit at home. When I went to pick her up,her freindsmom was in all praise for her story telling, dancing et al.. Hmmm!so I understood her tantrums are all reserved for home...good in many ways

                                                     All set for drop-in bday party
                                                 
 Dressing up God! She dresses up a lot. Always wanted to decked up with chutti, chain, lipstick, kolusu, bangles and not to mention her change of dresses for only 6 times a day! But what will she do? She just does not have a good company to play with. I hope she gets a BFF soon !!!!god!why didn't you bless me with twins!!!!

Big gal's inncoent question

Today afternoon, the dialogue went like this:
After a susu session:
Adhu: Amma i want to remove my kundi
Me: What, what are your saying?
Adhu: Amma i want to remove it
Me: Its your body part Adhu ,why do you want to remove it?
Adhu: No mumma , always susu and cacca, its boring, thats why want to remove it
We went in splits again...Hahahaha..what an innocence!!!

Fourth birthday celebrations

After the flop show in the third birthday, we took extra care during her fourth one. we started planning days ahead. Advitha was such a sport in giving us ideas about organizing things, distributing the birthday party cards, came along with us to all the places for the tiring birthday shopping

We got a nice party frock with a crown

Main highlight: Arranged for a Tatoo guy. The kids went berserk with the tatoos and each one left with atleast 3 tatoos. Not to mention, Adhu was the first one to get tatooed

Kids flaunting their tatoos

Food was the highlight- we ordered muffins, chips, veg puffs and topped it with a yum pav bhaji (made at home), juice and yummy yummy choclate cake

                              Few yummy mummies enjoying the food

Cake cutting: was really sweet. Neighbour Sudha aunty entertained us with good songs. the highlight was my MIL viewing it in ipad from US

bday party is live relayed to MIL (in ipad)

Cake cutting

Games: Me and ARvind organized two games. A paper dance and pinning the tail. Though the paper dance was a bummer due to the sound levels of the kids, pinning the tail was a huge sucess

Adhu kutty enjoyed the party thoroughly. This time i made it a point only to invite kids of Adhu's age, so she was surrounded by only her friends which made her doubly happy. She and 3 other kids won pinning the tail and i correctlt had only 3 prizes (still a poor organizer). Adhu sported it easily and behaved good as a gold throughout the party.

It was such a fun to organize events for the lil kids (nay darlings!) All kids were well behaved and it was such a pleasure.

Strong dialogues..smart dialogues of Adhu

Adhu is extremely busy this navratri wearing all colourful pavadai's, going around the apartment with bama paati to the beautifully set Durgama pandal and navratri golu in my apartment. So it was the day of saraswati puja and the dialogue went like:
Me: Adhu, wake up amma, today is saraswati puja, u 'll have to keep ur books in front of god
Adhu: No mummy, my books will all get spoiled if i keep it there
Me: (little surprised, as i did not expect this kind of answer): Adhu, no, u should keep ur books and get blessings from God, then only u can study nicely
Adhu: But mumma, i am studying nicely only!!
The way she said cutely, i seriously let her away!!!

The otherday, we were seeing dasavathram movie and Adhu say the last scene where Tsunami hit the shores. Adhu with a serious face asked me what it was! And me being the person I am with her now explaining all big stuff to her, told 'its Tsunami where the waves in the sea will rise to big heights and destroy the city, with the added information of how it attacked Chennai'. She was immediate in revert, 'Mummy, in bangalore there is no sea, so there will be no Tsunami na!! Me and Arvind was stunned and surprised for a minute.God bless her sharpness and just hope she carries it forward!!

         During navratri

Oct 3, 2012

Dear Advitha,


You turned four. So many changes, so many challenges but you have grown up as a big girl. You understand everything; you communicate clearly-change at ease with English and Tamil; love your school; grown up to be naughty; started doing things on your own; love to get dressed up----in total are a lil-big, fun-loving girl

The first half of the year was really challenging---it just went on like:
Me: Advitha put the dress, fast
You: No mamma, I don’t want to put this dress, its not nice (saying u select some weirdo dress)
You did wontedly and unwontedly the exactly opposite of what I want you to do. Then I’ll not speak with you for some time, and then you’ll come saying sorry…so the first half was filled with these episodes…

But what happened during the second half. Either you have grown up or I have started behaving matured-ly with you that I realized we both are sharing so much with each other. You update me with your school stories, school friends, complaints about paati…it’s never got so good before.

Then your travel passion, you were our best travel buddy whether it is the recent wayanad, or cruise or the n-number of Chennai trips.

As your father say, you are just a highly sensitive lady-if we coax you we are the winners, but if we raise our hand or voice, God save us for the rest of the day…

In a year’s time you’ve become an expert in coloring and you are slowly improving your drawing skills as well

Then the important one, I am just amazed by your memory power kiddo!!!How much you remember things!! Like the other day you related indira nagar with your pappa’s office. When asked how? You were ready to answer: “mumma! You remember papa showed us his office when went to Bhuvan’s birthday). And Bhuvan birthday happened atleast five months back…Phew!!!too much!lil lady

You are still an introvert!! Why can’t you say Hi and Bye to people? The more I force you, the more you don’t want to do!!So do it at your own pace!!

You are such a channelized (can read ‘lazy’ as well) kid: you want me get involved with you: be it play dough, kitchen set, reading books, or homework…I need to be a part of it…

How can I forget the amount of importance you give to yourself…One Sunday! I pulled you from the sofa when you went hiding to avoid drinking milk, I certainly pulled you with lil vigor but it was not so bad. For a lil strain, God! How much you cried! You kept your hand so carefully, did not put it down, that we got tensed and took you to a hospital for an X-Ray that was clean and clear…Phew!!Very high maintenance.

But how much you understand the travails of a working mother.While i am loaded with guilt for not spending enough time with you, you have clearly understood the fact of me working. Never I have seen you crying while leaving to office or never i have seen you not welcoming me with a smiling face while i am back..it means a lot to me dear gal!!
All said and done, you are growing up to be my best friend, though you adore and love your papa, you are certainly a mummy’s girl.i can see that in you. its such a great feeling Adhu to get loved so much…Not to forget, your growing love for your bama paati…

Have a great time dear, be happy and healthy my lovely lil baby …

Luv you

Amma

Advitha's first PTM-Junior KG

Last Saturday we had been to Adhu’s first parent- teacher meet. I was curious and excited as it was the first one in Junior KG and its been 3+months since she is into the class. Every day she is excited to go to school and I was keen to know to what drives her excitement. But to my surprise, her ma’am stated the following:


As stated by her ma’am

• “Advitha is very playful, not interested in writing, she does not want to sit at a place, always wants to be roaming, but when it comes to dance and music, activities, she comes first. So you should give her writing practice, pamper her less, she should get serious about writing and other academic stuff”…

When her ma’am was speaking half way, I saw my lil girl-speaking with her friends, playing with them, laughing out heartily, showing me the puppets she did, and running around her class with full excitement. Well! Though I was lil concerned on her ma’am’s apprehensions but my girl who was a complete introvert is now blossomed into a fun, loving girl.

We thanked her ma’am and drove back home. I was thinking aloud. Why should stop her excitement and make her more serious. I was always serious about everything since I was a kid, be it studies, or even a class test I was too competitive, I think for a few extra marks I would have lost many moments of childishness, even good friends. I don’t want the same to happen to my lil one. Her ma’am was alerting that very soon they would start ascending, descending order, writing word’s blah blah. I think all these things can wait. Me and her dad were good in our studies. So that gene should be in her. Though it is dormant now, why should I unnecessarily trigger it?

By the time I reached home, I found a satisfactory answer to myself and gave a big hug to my gal. And to my surprise I found this in her report card, posted in the school’s website:

“Advitha Aravind is a happy,fun loving and expressive child.With little support she completes assigned tasks. She loves music and she is good in singing.”

Well Ma’am, we understand that you were very cynical in your verbal comments. But whatever she enjoys coming to you everyday

Wayanad monsoon bliss

Dancing in the rains, driving in the rains, playing, getting totally drenched...this was our itenary during our three day trip to wayanad. Stayed in a beautiful resort overlooking a gushing wateflows that was in its full beauty.
Advitha was such a sport,she trekked, got drenched in the rain and behaved like a perfect travel companion.of course there were fights during dining time, but unlike before we need not think what to feed her,when to feed her,where to cook her food...all in all, a good monsoon trip. 
But one thing,she hates to pose...donno when she is gonna get her poses right...

Mango season-2012

As this year's mango season draws to a close how can i miss the yearly ritual of posting the mango snaps...jus love to watch my full-fledged fussy eater eat anything....

Tryst with fairy tales

I started it pretty late...reading out books for my lil lady,but its going strong.Advitha loves to hear stories,even i am getting engrossed with these sweet ,nonsensical fairy tales, bedtime stories and i am made to read it over and over again. Now when  i start reading she also joins...
'Long,long ago there lived a old puppet maker called Geppoto...he was very lonely...then he had a son called Pinnochio'

Advise-ready Advitha....and an obedient mom

On a leisure work day, I was busily getting Advitha ready to school with high expectations of sending her off to school and having a great work-out session.....(normally we would drop her and head straight head to office)..but high hopes for sure....

I was wearing a casual Tee and not an office wear...

Advitha : Amma, you are going to wear this to office?
Me: No baby, i am going to gym after u go to school...
Advitha: You are not goin to drop me?
Me: No da kutta, today you go with pappa dear..
Advitha: No mummy, you will hav to drop me...
Me: but i need to go to gym...
Advitha: tomorrow you wake up early and go to gym ...now u drop me to school...

Enough...Thank you Advitha, these loud-mouthed , advise-ready daughters would easily replace any MIL or mothers at home..... so off i changed to office-wear to drop my brat to school...

Nursery report card (2011-12 academic year)

I wanted to do this for a long time but somehow either issues with school website or pdf apps at home prevented me to do so.... The three below report cards really tells me he much she has come out of her cocoon and emerged as a cool, jolly-go gal...Thanks a lot Vibgyor High!!!

Term 1 report:
"ADVITHA showed some resistance to school initally but is now well adjusted with her friends & teachers.She has shown a tremendous change & enjoys the concepts & activities.She has a great intrest for music & dance.However she needs a little help in conversing in English & express her feelings."

Term 2 report:
"Advitha is calm child,we have noticed a remarkable improvement in all her activities,she enjoys colouring.but with her teachers.With constant encouragement form home and school she will be able to improve her communication skills."

We did work on the above a lot... we made it a point to speak a lot in english at home...pardoning our availbility which is literally only during the weekends though...

Term 3 report:(Takes the cake)
"Advitha is an affectionate child and it has been wonderful to see her come out of her shell. There is a remarkable improvement in her communication skills.Passed and promoted to Jr. K.G.""


First , I started laughing ...how can they really rate a 3.5 year old.... ofcourse it makes lot of sense... she reflects what her parents are and what are parents are to her........

Homework sagas....

Identifying words starting with 'a' sound.......horizontal,vertical lines......tracing numerical '1' and drawing an object representing the numerical...is also too much of load for both of us....every week she  receives 4-5 pages of homework (1 activity, 2 alphabets, 2 numericals)....making her do all the stuff at one go or in several dayparts is becoming tough......but still i feel its good in a way that parents get to know of whatz happening in the school......maintaining 'cool' while guiding her is one big task........

still this stage where i help her hold the pencil,,,guide her to read the alphabets aloud......feeling proud after she completed each pages...is relishable

Arvind gobbling up the cheese balls while the lil one slogs it off.....

Kindergarden stories

So Advitha entered her junior kg on June 7th...Time flies in a supersonic jet plane witth her busy school days keeping us tied up....Oh boy!!how much she loves her school....and i am strong to leverage it by stuffing heavy snacks (egg and any tiffin) in the morning and zroom!!!all 3 of us are ready by morning 8.30 with arvind half shaved-half tucked-wearing only socks and saving the shoes for the car.....me.....uncombed hair,just with the office dress and accesories with no breakfast and our doll.. ....all decked for her school..............

Junior kg is quite a job for us if not for her.....making her finish her homework in the weekends,sending her arts & crafts materials, washing her uniforms to make it look prim everyday...or like the recent one where we sent a bowl, bananas, ladle for her to make fruit salad at school......but just the fact that she is growing big and shez loving what shez doing makes life good......

and junior kg makes her smart as well...

Advitha often plays with another kid (nay baby) who is one year old....

Me: Adhu, i think you can play with kids elder to you....it would be more fun
Adhu: It's ok amma, i love that baby...
(need i say more,i shut my mouth)

Initially we got a bigger size T-shirt for her...and realized it after trying it on her...we decided to exchange it..

Me: Arvind ,i think we'll get the smaller size..this one is too lose for her
Adhu: It is ok ma...i am growing big na...it will fit me...
(ennnaku edhu thevaya)

Big fat wedding-Adhu's Aparna athai ties the knot

Its been a long time since i attended a two day full fledged wedding and i was keen that Adhu is also is a part of a complete wedding ceremony for her to enjoy the niceties it has to offer...We were blessed to attend one such .....Arvind's first cousin's wedding in chennai....A flamboyant grand one it was....Couple's Aparna and Harish looked their best and made one pretty pair....Highlights being...
-----Adhu being a Part of mehendi function
-----She enjoying the food..
-----Nice time with her best play date Riya
-----Changing of costumes.atleast thrice a day.we had also altered one of my best pavadai's,a pink coloured one that I got for uncle's marraige some 20 YEARS back, which adorned her to the T..
Though she was cranky here and there pestering us for a play area in the huge choultary...i am sure she had a nice time with the relatives

The pink coloured pavadai i was referring to

With Akash athai who dressed her up for the reception

Showing off her salwar

Her wonderful return gift---Thanks a lot Bindhu athai