Missed Papa

When papa comes back from a 1 weeks travel .

Maun

When moms upset and is not talking and Vineesh needs something for school . This is what he does .

Christmas Carnival

Winter Chills can't and will not stop us .

A dinosaur birthday party

Vineesh's 9th birthday was round the corner and we decided we were going to keep it a small affair. We'd call over some close friends, have a few games, some food and that would be that.

We started off looking for a gaming area to host the party. We zeroed in on Hangout. It seemed perfect. We could pay for the games and the food and have a fun time. But they didn't allow a cake! A birthday without cake is pretty much not a birthday at all, right? We could however have a party there but they needed a minimum of 30 people which was just not the plan.

A ‘house party’

We decided a house party it had to be. That wasn’t too bad. I love having kids at home and we could have some fun activities too. Since it was a house party we decided to include some more people. The best birthdays are the ones with friends and family around, right? And so the guest list swelled.

A dino theme

We decided to roughly stick to a dinosaur theme. I won't even begin to tell how much Vineesh likes dinosaurs. He reads, talks and even dreams dinosaurs. I’ve heard him talking of them in his sleep.

Invites and décor

First, the invitations. We stumbled upon some wonderful ones on the Net and customised them with the help of a techy friend. Thanks techy pal Ajay Mendes. While we were at it, we also downloaded some banners and cut outs. We found an old beloved dinosaur book and colour copied some awesome pictures for more decorations.

With Diwali preparations and the craziness of holidays I was finding it tough to organise everything and so decided to outsource the balloon decoration which turned out to be fantastic idea.

I went searching for dino plates and when I couldn’t find any I picked simple green ones and paired them off with a jungle theme tablecloth and glasses. Perfect! He wore a green-blue-brown T-shirt that said ‘Ready to explore the world’. How apt!

Game time

A friend Jasleen, put me in touch with Nitika from Wonder Lab who organises science theme parties. We chose some fun science experiments for the kids.

Activities: Experiments with dry ice - Smoking pumpkins, Smoky bubble fountain, Crystal ball, Ghost bubbles

Experiment with liquid nitrogen - Liquid Nitrogen and Crushed flowers, Balloon Burst, Disappearing Balloons, the Big Bang!

Slime Monsters

Screaming Balloons

Photo Booth

A dino cake

The cake had to have dinosaurs of course. Gauri Bafna gave me an awesome, 3D chocolate cake with a miniature sugar dino. Vineesh totally loved it.

Return gifts

Return gifts posed a bit of a problem as we could find no dino figures. We settled for dino erasers. I saw the image and finalized them. When I went over to pick them up they turned out to be too tiny. Note to self: Check out/ask for sizes before finalising products. Thank goodness they had some dino stamp pens with bubbles. We combined the two and were done. I also picked up some dino puzzles for the kids to play with. As I was leaving the man at the shop showed me his phone. He had saved my number as ‘Dino’! Quite right, I thought - I can be quite a T-Rex when I’m angry!

A treat for ma

After all of that it struck me I totally deserved a treat. With 15 minutes to spare I decided to shop for moi! Ummm UCB or Adorable? Adorable it was. There! I was set too.

Finally here's what we had - 16 children, friends and family, a gorgeous dino cake, blue-green-yellow balloons plus a helium dino balloon, Xeroxed dino colour pictures, colourful banners.

All set for the party.

D-Day

…was as perfect as it could get. We started off with a visit to the temple and hot halwa for breakfast. The kids trooped in oohing and aahing at the décor. We had a few games and then went off to the playground when the party threatened to get too boisterous and came back after letting off some steam. They loved the science experiments and the cake was a hit.

What began as a small event turned into a big birthday bash.

I guess the 10th one will have to be a small affair now.

Reading corner

Dinosaurs......

Diwali 2014

We had a lot of things in our kitchen garden . We can forget to ask about other but not the Cow .

Getting ready to bed

Some Science experiments with Papa

Teacher's Day Cards

Book Club

I have not been a great reader , short stories ,spirtual and lifes philosphy intrest me . Fortunately I am surrounded by friends who inspire me to explore more . Tulika Singh  , Reema Nihar and Kajal Kapur. New place , new city and Upasana who again has drived me for the same .

The book reading expirience has been a great pleasure , but what inspired me most to do it is my son .

His love for books creates an earge in me to have  awarness and learn more and seek more . When he expresses himself of what he has read he surprises me .

Paulo Coelho -The Flowing river , book with short stories . VINEESH saw it and picked it up and  what I love the most about it was  he read the index and about the author before he could read the chapter .

The book obviously was not for him but he still tried and said it seems that I should read it few years later .

Today again Paul Coelho - The Alchemist . He saw this book and said . " You remeber he wanted to be an author and ..... " . It was the index info of The Flowing River .

He surprises me always .

He stops and says he wants to read with me
" The secret of life,  is to fall seven times and get up eight times . "

MAMA  he means you have keep trying seven times and eight time you get what you want .

Can I ask you something .

What is the most important treasure of our life . I answered my life it's YOU .

Our life mom . I asked what is it ? .

KNOWELEDGE  .

Knowledge is very important . 

Yes he is my inspiration and that's why reading is becoming an important part of my life .

I always hope that his love for reading continues for  ever . 
   

 

Making of the coffe

Half teaspoon coffe 

Holidays can be fun ...........

Half teaspoon sugar 

Some Milk in a cup

Just 2 spoons of Milk 

These gadgets make it so simple . Mix Mix 

Pour Milk upto 3/4

Mix Mix 

Pack away things 

I though he was done 

Hershey's Choco chips sprinkle with a dash of LOVE 

Chocolate syrup yummmmmmy .....

Not a clear pic , but an important one . Clear all the mess :)

Narsimha 2013 Disguise - at ILS Lagos , 2 Prize winner

I was all ready to shoot and when he is on stage oh the phone .. . Just got half of it .

Vineesh Did it well . I just managed to get half the video . 

Small car for the little one

Teenage is coming soon

• Gold Cine Awards 
• Category Best Jodi Award
•  Vineesh query
• What is love marriage ? What is arrange marriage ? 

Gold Cine Awards 

• Category Best Jodi Award
•  Vineesh query
• What is love marriage ? 
• What is arrange marriage ? 
• Did you fall in love with papa first ?
• Papa fell in love with u first ????? 
• What was the first letter or word I said  ???? .
• 
  

Finally says I love this program . I asked u wanna be an actor like Shahruk . He says no comedian . I like Kapil very much I wanna be like him .

Learnings of CID

Nouns in Hindi . 
Daya is wayktivachak (proper noun ) or bhavvachak sanghya ( abstract noun )
Mom obviously proper now . CID ka Daya .

Vineesh friends move to Pune.

There is so much to say about Vineesh and his friends Hrit and Naisha . Its great to have child hood friends and be connected . Its been around 3 yrs that we have known each other. It always felt like family .We are so different in nature but still so connected . The best thing was the children connected so well that we all bonded great .

Yesterday Hrit , Naisha moved to Pune . We went to say our last byes after school .They were so happy to seem each other ,accpetig the facts that they are moving away and they will not see each other for quiet some time. Vineesh wanted to stay till end (till they sat in the car ). I asked Vineesh how he felt about his friend's moving . He seemed to have accepted the fact . He has also seen Yash, Jay shift . He meets them when we travel to Delhi . He seemed quiet convinced that he will meet Hrit, Naisha too may be not that often.

But when he got up early morning while having his breakfast

He suddenly said . " Mama I am missing Hrit , Naisha".

How do I tell him that I missing Tulika aunty too. That's how life is . Distances definitely make a difference but here I have decided I am going make an effort that it does not happen and be connected to each other . Thanks to FB and mail and chats . Pleas get a cam Tulika we need to c each other too .

After the moment we have made a couple of visits to Pune . Then we came to know of us moving to Nigeria . So our last adventures visit to Pune .

All set go and meet Tulika and the kids . We set of in the Mumbai to Pune bus  . 3 hrs journey bang acros her house there we were . One night stay . As usual me and not shop really does not work so we planned the West side . Loads of shopping din't want to regret not finding the stuff in Lagos . A new wallet , some good junk jewellery , clothes which is the best I love to have  and a lot more .

It was a blast . Children had a ball . Tucked into one room all of us the three kids me and Tulika . The day ends and I don't feel like leaving . I actually missed the bus . Then finally lef and decided to take the next one . All alone with vineesh now heading back to mumbai with all the fun we had and lovely memories .

Finally no sign of bus , all going to full . Took a private sharing taxi . All women so took the chane . The Jhansi rani attitude . I can do it all . Quiet scary when vineesh fell of to sleep and they said you can grab something we will take care of him . I refuse . I stayed in no getting of come what may . No food no washroom . Kept praying Mumbai come soon .

Finally reached Sion . I thought I would get of at Bandra . Since all got of there I decided not be in the taxi alone . Will take another taxi and move to kandivali . Me and my sudden decision took an auto . On the way back at Bandra highway saw 2 bikers along with us , din't bother too much .

Suddenly I tucked vineesh closer to me and kept my purse on the other side and then one boy just gets almost in picks my purse and my purse it's gone and gone with the bikers . I am screaming my purse . Now when I think it still gets shivers and makes me feel funny it was total film scene . Never got that bag back .

I am quiet sure the auto guy was involved . It's difficult for someone to come so lose if the auto is not slow . This had terrified Vineesh . I could not get off and could not do anything . Totally helpless .

I too was scared to do anything at that moment thinking the auto guy could take us else where .

It took me quiet. Some time to sit back at peace in an auto or maybe that's why Africa came . No more autos .

No mess more stress

A Sick Day

A boy full of energy when confined to bed , makes the mother more stressed .

Stop running , Stop Jumping , I am so missing it all . 

I prefer the mess than the stress . 

Totally dislike the sight of him on bed  . 

We have our weekly test every Wednesday , but my main concern is not the test . Its the assembly act on Thursday.

Yes " It sounds funny  I know , but

He has been practising and really working on it for tow weeks now. 

 I believe life has many test and he has many to give . 

 I am serious when its studies ; can't forget that he is an awesome orator and has good command on stage .

He has to enact the following lines 

Kaccha hu ya pakka , hu fibre mei achha 

Mujmey hai vitamin A , B , C , D

Niyamat roop se khaye toh ,

Ho jaye rog freee free free ,

Tum sab ka yaha kya hai kaam ,

Mei hu gunwan 

Mei hi rahunga iss bag mei

Papita mera Naam 

I am just hoping when he goes to school on Thursday his teacher still keeps him as a part of the act and lets him perform . He might get disappointed if he is not able too . 

We don't know what may be the case  but I am sure in both ways he has a learning . 

Hoping for the best and soon recovery :)

Love you Vineesh . 

Mini Pizza

Pizza

---

Prep Time: 30 mins    |  Cook time: 15 mins    |  Serves: 1

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Ingredients

Mini Pizza	3
Grated Carrot	1
Chicken Sausage	2
Cheese Slice	2
Butter	As needed
Salt and Pepper	As needed

Method

Fry the mini Pizza's in  pan with Butter on both sides . 

Add grated Carrots and cheese to it 

 Saute the Chicken sausage 

Top it with the sausage 

 Heat it till the cheese melts on slow flame 

 Serve it with Ketch up 

You can use other vegge's like capsicum too or paneer instead of sausage .

Grated cheeses (mozzarella ) could be used . 

Friends are like guardian angels you can fall back onto anytime

It’s always tough getting back to routine. A long and lazy summer vacation makes it only worse. So it was when we got back to Lagos after our Indian summer I found myself constantly at loggerheads with V. Switch off the television, no more computer games, study, study, study….


We were at war – my son and I. What made it worse was that he was on a rebellious streak. At least that’s what I hoped in my saner moments, that this was just a streak, a phase.

But sane moments were few and far between as I found myself falling into the big black hole of the self-doubt. Yeah mothering is about constantly doubting yourself.. sigh!

Why? I wondered. Why is V like this? Why can’t our lives run smoothly, ever? Why do I have to repeat myself over and over and over again even for simple routine tasks? ‘Pack your bag, pick up your toys, sit up straight, don’t slouch over your desk’… and on and on. I felt like a recorder that couldn’t stop.

For the hundredth time I wondered whether it had been a wise decision to become a SAHM. Should I get back to work, I wondered. Maybe that would teach him to be more responsible.

I would watch other kids, kids with ‘busy’ parents. They never seemed to be having issues like us. They were well-behaved, obedient.

Where did I go wrong, I wondered.

Unable to handle all of it I called up a friend back home in India, a SAHM with twins… surely she would understand, I thought.

“V and I are always fighting,” I began… and the entire story poured out.. and we connected.. across the miles over the telephone.

It’s not a fight, nor a war, said she. You are the mother and you’ve got to get his daily chores done. If that means you need to be nasty sometimes.. well so be it.

Besides, you may be a SAHM, you may always be near your kid, you may go crazy trying to make him the ‘best’ boy around. Yet it may not happen. He does have his own personality, his own intellect, his own way of perceiving things.. he’s a person too, not a blob of clay you can mould exactly as you please.

I needed to make allowances for that.

She made me see how useless comparisons were. She would know.. her twins are completely different despite the same upbringing. In fact the golden rule of parenting remains.. different things work for different people.

So, here I am, introspecting now. Come to think of it, my husband says the same stuff but sometimes coming from someone else, someone removed from the situation, puts things in better perspective.

I take a deep breath now and ready myself for a brand new beginning yet again.

More patience, more love certainly.... but I’m prepared with my time outs, television embargoes and grounding too if I need them.

The first day with the new rules has so far been pretty good.. stable. I have my fingers crossed – I’m in for the long haul.

5.45 am in the Morning Breakfast Time .