Tara - Our star

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We were blessed with another angel on Aug 8th. This time around we had a plan. I wanted to try a normal delivery if that was possible. But in case this girl follows her sister's footsteps and decides that it's really cozy inside and there is no need to hurry, we were prepared with plan B. So the plan was to wait till due date and if nothing happens till then, we will go for a scheduled c section. Well, due date came and baby showed no signs of coming out by herself so we went in for a scheduled c section. Last time I was already tired from being in labor pain for almost a day, but this time around since it was planned, I was fully aware of everything that was happening. Tara came into this world screaming on Aug 8th, with a head full of hair, highly resembling her sister. ( By the way, the name was suggested by her ammavan.)

Ritu was thrilled to see her baby sister finally.

She stayed awake and enjoyed the 28th-day ceremony.

Tara, may you always keep shining like a star.

PS: photo courtsey - Asundharam photography

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Ritu is 5

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This year is going to be extra special for us as a family as we are getting ready to welcome a little one. Ritu is all excited and can't wait to see her little sister who is due on Aug 8th. The desperation is so high that one night when she came to know her friend's mom has delivered a baby, she cried so bad wondering why her little sister is taking so long to come. She was inconsolable. Even though she understood when we explained that baby needs to grow and be completely ready before she can join us,  she still sobbed for quite a long time. She has named baby Lala. She says that it's an easy name, and baby has to learn only two alphabets l and a. She demands that this be baby's official name. When I say that official name needs to have a good meaning, she says that she googled it up with ammoomma's help and Lala means song. My tummy gets a lot of kisses. Whenever she kisses me she gives a kiss to Lala as well. Oh Lala, please know that you have such a wonderful sister who has been waiting to meet you from the day she knew you are inside me.
Last day when Arun was taking her to her gymnastics lesson, she was saying two of us are going for gymnastics and 3 of you are staying here, counting lala in.

We celebrated Ritu's birthday at home and also in school. Theme was My little pony as that's her favorite cartoon series these days. She wanted her birthday party theme to be based around fluttershy pony as that's the pony who takes care of animals and apparently she wants to do the same when she grows up.

Here goes the note to the birthday girl:
Kunji your pre school teacher says you are a social butterfly. You easily make friends with new kids that we meet at park or library. You seem to be excited about making new friends and so you don't seem to be anxious at all about going to a new school for kindergarten this year. You want to be a vet when you grow up. Though sometimes you also say you want to be a doctor who takes care of both people and animals. You speak fluently in Malayalam and English. Since ammoomma is here, your vocabulary in Malayalam is improving a lot. Last day when ammoomma tried to lift up a heavy box, you told her, "Venda ammoomma. Ammoomma ku athinulla sheshi illa" and when she still kept on trying you said, "athinulla arogyam illa ammoommaku". You are enjoying your time with ammomma. She gets zillions of kisses and tightest of hugs all the time from you. You squeeze her tight and tell her "ammoomme enikku othiri ishta" almost always. When I mock you saying "ittaano" you correct me ittanu alla ishtamanu. You miss appooppan and he is still your most favorite person in the world. You amaze me at times. When ammoomma or I get sad, you console us saying appooppan is watching us over from the stars. You call me smarty pants, call almost all of us silly goose. Your most favorite activity is gymnastics. You can't sit still. You keep bouncing on sofa and bed, climb on and off every furniture in the house, try doing cartwheels or  simply jump around. You love being read to but you also try reading on your own when we insist. You hate practicing writing alphabets. You are attending Chinmaya Balavihar and you are able to learn all shlokas taught there very easily. You even participated in geetha chanting competition after memorizing 5 shlokas from Chapter 17. Your favorite TV shows are My Little Pony and Little Einsteins. You love Legos and play dough. Your best friends in preschool are Sana, Ishika and Elan. I think Elan is your first crush. And you are Drake's first crush; well his mommy told this to both me and your achan. :D

You are waiting for your Lala and we are sure you will be a very good big sister to her. Hugs and Kisses from all of us.

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Toddler Thursday 3

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Ritu calls me by different names. She calls me Amma, mumma, ammi, mommy, Arya, muchukku( I sometimes call her that and now she calls me back) and so on. One morning, I was brushing my teeth. Ritu, who just woke up from her sleep, came to me and asked,"Kozhiyamme kozhiyamme, enthedukuva?". (Motherhen motherhen what are you up to?).

From our '365 days- photo everyday' project

It took me a minute to recover from the shocked-cum-surprised-cum-amused mode. But then I asked her,"kozhikunje kozhikunje Amma pallu thekuva. Kozhikunju nannayi urangiyo?"(Baby chick babychick I am brushing my teeth. Did you sleep well?)

This time, I could see that, she was amused and her eyes were twinkling. This went on for many more days with A being called 'kozhiyachan' and MIL as 'kozhiachamma'. 

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Isn't that enough?

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To live as the heart desires,
And to be encompassed in love.

To live in gratitude
And to have freedom in all facets.

Isn't that enough
And more than enough?

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A prayer for me

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I pray for you to be a free spirited soul
But for that I have to pray for myself.

To be your fellowman not a dictator.
To be gentle on your mistakes,
So you get to learn from them.
To be an observer of butterfly emerging of cocoon,
And not dampen the spirits by being a helper.

To have the courage to let you go
And conquer fears that I am yet to dare
To be a friend and make sure you get to
Enjoy all the adventures that I experienced.

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Toddler Thursdays 2

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Ritu is used to eating Indian breakfast almost every single morning. We give her dry cereals only as a snack during our road trips or whenever we want her to sit in her stroller for sometime.

When we go on road trips, we spent long hours in car. We always take a couple of stops in between. But for a toddler, getting strapped to her car seat for such long hours can be very annoying. So apart from books, toys and songs, we use cheerios too as a means to keep her occupied. Well when someone enjoys eating cheerios and eats one cheerio at a time, it can be a good time pass activity.

On our recent road trip to Disneyland, we spent a total of 9 hours in car. Once she got bored she asked for 'cheeooos'. I didn't get what she was asking. She repeatedly told the same thing and when she found I still haven't got it, she clarified it for me," Amma, snacks!". That's when I realized she is asking for cheerios. I gave her the snack cup with cheerios and pat came the response, "Aa atha kunji paranje." (This is what I told.)

In a long queue at Disneyland entrance in her stroller

The next time she asked for her snack cup, I had to search as I forgot where I kept it the last time. An impatient Ritu asked in all seriousness, " Amma evide konde vechu!"(Amma where did you keep it). With her eyebrows raised and fingers pointed, I had a hard time not laughing.

We had also packed some homemade banana chips to have in the car. I was passing on some to Arun and mom when Ritu saw the chips. May be she thought we were not planning to give her chips. Anyways, she said, "Amma chips tharuo. Illel kunjiku bhayankara vishamam varum." (Will you give me chips? If not I will get really sad.)

These days every single thing Ritu says is so cute and I feel like capturing every single of them. She is growing out of all baby talk so fast that I feel soon I might even forget all those words she used to say in her own unique way. 

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