I want a sister....

I had heard of other kids asking their mommies for a sibling; didn't realize how cute it is until it happened to us!!
We were at his friend's place and he just did not want to come back home. This had happened many times lately. This time after a lot of hard work we got him home, and when peace was restored, he mentioned in a very sad yet meaningful voice that "there is no one at home." I said we are here. He clarified that "there are no kids, where should i go to play, should I go to Morgan's house, or should I go to Amaira's house? I want a sister."
My heart just melted at this!
Next day I was pulling his leg and said go get a sister from the shops. He didn't say anything at the time. Later we went to another friend's place where he was super jealous even if I held the baby for a few minutes. So when putting him to bed, I said you know if you had a baby sister, she would sleep right here with you, she will share your toys and mommy will give her milk, will you be okay with it? He said - yeah. And you know mommy, babies don't come from shops they come from homes 😊

Chef in the making...

Milosh is becoming a true connoisseur of food. Lately he has been cooking so much with me. He also smells the food like I do to see if the spices are right. Sometimes when I make a dish he will check with me if I saw the recipe online! Very often if I see a recipe video, he will insist on cooking it right then! He totally loves doing that! He is already pretty good with making rotis! He is also pretty clear about his choices, when he can he will ask for hot chocolate from "starworks". Now that he has had it at some other places also, he says I want it from some place, not home.
When we eat something new he doesn't just say its good, he asks how it is made! He asked that about rice bars (with marshmallows) and cookies of course. He went on to ask how an apple is made. His dad did not have an answer - so he explained that you put a lot of crunchy things and cook them in juice! Lol!
This is what triggered me to write the blog though, I was making dosas and ended up using a coconut oil spray, he smelled it and he said he wants a ghee dosa. The next one i had to comply, he smelled it and said yes this is ghee dosa. 😊

Your first official science project 3/20/2015

We were originally thinking of getting you to learn measuring with a scale - since you like sticks so much - and you had just started counting well and reading numbers too! You kept trying for a few days - but then one day you clearly mentioned you don't like that science project. Our key goal was to have you explore something you liked. Anuj had a brilliant idea - and we got a weighing scale for you. So now you could tell if a potato was heavier or an apple; or how many jengas an apple weighed.

I think you enjoyed the process - of learning and putting jenga blocks with daddy and setting up the board with mommy :) Of course the whole fair had become a party scene - because parents have no idea how to keep their kids in one place - and within minutes a lot of the kids especially the younger ones were enjoying this new found freedom - where neither parents nor teachers were in charge! I think the best part for you was running around with Vivaan. And when we started insisting that you should stand near your booth - and try to answer the questions other people are asking or demonstrate, you told me in a very emotional voice - how come I don't have a water project, I want a water project! Lol - grass is always greener on the other side - especially when so many friends had water in their project! One of your teachers was kind enough to tell me that you did a good job explaining and demonstrating the project to her - and she was proud of how smart you are.

But much against the wisdom, I decided to let you buy a toy of your choice (raising the budget to 10$ from the usual 2$ - especially since you always get cars and cars alone) You were really thrilled to know that you were "awarded" for your "great job" - and of course you and the new car were inseparable for the next few hours.  

I was really grateful, school created this forum for projects that involved some parental involvement and really admired the school's approach to it - with an emphasis on what child enjoys and giving them a place to present, getting all dressed up. It was fun learning. But here's what took the cake for me: Before going to bed, I was telling you how glad I was to have visited the school and the science fair. You thought for a bit and told me - "I love my teachers, I love my friends and I love all of the works. I love my school." And thats the last thing you said before you slept!

Cutting hair of another kid

Probably every kid has this day when they discover the joys of pairing the scissors with their soft little hair; or better still their friends' hair! Milosh's was a few weeks ago (Mar 2015). I was picking him up from school when the teacher handed me a neat little envelope - with "Milosh" written on it. In a very calm and dignified voice, she informed me that Milosh and another kid were playing barber when she was looking in another direction. I burst out laughing while she confirmed that no one was injured. I later asked Milosh about what happened - and he excitedly told me that he and his friend were cutting each other's hair; and added that their teacher was not very happy about it. She didn't like it! (How weird is that!) 

Cheers to the little badmashis! Many more to come! 

I also want to color; and I also want to press the buttons

More often than we would like, we make ourselves busy with our lists and our screens - when our little ones are trying desperately to be a part of our world. Fully dreading the day the tables will turn, we go on with our lists and our screens.
It has happened so many times that I can't pin point when this happened  - but the scene would be I would be writing something in a paper - and Milosh would say - "I want to color also". I might think of myself as the mightiest multi-tasker of all times, penning down all my thoughts - and to my son - its coloring :) And of course, he is not going to settle with any color and any paper - he wants the same "color" that mommy is writing with; and the exact same paper that mommy is writing on. I can't forget the day when Milosh started to recognize letters - and recognized something that I had "written" and not colored. He was very surprised -and asked - "you can make letters too?!!!" That must have had his worlds collide - here's my school and my teachers; and here is mommy - who gives me food, and puts me to bed - she knows to write letters also! This writing letters thing is probably bigger than I thought! Even my mom knows it.

I can pride myself with all the degrees and all the jobs in the world - but nothing humbles you like your son asking you - you can make letters too? The same thing happens when my poor little guy has to compete with my computer for my attention. Just like he wants to do everything with me (like cooking and cleaning) - he wants to "press the buttons" on the laptop with me. And pressing is what he does - he will fiddle with the volume key; or put the laptop to sleep. I might be intensely focused into something, but to him its pressing buttons - and of course he has his ways to push around and be a part of the game!

Daddy, can you cry to keep this car?

So Anuj crashed his car - nothing very serious but the blue car (Honda Civic) had to be left at the repair shop. We got a rental - a swanky new red colored Nissan Leaf. Of course our little car guy loves it. When it comes to cars, he is deeply aware of nuances, processes and everything. One day while enjoying the ride in the new car with daddy, out little guy asks daddy if we will have to return this car - and get the old car back. Daddy said, yes. Milosh asks - but can we cry for it and keep the new one. He even helped with a demonstration. Daddy ran the scene of crying at the dealers' shop in his head - and smiled - and said - It doesn't work that way for grown ups! Maturity had suddenly struck the home run for Milosh and he said - No, I don't cry for things also. I would just say "Can I have the red car please?"
Children's world is so innocent and probably so confusing- crying is the biggest weapon they have; and as hard as it might be sometimes, asking for something without crying and with a please is as good as it can get for expressing what they want - and its completely unimaginable to them why their request would not be fulfilled when they are giving it their best! They get the things at home that way, they get the things in their school that way. They probably think getting a car is similar to how two kids try to resolve the ownership of a toy which two kids want at the same time. The one who uses the right manners is the winner - right? Imagine a world, where I could walk into a car showroom - and totally curbing my tears and putting together my bravest face, I could say - "Can I have this car please?"; and the dealer,  totally impressed by my manners, in light of how badly I want it - rewards me with a car; or may be he says - okay, you can take turns. :)