Monday mornings.........................

It is Monday today. So what is so special? .. you may ask..just that it comes after Sunday.Sunday is the day I unwind, its a day I do not consider the clock, a day I walk past the kitchen counter , without stopping to wipe clean, a day I sit down and sip my coffee without bending to pick up the toys....
I would root myself with a book I picked from the library....and even when the day closes, I would be hooked on to the book ....way into the night. Turning the last page of the book , I would glance at the clock only to see that, I have already stepped into Monday.

6.30 am Monday

PP tickles my feet , trying to wake me up. Through the narrow gap I managed to open , fighting my heavy eye lids, I see him ready for office , waving bye. "Its 6.30 " he whispers trying not to wake the sleeping kids.
" Just 5 more minutes...." I mumble and snuggle inside the comforter ......

7.45 am

"Amma....Amma... I am hungry... give me maamam" my younger son is awake . I see the clock and jump up in bed....trying to figure out what all I need to do. I rush to wash my face and run to the kitchen....my son wailing behind me. I lift him up and hoist him in the kitchen counter top ...while ransacking the fridge ....I see batter...and pick up a few fruits ...

7.50am

I cut the fruits for my elder son's snack box . But my younger one keeps having his fill and I give up. I grind chutney simultaneously making baby Dosas for his lunch. I rush to wake up my elder son who is deep in his sleep. "Kanna, wake up dear, you will be late for school.."
" Amma, Amma.... " I hear screams from the kitchen...I run to find him happily grinning at me. sigh!
" I need to get down , and brush my teeth...." I lift him and put him down..then suddenly see that he has bitten on all the Dosas.. and has left only bits and pieces. No bread, no batter... now what to do...?
"Amma, he is spilling water on me?
Amma, he is splashing water all over the toilet....
Amma he is using the brush to comb his hair............................................................."
I rush to the toilet......pour out all my energy "%$%$^&^&^**(*%^%^%^&^&#@##%$%^^&^&^%^%%%^&..........................."
things seem to calm down....

8.00a.m
my elder one is in th shower... while I have hoisted the younger one in the kitchen with wheat flour.. while i rolled out chapathi... three chapathi rolls with chutney are ready for his lunch box...

8.03a.m
Rush to my son to dress him up ... with thermals , and layers of clothing to fight the severe winter.

8.05 am
" Kanna , say your prayers and I"ll prepare your breakfast" I say
"Can I have scrambled eggs and fruit loops?" he asks...

8.07 am
"Amma, fruit loops , scrambled eggs... i want: yelled the younger one

8.08 am
As they eat their breakfast, I put on socks and boots on the elder one. .. jacket , gloves , hat all ready in hand.

8.15am
I wave good bye to him as the school bus leaves for school.


I know I have already lost enough calories for the day....and looking at my messy kitchen, unmade bed , heap of laundry and a play room where I would like to see a sign "detour" ..I sit down ....and what comes to my mind is the picture of the fierce looking Goddess Kali , with numerous hands, the embodiment of power... ,Mother! I realize that was what I was a few minutes back....how else could i have accomplished all this so soon? I think of my mother who had to rush to her job at 7.30 after juggling with her home and kids on Monday mornings...I hear her words resonating in my ears...which she often told when ever I found fault or argued with her.." You will only understand when you are a Mother!"

New Year Resolution accomplished!

It is an occasion to celebrate! My New Year resolution is accomplished! not just accomplished, but accomplished beyond my wildest expectation!......and here goes the flash back!

Eight months back when we landed in US, my younger son was about to turn two and I decided to slowly potty train him.It was just a matter of a few days, or may be a few weeks..the "know-all" mother in me assured. After all, I had successfully trained my elder son when he was just an year old.

Once we settled down, I started taking my toddler for regular visits to the toilet. He was an obedient son. He used his potty with ease, triumphantly walked out of the toilet and peed again on the carpet, mischief filling his eyes. I stocked up more carpet cleaning liquids and disinfectants, but continued the regular toilet trips.
One fine day, he refused to use the potty. Whenever he was gripped by nature's call, he figured out a new way to approach the situation. He yelled and ran around the whole house... that I often wondered he would have grabbed the gold medal for Olympic athletic races. He successfully had his urges under control and constipated. He continuously boosted his taste for sports.

May be what he needs is a new potty.....I thought and brought home a new cute little blue potty. He was excited and I breathed a sigh of relief when he finally sat on it. He had better imagination. All his toy animals from prehistoric dinosaurs to stuffed toys formed a queue and visited the toilet, so that they could use this new blue potty.After a while, the potty was detained to the rank of a step stool. Our bookshelves filled with kids books and fun videos that encouraged kids to use their potty. Diapers were our saviors,which drained pockets.

When Christmas approached and thoughts of Santa Claus and gifts filled the air, he was told that Santa Claus will give gifts only if he uses the potty. The thought of potty made him yell.
One day despite his screams I forcefully sat him on the toilet seat and there , he did it! Santa Claus did give him his gifts an chocolates.
Next couple of days he did scream, but its intensity reduced.From last week, he stopped screaming and started asking for stories when he did his potty. He started enjoying the undivided attention and story time in the toilet. From past two days, he is dragging me to the toilet...making himself comfortable on the toilet seat and asking me to narrate a story! This might sound pretty good.. but let me tell you, these visits to the toilet have increased to more than five times during the day....now if you don't find me home , just knock the toilet door!

Birthday!!!

From the day a baby is conceived in a mother's womb, umpteen number of expectations and hopes hover around the unborn fetus . As the baby starts kicking and makes its presence felt , there dawns on the mother an innate joy of holding and experiencing divinity within . When the bundle of joy finally marks his\her presence with the first expression of sound the proud parents are once again elevated to the heights of untainted joy and unconditional love ! Each phase in the infants life now is appreciated and applauded like a miracle of existence .Like the bud which slowly blooms and blossoms into a flower showcasing its unique beauty accepting energy from the Sun and life source from water , the innocent baby too slowly treads into the cycle called life , accepting love , and care from the parents .

Too much of Sun's rays can wither and too much of water can decay the plant . Similarly too much of expectations showered in the name of love can retard the other wise abundant growth of your child's talents . All these thoughts meandered through my mind when I was just watching my kids play in our back yard . Today was surely a very special day for me , as my younger son turned two . I watched with wonder the two kids running about and falling on top of each other , listened with joy the sudden bubbles of laughter emanating from their tiny shrill voices , and felt with totality the joyous moments of motherhood .

Yes, today was my son's birthday . When I think of birthday celebrations, my thoughts snake back to a birthday I once attended a few months back . It was hosted in a five star hotel , and it was a first birthday . The AC banquet hall was decorated with giant sized stuffed toys, and the hall echoed with thunderous songs ! I was intently looking out for the birthday boy , but could only spot many cranky one year olds yelling at the top of their voices , appealing in their own baby language to escape from the scary looks from the giant toys ! With much difficulty I spotted the star of the day who was dressed up in his newly tailored blazer , the weight of which was quite heavy on him . He looked like a lost warrior who had given up fighting . What he needed was a warm cuddle and a kiss .....but what followed was a cake cutting ceremony and loud applause which confused the baby whose shouts faded into the surrounding excitement . Then followed a photo session , where the parents posed for snaps with their little angel forcing the well frosted cake into the well shut mouth. Murmurs and rolled eyes from parents was not going to work magic here . Next followed games ....and dance to rocking rhythms , where the parents tried to convince themselves and all around the heights of enjoyment by swaying to the music with their beloved bundle of joy clinging to them . What followed next ? A grand sumptuous dinner which covered both North Indian and South Indian dishes , with a choice of various desserts . The guests were happy but the birth day boy preferred to sleep after this dramatic event .

Which would be the best way the child would have wanted to celebrate his birthday? First of all a one year old is yet to know the concept of a birthday. Then why succumb to this birth day drama ? May be it has become a trend in todays society to have one accepted? Won't it be better to just spend a day with your precious little darling ? I asked my five year old, as to how he would like his birthday to be celebrated... He thought for a while.....then said he would want a hug , a special kiss , he would prefer his birth day on a weekend as the whole family could play Frisbee and ball in the back yard... I was amazed and relieved .” Don't forget to buy me a gift “, he added .

We did exactly that today . We tried to spend more time with our little one... played their favorite games... cooked some delicacies which we shared with a few friends . Instead of blowing out two candles we preferred to light two aromatic candles . It was nice to see my birth day boy admiring and bowing down before the lighted candle pronouncing “ Devabu” meaning God in our mother tongue .....