Bobby is a Leap-er

The school district we are in, offers an advanced academics program. In addition to ACT or GT programs, they offer what used to be called LEAP. They take students that seem to grasp advanced concepts, fill them up in a class, and then teach this class anywhere from 1 to 2 grade levels above in english, science, social studies and math. The program goes from Elementary to Middle school children. Little miss Haana was in the program from kindergarten. 

The program takes the MAP test score as the initial eligibility criteria. MAP is an adaptive test that gets harder if you're able to answer correctly and easier if you answer indirectly, to establish level of learning. MAP test is administered 3 times a year to help determine level of learning in the classroom. A 95 percentile score in MAP deems the student eligible to test for LEAP. I requested for Bobby boy to be tested for LEAP before Christmas. He had 2 tests, administered in person by the district professional, leading 2-3 hours. Both we know nothing about, cause when I asked Bobby what was asked, how did the test go, what did you answer - i got same old, vanilla, "I don't know Mumma" answers. 

Finally just a summer began, I got the email and later a letter stating he had been selected for LEAP program from Grade 1. Guys who was most excited about this news? Little miss Haana! She was so happy Bobby gets to go to the same program and follow in big sister's footsteps!

Rolly

It seems to be a bad idea now in retrospect, but I went to IKEA by myself yesterday. During the week Bobby and I had planned we will sort and organize his toys and legos that are currently stuffed haphazardly into the credenza cabinet. We looked up some options on ikea's online site and decided we will go to the store over the weekend. But then when I asked him to come along he sprung this up to me, "Only if you get me at least 1 toy". "You stay right here", was my answer. 

And so I went by myself on this mission. It is hard not to get distracted at ikea, but I was mostly sticking to my agenda. Until I saw a sweet plush toy taxi! It was so cute, about 2-2.5 feet in length, yellow as a chick, with white lights in the front and red lights at the back. It was soooo cute! I had to pick it up and give it hug immediately. It wanted to get into my cart. I told her I'll take her to where her other friends are - she was just one of a kind, no other plushies were in that area, and certainly no other taxis. Where are the rest? I thought maybe in a different section I'll find a basket full of taxis, and then I can return her to a basket full of friends! After several turns and travels i found the kids section and baskets of plushies. There was a yellow octopus with big curious eyes! We took a picture together immediately. But then i returned it to is basket. No basket full of taxis though.

I called up Raj to tell him what a bad idea this was to send me to ikea by myself. And now all the plushies are talking to me, and I'm making friends I shouldn't be making! Now they want to come home with me! Raj told me I should put the taxi back. But I said I can't just leave her, she doesn't have any of her friends here. I have to find her other friends so she can be with them. This was, at a stretch, only half true. Raj said if the taxi comes home the 6 year old with snag it from me as soon as it gets home. That was a risk I was willing to take!

So on and on I went. The taxi then followed me through the store in my cart, eventually riding with me in the car and then coming home with me in my arms! 

Bobby boy saw her and loved her immediately. He did yank it from my hands and hugged her close, as Raj had predicted. In the night Bobby and I hugged Taxi in the bed and named her Rolly. 

Today 5

Bobby and I negotiate daily during the bedtime story time.

I ask him to read 1 chapter to begin the story time. Then he negotiates this book has very long chapters. I say he can read 5 pages. Then he says 5 is too many. And somehow we land on 4 pages. 

Then, he starts reading. Today, while he was reading the first page, he pauses to tell me, "Mumma, actually for today, I will read only 3 pages. Ok Mumma, just for today". I look up from the book I'm reading in bed, but say or do nothing that would imply agreement. 

He continues his reading. In a few seconds he looks up again and said, " Actually Mumma, just for today I'm reading 2 pages only".  I look up but then continue with my personal reading time. 

In a few seconds, this time Bobby said, "Mumma today I'm doing 1 page only. Play, just for today".

Now I jump up, "What is even going on here Bumble city! Just for today you'll be reading 15 pages today! Just for today". He squeals in protest, "Not 15!!". "Not 1 either!!", I protest! "Fine 2 then!". 

3. 

2. 

3. 

Noo!!.

Fine 2 then. 

And momentarily we reach an agreement. Momentarily. 

Dulce and my Reputation

Dulce did not have a good June. We traveled for a few days and boarded him at a place that had a strong recommendation from our friends'. That he would hate it was no surprise. But he got a skin irritation that got infected and had to be taken to urgent care while at boarding. He was prescribed spray, ointment, antibiotics and steroids. When he came home his situation had not improved at all. His skin lesions (in scrotum area) were raw and bleeding. He refused food. I was shoving meds down his throat multiple times a day. Multiple calls with the doctor and over the next few days his condition improved. 

It was not all grim though. In order to help with his scrotal skin irritation we had to spray medication at the area twice a day. I did this when I took him out for a walk. One day we had stepped out in the garage lane, I was targeting his scrotum area with the spray. Peering down to make sure I got all crevices and folds, holding on to his back legs while I was crouched down. Finally when I convinced myself I had covered all angles, and I got up, I noticed her. My next door neighbor was sitting in her car about 10 feet away from us, with a phone in her hand. I wondered if there's a video of me crouching behind Dulce peering between his hind legs with a spray bottle in my hand, somewhere on the internet. I decided to pretend like I didn't see her. I hoped feelings were mutual. 

Next on the walk, some ways off, Dulce did his business. Since i had been talking to his doctor, I was worried his stomach is very upset. There was also the question of him being on steroids, which I thought was excessive. The doctor had asked for a picture of his stool to assess if stopping steroids  is not causing adverse reactions. So, as soon as Dulce did his business, I took my phone camera out, and proceeded to take zoomed-in pictures of his business! Getting the right camera angle, the right lighting, crouched in.  And then Raj made a comment about how these pictures are currently being backed up on the cloud. And AI is learning new things about us with these pictures. I doubled up laughing so hard, i couldn't walk at all for a minute!...

Dulce soon recovered from his skin infection and apart from fluctuating gut biome, is now doing good! Same cannot be said about my reputation in the neighborhood!

Melodious Journey

As 8th grade comes to a close, the violin has been a friend to little miss Haana.

This year, in music, she auditioned and was selected into All Regions orchestra. She was one of the very few students who made it into all-regions all 3 middle school years. She got 1Honors (heighest grade) for her end of year Solo performance and for her Emsemble - where she selected a music, recruited 3 other classmates, she coordinated practice sessions and they performed together as a quartet. She performed at Peek Music Festival at University of North Texas, Denton woth her school orchestra. She was the concermaster in the end of the year performance of her school orchestra, where she was also awarded the Musician of the Year award for 8th grade. An award she shared with her rival Damian Torres.

 

In the beginning of the year, she auditioned and was selected into Mckinney's Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra, where she's practiced and performed this year. 

She has grown so much in her musical journey and she's been driven entirely by her interest, passion and drive for growth and challenge. Her teachers at school guided her so well, and helped her along this journey so much. I am so thankful to her teachers and her guides. She auditioned for orchestra at her high school. She was not only selected, but was placed at the the Chamber (highest level) orchestra at the high school starting fall 2026. As an incoming freshman, this hardly ever happens. 

I'm excited for her musical journey to continue! It was been a melodious ride!

Let's get it

 

Bobby and I have been staring at this motorcycle for awhile. We were driving by it as we were coming back from school and couldn't just drive on. We stopped by it for a long time. We had some serious discussions about it. Then we drove off. But then drove back, stopped next to it again. Then again discussed. Now we both want to get it. It's still being negotiated which one of us will actually own it and then share with the other. 

Bobby says when he grows up, he'll have $140 and he'll share half. I think he expects I'll shell out the remaining... 

Mother's Day

 Happy mother's day!!

I got beautiful cards and notes from both little miss Haana and Bobby today. Along with hugs and kisses.

Bobby wrote a card for me that reads-

"I love you mama, you are the best mama evur and I will do evre thing for you - Love Umber Balakrishnan" (This, with lots of kisses in the card).

I haven't gotten legal advice on this yet, but I'm pretty sure it sounds like a contract to me! Guess who will keep reminding him of "I will do evre thing for you" ;)

Little miss Haana made such a pretty drawing of her and me together. The likeness is unmistakable in both the girls she drew - I'm the one with shorter hair and winking. She's the one with longer hair and sweeter! She wrote such a sweet note at the back but she said I'm not supposed to share that. 

My comment to her? I need a pink dress like that!! 

Bobby's card-

They're my collar!