Halloween 2020

Super girls did come to rescue this year. And while rescuing Halloween, they also rescued a lady bug all while also playing tricks.

Here's how it all happened:

Halloween began early this year. It's always a big event at work and in the years past, little miss Haana has spent her entire day dressed up, trick or treating and making friends with my friends up at work with me. This year, due to covid, there was no going in to work. But they had thoughtfully arranged for drive thru locations for enjoying the halloween spirit amongst coworkers. That was on friday, the day before halloween. My team decided we will be a quiddich team for the griffandor house, we all had matching appropriate robes and brooms to keep us afloat while we practice our quiddich skills. We decided to meet up at one of the halloween drive thru locations close to work. I showed up flanked with a little super girl and a little lady bug. We met other quiddich players, a spiderman, Waldo and a waved to a few witches.

On halloween day, as per our tradition ("Gugu and Mumma are the same", will need to be modified for Bobby), little Miss Haana and I both changed into Supergirls. Bobby was once again a lady bug. (Actually this lady bug is a costume i had for little miss Haana when we went on a trip to europe on her first birthday. I loved the costume and i loved her in it so much that i've kept the costume all these years. I made her wear it well after the age that the costume could have actually fit her properly- just for the laughs! So it is but obvious for Bobby's first halloween, he's a lady bug). Its actually possible he may become a lady bug several times this coming winter (unlike most halloween costumes, this one is real nice and cozy and soft)! Of course he will like it 😄!

We decided we didn't need to go trick or treating per se, little miss Haana is not really into candies. But instead, we will walk around our community and see the halloween decor. We wished people as we saw some folks from a distance. We went by miss Haana's friend Becca's place and talked to them for a bit. We took candy from a couple folks that had the candy ,thoughtfully, individually bagged! Then we walked by over to miss Haana and Bobby's cousin Varam's place, and met up with a few other neighborhood friends all dressed up. Varam was a little dragon, carrying 2 of his favorite dump trucks. His mom was a big dragon too. Amongst the neighborhood gang we had Cliff Hanger, Wonder Woman and Black Panther. We saw a little girl with pink hair and a pink nose. Little miss Haana told me she's from the movie Trolls, but I forgot her name. The lady bug Bobby was taking in the sights from his stroller balcony section seat and was watchful. We invited the friends over to candy by our house and then immediately called up Papa at home to make sure he's in position. Then we led the way and walked over. 

As we reached up to our house, little miss Haana and I casually and as very good hosts, offered Uncle Aunty and Varam to partake in the candy. We had the treats in a basket on a little table at the gate. As soon as Varam went over to check out the candy, creepy laughing sound came from the candy! He stopped stunned. Then we all laughed as his Uncle Rajesh stepped outside the house! "Happy Halloween", we cried! The creepy magic laughter was coming from a bluetooth speaker hidden under the candy-serve table!

We talked and took photos and laughed till we saw another gang walking, coming up towards us. "Get in position Papa", little miss Haana hissed. He nodded, his phone hidden in his hand behind his back. We all got quiet till our friends walked up towards the candy. As soon as the kids came up to the candy tray, creepy laughter filled the air again. The boys paused for a second, looking around in the candy, wondering what is happening. When we all started laughing, they joined in too. It was hard to tell who's laughing was the scariest as they all tried to sound creepy. After some deliberations, trying to decide which candy to take, the friends walked off. Bobby signalled, he might be getting done with his stroller walk. While little miss Haana went to walk around with her Uncle, Aunt and cousin some more, lady bug Bobby and Supergirl Mumma came back home. Back to comfy clothes and warm socks! The candy was kept safely in the garage for quarantine.

This was one fun halloween! 

Crawl Space

Little Bobby boy is now over 7 months old. And since the last few weeks he's officially crawling. First, slowly and intermittently. And now, quietly, he disappers from his spot and reappears elsewhere. Usually he reappears at a spot where he shouldn't be, and where he's been told repeatedly that he should not be! 

The entire living room is cordoned off for the Boy to play. Full of toys and play things. There's a small opening leading to the kitchen or towards the crafting area. And even while Papa was setting up all the toys and cushions in the right locations, the little crawly boy had already left the cordoned area, and was quietly headed towards the kitchen, meaning to eat a pair of slippers along the way! The quiet boy moves quite quickly when he's on a mission! 

Badmaash boy!

Peachy

There's this song by Searchers - Sweets for my Sweet, that i remembered today.. 

"Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey
Your first sweet kiss thrilled me so
Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey
I'll never ever let you go..."

If they knew Bobby boy they would've added a line like "Peaches for my Peachy boy.." somewhere in their song too. Little Bobby boy likes his peaches. I hold up a big slice of the fruit for him and he chomps through it with eagerness, till only the skin remains. Then her looks up with impatience. Where's the next slice? Peachy likes his peaches :-).

Nine - The Treasure Hunt

Nine

The excitement of little miss Haana's 9th birthday had been building up for weeks. The calendar had been marked and the count down had begun several days prior. She couldn't wait for her birthday! And she had a plan for the day:

There will need to be a treasure hunt set up for her birthday (a few years back I had set up, what will be the first of many, treasure hunt on Raj's birthday. Both of them had read through the clues hidden in rhymes and found treasures hidden around the house. Now it was a main stay of birthdays for her).

Then, there needed to be a play date with her best buddy Rushil. 

She also wanted to play with her neighborhood gang of friends. 

In there, somewhere, there had to be a home baked chocolate cake and cake cutting. 

Good thing her birthday was on a sunday and we had all weekend. 😉

We started the birthday weekend on friday evening with not only a playdate but a sleep over at Rushil's! We went over to theirs' early evening, spent the evening together, and little miss Haana stayed overnight for a sleepover. In the morning she helped her Ranjeeta aunty bake cookies, and i saw pictures of 2 happy kids having milk and cookies. At home that Saturday morning, i started setting up the treasure hunt. I had already gotten the "treasures" (just small little presents) a few weeks back. Now was the time to pack them, hide them and set up the clues. I had to hurriedly wrap it all up when she was dropped off back home. 

Lunch was from her favorite Torchy's taco. But after lunch i took her out for a surprise. 

I had been thinking of getting her a real sewing machine for sometime. She had a small baby sewing machine for sometime but it wasn't really a proper sewing machine at all. And little miss Haana always has ideas up her sleeve of what she wants to do, some craft project or the other. A sewing machine will be a great tool in her tool box, I thought. On the other hand, I have never done any sewing myself, and don't know my way around a sewing machine at all. She's just an 8 year old, I wouldn't really be able to guide her into learning to sew. But when I talked to a few friends of mine, I learnt there are tons of tutorials online. Youtube can her useful sometimes! My dear friend Kim gave the recommendation of the sewing machine, and I had been to the sewing store closeby to check it out. I decided I will come back with the birthday girl took make the final selection. 

So, I took little miss Haana out on a drive with me for a "little surprise". Only when we came to the store did I tell her about my idea of buying her a sewing machine! We saw the 2 machines i had looked at before, and she choose the one she liked better. She was excited to get started! And i was too! I had to temper the excitement a little by reminding her, it will take us some timw to get up to speed. We will take baby steps in trying to learn how to sew. I was telling myself more than her. The sewing machines can be complicated! 

Back home, we began setting up the machine right away, but looking at the instructions manual and learning to thread the needle was not as straight forward. Then we had the idea to look up youtube, and a good idea that was. She figured out how to thread the needle in no time. And soon we were in business. 

The next morning was the big B day. The morning started early for me and Raj. While i was finishing up the clues and hiding the treasures, he started on the cake - all before the babies woke. Soon, we had the cake in the oven, the treasure hunt all set up, and i sat to have some morning chai. 

Little miss Haana woke up and i gave her long long hugs and kisses to the birthday girl. And then gave her the booklet full of clues. Her eyes lit up - "Treasure Hunt!!", she squeeled with delight! I had the clues set up purposefully to have her rub around the house, upstairs then down the stairs, then in this room, then in that.. could it be in the laundry room? Could it be under the bed, in the bathroom cabinets? Inside the car? 

I saved the best present for the last. Raj had gotten her a smart watch with which she can call us up if she's outside playing with her friends. I liked that it had parental controls, but we can also check on where she is. It was the most delightful presents of all!!

Meanwhile the cake was all done. We had 9 little candles, all lit up. Then, a big huff and puff, all the candles were blown out, a birthday song sung, and we were eating chocolate cake soon. 

Later that day, we had aaloo paratha (wheat tortilla stuffed with potatoes and cooked with oil, eaten with a healthy heapof butter!) for brunch, also by popular demand. During the day, both grand parents called. Softy mausi called. Little miss Haana's Godfather Keith called to wish happy birthday. 

In the evening, just before dinner, little miss Haana's Jinu aunty stopped by with more gifts! She got Enid Blyton set of books for miss Haana. I read those long long time back! It's funny how some books become symbolic of a certain time! 

After dinner, little miss Haana's friends started showing up. I had pinged their parents to send the kids over for cupcakes outside by our garage. And they were here. Little miss Haana's Kirthi aunty and Karthik uncle and little Varam came up too. We all hung outside, with all the neighborhood kids, talking, enjoying cupcakes. 

It was a good day and a great birthday. Now stay on 9 awhile little miss Haana!

Two Little Eyes

As soon as little miss Haana comes in the line of view, two eyes follow her. They follow her everywhere. See what she's doing. What is she up to? Where is she going? How does she move so much. The two eyes take notes. They watch intently how she jumps up on the chair and leaps on to the couch. 'How did she do that exactly? I'm going to try and get that technique down', they think as they take mental notes. A little face breaks into a smile as soon as little miss Haana comes and coos at it. When she makes fish faces and noises at the little face (some noises sounding very much like fart sounds), the little face breaks into a laugh! Enjoying the joke. The two eyes giggle in delight.

Little Bobby boy and little miss Haana share this special bond that is so full of love! The little baby boy watching the big sister, laughing at all her jokes, and giggling at her special effect noises. She dotes on him, barely able to keep her excitement at his cotton candy cheeks! Sometimes when she roughs him up, he complains. Little miss Haana's excuse is always the same.. "But he's too cute!". I agree. That's my excuse too!

The Country Visit

This past week Bobby boy visited his Godfather up at his place in the country in the middle of woods, about 1.5hrs east of where we live. We left in the morning and he slept through most of the way there. Then, once we reached, he was given the tour of the house. We had our morning snacks and talked for a bit, before we headed out to the porch. It was mid morning, and the porch opened up towards a sloping yard sprinkled with a few hedges and trees, before it met with the pond. It was really pretty view! The sun felt good and we hung out on the porch for a little bit. Then  I decided it was time for Bobby's banana and oatmeal breakfast/snack. The boy likes his banana and oatmeal, and soon it was all gone. 

After the snack, we decided to head out for a walk into the woods. We went up and down the country road first, and then went about walking into the woods - looking at trees and jumping over the creek and avoiding prickly vines. Bobby was intently watching, I was wearing him in a baby carrier. At some point, he decided the soft thump of my feet is rather soothing, and his eyes are getting heavier. 'There's much to see, but surely i can rest my eyes for just a small moment', that's what he must have thought, cause next time I checked him, he had dozed off.

We circled around the lake, and heard pitter-platter-plops of numerous frogs jumping in to the pond with the rustling of my feet walking. I peered into the water to see them, but didn't see a single frog. They were quite the clandestine critters. 

We came back home and fixed up lunch. Bobby relaxed with his dinosaur ball, fussed when it didn't fit all the way into his mouth, and chewed on fingers. 

Soon it was time to head back home. The boy had missed his nap and I hoped he would sleep on the way home. We waved Keith goodbye, and headed back late afternoon. Bobby did sleep almost all the way home. It was a good visit!

Go To Sleep, Badmaash

Some days when I put Bobby boy to sleep in his crib, he looks up at me. And while looking at me quite intently, he breaks into a smile. I smile back and then, he breaks into this instant laughter. And i find myself laughing with him, while telling him,  "Neenna karo tum! Badmaash!" (Now go to sleep, you naughty thing!). But even while trying to keep a straight face, telling him is time to go to sleep, i'm still laughing with him! Perhaps the joke is on me, but its such a delicious, heart warming one nevertheless!