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!

Store Shopping

Taking them kids Bobby or Haana to a store is not for the faint of heart. I'll tell you why. 

I go to a nearby store for bulk purchases of beans and legumes, some healthy snacks and some very unhealthy snacks too. It's closeby so it's a quick in and out. In theory. I asked little miss Haana on our way back from school pickup several times, but every time she insisted she is too tired and has too many things to do yet when she gets back. So one afternoon, after I picked up Bobby from school, and little miss Haana's pickup was not until much later, I drove us towards the store. 

First, the Boy immediately knew we are not going home. NOO! He was vigorously disappointed. Play time beckons and awaits him as I force him into this entrapment. I attempted to pacify him by saying it will be a super quick stop.  He was not convinced. The drive to the store was unpleasant. As i parked, i finally relented. I can get him a candy at the store. A candy, as in singular. But no toys will be purchased. He said fine, and we finally walked in, hand in hand.

We had just gotten inside the doors when he asked me if we could get some muffins. I decided i must not reward such frivolous asks with a response, so kept walking. 

A store full of healthy snacks, legumes and beans and spices, is like a candy store for me! Bobby was helping me get what I needed, weigh it and note the bin number etc. Then Bobby saw a bin full of gummies. We negotiated how many was ok, and I helped him grab some in a bag for us to take home. It seemed like we had turned the tide. 

I had to get one last thing which was in an aisle on the far side of the store. Bobby said he wants to explore another aisle by himself. I said OK and went to grab the last item. When I returned I didn't immediately find the boy. After frantically weaving in and out of different aisles, I saw Bobby boy walking around with a giant log-truck in his arms, holding it like a baby that needed love! I reminded him of our agreement that we will not get any toys, and that we already have a log truck but that just made him upset. Noo mumma, we have to! He was fixing to throw a fit too. I told him we have to keep the toy back to where it was. And i paced up and down to figure out which shelf it came from. Meanwhile Bobby boy is super upset already. And I still couldn't find the right shelf. Finally I put the log truck where I could fit it on a shelf, and started walking towards the self check out. By now Bobby boy was wrapped around one of my feet and with every step i took, i was mopping the floor with him. I told the next person in the self checkout line to go on ahead because I can't hardly move. I finally got to the check out, paid and we somehow got out of the store. Back in the car, the drama continued. I didn't have to pick up little miss Haana right away. I buckled the boy in his seat, sat in the driver's, looked back at him and gave him a piece of my mind. The living room cabinets are full of toys. On the kitchen counter is the giant lego ship, only halfway built yet. If he's wanting to throw a fit, go right ahead. We will not move out of the parking lot before he's calmed down.

Remembering the half built lego ship that he'd been working on, pacified the boy. And soon he was calm, even conciliatory and itching to get home. To the legos. 

Saved by the toy and that doesn't happen everyday. But I had now enough beans to last me couple months!!

Karate State Championship

Earlier in the spring little miss Haana had gone to the qualifier for Karate championship. Now it was time to go to State. This week had already been going very busy with STAR tests, Peek music festival where their orchestra group performed at UNT and daily after school karate sessions to prep for State.

Like last year they would be going together in a bus from school. The bus departed at 345am on Saturday. I called little miss Haana at 930am to check how it's going. She said they were about to reach their destination. I asked about her breakfast. Then I asked if she had coffee in the morning. She replied she took a nap. Then I asked again, 'Did you have coffee?'. 'Huh?', she couldn't hear me. I repeated the question again and the line went silent. Then I persisted again. This time she fessed up, 'Yes, but then it slept for 2 hours'. A-ha! I've been on her case about how caffeine is not good for her system. But today is not that day!. 'Ohh, look at you! Dodging me, weren't you?' I joked and we laughed out loud!

Little miss Haana participated in weapons kata. And she won 2nd place. I love her weapons kata cause her weapon of choice this time is a fan, and she has a mean routine with two fans!

She also participated in individuals and in teams competition, but did not place. 

Then it was time to head back. She got back home only at 1130pm in the night, dead tired!

Probably because she was carrying her medal which weighed like a ton!!!

Go Fish

Bobby boy suddenly wanted to go fishing one day. It was either the wild kratt series that egged him on to it. Or it was looking into the creek and finding tiny little fish flitting about in the water, that gave him the idea. Nevertheless, I had been getting daily reminders that we must go fishing. The only problem was, I have never fished and have no gear. 

So, I looked and found a fishing lesson closeby. Asked Bobby's friend's mom of she's interested, and yes she was! I suspected we might be the only 2 families in the area that did not know how to fish, but oh well! Eric was or fishing coach, and after showing us how to set up the fishing rod, tie the line, fit the hook and bobber, it was time to get messy. He showed how to put the worm on the hook. Bobby tried his hand first. And to my utmost astonishment, a fish was caught almost in no time at all!! We were all hopping in excitement at what just happened. It was a little bitty (about 3-4 inches long) beautiful blue-green colored fish speckeled with glorious yellow spots. We got the fish out of the book carefully, and stared at it for a bit and then, threw it back in the pond swiftly. We fished for almost 3 hours and caught fishes with the same surprising ease as the first time. The excitement amongst the boys and us moms was here to stay! It was only when we switches to lures (plastic or rubber bait that looks like a real fish or shrimp or worm) that or luck finally gave. No fishes were caught or harmed in the lure-fishing experiment! 

We headed back with what felt like a new hobby in our belt! I was a great morning!

How We Got Doggo

Bobby wrote a story about how we got Doggo.

The Day We Got Doggo

Written by Bobby

Illustrated by Bobby

 

Hiding Place

Guess where I hid the remote from Bobby and Gugu today?

Inside dishwasher

My Favorite Animal

 Bobby boy's favorite animal is a bold eagle.

There are 2 reasons for this..

Reason #1 - they can see 6 miles away. 

Reason #2 - they can fly so cool!! 

Mumma's Favorite Baby Animal - 

#1 - Bobby can see 25 miles away (he told me so). Gugu can see things that may or may not exist. Doggo can sense things that can't be seen.

#2 - Bobby can ride real fast on his bike and run real fast. Gugu has serious karate chops. And Doggo can run like the wind and hit you like the train!

So my favorite baby animals are Bobby, Gugu and Doggo! 

And my favorite adult animal is Papa :) because 

#1 - he can see good in everything and everyone. He's an eternal optimist. And

#2 - he is always the most loving and giving. And (Bobby told me to add that) whenever Bobby's lego motorcycles' brakes need to be fixed very delicately, he always fixes them. )

I'm Not Leaving

Dulce doggo and I go out for runs/ walks every morning and evening. Most of the times I take him out for walks (or, as he sees it, he takes me out). But sometimes, I just don't want to! This week i fell sick one evening, and i didn't want to take doggo for a walk. In times like these, when Raj is calling him to go out for a walk, Doggo sits resolutely, sphinx like, next to my bed. "I can't leave Muma! I refuse to go anywhere without her", he says. Multiple calls for the door step go unheeded. In resignation, I get up from the bed, escort him to the garage door, where Raj is already out putting his shoes on. I wait till all these 4 legs, tail and body are outside the door, then I slip back inside and quickly close the door behind me! 

If Doggo feels cheated in this whole experience he quickly forgets it. Cause as soon as he comes back, he comes running to my bed side, with his tail wagging and tongue a-smacking! He's a sweetie!

Bobby 6

Last month was someone’s birthday. In spite of my better judgement Bobby decided he will turn 6. I don't see any point in this, except maybe for getting new toys. But even then, Santa could do that. 

The birthday started early and stayed late. Like all birthdays should. We decided to start the weekend early with a camping trip on Friday. Then on Saturday, Raj wanted to take Bobby boy to the mall and get him a new pair of shoes (and get a couple of legos for himself!). Of course along with the shoes came a large box from the lego store. Nobody was surprised. It was a coast guard ship! Bobby and I took the mall train ride and munched on chocolate.

That evening we met with Varam and Kirthi aunty and Karthik uncle. We went Putt-putt golfing. We all tried our hands (arms) at golfing with varying levels of skills and success. It was fun all the way around. Dinner after that continued the fun, and we returned home with more lego boxes that night. 

On sunday i took Bobby's neighborhood friend, called "Bro" for some reason, and Bobby boy to their favourite trampoline and game area, followed by a lunch at Cici's we all joined at. After stuffing ourselves with fresh pizza, we came back home.

I took Monday off to hang out with Bobby during the day. It was a beautiful spring day and I decided to take both birthday boys - Bobby and Doggo to a park. I was prepared for this of course. I took our Nerf guns!

We had cake cutting and dinner at home, full of sweetness. I continued to insist Bobby should turn 5 again! Still working on that one!

Beginning Middle and End

Bobby is learning to write stories at school with a beginning, middle and end, complete with illustrations. 

Here is Beginning Middle and End story.

Written by Bobby boy. 

Illustrations by Bobby boy. 

Narrated by Mama.

In the beginning, there was a Bobby riding his bicycle.

Then, Bobby in bicycle met another kid Ryan who was on a scooter. They exchanged pleasanteries.

Soon, one of them turned into dust but the scooter survived.

<Bobby corrected me> Actually both Bobby and Ryan rode their bicycle and scooter around, and lived happily ever after.

The end. 

Karate State Qualifier

I had been hearing about the state qualifier for awhile. Little miss Haana has been prepping her karate routines- demo team, teams kata, weapons kata, individuals - for last several weeks. It has been hard work. The state qualifier is for students from various regional schools, and selects which ones will go to the state championship for karate in May. The week leading up to the qualifier, little miss Haana had been working on her karate katas every day after school, coming back late and so tired! 

Last week was the state qualifier. I was excited about the weapons kata. This time little miss Haana had chosen two Korean fans as her weapon of choice. I had seen some of the moves at home, but without the actual fans, and never the full kata. 

Raj went with her for the qualifier. And thankfully recorded much of little miss Haana's performance. During the weapons kata I heard other people in the audience go "woah" as little miss Haana did hand stand and cartwheel and then elbow stand and reverse cartwheel. There were considerable oohs-and-ahhs from the audience! The judges seemed to agree. In the teams and individuals, little miss Haana scored the top 1st place! On the weapons kata too, she scored the 1st place!

She came back home at 2pm. Weighed down by 3 giant gold medals!!! Smiling wide at a job well done!! I had her favorite lunch on the menu- red beans and cilantro lime rice.

I watched the videos of her performance multiple times, adding my own oohs-and-ahhs each time as well!! 

Nerf Wars

For Bobby boy's birthday, Softy mausi had been scouting for gifts. Since Bobby's neighborhood bro had a Nerf gun, that seemed like a good gift idea. She ans Sid uncle ordered a Nerf gun. One. In addition and with loads of anticipation they also ordered 100 extra bullets for the said gun.

It got delivered a day early. And it got me thinking, who is the target and who is the shooter. I did the only thing i thought reasonable for an equitable power dynamics at this place - i ordered another Nerf gun. For me. So now, on Bobby's birthday, we had 2 Nerf guns - one for him and one for me. Both loaded with bullets. And both ready to shoot. 

Let the Nerf wars begin!

What Will I Drive

Mumma you know what i will drive when I grow up? (Bobby boy asked me looking dotingly at his new ferrari lego car he just built).

What are you going to drive when you grow up Bobby?

An electric scooter! (He says with a grin on his face and a smile in his eyes!)

An electric scooter?! The kind with a seat on the back for me? 

No! Not another seat! You can come in your car.

In the car?! But when you grow up, I'll not want to drive anymore. I'll want to come with you!

OK okay! (He realizes Mumma is getting a bit clingy). 

Actually you can be in the basket (of the electric scooter).

The basket? What am I, eggs? Eggs go in a  basket!

(Giggles) No, you're not eggs, but you can still just be in the basket! Be in the basket Mumma!

I'm not happy about this arrangement.

Camping

I've had full-on camping gear and supplies for quite sometime. For last 5 and a half years to be exact. They'd all been used exactly once so far. Until yesterday. 

When Bobby boy was 6 months old, deep into covid, we went for camping for the very first time. It was cold though, really cold. Bobby boy was wrapped in a warm suit that made him look like and feel like a michellin man or an astronaut. Barely able to walk, it didn't help that he was covered from head to toe, keeping him all warm but making him all wobbly and sloppy! We arrived at the campsite later than we should have, set up the tent, made a camp fire, grilled food.  It was fun for sometime. When we turned in to sleep in our 4 person tent, I remember the tent seemed quite large. But Bobby was wobbly and just generally not happy, feeling like he was covered with pillows. The next morning we woke up, made tea and breakfast at the campsite before packing up and heading back. It was not a totally disaster but we were scarred enough that we didn't go back for like 5 years. 

This weekend, in lieu of Bobby's birthday, Bobby's godfather Keith suggested camping, and i thought it may be time for second chance! It was a place close to home. The plan was to get there around 5-6 when there is still plenty of sunlight to set up the tent. Grill some meat for dinner. Stay in tent for the night and come back the next morning. The camp site was really nice right next to the lake and had picnic table and grill. Bobby Doggo and i reached about 6 and met Keith there. We were able to unload the car and set up the tent by 7. Bobby helped too! Doggo was delighted to run after the ducks in the lake (without actually getting in to the lake!), gallopped this way and that, free as the birds he was chasing! We put picnic chairs overlooking the lake and watched as boats crossed this way and that. Bobby guessed how fast each of the speed boats must be. Then hot dogs were grilled. Raj had picked up a paneer wrap for me to take to camping, which was delicious! 

We sat by the picnic table talking and eating. The sun had set and it was getting pretty dark now. Just after we finished dinner Bobby said i gotto go to poopoo. The rest room with running water was not far but certainly not close while walking. So he and I ran to the car, I turned the car around and we drove to the rest room. I half expected to see doggo running behind the car in the rear view mirror, telling "Mumma, wait for me!", in dog language of course! But luckily Keith had told him to sit next to him and so he waited. Bobby and I came back soon enough. And now Bobby wanted smores. So we did that!

We brushed our teeth and soon Bobby wanted to turn in for the night. Bobby n I got into the tent and Doggo came up to it and hesitated. He didn't want to be left alone outside, that would be unthinkable. But he also couldn't fathom coming inside this weird contraption! After a mix of coaxing and threatening him, he finally waded inside the tent. Suddenly the tent that had felt pretty big last time, now felt very small! He walked around awkwardly, stomping on my legs and other body parts. Bobby kept moving about in stead of falling asleep. Soon it was all too much for me and my head was getting heavier with sleep. Doggo settled somewhere between Bobby n me. All through the night i slept tossing and turning to make sure doggo is taking turns stifling blood supply in my left and then right ankles and legs. I am sure he was enjoying it. It felt it was dark for a long time and then i turned and opened my eyes and it was suddenly morning and light outside. Doggo was looking forward to getting out and galloping about. 

Keith tried to get the fire going in the morning but it just didn't work. We packed up and left. It was a good camping trip! Doggo and Bobby both agree. It was a birthday camping trip for both of them! Happy birthday Bobby and Doggo!

Cast Art

2 weeks in. 2 weeks to go. 

Art work on a Bobby's cast.

Lammy

Meet Lammy. Like many other stuffed toys at our place, Lammy has been with us for over 10 years. He used to be little miss Haana's close friend when he first joined us. Little miss Haana used to go to a little gym when she was about 3 or 4. And we had probably lost a toy there. So I was looking in the lost and found bin at Litl Gym to find that toy. In all honesty though, I have no recollection of why I was looking in the lost-and-found bin or the toy we may have lost. But i'm assuming that must be case, or why else would I be looking in the bin, right! So if there was a toy we lost, I didn't find it. But I did find little Lammy, looking for a new home. And.. he chose me. I loved him instantly. So did little miss Haana and he lived in her crib for a long long time.

Then years later Bobby came along, and he loved Lammy too. There was 1 problem.. little miss Haana still loves Lammy.

These days little miss Haana has a bed full of stuffed toys and squishmallows she sleeps with. Including Lammy. Bobby has tried to steal Lammy but she's always snatched him back and kept him for herself. 

Yesterday though, since it's spring break, and Bobby boy is at home, he went into little miss Haana's room while she was out with her friend and swiped Lammy and ran down with it. He showed me. We both hugged Lammy and laughed a delicious laugh, high fiving each other on Lammy's escape! We're keeping Lammy safe and hidden on the bed downstairs and so far little miss Haana is none the wiser. Lammy looks happy!! Doesn't he?