Feelings

Overheard little miss Haana, while little boy Bobby was crying while being tucked into bed: "Big boys don't cry, Bobby! You're a big boy. Big boys don't cry. Big boys talk about their feelings"...

(Me thinking, aww she's so cute !)

The Five Stages of Doom

With some examination, little miss Haana and I have come up with the following stages of crying with the little Bobby boy.

Stage 1: Bobby looks a little restless. Stops whatever he was doing, turns his head this way and that with a scowl but no crying yet. He sounds like he's gasping for breath.

If parents' alarm bells have not starting ringing yet, they should.

Stage 2: Soon after stage 1, comes the initial crying stage. The scowl has gotten deeper and now had some initial sound effects. It's still sounding like restlessness and not really full on crying yet, but things are changing fast.

Stage 3: Ever heard peacocks calling out? That's what little Bobby boy sounds like in stage 3, preceeded with a distinctive "La" sound. It sound like a long "Laaa" that sounds like peacocks are calling from the forest.

The little boy is obviously not happy, but he hasn't given up hope or confidence in his parents' ability to do things right by him. So even though he sounds somewhat restless, he's not mad just yet. All that could change very quickly.

Stage 4: Things have quickly degraded now. The little Bobby boy had given the benefit of doubt but has had it by now. He is mad. This calls for some full throttle crying: eyes shut tight, mouth wide open -as wide as it can go,  giving full view of the tonsils and potentially the stomach's contents too, face - a beat root red, entire body  a beet root red, hands tightly wound into fists. Screaming bloody murder now.

Things are not looking good for the Parents!

Stage 5: This is stage 4 with white hot intensity. He's screaming in such earnest that he's either losing his voice or he's gone super sonic. Most likely the later. So its the same effects as stage 4, except the mouth wide open now with no sound. (If you think stage 5 is better in any way than stage 4 because you don't hear him scream, it is not!).

Parents - you've failed in parenting -little Bobby boy says it all with his super sonic crying.

Number of times we've been to stage 5: too many to count! :-(

Solving World Problems With Humor

You know these toddlers.. Dangerous combination of bursting personality and energy without the reality check. They're bubbly and happy like balloons and kites. And then they have these lethal meltdowns at the most trivial pursuits "I want to wear that dress right now".

These days the moment the little girl is abot to go into the fake crying mode to assert what she wants, I turn the tables at her. I tell her she's Mumma and I am the kid. And then I pretend I am just about to cry, and I make fictitious stories about how I was wronged (like some little one we know) and then like a clap of thunder I jump right into the fake crying!! The little girl thinks it is hilarious every single time and bursts out laughing at how funny it is. She sort of realizes the joke is on her! But for me, it puts a break on the train that was heading downhill and gaining steam. And then we talk things over like big people and reach a conclusion.

I read this quote on a joke and it is so true- all I want to be when I grow up is be a kid! For now.

First Day of School

Today was the first day of school - for both the school and little Miss Haana. And I am delighted to report they both had a wonderful time. 

We had been prepping he little girl for the change by telling her she will go to a new school soon. And finally the big day arrived. This morning Dad went to drop her to school. I was anxious she may feel distraught and would resist being left at a new place. I got a phone call at 9 to report how it went:

Dad took the little girl to her teacher and told her about school. She seemed a little anxious but didn't resist much. As dad left and then watched her classroom on the camera from the school lobby, the little girl looked around to absorb the new surroundings. She listened to the teachers. Went and got herself some toy to play with. She helped and directed another little girl on how to use another toy she was playing with. She had been talking to the other girl when the class was then taken to wash their hands for snack time. She was ahead in the line for washing hands and then was placed on a chair. She grabbed a few bites and milk . She seemed concerned about a couple of other kids who were very unhappy to be there. I could see in my head her itching to go to them and say "Oww, it's alright! It will be fine!"! That's what she would do at home.

Then a few more minutes of toy time. And then the class was lined up for going out to the playground! I thought she would have a blast in the playground- and she did. To begin with, once outside she remembered (not that she ever forgets it) that she, afterall, is a ballerina. So she practiced her twirls and bows and more twirls for a bit. After that she ran around round and round. More gleeful minutes of playground later, Dad decided to leave her there and my live running commentary into her day stopped as well. But I was so releaved that she was having fun.

I had planned to pick her up earlier than usual - a little after 3pm. As I reached the school I saw her teachers outside in the playground. They waved to me. I ran inside- urgently wanting to meet and hug her. We had our usual animated high pitched hug and kiss meet-up routine. It's been maybe a year since I've been picking her up from daycare but our animated pickup routine is still as animated as ever! Disney should take notice of her;-) Very soon, though, she wanted to get out of my grasp to go back to the slides. After one slide down, I was taken (holding by my finger ) to try the other slide. I didn't anticipate this, but I had trouble getting her out of the school to go home. In the end, I had to resort to bribery and tell her we will go to the other slides closer to home. And then we both got into the car and went to the other slides! 

That was Miss Haana's the first day of school.

My Suitcase

The sweetest thing happened the other day. I switched off the alarm and was just fixing to get out of the bed in the morning. The little girl was sleeping next to me peacefully. Suddenly there was a loud scream. The little baby cried out -"Noooo"! I turned sharply to see what happened suddenly! Her eyes still closed,  in deep sleep she shouted "My suitcase!!"! 

Then she turned and continued sleeping.

:-)

The said suitcase is actually a purple and pink sunglasses' holder. The suitcase doesn't know it was made to hold sunglasses though. All the suitcase has seen or ever held is crayons, a small magnet dog, paper cards with strange animal photos (paper animals -they are called), and other such tid-bits that Mumma secretly schemes of getting rid of.

Don't Cry

When Raj ordered for a batch of books for Miss Haana, he didn't expect what she'll say when she reads/sees it:

"Piggy crying."

And then:

"Don't" "cry" "Piggy"!

:)