Who Stole Cookies From The Cookie Jar?

This evening crime has reached a new height in this neighborhood, as friends and family discover that cookies are no longer safe, anywhere! There are many a twists in this story but our crime correspondent will walk you through safely.

Little Bobby boy had been looking out for new adventures as usual. He found the pantry door open, and proceeded to give it an inspection. Like is usual, he found a few cans and boxes he rolled and puttered with. But then, he found a box he wasn't supposed to find. After previous mis-adventures, the cookie jar had been moved high up on the pantry shelf, away from prying baby hands. But on this day, someone had kept it right within a baby arm's reach. Who could have done such a thing...

Well, the baby arms did reach the prize, and did pluck the cookie jar from the pantry shelf. Baby then proceeded to take the cookie jar with him to a different location for peaceful prying of contents within. 

When the cookie police (mumma) arrived at the crime scene, the crime was unfolding, right in front of her eyes. The cookie jar was open. All the chocolate creme oreo cookies are strewn about on the floor - some intact, some broken, some unreasonably wet! Bobby boy was in the middle of these cookies, grabbing them, pulling them apart, tasting the creme filling and breaking off big chunks of the cookie to devour them. A few such cookie bites in his mouth, holding another cookie in his hand, and regarding a few others next - that's how Bobby boy was found at the crime site. 

The Cookie Sherrif (mumma) and the Deputy (little miss Haana) proceeded to confiscate most cookies (some were just too gooey to be air lifted). They questioned the culprit, who unfortunately continued stuffing broken cookied pieces in his mouth during the questioning. It wasn't looking good for him. Finally in stead of confessing to his crimes Bobby boy decided to rely on charm to get out of sentencing. Unfortunately it worked. And upon confiscation of the cookies and cleaning up of the crumbs, badmaash boy was free to set sail on new adventures. The cookie jar this time was put back high on the shelf. For now. Sherrif and the Deputy have a tough job!

Tough Cookies

Today on a walk with Bobby boy and little miss Haana, i noticed something on little Bobby's right cheek. A pesky, vile mosquito had just sat on his cheek. Little boy was oblivious to it. I immediately shooed it away with an angry wave of my hand. Few minutes later little Bobby boy's right cheek had 2 small red bumps. The little boy was unfazed. Little twinkling eyes were calmly looking around and looking up at me from the stroller. "Bobby boy!", I said with exasperation. "Did the mosquito bite you? Why didn't you complain earlier?!". Two twinkling eyes regarded me with some interest and batted eyelids. Little miss Haana jumped over him to inspect the mosquito damage on the baby cheek. "Poor thing!". But no issues from the boy. 

My little Bobby is a trooper. He's a tough cookie. When he was just born, in the hospital, they had to do a blood sugar test for him every few hours for the first 2 days. Every few hours they would poke him with a needle to do the test, and for most of the times, he wouldn't even complain. I used to be so surprised. Here I was flinching at the needles and he waded through them no problem. No complaining. He's a tough guy. 

My little miss Haana is a lot more vocal in her complaints but she's a tough cookie on the inside. Many times she's been in situations where other kids may be bullying or trying to hurt her. She does feel it then, but then she just brushes it off completely and moves on. She's resilient like that. She's emotional and compassionate, and is also very independent and goes her own way. She's a strong tough one. 

My two tough cookies. 

Tough Cookie

It was a beautiful Easter sunday and little Miss Haana and I went for a post-lunch walk. We ran around in circles in the park, then jumped skipped hopped to the lake. Then strolled to the playground.

There was an older girl and her brother already there, sitting below the playground stairs, digging. Little Miss Haana went up to them to talk and play with them. But the kids didn't want to play with her. The little girl felt bad that she wasn't included in their games, but then began playing at the slides by herself. 

Soon 2 more kids came, an older boy with his younger sister. Both older than little Miss Haana. Their Dad, following behind, caught up with them, saw the kids already there, and asked his son- "Hey, you know them, right?", without actually taking any names or referring to anyone but his son. The son nodded. Dad wandered off.

Since the kids all knew each other previously, they all started playing together. Little girl Haana thought maybe they'll all play with her too now. But, the oldest boy (who came later) turned to her and said "I hate her". 

I heard him clearly, I was right there. Gugu was on the slide right between him and me. His sister repeated the words, adding "me too". They all turned around and proceeded in their games. 

I was just stunned at the words. And at what had just happened. I wanted to somehow protect my little baby from the hurt that callous people and their wanton words can cause. But I also want to teach her emotional endurance and for her to stand up for herself. For that reason, in general, I don't like to intervene, I want her to handle situations. I do watch and listen, so I can tell her what's right and what's wrong. 

The next minute, Gugu turned to me and said "Everybody hates me Mumma."

I couldn't believe my ears! I said, "What?" She said " Everybody hates me except Rushil". I was even more taken aback. I said "Don't say that bachha. Don't use such words. Those kids are just being silly.". She said yes they are bad kids. I agreed with her.

Many more kids and their parents had come now to the playground. The parents were busy setting up an Easter egg hunt in the playground. 

She proceeded to play at the slide next to this one instead. There, she started on this project of digging a burrow for a bunny! I goaded her a few times to leave the playground and head home. But she wanted to complete her project.

I sat on a bench nearby and wondered how these kids learnt such a word. And how they didn't learn the meaning of the word kindness. To be honest, I didn't have a high opinion of the parents at that point either, who, I thought, haven't taught anything half decent to the kids. And, I thought such kids are not fit for social company. To be perfectly honest, I wanted to take my little girl and go back home. But I waited on her at the bench by myself. Watching these parents set up their Easter egg hunt with distaste.

Meanwhile, little Miss Haana was still working under the other slide, and we left only when she was satisfied with her burrow for a bunny rabbit. She came up and took me by the hand to show me.

On the way back, I asked her about the kids, and she said they were bad kids. I agreed. They were bad indeed. 

But some thing I realized later; in spite of the older kids ostracizing her, her sticking it out; not getting intimidated, not wanting to run away, holding her ground, playing her games, doing her thing- is brave. And for that- I'm proud of her. She proved to be the strong one. 

She may be smaller in size physically than some other kids, but mentally, I was proud to witness, she can be one tough cookie! 

Have A Cookie Now

Today after dinner was over, the little girl and I was bantering with her on my lap. She reached out for a dirty but dry pallet tray from the cabinet behind me. The pallet try had several compartments-some big, some small. They were all multi-colored now - I'd been lazy and not washed the pallet tray since I used it last. But this was just as well - the little girl decided these were a tray full of multi-colored cookies.

She offered me one and I pretended to eat it. Then she offered another one, "Have the green one now".
"Now have the red one",
"The blue one. Take the blue one now."
"Brown cookie now. Take the brown cookie."
" Now yellow one."
Somewhere down the line I felt I had had enough cookies, and politely declined.
The little girl insisted, "Take this one now."
"No, thank you."
No, no, have the orange one now."
"No, I don't want it."
Then came a sudden, forceful reprimand: "HAVE A COOKIE NOW!!!!"
I sat up and stared at her stunned. She stared back. Silence for a couple seconds. And then we both burst into peals of laughter!!!
I repeated her scolding again and again: "GUGU, HAVE A COOKIE NOW". More giggles!! Repeat. Repeat. Repeat! Giggles every single time.