An Ode To Mini

A long time ago, before the kids, before I married, before a lot of things, I bought me a really cool car! It was the first new car I bought. It was my Mini, a tiny Mini cooper,  red with white stripes on the dash, convertible. Completely automatic convertible top, and so much fun to drive! Everytime I drove my Mini with the top down, I was glad I shelled out the extra cash and got me a convertible! 

It was a unique car, fun to drive and very entertaining. I loved my mini. Over the years, little miss Haana and I had driven with the top down, on good weather days, with music on, around the town! Recently, there were a few times little Bobby boy and little miss Haana both hung out on the back seat with the wind in their hair from the convertible top open. 

When little miss Haana was about to be born, I contemplated changing and getting a bigger car. But giving up on my little mini and getting an suv just didn't seem right! We did great with the mini, and there was a long period of time when little miss Haana used to enjoy my car. All of her friends thought he mom had the funniest, coolest car. 

Lately though, she had changed her mind. It was too small for her, too hot in the summer and just too inconvenient for her. She'd choose to go on Papa's dazzling Tesla anytime she had the option to. With the years, the music system didn't work anymore. The mini was from a time before Bluetooth connectivity. And I hadn't quite had cup holders in the last decade or so. Most recently, the passenger seat would only be in an almost laying down position. 

Now with Bobby, it was evident Mini was a bit too mini now. I looked for options. Unfortunately, with mini I was thoroughly spoiled. I was sure I wanted to get a hybrid car; something that wouldn't burn gas with usual city driving, but could do so if going long distance, or outside city. Since my parents were now visiting, I decided it needed to be 6 seater at least. I finally decided I'm going to get a new mini van. A new Chrysler Pacifica hybrid mini van! 

Instantly, so much room! Its like an apartment on wheels! All the latest technology.. Bluetooth connectivity, network hotspot connection, 2 screens at the back individually connected to the internet, hands-free doors opening,  great music system and cup holders!!! Ha ha! 

In the last 4 weeks, the mini van has gone some 800 miles. And only used a few gallons of gas (that too mostly in the first few days when the battery was not charged) thanks to electric charging! 

I went from mini to a mini van! I still miss my mini sometimes, but cup holders and good music are here to stay!!

You Seem Frustated

One day last week i was really upset! It had been a long day.. Babysitter had decided to take the entire week off at the last minute. I had a lot to do at work. Grand parents had just come over from India, so there was a lot to do at home too. Little Bobby boy was not on his best behavior. He had been fussing, wanting to make a mess while eating. I was so mad! I was frustrated having to watch the boy all the time. 

My sweet and so very thoughtful little miss Haana quietly slipped away to her table and emerged only several minutes later with a paper for me. 

This (picture above) is what she had for me. A suggestion to throw the baby to a "servant" and get me some TV time. I liked the thought and the suggestion, but I told her I lake a necessary ingredient - "servant"! She suggested grand parents. Hmm.. food for thought!

Man in the Middle Attack

In cyber security, man in the middle attack is a well known attack type, where someone intercepts a message, potentially changes it and impersonates as the sender to the receiver on both sides. At sleep time, we have a different interpretation of man in the middle attack. 

I love cuddling up with both my babies in bed. Most days they don't cooperate. Little miss Haana is usually asleep before she even hits the bed. And Bobby boy moves too much to cuddle. Some days when little miss Haana and I are in the bed, next to each other and both awake, Bobby boy decides he must have a role in this picture. While I try to encourage him to come up next to me on my other side, he has different ideas. He hikes up on the bed, on top of the pillows, balancing himself precariously, stepping on my face and then getting to a foothold between little miss Haana and me. Here, then, he settles in. There obviously is no place in between. But he decides to land his baby butt on either of our faces till we grudgingly make space for him. Now, between us, he quickly slips back on the pillow, gets inside the blanket, gets his monster ball closer to him, thumb in his mouth. He's in his happy place! And so are we!!

We just got a man in the middle attack!

Sleep Time

Gone are the days that little Bobby boy could be just placed in the crib and he would sleep peacefully. Those days seem so dreamy now!

Yesterday, it was getting late and Bobby boy kept insisting on being on the bed, so I let him. But in stead of sleeping, he climbed on to the bed side table. Some decorative flowers fell on the floor, and he got down, pushed the bed-side table out, picked them up, put them back, pushed the table back. And then wanted to continue playing with other things on the table. I told Dad to put him in the crib, he wasn't sleeping otherwise. I believe my exact words were "Throw him in the crib.."!

Soon little boy was in the crib and mighty unhappy too. After listening to him complain for sometime, I finally got him out, told him it is very late, he must sleep. He can be on the bed but he has to sleep. And so we got in. But then Bobby boy realised he needed to drink some water. He must be thirsty from all that complaining, I thought. Then, he was done drinking, he wanted to go over and put his sippy cup back on the side table. Then I got him to lay down, but he complained he didn't have his blanket. I found that. Then he panicked about his monster ball. I consoled him, the ball was right next to him. Then he complained his feet were not in the blanket

I fixed that. Then I told him, in no uncertain terms, to sleep. Now.  

Looks like I took my own advice immediately, and soon fell asleep. But not Bobby boy! After putting mumma to sleep, he climbed down from the bed. It was dark, but he managed to get out of the bedroom and went across to the grandparents' room. They were already asleep with lights off too. 

Bobby boy called out at them "Tatta?! Patti?!", "Dark!", and so on. Soon lights were switched on, and the boy had climbed on to the bed, playing with the vicks vaporub bottle, doing his usual show-and-tell games! Before long dad heard this commotion from upstairs. It was 1130pm now. He came down to check and found the boy and the grandparents very awake! 

Bobby boy was taken and placed in the crib

again. I'm not sure if he complained again because he had put Mumma to sleep a while back!! Finally somewhere closer to midnight, the baby boy fell asleep!

Figure Skating

Last week we were watching the winter Olympics on tv. This is one of those TV content I don't feel as guilty about having both kids watch it. Little miss Haana decided she wants to watch figure skating. So we were checking out these very young men,  boys really, do amazing things on ice. Little miss Haana was watching intently. And someone else was too. Bobby boy was spotted behind the sofa, trying to twirl around like the figure skaters and then, giggling at himself! Papa spotted him first and then little miss Haana and I jumped up at him! "Ohhh Bobba is a figure skater too!!"! "Awwwlee!", I exclaimed!! He beamed with pride and giggled some more. Twirling too, almost falling but catching himself and giggling some more! We could not help but ooh and aah at him!

We have our very own figure skating coverage!

3D Pen

There was a time when little miss Haana would build anything under the sun, armed with her glue gun, a cardboard box and wooden sticks! She built tons of projects with those 3 basic ingredients. Several glue guns have been eagerly sacrificed at the altar of her projects and ingenious engineering. Some projects worked, some did not. But there was never a dearth of ideas with little miss Haana. 

Lately, though, a new player has entered the arena. The glue gun has been put away even! Welcome 3D pen! 

The moment it came, she's disappeared into her world of craft projects. She made herself a pair of dangling earrings first. Then a pencil box made out of filaments. Yesterday she made me a tray with 2 compartments to keep soap next to the kitchen sink. My usual soap tray has seen better days. Some of the design on it recently came off, and no matter how many times we've got glued the little bits on it, they just don't stick. So little miss Haana decided to make a new one for mumma! She made the tray sides with her 3D pen filaments. But for the bottom she used a stiff paper! I told her that just wouldn't do. I can't keep paper next to the sink, there's too much water around the sink. She was disappointed. 

But today I was looking at the test she made, and I thought it was so super cool. Not as cool and smart as my little miss Haana, but that's to be expected. She's the only one!

❤

Soap dish miss Haana made:

Sleeve Tattoos

Ever seen one of those sleeve tattoos? I've seen some that are very picturesque. I've thought of getting a tattoo myself on occasion. But I avoid needles as much as I can. I'm even bad enough not to get flu vaccine most years mostly to avoid a needle. Also, what tattoo to choose - is hard to settle on 1 image for the rest of your life. I have commitment phobia. 

But, a couple days back little miss Haana returned from school with art work all over her left forearm. It looked like a sleeve tattoo at first glance. Markers. During class. Doodling rose flowers on herself. It looked quite pretty. But during class?! What in the world!

Next day she came back with a bigger doodle! This time she assured me it was after class. Permanent marker. Black. Oh no! I lamented, it's going to rub off and ruin her new hoodie. Or worse, it might rub off on the couch! Noo! She assured me nothing off that sort will happen, while she continued adding more details into her artwork. I was hardly assured. I made her hold her arm in mid air so it doesn't rest on the couch! And then I hoped the shower will do the rest. 

Down sides of having a creative artist girl!