I Need A New Umbrella

It's just rained cats and dogs here. And some of us have been out there braving the elements.

Miss Haana and I went for a walk just as a few raindrops were falling here and there. We went with my umbrella which- I should say, is not much of an umbrella at all. It is small and goes from a concave to a convex shape at the slightest of balmy winds! Miss Haana kept choosing which way to go (left or right?) so we kept going away from home. Still only drizzling at best. Then we came close to the gazebo by the lake so I suggested let's go to the gazebo. Now it started raining. Big time! I carried the little girl and the umbrella somehow and we made it to the gazebo. But like I said some of us just didn't want to just stay in the shade. Miss Haana wanted to go down the stairs next to the gazebo and walk next to the lake.. There were some spots along the lake partially protected by the rain because of trees. The little girl insisted on singing. 

Suddenly it was raining cats n dogs now and we were stuck beneath a hardly-shade-enough-of-a-tree with a useless umbrella. The little one  and I were giggling like crazy! 

Finally I carried her and the umbrella (really a liability at this point) and headed back to gazebo. Raj had come looking for us at the gazebo with his umbrella (big, big one). She transfered tents. We headed back totally soaking ;)

When we got to our garage all pretense of trying to stay out of the rain were abandoned and we were running around in the back lane in the rain.

Now that's how you welcome the summer :)

Squashing Bumblebees

Heard from the back seat of the car while driving home yesterday, with actions and replete with musical effects:

Oh my Mumma help me clean

I'm squashing my baby bumblebee

Eww! It's all over me,

I'm squashing my baby bumblebee.

Repeated today by most popular demand!

What About My Wand

These days here's the scene for us to get ready.. 

Mumma I want to wear a dress

Ok Gugu

Mumma I want to wear the pink dress.

Oh, which one little girl?

Come Mumma, I'll show you.

I am taken-holding my finger to the closet where all the little girl dresses are hanging.

Ok Gugu which one do you want? Do you want this one?

No

This one?

No

This purple one?

No

This orange one?

No

Pink one?

No

Blue?

No.

Then which one? This one?

Yes. I want this one.

We grab that down and wear it with eager anticipation. 

Then a twirl test is given to the dress - where the little girl twirls and checks out if the dress twirls to her satisfaction.

Unfortunately this one just failed.

Mumma this one doesn't twirl. I want the other one. 

Which one gugu?

The pink one.

This one?

No

This one?

No

This one.

Yes

Ok.

Take the dress down from the hanger and we put it on.

5 minutes and a twirl test later, we are back in the closet.

This time another pink dress chosen.

This one(same as the one worn in the morning). But I recognize there's no arguing at this point. 

Ok but we are not changing it any more.

We wear this pink one. 

I put a small pink flower in her hair to match a white-n-pink flower in my hair. (There's more than 1 girl in this house ;) )

Finally with the dress chosen, we are ready to head out. I chose silver "princess" shoes for her.

Little Miss Haana is pleased with my selection. But then she looked at us with utter shock and doom (eyes wide, mouth O-shaped) and shouted out loud:

Where is my princess wand?

We both looked at each other. 

Then I looked in utter shock and doom and asked Raj- Papa, what about the wand? :) :)

Popsicle Wars

It's not officially summer yet, but it's close enough. So today when I picked the litle girl from her Montessori we headed straight to the neighborhood store for popsicles (sound better when you scream the "Popsicles!!!!" out loud :) )

Both of us girls got ourselves a rainbow popsicle each. And we hung out on the pavement outside the store to enjoy our summer treats. After congratulating each other on how "coooold" and "tastyyyy" they were, we realized our treats were melting away and fast. Soon puddles of sticky pink droplets were forming next to the little girl  with incredible magnetic powers that were calling on Miss Haana and asking her to step or stick her finger in the yucky puddle. 

But then I reminded her the popsicle was melting fast; so we needed to get our acts together.

The little girl decided the litle droplets looked like rain drops. But wondered if they could be made to fly instead of falling from the popsicle to the puddle on the ground. She waved her hand but the popsicle went flying away! The stick was still in her hand. We giggled and giggled and then I saw the stick go flying away too.

And even more craziness followed. Now this naughty little thing wanted to go and step on the popsicle lying on the ground to squash it. "No!!" This time I prevailed but I could see it was a hard decision by the little girl. 

More jumping and "hurray"s later we headed home. These were the fun-nest popsicles of my life! :)

A Thing Of Beauty

This morning I was listening to an old B. E. King song 'Stand By Me'. I was on a binge-repeat mode.

And the whole time I was remembering a phrase and realizing how true it is- a thing of beauty is a joy forever. I often think of this phrase when I hear some of my favorite music from the 70s or even 60s. And I wonder if the people who created it knew or could foresee that someone 50-60 years later would still be listening to what they produced and still appreciate it! It's such an amazing thought. 

I think amazing things happen when one does something from the heart- uninhibited and free of judgement (whether others' or ones's own). Beautiful things can happen when one accepts the risks but takes the courage of following where the heart is. I think that's how such beauty- that transcends time and age, got created. 

Miss Haana and I have been dabbling in paints lately. She's painted with me before- we did sponge painting first. Then we did q-tip stencil painting. But now. Now she does the very grown up paint brush painting. No stencils, no sponge, no plans, no inhibitions. I am just told which colors she wants. I take my job of the color mixer and palette preparer very seriously! And then she takes the paint soaked brush and paints. I am so proud of her. 

My Favorite

It's been a couple weeks since the little girl started her new Montessori school. They had soccer practice this week. And my best part of the school experience is when I pick her up.

Little Miss Haana comes running up to me as I open the class door and I kneel down and we have a big big hug. Followed by kisses of course. Some days I'm required to bribe so we can come home. "Let's go to the slides and swings", usually come in handy. 

And then as I turn to their teacher to ask her the days' report, the usual report is- "Oh she is so good! She talks so sweetly everyone here just wants to hear her talk! She's very good! No problem at all! And she picks up things so fast, as we tell her how to do certain things... She was perfect". She is everyone's favorite!!

I am beaming both inside and out!

Return Policy

Yesterday I was remembering something about my India trip - few months back. I stayed for a couple days at my sisters'. Miss Haana and my nephew Aby became best buddies ever! If Aby was around no one else was needed.

My sister (Miss Haana's Mausi - mom's sister) and brother-in-law had this wondrous  excitement in their eyes when they were looking at the little girl! As if she's the most fun and awesome thing that ever came about. And they're trying hard to figure out how to please her!

Sid uncle talked to the little girl and asked her if she wants to see some birds outside on the balcony. She seemed interested and immediately went to his arms to check it out. I saw her Mausi's eyes widen in surprise and jealousy :) 

They both has this wondrous look in their eyes around the little girl - this little impossibly cute little thing-  that talks and walks and cries and laughs. And then goes wherever Aby bhaiya goes! 

 My sister- still maintains that the little girl is just like her and should be returned to her with immediate effect! As per her, I break the return policy every single day :)