Half Yearly Report

School’s have ended, summer has almost started and kids have hit their ½ year mark, the grand parents pampering has begun… so as always… here you go.

Miss V, the decade old lady with the wisdom of a century old person and the sassisness of a 16 year old!!!

This past school year she switched schools. So though she is adjusting well academically, musically and sportingly.. it has taken time to adjust socially. She has a lot of friends around her new school, she laughs, she cannot get through the corridor without the hellos and good byes, but she misses the deep friendships. And that's where her wisdom kicks in, she knows it takes time. So the wise lady says... lets be patient!

She calls herself a "Ten-Ager" now and that's actually true. Times she is a baby and will snuggle and cozy up and deep meaningful conversations and then there are times she gets all sassy and unreasonable and says "shut up" and gets mean. The dichotomy!

At times she will sit with her little sister and help her with math and challenge her to speak backwards and contrastingly, they will fight over "which lollipop is more pink!"

Miss V a list maker, a planner and her toughest critique. Being your own critique makes very driven- she will keep at it until it’s done! She will also get equally frustrated at times in the process. She is now realizing that the world is not black and white and hates that!

With the world cup now on, there is only ONE discussion for my budding Soccer Superstar!

The Conquerer

Little Lady:

I wonder how I put this nick name for her, she is true for it- Little Lady. She is a charmer, a pleaser, head strong and amazingly caring personality. Her empathy often leaves me dumbfounded and awe stricken.

Her latest obsession is with hair- my hair specifically. She will patiently braid my hair, play with them, and comb them. On a school day, she demands different hair styles for school and has gotten "better" at eating vegetables since I told her- it’s good for the hair. But to be clear, she still is a VERY slow eater.

Can I brag a little? She has started reading Harry Potter- I am not sure she comprehends it all, but has started reading it with ease now! She was Dorothy in her school production of "Wizard of Oz". From the shy kid to her commanding the stage is so amazing.

Oh man, remember head strong, oh well, she is a cute head strong. She knows exactly what she wants and will bat her eyelids, throw in an extra hug and get her way and you won't know what hit you! Ohh- and she can bike now WITHOUT Training wheels

Little Lady

Summer is here now in Chicago and we have sort of compressed them- We have hit the beach, plucked strawberries, drenched in crown fountain, biked Lake Shore, shared picnic in the park and even BBQ'd!

Half year mark has been wonderful and I am excited for the next 6 months of these little wonders until I start the Birthday Planning Cycles.

I heard at a comedy show recently: "The only person who you can love unconditionally is your children" and that is so true.... no matter how annoying, messy, clumsy these girls get. To me, they are MY perfect little ladies!

Chicago Summer

Tradition.. just because

At the doctor's for the kids annual exams, I have a tradition, the girls dress up in the 'Paper Dresses' and I snap pictures of them.
Since 2014, so I can call it an annual tradition right?

Look at those faces, aren't they adorable. The nurse walks in just as I was coercing them to 'smile naturally' for this amazing tradition and the nurse chuckles and asks- Why?
I respond, I love the story of 'The Paper Bag Princess' and ever since I read that story, I do this... It's like an ode to the book written in 1981. They did know the reality even then!!
If you have not read it, please do.

What is a silly tradition that you have in your family? just because!

On a side note, Here is my Little Lady's new installment on 'Kids Say the Darnest Things'
Evening time, while the kids sip on their milk and argue about the silliest thing, this conversation ensues

Little Lady: " Did didi (Miss Chatterbox) grow up in your tummy?"
Me, the smart mom: "Yes honey, she did"
Little Lady: " Did I grow up in your tummy?"
Me, the smart mom: "Yes honey, you did too"
Little Lady: "Oh that means we both met each other in your tummy and have been friends since
Me, the smart mom: "Uh well, not exactly since you both were in my tummy 5 years apart"
Little Lady: "But we both were in your tummy and I know her since then! I remember!!. We used to fight even then"
Me, the confused mom: "uh- okay"

And then as always, laughter ensues!! "She remembers the fighting!! Is this her justification, man... I am creeped out. I think.

They did this....

I come home from work... and see this!!!!

The Little Lady wanted her face painted, the Chatterbox wanted to be creative and hence they were a perfect match!
I climb our stairs and am greeted with this beautifully painted face and lots of chuckles and lots of giggles.

These two together are a riot, a menace and the most adorable pair of sisters who can spend hours playing, fighting, troubling and uniting against me!

Touch wood, Siblings truly are friends for life

The half year mark...

We are roughly in the middle of the year and with both my girls being winter babies, its only apt that I write a simple homage of the half year it has been with these little angels or devils... or creatures who keep our lives filled with laughter, fun and definitely some angry tears!

Little Lady:

She is working hard to overtake her sister's title of 'Chatter box' and we love it.... she definitely has the most singy songy voice and the batting of her eyelids with that voice... she does get away with a lot more... a lot more!

She is chatty, definitely has made strides of progress in being 'less shy'. From the girl who played on her own for hours is now her gathering up her friends in the park and chasing butterflies. It's wonderful to see her blossom. 

She is being assertive and negotiating way more for every single thing. But the batting of eyelids has my heart in a mush consistently. 

She is gotten progressively annoying when it comes to food. She will still eat everything we give her, however sloth can eat faster than her. She is chatting more and eating less at meal time. 

The coolest part of her newest passion is reading, she will sit with her early reader books and make attempts. She will sit with her writing books and has moved on from scribbles to coherent writing. 

She is my musical kid, will skip instead of walking and can sing and sing and sing some more... simply to annoy her room mate, her love of her life, Didi aka Miss V aka Miss Chatterbox

Miss Chatterbox: 

This year was quiet a formative year for her, there was a lot of tween drama in her class, some crushes, some teasing, some girl gossips and definitely a lot of 'Mom, I am not a baby anymore' 

One word that best describes Miss Chatterbox, she is Strong. She is in very good control of her emotions and mature way beyond her years. She does not like to being vulnerable or cry and will really put on a brave face. 

And I really have to look in her eyes truly understand how she feels, she is sensitive and the strong face does not fool me. 

I love my long conversations with her about anything and everything. I love her complimenting/ dissecting my wardrobe. I thoroughly enjoy watching her with the soccer ball. 

Admist all this, She is definitely working on my patience by being more defiant and  more 'annoying' in the tween kind of way: Rolling of the eyes, some back answering and definitely being a little disrespectful. 

How am I dealing with this? You ask, I am not. It currently reverberates between yelling at her, to giving her silent treatment to more often than not 'What is going on man'

I guess deep down I do know the answer, nothing. So I need to figure out a way to learn with her and be the mature one in the relationship. 

But both these girls have one thing in common, their total dedication to each other. Where Little Lady will save an extra candy for her sister, the older one Miss V will hug her and calm her when Little Lady is sad. They fight, they annoy each other but they are each other's  biggest confidante right now. 

I will say this for the record: Currently, the older one is the tattle tale right now and the little one defensive of the other. I honestly thought at ages 9 and 4, it would be the other way around. 

Oh well, there is no 'guidebook to bringing up siblings 5 years apart' So, I will learn on the job!

My babies...or not such little babies anymore!

Keep it Simple Silly!

This past weekend weather wise was gloomy, rainy and a little cold. Well its Chicago in Spring time :-)
All right, no weather comments, our winter was really good this year.

But in this weekend in midst of meeting friends, celebrating our friend's kids milestone birthday's by Sunday evening we were all 'spent', not tired but just really needed a relaxed evening in.

Sisters, Friends for life!

So what did we do? Really nothing but still a lot!

Both the girls received long oil massages a la moi, followed by their long baths. And then the sisters unwind-ed with a board game while I sat with them and hand fed them- by choice.

The girls are now 9 and 4 and really self sufficient (the 4 year old does get fed her last few bites at mealtime), but it felt really good- Just to feed them with no time crunch.

From a while ago, remembering their baby zone

The little angels are growing up and there is only I realize as they get older, the time for cuddling and 'I Love you's' will reduce.... and so this Sunday evening, they played, while I hand fed them their favorite meals and time stood still for me to get amazed and just enjoy them be in their normal zone!

From even more 'long time ago'

Keeping is simple, really simple!

Life gives you onion... you make Onion Rings!

When its crazy cold and you really don’t want to go outside for anything... what do you do

Option 1: Sulk and complain of how cold it is

Option 2: Make Onion Rings!

This weekend, one of those Chi-beria days, we got together as a family to make Onion Rings from scratch.

'Why onion rings' you ask.... well, Miss V, my chatterbox, her birthday is around the corner and she has a 'List of things to celebrate' and onion rings was one of them.

Secondly, I really didn’t want to 'Sulk' one more time! So this was a perfect family activity to do!

Now, finding an egg-less/ beer free recipe which was workable by kids was tough... so I googled, combined 3 recipes to make our onion rings which came off AMAZING

To make life simple for you.. and for me to be able to find my own recipe, here is the recipe that kids can make with you.

Ingredients

A Chi-beria kind of day.. is not necessary to make these

1. Large White Onions: 2: Cut into 1/2 inch slices/ Rings

Recommendation: To avoid 'crying' while cutting onion, after peeling the onion, wash them in cold water. It helps reduce the tears

Dry Coating

1 cup Besan (Chickpea flour)

1/2 tsp salt

Wet Coating

2 cup besan (Chickpea flour)

Salt - per taste

2 tsp Oregano

2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

2 cloves garlic (Finely chopped)

Milk- you will have to add to get the right consistency (~ 1.5 cup)

2 tsp baking soda

Top Coating

2 cups Panko Breadcrumbs

You could use any other type of bread crumbs as well, I used Panko since I love the crispiness on frying that it offers

Oil for frying

Garnish: Sea Salt or Chaat Masala

Kids Edition Process

I followed this recipe with the kids, so it created a bigger mess... but in my mind, no mess, no memories!!

We set up a manufacturing line on the kitchen platform

1. First kid dry coats all onions,

2. Second kid dips the coated onion ring in the wet batter

3. The first kids comes back to dip the battered onion in panko

4. Mommy happily fries the onion rings

5. Daddy happily sprinkles with the chaat masala and prepares for a movie evening while we all gobble up the onion rings together!

Detailed Process

1. In a mixing bowl, mix the dry coating ingredients: besan and salt

2. Coat the sliced onions with the flour and place the onions on a tray

3. Except the baking soda, mix all the wet coating ingredients in another mixing bowl

4. Add milk slowly, the consistency of the wet ingredients should be a little thinner than pancake batter

5. Now add the baking soda and mix

6. Dip the flour coated onion in the batter and place on a tray

7. Now dip this battered onion ring in the plate of panko

8. Coat evenly and then fry

Recommendation: Fry on medium flame so the onion ring cooks more evenly. You will have to turn the onion ring at least twice to fry from both sides

9. Sprinkle with sea salt/ Chaat Masala and enjoy!

Sp yes, when life gives you Onions... you make Onion Rings!

2016: Wishing you a Happy Balanced Year Ahead

Of course it started with our crazy (bad) flight experience coming back from India via Turkish Airlines, getting stranded with the two girls on foreign soil in winter for 4 days is no fun for anyone!

That debacle aside, I was a bit nervous getting into this year..... I still believe what you do on the New Years Day(s) sets a pace for the rest of the year... and this was not a good pace.

For once, I was the one who asked Sumit, no fancy travelling this year, I really was shaken up!

But the year went off really well and kept improving.

 

The girls are growing to be very fine young women now... if I can say so myself. 

Little Lady (Now 4) is charming and is filled with sillyjokes and fun anecdotes. Her highlight is always skipping around the house. She is one 'Happy Soul' 

The Miss Chatterbox (Almost 9) is getting more mature, testing our boundaries a little but still her passion for learning is infections! She is now hooked to Harry Potter Series and is finishing up Book 4. She is definitely wise beyond her years

Sumit and I professionally have had a change of pace all in the right direction. It's gotten busier for us, more challenging and above all more satisfying for both of us. Which is always a really good thing.

A few key highlights, a WONDERFUL relaxing Spring Break trip to Florida and meeting cousins in Everglades. The kids enjoying their summer in India while we traveled up here- Yosemite, Montreal, Quebec and Pittsburgh. All this with a life altering trip to the wonderful 'Leh and Laddakh'. The serenity of that place still mesmerizes me. There were a few more quick getaways from the city, but all in all a nice pace of travel.

We are finishing off the year to a lovely road trip: Chicago-St. Louis-Memphis- New Orleans-Nashville-Chicago

What do I say, travelling and trips are more for memories and really spending time with the family to enjoy, relax and learn something new

This year health wise and 'Getting Fit' has been better than last 2 years for sure. I went for my annual check up and even my doctor commented, am glad you ending this year strong!

Life has been good to us in general, we have parents who dote us and inspire us even today. We have kids who remind us that tomorrow will be even more beautiful. We have each other giving support, holding when we fall and laughing as we go along. We have wonderful friends who are there for us when we need them and are there for us even when we dont know we need a shoulder. We are blessed and happy!

2016 was definitely a better balanced year, what I learned is a Power of No.

If you really think that place is not letting you achieve your potential, say NO and have the courage to walk out.

If you really think that relationship is getting heavier, then say NO and maintain the peace for yourself.

If you really think your family needs something else, then say NO and do what makes the core happy.

To a more balanced year ahead!

Wishing you and your Family a very Happy New Year

Little Lady is 4!

Little Lady,

You are Four now... yes, its your birthday, Finally!

I asked you what you wanted to do for your birthday and here is your complete list
1. Go to Skinner park and have a picnic
2. Get 4 cards: Flamingo, Cat, Princess and Queen drawings on them.
3. You want Paav-Bhaaji for lunch
4. Lots of candies and chocolates
5. A cake with more M&M's and choolates
6. Meet the friends and family




That's it.
AND I love your list and I promise we will do EVERY single one of them and then just a little bit more!
Well except the going to the park, being outside in negative 15 F. is no fun for anyone!


The best word to describe you is 'Firecracker'
Reason: You enter the room and it is filled with your firecracker jokes, your vivacious personality and the 'batting of eyelashes'

You leave us in Awe Little Lady
1. Awe of your charms
2. Awe of the crocodile tears that come and go really quickly
3. Awe of your non-stop chatter about 'Let me tell you something'
4. Awe of your tantrums for a chocolate
5. Awe of 'Lets do Writing Practice'
6. Awe of you trying to converse with us in Hindi, Spanish and 'Hinglish' as you call it.
7. Awe of your devotion to your older sister
and above all..
8. Awe of just you!


Little Lady, you are four today I write you this letter of four things that I want you to know my lovely little angel.

Little Lady,

1. Be strong and be kind.
2. Have an opinion but be open to learning and listening to the other's point of view.
3. See the world through the Rose Tinted Glasses, there will always be ups and down's but seeing the silver line makes it always worth it!
4, Know yourself and if you do, then others opinion of you really does not matter.

Lots of Love'
Mummy

Co-incidence or Sisterly Bond!

How does this even happen.. two sisters come to the same location at least 7 years apart...And they both do the exact same thing..

Drink water from the fountain at Chicago Botanical Garden with the same level of excitement and naughtiness in their eyes!

I am reading too much into it, I know. I get that kids love open spaces, water and all water related activities.

Chances there were loads of other kids who must have drank water from that water fountain in the Rose Garden, Yeah, I get that! But its still adorable to have very very similar pictures of the two sisters

Here is Miss V aka Chatterbox when she was 1.5 year old

Here is Miss S aka Little Lady (Budding chatterbox) at 3.5 year old

3.5 years of complete and utter joy

Ok, may be some tantrums, some stubbornness, some food pickiness, but with Little Lady, now a

little over 3.5 years of age is complete and utter joy!!

Her name means the 'Peaceful One'!

0-1: That's what she was. Feed her and change her on time, and she is a happy girl.

1-2: The pattern pretty much continued, of course moving from Nanny to Day Care was a bit tough on her, but besides that she pretty much was angelic.

2-3: Shy and reserved outside, but a riot in the house. This totally describer her toddler year.

3- Till Date: Complete and Utter Joy.

A quick update:

Head Strong and her go hand in hand. Once she makes up her mind, there is very slim chance of you changing it. Good Luck is all I can say.

She is now in the 'Why/Who/Where phase' Case in point: If she looks at my what's app contact-

she will ask who is this, why do they live there and ask a gazillion simple questions to keep you on toes.

Daring: There is no slide she won’t conquer, there are no steps that she won’t jump off, there is no adventure she will shy away from. She thoroughly enjoys swimming, but definitely not the class

Musical: Oh my, a lot of our family calls her 'Gud Ki Dali' implying A sugar Cube. And that is true, she is singy songy, melodious and definitely has an adorable sweet voice. Yeah, I should look at some singing lessons for her.

The one thing she is not excited about is challenges when it comes to reading/ writing.

Example: She knows to write 'A' really well so will stick to that and take a while before venturing to a new alphabet. Numbers, haha, good luck having her 'try to write' any other number except '1'. She is definitely not showing any signs of interest in reading as well. Oh well, she will be ready when she is!

Puzzles, Structures: Now this she can sit for a while and do it. She will keep attempting, ask for her but keep at it for a while. She is pretty good at entertaining herself while say: I am cooking/ working etc.

Language: I can go on and on writing about this, she is now fluent in Hindi and English and is ONLY conversing in Hindi with us and reminds us 'Hindi mein bolo' of course her 2 month trip to India with grandparents had a lot to do with that. She has a flair for languages, loves Spanish in school and is amazingly sweet about teaching me songs in it!

Phone & TV. My gosh, this is her true passion, remember point 1: Headstrong. She will argue and make any case possible as long as you cave in for TV/Ipad/Phone. Uff.

Sisterly Connection- They fight, there is no subtle way to put it. Yes my girls are 5 years apart and they fight! Not all the time, they will over  sharing a cookie, a pencil, an Ipad. Little Lady will go and pull Miss V’s hair just because. She follows her ‘didi’ like a shadow but will annoy her a lot as well

No write up about Little Lady is complete without describing her ‘Girly Choices’ She picks out my mom’s nail paints and had her ‘Naani’ change the nail paint color every single day for 2 months. She is all about dresses and couldn’t care less about pants. She will twirl with utter joy and loves to dress up in anything Indian.

Here is where V and Little Lady differ the most!!!

Coming back to 'Peaceful One' I am blessed with two young vivacious girls!

Both of them bring utter peace to my being. And Yes, Little Lady is hilarious, girly, witty,

shy outside the house and a riot inside.

I see her I smile, she has a tantrum, I find it cute, she has a meltdown I laugh!!  I know, bad parenting.. But she is a true utter joy!

I want to make sure I capture this sweet innocence and the person she is now!