Quick kifayati costumes for kids

Quite liked the sound of that.. heh heh.. I always had a thing for alliterations. When I was working I had to restrain myself all the time from overdoing it.

Anyway coming to the point... I found four sheets of black chart paper bought god knows when for god knows what and decided to have a bug bash for the kids. All I had in mind was a lady-bug and a bee. However, with the kids things never work out to plan. Naisha's friend V dropped in and picked the lady-bug 'costume'. Naisha chose to be the bee. Those took just about ten minutes each despite the kids' 'help'.

Hrit was left without a costume.. No we couldn't have two of the same thing. He "thinked" and "thinked" what he wanted to be. First he wanted to be a cockroach (yikes), then a stick insect, "because they are the longest in the world". He's right by the way. Then he wanted to be a 'cricketer' (mixed up the insect and the sport).

Finally he settled for a frog, "because frogs eat bees and lady bugs and are stronger" and being stronger than the girls is of course the ultimate ambition of his life. So a frog he was.

You know what's the best part?.. Give the kids a start and they can take the game much further than you ever thought. The girls ran around "sucking nectar from flowers" ... oops... 'flew' around. Hrit played the perfect spoil sport insisting that lady bugs couldn't really fly, that they weren't black with red spots but red with black spots. Sigh! I had no red paper, so I shushed him the best I could. Naisha's going to have trouble having freinds over if Hrit doesn't reform soon enough.

Then he hopped around with his tongue hung out threatening to "eat them both in a gulp". He showed off his 'flippers' and did a bit of swimming too.

Then my niece dropped in and we dug up some pink paper and did a butterfly for her... not as good as the others but fun nonetheless. She enjoyed decorating the wings and the glitter... girls! They're all the same.

All in all, a great day. How good the costumes were, remains debatable considering V's mom thought it was an armour she was wearing and couldn't fathom why a soldier was running around with her arms held out 'smelling' flowers... so there.

The orange season

This week's Thursday Challenge : ORANGE (Vegetables, Fruit, Flowers, Leaves, Clothing,...)

It's Diwali and orange is the colour of the season... marigolds, diyas, rangolis.

Isn't it one of the most cheerful colours ever? Our home is almost all orange this season as you can see in my last post ... orange sheets, orange clothes and loads of orange flowers.

What a Diwali it was

Caution: Long post alert.. this one's really long

Happy Diwali all you people. What a day. No matter how much I pre plan and prepare Diwali is always crazy and I find myself racing to keep up with the day. This, despite simplifying everything from cooking and cleaning to the puja. Wonder how my mum did it all... the massive cleaning, the lavish cooking, endless hunting for the perfect Ganesh Lakshmi, the scouting for that perfect kandil for the doorway, lining the entire driveway (and we had a loooong one) with candles, dressing up and finally the elaborate puja. I forgot to add that there would be guests dropping in all the while too.

The day began peacefully enough...
The kids fortunately were down playing almost all day leaving me to change sheets, cushion covers, table covers and set up flower arrangements undisturbed. The Husband was glued to his phone with his colleagues, ex and present, discussing Diwali auto sales. His exclamations would make you think he was Rahul Bajaj or Anand Mahindra with the profits flowing into his own personal account... the happiness he gets out of such conversations, My God! Strange na how when the kids leave you alone it's like 'Wow' but when The Husband leaves you alone it's like 'Grrrrrrrr'.

A clean and pretty house is so
rare and such a pleasure

By the time I reached the kitchen it was noon and The Husband had taken the kids firework shopping. They came back with Naisha in the middle of a hunger-driven tantrum demanding to be fed by 'Only Mama'. However, one monster story and they were both eating out of my hand, literally.

.. and then the kids took over

A short rest and it was back to making rangolis and getting set for the puja. A friend dropped by with a Diwali gift. The kids took it away to their room and managed to open not just the one meant for us but even the one she'd got for someone else. I discovered the earth never does open and up and swallow you no matter how desperately you pray. And so I apologised till I was blue in the face, offered them fresh wrapping paper which they graciously declined and then bid a hasty farewell. Whew!

WARNING: Don't come to our home with a gift not meant for us.. don't EVER come with one wrapped in pink and one in blue... apparently that's where the confusion started.

Note to Hrit and Naisha: When you're older and start to find your parents embarrassing.. remember what you put us through and bear with us.

While I got the rangoli ready Hrit managed to knock down and break the Ganesha idol we'd got for the puja and came within an inch of being whacked by the frustrated Husband who had been made to go and get it at the nth hour. That was not the end though. They fought over the rangolis, stepped into them, got colour over their new clothes..making Diwali look like Holi, and generally got in the way as much as they possibly could. They were on a roll.

Naisha, the brave

Finally we finished the puja and went down for the fireworks. Naisha turned out to be the hero of the moment. She jumped around lighting up chakris and anars without a shred of fear, first with The Husband's help and then on her own while I watched with my heart in my mouth. She so reminded me of Zoya from 'The Zoya Factor'. If you haven't read that book, you must. Hrit meanwhile stood back hugging me scared to even take up a phuljhadi. Since I am a legendary darpok when it comes to fireworks Naisha amazed me. The Husband called Hrit a darpok and got an earful from me. But then sensitivity is not his strong point.

Can you believe this?

That, ladies and gentlemen, was how my Diwali went. How was yours?

PS: Days before Diwali Hrit had been pestering me to make a '30' so that 'Goddess Lakshmi would come home'. It was just yesterday that I realised he meant an 'Om' :-D

Leftie, forever

It's been a magical week

Over this last week...

... the kids disappeared and returned after an hour happily brandishing gifts
... their fights got sorted before I could reach them
... the door opened as soon as the doorbell rang
... the phone got answered before I reached it huffing and puffing
... veggies, eggs and bread came home on their own
... the box of biscuits got refilled magically
... I came home after dropping the kids at their evening class to find tea brewing
... Hrit was taken care of mysteriously while I lazed in bed in the morning
... I exercised peacefully in the gym without either of the kids calling me up to complain about each other

That's the magic of having your dad over. Sigh! He's gone already

But what a wonderful week. 

... I jazzed off for a spot of shopping without bothering about the kids (who will stay with them, who will feed them, who will sort their unending fights).

.. I sprained my ankle and got fussed upon to my heart's content. He tied crepe bandage and made sure I rested my foot.

... We chatted endlessly

... We laughed together as we watched Chhoti si Baat

... We cribbed together as we watched Big Boss

Aren't dad's just great.

Writing on the wall

This is what happens when you have a budding artist in the family.

When I discovered her 'sketches' our conversation went like this...

Me: Naisha did you do this?
Naisha: No (studying my face closely and watching my expression)
Me: (Pretending to be impressed)
Naisha: You like it?
Me : Hmmmm...
Naisha: I did it.. sorry.. but it's nice na?

... and then followed a lengthy and extremely complicated explanation of what she'd tried to make.

When I go hoarse trying to stop them from writing on the wall my cousin says, "Why worry? Consider the convenience. When I need to jot down something in a hurry I too just find a place on the wall."

Can't beat them, join them.

Linking to this week's Thursday Challenge : WRITING & WRITING TOOLS (Pens, Pencils, Notebooks, Journals, Calligraphy, Graffiti,...)

Dad's on his way

Yay!! My dad's coming. There's plenty of excitement...

.. I kick started my Diwali cleaning with the kids' room, which doubles as the guest room, since they still sleep with us. Managed to dispose off a sack of their old toys and the room looks so spacious.

.. Naisha's been asking me.."May I ask Nanu what he's getting for us?" and then despite my, "NO" she goes ahead and asks him and then adds, "Get something for Hrit bhai also." even though all through the day they've been at each others' throats.

... when Hrit's friend called him to play he said very importantly.. I can't come I'm helping mama clean the room for nanu.
All he did was watch and get in the way.

.. he told the neighbour's daughter, "My nanu is coming tomorrow, don't come to my home and mess it up. I've helped mama clean it."

.. Wonder whether Hrit's excitement is because of Nanu or the 'boy doll' he's getting. Yes.. Hrit likes to play with dolls.. as long as they're boy dolls. 'Play' involves tossing it up in the air so it gets stuck on the fans/pelmets or mock fighting with it.

The kids started their three week Diwali holidays.. three weeks, isn't that crazy? I haven't been able to locate a Diwali camp to keep them occupied. God help me!

Editing to add: Did that post two days back and forgot to publish it. So well, Papa is here and life's great. He carried two box fulls of Mithai... which I have proceeded to demolish systematically, aided marginally by Hrit. I've rationalised my sweet orgy with the thought that I need to finish it all before The Husband gets back. He's travelling for a few days. He's diabetic, you see, and his sugar levels have been up over the past month. Loving wife that I am, I have to save his life even if I endanger mine hee hee. So what if I don't take Karva Chauth seriously, I do love The Husband. Must get that mithai finished.
The weightloss, needless to say, has suffered... 200gms up in a day. Thankfully the gentleman trainer got the weighing machine functional so at least I know where I stand.

Day four of the holidays and the kids are already beginning to drive me crazy. More on that in my next post.

Over the weekend

It's shaking, it's shaking.. Hrit's tooth is shaking... another right of passage... he's growing up. That was the highlight of the weekend. Needless to say he was thrilled while Naisha has been checking hers by the minute without much luck. For once Hrit beat her to it, which is fair considering she turned, sat up, walked and talked before him.

On the weight loss front...
I begged and begged and begged the trainers to get the weighing machine functional. One of them got fed up enough to say he'd fix it up by Monday. "Pukka?" asked I, "Yes", said the poor cornered man. "Promise?" said I, "Promise." said he. "Gentleman's promise?" said I. "Done" said he and made his escape while I bit back the "Fairy God promise?" hovering on my tongue. That's what comes of living with two kids.

Anyway.. as a result of the impending examination at the weighing scales I planned some extra bit of exercise over the weekend since I'd not been a good girl with my diet (as usual). I thought I'd go for a power walk on Saturday evening but I got stuck with the kids' homework. It wasn't much but they need a lot of persuasion.
Oh well.. I'll go at night, thought I. And it decided to rain complete with magnificent thunder and lightening bang at 9.

A determined me.. set the alarm for Sunday morning. I do surprise myself sometimes -- my Sunday morning sleep is completely, totally sacrosanct. However, much before the alarm rang Hrit woke me up with a, "Mama potty." Now my kids might not take my permission for anything else but for this one thing they ALWAYS, ALWAYS need permission. Naisha will run in from play jumping from foot to foot shouting urgently, "mama potty, mama potty" till I say "go go go run". It's been months since they've become independent in this department so it's a wholly pointless exercise. Can I possibly say No? Anyway "Go," I mumbled trying to get back to sleep. (All those who've been envious of my kids early sleeping... this is the price I pay). By the time the alarm rang Hrit was in no mood to let me go and Naisha was stirring too.

I had to content myself with a short walk along with the kids, which I must admit might not count on the weighing scales but was completely worth it. Hrit came along sporting his pirate mask over his glasses while Naisha tucked a flower in her ponytail and carried a Hannah Montana wallet... some sight that must have been. But once you're a mum... such things cease to matter.

Pune weather never disappoints and the mornings are unusually pleasant. Even though we dodged drains and potholes the breeze was cool and the perfume of Champa and Harshringar was still in the air. Naisha exclaimed at the carpet of flowers under trees yet undisturbed by traffic while Hrit picked fights with every dog we met along the way. Great fun.

The power walk was postponed to the evening. Then The Husband sat down to watch ZNMD and I really couldn't resist the temptation to join him even though I'd seen the film. Finally after 9 I got my walk done and now I'm set to climb onto that machine provided the trainer keeps his gentleman's promise.

Cards for the dad

This post is for Shruti's Artsy Craftsy October. I'm hoping it is just the first one.

Here are three cards the kids and I made for The Husband's birthday..

The first one is by Naisha... The drawing is her's. I cut it out and stuck it on handmade paper.. that makes the card look like a card.

THE FAMILY: I am taller than The Husband and Naisha has longer hair than me

Here's Hrit's. In case you were wondering.. that's an underwater scene -- the ocean full of water snakes and sharks.

And finally one made by three of us ... a neck-tie card. The idea came from here.  http://crafts.kaboose.com/neck-tie-card.html. There was much secrecy with Naisha asking The Husband his favourite colour and then his second favourite colour.. for the shirt and the tie. It had to be dark blue and light blue... Men, I tell you, have no imagination! So that's what our card turned out like.

I also found some pictures of rakhi cards that Naisha made.

The twins

This week's Thursday Challenge : "THANKFUL" (Things I am thankful for)

... smiles, hugs, happiness



Hrit Naisha.... three years back



Such moments are precious because they're so very rare.. specially these days. As they grow up they seem to fight with a venegeance ALL THE TIME.

Save my pizza

I need to launch a save my pizza drive because my weight loss programme seems to be slipping away. Just when I became consistent at the gym it decide to go for a face lift. They're making a spa. Who needs a spa for godsake? Give me simple machines any day.

One half of the gym has been broken down and is being reconstructed while we work out in the other half. There's cement everywhere. The changing rooms and wash rooms are not there at all. It's been a week now since the exercise room has been shutdown.. which means no aerobics, no abs, no yoga. More bad news .. no ACs, no fans. With this hot and humid weather, there are days I walk out of the gym only because I'm embarrassingly drenched... oh I sweat like a horse and the exercise just makes it worse.

I made my way so very reluctantly to the gym this Saturday only to find none of the cross trainers or the treadmills functional. Power Cut. Aaaaaarrrrrgh! No cardio then ... how long can one do weights?

However, the worst bit is that the weighing machine has been kept away. Checking my weight every day is my biggest motivator... no matter what the verdict. I HATE not knowing how much I weigh each day. It's been almost a week since I checked and that makes me feel like I'm fighting in the dark. I don't know how hard to exercise. I begged the trainer to please please plug in the machine and he had the nerve to say, "Madam do din mein weight nahin badhta." Really? I could do it in two hours.



Miss you..

I've been trying to figure out my weight on the age-old machine we have at home but it's no use. Here I am counting grams and this battered old thing thinks nothing of missing the mark by a few kgs.

Then there are the construction workers. It's kind of ironical to be struggling to lose weight (piled on through years of over-indulgence) while they're struggling for their daily survival. The women, specially, stare unabashedly, looking puzzled and amused. I bet they're thinking, "Come lift some buckets of cement instead of those silly dumbells." They make me feel self-conscious/guilty... certainly uncomfortable.

The walks are faltering too what with The Husband coming home late. Even though the kids crash by 9 I'm pacing around all dressed up waiting for him to get home so I can go for the walk. By the time he gets home I've lost steam.

That could well be Hrit and Naisha

I can feel that pizza slipping away.

Required urgently...

..a cricket coach for Hrit. Not because I've spotted unusual talent in my son but because he just might turn into a social pariah if he doesn't pick up the game... soon. These days he's taken to playing cricket (not bat-ball, mind you) with slightly older boys and girls.

In his mind he is this invincible cricket champ that no one can defeat. Unfortunately he's way lost about the rules of the game. The other day he took the crease. The bowler came running out and raised her hand to ball... "Stop stop stop," yelled Hrit. "That's not how you ball. If you throw the ball so high how will it come to the bat? You have to throw it lower, like this (meaning: underhand bowling)." He demonstrated.
When the girl protested he got angry. They reached some kind of an understanding because the game resumed and then again I heard the kids chanting "Cheater cheater, Hrit is a cheater."
Now I know that's just not true.. Hrit can be many things nasty, but cheater he's not.
What happened, I asked.
A tearfully upset Hrit explained.. "I was taking runs and he knocked off the wicket. That's not out na ma?  The ball didn't even touch the bat." According to him a catch is the only way to be out.
"You were out of the crease," said the bowler. "What's a crease?" shot back Hrit, puzzled.

You see the extent of the problem? I tried hard to explain with my limited knowledge, then decided to rope in The Husband. Cricket doesn't really interest me unless the cricketer is handsome or we're winning the world cup, not just playing, winning.

The Husband, quintessential lazy man that he is, said, "Don't worry I'll draw out the field on a piece of paper and explain it to him." So much for practical demonstration! It was time to use the 'tedhi ungli' so I put Hrit on the job. "Papa's a cricket champ. You must ask him to teach you," I told him. Once Hrit got the idea my job was done. Not only was he after The Husband's life I overheard him bragging to his friends too, "My father is the best 'batter' and 'baller' in the whole world."

Who can be immune to such flattery? And so come Sunday morning The Husband is off with the kids to get them a 'cricket kit' while I find some peace to blog. Cricket can't be ALL bad if it gives me some peace.