Summer Picnic 2013

Dear Vedant,

We had a lovely time during Summer picnic 2013 with Dad and my friends and their kids. We all met at Lake Elizabeth in Fremont on a lazy Saturday. We were the first ones to get there early to grab a spot. I had made cream cheese pinwheels. I spent a long time on Friday night, preparing them and making sure we don’t forget anything. We also took pao bhaji with us.

You were the only kid the spoke fluent hindi, which everyone is impressed by. However, you couldn’t interact with any other kid. I saw that you played cricket a little but then got left out of the crowd. You played with the sand toys on your own. You also didn’t want to share them. I had given an elmo fruit to Cathy ,but you snatched it from her, which made her cry. I made you apologize, which you did. However, that was not nice. I hope you stop doing this in the future. I have to work on this. Its my job. You did not want to to share the sand toys, you kept saying "Sand toys share nahin karna", "baby nahin dekhe" etc. I am finding it hard to explain to you about sharing. I think you get it, but you are petrified that someone is going to ask you to share your things. Anyhow, thats for another day.

You really bonded with Rosie and asked for Rosie didi the next day as well. Even when we were in Houston, you asked for Rosie didi. So cute! May be, having been around Arshia so much, you are more comfortable with a “didi”.

It was really nice to spend the day like this, being lazy in the park. At the end of the day, we went to a creek we found there and spent a lot of time, just jumping in the creek. I would have never entered the creek, but I did because of Nisha aunty. I am really glad I did. It was cool, natural and very relaxing.

Hope we enjoy many more such summer picnics my dear.

Being that it was really hot yesterday, we are all so tired today. Just lazing around the house. You are sleeping upstairs, on the mattress, not in the crib. I am hoping after you see Anurag, you will mot to the toddler bed and be happy in it.

Love,
Amma

Plain Sorry bolna he

Dear Vedant,

This was positively funny but yet something we are working on. I am training you to say “I am sorry” vs. just “Sorry” since I really want you to mean it when you say it. I don’t want you to just say the words without really feeling apologetic. I had read somewhere that appending the words “I am” makes a ton of difference. Anyway, you did some gadbad and I asked you to apologize. You said “Sorry”, and I insisted that you say “I am sorry”. You then told me, in a sobby tone “I am nahin bolna, plain bolna he”. 

It was hilarious! I had to bite my tongue to stop laughing! I don’t know how you came up with it. It comes from eating “plain” roti and chaval, but too cute the way you used the words.

Stay cute, but don’t get too smart little one. Lots of love cutie pie,

Amma

Too big. Yes. T.O.O Big.

Dear Vedant,

This is Amma officially logging a complaint. You are now too big. Who allowed this to happen? I feel pride many times when I see you do the right things, but at other times, I want to hold you real tight, not let you go. Chipkoo would be the right word actually :) And then, as soon as Papa comes back, you are gone! In a blink! Bahut pyaar aa raha he. Be a good boy.

My laddoo. My favourite laddoo. This conversation went like this.

Vedu: Mumma Vedu aapka kaun sa laddoo he?

Amma: Kaun sa Vedu?

Vedu: Favourite wala ... (big sheepish smile :))

Yes, you are my laddoo. my golu and molu.

Lots love, sleep tight,
Amma

Fascinated by the Escalator

Dear Vedant,

We went to the airport to drop Bua off recently and you saw the Escalators properly. You are really fascinated by them. Just before going to bed you said "doosra wala kharab tha. vedu ko escalator me jaana he." We went on the Escalator a few times just for fun, you loved it. you are not at all scared, while I always watch my step when I am about to get off :)

Love,
Amma

Play Date with Cara!

Dear Vedant,

We had a lovely play date with Cara, Miss Vu and Mr Robert at our place last Sunday. It was really nice to have them over, you were a good boy all the time too. We played the Sneaky Squirrel game and read a few books. Cara and you were not really able to speak to each other much given that you don't speak English much. You are more comfortable with Hindi. In a couple of years though you two will be able to hang out with each other. Btw, she is an angel. You were being a bit mean about sharing, she was such a darling. It was fun to see the difference in how you two were spinning the wheel. You gave it a nice whirl, she was so gentle with it. Boys will be boys I guess. :)

I made Dosas, aloo sabji, suji halwa and papa fixed Aunty's sambar. It was nice to have a meal together while the two of you played. Looking forward to many more play dates :) I will make sure you have the nicest play dates at our place. I will be the mom who brings yummy goodies and then disappears :) I will sneak in a look every now and then to make sure you are not up to any mischief :)

Lots of Love,

Amma

BTW: Miss Vu is amma's bestie. You be nice to her :)

Board Games Fun!

Dear Vedant,

Today we played our first board game. I am really happy about it. The game we played is called "Counting Chickens". I was so surprised by your ability to stay focused in the game. You did not lose attention, you were very excited to play it through the end. This is a co-operative game, we win/ lose together. I don't know if you got that part, but you followed my directions to a T. You turned the spin wheel nicely and moved the chicks home :)

Great times ahead! Have to get a picture.

Lots of Love,
Amma

P.S: This was important enough to make it to my Facebook post :)

Diwali Car se aayegi?

Dear Vedant,

This was so funny and cute! We were looking at the beautiful kurta sent by Bhavna Bhabhi for you. You wanted to wear it right away. I wanted to keep it new for Diwali. So I told you, "Jab Diwali aayegi, tab aap pehan lena.". You nodded, kinda agreed. We both kept the kurta back properly in the suitcase. Then, as we were coming downstairs you asked me, "Diwali car se aayegi?"!!!!!

It was hilarious! I need to buy the Diwali book that Viji pedamma has. It would be great to go to Gwalior so you can enjoy Diwali at home. We will see what happens as we get closer to the date.

Chalo, sleep tight chinu.
Love,
Amma

Talking to me before going to bed

Dear Vedant,

I am coming back to write this one down after a while but I do remember what happened. You were in your crib, this was when the crib was still in our room. So Didi was still in town. I had sung Elmo, twinkle stars etc to you. I was about to leave and you started talking to me. You said "Vedu light bhi nahin todega, door bhi nahin todega, drapes bhi nahin todega, kuchhh bhi nahin todega, good boy banega". Your eyes and hands went around the whole room and you said it with such a sweet voice.

Just something that brought a smile to my face.

Lots of love little one,
Amma

First Train Ride

Dear Vedant,

Your first train ride, well kinda first. The very first was when we hopped on the Airport shuttle juts for the fun of it when we went to drop of Dwarak peddanaina in Feb 2013. This time also we were headed to the airport, but we took the train from Mountain View to Milbrae. You were happy to be in the train. To my surprise, you were most curious about how the doors opened automatically and closed at each station. You were not that interested in the stations themselves or anything else inside the train :).

It was a good journey. You remembered the experience for a few days.
Lots of love,
Amma