Originals, Adaptations, Remix - All for Tulika Blogathon-4

Hi guys !!!

How have you all been?This blog is being revived from its dormant state, thanks to Tulika :)

I couldn't resist submitting an entry for Tulika's Blogathon-4

Our home resonates with several rhymes and songs in both English and Tamil, some very well known , some long forgotten and some new ones !

Apart from the common Tamil ones like

1. Kaakkaa kannukku mai kondaa

2. Annai Annai, Azhagar Annai

3. Nila, Nila, odi vaa

here are some others that are part of our daily routine

Dear Jillu,

A note of caution: This is a lengthy post and I have not made any effort to curb it! So go ahead only if you are game!

Kannamma, you are growing up so fast that it is totally unbelievable. Where have these past 2 1/4 years gone? Its gone by just like that before we could bat an eyelid.


You are acting so grown up these days,

Wanting to eat on your own and you do that as well, only its very messy and you got to learn the fine arts. But for now you are doing a great job and we are all proud of you. Ironically you don't want to eat dosa/chapathi by yrself. You want me to feed you that :)

A start of another wonderful year !!!

Jillu, you turned 2 yesterday :). Happy Birthday, sweet heart. I know, we have all told you nothing else but "Happy Birthday" for the whole of the long weekend that just passed away. And what a weekend it was!  Especially Sunday and Monday. But more about that later.

The year has gone by so fast. It seems as though it were only a few months before that we celebrated your first birthday, why the day I held you for the first time in my arms seems as though it was only yesterday and now the second year is also gone.  You have been such a wonderful delight to all of us. You have won all of our hearts over and all of our every waking moment is somehow or other filled of your thoughts. Your naughty smile, your mischievous look, your cheeky retorts (yeah, you have started that as well, recently), every single thing that you do amazes us and gives us so much pleasure. Now, I cannot even imagine how life was before you came in to my life.

You have turned my whole life upside down, made me weep with joy & anxiety. You have made me want to enjoy every moment of life, made me want to record all that you do. You gave life to this blog. You have made me look at myself hard and evaluate myself all over again. Now, everything I do or say, is looked at from your perspective first, for you learn and imitate all, the talking and the action,  from us directly. You have made me take the alternate path in life, taking care of you full time, for which I am looking forward to with much pleasure.

Though I still wish that time would stand still and we can all enjoy you the way you are now, a cherubic little sweet angel that you are, we still look forward to the future.Your every progress & mile stone is much celebrated and shared with your grand parents on a day to day basis.  No one conversation ends without speaking about you. You have made us all run behind you with a slightest twist of your little finger.

Life has indeed blessed us with you and I am grateful for it.

Happy Birthday da Kannaa (I am allowed to say this again for this is the "BIRTHDAY WEEK").

I Love You and God Bless You !

We all Love You :)

Transformation

Girl 1: A very simple girl, who cannot be quite called shy or reserved, just not the type to talk to strangers first and make friends. But once a friendship is made, it lasts forever. Not one to talk too much, but better at being a silent spectator and listening.

Girl 2: A very simple girl, but one who is known to talk to strangers first and make friends, if and when warranted. Once a friendship is made, it lasts forever. One who can both share things and listen as well.

The 1st girl is me 2 years back and the 2nd girl is again me, as I am right now. And what is the trigger for the change? Being a mother. I am unable to believe the transformation in myself. These days, I just don't hesitate to make the first move when it comes to gathering information for Saathvika. 2 years back, I would not have mailed people whom I did not know, would not have joined a public forum and also actively participated in it, would not have initiated talk/conversation  with an unknown person. Why, 2 years back, I was not blogging as well!

Now, I actively participate in a parent community, initiate talks with other parents (there is so much to share and learn - about kid's health, discipline, schooling etc), do not hesitate to approach other people, and in the course of time, have become pen friends with a couple of them.  My! I have come a long way and all because of Jillu. She brings such a joy to me and makes me swell with pride with whatever she does and invokes the "shout from the roof-top" kind of reaction for all that she does :) and I have never been a "shout from the roof-top" kind of person :)

Motherhood has brought about such a transformation in me. I know all of us change in some way or the other when we become parents. But, in my case, the change is significant. I have changed in the way I do things, view life altogether differently now. 

Would love to hear from others as well. What about you ? has being a mother or father changed the "core" you ?

Heaven

is

The sun descending on the crimson colored horizon leaving way to dusk and a starry moon filled night,

Soft, sweet, melodious, music emanating from the guitar strings resonating through the speakers,

Soft & fresh cushioned pillows on the bed and bed sheets being invitingly turned down,

Your cheeks being lovingly caressed by sweet lips in the name of goodnight kiss,

The cute little bundle of joy lying beside you face to face and embracing you,

And last, but not the least, small tiny fingers tightly curled trustingly around your thumb,for want of additional security in spite of the habitual right thumb sucking!

P.S : And I thank God for providing me this heaven as part of the bed time routine with my little bundle of joy day in and day out

Tick, Tock :Tick,Tock : Could you please stop ticking ?

Time and Tide waits for none !

If I am asked for one single wish to be granted today, I would wish for time to stand still until further notice :)

Yesterday evening outing with you was such fun and so poignant, Jillu. You looked so grown up and a big girl last evening even though you are only 21 months old!

I had made you wear full pants and full sleeve T-shirt yesterday (to avoid mosquito bites) as it was pretty late when we headed out for the near by park. And my, you looked so tall and to prove that fact, the pants were an inch or so short. You were able to stand in the front of my bike for the ride to the park, a 1/2 Km away. The way you sat in the swing (for whole 10 minutes) alone, holding on to the ropes on both sides while I pushed the swing reinforced that you have indeed grown. I still remember the times when you needed 2 people, one to hold you in the seat and the other to push the swing! And, we (My mom and I ) were so amazed when you climbed the couple of stairs alone without holding on to anything and entered the grocery store. You talk so much these days using words that we never knew you knew! You are so inquisitive and want to know everything!

And yet, at the same time, you are a baby still. You still need to grow up to play on the slides on your own. I helped you on the slides yesterday. You still continue to babble things like "Minima Minima", "Gaaya Baayaa Gukki" for which only you know the meaning. You cannot pronounce "f" still and say chone and choto. You still believe that "Kaakaa" or the crow is capable of taking things away from you. You are such a baby when you climb on top of me before your sleep time. You have got a long way to go, learn a lot and you are only a baby still.

But yesterday, the feeling of the ever passing time was much more significant and I just wanted (and still want) the time to stand still.  I am reminded of all these words like Maasum (Hindi), Sisu, Mazhalai, (Tamil), cherubic, innocence, etc when I think of babies and especially when I look at you. I am not in any hurry to see you growing up fast and losing all that innocence that is unique only to kids and babies.

There's so much more to tell you about how I feel but I can't describe or express everything. I never imagined motherhood would be like this! And whatever happens and how much ever you grow up, I think you will always be my baby and I love you so much!

Tick, Tock :Tick,Tock : Could you please stop ticking ?

I wish I could

sing ! I never felt the need for it before and did not regret having a rather not so trained or tuned voice. I always wanted to learn to play an instrument but not singing. But now after Jillu is born, I really feel the need. I want to sing to her properly, especially, when I put her to bed, I want to be able to sing all those nice thaalaatu (lullaby) songs. Now, I envy all those who can sing even moderately well, mmmm... sigh.. I have to make do with the cassettes and cds..