May Your Turkey Be Plump!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers! Posting a poem forwarded by a friend, as far as my knowledge goes it's anonymous.

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!


My daughter Anna is preparing the sweet corn for Thursday's dinner! And Mia was appalled to see the hundreds of "fresh young turkeys" packaged at Costco. I have given her a mom's viewpoint (we always have explanations for most stuff), but she is steadfast about banning cruelty to all living creatures. I have a tough job saving the cricket in the garage, the baby rabbits in my backyard......but am secretly proud that my eight year old has a kind and loving heart.

The Endless List

Some days I feel overwhelmed with pending chores. It helps to jot down the list as lately my memory has started playing tricks.

1. Schedule annual physicals for the kids; send the reports to the school nurse. Nursie will fry me otherwise.
2. Vaccination for the dogs.
3. Schedule recommended car maintenance
4. Car wash – my truck feels like a dumpster….Timmy peed on his way to the vet, Mia spilled coke, a month of paper accumulation…. The other day my husband was horrified when he boarded the truck.
5. Email friends who think I have forgotten them. I do remember you guys, but I am an exhausted mother of three lovable and spirited kids and two hyper doggies.
6. Call to say thanks for all the thoughtful gifts for my newborn. Mail thank you notes.
7. Buy a music book for my 8 year old. The next Yo Yo Ma. The drive is just 15mins.
8. Order winter jackets….the kids are shooting up too fast.
9. Start planning for the annual party.
10. Pick up some grocery……need a meal plan for dinner…
11. Due for a manicure and pedicure….. feels like I have trekked on the Sahara for a week.
12. Meeting the deadline at work.

Staying current on our chores is a massive chore in itself. How do we manage?.....Have we become machines or love slogging away? Or do we manage because of our love and commitment that comes with being a mom and wife?

Fall Evenings And Hot Chocolate By The Fireplace

It’s fall now, and temperatures in New York are steadily dropping though not too bad at the moment. We did have some sunshine in between but it seems the rain and dark cloudy skies have been here forever. The backyard looks all misty and dark in the rain through the glass windows in our kitchen.

Every Friday we try a different soup from a recipe book we bought at Barnes and Nobles, and last week it was Avocado with a touch of lemon and coconut water. Add hot bowl of pasta with shrimp to the menu…and we have some very happy faces around the kitchen table. I love this interaction at dinner... good food, conversation where the kids learn something every day and we get to know what is happening in their lives, and so many silly jokes and laughter.

Come November, and it’s a ritual for us to get the fireplace going; we love to cozy up in the den next to the crackling fire. Though I miss the baby days of my girls, with Nick, I am reliving those days all over again. Cuddling up with the baby in our den, the girls lounging next to us, the dogs all curled up, fuzzy throws, after dinner hot chocolate with marshmallows…. hmm how I adore the Friday and Saturday evenings of Fall!

That Swim Meet Will Happen Again

The birthday bashes my parents planned for me bordered on the extravaganza. Just days before one such party (and I was in the third grade then) I started running a high fever. In no time at all measles was confirmed.

The cake was given away, the prizes for the games stashed in the cupboard for next year; the birthday dress was stored for later use. Cancellation messages were sent out to friends and relatives.

I cried my heart out, as if my world had come to an end.

Anna is a good swimmer, she practices diligently. This week she was all set to take part in her first swim meet of the season. But her dream has been shelved for the moment. Poor Anna is down with a bout of flu and cough. This morning when I saw her staring pensively at the window, I knew what was going through her mind. A major case of bad luck bordering on devastation.

 But in retrospect it is nothing really. Wednesday will come and go, Anna will be feeling terrible all day, but there will be other swim meets in the future. In time she will learn that life is usually generous and gives more opportunities to make up for the lost chances.

The Sincere Worker

“Hey Anna & Mia, we are expecting guests in the evening. Let’s clean up the den.”

Mia flopping down on the rug, “I’m feeling sick Mamma.”

After a few seconds, peering at me from half closed eyes….. “Well, did it work?”

Doggy Talk On Weight And Starvation

Dr. A: Helllllo! how is our Timmy doing today?

(Timmy shivering silently.)

Me: Wonderful doctor, no complaints.

Dr. A: Good, is he ready for a couple of shots?

(aaaarrrr... a tiny moan from Timmy)

Dr. A: He's overweight Nina.... dogs his size should be around thirteen pounds and Timmy is seventeen.

Me: Doctor can I tell you something, please don't think I am a pshyco...... my dogs talk to me.....they bark in different tones and expect me to understand.... and I do. They ask for food.

(Dr. A pokES Timmy in the tummy......)


Dr. A: Nina that's normal. When I go home my cat and dog talk to me, they talk to me all the time. But control Timmy and Lucy's portions. Till date, and I have been a vet for a verrrrry long time, I have never seen a dog die of starvation.

You Did It & I Did Not

Mia: You did it.
Anna: No I didn’t.
Mia: Yes you did.
Anna: No I didn’t.

Mia: MAMMA, she read my diary....
Anna: OH MY GOSH! No I didn’t.
Mia: (wailing) YES YOU DID.
Anna: Well I found it open on your bed, but I didn’t read it. When did you have a fight with “Z”?
Mia: MAMMA, see, she did read it.
Anna: No, I was correcting the punctuation and spellings. You need to work on your grammar.
Mia: WHO CARES ABOUT SPELLINGS AND GRAMMAR….IT’S A DIARY.
Anna: Lots of people do. Writing must be neat and perfect even if you hate someone!!!!!

Mia: YOU READ MY DIARY.
Anna: No, I didn’t, just corrected some mistakes!!!!!!!!!! (sly smile)

Zipper Or The Killer-Flipper

To All the un-James-Bond-ian Moms:

Year: 2005
Setting: A Carnival, near our town.
Victim: Me, me, me, my kids, my daughter's friend and me.

Please don’t listen to your kids if they tell you that a ride is loads of fun. Use your judgment, and above all, don’t put a foot in unless you enjoy spending money just to be sick.

Mia was five years old, Anna nine. The ride I think was called the Zipper. (On retro, a more apt name would have been the Killer-Flipper.) A giant Ferris wheel like structure with multiple cages, for humans of course.

The guy monitoring the ride said that it was safe for Mia to go in, she was a tall child. And,  I, hail all stupidity, went in with her. There were no straps, just a bar to hold you in, and just as the zipper started moving, I realized that the bar was not enough to hold us. For a child, albeit a tall one, there is this chance of sliding out and bumping against the two ends of the metal cage.


The ride went first in a clockwise loop, and then anticlockwise. The individual cages were also turning at the same time, clockwise and anti-clockwise.....in a kind of "I will fling you out" motion. (The invisible monkeys were having a good laugh now at the sheer stupidity and suffering of the human race.) And the popcorn and ice-cream bought by an indulgent husband were madly churning inside me..... I  

Mia was too scared even to cry, just whispering that this was the end of everything. Anna and her friend were screaming for the ride to stop. But the operator was unable to hear us through the loud music or he thought that we were having the time of our lives. Finally my husband heard us and our ordeal came to an end.

Now you know who has the brains in our family.

Pasta as a standard!

Hey Mom.... aren't my arms like angelhair pasta?

Your Gramps has a bald patch!

I didn’t go up in smoke today. Just sizzled an then fizzled out.

 First I felt like chucking down the sink the perfect single fry sunny-side-up egg that I was preparing for my husband; or using his Armani ties as bows on Timmy and Lucy, my adorable pups.

Well, the vocation of a psycho wife is not my cuppa tea, and with a tight smile I calmly put a plate of eggs and toast before him.

I had a baby about four months back by C-section, have been trying to manage the household and a job (like most women), and striving to get my pre pregnancy looks back; and oh yes, losing a lot of hair. It is a sore point with me right now, even though my friends have been steadfast in assuring me that my hair looks just fine. Anyway, this morning I woke up and somehow fit into my skinny jeans and tee, which gave me a boost, tied my hair in a youthful pony, and sauntered into the kitchen with a beaming smile. The pups, curled under the table wagged their tails. The world felt good, the sunshine was just perfect.

My husband gave me a distracted smile, the poor dear, always worried about his business. I gently ran a finger by the side of his face and bent down to check the section he was reading in the morning paper. I love this morning closeness. Suddenly I found him peering into my hair and then an exclamation that I had a bald patch.

Me and bald patch?????? Look at you! Your bald patch reflects so much light that I feel this need for sunglasses, your brother has a bald patch, maybe even your granddad had one or your great great granddad ………….count all your sisters in .......somehow I kept my uncharitable thoughts to myself as I cooked the egg with a vengeance.

My husband looked at his breakfast plate and gave me a smile of content; eggs, toast, pancake and a slice of apple. He chewed on his bread oblivious to my anger, and without lifting his head said that he had arranged for us to go away for the weekend.
“You know how much I love you guys, pack a few things and let’s get away from NY for a few days. Oh, pack that red dress, it looks good on you.”


I fizzled out…. Need to stock up on vitamins….. spinach…. broccoli …..for hair growth, and get that packing done. Nothing beats the sunshine today! Why do women overreact?

And oh yes, I love bald patches on men ....sexy?..... distinguished?.... Whatever:)

Mending Alabaster!

Little Alabaster lost an eye this morning. It was a horrific sight to see the snow white lamb, the perfect cuddly pet lying on the ground, with a tiny black beady eye hanging from the socket. Timmy the culprit sat nearby, not a shred of remorse in his puppy eyes. He had sneaked into Mia’s room early in the morning and pulled Alabaster out from his basket on Mia's bed.

Alabaster is Mia’s favorite stuffed animal, and I braced myself for the oncoming hysterics. Sure enough, the crying started at 7:00 and by 8:00 I could no longer take in the choking sounds. Finally, I calmed her down with the promise that I would fix Alabaster in the evening. After leaving work I ran over to buy some beads from the local craft store. When I reached home Mia was standing at the door with an anxious look on her face.

Somehow it reminded me of the times when as a little girl I had stood at the front door waiting for my mom or dad to return home and fix my stuff. Every little thing would be mended or fixed with a warm hug and smile, and the thought brought a lump to my throat. I hurried in and started the surgery on Alabaster, with Mia standing by as the nurse!

For now I can fix things for my daughter and kiss away her problems and hurt. As the world slowly claims her, my baby will have to handle everything on her own, doing her own mending at every step.

I did nothing much for Mia today, just reasoned with her to forgive Timmy. Kids are smart, and in time she will realize that in hope lies our strength. And most things can be fixed at some time or the other; at least we have to hope so! The eye that I sewed back on, looks a little strange; but Mia is happy, she doesn't care about little imperfections.

Alabaster has returned to the basket in Mia's bedroom, as adored as before. Timmy will be grounded next year.

Rocks are not good presents

Found in Mia's first grade poetry journal:

Acrostic

Teacher is soooo nice
Erases stuff for you
A teacher always keeps her promise
Cheaters will get in troble
Hate when we have a subsitut

Everyone likes our teacher

Rocks are not a good presint.

Oh dear, did Mia try presenting her teacher...... a rock??

Picnic time & chuck the work!

I tore up my to-do-list this morning……. I even cancelled an annual check up.

Recently a close friend of mine, Pam, lost a friend to terminal illness. In her last few days, this lady told Pam that she regretted the times spent away from her family, all the times wasted on people, who would not bring any value or quality to life. The endless running around.

Summer vacation is about to end, even the weather outside is changing. The sunshine has become a lot mellow. At times like this, the kids are excited about going back to school but sad that the vacation is ending.

Mia made a jug of iced lemonade; she is always excited about a picnic. Anna cut some sandwiches, we had cucumber and turkey; there were fat slices of sponge cake, watermelon, and oh yes, two juicy bones for Timmy and Lucy!

We took the picnic lunch to our backyard, spread out a sheet in the shade of the trees, a couple of cushions, and just lazed about. Mia lay flat on her back looking at the leaves overhead. Anna was reading a book, the latest  on a family of vampires. (Thank god none lived around us!!) I just leaned on a cushion with the baby in my arms enjoying his soft chubbiness, trying to have meaningful conversation with him. Lucy and Timmy were stretched out nearby, yawning occasionally.

We did nothing much that afternoon, just enjoyed each others company. However I noticed  later that Mia did not talk about TV. She stayed close to me all evening, and my pre-teen Miss Anna wanted to help out with dinner. We huddled over cookbooks for sometime and came up with something nice, and set the table, just in time to welcome Mr. “R” with smiles and hugs.

Persistence pays off!

Hey Mia honey, come and give mamma a hug.

Do I have to? Why can't Anna give you a hug?

Mia....

Okay, okay……. Now can I watch television?

Mia, just two weeks are left of summer vacation. Do a little reading and then you can watch Sponge Bob. Somehow his laughter freaks me out.

Really?.....DAAAHAAHAAHAAHAA.......DAAAAAHAAHAAAHAAAHAA.....

Don’t you find him cute? Mom, they have a new episode on TV today, 7:00 p.m.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QRZMISgDJ0)

Stop it. Try to enjoy the summer honey, outdoor activities….. I will take you biking in the evening.

Well can I watch TV at 8:00 then?

Olympics are on sweetheart….. try to focus your energy into something positive. Look at the dedication of Michael Phelps. You know you can achieve your dreams if you work hard.

Hey mamma, I have a great idea, why don’t we watch one of your favorite movies, the one with Russell Crowe? You know, some mom and daughter time.

Mia, No TV, No Movies……….get it?

Sure mom, can I help you with any housework, take the dogs for a walk?....... give them a bath?...... Love you mom ……. So how about watching The Suite Life of Zack and Cody….just for half an hour? Please mom…. 


Okay…okay........ do whatever you have to, but just for an hour…
(Boy, these conversations tire me, I still have to do the laundry, bathe the baby, cook… )

------The End--------

Mom gets rewarded by a giant hug & the Sponge Bob laughter BAAAHAAAHAAAHAAAHAA.........

Dealing with back to school

Anna, can you please fix the cushions in the den?

ok, by the way, can we please go to the mall for some back to school outfits?

Sure, can you hand me the telephone honey?

Here, the Ed Hardy sneakers are really cool ….. No, I don’t want them …… Just…..

I know honey, maybe next year; you know how daddy is so strict about such things…… so many kids do not get a decent meal a day in this world. Your Nike sneakers are nice…. I hope you have practiced violin today.

Yea mom, and so I was saying….if we could go to the mall today….. Check out the Abercrombie store.

Not today baby, I have a lot of work to do, why don’t you guys clean your room.

Sure, like I was saying I love the Ed Hardy designs. Kim got some tees that were on sale at Denny’s. I think I will need some sweats. So, when are we going for back to school shopping?

Anna darling, give me a break honey……

Sure mom, no problem, O yes….. I also have to pick up some locker stuff from Staples. So when do you think we can go?



Darling, Daddy has already taken you to Staples.



ok..... Maybe on the way back we can take a look at Abercrom………..

How I hate to let go!

I am not one of those helicopter mom who hovers over her child all the time, but I do hate to let go, and I have to learn how.

During a Pocono vacation we were all set to go out for lunch at a stylish joint. I was dressed in a long cashmere coat and high boots, when Anna, then a 9 year old begged to go snow tubing. Just a look at the slippery slope, and I was prepared to follow Anna to the end of the world. 


Slipping and sliding all the way in my four inch high boots, I clung to the tire as we were hauled up. A foolish smile on my face hid the mortal terror I felt at the knowledge that any misstep with the fancy boots may result in my rolling down the hill.

Anna gave a cheery wave, jumped on the tube and zoomed down the hill, while I clung on to the tube for dear life. My butt was stuck in the middle and my legs were up in the air, and I had a horrible grimace on my face. All the way down I was thinking that sometimes it’s a good idea to let go of your kids; great time for them to have fun in the snow and cold, while you snuggle up to your husband in the car. And the cashmere coat, the stylish boots remain undamaged!

Being a mom on difficult afternoons

Being a mom to three kids and two dogs ain't easy. Lucy Lou and Timmy Too may be dogs to other people, but for me, they are my adopted kids. Most of the time I love being a mom, other times I just try to believe that I love it! Nick is the baby of the family. And at two months, the most well behaved of the lot!

Well, he has his moments; this afternoon he gurgled milk and coughed it up. Then with a huge baby smile he started cooing and blabbering, all of which I had to make sense of. Yes, the milk should have been ice-cream flavored!

The afternoon was a sweltering one. The AC did not help; the girls were in a holiday mood, unwilling to do math and reading. Anna was doing a soprano and Mia was having fits listening to it. But being a responsible mom, I did not give up! Time was well spent in making Mia and Anna write sentences. One of the words given was “exaggeration”. Trying to hide a smile I asked the girls if they were enjoying the study time, and they chorused that they loved it, Mia adding under her breath “….. And that is an exaggeration!!!”

Lucy and Timmy did not make things easy either. Lucy barks in different staccatos and gets upset if I take too long to understand her. She distracted us during the spelling session. Timmy chased his tail and ran madly through the house, ending in a yoga pose on his belly with all legs outstretched. Later they took a sudden fancy to chew each others ears which ended in a noisy fight, but as usual both parties emerged unhurt. Small mercies!

For a moment I closed my eyes and wished for a hammock in a secluded beach in the Caribbean, just listening to the soothing sound of waves. 



Well, a house is for kids and noisy dogs. Would I want a house that is peaceful and quiet all the time? - or a beach all to myself and just the sound of waves unceasingly crashing on the shore? No way, I love being a mom, even on difficult afternoons.

1...2...3... Instant Chickpeas!

The smoky scent of roti on a cold winter night reminds me of our kitchen in India. As the roti delicately puffed up on the brick oven, I would forgo the niceties of the dining table and squat on the floor next to the glowing coal fire. Maa would serve the roti with a steaming bowl of chicken curry, reminiscing about her childhood.



Food is a delicious way to connect with the family and stock up on warm cozy memories.

My eight and twelve year olds love to cook. During summer vacation, we try to put in few hours of cooking every week. Anna came up with the idea of a book of “Mamma’s Recipes” which would be handed down through generations, with naturally a preface by the great lady herself! Initially I was not so optimistic; I mean I am no Cordon Bleau, or even a Rachel Ray, not anything close to their high standards, but Anna and Pia’s animated and hopeful faces tugged at my heart.


We had a composition book, a can of chick peas and I was all ready to hand down some glorious recipes to posterity! The preface went as follows:

“Hello Girls and grandchildren, and great great grandchildren to come,
I learnt to cook after marriage. In my mom-in-law’s house. On being asked to cook a special dish I would sneak over to my closet, take out a cookbook and try the recipe. Most of the time though, it turned out to be… something very un-Rachel Ray! However, I want my girls to be smart, sophisticated, and ready for everything in life. The ability to cook yummy stuff easily will make you confident. It will not only give you satisfaction but will bring happiness to the palates of others.
So let us start today,
Lot’s of love,
Mamma
2007”

The recipe for “1…2…3… Instant Chickpeas”, for busy moms & kids (under supervision)

Ingredients:
1 large can of chick peas
1 tsp. of garlic paste/ powder
1 tsp. of ginger paste/ powder
1 Tbs. of olive oil
1 Tbs. of tomato ketchup/tomato paste
1 cup of water
1 tsp. of fresh ground black pepper
(Optional: coriander leaves)
Salt (to taste)

Directions:
Drain the can of chickpeas and rinse them out.
Heat the olive oil on medium heat and stir in the garlic and ginger paste for 15 seconds. (Be careful if it’s garlic or ginger powder. Stir only for a few seconds).
Pour in chickpeas, add tomato ketchup, black pepper, salt and stir.
Pour in water after 6-7 minutes. Let it simmer.
Turn off the stove after another 10 minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Enjoy!

Email to Anna: Memories

(I try to give a bit of myself to my kids every day & I send them occasional emails with details of my life they are unaware of. 


Actually it had started this way.....On an impulse I had sent a short letter to my nine year old and was pleasantly surprised when she said that she had enjoyed and saved it too! )

Hi Anna,

I grew up in a small town in India, the landscape defined by a river flanked by grey mountains, and miles of rolling fields.

The Europeans used to live here before and after the Indian independence, and they largely contributed in making this town so picturesque. The red roofed neat bungalows, the white apartment complexes, the wide tree lined streets, the clean sidewalks, the green parks..... I always carry the images with me.

Parts of our town was fenced off from the surrounding areas and villages  and the other parts with an invisible fence – our minds! The residents had a border rule; they mostly interacted among themselves and knew each other by names, as if we were part of an extended family. They came from all over India but made this little town their home till they retired. Then they either settled in a neighboring city or returned to the places they originally came from. Our entertainment and friends were all within this small world, the outside came into our lives when we went to a theater or the mall or on vacations.

The children traveled to distant schools by bus, the girls went to Loreto Convent (we celebrated the school centenary in 1977!), the boys to Saint Patrick and Saint Vincent. At school too we were cocooned from all the harsher elements of life, studied with the same folks from kindergarten through high school, mostly from similar backgrounds. And we had a lot of fun growing up. Usually after high school the youth moved to the cities in pursuit of higher education, ready for a new life but keeping this small town in their hearts.


 Even now, after years abroad or in different parts of India we try to retain a connection to our town by sharing memories or meeting up with old friends. 



Someday soon I have to take you to Loreto Convent for a visit, let's plan.

Bye for now,

Love,

Mamma
(Summer 2005)



Dear Anna,

Loved visiting your class today. You answered well, I'm so proud of you. You remind me of my school days and what fun we used to have.

In tenth grade our bio teacher was a Ms. Durairaj, a wonderful person really but very strict. We were rather scared of her! In one of her classes, Nivvy and I forgot to bring some instruments for dissection, and were asked to leave. Both of us were prefects. Nivvy was the head girl and I was the Tagore/ Blue house captain. We stood outside the class looking rather foolish, totally humiliated, while the 6th, 7th and 8th graders were passing by with knowing smiles! So we decided to do some walking around the school, pretending to monitor the junior classes. We were pretty sure that Ms. Durairaj would not open the door to check on us. But then who should we meet but our headmistress, doing her rounds. She guessed what we were up to, but fortunately had a soft corner for us and just passed by with a mild warning!

So you see, your mom was bit of a scamp too!

Love and hugs,
Mamma
( Fall 2005)

Email Continued: Bonding with your Child

Year 2005



Hi Anna,



A little more of my life in India. We had a small library in our town with a nice book collection. It was nestled in a bungalow and had a reading room near the entrance. Twice a week I would walk to the library to get books because I loved to read just like you. Often we would meet friends and linger, but your grandpa's rule was to be back in the house before the street lights turned on.



The children of this small township would display a hand-written magazine called "The Brook" (named after a poem by Lord Tennyson), in the library every month. Our writings - poems, stories, jokes, paintings and an editorial were written on a large sheet of poster paper, and hung in the reading room of the Library. The boys and girls took turns in publishing the magazine.



One issue of the magazine however created a rift between us. Well, the girls had described a few of the boys in a poem without naming them, as though they were very naughty puppies. But the boys were furious and stopped speaking to us. In the next issue of the magazine they wrote a poem titled "Little Minds That Think Little Thoughts", aimed at us! Silly stuff, but it took a while to patch things up.



So things that you feel are funny might not always be so! And with friends, misunderstandings happen. But everything works out in the end. Got to rush now, Lucy is due for a shot at the vets. Love you always, more than the star, the sky and the sun!!!!



Mamma

Letter to the first grade teacher, 2007

Sept 2007

Hi Ms. X,

It is easy for a naturally partial mother to describe her child, but yes Mia has her moments, though the good ones far outweigh the naughty.

Mia loves to watch TV, and since TV time is restricted to Fridays and Saturdays, we have to live through tears and theatrics before the sunny smile comes. “The Cheetah Girls” scare me! Are they good influence ??

Also, did I do the same things like posing in front of the mirror or raiding mom’s makeup box or dripping my nail with garish nail polish? Well, the love of Mia’s life is fashion in general. All my lipsticks land up in her closet and I face occasional rebellions when I do her hair in the morning. But a little praise or a tickle in her tummy eases my life.

She is a strong individual. Even her ten-year-old sister finds it hard to boss her unless a bit of blackmail is used! I had asked Mia why she was unwilling to use her given Indian name in class (it means “unique/ unparallel”), and she replied that though she loved her name she was sick of the incorrect pronunciation. She has opinions and views which occasionally tend to upset us!

This summer she learnt how to cycle all on her own. It goes for swimming too. Since school started she has been waking me up and practically the whole family at 5:30 a.m. every day!

Kindergarten was difficult for Mia. However on Mrs. Y’s recommendation we have worked with her during the vacation, to boost her level of studies and confidence. On the first day of school Mia asked her daddy if she would be able to keep up with the work in class. And then with a very knowledgeable look she said “life is not easy for a little kid”! She has a diary where she scribbles stuff; mostly about how much she loves an imaginary puppy and us.

She had a bit of an identity crisis in kindergarten, and for some months wanted me to be a blond haired-blue eyed mom! Some heart to heart chats resolved the issue.

Since school started she tries to read books on her own.  enjoys the poems I One of her favorites is “The Owl and the Pussycat”. She is bilingual. Occasionally I read to her poems by R. Tagore (an Indian Nobel laureate), so that she is aware of our culture and literary works.

We are trying to wean her away from princess stories for which she has a big weakness, but dolls and Barbies are still favorites. Currently “High School Musical” is at the top of her list replacing Disney movies, though she still idolizes The Little Mermaid. In the evening she plays tennis with grandpa, I am still not sure if Sharapova’s skills or looks or her glittery black dress at the US Open has influenced her!

Unlike my other 5th grader Mia enjoys eating!! ….On the whole she has a sunny nature and enjoys playing with friends. She loves dogs and even a little bunny that chewed up my gladioli plants! She puts her heart in whatever she does, lots of emotion, exuberance and smiles; sorrow involves noisy tears!. I do not know how she is in class but at home she is becoming quite a little chatterbox. When I listen to some of the conversation between my two daughters I realize how much the world has changed since I was at school!!

With warm regards,

Nina