Postcards from India-1

Why can't life be one long vacation?:)why can't everyday be this relaxing and lazy? Long sunny days, mom's home made yummies, chattering relatives, doting uncles and aunts, amusing entertaining cousins doing my bid anytime I call , Ina being carried around and leaving me free to put my feet up and dream away, Granny's pampering, mouth watering chaats, colorful musical ads on tv (I was starved to see the desi commercials that I surprised everyone by being so enthusiastic even during the breaks and jumping to see the ads) sleeping at will, shopping and travelling around...I better stop before I jinx myself,it's been absolutely fantastic. Apart from the funny incident of being a security threat with a baby at Paris and the sweltering heat I think I pretty much outdid myself so far:) Did you know that placing the baby on the reception counter at the airport after carrying her around for hours during the transit and to relieve weary arms and checking her bottom just to make sure there are no accidents could perhaps qualify you as a wannabe terror suspect? In walked a lady airport officer who I'm pretty sure has not had any remote contact with either moms or children in general looking concerned as to what was making me grope around a baby's bottom . I bet she had alarm bells ringing in her mind "Suspicious looking gestures being made by a south asian lady with a baby,checking baby's bottom probably checking for some wiring of electronic gadgets and ill intended" Next came "Can I have your boarding passes please" I was half amused and half flabbergasted that she even thought of such a possibility. Anyway out came the boarding passes along with hubby just out of the bathroom who ran and came wondering what the confusion was all about . "Where are you going" - Check, "From where are you coming" - Check, Passports-Check, slowly the demeanour of the lady who fancied she had stumbled on a potential threat softened and became apologetic along with an expression "Damn you lady, this is all clear,I just lost a promotion". I almost thought of extending an invitation to inspect the contents of the baby diaper if she was interested just to see her squirm. She however was already feeling sorry enough that she doubly offered to call those cute little cars to take us from one gate to another. So I did come close to having mine and Ina's pics splashed on to the front pages:)

I'm right now in God's own country Kerala for a few days. The sweltering heat however is threatening to cut the holiday short yet I'm determined to make that houseboat trip for once atleast. Wish me luck!I 'm having loads of fun,hope all of you folks are keeping good and having a good time too.

Blog break

Taking a vacation break folks. Off to lush green fields,congested traffic,wonderful home food,TLC, warm sunny climate, obnoxious yet amazing cousins, smothering aunts and uncles, to be spoilt rotten by my grandma, show off Ina, be with family,friends , walk down the memory lane, ride my bike around the old familiar blocks and gather some wonderful moments ,recharge my brain cells, relax and for once stretch my legs and get some royal treatment:) Will be back in a month. Take care my friends and have fun. I promise to be back with loads of pics and stories.

A party and a milestone

Ina on the prowl

Dad's brand new sleek mobile phone- 400$

One cup of Starbuck's coffee- 2.5$

A baby Gap Toddler shirt- 15$

Takeout from Greek palace- 20$

Hunting for your cell phone all around the house only to find it dunked into the cup of starbuck's and a toddler trying to wear a Gap shirt sitting on your Greek takeout- Priceless!

You know there's a toddler on prowl when :

- Finding your lost earring inside the DVD player solving the mystery why the DVD player conked out during the movie night

- A shrivelled doll inside the oven

- Pieces of cheese inside your purse

- Shredded pieces of kleenex inside your shoes

- Missing pair of socks found floating inside the toilet bowl

- Plastic baby spoons inside the pot of indoor plant

- Stale cookie bits wrapped in small piece of paper towl under the carpet

- Building block pieces found stuck inside the ac vents

Recently been gifted a pair of crayons (Gasp) So no prizes for guessing how colorful and artistic the walls are going to be soon!

From Fuzzyland and Ina's world have a wonderful weekend folks!Laugh a lot,share a hug,relax and rejuvenate,it's a beautiful weekend.

Hair today,gone tomorrow

After much postponement and contemplation it was time to admit that Ina needed something drastic done about her coiffure. Our amateur wielding of the scissors was not yielding the desired results and after having subjected her to variety of rat-gnawed-at-my-hair looks we kept giving her month after month we felt the poor kid needed a break. It was time for some professional touch to put her birds-attacked-my-hair look to an end. Much to the disagreement of the enthusiastic dad who thought he was being a pro at this art I was concerned if I left it in his hands I could see Ina 10 years down the lane disowning us after seeing her toddler pics and the horrors we inflicted on her hair. So I booked an appointment for her in one of those posh kiddie salons ,even though technically it wasn't her first haircut we were inspired to make this something memorable.

I took the effervescent smiling Ina to that jazzy place yesterday evening. True to its name it reminded me less of a salon and more like a playplace. It did make me wish why aren't even the normal adult hair salons made this colorful. As soon as we reached Ina was given a choice to choose her seat. She had an array of colorful cars,planes,bears and elephants to choose from. She was utterly confused and I really don't blame her,they all were so cool:) Then she chose the Mercedes car for her first rendezuous with professional scissors,I must say I was secretly impressed,my kid does have some impeccable taste! While the other kids were howering over the airplanes and race cars here she was choosing the higher brand. She happily perched herself over the car which even had a snazzy wheel and a cute horn. She flashed that happy smile but frowned as the cheerful lady approached her brandishing her scissors. The lady cooed a big hi to Ina and without warning she started spraying over her hair. Ina looked so surprised at this development and glowered her as if to say don't-mess-with-me-or-my-hair look . I got ready with the camera to capture the moment as all crazy parents tend to do but before I could,Ina gave out a cry of indignation and shook her little head refusing to give in. The more the hair dresser tried the more Ina fought. Soon the fight gave way to screaming and crying. She wailed looking at the cruel mommy to come rescue her from the horrible lady with scissors . I felt for a moment had I scarred her little soul and anymore all her nightmares would be filled with lady wielding scissors . But being the brave kid she is seeing the cruel mommy not responding and being an accomplice to the scissor lady she decided to take the matters in her own hands literally and raised the pitch of her cry to another decibel scaring the hair dresser to drop off her scissors to the ground(Atta girl!). Tears flowed down her cheeks wetting her colorful gown. So now it was time for the hair dressers to show their metal and soon a lady arrived with a colorful toy making squeaky noises and holding out a lollypop. Ina's eyes lit up and for a few moments she forgot what was happening with her hair and sucking that lollypop she concentrated on her new toy. But the novelty soon wore off and she threw the toy down and stuck the lollypop back into the ladies face with a thank-you-very-much but I-had-enough look and resumed crying. Thankfully by then the haircut was done but they wanted to blowdry her hair.

So I took her out of her mercedes and made her sit on my lap as told. As soon as the buzzing dryer came near her Ina angrily fought it back with all her might . It was a fight which took to the centrestage with all other kids and their moms concentrating on Ina with many of the moms giving me that sympathetic we-all-have-been-there look. Meanwhile the army of this kid salon had some more arsenal and out came a big bubble maker. Soon enough Ina was clapping and enjoying trying to pop out the bubbles. It was brilliant. She just sat through the whole thing the blowdry,the styling and finally the sparkling spray just mesmerized and completly lost in her world of "mammma..Baabbles" Finally she was ready looking all sparkly and shiny. Now was the time to get a snap but she vehemently refused her Mercedes hence I had to hold her(in the red shirt with her new bangs and sparkly hair).Oh yes ,along with the pic we got a certificate and a keepsake lock of hair and a big balloon for Ina to hold. Apart from the moment when I got pissed off with the hair dresser who kept calling Ina as "Dina" it was pretty nice experience. Even though we perhaps would still continue to trim her locks for sometime (atleast until she sees through our ploy and puts her foot down )except for special occasions or when we have to undo our pathetic exploits of her hair this actually is a fun thing to do. It was well worth 15$ I must say. Did I mention that to commemorate the event I had to buy a fine pair of shoes too?Who says mother daughter moments are no fun:)