role reversal – WD#40

Wrote this post on Monday and it’s been chaos ever since. Down with something. Role reversal has a new meaning now. Anyway.

It was a long weekend in our household.

A week back I was talking to Dadda about how well Scooby and Uvi are doing in their various activities (I am a woman of small expectations…mostly). Dadda had this oh-I-am-missing-out-so-much-look. I grabbed the opportunity and suggested that he take a day off and participate in their activities for a day.

Typical Dadda-just too much work.

Atypical me – work will always be there. You will miss out on something more important.

This made the decision and our man took Friday off to participate in their activities. Must give a run down of the day…at the risk of a long post.

Mama makes lunch for Scooby gets her dressed while Dadda takes her to school.

Mama dresses Uvi in the meantime after his breakfast.

Dadda, Uvi and Mamma leave for Gymboree after Mamma loads the washers and the  dryers.

Dadda gawks at the gorgeous first time moms who had all the time to layer themselves with make-up in the absence of the second one (or is it the first one?), while Mamma tries to keep Dadda and the instructor focused.

Pick up the grocery on the way while Dadda does wine shopping. Mamma loads some more laundry on the way back.

Mamma cooks lunch and Uvi’s freezer food while Dadda makes his calls and insist he’s on leave.

Mamma collects swimming bag with the required paraphrenalia and dresses up Uvi, and empties the washing while Dadda makes a few more calls.

All leave for school to pick up Scooby. Mamma runs to get Scooby while Dadda and Uvi wait in the car.

Scooby is not so sure she wants to go swimming while Dadda is a spectator so she throws a fit and is pacified with a treat that Mamma remembered to keep.

Struggle back from swimming to cook food and some quiet time.

End of the day, “I am so tired”, says Dadda. A very pregnant pause…”Now I know what your day is like”.

Yipeeee! Mission accomplished!

mama is always right…

No more! I have lost my dominance and lost one of my kingdom’s.

Yesterday Scooby declared, “Mama you are wrong. My teacher is right.”

And I lost a beat. Seems to be happening all too frequently.

The point of contention was the right method to wear a skirt. For weeks now Scooby has been wearing THE orange lehenga as soon as she reaches home. This means shutting us all out of her room. Struggling with it and then crying her heart out and refusing help. So I suggested to her that she could wear it from the top instead of from the bottom.

In my suggestion I “could” have said that it was THE right way to wear skirts.

Yesterday she came back from school and declared, “Mama you are wrong. My teacher is right. Skirts have to be worn from bottom”.

Any amount of no “right way” argument is holding ground.

I have lost my cutie-pie to the larger world…sob, sob.

b’day parties-WD#39

Would b’day parties be counted as part of my weekend resolution? I wonder.

A very back-to-back-b’day-parties weekend. Scooby, obviously, had an awesome time over the weekend and so did mom/dad. No plans to make. Plans came with the invite.

It was interesting to see Scooby growing up socially. I guess her social intelligence is very keen. She is definitely bothered what she has to wear and how she should look but the best part was her conversation on what her friends said, wore, ate, played, etc. I liked that. I wonder when will it turn towards gossips!

On the way back from the second b’day party, Scooby declared that it was not a party but a “playdate” with a lot of children since “the room was in a mess”. And, “Dadda’s b’day party was a pretend b’day because his friends were not there. Next time we MUST have a proper party…also for Mama”.

Mama seems to be perpetual hind-sight!!!

lessons in parenting

…or was it in business! Not so sure.

Just read a fantastic post by Peter Bregman. It is supposed to be lessons for Managers drawn from Great Parents. My take on it is from a parenting perspective. He has put great parenting in a few bold essential points.

I just wish it could be possible i.e. great parenting. Bold points are definitely possible and everything seems to be essential.

On my part struggling to be an average parent. And hope to use the parenting lessons/experience as a “manager” some day in the near future.

Do read the above post!

 

autumn is over – WD #37 & 38

Today on my way back from pick-up I realised that autumn is over. The leaves are GONE! OK I am over-reacting!

Did not even notice it. A very busy and, in some ways, exciting life. Loads to do with the calender absolutely full. Activities with children, socially, nick-nacks to make, craft group, very active toddler and a hyper-active girly. But then that’s how I like it. Busy!

A couple of weeks back i had the good sense to capture Uvi in fall colours…

Anyway weekend resolution to keep-up. Must confess failing miserably. The highlight of month was a quiet lunch with Dadda in a Japanese restaurant while Uvi slept (at least most of the time) and Scooby attended to her social obligations.

One weekend of shopping for B’day parties and attending one.

And another weekend of leaving for one destination and ending up in another.

dinner table banter

“Scooby, will you have sunny-side up or down?”, Mama cheating the kids of a full dinner since Dadda is late from work.

“Mama. sunny-side down.” The question was asked but the answer ignored and the lady doesn’t care. She is almost dieing of hunger.

After some time, “Look Mama the yolk…”.

Mama runs to the Lady’s side and quickly nudges the yolk and, “Bahhh.”

“What happened gudda?”.

“I didn’t want it to come out. I just wanted to show.”

“Sorry baby”. Sincerely apologetic.

After a moment’s pause, ”Mama, only mama’s don’t get angry with childrens sometimes child can also get angry with Mama.”

By now Mama almost grovelling for forgiveness….

lonely fingers

…are not lonely any more!

Today morning Mom (i.e. my mom) wanted to know if Uvi has started walking.

I was glad to report, “not yet”.

Especially now that our lady refuses help of any sort. An offer for help is taken as an opinion on her competence/independence!

I am glad that he readily grabs at the offered finger and starts walking. In whatever direction. It is immaterial. It brings a ready smile to his face and his eyes start twinkling.

I have this weird sense of satisfaction walking at his pace and letting everything else be. Even Scooby acknowledges that if Uvi is holding Mama’s finger means everything else has to wait. “Dadda wait Uvi is walking”.

Just for the record, he sure is walking…his signature four steps.

legoland and a little bit of quiet-WD #35, 36

Anything for kids, I guess.

Last weekend, (not exactly- Sunday and Monday) we were at Legoland. When the temperature was almost sub-zero! I would have loved to curl up with a book and have endless bowls of hot soup, but that was not to be. We headed for Legoland because Scooby would enjoy it. This was postponed from the week before.

Anyway, am glad we did it!

Scooby was happy to meet her old friends

It was thoroughly enjoyable to see Scooby looking forward to rides and trying most of them, being curious about the mini-land and then trying her small lego blocks to do her own stuff.

Great trip!

This weekend has been quiet except meeting some new people and being part of a delicious pot-luck to celebrate Diwali.

And, Scooby shaking me out of my comfort zone.

“Mama growing up children don’t become just grown-ups. They become aeroplane drivers, ballerinas, piano players….”

Before she could finish…

“Scooby, Dadda is a consultant and Mama was also one before you were born and Mama will become one again when Uvi is a little older”

I-don’t-believe-you was written large on her face.

projects/tall orders – executed

Both the projects executed to the full satisfaction of the client.

Diwali on 22nd and book-character dress-up on 23rd.

The kids are awesome. I was proud to see the kids of last year blossoming into this great set of pre-ker’s (- I almost feel like a parent of nine other kids who came in from the nursery).

They had fun holding their own sparklers, choosing their tattoos and showing them off, listening to the story, doing the glitter craft and enjoying the Indian food (at least some of them). Mom and Scooby dressed Indian. Almost felt like a fancy dress. Could not remember when I had last worn a saree! Uvi was with the tages mutter having a good time with six other children.

Did not think of taking pictures. Shifts the focus from the job at hand. The teachers made a collage for the parents and sent them out to us.

The other part of the picture is about their field trip to the local pet-shop to buy fish for their class fish tank.

“Mama, it was nothing like how I had thought…it was different”

Our lady has started anticipating events and making mental movies. Talks a lot about HER “Power of Now”.

Character dress up was also great-to m’lady’s satisfaction.

She had chosen Lola from Charlie and Lola series of books. We had researched on the character and agreed upon a striped dress with white collar, cuffs and three buttons.And butterfly clips.

Power of participation – learning from this activity. No sooner had the request for applique fonts and alphabets gone to Dadda, he attacked his assignment with a vengeance and like an “artist”. And preened over his creation as if he had made the dress. What’s with men?

Must admit, he was GOOD at it!

job content of parenting???

What is expected? A HUGE question!

I was told deliver children and they will take care of growing up. I was also told parenting will make life more satisfying and happy.

I don’t see the above happening.

I am not happy and I am definitely not satisfied. After a weekend at Legoland and Diwali at home, our lady wants to participate in character dress up and talks about it the first thing the next morning. Tall order-Lola dress-up! So we run to the fabric shop in the middle of the town, after agreeing upon the costume, with no parking. So we park in one corner of the street and head for the other end. Another tall order-”don’t forget the big white buttons”.

With Diwali celebration at school tomorrow and the character dress-up day after, when am I to sew it???

Of-course burn the midnight oil making the dress and organising for Diwali and fret about it all not being perfect. When I would be more than happy doing my own thing…probably making Scooby’s long pending coat or read my book.

My life now and forever…like all moms of the world.