Chicken dance

Jr.'s first public performance, at the local community park.

She did the chicken dance!

Since I do not have permission from the other parents, don't want to post the video here. Here are some photographs of the chickens (Yeah, we got an extra hat for the little one).

Now daddy is doing the chicken dance, to amuse the kids at home!

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The little devil

What does it mean, when a married couple who have Tamizh and English as their default languages, are seen speaking in Hindi? This from a couple who were recently seen talking to each other in "Spell"!

If you do not know spell, here is an example.

Dad : Do I G-I-V-E her I-C-E C-R-E-A-M today ?
Mom : A L-I-T-T-L-E

or

Dad : have to G-O T-O O-F-F-I-C-E soon etc.

There are two reasons..

1. Jr. has now figured out the English language in its totality. She can speak, write and read! That means, she KNOWS spell. That also means she is privy to information that we try to keep from the little one when we talk in Spell and promptly goes and tells the little one. This makes it look like we are conspiring against baby and Jr. is her guardian angel!

2. The little one now understands Tamizh and English to a point where she can embarass us in public. Here is a conversation from our trip to the east coast over the last weekend:

Mom : enga pora ? (where are you going?)
Me : Bathroom (in hushed tone). Watch them for a few minutes.
When I come back towards the stroller...
Me : lets go
Little one : (with a big smile on her face on seeing me walk towards her)

Daddy? Pooh-pooh DONE ?

I have no idea how she heard or caught on to the fact that I was visiting the restroom. She announced the question, in a tone that would put the airport public address system to shame. Everyone in Terminals A through C would have looked up and thought "Good for you Daddy. But why tell everyone at the airport?", and continued on with their business.

Now the adults in the family only speak in Hindi.

We are also planning to enroll in Chinese classes starting next quarter at the local community college as a backup plan.

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So much for Prayer

I do pooja's or prayers, a countable number of times every year. So the little ones always watch me with a lot of curiosity!

While doing Sandhyavandanam, (which has become a once in a while event these days), I stood up then looked down to find my water and spoon had suddenly disappeared. Knowing that both Jr. and the little one have been eyeing the copper vessel and spoon ever since I took them out yesterday, all I had to do was, follow the noise and sure enough.. there they were!

Needless to say they both threw huge tantrums when I took the water away from them. These days I cannot do anything without the little squirrels taking things away and doing their own thing!

The best part is Jr. and the little one imitating grandma's praying. That secret video has eluded me so far! Who knows, maybe I will capture that soon?

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Girls will be ..

Girls, Silly!!

Grandma decided to dress up in a silk saree to go for a Varalakshmi pooja at a friends place. There was no plan to take the kids.

The minute Jr. saw grandma in a saree, the promptly pulled out a dozen clothes from her wardrobe, found her pattu paavadai (silk frock) and wore it. Then went on to wear her bangles, decorate herself to the point where Grandma couldnt continue her dressing up.

As soon as they came out, the little one had an expression that could only be described as :

50% shock that this dress up session had happened and she didn't have a clue

30% anger that she was still not dressed yet

10% pain

10% jealousy

I could be off a little bit on the breakup on the pie chart, but rest assured that all those things were evident in her rapid change in facial expression! She let out a yelp and went running to the dresser and jumped up and down till her most elaborate Paavadai was found!

After 10 minutes she came out with her sister to show me that she was also all decked up and the first thing she tells me?

"deda, nanna nanna (pointing to herself and saying I look good, I look good)...foto.. foto.." and pointed to the backyard to our portrait location!!! Apparently, it has now become a tradition to take a picture when they declare themseleves to be pretty. Well, I am not complaining. Hey, what are dad's for?

It is amazing to see a 20 month old, have that kind of attachment to silk and gold! I can see myself 15 years from now trying to buy two of everything, sorry, three of everything.. (forgot to count the big girl) and taking lots of portraits and enjoying every minute of it.

I am glad that Girls will be girls!

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Perspective

Went to the local video store with Jr. and the little one.

Was waiting for the traffic light to turn green, when a biker came and stopped next to us at the light. This was a big white dude in bike shorts, with tattoos all over his arms and legs, multiple earings on each ear, matted long brown hair (Bob Marley style) and a bandana over his head.

Jr. was observing him from the car seat in the back for the entireity of the traffic light cycle and when we started turning, said:

"Daddy, I don't think I have ever seen a woman with a moustache before!"

Her innocence and sincerity in believing that statement, just cracked me up. I had to grab the steering wheel with both hands to steady the vehicle.

"Kuttyma, it is a guy with long hair! Not a woman with a moustache!" I said and she goes: "No daddy, that WAS a woman with a moustache!". We argued this back and forth a few times and I just gave up.

Now we have a latest addition to the list of Santa, Tooth Fairy, Racco the bad Racoon who runs the school for misbehaving kids.....

The moustached woman!

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