The bottom drops to an all time low...

Today when I picked up Jr. from school, she had a certificate.

It said something to the effect of "Congratulations on your birthday, etc. etc." and looked like a formal certificate with lots of colors on it!

Jr. said "are you proud of me, I earned that certificate"

Me: What do you mean "you earned it". You just had another birthday. You didn't work for it!

Jr. : Lived to be a year older, didn't I? (and makes a "duh" face, if you know what I mean)

Me : you lived to be a year older because your mom and me are still spoon feeding you, your breakfast and dinner and stuffing your leftover lunch in your mouth in the evening. If anything we should get the certificate.

Jr. : You are not fair. You are saying that because I got a certificate and I really earned it.

Me : !!!!!!!!!!!

Can understand people in gang infested neighborhoods feeling a sense of achievement for having lived longer and survived. But why would a seven year old living in a nice house with parents who spend 30 minutes a day with morning cereal and going to a nice school feel she earned a "birthday" certificate?

Beats me!

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Prayer

The little one was feeling a little off tonight before going to bed..

San said "un kanne patturukkum.." (your eyes need to be warded off).

So she decided to do a little "drishti" thing. For non South Indians, this is a thing that parents teach you to ward off evil spirits and eyes by doing an "aarti" for the little kids. Think this helps the parents convince themselves that they have done something to cover the unknown more than it really helps the kids. (Persian friends tell me that they do something similar by burning incense and saying "insallah" three times).

Before she did this San told the kids "please pray to god to make sure you listen to parents, do well in school, not fall sick and be healthy, etc. " a

and the little one closes her eyes and goes "Ummachi, please make sure Daddy does not get any more big boo boos."

That was the sum total of her prayer. Now we have to do a Drishti for the Drishti. The little one knows how to get me all teary eyed.

Kids, what can we tell you?

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Color in the eyes of an almost 7 year old

Today Jr. did not have school. The plan was for me to take the day off (and still work when possible from home for urgent stuff)!

While we were walking out of a building as part of our joint adventures, we saw a cat outside and Jr., started her questioning..

1. whose cat is it?
2. who feeds it?
3. where does it sleep?
etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

Then while we were getting inside the car I told her, the people in the lobby probably give the cat milk.

She goes "that Barack Obama person?"

For a second, this daddy didn't get it. Figured out after a few seconds that she refers to African Americans (who you don't see or interact with much in the bay area, compared to say Philadelphia or Upstate New York, where daddy spent his early years in the US of A) as "Barack Obama people"!

The best part is that the person she mentioned was probably Sri Lankan or Jamaican Indian! (that would be my guess)

In today's world we meet Black Japanese people and Chinese kids who are half Tamizhian. So it might not be as easy for her to figure out ethnicity based on facial features or skin color.

Maybe "Barack Obama People" is easy for her?!

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The apple doesn't ...

Get it?

The "apple" doesn't fall far from the tree!!!

See video..

Earlier today ..

LO: "Daddy, do you know? there are two ways to make iphone go to sleep..."

Me: How do you know all this?!

LO: (with a very serious look on her face) I am smart?

Me: !!!!!!!!!!

ps. The apples just didn't fall! We have a squirrel in our backyard (kids call him "Salim the squirrel" after reading Tinkle!) which keeps throwing fruit after fruit, just after one sniff or bite! If only we could teach it to finish one apple before moving on to the next....
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Roles and Responsibilities

Was rushing to the checkout counter at Costco with the little one sitting on the cart and Jr. standing on it.

As we wheeled past the last aisle with all the medicines a question from Jr.

Jr. : daddy, are you going to buy Bengay?

Me : why?

Jr. : you buy Bengay for your mommy and daddy?!

Me : Not now. Looking for something else. When you grow up, will you buy Bengay for your daddy?

Jr. : (doesn't even think and says) No

Me : Why not?

Jr. : you are buying Bengay for paati because you are a boy. Only boys have to take care of their parents!

Me : do I treat you differently because you are a girl. I treat you the same way parents treat their boys, right? Should Amma and appa go have a boy? We have the two of you and you are our kids....(by now zapped by the realization that they have bad concepts in their head a little too early)

Jr. : okay daddy. I will buy you Bengay when you become old.

The little one watched this conversation with amusement..

Later we are at home eating Upma and the little one suddenly exclaims "when I grow old, I am going to make Upma for my daadu!"

Me :will you feed me Upma every day for tiffen? You know I like it

LO : but you will be far away though!

Me :!!!!!! (oru mudivoda dhan paa irukkanga)

Later San and me were wondering where this came from. Obviously their default world has grown up children leaving their parents and going away and grandparents only visit..

For now:

1. Bengay is a maybe
2. Upma is ruled out

god knows what else we have in store for us.. or should I say, what if any we have in store for us?

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