We are nothing but caricatures…

Another year rolls by fast. The usual "IBM Childrens party" is enjoyed by the family. The kids and San dress up and Daddy Narayanan wears the same sweater yet again for the 7th year in a row for this party. Given that this is his only sweater, that is no surprise! 

The kids have this routine down nicely to the point where they know which lines are easy to get to and which ones need strategy. Feels like we are doing Fastpass lines in Disney at times, the way they race back and forths..

As usual, here are pictures..

Well, that was a picture of a picture. The original is one of our best Santa Photos and is definitely going on a frame!

Jr. picked an angel with a Halo

The little one picked a Reindeer. It came with a Jewel.. and her mole on the cheek nicely blended in as a spot on the reindeer!

This year, we went to BigAl yet again and he looks at me and goes "How many years is it, this time?" and I said "7 in a row!". The line at the Caricature stands are long and usually you have to go to the next artist open. Thanks to this blog and the pictures, I pull up the previous years collage, show it to the Organizers and go "Can you please let us go to BigAl? The first two years was coincidence. The next four was not.. Please ?!" and they warm up to us and go "fine! we will let you wait for BigAl"

Jr. saw this and went "Are we using this like the ruler on the wall to see how we are growing up?! That is crazy!"

Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday to all of you!  

Baby photos? Not anymore...

One house tradition here is that we see "baby photos" from the archives once a week before bedtime to tell stories of how things were during those good old days when Jr. or little one were teeny and tiny!

The babies are growing up fast!

Here are some photos from a backyard photo session this week.

here is one where she didn't know the camera was still rolling.. 

Jr. is a big girl now, almost as tall as her mom and the same shoe size. She is making a claim for some of mom's dresses like the pretty frocks and that was tolerated.. Now she started touching the Jewelry and tensions in the house are high!  You want to mess with the Sheik, fine.. but taking those oil wells.. you have crossed the line mister! ... something along those lines... tension!

She looks exactly like my sister at the same age.. This week I accidentally called her by my sister's name and Jr. was giving me the "What the hell?" look. Had to explain to her that for a few seconds it was like my sister was standing in front of me.. frozen in the eighties. She even stands with her toes bent weird!

Worked very hard to make her smile with lips open but this is the best we got. She is still conscious of the braces. Hopefully those come out soon and we can have Jr. smile like she used to without being conscious of anything.. 

Well, another week has rolled by and I learned a lot this week.. some stuff at work, human relations, cooking, dealing with tweens.. etc. etc. 

Planning to teach them both how to "code" at home using some online guides and free ware. If you have any recommendations for materials or tutorials to help introduce "coding" to kids, please let me know. Was watching a Youtube video where this guy Chamath was being interviewed and he was right on. Teach your kids how to code if you want them to have a nice future! 

Java is going to be the Yajur Veda for Jr. and the little one. Maybe I should turn Java into a hymn for easy memorization and make them sing it?! Yet again, the brain is getting all funky on me.. should go eat something and slap myself back to reality...

As time flies by

It has been an interesting year so far. Lots of work to keep me focussed and busy! Lots of Yoga to help me deal with the work. 

San at her supporting best helping me keep it together with the Yoga and the work and the kids who are making me realize every day that there are lots of things I have to do before they come and say "I am starting college tomorrow!" or "I want to get married!"

Yes, it is a few years away, but the way time flies by, one does get that thought every now and then.. 

When the little one reaches for the tap without climbing on a chair or on top of the sink itself!

When Jr. declares that mommy's footwear are a perfect fit 

or when she wears a new dress before going to the temple that makes me all teary because she looks so grown up in that dress!

The Jan 2nd to Memorial day stretch of the year is usually the most productive but also the most difficult one as you keep going and going and going. 

We are not there at the halfway point and it already feels like time for a break. 

On the bright side the camera came out of its hiding place after almost a month thanks to Jr.  and on the brighter side the kids are growing up as fast as they are growing old.