Day trips

With toddlers, day trips are easier, rather fun and relaxing. Last weekend we made a trip to the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad for a picnic lunch, train & carousel ride. Three families, three kids and a nice warm day - a fun day for picnic.

Now even though I am pretty decent at organization at work and get things done in a timely manner, at home there are a lot of times where I seem to be playing 'catch up'. First off, I decided to make some moong dal + potato cutlets but forgot to pack bread to make the sandwich and had to borrow from our friends, who we picked up on the way. Our friends forgot plates for the rice they had made, though luckily I had remembered to carry some. I got Kochunni his favorite waffles but he wouldn’t eat any and I seemed to have no backup, but luckily our friends had got some muffins which he ate with delight. So somehow we managed. After a potpourri of lunch we hit the Railroad – a mini train ride around Vasona and Oak Meadow park. The kids enjoyed the ride and later Kochunni kept talking about the railway crossings, & the ‘paugha’ (smoke). We went to the play area along Oak Meadow Park and spent the next few hours watching the kids tumble and play. Of course, we had a fighting Kochunni on our hands when finally we decided to turn back, and I had to use my creative power to ask him to play catch to at least get him to leave the playgrounds and move towards the exit.

This weekend, the same friends called us over for another train ride, knowingly well that both our boys had enjoyed the mini-train ride last week. And so we found ourselves at Niles Canyon Railway, another non-profit weekend getaway that provides a 30 minutes train ride from Niles Station to Sunol Station. On aboard the steam train, there is a good hillside and nature to peek at transporting us to past, though the occasional view of the roads brought us right back into the present. The ride itself was pleasant though on the other end at Sunol there are just a couple of restaurants and a very small park (no play area) for folks to relax before boarding the next train back. Since we were now experts at picnic we managed to find a shady spot and relax for a while before letting the kids play around in the park. Since there was no play area we had to be innovative and played the choo-choo train, catch, I spy etc & kept the boys busy. With all the running around we were soon tired enough to call it a day. We headed back to the station, and the heat wave started to burn our skins. Kochunni hated being so hot and kept asking us to find him some shade though none was available. The little guy cried his heart out, and I felt so bad for him. But we soon headed back and once the train moved, Kochunni relaxed enough to enjoy the journey back. When we reached home, we headed straight to the bed wanting to curl up and nap. Of course, Kochunni hates taking naps these days and just kept bouncing off in the bed, though for a change husband and I relaxed enough to get a couple of winks.

In the evening I headed out to OSH (a local nursery cum hardware store) to get myself a little plant for the kitchen windowsill. As it happens I don’t really have a green thumb, unlike my mother-in law who is an ace at such things. Anyway, I picked up an African violet not even knowing much about Violets or any indoor plants for that matter, I was actually looking to buy a money plant (the only indoor plant name that I know of, (see how bad I am) but none was available so I picked out these pretty violets that were just too beautiful to pass off. After purchasing a green pot (Kochunni’s shopping influence) I came home happy. After a nice dinner, we were off to la-la land, as the hot day wore off into to warm night.

Vishu 2009

With two young corporate go-getters and today being a weekday, this year’s Vishu celebrations at our house is a bit subdued than previous years. But trying to be a good mother, you do your best. And so after Kochunni went to bed yesterday, I set up a small Kani. Today after waking up early, I lit the diyas and woke up the husband and then took the sleeping Kochunni to the puja area to show him the wonderful sight. This is the tricky thing, since Kani needs to be seen before sunrise, it was quite early for him. He opened his eyes and quickly turned away, trying to get away from the bright lights, still in his sleep. I figured that is good enough and took him back to bed.

With a few hours at hand, after bath I made the traditional “quick and easy” semiya payasam and some breakfast. After getting Kochunni’s lunch box ready, I went out to get some flowers from the front yard to make a pookalam(flower-kolam). Luckily the roses were in full bloom and just like last year I set up a small pookalam in front of the house and inside, near the puja area. Soon Kochunni was awake and it felt like any other day with the morning activites to get him ready. He was a bit surprised with the Vishukaineetam and was happy to play with the silver coin he received from us. And that was it, as for the celebrations for today.

It will be a long day at work and the regular temple visit will probably have to be postponed. But thinking about the yummy payasam I made earlier today, almost makes up for not really having a big sadya (feast) at lunch. (you know where my priorities lies :D)

Here's wishing you all a very prosperous & happy Vishu!

To Russia, With Love

How cute is this? This guys seems to know Hindi and Russian and can definitely sing a tune.



Original Songs:
Jimmy Aaja


Goro Ki Na Kalo Ki

TV Land

For a while now, Kochunni prefers to eat his lunch/dinner in front of the idiot box watching his cartoons and songs. It’s the daily ritual and seems like the food wont travel down his throat if the TV isn’t on, though our recent India trip dispelled this myth, making me want to clear the clutter on the dinner table and use that for a family meal. Of course easier said than done , with too many things going against it.
One, the dining table is very near our entry point into the house, which means the stack of letters (read spam), bags and everything else virtually are always placed there until the next morning when needed again.
Two, family meals is a thing of past as Kochunni (presumably) needing to go to bed early has to have his dinner by 7, at which time (on most days) husband is not home. Then having just two people sit at this large table seems too elaborate an effort.
And so the TV saga continues, though to be fair, I too love watching my shows eating my dinner (the Gen Y effect)

Now for some of his favorite show reviews
Curious George – A monkey living in the big city with his man-friend in yellow hat, a perfect foil for a toddler learning new things, curious at figuring out the ways of the world. George doesn’t really speak but just makes sounds Ah! and the OOO’s, while the background commentator helps move the story forward. A nice blend of learning and fun makes it very entertaining even for adults

Sagwa – The Chinese Sesame Cat and Clifford – The Puppy Days - These two shows are in some ways similar and yet different. Both show talking animals and their owners, living in harmony. Though the owners don't realize that these pets can talk and only hear their barks or meows they seem to understand them well. Often the stories are split between the adventure of the kitten/puppy vs the adventure of the pet owner, both teaching viewers the importance of family, friendship, valor and other important qualities. Where one shows a family of kittens, Clifford has a made friends with a bunny, a bird, kittens and even a family of mice.

Bob the builder – This is an eternal favorite with the little guy, more for the trucks and than anything else. The first time he saw the video it was at the local Walmart store as we were doing some shopping. Kochunni then a 18 month old, squealed in delight at the sight of the brightly colored trucks and would get mad and cry every time Bob or Wendy came on the scene. He wanted to stay on the same aisle forever and we had the hardest time moving along. Seeing his enthusiasm, I did buy a video for him and to this day he sings the opening number with much gusto, even when he hasn't seen the video in months.

Thomas the Tank Engine – The first time Kochunni saw the show (again around 18 months) he seemed to be frightened at the somewhat plastic , chubby face of Thomas and his friends. He cried “Venda” (don’t) and asked us to stop playing the video. He did not mind reading about the train and his adventures through the scores of library books that passed through the house. I think today he wouldn’t mind watching the show though I haven’t had a chance to rent/buy the videos for a long time now.

Manjadi – A wonderful delight of songs, quite nicely rendered in 3D animation, though not comparable to any Hollywood production, it is still a decent attempt. We first found them on You Tube (no longer showing the full songs) and it was an instant hit with the little guy and singing the short songs became part of long car rides. The latter half of the CD contains stories from the Panchatantra that seem a little tedious to watch. But the songs from all three volumes are still some hot favorites in our household.

There you have the current favorites of the Kochunni household. I can already see signs of Kochunni getting distracted with Clifford and Sagwa, which might soon have to be replaced. So what about you, what are the favorites at your house these days?

Jadoo ki jhappi

Today morning as I was getting ready to leave, I asked Kochunni for a hug, but since he was buried in his cars, he barely even looked up. This is often the scene in the morning and sometimes I have to ask for a hug a couple of times, before I get one. Today for some reason he was totally not interested.

As I started to do the last minute mad rush - pick up of my bags (laptop, lunch, purse), check his lunch bag, I asked for a hug again. Kochunni looked up and told me there was a traffic jam. For a second, I did not understand, was he predicting my commute? And then realization dawned, that it was his McQueen that was stuck behind the school bus, the fire truck and something else. I laughed and asked him to move McQueen to another route.

As I left my bags in the car, and walked back to get my phone he asked me for his glass of milk. I gave it to him and kept looking for my phone. Finally everything was set, and as I headed to the door I asked him again for a little hug. He looked at me and just stood there. Just then the clock chimed 8.30 – I knew I was late and I exclaimed that I might now be late to pick up the little guy in the evening , just in a general sort of a way.

Kochunni did not like that one bit and immediately yelled a big NO! I smiled and suddenly inspiration stuck and I told him to give me a "magical" hug – a hug that will make sure that there is no traffic on the road, that my day goes well at work and ensure that I can be home in time. He looked skeptical, but as I claimed that only his hugs had the magic and Amma needed one every day, he walked up to me and gave me a really big, tight hug.

And as it turns out, there was no traffic on the roads and even though usually it takes me 45 minutes, today I was in the office in 25 minutes. Kochunni might not remember his magical hug tomorrow but I for one would love a few more, everyday, traffic or no traffic!

The Story Hour

For a long time now, I have loved to read, be it a magazine or a good book I could read into the wee hours of the night. I still remember the Wednesday afternoon in 4th Standard that my mom came with me and talked to the school librarian to let me pick out a book. In those days, the school library was mainly available to students in secondary classes – I guess, it was there way of making sure that kids took care of the books they took home. The librarian, a nice lady was getting ready to close up, but seeing my enthusiasm as I eyed all the books locked up in the shelves she gave me an Enid Blyton telling me firmly to return it next week in good condition. That day in school all I could think of was about reading this book – something that was not part of the curriculum, not science, not history, not anything I had read before! I soon became a regular on Wednesdays

The choice of books varied over time, from Enid Blyton to Nancy Drew, to Gokulam to Femina, to Shakespeare to Austen, to Perry Mason to Agatha Christie. Though I think my favorite genre of writing remained mysteries – it was always fun to see if I could solve the puzzle before the end of the book or not.

When I got pregnant with Kochunni, I was a gifted a few books from friends to read to him – Eric Carle, Sandra Boynton etc. During his first year I got him a few more. Soon an entire shelf space had to be dedicated to his books. I was thrilled when around 18 months he would ask for a “booka” even though he did not seem to care for it much, as most found its way into his mouth. Finally the first book that caught his attention was “My little book of trucks, trains and tractors” with loads of pictures of the said things. He started calling the green cement mixer an "apple", and always wanted to open the book to this page.

Over time we taught him to say ‘cement mixer’ and he started to recognize the vehicle on the street. This realization brought about a renewed interest in his books and he picked out the “The baby’s first words” with more love and attention. We started making weekly trips to the library and always picked out a few books for him. I remember my mom even commenting, that he had more books than any toddler she had seen, but to me it was just a part of my love that I was passing down to him.

Just after he turned 2, one of the first books were he was able to accompany my reading was this little circus book that I found at the second hand book shop in Mountain View. Not really a famous ‘kid book’, but it was still an instant hit with him and he had the words memorized
- A few lines:
Hear the horn on the clown car as it honks
“Toot – toot”
Funny bears on skates like to
"dance and play"
Silly elephant tricks make me shout
“Hooray!”
We would end the session with a smiles and claps, and lil’Kochunni’s feeble “Einiyum” (Again).

Now, there is one thing that I did not expect to happen. His love and interest in books is often limited to trucks, trains, airplanes - essentially anything vehicular. Of course occasionally he would pick up the A to Z book, but he always preferred story books that would have a dump truck or a fire engine in them, and so now the library visit is a bit more challenging – first find a book that’s age appropriate, second find a book that has a vehicle in it and third it was to my satisfaction as well (You know, has a good moral, teaches numbers, letter or something). I have to say I have found a few that have become instant hits with him –

Little Blue Truck – Alice Schertle
It s a little tale of a Blue truck that goes ‘Beep’ around the country side, making friends with the animals he meets along the way. Along comes a big (read mean) Dump Truck who would rather “honk” at the animals blocking his way, in a mad rush to get to his ‘big important work’. Unfortunately the Dump Truck gets stuck and no one is ready to help him until the little Blue Truck jumps in. A lesson in chivalry, friendship and common curtsy, the book is full of barnyard animal sounds in a sing-song manner and pretty clean images – an instant hit with Kochunni.

My Truck is Stuck – Kevin Lewis
Another tale of a stuck truck driven by dogs this time. One of the dogs starts to ask help from fellow passersby driving by. The illustrations also show that unknown to the drivers a group of dogs make away with the loot of bones that the truck was carrying. Kochunni does not realize this part yet, but what he enjoys is “who will help the truck next” questions as I turn the page on the book.

Needless to say, reading to the little fella is sometimes a challenge - you have to read and re-read the same thing to death. Now I ask him to tell me the story, which at times he enjoys. But one thing is certain, the library has become a lifesaver, I don't think I would have managed a 100+ books for him at our house. If only, the library had a section for toy cars and trains as well ....

Update: Food Poisioning

The doctor just called, the results are negative so at least no Salmonella. The diarreha was probably just some viral infection.

He is much better today, so for now the household is back on track - work, potty training, spring cleaning, backyard work and the list goes on ....

Food Poisoning

Kochunni has been having some trouble in tummy lately, Sunday it was constipation by Wednesday it was loose-motion. He was clingy, had a little cough – All minor things when looked at in isolation especially for a kid going to day-care. We kept an eye on him and kept calling the day-care at regular intervals to keep tabs on him. He was fine – no other signs of discomfort, no fever, that we even started to consider the possibility that all this might be in reaction to the potty training that was going on in the background.

Yesterday I was en-route to pick up the lil’ guy when husband called from work to let me know that he saw a letter about an egg recall in northern CA from Costco for fear of Salmonella – the same brand of eggs that we had bought last week. A shudder passed through to me, as I asked husband to call the doctor office immediately. It was little past 5, so getting the regular doctor might not be possible. My mind drew a blank, not that I had really read too much about the illness – its symptoms or treatment, I only knew from the news stories about the affected cases and the voluntary recalls. But I knew that this was a serious case. I called him back and asked him to check on the symptoms and results, and he responded it can be very severe, unless treated. My heart went numb again. We had been giving him the eggs for breakfast for the last 3-4 days. Boiled eggs with a banana was his routine breakfast for a long time now. He loved it and could eat it every day without complain. My heart recoiled at the thought of it!

I almost ran into the day-care only to find an empty room. On any other day, I would have patiently signed on the sign-out sheet and walked to the park area, but today I rushed out to the park behind the room. And there he was, laughing and playing with his friends, and the moment he saw me, he called “Amma” and ran towards me, all smiles. I gave him a hug, and with a mental prayer to Lord Krishna, asked him how he was. Fine, he said. He called out to Ms L and she came up to me smiling – all cheerful, in total contrast to me. I forced a smile and asked about him. He was doing well she said, a little diarrhea, but otherwise nothing. I thanked her and left the place, not wanting to breakdown in front of all the kids.

Hope springs eternal, and there was a possibility that we had bought the egg carton that wasn’t infected. I headed home, praying all the way. Kochunni was his usual self, chattering about, but I did not respond as usual, and with just monosyllable responses from me, he became quieter himself towards the end of the way. Of course, then I panicked and tried to put on a happy face.
Reaching home, I tried my best to calmly help Kochunni with his shoes and jacket. I raced to the fridge and dialled my husband with my other hand. As I read out the number on the side of the egg carton he confirmed it was the affected batch!

The tears I was holding came crashing down, as fear of the unknown gripped my heart. We decided to take him to the after hour clinic immediately, and as husband decided to meet me there, I quickly decided on a diaper change and some little food for the guy before heading out there. By this time, Kochunni had taken out his toy cars, ready to play as usual and when I asked him to put on his shoes and jacket again his immediate response a wailing NO! As I tried to explain that we had to go to the doctor, he continued with his NO’s, and I hugged him in sheer desperation. He probably understood that something was different for suddenly he was quiet watching me. I changed his diaper, a little watery than usual and got him ready once more.

As Kochunni ate some Cheerios, I quickly headed to check out Google, Wikipedia to check up on Salmonella. I briefly read about its symptoms – fever, diarrhea, vomiting; diagnosis and its treatment. It relieved me to know that raw eggs were more harmful than boiled ones,. But as quickly as I had opened to read, the usually slow eater was done and we had to head out to the doctor (before he changed his mind again). Luckily even though we only had a 7.15 PM appointment, we were allowed to see the doctor almost immediately after I arrived. Not our regular paediatrician, but a very nice lady met with us and slowly set our immediate fears to rest. The diarrhea might be part of some viral infection, so for now keep him hydrated and happy, she said. There are no signs that he is not well, his tummy, ears, mouth are all fine, she noted. We still gave a stool sample to have the lab check it out to ensure there is no real threat & headed home. He pooped twice again, but again no other signs of discomfort. Now it’s wait and watch game until the lab report comes out in 48 hours.

I feel terrible, helpless and a cloud of fear hangs over my head threatening to spoil the mood. I am hoping that a wind of good faith will keep it at bay and may even take him away, but that only time shall tell …

The Mom Style

I had some free time, so I took up this quiz.

The results: You are a mama of the earth!

Eco-protector, green thumb, way cool, I said. I gripe about the extra running water when you're brushing your teeth, it takes only a second to close and open the tap when you need to. And oh don’t you dare let the light/fan on when you are not in the room.

So let’s see what juice box jungle had to say –

• You make sure your kids are fed the best organic food and are enabled to express their creativity freely. Check! Well ok I try to, there, happy! Whatever. On to the next.
• You are quite able to chill out and let the little cub(s) wrestle and play: Check!
• And if the Lion is the King of the Jungle, then you - Cool Cat that you are - must be Queen. Of course, with two guys in the house, I have to be Her Royal (pain-in-the-butt) Queen
• As queens tend to be, you are more suited to expert supervision than down and dirty tussling with the cubs. Do you know I have a boy, and boys mean tussling all day long. Doesn’t matter if it in the mud , the bed or the bath. Hmph! (might be true of girls too, check with my Mom on that one!)
• You know how to involve them in important activities of course, but Mama's got to have her space! Yes, but that space is somehow becoming shorter and less frequent! :)
• But watch out! With your laid-back nature, laissez-faire discipline and hands-off play style your kids may think you are less interested in being a part of their play than you actually are. Or not. :) Whatever!

So I dare you, what are you?


Note to Kochunni: Dont read too much into this, for I am sure I will have changed my style to "Ms.Whip Cracker" or "Ms.Chief Family Officer" or even "Ms.Cool Mom" depending on your age and my sanity level! Mostly the later, so really no use fighting.

Goodbye and Hello!

Back from a whirlwind tour-de-India, and we are in throes of major changes. After the first four days back in daycare, Kochunni’s teacher Ms.L, asks if we have any objections in moving him to the next class. We are dumb folded. Is he ready? He is not potty trained yet? A million other questions surge to our lips. Not to worry, she says. They will slowly ease him into the new class probably letting him go to the new class for a few hours each day, the new teacher will potty train him too, plus he is a smart boy he will learn new things. Oh sure, we say, if you think its best.

It’s a small transition in reality. He knows the new teacher, Ms.L2 – has been in her class a few times that Ms.L was absent. His friends who were potty trained while we were having fun in India are already moved into the new class. So with some familiar faces and some new, Kochunni moved into the next phase of his life.

On our end, both husband and I have new bosses that we met and started working within the first couple of days after we came back from vacation.

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Finally finished reading all the blog posts that I had signed up through reader. Does feel like an accomplishment; though now I wish I could take up my reading list with the same vigor!

Finally over jet lag but haven’t yet caught up with laundry (it piled up the first two weeks when I was being just plain lazy). Seriously I don't mind doing laundry, its the folding up afterwards that bores the hell out of me!

Lot of to-do items – building the back yard, hanging up some artwork we got from India, meeting friends. Hopefully sooner than later.

The return of the king

We reached the shores of Dubai Thursday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised by the chilly winds that awaited us. It turned out to be a really a great time to visit Dubai, the weather being just right, and with two nights to spend in town, we decided to hit one of Dubai’s main attractions – shopping – the first night.

The next day we went to the Jumeira beach – a magnificent picturesque beach, with crystal clear cool waters, the turquoise colored waters so inviting that I was ready to spend my day there.

But we headed back, for a quick lunch before we were to go “dune-bashing” or the desert safari – a pseudo roller-coaster ride on a four wheel car across the Arabian desert. With great insistence by our cousins to be taken to the bigger sand dune areas, our driver did go up & down the sand dunes, though Kochunni did not like the experience and started to cry. But we held on and enjoyed the (less than) 20 minute ride through the deserts. (According to our cousin though the dune bashing in Muscat is far better with the dunes raising far higher than its counterpart in Dubai).

Later the car took us to the camp site for dinner and some ‘extras’ – a little henna decoration on our hands, a very short camel ride and an opportunity to wear some traditional outfits for family picture time. Of course, no show would be complete without an area for shopping for some souvenirs. A while into barbecue style dining, entertainment in form of belly dancers and music made the rustic scene complete.

Kochunni enjoyed the later part of the night at the camp and as we headed back home, fell into a deep slumber. I mentally crossed off seeing another natural wonder – the desert – from my list of things to do and happily settled into family conversations. We were back home soon and had another round of re-packing as were heading back to US the next day.

Heading back to the airport, we contemplated the decision to do a stopover and realized that in a way it was a nice gamble, not only did we meet with family we had not met in years, we had something to look forward to while starting from India. And sometimes, God does work in wondrous ways, as we were treated with a surprise free upgrade to Business class at the Emirates counter. Not sure their reasoning behind it, but we thanked our lucky stars as we headed to the long 16 hour flight ahead.

In style, we headed back home. The spacious seating a genuine bonus for us, that left us wanting more air rides. As we landed back in US, I slowly accepted the fact that vacation was over and we were back into the grind.

Again nature has a way of healing our thoughts, and as I opened my backyard door, it revealed the magnificent blooms of spring flowers on our barren peach tree welcoming us back into its folds. It reminded me of another time zone, the love and the joys the journey bought us, and of the bright future that laid ahead of us. I felt rejuvenated and rather than mull the fact of the vacation spent, I decided to look ahead to the wonderful summer.

The journey so far

We are at the tail-end of our trip, tomorrow we travel to Dubai for a small stop over before heading back to US.

Kochunni did not have any stranger anxieties and enjoyed meeting the extended families. The influence of family is easily noticeable as he speaks Malayalam more fluently making full sentences.

Here's Kochunni with his Ammamma, having a "tickling match"


Some of his favorite times was going on bike rides with Muthu (grandpa) standing in the front with the wind (and dust) in his hair, the autoricksha rides and watching the tanker lorry bringing water into our houses. Clearly his personality is more pronounced these days easily showing off his displeasure – yesterday we went shopping and by the time we were done it was already 12.30 or so and I asked my dad to take Kochunni and my mom home first so that she could start lunch for him while I could do some more shopping, of course he started to throw a tantrum and I had to return pretty soon, and as he saw me from the window he yelled “amma vannu” (amma is here) but as I entered the room, he just walked away his face showing his displeasure of sending him home first. We laughed at his antics but it is clear how easily he is able to articulate his feelings today. Gone are the days when the only weapon he had at his disposal were war cries at different pitch and decibel to let us know his displeasure.

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Since our inner country travels was over we decided to do some potty training hoping that having more number of people to monitor Kochunni will be an easy option for all. Of course the little fella did not see it that way and the rounds of coaxing, bribing had no impact on him. He just decided not to pee or poop! By evening he started showing signs of discomfort and I started him on apple juice and back on diaper. And so another round of potty training battle, Kochunni won hands down. This is the last thing I am going to say about this topic (for now) totally blocking off this memory (such a sore loser that I am) and only going to remember this picture of a cute little fella in chaddies.

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Met with Abha and her little cute, adorable, smart little bundle of joy. She was exactly how I imagined she would be – true Mumbaiker at heart and soul, fun loving and smart. I wish I had more time to spend but had to head out to the Commercial Street to fire the tailor who completely screwed up my ‘Patiyala’ to be a clown pants. The tailor for once turned out to be a nice polite fella and agreed to try and make some changes to it so that I could at least wear it at home.

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As the vacation draws to close, I start dreaming more about stuff from work, about Kochunni’s daycare and of course the worsening economy in US. I try my best to push back the thoughts to enjoy my last few days, finish some shopping but the thoughts creep back up, just as I see my parents mulling the same fact in a different way - the empty house, their beloved grandson no longer a part of their everyday lives, his antics no longer live action but more of a re-run through the blog, pictures and videos sent over. But as they say, the show must go on, and so we get ready to pack up and head on back to California.

Spell Check, please!

Somethings are still the same here; spelling errors on a bus ...

The journey so far

Since one of the main reasons for this trip was Kochunni's Vidyarambham we decided to ensure that both sets of grandparents were with us to enjoy the proceedings. We rented a car from Bangalore and traveled further south to Kollur and then to Kerala to visit our home town - though we really have no stake in it. Both sides of the family have let go or been pushed into letting go their respective tharvadu (ancestral house), but for both its still the place that beckons them. The agenda included a quick circuit around most of Kerala visiting some famous temples, the tharvadu and meeting a little bit of family.

But after two days of continuous travel from Bangalore to Kollur and now to Kerala, Kochunni looks like he is half his original size, seemingly having withered into a skeleton. We decided that it might be better on him (and us) to take some rest and give the little fella a break.

We stopped at my mother's cousins house in the lush green house near Palakkad. Kochunni was treated to various treats from Chakka upperi (jack-fruit side dish), cool nalikera vellam (nariyal pani/cocunut water) straight from fresh coconuts, fruits and fresh vegetables. He even had a traditional lunch on the plantain leaf for the first time. It turned out to be a wonderful stop-over. Kochunni was pleased with meeting his mema (mothers younger sister/mausi) and seemed to enjoy the sights of our home town - the green trees, the homely temples to the lush green fields. Having decided to cut short on some temple visits Kochunni got a well deserved break while both sets of parents still managed to do their darshans. By evening, with two good meals in his tummy and a good night sleep he was a new fella, and we went to my parents tharvadu and the associated temples.

The only concept that seemed archaic to Kochunni was our insistence on taking his shirt off inside the temples, the poor fella having never seen such a sight cried foul everytime we had to step into the temple. As far as I am aware, Kerala temples are the only place where they insist on men going to the temple in the traditional mundu - shirt less, with only a short mundu covering their chest or using their shirt over their shoulder. Women have to wear sares, while girls have to wear long skirts (pavada/blouse). Though today slowly the idea is challenged and some of the more famous temples have accepted girls/women in churidars and men in pants instead of the mundu. But going shirt less is still widely practiced. Slowly he is getting accustomed to showing off his 'tummy'!

By evening we progressed to Guruvayoor. Guruvayoor turned out to be so warm that we had to move from our non-A/C room to an A/C room during the middle of the night. Deciding to give the little fella another break Kochunni, my dad and I stayed back at Trissur at my husbands aunts house, while husband, mil and mom progressed further to his hometown. I did a little shopping and took rest.

Tomorrow we go back to Bangalore - another long 8-10 hour ride back. Its definitely not been a relaxing vacation (in terms of doing nothing) so far but after tomorrow hopefully the next few days will be restful until we go back home next week - back to the grind.

Vidyarambham

Today was Kochunni's Vidyarambham - the initiation into learning and writing in front of the Lord. This was one of the main reasons for our journey. We reached Kollur yesterday evening after a long car ride from Bangalore.

As the sun rose we quickly got ready for the big event. Luckily Kochunni was showing little signs of tiredness and we hoped that he will be a happy fella during the puja activities at 7AM. After bath, we quickly headed out to Goddess Mookambika temple a few minutes away from our hotel.

Luckily there was not much crowd and one of the priests was getting ready to do the ceremony for two girls when we arrived. He asked us to join them and we sat down inside the Sarswati Madapam. Kochuuni sat on his father's lap and myself next to them. He followed all the instructions that the priest gave with a curious look in his eyes. After prayers he wrote down 'Om Hari Shree Ganpathaya Namaha' in rice and that initiated him to his new learning's. The priest also used a gold ring to write the same on Kochuuni's tongue, represting Goddess Saraswati being with him through/for speech.

The event went off well and then we visited the temple and seeked Goddess blessings. After leaving the temple we stepped outside to see an elephant. Kochunni gave a 'laddooo' to the elephant and in return the elephant raised its trunk to Kochunni as if blessing him. Kochunni liked to feed the elephant but when the elephant turned to bless him he cried a little and tried to turn away. Few minutes latter though he kept re-telling the story of the elephant give him a blessing.We bought Kochuuni a 'chenda' (drum) that was an instant hit with him as he kept trying to play a tune and do a little dance walking down the street, amusing many folks.

Soon it was time for breakfast, re-packing and heading out to Kerala - our next stop.

16 Hours Done

Another 6 more to go before I we touch base with family. Currently at Dubai Airport, waiting for the next flight home. Its been a long 16 hours with Kochunni getting some uncomfortable sleep on my shoulder and on the seat. We barely got any sleep. The flight (Emirates) itself was a comfortable ride though since we got in late to the airport we did not get any time to eat lunch. Being on an empty stomach we gobbled up the dinner they served 3-4 hours later, barely realizing its flavour or taste. One drawback on the flight is its timing, due to which we got only two meals during the 16 hours of journey and very little snack items. On the other hand the Disney channel selection on board entertainment was a perfect thing for kids. Kochunni watched the movie Cars and spent some time being entertained by the idiot box. We barely needed the toy cars and coloring book that I carried for him. Also with a little puppet Jamal that the air hostess gave for the all the toddlers on the flight, Kochunni was a happy camper.

Hopefully with all the sleep he got he will not have much of a jetlag and reach home happy safe and sound. Though I cannot say the same for us!

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Posting a few back dated posts that I typed up, but never got around to post during our trip.

In 8 days

We are off to India, what many folks here would consider a vacation of dreams – for 3 whole weeks! My colleague almost fell off her chair, saying that it was 'awesome'.

Now tell the same thing to your desi friend and they give you knowing smile saying its been a while since you have gone back, haven’t you?

But it doesnt matter, 'coz I AM GOING TO INDIA IN 8 DAYS

I can’t hardly wait. To meet my best friends from college, to maybe see some of my school buddies, meet my parents, my family, travel and the BEST part – watch Kochunni’s reaction to everything. I am not sure how he will do – not a clue, but the anticipation is a joy every day.

Here I come ....

Make a list, check it twice

Lists are sometimes fun, and especially cute when it’s about babies right. So when I saw this on Shine I could not help but take it up. About a 100 items to do before – gasp – our precious babies are off to school. Well, Kochunni is 2 and ½ and am sure the next years will be gone in a jiffy, so I really need a list to keep up pace with his growth.

Here we go (green ones are ones we have done together already - Yippee!).

1. Go to the zoo
2. Visit a farm (pseudo-farm)
3. Go on a hike (a small hike, but one nevertheless)
4. Play with kittens or puppies
5. Catch a frog
6. Make a gigantic mess
7. Help clean up a gigantic mess
8. Master the monkey-bars (playing on them counts right … long way to go before mastering)
9. Swing high up into the sky all by themselves
10. Try ice-skating
11. Go sledding
12. Make a snow-man
13. Blow bubbles
14. Plant seeds and watch them grow
15. Have a pillow fight
16. Jump on a big bed
17. Jump on a trampoline or in a bounce house
18. Hang out in a tent
19. Spend days at the beach
20. Build sandcastles
21. Go fishing
22. Go out on a boat
23. Play with blocks and puzzles
24. Read the classic picture books
25. Read a classic chapter book
26. Check out library books with their own library card
27. Get a passport
28. Carve a pumpkin
29. Hold a newborn baby (to see how much they've grown)
30. Love a special doll or stuffed animal, cars and more cars!
31. Bake cookies and cakes
32. Help plan their own birthday party (not sure if I want to do this soon, feels like a grown up thing to do :D)
33. Go to the circus
34. Go to a museum on a quiet weekday weekend
35. Play hide-and-seek
36. Play a board game
37. Do nothing whatsoever all day
38. Try a sport
39. Watch a sporting event
40. Learn to swim
41. Be tickled in hysterics
42. Paint and draw as much as desired
43. Have the use of scissors and glue
44. Display artworks and other creations around the house
45. Learn to use a camera (and keep an album of the results!)
46. Play with clay
47. Pick flowers
48. Climb a tree
49. Gaze at the moon and stars
50. Toast marshmallows
51. Learn to eat an ice-cream cone
52. Watch a sunset
53. Learn to write their own names
54. Learn their addresses and telephone numbers
55. Learn their parents' full names
56. Set the table
57. Clear the table
58. Help wash the dishes
59. Learn to say their pleases and thank yous and excuse mes
60. Watch fireworks
61. Go to the ballet or theater or a puppet show
62. Put on a ballet or play or puppet show at home
63. Face paint
64. Dress up in costumes at will
65. Learn rhymes and poems and songs by heart
66. Have a dance party
67. Enjoy friends at preschool and at the park
68. Invite friends over to play
69. Get to know grandparents
70. Play with cousins
71. Become attached to a wonderful preschool teacher and/or babysitter
72. Learn the name of our president
73. Know the name of their town, state and country
74. Be familiar with a map of the world
75. Listen to music from many different ages and genres
76. Hear and learn words from a different language
77. Learn the difference between trash and recycling
78. Grow their own vegetables
79. Learn to ride a bike (or try!)
80. Take a road trip
81. Draw a self-portrait
82. Slurp alphabet soup
83. Learn to twirl spaghetti on a fork
84. Pick apples
85. Star in a home movie (from day one, no one else are on our million overflowing tapes)
86. Learn a magic trick
87. Try different hair-dos
88. Practice writing letters
89. Practice counting to 100 (do months of year count?)
90. Make up stories
91. Send a letter
92. Receive a letter
93. Ride on a merry-go-round
94. Give away toys and books to less fortunate children
95. Learn the value of coins and bills
96. Keep a piggy bank
97. Try a musical instrument
98. Have a heartfelt wish granted
99. Have a heartfelt wish denied
100. Receive a million (make that a billion) heartfelt kisses and hugs from their parents! Every day and counting …

I will come back to this list when Kochunni goes to school and see how we fared, then.

21st or 12th Century?

A few days ago I was talking to a friend about some of the shows on Indian television – it seemed like the dark ages showing off the saas-bahu dramas, the pain of a father trying to get his ‘dark’ daughter married off, and of course sad stories about the woman who can do no wrong - who is always in one mess or another because of course the whole world is crooked and she never has the guts to stand up and fight. But my friend made a valid point that in India we are still in the dark ages and some of these are real fears that people have, there are people who ‘understand’ why one needs to get married to the tree before you marry the man you fell in love with or why someone else committed Sati or will only wear a white and not attend a single function because their drunkard husband died of lung failure. “Between art imitating life and life imitating art, we're not getting away from this crap,” she said. Her words stayed with me for a long time after, and I could not help wondering what is that keeping India in the dark ages.

Today I came across this news piece – It seems even during crashing economic times, the Bank of England has found time, and has taken the effort to send memos to their female employees on how to dress. Ridicules “rules” like ‘always wearing heals that are no more than 2 inches’ to a complete ‘NO’ on overstuffed bags are included in this memo. I am not sure how the female staff reacted to this bit of a memo, but indeed what a way to ensure the 21st century progress backwards!

So between the idiot box detailing 12th century ethics and a company laying biased ‘rules’ for just half of their employees, I guess we are definitely not getting away from this crap, any time soon.

Freedom, Our Right

I am wearing this badge (courtesy MayG) – and reminding every reader, every individual that Freedom is our right and let no one take that away, Again!

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This is in response to what many fellow blogger's have already written so eloquently about.