Like mother, like son
Everyone tends to remember and recall certain things, childhood memories, important days or events; though it works differently for everyone.
I am weak in recalling numbers, I can store about 4 phone numbers – the first phone number that we got (not in use today), it was mainly a source of pride that we finally had a phone and did not have to rely on neighbors to call home or call someone. It was akin to having a new expensive in-demand toy. Our current phone numbers though even those I tend to jumble up once in a while. On the other hand, my colleague is so good at numbers, that I can just ask her instead of checking Outlook.
I can tell you what grocery I bought yesterday, but probably could not tell you how much I paid for it, I would trust the handy credit card statement for that.
I can tell you where to find the nearest stores or parks are by way of landmarks but not by street names, I would trust Google Maps for that. I still get confused on highways on whether to take the south exit or north, often relying on a phone call to husband or my own memory from the landscape surrounding the exits.
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On our way back from daycare, we need to essentially merge into the main street and then cross over three lanes to make a U-turn to head on home. Usually there is very high traffic on the main street, so getting across the lanes is a challenge. So far I always have managed to do it before the first intersection to make the U-Turn, though yesterday the car on the left-most lane would not give me way and as I was closing in to the intersection, I had to make a decision to stay on my line and cross the intersection and hope that I could make the U-turn at the next light. The moment I crossed off, I hear a cry “I want to go home!” Unsure, at this sudden outburst, I tell Kochunni that of course we are going home. He continued to cry and as I looked at him through the mirror, I realized that he was trying to look back and figured out what happened. I explained to him that because there is so much traffic I had to move ahead, but we are definitely on our way home.
Later when I told the story to husband, he told me a similar incident that occurred when he picked up Kochunni a week ago. At that time, my often-forgetful husband, instead of merging onto the highway continued on the ramp, and a familiar voice in the back said “Namal yengada pogune” (where are we going?) in a matter-of-fact way. In that instant, husband realized his mistake and jumped back onto the highway.
Seems like Kochunni is emulating a similar memory pattern like me, and I am totally in awe that this little guy seems to know his way home!
knowingly well that both our boys had enjoyed the mini-train ride last week. And so we found ourselves at 
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.
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.
(flower-kolam). Luckily the roses were in full bloom and just like 
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.
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 
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.
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.
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'!
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.
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