Thursday, July 26, 2007

Ma am I a toddler now?

I had a nice day on my birthday..I was woken up at 7am with songs, gifts and cards..I was mama papa and masi's star attraction..they kept hugging me and getting kinda weepy, atleast ma did. Papa said some cute things to me he said, "my sweetheart I hope you have a long happy life in which you help people and spread love whereever you go." Mama was incredulous, she kept saying I can't believe my baby is out and about and walking around, I remember when she was inside me..how can this all have happened so quickly? She was treating me liek quite a ladli all day long..I was massaged with some almond oil was bathing for a long time, I splashed water all over the place and even sat in the bucket for along time...it was fun.
After my bath I wore the dress that masi made for me
After that I checked email with masi, she even let me chew her blackjack..hehe birthdays rock, I could do no wrong, masi love is great.
Then Papa came home early from work and we went shopping at Central Market, I love that place I even got to sample some rosemary bread, but the most fun was the pink balloon the lady gave me..Shopping with a balloon is fun!
After that was the highlight of my day, when we came out guess what I saw?
Ducks!Ducks!
Hey Hey come here!
After all that fun we came home and cut a cake with all my friends, again there was the singing...what a lovely day
At my official party..chk out my ghagra choli, I liked the cake and I clapped too, much to my proud parents' delight. I told them not to get too accustomed to this performing on cue thing...

more pics from art party









All these fabulous pics were taken by Melanei from the Other Mother's group..she did a great job capturing the adventure.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Thumki's Art Party


Photogenic 072407
Originally uploaded by melanie_in_texas
Toddler Art party was fun fun fun..lots of delicious colors, naked babies, snacks and sunshine. Thumki was a little sceptical..she was not so sure about messing around too much..if only she would be so conscious of 'mess' while eating! The kiddos had a blast, one of the mama's Melanei took great shots, these are hers. The rest are here

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Thumki n Sheroo



Her big love for the cats keeps growing. These days she helps give them their food. I call out to her while gettign dinner together, "Anika can you give the cats their food?"..she toddles over to the cupboard where the dabba is and drags it out, no matter the weight and pushes it to their bowls, smilin gform ear to ear. Then one of us has to pick her up and she has to inspect while we put the food in their bowls. She has now learnt not to pick up their bowls while they are eating!

Monday, July 16, 2007

Chai n Parle G

Its early and I'm up again, the insomniac mama, I have a cuppa chai and parle g biskies to keep me company..best combination in the world, except when they break off and become smush.. I woke up last night at 230am and made copious lists for Thumki's bday party. In the morning they were edited after discussions with the dh..i'm not practical enough, its true. The party will be at an indoor play area that is soft and carpeted and has a lava pit filled with giant red sponge squares imagine kids hurling themselves in at top speed. And there is a river with rocks, boats, a bumpy crocodile all in rubbery plastic for kids to jump around on. There are also random balls and slides all around..thumki loves this place, she always squeals alot and then conks out in the car on the way home..we figured kids would enjoy this and parents would be grateful for their tired babies..The main back and forth was about the food..anyway that's prolly too mundane for a blog..? There was another first this weekend, we took her to a pool! Our little water baby loved it..she was so cute in her little pink swimsuit, belly sticking out. It was a kiddie pool with 1 foot water and slides..I was paranoid at first but when she was all raring to zip down the slide into her papa's arms I had to relent..dh was good at catching her before she submerged. actually that thawed the ice between us, we had been arguing all morning about details..i hate fighting with him, it makes me feel negative about everything. After the pool we made a good compromise in the car about the party, we came sort of midway. He's right, we should do a few things well and focus on the important thing,the kids having fun...

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Meeting other mothers

I'm excited about a new meetup group I've joined of 'other' mothers they are into natural parenting, breastfeeding, homeopathy, yoga etc! Yay! Something to look forward to, they sound like a really interesting bunch of women. We are meeting for a toddler art day..I can just imagine Anika making a big mess with finger paints=) Can't wait! Shite! There she goes on the monitor..gotta run.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Honeymoon Travels Pvt UNltd.!


Finally saw this gem of a film on DVD, the Indian store here had it in stock and I literally jumped on the shelf a la Milly on the deserted road this is mine this weekend! Loved it loved it loved it. This is a fun, modern, quirky, film with lots of fabulous women both on and off screen. Firstly Reema the writer, director did an amazing, original job...this was not at all like a debut film, so well done and not run of the mill. She had a chance to do the usual thing with an amazing production to back her up but she did what she wanted to, she took a chance and made a film that sprung i think from her love of fun, cinema and life. Shot by a woman Deepti Gupta, little miniscule power house..so beautifully shot, I really liked the wide lens shots of Goa, the movement, the dream sequence looked beautiful inspite of an irritating Amisha..i know i know it was her role but then she lost my sympathy when she said in an interview in the making of..(called Raves interestingly=)) that Pinky was such a cute character, so frothy and bubbly and cute whose favorite colour is pink, just like her she didn't even have to act coz she is just liek her ???

Ok ok moving on., back to Deepti...there's one shot in the film where you see Shabana and Boman behind a window, both framed on either side of a bleached out window..look like they are floating in space..this was an ethereal, beautiful shot from a Bergman film. The salsa sequence was beautifully lit and I don't think I've ever seen Raima looking more beautiful..I loved Shabana and Boman alot, the dialogue was fantastic, Anurag Kashyap is a many splendoured genius..

The crazy unusal women in the film were a treat...Dia points the gun at her husband and says she's going to shoot him before ditching him and running off with her boyfriend, Sandhya is brillaint and honest as usual, Raima did wonderfully too. I loved the parachute situation, poor Partho..'She must be traumatised..' cut to a screaming, crazed Milly..Shabana as Naheed was so true..her look, her demeanor, her tone, her camaraderie with Boman was so real. She is a great actor, Indian Cinema's Meryl Streep...When Boman sees an ugly where his old house used to be and feels dejected and old, she is so compassionate and real.."Main hoon na, at your service..Their relationship gave this otherwise funny and light film its few serious moments of depth.

The Men. Boman was spot on. I loved his character, Oscar and his relationship with Naheed. Abhay was really charming in his over the top role. When he was taking her to the jungle to reveal his secret I thought he was going to turn in to a werewolf or something! Anal little Partho played by Kay Kay was great. I loved 'the best day of his life'! That was just fantastic, a celebration of life, music, youth and sun..I really enjoyed that song. The outburst of the character complete with hugging Oscar(Boman) was just delicious.

Honeymoon Travels is a must see, original, funny, young, modern movie. GO GET IT! The 'Making of' section of the movie is almost as fun as the movie. Very nice vibe on set. Long live women filmmakers! Ok one line of back story..Reema Kagti and I went to the same Communications Course years ago. From day one she struck a chord, shes always lived life on her own terms..She always said I'm going to make a film..and she did. She stayed the course and made it happen. She is a unique little woman with great drive, talent and spirit..Hats off to you. Two of my batchmates have made Hindi feature films, Ruchi Narain and Reema Kagti..I am inspired to work on that damn script of mine that's getting cobwebbed in my brain..

Thursday, July 05, 2007

She's Joined the Collective Consciousness



That's what my poetic husband said about little Thumki..to describe the sudden amazing shift in her understanding, perception and expression. She understands everything..well maybe not everything, but it just amazes me that all this time when we were blabbing away to her in an unknown language, this little fresh new life was absorbing everything..eg Anika can you bring the Red car..she goes and picks it up and brings it over. Anika where is your diaper..silent pointing..Anika where is Daadi? Walks over to the mandir and picks up Ma's picture..goose bumps..after that one where's mama's nose is a non event..One other thing D said that was beautiful , 'Before it seemed like things would just flow through her but now they seem to stick, she's holding them'. Makes you realise just how important it is to be mindful of all your words and actions around a child. I am getting really sentimental about the fact that she is going to be a year old in a couple of weeks..I can't believe how quickly its all gone. Holding her in my arms for the first time and nursing her is still so fresh in my mind. Pushing her out and then seeing her little small, wet, white body leaning towards me from the nurse's arms..She knew me, she wanted only me, she loved me already and I loved her more than anything..I was so attached to her in one flash. Those moments of childbirth are the most spectacular of my life..my words are hollow, It was the truest most natural thing in the world..I felt the power of being a woman, I felt like a Godess, the word in my being was Shakti..