Friday, July 30, 2010

Dance lessons

This video was taken about a month ago in Boston. Kabir took a break from dancing himself and decided to teach some moves to Anurag instead. While it was scary for me to watch this, Anurag was smiling all along and enjoying his lessons.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Proud nani

Taken today with my cell phone

Beginning of an addiction

Kabir tried his first regular dairy based chocolate yesterday. We had never introduced it to him before due to his dairy allergy. But a few days ago a friend of mine unknowingly gifted him some very attractively packaged chocolates. Kabir insisted on trying them. I warned him that he may get sick after eating them. But I was curious to know myself if he would react to them. So I let him have one piece. We waited to see if he would react to it. Fortunately the only reaction I got was his scream for more! Today I found him going through the refrigerator trying to reach the chocolates himself. He may be his father's carbon copy, but I do think he got his love for chocolates from me :-).

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Kabir's words

Inspired by Nagaja, I thought of documenting some interesting comments made by Kabir recently:
- My mother asked the vegetable vendor (who comes to our house everyday) how much the cauliflower was for. As soon as the he replied, Kabir responded "bohot mehengi hai!" (its too expensive)!
- As the maid gets ready to leave after doing the dishes, Kabir yells to her "fir kal subah aa jana" (come again tomorrow morning).
- I said to Kabir "doodh khatam karo" (finish your milk). Kabir replies "chinta nahi karo mamma, main pi raha hoon" (don't you worry mamma, I'm drinking it)
- Kabir said to Anurag when he started crying "Kya hua Anurag? Aap kyon pareshaan ho rahe ho?" (What is the matter Anurag? What is worrying you?)
- Kabir to nanaji: "aap baith jao, aap bohot thak gaye ho" (sit down, you are very tired).
- Kabir's random monologue "hum log aeroplane me baithenge aur zooom karke chale jayenge Portland. Wahan Iren se milenge aur bolenge - bye bye...see you Monday!" (We will sit in a plane and zoom away to Portland where we will meet Iren and say to her - bye bye..see you Monday!)

A sweet moment

We took Anurag to get his 4 month vaccines today. Its been a while since Kabir got his shots so he wasn't sure what exactly was going to happen. When he saw the nurse poke Anu with the needles, he started howling louder than Anurag! Anurag, on the other hand, became quiet within seconds of the needle being pulled out. But Kabir kept crying "Anu ro raha hai. Isko nahi lagao" (Anu is crying. Don't give him the shots). I thought that was really sweet! Of course I don't see any of that kindness when he manhandles Anurag himself :-)

Saturday, July 17, 2010

When old becomes new

Life has come a full circle for me. I'm back on the IIT campus and, for the time being, living in the same building in which I grew up.
The trees in front of our building have grown taller than the building now and the foliage is so thick that we can barely see the Powai lake that is only about a 100m away! These trees (except the big Peepul tree) used to be only a few feet tall 22 years ago when my parents had moved in here. There is also a new playground in front of the building, which Kabu has been making the most of.


I have spent uncountable hours in my childhood looking at these mango trees from my bedroom window. Now there is a little parking shed built under them, so its no longer a good idea to aim stones at the mangoes hanging from the branches.
It is a strange feeling to walk the same lanes and by-lanes with my children now. I find myself saying the same things to them that I used to find annoying to hear from my parents : "don't jump in that puddle", "don't bend out of the balcony", "don't put your hand out of the elevator before it stops" (even the building elevator hasn't changed in the last 22 years!). However, I'm sure I'll find a lot of new changes once I start to venture out a little bit more.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Nanaji ke do bandar

Pictures taken about two weeks ago in Portland



Sunday, July 4, 2010

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Anu and bua

Anu enjoying some precious time with bua in Boston before we leave for Mumbai