மொட்ட மாடி மொட்ட மாடி

The apartment kids put on a show themselves on the terrace for the holidays. It was getting dark. The kids had organized some rasna. The music was through the cell phone. Chantel, in her bullying way, has demanded a solo dance and was doing the same 'shaking the hips' movement for the whole song!
The kids were planning to do a revised, updated version next week with proper light, proper music and proper refreshments.

Alankulam visit

Visited Appa's native place - alangulam. C tried reluctantly the thottil hung from a tree.


then started enjoying it...


and tried a bit of monkeying around...


and made me go with her to search and find flowers (with murukku in one hand!)


and got cosy with Odile...


and sat next to Athai after a long time...


and went potty along the road... (yeah that was bad... we covered it with earth tho... and the tree didnt mind!)

Fashion show at the MV

C successfully worked the ramp today.

Fashion show rehearsal

The malarum mottum theme was changed to that of a fashion show for the Muthamizh vizha. CM aunty taught C catwalk at the rehearsal. At home, when D tried to teach C again, C told D : amma;! you are wrong; you have to walk like a princess" and started walking like a jumpy horse. We dont know how C is actually going to walk.
C was paired with Malini and both of them are supposed to walk from the backstage to the front of the stage and then do a சிலிர்ப்பு and then walk to the side of the proscenium.

Cleopatra at TSM

C was very excited to be part of the Muthamizh Vizha. She wanted to wear the cleopatra costume. We taught her to say "எகிப்து நாட்டு இளவரசி. இளவரசின்னா princessnnu அர்த்தம்". She managed to say "எகிப்து நாட்டு வளவர்சி"

Princess diaries

C became a staunch fan of princess diaries and started watching the same movie, day in and out. She started exhibiting strange tendencies (lifting one leg up while kissing!, etc.) Granma tried to dissuade her from lifting her leg by comparing to that act to that of an urinating dog. But since, C has never seen such a scene, C didn't budge.
Now we have hidden the DVD and have stopped all barbie DVDs for C and she is slowly coming back to normal!

Dont touch!

Nirmala’s kids had come home last weekend. After some initial shyness, C took both of them upstairs to her room on the presumption that they would all play with C’s toys. After some time, I went upstairs, all three of them seemed to be playing. But then, C said to Nirmitha: “Dont touch that, thats mine!”

I wanted to be the nice guy, and so I told C that that was not nice and that she should share her toys.

Nirmitha looked at me and said: “She has been saying the same thing all along! We got used to it!”

India போலாமா?

We have been planning our possible trip to India this Christmas. I asked C whether she would leave me here and go to India.
She said: "அப்பாவையும் கூட்டிட்டு போவேன் "
"But I have to work. I wont get enough leave"
She said: "பாபு தாத்தா கூட வொர்க் பண்ணுங்க! நான் பாபு தாத்தாட்ட ப்ளீஸ் அப்பா கூட ஆபீஸ் ஷேர் பண்ணுங்கன்னு சொல்றேன்!!"

US Open

I take C along with me to play tennis once in a while. I ask her to sit on the sidelines. I ask her not to move, or wander into the court or wander off to the court. She had to sit like this for 10 minutes or more somedays until Priya aunty comes to the park. C can go to the play park only after Priya arrives.
Yetserday, while watching the US open, I pointed Sania Mirza to her and told C that C should play tennis like those girls. C said "sure"and then asked me, "where will you be". I told her that I would sit along the sidelines to watch her play. C gave a huge smile.

Another month with Chantel

It has been more than 45 days since C returned to St Louis. Daph and C are already talking about visiting India again.
C looked very different when she arrived here. Now she is back to normal. Ever since Kavithran's birth, C has become a bit naughtier. She does not listen and would act as if she does not hear us at all. The other day I had to threaten with some 'adi' to make her behave.
Granma has a kuchchi for C and C behaves properly at the mention of it. D and Granma also have a counting scare (1,2,3...) to which C responds favorably.

Wii Fit

We got a wii fit for Daph’s bday. (D has not started using it yet!) I setup an profile for C and myself and we both were playing with it. I showed C that she got a crown for being the highest scorer in one of the games. May be I should not have. Now C does an exercise (sync step one) and eagerly checks to see if she got the crown. She starts crying if she does not get one and wii does not allow one to erase certain scores (mine) to show only Chantel’s scores.

Quite sad.

Daph birthday balloon

I took C to the dollar store to get bday balloons for daph. C was very excited. She even helped me pack the wii fit we had bought for D. (C didnt understand the relevance of cello taping while wrapping the gift and tried to apply the cello tape all over the gift.)

At the balloon shop C picked two balloons – one for herself. I told C that these helium balloon would fly away and so, I would bring it outside to the car. C was ok with that. Back at the car, I carefully pushed both the balloons into the car and tied them to the tennis racket(?) C, in her excitement, went to the driver side and opened the back seat. I told her not to do that and asked her to close the door lest the wind blew away the balloons. By the time, I reached the door to close it, one balloon escaped and took flight!

C could not believe the balloon (hers!) could fly away so fast and started crying loudly. I consoled her and told her that we would get back into the store to buy more balloons.

Amidst her tears, C asked me: இந்த balloon friends ஐ பார்க்க போயிருக்கா?

Sleep

Ever since Kavithran's birth C has been asked, nicely, to sleep along with me, so that she does not disturb the sleeping baby. (I am also being banished from the bedroom, so that ‘I’ dont get disturbed the by crying baby!)

C does not like to go to sleep and would keep traversing from one room to another. After everybody goes to sleep, C would come to me and start sleeping next to me. Around 11 pm, C would get up and go to daph and continue her sleep there. Since the bed does not have space for athai, daph, K and C, sometimes C sleeps perpendicular to all the other three.

Kavithran Birth

C came with us to the hospital for teh delivery. We were thinking of letting C stay with either Kelly or Priya. It didnt work because C asked D: “Why are you trying to send me somewhere? Neengathaaney en amma?”

During the epidural injection, C was sent outside the room with Athai. Around 11 pm C slept on the sofa. C had major plans to ‘catch’ the baby during the delivery. We didnt want her to be disapointed and so we told her that ‘only’ the doctor caught the baby.

When K was born C was still asleep. I was concerned that she might start crying when she woke up. Around 5:20 Athai woke her up. C didnt cry. She was quite happy with the baby and wanted to play with him. When the nurses took him to check / clean, C was quite annoyed. The nurses gave wrist security bands to daph and me, which left out C. I had to ask the nurses to give a fake wrist band for her.

Doravin bayananngal

C is very excited with Doravin bayananngal. She learnt quite a lots of tamil words including Nandri from Dora.

To play off her fascination with Dora, we described the route we usually take to the park to C like: airport, tunnel, vilayaattu poongaa.

C could not “see” the airport for some days but got into the idea and had lots of fun. Whenever we cross the tunnel, she would exclaim, “tunnel – check”, etc.

The other day at the grocery store, C wanted to read the ‘map’ (D’s grocery list) to direct me, even though C does not read yet!

Pidingiruuveengala?

C is into the habit of crying for everything. We try to discourage her but most of the time, I end up being the reason for her cry.

The other day she came and complained that granma had taken her stuff and would not return it to C. C asked me to go and get it. I told C , “Ok, I will get it”.

C says: “Granmatta irunthu pidingiruvingala?”

House identification

Long time ago, C got very excited to see a rabbit hopping away in our backyard and started chasing it. Daph saw her chasing the rabbit all the way to the next street. The irony is that C would not have found her way back to our house, if D had not seen her. All the houses in our block look the same.

This time around I thought of showing some locators to C so that she could find the house from the next street. I showed her our garden (nobody else has a garden!) and the BBQ grill. C seemed to understand it. The front of the house is more confusing. I showed her the electric box in the front. She still cannot identify the house. Whenever we drive into our street, C would say “Veedu engeynnu kelunga” and after we ask her, she would wait for the garage door to open and then would point to the house.

It took ‘me’ sometime to correctly identify the house… so I guess she is doing ok.

Chantel Arrival

We were quite excited on c's arrival day. I left office at 2. But around 3 we got the news that Athai and C's flight got canceled and they might be delayed. Later we heard that the airlines (American airlines - try not to fly this one!) put them on the 10 pm flight. That meant they have to be at the chicago airport for around 11 hours, after their 36 hour journey from madras.
After landing in STL, C was a bit shy and wanted to hide from us. Athai told her it was ok. But when C saw D, she came running towards her and hugged her. C could not say much, her face looked like C was about to cry, but didnt. I forgot to take the camera. Tried to take some pics with the cell phone.... :(

a new girl and walmart

C looks very different. Her mannerisms, her language, her expression have all changed. So, she looks like another girl. She understands more things now and so, we can have a conversation with her now. She is quieter.
The other day in walmart, she wanted to buy a princess dvd. When I said no, she agreed. Then she wanted to buy "cheetos". When i said no, she agreed again and told me that "see, I am a good girl. I am not crying like a baby - heee...heee - and I am ok if you say no" etc.
But when we went past the set of straws, C could not take it anymore. C said that she wanted it. She wanted a small box also. And started crying to get it. But later when she met D, C let go off the straws but wanted the box to keep her jewelry.

Security officer and pink bag

On her way back to STL, one of the security officer's at the airport checkpoint took C's pink dora backpack from her and told her that he would not give it back to her.
C said it was her bag and so the officer had to give it back.
The officer said it was his.
Then C said: this is a pink bag. Boys dont have pink. And so, it is MY bag.

Returning from India

C is quite excited about her trip to USA. She is finding anything and everything (coins, etc.) and tries to pack it in the US suitcase, saying that ‘she is taking those things for amma and appa.’ When Athai tried to explain her that the Indian currency will not be usable in the US, C started crying inconsolably!

C is also thinking that she has grown quite a big and told us that when we see her at the airport, we could exclaim that, “Chantel big girla ayittaa!”

Unrated2

This happened sometime ago.

We don't know the background circumstances related with this incident.

One day while on skype chat, C pointed to her chest and told us that “enakku onnumae illai”.

We didnt understand. C pointed again and reiterated, “verum elumbu thaan irukku!” C was genuinely sad.

We told her to wait for 10 years!

It is funny – Daph thinks that C would get spoilt in the USA and so, wants to return to India when C is around 10 years old. Looks like India is not so good either…corrupting the minds of 3 yo girls…!!!

Father's day

At r Church in Chennai, the pastor had gifts and lil kids were asked to take them to their father on father's day. C wanted grandma to accompany her to the gift stand . G refused and asked C to go alone as all the kids were going alone.....C refused; and so finally C ended up not getting a gift for appa. This made C very sad and started crying. So a friend helped her get something of what was left! a book mark. The next morning C curiously asked G, why dont they get a shirt gift for my appa! (Incidentally N had asked C to get him a shirt for his birthday! )

go back in DEC

Chantel is very happy in India . So much so that she wants to go back. She also thinks that her baby bro is going to occupy her "amma". Infact, she told my cousin (Andrea) that she will come back to India alone without amma or appa!!! Guess we will have a little sorting out to do when the little one arrives.

Nicholas

Last week, while chatting, C started calling me ‘Nicholas’. Both D and Athai, corrected C and told her not to call me by my name but only appa.

After some time during the chat, C asked Athai to address me as Nicholas. May be C likes the name Nicholas!

Also, during the chat, C would very much want to talk to me and would call out my name. When I say “ angh…sollu…” she would not have anything to say and would keep calling out for me. We don't understand this phenomenon. I hope she remembers us when she returns!

Boys dont cook

I was telling grandma how N cooked chicken for me yesterday. Of course grandma was impressed with her son -in- law! C however came charging in and said "Hey amma, Boys dont cook. Why did you make appa cook ?" I told her that girls and boys cook ! So may be she might ask thatha why he is not helping out in the kitchen !!!!!!!!

Interesting Observations

Now that C is getting a little older, she is making some interesting observations. She came to grandma ans said " Grandma do you know that the home of my tongue is the mouth " :)

Later to me she said " My tongue likes snacks like biscuits, chips murukkus etc , but my amma never gives me any of this stuff "!!!!!

Trash the toys

In order to train C and get her to clean up after playing with her toys, we used to tell her that if she did not clean up her toys after playing, then we would trash all her toys , the next day and she would have nothing to play with the next day. This always made her to clean up. C is also really smart and would come up tricks like, spreading a piece of blanket over her toys (so as to hide it). The next day she would tell us that she hid her toys to prevent them from being trashed.

Today in India, she was playing with her ice cream machine, her slate and chalk pieces etc. So after her game, grandma routinely said "C pick up your toys, or they will be trashed" C very quickly picked up her favorite toys and gave grandma a list tof toys she could trash!!!!!

Make believe games

Chantel has learnt to play some make believe games. While chatting today, she had grandma pose as the daughter and she "the amma " . So she kept prompting the lines that grandma had to utter. She had a plate of make believe food (made of clay) and wanted grandma to cry and ask her to feed her ( vootivdudhal) while C pretended to ask grandma to eat on her own.

Typically this happens, the other way round of course , in real life. So right before she went to bed, we would ask her to pray that Jesus would help her to eat on her own. Today during the make believe game, (with her hands on her hip) , she demanded that grand should pray like this " Jesus please make my amma to feed me " Grandma could not control her laughter and C kept demanding that grandma make the above prayer!!!!

Chantel in Chennai

C has been really good ..... or so it seems. She spent a few days with people in Sam thatha's house in Chennai . Seems she behaved herself very well and was quite adjustive.

She also received glowing reports from Vasantha pama as mature beyond her age.!!!

She has also developed a taste for barotta . She , every now and then, requests barotta for dinner :) Lucky C!!!!!

Chantel writes her name

C can now write her name. Grandma has done an amazing job in teaching her to write. I think that she can write upto N. Today during r chat she wrote her name and proudly displayed it to me.

Bore Adikkum

D has been chatting online with C everyday ever since C went to India. Some days C gets very excited to chat and shows all the stuff she got and talks about the stuff she saw etc.
Today granma was busy and so granma asked C to chat with amma in the meantime. C said "amma kooda chat pannaal bore adikkum!" and went about her way!
I guess, this is what they call 'moment of clarity!'

Visiting Tirunelveli

C visited Tirunelveli with Granma. She was quite happy playing with her uncles and aunts (who are between 5 and 10 year old!) Looks like C got whatever she asked for. One day they went to a farm to see the animals and C saw 'milking the goat'. C liked it so much, she wanted to bring the goat back home!

Visiting Tirunelveli - 51f

Granma took C to 51F for lunch. For some reason, C eagerly asked Granny whether she had 'upstairs' in her house. I think C is bummed that Granma does not have 'upstairs'. Anyway while granny took her around to show the house, C got uncomfortable with all the book lying around and told granny that she should keep all the book properly and not let them scattering around! Unfortunately Durai thatha was not there.

you have a long tail

C went with Amelia and Andrea to their church. After the service, one of the guys tried to tease Amelia. C thought this guy was no good and told him that she should not do such things and that he had a long tail (ஒனக்கு பெரிய வால் இருக்கு!!!)

Friend gets a lecture

This happened a few weeks ago! There is this friend of grandma's who wanted to go shopping with g for her soon to be born grand daughter. They also took C along. Everybody went in an autoricksaw and came back in an autoricksaw . After getting down from the auto, both G and her friend wanted to pay for the fare and started debating. Thinking they were fighting, C got excited and turned to G's friend and started lecturing, "Don't fight with my grandma! Amma has said that we have to be gentle! We have to share .....etc"

Ball Burst

AS told by D:
Today C was playing with a ball in the other room. Suddenly there was a loud noise. It heard like things were tumbling down. When asked what happened, C explained:
"Red ball ஐ வச்சு விளையாடும்போது , அது toy box மேல போய் இருந்திட்டு... ball ஐ எடுக்க வழியே இல்லை. அதனால toy box க்கு ஒரு kick விட்டேன். Ball கிழே விழுந்துட்டு"

Moving to India

D asked C whether C wanted to live with mom, dad and brother (collin?) in India or US. C replied India without hesitation. C also told that India has everything and very nice.
We will see.

Kannadithal

I painstakingly tried to teach chantel to 'wink'. I wrote a blog about it too. Last weekend C went along Granma for her bible study. C had to go to the kids class. Instead of listening to the Word of God, C somehow managed to involve the teachers (who are teenagers?) in a winking game. The teachers got very interested in C's way of winking . C was very happy demonstrating it for them and also added that "Nicholas Appa" taught her to wink. The girls did their part by teaching C to wink with her tongue sticking out. I have not yet seen this.

PanniKutti

I sometimes call C as "pannikutti" (piglet) and get away with it because she does not know its connotations. So far so good. Last week, while in India, C, lovingly addressed her friend, who is 2 years elder to her, as pannikutti. Her friend didnt like it and started complaining and stopped playing with C. Granma had to intervene and tried to explain.
Two days after this, C was chatting with us online and was calling for me repeatedly. Since I didnt respond properly, C said "Pannikutti Appa, inga vanga!"

Send Grandma some money

There is this little girl in the opp house (In India)....who must be about a year old. Seems she wanted the old beaten car on 2 wheels (2 wheels had disappeared). Grandma urged C to part with out promising her to get her another one later! C then started insisting that she wanted the car then and there and that G should take her to the shop. G replied that she did not have enough money at the moment to do so and that c should wait. C immediately ran to the computer and asked me "Amma G dont have any money can you please send her some money by post? "

My America

C had some nostalgia towards America today! She heard Jeevan at the other end and exclaimed "Jeevan cannot be there, thats my Amrica.... I need to be there ! " Then , one glass of juice later, she forgot all about it!

Brother named

C has apparently some very good ideas on how her bro has to be named. From mickey mouse to Samson.... she has suggested a lot of her fav characters. Today though she told me that he has to be named ' rabbit ' B t laughed and suggested that he be named bun butter jam (one of C's fav snack) to which C retorted "B t that is food, I have already named him "rabbit"!

C talks tamil

C is learning to talk in tamil which is a good thing. Hopefully this foundation remains and she never forgets her mother tongue. C has a white shoe which has a tiny little heal on it. She is therefore extremely excited that it makes a 'tap tap' noise when she walks. So she calls it her white tap shoe. She went to Babu thatha and asked him to get her a black tap shoe.Babu thatha apparantly asked her to wait unil the end of the month......or after she returned from T'veli. So C looses no opportunity to remind him once in a while. Today B t responded with a nod on his head and C in proper tamil exclaimed " B t thallai aaduthu! "
C also likes to eat a lot of 'jack fruit' . She calls it pallaa palam (without using 'zh' for the 'l' )

Chantel has a black eye

The other day when we started our chat, Chantel very clearly and precisely told us that she hit a little boy with her new badminton racket. ( C somehow thinks that all bats are there to hit other kids with!!!!!) The little boy who must be like a year or two older, hit her back with an aeroplane and C had a little wound under her eye. She kept showing us her wound and when we reprimanded her for hitting somebody with the racket, she said "amma lets please talk about something else!!!!"

Then C wanted to watch dora cartoon without talking to us. So she asked my permission and I told her that since her eye is badly hurt, she should not watch any cartoon for which promptly replied in proper tamil "Naan nallathan irukken amma . enaku onum illai " I was surprised at her increase in tamil vocabulary! Lets hope that she keeps it up!

Our internet chatting!

Amma and Appa chatted with C the other day. C wanted to know, if we missed her, we told her that we did. C just said "Oh! Im here in India I will come in July"  Later it seems she told grandma "Amma and Appa are missing me grandma, I think we have to go back to America " ...sweet!

Chantel's little sibling

After seeing Kez, C now understands what she is getting, when the thambi in amma's tummy comes out! It seems instead of being jealous of Kez and the att, C calls Kez "her Kezi " and is quite protective of her.....sometimes a little over protective. Today while on the D overheard C  looking for something of Kezi's. Grandma wanted to know why she was looking for Kezi's stuff. C instantly replied that she wanted it for her little thambi in amma's tummy! 

Chantel in Mysore

Chantel, grandma, Cedric mama and Pauly athai along with Kez went on a two day trip to Mysore. C ,  it seems had max fun of the lot. She went on a boating trip, on a horse ride and through it all C was never scared of the water or the horse. D called C the next day and C was quite excited  to recall that the horse peed and she got to watch it!!!

 

 On the way to Mysore C made a pun of the word 'Mysore' and  told Pauly athai,... "R we going to "Mysore or Yoursore" ? It is quite amazing for a 3 year old to come up with something like that!

 

  On the second day in Mysore,.. they went to the zoo and of course C was extremely excited. She was especially happy to see the little 'tiger' etc. Then they went to the old Maharaja palace in Mysore, and C was very happy to call it 'her palace ' and  play make believe in the throne room. She was the princess sitting on the throne!  Then they all returned to Chennai.

 

 

 

 

Chantel enjoying India

Seems C is enjoying India  and the people there,  so much so... she told grandma.. lets not go to America, let amma and appa come to India ! D is just happy that C is having a nice time! 

Chat with Yazhini

Today we chatted with C. She was quite elated with her trip to Mysore, the boat and the zoo. I have not spoken to her much since she left 3 weeks back. During the conversation, I whistled our leitmotif and C recognized it instantly and could not control her laughter. I am guessing she was overcome with joy upon hearing her dad's whistle!!! She also, as usual, mimicked the whistle - khoo khoo.
Later during the conversation, she asked "what are you doing?". I was about to check emails, etc at that time and so I said, I was working in the computer. Suddenly C got serious, and asked me, "Chantel கூட பேச முடியாதாவா? அப்பா வொர்க் பண்ரியாவா?"

Babu Thatha's account of Chantel

This is thatha's account of Chantel in India

"She behaves very well. One word from thatha aparantly makes her stop her mischief!!!The otherday, she wanted to go outside and play with her friend...thatha said 'no' for it was too hot outside. She immediately listened and asked thatha if she can bring her friend inside and play. Thatha gave permision and was greatly impressed.

She knows who to approach whom for different things! Example : Thatha for switching on the TV, Cedric mama and Poly athai for shopping, Grandma for food and sleep etc"

Au revoir

We got ready to the airport. I was concerned that C will start crying in the last moment. However, C was highly elated and was very happy to leave at last to India. C was trying to help Athai to pack. We told her that Athai cannot carry her all the time during the travel and C should not give any trouble to Athai and C should be nice.... etc. We thought C would start crying when we left the house!
At the airport, C got curious with the weighing machine and was in my way while I loaded the suitcases on it. After getting our suitcases tagged we took the suitcases to the scanner and left them with those guys. C looked at the suitcases longingly and will not leave. We had to explain to her that we will collect the suitcase in Madras later.
While sitting outside the security area, we still thought C would start crying any time. When the time came, C starter walking away, with her backpack, and would not even look back! D and myself waiting outside the security thing to see them pass the security. For five minutes we didnt see them at all. I thought they had moved to their gate. Then D noticed that C was sitting on the floor, trying to tie her shoes, which she had to take off for the security. Then she got up and started walking into the airport without batting a lid.

Red Lobster

C is quite fond of red lobster. C does not even know what kind of food they serve, but always shouted "Red Lobster" when we drove by it on our way to church. D wanted to take C to the red lobster. D thought she would feel really bad for the next 5 months, if she didn't.

C was quite well behaved at the restaurant. She waited patiently for 30 mins and posed for this pic. Then at the table, C wanted to have 'popcorn shrimp' and devoured it without leaving any trace. She also almost ate their ginger / butter / bread. Two of them. C also had a go at their "buttery" spread for her shrimp and d had to stop her from finishing that 'unhealthy' buttery thing!

Going to India

I asked C if she would miss me while in India. She thought for a while and said yes. We both knew she didnt mean it!
She started gathering stuff for the trip and sneaked in lots of stuff into the suitcase. Both D and Grandma have to convince her to leave those stuff here.

Pongal Vizha

We had our pongal vizha yesterday. (15th). C had lots of fun playing with Jeya and Jeevan. During one of the performances, J & J and C starter scrawling between the chairs and in between the audience. Thankfully we were all sitting at the back side of the auditorium and I hope we didnt do too much of damage. C also got attached with Kelly so much, and wanter K to carry her all the time.
C had to go to emergency washroom because she was polluting the surrounding air so much. Later when Jeya went to the bathroom, C tried to follow him!
The kids were supposed to have pizza for dinner, but the pizza guy got delayed. When the pizza guy eventually arrived, there was a huge commotion and all the hungry kids wanted to get a piece. Jones waded through the crowd and got a piece each for J & J and C. In the meantime, C was not to be found. While D was searching for C, C came out of the commotion, with a piece of pizza on her plate, victoriously. We didnt know how she went in, manuered the crowd, and came out with her trophy! We didnt even know how she knew they were distributing pizza!!!

Chucky cheese

We had never taken C to the CC. C didn't even know such thing existed and so it was easy not to take her there! Kelly wanted to take everyone to CC to celebrate Jeevan's bday . C was very happy to see all the play things. When I asked her jokingly whether C wanted to go into the tube of maze on ceiling, C agreed. Even before we realize that, C climbed onto it and went into the tubes.

For sometime we didn't know where she was. Later we spotted her playing on the toy car in one corner. We shouted to her. We were not sure whether she could hear us or whether she was afraid. We waved at her vigorously. She looked at us from that height for a moment and then varnished. D started getting worried. I thought may be we could direct her to the 'exit' by sign language. After some time, we saw her again, this time she didn't have her jacket, but was traveling towards the exit. I shouted to her about the jacket and she vanished again. Later, we saw her with the jacket, standing next to the slide, that led to the exit from the maze.

I shouted to her to slide and that I would catch her. She was not convinced. The slide was dark and fully enclosed, and so, C could not see where it ended and was a bit scared.

D got really worried and was nasty with me. She even threatened that she would get into the maze herself, (with her big pregnant stomach, and all) to rescue her baby. The tube was so small for adults. I talked to a employee and asked her what do we do if a baby gets stuck in there. I was hoping there was a attic door or something. But she told me, without laughing,  that we had to get into the tubes ourselves.

By this time, C has started scrawling in the opposite direction to find another path to freedom. She vanished from us again for sometime. Again, I thought, it would be interesting to guide C to safety just by giving oral and sign instructions. So, I started searching for C to locate her.

In the mean time, D explained the situation to another girl kid and asked her to help C (the kid with the brown jacket). this other kid had already done 3 or 4 trips through the maze and so, was well versed with the maze (and she also knew of a kid that would not slide at the end of the tunnel!)

When this akka came and asked C to slide with her, C immediately obliged and came down! D was still angry that I didn't go into the maze myself to save our daughter!

குண்டாயிருவேன்

This happened a long time ago. (may be 6 months?)

Night during supper, I told D that I wanted to limit the amount of rice I eat so that I don't get fat. I didnt know C was listening to our conversation.

When the time came for C to eat dinner, D asked C to come to and eat rice. C, lying on the sofa, said, “Rice vendaam…gundaayiruven!”

These days she likes rice a lot and wants to eat it instead of other stuff like idly, dosai, etc sometimes. C does not mix any kozhambu in her rice tho’. She likes to eat it plain!

சண்டை போடுங்க!

Because of our abundance love for C, we typically call her with different pet names. I say “panni kutti”, “kutti pappa”, and D says “pottu kutti” and Athai says “kutti thangam”, etc.

We have been aware of C’s “jealousy game” in which she would tell me that “நான் அம்மா பிள்ளை” and see if I get irritated. Some other time she would say “Chantel loves amma” and would explore my face for hints of jealously. It was a tacit understanding that I had to tell C either (a) “amma loves appa” or (b) “appa loves amma”. If D was nearby, she could participate in the game by giving similar responses.

Yesterday night, C told me that she was “amma’s pottu kutti”. When C didnt get any response from me, C turned to D and told her: “naan appa’s kutti pappa”. When D didnt respond, C looked at both of us imploringly and then said, “சண்டை போடுங்க!”

Sleeping mode

Duane and Treena visited today. C was very shy to even come down at first. She would pretend to be asleep and would not even face D and T. However, within 5 minutes, C became alright, and started showing Treena her princess set, boots and books. She even made Treena read a story book for her.

As the day progressed, C slowly got into her ‘sleeping mode’. Sleeping mode sounds innocent. But it really isn't. First sign is: She stops listening to us. (since she does this once in a while, we cannot typically catch it). Then she starts crying for nothing and then she picks stuff from her “princess box” and throws / scatters them around. Then she starts saying that she wants to eat this and that, but she really does not want to. So, for instance, she would get a chappathi, bite it, and then leave it on the carpet.

The mode culminates, when she picks up her pillow and some spot and lies down and goes to sleep.

Sleeping gowns

C had asked Babu Thatha to send some sleeping gowns. After those arrived from India, C got really excited and would not change clothes at all. She wanted to sleep in them, go out in them and never ever wanted to remove them.

Athai had to hide those clothes from C to make C  wear other clothes.

தாத்தா தா… தா…

C has been quite excited since she learnt the possibility of visiting India with Granma. She has been asking babu thatha to get this and that (including kuchi ice) and be ready for her arrival. When Athai is talked to Mama over the phone, C takes the phone and gives him a list of stuff to buy!

She is thinking that India is a land of plenty, where all her nice dresses come from; where all the sweets came from; where all the fun people are; etc.

She does not know that Kezia is the new kid in the block and C’s ‘sphere of influence’ has drastically reduced for some time!

பிரண்டினாள் ஒரு சிறுமி

We were at Jones’ house the other day. C was playing with both Jeya and Jeevan, but mostly with Kelly. When we wanted to leave, C didnt want and was crying loudly. Nobody wanted to drag her to the car. The task was assigned to me. When I tried to pick her up, C got violent and scratched my face with her lovely finger nails.

Back in the car, I saw that small amount of blood accumulated around the scratch. I wanted to take a picture of it, so that I can post it in the blog. Daph thought we should write only ‘good’ things about Chantel and so would not help me take a good picture.

I thought it was ok to write about this, and it would be fun when C grows up and reads it. So I took a photo of myself and it didn't turn out good.

Jeswin sendoff

We had a small gathering at our place to send off Jeswin and family. C started out the evening fine but later turned into a baby that would not share but enjoyed snatching all the toys from others. The only bit of respite came in when C played with Joel in her room.

D and myself sulked real hard that night that our baby was not gentle; sharing; caring, etc. Next morning, after a night long போதனை from Athai, C came to us and pontificated that she would share and be nice.

We will see.

தம்பியா தங்கச்சியா?

C is quite excited about the baby. Both Granma and D tell her that the baby is going to a boy. So, whenever we ask her, “what she wants?” she would say “தங்கச்சி” 

However, when she comes to me, I tell her that the baby is going to be girl and she promptly changes her stance to “தம்பி”

These days, tho, she does not want to get into the ‘controversy’ and just says that it is a ‘baby’ and “she wants a baby”, etc.

We have been trying to teach C to share her toys. One of our often repeated statements is “She/he will keep this for sometime; play with it; and then she/he would give it to Chantel”. C typically reluctantly agrees. Yesterday she tells me: “Amma is keeping the baby in her stomach for some time; then she would give it to Chantel!”

Ootividuthal

Yesterday evening C brought the disney book again. I told her that I was busy watching tv and averted the book! After sometime, she brought her plate of plain rice to me and asked me to ஊட்டிவிட. I was quite surprised with this. C does not even like us to spoon-feed her. C wants to do it on her own and I always suspected that she enjoyed spilling on the the floor, table, her dress, (others dresses) and enjoyed using some part of the edible items as facial material (must have learnt it from her mom!). Apart from this insistence on eating on her own, C also historically would not come to me. When I was getting ready to மடியில் வைத்து ஊட்டிவிட, I saw that Granma was oottivitting her daughter D on the other side!!!

(I hope D does not expect me to ஊட்டிவிட, after G leaves. G is asking “why shouldn’t you?” That prospect does not look so bright this New Year!)

Missing Appa

For the past two days, whenever I come back from office and finish exercising, C would cling to me. C would bring the disney book and would want me to go over every page.

Yesterday, she even wanted to sleep in the same bed and when she realized I was not interested in playing tent with the brown comforter, she started talking to me intensely for 30 minutes. By the time I really wanted to sleep, she got up and went to sleep with Granma. (she has been doing this ever since Granma landed!)

I was pretty proud that C chose me to spend time the last two evenings. I reasoned that she is spending the whole day with the ladies and is quite fed up of them in the evening!!!

Turns out that they were sleeping in the evening (G with jetlag and D with ‘you-know-what’) and C, being too nice to wake them up, thought of spending some time with appa!

Talling

C likes to eat plain rice. (when D makes chappathi, C would ask for rice, and when C makes rice, C would ask for pasta and when pasta, C would ask for noodles, etc.)

When we try to add some sauce or kozhumbu in her plain white rice, C does not like it. We tricked C to believing that adding sauce will make her tall and strong.

So, nowadays, she mixes the kozhumbu with rice, and eats, and tells us, “I am talling!!!”

Granma from airport

C is gracious to introduce Granma to any new comers. With a straight face, she told Kelly: This is my granma. She is from airport” She did the same to Mohit and others.

Last Jan, when we had just come back from India, C would think that Granma lived in a plane and would point every plane that went over our house and say “granma irukkaanga”

Now G is coming from the airport. Everything makes sense now!

Pappi

C introduces me to her Granma as “this is nicholas appa”. (G is admonishing her to not use / call “nicholas”)

These days, C has started calling me “paappy”. We dont know the origin. I asked her why she was calling me that. She didnt know neither. May be she is confusing with “appa” and “papa” and “daddy”. As of today she calls me as paappy, appa, daddy and sometimes, father.

Yazhini does not listen no more

Priya / Prawin had graciously invited us for the New Year’s dinner. C turned into a super energetic kid and was running around the house without any regard to the laws of physics. She would snatch toys from the younger kids, push them around, etc. Very bad. Repeated requests didnt change her attitude. I even tried two killus, which didnt work at all.

I thought the blue balloon they were playing with was the root cause and ‘captured’ it and held it as high as humanly possible, so that these raucous kids cannot get to it. At this moment, the balloon burst and flew upwards and got stuck to the wall!

C started wailing, blaming me for bursting the balloon and ran to mama. I had to convince everyone that I didnt ‘actually’ burst the balloon.