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Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Spring brought rainbows !!

April 2015

The joys of spring began right outside our window,

When the winter blues were washed out by the warm & welcoming sunshine
When the rusty branches proudly had the newly sprouted flowers
When the chirping birds were finally able to sing their fresh & sweet song
When the thick coats & boots were tossed off in some corner of the closet
When there's at last people outside, in the streets :-D
That's when some fun stuffs were happening in Kavya & Oviya's school;
* Easter parade with the hand-made decorated hats
* Distributing surprise filled eggs to the classmates
Wow... Parents were very creative in decorating hats & filling up eggs. The kids were collecting numerous eggs and were happy like the puppy who jumped on a pile of bones ;-).


The wacky style dress-up on a Wednesday and the 50's style dress up day really stirred up our brains. Sometimes, even a small dress-up day involves lot of thinking. On a happier note, hey... at least we get to have some silliness ;-P. 


In spring, there were lot of things to write about and a lot more to sketch about, like this particular one. Just a rainy day was good enough to open up my mind .


I believed, rain makes everything right & every minute happy . Rain takes me to another dimension where I dance as if nobody watches, sing as if no one hears, scream as if no person cares. I wish this fairy tale world has no end. 
When my cravings for the dark chocolate combines with the mad, crazy rain showers, I'll be the most blissful person on 'Earth' O:).


I realized, taking a little time off of the routine to spend that extra special 'aha' moment is as important as indulging ourselves together in a family activity .

Sunday, September 13, 2015

That extra pinch #love !

Feb 14th 
Valentine's Day

Fairy tales were just imaginary scripts
Magic & miracles showed up only in dreams
Love at first sight never happened all my life
Until...
Until...
Until... 
I held Kavya & Oviya in my hands!
So, every Valentine's day is special not only for the couples, but also for the motherhood. Our house filled with the aroma of the cupcakes on the day of celebration. The decorated cakes filled the kids' tummies . The painting I made for my lifetime companion filled his heart too :-). 
Whatever the case, whatever the activity, whatever the time spent, a little extra pinch of love and an extra spoon of involvement makes wonders & creates enchanting memories. So, it doesn't have to be a Valentine's day to celebrate 'LoVe' & it doesn't need any reason to express our 'AffECtiON.


March 17
All these years, this day was my ordinary birthday celebration with the usual cake & a dinner with a bunch of friends. This year, this day, I wanted a change - the change which can bring some smiles in at least a few people, this change which would remind me about changing me in the forthcoming years! This day would no longer be about me, but will be an opportunity to think about others too. 
Since my blood donation idea was rejected due to the overseas travel within the last 3 years, I desperately wanted to give a part of me that could help anyone in any possible way. So... the next nominee was my 'Hair' <whistle> <whistle>!! :-)
My heart was pounding fast when I cut 8 inches of my hair for children with hair loss due to illness. Never thought donating something that I valued most would give me this much happiness. After all, hair would grow back. But this is the least we could do for patients who went bald due to chemotherapy treatments or any other illness. 


With a little more research, I learnt about chronic illness in children who may or may not recover back, with many of them already in the grave :'(. There's nothing much we can do to comfort their pain or suffering. But, our simple gift or card might bring a smile in their faces & hope in their little hearts!


A birthday was well spent!!

So, here I stand as a proud mom 
Feeling beautiful for the first time
From inside and out...
Wishing myself to continue this journey 
All my life!!

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

The winter whoosh!

Jan 2015

Snowflakes, frozen trees, slippery roads, icy cars, snow man, short days & long nights
It was winter!
Warm house, cozy blankets, snow boots, thick coats, hot chocolate & fire place
I was thankful! :-)

One of nature's mightiest plans gets executed in winter. Nothing can escape from the blankets of snow. No one can resist the crispy fresh snow under their shoes. The heart just jumps, & thumps with the sight of first snow. The mind gets overflowed with joy when the entire bliss falls on the arms, on the head, on the face!! Ummm... Heaven :-)


Ohh.... Wait...  
And here I go...
Did I mention about the minus degree chills through the spine!? Brrr... What about the freaking silence during nights?? And the longing for a little sunshine through the tiniest space among the clouds. Also, how about the cars skidding like crazy on the slippery roads with almost zero visibility during drive?

The heaven shatters! 


Hmmm... And what else? The kids could only have fun indoors, with neighbors, making all the mess they wanted inside the house ( Ughhh ). The never ending 6 months of winter tested our patience. 
Kavya & Oviya's pickup & drop from school became an adventurous trip everyday :-). The frozen roads, slippery tires, unstoppable brakes, screeching turns, foggy climate, poor vision, frequent accidents in news - the nightmares get even worse.


Amidst everything, here's our Pongal celebration :-). At least there was a reason to celebrate during a peak winter. With kids dressed up, the house looked colorful.



Winter might've left the trees leafless & dry without giving them a chance for survival. But, when the spring evolves, every part of it actively works with the blossoming & sprouting of new flowers & leaves. Aren't they teaching us some important life lessons? :-)

Sunday, June 28, 2015

The perfect freak outs!

Ever wondered how little girls dream? Well... I can take you into their dream which was filled with magic, adventure, excitement & thrill :-)
Dec 2014 
Yuvi had a week off before he had to switch to the next client. We decided to fly to Florida along with Kavya & Oviya to escape the horrible winter in our area. This place is supposed to satisfy every tourist in every way with it's tropical climate, beaches & water activities, theme parks & resorts, shopping & dining  and lots more. We roamed, saw couple of places, got exhausted, and sat thinking what was in store next. That's when we received a call from the client saying the joining date is rescheduled after 20 days. But, we had to go back in the non-refundable returning flight. The trip was an unplanned one which went in the way we least expected. While in Florida, the kids got sick, didn't eat or drink enough and they couldn't even see their favorite Disney characters in the Disney World. The next couple of days didn't carry the exciting memories from the trip. We felt like a great part was missing which made me think CrAzY :-P. 
Yup... Very crazy! 
We decided to go again, but this time, by road. This became a 12 day trip with four days on road to and fro.
No... No... we didn't lose our mind :-)! Our ultimate adventure started right there...
Hang on...
1.. 2... 3
Off we went!!
With dreams in the eyes
Laughter around the roads
Carrying memories all the way...

                        


What we did : 
Relaxed and roamed in the beaches
Got soaked in the water
Enjoyed all sorts of hotels with pools
Stood in queues for rides
Danced in the crowd
Walked hand in hand throughout the theme parks
Ate like a pig
& slept like a log :-D

                          
                       
                     


Walt Disney World - Almost every kid's dream is fulfilled here. So was Kavya & Oviya's dream. The land of fairy tales welcomed us with the dramatic, grand, enchanting entry. Though it took 3 days to at least cover one of their parks, it was worth every bit. Just the brief interaction with Mickey & his friends created an unforgettable memory in the minds of the girls. We were also celebrating their belated birthday in the park. So, both were melting like an ice cream when Mickey sang them a 'Happy Birthday' song with all it's sweetness :-). The Disney parade & the fireworks were creating magic everywhere. The huge castle was glowing with sparkling lights. This was a visual, sensory, physical treat for all of us. The kids were overjoyed, elated and frenzied. 

                       

                       


The remaining days went by visiting one of the water theme parks of Disney, Lego land for toddlers & the downtown Disney for shopping. Everything carried Disney characters which made the shopping experience more intense. Kavya & Oviya wanted every Mickey they saw to fill their world with the same magic they experienced :-P. Finally we were able to watch the spectacular New Year fireworks that sparkled 360 degrees filling the night sky. 



Hmmm... So that's how we spent our holidays like the most happiest people in the entire world. Then came the reality ;-P.  With great mementos & happy hearts, we rode for couple of days & returned to where we started - our home, sweet home :-). Hope the fresh imprints in the hearts of Kavya & Oviya remain unfaded. The autographs from their favorite characters, videos and pictures should help here.  

Then I thought,  "Even if I was a pauper, I should save to go on a vacation where I could be a Princess at least for a day" :-D. 

Monday, May 4, 2015

Behind the screens....!!

Nov 24th 2014 

Three years back, on the same day Mr. Stork decided to arrive with two special deliveries for us. 
It has been 3 years since I became a 'Mom'. It was not only Kavya & Oviya's birthday, that was even more a special day for me than my actual birthday. 
A baby's first day in the world marks the beginning of an unseen chapter for every mom. It's true that our little ones uncover hidden horizons. 
This upside down turn of event slowly unveils a new part of the mom! On the very first day of the baby, every mom knows about her true strength and discovers the purest love possible on earth! 
The little eyes & nose
The tiny fingers & toes
The sweetest lips on face
Creates curiosity in everyone...
Is it dad's features or mom's cuteness?
The pride of becoming a Mom
Will stay with us forever... 

This golden memory must be cherished forever by celebrating the golden moments every year. This celebration should remind the mom's sacrifice, her struggles, her love and her warm hugs... 
This is one such celebration for the little ones in our family. 



There was laughter, fun, friends and heart filled happiness on Kavya & Oviya's 3rd birthday celebration. A simple & elegant party turned out to be a grand success. Both were eagerly waiting to cut the cake & gobble up :-P. Everyone else, including Snowy, were waiting too. 

I wish there's a reason to celebrate everyday. I wish there's happiness all around the year that is infectious :-).


Their first 3 years had ups & downs, positive & negative influences, bright & dull days, active & tired moments, emotional & light minded mood swings. But, I'm contented for being able to stay with them, by their side in all circumstances. 
Of course every mom deserves to be granted this one wish of togetherness for their whole lifetime. 

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Fall & it's tricks!

Hoodies & hot chocolate, boots & jeans, flushed cheeks & golden leaves, gusty wind & migrating geese - Autumn was here :-) . The leaves looked bold & beautiful even during their last days. The crisp air sent silent signals through the spine. The change of seasons were happening right before our eyes. With the whole new multicolored look, we had to bitterly say goodbye to 'Summer' & cheerfully welcome 'Fall'. 

                                                  

Along came the Halloween season with pumpkins, ghosts, trick or treat & parades. Children in costumes travel from house to house in order to ask for treats such as candy with the phrase "Trick or treat!". All the houses had ghosts & other scary decors. This was Kavya & Oviya's first 'Trick or Treat' where they dressed up as Bumble bees & went to collect candies in the neighborhood. The cold weather didn't stop them from having fun. Every house was welcoming & every candy we collected was extremely captivating! ;-)
The girls even had a Halloween celebration at their Ballet class. So, the Halloween fever was everywhere!! 

                     

Meanwhile, there was Navratri celebrations & New York trip. The Statue of Liberty was standing there with it's head way up in the sky. Every trip with kids was fascinating. The way Kavya & Oviya held hands & walked together, the way they ate any non-preference food, the way they managed to get through the entire trip were beyond my expectations. My mind just blew off with their amazing 'growing up' phase! :-)

                     

Every time they grow up, there's something new to observe from them. Only when the years roll over & ages multiply, we learn from our experiences & able to provide solutions for a problem from a different perspective. What we thought as right many years back might sound wrong now. Even a child who grow up, by taking all the inputs from whatever ways possible, tends to make not-so-good decisions on it's own. They learn during play, they learn from making mess, they learn from being naughty, they learn from becoming wild. It's only appropriate to guide them during their learning phase & not punish them for not being well behaved. After all, we all grew up the same way.

The time spent with the kids becomes irreversible & the words spilled becomes irreplaceable. 

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Squabbling theories...

Honestly, I didn't want Kavya & Oviya to grow up at all. I thought, growing up will take away most of the fun. I wasn't ready to miss their innocence, their charm, their unadulterated mind. I almost carried away with this idea and even thought of having another baby. But, when that grows up I might end up missing the infant stage again :-). Ohh... No.... This looks bad. Before making things any worse, I realized that my own ideas conflicted the reality. As the kids grew older, the fun never diminished, the laughter still echoed throughout the house, my heart got lighter than ever and above all there was a whole new dimension of life waiting every day! Even when the stages of growth like crawling, taking the initial steps, babbling vanished, the inquisitive questions, the excitement of exploring, the tiny works done by little helpers were still there. Every phase seems like a mystery gift filled with completely new & challenging riddles. Talented moms are solving them easily :-). My anticipation has increased now to watch what they're gonna do next while they grow. 

                        

Before the summer came to an end, the kids were relishing it. They were having an extra coating of fun each year they grow up. Now they understood about staying away from running cars, they got the idea of safety limits. It was a lot easier to take them for walks & cycling in the evenings. Our visit to the apple picking farm was a big hit too. Describing the summer days during snowy winter time is making me 'sigh' :-P.

                       

Not every day was sunny & not every hour was perfect. With all the toys spilled around & the scribblings in the walls, neither did the house looked organized nor the cleaning up ceased. But, there were certain things that never changed - the silly, giggly, funny, happy, loving, smiling faces and the warmth & care in our hearts :-).

                         

Raising twins or multiples must be creating perplexing situations for sure. Parents always wanted to keep them in same pace & provide them equal care & equal portions of everything ( love, attention, time, energy ). But, the truth is they are two different persons & treating them similarly is not working out a lot of times. The situations like, 
One likes to go to the school & the other doesn't
One likes us to tell a story & the other wants us to throw her a ball
One wants to nap & other wants to run around ( disturbing the other one ) 
One wants to eat pasta, while the other wants only omelet
(And the list goes on...) will definitely make us crazy :-P.

                         

Whatever it was, both were making all the pieces of my heart smile. Their hearts together carried on conversations as adults could never possibly understand ;-).