"I Am A School Ager"

That's what V's been saying for past few weeks. He was so excited about starting kindergarten today. He couldn't sleep last night because, well god forbid sun doesn't rise and he misses first day of school :). It was way too cute to watch him so happy and excited about school. I hope it lasts another few weeks :). Today we had to drive him and we got to meet his teacher and see his classroom. It was only for an hour. Tomorrow my boy will be riding the school bus. It will be from 9 - 1 tomorrow and Monday. From Tuesday onwards it's full time which is 9 - 3 :).

Here's him getting ready for his first day of school today.

"An Affair To Remember"

Couple of months ago I went out to do some grocery shopping leaving the boys alone at home. When I walked through the door V announced that he had dinner and threw up afterwards. I noticed Prabu cleaned up the carpet and was washing V’s clothes. Can I help you, I asked, and my man declined saying he’s got it under control. All was well. Few weeks after that, I took out the big bad vacuum (I have a tiny one I use every other day and keep the big bad one for monthly). I thought the bin was full and decided to empty it out. Boy oh boy! As soon as I opened the bin, I shut it back in and called Prabu at work. I was seeing red by then but was very composed on the phone (Surprise, surprise) ;).

M: Did you use the vacuum 2 weeks ago to clean the carpet when V threw up?
P: No
M: Are you sure? Because I just opened the bin and I can’t even explain.
P: No. Why would I? I used the wet scrubber we have.
M: Ok. Then I guess I have to believe that there are ghosts or something paranormal.
P: What?
M: Well, I didn’t do it, you didn’t do it. But then the vacuum is looking and smelling like hell if you open it. So yeah, I think there are ghosts in the house. It’s ok, I will see you at home.

He came home, went straight to the vacuum. Took it outside, opened it and came back to clean it. I told him to throw the filter out and he has to scrub the bin down. Ok. Awesome. He does it all and comes back to say “Sorry. I think I did use this vacuum that day. You can buy a new one.” Here is where I should tell you that I had my eyes on a new vacuum since last year but didn’t want to argue with, “We Americans are all about the next new thing”. But the second he said you can buy new one, I was all over it. After few days, he says why don’t we just order a new filter instead of a new one. And I was just shaking my head going, “Men”. I got a new filter and all that jazz but I can’t shake the smell out of my head and the feeling of ewww looking at this damn vacuum.

Finally, last night, I decided to have the affair I always wanted to have. Oh yes, you heard that right. I decided to have an affair with ‘The Dyson’. I took the plunge and ordered my new toy. He will be at my door in 5 to 10 days. He promises to clean the house better as long as I promise to guide him through the rooms, the corners, and the hard to reach places. He also said he will be with me for the rest of my life and if I am not satisfied at any point, I can send him back. Come on over in few days, if you want to meet my new boyfriend ;). At $200 less than retail, this will definitely be an affair to remember :).

Finger Puppet Holder

It's ridiculously hot in Phoenix and there is only so much of playing V can do inside the house. So every now and then, I tend to do something fun for him that keeps him occupied for few hours to days (depends on what I make). The jail I made is still going strong in the 'play' department :). I was in a major cleaning/tossing/organizing mood this weekend and noticed these plastic pins that I saved from the flowers I received from sis-in-law for my birthday (don't ask me why I saved them, I do those kind of things). I also had some Styrofoam from the packaging from Ikea. And I present to you finger puppets on flower pins ;). I only had 7 pins so for others I used some cardboard I had. We bought these puppets from Ikea when v was 2 years old and it worked wonders for our drives :).

Ikea does sell the puppet holder that you have to screw into a wall or any other surface. The way I did, I don't need no nails or screws ;). And I don't think I have to tell you that it was a hit with V :)

Chick Hicks In Jail

Few months ago V saw a Police Station/Prison set in a toy store and said, "It's just for looking right. We can't borrow it right". So I told him yes, we can't "borrow" it. I thought I would make him a jail. I made one for him yesterday using some Styrofoam bought at home depot, patterned paper and this wooden "thing" I bought long time ago from Joann's for 59 cents. You can see my lovely ridiculous work. I can't cut things straight for the life of me nor am I that "artsy". The walls used for this jail are made with cardboard from a shoe box (Note to Husband: See how important it is for me to buy shoes ;))

V loved the jail and played with it all day yesterday. Today he called me into his room to show me a "Truck Festival" he is having. It was very cute. He arranged all his trucks on the wooden planks and was explaining about each one to me. After few minutes I thought, "Let me take some pictures." By the time I got the camera and went back to his room, I saw this:

Me: Vikram, what happened to your festival? I was going to take pictures and show it to Attha and mama.
V: Chick Hicks came in and crashed all the cars and trucks
M: That's not nice of him. Didn't you tell him not to crash.
V: I did and he didn't listen to me
M: Well then may be chick hicks would like a little time out
V: Don't worry momma. I put him in Jail. Look here momma.

Where The Mountains Are

Aha! So this is what it feels like. Something happened over the weekend and I am trying my best to 'let it go'(If any of you know tried and true methods on how to 'let go', let me know. I am all ears :)). It's hard though. I am sure you all have been there, done that. I don't have to specify what it is. It can be anything. Anything that makes you want to scream 'F you all' in an empty house. Anything that makes you go from "I am feeling good" to "Bite Me" in 3.3 nano seconds. These kind of things happened before. This time though I am caught between "Screw convenience" and "Come on, stop being a brat Sowjanya". It is not a fun place to be at.

Yes, I will come out of it by not being a brat. I already wasted 2 days sulking about it. Time to shape up(literally) because anniversary weekend is ahead of us and I want to look awesome. Time to remind husband what he got himself into eight years ago :). You need to exit now because it's about to get 'cheesy', 'corny' and what not. See the guy in the picture below. He's the reason I wanted to get to the top of a mountain 10 years ago and scream, "I am in love". And I still want to do it from time to time. This weekend, I might actually do it as we are headed to the mountains in Tucson.

Thirty Going On Thirteen

Couple of weeks before my 13th birthday I asked my mom if I can have three new outfits for my birthday. Both of us were surprised I asked. Me, because I never asked anything for birthdays. I didn’t have wrapped gifts waiting when I woke up on birthdays. My mom was surprised because I asked and that too not just one but three outfits. Few days later, she said it’s not possible and we can afford only one new dress. I sucked it up. My aunt who was visiting us said, “Well, when you get married, you can have your husband buy you as many dresses as you want”. I told her that day that I will never wait for someone to buy me anything and If I want something, I will work for it myself. I wasn’t arrogant about it when I said it. It felt very ‘matter of fact’ for me at that time. I am glad my parents didn’t just get me everything. It definitely gave me motivation and I got the taste of my first paycheck when I was 16, three thousand rupees (Less than $100). I worked as a news anchor for a local cable channel (I still can’t believe I did that. What was I thinking?). Surprisingly I didn’t go out and buy any new dress. That money was spent for my TOEFL exams and other things. But the whole ‘new dress on birthday’ just stayed with me. So for the last 12 years (After moving to US), I made it a point to buy a new outfit for my birthday.

Birthdays are always special to me. I know for some, it’s just another day but not for me. I am here, I am alive then I am celebrating that day. I love birthday parties, I love everyone making a big deal about it. This year was my big 30th and I was away from the family. I didn’t have the ‘hoopla’ I envisioned that I would do for my 30th. But I finally made my “three outfits” into reality. I got me a reservation at the spa for some pampering. I made reservations for dinner and I made sure I kept me happy that day. And I didn’t have to ask anyone for anything. I was able to do it myself.

Few days later it got me thinking though. Am I still 13? Does being a 30 year old mean I have to start saying “Oh it’s just another day. I am getting old”, even though I don’t mean it? Does it mean I will stop ‘celebrating’? Nope. No way, no how. I worked way too hard to be where I am and nothing will bring me down from feeling how I feel. Thirteen or Thirty, you still have to rely on you and only you for your happiness and no one can hand it to you. Would it be nice? Yes. Can it happen? Not always. That’s when you tell yourself, “Suck it up butter cup”. That’s when you decide which route you want to chose. The one where you are pissed off and sulking or the one where you are still pissed off, but are able to work on getting over the anger and finding ways to cool off. Both ways are difficult. Personally I have chosen both routes at certain points of my life. Part of growing old, you see yourself choosing the second route more often than the first :). That's the difference between 30 and 13 ;).

Here is a pic of the familia at the birthday dinner:

'You Get What You Get'

Few weeks ago V came home to announce his teacher told the class "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit". I ran with it. I have never heard it before and I love it :). Fast forward to yesterday when Prabu was cutting a cantaloupe and asked V to get him a box to store it. Here is how it went down:

P: Vikram, could you get me a box to store the fruit please
V: Here appa
P: It's very tiny, could you give me the big one.
V: You get what you get and you don't throw a fit appa
P: Well, I am not throwing a fit. You can say that if I was asking for something that's not there. You can see the fruit I cut up won't fit in the box you gave right?
V:Yes
P: You see a big box in the cabinet?
V:Yes
P: Well, then you can not say that in this situation because we have a bigger box to fit the fruit.
V:Oh, I am sorry appa. Here is a big box.

I wish I recorded the conversation. I was in the living room when the conversation between the two started and towards the end I locked myself in the bathroom laughing hysterically (Sorry Prabs...lol). I just can't believe the brat gave it back to us.

Here's him in Atlanta making funny faces like his cousins:).