The second quarter started with a bang. The spring has “sprung” though in this part of the country
(Deep River/Mackey ) the snow is still on the ground – the edges thinning out and quite a bit of melting.
The whole week both Sitara and Sachin were excited about their nana’s uocoming birthday . Everytime they come over to Deep River house or when they met nana they would recite “happy birthday” nana. I guess the excitement was built up by their mom – who was also wanted to celebrate her dad’s upcoming birthday. However, at the particular day, nana wousd not be here in Deep River but gone to Toronto – where Maya is also waiting to celebrate her Bapuji’s birthday.
So the kids celebrated their nana’s birthday on Tuesday 2 April 2013 – a good 6 days before the actual day. What a day. Sachin was at deeep River home since early afternoon (about 11.00 a.m) having come over with his mom.
He was just dancing with his smile and eyes and uttering nana, happy birthday – every so often and wanted to play with his nana – a kind of a gift to nana. Sitara came over after her KG and swimming – picked up her mom .
She just was coddling up to her nana and hugged him and also saying ” happy birthday”.
The kitchen was full of activity – preparation of dinner and decorating the birthday cake. Sitara has helped nani to bake the cake the previous day (note: both the kids had spent the whole day Monday at nana/nani home – being an Easter Monday – their baby sitter was away). Both Sitara and Sachin rolled up their sleeves along with their nani and theree of them decorated the birthday cake. What enthusiasm and joy displayed and constuctive participation in the ” merry making “by both the kids.
After dinner, when the dining table was being set for the birthday celebration , nana’s angel Sitara came over to her nana, held his hand and tugged him very politely asking him to go with her downstairs to the Recreation Room – saying she wants to play with nana. So both went downstairs – there she played with different toys together with her nana. First she got hold of the ” cash register ‘ – the old one her nana/nani had bought for her mom & mama when theyw ere growing up. Sitara acted as a sales girl and having nana to be a customer . She sold her nana few pillows, a ball – the green sqooshy type , a see-saw etc. For each item bought , she would demand & get the money (the toy money of course), till the cash register and occasionally give the change. After that she piacked out from the shelf and brought the toy gramophone ( again the old vintage one – bought earlier again for her mom or mama ) and played a record (London Bridge is falling down) , This then followed with the ” Carpenter’s bench ” – atoy one – a bit shaky one that did not deter her – she got nana to help her hammering down all the “pins” – and repeated the action few times .
Oh! she was just an angel – spent quality time with nana to amuse him to celebrate his birthday . What a child- nan is just beyond him with a happiness and glow in the heart . This happiness ended when a call came from upstairs that the table is ready.
Well, table was getting ready and Sachin came over to help his nana to set up the decoratiohn on the table – nana brpught out the ” happy birthday ” penannt out from the hutch in the dining room and also an electric birthday flasher light . Sachin had a great time with the electric birthday flasher – he switching it on and off a gew times . He was just so happy and husgged his nnan a few times and also uttering ” nana, Happy Birthday”.
Earlier the each of the kids had prepared – with the assistance of their nani – a birthday card for their nana – which was presented to their nana after the candlelights on the cake were extinguished (both kids helping to do that with big air blow) and cake was devoured happily.
What a night and what a day! nana is just ecstatic with spening quality time with Sitara and Sachin – each one separately and together too.
Sunday 7 April to Monday 15 April 2013
This week both nana/nani travelled to Toronto to be with Maya – for whom we are Bapuji (paternal Grandpa ) and Ba ( paternal Grandma) . Sunday her dad (Sunir) had gone to USA for business and thus both ba/Bapuji were thete in Toronto to give Maya and her mom (Shannon) company and support where needed.
So from Monday 8 April to Friday 12 April) Ba and Bapuji took Maya to her DayCare in the morning at about 8.30 a.m ( by Car- our 2010 Toyota Corolla) and brought her home in the evening at about 5.15 p.m – except on Thursday when we brought her home at 2.30 p.m as she was to be taken out for an outing to the Rain Forest Restaurant (in the Yorkdale Mall) . Her dad has returned from USA earlyB Thursday morning and wanted to spend time with Maya – at a special outing.
The whole week Maya played and was very loving to her Ba and Bapuji. She has a fondness for her Ba who looks after her at night when she wakes up ( sometimes) and at mornings. She also snuggled up to her Bapuji a few times – showing affection – which touched her Bapuji’s heart. Her bapuji read books to her – one specially became a favourite between two of them. This children book – Hippopotamus and its Belly Button – gave a a fun word to play with – “bee Bo” .
Maya also participated in her Bapuji’s birthday on Monday 8 April 2013 – helping to blow of a single candle on a Loblaw muffin – her Bapuji’s favourite miffin . Even Maya and her mom likes this Loblaw muffin. One of the best – very delicious with bluberries or other berries , apple and cinnamon etc. Maya also celebrated her Bapujis Birthday communicating and singing Happy Birthday song on SKYPE with her cousins (Sitara and Sachin) in Mackey. Maya can clearly take Sachin ‘s name but has difficulty pronouncing Sitara’s name. She is trying.
On Tuesday 9 April – Maya , her mom and Ba and Bapuji were invited for dinner at her Grandma/Grandpa home. Maya had a great time – all coddled her and played with her. She was very entertaining at dinner table.
Maya also went on Saturday (13 April) to a birthday party of a twins ( her parents’ freind’s babies) – about 1 year old.
After that she accompanied her parents to an IKEA store – where she was fortunate to get two baby chairs – for her desk at home.
On Sunday 14 April – Maya was coddled by her grandpa and grandma (Maternal) as well as by her Aunt Heather and uncle Ryan – as all had gathered at her parents home to celebrate her Grandma’s birthday.
Her Ba and Bapuji said bye to Maya on Monday (15 April) – she gone to her DayCare (in a stroller – her usual mode of transport -to and from DayCare) taken by her mom . Her Ba and Bapuji therafter drove back to Toronto.
What a week – great time with Maya and the family there.
The week ending Sunday 21 April 2013
This week the kids at Mackey were thrilled to spend some tijme with their nana/nani – after missing them when they were in Toronto. On Saturday . the kids, their parents and nana/nani went to “pasta dinner” at the Legion Hall in Deep River – organised by the Swim Club of Deep River & area. All had great time . Both Sitara and Sachin enjoyed the outing.
In the meantime , Maya had accompanied her parents to Montreal – a couple of days visit.
In an e-mail (along with photos) dated 2013 April 20 . Maya’s mom (Shannon) wrote :
Salut!
We are having a lovely time in Montreal, enjoying the parks, cuisine, etc. Today it has been hailing but we are still enjoying ourselves… it also happens to be the “journee du croissant” so we are spending the time inside various cafes sampling the croissants! Yesterday Maya and I went to the Biodome (the first two photos) while Sunir did his work event. The last photo shows maya’s face (and hands – and sweatshirt) after her first taste of nutella this morning 🙂
We hope you are all well. Lots of love and bisous,
Shannon, Sunir and Maya
Again on an e-mail (along with one photo) dated 2013 April 23 . Shannon wrote:
We are back from Montreal after a great trip. This photo was taken at the big market in Montreal. The very talented balloon maker made this balloon monkey, complete with banana!
Saturday 11 May 2013
After Montreal sojournh, Maya has settled back to routine in Toronto – going to the DayCare and genearlly enjoying the warm days with parents – going outdoors and going to park – located across the road from the house.
The kids, Sitara and Sachin are doing the same enjoying outdoors and going out to bush and beach.
On Monday Sachin came over to nana/nani home (after his swimming session at Mackenzie Community Pool in Deep River – where he went with his dad – while Sitara was dropped at nana/nani home after her KG class ).
After dinner (the kids and their dad – Nina was at work till 9.00 pm) , Sitara went to Mackey with her dad and Sachin stayed behind for a sleep over – he was to spend the day with nana/nani as Nina (his mom) was to go to North Bay for the day for repair/maintenance of her car. Tuesday morning usually Sachin has his KinderMusic get together in Petawawa but this tuesady – it was it was not on – for some reason. So his nana/nani took him to playground across from Giant Tiger in Deep River . There he had slides and general workout. Also he had good swing session -his nana pushing the swing . During the swinging – they made uo a song to go with the general sway and movement of the swing. The song goes like below – with words interchanged as song proceed during the swinging
Sachin ….. Munchin
Manchin ….. Crackers
Crackers ….. Crunching
Crunching …… Crackers
Sachin …….. Crunching
Munchin …… Sachin
and it goes on and on – with different tune & word play.
Nina came back from North Bay early enough to pick Sitara from school and to take her for her swimming session.
Her nani also went to the pool as it was Sitara’s last session for the season – nana stayed at home to look after sachin – who was having his afternoon nap.
In the evening Kannan and Laxmi joined in for dinner (though they were a bit late -came at about 7.30 pm) as they were driving back from Toronto – so they missed kids’ nana -who had a prior Bridge Card Playing engagement.
This day – both Sitara & Sachin along with nani and Nina celebrated a Mothers day – a bit early as Nina & family were to go to Jamaica for a holiday and would not be here at the Mothers Day time.
Thursday 9 May 2013
Both Sitara and Sachin went with their parents to Ottawa – and from there they flew for their parents’ annual holiday to a resort in Jamaica on Friday 10 May at 8.00 in the morning . On Thursday the parents took the kids to the National Museum and other places in Ottawa.
The kids arrived back at Pearson Airport, Toronto (Canada) in the evening of Monday (Victoria Day ) – May 20 and will travel/fly to Ottawa and spend the night there. Then on Tuesday 21 May – will travel/drive to Montreal for few days.
While at the resort in Jamaica , Sitara made the following observation and quipped to her mom ( according to May 19 entry on her Mom’s Facebook)
Sitara: Mommy what are those 3 girls doing flipping over like that?
Me: cooking themselves in the sun
Sitara: Will the animals come to eat them when they are cooked?
hehe
Saturday 18 May 2013
Maya spent the long weekend (Victoria Day -May 20) at a farm with her parents .
Sitara and Sachin arrived back to Mackey late on Friday night (24 May 2013) with their parents.
What a relief to nana/nani who were missing them -as the kids had gone with their parents to Jamaica and the for a few days to Montreal.
On Saturday 25 May , the usual routine started and the family took Sachin to Petawawa for his music session and after that they come over to Deep River to participate in the Summer carnival at The Church on Deep River and also going over to Canadian Tire parking lot where there was an inflated (air) jumping castle -where kids had fun jumping.
After that they came over to nana/nani home – when nana took them out for cycle rides. They are still young and thus Sitara rides her bicycle with training wheels on and Sachin rides “kiddie” 3-wheel bike. When their parents went away for grocery shopping – the kids spent time in the backyard – playimg with water hose and also helping nani collecting acorns etc from the lawn – to clean up the yard. Inside after having muffins etc – Sitara went downstairs (in the Recreation room) and got busy making a painting – a beautiful painting of a girl ( a sort of a portrait with matching different colours) with two pets on leash – with sun shining and few clouds in the sky. That she put in an envelop made by herself – collecting by herself confidently the materials for making a large envelop ( papers , cello-tape & scissior etc) . She really is an artist – for near 6 year old girl.
Wednesday 29 May 2013
An amazing story has developed on this day . When I booted my computer I suddenly noted on the dashboard photo of Sitara ( with swimming goggles etc – resting on the side of the swimming pool during her last session of swimming before going to Jamaica) that there were three (3) hands gripping the side of the pool instead of usual two (2) that we humans have. She seems to have sprouted a third hand mysteriously . These is no one around her in the water.
Any hoo – I immediately – on this day- sent the photo (by e-mail) to family members with the following text
Me: Hi Maya! This is Grandma.
Maya: Ma-Ma.
Me: I’m giving you a big kiss. [smooching sound]
Maya: More.
Me: [smooching sound]
Maya: All done.”