Cricket

It was freezing outside with temperature in the teens but inside the house it was a heated race between the brothers on the breakfast table. They were racing to finish their chai (milk mixed with a couple of spoons of our chai). Manav finished first and Arnav followed but we nipped a battle in the bud by saying the usual " Both won, good job" 

I heard Manav in the living room saying

"Both the teams are winning today. Packers and the red team are winning"

I said "Only one team can win Manav"

"No Mommy, both are winning" Manav reiterated.

I was going to start a discourse of scores, wins, loss etc when it struck me that he was just repeating what we taught him. This is the constant dilemma of parenting, whenever we explain anything we tread a fine line between the actual reason and the convenient reason what I prefer to call as the child-friendly reason.

Anyways, they got busy with their morning routine and today Manav found the cricket bats and decided that will be the theme of the day. He ran up to me and said

"Mommy I have never seen Papa play real cricket, in a real field with a real bat"

Papa later brought back old memories of the India trip when Manav did witness real matches.

This is before they left for school

At school I picked up Arnav first and was walking towards Manav's class when he said

"Mommy no running. If you run police will come and put you in jello"

"OK Arnav" and I smiled

And then we walked into Manav's class where Arnav has earned cult status as many Manav's friends come and hug him and he walks around with a cool shrug.

Manav comes upto me and shows the Valentine decor in the class

"Mommy see this is Valemtime"

Manav absolutely insisted that I go out again and get the tennis racquet from the car and I had to give in. While fetching the same from the car I slipped on the ice and fell down. When I told Manav about this thinking he will be sorry that he sent me out he said

"Mommy did blood come out?"

"No"

"Ok, then pretend the raquet is a stick and climb the stairs using it"

Arnav said "Mommy do you need injection?" and without waiting for a reply jabbed his finger in my leg.

Manav had already changed into his "whites" ( the pajama I sewed recycling Caunteya's Hanes undershirts) and here he posed for me with the two big bats. Arnav held onto the tennis and the baseball bat.

Then Manav asked Arnav

"Do you want to play at home or go out in the field?"

"Home"

"No, let's go to the field" and walked to the toy room

Manav always does this, empowering Arnav in decision making but doing the opposite.

"Arnav which glass do you want pink or blue?"

"Pink"

"No, that's mine, you take blue"

Manav came to me to show the big bats (both taller and heavier than him, I tell you)

"See Mommy these are big brothers (to the other plastic bats). See how strong they are? They eat lots of carrots and drink lot of dal so they are so strong"

"Babies ask for their big brothers not for their parents Mommy"

"Here are the big brothers one named Jack and one named Jill"

And thus having infused life into these bats he took them along to bed with him. Nicely lined them alongside and tucked them in his blanket and napped. Arnav of course had to tag along the baseball bat and the tennis racquet to bed.

They woke up and watched the Animal Flash Card DVD for the umpteenth time and both were laughing trying the tongue twister "Dr. Daber Waber". I had to watch the DVD this time and found it was Dr. Deborah Weber.

And of course Arnav got his share of 4 cards. Then we had the cleaning-under-30-mins routine and everything was nice and clean. I had to reward them so showed them the toys that I had put away as they have too many. They had a good time playing with their old mailbox and CD player. Manav picked one mail from the mailbox and read

"This is from Dadu in Kolkata."

"What does it say?" I asked

"It says 'Love from Kolkata'"

"This is from Plano Day School and says 'Happy new year and Valemtime'"

Today was one of those days when Manav was in super mood. Arnav tore his instruction manual for the disney pixar cars we bought ( he loves anything paper that comes with the toy more than the toy) and he came to me

"Mommy Arnav is a very good boy. He is paying attention"

"Why do you say that Manav?"

"See he tore the paper but he didn't tear across the cars. He tore after the cars"

I had to go and check and was surprised that Arnav had made 4 pieces of the paper and all along the demarcation lines and all the car pictures were indeed intact. Bravo.

Today's family dinner was relatively stress free. Manav and Arnav were playing with their shark and bug ( the rediscovered toys). Caunteya was pretending to be the whale and Manav's shark was trying to be brave

"I have hot fire" Caunteya said

"I have cold fire" Manav said

"My fire can burn you"

"My fire can freeze you"

and so on it went and Manav threw the shark down the table and said

"It died itself. You cannot kill it whale"

"I am a proud fish" Manav said at some point

"Papa you know lion is a big cat, just like that shark is a proud fish"

And we are proud parents. And here is to Arnav

"Why are you wearing shoes in the house Arnav" Papa asks

"I am wearing shoes because I am wearing shoes" Arnav says.

Check out his red shoes in the picture. He went to sleep with those under his bed. Manav is a big influence.