Superbowl

I absolutely love to see how the boys fall asleep and it is the afternoon nap that gives me a great viewing experience. The sleepy eyes are open but not looking, then they droop, close, flicker open momentarily and then finally close with a smile or scowl on the face (depending on which mood they went to bed). Then all expressions on the face dissolve to reveal that radiant sleeping child image and my heart melts into a pulp. I feel exhilerated at the prospect of at least an hour of kid free activities but at the same time I am burdened with the guilt of having 'No'ed' most of their demands and at times having yelled at them. All this until they wake up and the start button is hit all over again.

Today was one of those mornings when the boys actually let us sleep. They were building their Lego skyscrapers and playing with motorcycles or engines and paying us a visit every 2-3 minutes. At a point we were all four of us on the bed and Manav said

"Arnav, Arnav"

"What? I am here"

"Are you holding a motorcycle in your hand? I heard a sound" (Actually there was a sound in the room, no further elaborations)

"No, I am not"

Manav double checked both of Arnav's hands and said "No matter" and went back to his side.

Arnav then started

"Manav, Manav"

No reply and Arnav continued for a few more times and then Manav said

"I am ignoring you Arnav"

At the breakfast table Manav was his usual exuberant silly self and pulling Arnav's leg.

"Arnav see Papa came out of his time out" (Arnav had put Caunteya on timeout for something)

Arnav would go "Papa, again, I'll put you in timeout"

"Arnav see there is a mosquito there"

"Where?"

"Manav is just pretending Arnav" Caunteya said

"No, look there....on the light" Manav said

"Ok, here I killed it" Arnav slapping his hands together

"Let me see, let me see"

Arnav opens his palms carefully

"Ok, here I eat it" Manav carries on

Arnav snatches it away from Manav's mouth

"Dirty Mosquito, here I throw it away"

Manav snatches it mid-air "No, here I eat again"

and on and on it goes with a meagre portion of their french toast tasted.

Caunteya is very angry and says "Manav stop this or you'll be in serious trouble, Manav 1, Manav 2" and then stands up from his chair with a menacing stance

"But Papa you have to say Manav 3, that's when I stop" says a teary Manav

and continues "I will break everything"

"Go on break, Manav" Caunteya counteracts

"I will leave the house without you" now tears are freely flowing

Caunteya calls the truce and picks him up and perches him on the dining table. They hug and make up.

"You know Arnav, I love Manav bahut jyada" Caunteya says

Arnav goes "Yes." and other conversation ensues.

Manav says "Papa please tell my story. The story about love"

Arnav starts his story "Then next morning, the lion goes poof poof poof and there in the grass....."

"No papa has a story to tell Arnav, listen" Manav says.

Caunteya gets Manav's first year album and starts the story of how Manav was born, how he came home and how little he was. Gosh, that was some narration, left me a little misty eyed and we all went over those pictures again. Yes, Yes I know we didn't do any of Arnav's story, I don't even know if we have a similar album of his.

Then began the clean-up with some very nice folk music in the background and we all danced and worked till Manav remembered that he has to change (again!) into what else but football clothes.

The hood over his head is the helmet and note the second layer of red socks going over the blue and don't miss the Nike cleats...Arnav on the other hand is content with a simple shorts/t-shirt combination with a mature pose.

And some more close ups with their duh looks

They were very animated when the game started but lost interest as in Manav's words

"The game is taking too long Mommy". They did enjoy the half time show though.

Enjoying the Black Eyed Peas performance

Manav absolutely insisted on having that last cupcake before going to bed and graciously forsake the last remaining one saying Arnav would want to eat it after waking up. Caunteya wasn't so happy with the decision of having the cupcake post brushing and said he's not going to put Manav to bed, he will have to sleep by himself. So a teary Manav from his bedroom

"Mommy no one is putting me to bed"

"I will come Manav, don't worry" I said

"And at night when I see that you are not here for a long time, then I come to your room and sleep with you. Is that fine?"

As much as I would have liked to say No, as that would have been the right thing, I just couldn't do it, so I answered

"Yes, Manav that would be fine"

And by the time I went to his bed after putting Arnav to bed he was fast asleep. The point is he did sleep all by himself.