Pollen and Bees

Yet to get back to schedule but warming up, now we are 15 minutes closer. And when we talk of time we cannot do without the hourglass. Or can we? The hourglass in all its ruby red finery, awe inspiring time keeping, stolen 5 minutes "me" time, countless screaming and yelling over who will "turn" it has ceased to exist since yesterday morning when Manav

"It was a mistake. I was trying to turn in and it slipped from my hands and fell down"

But Arnav maintains

"There is no hourglass any more. Manav put it on the edge (with a capital E) and it fell and broke"

In its short lifetime (and making us $9 poorer) the hourglass has given us endless moments of happiness. We miss you and are looking for your plastic unbreakable counterpart.

The bloodbath(room)

As much as I try I cannot remember any details of yesterday except for the fact that I was sewing like mad and Caunteya had a (yet another) late match. Also the tussle of putting Arnav to bed. I finally yelled at him and he said

"Don't shout at me. That's not good" being the pouty puffer that he is

"I am sorry Arnav" I wanted to diffuse this situation. Once Arnav gets into confrontation mode nothing productive can be accomplished.

"Papa doesn't shout at me. Manav doesn't shout at me. You shout at me." He ranted

"I am sorry Arnav. I shouldn't have shouted. I love you" desperate attempt at a make up.

"No you shouted and I love you" he almost yelled.

This morning in a desperate attempt to make Manav realise that we are late ( did I mention hourglass we miss you?) I said pointing out of the view from the dining table window.

"Look Manav, can you see the parking lot?"

"Yes"

"It is all empty and soon it will start filling with the cars that means we are getting late. The people have started to come to work and school but we are still at home"

"Yes, it is empty means all the people are having breakfast. Olivia, Daniel, Sidney everyone is having breakfast and then they will come to school."

"Yes, you got it. Now you must also finish breakfast before the cars come in" I gushed

"Hey look Mommy cars are coming, lets eat. You feed me and read a book, then we can finish"

Breakfast stretched and it was 8:45 AM when they left, so that's 15 minutes sooner than 9 AM, which we are used to since the time changed. We have to reach the 8 - 8:15 AM zone, miles to go before I sleep.

Today it was St Patrick's day celebration at school. They had green snacks, parade and treasure hunt. The boys were happy showing off their treasures. I asked Manav if I can have his sparkling green necklace. He said

" Yes, Mommy you can have it. "

"Thanks Manav. I will return it once we are back home" I said putting on the necklace

"No, you don't have to return it. You can wear it till your birthday ends. It is my present for you"

Actually a friend of mine had stopped by at the school to give me my belated birthday gift and had asked Manav what he had gifted his mommy.

The Green boys

During lunch again I had to remind Manav in stern words that he needs to sit at the table and eat. He was offended and said

"Mommy I will put you in Mercury and Venus in a rocket ship so that you cannot come back. They are very hot planets. Or you can go to Neptune which is very windy. "

In this tirade of deciding which planet I will be banished to he lost the real reason and said

"Hey Mommy remember the planets Jupiter and others in the Mc Donald's we went to?"

"Oh the one we went while Arnav's doctor appointment?"

"Yes, we went after the appointment"

"Yes and Arnav threw a fit when we said it is time to go home" I was remembering that tragedy

"When I throw a fit it hurts your heart Mommy" he said wisely

"Who said that?"

"Ms Foley. We should never throw a fit at anyone. Today Alex threw a fit at Ms Foley and said he will not eat any green snack. Thats not good"

"Did you eat your green snack Manav?" I asked hoping I can stop feeding him

"I ate some stem (celery) and tasted the leaves (spinach) did not like it. I ate the green cookie and some green grapes"

So more feeding ensued.

Post nap Manav did some project work. We had forgotten his folder at school so I had to supplement his homework. He was trying to make a cheerios shamrock. He said

"Mommy I am making a pattern. I am eating one and putting one (cheerio)"

Then we replayed the treasure hunt that he had in school

"What is it called where you slide?"

"Play area" I answered enthusiastically

"What is it called where you sit and slide?" He asked again

"Park?" now I was flummoxed

"What is the thing called?"

"Slide?"

"Ok, I cannot remember the clue but the answer was park, so we went to the park and then they asked where can we get ice when someone is hurt and the answer is office, so we went to office and then the leprechaun came to the library and we went back to class and he gave us treasures. We were running and should have used our walking feet"

I just nodded my spaghetti head at this long description.

Then they went to Manav's soccer practice and I cleaned up the patio ( or what once was a patio). They had a dirt fight there yesterday.

This is the "Before". I will post the "After" photo tomorrow.

After dinner we went out with the kids on their bikes to the park. Caunteya aptly mentioned that two years before this would have been unthinkable. They in their bikes and we walking and talking. It was gorgeous weather today and they played and biked back without any incidents.

When I was putting Manav to bed he said

"I will let the deer (he was holding the reindeer made out of icecream sticks) clean the pollen from my feet with its soft nose"

"What is pollen Manav?" I usually don't ask leading questions at bed time but this is the first time I was hearing this word from him and wanted to double check. I should have known better.

"It is what the bees have"

"Bees have pollen?"

"Yes, and then it becomes fruit. If it is cherry pollen it becomes cherry and if it is pear pollen it becomes pear"

"But I thought seeds become trees" I have no clue why I said this

"Seeds are inside these fruits" Manav said a little sternly and kept rubbing the soft reindeer nose on the soles of his feet.

Time to go to bed with clean feet.