Sri Lanka

Arnav's recovery continued into its third day and he's doing great without any pain killer. This evening we were laughing over high fives seeing him somersault with one hand and the other one tucked underneath. It came so naturally to him.

Also, today we received the birthday gift package from my brother. Manav's birthday is not till the 21st of April but this was an early delivery. With it came lots of surprises and all kinds of new ideas of play. It contained a lightening McQueen boom box, a remote controlled car, Dr. Seuss book on Solar System and a pair of Lego walkie talkies. I had to list the contents to do justice to what followed after opening the package.

"Arnav don't touch anything. These are my birthday presents"
"Ok. I want the remote control car"
"Mommy please read the book" Manav said, alternating on his feet, just couldn't stand still all the while scratching his head (he does this when he is super excited)
"Ok" I said, saying a mental thank you to nobody in particular, thrilled at the fact that my boy chose the book, THE BOOK over the fancy toys.
"No, lets hear some music on the boom box first. Or maybe we can play with the walki talkie just like Spudz in Bob the Builder. But then I wanted the remote controlled car so Bablu mama sent it. Mommy, are you listening?" Manav got me back to the real world. The world where kids will be kids and devious parental satisfactions are never to be granted.

The afternoon was well spent. Arnav ran behind the car though he had the control and was using it. He preferred stopping it, reversing it and driving it manually. Guess it just made him feel powerful. Manav fiddled with the car a bit but was more interested in the boom box. He got bored of the CD and turned his attention to the radio where more fiddling was involved. Finally selected a rap station and danced around to the tune and ended it with vigorous fist slapping on the floor with bent knees. I have no clue where he learnt this from. Then they both turned their attention to the walki talkies and here I put my foot down. I said
"We don't have the 8 AAA (yes, talk about batteries burning a hole in pocket) so we will get to it after we buy the batteries. And now we need to take the book, read it and nap"
The boys obliged reluctantly. We read and reread the book stopping short at the glossary (Manav didn't let me go without explaining what glossary meant) and I promised I will read the glossary once we wake up. (which I did). More drama followed in the evening when Caunteya came in with the batteries. Manav was quick in learning how to push-to-talk but Arnav just kept saying 'Over' over and over again.

After dinner we went on a drive, just so that the kids would sleep off in the car and we would be spared yet another day of bedtime routine which doesnt work anyways. Yesterday, I spent so much time with Manav but he just refused to fall asleep. We tried with the lights on, lights off, hugging his doggie, holding his book, with fan on, fan off, blanket on, blanket off but he would still reappear at our bedside in under 2 minutes. He said
"Mommy. I am sorry but you didn't tuck me in properly"

So today was drive day. Arnav started singing "Sri lanka, sri lanka". Caunteya asked him why he was singing that.
"Because they didn't winned the match" Manav said
"No, Surpnakha cut off her nose there" Arnav said
Both were right and we said so.

Last Sunday over a noodles lunch I tried teaching the kids about gravity and failed miserably. The ketchup was at its last few drops and I put it upside down so that we could get some easily. While Manav was waiting I said
"Why do you think the ketchup is coming down"
"Because it is liquid and it flows down" said Manav
"Why doesn't it flow up?" I asked a leading question
"Because it is its job to flow down" Manav rested his case and I will wait for his school to teach him about gravity. They do a better job.

On our way back from some errands the same Sunday evening, Manav was being very irrational. He drank some water and threw the empty bottle and started his other silly antics. He got a whack from Caunteya and started crying and saying
"There was something yucky in the bottle and I can still feel it in my throat and that is why I threw the bottle"
"Ok, so lets go to the doctor"
"Yes, I am not feeling well, it is still there in my throat" he was clutching his throat and making weird noises which was so realistic that we stopped the car to check. He gulped and rubbed his throat and said
"I am feeling better now. We don't need to go to the doctor's"
"Oh, ok. maybe there was a worm in the water" I said
"No worms are big and they live in the mud. There was some small black things in the water which got stuck in my throat" he continued his tale
"Oh, what are those black things? "
"I don't know. You check it out"
"We are going to a restaurant for dinner. Is it fine?"
"Yes. Don't worry too much. I will deal with it" Manav said matter-of-factly.

And once in the restaurant he started reading(spelling) all the menu and "read" them using the food pictures beside them. Ones he couldn't I had to fill in, which was more often than not. His reading continued to "Open" and "Closed" signs on the other shop windows while we were leaving. I am always in a hurry for Manav to start reading so that I don't have to read him his books multiple times a day. But as with other things I remind myself that these are moments to savor, live and treasure. The cuddling kids on your lap, hanging on to each word you read, pointing to pictures with their pudgy(not so any more, since my parents left) fingers, asking innocent, hillarious and sometimes meaningful questions and then drowsing off wrapped in your arms, fingers, night dress or hair is a BIG deal. Once they learn to read they will cuddle with the book instead, on their beds, fall asleep and not turn up at our bedside any more. Though that is what I want so much now, am sure I wouldn't want that when it happens. So here is waiting for things that I am sure I wouldn't want when they happen. This is parenthood.