Turning 12

My 'Little Angel' turned 12 few days ago.
I haven't shared much on this space for a long time.
It's time to do a comeback.

Here are few images of her art work...
These were made on old novel papers by burning the edges with an incense stick.

Little chef at home!!!

I have a new chef at home now...
She loves to experiment on us whatever she learnt in her cookery class at school...
The newest recipe has been this...

Crispy Crackers (all you need is)...

Few packets of Crackers
Grated Carrots
Chopped Onion
Chopped Tomatoes
Cheese spread of your choice (I have used chilli flakes flavoured)
Coriander/ Dill leaves for garnishing

Mix all the ingredients and spread it on top of the crackers.

This is how the crackers looked when done...

Diwali

Diya made by Anvitha...

Ranting...

There is one thing A keeps ranting about all the time...that nobody seriously considers her to be their friend. And she has enough incidences to quote to support her ideas!

Incidence One:
During her skating practice, her coach usually keeps a race between two students at the end of the class. She was competing with a girl who was behind her, A was happy she was in the first place. The other students cheered for the other girl. In the end the other girl won the race. This left A furious. She started crying. I thought A was weeping because she did not win. But... it was the cheering part that had hurt her not losing! Because her friends cheered for the other girl A thought that they were not her friends!

Incidence Two:
For the upcoming friendship day few kids brought friendship rings and exchanged it in class. A asked one of them to share one with her but they refused. That's it, the decision was made. "They don't consider me as their friends!"

Incidence Three:
She was chosen as the assistant class monitor. When she accidentally blurted this out I said "Wow! Congrats." But she didn't seem to be happy about the whole idea of being an assistant. She wanted to be the main monitor. The process for choosing the monitor also went against her idea. The whole class was asked who should be the class monitor. Fifteen hands went up for the main monitor and seven for A! Two of her 'so called friends' didn't raise their hands. So again, the conclusion is arrived at. They are not my friends!

She is not even seven years old and such burst of emotions!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Yes, That's the book I am reading to my daughter these days.

The story though interesting, she laughs in excitement when she knows that her mouth starts watering at the mention of all different kinds of chocolates that Mr. Wonka is capable of making in his factory: the colour- changing caramel chocolates, most delicious chewing- gums and sugar balloons.

Of course, we are yet to complete the book. But I am letting her make all the predictions about who wins the 'Golden Ticket' to see Wonka's factory. As she first saw the ticket given in the book, she was happy that she was the lucky one! But once I told her that the ticket's place must be inside a chocolate and not a book she was disappointed. She says it's too difficult for Charlie to get the ticket as his chance is 'one- time'. And I had a nice time contradicting it.

Today, truth about the Golden Ticket will be revealed to her and am waiting for her reaction.

My first formal drawing lesson...

"It's taught by my teacher please don't copy it".

Grade One mania

She was waiting for these days from past two months- i.e to go to Grade 1.
At last she's there.
But, on the actual day when it all started, she wanted to be with amma and appa!
She had had so much fun during her summer break, that 'study' and 'school' went out of her list of 'to- do-things':)

There are two more reasons why she doesn't like it now:
One, she has to stay in school till evening. Her complaint for this goes something like this- " I am too tired. I have to stay till evening. My whole body is sweaty. I feel terribly hungry. You know how much difficulty we go through after the classes are over. We have to stand in the line to go to our respective buses, and it is too hot. You don't understand anything. You only know to send me to school".

Reason two, she doesn't get to eat her lunch with appa. Night, as usual, by the time appa comes home she will be fast asleep. The only time she gets to see her appa is morning when he is dropping her to the bus stop.

Such hardships of life!!!Ufff:)

Holidays

These are the things that kept my daughter busy for a day at her grandparents' house.

A day well spent!!!

This day was completely dedicated to my daughter; to give her a sense of 'Holiday' that she was asking for from so many days.

A quiet drive 12kms away from Shimoga, Karnataka on the Teerthahalli road we found the 'Sakkare bayalu' elephant training camp. It's a popular destination among the locals around the area. Reason: More than being the elephant training camp it's a place where one gets to watch the elephants bathing!
Located next to the backwaters of Gajanur Dam, it offers a perfect setting for both nature and animal lovers.
Nestled in the camp are around 30 elephants who are bathed everyday and left in the jungle and brought back to the camp at night.
A's greatest concern looking at the elephants was "How come they are able to bring out sooo much potty?:)"
So she was hesitant to get into the water where they were bathed.

Spending the early morning hours at the camp, watching the backwaters on that partially cloudy day we returned to Shimoga to visit the much forgotten Shivappa Nayaka Palace. Of course, this place was least interesting for my girl.

From there taking the Sagar (10kms) route we entered the Tyavarekoppa Zoo and Animal Safari. 10kms away from Shimoga towards Sagar road, the place is famous for its Lion and Tiger safari. Lucky as we were, we could see almost 4-6 Tigers taking a stroll next to our van!!! That was the first time we all witnessed a Tiger from so close. Of course, my dearest daughter as usual was petrified of the Tiger and started a downpour of tears:( The subsequent visit to the zoo was a comforting experience for her. Spotting the Emus and the Ostriches (as she is fascinated with Australia somehow) she was joyous.

It was indeed a perfect holiday for her.

Red and white

I found this sketch with red ball point pen very amusing...

She has monologues with God these days...
The topics would always be about making her stronger than her friends so that she can defeat them in fights (which never happens).
She even complains that God never fulfilled her wishes as she still looses:(

Dhoom 3 has had lot of influence on her.
The other day she explained major transformations that could be made in her toy bike just like in the movie.
She wants to learn Gymnastics just like her "Shila shila" (who is none other than Shiela ki jawani Katrina).
She doesn't know watching a movie and getting influenced is a luxury which she would get very rarely.
But at the same time she wants to be a astronaut too.

Now, that watching TV is gone from her routine list she has more time for playing and studying.
Yesterday she uttered a new word which she learned from her teacher "backlogs"!!! for falling back in completing her classwork as she was absent.

Her tantrums and anger are still in tact.
She was angry with daddy for getting a scooter for mamma and not her. That's when she got a toy bike and she designed the Dhoom 3 concept.
She was angry with both of us as we going out of station on the same day when she had to go for a picnic from school and she missed. She had her bag, snacks (self- made chapathi wrapped in foil paper) and sweater ready for that event.

She is a great story teller- both made up and actual events.
When at ammamma's house she narrated a story relating to her classmate and said he had gone Sonapur.
Nobody knew where Sonapur was- not even her father (except me as I knew where it came from).
In the end, ammamma asked me where this Sonapur was. And had to tell it's a place referred to in Chota Bheem:)
Had my presence not been there nobody would even know where that Sonapur was.

Conversation...

Daughter(drawing something on a piece of paper and suddenly remembers something): Amma, every day in the school bus we all have to sit in our respective places given by ma'am, we can't change the place.

Mummy: Yes, they have that arrangement so that nobody fights in the bus.

Daughter: But amma there is a problem...

Mummy: What is that?

Daughter: BUT I DON'T REMEMBER WHERE I WAS SITTING THE PREVIOUS DAY. ALL THE SEATS LOOK THE SAME HOW WILL I REMEMBER!

Mummy: ??!!@@##

Colourful

A colourful sketch by Anvitha.

ಮಗಳು ತುಂಬಾ ಜೋರಾಗಿದ್ದಾಳೆ. ಎಲ್ಲದಕ್ಕೂ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾಚಾರ. ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ತನ್ನ ಸುತ್ತ ಸುತ್ತಬೇಕು ಎನ್ನುವ ಆಸೆ.

ಹೋದ ವಾರವಷ್ಟೆ ರಾಜಸ್ಥಾನದಿಂದ ತಂದ ಬಟ್ಟೆಯನ್ನು ಹಾಕಿಕೊಂಡೆ. ತಕ್ಷಣ ಒಂದು dialogue ಬಂತು. "ನೀನು ಮಾತ್ರ ನಿನಗೆ ಬೇಕಾದ dress ತಗೊಂಡು ಬಾ tour ಇಂದ, ನನಗೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಒಂದು ಜೊತೆ ಲಂಗ ಬ್ಲೌಸು ತಂದು ಬಿಡು ಸಾಕು" ಎಂದು. ಇದಿಷ್ಟು ಕೇಳಿಯೂ ನಾನು ಎಲ್ಲದರ ಜೊತೆ ಹೊಸ ಚಪ್ಪಲಿಯನ್ನೂ ಹಾಕಿ ಹೊರಟೆ. ಅದನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ ಇನ್ನೂ ಮುಖ ಊದಿಹೊಯಿತು.

ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ದಿನ ನನ್ನ ಹಾಗೂ ಅವಳ ಅಪ್ಪನ ಮೇಲೆ ಕೂಗಾಡಿದ್ದಳು- "ಅಂಗಡಿಗೆ ಹೋದರೆ ಯಾವಾಗಲೂ ಅಮ್ಮನ ಅಡಿಗೆ ಸಾಮಾನು ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಬರ್ತೀಯಾ ನನ್ನ ಅಡಿಗೆ ಆಟಕ್ಕೆ ಯಾವ ಸಾಮಾನು ಕೊಡಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ" ಎಂದು. ಅದೇ ಸಿಟ್ಟನ್ನು ಮುಂದುವರಿಸಿ- "ನನ್ನ ಮೇಲೆ ನಿಮಗೆ ಕಾಳಜಿ ಇಲ್ಲ, ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಅಮ್ಮಮ್ಮನ ಮನೆಗೆ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ನೀವಿಬ್ಬರೂ tour ಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಮಜಾ ಮಾಡಿ ಬರ್ತೀರಾ" ಅಂತ ಮೊಸಳೆ ಕಣ್ಣೀರು ಸುರುಸಿದಳು.

ಅವಳ ಮುಂದೆ ಏನು ಮಾಡೋದು ಅಥವಾ ಮಾತಾಡೋದು ಇದ್ಧರೂ ಹತ್ತು ಸಲ ಯೋಚನೆ ಮಾಡಿ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು.

ಕಿವಿಯಂತು ಎಲ್ಲಾ ದಿಕ್ಕಿಗೂ ಹಬ್ಬಿರುತ್ತದೆ.
ಸಧ್ಯಕ್ಕಂತೂ ನಾವು ಅವಳನ್ನು tour ಗೆ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಹೋದ ವಿಷಯಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಬೇಕಾದಷ್ಟು emotional blackmail ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಳೆ:)

Sharpened crayons

Anvitha thought of sharpening her crayons!!!

To her amusement (as well as mine) the fallen 'dust' looked pretty.

And she gave me the idea of taking a picture of the same.

Here's is the result...

'Sun Blocking'

Took this picture on a sunny day against the light in my drawing room.

Peers

A slight feeling of jealousy passes through my heart everyday when I see Anvitha going away with her friends to play.
Complete freedom filled with innocence. Our complete corridor reverberates of their laughter, calling each other and to end it all- a fight.
Cycling, visiting each others' house, role playing... her whole evening is engaged in these activities.

She has grown to be the leader of her group now where she commands and others follow.
She can even start a conversation with adults if is unable to find her agemates.
It is good to see her having company all through the evening. It's given me some free time too:)

Stances

The new house is scary for her.
All things lying scattered and the house giving a bare look isn't too familiar to her.
She follows me whereever I go, be it kitchen or bath room.

She has come in terms with the fact that mother too goes to school now and she has also expressed her dislike towards that as she misses her being around.
But that has not stopped her from enjoying the activities at the day care; she does like her dance, music and gymnastic classes at the daycare.

She has forgotten all the learning that happened last few months.
Thanks to her carefree life with grandparents.
Of course, she has learned a few other things like talking too much (which she already did) and putting forth all her demands and expecting them to be met.
Blackmailing her parents is the best of all! She warns us to behave properly with her as she would go to her Ammamma's house acted otherwise.

Right now, waiting for her school to reopen and see the hurry in which we both have to RUN to catch our buses.

Little foodie

She is choosy about her food when we go out but when at home she knows exactly what she wants. A small change in taste, she will refuse to touch the food. She is learning to share her eatables now, with us of course. She offered her tic-tac to our divine God today:) She relishes on the little ghee-sugar combination that's offered as naivedya everyday. As far as mother and daughter as a duo is concerned we enjoy our pasta dish together. We also shared a bar of chocolate today sitting on the terrace as though we didn't want anybody else watching us!