Family

For someone like me..living outside India and getting to visit family once in a year or two can completely appreciate the family factor in life. Its not so much when you go back on your own or with hubi, its awesome when you take the little one. The amount of love and attention they get is amazing that I sometimes feel guilty that she doesn’t get it all year. Here are some of the examples of the things that my girl experienced that overwhelming for me.

Birthday party – Like any 3 year old, baby’s favourite topic is her birthday. How she dresses up, cuts cake and everyone sings is all she talks about. Invariably her birthday is either today, yesterday or next week (the 3 time zones that exists in her world).
This time I was in the car with big bro, nephew and baby. Baby kept talking about her birthday. Bro dropped me home and took her for a drive. Guess what they came back with this massive black forest cake and candles. We all ( big bro, nephews, small bro, sisters in law, nieces, mom and dad ) gathered around the cake, lit the candle, sang the birthday song and baby got so excited. She cut the cake, took a huge piece in a plate and walked away saying “thank you friends”. We couldn’t help laughing.


Princess – Big bro did his part, now it was time for Bro number 2. So baby goes to bro 2 and said “ I am wearing a new dress” and he said “ wow you look like a princess”. That is it, each time he called her by her name she would say I am the princess. And guess what he called her princess through out our 4 week holiday

Story – This time at in-laws place. Baby wanted stories. So mother in law took her outside to the front yard. She has a bag kept in the shoe rack, filled with pebbles picked up ( and washed and sanitised…she is a doctor you see). Brought a small pot and water to demonstrate the ‘Thirsty Crow’ story. Baby’s favourite word is ‘Again!’ so she repeated the story like 5 times without even a small hesitation. Grand parents are awesome indeed.

Shopping – So here we are in yet another shoe shop and trying on shoes. Bubby wearing a red dress walks upto the kids section and picks up a red shoe. Big bro was with me, he was like helping her try few different shoes, telling me he was just entertaining her while I was choosing. But when I finished mine ( I had 2 formal black shoes in the shop and I took one of them), she was already wearing her new red shoes and packed her old shoes in a box. Her tiny little shoes were almost the same price as my shoes !!!!

Cake – So bubby this time has a craving for cakes. All she had to do was to say it out loud enough for someone to hear it. Small bro heard it and I was like she will get over it, don’t bother. But he insisted on taking her out, so I let him. He drove her to the shop and asked her to pick what she wanted and guess what she picked 1 of everything on display. So bro got like 10 pieces packed up and then she is like I need one to eat now. So he got her one in a plate so she can eat in the car. When they came back home an hour later, bro was all smiling. Wait a minute….this is not how the scene closes, I was expecting my bro to come back stressed…. then he explained to me..apparantely bubby kept saying “ thank you mama” in her baby voice through out their 15 minutes drive. He was like she is sooo cute. RIGHT !!! thinking..there is no way I can live up to this expectation.

Anyway there are heaps of examples of grandpa reading her the same story over and over again.
Brother in law taking her for a drive everyday to show her doggies ( that’s what she calls the street dogs in Chennai)
Entire family standing around and watch her dance, listening to all her babbling, watching her sleep peacefully etc.
When I left I definitely thought when you are growing up, there is nothing like grand parents, uncles, aunties and cousins. Our kids need them more than us.