Yesterday was the first day of school.  It was GREAT!  She had a great day.  She's making new friends; seems to really like her teacher and, overall, came home calm and happy.  Her Principal is a JEWEL, the school is adorable and the atmosphere is calm but everybody working.  We made the right choice.

I didn't even cry as I left her.  It was a great Day 1.

I need a strong support system when she becomes a teen if she goes at this rate.

Nevertheless a mid-week pick-me-up.

It was a good weekend.  Bought school clothes for the kiddo.  She starts kindergarten Tuesday and, if that weren't enough to give me a serious case of the Mommies, she lost her first tooth today. 

She's growing up so fast and I can't stop it.  Not that I really want to...  I don't want her to stay a baby.  I'm loving getting to know this big kid.  She's a really cool kid. 

Tomorrow night is Meet the Teacher Night.  I'm terrified I'll do something dumb like cry.  I don't want to embarrass her but, golly, she's really starting school.  *gulp*  I've been able to not think about it all summer but here it is. 

Last year, she was in Pre-K.  Pre-K is practice for kindergarten.  This is the real deal.  Before I know it, she'll be driving, wearing lipstick and wanting to try on kitten heels. 

Ah....I made myself a little sick with that last sentence.  *laugh*  I think I'll go to bed while I'm ahead.

The Good...the Bad...The Munchkin!! Fab~ lol!

This game is really really fun actually! My sister is like addicted to it. She plays by herself o.o;;
I really want to play with like...all the sets. Since your able to combine them~ Though then I'm guessing the games get longer. Not sure >.<;; But!! Yes even though my brother is such a geek ( XP) he bought this for like 30 bucks. And I'm glad =3

Yes. I do reccomend this game! Can be found at many geek-like store. lol jkjk~ Third Planet had them. Haven't been there actually... >.<;; But my bro gets lots of weird yet entertaining things there~

--Kimiko--

Here are some pics-

And he flipped! Unaided. I was so proud, I thought my heart was going to burst with happiness! (Man ,looks like I'm all set to be the pain-in-the-ass over fond mother at Sports Day)

He had been attempting turning over for some time now. He would manage to turn but wasn't able to remove his hand from under him. He would struggle for a while and then squeal for me to help him.But this day, in one cool move he turned by leveraging his arm and then gracefully removing it. It made me ridiculously happy .(Again, over fondness alert. I have coined a new term for it-'Mera-Puttar' Mom or henceforth MPM )

Isn't he clever?? Hai mera puttar!!!

I mean,isn't dal-ka-paani so passé?

if we don't eat breakfast soon we'll have to eat lunch

.

Whew!  It's been a wild few weeks (as indicated by my total absence from blogging) but we're finding our rhythm.  Munchkin is funnier, tanner and blonder than when she left.  She's also sassier but that's to be expected - she's two months older.  I mean, like, how could I totally not get that, MAAAHHHMM....  *insert rolling eyes*

*giggle*  Actually, she's great.  Her dad did a great job and she came home happy and healthy and like she had a terrific time.  It's great to have her home. 

Work has been a total roller coaster.  The new boss and I are finding our groove so that's good.  She dances to the beat of something along the lines of Rush so we're all running to keep up with her.  It's an adventure. 

I've started dating again and, eh, it's about the same as it's been before.  Lots of one or the others...  KWIM?  Lots of lookers but no substance or - at the other end of the spectrum - lots of great energy, enthusiasm and wit but no chemistry.  *sigh* 

There are a couple of stand-outs but I'm not putting a lot of effort into it.  At this point, I'm a little weary of the entire process so I figure he's going to just have to find me. 

We've redefined the boundary lines between me and work.  I went and bought a new cell phone last weekend so I could turn my work phone off when I was out of the office.  Only my boss and the assistant superintendent who deals with safety and crisis situations have it.  Considering there were only about a dozen times, the entire year, when something would happen that required after hours attention; I think this is a good plan. 

Things are good.  I am tired and it's been a little rough readjusting to a non-show sleep schedule but that will resolve itself in time. 

I'm growing my hair out.  No, not long again - I'm pretty sure those days are over.  The last time I got it cut, she cut it in that awful Posh Spice stacked in the back; long in the front look.  I hate it.  I'm letting the back grow back out before I chop the sides off to match it.  Right now, it's still too short and I don't want my stylist cutting it until it's ready. 

*YAWN*

Boy, I'm sleepy.  I think I'll hit the sack. 

What a great day.  :)

The result: I'm his little fireball.

It was also our first date since his return from California. So afterwards, we went to a nice quiet place with Anansi Boys in hand and read to each other. We didn't make it very far in but we've started and that counts. Reading aloud to someone you love is relaxing and calms the soul. the Night ended with coffee and shaken ice tea, respectively. Just before we went out to go get coffee, I fixed my make-up and whatnot. He comes up to me and goes, "When we go out it'll be like this red-haired fiery girl in her little brown dress and her non-descript boyfriend walking right next to her. And people will be like, 'Pshh, why is she with that guy?'" Who cares what everyone else thinks, anyway.

And tonight? I'm hoping for a repeat of last night only maybe with a bit of Munchkin.

The definition of a white lie:

A white lie would cause no discord if it were uncovered and offers some benefit to the liar, the hearer, or both. White lies are often used to avoid offense, such as telling someone that you think that their new outfit looks good when you actually think that it is a horrible excuse for an outfit. In this case the lie is told to avoid the harmful implications and realistic implications of the truth. As a concept it is largely defined by local custom and cannot be clearly separated from regular lies with any authority. As such, the term may have differing meanings in different cultures. Lies that are harmless but told for no reason are generally called white lies.

The key clause there being "cause no discord if it were uncovered". Who doesn't care about being lied to? For the most part you smile and let go, but occasionally the nature and the way it is said decides the impact imho.  

Social commitments in the kind of society we live in demands us for our time and our company. It's flattering to be invited. There have been times when we wished we could clone ourselves just so we could send each set different directions. Unfortunately, since that isn't an option, we are left to hurry from one to the other, most definitely inconveniencing ourselves at least to a slight extent in the process. There have been times when we had to decline politely. These are options. Valid options that we are faced with when you value the other party enough to not appear rude. Just a simple act that we are bound to for living in a society.

I have huge problems refusing. Can't say 'No' easily. I am learning these days and am yet to conquer the guilt for saying 'No'. The husband's a whole lot better of course, but both of us are suckers for holding our end of the bargain. If we've said 'Yes' without checking calendars and times, and there is a conflict, we'd do a juggling act and drive different directions if we have to, but we don't bail the last minute, unless of course it's inevitable as in the case of emergencies. You agree to one first, you stick with that commitment. It doesn't seem right somehow to change your priorities halfway through. I belong to a circle of friends who hold the same sentiment. A point that I once thought was the only right thing to do until I begin to interact more with the new desis (and by new, I mean new acquaintances Ive made recently) to whom nothing matters except themselves. Self-centered doesn't begin to describe their attitude to anything outside of them. What amuses me altogether is the absolute indifferent, callow attitude with which they continue even after they've been ratted out.

So that brings me to the question. We do have levels of friendship and we commit to different folks/institutions/events differently. Understandable. So does that give you the right to reserve the truth only for ones you place at a higher level and not care or spare a moment's thought to frame a fine enough reason to acquaintances?

Okay, am livid. Was livid some moments ago and then I got irritated and now am just plain amused.

So here's the story:

Recently made friends with a couple and their toddler son (kid1) a few months ago. Hit it off, talk and the kids played well. Met just a couple of times and the relationships' at a little-more-than-an-acquaintance-but-not-yet-friend level. Fair enough. Invite them over for munchkin's birthday party. They don't show up. Come home after 3-4 hours to see a mail from the man saying "we had unexpected guests over so sorry, we won't be able to make it."
Taking it at face value, it was a perfectly good explanation, though I honestly have never seen or heard of unexpected guests dropping into one's home in the US. Impossible? Maybe not, but a little bit of a stretch. Unexpected can only be really good friends. If they are good friends, it isn't hard to say,"sorry guys, gotta go out, be back in an hour." Still, perfectly valid reason, though sending an email after the time when you were expected to be at the party was strange. A call would've worked better.

Now munchkin's quite the cookie when it comes to her friends. She put the guest list together, so she knew who were coming in and who were missing. She counted off her friends as they walked in, escorted them to get their bowling shoes on and played the perfect hostess to the tee. So she knew this kid was missing. There was one other kid who couldn't make it and they called me that morning saying the kid's been running temperature the last night. Valid? Yes, sure. Munchkin knew about it right away so she wasn't expecting him either.

Munchkin comes home and continues to wonder just as I did why this kid1 didn't come for her party, just as she did every few minutes at the party. The girl gets all expressive and I explain to her after checking the email and she seemed okay with it. Kids forget easily, so it's all cool.

Today I speak with the lady to invite her for the Friday thing and just as I was done and hanging up, she broaches the birthday topic herself.

Says "Hey, am sorry about missing the party, it was really crazy that day. We had 2 other birthday parties to go to, and one was a neighbor and one at Chuck E Cheese."

Me: Oh okay. That's okay, but munchkin surely missed your son.
eh? Chuck E Cheese? Didn't he say something about guests. Okay, whatever, maybe she's confused.  

She: Oh, that's sweet. But yea, I asked him (husband) to email you, you know how it is with boys, once they see a place with moon bounce and all, they won't get out. We did think about each coming in different direction, but then it got really hard."

Me: I understand. We were expecting you as I got the mail only after we came home at 8. Maybe we can meet some other time. It's just that this was the first big party we were throwing for her, so she was excited about it.
Moonbounce? Didn't we have a major t-storm that evening? Oh well, Am not going to embarrass her with what her husband said, so please God, make me shut up.

She: Oh, yeah, actually what also happened was that he was all stuffed up in the morning and we took him to the doctor's and then ....

Me: That's fine. Social commitments are hard to keep up. I know. Got to run wrap up dinner. So see you on Friday if you can make it?
Okay girl, you are digging a bigger hole with every sentence you speak, so let's end this now.

***

The lie as such does not hurt the liar or the person lied to. Unfortunately, when the truth is uncovered, it does hurt, maybe hurt's a strong word, more like bothers or annoys the person lied to. The depth of damage is dependent on the kind of lie, relationship between the parties involved and the reason behind the need for a lie. You'd think people would pause for a few minutes before they blurt an excuse which isn't a really good reason in the first place. You'd also think that as a team, a couple would consult each other or let the other know the excuses before they stand united in front of the lied to. Like an alibi. Just to save face if nothing else.

What happened wasn't such a big deal, and we weren't good friends to begin with, for her to choose us over the others. Surely wouldn't it have been just easier to say "sorry, we are already going some place else, wish Munchkin a happy birthday for us, we shall meet again" . Simple. Has been done before, both ways. Works easy and clean, no mess.

It doesn't matter anymore who was speaking the truth and why they couldn't come. What just happened was that I've lost a few notches of faith and regard I had for them as a couple.

Darn them. Bah.

Makamae and Auli'i (my sisters) went to Disney World about a month ago and picked this Pluto up for Makua. It's so soft and cuddly!

My friend Teresa bought this outfit for him before he was born. I'm very sad to say he's too big for it now. :cry: I put him in it as soon as it was warm enough. If it was clean, he wore it.

My aunt bought him this blanket as well as an outfit that he wears to church. I love the ukeles on the blanket.

Daphne (Chris' sister) gave this MegaBlocks Firetruck to me at one of my showers, but I just barely broke it out. He hasn't quite figured out how the legos work, but he loves taking them out of the fire truck and throwing them on the floor.

Thanks to generous aunties, grandparents and 2 older cousins, we haven't had to buy Makua very many clothes. The shirt is courtesy of my sister, Noelani, and the pants and sandals are either from Holden or Andrew- or maybe both, but I can't remember. We love the hand me downs. :)

I've been trying to get pictures of Makua's teeth, but to no avail. :P He closes his mouth much too fast. You can't see his top teeth very well in this photo, but you can see the bottom tooth on the left if you look really hard and squint your eyes.

PS- My sister just sent me this picture and you can see his teeth much better in this one. He does this weird fake laugh where he scrunches up his face and laughs through his nose. I'm not quite sure where he learned it, but it's pretty funny.

I think I miss my shoes though..

So yes, this is the first, okay, not first but 4th picture (no, can't really publish the rest as they have munchkin posing away like a Parisienne on the ramp!) taken from my brand new iPhone!!

WOOHOO!

I am going to be good and focus on the fact that I am actually holding an iPhone in my hand and enjoying the features it offers me than complain about how the idiot at the att store held onto my phone for 5 full days without calling me, and how the customer service sucked big time and how rude folks really are out there!

..and o - the few who have my number, you are hereby given permission to call me :)

Moving on, evening conversation at home.

Me walking into the house singing and brandishing the iPhone in my hand: Woohoo, I have my iPhone, I have my iPhone...

Daughter: Let me see.

Munchkin: I want to see too!

Husband: Did you break it already? oh okay, there's still time?

Son to daughter: Mom is such a baby! She won't let you touch it! Am serious, just try taking it from her. Just yank it!

Husband: Okay folks, the thing costs a fortune, no yanking absolutely!

Munchkin: Mommy, can I see the iPhone?

Mom: No munchkin.

Daughter: Mom, look at the poor baby, she's asking so nicely too! Let me see it!

Me: No guys, not a soul's touching it. Let me figure this thing out.

Daughter: That's my point. Let me do it for you.

Son: Yeah mom, it will be a whole lot easier I assure you.

Husband: Yea, just hand it to munchkin, she can sync things up for you by the time you open that manual and search for stuff.

Me: Argh! I so can do it myself!

Son: Sure mom, who helped you dial pinni (my sister) in the car?

Me: That's coz I was driving! Not coz I didn't know how to dial!!

Daughter: That's what they all say...

Munchkin: Mommmyyyy, pleasesse can I see it? Please?

Me: Munchkin, just wait a bit, let me set things up and then you can see okay?

Son: Sheesh mom, you don't follow what you preach. Share, you know what that means?

Me: That's it, shush up all of you and no one dare come and bother me!

*off I march into the study to sync stuff up to the Mac*

Daughter: gee mom, what a baby!

Munchkin following me on her toes and in her sweetest sugary princess voice: Please mom, can I just touch it once? Please? I will share my gum with you?

Me: Munchkin, no.

Munchkin silently stands there staring at me. She then places her hands on her hips and continues to glare. It was getting icy cold in that tiny room.

Me: Alright munchkin, I will let you look at it, but first I need to do some things with it.

Munchkin: What things?

Me: Just things.

Munchkin: Mom. This is not fair.

Me: I know baby. Life isn't.

Munchkin: Huh? what did you say?

Me: I said, Wait. You need to learn patience. Let me finish first. Mom needs to play with this first.

Munchkin rolls her eyes: Mom! How old are you?

Me: eh?

Munchkin: No, tell me how old are you? Are you 4? or are you 34?

Has an exasperated look on her face and makes a scene of walking in a huff towards the door. Stops, turns around: Mommy, you are not 4. I am 4. You are a people, a person, like big person. You are not a baby. I am the baby. I need to play with the iPhone not you! Gosh! I am not going to be your friend ever ever again!

Stomps out of the room, while I continue to sit there and play.

Dear munchkin, your mom is a kid alright, ask anyone, they'll tell you!

Then, tomorrow evening, I'm going to get skeeter.  I can't wait... 

But first - sleep.  Desperate need of sleep.  Then, scrambled eggs, toast and bacon.  And COFFEE.  YUM.

'night!

Non appena sbarcato dal viaggio di ritorno ho temuto che fossimo ammarati nel Tirreno anziché essere atterrati all'aeroporto di Pisa, tanta era l'umidità dell'aria (94% secondo il widget meteorologico di Gnome). Ho subito rimpianto di aver lasciato la Sardegna, con il suo clima mite e asciutto del tutto privo di zanzare, che invece si sono presentate copiose non appena ho rimesso piede sul continente.

Cari Valerio e Cristiana, beati voi che soggiornerete ancora per qualche giorno a Santa Caterina di Pittinuri e grazie di cuore per averci ospitato con simpatia e gentilezza. Grazie per averci regalato questa splendida vacanza in una terra che, seppur già alla terza visita, non mi stanco mai di rivedere.

Non dimenticherò la lunghissima spiaggia di Mari Ermi coperta di quarzetti bianchi, bagnata da un mare di cristallo e battuta da un vento così fresco da dover indossare la maglia sotto l'ombrellone, né le corse al tramonto nella campagna di Santa Caterina, e neppure le belle serata passate a giocare a Bang!, Munchkin o Burraco.

E così ricomincia il solito tran tran... Giusto qualche giorno per recuperare dal jet lag (ben 50 minuti di aereo) e poi di nuovo a studiare.
Fra poche ore Alexandros, compagno di mille avventure nonché di soggiorno in Sardegna, riabbraccerà le sue dolci terre natie alle pendici del Vesuvio, lasciandomi quindi solo a Pisa, senza neanche il supporto logistico del Ristorante Universitario, più comunemente noto come mensa.

Spero quindi che i miei cari amici pisani non mi abbandonino in questo difficile momento di transizione e che si facciano vivi presto e spesso prima che che me ne torni anch'io nella bambagia familiare.

Itchy

Priyanka

The Mad Momma

Parul

Lavanya

I had planned and visualized motherhood a lot during my pregnancy. In spite of all that I forgot a very crucial thing-lullabies.

I realized this when I first tried rocking the Munchkin to sleep and found myself humming randomly. I felt quite appalled by the fact that I knew no lullabies! Everyday I would hum whichever last song I had heard on the TV or the radio. I knew I was in serious trouble when I caught myself singing the song "Teri bheegi bheegi si" from Anamika.

Yeah, I actually sang the part "Jale man tera bhi kisike milan ko..." to an infant!

Then slowly and surely I began to remember bits and parts of a song my Nani used to sing for me. It's got a lovely tune and is beautifully worded in Marathi. (Of course I am going to ruin its essence by attempting to translate it here). It goes something like this-

Nimbonichya Zadamage Chandra Zopla ga Baai

The moon has gone to sleep behind the lemon tree

Aaj Mazya Padsala Zop ka ga Yet Nahi

I wonder why my baby is not feeling sleepy today

Gaay Zopli Gothyaat

The cow has gone to sleep in the cow shed

Ghartyaat Chiu taai

And the little sparrow in it's nest

Parsaatlya Velivar Zoplya ga Jai-Jui

The flowers are also sleeping on their veins

Mit Papnyaa Dolyanchya Gaate tula mi Angaai

Close your eyes little baby sings your mother to you.

Aaj Mazya Padsala Zop ka ga Yet Nahi

I wonder why my baby is not feeling sleepy today

And now that I have effectively ruined the effect, let me proceed to say that my baby loves the song and now associates it with his 'sleep-time'.

I really need to learn some more lullabies.

...and hopefully he will stop at wine and not women!

So apart from work, my life currently is travelling to and from it, take some time out to exercise on the old bike (and that, sadly, isn't a euphemism), watching some TV, though not too much, currently mainly the Tour de France, NCIS and Top Gear, not much else on TV at the mo.

So the only thing to up-date you on is the ever involving drama that goes on at work, of which, pretty much has been based around Polly & Lisa .....

..... Polly is currently pregnant, and a recent favourite topic of conversation has been Polly's dress sense.

With the recent hot weather, the outfits have been getting more weirder and stranger by the day, some being very skimpy and low cut, for the condition she's in, exposing slightly more enlarged flesh then normal, followed by large flowing outfits covering her from head to toe, you know those maternity clothes that resemble a tent.

I have to admit that I've thought most of these comments have been a little over the top, and personally I think she's rather resembling Bonny Swanson from 'Family Guy', only blonde.

Mind you there has been one outfit that got even me commenting where she seemed to be wearing a black dress, as if she'd been out the night before and didn't have time to go home and change before work, including the high heels she was wearing too, now even I know they don't seem to be the ideal choice of footwear when you're nearly eight months pregnant and the size of the Hindenburg.

Though now, with only a few weeks left, she has moved on to wearing flat shoes, which has shown how short she really is. When your used to someone wearing heels all the time discovering that they're actually the size of a munchkin does come as a slight surprise.

Well, we found a motivator. As previously mentioned, he LOVES the TV remote control.  He loves it so much he got over his laziness and actually crawled to get to it.  Well, it's more like flailing army crawling.  He doesn't quite have the concept of crawling on his knees.  It actually looks like he's swimming on the carpet.  Rather funny.

How bad could it be? 

It's been a good weekend.  The 4th of July was super fun.  Super hot and humid but lots of fun. 

Tomorrow is Monday and now that we're into July, I'm officially on a six week countdown until the teachers are back on campuses and things gear up again.  I've got to get my back to school stuff planned and ordered so it will be here before the middle of August.

The show is good.  The gal playing the lead, Nellie, is on vocal silence which is concerning.  I know she's talked about the part being so low and having some concerns about all the belting; I really hope she doesn't hurt herself.  Many wishes going her way for a speedy recovery. 

I miss my little crackerbox.  I'm ready for her to come home.  She sounds SO good on the phone, though.  I know she's having a ball with her dad.  I'm so glad.  I find it difficult to tell him in a way that doesn't sound patronizing how much I appreciate his consistency and how much it pleases me to hear her using her good manners this summer; a departure from behaviors that surfaced last summer.  I credit that all to his stronger influence this year verses last; when she was pretty much given free reign (not by him, mind you, but by others around her).  Still, while I know she's having a great time and this time with her dad is critical to their relationship, I miss that little girl something fierce.  I guess knowing he reads this blog from time to time is a roundabout way of telling him without having to actually tell him; risking sounding foolish. 

Having said that, I still have no idea what it's like to miss her 10 months out of the year, like her Dad.  I wish there was a way I could help him move back to Texas.  I really would, if I could.  It would solve so many problems.  But I know he's built some semblance of a support system there, in New Jersey, and it becomes harder to leave once you get that established.  If he's taking care of himself, he can be a good dad to M and that's what counts.  *sigh*  It's all so complicated. 

Well, it's midnight and I really should be in bed.  I'm going to be hating life at 6:30am.    'night, y'all

2. Chubbocks : Because of his chubby cheeks

3. Cuddle bum: Because of his other chubby cheeks.

4. Babedoo: A bastardization of "baby" I guess. His Dad calls him that.

5. Kachchua : Because of the funny way in which he bobs his head while trying to hold his neck.

6. Munchkin: For obvious reasons. Yes, we call him that in real life too.

He has also been called bundya,gundu,kuchkoo,manya and son papdi(!) at different times.

Newsflash.He has also started turning. This is horrifying for me because he hasn't really started holding his head properly as yet and am afraid might muffle himself. He holds it for brief moments of time only.

The other night, I set him down to take a quick loo break. Imagine my horror when I returned to see him lying on his tummy. Thankfully his face was onto one side. But now I am paranoid. I tuck him in between pillows if I have to leave him unattended.

And ,oh boy,the smiles. He has developed the skill of social smiling which is a source of extreme pleasure for the whole family.

But the best part is the fact that he has started acknowledging me now. I'm more than a boob for him. His eyes follow me all around the room and he has started distinguishing my touch.

I'm the centre of his universe and as the popular jingle goes,'I'm lovin it !"