I am 2 and am loving it!!!

I wake up to a string of morning wishes

From mummy to daddy to grandma

Can’t wait to get my mojo on

With milk, and a basket of toys

It’s time to sparkle my pearly whites

How I dread the time on the potty

Love my mummy for that hot bath

She lets me play with soap and water

Glued to my favourite nursery rhymes

A whiff of my piping hot breakfast

My favourite meal of the day

Can I have my fork and spoon???

Mummy is ready for work

I shriek out my good-bye

Daddy goes with her too

Will return soon enough though

Daddy works on his computer

I sing and dance to the mirror

Love my time on grandma’s bed

Must see, to believe

Hear grandma call my name

It’s time to talk to her plants

Little does she know

I just want to spray around water

My eyelids start drooping

Have had a lot to do

A short nap should suffice

To re-energise the bunny in me

A big glass of milk for energy

While I pick out toys to play with

My favourite is the drum

It’s cool when the stick hits it

I love reciting ‘ABC’ and ‘123’

Grandma listening intently

Swiftly move on to ‘Teddy Bear Teddy Bear’

Grandma and I laugh ‘Ha Ha Ha’

I sense my lunch time

Empty vessels make much noise

Nanny gets into the act too

Can’t I play with them instead???

I push away in haste

I’m too busy, I remind

They don’t seem to heed

I don’t get to decide

Time for a nap, says nanny

If I want to go out after

I wake up all refreshed

More energy from my banana porridge

A glimpse into my wardrobe

Am dressed to the tee

My friends downstairs waiting for me

Love the space, open and free

Back home, nanny says bye-bye

Another glass of milk, toys strewn

Mummy and daddy still away

Grandma and I rehash our day

I eye some spicy snacks

While I go merry go round

Grandma spilling the beans

Mummy and daddy making sense of it

Meal time it is, grandma standing by

Familiar clatter from the kitchen

Oh Lord, I just don’t understand

Why can’t I just skip it???

I sing and dance

To my favourite jingles

Mummy, daddy and grandma looking on

They laugh, egging me on

It’s time to bring the curtains down

On my very eventful day

A few minutes of playtime on my bed

And, Manasi is sleeping, goodnight!!!

Happy Birthday Naannu!!!

My Little Red Riding Hood!!!

There’s anguish when I say I don’t know her very well, haven’t seen much of her either, blame it on our overseas assignment. Then again, we do meet briefly every Sunday, thanks to technology. Who does she think we are, I often ponder, People on a small screen TV or just people who visit her via laptop??? Either way, our rendezvous makes for some animated conversation, us in English and her in a language, which bears no name. In the midst of all the baby talk, we are also introduced to her new moves and wares, cruising in-between people moving in and out of our radar.

My most endearing moment came last week. We had not met her for close to a month. She had been on a busy touring schedule. I was busy myself, losing sleep over an image of her having forgotten our exisitence on her return and, having to make our grand entrance all over again. How silly!!! She did know me as that woman who performed her own lousy rendition of ‘Ol' Mc Donald’ every week, repeating the verse about pigs over and over again. 'A wee-wee here and a wee-wee there' was enough to get her started into her chuckling rountine. I would put my own routine on pause, just to give her and us some time to absorb the moment. Coming back to last Sunday, we were pleasantly surprised to see her break into a guffaw when we connected, unquestionably ecstatic to see us. She then turned to her Father and Grandmother sitting on her either side, probably to check if they were as elated. In a few seconds she turned coy, displayed with her tiny finger in her mouth. Then the finale, her new exhibits, a book on birds and a miniature candy pink cup from her basket of toys.

I present to you my adorable 15month old niece, Baby Manasi, the apple of ‘Indraprastha’ and certainly enjoying every bit of attention under the big bright sun.

Here’s a dedication to her, my most loved Nursery rhyme to date, as I remember it. I have no idea where this rhyme originated or if it were actually taught in school. It features one of my favourite farm animals…the pig. As for ‘piggy’, I absolutely love his pout.

Piggy on the Railway

Picking up stones;

Down came an engine,

Broke Piggy’s bones.

“Ah ! “ said Piggy,

“That’s not fair”,

“ Oh !” said the engine driver,

“I don’t care !”

The first of many….