Cookie fever!

Isaac: 'Amma can we make Cookies'
Me: 'Isaac I dont have butter. I will buy it today and we will make cookies tomorrow.'
He seemed happy with the response and I got on Zopnow and ordered unsalted butter which arrived a few hours later.

This was Thursday evening. On Friday morning I had to go out early in the morning and did not watch the kids wake up. But Suresh said that he did ask for me in the morning.

When I returned in the afternoon, I was too tired that I decided to hug Ziva and take a nap. In about an hours time there was a whisper near my ear. 'Amma can we make cookie now'
I had forgotten to keep the butter out! I felt rather guilty but dragged myself out of bed and again made the same excuse
'Isaac I forgot to keep the butter out. Lets see if we can find a recipe with oil for cookies'.
We did and let me tell you there is a reason people use butter instead of oil in cookies. Because oil cookies taste like crap.
I made a small batch that smelt like sunflower oil even with an extra dousing of vanilla essence. Isaac happily mixed and then made little cookie dough balls on the cookie tray. We waited the 12 minutes and brought the cookies out. A few minutes later we both took a bite into what can only be described as the worst tasting cookie ever! I thought - there goes a lot of sugar, flour and chocolate chip to waste!
Isaac: Its yummy!
I was shocked. I had almost claimed the whole tray to compost when he picked up a second cookie and happily gobbled it. When he reached for the third cookie, I had to rescue his tiny stomach and put the rest of the oil cookies in a jar.  Isaac asked for a cookie snack every single day after that.

I dont think he has great taste buds ... but he has great taste in getting me to spend time with him. It wasnt the cookies that were tasty. It was the time we spent together making it that added just the right flavors for him

Yesterday after reading a few pages of a book to him I dropped it down and said - Lets take a break.
Isaac: A baking break
Heart my boy!

Nostalgia - familiar sounds, familiar smells, familiar weather

Its November again! Yes I know November comes once a year, every year. But for me , November marks a new beginning. An anniversary you could say! It has now been 3 years since Isaac, Ziva and I arrived in Bangalore. I think the date was November 11 2011. We had uprooted from a land we had spent 12 years in and decided to set base in Bangalore. At that time I was not sure how long we would last in Bangalore or India. But now 3 years later, Bangalore has grown on me. I even 'Swalpa Swalpa Kannada Mathadi' - I hope to make it 'More More Kannada Mathadi' in the next one year!

The other day I opened the door to thick fog and it felt so good. It reminded me of my first winter in Bangalore. There is something in the air that made me go back three years. A time when Ziva was 2 months and Isaac was having rough phase understanding why we were here. I remember days together when I would take the kids for 3-4 hrs to the park and just hang out there. I remember the house being absolutely empty because our stuff had not arrived from the US. We had one rocking chair in the living room and a flimsy carpet that kept moving about. A few days ago we had the sofa sent out to refurbish and the living room became empty. We were sitting on the carpet in the living room again and the ambiance went back to 3 years ago. Interestingly, my cousin who had visited me when the house was empty 3 years ago was again sitting in our living room and he remembered his first trip to our place.

We recently changed the battery for our door bell and realized that we had waited too long. From the usual 'boing' sound that was barely heard anywhere else in the house, the tone changed to a sweet musical tone. Flashback to the time when we just moved in. The door bells sounded loud. Too loud! A time when I wanted silence in the house. The bell ringing would wake up both kids and then the craziness and crying would start. The bell now has a sound of sweet memories of those days. The days that have passed.
At that time, those days felt like nightmares. I was afraid to wake up and I looked forward to evenings when I could rest again.
'This too shall pass'

I remember eating the amazing street food and being glad. Glad that I was back in India and wondering what would come of this. I guess an amazing love for Dosa and street food (especially Kathi roll) in both the children and so far no glances at Mc.D's
This too shall pass :)

Today as I feel the cool December weather and I know that November has come and gone - I know this too shall pass. I am enjoying the kids in this phase where they laugh and play together. There are days that they drive me nuts with their fights, but like the seasons and the months and years it will pass. I wish I could hold time still here. But I know there is more to come. More cool Novembers ... more sunny Aprils and more rainy Augusts.
And this too shall pass!

Bottle - Glass - Bottle - Glass - Ziva's world

This three year old is turning into a complete comedy central.

Most mornings now Isaac and Ziva drink milk from a glass. A special glass with an animal on the side. A cat for Ziva and a bear for Isaac. Most mornings go calmly even as milk is split on the table or the floor. But its part of the game.

Every so often Ziva will wake up and ask for milk in her sipper
Ziva :' I want milk in my pink bottle'

This request usually comes after we have got the milk ready in the glass!! Almost like she is testing our patience.

One such morning - we get milk ready in the glass. Ziva asks for the bottle. We give it in the bottle and about half hour later she sees Isaac drinking in a glass and she now wants the milk in the glass. (Yes drinking milk is a long process in our household)

Me: Ziva - You cannot keep saying Glass -- Bottle -- Glass --bottle
Ziva : Glass -- bottle --- glass --- bottle
Pauses momentarily
Ziva: I said Glass bottle glass bottle

Suresh laughing uncontrollably! Me stumped!