Earthquake and get-together at nani house

Dear Darsh,
Last wk was yr first real earthquake expwrience time because it wwnt on for sone time. And you saw a lot of people out of their apartments. You saw a lot of people taking stairs for the first time. Therefore you found it exciting. That day became more memorable for your advay dada as he got his fingers crushed in the car window. You of course found that incident also very memorable.
The next day you discussed the eaethquake with your other cousins. The ones who have just started speaking. It was obviously one-sided conversation where you tried to explain the earthquake and the mayhem it caused.

We went for the annual nani house stay over last week. You were one of the 4 kids but naughtiest of the lot. I was actually embarrassed. And three people told me you have become such a brat. You tried to confiscate advay's ben ten shoes. You tried to wear his spiderman wickets as your shoes and you fought with two of your cousins for the bat. And you hit onw of your little sisters. But you were a cool cook. You also wereterrified of the brown lizard and the dead cockroach.

When you became too impish for anyone to handle your nana decided to do an in-house poll to find out who is the cutest brother in the house. Since you must have known by that time you would lose any such popularity contest you revolted in style. You got up and told the audience that advay dada'a fingers got crushed in the car window. And then you literally pointed a finger at your nana and told everyone that he did it. Advay obviously stormed off after being reminded of his pain so eloquently. The favorite boy poll was not taken eventually and everyone was amazed at your incredible polticalness. I am ofcourse beyond any embarrassment now. Your ability to turn around a situation like this has left me slightly petrified of your talents now.

Stay sweet my child. Don't grow up so fast 😚

3rd day of new school but No comments pls

Dear Darsh,

You started school on monday. Today is Thursday. We still don't know what you do in school, who are your friends or most important - whether you are eating anything at all because you come home hungry and dull.
You refuse to give us any details of your school and whenever we ask you about anything at all you start making bird  language or tell us a superhero story or break into some random song. Obviously to stop any interrogation. What is less obvious to us is whether you are still making up your mind of liking this place or if you already dislike it too much to talk about it.
This school is slightly different as it is too big with too many kids. In short no more personal attentiin. I was scared earlier that you might get lost in the crowd but i know now i was wrong. I guess this new experience will give you a chance to shine brighter my dear. You will have to struggle a bit more to be heard. It will help you polish off your skills better and not get arrogant like i fear you were becoming. I am proud of you but i don't want you to be proud of your accomplishments... yet.

Of mystique and her powers

Dear Darsh
These past few days the 5 am conversations have become all the more interesting. One wee hour you woke up crying because you had just realised that you forgot to paint the cookies on your bday. So you wanted me to bake them again. At 5 am. I did bake them by 5 pm that day.
Another day you woke up at 5 am to tell me that daadi has changed. She is some other daadi as she now scolds you (i guess explaining to you about mystique and her special powers should have been avoided).
Another day was some superhero fight between your grandpa and an x men person. Again i had to listen to your story at 5 am. And if my eyes would shut you would make sure to keep them open by stretching them with your fingers.

Fall of the superheros

Dear Darsh,

I woke up in the nite as someone tapped me on the head. You should know by now i don't get scared easily unless its an earthquake. There was no one awake at that time. Except for your superheros lined up on the headboard. Slightly unbalanced, they were falling on my head one by head. Of course it took me some time to go back to sleep. But these days you want to sleep like that. So that you can play with them first thing in the morning. But i am sure the dreams you describe to me in the morning are having an impact as they are getting more gruelsome.  

Your bday is in a fortnight and the only thing you are keen on are your dath vader costume and the variety of cakes on all the occasions. As of now you want red velvet for midnight, pingu cake again for school and we are still deciding for party but the last request you made was for big hero 6.

We are planning a superhero themed party but now that you are planning to come as a villain i am not sure if it was a great idea! 

You are almost a pro on the scooter now and the doodling is in the same space - lego fight scenes. Now you create scenes with your lego and copy them in drawings.

Last weekend we went to your school for the winter carnival. Instead of enjoying at the stalls you were looking for your friends throughout the visit and looked completely lost. But you did introduce (proudly) your little sister Tia to all your friends.

We have been drilling the responsibilities of a 5 year old boy to you. I think you finalky got it as the other day you sat down and wrote that "i'll be a good boy from now and do my own things". That day you almost became independent. I was slightly sad but the next day you reverted to your old ways 😂
 

amazon and dreams

You have taken your pre-dinner shopping to a new level. From puny big basket you have moved on to amazon. You look for multiple lego products and “share” it with family on watsapp so that they can buy it from you. You also remind them in the morning and at times re-confirm whether they receiveed your “message” or not.

You have been telling your classmates also about your “wishlist” of the 4 items only.

Last week you told me you wanted to marry a classmate. Remind me to tell you about it when you are old enough to read this.

We chose a party venue for you which you refuse to enter so I am not sure if we should do it there.

You enjoyed watching Wazir as it had Amitabh Bachhan. You were excited about going for “airlift”. You were quiet until one of the characters mentioned “Amitabh Bachhan”. I think that was the only scene which you really liked. That and the part when you got popcorn in your hands.

Last night you told me you had broken your “avenger water bottle.” I said never mind we’ll buy another one. You then requested if we can buy a “star wars water bottle.” I am wondering if you broke it intentionally.

This month you had the first real boys’ fight. I think you have discovered the power of a fist as you have been hitting around quite generouslly.

This week you took the initiative to eat your lunch on your own. With the big spoon. Maybe it was the company. Maybe the dal chawal looked pretty in those bowls or maybe your were too hungry. Whatever the inspiration, I am happy that you are eating on your own finally.

I discovered today that there is a “show your underpants” thing going on in your class. Remind me to tell you about it when you are old enough to read this.

One morning yo got up and told me about your dream. Ofcourse it was a lego avenger versus star wars fight. I told you to write about in a diary. But ofcourse you drew the fight scene. It had around 20 people in a fight scene. Sometimes I really wonder what’s happening in that little head of yours. 

big basket at 1 am & other fun midnite activities

Dear D

We are back on track for the long winter nights. When the day gets shorter because you nap too long and the night gets longer because at 1 am you tell me “can you tell me how to close my eyes and sleep? Can you tell me? No don’t close your eyes!” yupp I am back to telling you stories where 100 sheeps jump over the fence and you ask me “what happens next” after the 100^th sheep has jumped. The thing is, I tend to lose connect with the narration after the 100^th sheep. The focus on literature gets even more defined as the night progresses. I have picked up “the turning point” from my office library and you need to read the title of the book and then further. It’s not a night-time books for children my child. Infact far from it… So then I hide the book yet again and your roving eyes zoom in on my phone. And that’s when the final night-time activity really happens. No not the videos and pictures. Those are not that interest you anymore. You open big basket and type in the name of your favorite snacks – oreos, kinder joy, haldiram aloo bhujia, maggi etc.

Last night, however we had a difficult time on big basket. They had not kept ironman shoes that you wanted to pick for your friend Ranveer. In some corner of your brain you have figured out that iron man and hulk are best of friends. Since you have hulk shoes, it is but natural that Ranveer should be gifted iron man shoes. Anyways

Over the last one week you have been looking for a spouse. You proposed to me but I had to decline as I am already married. After that you proposed to your little sister Eira over skype. Like most girls her age, I think she ignored your question. I hope you are limiting your proposal to family only. I am not sure what your friends and teachers will say but it will surely not be pleasant response. Atleast I think so…

Yesterday I was talking with your daadi and you interrupted as always. So for the first time your daadi scolded you for the interruption. To which you responded by saying you were disturbing the ants in our house, not our conversation.

These days you are doodling channel logos. Your favorite is Star Gold and CBeeBees. And you want to draw maps of the countries you are being taught about. Did I tell you I am not good in drawing, painting or anything that needs a firm hand?

And we have successfully banned cartoon network from our house or so I am told but you have gone back to youtube and these days Charlie and lola are the ones we have to watch again and again. And that's where you learnt "i don't want to see your face again!"

As always, 

Your loving mom. 

Bua ki shaadi

Dear Son,
We came back from yr bua's wedding last night. While you had fun there, you were asking for return to "e block" quite repeatedly. You met a few of your long lost cousins there but Eira is still closest to your heart. You still refuse to consider Radhika, Tia or Amaira as your "fav" sisters.
At the venue you had woken from a deep sleep and i think you were having a jungle dream because you woke up screaming "snakes on the floor"! After a while you came back screaming cockroaches and then ants... finally your cousin Joy told you it's your imagination and you trusted him enough to stop screaming bugs. The next day i shrieked at the sight of a mouse but you calmly told me it's my imagination and went on with your task. So much for believing in me. Both times.

I was having a heart-to-heart conversation about the horrors of cartoon network to one of your cousins - specifically gumball ki atrangi duniya. He informed me that he used to watch it on youtube as CN didn't show it in India during "his time".