Ms Pandey, Mama and Daddy went to Chuck-E-Cheese today for a small birthday celebration for her. After the running around and sitting in every feasible ride, we decided to munch on some fries. After what seemed an eternity, the fries arrived – hot, but thin, hard and sharp. Just the day before, Mama had had…

All these years (well, only 4) of teaching Ms Pandey patiently finally paid off for Mama today. While driving back after purchasing a cake for Gubs, Mama was hopelessly lost and was trying to find the ramp for 85-South. Ms Pandey, peering out from her child seat at the back notices the familiar green-and-white sign,…

Daddy took the day off from work today – well barely, since he was hunched over a presentation for the entire day. Daddy: “Anika, Daddy is going to be at home today.” Anika: “Why Daddy?” Daddy: “Because today is my Gubsi’s birthday!” Anika: “Will the office people call you?” Daddy: “Yes” Anika: “So what will…

Mama and Daddy were all twisted and messed up trying to optimally re-arrange the kitchen so Mama could fit her yet another I-need-that-new-appliance-now aesthetically on the limited counter space. Ms Pandey, after observing the drama for a while and taking serious note of the spatial puzzle, comes back with: “Mama, move the food processor here,…

Anika LOVES pancakes. On the Black Friday after Christmas, as Dad and Anika were heading out to Borders to check out the slashed prices and sales [sidenote: no slashes on the stuff that Daddy wanted], Daddy suddenly remembered IHOP (International House of Pancakes). Daddy: “Anika, did you know that there is a restaurant that ONLY…

When Daddy lifted Ms. Pandey up in his arms and washed her hands free of all the honey from the messy pancakes, she murmured: “Daddy, you are Prince Caring”. [context] Anika has a set of books – Princess Caring, Princess Messy, Princess Party and Princess Perfect. She, naturally, possesses all of those attributes, except the…

Anika has been getting very comfortable with having Daddy around the house over the holidays. With Mama busy in handling Sheroo, Daddy has been having a lot of fun with Ms. Pandey. It reached a point yesterday when Anika quipped in Daddy’s ear: “Daddy, why don’t you go to work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.”…

Anika is hooked onto Astronomy. Not the observational kind – since Dad is wimp enough not to brave the freezing temperature outside and whip out the 8″ Schmidt-Cassegrain, especially since he acted brave enough to not purchase an auto-locator. Anika is hooked onto theoretical (i.e., reading about) astronomy. She knows her planets – count (8,…

Daddy was late for office the day Ms. Pandey was about to have her Christmas party. The party had been a much awaited event for Ms. Pandey – she had been rehearsing carols for quite some time now and was very excited about all the singing and dancing that had been planned. Of course, Daddy…

Thanksgiving marks the day when the countdown for Christmas begins. Not just for retailers with their Black Friday deals, but for Ms. Pandey’s Christmas tree lighting, and her long awaited birthday. Daddy was pushed and shoved from his lazy turkey day state into assembling the artificial fir, which took a grand total of 10 minutes…

Dada and Dadi had to leave back for India today. Daddy and Anika accompanied them to the airport. Anika was visibly sad even though she kept a brave face. When they were leaving for their security check, Anika said: Anika: Come again next Halloween Dada: Surely, Princess. We will come and knock on the door….

Anika: Dada? Dada: Yes Princess? Anika: Come on. Let us go. It is time for school. Anika and Dada walk into Anika’s room. Dada sits on the floor, while Miss Anika takes her spot near the wall-hung blackboard, if it is an Alphabet day. If it is a Drawing day (the current favorite subject), then…

Ms. Pandey was taking a long shower and was terribly late for school. Mama, flustered, was asking Anika to come out of the shower and get ready for school. After repeated requests and Anika’s insistence on staying in the shower, Mama finally asked: “How many more minutes Anika?” No brownies for guessing the right answer.

The quantum of time that Ms. Pandey lives by. No task on the planet can take longer or be shorter than 3 minutes. Mama: Anika, please come over for dinner Anika: 3 minutes Mama. Please, 3 minutes Daddy: Time for bed Anika Anika: 3 minutes Daddy Mama: Time for your shower Anika Anika: 3 mintes!…

In Anika’s world, there are brothers, sisters and friends. Of course, brothers or sisters can be friends too. Viraj (Pumpi) is Anika’s brother. Anika (Gubsi) is Viraj’s sister. Very clear. Her friend Vidushi has a brother. Her friend Sunny has a sister. Crystal. While chatting to Dada (and Dadi and Mama) the other day, the…

After almost a month of starting school, Ms. Pandey has started loving school dearly.   So much so that one night, while lying on the bed, she quips: “Mama, why didn’t you put me into school when I was 2 years old?”

The FBI in small feet. Anika is now extremely curious about grown-ups’ conversations. If she is around any conversation that she does not understand, a soft purr of “Wot?” is utterred. If words are spoken that are not part of her burgeoning vocabulary – “Wot, Daddy?” If Mama and Daddy are trying to encode in…

Anika started school today. Months of conditioning resulted in no crying for the duration of the class. But a wait of 5 minutes for Mama to come and pick her up after school was too much to ask for – Anika was in tears by the time Mama’s car came to the curb.

Anika, Daddy and Dada were visiting a restaurant. Anika asked Dada to sit on the dirtiest chair. Dada: Why? Anika: Because you are old Dada: How come? Anika in some thought Anika, pointing to a red jar: What color is that jar? Dada: Red Anika, pointing to the mustard-colored wall: Which color is this? Dada:…

New Mexico for the big trip before Viraj came into being. They drove to the airport in their unwashed and dirty blue CRV. Upon arrival, they rented a slick, shiny, black PT Cruiser for the duration of the stay. A few days later, when they were driving from Taos back to Santa Fe, Ms. Pandey…

A bit of history.. It has been a year, and Anika’s closet doors have not been fixed. Daddy has been ultra lazy as usual, and now the doors barely move; in fact, they are close to toppling over. After a long hard day, Ms. Pandey was lying in her bed and was very chatty, as…

While walking around in the backyard, generally abiding her time, Ms. Pandey gets intrigued by the white hair on Nana’s head. “Nana, why is your hair white?” “I don’t know Anika, can you tell me why?” “Because you sit in the sun, Nana”

In the car, interrupting Mama’s and Grandma’s conversation – “What you talkin’ about Mom?”, “Excuse me”. On the dining table, interrupting Daddy and Mama’s conversation – “Excuse me. What you talkin’ about Mom?” When Daddy was pointing at the garage ceiling and murmuring something to himself, “What you pointing to and saying ‘That’s very nice’…

3/10: Piano and Do Re Mi – together and in tune 6/25: Sky is falling down – Daddy will fix it 5/10: Mama, here is the missing piece. Good job. Daddy gave this to me 5/31: Why is the carpet wet? Sprinklers 6/10: Dead spider – we need a battery for that