Kids are a funny lot

Squiggles has always been clingy. Crying the moment she spots me. Absolutely delighted to come to my arms. Basically I've been the star, the moon, the sun - everything for her.

Until recently.

She's very fond of my maid who plays with her, talks to her and generally does time pass. She's always excited to see her and wants to go to her. All good, one would say.

Except when I returned home this morning after dropping my dad at work, she looked at me with no obvious signs of joy. Just a tiny smile after what seemed like ages. And when I reached out to take her, she didn't want to come!!! She started smiling but would keep turning her head and snuggle in to her 'auntie'.

How annoying........................ This after I've been at home since her birth. So, it's not like she doesn't see enough of me. Most of the time, I'm her primary caretaker. So I guess I don't understand. Or is she just growing up and now is happy to be with other people and doesn't need me all the time?

Or maybe she senses that I'm going to go back to work soon (no fixed date) and is already preparing herself?

What is it?

Lick Lick Lick

It seems that Squiggles is always on the lookout for things to lick. She will be crawling but will stop midway to lick the floor and then carry on. As she tries to hold on to the table and stand up, she will take a lick of the table. As she stands in her crib trying to look for me, she will take the time out to lick the side bars. If I admonish her, she will give me a silly grin. And I try hard not to grin back. Actually if I'm honest, most times I smile back. Until she starts licking again. I worry that my failure to stop her will lead to an 18 year old with a licking fetish. But I know that this is the silly imaginings of a silly mom. Meanwhile I've been enjoying this silliness. Until this morning that is.

She's been after my slipper for the last couple of weeks but I've always managed to take it away before it reaches her mouth. This morning as I was indulging myself with catching up with DotMom and her blog (which I've missed terribly), I turned around to find that the little monkey had crawled a fair distance, navigated around the comfy chairs and was sitting there happily licking my slippers. And let me state here for posterity that she was licking the SOLE of my slipper.

I was laughing as I rushed to take it from her and told her in a stern voice that she wasn't to do it again.

But some part of me was relieved. My generation has grown up eating mud, licking floors and what not. My daughter isn't missing out. In fact, she's also licked some plants and flowers this morning as she was let loose on our tiny balcony. Yippeeee. The world is as it should be.

*signs off with a silly grin*

Squiggles in Hong Kong

I always thought I was quite lucky to have had my first phoren (overseas) trip at the tender age of one. But really, this daughter of mine is one step ahead of her Ma. She's been on her third overseas trip in just over 8 months. Kids these days, I tell you. Tch tch.

As I write, she's holding on to the crib and standing up, trying desperately to jump out and grinning like a silly monkey when I turn around and look at her. And I think she's holding on to the bars and walking.... okay taking a few steps. But that qualifies as walking doesn't it?

A proper update on Squiggles' latest antics is long overdue. The trip to India and limited access to the internet meant that I haven't been able to bore you with details. That will be rectified in the next week or so.

But first about our Hong Kong trip. DD had to go for work and we tagged along. I've been to HK several times but this was DD's and Squiggles' first trip. And since I wasn't sure how long I would continue to remain unemployed I thought what the heck, let me enjoy myself.

We left by the evening flight and though HK and Singapore are in the same time zone, by the time we got to the hotel it was already past midnight. Squiggles hardly slept during the flight because we had to keep taking out of her bassinet since there was turbulence on the flight. I think Bassinets are highly over-rated. Anyways, since she slept so late, she ended up sleeping till the afternoon the next day, coming up only for food in between. I hadn't taken any books with me and was seriously regretting it as I sat cooling my heels waiting for her to wake up before we could head out.

Finally I ran out of patience and woke her up at 2.30 in the afternoon. I fed her, packed her things and her up and out we headed. We spent the next few hours walking around the streets of Wanchai on Hong Kong island. I found a lovely little Wanton Noodle shop where I had lunch. Here's a pic of Squiggles in the shop and you can see the lady making some fresh dumplings in the background.

DD joined us after work and we went to the Soho of Hong Kong. My brother had recommended a Lebanese restaurant (since DD is a veggie) and we went there with a friend of ours. Hong Kong is just such a happening city. So full of life and exciting. Singapore is really dull in comparison. In fact, there is no comparison.


The next day we took the tram up to the Peak which is the highest point on HK island. It was a short but very steep ride up the hill. The views were fantastic.



Afterwards, we ended up at the Mandarin Oriental coffee shop and had the most amazing afternoon tea. If you go to HK, you HAVE to go to their cake shop and try their desserts but more specifically the cheese cake. If you can afford it, go for the afternoon tea. Typical English Tea, the stuff you may have read in Jane Austen novels. Little sandwiches, cakes, pastries, savouries all piled on a two-level tray. Freshly baked scones with clotted cream and fresh strawberry jam (yes it was fresh, none of the store bought stuff here). Yummmm. We actually went back there the next day for some more cheese cake :).

This is Squiggles enjoying her first taste of the cheese cake.

After the food gorging, we took the ferry across to Kowloon and again just meandered around, soaking in the atmosphere and the city. I found a cute little red chinese dress for Squiggles which should fit her in .... ummm.... a couple of years! And I grabbed a gorgeous dressing gown and some hair clips as well.


As we were walking around we saw this fundoo staircase with tele. Check it out.

DD bought me a pair of sunglasses from Chanel and this is what Squiggles was up to while I was shopping......

......picking threads from their carpet!

She even managed to get her first Chanel bag!! All without spending a penny. Clever girl.

DD was a good sport and didn't complain at all when I took him to a chinese restaurant for dinner. There were a few veggie things so he didn't starve folks. But I really gorged. As you can make it out, it's always about the food. Always.

We were leaving the next day, so we took it easy. We ended up in a chinese restaurant for lunch :)) where the starter was some preserved eggs which were green in colour which immediately set DD on edge. And for the next 15mins he went on about how I should ask them to take it back! It was a hideous green, I have to admit. I did try it though and it didn't taste that bad. But there was no convincing DD to try it (he eats eggs otherwise).

We went on a harbour cruise after that and it was beautiful. Though it was kind of a let down not to find any booze including beer on the ferry. I would recommend you take yours. There's only so much ocean you can enjoy without alcohol :). Only half joking mind you.

And that's it. We headed back to the airport to take the flight back to our boring little Singapore. I must say though that Squiggles was beautifully behaved throughout the weekend. Even though she made me sit for hours in the hotel room waiting for her to wake up, she was good. Here's the view from the room which made the 'twiddling thumbs' bit slightly more bearable.

Love is in the Air

Do you remember the tingle of love that's still new?
Do you remember the long nights spent wondering if love would find you?

What of the endless heartbreaks?

Do you miss the cosiness of the cuddles and the kisses?
Or the warmth of a shared joke?

What of the lonely nights?

Does a smile still melt your insides?
Is there only one for you?

I feel like I'm having an affair. Not with another man. But another female. My daughter. Our relationship has all the signs of a budding romance. I can't get enough of her. I love making her smile. When she laughs the sun shines. I cuddle her and smother her with kisses. She loves me unreservedly. She eyes me with pure love. Does it get any better than this?

This Valentine's is special. I have the old love to remember and enjoy.... and someone new to love. Thank you.

Happy Valentine's Day Squiggles! May you find love whereever you go. Ma.

PS: Happy Valentine's Day DD. I love you more everyday :).

That something special

Parul tagged me about this. An object that I've had forever or at least that has a special place in my heart and which I will never part with.

In the good old days when DD and I were dating, DD WAS a romantic. Or maybe he was trying really hard to make sure that my attention never got diverted. Whatever.

Throughout our first year together I was constantly wooed. Small notes left where I would find them while studying or inside my notebook. Gifts hidden all over the room on my birthday. A flower bought every time we went out. A plethora of cards everytime we fought. Sketches of me while I was sleeping.

Over the year, these declarations of love kept accumulating. Obviously they had a very mushy effect on me. So when DD went to New York as part of his summer job and asked me what I wanted, I already knew. A scrapbook. To store everything he'd given me. Remember that we had not yet seen two winters together.

And true to his word, he brought me a gorgeous big scrapbook back from the Big Apple. It's blue and has a huge smiling sun on the cover. He wrote our names in gold glitter (yes, yes it's very cheesy, I know). Then began the task of putting everything in the scrapbook. And there it is to this day. I carry it with me from place to place - Ahmedabad, Bombay, London, and now Singapore.

It's safe to say that after we had seen two winters together, I never got much material for the scrapbook! So, whenever in the midst of our busy lives I need reminding of a magical time of our lives, I open my scrapbook and it takes me far away to a very special place.