When you're motivated

Oh the things people do, do get what they want!
One of the things we've been worrying a lot about, is the lack of Hindi language skills in our children. 

They can understand but won't speak. The little one was speaking a good amount of Hindi when the grandparents were around, only to revert to English under his parents. 
In our most recent visit to India, we realized that DD cannot really communicate with her cousins in Hindi. By the end of the trip, her cousins started speaking in English, but DD wasn't really doing anything to improve her Hindi. 

Enter, the carrot. 

DD's been on us for months now, asking for a phone. We've been pretty reluctant for obvious reasons. So the husband used this as an opportunity. 

The deal is that she needs to speak in Hindi for 3 continuous months, and only in Hindi, with us and those who understand the language, and she will receive a phone!
Nothing has ever worked before, but it's been a month now and DD is still talking in Hindi, not using any English words. In fact, we've had to look up words in Hindi to be able to translate it to her. 

We've never said "Welcome" to anyone in Hindi. What is the response to "Thank you?" "Swagatam?"

We're learning with her, and it's been very insightful and fun so far.
Let's see where this takes us - onward and more fluent?

Image source: Shutterstock.com

If only I could fit in a pocket!

I had an idea that bringing up girls and boys are different. Hmmph.
I wasn't going to put my kiddos into the stereotypes - let DD play with princesses and Barbie dolls and let BB play with cars and trains. But they just did. DD was obsessed with princesses and fairies and BB loves dinosaurs and monster trucks.

But the other thing I didn't realize is that boys really love their Mammas. Yeah, yeah, I've heard that before, never really believed the affection would be so deep.

I love both my kids, but there's something about the connection I have with both of them, that's so different.

BB always wants to be with me. I love that. I love being around him, holding my little baby, cuddling him, now that I know that they really do grow up so fast. Ask DD.

BB always says how much he misses me, when I am right next to him. That's adorable. The kid does have some kind of a hold on him Mamma.

The best part of being his Mamma, he always carries a piece of me, not literally, although, he did tell his teacher at school "I wish I could carry my Mamma in my pocket, but she's too heavy".

Love that kid!

Happy Birthday, BB!

I think there's a huge difference between a first time mom and a second time mom.

When it was DD's birthday, I planned months in advance. All her birthdays until she turned 9 were painfully planned and executed.

But with BB, it's a "I'll wing it" approach.

For the last two years, he's been celebrating his birthday just with DD's friends. This year is no different, just that I'd probably take a cake out there and have him cut if in his pre-school -  if it does not snow.

My theory is that until the kids gets vocal about their birthday needs, we're fine recognizing the day of their birth anyway we feel right. This is a fairly recent theory, I admit, after BB was born, but I think it's well worth it, because I get to have a good night's rest and not worry about party planning.

So with this birthday, I think there's a new outfit involved, cake, may be cupcakes, but definitely lots of love and hugs galore. That should suffice, right?