Roman Holiday - Day 1.5

Landed in Rome this morning - Dec 24th, around 9:30 am local time. Kids of course are insisting to live in Detroit time. By the time we navigated the Taxi cab jungle and checked into our hotel it was 11:30am. Everyone was exhausted. The plan was to take quick shower and go grab some food and then rest and go out in the evenjng. While some showered, the others napped. The showers shortened and the naps became longer and pretty soon it was 2pm ... so we woke up sleepy kids and found ourselves on streets of Rome, looking for grub, with Help from our friend Yelp. We reached the first pick and found it was closed for holidays, the second promised 'No Stop' service from 11am to 11pm and the proprietor stood on the street explaining the menu- perfect! We had a very nice lunch there - we ended up ordering twice as much food as we needed and Aadi fell asleep after first course. Anyway, we enjoyed the food - and after a hunt for an ATM to draw cash, as no credit card was accepted, we paid and made our way back to the hotel, half asleep. 

4 hours later, it was though but necessary to wake up the kids so can start our transition into Rome time zone. After much whining and bickering we walked to the Colloseum- it was an amazing experience to see it at night. The streets were all empty (eerily so) given this was Christmas Eve and so was the Colloseum. 

We wandered through the streets for another hour or so, stopped at a mini market to pick up some snacks and wine, got some food at a fast food place and finally finished the days eating at the rooftop patio of our hotel - counting down seconds to Christmas! 

A Christmas Eve to remember for a long time. 

All is fair .... if it’s for a good cause!

17 inches off! Donated to 'Children With Hair Loss'. That is the only thought that is keeping Aadi from disowning his short haired Mamma. ,

Now I need to come up with a plan to somehow turn - getting a tattoo - into a good cause effort. Then maybe he will relent and let me do it. Hmmm ... or maybe not ...

The idea of getting a tattoo entered my head while we lived in Texas. EVERYONE had one !!!!!

I want one so bad ... a teeny tiny one, in a hidden spot will be okay too. Everyone in the family agreed - in fact Suvo wants me to get a big one - and why not THE Dragon tatto! Diya wants to design one for me - combining Suvo's suggestion of a Dragon to my desire for a small one ... she has an idea for a Dragonfly!!! 

But Aadi flatly refused and has not budged from his positon despite many many arguments and discussions in the last 2 yrs. He first took the tact of - "you are beautiful as you are, you don't need a tattoo" Awww... but I WANT a tattoo. When I kept pushing he finally told me "if I let you get a tattoo, then you would want a leather jacket and then a motorcycle and then you drive away ...." WHAT ??!!! (Maybe I read him one too many books about 'if you give a mouse a cookie ...'). And there is NOTHING I can say or do to convince him otherwise. 

And then came the resistance to letting me cut my hair short ... which he finally gave in to when I suggested the donation. But he has been struggling with it ... he has reminded himself several times since yesterday that this is for a good cause ... or as he calls it 'common good' ... 

I have realized that he basically does not want me to change in any way. We have had so many big changes in our life recently that he wants some things to be 'Constants' that he can count on. The way l look and act being one. It warms my heart, but also worries me ... I AM going to get old (some day in the far far far future) !!!!

And here is the secret- I don't want the kids to change either .... and they are growing up TOO fast. Somebody stop the clock ... and let me take this moment in and preserve it for eternity. 

Aadi making cupcakes!

Let’s Get HW Done!

Cozy coo ...

2018 Thanksgiving Trip - part 1

Off we are to Houston to spend Thanksgiving with Friends. As usual, traveling with kids takes enormous preparation and patience. The first fight breaks out even while we book the tickets - who will get the window seats. Diya starts calling “dibs” well before the thought crosses Aadi’s mind and once he does get into the dialogue, endless negotiations begin.

The next battle is on packing (not so) light. The kids seem to not get the idea that the whole point of traveling is to experience “newness” - something that will be lost if we were to bring all our toys, drawing and coloring materials, books, stuffed animals and even the “pink blankie” ... living in US, they take it for granted that they will be allowed a stroller bag and a backpack each for carry on and I will pack whatever else we need and check in bags if the trip is any longer than a long weekend. If we are traveling by road ... get ready for a U-haul full of stuff. Must get them to get out of this mindset if we are to travel around the world with them, as we dream to do someday.

Then follow the continued battles that emerge from extreme case on self-reliance and independence that everyone in the family seems to be afflicted with. These range from debates of where to eat and who will sit next to whom at the restaurant, which places to visit - in what order, I don’t want to be in a picture and if you do take a picture you cannot lost it anywhere etc etc etc. ( for example - taking the above picture took threats to cancel Christmas if they refused to pose together AND smile - thus prompting this blog entry!)

Sometimes I just get overwhelmed thinking about all this and wonder how do we make it thru these trips and why do we ever plan the next one. And other times ... like today ... I wonder, if it was easy would it be so memorable? For example, today we were reminiscing about the trip when Aadi used the bathroom 17 times - of course while sitting in the window seat, so we all had to get up EVERY time! No one could remember when was this trip or where we were going, but the potty trips will be remembered into posterity!!!

Fun(ny) Math with kids

We are trying to establish a routine for practicing Math everyday. Both kids are strong in Math but continue to make silly mistakes and lose points so this is our attempt to help. The kids will have none of it though. Here are some problems we posed and the the solutions kids provided -

Problem for Diya to solve -
Father is 4 times older than son.
Father is 16 times older than daughter.
Daughter's age + son's age = 10 yrs old.
What are all the ages?

Diya kept trying to solve this while also helping me with Dinner. Aadi kept trying to give her hints - as he knew the answer.

To keep Aadi busy and away from interrupting Diya, Suvo gave Aadi a problem to solve. "If a triangle has one angle that is 1 degree and another angle that is 1 degree - how much is the third angle?"

Aadi's response - "the third angle is also 1 degree, because this is an equilateral triangle!!!" And he dissolved into a fit of giggles.

Diya picked up on the mood and solved her problem - The daughter isn't born yet so she is Zero. So the son is Zero. And obviously the Father is Zero. This family does not exist.

Maybe we should try our hand at Comedy vs Math!

Fall Colors - Up North

Back in the cold climate - we decided to fully enjoy the Fall Colors, something we really missed in Texas. So we headed up to the enchanted woods of Northern Michigan for a weekend in October when the colors were going to peak. We stayed a golf/ski resort at the foot of Schuss Mountain. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Next morning, before heading out for other adventures, Aadi and I went for a walk while Suvo and Diya stayed back in the cabin, enjoying the fireplace (lazy bums!).

When it comes to going for a walk, Aadi never says no. He is my walking buddy. And he had tremendous fun. He ran around the golf course, took many pictures and then looked for the perfect trekking pole - check out the one he found! It may be a little big, but he will grow into it. :)

Aadi’s Shopping Essay

Boxing dos and don’ts

Hmm.... trying to decide is this should be a do or don’t?

Boxing

We joined a boxing club. It was Diya’s idea. She wanted to start some fitness program and we were looking for a gym that will allow kids. We found this boxing place that will allow not only her but also Aadi. What more could we hope for? Last week I brought the kids over there to check the place out. We did an intro lesson and immediately took the membership. We signed up Suvo too and came with us today for the first class. It was awesome!!!

Looks like we found another activity that we all enjoy doing together. Yay! And of course those boxing gloves look so cool !!!

Khisko!

Khisko!

A family tradition …

One of my most favorite things has been “sunday morning cuddle time” …. the kids (used to) come over to our room, still half asleep, to cuddle and get another round of sleep before everyone got too hungry and someone had to get up to make breakfast. Mishti always participated and Suvo never did. A lot of pushing and shoving happened, negotiations on who got to be in the middle, who did not get enough comforter or pillow, and of course fighting about who had the stinkiest breath - Mishti won this contest every time !

Diya has been missing in action for some time - too busy growing up to become a teenager all by herself - the multiple interstate moves and me working in Detroit while they were all in Texas for over 8 months, taking its toll on this precious ritual and the feeling of connectedness it created for us. Aadi and Mishit kept up the tradition though and never missed a day, while Diya spent most of her time in her room, learned to sing and play five different instruments, colored her hair blue and grew taller than me. 

In the mean time, Aadi has fallen into a routine of reading a book after dinner  every night (which is a great habit) in our bed (i have to admit i enjoy his company for a bit) where he inevitably falls asleep and i have to carry/drag him back to his room in his sleep (a back breaking task that i do not enjoy). Mishti, never to be the one who gets left behind, has taken to sleeping on my pillow, attaching herself to my head like a Tiara. Many nights I wake up confused by her loud snoring right into my ear and my head feeling too hot as a result of being snuggled into her belly. Once, i got so annoyed, that half asleep, i picked her up and threw her off the bed. Unfazed, she jumped right back onto the bed and made a nest on my feet this time and fell right back asleep. Well, as much as I complain about these antics, i love the daily drill and miss it when i am away on travel and so on. And I miss Diya in this mix. 

Things changed the other day when she showed up after dinner when the rest of us were … let just say “lounging”. Suvo was on his laptop getting some work done, Aadi was reading Tintin while sneaking some glimpses of the movie i was watching on Netflix (total binge mode) and Mishti was searching for the best spot to be in the exact center of all of us. I suddenly heard “KHISKO” and looked up to see Diya standing by the bed demanding for all of us to move over (khisko in hindi means ‘move over’ … a phrase she picked up from Nana-Nani and uses often). Well, while i was happy that she was “back” … I realized there was no place to move over … she has grown, Aadi is much bigger and why on earth could Suvo not do his work in the office, and Mishti - get off my stomach !@#@!#! 

We shifted and shuffled, someone kicked a book,  someone screamed, Mishti fell off the edge twice, i gave up on watching the movie and Suvo tried his best to stay on task … but ‘khisko’ we did. With Mishti finally settling on my chest, kids’ falling asleep on each of my shoulders, pinned down by their limbs, pressed and squished until i could not breathe, i realized that ‘khisko’ doesn't just mean ‘move over’ … it means “make room for me, I’m here” … so ‘khisko’ we always will. 

Reality check: Imagine having to carry TWO sleeping kids back to their rooms in the middle of the night … i.e. if you can disentangle yourself and get out at all … but it is worth it! 

Mishti after cuddle time!

Cuddle time!

Diya’s Toothpick Bridge!

Mamma & Aadi enjoying Fall :)

Find Mishti

Princesses growing up!

Joint Birthday Celebration. Mishit waited so patiently for her cake!

Morning Yoga

Allure

Raktim 2018

Reading Center

At Frankenmuth, MI

Mishti back from Brown Dog Ice Cream shop

Aadi at art camp - Summer 2018

Happy Father’s Day!

Diya's Poem

Found Poetry

By: Diya Ganguli and Mason Davidson

Peering through the curtains,

Ominous noises of distant audience shouting,

Then the eerie quiet.

The piano,

Richly polished.

The keys shimmered

Ebony against ivory

Gleaming inner workings of the strings,

They were her very soul.

A shiver of delight.

She played what was in her heart

The heartbreaking beauty of the music;

A feat made easier from

A cruel twist of fate;

Her family, lost forever.

It drifted everywhere

A soft, lyrical passage

So as not to disturb

And for a second,

The sorrow seemed far away.

The ride was endless.

"You have a remarkable gift, never forget that,"

They all said.

She held on to

A dozen red roses,

She felt tears rising.

Tired of being brave beyond her years,

She cried as silently as possible.

The enormous void in her heart,

Had been taken away.

She fulfilled the promise.

But,

The endless ride had ended.

The magic was gone.

She had to inhabit this dark universe

Feeling like a stranger,

Until right would prevail.

Mother’s Day - 2018 at Crawford’s

I Love U - Aadi’s soon going to be 9!

Kadai Kabob!

Lobster Fest!!!

Career discussion with Diya

Diya - Mamma, I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.
Me - Do something in technology or psychology. In the future either people are going to be engineers or mad (to not be engineers).
Diya - hmm, I took an online quiz and it said I will be a good counselor/ psychologist person.
Me - ok
Diya - ... but I don't have time for other people's problems.
Mamma - ok then become an engineer and create your own problems !!!!

Stick figures by Aadi

Paddington 2

Empathy 1

This year we have decided that we will all learn more about Empathy and have made it part of the family meeting discussions. I am trying to find appropriate material and examples to seed the discussion – like Ted talks, youtube videos, pictures etc and then we talk about how these ideas apply to us. Here is the first session –

1/1/18

#1 The definition and the need (what and why)

Brene Brown you tube cartoon on Empathy.

Brené Brown on Empathy

Aadi found the example hilarious "I think my marriage is falling apart; atleast you have a marriage". I don’t know what he understood from the example but he is the highest frequency user of the word "atleast" ….

Cozy Coo