Are you okay????

She recently received a doll as a birthday present from a friend. Handing it to her, I was very curious if I were gonna witness her girly side. She looked at the doll and went "Baybeeee", with a beeeg grin on her face. "Awww.... Here A, lemme set up her stroller for ya!" Meanwhile, she went ahead to smother the 'baybee'with kisses. I was all excited to see her new 'little mommy' side - wondering how she'd care for her new little toy. Now the toy stroller frame was up - just had to fit the seat in it and we were game... just then A got impatient and decided the stroller was good enough for the baybee in its current state.

"BANG!!" she flung the doll into the frame.... "Seet pwopewly" she commanded. She gave it a few tries - to seat the doll in the frame in some semblance of a seated posture - was much to impatient to get it right. On a whim, she decided the doll didn't need her cap and yanked it off. Bam!! there the little thing got pushed toward the stroller frame again! Face down, arms and a leg thru the frame ... yeah, real comfortable!

I said.. "be gentle A... look, the baby is crying!!" "DON'T CWY!! DON'T CWY!! Seet pwopewleee" she thundered again! I pitied the little doll and was almost mad at A for being so heartless about it. At 2 years, she's gotta know how to be a little nice I thought! Where was her empathy? So, off they set on a stroll in the family room.... half way thru the ride, the poor doll fell out of the partly built stroller. A walked over, and for some reason, decided it was time to be nice to her. She picked up the doll and gave her a "beeeg hug" with her trademark background score which she always hums when she hugs ya! Not so bad, I thought to myself- while my baby went on the read her doll a book - keweeeeweus george and the bunny :) Out of nowhere she says to the doll - "don't woaweee baybee... it's OK" She picks her doll up one last time.... "Are you Okay??" , which warmed my heart to no ends! I went and gave them both a hug.. and when the doll got in the way, A nonchalantly threw her off the sofa, and rubbing her cheeks against mine she inquired.. "Mommy....Are you okay??"

The Farquaads of our lives

This is one of my fav. lines from the hilarious movie 'Shrek'
Lord Farquaad is about to send his people to slay the mighty dragon, and to rescue Princess Fiona for him. Most everyone who has tried has died. But Farquaad still insists his men give it a try, for ...these are his words "Some of you may die, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make" hahahaha - cracks me up every single time!

When I look around,interestingly, I do find a few Farquaads around me in the real world. I'm not naming names - but these folks have an amazing sense of entitlement; that the very purpose for this universe to exist is to submit to their every whim and fulfil their most ridiculous impulses! So caught up are they in admiring their own self, it's almost absurd to try and reason with them. Grown adults mind ya - not the pre-teens and teens who thinks the world revolves around them.

I've tried in vain, at times getting mad at them, trying to instill some sense of 'reality' in their tiny puny birdbrains only to be left exhausted and disappointed. Only way I have managed to get around these folks with some success is to pretend I don't see them in the 1st place! Kinda difficult if you bump into them every so often - but with practice I have gotten better.

I sometimes imagine being like them - oblivious to anyone else's feelings, unmindful of their needs and expectations. Maybe that's how you deal with the Farquaads - be their mirror - be a Farquaad yourself?

Makes me wonder then, are they a Farquaad as a defense mechanism afterall?

Camping in the Redwoods

This 4th of July weekend, we went camping with li'l A. She made us realise she isn't as 'little' any more... it's truly amazing seeing her become a little person gradually - her temperament, her personality is starting to show through more prominently.

It was a fun weekend with a quite some firsts to it's credit...
* 1st time camping as a family of three.
* 1st birthday celebrations in the camps amongst anyone I personally know (A's 2nd b'day.. yippie!!)
* 1st time visiting the gorgeous Humboldt Redwoods
* 1st time setting out at 5:30 in the AM!! (trust me - hubby and I are a really challenged couple as far as early morning activities go)
* 1st time camping with a new set of pals (A and N had such an awesome time together!!)

We had a good time with the kids busy running races and ...well, just running in general. A was mostly covered in mud and dried leaves from head to toe most of the time! I learnt patience and letting go some more! She is even better when I let her be.. I have to remind myself of that every so often. Days were spent sight seeing, playing in the Eel river, or gawking at the tall redwoods! Evenings were filled with zesty debates and casual conversation over grilling and making smores - eating 'bhutta' cooked using 1st principle.. truly amazing if u pair it with some wine .. beer .. any 'madira' of ur choice actually.

It was good to get to just be! We came back much more refreshed than I had imagined. I came back longing for more such camping trips!

Summer's here - hopefully we get to savor the quiet and calm of camping a few more times! tathaastu!