In the middle

Higher, push me higher!

She screams, trying to catch up to Didi. Didi, of course, pumps her legs to go higher still, laughing as she swings back and forth.

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Bugz, come catch me.

Off they go running. Little feet unable to catch the bigger faster ones, but laughter follows and so do shrieks of frustration.

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Biking, biking! Let’s go biking

Longer legs, bigger bike, she zooms off as soon as we get to the trail. With her little bike, sitting comfortably on her bike, training wheels still in place, the little one peddles on leisurely, laughing gleefully as she spots her Didi, every now and then.

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With the perpetual need to keep an eye on both of them, I run between the two of them – sometimes faster, sometimes slower, sometimes backwards, sometimes forward. The sun is out, the day is beautiful, the kids are happy, there are laughs, there are stops for hugs, there are endless smiles. As they go about playing, they run circles around me. Never consciously, always unsaid, mostly unacknowledged, yet I always find myself in the middle – middle of their play, middle of their fight, middle of their love – and every time, my heart swells up.

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Mumma, let me push her now. Higher and higher!

She comes and takes over, while the little one nods her head excitedly.

No Didi! I can’t catch you.

She comes back to hold hands and off they go running together.

Didi, wait for me!

Barely able to keep her balance, she rides alongside, just to keep the little sister happy.

Rapid Fire with Bugz

Comfy proposes, real life disposes!
So much for proclamations of being a regular, but rather than crying over what is – let’s begin with asking the ever spontaneous, forever in motion, little bunny of the house,  Bugz a few questions.

Favorite Food: Pasta with Pesto sauce, yes that sauce is very important and PANEER!
Favorite Color: Pink, duh!
Favorite Show: Cat in the hat
Favorite Song: Ball gana, or Mr. India parody song from what Mom keeps calling it.
Favorite Sport: Skiing! I can ski, did anyone tell you? Yes, I can!
Favorite Art to do: Cutting! Anything to cut and I am for it. I can make any shape, or imagine shape as per Mom, all I need is lots of paper and a scissor. For extra credits, give me some glue.
Favorite Game to play: Pretend cooking. I love to get everything I can lay my hands on from the kitchen and cook away.
Want to be when you grow up: A cook, of course!
Favorite Thing to Say: No Didi!
Mom’s Favorite Thing to Say: Bugz, Clean up.
Your response to that: AGAIN!
Reaction when you don’t get your way: Start coughing, which may or may not result in to throwing up. Gets immediate response.
Picky about: How my blanket is spread when I go to sleep. It has to touch this part of the wall and not that one. It has to fall like this and not go there. All important stuff, I hope you understand.
Don’t like doing: My letters and numbers. Writing them is still kind of OK but mostly it is all boring.
Current grown up thing to do: Give up nap. I would be much more successful if the people in the house would let me sleep at 5:00 in the evening.
Candy love: I don’t like chaloclate, but lollypop I can’t resist. Ice-creams are another favorite but again no chaloclate.
Last thing to say before you sleep: “Hum kab uthega?”, meaning “What time will we wake up?”

Thank you Bugz for your precious time but before we go, we wanted to share something special Bugz’ teacher wanted us to share with all of you. Here is Bugz’ “Mommy and Me” responses from Mother’s day. Till next time —