Why, Because is like an anthem in our home. It is what Cuddles says most of the time.
Me: finish your food
Cuddles: Why Because
Me: so that you will be strong and healthy
Cuddles: Why because
Me: To grow big like papa
Cuddles: Why because
You get the drift. He needs a reason and a reason and lots beyond, and his exasperated parents are left fumbling for answers to his tough why because queries 
I have always had a definite negative streak in me, not criminal or destructive but mostly a pessimistic way of life. My earliest memory of its birth is when I was in school. I knew I haven’t done very well in the exam, so instead of being positive and thinking of getting good scores, I prepared myself for the worst and said that I have not done well and I might even fail in the test. Behind all this is a defence mechanism that wants to protect me from a shock. So, when the results are finally out and I realise that I have scored decent marks, am delighted as I was anyway expecting really low scores. But this defence pessimism eventually took over my psyche where I started expecting the worst in any situation.
But I am not here to write about how or what negativity did to me, instead I want to describe a few recent streaks of luck or you could call it positive thinking in my life. It started with a lucky draw and winning a nice gadget, which I wished for on several occasions and knew did not fit into my current budgetary plans. The next was a dream of nice holiday, and the subsequent talk that we cannot afford it this year as Cuddles start school. Just the next day God paved way for this dream to become a reality.
And the most recent of all the lucky positivity relates to Cuddles, who had a performance in his school. During the act I could not record him as I messed up some buttons, my disappointment knew no bounds. I kept talking and cribbing that whole day about how I could not record him. But as luck would have it, I get a call from the school that there is a possibility that Cuddles might repeat the performance, as he is required as a back up if some other children don’t perform. The next day I arrived armed with the camera and recorder but I sensed that he might not really not perform although I had been visualising his second performance and my recording. Yet again luck shined and Cuddles got his chance when the student who was to perform got cranky in the end. Well, I did come back a very happy mom, who is more than ever determined to let the positivity in her blossom.
Early morning Cuddles sings the ABC song sitting on the potty, he sings each alphabet twice, so I ask him the reason and pats comes the reply ek bada ABC, ek chota ABC.
On Happy Diwali we had yet another reason to rejoice and be more happy. Cuddles who was resisting potty training for long finally did the big job in his cute lil seat. After a whole day of no production Cuddles expressed his desire to visit the loo at the fag end of the hectic Diwali day. And when I innocently asked him, would you like to do it on your seat, the answer was a quiet yes, and as they say rest is history. Not only did he do the deed, he reiterated that he would do it every day here. That was one helluva of Diwali gift and hope this will not take an ugly turn like it did the two times he was trained before (says a silent prayer).
It’s a momentous day in Cuddleland for the brat started nursery school today. Mamma was more anxious than him, was jittery about crying spells etc but the brat confidently strode into the school bus, took his seat and went off with us standing there feeling a little lost. In half an hour a teacher called to say that he was doing fine. By then it was time to pick him up. The first two days he comes back early.
With Cuddles in school, the entire routine in our house changes, from early to bed to early to rise to no more late nights on weekdays to four free hours for me to do whatever I want
So, the birthday came with a bang and was celebrated with much aplomb. The day started at the Dubai Dolphinarium where Cuddles clapped loudly each time the seals and dolphins managed to twirl a ball on their noses and danced and dived into the water. It was followed by a visit to the church to receive blessings on the blessed day. By then it was noon and we headed home for lunch and to prepare for the evening. We had decorated the house with a banner, bright balloons and butterflies that hung on ribbons from the ceiling. Cuddles had been away the night before, so he was quite enchanted with all the decor at first. By now, he couldn’t wait to blow the candles and cut his Barney cake. Before it could erupt into a nasty tantrum session, better sense prevailed and Cuddles agreed that birthdays happen in the evening. The last few hours ticked by in hectic preparations in the kitchen and frequent trips to the supermarket with happy notes of Cuddles singing the birthday tune in the background. At first he was the shy boy when guests came in, but, in a short while he was back to being what he is – a brat — the damages included two spillages of beer cans, cushions on the floor, sitting on the dining table loaded with food, presents opened, inspected and then discarded in full public glare and refusal to eat anything except slices of cucumber. But then whoever said terrible twos and toublesome threes knew what they were saying. The cake was chocolate truffle, the birthday outfit was red check shirt and denim shorts, the main course was Indian. All in all an enjoyable day and a very special one too.
Dear Cuddles
You are just days away from turning three, a momentous milestone for both you and me. On most days you are a brat who keeps me on my toes and our house upside down, but in all this madness I thank God a million times for making you mine. For filling my life with unconditional love, wet kisses and sweet hugs that are guaranteed anytime of the day.
This year has been a toughie for all of us, but you have been oblivious of all the pain it has caused you. I learnt from you to live life as it comes, to be madder than ever before and to come back to new joys and crazy adventures. It’s been a year of exploring fun activities, seeing you dabble effortlessly in three languages and turning into a restless-curious and an adorable lil big boy.
The costliest toys don’t mean much to you because re-arranging the drawing room furniture is more fun. Running recklessly remains your most loved activity and your partner in crime is your grandfather who puts his army boot camp fitness levels to good use when with you. Chasing cockroaches and flies is your new found pastime much to your mother’s displeasure. You are a puzzle addict taking on your Sudoku fan of a dad. Food is what you eat when suitably distracted with stories, stickers or videos. Like your parents I can forsee a future movie addict who does not bat an eyelid when in front of the idiot box.
A paragraph is not enough to chronicle your wild year, but the daal needs attention and this is all that your ‘lazy with words’ mom can churn out.
The birthday plans are going to be a lil different this year. Hope you enjoy the day. It’s truly a blessed one.
Love Mom
I fix one of his puzzles and he says: Good boy mamma
He is rummaging inside the toy basket, after a while, there is a loud cheer and he says I found it
Yesterday he asks me, Mamma give me a bedsheet, mujhe thand lag rahi hai
Everyday we are amazed and impressed at his growing vocabulary. He is observing, listening and learning every minute. We are always asking ourselves, “where did he pick this from, how did he learn this?” Guess as first time parents each thing that Cuddles does is new for us. Hope to stay blessed like this forever.
#1
Cuddles pretends to sleep in the living room.
Me: Why don’t you sleep in the bedroom
Cuddles: This is a bedroom
Me: No, this is the living room
Cuddles: No, This is a sofa.
#2
Cuddles: Mamma I wan po-corn
Me: We will tell papa to get you some when he comes back from office
Cuddles: voh kitchen mein hai
(eeks, can’t trick him now)
Heartwarming moment
Cuddles returns from nani house, comes to me, gives me a hug and says
Mamma mein aa gaya
I am so late on this, but nevertheless here is my entry for writer and blogger Parul Sharma’s By the Water Cooler contest. I love her blog and look forward to her new book.
Offices bring in so many emotions in us. Sometimes it is a fun place where you make lasting friendships and find life-long confidantes, sometimes it becomes a sentimental place where you find a mentor who holds your hand and pulls you up the ladder, the other times you discover detractors igniting the worst of your fury. No doubt an office then becomes a place we associate bitter-sweet memories with.
In seven years of work life I worked at five offices. The first was located in a two bed room apartment, the second in the basement of a prominent tower, the third a picturesque green space, the fourth a typical corporate floor and the fifth a nostalgic landmark building.
Each office had its share of friends and fun, gossip and goose bumps, accolades and agony. This particular incident happened in the fourth office. In that corporate jungle our department was a small team of five headed by our boss – a middle-aged portly Nawab from Lucknow. Well, he wasn’t technically a nawab but he totally behaved like one. To begin with he was slow in speech — he spoke in pauses, he liked the old life which meant we had to time and again listen to his many tales of yore that began with… in 1970 when I was in school we plucked radishes and carrots for lunch and so on and so forth… , he was really lazy postponing work to the last minute so much so that we had to remind him about deadlines, his mood swings made him really grumpy on some days (those days incidentally happened to be always near a deadline or two .
He had a poor digestion but that didn’t stop him from indulging in fried and fatty savouries often, the outcome of which was borne by his errant driver who had to hunt for public toilets on several occasions. One such illness took a reported serious turn and he had to be hospitalised for a few days. Following which there was no sign of him at work for weeks. When we called to enquire about his health we were told by the dutiful Mrs that Sir was resting. There was no sign of him at work for a few more weeks thereafter. Then out of the blue one mid-afternoon we found Sir in the office lobby in his characteristic slow pace which seemed slower than usual and behind him was his driver holding a rolled mattress and pillow. They made quite a sight – the portly old man who pretended to be very sick and his weed thin driver holding the bedroom essentials. I still can’t stifle the giggles when I remember that sight. Back then don’t know how but with a lot of resolve to not burst out laughing we sent the senior most colleague to ask the reason for getting a mattress and pillow to office. The answer which he got was as follows: Doctor ne sakht aaram karne ko bola hai, yeh toh aaplogon ki chinta hogayi thi hame toh kya karte razai aur takiya ka intazaam karke aagaye hai atleast ek afternoon nap toh le lenge. That pillow and mattress remained in his room for many months. He would close the door of his cabin promptly after lunch to heed to the doctor’s advice.
It’s been four years since I left that organisation but even today when I gang up with friends from that office we share a loud guffaw and two about our ex-boss. They don’t make nawabs like this anymore.
