Why is it piercing me?

I wanted to get out of office today as soon as  I got in. Something about last night was just not right. Don't ask me what, and it has nothing to do with what you think either!

My head was all tipsy as I was not myself all through the night. There was this loneliness suddenly creeping in. As if I seemed no where. I held on to my two angels sleeping comfortably on either sides... The ac was cool at 16 degrees and yes Sony was happily snoring, oblivious to the world war going on inside my skull! I almost felt a bullet pass right through... not one but many.

Eyes soggy from sleep, I opted for a cold shower to chill the brain this morning. The shower gel failed to inspire and the towel seemed used. No, Im not complaining about the moisturiser. It never felt more sticky! My golden yellow salwaar suit for the day couldn't brighten my spirits either... When the heart lacks lustre, I guess we turn colour blind and everything seems as boring as the morning you hate to go to work.

The clock just wasn't ticking any faster than 60 sec per minute. And I didnt like the regular calls that usually brightened my soul. I couldn't rest my finger on any one reason and say this is why Im angry at myself. I had many reasons. By five, it was Bye! An end to a horrible day in office, where I hardly spoke to anyone, completed every task mechanically and sulked around in my chair waiting for Sony to call.

My head was weary beyond definition and even Anna's sweet hello seemed a yell to me... But we had to pierce her ears today and we had an appointment at the doctor. When the door closed behind as they took her away from me, I sat alone again. Sony and Ria were definitely near me. But I felt absolutely abandoned.

Anna screached with pain. It was for the first ear. Trembling from head to toe, I couldnt complete my prayer. I just sprang up from the chair and stood stupidly trembling in front of the nursing cabin. I wanted to break the door open and get Anna back. And there she shouted for the second time not totally relieved of the first one, and that was it. Both her ears were pierced and she had sweet pearl ear studs on too... tears damped her soft cheeks.

My head stopped aching... It was overwhelmed with my Anna's pain. When I hugged her and she rested her head on my heart, there was a soothing balm that wiped off both our pains. The same relief I had when she came into the world after I laboured her out.

She looks sweet with her new earrings. But the pain is still piercing me.

Thirty chicks

Anna turned two yesterday. Well it hardly mattered at all to her. To us, the big three, it was different. So, Ri and me... each of us wanted to celebrate in our own way...

Ri took some chocolate wafers for her pals... Sony was smart enough to get the date ladoos from the world's best bakery, Jayabarathi Bakery in Thalasserry and I took my favourite Lebanese sweets which Amma sent us exclusively from Bahrain. To share with very close pals...

Anna hardly ate any of those stuff. But she liked her new musical toys ... a Barbie doll dressed like Paris Hilton singing in the most hilarious male voice 'meri shaadi karaade'! A green swing and a funny cow with hooplahs! She was also happy about the colourful dresses and the clips to match.

In the past 730 days with us, Anna has gained herself a very comfortable place in Ria's life . She is more than just her sister... I would call her a sponge, absorbing most of the otherwise frequent domestic confrontations. There is a personal level of restraint and control that each of us are bringing into our attitudes, actions and apprehensions just because of this tiny soul orbiting around us.

In every way, Anna has made Ria a better teacher and she is very receptive to what ever Ri says.. Well this little angel has her own moments of revolting and she can be a devil at that, with no reprieve what-so-ever. And yes Anna has her own way of expressing her displeasure too... "Aaara geela gilli gilli"( Sorry no translation available). The phrase is applicable to all instances of discontent... major or minor!

Talking of being a good teacher, it is Ria who taught Anna to say her name in full - Jia Ann Mathew... which Anna is very particular about as she prefers being called "Jia Anna Maathyu" with a quick nod of the head that makes her chin rest on her chest. Ria also taught her to count one, five and ten on her fingers.... When Ria starts one Anna automatically counts two... then there's three and Anna's four ... That's it... Five to ten is further Ria's responsibility!

I was happy for another bit of Ria's teaching skills. Preparing Anna for a normal response on her second birthday, she taught Anna to say TWO flashing out her two index fingers as the Umpire would happily call a six to Sachin's blast into the gallery. Having underwent teacher training myself, I would rate this exercise of Ri as a beautiful piece of sensory learning - coordinating sound, skill and imagery!  A full ten to her for planning that lesson so well and achieving her objective so creatively.

And as we were dressing for the dinner party, I thought it was the end of the demo for the day... Ri then proudly asked Anna to say how old is Amma... oh oh! that's me folks... Its not your guess that matters here, nor the one or two greys that Im concealing with the henna wash for my loooong hair every quarter... neither my Olay total effects that has been doing wonders for my skin...

The age-defying answer was pronounced by my two year old...and I was happy at the chweetest way Anna said it... Thirty Chicks!

Anna deserved a hug. And Ri, deserved two. Its nice to be thirty-chicks and a happy mother of two. Touch-wood!