I Had Already Told You..

I had already warned you about this here and here..

Yes, I have moved..

This time to Pune..

Punch is fine and started attending Play Group sessions since a month.

P.S: { Will you believe me if I tell you that a new building is being constructed (about 75% complete by now) about 2 houses away from my Chennai residence?}

Reporting from undisclosed location..

Why am I reporting from a secret location?

Because Punch spared no efforts to make my izzat ka falooda..

We took the biggest risk of taking a one week trip to 5 places in Karnataka/Andhra Pradesh alongwith Punch. Daily showdowns were an integral part of the trip. some izzat ka falooda moments were:

Punch refused to get down from the train..we travelled only through train and boarded 5 trains and each time she shouted and screamed and refused to get down

If you happened to see a screaming toddler at Bangalore's Total Mall and Forum (Whitefield) mall last week, it was Punch of course..she refused to come home from both malls, Total Mall witnessing more footfalls that day due to Punch's free tamasha of rolling on the ground and screaming and refusing to come out of the play area..upar se since it was raining, more people took shelter in the mall and got to see free tamasha

We were on the a 3 hour train journey to Hospet and Punch had skipped her afternoon nap, so it was tantrum time..she screamed and cried and jumped so much for so long that finally a co-passenger told me to console her somehow and make her quiet since it was causing disturbance to all others..this was my izzat ka falooda moment.. thank god myself and the Mr did not react otherwise and many many thanks that my father was not accompanying us! that's because had he joined us that day, we would have witnessed a murder in that compartment!! how can anyone dare to say this about his dearest grandchild..

The only good things being a peaceful and long pending pilgrimage (inspite of bad weather and high water levels in Tungabhadra river) and a visit to my birth place.

Recent Happenings

Punch, me and her grandpa went to buy a small silver plate at a jewellery shop. She was her usual naughty self and insisted on selecting the plate herself. She took one plate and asked the salesgirl "bill". The salesgirl asked her to give money. Immediately, Punch put her fingers inside grandpa's pocket and took out a 5 Rs coin and gave it to the salesgirl..This is how we shop at throwaway prices..

Punch is very fond of travelling in buses and trains and we do that often. She can clearly differentiate between the AC buses and non AC buses and insists on getting into an AC bus irrespective of whether the bus goes to our destination or not. She calls a train as Engine No 9

( from a rhyme of the same name) and does not want to get down from the train.

Mention Happy Birthday and Punch runs and gets her small chair and chota table and sits on the chair and asks for the cake for cutting it and singing the birthday song..We attended a birthday party where we saw a magic show and since then she keeps telling magic magic and simply swings her arms.

A Peek Into Punch's Busy life..

How to access the Kitchen sink

Punch has this hobby of doing the dishes...initially she used the to drag the dining chair to the kitchen sink and start off her work with opening the tap..To stop this, I put away all the dining chairs in a room and locked the room. Next, she pushed her rocker all the way from the hall to the kitchen and I replied by putting away the rocker too in the room.

Our hall now has just the sofa and showcase (almost empty again), the small stool also being put away lest it serve as a handy tool for her. Whenever we open the room door, she manages to squeeze in from nowhere to pick up her rocker/cycle/chair to use it to play in the sink. Then she started using a small 15-20 cm toy chair to stand up to be able to reach the tap. Next was her father's lunch bag followed by a plastic cover! Next was the dustbin. I forgot to mention that the same items are alternatively used to attack the washing machine too.

Yesterday was the height of all mischiefs.. we both were in the kitchen and she was as usual pulling out things from the drawers and I was cooking. For a moment I did not look at her and then what did i see? She had opened the small wood cupboard below the sink, used its partition to stand and then sat on the door like how a bike rider sits.. it was hilarious as well as dangerous and she even posed for pictures..another poor victim was the chota 1.5 litre pressure cooker which was put upside down to serve as a stool for her..I just do not know how to stop her..any ideas are welcome.

How To Break a mirror

Punch's way of breaking a mirror..

go to the kitchen, open the drawer and pull out the wooden buttermilk ladle (that looks similar to hanuman's weapon)

run to the bedroom raise ur arm and say jai chi naam ( jai sri ram)

aim on the mirror and throw the ladle and the result is

the mirror breaks and glass pieces spread all over

true hanuman style

P.S: thankfully she did not get hurt and she managed to do this inspite of two adults ( me and Mr) present in the room

and the icing on the cake is

she insists on taking the broom and sweeping when i got the broom to pick up the glass pieces

she insists and nearly fights with me to mop the floor after sweeping

and behaves as if nothing has happened (inspite of two spanks)

The Hangover Persists..

Apni Punch faces a severe hangover of "Happy Birthday"..she has been imagining things to be cakes and cuts them and sings the birthday song..

Recently, she was rummaging the pooja area and was sitting on a chair when she thought of a brilliant idea..she took a scissor and kept it at its maximum length and then started making a cake cutting action and singing the birthday song..I was in the same room and did not even dream of what she imagined to be a cake..it was the gopuram of the pooja cupboard that was her cake for the day...

Recording my Sins

Momo's Ma and Ambuli's amma tagged me to list out my sins against gender stereotype..So here I go, but mind you I am keeping it short and sweet..

I do not use nail polish and other cosmetics

I do not visit the beauty parlour

I have no interest in jewellery and dressing up

I don't know the names of sarees or materials

I don't have the patience to sit and do craft work/embroidery

I can stand for hours in queues to pay bills

I have a really short temper

I don't have a soft and soothing voice

I have been the only female in buses so many times

I can keep secrets!!!

Anyone not yet tagged, please consider tagged by me..

How to Ring a Bell??

when you don't have a bell with you?

Punch has a solution..

ask your father to remove his necklace(she means chain)

take the necklace and go near a steel dustbin

keep thrashing the necklace on to the bin so that you hear sounds continuously

and then sing

ding dong bell...ding dong bell

So What's my age?

I came across an article featuring my college classmate (who is now supposed to be a small celebrity) in a reputed magazine. We are not in touch since a decade but once upon a time we shared the same bench in Business Management classes.

The article mentioned her age..exactly five years below my current age....I am sure my dob is correct, so obviously her parents had admitted her to school when she was born? or did my parents admit me in school with a false age (surely not possible)?? I am confused, pls help..

The Red Marker Blogathon

I am jotting down some of my experiences in response to Sue's post..I have come across many people throughout the country who insist on speaking English their way and not the correct way. Irrespective of the language in which they are spoken to, some people insist on answering in English but unfortunately are not able to convey correctly what they want to say..whereas some people directly translate sentences from a vernacular language to English resulting in this confusion..

1. A funny incident that happened when I was in college- A professor was taking his first class after recently joining the college. He recollected his experience at the administrative section. It seems he did not have a pen and he asked a peon " If you don't mind, can I have your pen please?" to get a reply " Have it, I have no mind"..

2. When we visited Chennai and southern Tamil Nadu as part of our vacations (before I settled down here), I would hear kids and people coming to a shop and asking for " 1 colour"..I often used to wonder what is that colour only to realise that it is the local pen name for Cool Drinks such as Limca, Coke etc..

3. I worked in the customer service cell of a share transfer agent/registrar some time back. My job was to reply to letters and answer incoming phone calls from customers. I had trouble understanding the content of some letters in broken English. One of my colleagues could not speak English fluently but he would insist on speaking it the way he wished..Once he answered a call for a query that he was not in charge of..he replied " THE Miss XYZ is there, you talk to HIM afterwards" instead of saying "Miss XYZ is in charge of this section, please call later and speak to her".

Bar

Its night 10.30 PM and Punch is chatting with her father on the bed ( lights off so that she slowly drifts off to sleep)

Punch: Abba, Babba (uncle) phone

Mr. calls Babba

Punch speaks to Babba, then Babba speaks to Abba (abba forgets to put off the speaker)

Babba: I am going to ***(name) Sports Bar tomorrow

Mr: what? bar? Sports Bar?

Punch: Milky Bar...( she loves Milky Bar chocolates)

This is a sneak trailor of the eavesdropping Punch does..

She's got Mail..

The Mr. is busy working on his laptop when Punch interrupts him

Punch: Abba, papa computer

Mr: Abba is busy, Abba has to check mail, not now dear

Punch: Abba, papa computer

Mr: Punch, don't disturb Abba, I am checking mail



After few seconds..

Punch: Abba, Papa mail check

wonder who has mailed her..

Q & A Time

Have a look at our Q&A time..

Me: Punch, where did you go yesterday?

Punch: Auto la Bye

Me: What did doctor do?

Punch: Papa oosi ( shows the spot where she was given the injection)

Me: How did u cry?

Punch: uuu uuu uuu

Me: Then what did amma do?

Punch: dacha payam (dry grapes)

Me: then what did u do?

Punch: umm ummm ( symbolising eating dry grapes)

Me: Then what happened? ( I expect her to say she stopped crying)

Punch: amma unnum dacha payam! ( amma gave more dry grapes)

So, I will get this answer till we cover the number of dry grapes she ate..

E-Book and Punch's Latest talent

This blog has been included in Indusladies' Mommy Bloggers ebook. Its nice to be part of this initiative. Thanks to Punch who is nowadays the fodder for all posts.

Punch is doing fine now, the cold has subsided. Day before yesterday, when the maid was cleaning the ceiling fan, she insisted on doing it herself and we had to oblige ( the maid carried her so that she could reach the fan and Punch happily dusted the fan). When the maid came yesterday, Punch immediately ran and pulled a chair below the same fan cleaned the previous day and asked the maid to stand on the chair so that she can carry Punch and Punch can clean the fan..This is how we get entertained at home without switching on the TV.

Medicine

Punch has caught a cold since few days. She refuses to co-operate when we give her the drops. So brilliant me and the Mr thought of an idea and this is what we did..

Me: Come on Mr, open ur mouth, i will put medicine
Mr: no no, i dont want ..aaaa ( pretending to cry)
Me: It is so sweet, come on taste it
Mr: ok, (I pretend to put the drops in his mouth and he pretends to swallow it)
Mr: It was so nice..
Me: Ok, now u r done, who's next to take the medicine?

Punch was a silent spectator to all this drama and the moment i asked the above question, she replied " Amma"

There goes the 1st instalment of my brilliance.. I pretend that all is not lost and still ask her " Ok, after amma who?"

She says " Abba"
Now, did you hear me saying the I am brilliant, it must have surely been an illusion or a dream!

Award

Apni R's mom has generously bestowed me with this award.. Thks a ton..

Now the format for announcing the award..

1.. Thank the person that gave this to you....

Thanks once again, R's mom

2. Copy the award and put it on your blog.

Pl. see above

3.List three things you love about yourself

a) I am easygoing and follow "Take it easy policy"

b) I am a very big miser when it comes to buying things for myself
c) I get sudden bouts of activeness which results in tasks getting done fast ( rarely happens though)

4. Post a picture you love

This is for Swaram and Pooh..

note: scene recreated from one of Punch's adventures..Hope you remember this..

5.Tag 5 people you wish to pass this award
well, I will not tag 5..I tag all the readers of this post..

Harpic

The groceries bought from the supermarket were lying in the corner when Punch woke up from her afternoon nap. As is her habit of raiding things, she went near the bag and starting pulling out all things. I had purchased a Domex Toilet Bleach bottle, she held it in her hands and said " AApic, Aapic" I could not understand anything and then she made an imaginary circle with that bottle and said "AApic AApic". She was demonstrating the use of the product as seen in TV. She meant to say Harpic..I am surprised to see her memory nowadays.

Bangles

Punch was playing with her soft toys one night. She was talking to the toys like how I talk to her. She chanced upon some bangles and told the monkey toy "come wear bangles, show your hand". Now our backs were facing each other as I was doing some task and I did not bother to look back. The toy in question is a monkey (stuffed toy) holding a banana in one hand. Next she put the bangles on the monkey and said " Say Thank You". Now I got more curious and had a look at the monkey only to laugh aloud..Punch had put the bangles around the banana and not the monkey's hand!

Ceremonial Welcome

Punch's father got a ceremonial welcome from her one evening..

He was just back from work and was sitting on the diwan when Punch suddenly ran inside the kitchen. She came back armed with a big plate and the next thing she did was to nazar utarofy her father and put an imaginary tikka on his forehead.. a welcome befitting a war hero!! Lucky man..

Necklace

Punch can identify a necklace easily. She points out towards the necklace and says "Neckash". Once while shopping for a chain at a jeweller, the saleswoman showed us about 5-6 chains and before we knew, Punch grabbed all the chains and put it around her neck and proclaimed her love for neckash..

Yesterday, when we were in the car and waiting for the signal to turn green, suddenly Punch said abba papa neckash.. She was pointing out to the big poster of a necklace from a big jewellery showroom. The funny thing was she asked the man who drove the two wheeler and was standing next to the car "mama papa neckash"..Thank God he did not hear since our window was closed! So all who drive a two wheeler, pls watch out for Punch asking for a necklace..

Two recent episodes

Punch likes to eat bananas. One day (some time back) after she finished eating a banana, we told her that the peel is for the cow. We usually see some cows wandering in our lane and feed them vegetable peels. Recently, when Punch finished eating the banana, I was talking to her and holding the peel. I told her to wait till I put the peel away in the dustbin and she immediately retorted.. " banana Maa Maa.." reminding me to keep it aside for the cow. I was surprised to see her remember this.

Usually, when I tell Punch to put a vessel in the sink, she promptly does that. But once she was insisting on seeing videos on her father's laptop when he had work to do. So, to divert her, he told her to put the glass next to him in the sink..she came forward and took it and then gave it to me saying.." amma, sink"..And I ended up putting the glass in the sink..

Music in the bathroom

Please don't try to visualise anything before reading below!!

Punch inverted a bucket and said dum dum dum and then closed her fist and took it near her mouth and said peepee peepee and then again dum dum..

She loves to observe the nadaswaram party at weddings and tried to imitate them by inverting the bucket.

Another Princess

Another Princess enters the blogworld..
DC has given birth to a healthy baby girl on 29th March.. Mom and baby are doing good..
Wishing the little one all the happiness in the world and best wishes to DC and C and family..

Punch's (secret) Trading Account

Punch needs to have a trading and demat account..And thanks to that one person for thinking abt her..I have failed in my duty as a parent to open a trading account for her..here's how things went..

tring tring ..my phone rings and I answer the call.
Person at other end (X): Can I speak to Punch?
Me:what?
X: Is Punch available? I want to talk to her..
Me: may i know reg what?

X: I want to suggest to her to open a demat and trading account with my firm since I have a tie up with the bank in which she has an account..It will be very useful as she can do day trading from home itself and make good money..

Me: ( almost getting teary eyed as this one person is so good at marketing that he wants a 2 yr old to do day trading)..Ok, I will call you when needed.. (almost wanting to say she is not yet introduced to shares and stocks)

It's sad that Punch was asleep when the call came, else she would have spoken and discussed her future plans herself..or does she already have a secret account in Swiss??

Punch Chali Amica

Punch has been told that her Babba (uncle) has gone in an aeroplane to America.. Since she was unable to pronounce USA we taught her to say America and she pronounces America as Amica.

Yesterday Punch was sitting next to her father and suddenly she said " Amica Amica come" meaning she wants us to take her to Amica..She kept on repeating the words and when asked to get ready she promptly went to the shoe rack and wore her father's formal shoe in one leg and sports shoe in another and went and stood near the main door to go to Amica..

She seems to be in a hurry...

Punch's style

Punch destroyed the lower portion of the matchbox that houses the matchsticks.the kanjoos that I am, I put the surviving matchsticks in a plastic container and take a stick from the box everytime I need to light a lamp..

Punch's style of playing..to dismantle the upper body of the toy within 2 days of getting the same as a gift

Two scenes

Presenting two scenes from Punch's day..

Myself and Punch are walking on the road to the grocery shop 5-6 doors away..she sees a dog lying down on the road and promptly says TATA to the dog as there is no one else who she can say TATA to..before she could ask me to do the same..we reached the shop...thank god..

The Mr is lying stomach down on the yoga mat and in the process of doing some asanas..Punch suddenly gets two cook and serve bowls from the kitchen and places them on his back and pretends to cook and feed us..and throws a big tantrum when told to remove the bowls from daddy's back..so i got a new stove without asking!!

See There

My cousin visited Punch during the Christmas holidays. She did not mix well initially but later started taking bits of chocolate from him and called him Mama. Recently, myself and the Mr were talking and Punch was sitting with her toys with her back facing us. As the Mr wanted me to see what she was doing, he told me " See There"..and immediately we hear Punch muttering

" Mama mama, choki"..in the same pose and without looking at us.

At first I could not understand why suddenly Punch spoke the above words, I then realised that See There rhymes well with my cousin's name and so she connected both the words together. So she did remember him after 2 mths..but another point to be noted ..she has the ears of a snake ..I am now very careful about what I speak when Punch is not sleeping!!who knows she might be hearing when asleep too...

Reminder Service

Timepass: Punch, we are going out..do u want to come?
Punch: yes, abba bikeee
Timepass: No dear, we will go in auto
Punch: ummm.. Purchu Purchu ( Purse)
Timepass: Ok, what else do i need to take?
Punch: chayee (Chaavi/keys)
This is my reminder service...

Lucky Dog

Yes, I mean it and am sure you will agree too once you read this post..

Punch's grandmas have this ritual of doing nazar utaro/drishti/suthi podu/warding off evil eye wherein they burn some camphor on a plate and rotate it in circles in front of Punch to ward off the evil eye..Punch repeats this by doing nazar utaro for all of us of course without burning the camphor.

Recently, she managed to clasp a couple of camphor pieces in her fist and we tried our best to make her give it back..As we were walking through, we saw some dogs on the road and knowing her fascination for BOW BOW, I tried to play this trick.. I told her to do drishti for the Bow Bow and the next moment, she did that resulting in all the camphor pieces successfully being thrown on the ground..

Isn't that doggie lucky? How many incidents of nazar utaro can we count for ourselves??

What's My Name?

Punch has been trying to pronounce her name for some time now..she promptly says "Un tha" when told to tell her name..

As one of her uncle's names is easy to pronounce she says " Vaa Thu" when asked to say his name. Aunty's name " Thu Di" is also heard from her once in a while.

Coming to my name, she initially used to call me " Paa Yaa" when my mother used to call me in front of her. But of late, I have been promoted and she now calls me " Pai Tha" instead of Yaa..

Any guesses for finding out our real names?

Appu's Saree

Appu is what my grandma calls Punch who in turn addresses her back as Appu.

I was showing a simple cotton saree with polka dots all over to Punch's grandpa and we were talking about a relative. Suddenly, Punch who was busy till then in mischief came over, pulled the saree down and started saying " Appu Appu".

The tubelight me then realised that my grandma also wears sarees in similar polka dot patterns and that is why on seeing the saree, Punch called out her name..wah..kya memory hai..