It's Simple Really

Sometimes we as adults complicate things by trying to make more out of a situation - fortunately I get regular reminders from my (& other) kids....

As the Karaoke session was in full swing during Arjun's BD party Abhi came to me and whispered that he had to do the "big" job (or "big potty" as I have heard some others call it). These are usually high alert moments, so I quickly sprang to attention and took him into the downstairs toilet. Typically we would leave him there until we heard his, "Alllll done, achaaa/ammaaaa" announcement. However, since the party was going on, I stayed inside and shut the door.
Soon my over-sensitive olfactory senses were being assaulted and instead of waiting, I quickly flushed. Then I asked Abhi if he was done. He shook his head in the negative, but still seemed inclined to get up. So I asked, "Why don't you put fully then?"
Abhi: "But you already flushed." (See, we normally flush only after he says he is done. By flushing early I had apparently sent the message that he is "done.") Not wanting to accept responsibility, I attempted to throw it back at hime with, "Oh, that was only because I couldn't take the smell." He was going to have none of that and responded, "Well, you should have stayed far away then."

Arjun Turns Six

Can numbers tell the whole story? Lets give it a shot, shall we?


06: Age Arjun, born in '03, turned in '09 (meanwhile Abhi, born in '06, turned 03 in '09

3: Cakes baked by Malini for Arjun's BD
2: Cakes cut by Arjun (one at school & one at home)
1: Cake ("Molten Chocolate") promised to the BD boy, but not baked until yesterday.

6: Portraits of Arjun used at his school party (one of each year)
6: Classmates who got to ask Arjun a question (not including Eshu who was real disppointed at not being called upon by Arjun)
2pm: Time at which we arrived at the New Children's Museum Friday afternoon
5: Activities the boys did at the museum - clay, climbing wall, print making, bubbles, shadow puppets
4.30pm: Time back home from NC Museum.
6: Bakugans that Arjun got (& 1 Ben10 watch that was mostly claimed by Abhi)

15: Adults invited to the party (making a total of 17 counting Malini and me)
14: Adults who actually showed up (RD had a psychosomatic reaction to the proposed Karaoke and called in sick)
10: Kids at the party, including Arjun & Abhi
2: Guests who arrived ahead of any Murthy (Prem & Sanjana)
35: Minutes that the Murthys were late by (we are still in shock)
4: Guests who ignored explicit requests to avoid gifts

4: Courses (Appetizers, Pani Puri, Idli-sambar, cake, not counting tea)
2: Appetizers ('sundal' - steamed chick peas w/ raw mango & grated coconut; nachos & roasted garlic salsa from TJs)
56: Idlis made (8 left over)
6: Litres of Sambar made
8: Tomatoes chopped (also 3 onions, 2 carrots, and 1 bunch of corriander)
12: Cups of tea made
5: 1 Zin, 1 Cab, 1 Merlot, 1 Grenache, 1 Pinot Grigio
1: Guest who refused all liquids (Vanitha)
2: Guests who were still not done with dinner at last check (Sanjay & Latha)
60: Paper bowls/plates saved by using glass bowls (& washing them between courses)
50: Plastic spoons saved by using steel ones (had enough to manage w/o washing in between)
2: Glasses broken by Malini (including 1 wine glass)
3: Days over which the cooking was spread

3: Options for post-dinner entertainment (Karaoke, Poker, Film Fare awards)
1: Person who was really bummed about missing out on FF awards show
2: Desperate poker players (Hari & Prem...I joined them briefly)
50: Estimate of songs attempted on the Karaoke (in almost 4 hours)
40: Estimate of songs murdered on the Karaoke
1: Song that got a zero score (for the one english song attempted by Dev & Rahul)
2: Singers who stood out (Donna & Sanjay)
1: Tamil song sung by Vanitha (tough Roja song, pulled off successfully)
0: Photos of the singing
10: Minutes of video of the Karaoke (to be uploaded later)
1am: When Arjun & Abhi finally hit the sack
2am: When the last guests left (Anands, Putchalas, Bharadwajs, & Bhoj)>
3am: When Malini went to sleep
4am: When I went to sleep

50%: Readers who made it this far.
75%: Reactions that began with "What the..."
TBD: Comments received for this post. :-)

5: Fillers for pani puri, not counting veges: Peas curry, sweet (dates) chutney, hot (mint) chutney, Sev (from Surati - only store bought item), & of course, the Pani.
3: Variations on the theme - pani puri/masala puri/dahi puri (not counting the 'interesting' combinations that Prem & Latha were creating)
14: Adults who declared that they had over-eaten
??: Number of satisfied guests (to be fair, pretty much everybody left with declarations of "great party"... some were repeating it many times)

And one more before I stop:
400: Puris rolled, cut, and fried.

From the Mouth of Babes....

Being surprised at the level of maturity displayed by today's kids is nothing new, but the following two examples are still somewhat startling.

Couple of nights ago, I am loading the dishwasher after dinner when Abhi comes by campaigning to play some game. (Arjun is totally engrossed in a coloring project - as he has been ever since getting a new set of sketch pens and stencils.) After I found that I was not able to distract him, I said, "Just wait for some time. I'll finish loading and then play with you." He gives me a frustrated look, clamps his palms over his eyes and with a foot stomp proclaims, "This does not work for me!" Apparently he learned this from his big brother. Figures.

Last evening I was shopping in Target for a specific toy requested by Arjun for his birthday - a "Draganoid" Bakugan.
I was having no luck scanning the shelves full of various Bakugan offerings. I was about to give up when a kid walks up and starts examining the toys with a knowing air. Turns out he is heavily into Bakugan and starts educating me (apparently the Drago characters have 'evolved' - into what, I have no clue) and points out the different characters. He is trying to give me some of the back story, but is clearly getting impatient at this old geezer who is just not catching on. At one point he shows me a multi-pack and suggests that I could get that. I ask (with perhaps unnecessary naivette), "Why, is it better to get this multi-pack?" And the kid, who is no more than 7 years old, pauses, looks up at me and in all seriousness replies, "Only if you want your child to have more of them." I swear, those were his exact words.