Joanna's Christmas Gift - I Don't Think I Can Ever Get This For Her :(

By: Sharon Supriya 
Date: 8th December, 2013 


We were driving back after shopping for Christmas decorations. Jo was all happy, singing and clapping to the rhythm of some Bollywood song playing in FM, and it struck me I hadn't asked my little baby what she wanted for Christmas as gift, either from Santa or Jesus ( I hadn't still revealed the story of Rudolph ).

Jo's typical reaction, "hmmmmm.... a magic wand, when I do whoooooosh (circling her little hand), and say chocolates, I should get so mannnnnnnnnnnnny chocolates ..... and she goes on..."

Siril( my husband) started laughing, "yeah! get that one now ..... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha." I quickly interrupted, "what will you do with so many choclates... I mean I don't think there is something like that". Jo responded, "mumma I saw it in TV, this boy has a bigggggggggg machine, when he clicks a button he gets lots of chocolates, I don't want chocolate machine, I want magic wand. ( She was referring to LIC's Jeevan Tarang Policy advertisement on TV)

I just sighed, cursed the advertiser, looked at her and said, "baby doll, you will get it..."

Now am in a look out for that magic wand... any help?

:(

Joanna shopping for Christmas Decoration

Yeah!!!! Jesus will get us Christmas Gifts :)

By: Sharon Supriya
Date: 6th December 2013 [A bit late to post :( ]


I wanted to tell, rather introduce Joanna and Derril( Jo's cousin) the story of 'Rudolph- The red nosed reindeer', so I dramatized the whole thing, with a story. Let me try narrating it :)

Kids were busy playing blocks, I walked in hurriedly and said, "I just got a call from Santa Claus, he said he will not be able to gift you anything this Christmas, not because both of you hadn't been good through out the year, but because the reindeer, who knows where our houses are is unwell. He has got terrible cold and fever".

They looked at me, and suddenly Jo replies, " Oh! ask him to take medicines he will be alright".  I was like ... "Yeah smarty, but they really can't make it this time." Now it was Derril's turn "Mami (that's what he calls me) can he ride on a camel and still make it, camels are big he will reach faster".

"Sorry Derril, there are no camels where Santa lives." Now, I had forgotten entirely about Rudolph and wanted to know what kids would do if they didn't get any gifts. So I continued, " So what you guys gonna do, am so sad you guys will not get Christmas gifts."

After few minutes, Jo asks with her twisted eyebrows, "Does Jesus Stay closer to Santa's house in Moon".  I replied, "So ... I mean ...yes He does". To that Jo smiled and screamed, " Derrillllllllllll,
will ask Jesus to get gifts from Santa Claus and give it to us, he doesn't need reindeer or camels, we just have to close our eyes and pray... He can do it"

To that both gave a 'high-five', started laughing and screaming loudly, "yeah!!! Jesus will get us Christmas Gifts :)"


Well! their innocence just makes Christmas celebrations even more sweeter. Muahhhhhhhhhh!

Dada being my daughter's Santa Claus ..... who had been mine when I was young. 

This was her 'first Christmas

'.

"No Mummy, I Am A Big Girl"

By: Sharon Supriya
Date: Sept 25th, 2013

 

This evening when Jo and I went out for a walk, Jo suddenly pulled my hand and screamed aloud, " mummy look small baby...so cuteeee". The child must be above 18 months...Surprised by a 3 year olds reaction I said " okey... And so are you"...she promptly replied with a stern on her face, " NO Mummy I am a big Girl"

I lifted her, looked into her eyes, kissed her and said..."oh yeah my darling you are..." she smiled back, snuggled down my arms to walk on the road...looked up and said, " mummy I like small babies". I was like "aha...and what else do you like". She started listing "Hmmmmm chocy, ice cream....hmmmm star, moon, ball game....blah blah....and ...hmmmm small babies".

Aha! people this is what Jo likes....please no indication to any new addition.. And above is one of my favourite picture from our evening walks.

Joanna's Sweet Dream ;)

By: Sharon Supriya 
Date: July 21st, 2013

Jo just woke up. I asked her did you have good sleep. She wriggled in my arms and said "yes". Then as usual I asked her, did you have a sweet dream, to that she replied "yes". Now, as usual I was curious, so I continued, whom did you see. She rubbed her eyes and replied, " You ..... You were playing with moon, stars and a cat."

Well! That was her sweet dream :)

Am Sorry..... Dear Chair

By: Sharon Supriya
Date: July 7th, 2013

Jo's little finger was hurt while getting down the chair, she started crying... I kissed her finger looked at the chair and yelled, "how dare you do that". And started beating the chair.. Jo reacts, " Saku mumma, chair is crying now". Huh! Then I had to kneel down and tell the chair "its ok don't do it again... Be good...and am sorry"

I looked at Jo, she nodded her head, smiled and told me "Good Girl".

Joanna's First Solo Performance On The Stage

By: Sharon Supriya
Date: 7th November, 2013

Joanna, giving her best on the stage - Montgomery Hall, Baldwin Girl's High School

The school had organized 'Masquerade' a  fashion parade. Since we were away on a long holiday I got to know about it only three days before the event. And then began the rat race, I couldn't manage time to get  her a new costume, so managed with her old pink frock, pink angel wings, and hurriedly bought white angel crown. Now I knew I couldn't do much with the costume, so all my attention was hooked on training her perform fearlessly and without the slightest mistake in her two liner speech. My only intention was, I wanted her to feel, " This ain't a big thing... I can rock it".


So the training sessions begin. When I first asked her to repeat whatever I said, she would just walk off, pretend not listening, or she would get busy with her toys. So this is what I did. I kept repeating it all the time on the dining table, during advertisements in her favorite TV show, while giving her a bath, with her favourite Bollywood tune or sometimes with some funny voices, so that I could grab the attention of a 3 year old. I asked Siril (my husband) to follow the same exercise. And BINGO it worked. She started liking it and hence started repeating it, and finally she started reciting it. The best part was when she wanted to know what all those words meant. Well! I could explain all of them, except for a word called 'peace'.


Now, we had one more hurdle to overcome, that is I wasn't sure if she would walk on the stage all alone and recite it, infront of a large audience. So, to help her get the confidence, I asked her to recite it in front of my in-laws, she denied. Told her will get her chocolates, fancy toys and what not, but I couldn't bribe her. So naturally I was tensed, and my little angel was just not bothered.


Finally this morning while driving to school, I gave her to watch a recorded video of her own performance on my phone, she kept playing it again and again,this made me sigh with relief okey shes not gonna forget her lines... hmmm... even if she does, I wouldn't want her little head to feel stressed.


We reached the venue before time, she had enough time to relax look at her friends fancy wear and exchange some giggles. We bid her good bye back stage and sat down to watch little girls perform their best. Some kids were too good, they recited well, some were okey and some didn't utter a word, and some cried and cried. None of these girls were helpful in making me relaxed, I was imagining Jo in each and every situation.


After a long wait, I saw my little angel walk confidently on the stage, that moment had freezed everything around me. It was just like those typical Bollywood scenes, for that moment it was just me and her. Jo held the mike near her mouth, leaned a bit forward and began reciting, " Mummy and Papa call me an angel, because I gifted them... (she paused again looked around for a second, to raise my heartbeat and continued) laughter, peace, joy and celebrations. Thank you" . And she started walking confidently down the stage.


And what was I doing, while my husband and mother-in- law were speechless, my hands were up in the air, my voice would have been louder than the claps in the auditorium, I was jumping, clapping and screaming with joy "Yeah Joey... you did it ...." . That moment was so overwhelming, I just saw my little one's lips murmuring those beautiful lines that were so true. Yes darling Jo, you have made our lives a celebrations to live for everyday. Am so proud of you. Guess 'it wasn't a big thing for you' from the beginning.

Jo posing after the performance.