Happy to me (Feb 20th:)

When Lakshya called to wish me, I was not there to answer the phone:( But I have saved her recorded wishes and am listening to it daily. Laks, "thankoo"

Here is the best birthday wish I got when I turned two.

pAdukA-isms

pAdukA - whassit? (pointing at a picture)

appA - tiger

pAdukA - whassit?

appA - pooh bear

Questions a couple more times and then..

appA - (pointing at the same picture) enna idhu (what is this)

pAdukA - cartoon !

pAdukA eating corn puffs

pAdukA - whassit?

ammA - puffs

pAdukA - no! whassit?

ammA - puffs

pAdukA - no no.. chips!

pAdukA watching her ammA eat.

pAdukA - sAdam

ammA is done eating

pAdukA - goo goo (means good girl) and pats her head :)

pAdukA (brings a book) - ammA, amunAn (book tiltled HanumAn:)

ammA starts reading and narrating the story

pAdukA - whassit (pointing to vAyu, HanumAn's father)

ammA - HanumAn appA oda peru vAyu ( HanumAn's father's name is vAyu)

ammA - HanumAn appa peru enna sollu ?

pAdukA - caillou (pAdukA's favourite cartoon character:)

ammA - vAyu ma... vaaaa uuuuuu

pAdukA - no no caaaaa uuuuuuu :)

While playing pAdukA falls on the book that appA is reading

appA (pushing pAdukA away) - Don't disturb

pAdukA - ammAsheee (ammA see)

ammA - enna?

pAdukA - pushshee appA

pAdukA - pushshee no!

pAdukA watching Tamil movie song along with ammA and appA

The hero in the song along with many other men dances with huge

flags.

pAdukA - mAmA marchee-aa?

(as she does along with other children in her play school)

ammA - pAttu ma idhu

pAdukA - alla (means "no" but in this case pAdukA's mazhalai turns out to be sentamizh:)

mAmA marchee

pAdukA - vEnmA vEnmA chockate

uwan uwan chockate

Neighbour - what a sweet kid, she is offering chocolate!

pAdukA - uwan uwan ( non stop)

Neighbor - Thank you, I have already taken

ammA - uwan means she wants :)

(Pictures) January 2010

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The Adult Play-Doh

From my experiments over the last few weeks, I am convinced I have seen the adult form of Play-Doh - something they like to call the "remote".
My parents love playing with this thing in their hand and every time they press something on it, something changes on the lighted screen in front.

It is amazing how frantic my parents can become if they cannot find one of these. I like to take one and place it at some odd place. And then, sit back and watch the drama.

First, both parents will go to every corner of the house looking for it. After a few minutes of hunting in vain, one will start trying to muck with the controls close to the TV and open up some booklets. Sometimes, each would be blaming the other. If it starts getting ugly, I try to calm things down, by asking for some milk or some such thing. One of them will even try to quiz me about it (as if I am going to reveal anything!!). They usually end up finding it, and I have been trying to move places a few times now. Maybe I should try the bathroom next time.

Note to other Twoers:

• There are usually 2-3 of these remotes, so you can pick any of them and make them go crazy.
• Best time to try this out is in the evening around 5 pm, and expect the action to start around 7:30 pm.
• When they ask you about it, pretend you have no idea what they are talking about.
• If you are under pressure for doing something bad, start saying "TV" again and again, until they start hunting for the remote. This works as excellent distraction.

Happy to you..

Best Wishes for the new decade
May all good come in a cascade
With peace and health as company
and friends and relatives in harmony
More charming memories to be made!

Paakabaa Letter Santa Thaathaa

Paaduka-speak	English
Helo Santa Thaathaa,	Hello Santa Claus Thaathaa,
you waan?	I want the following things this year:
phone batty No appa	a good phone and some batteries that when I take and play with, my appa will not say "No".
aaloo, beebaa, ausher, arnee, cookaa, colo	Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Grover
sapatam, paper pichee	a pustakam (book) that I can happily tear (pikkaradhu) the papers from.
isheem, oshenj joosamma, paalu, nummy paal, shaapaa	Ice cream, Orange Juice, Water melon (pazham), yummy chocolate milk, Pasta
diapu shop	a diaper that can absorb everything away so it does not need to be changed everytime
sheenam, aanai, thoo jeejaa, py zeebaa, nama joojoo	Lion (singam), Elephant (yaanai), 2 Giraffes, Five Zebras, Nine (nava) Dogs (that you can say "joo joo" to call them)
pore canee, ten bikki	Four candies, Ten biscuits/cookies
(ammaulae paTToo, bumpee, come back)	(My amma is calling me "paTTu", "bumby"; I will check and come back)
Barney TV no shop	Play Barney non-stop on the TV
baloo poTTu no aaa ooo	a good balloon that I can throw around (poTTu) without breaking it, when I will say "Uh Oh"
peekayoo howayou?	Play Peekaboo with me and I will tell you "How are you?"
thaa, pees ok? ok? ok?	Will you please give (thaa) me these? Is it OK?
thaantoo, paakabaa	thank you, paaduka

(Pictures) December 2009

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