With Meera and M in Mumbai, I can only reminisce about Meera’s favorite anecdotes. Here she is exploring the Kumta train station enroute to Mumbai on the Konkan Railway. She thoroughly enjoyed the train ride.
Love is Sharing
Meera loves Parle G “bikit.” She does not bite it, but puts it in her mouth, along with half her hand, and chews it. I look at her dotingly, amazed at the simple things that bring her joy. Meera (overcome by love, i hope) wants to share her bikit with me. She pulls it out of her mouth, her hand dripping with drool and smilingly offers it to me. I demure; she insists by blinking her eyes, nodding and extending her hand further towards me. Unable to refuse, I grab her hand and act like if I am licking and enjoying the bikit. Meera is thrilled, gives a spasm of a giggle and puts the bikit back in her mouth. Overjoyed at this exchange, she again pulls out her dripping hand with the bikit and offers it to me. How can I refuse her offering of love?
Love is being Jealous:
Meera has a ritual of going to sleep. She’ll play on the bed for about 10 minutes and when she is ready to sleep, she’ll barrel her head into my side (or M’s), corkscrew around, wedging herself tightly to my side and go off to sleep. Here she slept by me during an afternoon nap. I turned off the phone and lay unmoving for an hour. M took the pic. Whenever she does this, my heart swells knowing this little bundle trusts me enough to need my presence while she sleeps.
But most nights, when M is on the other end of the bed, she wedges herself to M. I look longing and understand her deep bond to her amma. After she’s asleep, I gently slide Meera by my side. Then, I go off to sleep!
Meera loves Wrappers!
Forget about the toys I bring, Meera plays with the wrappers more. Here she finds a wrapper from something and announces this with gusto to the entire household.
Yes Meera, pappa will bring more toys (with their wrappers)!
Previous Meera Posts:
Arun Shanbhag 
Happy Father’s day, Arun!!! Meera is an angel….enjoy this time – it BLAZES BY!!! mine is entering college…”sniff” I wish i could still cradle her in my arm… 😦
Thank you Maggie:
Awesome about college! which one? need to catch up!
and yes, those cradling days are long gone!
Hope you are doing well.
🙂
Aww..
Little M is so adorable.
I loved how you wrote that you lay next to her without moving for an hour. I have done that, but I am fidgety by nature.
And yes.. my childrean and most that I know like cartons more than the toy inside. 🙂
Happy Pappa’s day!
Arun, I forgot to mention. Our kids love unusual things to play with rather than toys. My son plays with empty yogurt containers or cans. I have a box full of toys and all he wants is his yogurt containers.
How lovely and so very cute 🙂 A very happy father’s day to you Arun!
Thank you Hema:
Sorry for the delay in replying – slowly catching up from the week.
Arun
She’s so adorable!
O, thank you!
>she wedges herself to M. I look longing and understand her >deep bond to her amma.
sometimes it not personal i.e if memory serves right. amma’s are akin to a cushy pillow while appa’s are bony especially the athletic ones 🙂
Happy first fathers day.. What a lovely post. Made me teary eyed.
You are funny Karthi! … and right!
M always complains that I’m as hard a a piece of wood – romantic, eh?
Sure, Meera likes to cuddle next to her amma! Next time I’m going to cushion myself with jaaDis (homemade indian blankets) so Meera is comfortable.
How have you been?
Oh god, she is so cute and looks grown up now..aaww..Happy Father’s Day!
Yes! They grow up soooo fast!
Hold On! I want to hold and cuddle her for a few more years!
Thank you!
Arun
Happy Fathers day Arun. Its the Summer Solistice too today and luckily in our part of the world we had splendid weather! Enjoy your day. Love the pony tail. She is a cutie 🙂
I woke up with plans of 108 surya namskaras at 630am by the poolside with 13 others at the gym listening to some Gayatri mantra chanting and some bhajans. As it turns out, it began to drizzle and we decided to stop at the midway point. After the stretching and shavasana was over (not a second before the instructor said bye), the sun comes out. Can you believe that. Honestly, I am glad it happened, 54 was more than enough for me 😛 Look forward to the nice ache tomorrow morning. Was a good workout. Thankfully this celebration is only once a year 😉
Thank you Sue!
And whatever got you into this whole SuryaNamaskar thing! 108? you must be crazy!
But truly an amazing thing! And particularly if you have chants and bhajans in the background. i can see it must be quiet a festive environment!
God luck and keep at it. Also appears you are back to your regular yoga classes! Good for you!
In our classes we do at most 5! and I can do about a 100 regular pushups! Hmmm! Should try 108 SuryaNamaskars. methinks you should slowly build your stamina; the next solstice is on Jan 21! 108 by then! Go for it!
and thank you for your wishes. how did the boys celebrate the day?
Best Wishes
Arun
Happy Father’s day, Arun. Meera is GORGEOUS and so adorable.
Thank you Vaishali for your wishes!
Meera is certainly the love of our lives! and entertains us thoroughly!
Thank you and best wishes to you.
Nice post! Happy Father’s day, Arun.
Thank you Manju!
how are you guys doing? the kiddo seems to be growing in leaps and bounds! Guess its that age!
Thank you!
Meera looks soo beautiful 🙂 I love the pony tail.:) Happy fathers day!
Thank you Rajita:
yes, I love the ‘juttu’, but now we gave her a short hair cut to better deal with the summer heat. So no juttu for a few months!
hope you all celebrated a wonderful Father’s Day too.
Arun
oh she is adorable! I am just singing to the choir…. i know.. but oh what a cutie!! growing so fast!! Hope you guys join up soon!!
Thank you Smitha;
and please continue signing the glories of Meera – I never tire of listening to them – Ha hA!
and glad to see that you and your friends are all OK from that DC train collision.
A
Happy father’s day =)
Thank you Anu!
and nice site! First time there!
Happy father’s day!
It must the greatest joys of being a parent when your baby cuddles up beside you and slips into a blissful sleep… such a cute picture.
Thank you Smita – for your kind words!
and yes, for me it was such a thrill that she had not forgotten me and rested next to me – (she is very finicky, btw and does not go to many other folks in the family, even)
Nice site and thank you
Arun
Beautiful post! haha…she loves wrappers more than toys…:D
Happy Fathers Day!
Its amazing! She just loves the wrappers, or empty boxes! She uses those to dump her toys and carry them from place to place!
Love her!
And Thanks for your wishes, Sonu!
Arun, forgot to mention in my previous comment…Meera grown up…I noticed here her height. look so cute in Red frock. 🙂
She has certainly gained an inch or so! What with her mother’s loving ministrations! That was a simple frock bought on the street in mumbai – very inexpensive. We put that for the overnight train ride and it was comfortable for her. She enjoyed it!
Many thanks Sonu
Arun
Happy Fathers Day Arun. Such a sweet post. Its been 5 weeks since Raja left for his summer teaching assignment and another 5 weeks to go – He is also missing the boys on this special day. But the boys had made some special things for their appa and showed it – thanks to skype 🙂
Hope all is well with you, M and m. Its been hectic managing 2 boys alone but we look forward to visiting Raja in Doha Qatar in few weeks.
Happy fathers day again.
Viji
WoW Viji – managing the boys for the summer must BE hectic! Kudos to you! Hope Raja gets to take you on a long vacation once he’s back!
And enjoy your visit to Doha!
And many thanks for sharing your wishes
Arun
This post is so touching :). Best wishes for the father’s day.
Thank you Poornima!
its Meera! She brings out the best in all she comes in contact with. really!
Hope you have a good weekend!
Thanks
Beautiful pics, beautiful post. Happy Father’s Day!
Thank you Rileen!
Where have you been; Hardly see any updates from you.
Hope you are doing well.
Best
Arun
She’s adorable! Hope you get to be with her again soon, i can see how much you miss her.
happy father’s day!
Thank you Hyacie!
I think I have about 5 more weeks before I see her again. Can’t wait!
oh, arun, this is so sweet and poignant. what a lovely tribute to fatherhood – the joys, and the ever-expanding love. YAY! happy father’s day!
Jessie –
Thank you so much for your kind words
and yes, the ever expanding love for the girl!
Hope you had a wonderful Father’s Day weekend as well.
Thanks
Arun
Arun, Meera is looking so lovely ..happy father’s day to you..
Thank you Sri!
What a beautiful experience ~ but you already knew that 🙂