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Took kids to Pediatrician mainly for Shivani’s 5yr checkup. I was so no ready for that day as she is going to get 4 shots + blood test. All the way along, Shivani was thinking the shots are for her sister. She asked me so many times that the shots actually for chelli and not for her, I started feeling bad and restless as I am lieing to her. When the time has come while she was laying on the table on her back I was actually holding her pretty tight and then started saying that the shots are for her and was saying sorry to her. Shivani bravely gave big pat on my back saying that she will be ok and she did noteven realize the 2 shots were given. She did not even cry an inch after getting 2 more on her hands which absolutely amazed me and made me wonder that I was unnecessarily overacting all that time.

Shivani LOVVVVES books especially when I read for her. She can listen for hours and hours and still have the same enthu as she had for the first book. Though she cannot read she will be gazing at each inch of the page for pictures, colors and expressions. The part that tickles me is she immediately tries to implement what she learnt from the book. We recently started to write the names of all books we read. Thanks to Germantown Library.

On a side note, when I take off from work the routine stuff they ask me is first one - Carousel, second Mc Donalds and the last & the best one is going to Library/Barnes Nobles/Borders. We spend almost 3-4 hours there. On the contrary Suhani cannot sit in a place for more than 30 seconds. So she will be roaming around the book store pullling out books but she will put back all the books back to where it belongs when we are ready to leave, she knows each eisle. Though she cannot sit she sure do know what books we read and the story of the book.

We borrowed few books by Ezra Jack Keats and Louis Elhert from library. The other night I was about to read a book by Ezra Jack Keats called Clementina’s Cactus. I opened the book and realised that there is no text in the book. Shivani requested that she is going to use her imagination and read out the books story. Guess what!! she did a perfect job. I just have to record how she went on reading the book by looking at the pictures noting samll expressions. A little girl feelings towards a shivred, withered cactus. Somewhere in the book her father holds a book. In that page Shivani read like this - “Father said hey my girl do not worry about the cactus instead I will be reading you a book. Once upon a time there is a girl who loved cactus and when she touched the plant it pricked her, so do not touch the cactus. The END”.  And Shivani continued to next page.

I was telling DP that he missed the best part of the day,so he came by to ask Shivani to read and she again did an awesome job by adding little more meat to the story.

One good example of kids making their parents day!!!

We bought Men’s and Women’s cycles last wednesday. It was like long time dream came true. Yes, we were planning on buying cycles from past few years but were successful only this time. I and DP went for a ride while Shivani/Suhani came in their Jeep. Shivani was so thrilled to the idea of all four of us riding our own cycles. Shivani wanted to have a ‘mommy and me’ ride first. So we both decided to go, and within few minutes it started to rain, but she did not want to take a rain check, so we continued our ride in rain.

Both girls were playing  ‘Pretend Amma’ game. Both got their feet slide into amma’s sandals, Shivani got amma’s purse & keys where as Suhani got the cellphone {Girrrr…ls}. They both waved thir hands saying bye to both of us in kitchen and Suhani said to akka in a shrill voice just like her mom ’Get into the car..we are getting late’. Suhani got-in sat in her car seat and buckled up. Shivani got into the car but to amma’s seat ie Driver’s seat. She put in the key and we heard nice telugu songs and we both looked at each other, in a minute or two we both ran to the van as we heard the engine cranking sound. Ofcourse, we pulled them out yelling at them.

We were all excited (all includes - Koka’s and Grandhi’s) about our to visit Chicago to see Harini Pinni and Siva Babai…or to be honest for Indian food. Hari and DP planned our trip of where to eat what and when. Around 4pm Thursday we started heading towards Chaitu’s house - Chaitu, Sai, Dp and Me with kids. Reached there and as Aparna called that morning from India to get my measurements for Kuchipudi dress, so filled the form emailed Aprarna, packed itty bitty last things and started our journey at 6pm.

Reached Chicago at 2:45pm, parked our van next to Hari’s Altima and chit chated for a while and went to sleeping bag. Morning while Siva going to office, he called DP from down stairs saying that the 2 vehicles were missing. Then realized that they were towed as it is guest parking. Guys got them back after paying $150 fee for each piece.

I took kids for swimming, which was right at the back of their house. Kids had great time. Got ready and went to Hot Mirchi which was 3 miles away. Recently opened very small place not much variety but the food was absolutely good. Realished every item and went back home. in the evening went to IKEA did some shopping and went to Chat place. Ordered different kinds and went back home, We all together went to Swimming, eat all kinds of indian junk food, ordered PPV, again eat dinner (Harini made) and called it a day.

Saturday Morning:  Took kids to swimming, guys went to get freshly made somosas from Patel bros, then went to Hot Wok (Indian Chinese), ate stomach full and headed out to Navy Pier, jumped on to the Ferris Wheel, then eat at Haagen Daaz, started to Devon for more food. Drank Sugar cane Juice, bought 5-6 varieties of Osmania biscuits at Mughal Bakery, went Sukhadia’s for chat snacking and started to Malathi Padmakar’s house. Grilled some chicken; Interesting part is they can buy marinated Chicken directly for a $ more. When we came to their house we said we cannot eat anynmore food except this delicious chicken but we batted home made curries with rice sayting that would be the last item for that day. But they used some sentiment ointment and made us eat home made Kulfhi which was very nice. While Koka’s and Pasumarthi’s at Jr Damaraju’s house Grandhi’s went to visit couple of friends. We then reached home at 12:30ish.

Saunday Morning - Wokeup and Koka’s kids + Pasumarthis went for swiming mean while DP and Sai went to PAtel Borthers for the ULTIMATE banana chips + indian junk snacks for our long drive + gas filling, clean van etc. Then we all went to Udipi restaurant for Lunch Buffet which was a mile away and headed out down south around 1:30pm and came back home to Chaitu’s home around 10ish. Slept there and came to work directly from there.

July 3rd - Tuessay - Left work early around 2ish, Kachi and I went for Pedicure, did little shopping at Holidays which was 2 shops away. Then went to “On the Border” restaurant, me - Dessert and Kachi - chips/Salsa; Later in the evening, we attended Sankata Hara Chathurthi at the temple. It is considered auspicious being the event falling on Tuesday, it may coincide only 2 times a year. Then went to Prasuna’s house to watch Collierville Fire crackers from their patio. Both kids and adults had good time.

July 4th - Cleared lot of DPs clothes and cleared almost all kids toys - literally most of them. While all girls were wacthing movie ‘Happy’, all guys went to get new CD palyer installed in Van with IPOD playable and got Firecrackers too. Kids were waiting for them with utmost desire for crackers. Shivani did 2 Kumon homeworks pretty quickly. Guys cleaned van - spick and span. Kids saw that and they started cleaning their barbie Jeep.

The most interesting part is that they did not have anything to carry water to Jeep so the used a  “Polythene Bag” to get water and by the way it did work pretty good.

Started crackers around 7:30pm continued till 9:30pm in our backyard. Both the kids had a Blast (fun, not crackers ), they immensly enjoyed and to my surprise they were pretty brave and almost lit everything we bought, except for few sparkles. They saved those for our Chicago trip, which we were going the very next day to see Hari Pinni and Siva Babai.