Fluffy Squirrel

Hi Aaliyah,

Its a week since you graduated. . . from prenursery :) Thanks to your school they put up a wonderful show. You happened to act in a play, which was an adaption of the famous fairy tale, Cinderella and you played the fluffy squirrel. You were disappointed playing it, as you wanted to play the Cinderella because you loved the Gown she would get to wear. All through the week before the play you kept saying to me that you want to be the 'NOT SQUIRREL' :)

I called up your teacher to ask if any change is possible. Maybe the role of a step sister or so, who also wore a gown in the play, but no luck. Then I decided to make best of the situation and tried to tell great things about a squirrel and make believe stories about how great a squirrel is and you couldn't just care.

In all this, we have forgotten the pivotal character 'Your Dad' who was on YOUR side and said, lets just change school. No, No , its not because he did not like this one. Yes, it was to get admission into any other school who would let you graduate from their school a week after you take admission and let you play a character who wears a flowing gown and so it would make you happy. He even wanted to bunk the grad ceremony and not send you, which I did not let happen.

I took a day off from work, and took you costume shopping and you hated me more when I was trying it out on you. Your droopy shoulder, pink tip of the nose, lower lip turned inside out and the eyes full of tears which had not yet flown to the cheek, said it all. It was heart breaking for me. But I did not know how to make you feel better. Icecreams, choclates, pizza, nothing felt good.

On the day of the graduation, your dad was the saddest and both of you were not believing 'The world best squirrel' story I told you while we drove. Then the play started and you did all that you were supposed to do very very well. There was a scene when only cinderella was on stage and you were backstage. You came to the side of the stage and stood there and were looking at Cinderella, longingly. It shred your Dad's heart. If you see the video he was shooting, the focus had shifted to zooming into you and trying to see if you were crying. Only I know how difficult it was to keep him seated for the rest of the event. Every 10 secs he was shifting in his seat uncomfortably. After the event, he quickly picked you and walked away. We went to celebrate at Pizza hut and got home and snoozed. On the way I asked him what was the moment in the day and he said, Aaliyah was standing on the side and feeling sad.


When we woke in the evening, he made you wear a beautiful gown and started re-creating the play and you were super enthu. I was asked to play the guest appearance of the cruel step mother, which is a choice your dad made with a smile. All other characters were played by your dad. The step brother, father, step sister, father, squirrel, prince, fairy God mother, soldiers everyone. You were mighty mighty thrilled and so was your dad. You both danced and danced and danced all through the evening as I sat and soaked in every moment of it, making a mental note of all the sweet somethings.

I dont know if what your dad did was the right thing or not. But I want you to learn this from your dad. I want you to learn from your dad how to love a daughter, feel for her, feel all that she feels, be a part of her disappointment and hold her all through, making sure she feels better and on top of the world, make every change possible. Love you Aaliyah and Congratulations on the graduation :)

A shoulder to climb on

Hi Aaliyah,

I know it seems like I almost had another baby and forgot about you and your blog. But its not true.... Thankfully. There were too many things happening at my end. Some good, Some great and Some for the good. Will tell you all about it soon. After a long time this weekend was cool and we spent a lot of time at home and chilled. Last evening, a Saturday evening, I was in the kitchen and cooking dinner and your Dad was at the dining table with his laptop and you were as usual on his left shoulder trying to NOT let him do was he was doing.

You never do this to me by the way. Its like 'you own your Dad' and even though he begs you in between to let him do his job, he loves every bit of it, because there is a kiss every 10 secs. Its like a default setting. The typical Kishore's gritting his teeth and holding 'you' like its the first ever time and giving you a kiss on your Chin. He doesn't know this. but I observe him all the time. I can actually count to 9 and on 10 he would look at you and give you a Kiss. Touchwood you are so lucky Aaliyah. Even though you are on his shoulder and trying to climb all over him, and he is telling you that you may fall on his precious laptop and its very expensive etc, his hands are carefully holding 'only you' and every time you are about to fall, he is always reaching out to make sure you land safely. His hands are always cupping the edgy table corners so that you dont bump you head.

And by chance you do bump your head anywhere, OMG the impact on your Dad. The next few minutes would be about how it happened, why, how it could have been avoided, maybe a band aid, some feel good food, blaming me(even if I have nothing to do with it), cursing the furniture that hurt you. Then followed by another few minutes of questions on 'are you feeling better Aaliyah' .

Not to forget when we are inside the car. Until he sees all the ten fingers and ten toes well inside the car, the doors cannot be closed. There have been days when he is so busy checking on you that he doesn't realize that he has half closed his door.

Trust me you are no less, you love every ounce of that pity love, coz you know you get that only from Daddy. If it was me, you know you will have to just dust yourself and move on. Ofcourse, your Dad calls me 'Kal nenjakkari' (Stone hearted) for that. :)

You may go through a lot of Bumps and hurts in life, and you know that you will always have a shoulder to climb on. Love you Aaliyah!