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Monday, April 4, 2011

Just So Much Going ON!

So Peanut is starting school tomorrow. Fingers crossed and all that. Have to drop her to the school, and praying that she settles in nicely.

A week or so back, we went for her 'graduation' ceremony. The playschool had put up a really nice show, with dancing, singing, a play - the works. The kids did a commendable job and it was really quite amazing for me to see Peanut dancing demurely to Swagatam, she and her little partner flawlessly performing the steps.

However, she looked a little bit lost while dancing although I was totally entranced. Vijay said 'She's looking for us...'. It was difficult for her to see us because we were sitting right in the back - Vijay, me, my mother and Vijay's dad. The teachers had announced specifically before the show started that we were not to wave out to and distract our children while they were performing.

Being one who tries to follow official instructions to the absolute T, I told Vijay that we should not wave to our daughter, it would perhaps throw her off and that we should listen to the authorities.

Peanut went off stage, still looking a little lost. She hadn't spotted us. I felt a little bad but figured maybe she would perk up in the next performance. This was a play in which she was acting as 'Sita', the friend of Mowgli, in the Hansel and Gretel play ( don't ask, okay?). Her line was 'Look Mowgli, we have company!' and she had practiced at home several times.

The play was on and Peanut came on stage, looking like a little doll in a blue lehenga. The time rolled around for her to say her line, and I waited with bated breath.

My daughter forgot her line.

The teacher narrating the story smoothly jumped in with her line, but I felt bad - not that she had missed her line, but how she might feel about it. I turned to talk to Vijay about it and did a double take when I noticed he was gone from the seat next to me.

I looked back at Peanut and noted a change in her demeanour. She had perked up and was doing a little wave to someone at the back of the audience. Sure enough, it was my tall, gangly husband - her tall, gangly Daddy - who was determined to have his way and make sure that she saw him. She was now smiling and he headed back to his seat and since she was watching him, she could now see the rest of us too. She was very happy, and it was time for the 'Chaddi pehen ke song' which Mowgli and his friends were to dance on, and boy, did Sita rock it on this number!

She swayed, jumped, wiggled her bum and did a wonderful job with more enthusiasm than I had ever seen at home. Vijay and I were clapping along, and she finally waltzed off the stage with full confidence.

I had to admit. The husband does a good job with his free-wheeling and instinctive parenting. Much better than the by-the-book approach sometimes that some people take a teeny-tiny bit too seriously at times.

That's why we make a great team.

P.S - I actually cried during the graduation. I couldn't believe she had grown up so much.
P.P.S - I asked at the office today how many people cried after India won the World cup. Four out of nine people put up their hands. Just out of curiosity ( am not a cricket fan at all) - did you?

8 comments:

  1. Kau kambakht keheta hai ki tu 'useless' hai! Way to go, Vijay!

    That was such a touching little story. Thanks for sharing, Y!

    XXXXXxxxx

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  2. What a lovely touch... my daddy sweetest always, isn't it! All the best to Peanut for her school. May Goddess Saraswati bless her in abundance.

    Incidentally, I was too drunk to cry, otherwise I might've!

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  3. Awww so cute...you are right though...I see the difference in my daughter's confidence once she know we are there watching her perform..even if it is a simple rhyme at school...and I have seen kids looking totally lost when they have not spotted their parents....

    Enjoyed the WC thoroughly..but did not shed a tear no...

    And I want to see Sita ji in the blue lehega..picture please:))

    -Bhavani

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  4. how nice! so the lesson to take home is, don't always listen to the authorities ;)

    The blue lehnga sounds lovely....I wonder if you're still comfortable putting up more pictures of her, would love to see her dressed up!

    As for the world cup, I bawled like a baby.

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  5. Good old Daddy! And what a great big girl you have, Y. How I wish I'd met her when I was there:(
    No, I didn't cry- I'm not a cricket watcher at all, but I was really happy that India won. We were on board a train for the last couple of hours of the match, so though we couldn't watch we were well aware of the scores- radios, cell phones and the internet all helped. Quite an experience!

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  6. Congrats on Peanut starting school! Is she going to Heritage? My son started nursery there on the 5th too!

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  7. Did I cry when India won the World cup? I didn't, but my 21 month old toddler did. He was woken with such a fright because everyone around him, including his Dad, were yelling and screaming so loudly. Soooo, I obviously didn't get a chance to celebrate till much later...once he had settled back in his cot.

    Congratulations to Peanut. Hope 'BIG' school is tons of fun! I've just enrolled mine into play school and although he doesn't start till July, I'm scared stiff!

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  8. extremely sweet... little girls are the bestEST.

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Hi there. Go on, say it. Well? WELL?