October 2020

Dear Sweetheart Ceyone, 

October used to be a special moth each year, particularly due to Halloween. Our weekly routines of handwriting and book club continued as usual. It was fun to think about a new theme each week and let children explore the joys of reading. 

You also had school break in October and enjoyed some peaceful, relaxation time. 

You had a playdate with Vivaan and both of you were Minecraft fans. 

 

Kids loved to climb the top of our Ibenma bunk bed and sometimes you went there to read books. 

That's Ahyan, Rohan and Hassan. 

Vansh, Maahi, Aadvik all happily writing and solving a puzzle.

And then there were pillow fights in between which were super fun! 

I was happy I could come to your swimming lessons at times when I didn't have any meetings. 

  

I always felt proud of the effort you put in for sports. Your interest in physical activity sports improved as you grew up and it was amazing to see your stamina take flight. 

 

 

Soccer was your latest passion and we signed you up with a coach who used to teach at the Khalsa Association of Singapore grounds. I was quite worried initially as the training was for 1 hour and you had never played for so long before. You did quite well and did not give up. Then your weekly trainings picked up every Saturday. Mumma was happy to see you enjoy a sport you love! Not to say staying away from the screen. 

 

More of our handwriting and book club classes in full swing. 

 

I had organized chocolate bark making sessions for kids during Halloween. I bought quite a good amount of supplies from cold storage and laid it all on the double. Then we prepared a double boiler to melt the Hershey's chocolate and everyone decorated it with toppings of their choice. Then we froze them for a while and kids could take it home to enjoy for Halloween. 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You and your friends loved climbing on top of our bunk bed and chit chat often. I was so happy that I got it for you. 

 

I loved taking pictures of our writing class moments and sharing it with parents on my group as well. 

You got a new Jeep tshirt with Ronaldo at the back of it and you loved wearing it. 

 

During your autumn break we planned a small hike to Fort Canning Park. It was quite nice to go out with you and we spent time discovering that green oasis right next to our doorstep. We enjoyed some crackers there, took a short rest and then returned home. 

            

 

  

 

 

 

When we had the Big Nate day at the book club. There was this microwave toy that so many kids just loved playing with. It was such a favorite. There was a potato inside it which was attached as it rotated like a real microwave. So many kids tried to pull that potato out. 

 

One day while walking to Kumon class, Samar and you started talking about sushi. You both loved it so much that you made a plan for a sushi dinner date together and then I ordered a huge platter for both of you that you guys savored together. The rest was enjoyed by Tita and her friends. 

You also made a beautiful yellow paper lantern at school and I hung it on our balconette. 

 

 

You slept so cutely that I couldn't help myself taking your pictures while asleep. 

One of the days we invited your friend Daniyal for a play date at home. 

 

Meanwhile, Ahaan showed his acrobatics at home of wall climbing. 

Feeding the fish and talking to Google Assistant was the favorite past time for a lot of kids. 

Tita made some delicious wraps one of the days and I went for a pedicure with my friend Deepti. 

 

You also went for a movie night at Ahaan's house.

We discovered this new wholemeal pizza base and Tita turned around her best pizzas with spicy minced chicken and pineapple toppings on it. 

 

I also completed 6 years working for Twitter. 
I found a nice diagram shared by one of the top execs of the company and copied it in my notebook. 

 

Kids loved making puzzle for some reason and you all spent time, working as a team to work on the puzzle. It was a very good group activity. 

 

 

 

We went for nuts shopping at this store called Scoop. It was a high end organic store and we bought small quantities of spicy peanuts, roasted almonds and soy crisps that you loved. 

 

 

That's Nana working in his tailoring shop and I was pleasantly surprised to see facebook posts of his business. 

 

After you had a few sessions of art classes, I joined those classes myself and did some art work. I enjoyed it while it lasted. 

I even signed up Naani for that and that's her Kalamkaari Goddess that she painted. 

 

              

            

We went to Deepti's house for Navratri as our annual tradition. She made chane and halwa and I brought pooris. We always enjoyed doing things together. And I loved these traditions. 

 

 

 

 

You went to Botanic Garden with Papa and enjoyed a nice drink. Bakery trotting was your favorite hobby over the weekends and you liked to explore various new bakeries in Singapore. 

 

 

I tried to teach you guys how to find the seeker. 

 

 

 

We went out for dinner at Raffles Hotel one of the days. At first our table booking was indoors but when we went in it felt stuffy and constricted. So we asked for a table outside and enjoyed the scenic building with a sumptuous dinner in the evening. You clicked several photos for me in portrait mode. 

 

 

 

I took you for shoe shopping and you got your Asics Gel Kayano. I asked the shopkeeper to tie your shoe laces as otherwise the girls in your class had to help you tie them :) 

 

Then one of the days we went to Urban Roti for dinner and enjoyed the delicious food there. 

 

Gradually, you had started assisting with managing kids at home. You helped answer the door, assist kids with washing their hands and sometimes even taught them the correct stroke. 

 

It was Deepti's birthday and we had a small party for her at Shweta's place with chhole bhature. It was a lot of fun to chat and enjoy a nice home made meal. 

 

Such was our life, too full of activities, kids, visitors and social mingling. I loved it this way. I wanted us to be a part of the community wherever possible and create communities where there were none. 

I had learned to be peaceful and calm in life and it helped a great deal. I felt that resilience and self emotional regulation was the biggest we needed to pick up in life. Rest all would fall in place, eventually. 

Love you more than the number of nerves in our body! 

Yours, 
Mumma