May 2021

 Dearest Love Ceyone, 

We were in the birthdays sprint of the year. It was Tita's birthday in April, mine in May and then Papa's in June. Your soccer fever was not going down. You had been playing for 8 months in a row by May. You were very passionate about the sport and gave off your best without complaining. There you are playing at the SG United classes with Coach Gaya.

There were kids from various age groups and you all played together very well. 

 

The ball and you were quite inseparable. 

 

 

Then came my last 30's birthday and I was ready to embrace my 40th in 2022. My close friend Deepti hosted lunch at her place and all friends gathered there. I finished my work quickly, took shower, got ready and then went for the lunch and had gotten slightly late. 

 

There was an overdose of cakes with Guddi Mausi sending a cake and wine from India. Browny by my friends. A cake from my boss at office and a cake that you and Papa had ordered. 

 

We had good fun at Deepti's place with Shweta and Neha. 

 

 

We raised a toast to the nice fruity wine that was sent by Guddi Mausi. It was delicious and I was enjoying wine after a very long time. 

 

 

This chocolate cake sent by my boss from Edith Patisserie was to die for and I almost ate all of it. Well...most of it. Shweta got us the khasta kachoris that her helper Sarab had prepared and they were too good!

 

Deepti also delivered some freshly baked focaccia, a pj set and a custom mug to me as birthday present in the morning. 

 

 

We also savored her vegetable biryani along with the kachoris. 

 

Neha got the brownie and put my pictures in the surprise box. It was such a sweet gesture. Who doesn't like to feel special? Birthdays are the days when everyone deserves to feel special. I hope I can be better at doing this for family and friends. 

 

There were some photo opportunities at home. 

 

After you returned from school, we cut cakes at home. I had a video call with Naani, Guddi Mausi and Anshula and it was good fun. 

 

We were very excited to cut the cakes at home and the cake that Papa ordered turned out to contain durian filling. So we couldn't eat much of it, but still had fun. Tita got me a bouquet of flowers. 

 

Our cuddle and snuggle time continued. 

In the evening I had video chat with my friends and it was endless laugher. Was so much fun :) 
That reminds me that I must upload the video by Binu mausi to YouTube so I don't miss it later on. 

You also found a roof top playground that could be booked privately. Papa and you started going there on free days as you needed space to practice ball kicking. 

 

There you are getting your swimming theory by coach Derik. 
I had started going into the kitchen more often and was experimenting with new dishes. That was spinach and ricotta filo pastry. The egg on the top got a bit burned. 

  

Tita, you and I went for breakfast to Little Farms organic food cafe after grocery shopping one of the days. We enjoyed their healthful menu together. 
That is Tita enjoying her morning cup of coffee in our backyard that I had packed with plants and was a good sight to enjoy despite the junk around (not covered in the pic) 

My focaccia baking game was also improving. 

 

I tried to make full, stuffed cauliflower that turned out to be ok. 
That is muhammara in the making with roast walnuts, bread crumbs and red capsicum. 

 

 

More 'before' and 'after' focaccia. 

That was baked fish by Tita and my latest craze, Ratlami sev. I had fallen for these so bad and they had become my PMS staple food. 

 

Our handwriting classes continued before the lockdown happened in Singapore. 

I got a shwag box from office and we worked on some gratitude cards for clients. 

 

Tita was also raising her baked fish with mushrooms and veggies game and we loved her fish. 

I made coconut barfi with frozen wet coconut and condensed milk and you loved it. 
That is another experiment with Filo pastry and stuffing inside. 

 

Aaloo paratha and focaccia. 

 

Chhole bhature from Hebber's kitchen recipe and Pao Bhaaji. Weekend specials! 

 

When I saw this tray bake breakfast in a magazine, I decided that I had to make it. So there it was with sausages, baked beans, sourdough, sunny side up, onions and more. It was fun to make this and it looked so good. Taste was also quite decent. 

We also discovered home made, healthy snickers recipe from Sassy Mama and went crazy about it. You and loved these snickers laddoos and made them a few times. 

 

I baked almond cake for a charity bake sale at office, for someone. The cake burnt a bit from the top but was delicious from the inside. So I dusted it with a bit of icing sugar. 

I also made Italian salad with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, roasted walnuts and pesto sauce. It turned out to be quite nice and you enjoyed it a lot. 
We also ate oatmeal with healthy toppings for breakfast one day. You liked the healthier version of oatmeal and enjoyed eating it along with me. I was so happy to see you adapt to healthier choices by yourself.

  

We sneaked some more cuddle time in between my work and I loved to have you in my lap while I still could. 

That was our second round of healthy, home made snickers. This time it was cut like a barfi. Due to all the nuts and all in it, it reminded me of tilli ki vadi that my mom used to make (sesame seeds barfi).

As the lockdown kicked in, soccer classes came to a halt as it was a group sport. So, Papa signed you up for Real Madrid club at Turf club and you started taking 1:1 lessons there. It was quite far from our home but your spirit was unaffected for soccer. Your determination and passion were quite good until then. I hoped you continued your interest in the sport as that would be a great healthy interest above all.

A few more of our writing classes before I had to cancel them during the lockdown. 

 

Kids doing their work and then having fun on your bunk bed. 

 

 

That was you doing your daily 5 homework in the bed on the tiny table. I was trying to inculcate the habit of daily working in you and you were responding well to it. 
In school you were doing insects and bug in a unit and spent a lot of your time fascinated by little ants. We put a choco chip on a wire and made the ants walk the plank. You lied down there for a very good amount of time, observing the ants come and go. Later you told me about the anatomy of an ant that you had studied at the school including its clippers and thorax. 

May your interest and kindness in little things and little joy always blossom, Ceyone. 
It's the little joys in life that make it meaningful and worthwhile. We often think about waiting for those big, perfect moments. The truth is, big moments are far and few. The true meaning of life is to enjoy every moment and live it fully, wherever we are. Breathe and smile :) 

May you always have memories that make you smile, Ceyone. 

Lots of love to you.

Mumma