when you are on a summer vacation...

at your Ujoba's house in Ichalkaranji, it cannot be but a lot of fun!

because you can stop by for a Goti soda on the way!

And sit naked and eat mangoes all day along once you get home!

Or just fool around in the balcony while aaji catches up on the day's newspapers! 

wear bindi and play with katoris in the sun!

Practice your photography skills in the verandah (taken by Cub)

Learn how to put clothes in a front load machine

and push them in with all your might

till the bucket is empty!

sit on the table at a small l'il restaurant!

and get your pictures clicked with Ujoba!

and eat mangoes once again when back home! ;)

go to a green house that grows roses and bell peppers!

Indulge in shadow play with your mother!

convince Papa to hand over the handy cam to you and then pose with it!

get carried around first by Ajoba...

and then by Ujoba!

while one cannot even walk the other wants to jump all around!

you even get to fool around in Ujoba's office!

and get a good-bye kiss from Ujoba's dog - Hero!

how can he be called anything but that with those good looks, eh?!

There are smiles but we are not very happy to leave

With Ajoba, Aaji and Ujoba. happy for the good times had!


Thank you SO MUCH Ujoba for such a great time! We were there only for two days, but fun and relaxation we managed in those two was just incomparable. We hope to spend longer time next time! :)

Ps: My kids call my Dad, Ajoba. He has two brothers Ulhas and Vikas. So as to not confuse Cub, we call Ulhas Ajoba - Ujoba and Vikas Ajoba - Vijoba! This was lest you were wondering what the heck is Ujoba! :D

will the real mother please stand up?! :)

Read this gorgeous gorgeous piece on MadMomma's blog. We all tend to judge people on the basis of our beliefs. There are a few things which are as right or wrong in a black and white manner with no shades of grey. Leaving those apart, all of us at some point fall into the trap of thinking we know better or someone else always seems to be doing better. Mothers are the most judged and judgmental of the lot and we learn to live with it. So like that blog post, I am making an attempt to figure out who Real Mother is! :)

Real mothers breastfeed. Or they don't. They don't because they cannot or perhaps because they don't want to.

Real mothers experience love at first sight with their babies. Real mothers take months to feel that love and show it.

Real mother use diapers. Real mothers use cloth nappies.

Real mothers are patient and forgiving. Real mothers are impatient and get frustrated.

Real mothers make fresh food for their kids for every meal. Real mothers also serve leftovers and feed processed food every now and then.

Real mothers stay at home for their children. Real mothers work out of homes for their children.

Real mothers don't trust others with their children. Real mothers trust someone else to look after them in their absence or in their presence.

Real mothers make outfits from scratch for fancy dress or Halloween. Real mothers just pay some money and rent them.

Real mothers teach their children at home. Real mothers send their children for tutions.

Real mothers have a fixed bedtime for their children. Real mothers don't insist on it.

Real mothers can bake birthday cakes. Real mothers just get them baked.

Real mothers dance with their children. Real mothers read to their children. Real mothers don't do either.

Real mothers never show their tears. Real mothers cry in front of their children.

Real mothers eat before their children. Real mothers feed their children first.

Real mothers cannot stay away from their children. Real mothers cannot wait to get away for a while from their children.

Real mothers don't take the nannies along on their shopping trips. Real mothers do.

Real mothers are proud of their kids. Real mothers are also embarrassed by theirs.

Real mothers take their children to shopping malls and gaming zones. Real mothers take their children to parks and zoos. Real bothers do all of it too.

Real mothers get Wii for their children. Real mothers play ball with their children.

Real mothers let their children watch TV. Real mothers don't bother with that contraption ever.

Real mothers get bored of constant chatter of their kids. Real mothers cannot have enough of it.

Real mothers take their children to movies. Real mothers don't. Real mothers also take them to concerts and plays.

Real mothers don't buy guns and dolls for their children. Real mothers do.

Real mothers judge and get judged. Real mothers don't.

We may think that one kind of mother is better than other, but then we rarely have the big picture to know why the mother is making the decisions she is. And most of us are not on either extreme. We are somewhere in between and trying our best to balance it all. Mostly.

Fact is, all mothers are Real. As Real as everything WE so firmly believe in and know to be right! :)

So, will the real mother please stand up?!