--
Rhea is singing her favourite song in a loop.
Love you zindagi ... ii ..ii .. ii
Love you zindagi ... ii ..ii .. ii
Suddenly pauses and asks, "Maa, what does 'love you zindagi' mean ?"
I explain, "Zindagi means life. Everything we are and we do and we have around us is life. So the song means, life is beautiful and we love it."
She is silent which is unusual. So to check if it resonated right, I add a playback question. "Don't you think so? Don't you love life?"
Planting one kiss on each of my cheeks, she smiles and says, "I just love you, Maa."
II
--
Pre-school morning rush. Still Rhea will always snuggle up to me cosy at the slightest opportunity, sometimes as I comb her little bit of hair and secure it with a clip. Her father worries about missing the bus and comments, "Too much aador all the time !"
She releases me from the cuddle and stands straight, then tells him with big eyes made even bigger, "Baba !!! there is no such thing as 'too much aador' between a mommy and baby. Got it ?"
Then turns around to give me a final hug before leaving for school.
III
---
Last 6 months without nebulisers and inhalers ... and now with a sudden change of season, Rhea is again under the weather.
As I open the medicine cupboard and take out the inhalers, spacer, nebuliser, etcetera - she looks on with dismay and sighs.
Then looking another way, observes sadly "Oh no ! Baby life again... "
IV
---
While completing her handwriting homework, Rhea talks to herself ...
"This H ... should be a little fat ... hmm ... and so should I."
Keeping an eye and ear on her from the kitchen counter, I asked "Sorry what did you just say ?"
Like always, she explained in full details. "Maa, I said this 'H' is too thin. So, I need to make it fat first. Then, I need to eat some lunch and make myself a little fat too. Because, everyone says I am a bit thin."
V
--
: Maa can I ask you a question?
:: Mm .. hm. (while cleaning the table)
: Why should you not give Elsa a balloon? (eyes twinkling)
:: No clue babu (Not focussing even a bit)
: Because, Maa, she would, let it go ... let it go ..." (dancing around the room and singing)
Exactly 2 minutes later -
:"Maa can you forget the joke I just told you? Please. "
:: "Forget what ? why ?" (pause wrapping up final chores for the day, worried I forgot something again)
: The Elsa joke, Maa. Please forget it. Because I want to say it again. And sing the song for you.
:: (Love) (Hugs) (Bedtime)
