COFFEE TALKS and a lot more!

 It was during my 7th month… she had told me, "I dunno why, but the day I heard you conceived, I just had this in my mind to give you… and I will give you soon." After that, we couldn’t meet.And then, after delivery, she finally gave me that gift . That evening, after finishing all my baby chores, I sat eagerly waiting to open it.And when I did… it was Laddu Gopal!!! 💛With all the tiny little accessories', I was so, so, so happy!!! But at the same time, one doubt popped in my mind— "How will I be able to do all those rituals???" I texted her—half joy, half fear. She replied, "I had this instinct that you will deliver a lil Krishna the day I heard you conceived. That’s why I wanted to give you this. And tell me—are you not bathing your baby? Are you not dressing him up? Are you not feeding him? Are you not singing lullabies to put him to sleep? Are you not pushing yourself beyond everything just to see him in peace? That’s all it is." Tha...

 It’s the most awaited Friday morning!!!!! Cheeks rubbing, his lil hands pushing me to hold him tight. I even take away my hand on purpose, just to see how badly and how strongly he wants me back. That soft cheek, his tiny breath, that baby scent — uff!!! nothing can beat it. Kitchen chores all done, AppaChaami already gone to office, no to-do list, not even a dot!!! Just silence, gloomy light, and only those twinkling eyes with tiny teeth grinning at me saying, “ Amma,Kondaata maadammaaa!” No words spoken. Just silence. Yet so much love overflowing. Both of us acting like we are in deep sleep, but getting caught when one of us opens an eye to check the other. That small silly game, that warmth — ahhhh, nothing like it. OMG, OMG, OMG!!!! There is no drug that can give this much dopamine, this much peace, make me forget everything and simply get transcended!!! Every day is not like this. Most days are rushing — work, chores, EODs, deadlines. But these rare mornings… they are ge...

  It will be the days—maybe I return from the market with bags stuffed and things waiting to be sorted and put back in their place, or on a long weekday when I come home already carrying a heavy list of EOD tasks still left to tackle. On those days, a small part of me hopes you might be asleep, just so I can sit down for a moment, maybe even hear myself think. But as I quietly push open the door and peek in, there you are—wide awake, in your own little universe, building castles out of blocks. That sweet post-bath scent still floats in the air, soft and warm. And the moment our eyes meet, you break into your happy dance, arms flailing, feet bouncing, yelling through giggles, “Neenu elle koochi maadamma” There are days when I feel the tension rise—the exhaustion knotting inside me, everything needing something from me, all at once. And then there are days I surprise myself, whispering, let it go... the sky may not fall on anyone’s head. It’s okay. But whether I arrive wound tight...

  This Friday evening , while I was curled up in your lap, my little Puttu, I felt so warm... and suddenly, this little feeling crept in—someday I’m going to miss this so badly (even though it’s far away!). One by one, all your cutest little moments started dancing through my head—like a slideshow made of love. The way you keep sniffing the air, trying to catch the irresistible aroma of fresh ghee... the way your eyes light up when dosa starts bubbling on the hot tawa, and you suddenly shout, “Uppittu Ammaaa!! Very me, very me, very me!!” I see myself in you completely. And oh, how you go after AppaChaami’s life too—“Me me me ONLY!”—not even sparing him! And that sudden shout of “Appa bandavu!” with full excitement as we both peek through the window when AppaChaami arrives… and then you go running and hugging him tight like you’re seeing him after 10 years! Appa’s face literally glows like a 100-watt bulb. And my heart? It just bursts with love. Your happy dance when semige st...

 It was a busy day—just like any other. We were all caught up in our own tasks, but somehow, there are always those stolen glances… the ones that say, "I have something to tell you!" even before a word is spoken. Even from across the lab, I could catch the twinkle in her eye. She was in another corner, but it was obvious—she had something she just had to share. I looked at her, she smiled, and said, “Let me just tell you this one thing and I’ll stop, okay?” “Sure, sure,” I laughed. She went on to say that the day before yesterday, when we had work from home due to the rain, she hadn’t checked her phone and ended up coming to work. But when she finally saw the message and turned back home, something beautiful happened. After putting her little one to sleep, she found some quiet time—just her and her man. They sat and talked, the way they used to before their son was born. She told me how much it meant to both of them… it had been a while since they had such a heart-to-he...

  Puttu’s First Flight – A Magical Journey! With hearts full of excitement and a box of pulao lovingly packed, we reached Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru at 7:30 AM. It was Puttu’s first-ever flight , and he was bouncing with joy! Along with Thudhakajja and Theethajji, we boarded the flight—our little boy was glowing with happiness. We settled in, opened his book, and began reading, but he just couldn’t wait for the flight to take off! As the plane soared into the sky, he felt the butterflies in his tummy and clung to us for a bit, but soon his curiosity won over. He peeked out of the window, eyes wide with wonder, and eventually drifted into a peaceful sleep. Now, cheese-pairers like us don’t usually buy airplane food, so we asked for some hot water and waited. When our little explorer woke up, the first thing he asked for was his beloved pulao. He devoured what was left, and we shared the rest, smiling at how special this moment already was. We landed at Bagdogra ...