My Dearest, Genuine A2!

Here's a long overdue post on my eldest sister's daughter, my niece, A2.
She was visiting from Chennai for a few weeks during her summer holidays.
The last I saw her was over 4 years ago! Fall of 03! A2 was in her tweens then. What an amazing little kid!! So level-headed even as a kid! So genuine, so kind, so unselfish, so warm, so genuine, and did I say genuine?
She was my life-saver! T1 was a little less than 2 during our visit in 03, and was loaded with food allergies, mainly wheat and nuts.
So most snacks and food were taboo! And we all know how people shower us with food and more food when in India...Esply kids - you can't visit someone and walk out without some cookies or candy! Simply unthinkable.
Once we found out she had these allergens, we completely cut out her exposure. And that was not easy when we were in Chennai.
I had scared A2 (and A1, my nephew) about the possible adverse reactions! Poor kiddo! I'm sure I completely freaked her out! She would promptly grab cookies and candy before they reached T1's hands! She was my "allergen-police". She had a watchful eye whenever we went to someone's place or when we had visitors.
I don't understand how a little kid could comprehend something like this SO WELL, when so many adults I know simply did not get it!
Anyways, all through my 2-month stay there, I not only saw her true affection for T1, but her over-all selflessness and kindness that left me completely amazed.
She is just so genuine!

And while planning this visit of hers a couple of months back, I truly did not know what to expect. Of course, we've been in touch and everything, but talking on the phone for a few minutes every once in a while is not the same as being with her. Moreover, she's 16 now...
Oh, I am so glad sis-H agreed to send her here with my parents. It was a wonderful opportunity for me, sis-S, sis-U, and all our girls to spend some real quality time with her! For us, it was like having a little sis, and for the girls, they loved their A2 Akka crazily!!

When she was staying at our place, she refused to send T2 to daycare. So T2 got spoilt rotten with all of A2's nasukees (cuddling for lack of a better word), and silly games she came up with that kept T1 and T2 busy and engaged for hours!
She enjoyed their antics, yet chided them for their mis-doings, and never failed to tease them for their false "dramas". So genuinely! Just like she rightfully should!
She knew the exact words to use when doing all of this. She would take complete pride in their cute-sies, and at the same time she never falsely-praised them for anything. I just LOVED that! She'd go, "Can you believe T1 did this?", or "T2 was so cute when she sang that..." or, "Chithi, ithu konjam too-much drama-nnu nenakkaraen!" ("Aunt, this is a bit too much drama, don't you think?")

We had an amazing time once, the 4 of us (sis-S, sis-U, A2 and me) chatting all nite. It was like having a 5th one of us! We sorely missed sis-H that day! We were talking about everything and nothing, teasing and sharing jokes and stories all night long.
She taught us some "cool" local slangs ("local", being a slang word itself) - like
'Sema Bulb' - meaning a good snub;
The best of all, she gave us this - (albeit inherited from her brother, A1) -

Kekaravan kenayanaa irunthaa, Saroja Devi kooda car ottuvaa

(Something to the effect of - Do you think I'm a moron to believe that Saroja Devi can actually drive??)!

I've used it like a thousand times in the last 2 months :)

Jokes apart, Sis-H, you've raised one helluva daughter! So proud of her and of you!

A2, be yourself - ALWAYS! You are a strong girl, never lose that trait!
Love you dearly! Happy Birthday!!
Here's to a wonderful future that's ahead of you!