Sunday, June 1, 2008

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!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

yep.. it was a blast wasnt it.. just loved having you, dear-a2 as a lil sis-A AND more importantly as a big sis-A to my tween daughter... and all the fun teasing moments and whatever it is you cousins replaced 'ragus'(codename for the 'sugar' craze in summer 2005) with this summer- it was fun not knowing it ...and ur timely advice on how to raise my tween!!!! hope we are able to see more of you in the coming years... and that you retain ur enthu forever and ever..
luv you a ton! miss all the fun!
--sis-S

Savani said...

I met her only briefly, but I thought she was ravishingly beautiful. She could totally model!

Anonymous said...

To start off with, I would like to say also that I'm so proud of sis-H. It is true that she raised a wonderful, sweet and caring girl. But to many it may sound like "ok, thats great, whats next". The fact of the matter is that sis-h did this great job with her kids, inspite of a million things going on in her life and its not 'million' things as we think here in the US where we run around the whole day. Its a million things apart from running around, being there for everyone in her immediate family, extended family and more. She is not just a home maker - a doctor to many since their first call is to her before they see a doctor; an events planner - any kind of event, IN STYLE; shopping helper for all kinds of things - knows the best of everything; wonderful wonderful cook (and she claims to have changed to low-fat, low-carb lately after sis-U,V,S have nagged her constantly); a great mentor to her daughter and son through each of their exams, guiding them, helping them with timetables, sometimes taking the role of a teacher and teachin' them too; and last but not the least - a great sister to 3 demanding sisters in the US and always being there for them and her parents.
Oops - I lost track - this is about A2 but I had to mention all this about sis-H and thank her for raising role model children.
Coming back to A2 - she came, she saw, she conquered! The emptiness after she left was so strong and yet again made me feel how sad it is that we dont live close to her and A1. The kids love her, the young adults love her, the old adults love her. My husband was completely awestruck by her nature and I felt so proud to hear praises about her from him, especially him being a man of few words....
Her sense of humor, her simplicity yet classy taste, her genuinity in everything she says, her compassionate nature with all - got me to think more deeply about her and I prayed to God to give her a wonderful future. She has a great grasp of people and never loses her cool in public. I know her mom and dad have their own worries about her that she is very easy going etc etc. but I think she has a heart of gold and a positively fiery nature which will help her achieve what she wants in life. Love you,A2.

Anonymous said...

From Dad -
One great man said, there can't be ideal or perfection in any thing you consider, whether it be-business, investment, economy, trade, skills, traits, parents, children, relatives, friends, resources,climate,home, office, superiors, peers,functions, picnic,photos,projects-you think of anything.It may by 90% ideal but not 100%. But I thank-I repeat thank thank (infinite) God for giving me near ideal-(all)-I mean right from my parents, wife, daughters, sons-in law,grand-son, grand-daughters, profession, BUT one Ideal (100%)Acharyan for me to create real realisation of GOD. God bless every body.Ever live the unity and affection as the one which has come out of this "My dearest, Genuine A2!!!!!"

Anonymous said...

I thought that was supposed to be
"Kekaravan kenayanaa irunthaa, eli kooda aeroplane ottum"

Yet Another Mother Runner said...

@sis-S: It sure was a blast!

@dottie: People say she looks a lot like me ;)
I think her heart of gold adds on to her natural beauty, seriously!!

@sis-U: You bet! You did the right thing bringing sis-H in the picture. That was a wonderful add-on to depict A2's nature!

@appa: Agree!!

@Anonymous: With a catch-phrase like that, I'm sure there are tonnes of versions, but you gotta agree that the "Saroja Devi" analogy is SUPER ;)

Preethi said...

sounds like a blast!!! :) And A2 sounds like good fun.. Loved the Saroja Devi quip