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Monday, April 28, 2008

Back from a fulfilling vacation ...

... we returned last Sunday from a 6 week long vacation, a fun one in many ways. Not having to deal with nasty illnesses would rate #2 on my list, a close second after the gigantic joy of meeting my parents after 2 years. I was quite nervous after our last trip 2 years back when Vansh and Ashwini had the most terrible bout of stomach upset accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. The kids stayed healthy apart from a couple of instances of moderate cough and cold. They had way too much fun with both set of grandparents, kisses and hugs pouring in from every whichever way, the weather being just perfect for outdoors for the most part, and with a thrilling life sans routines and bedtimes and only specific days reserved for candies and lollipops.

There is no way I can sit down to write about the trip in detail, one because I am anyways finding it hard to adjust back to the quiet life here with just the 4 of us, 3 of us for the better part of the day. The Sunday that we reached, we wondered whether it had always been so quiet here or was that a special day! And two because I wouldn't even know where to start. I believe my subsequent posts would have a distinct flavoring to it with references to the time that we spent there.

We are slowly settling back down. Vansh surprised us with his maturity when he said "Dada dadi nana nani trip finish ho gaya" (Our trip to our grandparents has finished) as soon as we reached our apartment complex and didn't demand to be taken back there until last Friday when I chatted with my parents and he turned into a blob of mush, tears rolling down his cheeks as he stood at the door waiting for us to get out and on the plane. But he understood. Saturday, when we chatted with my in-laws, he once again stunned us when he responded to his dadi's "I am missing you." by saying "Aap US aa jao." (You come to US) completely on his own with no prompting of any kind whatsoever. Jiya is unmistakably sad too. She follows me around the house (She started crawling at about 8-1/2 months), expressing her displeasure if I move around too much, making it difficult for her to catch up by crawling. She was happy beyond words this Saturday when we had a few friends over for some time and today when we went for a playdate, happy to be amidst so many people again. I still think of what I was doing 2 weeks back in India at this time. Even as I cooked chicken this Friday, I thought of cooking it exactly 1 week back on my brother in law's special request. As Vansh runs away from me when I try to change him into his night clothes and I hide behind his room's door to pounce on him as he comes back, I think of my mom who had to literally force him to hug her back and then giggle away to glory. And I smile with misty eyes.

Well, enough for my first post after returning. Shall sign off with a picture of each of the kids which perfectly sums up the fun they had while there.


9 comments:

aMus said...

hey...you've been missed!!! but so glad to hear that you had a great trip...coming back to routine is always a dampener and te kids really feel it more...

and my , jiya's grown!!! a whole lot of kisses and cheek pinching over teh net for u,Jiya...:D

Swati said...

Very cute pics:)

Making Memories said...

i can understand how tough it is to get adjusted to the quiet and peace here after such a long vacation to India. It always takes me more than a week to adjust without people around, leaving me to burst into tears at times.
Great to know Jiya and Vansh enjoyed it without much of illness. looking forward to ur more posts.

Anu said...

Hi Neera,

First time here..ur kiddos are very cute..and i know what u mean by being just the 4 of u..v hv just relocated to the US and my little one found it really difficult initially seeing only me around for most of the day.

PG said...

Yes, I know that feeling very well. Of being alone on coming back home.
Good to hear from you again. Cute pictures of the kids!

Unknown said...

hey neera missed ur post very mucn;;;cute pics of kids...jiya is all grown up..

dipali said...

Glad you had a good holiday.
And really really glad to have you back!

Neera said...

suma : thanks so much dear. At times my husband wonders who's the kid here :) Jiya's sure grown ..big and NAUGHTY!

swati: thanks! Welcome here!

Deepali: more posts and pics on their way as and when the kids allow :)

anu: awww ..many many virtual hugs ur way dear. When I relocated for the very first time, I was literally in a state of denial for the longest time. Good that at least being busy with ur little one will take ur mind off it a bit.
Welcome here, btw and keep coming :)

pg : I believe we are in the same boat, right? You too recently returned from a vacation?

Jasheena: I missed posting too much as well.

Dipali: Thanks a bunch for making me feel so wanted :)

noon said...

Neera - just read this post. Very cute pics of the kids looking so happy. I so wish I had their grand parents there...please remember to count this as a huge blessing - which probably a lot of people take for granted. I would have taken it for granted had I had it !
I hate the loudness of the silence when I come back to the US after an India trip...esp when I returned alone with KB (B came earlier) and for 10 days I had to stay up nights with KB because of his jetlag...alone in the middle of the night with a bright eyed kid, feeding him his meal...awful feeling. How was your jetlag?
BTW - see how much people have missed you! You want to leave us all and move to India?! grrr...