Ice Ice baby

All of us love ice-creams, don't we? Children are no exception as we discovered. This was the first or second time we were giving her an ice-cream. You can see how much they love it! Somehow they are very averse to anything hot but the other extreme is no problem for them.They literally bite into it, to get more of it and then realise that they are left with less of it! (something like the salary hikes we get).The classic grape/orange stick is still available.When I was a child, I really loved them. Apart from the sweet taste, it made our tongue turn maroon or orange. Looking into the mirror after that, gave a different kind of thrill :-)
One note of caution to parents though. Like the stock markets, you gotta know when to give them ice-cream. Never give them ice-creams:-

• During the onset of monsoon/winter
• When they just start going to playschool
• When they are just beginning to develop immunity (2-3 years)

It acts as a strong catalyst for them to get cold/cough/fever. Once they get them ,every parent will wish that they never got them in the first place! Better to avoid one ice-cream than live through a month of their crankiness.
The caption was inspired by this group called "Vanilla Ice".The only song I remember was a rap song of theirs, with the above title.

The cycle of life

Yes... as promised in one of my earlier posts....what you see in the picture is indeed the "red hot item" that we gifted Ria on her Birthday. When this photo was taken (about a month back), the front wheel was already shuddering, like I used to, before my vice-princi in school. As I post this on the blog, the horn has made a blaring exit as well (am I glad that it did!). The pillion is none other that the oh_so_adorable Joanna (Papa's cousin sister's daughter). This tricycle has performed many duties thus far. Some of the noteworthy examples are :-

• As a mobile Pharmacy. It has a ready stock of all the available medicines that she turns to whenever you say you have a small bruise or wound.
• As a touring vehicle inside the house whenever her legs get weary.
• As a mode of transport for all her dolls (they are the pillion)
• As a mobile house at times when she gets fed up of her lil' house that I make for her with her mat.
• As a seat to have her food/milk etc.

But when you see it from a parents perspective, I see it as a tool to build camaraderie (with her dolls, with other kids and with things close to her). The tricycle should be and will be part of the arsenal of any growing child.It is one of those things that anybody would associate with their childhood. Am sure all of us have fond memories of our own version of the tricycle from our growing years. It is an asset that is, as Mastercard says "Priceless".