It's barely two months since my last post and what a lot of things happened in between!
First off, our maid went home and we went through a stream of maids in a span of a month. We encountered characters you would find in novels. It was mind boggling and distressing and exasperating and it really really made me feel crazy on the bad days. We had 14 year olds happily tossing used diapers out the window and talking with mouth full of 'tuibur'. They would nonchalantly throw their used 'sahdah' under their bed, between almirahs and everywhere else. I would spend most of my free time cleaning after them. They did help, but it was also a huge relief when they left.
Our house was a one and half bedroomed, single bathroomed home. It was fine when we were only three adults and Ruatfeli. With the arrival of Ruatsanga, my aunt came to help us in our maid-less state. Then God gave us two nice and normal new maids, and sleeping and using the toilet became something of a problem. So shifted to a bigger house. And I would be kind and spare you the details of how hectic it was shifting with two babies to take care of.
In the meantime our phone had to be reconnected and since we use BSNL, we did not have internet. The linesmen came a few weeks back but the phone did not work. We kept calling a relative who worked at BSNL and she sent the linesmen again today. The problem was that the wire was not inserted into the phone correctly. I felt like a moron. The internet is working again and I feel like a kid with a new toy.
Ruatfeli turned 2 on Saturday (19th feb) and we celebrated her birthday on Sunday with tea and cakes. She's learning a little Mizo and knows words like 'khawihsuh', 'chhangthawp', tibua', 'sava' etc. But most of the time she reverts to 'e,e,e' and 'aw, aw,aw' and hand gestures. She picks on her brother and marks her jealousy on his face with scratches and once, a bite mark. Then she discovered there are a whole lot of other places she can scratch and now goes around scratching anyone within striking distance. She also growls. She's quite the little fighter, and is an embarrassment a lot of times, totally deviant from her previously sweet nature. People in the know say it's just a phase. I hope she grows out of it soon. Here are some pictures.
Ruatfeli was 1 year and 9 months old when her brother was born. We have people joking with us all the time about the lack of spacing between them. Then there are people who say it's better to be 'chhangchhia'. I don't even know if there is an equivalent word in other languages. Anyhow, I say the people who think it's a joy to be chhangchia are bonkers!, or they have a problem with longterm memory. Because people who recently have come out of chhangchhiatna don't ever recommend it.
Sometimes I feel like I am two-timing the kids, secretly giving one attention while worrying about the other. When you cannot give both babies your whole attention, neither kid is happy and you end up with two kids in the throes of tantrum....if there is such a thing as throes of tantrums. So my advice, if anyone is listening is SPACING :). Even with two maids, 'chhangchhiat' is hardly ever a joy.
First off, our maid went home and we went through a stream of maids in a span of a month. We encountered characters you would find in novels. It was mind boggling and distressing and exasperating and it really really made me feel crazy on the bad days. We had 14 year olds happily tossing used diapers out the window and talking with mouth full of 'tuibur'. They would nonchalantly throw their used 'sahdah' under their bed, between almirahs and everywhere else. I would spend most of my free time cleaning after them. They did help, but it was also a huge relief when they left.
Our house was a one and half bedroomed, single bathroomed home. It was fine when we were only three adults and Ruatfeli. With the arrival of Ruatsanga, my aunt came to help us in our maid-less state. Then God gave us two nice and normal new maids, and sleeping and using the toilet became something of a problem. So shifted to a bigger house. And I would be kind and spare you the details of how hectic it was shifting with two babies to take care of.
In the meantime our phone had to be reconnected and since we use BSNL, we did not have internet. The linesmen came a few weeks back but the phone did not work. We kept calling a relative who worked at BSNL and she sent the linesmen again today. The problem was that the wire was not inserted into the phone correctly. I felt like a moron. The internet is working again and I feel like a kid with a new toy.
Ruatfeli turned 2 on Saturday (19th feb) and we celebrated her birthday on Sunday with tea and cakes. She's learning a little Mizo and knows words like 'khawihsuh', 'chhangthawp', tibua', 'sava' etc. But most of the time she reverts to 'e,e,e' and 'aw, aw,aw' and hand gestures. She picks on her brother and marks her jealousy on his face with scratches and once, a bite mark. Then she discovered there are a whole lot of other places she can scratch and now goes around scratching anyone within striking distance. She also growls. She's quite the little fighter, and is an embarrassment a lot of times, totally deviant from her previously sweet nature. People in the know say it's just a phase. I hope she grows out of it soon. Here are some pictures.
Sometimes I feel like I am two-timing the kids, secretly giving one attention while worrying about the other. When you cannot give both babies your whole attention, neither kid is happy and you end up with two kids in the throes of tantrum....if there is such a thing as throes of tantrums. So my advice, if anyone is listening is SPACING :). Even with two maids, 'chhangchhiat' is hardly ever a joy.
