Day 9 | Mantam-isms are back

Me: Mantam, do you remember of any funny things you said or did recently? I’m trying hard to recollect.
Mannu: But why Mumma?
Me: Arey, I need to write them on the blog so you both can read when you grow up.
Tammu (Starts making funny faces and sways her hips like a pendulum): Mumma, is this funny?
Me and Mannu (start laughing): Yes, this is funny.
Tammu (with a straight face): Ok great! Now you can start writing about this. Happy?

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On the eve of Christmas we were just leisurely walking around the mall in our area and soaking in the festivities and holiday cheer. There was a young girl who was playing Christmas Carols on a trumpet. We stopped to listen to her as Mantam were fascinated to hear the songs that they had learnt at school. Mantam went close to her and were attentively listening. After a while, Tammu came running to me and…

Tammu: Mumma, I asked that girl about the black tray that she had in front of her which had money.
Me: What did you ask?
Tammu: I asked if the tray was for putting money or taking it?!
Me (Guffawing): Oh my God! What did she say?
Tammu: She also laughed Mumma. And she said that it is only for putting money.
Me: Okay!
Tammu (brings her hand forward) : So, give me some coins then!

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Abbas keeps playing Hindi songs, old and new, very often on youtube. One such day, there was a song where an intimate scene started playing. Abbas was feeling a bit awkward in front of Mantam. He thought he would handle the situation and

Abbas (tying his brows and giving a gross expression): Oh no. What are they doing? Eeeew
Mannu (with a serious I-mean-business tone and mature expression): That’s ok Baba. You and Mumma also do it, don’t you?
Abbas (with a hammer-just-hit-my-head expression): @#$%?!! (What do you expect? He had no words to say)
Me (Laughing away in the kitchen)
Abbas (Now recollecting himself and resorting to the last option left): Where is the remote?
Mannu (proceeds to close his eyes with her palm and giggles)
I started literally rolling on the flour laughing

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One day, Mantam and I entered the mall. Along with us a guy entered and he was greeted by a girl who was waiting for him at the entrance. He stepped forward and kissed her on her lips. Now I observed Mantam and they started smirking. I was feeling a bit mischievous:
Me: Mantam, why are you both laughing?
Mantam (Their concealed smirk now turned to a loud chuckle): Nothing Mumma
Me: But I actually know why are laughing!
Mantam: You know??
Me: Yes I do. I saw what you saw too.
Now all three of us started laughing and had people smiling at us.

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Mannu loves chocolates and ice-creams but she is also aware that too much of it is not good for her. We had so many chocolates at home due to the festive season. One day she came to me and gave a box of chocolates and…
Mannu: Mumma, can you please hide this box or keep it aside?
Me: Why Mannu? What happened?
Mannu: These chocolates are so yummy. I already ate two. And I’m tempted to eat the third one. But I know it is junk food and I should not eat more. So please keep it aside.
Me: Ok, that’s really great that you are trying to control your temptation. I’ll keep it on the fridge. You can have one at night if you like.
I felt so proud of her will power 

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Mannu hasn’t been able to let go of her thumb-sucking addiction. I have tried requesting, threatening, cajoling, scaring, emotional blackmailing, scolding, pleading, everything that I could but in vain. Abbas always encourages her as he had this habit till 6th Standard apparently. I remembered the chocolate incident and thought I will make use of it and give it a try.

Me: Mannu, you know something? I keep irritating you about leaving the thumb-sucking habit
Mannu (meekly nods): Errr… yes!
Me: One thing I have realized is that unless you decide to leave it yourself, it is never going to happen no matter how much anyone tries to make your understand.
Mannu (Must be thinking – “What scheming is this lady upto now?”): !@#@#$?!!
Me: Like you remember yesterday, how you gave me the box of chocolates on your own because you were feeling tempted to eat the third one but you didn’t want to!
Mannu (Smiles): Hmmm
Me: That, my dear, is called will power. I must say you have a strong will power. So, the moment you decide that you WILL leave the habit of sucking thumb, there will be no looking back.
Mannu (Still smiling and keeping mum)
Me (Expecting some reply after jhadofying so much of lecture): So Mannu, why are you not saying anything???
Mannu (the smile changed to a naughty one now): Actually Mumma, I ate the third and the fourth one too! Heehoohaahaa
Me (astonished): Whattt?? How? I had kept it on top of the fridge. And the box is still there!
Mannu: When you were in your room, I quickly took a chair and had another two and kept the box back. I really couldn’t control. The chocolates are so yum yum yummy.
Both of us had a hearty laugh after that.
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