Street Fair

On 5th june, weather was so good and my husband wanted to go somewhere with the kids. But I wasn't feeling well and I wanted to take rest at home. He was insisting to go to parks or zoo, but I wasn't ready to go anywhere far away from home. 

Then, we just remembered that there is a small street fair in downtown metuchen and there are few fun activities for the kids. So, we planned to go there as this was very near and we can come back so fast if needed. The kids were also happy that they were going for the outing.

We had to take both the strollers as sometimes Tanishk feels lost and just walks away from us. It was a very small street fair, where most of the stalls were for the promotions. And there were shops were for jewellery, clothes, accessories, beauty items, craft items, massage and also toys. And there were some food stalls too. There were few fun activities for the kids - pony riding, small petting zoo, sand activity, face painting, inflatable rides, balloons, hoop dance, etc.

Most of the things were very expensive. We didn't buy anything, we just walked and looked around. One lady gave kids a balloon. Tanishk was not ready to hold it and Tanay didn't know how to hold it. We tried to tie the balloon with the stroller. The balloon was loosened from our hands and went up in the sky.

We reached till the end of the fair. We had to turned back but Tanishk refused. He started to scream that he doesn't want to go back. I gave him some juice so that his screams stopped and we turned back. He was lost in his own world and was just flapping his hands. With prompts, he was answering the questions. He didn't show interests in anything or any activity.

Tanay was happy and enjoying the crowd. He was looking at every man, woman and kid who was passing in front of him and was also passing the smiles to them. Most of the kids were moving around with painted faces, Tanishk didn't notice them but Tanay was watching them continuously and was staring at them.

We went to the kids' section and go for pony ride & petting zoo. Here also, Tanishk didn't show any interest. We asked whether he wants to go for pony ride, he refused to go. When we reached there for the sand play activity, he was happy as he likes playing with sand. He had to fill the bottle with sand of 9-10 different colors and its cost was $5. We helped him to fill the bottle with all the colors available. The bottle was in the shape of monkey. Tanishk enjoyed it and Tanay was also looking at him very interestingly.

Then we went for the inflatable rides. There were 3-4 inflatable rides of little difference. There was one inflatable ride with 3 slides. Tanishk went in the bouncer inflatable ride. Initially he was not going in. When he went inside, we were just wondering, how will we call him back if he is lost there. Started with, he wasn't able to hold himself as other kids were jumping and he was falling down again & again. After few seconds, he got hold of himself and started to jump. He was enjoying the ride. When time was over and we called him, he came immediately and that was good for us.

Tanishk is in orange shirt - jumping in the inflatable bouncer ride

After walking through the street fair, we got tired and then went to a restaurant. I gave kids dosa to eat and juice to drink. Tanishk was so tired that suddenly he slept in the stroller. We ate our food and then started to walk again to see rest of street fair. Tanishk was still sleeping.

There was a hoop dance. Music was on and the little kids were dancing in the hoop. Tanishk was still sleeping. Tanay was interested and he picked up one hoop. He tried to dance holding the hoop, but he did not go in the hoop. We tried to help him, but he refused for the help.

Tanay is holding the hoop and trying to understand how to dance with hoop

When we left from street fair, Tanishk was awakened and started to scream again as he didn't want to sit in the car and wanted to go back to street fair. It was strange for me as I thought that he didn't like the street fair. I think it was not about the street fair, he liked moving when sitting in the stroller. That's my thinking.

We enjoyed the street fair a lot. It doesn't matter for me that there was nothing to buy for me or it was expensive. We were there only for the kids and if kids are happy we are happy. We wanted also Tanishk to enjoy and explore new things. But he is always like that. In the crowd, he is always lost and doesn't show any interest even in the kids' activities. He is never curious about his surroundings and happenings. He doesn't try to take part in any activity.

When he enjoyed the bouncing inflatable ride and sand play, I was happy that at least Tanishk did something and enjoyed. There he screamed very less - only once or twice, when he wanted to move in the particular direction. :)

Maakhan Chor

What is Maakhan Chor? Maakhan is hindi word and Maakhan is called as Butter. Chor is thief who steals the things. Lord Krishna was being called as Maakhan Chor (Butter Thief) in his childhood, as shown in the following video. Maakhan Chor Krishna Kanhaiya

But that butter was made from cow's milk and it was not GFCF. Our kids are on the special diet - GFCF diet. We don't give any dairy products to them. Our elders haven't seen this kind of diet. 

They say, how will he grow without milk? How will he get strength without butter and cheese? He has become so weak. Give him milk and he will be OK. When all others are eating ice-cream, chocolate, cakes, cookies - give him a little bit, it won't harm him.

Anyways, I was talking about butter thief (maakhan chor). Our kids also drink milk and eat butter, cheese, yoghurt but all GFCF. I use Smart Balance butter for Toast. Tanishk likes the butter very much. That's why I call him as maakhan chor. I can explain it in the detail.

If there is butter in food, he will eat it definitely. He eats toast with butter, roti with butter, dosa with butter, waffles with butter etc. and he eats only butter too. He eats jam, jelly, peanut butter too but not so much. He can refuse these things, but butter - no way. He asks for more butter when it's finished in his plate. He says - "I want more butter" and gives stress on "more".

Dosa is only the thing he can eat without any thing. When I give him roti with vegetables, he refuses because of the texture. But I put butter with vegetables, he eats it with easily. When he eats himself, he doesn't eat roti with butter, he eats butter with roti. He uses roti as a spoon and takes a big slab of butter and puts in the mouth. :) If I put the box of butter in front of him, he dips his roti or toast like a spoon and takes out butter himself. He will keep eating if I don't remove the box.

That's why, I call him maakhan chor. He is my GFCF Maakhan Chor. :)

BowCraft Amusement Park

On 22 May, Sunday, we went to BowCraft Amusement Park. It is located on US22 in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. It's official site is www.bowcraft.com. It's a very nice place for family outing. There are several rides for kids of every age and also for adults. There is also a party place where one can organize birthday parties or any type of events. And weather was good but a little bit cold.

My husband was excited about the place as we went there last year too and Tanishk had enjoyed a lot at that time. So, we were very hopeful that this will be a great outing for him and Tanay. When we entered to the park, Tanishk was excited to see the rides. It was first time for Tanay, but he was also excited to see the people and especially the kids.

We went first for Super Truck. It was a simple ride with small trucks linked like a train and every truck had two steerings for the kids to pretend that they are driving the truck. Tanishk & Tanay sat together and they were very happy. Both brothers enjoyed the ride. This was Tanishk's favorite ride. He still says that he wants to go to Super Truck.

Tanishk sitting in the Super Truck with his brother Tanay

After super truck, we went to drop zone, it's like frog hopper, but bigger size. The 5-6 kids sit in one row and they move vertically up and down. Tanay was not allowed to go on this ride. Tanishk sat there alone as there was no other kid at that time. As a surprise, he was scared and was closing his ears. He bent down as he was afraid. We had to tell the attendant to stop the ride and get him down.

Last year, Tanishk enjoyed the frog hopper ride, which is small but same kind of ride. We were very much surprised that he was scared this time. But his teacher explained us that maybe he is afraid as there is a big gap of one year and he didn't remember that ride.

Then, we went for balloon ride. We three - Tanishk, Tanay & I sat in the balloon. I accept that I am afraid of heights. Here, Tanishk was also closing his ears, but he was happy and enjoying. And Tanay was so small that he can't hold himself. The balloon was moving in every direction and was turning here & there. Tanay was sitting with me, I was holding his hand, he wasn't able to hold himself and he was slipping down. When I saw his face, his expression was like "Mumma, save me!! I am going to fall down!!" I shouted "Stop! Stop! Stop the ride! Tanay is slipping down!!" 

Tanishk with his father sitting in front seat of the car

Then, Tanishk went for car driving with his father. This he enjoyed very much as he was sitting in the front seat of the car and next to his father, who was driving the car. The car goes on one circular trail and stops on the same point from where it started.

Then, we went for boat ride and motorcycle ride. Boat ride was very simple and both brothers enjoyed it. And they also enjoyed the motorcycle ride. Tanay was feeling happy as he was moving. Tanishk was feeling that he is driving the motorcycle and was very happy at that moment.

Tanishk & Tanay riding the boat

Tanishk & Tanay riding the motorcycle
 

After that Tanishk tried Dragon roller-coaster and Frog Hopper, but in both of them he showed the same expression. Closed his ears, bend himself down and but wasn't resisting to ride. The frog hopper was the ride last year he enjoyed most, but this time it seems he wasn't comfortable in rides and we had to ask attendant to stop it.

Both brothers also had a lot of fun in helicopter, train and carousal rides. Although it was first time for Tanay, he was very much comfortable for the small rides and have fun time.

Overall, we had a very good time. Tanishk's behavior was good. He didn't shout, scream or cry. He was little bit scared on the rides, but he didn't resist on any ride. And also when we were calling him, he was responding to us and was not going too far from us. Tanay had all the rides first time but he also had a wonderful time. He was busy in looking at other people, kids and making new friends.:)

Perfect Day

On May 31, Tanishk's behavior was very nice. He was showing such a normal behavior like a typical child. When he came from the school, he asked me for the computer very nicely - "Mumma, I want to get the computer." I asked him to take off his shoes and change his clothes. He followed my instructions very nicely. He got the computer for 10 minutes.

When I said, "computer is all done!", he himself put it off and gave it to me. He didn't scream or shout at all. When I told him to go to take bath, he went to the bathroom. He enjoys playing with water. He doesn't take bath himself. I gave him 10 minutes to play as this was very hot day.

I feel very much happy and relaxed when Tanishk is in good mood and behavior. It was that day. I was so cool and was able to do other household work also. When he is in bad mood, the time just goes in prompting him, keeping him quiet and redirecting him to the good behavior.

After bath, I asked him - "What do you want to eat? Chhole Chawal (Rice and Chickpeas Curry) or Dosa?" He replied - "I want to eat Pasta." I was shocked to hear it as two days before he refused to eat pasta and now he is asking for. I gave him pasta to eat and surprisingly, he ate pasta himself still sitting on the seat and he didn't get up from the seat once.

It was really a great surprise for me as he has habit of moving around here and there when he is eating. He doesn't sit still and also he doesn't want to eat himself. I have to feed him and prompt him to eat on every bite. I gave him computer immediately after finishing his eating, as he was in very good behavior and that was the rare thing.

I gave him several minutes as I was busy in Tanay, his little brother. After done with Tanay, I asked him to shut down the computer and asked him to do his homework. He was so cool and worked on his homework nicely. It was awesome and I felt very great. It was the first time, when I didn't have to do any prompting and thought that he is only a typical child.

It may be a very small thing for others, but for me this was the celebration day. That encouraged me to keep working with Tanishk and not to give up any time at any cost. Thank God for his all the blessings. Thanks everyone who have worked & are working with him and also thanks to them who are his well-wishers. God bless all of them. :)