The debates

One morning, Ash woke early and went up to the window to have a look outside. He heard the crows and the other birds and the hawkers, and cried out to me: "Look Amma, it is morning. Look Vaava, raavile aayee."
Mira studied the light outside with half-closed, half-sleepy eyes and said: No, ithu vaikitta (This is evening). A debate ensued, with Mira insisting that it was evening and Ash shouting that it was morning. It drove him mad and in the end he began crying. Mira stood her ground, savouring the argument.
That's how she is. Unruffled and mentally stronger than her older brother. She loves to irritate him. Not only that. She is beginning to boss over him. "Ashin, get me that" or "Keep this plate in the kitchen" etc etc. And he does as she says. The only thing he refuses to do is keep away his shoes in the shoerack. Which the lil sister thinks is her duty. She faithfully arranges it inside the cabinet.
I guess she will soon be taking care of him than the other way round. Though we have been telling Ash that he has to take care of his lil sister next year in school.
Meanwhile, the long-legged dolly at home has a new name - Tarana vaava. The kids pretend it is their newest cousin and is busy taking care of her and makes her sleep in between them.

Tailpiece: Ash, while savouring a glass of watermelon juice on Saturday: "How does red-colour juice come out as yellow-color urine?" We have been telling him that he needs to increase his liquid intake to improve his urine output.