'Monster-face' runs a race!

(For the past few weeks, we've been reading Winnie-the-Pooh books at bedtime, and Pooh bear's observations, simple truths and lovely tales about him trying to make up rhymes and little songs inspired the title!

The best thing happened this Sunday- Shivangi (with Rani n me) had a day out and SHE won an unexpected medal for participating in the fundraising race! I'd say good day, but it was good in bits and great in places and not-so-good at times, you know!?.....but in the end, she learned to value herself and believe in me- just a little bit, I guess! Feel so grateful for that... Thank you, L & D Hospital fundraising team!

Yesterday, S, R and I went along to the L & D Hospital NICU fundraiser run in our town. (I had signed up for the 2K run along side my 8 year-old Shivangi). Rani was not too keen on the 'running' bit, and was content to stay with a friend and watch us from the sidelines instead. By the time I gave R a kiss and asked her "Are you sure!!?" and watched her nod, then turned around to face S I discovered she was already twenty feet away, and running off along the course!

On the run!

I caught up with her and we settled into a rhythm for about a hundred metres, when she started shouting at me, "STOP, Mummy, STOP, STOP...." I immediately stopped, and she said "don't run, we will walk now"... It would have been disastrous to argue or coax her, so I smiled at her and we took off at a trot, taking in the footballers practising in the field to the right and kept going...! 4 little girls and their families were also running along, as was a toddler perched on her Daddy's shoulders! Eventually, we made it to the last Kilo-meter, and the jolly L & D volunteers cheered S. She started running again, to my utter disbelief! We ran/walked and chatted together, me trying to keep her from pushing herself too far- I know that once that happens, a screaming rage and tears are just around the corner... S coped well, in all, but did not want me to run with her, for some reason, so I trotted behind her!
As soon as she was within sight of the finish line, she ran off again, and beamed and smiled a 100 Watt smile which made me feel elated!

Home again!

The medal and goody bag she got only served to make her more joyous, and she hugged her little sis Rani delightedly. Posing for pics, she made my heart swell with joy and love, and it was a terrific fundraiser for the NICU where she had spent the first 5 days of her life...! ( more about that here)

Posing with sis!