Sunset Park

Uncle Yemi took these pictures. Mama was helping me make a flower crown. Then I put some of the flowers in Baba's hair. Also, I don't want to go to school.

Squirt, the Turtle

This is Squirt in his tank next to his tree which has fallen down into the water. Today, after school, Dad took me again to Coney Island. If you've been to Coney Island, you might have seen turtles being sold on the street. Squirt is tiny as a quarter or maybe a little bit bigger. I have to change the water every two days, feed him a pellet of food every two days, and always wash my hands before I take him out of the tank to touch him. Squirt is also the name of my teacher Gwen's turtle. If you're Saya or one of my friends, you will know Gwen. Tonight Squirt is going to sleep in his box near the window.

Get Well Soon

Nana and Dadi are both in hospital. I want them to get well soon. Signed, Little Heart.

It's the Weekend

Before I went out to ride my bike, I pretend-blowdried Mama's hair. Sujata Aunty, Rain's mom, sent me the beauty kit. It was a surprise! My bike's name is Sapphire.

Pet Idea?

Back to School

Mama tricked me. She said we would go on an adventure but instead she took me to school. Super darn it! Now I've to go to school tomorrow too because my second-favorite teacher said that it will be her birthday.

At the Pier

New York City Waterfalls

My ice-cream was coffee flavor. Baba ate peaches and cream. Then I took these pictures of Dad and the waterfalls. I also played in the sand.

Thank you, Ayesha Mami

My mom is back from London and she brought this make-up kit that Ayesha Mami sent me--my parents don't let me put a lot of it but I love it!

Mehndi

Can you guess whose hands these are? They are mine! Bua put mehndi on my hands. If you don't know what mehndi is--well, it's an Indian thing, a beauty treatment done for weddings and stuff. I wasn't getting married, of course, but my Bua did it anyway.

Hello Babeesh!

I am plugging my other ear because the fountain was very loud.

Botanic Gardens

Today we went to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. I took these pictures. I was interested in the lotuses because I have seen them in shows, and the cactus was hanging from a rock in the desert section. We also saw a Japanese garden which was very pretty.

Red Hot Day in Brooklyn

Diva

In a cool bar called Diva in New York City. And with my buddy Hap who also hates school.

I Hate School

This is a picture of Eliya and me in the park and not in school. My mom put me in a summer school in New York City. But I only went there for a day or two. I have spent the rest of the time going to different places with Dad. Mom is in London. I miss my school in Poughkeepsie, Wimpfheimer Nursery School. I had hundreds of problems with this school in New York, but these were the most important:

1. I didn’t like holding hands when walking to the park for lunch.
2. I hated the gong. I was scared that the teachers will scold me because I didn’t become a statue.
3. The teachers were very tricky. They said things like “toy soldier” or “duckling” and I didn’t know how we were supposed to stand.
4. Even the art teacher. A girl was saying she liked my ear-rings and I was going to say something and she said, not very nicely, “Excuse me, we don’t talk in the line.”
5. I wish Wimpheimer was everywhere, in Italy, in Germany, in London, wherever we went. Then, I wouldn’t hate school.
6. I didn’t even have a new best friend.
7. Why couldn’t they pronounce my name anyway? How many times do I have to say it? They kept saying Eye-la.
8. I said Don’t push me, and the girl said I wasn’t pushing you. But I wasn’t talking to her, I was telling someone else. So there was a lot of mix-up. Oh, I hate school.
9. I didn’t say anything at school. No one talked to me and if a teacher asked anything I said quietly “Yes.” And when I cried, I cried quietly so that no one could see.
10. The only thing I liked about the school was that there was a dog.

Prospect Park

In this picture that you can see, obviously, there are turtles. I took this picture. I fed the turtles. I went on a carousel and the music went doo-doo-doo-do. Exactly. The carousel was beautiful. It lighted up.
After we came back home, Baba asked me, "How many dresses are you going to change in a day?" And I said, "A hundred?"

Last night, I was dreaming of cats

My friends Roop and Linta are away for a wedding, and Poocha felt lonely so I let her sleep in my bed.
I don't have a pet right now because my mother has these precious wedding carpets and having a pet is a problem. Poocha is only my summer pet. I want a cat or a dog. Or a humming bird. Or a turtle. If it is a turtle, I'll call it Squirt.

Coney Island

I went to Coney Island today. At first, I was scared of the waves, then I wasn't. There were no sharks. I brought back souvenirs from the beach--a sea shell and some seaweed. I got some salt water in my mouth, but it was okay. It was a joyful day.

This is Poocha

This is Poocha. She is Linta's pet but also my pet because I'm spending the whole month here. I'm not going to school. My dad and I are having an adventure every single day-day.
Photo by Linta

Linta's Pics

My fellow urban anthropologist, Linta, took these excellent photos on my birthday! Roop is the best chef in the whole wide world, and someone who is littler is the best sous chef.

Thank you, Saya

Saya is my best friend, of course.

Dad and I

Hap took this picture of Baba and me in a Japanese restaurant. The one on top was taken by a stranger when we were on the Staten Island ferry.

I just turned 5!

This picture is from my birthday in DC (thanks, Bua!) and the one on top is from the second celebration in Brooklyn (thanks, Linta and Roop!)

Hello World!

Hi, my name is Ila. I like to travel and to draw.