At my last count, I have three nieces and two nephews, courtesy of three separate cousins who decided to marry and procreate :-). I make them call me cheta (brother) though cause I’m too young to be an uncle ;-). But that’s what I am, and these two beeeautiful girls above are Malavika and Meenakshi, and because they are growing up in the US, it’s nice (and sometimes intimidating) to hear their English. It’s funny how they alternate between English and Malayalam and it’s funny how they are always careful to repeat every question that they have in both languages lest I don’t understand 😀

They are just the age where they have tactless condescension (no that’s too strong a word, but something like that) put down pat. When they grow older, it’ll be so much less fun since I can’t grin at questions like, “Vishnuchetta, do you understand English?” 😀