Sunday 27 April 2014

Food Tax!

Now that we are eating everything we must eat everything!!

It isn't enough that while walking around the house bumling will put random things into his mouth... be it a chocolate wrapper, or some uncooked daal he was playing with days ago and found under the sofa, or we will find a  steel spoon will be stuck in his mouth....

No no..

Now he will come to you every time you have something edible in your plate and he will demand a bite.

We call it the Food Tax!!

and we must pay...! or he will point and point and finally grab it off your plate if you don't share.

Starting from his daddy's breakfast plate and thru out the day... he wants it all! The days we are eating something spicy, we actually have to keep some roti or rice in our plates so that we can pay our taxes.

And he will go to each person who is eating for tax!

The other day we had a friend over for dinner and we had made chicken burgers.. so there was a non spicy chicken patty for him, we actually had to make small pieces of it and keep some in her plate because he kept going to her for it!!!

its almost like having a puppy!!! (Hang on...  thats a great idea for a new post: the baby puppy connection!!)

Of course half the fun is in seeing his reaction to all the new food... like the pasta and the chicken and the chinese flavours or pizzas! We recently took him to Indigo for their melt in the mouth lemon fish... and he loved it!! I have never seen him ask for food as much and finish in such super fast speed as that night!!

So funny story, this one time I was having a sandwich and had this sweet and spicy sauce in my plate and he kept annoying me for a bite.... i moved my plate left then right, put it up in the air, sat with my back to him... nothing he wanted my food.... my mum got so irritated she was like ' just give him a bite' and she took some sauce and put it in his mouth!!! She didn't know it was the spicy one.... and this little bumbling eyes went all watery!!!! I quickly gave him water and in the mean while mum had gone to the kitchen.... So he follows her, stands in front of her and throws his arms up in the air and starts shouting at her!!!!! It was such a funny sight.... because he actually was quite mad at her... and wasn't afraid to tell her so!!!!

Of course next time he saw the red sauce in my plate, he stayed away!!! ha ha ha!!! Now i don't have to pay any food tax when I'm having a sandwich!!



Yayie food....


eeewwww...


Ok i'll try some more!!


Saturday 26 April 2014

Best time of my life...

Before I delivered I would crib about how heavy my tummy was and my friends all told me this was the best time of my life.... Once the baby comes it's going to be madness...

Then came this scrawny little ET like baby in my arms and life made perfect sense! But while I loved him to death.... the constant nappy changing, breastfeeding, rocking to sleep was driving me mad....
All my friends said... this is the best time of your life... once he starts moving around on his own its going to be madness....

Then came that day when he took two step unsupported towards his dad.... and I had tears in my eyes.... My little baby boy, whom I used to wrap in mul and watch as he stayed curled up in bed, was walking!!

Yayie!!

Of course once he got the hang of it.... hmmmm thats another story!!!

But you know what? This time I can say confidently this is the best time of my life!

Post like 10 months I was happy with bumling.... in the sense that the fear of dropping him or hurting him in anyway was no more there....Now when I see a new born it freaks me out as much as it did before I had one.

I recently met a 4 month old baby girl, and I didn't want to carry her...i was happy manhandling my boy..... I mean they are just too fragile.... and you are so vulnerable being a new mommy... So the mix just makes things even more tough.

At fourteen months Siddy is a breeze....

** Three teeth ( razor sharp)
** Walks unsupported
** Says Mumma, Papa Naneh (for Nani) Dada, Aaai (for come) There, Nanna (for banana),
** He dances to music.... seriously head bangs!! He loves Eminem EDM and Rock!
** He is very clear when and what he wants to eat... He even reached out to a Banana the other day asking for it!!
** He can recognise a truck, a dog, a cat a bus, and bikes. Be it in a book on the TV or out the window.
** He knows how to put my phone on. He knows how to use the TV remote (kinda!! I always end up watching some rubbish channels because of him!!)
** when he gets upset he shows it... a big frown and and even bigger pout!!!

But the Best best part.... and the reason why this is the best time of my life is because he is just so damn affectionate! He has understood what love is!

Aadi had taught him how to give a hug... So he would say "give papa a hug" and the bumling would go rest his head on his daddy's shoulders. I taught him how to give a kiss..

And when he does them together you feel like you're floating up in the clouds!! its such a massive stress releaser... such a wonderful feeling of Happiness... you will be smiling for at least  a few hours after that!!!

and sometimes when I'm working on the centre table he will come from behind and give me a hug.....oh god!!!! those little hands... those tiny arms trying to go around your neck!!

Life seriously can't get better!!

So i don't know about what it will be like when he starts talking or going to school... but this right now is the bestest!!


ps: he also bites super hard... and if you say owwww he gets very excited and then continues to bite.... and while it may seem awwwww cute little baby teeth...no no ... no no no.... razor sharp create dents in my fingers kinda sharp!!!



Sunday 20 April 2014

LAsT TWo WeEkS Of mY LiFe...

Monday: decided to properly launch The Happy People Store with two exhibitions ...

Tuesday: Bumling develops mysterious rashes.... fear of chicken pox makes us run to the doctor.... apparently its a viral rash... "but he hasn't had a fever" we say... "no worries still a viral rash" he says... gives us some ointment and syrup..."two three days he'll be fine"

Wednesday: Lists have been made... raw material is bought...

Thursday: Mum has a rash too... and so do I a little, hmmmmm we've had no fever either. Cranky baby on hand... no work done :(

Friday: Dinner with oldest of friends... So i try to work as much as I can during the day... Hubby takes me on a special post dinner date for malai and ice cream from Hajji Ali, and finally after ten years together for the first time we go to a sea front and sit there!!! Sleep at 2:00!

Saturday: nervous break down starts to set in..... drive husband mad to help me sort things out... He helps me make my lists, takes me shopping for more material.... breaks things down in order of how i should do it... But I'm fully loosing it......But favorite DJ is playing a Bonobo.... so I go... maybe  a change of pace is what I need.... can't work saturday night anyways right?

Sunday: rashes haven't gone down... :( Slightly panicky... brother and wife come a visiting... we spend the whole day with little bumling.... Did I tell you he's walking? yup... unsupported.... looks like a mini zombie if you ask me ( ha ha ha ha ha ha ha) but that means he will not sit for a second.... He must be in every room inspecting everything .... I decide to work at night considering I have less than a week left... But had a close friend's birthday to go to... So we slept at 2:00 again..

Monday: We visit another doctor... same diagnosis same treatment...He's happy adn playing most of the time... Just gets a bit cranky during the day time... But unfortunately his schedule has gone for a toss... so instead of those great 3:00 pm naps in the afternoons he takes on at 6:30 sometimes 7:00 pm and then he's up till 12:00...Tonight he decided to just not sleep... He was mad sleepy.... rolling around in bed (read: on my face!!) but still refused to sleep.... I tried feeding him, patting him, singing to him... nope.... and because he was slightly irritable because of the rash he was kinda clingy... So even his daddy or my mommy couldn't help :( and I wanted to be as calm as possible because  I never want to remove my stress on him... i've chosen to work and thats my thing to deal with... and its what comes after him always.... but post his knocking out I worked.... Slept at 3:30.... watched Perks of being a Wallflower!

Tuesday: Nervous break down is now on a downslide i think... lets see-  happy boxes, micro mini happy boxes... garlands.... cupcakes and ice cream cone... I don't have enough wool  ( i never have enough wool!) I'm cutting sticking, embroidering stitching, using my hot glue gun like a weapon.... By 12:30 this night I loose it.... Decide to cancel everything.... maybe being a working mom isn't for me... I decide to delete my facebook page, shut down my website.... give it all up......In all that I decide to also pick a fight with the hubby... and go all ballistic on him... thankfully he knows how to calm me down without going mad himself ( the only reason we are still together!!) convinces me to go to sleep tonight and work peacefully with a clear head the next day...

Wednesday: I wake up and immediately get to work... in between making his lunch and breakfast, I cut this and glue that... and I actually magically have one happy box ready by the time he is ready to leave for work!! This is a good day... lots gets done.... Siddy is much better.... he has his ups and downs... Did I tell you he now has teeth? yayie!!!! three ... one on top and two razor sharp ones in the bottom...no more cute munching on my fingers with his gums...nope...Now I have dents from his teeth!! I finish the whole lot today... and by the end of it... I'm happy with what I had got done...

Thursday: My first showing - at Sameera's house.... It was great! I met someone who could really help me with what I do... and for me thats a great day...sales were alright but exposure was great!
I head home and make some more things but sleep early becasue tomorrow is a big day too...

Friday: Villa 69.

Morning I panic again.... I pack everything I have but keep thinking its less..... last minute glue gunning... last minute stitching.... I actually make two lamps in all that madness.... Mom and I make the most awesome name board for our companies.... so last minute but pure genius! Total confusion because we suddenly realise we have one car, four suitcases, two big carry bags, one pram two handbags and a bumling.... I beg aadi to leave work early.... he figures something out and says he can come for a bit to just drop us.... but luckily akshai drops by with his car and says he'll take us... So again i tell aadi to chill... then we wait for akshai to come... load up the cars and rush... Rush I say because we end up leaving the house at 4:30 for  a show that starts at 5:00... its the fastest set up I have done in my life..... There was a moment when I kept Siddy in a pram and mom and me were quickly setting up our stuff and he looked so confused poor thing!!!

The night was amazing... I met so many people... they loved my stuff..they bought my stuff.... it was all so unreal.... Siddy of course became a community baby... every girl... friend or new acquaintance wanted to walk around with him and he loved it!! In fact a girl from one of the other stalls actually asked my friend.."who's baby is this? I've seen him with so many girls today!!!!" ha ha ha!!

So Happy People is out there... looks like I'm not quitting it.... but I have to admit... its going to be tough... there will be days I'll go so mad I'll want to give it all up again... but then I remember that as much as this thing, this little cutie pie makes me happy... working and doing my thing makes me happy... i simply have to find my balance with both... Take up as much as I can manage... never more than I can chew... and always always remember that at any point... at the craziest maddest point... Siddy comes first no matter what!


At Sameera's place :)


At Villa 69






Micro Mini Happy Boxes - Sold out!!


I think I'll become a minion myself soon!!!





Sunday 13 April 2014

Happy People!

For those of you'll wondering why my posts have been so few and far between... It's because if my new project 'The Happy People Store'

I've recently started it and I wanted to take it slow... To test the waters.... But what do you know... I have two shows lined up for this week....!

It's been a super busy last ten days trying to get everything together while handling my little monkey who has decided to start walking like right now!!! 

So bear with me people.... I'll have some fun posts on the bumling soon... Until then come visit me at my sisters place on the 17th and at Villa 69 on the 18...




Tuesday 8 April 2014

Waiting for him to sleep!!

Waiting for him to sleep...

So I can enjoy my cup of coffee without having him try to dip his tiny fingers in it...

Waiting for him to sleep...

So I can pack the hubby's lunch and kiss him goodbye without having him tug at my shirt, stamp on my feet and throw all the utensils on to the floor...!

Waiting for him to sleep ...

So I can catch up with friends on the phone... A whatsapp a message hopefully a phone call...without him screaming in the background ...

Waiting for him to sleep...

So I can work... So much to cut and stitch and super glue... So many lists of things to buy, to make... Without him unravelling my wool and crushing my beautiful papers... 

Waiting for him to sleep...

So I can blog peacefully without him pulling at my phone and trying to bang it on pthe window...

Waiting for him to sleep....

So I can chat with my mum... A real conversation that's not about him his meals his toys.... Without him jumping around between us...

Waiting for him to sleep...

So I can hug and kiss my hubby... Talk to him about his day and tell him about mine without him being the jealous little cat that he is and snuggling to his daddy....

Waiting for him to sleep....

So I can watch tv without him changing the channels or worse the sound settings! 

Waiting for him to sleep...

So that I can sleep... !!!! 



Looking after each other!!

This isn't about bumling... This is about the hubby and me ...about us.. About being a couple... Being partners...

So recently I was talking to a friend and I told him how I made the hubby lunch and packed a 'tiffin' for him everyday and sent him off after giving him breakfast and he went ' ahhhh what a good wife you've become' and ' oh wow you actually do all that?'

And it got me thinking.. Have we really taken feminism to such an extent that simply cooking lunch and breakfast and somedays dinner for your husband is a lot to do? Is it something now that is considered a wow factor in a girl?

I remember years ago I was watching Meet Joe Black, you know the Brad Pitt movie where he's such a gorgeous Death? He was so so cute in that movie... and before he plays Death he plays this adorable regular guy that the girl meets in a coffee shop and they get talking and he said this thing... (which i just spent an hour finding on the internet so I have the exact words) which really laid the foundation of relationships for me...
If you and I were married, I would want to give you what you need.
That's all. I'm talking about taking care of each other the best you can.
What's wrong with taking care of a woman? She takes care of you.
I mean really... Isn't that what being together, of choosing to be with someone is about... looking after each other?

You don't need to define what all you do for each other as this is what the men have been doing for years and women have been doing for years and then sticking to doing just that or rebelling against it all and not doing any of it..... but you just do what you can to make each others lives more comfortable....

When Siddy was born and Aadi wasn't (luckily) working in a nine to five job scenario... he was totally and completely there for siddy and me... He helped change diapers and fed him his milk and rocked him to sleep and told him stories things that are essentially a woman's "job" but he did it with so much love not just for his little baby boy but to help me out and look after me...

So today if he is out morning to night... if I make him his meals and pack his work bag and make sure dinner is ready before he gets home, its not me going out of my way... its me looking after him...

I think the problem starts with couples not thinking in 'couples' terms anymore... I think they think of themselves as individuals first and then of each other... Every decision every thought is first "How will this affect me? How will it affect my life" and then " How will it affect us and our little family?"

Also in wanting to be super independent and all pro feminism.. most girls fight the regular things of being the wife in a marriage... Its more to simply rebel against the old school thoughts.... maybe because we can fight against the conservative thought of being only a homemaker, being the one who raises the kids and proving that we can balance both that and having our own career... except sometimes I think we overdo it a tad bit....

I think we need to relax in our relationships.... Enjoy them... Not try and search for a hidden context in everything we say to each other.... 

I love looking after Aadi... I love making him his breakfast and packing his bag in the morning... I love waiting for him to come back and having dinner with him.... 

As much as I love his daily message reminder to have my calcium and to give bumling his... And the way he gives me my three biscuits with my coffee in the mornings... And how he ruffles my hair and puts me to sleep no matter how tired... 

It's the little things that matter.... That make you a couple! 










THe pArk StoRiEs!

Siddy loves loves loves the park!

And now he knows that post his afternoon nap we must go 'ba ba'!! 

It mainly started because his vitamin levels were low.. And the doc suggested sunlight... I know I know the morning sun is the best... But we have too much going on in the mornings... So evenings it is... 

The park is close by to home... We take an auto for the short distance because the roads are horrible to stroll his pram...

There is one small park and one big one divided by a gate. The small one has one slide and a small pathway but it also has a well full of fish and turtles!!! The big park has a big walk way for serious walkers, slides and swings and see saws and bars to hang from... 

So depending on our mood and the few friends we have made at the parks we choose one or the other...

The first day I took him he was in his pram... I put him down in the grass but he didn't care much...But slowly in a few days he loved it so much I stopped getting the pram to the park!!

He loves watching all the other kids... bumling is the little observer kid... he will look at them play and run and laugh... he will watch their parents run around with them... its too cute the way he looks around at everyone...

After a few days I started putting him on the slide... I held him... and he loved it!!! He keeps pointing to the slide over and over again... and it ain't easy putting him up and sliding him down!! But because he loves it so much I do it... and I get to work out my arms in the bargain so win win!!! ha ha!!

We even tried the see saw... first time there wasn't anyone on the other side...So I simply held him with one hand and pushed the see saw up and down with the other... more arm workout!! But the next few times... we had company...and thats when he really enjoyed it... because now he could see this other little kid go up while he was down and go down while he was up and he was so fascinated by that!!

The swing however is a no no... mainly because I'm scared of them... they are these old rickety rackety swings and even though I see a lot of kids and mommies sit on it... i just can't ... One day i decided to try it... and it was so embarrassing... Me trying to balance myself and Siddy on it.... oh god... I just gave up!!!!

Somedays we carry a ball and he hold my hands and kicks it around.... actually the first few days I didn't carry any toys... thinking hey he's at the park he wont need anything... but he kept looking at other kids toys... bats and balls and little water guns (this was around Holi) ... So now I always carry a little ball in my bag..

We also carry some water and something to eat... depending on his meals we carry a parantha or some biscuits or a fruit...He loves eating there and watching everyone!!


Somedays my mum joins me or if Aadi is free then he comes with us ... a few times even my brother came with us.... these days are fun... because he gets to be entertained by more people.... and the guys are more about running around and lets kick the ball and being all rough and tough!! the days my mum comes we are totally lounging!!! We sit on the grass eating our fruits and just chill!!


Its nice to see how many kids come to the park... I think its a great break for most parents from entertaining the kids at home...and its good for them to get some sunshine....

Of course a lot... infact most kids ... ok maybe 40 percent of them come with ayyas.... and you know whats funny? So how very obviously mommies who come make their own little cliques... well so do the ayyas...

So this is really funny... the ayyas of different castes will sit together... or ayyas of different economic strata kids will sit together.... then ayyas of the expat kids will sit together!! I thought this only happened with the mommies... I mean it does... the mommies of a certain age of kids bond... of a certain caste will bond... economic strata and expat mommies will bond.... I guess its normal... but i find it kinda funny...!!

Whats also nice is some kids come with heir grandparents....I love that... Something about kids and grandparents just seems nice you know... I look at the grandparents and think wow.. now they can simply enjoy this kid and his adorableness without worrying about his school and medicines and things like that and for the kid well... they can weasel anything out of their grandparents!!!

So this one little boy, maybe a few months older than bumling comes with his granddad....he walks independently and so is always running around loving his new found freedom right... and one day he sees siddy ...walks right up to him and gives him this big hug...!!!! It was soooo adorable!!! I still don't know why ... and even his granddad was amused.... siddy was all super shy!!! but by the third hug siddy was just confused!!

But the cutest is... one of my friends has a little baby girl all of three or four now i think... and she comes to the park somedays as well... and one day when they were leaving her mommy said "Say bye to Siddy" and she came and hugged him and kissed his cheek... oh my god Siddy actually blushed I think... he smiled and smiled all evening that day!! ha ha!!

We made a few friends at the park now Siddy and I.... and its nice... to go and find someone you kind of know... in fact one of the mommies has recently started some workshops for the babies... simple ones where its all about exploring new objects and Siddy loves them... more on that next time...

As of now these are our park stories... Hope you like them... and if you are in versova anytime between 5:30 and 6:30 come and visit us at the park!!!



Us taking selfies!!


Hello there!!


The one time you'll see my brother totally chilling :)
{ Come more often dude!!! }


Just looking around!!!



Thursday 3 April 2014

A Picnic :) And A Sprained Shoulder :(

Everyone tells you about the backaches and leg aches and well eventually the headaches the baby is going to cause you... but the ache that surprised me most was the ache in my arms and shoulders...:(

When bumling was little and I was breastfeeding him.... holding him in my arms for up to an hour would kill my arms... I mean he looks all tiny but man was he heavy....!!! A few of my friend's gifted me a feeding pillow... I highly recommend it... it works like a charm, you have your arms free (to blog, in my case!!) and the baby is comfortable as well. For some stupid reason I didn't use it initially, i guess I simply forgot all about it, but once i did... happiness!

Once I was done with breastfeeding, my mind went back to all the other pains my body was going thru... the lower back being the worst.... but I kept telling myself at least no arms will pain henceforth!

Cut to one year later.... I decide to take little siddy for a picnic lunch in alibaug.... his first boat ride i think... his first beach i think.... what fun lets do it... over-adventurous- mom -who -hasn't -left -the -house -for -a -long -long -while!!

So we pack up his bag, my mum and me, and drive off to the Gateway of India to catch the speed boat.  Very apt name... speed boat... I felt like any minute now we were going to take off!!!

Siddy didn't care much... initially the breeze irritated him and finally the swaying of the boat knocked him off to sleep.

Now where we went for lunch was one of mum's friend's friend's house... and unfortunately it wasn't a beach front house so no first beach experience for bumling... also it was kind of a formal lunch which we didn't know exactly.... So he turned out to be the only baby there....

Here is the part when my arms started giving way... because he just wouldn't sit. Not for one second... he wanted to explore the whole garden.. every plant was scrutinised, every waiter was met, every stone was, literally, unturned.... and because it was a formal do, I couldn't just let him crawl around so I had to walk with him every where.... And hold his tiny hands so he doesn't fall... Pulling him before he picks a glass, tugging him away from the big chinese vases they had all around the house, yanking him before he knocked all the little crystals from the table, picking him up when he was just not ready to move and I had to get him out of someone's way...

Also because it would have been inconvenient to carry his pram all the way... i was carrying him and walking with him everywhere... from our car to the boat from the boat to the car... to the house we went for lunch... around when he was super fidgety... mum was a lot of help but she also had to sit with the hostess and her friends... So mainly it was just us.... '

Finally we left... the boat ride back was better because he stayed awake and was mesmerised by the ocean and all the ships that (luckily) he stayed in one place!

But oh that car ride back... I was in tears!! Because by then my shoulder sprain had happened... and it was tough for me to carry him.... and holding him steady in the car was impossible.... it was either the volume button or the AC or the windows or the glove compartment, or he wanted to play with mum, who was driving, or he wanted to see what was happening in the backseat (absolutely nothing but we must check it out every fifteen minutes or so) ... non stop... I mean really aren't you tired? You just drove from versova to colaba took a boat to alibaug walked around a huge garden then back again by boat ... you got to be exhausted?

Nope...

He didn't sleep at all!! The last he slept was in the boat ride to alibaug... thats it!

phew... its the next day and my arm still hurts...

So everyone out there with the back aches and leg aches and head aches.... come one year of age... come 'I can walk everywhere' stage... come arm and shoulder aches for you!!!!

Ps:They say this is the stage when you loose your pregnancy weight, for those like me who look like they still have the little one's toys left behind in her tummy!!!

pps: there was such delicious looking typical marathi food at this place but i could hardly taste it because I had to run behind the monkey.... but I just put that down to the loosing weight bit and smile about it!!!