Proof!!

This is the proof people.... That having a baby is not as time consuming as having a toddler! 

My last post here was on the 8th of sept... It's been nearly a month.. And honestly I'm only writing because I have just started reading Twinkle Khanna's book Mrs Funnybones and midway I realised... God, when was the last time I wrote? 

Too long back... Too too long back... And not like I haven't tried.. There are many drafts.. 

Little snippets.. One sentence to keep the idea ready... One word even sometimes, like pizza party ( ya ya that's two I know... But you know what I mean!!) 

Point is I used to be so regular with my blog when the bumling was just a bumling... Now he's a tumbling fumbling dumpling who's all over the place!! 

My days seem to disappear between him and work and the house and the maids and the little bit of catching up with family and friends.. 

The catching up also seems like a major plan these days... Because by the end of the week there is just soooooo much exhaustion that all you really truly deeply want to do is to lounge... And binge eat and binge watch rubbish on tv... And more of the eating... 

Because week days are mental.... The mornings you're on an a kind of fast forward mode ( post coffee that is) breakfast breakfast brush teeth bathe change lunch dabba lunch dabba one snack here two there water bottles into the respective bags..., Shove tiny feet into tinier shoes ( how quick are those damn feet growing??) wave good bye shut the door and breathe... 

Then it's either straight to work because the coffee and two measly biscuits are going to get you thru the day or have breakfast ( read a quick egg fry) only because crazy coach is going to come to make sure you can't do anything else with your arms and legs for the rest of the day... 

Early lunch.. At 12:30 because you realise you can't survive on coffee and two measly biscuits or because the coach worked that little egg fry out of your system... 1:15 off to pick up the monkey from school..

Now once he's back.. Everything else goes on a back burner... His food his clothes his toys his tv his water his games... His crankiness because he's super sleep but won't sleep and won't let you work or sleep yourself.... Him him him him and oh, did I mention him?!!! 

If I'm lucky he'll pass out ... Just ten minutes before his nanny comes at 4:00... So yayie....! And if not then I get some relief to get back to my work... If I'm not bulldozed by my mum to help her with hers { ;) ;) } 

If he has slept.. He'll wake up by 5:30 6:00 when its too dark to go down and play... So again we will have little cranky pants on hand.. Or somedays he will wake up in a good mood.. And simply play with his nanny leaving me to continue working.. Or blogging or pinning or something to do with my phone or laptop.. 

Then of course it's back to him him him him him time... Post the nanny's end of day time.. So I play with him and feed him and enjoy the potty training sessions we are going thru... !!! 

By 8:30 hubby is back and it's dinner time.. Here I get some major relief but as soon as daddy is home mommy is treated with such indifference I can't tell you!! Which is good sometimes but quite a stab in the heart somedays! 

Ten is in the room time, sometimes 10:30 it depends on his evening nap ( note I didn't say afternoon nap!!!) and hopefully we are passed out by 11:30... I know the hubby is... But not necessarily this monkey... Even post two three book readings .. He still rolls around the bed and tells himself some stories before he passes out.. 

And by then I'm so done with the day .. And to be honest after all the chatting and noise all day, I have no energy to form full sentences .. Especially not with auto correct and this small key pad driving me nuts!!! 

But well here it is .. A story about a day in my life multiplied into everyday... Equalling to a zapped out energy for this adorable blog of mine as well as making any big party plans for the weekends.. Where to be honest you'll find Aadi and siddy and me happily hanging around in the house. Them both playing and me, well, binge eating and binge tv watching!!!!  

When he was a baby I think the routine was simpler... Feed burp watch him while he sleeps... Maybe I'm forgetting .. I don't know.. Fact is.. I blogged more then than I do now.. So well there you have it...  Proof!! 

Things I know for sure...

Things I know for sure...that I would love for siddy to know: 

1.Family is the most important... Everyone in your family is different, some may be nuts, some infuriating, some funny, some lovable.. But how ever they are, they are the people who will have your back no matter what.... 

2.Being fit makes you feel confident, being the opposite makes you feel the opposite!! I'm not saying you have to be skinny... Nope, having a damaging body image and pushing yourself to get thin is not the solution... Fit for me is having a good stamina.. Being able to climb mountains, run in marathons, play with your kid without getting breathless.. And yes it doesn't harm one to have a flat-ish tummy... Clothes do look better and you do feel better as well ...  You have to stop killing yourself but don't give up on yourself either...

3.Friends you made in or before your early twenties will last forever... The ones who've known you when you were a silly kid and have watched you grow into a sillier person will always stand by you! 

4. Patience is something I've still not mastered!! Especially with people... Slow dumb people! No but seriously... It's important to be patient with people.. More like to give them a chance... Because at the end of the day each one has had a different journey and has reached this point in life using a different path.. So you have to learn to respect that... Or else you might just miss out on getting to know some awesome people..

5. You will feel like giving it all up at least twice a year... Work relationships life everything.... The trick is to weed out what didn't work for you.. Remove the toxic people the toxic thoughts... Make a drastic change once every year... From something small to something big.. Change homes or shift jobs, get a new dress or hair cut.. Join a class in something you never would... Anything to shake things up a little.. It will help you realise what you really want to change and what you are ok with... 

6. Put being happy as your topmost priority... Work money friends family deadlines commitments will all fall into place...just let your core be happy... Even when things get tough and you feel like nothing is worth nothing... Especially then actually, dig deep into your core and keep it happy...

7. Travel is very important ... Not because everyone is doing it, not because it's cool to do it... But because it's a waste of a good healthy life to not see the world and everything it has to offer... The things you will experience cannot be compared to anything else... 

8. Help others... And be selfish..! It's one and the same.. When you help someone you will feel a part of you grow, a part of you expand... So for your own happiness ... If nothing else...Help others!!!! 

9. Read a lot... Books of every kind... Every genre.. Every size... Don't get stuck to just thrillers or just self help.. Sometimes you can learn something valuable from a very simple story book... 

10. Keep your mind calm always... I have the worst temper ever.. The slightest thing sets me off.. But over the years I have worked very hard to keep calm.. To take a deep breath.. To let things go... A calm kind mind will always help you think better, make smarter choices, learn more.... 

And 11. Love more... Love with your whole heart and soul... Don't love based on what you think you will get in return.. Love because that's what you want.. When you can feel that kind of deep soul wrenching stomach hurting love.. Love more.... 

Kids who go down to play!

The sound of kids playing meant nothing to me a few years ago.... I didn't care for it at all... in fact there were days i would hate it... but today... every time i hear this little squeal, this little laugh... i run to my window... just to see his tiny little face scrunched up in laughter... or him running (read hopping) behind all the other kids....

he loves going down to play... he gets lazy about it before he actually goes (gone on his mum there i think!!!) he fights it everyday....

But once he's down... he runs around and shouts in glee!!!

And going down and playing is really something i encourage... not just for my sanity... but for him..

He gets some fresh air... he gets to really use his body... he gets to meet and interact with other kids of various ages ....

He runs behind the older boys.. They hi fi and fist bump him... he sits and chats with the little girls, makes them giggle... plays with Preeti, his nanny...

He gets to meet all the doggies who come for their evening walk.. he gets to play with sticks and make up stories about the forest like mangrove in front of our house...

He really gets to experience a sense of freedom and being young like nothing else... We are blessed with having a house which is the last and only building in a dead end... we have no cars coming there really and the kids can all ride their bikes on the road (with adult supervision of course)

I wasn't a very outdoorsy kinda girl.. I'm still not... camping and mountains aren't really my thing... I'm more of a beach bum... never move kinda girl... i remember my brother used to be out all day playing with the kids in the area... running, skating, bicycling... i on the other hand spent my days in my room pretending to be a dancer or a cook or a magician and all sorts of other strange and funny things.... If you ever saw me out it was because my mum had thrown me out...

And i don't want that for siddy at all... being a boy, i have a feeling he might have way too much energy to stay home, but still i really hope he loves being out...

Luckily Aadi was a very run around, play basketball cricket kind of guy.... he loved cycling and playing with the boys... so hopefully siddy will get it from him....!

But till he starts actually playing games... I will enjoy standing near the window and watch him hop around the other kids... enjoying himself...!

Funny Story 01:

His bike is kinda big for him to be able to peddle... his feet reach, but he can't actually peddle (mum, don't you dare say anything about this bike)

anyhow... point is he loves this bike, and it has an arm rest... So what he does is he sits back with his arms well rested while Preeti well, pushes him around!!

its hilarious how all the other nannies tell me "your son sits like one king and gets pushed around"!!!!!

ha ha ha ha!!

Funny story 02:

He has this blue ball that all the kids seem to like a lot... so Preeti told me, the other day while he was on his cycle. the big boys took the ball and started playing foot ball.. when he saw them he got off the cycle and went to them to play, but because they were really kicking the ball around, they told him to stand back, the genuinely didn't want him to get hurt... what does mister do?

He picks up his ball, frowns and tells Preeti " lets go home" and he actually came up!!!!

Hilaroius no?!!

Its good... for all of you who have met siddy know he's very soft with people, almost gets bullied around... so its good he's learning to be assertive... and just to be nice, i sent a box of popcorn down for all the kids the next day... so he learnt to share as well!!!

So you see, going down and playing is good... for everyone!!!!!!

Questioning the little pudding!

1.   Favorite Color: Red

2.   Favourite room : Kitchen 

3.   Best friend : Nikki 

4.   Favourite song: Uptown funk!

5.   Favourite animal : Cow 

6.   Favourite cartoon: Dora 

7.   Favourite book: Tractor book
8.   Favourite Toy: The blue ball
9.   Favourite Fruit: Banana
10. Favorite Drink: Orange Juice
11. Favorite Animal: Tiger
12. Favourite Food: Rice and curd

Cake or Ice cream : Ice Cream
Noodles or Rice: Rice
Cars or Motorbike : Motorbike
Dancing or Singing : Dancing!

And my favourite question: 

Hugs or kisses.... after both were demonstrated a hundred times by me... he picked:

Hugs!!!!

That feeling!

You know the best part about being a kid? 

You can pass out anywhere anytime and you know somehow you'll be back in your bed at night! 

Its an amazing thing no? 

At restaurants you can eat and then simply pass out on the sofa while the rest of the people are still eating... 

At a party, once you're done playing and dancing and eating like a crazy person, you can find the closest cushion, or your mum's lap and pass out... 

You can travel on a flight or go for a long drive... You can pass out while looking at the clouds or the street lights and close your eyes and comfortably fall back because your mum or dad will hold you... 

And carry you... 

And change you... 

 and tuck you into bed... 

What a feeling that is isn't it? 

How we did it!

One of the biggest questions in everyone's mind is how did we do it? 

How did we vacation without the baby? 

Eight days people.. We took off for a full eight days.. Just the two of us... Without a care in the world... 

And the only way we could do that was because ---- here it is--- pay close attention now--- because of our parents! 

Yup..!! 

Like I have always said... If you want to have a baby .. Make sure you have your parents around and make sure they are happy with you!!!!  

Ha ha ha ha!! 

No, but seriously... 

It is the only way you can ever consider doing this.. Taking time off.. Vacationing just like before... something we always tell people who want to become parents right? "oh things will never be like before" ummm... they can be!

Now a days I think, because of that " we are independent individuals" and the whole " please ma you have no idea how to look after a baby anymore" " my way is the best way" thought process we end up alienating our parents from our kids.. 

It's terrible... 

Kids need grandparents... they will  experience a kind of love that's just beyond compare... And trust me, grandparents need their grand kids... It makes them younger and happier like nothing else can...

I have known this little secret from day one.. If you nurture this relationship.. You will always get time off... Stress free!!! 

I know that these nannies and nurses are all very competent and very in sync with the new age parenting methods... and I'm not taking away from the couples who don't have a choice... maybe their parents live in other cities or worse other countries.. or are too old to help... but in general I would personally pick a grandparent to look after the pudding than a nurse or a nanny. 

That would be stress free for me... because as many indulgences they might entertain... I know that they will always have the kids best interest... and no one else could possibly love your kid as much.... and for me that is most important...  

So even if you're parents stay away from you.. go visit them often or have them over often... let the kids know them... if they are out of town too... make sure summer diwali winter any kind of vacation the kids should want to go visit them.... 

I remember my childhood... weekends were always at my nana nani's home with my cousins...where we would go the beach or spend nights playings cards... and bigger vacations meant going to pune to my granny's place with cousins from the other side... we stayed in a very quiet part of pune where we could run around with no  worry in the world and ate mangoes like they were getting over!!! and trust me i wouldn't exchange that for any other kind of childhood... the memories and relationships I built then... incredible!

and what did my parents do while I was out enjoying my childhood... they probably chilled like never before!!!

So thats how i did it... I made him fall madly in love with my mum and aadi's parents... and then I ran away to London with my boyfriend/husband/father of my son and had a blast!! 

We walked around hand in hand, danced all night (well at least till the last train left the city to get to Langley!!) shopped peacefully, lounged in hyde park... drank for most part of the day, chatted away.... and all the while not one real thought about "is he ok... is he missing us? " nothing. 

Thats doesn't mean we didn't miss him.. we missed him incredibly once a day.. and usually when we saw some adorable boy running around or another... but no worry.

And he was good too... he was with people he loved in jaipur... meeting more people (cousins of ours came to visit him in jaipur) who would love him and make him the center of attraction, just how he likes it... and for the three days he was in bombay with mum, his darling mamu and mami came visiting... then he visited them and his little brother... So overall he was good!!

Hmmmmm ya, we can totally do this annually... next year maybe we can increase it to around 10-12 days... what do you think?!!!!

10 things about my 2.5 year old!

1. He's talking non stop now... Tells us stories even... What he did in school.. Who his friends are.. It's non stop chatter!! There are days he goes into gibberish still.. But I think he does it purposely..! He likes our reactions to his silliness! 

2. He's grown tall.. So tall ...  He's growing out of all his clothes... His pants are too short.. And shirts show his little tummy!! We've got many pairs of shoes he's only worn like twice or thrice.. 

3. He's pretty potty trained... Well atleast 85% which isn't too bad!! He's got his first set of undies.. Avenger ones.. With hulk and captain America!! He loves them!!! 

4. He has friends .. His school friends and his building friends.. He understands what the word friend means! He calls his building friends " my boys"!!!! And he fist bumps them all when he goes down to play... He also get upset when they don't give him much attention.. Well they are 8 and he is 2.5!!!! 

5. He has and displays feelings... Including tantrums!! He gets upset and happy and shy and shows all those emotions in such a grown up way... It's not all just various kinds of cries that you try to decipher... It's actual words and feelings and emotions.. And he has quite a wide spectrum for a toddler! 

6. He loves singing and dancing. Oh he loves it! Uptown funk with his dad.. Man that kid can dance .. I mean, ya its in his genes... But still .. The love for it is crazy! Any beat on TV any form of music and he starts dancing to it!!! There are evenings he will ask for his music on either of our phones and say " let's dance papa" and then the top will go around the house bouncing to it!!! 

7. He loves curd rice... South Indian he is  like his dadi! No, but really.. There are days he'll pick curd rice over anything .. Rotis, chicken, daal, pizza even!! I think it's his comfort food!

8. He sleeps on his own... Rolling around the bed till he passes out... The biggest blessing off life if i may say so myself! All I need to do is switch off the light and stop talking and next thing you know he's rolling on my tummy on my face all over the bed and then suddenly he isn't.. And I look at him and he's passed out! 

9. He plays quietly.. With his cars and his veggies.. You know this is such a great thing especially when you work from home.. Times when I need to focus and keep him busy.. I pull out his cars or plastic veggies and he sits quietly and plays... He'll talk to himself and his toys and sometimes come over to me with a plate of fried corn or coffee in a cup!! But otherwise he just does his own thing!! 

10. He knows what love is and expresses it! Somedays he will just come up to you and kiss you and hug you and make you feel like he most special person in the whole wide world!!!  It's incredible... How much love he feels for you.. He even crushed you with his hugs!!! And smashes your cheeks in with his kisses!!! It's adorable!! 

This age, this phase is probably my most favourite... Because he talks, he asks for things, he reacts, he over acts, he can do a lot on his own, but he still needs me... 

He's still young enough for me to bully him into kissing me and hugging me... But old enough to eat some meals on his own! 

He does and says the funniest of things and even though he understands everything.. He's still a little baby somewhere in there! 

It's a really fun and funny age.. And I hope it lasts for a little longer!!!