Wednesday 10 December 2014

Boo boo happened!!!

So recently, because of the heat, bumling got a little rash on his neck... Everyday twice a day we've been applying some Nivea cream to cool it...

He loves this process... He loves opening the small cream box, loves putting his little fingers in the cream and applying it to his neck! 

Everytime we apply we tell him "boo boo happened no siddy so we are putting cream" 

And he will repeat what we say!!! 

"Boo boo happened to siddy, apply cream!!!"

One day while playing his car fell down from the table... So i said " oh siddy boo boo happend to the car" 

"Boo boo happened..." Thinks for a minute... And goes and gets the cream...

" Mumma apply cream"!!!!!

And that's how his cars smell of Nivea cream!!! 



Tuesday 2 December 2014

Chappar chappar!!

Chappar chappar.... Non stop chappar chappar has started people..

Mumma who dat? 

Mumma give

Mumma choc - late.... 

Mumma mini car

Mumma le go Mumma

Mumma truck 

Mumma this Mumma that Mumma got a headache!!!! And stomach ache from laughing at the cuteness...

It's such a mad mix the annoyance of every sentence starting with Mumma Mumma and the adorableness of what he is saying!!! 

Bumling is loving talking... Somedays it's proper sentences... With broken up words like:

I going school or I going nai nai (bath time!!) 

And somedays it's just plain gibberish!!! 

Either ways it's super adorable! 

What's really fun is to ask him what he did in school... And you can see this concentration on his little face where in he knows what he did but the poor kid can't find the words to say it.. So he'll do one word descriptions like 'coloring' or 'dancing' or 'happy birthday' if there was a kids birthday!!! 

But that look when he's thinking of the words is so so so cute!!! 

And now that he is enjoying talking I'm encouraging him to talk more like when we went swimming last week I told him to tell his Mamu what he did... 

So he starts with " siddy swimming... Water...board ... Papa holding siddy..." All with these gaps while he's forming he words in his head and all with the cutest pronunciations of words!!!! Swimming is thwimming !!! 

And then he will kick his little legs to demonstrate the thwimming!! 
 
It's soooo much fun now that he is talking and understanding and reacting to what you are saying... Like the other night I was taking him to sleep and I asked him if he wanted his puppy ... He looks at the puppy and says " yes" so I said ok go get him... And promptly he went picked up the puppy and got him in... 

So not only did he understand me he thought about what I said then reacted!! 

My baby, my bumling is growing up... He not only knows what he wants but he can say it out loud... 

At night time.. When he knows his neneh is taking him to sleep.. He'll run around saying 'no neneh stop neneh ... Siddy sleep other room!!!!!! ' 

Now if he gets hurt he'll come and tell me and point to the spot that hurts... 

While his vocab is getting stronger by the day so his is awareness and sharpness... 

He remembers the chocolates are hidden behind the ketchup... He knows the apple is hidden in the oats... He remembers words and reactions to things... It's spooky!!! 

And man does he pick up words like a parrot!!! I could be randomly talking to Aadi about stuff and next thing I hear is he is repeating all my last few words ... So I'll say ' ya she came and picked up the bag' and Mr will go ' picked up the bag' 

Gotta be extra careful now with what we say ... And what we do... He's watching us and imitating is faster than we can blink... 

I love this stage though... I want to freeze this stage... This naughty adorable bite-his- cheeks phase!!! 


Working it...!

Working with a baby is tough... 

You have got to really really.. Seriously, really really love what you do... Because otherwise you're screwed! 

At the same time you have to have your priorities absolutely right..

I love what I do.... But I love my siddy more.... 

While work makes me happy that monkey face makes me happier!! 

I know there is this long debate going on forever about working moms vs stay at home mums vs working from home mums... 

And while I honestly believe that every mum does her best with her kid... My personal opinion is to be as much with the kid as possible till they start proper school.

Right now siddy is picking up words and actions so quick it's almost scary ... I mean he seems like a genius sometimes how he remembers things and connects things..

At this age kids are so easy to mould and expose to greater things.. That I feel one shouldn't miss out on the opportunity.... 

A maid or teacher will have a very different way of teaching the little one things.. Methods you won't always like. 

And so I prefer working from home...

So that I can focus on siddy and focus on my work..

For the most part this has worked for me.. But somedays it's broken me down..

Like the days I have a deadline and he will be super cranky and clingy that night... And I will feel so pressured because I know he won't go to anyone else... And I start to loose my temper and feel like giving up on the idea of working....

It's tough.. It's super tough and that's why I feel you have to really love what you do... Because to wake up the next day.. Or worse, to be able to work thru the night to catch up with your deadline... It takes a lot of effort...

But I think I'm managing... With a lot of help from my mum and aadi.... So ya! 

If you want to work make sure you have lots of support... Support that will help you grow your baby into the person you want him to be...


Clingy and ...


Super clingy!!

Thursday 20 November 2014

Post work time!

I'm There are days I'm sooooo exhausted with siddy I can't wait for Aadi to come and take him off my hands...

Mum too.. We are tired running behind him feeding him keeping him entertained! 

So when Aadi comes we both sit back.. Put our feet up and won't even get up to get the wipes when he is changing his diaper!!! 

I'm sure lots of women are like that... And even if the poor guy has been out and about at work it doesn't matter... Post work time for him is also post work time for you .. Only difference is your day job is the munchkin and that's his fun time!! 

And luckily Aadi loves that time .. He looks forward to it...

So he'll come back and siddy will follow him around while he changes puts his shoes away and comes back into the living room...

Then the two of them sit down on the floor and start!! 

Every car will come out... All types of blocks will come out... He will want Aadi to push him around on his little truck... They will play with the football... And sit and chat with each other...  

Siddy's favorite expression when Aadi come is "le go papa" which means "let's go papa" and he expects Aadi to give up everything to go play with him!!!

Well mama approves baby boy... Le go papa.. While mama rests up!! 


Love what I do!

When I share a picture or a video of Siddhant it isn't to get the likes and comments and sit back and feel all smug...

It's isn't to say to the world ' look how cute my kid is' 

This blog or my facebook Instagram pages have nothing to do with wanting to 'show off' the bumling. 

It isn't that I don't have a sense of a personal space or wish to make my life an open book...

It all started with being amazed.. Amazed at the tiny - ness of this miracle that was placed in my arms on feb 22 2013. 

And of the magic that followed every day since. 

Of being witness to a person growing up.. Of you being the one person that little thing has his utmost trust in... Whom he loves unconditionally... No questions asked...

I was amazed by it all.. Every time he blinked his eyes, or responded to my voice before he could even talk or make a sound, every time he tried to roll over or reached out for his toys...

I was amazed...

Amazed that something that grew in my tummy... that kicked me and curled up inside me...was out here smiling at me and hugging me and kissing me...

and i couldn't stop sharing it with everyone!

Im not a people's person... most people who know me know this... I'm actually quite reserved when i meet people, unless I instantly like you...  And then I don't just like you I love you.... but otherwise I take my time to warm up with people...

But this miracle of life... its made me a people's person... he's made me want to stand up high on a cliff and shout out to every one every time he does something maddeningly adorable...but instead of a cliff I choose social platforms on the internet!!!

Also i feel being a mum is a very tough thing to be... because just by being one you actually have to become a hundred things at one time... a mum, a cook, a maid, a joker, a singer, a doctor, a child, a teacher, a friend to name a few.... you have to know more than you can think of knowing, you have to understand the fine line between being paranoid and being carefree, you have to be strict and fun in one go...

its too much too soon...

no matter how much you prepare and read and 'study' before becoming a mum... everything goes out the window the day that bumling is placed in your uncertain arms... and suddenly you know what it is to feel immense fear and love!!

so while this blog is to document the amazement i feel every time i look at bumling do something new... its also to put down things i have learnt and experienced for new mums to read and feel a sense of community a sense of not being alone in this mad journey...

While i do enjoy and love the love i feel from everyone who likes my posts and comments on my bumling's funny pictures ( to whom I want to say thank you) to anyone who feels its too much... please happily click on the unfollow button!!!


Saturday 15 November 2014

Mumma put it in!!

A little note on how quick the little bumling is growing...

So remember the kid I spoke about the other day who came to visit us and took siddy's toy... But wouldn't share..

I'm not judging... He was a baby... So it's all cool...

But what's amazing is this:

We went to visit them a few days later... And when we reached, the other baby wasn't home... So siddy was in a good mood... Playing performing and all... 

Full on ' do your happy face ' and he'd smile , 'do your angry face ' and out came this big frown!!! 

Then while we ate the bazillion things my aunt had made for us he played with his cars...

So he has this car in his hand and he's driving it on the sofa..

And in walks the other kid...

siddy comes towards me, looks at the kid, looks at me , points to my purse and gives me his car and says 

" Mumma put it in" 

One: that's a full sentence so yayie!!! 

And two: how did this 21 month old not only remember the kid, remember what happened last time, and gave me his car for safe keeping?!!!!

It's something amazing no? 

I thought so...

This bumling is just getting bigger and bigger smarter and smarter and more and more amazing!! 



Of course later the two were fully playing jumpy jumpy on the bed!!! 

But it's amazing to see him grow! 

An update!

Posts are really getting fewer and more far inbetween... And I'm hating that...

I keep making little notes on my phone about all the fun topics I want to blog about.. But time just seems to be flying at a super sonic speed!! 

This last week back has been my craziest ever... Yes I know I say that often.. But it truly has been..

We were back from Jaipur Sunday night.. Monday I had a meeting in bandra.. Then I spent the day looking for furniture for my brothers new store..

Tuesday : worked on my art work for a birthday that happened today.. Went for a meeting too..

Wednesday: was at the printer practically the whole day.. Though my morning was fun.. We had a mommy baby day at school and siddy and I had a blast!!

Thursday: had two meeting plus helped the brother again...

Friday: started assembling 100 plates 100 napkin/spoon and forks 200 bottles .. With a lotta  help from the mommy..

Saturday : party setup...

And come tomorrow we are doing a small workshop at Nido's!! 

So as you can see it's been mental!! 

And in all this the bumling is growing at  super sonic speed too.. He's got taller and way more talkative... He imitates everything you do or say.. 

He's become a boy with scratches on his knees and lesser inclined to getting sloppy kisses!! 

He's also fast becoming a rascal.. A spoilt mind of my own rascal !! 

It's funny to see this already at 21 months... Thought I still had four months!!! 

Ah well! 


Tuesday 4 November 2014

Two problems!!

Siddy is a very gently kid... Quiet most of the times, plays on his own, hardly every throws a tantrum... 

Has learnt to say his thank you-s and good nights, is pleasant to everyone he meets, shakes their hands...

He loves school and in school though he prefers doing his own thing he listens to his teacher more often than not.. And if not it's not in a very loud angry way but just quietly chooses to do his own thing over what the other kids are doing..

So two things are bothering me today..

One: he startles easy... Too easy. 

When he was a baby it was the usual suspects, mixers and cookers, so I didn't worry too much...

But now a days even the slightest loud sound shakes him... He actually jumps when he hears a old auto trying to start up or if a tire bursts... While I understand these are loud disturbing sounds...

I've noticed he also gets freaked out when two people talk in loud tones...even if they aren't fighting...for example I was throwing away his minion party decor today because it was simply lying around catching dust... But my brother in law who is a big minion fan stopped me because he wanted to save them.. So very jokingly we were having a little tussle and I was laughing out loud saying 'why you wanna hang on to this junk' but he wouldn't listen and out of nowhere we hear siddy howling....like full blown howling... Both of us had to go to him and hug him and and give each other a hug in front of him and finally he was ok... 

He didn't like that we could be fighting.. For that matter anyone fighting or getting angry he can't handle it...

I remember even when papa would threaten Mylo with a rolled up newspaper as a baby he would start to cry...

He's super sensitive which is sweet but sometimes I feel it's not all good... He needs to toughen up...

On the flip side to this coin is problem number two:

So recently he had a play date with a rough and tough kid... The kid is a few months younger but is generally kinda loud and rough... 

And our man didn't like it one bit! 

So when the baby came home he immediately went for the car in siddy's hand... His mum felt bad so she gave siddy one of his cars.. But before siddy could play the kid had taken over both cars... 

Now that's normal a lot of kids are like that.. But siddy couldn't understand why he had lost out on both cars!! 

Thru the night, while the other kid played with siddy's cars, he made attempts to get to that kids car.. But each time he got close the kid would shout out... And this little child of mine would jump out of his skin... He would get so scared he would drop the car and come running to me and hide...

Anyway.. We met the same little kiddo a few days later.. And when that kid walked in siddy was holding his little car.. Immediately be hands his car to me points to my bag and says " Mumma, put it in" !!!! 

That day siddy was better, he played around in the bed with the other kid but the last shrill scream and he started to howl!! 

My poor friend felt horrible.. But it's really not anyone's fault.. All kids are different and that's a good thing.. Because each gets to learn from the other..

Except that siddy learnt a little too much..

So the second problem isn't his being scared of the kid.. It's his emulating the kid.. 

We now have a loud bratty siddy... Who throws his toys.. Shouts out loud and even whacks me on my face when he gets angry. 

I'm not saying all of this just started... It had started when he started school or maybe is an age thing... The ever dreaded terrible twos... But man.. Its tough...

So he gets timeouts..everytime he shouts or throws or hits he is taken into another room and put into a corner for a few minutes while I tell him that what he did was wrong. 

I remember a few weeks ago when I had punished him, he had felt really bad and had sat down in the corner.. But today there was only a look of rebelliousness in his eyes... He looked up at me smirking...

Sheesh... I have never seen a naughtier kid...

So it's really a double problem from two ends of the spectrum...

On how to make a gentle kid ok with loud noises and two how to make a bratty kid.... Well... Gentle?!!!!!!!!!



Monday 3 November 2014

Like father like son!!

The first time I heard Aadi speak in his sleep was nearly ten years ago... He had knocked out on my couch and I was,well, chatting with an ex- who was a just a friend then!! 

It was extremely awkward because in the middle of my conversation suddenly I hear Aadi .. I jumped out of my skin!!! 

But it was all gibberish interspersed with his brother, Nitinbh's, name! 

Over the years I have had many such night time experiences... Apparently he even sleep walked as a kid... Luckily not any more!!! 

Well, so the story is a like father like son story!! 

The other night, the monkey went to sleep... I was reading a book and just as I lay down, his hand went up in the air and he shook it around and said "coming Mumma coming" and then he started rubbing his eyes and eventually started crying... 

This coming Mumma coming is a iPad thing.. When videos on YouTube are loading I need him to have some patience so I've taught him that it's coming wait...so he gestures to wait with his little hand and says coming Mumma coming!!! 

I guess at night he was watching videos so his tiny little subconscious picked it up!!! My poor baby..

After that night I hide the iPad at night... Don't need the extra brain activity kicking up! 

But imagine... How like his daddy he is!!! 

It's super cute if you ask me!!


Wednesday 29 October 2014

Mommy look

It's strange but one of the things I've been most sensitive about is not looking like a mommy.

I'm not very fashion and trend conscious never have been... I have put on a considerable amount of weight and dress to hide it... I'm ok with that... But there is this certain "Ammi" look that I think new moms tend to have that scares the hell out of me. 

Post the baby I think so much of our attention goes to them that for a while you forget about yourself. Forget about dressing up ... Heck you get so busy you don't get the time for a good wax.... Your moustache starts to grow,.. Your eyebrows get bushy... Your nails are of varying lengths.... Don't even look at the toe nails.... 

You start to wear baggy clothes to hide the tummy bulge... Track pants to cover the hairy legs.... Since in the first few months you hardly go out... You hardly dress up....

Your hair is in a perpetual top knot... Which isn't even coolly done!!!! 

That look scares me.... Because it's very easy to fall into that trap and argue how exhausted you are to even try looking better.... And while its is true... It's also the most important thing to push yourself and look after yourself. 

I have spent up to my 28th year passing off as a 23 year old.... And suddenly I feel like I've jumped to 36 in one year. 

A few bloggers I follow... Mommy bloggers have been great inspirations to me to look better...

Here are what they look like post baby and with full fledged careers!!



Thats Melissa from Brave in Love formerly known as Dear Baby Blog. Hers was the first mommy blog I read and fell instantly in love with the idea of chronicling all of the little bumblebees antics.


Then there is Jo from Cup of Jo.... her articles while fascinating also have this cool vintage 70's feel to them that I love...


And finally, as much as I hate her I love her... Drea.... I mean ok don't don the ammi look but hello? Do you have to look like a super model? But frankly her posts are amazing... and her photographs are simply gorgeous... it looks like she literally lives in technicolor!

Well I guess when you have some inspiration like them, not only in the way they write but also in their fab dress sense... you learn... you learn to whoop you ass every once in a while and start working on yourself... because its not just about wearing the right clothes or putting on kajaal every morning... it about being fit and looking good....




Tuesday 28 October 2014

Diwali Spirit - Its always with you!

This post is part of a fun blog hop I've participated in with some wonderful bloggers I met recently online... It will be fun because you will get to read many perspectives on diwali from many different kinds of bloggers... from food to customs to crafts... to just what diwali means to us... Hope you guys enjoy the hop!!

Diwali means the world to me... Maybe because it has such a strong connection to my childhood.. For most of us I think... It's the time for family and food and festivities.. New clothes and fire crackers ... Cousins and friends....

It's a happy time...

But somehow over the years, maybe because we've grown out of it or have become too busy in our work and looking after our kids.. Somehow the magic of it has diminished...

Last year because it was siddy's first Diwali we did it full blown.... Right from all the small traditions to the food and breakfast to the big party with all of our friends in Jaipur... It was amazing...

But this year.. Instead of doing traditional things we decided to push off for a family vacation.... 

I've been married five years but for some reason we haven't all managed a family vacation till now... So the first chance we got (the husbands Diwali vacations of four days!) we decided to go to Dubai.

While I was super excited for the trip because it was also the little puddings first vacation abroad... I was a bit heartbroken about missing Diwali breakfast the puja and the late night parties full of good food and drinks...

And Dubai.. While it is one gorgeous city in terms of its architectural feats... What would it know of Diwali...

And so we went... And got to our hotel.. And spent the day doing all touristy stuff.. And then came night.. 

And the lights came on...like in a movie...!

Almost 85% homes were lit up in the most beautiful twinkling lights I have ever seen... 

It was such a great feeling to see Diwali.. 

My festival our festival being celebrated in a foreign country... 

We went for a walk and came across so many families bursting crackers while wearing their finest fineries! Little kids running around.. Women gossiping and men laughing out loud...

It suddenly felt like Home and felt like Diwali! 

That evening our family sat together in our room and had drinks and ate some yummy food and laughed and joked and had a great time.. 

And I realised that Diwali is something that's in our hearts and we take it with us everywhere.. It's not in the breakfast or the crackers or the dinner parties.. Those are great parts of Diwali.. But the essence of it is in our hearts.. Engrained forever.. And as long as you have your loved ones around you.. You can have the best Diwali no matter where you are!






And here is all the tradition Diwali decor I did at home this year before leaving, with a little help from the monkey:






Come join a set of fabulous bloggers sharing their Diwali moments , easy Crafts, DIY ideas, Recipes and book recommendations with you .

Starting from today till Diwali and beyond, each one of us will be writing a post related to Diwali.
Participating blogs

So sit back, relax and check out all the fabulous Diwali Dhamaka posts from the participating blogs in the linky.
Link in your Diwali posts here

Thursday 23 October 2014

1st trip abroad!

My dream for siddy is for him to travel... I want him to see everything there is to see in this world and experience every kind of experience there is to experience...

The best part is I can be his partner in crime for the first few years... Before it becomes uncool to travel with your parents!!! 

A kids first 'abroad' vacation is a BIG deal. 

We had plans of taking him to Australia last year.. And so we rushed and got his passport made.. But for some reason it didn't materialize...

Dubai was always on the cards.. For two reasons.. Dadima wanted to go there forever.. And two we all wanted a great family vacation which was close by and convenient.... 

So much excitement starting from bag packing, which drove the monkey mad, to catching a cab to the 'international' airport.. 

Mr was all dressed up in his fancy 'Zara' clothes!!! 

Travelling with him is fun... Seeing his excitement for everything is fun...watching him watch new things in awe really makes you look at things differently...

But what's annoying is sometimes you want him to see something or experience something and all his focus is on is something silly (according to you!!) and you try to take his attention away but he refuses!!!   

Patience building never stops!!


The flight was good.. All the way to the hotel the monkey was very well behaved.. He slept thru most of it... Ate his in flight food... Didn't make too much noise or cry or anything... It's a blessing..

He's always been pretty ok on flights but I was worried... From a one and a half hour flight to a two and a half hour.. I wasn't sure he would sit peacefully!! 

But he did!


Our hotel is great.. Each room is a studio apartment... Fully loaded with a microwave, hot plate, percolator and a washing machine!!!! Amazing!! 

The view is awesome and the best part is loads of Indians live around us so there are soooooo many lights out it it doesn't make you miss home! 

We were there for five days and the amount of things we packed in was amazing.. And despite seeing everything (pretty much) there was to see.. We still had a lot of free time on hand... For shopping!!!! 

Bumling thoroughly enjoyed shopping.. We were depaetetly in need of good shoes that fit him and so every mall we went that was all we were looking for initially.. And he loved it.. He would walk into a store and would sit down and point to his shoes and say "Mumma move move"!!!! 

I let him pick his own shoes... And he was thrilled!!! We finally bought two pairs and a pair of slippers!!! I know I know he's too small for slippers.. But oh so cute!!! 


And the clothes we picked up for him were also just adorable! But he didn't much enjoy the clothes shopping.. He didn't care!

But I think he had two favorite parts to this trip.. One was the aquarium in the mall.. I fell in love with it.. He toh must have gone nuts!! 

He's read about fish and we draw fishes and sometimes even see them on TV but to see them live and swimming and in such numbers must have amazed him! 


And we fed the fish too.. It was too cute he would say "Mumma fish khana" 

Sentences people.. The kid is making sentences!!!!! 

And the second was the camel ride in the desert... We did that mad car safari which he hated and howled thru but mostly I think because he had just woken up and couldn't understand why the car was behaving so badly!! However later while playing with his car he was shaking it up and saying "car dhudum dhudum!!!" 

When we reached the dinner place there were six lazy camels... They were huge.. Again he has heard of them read about them sung about them in fact my grandmum has even gifted him a stuffed camel from her trip to Dubai... But to see a real live one so big made him go crazy!!! 

So we took him for a ride on one.. And there was another tied close to ours such that his face was literally resting on my knee and siddy actually reached out to touch him...

No fear!

It was amazing! 


Luckily at all the malls we got him a stroller and granny a wheel chair so that we could actually cover most of the gigantic malls... One time Siddy's stroller was in the shape of a car and the kid went a bit mental!! 


He also had his first experience in a bath tub with bubbles and all and he was thrilled to bits.. Initially he was spooked but once he got a hang of it he loved it.. The kid is a fish I tell ya! 

Over all the trip was fantastic!! We ate lots saw lots.. The city reeks opulence and luxury.. A bit too much for my liking.. I prefer simpler more soul filled places.. But you can't take away from the insane architecture it has.. The skyscrapers of various shapes and sizes .. All lit up and gorgeous... 

For siddy's first trip I couldn't ask for more.. He had his Dadu Dadi Dadima Tau and mommy and daddy for company... He was the center of attraction, the center of all our universes!!! 








Monday 20 October 2014

That moment ....

That moment in bed when he's all curled up to you and being this adorable little thing...

Looking up at you smiling, running his tiny fingers all over your face and hair ...

Giving you the softest coldest kisses...

Singing twinkle twinkle with you...

And you look at him and think nothing can be cuter in the world ..

And..

Whack..

An elbow in your neck...- knee jammed into your stomach... 

Little fingers have suddenly grown nails that scratch you near your eye..

And you're thinking... No one could be more painful than this kid..

That moment.




The Hair Cut!!

I love siddy's curls they are my favorite thing... Soft and adorable!

And he looks so cute in them..
So when I was told to cut it.. By everyone because the weather is so bad and the poor bumling sweats like a mad dog in his hair ... My heart broke :(

But I knew it had to be done...

I have trimmed his hair in the past.. Just a bit of his fringe and little from the back but nothing major... The first one was a disaster he looked like he'd had the infamous Sadhna fringe!! 

So I didn't have the guts to go ahead and give him a full on haircut.. That's when I decided to go the the guys who give me fab haircuts... Zido salon!

The adorable Zing, took us in despite a packed day because I had just three days in hand before leaving for a long vacation... 

He knew as soon as we reached that there was some thing going on... He's been there before but never reacted like this..

He refused to sit on the chair and clung on to me like a monkey... 

Finally I had to sit and keep him on my lap with the apron around me!!! 

We gave him his iPad and started...

I knew exactly what I wanted and Zing cut it perfectly and in a matter of less than fifteen minutes we were done!! 

Not one sound from the monkey! 

Once we were done and he and I were all brushed up.. I said to him " siddy hair gone" 

So he puts his hand on the back of his head looks a bit confused and repeats " hair gone!!" 

We cut the back out completly almost like a razor cut and left the front and top with his curls.. See he needs his hair to do li that li that no?!!




Li that li that!!!

So there's this thing I love... A lot.

Wheb I'm sleepy or watching TV I love someone ruffling my hair... 

My mum used to do it for me, my masi even my cousin sister used to put me to sleep doing that...

I called it ' li that li that!!' Pronounced 'Li' as in start saying 'like' and stop before 'ke'!!!!!

And once I met Aadi he was my official li that li that doer! 

All thru my pregnancy he put me to sleep doing li that li that...

Every single night pretty much..

Now I don't know if it's a coincidence or what...

But anyone who has met bumling has seen him do li that li that to himself all. the. time! 

Seriously, while having milk while watching TV basically anytime he's in a chiller mood he starts ruffling his hair... 

Which is I why when I recently got it cut i had to be sure not to cut the top too short or how he will do li that li that?!!! 

So is it just a random habit or is it something that's connected deeper? 

I wonder! 









Thursday 16 October 2014

No Competition Here!!

Last month in school they had a mommy and baby day.... 

its was really sweet... all the mommies were there and one daddy and the theme of the day was vegetables.

So we started out with some vegetable printing... that was not easy... he's a messy painter!!!! no sense of what goes where .. just splat splat spread spread color everywhere... and whats worse, he mixed the yellow and green and orange and our painting was this awful mucky color!!

he ha ha ha ha ha ha!!

next they played some games. One was where the kids were given a vegetable like a potato or a lady finger and then they would place more of them all around the room and the kids had to get another of what they had... siddy loved this game... and every time he came back with the right one!

Then came the races... so they placed three potatoes three lady fingers three mini brinjals in a row at regular intervals and the kids had to race to one bring it back to his mum then go for the other and so on and so forth...

Now while the other kids ran around siddy was very excited... then came our turn... we had to get them potatoes...

ready steady go...

and the other two kids go running and what does mine do? he cheers them on... and points to the veggies they have missed!!!!!

not one competitive bone in that little thing!!!

it was really funny... other kids were picking his potatoes and giving them to him and all he did was say thank you to them and turned to smile at me....

and what did i do... smile right back!!!

its adorable you know in a way... that he doesn't go nuts trying to "beat" everyone and thats not even a trait i would want in him... he enjoyed cheering everyone on and well everyone else gave him what he needed so i guess it worked out alright then!!!

I'm sure there is enough time in the world for him to get competitive... but is that really all I want for him?

Nope... i want him to get what he wants... if he wants to win a race then I will encourage him to run faster... but if he thinks its ok to not always win then I will encourage him to do just that...

Competition is healthy... in fact I recently spoke to a friend of mine who didn't put her son in one of these new age schools because they do not encourage sports or any competitive activity... and she wanted her kid to enjoy healthy competition...

But I also know lots of mums who did put their kids there...

So I guess as long as your kid is happy doing what he does... and gets by alright... there really is no reason to push them right...

I mean after all he did get all his veggies right in the first game... that accounts for something!!


Spot us?


Here we are doing our own thing!!


See... See how pretty i was making it...... wish I had a picture of the muck he turned it into!!




Sunday 12 October 2014

Losing me

So that feeling is finally hit me... The 'I'm a mom and nothing else' feeling. 

The 'I'm now stuck for life' feeling

The 'I can't ever be irresponsible and wild and free' feeling

The 'what the fuck have I done' feeling....

It's been creeping up on me fo a while now.... Maybe because I've had a lot of work pressure and not being able to cope without damn near killing myself might have something to do with it.... Sure taking on less work is an option... But it's a tough option...

And it's not just related to work... It's the feeling of being stuck... Of not having an independent thought,... It's a feeling of loosing me myself and my identity.... Somehow just being Siddy ki mummy is seeming a bit suffocating... 

Don't get me wrong and anyone who by now is thinking "what a horrible mom why can't she just leave her work and act like an adult" can please just leave...

This post isn't about me not loving Siddy it isn't about me not being happy to have him in my life it sure as hell isn't about oh my god my career is screwed because I have a kid...

Nope it's just me missing the Alishka I was....missing the free spirit the fun the crazy Alishka I remember...

I don't do silly stuff, I think ten times before I do anything... I don't make random plans to just go out with friends... I don't stay up late watching junk on tv... I'm always just too tired...or I have an early morning,,, the reasons are vague and stupid... But somehow I just don't do things like I did before...

Hell my first doobie happened post Siddy simply because I wanted to do something mad and stupid... Because I felt like a super practical responsible mommy and I wanted to break out of that...

The point isn't to do stupid irresponsible things... The point is to stop myself from loosing me...

I'm sure lots of girls feel this... When everyday revolves around a kid and thier needs... Right from food to changing diapers to entertaining them... You forget yourself .... 

This feeling is natural... And like the post delivery depression I think this low feeling is inevitable when you have a toddler.... Your every though is about him... And by the end of the day you are just so exhausted.... 

Do you know I was searching my phone for a picture of me to put as my profile pic and I couldn't find a single one ... Not one picture of me on my phone... All of the puchka and my work... And any pic of my with him, I look like I have died....

I need a break...even a short break will do... Even a quite cup of coffee at a coffee shop alone with a book will do.... Maybe that's what I'll do tomorrow take a short break.. And find myself again, 


Thursday 9 October 2014

First PTA

I didn't care much about PTA's as a kid (Parent Teachers Associations) ... I already knew what my teachers were going to say about me...

I was a naughty kid.. who didn't like studying much... forgot her homework and books and was basically living in her own la la land most of the time!!

My mother already knew these things as well... so there was nothing to be worried....!

But come today... My little pudding's first PTA and I had little knots in my tummy!!

I know he's just 18 months old... I know its not like he's giving exams.... it wasn't anxiety over what the teacher would say... it was just the dawning of the thought that he was old enough to have a PTA in his school!!

My little bumling.... all grown up!

To start with made sure to at least dress up all grown up! You know how often when i look at him I feel somethings not right.. I'm a kid too how the hell do I have a kid? its a bizaare feeling!! So looking grown up was priority.

Then I made up my mind to not think about milestones that the kid should have reached and things he should be doing and saying....

Unfortunately i'm a part of a few mommy groups who every once in a while discuss at what age the kid ought to be doing what... by which month the teeth must come, by which he should stand with no support, by which he should say how many words...

Its stressful to be honest and except for the late teeth (which was most strange because come on, how many grown ups do you know who's teeth never came?!!!!) I have never let myself get drawn into these discussions....

So how ever he was doing at school was good enough for me...

Cut to me sitting in front of his teacher with my mom in law for company and the teacher had this form like a ratings form about a few parameters on which they judge their skills like motor skills and problem solving etc and I see that out of 20 he was good in about 15 and outstanding in about 5 and my heart sank!!!

I know i know its silly and stupid... but for that one instant I felt ... how come he isn't outstanding in more if not all? because his teacher couldn't stop raving about how good he is in class... how interactive he has become since the day he joined... how confident and inquisitive....

Then I looked at him playing with some building blocks and he looked so happy and thrilled with himself... and he looked at me and smiled and picked up a few blocks and came and gave them to me... and I realised that I better not ever get into that zone of pressuring him... of making him feel like he has to achieve certain milestones and get certain grades to be intelligent and smart...

I remember what my mum once told my teacher who was completely putting me down by saying if i didn't "buck up" i would fail in school and later in life and my mum said....

"Don't worry about her... She'll manage just fine"

and look at me today... doing what i love... with a bank of amazing experiences in terms of jobs what more could I want?

and what more can I want for Siddy?

So from here till his very last PTA i will be the chilled out mom... the trusting mom... the one who sees the most potential in her little pudding!


Tuesday 7 October 2014

Top Three Annoying Things!!



1. There go my peaceful bathroom days... no more chilling and reading all the rubbish gossip and checking out all the fun clothes in the newspapers....no... now its just answering to an incessant series of knocks interspersed with the very annoying repetitive " mumma mumma mumma mumma mumma mumma" aaaaarrrrgggghhhh!!

2.Do any of you have that clingy kid? The one who holds your legs and doesn't let you walk or move in any direction? And there is always that fear of your pants falling.... its bad for that to happen at home but outside... you just want to crawl into a corner and hide..... I don't know how they all know how to do this... do they learn to cling onto their mums from the womb? I mean really.... i see so many kids do this....

and the icing on the cake is when they do it while you are clearing the kitchen at night... so you have this small bowl with a curry filled to the brim because you were too tired to get a bigger bowl and he comes and holds your legs - you don't know whether to save the curry your legs or the kid!!!!

3. Its late, you're tired and you're waiting for him to sleep... but he's running around... suddenly he gets whiney and cranky and you jump for joy and rush to get his milk ready and then for some completely stupid reason you decide to quickly clean up his toys before you put him to sleep... and next thing you know he is WIDE AWAKE and playing again.... he thinks it would be best at 12:00 in the night to build his blocks into a biiiiiiiig tower....more aaaaarrrrggghhh!!


And then of course he does this:


and suddenly he's the most adorable baby in the world...!!!

Monday 6 October 2014

Big bum yoga

Kids are mean... And honest... I guess...

So somedays when I am all charged up I do yoga... The surya namaskar to be more precise ..

Usually I try to do it when siddy is in school but sometimes he's around...

And the little nakalchi bandar that he is... he imitates me!!

Its adorable to see him do the dog pose.... especially when we both do it and look at each other from under our legs!!!

but whats really funny... well not for me but maybe for you guys and obviously for him...

this one day i was doing my yoga... he was sitting on the sofa watching me.. and as soon as i get into the dog pose he says 

"Biiiiiiiiiiiig Bum!!!!!!!!!!!" 

hmmmmmmm.... yes darling thats why i'm doing the yoga thank you very much. 




Friday 3 October 2014

The blame game...

If you have seen the video about the lil kid arguing with his mum about cupcakes you know what a pa-pow is...

If not... Well it's a whack on the bum! 

I love siddy's bum and I totally love whacking it! And I love the word pa-pow as does he!! 

So the other day while playing I said 'siddy I'll give you a pa-pow on your bum or what?!'

And he laughed and smacked his own bum!! 

Then we saw my mum quietly doing something in the kitchen .. So I told him go give nene a pa -pow.. 

Excitedly and almost running he went into the kitchen and 'whack' right on her bum!!! 

And he squealed in excitement while she pretended to have got hurt!! 

Now he was charged up.. He ran towards me then ran back and gave her one more smack!!

Again he squealed and she shouted out!!! He was going nuts by now... 

So my mum jokingly said ' who is this monkey that's giving me pa-pows ?!!' 

Guess what he does..

In a second he points towards me saying 'Mumma'!!!!

So not only have we pa-powed nene.. We have happily blamed mum for it!!!!


Wednesday 1 October 2014

Baby smells!!!

Have you ever stuck you nose to a baby's cheek and inhaled deeply? 

No?

You should try it someday... It's the most awesome smell ever... And I'm not just talking about the Johnson and Johnson smell... I'm taking about the baby's smell....

It's somehow also one of the most comforting smells...

Even at 19 months Siddy has this amazing baby smell which I love.... And his soft little cheek.. Ah the combination is fatal.. I can give up work or food or anything for it! 

Because once you get that whiff all you want to do is cuddle and snuggle with the little munchkin for the rest of the day!

All you want is to keep kissing him and hugging him and sniffing him like some drug!! 

Go smell a little munchkin today and tell me what you think! 


Saturday 27 September 2014

At 19 months....

19 months:

1. Bites into fruits and veggies without caring if they can be bit into! He loves picking an apple and biting into it.. But he can't tell the difference between one and a pomegranate!!!! Today at star bazaar I gave him a tomato and he loved eating it all squishy and juicy!! 

2. Everything must be repeated.... Everything!!! What you say what you do ... Copy cat number one! 

3. He loves water.. He loves filling one utensil then pouring it into another then another then stirring it... He can do this for hours!!

4. He loves his building blocks.. He loves making ' biiiiiiig towers'!! He loves putting them all into his box and then throwing them all out more than anything! 

5. He loves Yash... Yash is our maids son and siddy's best friend. Yash has a history of being the brattiest kid in the world to the point where his mother had to tie him to a bed once to calm him down!! And he is a mouse in front of the bumling... Siddy actually holds him by his neck and walks around the house.. The kid is taller and actually has to bend all the at thru.. but doesn't say a word!!

6. He loves his teacher and his friends at school. He recognises them in photographs by name... Which is kinda awesomeness!! for a little kid to recognise people from their pictures...

7. He loves the iPad.., yes we've given it to him.. He gets it for a few hours a day (scattered of course) mostly when he is eating or is super duper cranky.... We've got some fun nursery rhymes and some alphabet apps... But most of all he loved the mother goose club... Oh god so annoyingly happy they all are I wanna punch them one day!!! 

8. He loves saying big words like Kangaroo and Watermelon... but the cutest is when he says tongue twister (for him) like Gunvant (my mum's tailor) oh man he sounds sooooo cute!!

9. he loves his stuff toys... his camel and dog and kangaroo and especially my mum's monster!!

10. Man does he love his music.... This kid can dance!! Its adorable how much he loves listening to music and dancing... and everything from EDM to Hip Hop to Lungi dance he will shake that bum!!!

At 19 Months he is at his most adorable most fun stage!!!

Loving every minute of it!







Friday 26 September 2014

My Doggie Rescuer!

How a man treats a waiter says a lot about him.

Heard that one before?

Well how a toddler treats his stuffed toys says a lot about him too...

Siddy has a bunch of stuff toys... and he loves them... he kisses them and hugs them and feeds them

But I didn't know the extent of his love for them till he was gifted a remote control car...

So super excited daddy and siddy are playing with this spanking new red Audi car... and for fun aadi drives the car towards siddy's doggie.

Suddenly siddy goes " Stop Papa" he puts up his hand and toddles off toward his doggie and picks him up..." No No Papa"

He saved his Doggie!!

Another time we were playing with one of those toys, where you turn the screw around for a bit and let go and it whizzes around the house in super jet speed....

so this one was a dino and again for fun we put him on a little table...

Just as he would reach the edge, and before he fell, siddy was say " No No Papa" or "Stop Papa"!!!

That little 18 month old baby boy realised that the car could hurt his doggie, that the dino could fall off the table...  and actually asked his daddy to stop right in time.

Its amazing how sensitive he is.... my sweet li'l bumling!




Thursday 25 September 2014

Feeding the Doll!

I made maggi the other day... I hate maggi...but some days I just get a craving for it.... and I have to have it!!!

So i made it like a friend of mine does... with garlic onion and other fun masalas.

I take my bowl and you know who comes....

"noodle noodle noodle...."

I know maggi isnt the best thing... but I gave him a few strands of noodles in his own bowl...

I have not seen a happier kid!!!

I think it was the texture the sliminess and the fact that he just couldn't get it in his little fingers that kept him mesmerised for about twenty minutes!!!

20 minutes people... enough time to enjoy a bowlful of maggi!!

While all of this was super cute... the cutest thing was yet to happen...

Recently bumling has been bugging me where food is concerned, so while feeding him to keep him entertained I've been play feeding all his animals....

"Now we'll feed Bhu bhu (the dog)" and I'll pretend to feed him and say " Next bite for Siddy"

and he would eat.

So at one point he takes his little bowl of noodles, walks to the window platform where his doll is, yes he has a doll... she's pretty and pink, and he says "Eat"

I'm laughing at this sight and next thing i know he has picked up a strand of noodle and put it on her face!!!!!!

"eat... eat" he tells her!!!

So mumma quickly goes, distracts him and removes the noodle from the poor dolls face and i say

" See Siddy, she ate her noodles"

promptly more is placed on her face!!!

I don't know what I loved the most... the fact that he's old enough to understand feeding someone, the fact that he plays with a little doll so carefully and gently... ahhhh... I don't know but i do know that kids... they do the funniest most heart warming things!



The Bunny, The Snake, The Doggie, The Monkey, The Camel, The Kangaroo.... And what they do at night!!!


Giving the Giraffe some milk while holding on to Alex!


Tuesday 16 September 2014

Nakalchi bandar!

We now have a little copy cat monkey on our hands...

Everything and anything you do or say will be repeated! 

It's hilarious more often than not..

Like the time his Dadu said "Dadu ka puddu" and he would repeat "puddu!!!" 

He loves picking the last word of the sentence, what ever it is..

"Dadu ka cutey beta"

"Beta!!" 

"siddy is a monkey"

"Monkey!!" 

Fine the last one was what I said to him!! 

Of course some days he picks up the wrong thing... The other day me and his dadi were in the car with him, and I was driving which means a lot of comments and small abuses being hurled all thru..,

At one point mom said "stupid girl" not to me, to this stupid girl who cut lanes without a signal, and next thing we hear is 

" stuuuuuupid" 

It's the cutest sound the way he said it but oh my god!! Trouble! 

Once I was jokingly shouting at my mum and I pointed my finger at her and said "shut up"

And what do you know...

Mister is now pointing his super tiny finger as saying " shaaa aaap"!!!

Uff... I have to be so careful now... For me the f word is a noun, adjective and filler... But the last thing I need is for him to repeat it!!! Especially out in public!!! 



He also copies all things we do... Every morning he sees us having our coffee and dipping our biscuits in it... So now not only does he want to have a biscuit he wants to dip it in my coffee! 

Yes I let him.. Two drops of coffee once a week... He'll be ok...


He loves following Aadi around the house doing what he's doing.. When Aadi wears his shoes he goes for his own shoes... He loves eating breakfast with his daddy simply because daddy is eating and he must copy him!! 

If we eat with a spoon he wants his own spoon...if we eat roti he wants roti.. Rice toh rice... 

The little bumling has even picked up the rather adorable but bad habit of cheers!!! 

We've taken him for a few parties and he loves the clinking of glasses... So everytime he insists on getting his own glass or bottle to clink with every one and when we say cheers he gets so excited!!! 

But all in all it's super fun watching him imitate us and everything we do.... I guess it's his way of learning and it's so damn cute! 




Monday 15 September 2014

A Mad Day....

Those days do come by ... when you just want to crawl into bed and pretend you have no baby... and no responsibilities...

I've had that day today...

when going to the bathroom becomes impossible because there is this little thing knocking non stop on the door...

when the words " mumma mumma mumma mumma " can pierce into your brain creating a small hole thru which your patience starts leaking out...

when there are tiny arms holding onto your legs so tight you can't move forward or backward and either your food burns on the gas or the bottle you were filling overflows because you just couldn't get there in time..

and you're exasperated and exhausted and annoyed and irritated....

you wish you could go back five years, ten even... and enjoy that reckless relaxed life again... if you could, you wouldn't take a single nap for granted, a single 'alone' moment won't seem dull...

Sipping on your cup of coffee will seem like a dream... not having to plan meals and activities... not having to sniff for potty... not having to pick up tiny toys and books every night ...

not having to be too tired to make spontaneous movie plans and dinner dates..

ahhhh!

The last ten days have been madly hectic... with the in laws here... we've been constantly doing something... going shopping or simply taking in the beautiful sea that we take for granted... add to this I had two huge orders to finish... I have not slept in ten days... well ok.. I've slept for 6 to 7 hours each day... anyone who knows me... knows that that leads to a very grumpy alishka... but I couldn't be grumpy... not when the family was visiting... so in all that I had to be happy cheerful alishka... and she's exhausting!!

So of course by the end of the ten days... i felt like i was going to fall down... and then comes the clingy little baby.... ok so he wasn't extra clingy but i felt like he was an extra limb attached to me all day that I didn't really need.....!!

I'm not being mean... I love my kid... he's my sunshine... but i think till I don't catch up on my full sleep... which doesn't look like is happening tonight (its 1:00 already!!) I will be super grumpy and unfortunately that does come out on the pudding....

So i shall sleep...and try to be fresh and cheerful tomorrow.... so that I don't miss the ten years ago alishka too much and I love the eighteen month old baby i have with me!!





Saturday 13 September 2014

A quick update!

Hey people... Sorry for being so out of it for a while now..

Have had the most power packed action filled last ten days ever... 

Aadi's parents and grandmum have come to visit the little bumling... So all my time has gone in making fun eating and shopping plans with them!!  

Add to that two big project deadlines have happened exactly while they have been here...

So been working at night till two sometimes three in the morning and then spending the whole day with them doing timepass has sort of taken a toll on me.. 

Which is why writing has taken a back seat! 

But the bumling is doing great with all the added attention he is getting.. He loves loves loves his ever loving grand parents and is a total Dada's chamcha... Following him around the house!! 

He has been playing and performing for them like a little doll on a key! It's just been tooooo much fun! 

I'll put up some pics and videos of the mini vacation (if not for my work) that I've been on soon :)

Ps: a quick update on the potty training.. We are now faking wanting to go to the pot simply to be taken into the loo where we immediately start playing with the bucket and water... So well, still a long way to go!! 


Monday 8 September 2014

At 18 months

Having an eighteen month old boy is like having a small hurricane in the house 24/7 !!! But there are also a few things about him which make me feel grateful he is a big boy now...

Here are my top favorite things about my little bumling at 18months:

1. The way he repeats every word you say. And the more difficult the word the more he enjoys saying it!! While this is awesome in terms of his vocab increasing.. It is also really taxing on me to be careful of what I say.. My vocab needs to be blurred or censored now!!!!! The other day something happened and I said 'stupid you are' and next thing you know mr is happily repeating the word stupid!!!!

2. His love for school! It's the biggest blessing in the world to drop off a happy kid and pick one up too.... He enjoys being around other kids and loves his teachers... Comes home and in his own way tells us what he did in school... For example we were counting the autos on the road and we put up one finger and said ' One auto'.. He does the same and immediately says 'teacher'!!! 

3. The way he plays quietly in the kitchen... Give him two or three big utensils a few spoons and a glass with little water and he is a happy kid..!! I wonder if he'll become a chef!! Ha ha ha ha ha! 

4. The way he understands and relates things... If he sees water spilt on the floor he'll get the swipe from the kitchen and if he sees paper or murmura on the floor he will get the sweeper... The fact that he can distinguish between the two is pretty awesome...

5. His affection... The way he sees me, feels all loveydovey and calls out with his arms reaching out to me "come Mumma"!!!! Who can resist that?!! And oh the hugs and kisses I get when he is inthe  mood.. It's my favorite part of him being old enough to understand love and affection ... It's heart melting!!!