Monday Blues

How on earth is it last Monday of February? Weren’t we shouting Happy New Year few days back? Woah!!

I love putting mommy's bindi

See, I look so pretty as a girl

It's Sunday

Mom, stop taking pictures will you!

So today is Monday, the most difficult day of the week. Leaving Aurko for work is hardest on Monday, not that it is easy any other day but on Mondays its extra difficult as we spend the weekend almost glued together.  Long time back I use to take Mondays as a clean slate—a time of renewal I use to say to myself! But motherhood has put a stop to that in past 1 year. Although I am striving to go back to that state of mind again and take Monday as a fresh start to the week and look forward to achieve what I missed last week. My little man is 18 months old and on the brink of leaving his babyhood behind. You have any idea how it feels? It feels weird, I don't remember him being a baby now! He is growing so fast and I am trying to grapple the changes and store it in my memory for ever. He is learning  new skills everyday and it's becoming hard to remember his all firsts. I want to learn that from him -- learn to be inquisitive. Every day is a new day be it Monday or Sunday, and I just want to start afresh and rejoice the fact that I am sailing along in the path called life with some of the most amazing people around who make my days and nights crazy yet perfect in a sweet way.

Winter's Here, Winter's Coming!

The winter is in the air and the topas are out. I thought last years woolens will not fit in this winter, but surprisingly it did. This hand knitted woolen cap is a gift from my sis-in-law when Aurko was 4 months old. See, how my cherub is flaunting it in style.

Ring in the winters, I say!

No Place for Walker

I can’t help feeling a pang of sadness as I put away Aurko’s walker up in the loft of the store room—he is walking full fledged these days. Though it’s not as if I am bidding good bye to the walker, but still it broke my heart to realize he is growing so fast, that he don't need it anymore. I have noticed, he don’t EVEN look like a little baby, more like a little toddler. A toddler? It seems like yesterday when I hold him for the 1st time. Parting with his baby clothes is again a sentiments ridden task, I've been hoarding everything since his birth, and he is 14 months old now. Imagine the clutter. I have become such a hoarder, I literally have closet full of cute little baby stuff because I'm so sad to put it all away in boxes. It's so hard to get rid of these stuffs, I feel sad that he will not be able to fit into all these clothes ever again. My baby is no longer a baby and knowing that I soon have to part with this chapter of my life is what breaking my heart.

Stop me if you can! Though in the picture he is sitting and not running. But boy,  you have to see him riding this to believe me? He use to be as fast as a flash. I wish I had a good video of this. 10 month old Aurko.

1st time in a walker, and he was a little scared. 8 Months old.

I can even run on sand. 14 Months old Aurko.

Moves like Jagger

1st Holiday With A Baby on Toe

The 1st picture of Aurko sums up our trip to Goa! Exhilarating, exciting and sheer happiness is how this trip has been for us. And all my apprehension about travelling with an year old vanished in thin year the moment I hopped on the plane. I really don't want this post to be about how one should prepare for holidaying with baby, what to pack, how much to pack and all that jazz, because my trip was on the brink of cancellation as Aurko fell ill 2 days before we were flying, and after many should we, shouldn't we moments, me and hubby decided that we'll go. So I guess, all the planning that I did before this trip came as no good as all those browsing the net for holidaying-with-baby didn't prepare me for how to take a sick baby along on a holiday. But look at my boy in the pictures below, does he look sick? That's what Goa did to him.

My Calangute Beach Boy

I was making a castle, and mum didn't helped at all!

Hey Mom, what's am I suppose to see?

Goa Facts: Coconut water in Goa is not cheap as one might think looking at all the coconut trees, because they ripe the coconut completely to cook fish. They get the watery coconuts from Karnataka.

Vagator Beach Facts; The right side of the beach is packed with Indian population, whereas the left side is for foreigners. Strange, isn't it? 

Sunset in Miramar and the moments!

And the lobsters in Souza Lobo

The Curious Case of Baby Bottoms

We are a family obsessed with bums! Yup, you heard that right; our jokes are funnier when it includes the mention of the rear. Our coochie-poos canoodling is more sweet and syrupy when it’s about the bottoms. When my sister had my niece (the elder one), our vocabulary took a drastic turn, and we both invented many innovative names for yours truly. Eventually, it became a habit for us to measure the loveliness of baby with the softness of baby bottoms. Weird, I know. But we Chanda’s are like that.

Ah! Seriously, can anything beat the joy of squeezing the chubbiness of baby soft bon bon? Watch any of that Pamper, Huggies or Johnson & Johnsons ads, the cute pat on the baby bottom always bring a smile to the face. 

 In my family, my nephew Ivan is the undisputed winner of having the softest baby bottom. I mean, we being a bum family have never come across a softer rear as his. You can compare it with the wispiness of cotton and the cotton will fall short of it. Life was happier when they were in India. I’ve not seen those cute 3 booties (2 nieces and 1 nephew) for 3 years now, and they have grown enough to be embarrassed by this post of Butu mashi. 

Guess I’ve to wait for some time more to coochie coo those three bums. Till then, I’ve my munchkin’s ever soft bottoms to console with! Ahhh!

Our Little Monkey is 1 Month Away from His Birthday!

I am a big boy, I'll turn 1 next month

Yes! I go bananas when I see slides and swings.

My walker is my favourite gear

Mommy, I want this book.

Hello Giana

How I Prepared my Baby before Joining Back to Work

I joined work last month after 9 month long maternity break. And throughout my break I was sweating over— will I ever find myself working again QUESTION. I just couldn’t bring myself to leave my son even for a second. The thought of leaving him for 9 hours was incomprehensible. There were many moments where I felt like giving up on my work, instant where I thought I can live my life by just looking at him (my boy) and many such. So I started putting it off for as long as it was humanly possible with my manager, till I couldn’t do it anymore, and realized I have to FACE the music now. With my back against the wall I asked myself— do I want to quit Job? Hell NO— Do I love my job? Oh! Yes very much so— what is bothering me?—Leaving my baby behind—missing my baby—feeling this damn mother’s guilt.

These questions made me face the real situation and made me realize, that I have to do something about it. Quitting work was never a question—dealing with this helplessness was something I was unprepared for. After reading many stories of working women, I started preparing myself for the inevitable. And so began the journey of weaning— the hard process of weaning each other—him off me – & me off him. It wasn’t easy — I assure you, but it wasn’t that tough either.

Hence, I thought I’ll share it with all of you out there (new mommies, preggos or mothers) who are feeling or felt the same way at some point of time:

1.      Rehearse your dry runs— After sorting out who will be taking care of the baby—in my case it was my mum-in-law—my husband and I did “mock practice” of what our mornings would be like getting ready for work. What time we’ll get up? What will be the feeding schedule? When will we leave for work? Who was on baby-sitting duty? We tried the schedule regularly and tweaked what wasn’t working. There were many it’s- not-working moments, but after one week it all fell down on place. And by the time I returned for real, we were old pros!

2.       Feeding:  I strictly breastfeed Aurko for 6 months, which is why it was more difficult to start on the formulas. After 6 months, I started giving him NAN 1 once in a day, which I eventually increased. A month before joining, I started weaning him off breast milk in the morning, and restricted it only for nights. Surprisingly, it was not that difficult.

3.      Maintaining a Timetable

Babies love routines. For Aurko we have—Morning Feed time, bathing time, breakfast time, playtime, nap time, lunch time, tummy time so on and so forth. It has become a habit for Aurko to take a bath at 8.30 in the morning, and he almost pushes me towards the bathroom ones the clock ticks 8.30. What I mean is— kids have a mind of their own.

4.      Mat + Toys= Joy

I am sure there still be moments when the baby is too cranky to handle by the caregiver, in moments like this follow the thumb rule--throw a mat on the floor with some of his favourite toys and sit down with him for some play time. This tip always works with Aurko, and now when I am not there, my mum-in-law does the same.

There is no substitute for a mother. So, give your full attention when you’re there, snuggle them close, make them feel loved and you are good to go. Rest, your little monkey will cope up fine while mumma is away. It’s only a matter of time, few more months and then your monkey is off to school and his friends. Don’t be anxious! He misses her more when he sees her, than when he doesn’t.