Life's Little Moments

2010-12-01T22:51:00.000-05:00

Today I did something which I should have done years ago. I joined the gym. Yes, you did read it right and no, I was not high when i did it :) It has been on my to do list for quite some time now. But you know how busy life can get with all the online farming and face booking. Oh the busy lives we wives lead :)

First off, let me say that I've not been comfortable going to a gym. That was one of the biggest reasons holding me back. Everybody around me including the wise old man encouraged me by saying " no worries" "everybody there comes to exercise" "you wont be the odd one out" Let me tell you mr. wise old guy I WAS the odd one out. Where were all the fat women?? And why are only skinny people at the gym. If they are skinny, they don't need to be working out now do they??. Cursing the world for my weight I get on the treadmill. I start off slowly..no problems...moving on a little faster..hey i could do it.. Decided to get more adventurous and increased the pace up a notch. Everything was going great till i realized that my butt felt like bouncing balloons filled with water at each step. Wish I could puncture them and donate the fat to some poor size zero model who is probably starving herself to death. Which reminds me do, you know what I do to make myself feel better when i am feeling low. Watch you tube videos of models falling on the ramp. Its so darn hilarious. No? You don't think its funny??? Well, what can I say I'm a sadist :)

So, encourage me on this weight loss journey.of mine. feel free to poke some fun (of / or) my butt, if it brightens up you day.

2010-09-29T23:59:00.000-04:00

Definition of Love by my soon to be 6 yr old :

Me : So, how was school?
Nick : Ok
Me : What did you guys do today? Was it library day or gym day?
Nick : Did you know R sat next to me at lunch and she played with me at recess.
Me : I thought she always does that.
Nick : Yeah....she's awesome like that. I like her.
Me: So, she is your best friend huh??
Nick : Yes ***smiling like a kid in a candy store*** She is my girl friend.
Me : What's the different between a friend and a girl friend?
I wasn't really sure how he would answer it...I was was expecting an answer like "well she's a girl and she is my friend..so she's my girlfriend". But his answer just stumped me.
Nick : A friend is someone with whom you have fun in school, you play with and share with. A girl friend, is who you think about ALL THE TIME...like when you come home and play with legos, during juice time and even when you go to sleep!!! :) :) :)
Ummm, errrrr.. and this is the same girl, who, he had a few days earlier asked her whether she would marry him, and, she stuck her tongue out at him.
Me : But you asked her whether she would marry you and she said no. Did you ask, if, she would like you to be her boyfriend? What if she has another boyfriend?
Nick : ***rolling his eyes at me*** I will still love her because she is my girlfriend.

And, all I could do is, sit there feeling like a complete idiot for not understanding the true meaning of love :) It did not matter to him whether she loved him or not. He was just content knowing that he loved her.

2010-09-17T01:38:00.000-04:00

I swear I've turned into Jekyll and Hyde. After my last post I felt empty..but sorta in a nice way..light and free. Fast forward to today. And bam!!! I have no clue what hit me, but I was back in my "oh so poor me" zone. I tried, trust me dear blog, I tried real hard :(

So, today as I'm talking to the wise old guy (remember him from my previous post?) he gives me a really harsh dose of reality...(yes, u were blunt and rude) At that time I might have cursed him for being my friend (i said "might have"..i don't remember :) ) but as I type this at 1 a.m. I realize that the whole "being positive" is not at all that easy. It's a conscious effort on my part on a daily basis to change myself for the better. But, I don't like change. I like my comfort zone... only that it's not so comfortable anymore. To truly find myself and be happy, I need to embrace the change. Embracing change begins with a desire. Without a desire to change, it is inevitable that change will not occur. Like a Catch 22 situation. I need to stay focused and positive to bring the changes I would like in me, but since i hate any kind of change, I am not ready to do what is needed. Confused?? Welcome to the club.

On a lighter note, I managed to yet again go and do something really stupid. I don't ever go to any parlors to get anything done to my face since I have super sensitive skin. Shaping my eyebrows falls in the "fear" category..You know thoughts like "what if I look really weird with thin eyebrows? what if the shape is not right" Its gonna take weeks for the hair to grow back and till then I walk around like a weirdo. So, I never got it done. Well sometime back in January I sent out a SOS email to all my friends. Below is a copy paste of the email...

hi girls, need help..

it's 1.25 in the night. I am not sleepy. I have an dentist's appt tomorrow and those who know me know that i am shit scared of going to dentists. So, here i am not feeling sleepy, surfing the web, checking out you tube videos when i stumbled on a video on how to shape eyebrows. Now those of you who really know me also know that I have never ever shaped my brows. So, I think "hmmm not a big deal" I have some of the tools. how difficult can it be and it's hair..it will grow right back on. So, i go to the bathroom, keep the plucker ready and pull one hair. I screamed "fucking shit" in my mind - didn't want nick to wake up. It hurt like hell. So, I think "hmmm how can i make this easier and less pain full" So, smart me took the nose hair trimmer and decided to trim. Up to a certain point everything was fine and I was happy the way my brows were getting shaped. Then I have no clue what happened and whoooop a large chunk of hair disappeared!!!! and now i look like a one eyebrow freak!!!!! Strangely i was feeling very calm..no panic.. or maybe the wine i had earlier helped. I don't know. So i think, "well it does not look sooo bad unless someone comes really really close" My next thought was hey an eyebrow or eyeliner pencil might work.. A word of advice girls.. it does not. Because after using the pencil I now look like those scary Chinese ladies who have arched pencil lined brows. So, my options are either to be a one eyebrow freak or a old oriental arched pencil lined brow freak. Do, any of you have any other suggestions?????
I'm sure all of you are laughing at my situation right now. But if you could stop laughing, get off your asses now and give me a solution I wld really appreciate it.

Sangeeta

That was the email back in January. Well, they did grow back and I finally mastered the art of doing it really carefully but I still wont go to a parlor. Now one would have learnt their lesson and not repeat such a stupid mistake, right? Hell no, Not me :) While doing my eyebrows the other night, I accidentally shaved off my eyelashes!!! Yes, you heard it right. Words like "night" "accidentally" "shaved" and "eyelashes" should never be put together in a sentence. But it does not look that bad. At least that's what two of my friends tell me.

What?? What did u say? Why do I go and do such stupid things??? Beats me :) And well to look on the "positive side" I now have funny blog material. :)

This is my mantra for now :
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character: it becomes your destiny.
- Frank Outlaw

2010-09-12T06:32:00.001-04:00

This post may end up being one of those posts where I ramble on aimlessly since it's 5 a.m. and have been up for the most part of the night with heartburn.

Lately, I've been dealing with some issues regarding holding on,letting go, emotional dependence, my weight and self confidence/worth. I'm sure there comes a point in everyone's life where each of us has dealt with these emotions at one level or another. I won't give you a sob story of how or why I feel like this. Instead, I'm going to tell you (or rather myself) what I'm going to do about it :)

My decisions and actions in life have always been tied to what has been expected of me by others..be it my family or friends. Not only have i been a so called target of expectations but I've had my share of expectations too from others and that's where the problem starts. A wise old guy (or maybe a hot handsome one) recently told me that expectations are the f-ups of all relationships... maybe it was worded better. I can't remember :) I did not realize how utterly negative I had become lately. It's like you hold on to a negative thought and keep analyzing and over analyzing and it keeps going round and round in your head that you end up losing perspective. I'm sure you've heard of the famous quote "If you want to be happy..just be" The problem is I don't know how.

But, I am going to start by taking baby steps :) I am going to start doing things for myself not because someone expects me to or to make someone else happy. I am going to do it to make me happy.

I'm going to let go of all the negative thoughts that pushed me into thinking "oh so poor me". And the only way that I can think of doing so is by forgiveness. Forgive and forget, remember?? It's not as easy as it sounds. But that's the only way that comes to my mind. Just forgetting won't help. Because one doesn't ever forget, right?? By forgiving, my mind and soul feels light. It's like a burden lifted off my chest. Somewhere, during the last year I had forgotten how to forgive. Wouldn't all our lives be easier if we just learnt to forgive?? :) If, I want my mind to be free of all negativity, I need to let go. To Forgive.

Wish me luck :)

And now, I'm going into "blog hibernation" and will resurface months later with yet another "mind numbing rambling post" LOL.

2010-04-20T00:58:00.000-04:00

Why can't we just hold on to time? Why does it have to fly by so quickly. It's nearly a year I've visited my own blog. How pathetic is that? :) Things have been moving at such fast pace in my life that I am not a happy camper right now. They say that the only thing constant in life is change. But I don't like change. I don't like trying out new foods, i don't like moving... anything that involves any kind of uncertainties... don't like it at all. I know I am rigid but unfortunately that's how I am. Sorry, I cannot go into details about it but I've learnt in this past year that....

1. "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has
enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34 (verse from the Bible)

2. If you don't set a baseline standard for what you'll accept in life, you'll find
it's easy to slip into a quality of life that's far below than what you deserves.

3. Do not under any circumstances go to a hair parlor and give yourself an cut just
because you feel you need a change in your life.

4. It is very important to have girlfriends in your life. Sister, aunt, mother,
friend..it doesn't matter who but only a woman will understand another women.

5. And because one woman understands another.... she can be your worst enemy too.

6. I am not as mature as I think I am. I still have a long way to go. Patience is a
virtue that I really need to develop.

7. Moving on is simple - It's what you leave behind that matters.

So, moving on...

I am amazed at how much N has grown. I miss my Lil baby. There are times when i do catch glimpses of the little child in him but for the most part he is all grown up now. The other day he insisted on wearing his church tie on his tee-shirt to go out to lunch. So V tells him that everybody in the restaurant is gonna laugh because you are supposed to wear a tie with a shirt. And this little boy amazed me by saying "then maybe i should not go in there if they cant accept me for who I am" From where does he learn all this??? Not for me of course. I am the kind who tries too hard to fit in. Maybe i need to learn a thing or two from my 5 yr old.

V is doing good. As usual busy with work. I have no idea what's the definition of a workaholic in his dictionary but to me he is one and needs therapy. All I can say is "MEN"!!! They never listen to their wives. But he is taking care of his health, eating right, going to the gym (barf) I thought round WAS a shape!!!

Ummmm let's see what else is going on in my life...Oh, I'm hooked on to Farmville on FB. Every day I promise myself, "Sugarplum (that's what i sometimes call myself) today you won't go on FV.. its ok if your harvest withers" But by noon I need to go see my gift and get my extra points. It's not a great mind game or such. All we do is plow, seed and harvest. God alone knows why I am hooked.

I am a procrastinator. There I've said it. But I am going to set a very realistic goal of updating my blog once a week. Comments will probably inspire me to post more often :) If you do drop by, please feel free to write a line and say hi. It will make my day.

2009-03-02T21:36:00.000-05:00

I watched Dostana over the weekend. I loved the movie. It had it's hilarious moments and Abhishek did a really good job. Some of his expressions were just wayyy to funny. But I dont think I wld be comfortable watching this movie with family..especially my in-laws. Priyanka has a really fab body and she looks stunning. But I must admit that I watched the movie a second time only for John Abraham. He looks just yummmm..deeelish.
I love Abhi a lot too..but tell me, can you stop drooling after you see this??

Serve him up with some whipped cream and I can have him for breakfast, lunch and dinner..mmmmm....**wait a minute, I gotta wipe the drool off my keyboard**

Ummm, what else?? Today, did nothing much since Nick was at home - no school coz of the snow. We got quite a bit today. It tapered off by afternoon and then there were high school kids knocking on the door to see if anyone needed them to shovel their driveway.

Next weekend it's Daylight savings time. While I am glad that we will have longer days, I am not looking forward to having to argue with Nick to go to bed at 7 p.m. I am sure he will give me a hard time since it won't be dark. Oh well....

Goodnight and sweet dreams.

2009-03-02T01:53:00.000-05:00

It's wayyyyy past midnight..2 a.m. to be precise. A lot of things going through my mind right now and I just can't sleep.

It's snowing lightly right now..yayyyyyyyy. School is closed tomorrow..boooooo. Why do schools close when there is snow?? I mean we live on the east coast..it's winter, there's bound to be snow..So what every time it snows, you shut down??? Crap..

What would you do if you knew that someone you trust a lot is lying to you and you can't do anything abt it? Or that someone who is not yr friend is trying to act as if they are yr BFF?

Conversation between V and N...

N: Daddy what does occupation mean?
V: It means like having a job..like daddy has to go to office..Mrs. G is yr teacher,
Ms. E (bus driver) takes you to school.
N: Oh okay....
After some thought..
N: So, what's mama's occupation?
V: Mama's occupation is to look after you.
N: But Mama just sleeps all day!!!!!

I can't believe he said that.

Oh, btw we have a new addition in our lil house....guess guess guess ;) Should I tell you now??? Ummmm naaaaaaaaah maybe later.... ;)

I just re-read what I typed and realized it's a completely random post(probably wont make sense to you).. That's what happens when I decided to blog at 2 a.m.

2009-01-07T22:45:00.001-05:00

Today was N's first day of pre-school. I had been dreading this day since a long time. He seemed very excited about the whole "school bus and back-pack deal", but I still had my concerns. In these 4 yrs I have not once been away from him. I'm sure you guys will relate with me that even a trip to the bathroom always has yr lil' one accompanying you with his/her car/toy. Locking the door of the bathroom doesn't help either. They will keep banging it till you open up. It doesn't matter whether you are on the queen's throne or taking a shower. All they want is that you listen to their chatter. An occasional "hmmmm" "oh really" "wow" will suffice. So anyways, although he seemed excited, I thought maybe when the time came for him to get on the bus he would realize that mom cannot get on with him and that might lead to a meltdown. So, we are waiting at the door for the bus to show up and when it does, my son, who would follow me around the house as if attached to me by some invisible thread, just ran towards it and climbed onto it. No hugs, no "i love you mama" nothing!!! And here I was rehearsing in my head how I would hug and shower him with kisses before he gets on the bus. I was the one who burst into tears after the bus left. I realized I was holding it in for long. I don't even know why I cried. I'm happy that his first day was un-eventful and he enjoyed himself. Now I am looking forward to 2 hrs of bliss everyday :) For now I dont know what I'm going to do during that time but everyone tells me I'll figure it out and have a blast.

Happy New Year :)

2008-12-31T21:02:00.000-05:00

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

In addition, please also accept our best wishes for a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make this country great (not to imply that this country is necessarily greater than any other country or area of choice), and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual orientation of the wishers.

This wish is limited to the customary and usual good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first. ‘Holiday’ is not intended to, nor shall it be considered, limited to the usual Judeo-Christian celebrations or observances, or to such activities of any organised or ad hoc religious community, group, individual or belief (or lack thereof).

Note: By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher at any time, for any reason or for no reason at all. This greeting is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. This greeting implies no promise by the wisher actually to implement any of the wishes for the wisher her/himself or others, or responsibility for the consequences which may arise from the implementation or non-implementation of it.

This greeting is void where prohibited by law.

LOL.. Got this in a forwared email.. Just thought of sharing... why the hell should only I read crap. :)

2008-12-29T18:16:00.000-05:00

Christmas was quiet. But that's how Christmas has always been ever since we have been in the US. In spite of having a large decorated tree, making, or at least trying to make sweets, the whole excitement is not there. The smell of my aunt's vindaloo curry, yummy roast, midnight mass, new outfit, eating nevris... :)
Although this is Nick's third Christmas, this is the first year he actually understands the whole concept of Santa and gifts. Ever since we decorated the tree, he would pray to Santa before his bedtime for gifts..although his requests would change daily. lol. Finally he decided he wanted a camera. And guess what Santa got him?? That boy now believes in Santa Claus :)

2008-07-23T17:31:00.000-04:00

Yeah yeah I'm alive. Just in case anybody was wondering. I have to thank Roopali for pestering...errr i mean reminding me to update my blog :)

LOL Things have just been a little crazy/stressed around my place lately. N has been diagnosed with Asperger's. So, now he is on the wait list for occupational and behavioural therapy. Waitlist?? can you imagine? Anyways, I've realized that people are so quick in judging others. Whether they know you or not. While some of my friends have been really supportive while talking to me about Asperger's, other's have been real quick to call me a lousy mom who is not "strict" enough with her kid. Are these people for real? What do they want me to do if N does not prefer large crowds but does great with one on one interaction. Apparently, they think I shld just force him to socialize..let him just cry it out and deal with the situation on his own. He has texture issues? no problem. Just spank him straight and force him to eat. Simple as that. Weren't we spanked when we were kids?? And these are the same mom's who spoil their little brats. You are a mom, why is it so difficult to understand some other mom's problem. I don't want you sympathy. Put it up yours. A little understanding doesn't kill you know.

For all you folks, who read my blog probably think I'm this outspoken mean person. But those who truly know me, know that I hate confrontations and am never rude to anybody. So, the other day, this particular forum that I visit had a little ummm differences in opinion among some of the ladies. Being a moderator, I tried to end it in a nice objective way. But boy did that backfire!!! I should have know that put more than 5 nice polite women in a room and it turns into a total bitch fest. Anyways, to make things short, I got tired of being polite to these women who refused to listen and gave them a piece of my mind. Initially, i was upset that I had to be rude. then I felt soooo good. It feels good to lash out once in a while. Better than therapy and it's free!!! Try it, it works :) lol

Here's a picture of my goofy friends. We had a girl's night out sort of at Chilli's the other day. I had a really good time and laughed a lot. Something that I had not done a long time.

Here's a coupon for $10 off from Studio Calico So, if you are thinking of subbing to it, try it out now, you will not be disappointed. You could also use it towards a one time purchase. Coupon code:0728. Offer valid from July 28th to August 20th. Don't wait till the last date. Kits sell out super fast. And the sneak peeks for August look absolutely yummy. Meera ***hint hint** lol

edited to add
i just had to add this bit..when the doc told me abt N's diagnosis, I didn't really know how to react or what exactly it meant for N. So, while we were waiting in the doc's office, me all serious and sad, V looks at me and say's "now I can tease N for the rest of his life that he has "Ass-burgers syndrome"!!! that's why I love him. He know how to make me smile even in the most serious situation. While we were laughing like crazy over the "ass burger's" comment, the nurse probably thought we were strange parents or just in denial. LOL

2008-06-10T11:49:00.000-04:00

If there exists a "Worst Blogger Award" I should probably get nominated for it. I've neglected this baby for quite some time now. Anyways...

Hey look what I found... yummmyyyyy The potato chops and shrimp with bottle gourd are pretty authentic. Now if only she lived close-by. LOL

I have always heard of terrible two's. And although lil' N had his share of tantrums, I never thought that it was that bad. But these days, it's like as if a switch has suddenly flipped. I swear sometimes I think he has multiple personalities. One moment he is screaming "Nooooooo why you touch meeeeeeeeee" and the next minute he comes, put his arms around me and say "I love you mom". His sense of independence has kicked in full force. Whoever said that the two's were terrible, probably sent their toddlers to boot camp after two and hence they never experienced how horrible three's can be. Smart move, I would say.

Now, after reading my above comments, you will think I am the one with a split personality disorder and Nick inherited it from me, but, I would like to have another baby. Being the only kid, I've always wanted a large family. I always imagined myself having at least 4 kids. But that's not going to happen. But I think it's very important for Nick to have siblings. When he grows up, other than his parents he won't have any family. I know I will regret it for the rest of my life if I don't have another baby. I have baby fever. Everywhere I look I see pregnant women. It's like all these women conspired together and decided to have babies. Does that happen you guys? Like in a day you end up seeing at least 10 pregnant women? But I can't just get pregnant now can I? It needs work ;) And at night, both V and me end up checking mail, blog hopping or just aimless surfing. U know, kind of brain-dead activities. So, the other night, I got one of the forwarded jokes that keep circling around the web. It goes something like this..

What's Bruce Lee fav vegetable
Mu Lee

What's Bruce Lee's fav dish
Tha Lee

Who's Bruce Lee's fav person
Ma Lee

Ok the joke goes on and on. So, I was reading this out to V and he seemed visibly bored by it. So, he asks me "who sent this joke"? And before I could answer he goes "their name is upper "kamra Kha Lee" bwwahhhahahahaha. Isin't Vipin sooo chweet?

2008-05-26T21:52:00.000-04:00

It's so pathetic when your 3 yr old corrects your pronunciation. Nicholas is very inquisitive and he keeps pointing to various things/objects and asks me "what's this ma?". And his vocabulary seems to have increased vastly. Sometimes he says words that I never knew he knows. So, today he points at a vase and asks me "what's this ma?" I was busy with something so I snapped saying "you know very well that's a vase(vawz)" . And he corrects me and says "no ma, it's a vase (as in base)!!! LOL I guess it's pretty much going to be like this for the rest of my life. Perks of being a desi mom with an American son. :)

Anyways, did not do anything this Memorial Day weekend. Absolutely nothing. We made a couple of plans 1. Going to Maryland 2. Going hiking 3. Clothes shopping for me. Plan 1 and 2 fell through. Vipin sprained his lower back while he was picking up a toy for Nick (old age does that to people). Imagine what it would do if he had to wash the bathroom!!! Anyways so, I thought why not make the most of this opportunity and leave Nick with Vipin and go clothes shopping. I haven't been shopping for myself ever since Nick was born - that would be about 3 yrs. I've managed with my pregnancy tee's and a couple of Walmart/Target clothes. It was time I got something nice to wear.
OK for those of you who are thin, you have no idea what in the pain in the "you know where" it is to find the right size of jeans. If you find the right length, the hip doesn't fit you right. If the hip fits you right, then it ends up being loose on the waist. That's what happens if you pear shaped. Personally I think pears are delicious but if you describe my rear end as pear shaped I am gonna feel offended. And then when it is difficult enough to find the right size, the fashion industry has these "rules" like if you are heavy on your hips, don't wear flare jeans. wear darker color jeans to make you look slimmer, don't wear horizontal stripes. Now, I know there are stores that cater to only large women. But I'm not large. I'm just short and fat. And stores that cater to large women have tees that fit well endowed women. Now, I'm not well endowed. In fact after nursing Nicholas, I live in Jersey and my boobs have moved down south to Florida. Let's face it, all of us who have nursed kids know that tom and jerry are not "perky" as they used to be. With all these thoughts going around my head, I decided that maybe I could wait a couple of months, lose some weight (yeah right, like it's easy to lose 50 lbs in 2 months - but I can wish right?) and then go shopping.

Oh by the way, I have been reading a lot of food blogs lately. You will be surprised to find a number of really good Indian food blogs. Here's one if you like the "amchi gele" kind of cuisine. I like it because most of the recipes are very much authentic just like my mother in law taught me. I've also noticed that there aren't that many catholic cuisines ( east indian, goan and mangalorean). Maybe I should start one. Oh who am I kidding - it takes me weeks to update this blog!!! But I am thinking to posting recipes here itself. Do let me what you guys think about it. Enjoy the rest of your week :)

Mother's Day Gift...

2008-05-12T14:55:00.000-04:00

So, how was Mother's Day? What gifts did you guys get? Well, I did not get any. And no, before you get all judgemental on my hubby, it was actually me who said no to gifts. But I had said that like 3 yrs ago when my son was born and it was my first Mother's Day and I was all postpartum and hormonal. But it has come back to bite me in the ass every year. If, I remember well, my words to Vipin were "It's an honor to be a mom. I don't want any gifts for being a mom. When Nick grows up, and he would like to appreciate the things I did for him, then he will give me a gift." WTF WAS I THINKING!!! @#$$#&*#@

So, now each year Vipin throws that in my face. Who knew he would actually remember that small statement. He doesn't remember what he had for dinner yesterday!!! And from when did he actually started listening to everything I say??? Oh well, serves me right for not keeping my mouth shut when he wanted to gift me something. So now, I've got to wait when Nick goes to kindergarten and gives me his drawings , macaroni picture frames, beaded chains as gifts. And then in his teens, he'll probably borrow money from me to get me a gift (I did that to my mom, so assuming he'll inherit those genes). In college, he'll probably just call me or maybe he might forget because he probably will be spending time with some hot female/male (who knows!!!)And then when he get a job and moves elsewhere, it's gonna be a bouquet.

So, I'll continue being an ABCD (aayah(maid), butler, cook and driver) LOL and cherish his sloppy kisses and bear hugs for now. And being an ABCD is sooo worth it for this lil' guy.

p.s. I wld like to give the appropriate credit to the person who coined "ABCD", unfortunately I really don't remember where I read it. So, if any of you guys know her, pls do send me the link.

Happy Mother's day

2008-05-11T01:51:00.000-04:00

To my dear mom and aunt. You guys are the best. Love you and I miss you terribly.

I've become "them"

2008-04-30T16:09:00.000-04:00

Time is flying by so quickly. These days I hardly get much time to myself. Nick seems to be developing a strong personality and sometimes I feel that I am constantly disciplining him all day long. He has started testing my patience(I don't have any to begin with) and keeps pushing his limits. But I am enjoying this time spent with him more than ever. Everyday he surprises me by saying something new. And I have no clue from where he picks up certain words. Oh, and he corrects me all the time. He has this habit of saying "yeah" instead of "yes", and I know he's picked up this from me. And I wanted to change it. So, every time he said "yeah" I kept telling him "Nick, it's yes, not yeah". So, the other day, he asks me something, and I replied "yeah baby your right". He looks at me and says"Say yes mom"!!! Well, I guess I better practice what I preach LOL.

Is this generation of kids getting smarter or were we just dumb? I think the first time I must have corrected my mom was probably when I was in my teens(coz by then I thought I was way cooler and smarter than my mom) Up until then, everything that was told to me by my parents and "them" was considered an unwritten law. "Them"??? U don't know "them" ?? They are all the people who filled my family's head with crap like "don't go out in the dark when u r menstruating", or "don't cut your nails at night." Earlier when my mom used to tell me not to cut my nails on a Saturday, I assumed that the church or my grandparents or some higher being had made this law. Never once did it occur to me to question who "they" were. Then when I hit my teens, everything had to be questioned. For example...
MOM : Don't stand under that banyan tree late at night and chat with your friends
ME : Why?
MOM : They say it's not good.
ME : Who are "they"
MOM : Silence...

MOM : Do you have to cut your nails on a Saturday? why can't u do it on a weekday?
ME : Because I'm busy with college and homework. OK fine. I'll do it on a weekday.

So, one Wednesday, at around 7 in the evening, I decided to cut my toe nails and give myself a pedicure. My mom sees me and practically goes insane.
MOM : Don't you know you can't cut your nails in the evening?
ME : Why?
MOM : They say it's not good.
ME : Who are "they" mom.??

"These" people were driving me up the wall. I could not date for fear of what "they" will say. I could not get a manicure done on a Saturday because "they" said that it would bring me bad luck. Who the hell were "they" and why were they messing up my life. I never met "them" and I was glad and wanted it to be that way. But boy, did "they" have a lot of things to say. "You can't wear mini skirts" why? "what will "they" say. You can't be seen talking to a boy from you class late at night. why? "what will "they" say. You can't have a bath and stand under a banyan tree with you hair still wet. why?? Because "they" say it's not good.

I continued to deal with "these" invisible people till I got married. And I thought to myself "Finally!!! I am gonna get rid of "these" people. But I was wrong. "They" knew my in-laws too!!! "They" just couldn't leave me alone. I found out that my hubby could not cut his hair on a Tuesday because "they" said that it was not good for him since that was the day of the week he was born. I instantly felt a bond with my husband. I knew how it felt to live with "these" invisible people all around you. The one day we had to come to the U.S. I was soo happy that "they" could not follow us now. "They" would need a visa and "they" would not be able to get one. For about five years I enjoyed my blissful life without "them". Then Nicholas was born. I started dressing him up in cute clothes and applying a small black dot on his forehead. Why you ask?? Because "they" say it wards off the evil eye. I would never let Vipin cross over him because "they" say that once you cross someone when they are lying on the floor, they will stop growing tall, unless you cross over quickly before the evil eye had noticed what has happened. Hey wait a minute.... when did I start listening to "them"? Weren't they back home in India? When did "they" come here?? What's happening?? Why am I not cutting Nick's nails on a Saturday? Why do I remove his "nazar/dhristi on Wednesday?

Sadly, I realize I have become one of "them". Unknowingly, unwillingly, I've joined their cult. And I know, that day won't be far when Nick will ask me who "they" are. So, I have to venture out on this lonely journey of finding "them". I have no idea where to look for "them" . If you know who "they" are or are one of "them", please feel free to contact me. I am waiting.

Oh the joys and nightmares.....

2008-04-28T14:20:00.000-04:00

of being a scrapbooker. When I took up scrapbooking 3 yrs ago I did not realize how hooked on to it I would get. The colors, the embellishments, the paper all made me very excited. Walking in a LSS would make me forgot all the baby cries, the stress of being a new mom. I would wander around the aisles, chat with the shop owner, run my fingers over the pattern paper and get excited over new stuff in our LSS. I had a small fiskar's tote that I could call my" scrapbook room". It held my cutter, my decorative edges scissors, a few pattern papers with matching card stock, brads, ribbons, buttons etc. Just the basic u know. And I thought I was going a little overboard with my so called hobby.

Then, the inevitable happened. I searched for scrapbook stores online since I had just one that was close to home. And that opened up a whole new world. I found scrapbook companies that I never knew existed. I started to like what I seen online and thought "What the heck?? If I call myself a scrapbooker I need to have that tool. " Lord knows I did not know how to use it or what the hell an "edge distresser" was. But I had to have it. Why??? Just coz I had read good reviews on it on some forum and CK mag (I think it was CK) featured it once. Thus began my wonderful journey of online shopping. I enjoyed surfing the online sites and on one fateful day... it happened.

I stumbled on a kit club. Goodness me... I could hear bells ringing..angels singing. I CAN get every coordinated in one kit and not think about coordinating it myself??? Why did I not find this club earlier. I made a really nice dinner for Vipin that night. I had to broach the topic very gently. I had been spending way too much on my hobby. So, "Hi sweetheart how was your day?" "Whatever it is that you want..the answer is NO" he said. HUH??? What just happened!!! "But all I asked was how your day was" "Yeah this is the first time since Nick is born that u r sooo sweet to me. Else, u keep snapping my head off like some snapping turtle". Yeah it was true. But it was not a time for self reflection or arguments. So, over dinner I mention my idea of joining a club. "Isn't that awesome that for $29.99 I get papers, cardstock, embellishments.. everything" Which means I don't have to shop elsewhere." Hmmmm.. He think over it for a while. "That's it? $29.99 and then no other shopping on the net?" "No way honey, I have everything I need in this kit" . And thus began my journey on never ending kit clubs.

And I am really happy with the clubs I am right now. They seem to have the newest releases and their design team is just awesome. BUT.... Oh yeah there has to be a BUT isn't it? LOL Now, it's the stress of staying up late on the reveal day!!! Most clubs have their reveal between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m est. Now 9 p.m. is when I usually have to put Nicholas to bed. So, there always a rush. I'm trying desperately to get him to have his dinner. But, the Lord works in mysterious ways. That day is the day Nicholas decides that he wants to throw a tantrum and the website is invariably slow because thousands of women like me are trying to log on. While Nick is tugging on my leg, I'm furiously keep hitting the refresh button like a mad person. Where is my husband when I need him to look after Nick for a second??? aarrgh. Oh yeah...he's at work.. For a moment I feel am happy. At least he is not there to see my do my purchases. But then Nick starts crying and I curse him for coming home late. Finally, if it's my lucky day I manage to snag one add-on. Sometimes I get nothing.

Then comes the long wait.....waiting for my kit. Now I have to keep my fingers crossed. Don't want it to come on a weekend now do I?? Then finally one day I find it on my doorstep. I rip the box and the contents fall out. Flowers, buttons, tiny doodads, ribbons, rub-ons, paper. I sit there staring at my lovely package. Off it goes into my kit closet. I take it out everyday and admire it. After I'm done admiring, which often takes a week or so, I rip the zip lock and start creating.
Come mid-month and the cycle starts again with the previews. LOL

The reason for this post (in case you r wondering as to why I am just rambling on) is that yesterday was the reveal night at
Studio Calico , and their servers just could not handle the load. There were RAK's on the MB and the ladies were un-stoppable. I refused to give up and kept hitting the refresh button till I got what i wanted which took me about an hour. So, do you ladies think I need therapy or is this an healthy obsession with this craft. And no, I'm not a hoarder..errr maybe a little bit. Well at least I'm not in denial. LOL So, I'm thinking of joining Scrapaholics Anonymous. Anybody want to join me?

2008-04-23T15:03:00.000-04:00

My mind is just blank today. Walking around as if I'm high in La-La land. Woke up with an headache. Right now I'm doing nothing but aimlessly surfing the net. Wish Nick would take a nap. But that's not gonna happen. Sometimes the ever merciful Lord too wants to sit back and look at us mortals and have a good laugh. I bet he's having a good time at my expense right now. This is what happens when you don't go to church regularly. HE finds little ways to punish you. GOOD LORD I SWALLOWED MY MOTHER!!! I sound just like her!!!

Oh well, anyways, i took an online nerd test (hey I told u I'm bored and surfing aimlessly) and this is what the results came up as:

Yes I am a nerd!!! :)

2008-04-21T11:23:00.000-04:00

The weekend weather was beautiful. We went down for walk around the Princeton campus. I can't believe that in spite for living here for so long, we hadn't been there. I mean we drove past it many times, just hadn't visited the campus. The beautiful gardens, the lush greenery, the old buildings, I couldn't help but compare it to my college back in Bombay. Just a couple of buildings with a football field. But I did have lots of fun at the college canteen (cafe). My friends and I would bunk the Economics class and sit in the auditorium and talk about who is the hottest guy or who's going around with whom. LOL I never did like Economics and the professor had this droning voice that would put everybody to sleep. It's a wonder I passed Economics :)

Anyways, back to Princeton. So, while my hubby was taking pictures and me doing the modeling, Nick decided to wander off. I was so much "in the moment" enjoying being out and just having fun, that I did not realize that he was not with us. Until, a friend asked "Where's Nick?". I jumped up and ran like a crazy woman. He hadn't gone far, but when I did not seen him immediately, a thousand crazy ideas jumped in my head. It all happened so quickly, in a matter of a few seconds but I felt like it lasted a lifetime. Now, in retrospection, I think I acted like a total idiot. I mean, he surely could not have gone very far. And I should have been more calm and quick in my thinking as to what to do next like my hubby. Instead I ran around like some crazy woman. We got back home shortly after that and Nicholas went to bed early since he was really tired. I just lay near him hearing him breath and kept stealing tiny kisses. I was feeling very guilty over "having a good time" and not really paying attention to my son.

I think every kid gets separated from their parents at least once in their lifetime. How difficult it must be for those parents who never find their kids. It's not like they purposefully neglect their children. All it takes is one split second, and the kid's gone. I remember the time I was 5 years old. My entire family had gone shopping. In a particular store while my dad was purchasing a suit, I decided to wander off, not outside the store though. Suddenly I realized I could not find my parents. I started to cry. My mom heard me and turned around. She was there all the time. But since her back was turned towards me I did not see her. LOL. Boy did I get a spanking right there in the store for wandering off!!!

Well, Sunday we did nothing much. Just a trip to ChuckECheese's and a little bit of groceries. Nick throughly enjoyed himself there although honestly I got bored. Too many kids...too much screaming. LOL But all in all it was a nice quiet weekend.

Shout-out to Meera!!!

2008-04-17T13:33:00.001-04:00

Hey Girl, It made me very happy to see yr comment. Glad you "found" me lol. Send me a mail at voodoo.doll@gmail.com. Would love to catch up with ya. (Now I just hope you see this post)

Blog Love

2008-04-16T12:27:00.000-04:00

I know I know, I have been neglecting my blog for about a week now. I won't lie and say I've been busy or that my son has been really demanding.That goes without saying :) I just finished reading a book "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini. I spent every free minute I had reading this book and I loved it. It's a story set against the events of Afghanistan's last 30 yrs of so - from the invasion of the Soviet to the reign of the Taliban to present day Afghanistan. The main story focuses on two different women born and raised in two completely different times brought together by war, loss and fate and the unique bond between them. I picked up the book at my local library.

I'll try and update my blog twice a week. Nah-uh..I'm not going to promise but I said I'll try LOL. Do leave me some blog love (comments) when u do visit. I would love to think that there are folks out there who think my life is a little bit interesting - worth reading :)

2008-04-09T19:49:00.000-04:00

My crappy mood continues. But at least today there's a reason for it. Anybody interested in knowing why? NO?? Well, I'm gonna write about it anyway - get it out of my system kwim?

An acquaintance, a working mommy, called me today. Did u notice that I had to mention that she was a working mommy? That's because it's important to this post. Anyways, our conversation went something like this :

Me: So, how are you? It's been long since we last spoke.
She: Yeah I have been busy with job and yada yada yada....... and she goes on for about 10 mins about how stressed out she is at work and how tired she is.

Now, I've been patiently listening to it because I know how difficult it is to work for 8-9 hrs a day, have a demanding boss, bitchy co-workers, get stuck in traffic and then come home to a clingy baby who you have to feed, give bath and prepare dinner. So, going back to the conversation...

Me : Where are you right now?
She: Driving back home. So, what's going on with your life?
Me: Umm.. nothing much - just the usual everyday stuff going on in my life.
She: You are so lucky..

Naah Uhhhhh. Please tell me you didn't just say that. I start feeling irritated and can feel the tension building up in my neck. I know where this conversation is going to go. So...

Me: :Laugh: Yes I am lucky
She: Tu karti kya hai poora din besides taking care of Nicholas (what do you do all day besides taking care of Nicholas)
Me: Oh, nothing.. just watch television, read books, take a long nap, get my toes painted (trying hard not to sound sarcastic)
She: WOW... I wish I could do that.

Dumb-ass "be-yatch" didn't get the sarcasm.

She: Why don't we meet up sometime this week.
Me: Sure.. whenever you get some free time let me know. I am not doing anything anyways. Oh well, I gotta go now. I have to go to my neighbors place for a cup of tea and catch up on the latest gossip going around in our complex. Bye.

It's funny you know - not the "ha-ha my sides are splitting funny"- but the "f'ked up funny" - that people assume that just because you are a stay at home mom, you do nothing all day. Just because you choose to stay at home, you are not doing anything "meaningful" in your life. If you are just a mommy you aren't a "real" person with your own identity. And if you try and justify to them that you truly are happy with "just being a mom" how they say "Oh, that's just not for me". You got that right....being a full time mom is a difficult job. Or how if there is an "intelligent conversation" going on that doesn't involve diapers, runny noses then you are not included.

My point here is, you don't like being a stay at home mom, great. But there's this condescending derogatory undertone that I notice - that not having a real job is completely intolerable. If a stay at home mom would do more outside of her home then she would be considered to have an "actual life". Someone with a brain. I happen to be a stay at home mom who is not employed outside her house. It's my choice and I am lucky to have that choice. To stay at home and devote my time to raising my son. I am not ashamed of it For now, this is what I CHOOSE TO DO. Later, it may change. Who know where life takes us right?

So, please do not assume that I do not have a brain or that I am not an real person with an real identity just because of this "career" of mine at this point in time of my life. Or just because I focus and enjoy on things that are different than those which you focus on.

So, here I am typing furiously, feeling silly, offended and ridiculously and pathetically hurt.

Crappy Day

2008-04-08T15:39:00.000-04:00

I am feeling a bit low today, and I don't know why. Nick has been pretty good all morning and l got some laundry done which has piled up till the ceiling since I wasn't keeping well last week. The house in in order (at least for now before Nicholas decides to trash it again) So then why am I feeling like this? Oh well, I have been meaning to put up some of my layout since ages. Might as well upload some today. These are recent layouts, but the papers aren't. I had some leftover scraps that I just could not get myself to give away.

I was going through my pictures and I found this. This picture brings back happy memories of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's spent with Tita. They were my neighbors in Jersey city. And now they are family.

This is of our first home in Society Hill, Jersey city. Isn't that lil' house stamp cute. Got it in one of my Poppy Ink kits. And there's hidden journalling on the card.

I'm not a big fan of the bling on the pages. But I wanted to give it a try. Boy am I hooked!!! Also love the KI Lace cardstock.

I wanted to keep this page a little simple. Isn't this smile impish??

I scraplifted this layout from Stephanie Howell Just loved the simplicity of the page.

I got the idea for the title for this layout from Nicole Harperr and I felt it was just perfect for my aunt. She has been misunderstood by so many people. Very few people know the "real" her.

My wise ass of a husband

2008-04-05T00:39:00.000-04:00

"Men are dogs". That's what my dear friend Prema always tells me. Why does everybody (and by everybody I mean the female species) say this. How did this phrase come into existence? Because as far as I know..

1. Dogs are faithful
2. They obey your commands.
3. They eat whatever is put out in the bowl for them.
4. They can be put on a leash.
5. They can be trained.
6. They don't embarrass you by making "UN-excuse able noises from both ends.

The only one similarity in a man and a dog is that both scratch themselves in public and it's the most normal thing to do....you have an itch you scratch right??? And the one and only one reason a man would like to be a dog is so that he can lick himself.

Now, don't get me wrong.. I am no man-hater. I have a wonderful hubby of ummm 8 yrs I think (I don't remember.. it's been way too long) Anyways, I love him dearly but honestly sometimes he can just get on my nerves....there are days when I just want to hit his head with the heaviest frying pan that i own. Like for instance today. We were in the bathroom...he was getting ready to go to work, so he was busy gelling his hair and I was err checking myself out in the mirror. So, I tell him "Vipin, maybe I should get some "work" done on my boobs.. you know for your sake. " As usual, he doesn't answer me. So again I try "What do you think? Do I need bigger boobs?" That got his attention. Aaahaa!!!"Yeah that would be great. Why don't you rub a piece of toilet paper between them every morning" HUH???? "What do u mean? How in the world am I gonna get bigger boobs by doing that?" I ask "Worked for your ass didn't it?" He had the audacity to tell me that!!!. Anyways, later in the day I talk to my friend and I mentioned the above incident and she goes "yeah men are dogs". That is what got me thinking about men and dogs. And I think I need to spread the word and educate women all over the world as to why men are not dogs :)
Love you Vipin :)

Last One..

2008-04-01T15:43:00.000-04:00

Am I like the last person on planet Earth to finally start blogging? I remember my hubby telling me about a year or so ago to maintain a blog. And I scoffed at him..."yeah right, like looking after a 6 month old isin't enough ." But now, here I am, a year half later blogging. Initially, I wondered what I would blog about or who would even bother to read my blog. The I realized that a blog is nothing but an online journal. Sure, people have specific blogs about their hobbies, religious, cultural, political blogs, cuisine blogs and so on. But my blog would be different. Different not because I want to be unique, but different because there is nothing much happening in my little world that I is blog-worthy. A few of my artistic layouts maybe, temper tantrums, constant disciplining, oh and the disciplining doesn't just extend to my lil one. Hubby gets it too.. :) So, I've decided that my blog would basically be about nothing. Just me, my thoughts, my opinions, my frustrations, my OCD's lol. So, drop by and drop in a line or two.

Long Overdue

2008-03-28T23:27:00.000-04:00

Remember my friend who owns "Trendesetters". Well I received my stuff, just been too lazy to download the pictures from my camera and upload them onto flickr. These pictures don't do justice to the earrings.

To be honest, I wasn't sure of these blue earring when Gurveen mentioned the length. I normally don't wear long earrings. But I really like the style. And Gurveen mentioned that if I did not like it, I could always exchange them for another pair. So, I ordered them and guess what??? I love them the most.

These earring are of lovely champagne color. I ordered them because they would look good on my lil' black dress too. And the color is so subtle. Now, only if I can manage to fit in my lil' black dress ;) heheheeee

This is my most used bracelet. She has them in 2 colors..blue and white. I thought the blue would go well with the casual jeans and tee look that I am always in these days....
And last but not the least....

The kurti. OK. First of all for all those who bring clothes from any of the Indian stores here in the United States, know that good embroidery kurti is pretty expensive. And then, the material is very lousy and the shape of the kurti makes you look like a bloated cow. I was totally blown away by the material. It definately not the lousy transparent nor is it the thick "itchy" cotton. Now, I have no idea about the different fabrics that are out there, but this is a nice sturdy-kind of silk. And the embroidery is good too. Not the flaky sequins that would fall off with just one time wear. Do take a look at her store. And she has tons of stuff here too. Lemme know if you like anything. I'm sure you will.

Night Owl

2008-03-27T02:43:00.000-04:00

It's 2.45 a.m. Nicholas woke up at 2 and decided that he did not want to sleep any longer. So, here I am sitting like a zoonie, while my hyperactive son is playing with his truck!!! "Where is Vipin?" you ask??? S-N-O-R-I-N-G away to glory. He has it coming tomorrow, gonna be in the doghouse for the next couple of nights. Oh well, hope that I get some time to catch up on some sleep during the day tomorrow.

Being a mom....

2008-03-25T15:09:00.000-04:00

I was chatting with a few of my friends the other day and invariably the conversation steered towards children. Because that's what moms do. Talk about eating and nap schedules, changing diapers, runny noses and how cute our babies are and how much we love them. No matter what the occasion... movies, parties, lunch dates, play dates... that's all we talk about. Why? Don't ask me. I am still figuring that out myself. I always wonder what did we talk about before we all had kids. Movies, handsome guys, fashion, hobbies, and guys again :) Then, why can't we now have a conversation without bringing our lil brat's into it. This is what think....

1. Once you get married, you are supposed to think about cooking for you husband and going out to movies with him alone.. Going out with friends?? It's not looked upon kindly by the society(and i mean the indian society). But this is slowly changing, girls still go out with their girl-friends for lunches and movies. And now, the older generation is accepting the fact that women can have a "life" outside marriage. BUT once you have a child, everything changes overnight. The same friends you once hanged out with now consider you "old" (and mind you, your baby might just be a yr old..but you are considered old. So, then you look around for new friends...girls like you..looking out for other moms. And then you have to find something common to talk about right? What's the one thing that you have in common between you guys..KIDS!!!

2. We Indian women have been raised thinking that our children and husband are our world. Don't get me wrong.. yes they are my world. But I am also an individual...was and will always be. But my mom and her generation just doesn't get it. "You need your whaaat??? Space?? WHY???? Why can't you be happy with just looking after your husband and kid?" Oh, and by the way, there are women of my age too.. who are happy with just cooking and looking after their kid and look at me really weirdly as if.....yeah she thinks too much of herself.. she doesnt love her kid enough. So, I guess to fit in, we engage in conversations which revolve around smelly poops and snotty noses.

If, you have stuck around to read through my ramblings, hats off to you. This is basically what my blog is all about....NOTHING. (remember Seinfeld ??) LOL . What else would you expect from a mom's blog right?? ;)

Drummer Boy

2008-03-25T15:07:00.001-04:00

Drummer Boy, originally uploaded by sangeetakamath.

Just a few pic's of my lil drummer boy.

2008-03-19T01:41:00.000-04:00

I know it's been long since I have updated. Why is it that I am finding it so difficult to update? I have tons of pictures and layouts to upload., stories to share, so then, what stops me? Honestly I don't get much time during the day. Racing matchbox cars is the only thing I seem to be doing these days. What is up with boys and cars anyways??? I have tried my best to introduce Nicholas to soft toys, character dolls and such but he refuses to even touch them.!!! He says to me "Mama play." But I did get a new toy this weekend. It's the Rockband fromPS3. I'll admit I wasn't too excited when I first seen it. But after trying out a couple of songs on the drums, I got hooked and so did Vipin and Nick. These days all he wants to play is "Rock". And he looks so cute playing the drums. Last night as I put him in his bed, our conversion went something like this..

Me : Did you have a fun day baby?

Nick : Yes mama

Me : Did u like the band?

Nick : Yeah

Me: So, did you enjoy playing the guitar or the drums

Nick : Drums

Me : So, you going to be a drummer boy huh?

Nick : Yeah..bad drum boy!!!

LOL. I'm ok with the bad drummer boy image...just as long as he doesn't have colored spike hair, pierced body parts and gothic clothes. Not that there's anything wrong with it....

2008-03-07T14:05:00.000-05:00

Oh, totally forgot to mention. Check out this ebay seller. She has tons of stuff are really reasonable prices. And she is completely charming and but of course my friend. :)

TGIF

2008-03-07T13:48:00.000-05:00

This week has been a long and exhausting. I guess it was just one of those weeks. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend. A weekend where I can go shopping by myself, get some scrapping done, watch a movie, not worry about Nicholas's eating schedule, eat out at a nice restaurant without being embarrassed when your little one screams or bangs the table and the rest of the world gives you a dirty look. But, that's not gonna happen. But a girl can dream right? :)

A Stampin Up Demonstrator dropped by today. I was pretty impressed with the stuff that she had. Loved the inks. And she was such a darling. Nick had a complete meltdown while she was here. They are having a "Sale-a-Bration" promotion going on now. Just thought it would be a good time to get introduced to their products.

I'm waiting for my Scarlet Lime, Studio Calico goodies to arrive. Will post some pics when they arrive.

2008-02-29T19:55:00.000-05:00

It's been long since I've posted. I'm waiting to download my layout pics and upload them on flickr and the blog. But I've realized that I should post as and when I get time. Not wait for everything to be perfect as I want it to be . I've come to terms that my blog will take forever to get the "look" that I have in mind.

I had a few friends with their kids come over for a play-date with Nicholas. He seemed to have enjoyed it, but by the end I think all the kids had lost it. Everybody seemed to be having a complete meltdown. LOL. Nick was never possessive with his toys. But today I seen a different Nick. He refused to share his toys, even the soft toys. And he hates soft toys!!! I need to do something about it. Now, if I tell my mom about this incident, she'll will definitely say "Oh it's okay. All kids are like that. You need to have a second child so that Nick will get some company." For my mom all problems in life can be solved by having children. LOL. Another example....

Me : Mom, Aunt Flo visited me today and I'm in real pain... having severe cramps.

Mom : Have a kid and you will never again have pain when Aunt Flo visits.

After years of nagging, I finally caved in and had a son. But has Aunt Flo changed??? Nope....she's just the same.

Me : Mom you said there will never be any pain.

Mom : Yeah, u need to have more kids!!!

Lunar Eclipse

2008-02-21T09:46:00.000-05:00

This week has not been so good on us. It all started with Vipin having the flu over the long weekend through Wednesday. And now Nicholas seems to have a runny nose. :( I was sooo looking forward to a playdate with my friends today. Since I was super busy I could not create any layout. Why do men have to be such babies when they fall sick? DH is usually so strong, both emotionally and physically, but all it takes is one small cold and then he turns into this crying 3 yr old. Nicholas, on the other hand - nothing can stop that lil trooper. Bouncing off walls even when he is sick LOL.

Anyways, yesterday was Lunar eclipse. Vipin combined his love for astronomy and photography and what do u get?? Some really great pics.

Shot with a Nikon D300, 70-200mm f/2.8 with a TC2.0 convertor. This is a 2 second exposure at f/5.6 on a tripod

Nikon D300, 70-200 VR @ f/8, TC2, 4 sec, tripod

On another note, check out this etsy seller. She sells some really awesome stuff. And she is one heck of a talented scrap-booker. If you are the praying kind, please keep her family in yr prayers. Her lil baby is not keep well and I'm sure she could use some good vibes.

It's that time of the month!

2008-02-17T22:25:00.000-05:00

Label Tulip has sold out again!!! Cindee puts together such awesome kits that it's bound to happen. Luckily subbers get a chance to preview it one day before the official sale date. And guess what?? I snagged these babies. Looking forward to all the yumminess.

Lazy Saturday afternoon

2008-02-17T18:38:00.000-05:00

Trying my hand at photography. Took this picture over the weekend. Poor Nick is not keeping too well. I guess it's the weather. But he still had smile on his face. :) It was a very lazy Saturday afternoon with both Nick and Vipin not keeping well. I really like the picture and I already have a layout in my mind. Hopefully I can scrap it tonight itself.

I completed 2 layouts on Friday night which is a great achievement for me. It takes me days before I can complete a layout. Will try and post those pics sometime tomorrow.

Happy Valentine's

2008-02-16T00:33:00.001-05:00

I know I'm a day late, but Belated Valentine Wishes anyways. My day was no different from any other day. Both hubby and me are not that big on Valentines. But I did bake some cupcakes. This was my first time baking cupcakes. They turned out really good. I will put up the pictures and the recipe. It's a fool proof recipe. You cannot go wrong. If I can bake anybody can. LOL

On another note, my baby has got a cold. And hubby comes from work and he seems to down with some kind of viral flu. Another long weekend tending to two sick babies. Oh well. Why do men become such babies when they fall sick?

There is still a bunch of stuff I need to update on my blog. Like a link for my layouts. pictures of my scrap space. Procrastination is my middle name LOL. The only time I get to update my blog is after my lil one goes to bed and by that time I'm too tired to do anything...so I think "oh no worries..I can do it tomorrow" But then tomorrow never comes.

Drool......

2008-02-11T20:14:00.000-05:00

Look at all the goodies I received this weekend. This is from the Scarlet Lime mini kit. It got sold out before the day it went on sale. Glad I could pre-order.

This kit is the Guest Artist kit. This month the guest artist is Maggie Holmes. Now, I'm not a huge fan of the color purple, but when i received the kit, boy was I glad I did.

And this is the big main kit. Taa-daah!!! Christy has this awesome knack of putting together kits. I joined her club in december and I haven't regretted it ever since. Her exclusive papers are sooo pretty that sometimes I find it hard to cut and punch through it. I always end up ordering the extra patterned papers. Her stamps are pretty too. The feb kit sold out even before the sale date. She is now taking pre-orders for March. Trust me ladies, you wont regret joining. Oh and by the way, she always throws in something extra in her kits. And if you purchase a 6 month sub, you will receive a gift in the second month kit. I got the Autumn leaves stamps.

Now, only if I could find the time to actually scrap. lol

First Post

2008-02-08T12:25:00.000-05:00

Whooo hooooo. It's my first official post. I'm still working on it, making sure it's exactly how I envisioned it. You are welcome to skip reading this first post...it's not too exciting, I know. But you are more than welcome to check out my daily/weekly adventures in mommy-hood, S(crap)booking (that's how my darling hubby calls it) lol, and general updates.
Thanks for stopping by and please do leave me comments. I would love to read it.