How do I notify you?

Dear Readers,

A few of you left comments on the last post stating that you would like the link to the new blog. PLEASE add your email, or at least a blog address where I can go and add a comment on your blog!

Anjali, I can't reach you...no email and no blog profile so I can't reach your blog either.

Ayesha - Same thing, when I click on your name it goes to profile unavailable.

You may email me at vavoom79@hotmail.com if you don't want to post your email on my comments.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! :-) Have written a few new posts on the newer blog, am excited to share.

Toodle loo

I've begun a new blog. Please add your email if you would like the link.

Not saying good bye, but am not inspired to continue writing for this blog. When the inspiration hits I'll be back. The new blog will also contain stories about Om but further include other random ideas floating through my head.

Thanks! :-) Much love to my lurkers (I know you are out there) and the new friends (fellow Moms) I have made.

Sparrow, Dad, and Son

Happy Birthday & Happy Anniversary

The anniversary of my labor pains. 53 weeks ago waddled into a hospital, moaning and groaning, not sure what to expect, excited and anxious. Labor pains which changed my life (and the life of G's) forever. In the span of 24 hours, my heart suddenly latched itself to another being in a way thoroughly unlike the way our heart attaches to our family or spouses.

Labor pains which resulted in this squishy cheeked sweet smelling eyelash envy wonder:

Happy First Birthday to Om.

And Happy Labor/Delivery Anniversary to me.

Back

Okay so it's been a while, and I miss everyone.

And I realize that I need to blog so I can log Om's milestones, otherwise I get Mom Brain.

So I'll be writing up some posts soon and uploading. Stay tuned.

Portland Trip

Last month we went to Portland, Oregon for a basketball game. Although I'm not a basketball fan, it was neat to see the L.A Lakers in action.

We took a train from Seattle to Portland. It was the first time for me on a train (in the US). The train ride went fairly well, we arrived there in about 4 hours. Om was SUPER excited thoughout the whole trip. It was hard to put him down for naps because he just wanted to explore and socialize.

Cute kid in the hotel, trying out the bed with toy in hand.

Cute kid tryin' out the bathroom sink. Mini jacuzzi anyone?

Cute kid makin' cute Shirley Temple look-alike friends on the train. Om's first girlfriend?

Cute kid passed out in the carseat during the game. He made it for about 2 hours before we had to put him down for a nap amidst all the noise. Om sleeps all bundled up.

LA Laker's vs. Portland Trail Blazers. Kobe Bryant is in there somewhere!

Cute kid with his 'rents. He's looking at me so admiringly! LOL...15 years later he may not like us this much. :D

FYI

For those who's blog I read and leave comments on:

Changed profile handle.

Me = Chikki

Was my previous handle, am going back to it now. :D

The amazing Om

Plays peek-a-boo all by himself...give him a blanket and he will raise it over his head and start giggling while waiting for me to say "Where's Om?" This is so cute I just want to die. Sometimes the blanket won't cover his head completely, and one of his eyes will be uncovered, but he still thinks that he is "hiding. "

He is a hand clapping monster. Throughout the day I say "Yaaay" or "Clapping clapping" and Om will smack hands together in happiness. Om also randomly claps while playing or while crying (which blows Mommy's mind...clapping while crying? Don't get it). Also it's nice to get applauded everytime I walk into a room. :-)

Today I was putting Om down for a nap when the phone rang. Decided to take the phone call, and put Om on the sofa next to her while chatting. Om was frustrated, but occupied himself for a while. Then he climbed onto my lap and wriggled around, reaching for the phone on my ear. Also made lots of funny faces and fake cries showing his frustration with an interrupted nap and the fact that I wasn't paying him any attention. After sometime, Om FELL ASLEEP on my tummy, face down snuggled into the many folds of stomach tire. His body was half twisted in mid-crawl. He remained asleep for a whole hour and a half (during the phone call). This was so cute and new, because he NEVER falls asleep without a bottle of milk and a blanket. It's also amazing that he remained asleep for the entire phone call...usually I have to go upstairs to talk because any sound will wake the sleeping prince.

25 Things

I am the last person on Earth to do this. Tagged by Hitha and I think someone else...AARGH who was it? Let me know and I'll edit this post to mention you! I am such a ditz. (Mom Brain)

1. The only way to prevent biting my nails is to get my nails professionally done every month! As long as there is money in the bank.
2. Alchohol dehydrogenase is malfunctioning in my body. A few drops of ethanol transforms me into a drooling, slurring zombie.
3. I would get a massage daily if I could afford it.
4. I LOVE reading. Libraries are like candy shops to me.
5. As an elementary school kid, I beat up several boys in our neighborhood. I am not proud of this. Mom would get complaints. Personality changed drastically when puberty hit.
6. I loved playing in the high school orchestra. But I hated practicing the violin at home.
7. Can't whistle.
8. After 4 years of Latin in high school, all I remember is watching I,Claudius and making a toga.
9. As a teenager I made tea for my Dad all the time and hated doing it. Now I make tea for my husband all the time and hate doing it. (Recipe: Chai)
10. Never knew how to hold a baby, change a diaper, or feed a baby, until I had my own baby!
11. In my teens I used to paint beautiful pictures, embroider intricate designs on pillows, and crochet.
12. I've always loved going to work, whatever the job. (Me = Nerd)
13. Total dog lover. I love their noses the most, want to squeak them!
14. Took a year off between undergrad and law school to reevaluate my goals (i.e., slack off for a year) and worked as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens drugstore in the meantime. For some reason, I found that work to be highly satisfying and fun, despite low pay and highly demanding environment. I also met one of my best friends at that job.
15. Nothing disgusts me more than a raw onion. That being said, I briefly held a job at Grandma's Saloon & Grill making onion rings!
16. I was born in India, then when I was 2 years old moved to Minnesota, at 10 years moved to Oklahoma, at age 18 back to Minnesota, and now after getting married live in Washington State.
17. I was the kid who always won the coloring contests at the grocery stores, schools etc. Yeah I'm bragging about this LOL.
18. Was very religious in my youth...Now I am labeled agnostic, and have little patience for the various rituals and ceremonies in religions.
19. One of my dreams is to adopt a child from an orphanage, preferably from India.
20. I broke a foot bone while running, slightly intoxicated, in sub zero Duluth, Minnesota weather,in high heels, at 3am, on slippery ice.
21. I am one of the most sensitive people ever.
22. Love cheap gas station coffee. Like seriously, I want one now.
23.Went through a phase in my teens where I was fascinated by Greek/Roman/Egyptian/Indian mythology, astrology, palmistry, numerology, tarot cards...now forgot everything, and no real interest to go back and learn all that crap. :-)
24. The 9 months of pregnancy was physically the worst time of my life.
25. The song "all of my love" by Led Zepplin makes me think of my husband everytime I hear it because it used to be his ringtone on my cell while we were dating. I don't know what I would do without him, & thank my lucky stars that I met him.

Mom's a total wimp

Commercials that start the waterworks:

State Farm Insurance Teen:

Gerber Start Healthy Stay Healthy

If you can't see the videos, what should I do? Is there youtube available abroad? Priyanka - I know you can never see the vids, maybe a search on google video?

Baby needs a new pair of shoes!

On Monday Om saw Dr. Mosca at Seattle Children's Hospital for a club foot checkup. Dr. Mosca said that Om's feet look great. His left foot is in the top 5% of club feet cases, and the right foot is in the top 1%. Again, it is all based on dorsiflexion, and according to the doc, Om has dorsiflexion very close to a normal foot. The achilles tendon has been growing wonderfully and is flexible.

I love that hospital...the atmosphere, the decor, how organized the system of check - in is (although I end up going through several lines and waiting a lot for a 5 min check up!). I don't mind waiting to a certain point as long as I know why I am waiting.

First the orthotist came and checked Om's feet and measured him for his growth. He determined that Om needed an upgrade to his Denis Brown Bar and Shoes. While we waited for him to adjust the new shoes, Om's weight was checked. After the orthotist put on Om's new shoes, we waited for what seemed like an eternity for Dr. Mosca. Thankfully the rooms and hallway are child friendly with pictures of sea creatures etc to entertain Om. I also took the time to feed Om breakfast and let him play with the paper cover on the patient table. Dr. Mosca almost always has a sidekick with him...whether it be a resident, a nurse, or another physician who is shadowing Dr. Mosca for the day. Dr. Mosca is very knowledgeable about this birth defect. When I ask him a question, he doesn't hesitate to go into a mini lecture explaining the dynamics of a particular problem. I actually like the explaination, because I have the habit of looking things up on the internet/library so why not save some time and have it come straight from the source? :-)

Om will continue to wear the brace 12 hours a day. And we got the okay to keep Om in the shoes for the straight 12 hours and do not need to bother with putting them on during the day. Om is incredibly mobile, and wearing the brace during the day is just annoying for his active legs.

Om munching on a mum-mum while waiting in the room.

India Packing Checklist

Suitcase #1 : All of Om's outgrown clothes (months 0 - 7), receiving blankets, boppy pillow, and baby gym. (These are items we are giving to my sister in law who is expecting).

Suitcase #2 : G's clothes, my clothes to wear during one month stay. Also personal care items etc. I will have less clothes because I CANNOT BEAR HEAT in jeans and western wear so am having some cotton salwar kameez's stitched for me there. G is lucky, he can just wear his shorts. Do men realize how easy they have it in this world?

Suitcase #3 : 5 boxes of formula, 3 packs of diapers, some baby food, medicines, baby sunblock.

Suitcase #4 : Whatever doesn't fit in suitcase #3, plus a few gifts. and Om's summer wardrobe. (18 assorted cotton onesies, 3 pairs of shorts, sleep sack, warm romper in case it gets chilly in the evening in Shimla, hats, and socks)

Suitcase #5 : Since Om is coming with us and we are traveling business class, we get one extra suitcase for baby items. This suitcase will contain extra items that don't fit in suitcases 1 - 4, baby wipes, plus a safety booster seat that Om no longer uses because we got this instead. (We'll use the safety seat in India and then leave it there).

Also add a stroller, carseat, and two carry-ons.

Shoot me now.

Om Update! Long overdue

Om turned 8 months on April 18th. He is very mobile now, commando crawl and rolling all over the place. He also began sitting up by himself (before we would need to put him in the sitting position, but if he fell to tummy position he wouldn't be able to get back to a sitting position by himself).

He gets into everything...his curiousity is at its peak! He's eyeing the table tops and sofa cushions for potential toys. I don't let anything hang from tables otherwise he pulls the cords HARD and down comes whatever else was with it!

His eyesight is keen...he sees the tiniest crumbs on the floor that are camoflauged to my eyes (and then proceeds to insert nasty item in mouth). He notices and hears everything. If his Dad is upstairs getting ready in the morning and we are downstairs, he listens to the music coming through the walls and the sound of water going down the drain pipes. If children are playing outside, he tilts his head around looking for the origin of the sound. Birds are his favorite...the chirps that I have learned to tune out he relishes and looks toward the window in hopes of seeing said bird. One of his favorite activities is watching the crows eat crackers that I've put out in the backyard.

Om is such a little fireball. Set him down anywhere, and he immediately searches for something to play. We have attended a few playdates and storytimes, and Om is not hesitant to venture away from Mommy and explore the new world around him. He especially likes interacting with other babies and tots. He will grab their hair, ears, or toy they are holding without so much as a glance. The expression on the other babies faces is priceless...they are usually left wondering what happened to the toy they were mouthing and why was hair just pulled? During storytime at the library he sings his own words along with the rhymes...I have to bounce him to get him to quiet down so that we can hear what the storyteller is saying!

My favorite part about Om is his sense of humor...he smiles so easily....he doesn't hold any facial expression back. If a cashier is talking to him, he will gift her his toothy grin. If I am across the room busy in something, and then suddenly look up to see where Om is, he will display a wide mischevious grin and say "eeeeeeh" and then turn away in an almost shy manner when he realizes he's being noticed. Sometimes I just need to look in his eyes and laugh, and he will laugh back at the secret joke. One of our favorite games is to pretend that there is a baby stuck to my head. I take Om and put him on my head and say "there is a baby on my head! get it off get it off! eeeek!" and then Om giggles. Another game is blowing rasberries on his stomach....there is nothing sweeter than the sound of a baby's laugh!

Om's current favorite toys are his jumperoo and any container taken from the kitchen. He also enjoys watching Baby Einstein videos while sitting in his high chair and munching on crackers. He smiles and coos at the puppets. For eating, it is a cycle...some days Om will eat 16 ounces of baby food, and other days he will not even allow a spoon to enter his mouth. Last week he was 17.5 lbs, so he is gaining about a pound a month. Not sure if that is normal, but I don't know what else I can do to encourage weight gain...this month we have started full fat yogurt so maybe that will help.

He loves to take toys and wave them in the air. I think he is trying to determine how the toy works and what sounds it makes when bumped against something. Speaking of bumping, Om bangs his palms on any flat surface, such as tiles, hard wood floor, or table.

The worse part of this time is the seperation anxiety...Om doesn't last more than 5 minutes in any play area unless I am sittng very close. Stranger anxiety has also set in...he loves interacting with people from afar, but not necessarily when he is in their lap.

Om is blissfully continuing to sleep through the night. He goes to bed at 8pm, and then wakes at 6am without any feeding during the night. Sometimes he wakes up at 5am, which is when I feed him and then put him back down to sleep. He'll babble to himself for a while before going back to sleep until 7am. We attribute his good sleeping behavior to sleeping in a seperate room from us.

Our house is filled with the sound of "Daa daaa dadada" all day long...I don't think Om knows what he is saying, but it's his favorite word, and it is usually associated with some material thing (toys, household items). He also blows rasberries frequently. I think the rasberries are associated with pretend play...he takes a toy and then holds it up and blows a rasberry...maybe he's mimicing a sound that he imagines must be coming from the toy? :-)

Om and his best friend Jovin. You can tell which one is Om hehe.

Exhausted

Don't know why...thyroid issues acting up again? Baby who needs Mommy's attention 24/7?

Feel like eating the entire refriderator and then passing out in bed for 24 hours.

Trying to prepare for exam. HARD when after 8pm I just want to SLEEP.

On another note, I hate being so negative...should write something positive! Was reading a blog where the SAHM complained in every. single. post. And she didn't work, or study, or excersise, or ANYTHING and only had one kid (Om's age). Complained about how messy her house was (don't we all) and also how she didn't have time to cook at all. How they ate pizza daily.

Umm...what does one do with a 7 month old all day if one is not also working/excersising/cleaning/studying/cooking? Maybe the baby is a monster who consumes every single minute of her day?

Yeah I'm being judgmental again. BLAAAH.

Not a Happy Bunny Rabbit

For those who celebrate it, Happy Easter!

To do: reply to comments, read blogs, update on Om (8th month coming up!), update pics from past month or so...

Club Feet will ruin your furniture

Om is supposed to wear his Dennis Brown Bar for 12 hours a day. All the parents out there will understand that those hours easily fly by in sleep time. However after reading enough posts about relapse at the nosurgeryforclubfoot group at yahoo groups, we have increased Om's brace time to about 14 hours. So for a baby who sleeps 12 hours EXACTLY this means the extra two hours in the bar are spent in our family room and kitchen area. This wouldn't be a big deal if Om was still the stationary 3 month old. But he's not...as I type he has rolled out of the family room and into the kitchen, and is eyeing the next room (formal living room) as his current destination.

The problem is that when they have a hard metal bar attached to a pair of leather high tops, and they roll and kick in typical baby happiness, things get damaged. For instance, our wooden coffee table is a mess. He has kicked the table legs enough times that I've just ceased to stop him...the table is from G's bachelor days and wasn't in the best shape anyway. I don't want to get a new table because I know Om will just ruin that one too. We will just wait until he outgrows the kicking-things-with-his-bar phase (whenever that may be).

Om also manages to roll into the speakers of our new sound system. THAT is annoying, because they are expensive and probably can't bear the brunt of being smashed. Also, the microfiber and leather sofa has lots of baby scratches too. The bottom leather portion of the sofa is a prime area for getting scratched by the brace, and Om uses his finger nails to scratch the leather. The microfiber cusions were a great idea, however...spit up and food get cleaned up easily.

Oh and I can't forget the hardwood floor in the kitchen...Om loves new textures, and when he lands on tile or hardwood floor he likes to test out the area by kicking his braced legs HARD. I just hope when we leave this rental house that he hasn't caused too much damage, I feel bad for the landlord!

So here are some questions from a newbie Mom to all the experienced folks...besides surrounding Om with cushions and blocking areas, what can be done to soften the blow of the brace? And what can we do about saving the carpet from baby stains?

Pregnancy Tag

Long time coming...Munchkin's Mom's tag on pregnancy.

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
Not at all! It was a total shock.




Dharamsala, India; 2007. Love the mountains in the background. I was probably very early stage preggo in this pic. (Can I ever fit into that kurti again? Or have that body again?)


2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
Yes!



A business school (old palace converted) in Shimla, India. Probably early stage preggo in this pic.
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
Bawled my eyes out. Was certain that life as I knew it,was over. (I'm copying Munchkin's Mom on this one!)


Taj Resort, Maldives. 2007. Not sure if I was preggo in this pic...but this is probably where he was conceived! :-D

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? Noooo waaaay.




Shimla, India. 2007. Sun in our eyes, with a glimmer of baby. Little did we know!


5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 28


6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
HA...I am probably one of the few who went in to the dermatologist office to get checked for acne, and came out with the news that I was in the very early stages of pregnancy!



At our Seattle reception, Jan 2008. We revealed to everyone that we were expecting during a slideshow. I love this pic because the kids were drawn to the cake like a magnet...so excited! And that's my dear friend Shilpa on the side, setting up some music.


7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?My sister in law, G, and then sister in law's husband (in that order...sis in law and her hubby are both doctors, so naturally I consulted them!) They were all in the room when I found out. Mom in law thought I had a horrible disease that we were all whispering about.


November 2007, my sister in law is on the right and her husband is on the left. (Not preggo in this pic FYI)

8. DUE DATE?August 18th 2008

9. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
Yes. And every other symptom you can imagine. Go look in a pregnancy reference book...list of symptoms...I had ALL of those.





Swollen feet and ankles on August 17th, 2008. Could not fit into my shoes. And yes, those are scratch marks from my nails. My skin was on fire due to pregnancy PUPPPS.

10. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
LOL hence the name of this blog! Initially I craved salsa with refried beans, and then I just craved salsa on anything, then I craved peanut butter and jelly, then I craved yogurt shakes (lassi). But nothing like the cliche' out at 3am searching for food types. They were manageable cravings.





Preggo lady on a scooter, Cancun, Mexico, April 2008. My bum hurt SO much after 2 hours on this thing.


Preggo lady with coconuts. Cancun, Mexico, April 2008.



Preggo lady in hotel lobby, Cancun, Mexico April 2008. This was the first time people noticed I was pregnant...we were in the lobby getting Mexican coffee, and the waitress said so when's the baby due? I was so elated because FINALLY I looked pregnant and not just fat!




The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Cancun, Mexico, April 2008. Yes I wore a swimsuit while pregnant. Now that I think about it...I should have gone totally nuts and worn a bikini...every excuse to have my belly sticking out. I got super tanned lying in the sun for 4 days! I just wanted to bake myself in the heat since I'm such a sucker for anything warm. Washington is so dreary, so Cancun sun was a nice change.

11. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
Oh boy here we go. My nose. The fact that I couldn't breath for 7 months. Constant pain in my hips that prevented me from finishing physical work. The itchy skin that kept me up at night. The heartburn. The vomiting and nausea. The sleepless nights that resulted in my sleeping from 6am to 12pm. Sitting in the library doing work projects only to have to use the restroom constantly and blow my nose every 5 mins, much to the chagrin of folks around me.

As for people, no one really irritated me, everyone in my family and friends was supportive. G, however... no comment! Hehe.

April 2008, Cancun, Mexico. The stage where you know you are pregnant, but other people need to take a second guess...easily mistaken for having a large beer belly. I was SO tan in this pic! I'm slowly getting my normal complexion back...Seattle will do that to you! Although I have to say, I sort of enjoyed being tan...I didn't need concealer or bronzer!

12. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD’S SEX?Male

13. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
We were happy with anything. I had dreams it would be a boy.

14. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
50 lbs. Holy cow!

About to pop. August 17th, 2008.

15. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
Yes.

June 2008. Huge. With cinnamon fried icecream and bro. He's probably a fifth of my weight in this pic! LOL.

16. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
I knew.

17. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
Thyroid issues arose, but other than that was fine (except for pesky symptoms).

18. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Bellevue, Washington.

Independance Day (July 2008) at a baseball game (WA vs. Michigan)

19. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
Let's see...Contractions were uncomfortable at 11pm. Then by next morning I was in moaning type pain. In hospital at 3pm. I pushed for 20 mins, and then Om came out at 8pm. So I was in manageable labor for 20 hours, and only pushed for 20 minutes...which I attribute to a small baby and lots of squats, yoga, walks, and massage.

20. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL/BIRTH CENTER? Technically, I drove myself to the clinic for my final checkup with the doc, and then G met up with Mom and I and he drove us to the hospital.

21. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
A whole big party. LOL. My Mom, G, the doctor, 2 nurses, and an intern nurse. It was great. We should have had party hats, streamers, and noise makers. And don't forget cake. Mmmm. Cake.

Note to preggo ladies...get your nails done....pedicure etc...haircut...facial...whatever you need to do. Because you will look like CRAP while in labor.

22. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Natural.

23. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
HECK YEAH...epidural.

24. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
6.5 lbs.

25. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?
Right on time. August 18th.

26. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN THE DOCTOR ANNOUNCED THE SEX OF THE BABY?
We already knew!

27. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION ON SEEING THE BABY?
I was in a daze, so I just held Om and stared at him while everyone oohed and aahed around me.

28. DID YOU CRY?
No

29. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Om

30. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY
7 months

He looks like his Mommy, but I have to say in this pic his Daddy's dimpled chin is clearly showing!

I'm probably the last person to do this tag, so if you haven't already done this, you are it!

Pampers and Swiffer

Here are a couple funny videos. I use both these products so it's funny to see the parody! I am off to sleep, and I plan on responding to comments and read my fellow blogs soon! Goodnite!

Diaper Genie

If the bag is missing inside, and has not been replaced...?

If a non - diaper genie refill bag (think fred meyer grocery plastic bag) has been inserted unsuccessfully inside, whom to blame?

If the grocery bag has fallen to the bottom of the genie and the result is a diaper genie coverd with a thin film of poop, who can we blame?

The prize goes to:

DADDY

Mommy had tons of fun scrubbing it out in the tub.

I'm a Mom

Things that freak me out.

1. Going over a bridge or near any body of water with Om near me. NO HE WILL NOT FALL IN THE WATER.

2. Going near animals with Om. NO HE WILL NOT BE BITTEN. The dog will not bite him. The sea lions at the aquarium will not be able to reach Om. (I am the weirdest person I know).

3. The stairs in our house. NO I WILL NOT FALL DOWN THE STAIRS WITH OM.

4. Om choking. HE WILL BE FINE GIVE HIM A SECOND TO EXPEL THE FLUID.

The End. (SUBCONSIOUSLY BANISH THESE FEARS FROM MY MIND).

What are your fears?

Sometimes I am Super Woman

Spring Cleaning last week. Actually my friend Ida was coming for a visit so I used that as an excuse. :-)



Monday:

Sweeped Pantry. Reorganized pantry items according to category (drinks on bottom shelf, spices on second, etc).

Went through all of our medicine collection and put in a neat new storage container (yes I get excited by these things).

Found all the batteries in our house and put them in a storage box. Now we won't go searching.

Organized tupperware cabinet.

Swept kitchen floor. Got down on hands and knees and scrubbed floor.

Cleaned stove top, put in new foil in the burners.
Put guest bedroom sheets in laundry.

Ironed 4 of G's shirts (I am not an expert iron person...I usually wait until the dryer is done and then rush to get the shirts out so that I don't have to iron them).

Went grocery shopping. Went to Target.

Cooked dinner.



Tuesday



Cleaned bathroom floor.

Cleaned guest bathroom tub.

Cleaned master bathroom tub.

Made guest bedroom bed.

Put away random clothes.

Dusted.

Cleaned kitchen counters.

Did laundry, Om's clothes and towels.



All of this on top of taking care of baby and doing normal day to day things. I was sooo tired.

Yellow Water

This cartoon pretty much sums up the past couple weeks. :-)

Infant Crawling

Should have added this to the previous post on revelations.

Apparently there are different forms of crawling. There is the classic bear crawl which means baby is on his hands and knees. I thought this was what crawling meant. But no, there are several different types, and we've realized that Om has been doing various forms of these since age 6 months! I'm such a ditzy Mom...Om get ready for many mistakes to come from parents who are learning on the fly! I just thought that there was only one official way of crawling!

Om does the commando style belly crawl. He lies on his stomach and inches forward with is elbows (slowly) until he reaches his destination.

He also rolls. This is the fastest way of getting around the room for him. I wish I could get a video of him rolling, but whenever I whip out the camera Om because camera shy and doesn't move (which is great for still photos) but bad for making movies. He also gets shy when there are strangers around and refuses to do all the cool things he can do at home. LOL.

Here is a link that explains the various forms of crawling: http://www.parents.com/baby/development/physical/6-cute-types-of-baby-crawls/

According to my parents, when I was an infant I was a very fast bear crawler and also used a walker to zoom around the house. However I didn't learn to walk until a year and a half! And it was only when we moved to the States from India at age 2 that I was forced to really learn how to walk because I didn't have the myriads of relatives to pick me up every 10 minutes!

So we'll see how Om does...G learned how to walk at a good age, and my brother learned to walk at 8 months (probably to follow his big sis around, ha!). I wonder if crawling/walking (physical abilities in general) are hereditary in nature?

Also, are walkers available in the US? My Mom called me yesterday and asked me to get him a walker so that he could burn all the extra energy and not get so frustrated. However I don't think I've seen a walker lately in stores, nor at people's homes. I'm assuming it's because they are too dangerous for homes with 2 levels. Any thoughts?

Revelations

• Increasing baby's solid food input from 1 jar to 2.5 jars also increases baby's output to 2.5x a day. And wowsie, it STINKS.


• If using a bottle, there are different NIPPLE SIZES for each age range. So, for newborns, there is size 0 or 1. For 6 months and up, there is size 3 or 4. DID NOT KNOW THAT. Continued feeding baby with size 1 nipple at age 6 months and wondered why he got so tired and took so long consuming milk. Changed nipple size and lo and behold. Choked the first time but got used to it...now consuming milk in half the time. Saves me more time to spend on not so fun stuff.


• Spending all day with baby, cleaning and cooking in between, with evenings full of studies or relaxing at the tube = No time for blogging. No time for commenting on wonderful blogs.


• No rice and no white bread, cleaning house, cooking, and getting up repeatedly to take wire/poison out of baby's mouth result in slow but steady weight loss.


• When baby screams at top of its lungs in a fit of happiness, do not scream at the top of your lungs back in a gesture of shared happiness. This results in baby frowning in shock and ultimately bursting into heart-breaking tears.


• Spending all day with baby results in only being able to discuss baby. When friends or relatives call, discuss baby's latest universally amazing accomplishment in great detail. Gloss over the discussion of studies or career by redirecting to topic of cooking or how to remove stains from laundry.


• Forget toys, give baby the daily junk mail of coupons/newsletters/empty envelopes to tear up and lick. Keeps the kid interested for 30 minutes, until you hear a scream that says he has thrown all the paper out of reach and is in an odd half split leg position that he cannot get out of.


• Do NOT leave baby on a counter top alone after they reach 6 months. Even if they are in a safety seat with buckles, or especially in a bumbo chair, and you are leaving for just a minute. LOVED the bumbo chair until now, when little Houdini can escape and topple off said counter tops. Also can climb out of swings and jump out of crib if the wall is down. Yes we are bad parents....But that is another story. My only excuse is that we are dumb.


• If baby is screaming while you are putting away laundry that has been sitting there for too long, insert baby in laundry basket and pretend that it is a little car as we drive to all the closets and dressers to put the clothes away.


• Have different toys for different areas of the house. For example, while changing have only a couple of teething rings, and in the bathtub only rubber duckies. Keep variety so that baby is newly fascinated and keeps himself occupied while you do XYZ.


• Naps are God's gift to parents.


• After 6 months, it may be time to get re-sized for undergarments and jeans. Wearing maternity pants and other stretchy items is no longer excusable.


• Concealer is a new Mom's best friend. Before leaving home for random errand, insert baby in bumbo chair (on the floor) hand baby random item to play with, shower while singing funny songs and playing peek-a-boo with shower curtain. Get dressed. Deoderant application. Apply face cream, apply concealer to zombie under eye patches. Blend, add chapstick to lips. Done. (Optional: If husband is at home or baby is in a coma type sleep, apply powder to t-zone, bronzer, mascara, comb out hair and blow dry).


• Pregnancy, weight gain, and whatever other causes of nature often result in loss of balance. Case in point: While attending Bikram Yoga class, look utterly ridiculous while attempting tree asaan (pose), locust asaan, and any pose that requires standing on one foot.


• Am extremely jealous of people with maids. Discussing with someone in India - So how was your day? She says she cooked today. Nothing else. Floors mopped by maid, dough kneeded by maid, laundry/house cleaned via maid help. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

Definition of revelation: disclosure: the speech act of making something evident
an enlightening or astonishing disclosure
communication of knowledge to man by a divine or supernatural agency

4 - 4 - 4 Meme

I've been tagged! Finally got around to doing this. My mother in law left last week, so I'm not getting as much time to lesiurely do stuff on the computer (including blogging). As we speak Om is rolling all over the living room floor, periodically getting into electronics and places where he shouldn't be. Not that this is an excuse. I am a perfectionist, so if I can't do something fully and the way I think it should be done, I won't do it until I have ample time to do so. This results in problems at times...but that's another post! LOL.


Here is my picture for the 4 - 4 - 4 meme, tagged by Sue over at Dreams and Journeys. Her's was super cute - love kids in costumes! My favorite has to be JoAnna's at Where will this little foot take him - poor little brother crying!


I couldn't decide whether to do the 4th folder from my picture folder or the 4th folder from my online web album. So I did both :-) Yeah I'm an over achiever! Or maybe just the confused type. Hehe.

Here were the instructions:
“Go into your photo archive,pick the 4th folder in the archive,select the 4th picture in the folder,and write about it.Then tag 4 other people to do the same."

August 2008:

This pic makes me imagine that Om is saying: "Yo lady, where's the milk?" It was the morning after Om was born, and it shows me and Om sitting in the hospital bed. Om looks like a newly hatched baby bird with his pointy nose and fingers, looking up at Mommy. I kept him very close the whole night because his temperature kept dropping, so the nurse suggested I sleep with him snuggled next to my body. We look so serene with the morning light pouring in to the room. He had jaundice and some thyroid issues, so he was continously pricked for blood samples. Poor sweet baby! I still recall him lying on my shoulder balling his newborn eyes out while they took blood samples from his club feet. It is HARD to get blood samples from clubbed feet...the soles of the foot aren't exposed enough, and the blood comes out at a very slow trickle.

November 2007:

The pic above is from the morning of our wedding. It shows my side of the family arriving at the groom's place for shagun ceremony (good luck ceremony that includes gift giving etc). The wedding was that night, but Indian weddings have many mini ceremonies that take place before the actual marriage. Pictured is (from left) my Mom, brother, Dad, Aunt, Cousin, Grandpa, Uncle, Aunt, Aunt, and Uncle. The gifts they are holding were all beautifully wrapped by my best friend Ida (who also attended the wedding, all the way from Minnesota). It may seem like much, but the gifts were just simple clothes, perfumes, watches and candy. In Indian weddings the gift giving can be a bit extreme, so sister in law and I arranged so that we would do the bare minimum in gifts. It was a stressful and simultaneously oh so happy time! The night before we arrived very late to our horrible hotel due to incredibly thick traffic. We were supposed to do the ceremony that evening but instead postponed it to the next morning. I woke up first, then proceeded to wake everyone else up! I was the one in charge of the schedule etc, but my relatives didn't really listen to the "silly little girl" and pretty much did their own thing all day! I guess in India 27 year old girls aren't put in charge of handling the affairs of the wedding. Little did they know that I (along with my sis in law) organized the entire wedding! My parents just sat back and listened. Ha!

The hotel was HORRENDOUS. Poor service, poor accomodations. It looked pretty enough (crown molding anyone?) but my bathroom flooded the night we arrived, and there was no hot water! The electricians and plumbers kept slipping on the wet rugs, too funny. I fell asleep to the sound of repairmen in the bathroom. We were exhausted from hours in traffic. My Dad was unusually awesome...he gave me 2 advil, some tea, and told me to sleep while he handled the repair men. I had a slight fever when I fell asleep, but I awoke fresh and ready to get everyone going on the day! Despite all the fuss, I have fond memories of this time.

I have no idea whom to tag, it feels like everyone has already done it. So I'll put some names here of the bloggers that I believe haven't done it yet... but if you've already done it sorry my bad! Do it for fun, but no obligations!

Sala

Amrita

Deepa

Munchkin

Mama Mia

Priyanka

Menaka

If I were a super hero

I would be the Incredible Charitable Philanthropist. (According to the Hero Factory.) Interesting how they came up with that name...maybe because I decided to use a shopping bag as a weapon of choice? Or is it because that I am wearing a sarong and matching poncho (Ha...even in my cartoon fantasy world I cover up my thick post-partum waistline!) strolling about the city in bare feet?

Sometimes, however...I feel more like this:

Wonder Woman indeed. Complete with muffin top and underbelly stretch marks! ;-)

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You are my Baby Love

Om turns 6 months old today, February 18th. Here are some photos of updates from the past month or so. And yes, we take almost all the pics on the same couch!





G and I before attending a wedding. I'm posting this pic because it's a rare nice pic...most pics usually come out at some weird angle, with stray hair, double chin, and wires and diapers in the background. This one came out pretty decent! Oh and I usually don't wear saris.



This pic is screaming Valentine's Day with all the red. This year G and I left Om with Grandma and went out to dinner at Calabria, an italian place, in Kirkland, WA. Om behaved well while we were gone and was asleep when we returned. On Saturday I attended a Moms group coffee date and we all attended a wedding. Then on Sunday we ventured out to North Bend outlet mall for some shopping. Om was on good behavior all throughout. I found hats, shorts, and diaper covers for Om that will be useful when we travel to India this summer. (Why is it that a variety of hats is so hard to find in stores?).

This would have been a great pic, I look decent (for once)...but Om would not look directly at the camera! Argh! I wish I had more pics of him and I together that I actually like!

Om's hilarious passport pic. This boy's hair is NEVER settled. Love the crazy poofy hair!

Om stylin' before going to a birthday party. Notice the diaper in the background. Of course! LOL. Oh and I love baby pants...they look so grown up wearing miniature khakis and jeans!

This outfit (minus the pants) was stitched by grandma. Love the baby bonnet type hat!

Lots to explain in this pic - First, Om's hair is in a mini "bun" because we were trying to make him look like a little Sikh child (sardar kha bacha). For those who don't know what Sikh is, they are the religion that wear turbans. We are not Sikh, but just thought it would be funny to dress him up like one and show off to relatives in India. Second, Om's wearing pants knitted by Grandma. I love the rainbow print. Third, Om's favorite toy is his hairbrush, despite the state of his ever poofy hair! He loves to gnaw on the handle and we have to take it away from him lest he chew on the hair infested bristles.

Gotta love this pic, the lighting is perfect. And Om has his mouth closed! This boy breathes through his mouth so it's a rare sight (unless he's sleeping) to see him with his mouth clamped shut.

This pic is from a friend's baby shower. I like this pic because we look so natural! (Thanx Namita & Deepak). I'm holding a little mouse. LOL We decided to give his Halloween costume one more use before we gave it away.

For milestones, I don't even know what to write. He loves eating all sorts of sweet fruits like banana, pears, apples, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. I enjoy feeding him even though he makes quite a mess and can be pretty fussy. It's so cute to see his facial expressions as he swishes the food around in his mouth. At times he'll stop and stare up at your face, which is soooo adorable. We tried spinach and carrot mix, which he refused to eat! He also has 4 teeth now...the two on the bottom came out at 4 months, and the top two are emerging.

He's so antsy ...wants entertainment and something to play with all the time. When he's sitting in my lap, he'll twist his head around to see who's holding him....LOVE when he does that! He's almost sitting up...he tends to lean forward or back so it affects how long he can stay in that position. He rolls around a bit, but not as much as other infants his age because he imagines his brace is still limiting his movements. Nevertheless, he's trying really hard and can hardly stay still.

Om went to his first baby playdate this month. All the babies were 6 to 8 months so he fit right in. :-) I've joined a Moms group and have so far attended a playdate with Om and a Moms only coffee date. I really enjoy meeting new people and especially enjoy getting advice from fellow Moms.

February and the end of Jan were chock full of social events such as birthdays, baby showers, weddings, and get togethers. I love attending, but at times I was missing some down time on the weekends to get stuff done (especially things that required G). I've been studying as much as I can, mostly just reading outlines. Am still waiting patiently for the date of my examination to magically appear in the mail box. Once that date is set, I will have more direction and focus, because there is so much to memorize that it doesn't make sense to implant it into my brain now and then forget later. (No I'm not rationalizing!)

G and I are excersising as much as possible. I feel sorry for G, his work schedule and commute time doesn't allow for much gym. But we are trying! And my first goal is to get into the 150s for weight. Be gone darn 160s!

Weight Loss Standstill

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After having Om I weighed 170 lbs. Now I weigh 163 lbs. So I've somehow managed a tiny weightloss of 7 lbs. Now I'm at a standstill because although I'm including excersise, I haven't fine - tuned the foods I am inhaling. This is primarily due to the amount of carbs I eat. Breakfast and lunch usually include bread, and then my mother in law cooks indian food daily, and white rice is usually on the menu. I swear the days I eat rice I feel bloated (which is a lot). But it's so EASY to just eat it when it's already cooked and the accompanying curried dish is present. I've debated with dear MIL about the perils of white rice, but she claims that one can eat anything as long as gym is included. YEAH RIGHT. (Insert eye roll here). She's the sweet lady who tells G and I to become "skinny" again yet serves hot kachoris and parathas (fried stuffed breads). Now I know why diabetes is rampant in northern indians!

Anyway so I've resigned to the fact that MIL can't be changed and that she will make fried foods, and include rice in her meals. So after she leaves I hope to change the diet a bit and use more protien/veggies/fruits and less carbs.

For the gym, I usually do the treadmill or the elliptical. I've gotten so BORED and demotivated lately. I began dreading the gym...which makes it easy to have excuses not to go. So I've attempted swimming. I've done it twice so far and really like it. Afterwards I feel so tired and ravenous. And there is something about doing laps that is really meditative. You don't need an mp3 player, no tv, no headphones, no magazine. Just you and the pool. I'm not a good swimmer. I have very poor form and I have no idea about the breathing techniques. But my goal is just to strengthen my muscles and not become winded after a lap. Maybe one day I will take lessons and actually learn!

For the moms reading this blog, when is a good time to get baby in the water? And what do you do about soggy diapers...do you use a diaper cover? I don't want Om to fear the water so would like to start playing around with him in the pool.

Back to the topic...so on a lighter note, here is a current picture of me*:

*pic is from sue @ dreams and journeys

** it's a chubby groundhog in case you were wondering

*** at least i still look cute :D

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