Valentines Day: Unique Celebrating ideas

“You call it madness, but I call it love”–Don Byes

“Sometimes, my mind battles with my heart. And often my heart loses the battle. Because what’s winning when we haven’t known a little love or loved back?”

I know you probably came here expecting my weekly fashion post and even assuming that I would have some date-night outfits or other such inane stuff. The truth is I just do not get Valentine’s Day-a day apparently to celebrate love, wear sexy underwear and prance around with fluttering eyes (really, only one day in 365 days???) Do not get me wrong, sometimes I do get sucked into this giant marketing ploy and in my head make elaborate plans for the day.

But when the St. Valentines arrives, knocking mightily on my door, instead of it warming the cockles of my heart the whole thing sends me into a WTF frenzy!! Admit it: Valentine’s Day is one HUMONGOUSLY overrated day in which we are expected to show our love by exchanging a string of undesired gifts (because we are material people living in a material world and all that )and fancy surprises (because love is nothing if does not come with a huge price tag). It’s not reality. It is  another commercialised facade and we are expected to conform. 

And conforming is something that does not come naturally to me.

Hence, this year instead of even pretending to celebrate it, I am going to throw caution to the wind and concentrate on the rest 364 amazing days of love, laughter and friendship because at the end of the day it is the little things that matter. And if you are in mood to celebrate then here are some ways that WILL warm the cockles of your heart no matter what.

Cooking: 

When the husband man without expecting or being told cooks a scrumptious meal. Cooking, is the new candlelight dinner for most parents, add a lit bit of wine and a lot of chatter and you will have a memorable recipe in hand, no matter what is cooking. Any man worth his charm would know that a way to a woman’s heart is definitely through her stomach.

Re-creating the first date: 

Anyone can go to fine dine dating place but why not add an extra zing to it by re-creating your first date atmosphere. This is especially true for those couples who have been together for a while and know everything about each other. This is guaranteed to warm anyone’s heart and give you more than one reason to smile and be thankful for.

Go Outdoor:

No one said Valentine’s Day has to celebrated in an expensive place with expensive shit around. Get out of your comfort zone and go adventurous and pick up an activity you love: be it hiking, a long walk, skydiving or bungee jumping. Outdoor activities take out the pressure of perfection and you would end up having more fun than anticipated and speaking from experience there is nothing more romantic than getting lost up in a mountain or in a woodland.

Get physical:

 

And I do not mean the Fifty Shades kind but something more fun (and perhaps less painful) if you and your partner are gym rats or fitness lovers then why not bond on that? Pick a really interesting challenging, head to the gym, compete and see who wins.

Dress Up:

Now this is an activity you can do whether you are single or celebrating the day with your friends. Dressing up is an expression of self-love and self-love is the foundation of any kind of love.

I hope now you realise that it is not about soppy gifts and pricey experiences but little things that go a long way to fill you with love and happiness. I wish, all you people Happy Valentine’s Day.

Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed this post. Have a lovely week🙂 Don’t forget to follow me. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

Celebrating Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all my lovely readers. Hope you had an awesome day and Santa spoiled you really well.

This year, after a very long time, all of my family (UK edition) was in UK and needless to say we celebrated Christmas with much splendour, some tasty grub, lots of laughter, singing, dancing and just the ride dose of madness. Rather than blabbering here, I would just let my pictures do the talking.

When we sort of twinned 😀

Our lovely food spread

Waiting not-so-patiently to open the presents 😉

As I said in my previous post, this truly is a magical time and one filled with warmth and hope. The perfect time to count our blessings and realise that despite all the daily challenges we do have a lot to be thankful for too. 😀

Thank you for reading, have a wonderful week and happy holidays. Do not forget to follow me. You can also follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest too.

What not to say to a new mum (For new dads)

If you ask me, mums are highly sensitive people especially new mums who are still new to the motherhood thing and has to learn almost everything overnight. And as far as dads are concerned, you lot are simply doomed. Yes, doomed.

Why? Well, you can be a scientist, an investment banker, a fire fighter, a cop or anything under the sun but the fact that remains that splitting oneself in half to bring out a tiny human being into this world and being responsible for his or hers every need is one heck of a job and cannot be ever, ever, EVER compared to anything. So, here’s a handy note to all you dads out there about things you should never ever, ever, EVER say to new mums.

Read it, comprehend it and make a blueprint of it all over your brain because it can just make your life a wee bit easier.

Sleep when the baby sleeps:

I know you mean well. But please refrain from saying these words because chances are she will snap-back with her racoon eye and ask you when is she supposed to go for a wee, take a bath, have one teeny-tiny minute to herself. When? As you would not have an answer to this just bite those words even before it comes out of your mouth.

Wow, you look tired:

Yes, that’s exactly the look new, sleep-deprived mums are going for.

Image Via Google Images

Boy, am I tired?!

You could have trekked to Mount Everest and made it in one day but still do NOT talk about being tired because continuously feeding a baby, changing their diapers, cleaning the poop, pee, walls and floor all done mostly with one free hand and one hand holding your munchkin is a physically and emotionally exhausting task. So sorry but not sorry your own tiredness is nothing compared to hers.

Anything about breastfeeding:

Sure you sat through the breastfeeding class and even diligently took notes but for the sake of your health and happiness just do not say anything about breastfeeding. Keep in mind a simple mathematical formula if you ever feel the urge to say anything about the subject: no boobs = no talk about breastfeeding. It really is that simple.

Are you in the mood?

This one is easy to misconstrue. One fine day, after you return from work, you would have realised that she has taken shower, has put on a freshly laundered top, has a hint of make-up and has even shaved her legs. You might be inclined to think that this is your lucky night. But do not ask this question because unless the activity in your mind involves ten hours of uninterrupted sleep (for her) the answer is probably definitely no.

What did you do all day?

Here’s the answer: She has fed, cleaned, burped and calmed the baby some zillion times. Usually, she has already done it ten times before 7AM and on top of that she has made some breakfast, cleaned the poop smeared carpet some ten times and looked after other essential things for the baby the whole day while making sure her own sanity has not gone down the door. See, babies are notoriously dependant on their mums for every single thing and looking after one is not exactly a holiday. So do not ever ask this question, no matter what.

Anything about her weight, shape and size:

If you care for your own safety do not go there because hell hath no fury like a postpartum, hormonal woman surprised and shocked by her body’s change. So DO NOT GO there.

Hope you enjoyed this post. Have a great week ahead and don’t forget to follow me. You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Why making a toddler sleep is like a TV drama?

One of the first challenges we faced as a new parent was to teach our little girl the fine art of sleeping. Ironically, sleeping is something which still gives us sleepless nights. We have used every tactic in the book from crying it out, gentle CIO, gentle sleeping techniques and now finally co-sleeping (despite an amazingly nice baby cot). What never ceases to amaze me is how making a 15-month old sleep brings out so many emotions and how its nothing short of a TV drama. Read on to find out the how of it.

Image Via Google Images

The drama starts with so much hope, a gentle, funny reading episode. As a parent you feel how easy this is and life is such a breeze with a toddler. You are brimming with love, hope and an over all positivity. In a split second your situation changes because the plot thickens and your all-too-happy situation has turned in to a full-fledged conflict. Why? Obviously because the toddler has no mind of sleeping even though it is bed time and she needs sleep and you are beyond exhausted. You cajole, coax and wonder from where this little human being, your cute cherub gets their stubbornness from (blame the dad)? With a steely determination and some cursing under the breadth you carry on.

The conflict reaches its climax when the water works start (and I meant yours!). The drama ensues for what seems like hours when you feel this sorry story is just not moving ahead and the crying continues. Obviously, by this juncture the toddler has joined you and you wonder who is the bigger baby? A lull in the crying drama sends you to the deepest depth of pathos and you pray that the end of this series is nearing.

The ensuing silence gives you hope but hey this is like a never-ending tv series and with a bang it starts again. You have no iota of energy left in your body and like Murphy’s law your toddler seems to have become more energetic. This is the juncture in the series when you pull your hair (and your toddler happily joins) out of exasperation. You both cry, you both laugh because honestly you don’t know when this series is going to end.

And just when you have given up all the hope and has made peace with the idea of another sleepless night, you see your toddler sleeping like the baby they are. Hallelujah, the drama is over and it is a happy ending.

Hope you liked this tongue-in-cheek parenting post. For more such hilarious take on parenting or ideas for style & living don’t forget to follow me 🙂

Thanks for reading and have a great week ahead 🙂
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Seven deadly sins of parenting

The ironical thing about this parenting thing is that, till you become one you are happily in some sort of cloud #9, with absolutely no iota of reality to bring you down. Before baby, the hubby and I used to wonder how some parents just can’t get the hang of their own kids and how they allow them to “let go.”

Our bubble has been broken for good and now as parents we have understood and experienced that it is one HELL of a job. I no longer aim to become “mother of the century” and have no shame in admitting that sometimes I am absolutely rubbish at it and that occasionally (ok, ok regularly) commit some “classic” parenting sins. So, if you would like to feel better about your own parenting skills read on or maybe you would also like to plead guilty.

Image Via Google Images

Pride:

I had promised myself that I will never be a pushy, tiger mum and that I will take no credit for my daughter’s milestones. But when another mum at rhyme time told me, “wow, your five month is crawling so well.” My joy knew no bound. I think I stood up feeling slightly taller, my nose slightly pointier and my little heart jumping of pure joy. I felt unashamed, pure sense of pride as though it wasn’t my daughter’s crawling but  I have won a Pulitzer Prize or something. Yes, I huffed and puffed till another mum came and shattered my pride to pieces by asking, “so she doesn’t coo in French yet?” Because obviously babies do that.

Wrath:

I am (fine, used to be) a totally Zen person. Even Tibetan monks could’ve learnt from me about being calm and content. These days, simple requests are enough to drive me to insanity. Like when my hubby asks me in the morning totally innocent questions like: “Have you seen my car keys/ wallet/bag?” ALL. HELL. BREAKS.LOOSE. Really, when did I become the treasurer of things? Or do you become one just because you pushed a tiny person out of foof? His nerve, just because he has to go to office and earn our bread and butter. Really, hell has no fury like a wife who is asked about “lost” things.

Gluttony:

When I was breastfeeding, every day I would make a pact with myself to stay away from junk but by 10 AM I used to feel ravenous. Totally natural considering I was being an all night buffet to my lovely little girl, I would eat one (or two, whatever who was counting?) slice of cake without a shred of guilt. So has things improved now that she has weaned off herself? Sometimes, I stuff my face with chocolates sneakily with fridge door still open while she munches on her fruits (ha!!).

Envy:

People think that most mums are envious of those stylish women and their jaw dropping amazing body. No sir. We don’t. I envy anyone who has had six hours of uninterrupted sleep or anyone who can go to the toilet without an audience.

Sloth:

The t-shirt I am wearing today was supposed to be washed yesterday. Ok, ok the day before. Fine, last week. Ever since becoming a mum, “sloth” has become my middle name. I used to be so shamelessly house proud. Needless to say, my cleaning standards have gone down. Considerably down (sob).

Lust:

Lust, really you got to be joking? (hahahah).

Greed:

I really have become slightly greedy ever since becoming a mum. Sometimes, I lock myself in the bathroom as soon as hubby comes home and pretend I am doing my business just to get five minutes to myself. I am amazed at my own greed. 😛

Bottom line is mums (and dads) are not perfect creatures. We all slip up sometimes. As long as you aren’t ignoring your children every single day you are probably doing a great job 🙂
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MOM: Master of Multitasking

Mothers are all slightly insane—JD Salinger

The thing about being a mom is that you almost overnight become excellent in multitasking. It is alarming how quickly we women lose our confidence as we get embroiled daily taking care of another human being. We are Moms, masters of multitasking and no matter what that’s a quality we should be unashamedly proud of. Here are some multitasking activities that I have mastered ever since the arrival of my little one.

Image via google

• Working, studying and blogging while nursing.
• Doing squats while brushing teeth because time is precious.
• Sleeping (or trying to) while nursing and being baby’s all night buffet.
• Cooking while entertaining and dancing like a clown for the little one.
• Doing Kegels while watching TV.
• Actually forgetting about damn Kegels and hurriedly having tea/coffee while watching TV with one eye on the baby.
• Doing almost anything one-handed because the other is holding or soothing the baby.
• Cleaning (okay just trying to clean) the house while playing with the baby.
• Instead checking ASOS, Facebook, blog while playing.

Apparently, multitasking can shrink the brain. No wonder motherhood can make us a bit cuckoo.

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The Loneliness of a Mother

This New Year’s Eve, I had my first party ever since my daughter’s arrival. I have always been a very confident and bold person. Working as a journalist before baby meant meeting and interacting with people from all walks of life—the biggest attraction of that job. Needless to say, I was a very sociable person; the one with “chutzpah” as my friends and hubby often says. But at that moment, as I scanned the room quietly, approaching my friends rather cautiously hoping that they will not notice the dribble on my dress, I felt an emotion completely foreign to me—I felt lost. I still cannot fathom why I felt the way I felt. But at that moment something hit me rather hard.

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The reality is that motherhood, especially if you are a first time mom, can be a very lonely journey. I must say that I have my hubby’s unflinching support. I was also lucky to have my parents and in-laws over during the initial months but despite that I have and feel so lonely. It is a loneliness that I never contemplated about before the little one. I was so naïve to think that babies are so easy.   I did not really know that I would be responsible for every single thing for my daughter. The enormousness of this responsibility sometimes leaves me utterly clueless and slightly terrified.

As my friends sat there, regaling stories about developments in their career and life, I saw myself nodding with a meaningless grin plastered on my face.  What do I tell them, when they talk of career and their busy work that there are days when I have not done anything except nursing and cleaning my darling little one? I wanted to say something witty and important just to make sure they do no disregard me as brain dead or worse assume that I am invisible because I am a mom.

Invisible—that’s what I feel I am most days. I make a point to go out every day not just because the little lady loves it but because I can at least hope to bump into someone and have a conversation. I smile and nod at almost everyone hoping just for an adult conversation; a conversation without the mention of poop, diapers and dribble.

There are days when I argue with the hubby for no reason. His crime—he goes out to work. As ungrateful and petulant it sounds, I feel jealous that he gets to go out. I know he is not partying but earning the all important bread, butter and our tasty omelet but at times this loneliness manifests and turns you into a completely thankless person.

I also wonder what happens to friendships when you become a Mom? It is surprising how your social life takes a back seat as some friends are too willing to drop you because they do not want the unwelcoming drama of someone’s baby. Even those with babies do not have time to meet because perhaps they are going through their cycle of emotions.

It is strange and paradoxical that motherhood makes you stronger and vulnerable. Yes, I do cherish from the bottom of my heart to see my baby thriving but I would not deny that this loss of identity perplexes me. I am also thankful that in this wonderfully challenging journey, I at least have my hubby’s support who not only gives me time out but actually encourages it. I guess, at the end of the day what matters is just that.

I don’t know how my days will pan out from now on but I sure do not need anyone’s pity or sympathy just an adult conversation and perhaps a glass of Chardonnay.

Look who’s talking

“If Motherhood was supposed to be easy; it wouldn’t start with labor.”

When I was pregnant, one of my favourite things to do was to watch Look Who’s talking series of movies on repeat. Ever since the birth of my daughter, I keep wondering what is going in her lovely little head and what all she would say if she could talk. So my overactive mind and imagination has put together this list of what babies would say if they could talk.

Image Via Google Images

On Parents:

“So, this lady with my big milk bottle is the mom and the clueless guy beside her is the dad??!”

On the sudden laughter for no reason:

“I do not want to come across as a diva but I am sitting on my own poop. So mom come and change me.”

On funny face after farting in public:

“Ooops…my bad!”

On nursing that goes on forever:

I haven’t finished yet. More boobies!!

On mommy relaxing/trying to sleep/ going to pee:

If mommy goes out of my sight for a second, I will scream and bring the house down or I will poop. Hmmm. Buhhahaha

On sweet smiles for no reason:

Don’t get so excited and squeal;  I just passed wind.

On waking up inside the crib:

I had slept on mom. How did I end up here???

On breast milk and satisfactory smile after that:

It must be the milk talking but I love you ma’am.

Hope you enjoyed this post on motherhood and parenting. Have a great mid-week. Do show me your love with your likes and comments and don’t forget to follow me  🙂

 

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Funny Side Up

Paulo Coelho stated, “A child can teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something, and to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires.” As a new mum, I can totally vouch for this. Being a first time mom can be a rollercoaster ride but here is a funny side of the whole First time mommy thing. Before I start the post, I must say I love my daughter to bits (OK, I would love her more if she slept more ;)). I did not know it was possible to love anyone so much. Sometimes, I am on the brink of insanity but still she makes it worthwhile and so without further ado here are the funny things I have learnt as a First time Mom.

Image Via Google Images

• Those who say they slept like a baby clearly do not have one or have never been with one.
• I have always been very lady like so why the hell does my daughter fart so loudly especially outside amidst strangers? Why, oh why?
• Before the babe, I had a full-time job; I was also blogging, socializing with friends and regularly going to gym. I had a busy life or so I thought. Now, I will give my left arm to have a 48-hour-day and I suspect I would still need more.
• Often after feeding, cleaning and dressing her up, I would think I will relax for a wee-bit with a nice cuppa and just when I let my guard down the baby she……poops.
• Babies are unpredictable. Just when I think I have mastered her non-verbal cues and “aaaah aah” songs and feel rather pleased with myself for taking stock of her needs, she would change track and then it is back to square one.
• I always wanted to have super powers now I have one– I make milk.
• My boobs—they are no longer just mine or my hubby’s for that matter. They are solely and only hers. Her food and sometimes (na, all the time) her comforter, soother, cushion and toy.
• Those who say babies should have schedule from day one don’t have kids of their own or live in some fairy land.
• It is slightly annoying when stranger people (na, girls) coo at my hubby when he carries her whilst while I am carrying her, I am just doing my natural duty.
• The best way to get a baby’s attention: pretend you are relaxing.
• Just when you think you can get busy with your hubby/partner. Babies will bawl crazy they just know that you are having too much fun without them.
• Motherhood is not all cuddling, laughter and walk in the park. Motherhood is actually series of shocks and harsh realizations, disgusting things under my fingernails, horrifying smells, and constant irritation.
• And yet when your baby gives you her innocent laughter, talks to you in her baby language you know you will die thousand deaths just for your baby.

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