Heyyyyyyyyy Blogdom! I'm back baby! (Let's see for how long!)
Alrighty... updating all that happened until now will be very very VERY difficult! A L.O.T has happened so far and we've basically survived them all... the move, visitors, relatives, weaning, weather changes, Hubby's work timings, a small bout of fever, playtime with the neighbouring kids, et all! We've lived with 15 people in the apartment and we've lived with just the two of us. And amidst them all, Joy's adaptability has to be seen to be believed! There are occasional incidents of unexplainable yelling or restless crying, but they're few and far in between.
Joy in a nutshell... Being close to completing 8 months, we're now up to 4 solid meals a day and in spite of all thefountain-spraying that's happening, we're pretty much into some semblance of a schedule now! (Which is generally the living-on-air-and-water schedule! Weight gain has become almost nil. Anyways, more on that later!) The lesser said about sleep, the better. Loads of crawling, creeping, screaming, babbling is happening. We're now able to sit unsupported and stand up holding on to something (mostly the nearest available shirt!!) and we're very proud of our accomplishments! We expect appreciation for anything and everything we do and in plenty, mind you! We're as cuddly as ever. We love to get out of the house, even if it means being mercilessly pushed around on a stroller in the apartment corridor! The drooling is still aplenty. We are sick of blaming everything on teething pains since the first tooth is not even close to making an appearance. (Interestingly, I saw a tiny white speck and even felt it on her lower jaw last month, but it mysteriously disappeared a couple of weeks later! No clue people!) Anyways, the gummy smiles continue to flash across and no one is in a hurry to lose them... so no worries!
I, meanwhile, have no time for anything that's not Joy-related! It's just her, her and her ALL THE TIME! Feed, bathe, dress, put to sleep, feed, re-dress, play, play, play, put to sleep (try, try, try again) feed (count 1 to 10, do NOT lose temper... she's just a baby) and the vicious cycle just goes on and on and on... And don't even get me started on laundry, cooking, cleaning and the likes! The apartment resembles a cow-shed for crying out loud! I have no inkling of recent movies, music, happenings around the world. I've forgotten what a newspaper looks like, that there's something called a television (gasp!) and after so many months have finally got reaccquainted with the computer only now! I can't care less (not that I have the time for it anyway) about what I wear or how I look. Thankfully for others, I'm still aware that I SHOULD wear something! AND I missed the BIG online baby shower. That was a real shame! I SO wish I'd been a part of it!Anyhoo... just started going through other bloggers archives to get updated! My blog updates will be directly proportional to Joy's quality and quantity of sleep... which are amazingly terrible and tiny respectively! Each time I think it can't get worse or shorter and time and again, she proves me wrong! There's a lesson to be learnt right there! Never expect anything from anyone and life will be bliss!
So so so... that's about the scoop so far. There's lots I want to write about... time and Joy permitting! Meanwhile, off I go archive digging!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
F O U R
As month four ends and the fifth one dawns both Pu and Joy are growing and discovering. Joy now joins her hands together and takes them above her her head whenever anyone says "Govinda Govinda", as my mother has trained her to do. She has stopped rolling over for the most part, as she's absolutely uncomfortable on her tummy. She loves to sit and is forever asking to sit on the swing, bouncer, stroller, car seat, or best of all, anyone's lap! Stranger anxiety is at it's peak and woe becomes anyone who side tracks her refusal and tries to carry her! She's babbling like a brook and all sorts of vowels and consonants are being introduced to a perfectly devoted audience everyday! Toys are getting kicked and thrown about like nobody's business. There's bucket loads of drool...on her fists, ours, her toys... just about everywhere. I have started bathing her and surprisingly, except for a couple of incidents, there hasn't been much vocal support from her! At least, she doesn't howl the place down, so I assume she's either resigned herself to it, or is actually starting to enjoy it. The "Brrrrr factor" (the one where she purpose-fully draws the ever-flowing drool into her mouth and then sprays out loudly) is being practiced in all it's glory! About a 2 km radius around her can be termed as the wet zone. And as always, she continues to be very patient and understanding, taking everything and everyone in her stride!
JOY in four words...
Cranky - With a capital C. The first half of the month she was ok. The second half has seen the brunt of it! She doesn't nurse, doesn't sleep, doesn't play. All we can get out of her is a polite courteous smile now and then and that's about it. She was clearly in pain and we couldn't figure out why. Two pediatricians, ("She's a perfectly healthy baby"... Duh! Like I didn't know that) many phone calls and free advices later (none of which helped) I read my baby bible (Thanks Boo! That's the only thing that pulled us out of our misery!) and finally found out the little one must be having teething pain! Apparently the teeth sprout only after the seventh month or so, but some poor babies (aka my sweet little formerly-good-tempered-Joy) face the pain a good one or two months early on. The symptoms are just way too clear to dismiss. Sooooooo... Joy still suffers, but now I know why AND I know it's temporary. So one out of two is less cranky!
Clingy - A by-product of the crankiness, arises clinginess. I can use terms like "velcro" or "fevicol" to describe her... It's mommy time all the way! The grand dad gets a cursory smile and that's it. The grand mom, thank God, is still held in familiar circles, but Mommy rules big time! As long as I'm with her and touching her, she's a dear. A couple of minutes of my disappearance and slowly the crankiness begins. Anyhoooooo... as my niece warned me, I have decided to enjoy this time and then try not to complain when Mommy is shown the door and Daddy starts to rule!
CUDDLY - The epitome of it! She loves cuddling and she loves even more to be cuddled! Wet, sloppy kisses abound the household and needless to say, we're all loving it!
Patient - In spite of all the Cs that I've come up with earlier, this trait deserves a special mention! I'm proud to say I'm learning from her (already!) and trying to cope up with her troubles as much as she is. The "Brrr factor" is being used as a defence mechanism. So nowadays, if she's unable to cope with anything, she does that instead of losing her temper and crying and I get the message. Poor little darling...
PU in four words...
Sleep-deprived - Again, by-product of Joy's restlessness and crankiness. Her daytime sleep has all but disappeared. Nights are typically restless and see a lot of tossing, turning and bouts of crying. There's no choice but to nurse her, (the only time when she actually allows me to nurse her these days) although sometimes, just comforting her and hugging or putting an arm around her works. We're basically taking each day/night at a time! I'm not a daytime sleeper at all by any terms. I'm still waiting for my first uninterrupted-sleep night!
Helpless - Watching Joy struggle for so long hasn't been easy. Although the mind repeats that this is nothing big, everyone goes through this, there's a lot more to come, and so on, the heart is absolutely wrenched. Nights are the worst. The poor thing is so disturbed and looks so full of pain, I'm at a total loss for words or actions. The book says the pain will continue till the damn tooth sprouts, that will take a couple of months at least, and I'm not sure I can continue watching this until then. I have never felt this helpless in my life. Ever. The poor baby clinging to me as if I can make it all go away doesn't make it any easy either. Since she's not able to nurse, I've resorted to feeding her expressed milk. Pushing that down her throat is another whole story by itself. If ever I got my hands on a magic wand, I would just swish it and make it all go away. Until then, all I can do is pray.
Anxious - Joy and me move to my place next month. My in-laws will be there for a while but after that it's just Hubby, me and Joy. Although I'm excited by the prospect of getting back to MY place and living life MY way and having my darling Hubby around me all the time (Ah... how we cheat ourselves!), the thought of flying the nest (this didn't seem to bother me in the least, up until now!) and losing the security of having my unconditionally loving parents at my beck and call, seems nightmarish to say the least. I'm hoping for the best. I'm not sure if I'm prepared for the worst. But the silver lining is that they're just a phone call and about an hour and half (on a good Bangalore traffic day) away!
Depressed - Just a wee bit! Much as I tried to live in denial, I finally admit it! I am never one who dwells in self-pity or gets depressed or upset at things... however big they may be. 'Take life as it comes' is pretty much my motto. But a few days back something happened, the dam burst, I cried a little bit, talked about it to Hubby (Not sure if that sorted out things... but whatever!) and I think I'm over it now. I think. I most certainly hope so... this one bout caught me by surprise and I didn't like one bit of it. Anyways, it's back to enjoying life again! At least for the moment.
P.S. Yes, I know this post is long over-due. It was done in many installments. I never edit or read through any of my posts, so I hope there's enough coherence and continuity to make sense!
JOY in four words...
Cranky - With a capital C. The first half of the month she was ok. The second half has seen the brunt of it! She doesn't nurse, doesn't sleep, doesn't play. All we can get out of her is a polite courteous smile now and then and that's about it. She was clearly in pain and we couldn't figure out why. Two pediatricians, ("She's a perfectly healthy baby"... Duh! Like I didn't know that) many phone calls and free advices later (none of which helped) I read my baby bible (Thanks Boo! That's the only thing that pulled us out of our misery!) and finally found out the little one must be having teething pain! Apparently the teeth sprout only after the seventh month or so, but some poor babies (aka my sweet little formerly-good-tempered-Joy) face the pain a good one or two months early on. The symptoms are just way too clear to dismiss. Sooooooo... Joy still suffers, but now I know why AND I know it's temporary. So one out of two is less cranky!
Clingy - A by-product of the crankiness, arises clinginess. I can use terms like "velcro" or "fevicol" to describe her... It's mommy time all the way! The grand dad gets a cursory smile and that's it. The grand mom, thank God, is still held in familiar circles, but Mommy rules big time! As long as I'm with her and touching her, she's a dear. A couple of minutes of my disappearance and slowly the crankiness begins. Anyhoooooo... as my niece warned me, I have decided to enjoy this time and then try not to complain when Mommy is shown the door and Daddy starts to rule!
CUDDLY - The epitome of it! She loves cuddling and she loves even more to be cuddled! Wet, sloppy kisses abound the household and needless to say, we're all loving it!
Patient - In spite of all the Cs that I've come up with earlier, this trait deserves a special mention! I'm proud to say I'm learning from her (already!) and trying to cope up with her troubles as much as she is. The "Brrr factor" is being used as a defence mechanism. So nowadays, if she's unable to cope with anything, she does that instead of losing her temper and crying and I get the message. Poor little darling...
PU in four words...
Sleep-deprived - Again, by-product of Joy's restlessness and crankiness. Her daytime sleep has all but disappeared. Nights are typically restless and see a lot of tossing, turning and bouts of crying. There's no choice but to nurse her, (the only time when she actually allows me to nurse her these days) although sometimes, just comforting her and hugging or putting an arm around her works. We're basically taking each day/night at a time! I'm not a daytime sleeper at all by any terms. I'm still waiting for my first uninterrupted-sleep night!
Helpless - Watching Joy struggle for so long hasn't been easy. Although the mind repeats that this is nothing big, everyone goes through this, there's a lot more to come, and so on, the heart is absolutely wrenched. Nights are the worst. The poor thing is so disturbed and looks so full of pain, I'm at a total loss for words or actions. The book says the pain will continue till the damn tooth sprouts, that will take a couple of months at least, and I'm not sure I can continue watching this until then. I have never felt this helpless in my life. Ever. The poor baby clinging to me as if I can make it all go away doesn't make it any easy either. Since she's not able to nurse, I've resorted to feeding her expressed milk. Pushing that down her throat is another whole story by itself. If ever I got my hands on a magic wand, I would just swish it and make it all go away. Until then, all I can do is pray.
Anxious - Joy and me move to my place next month. My in-laws will be there for a while but after that it's just Hubby, me and Joy. Although I'm excited by the prospect of getting back to MY place and living life MY way and having my darling Hubby around me all the time (Ah... how we cheat ourselves!), the thought of flying the nest (this didn't seem to bother me in the least, up until now!) and losing the security of having my unconditionally loving parents at my beck and call, seems nightmarish to say the least. I'm hoping for the best. I'm not sure if I'm prepared for the worst. But the silver lining is that they're just a phone call and about an hour and half (on a good Bangalore traffic day) away!
Depressed - Just a wee bit! Much as I tried to live in denial, I finally admit it! I am never one who dwells in self-pity or gets depressed or upset at things... however big they may be. 'Take life as it comes' is pretty much my motto. But a few days back something happened, the dam burst, I cried a little bit, talked about it to Hubby (Not sure if that sorted out things... but whatever!) and I think I'm over it now. I think. I most certainly hope so... this one bout caught me by surprise and I didn't like one bit of it. Anyways, it's back to enjoying life again! At least for the moment.
P.S. Yes, I know this post is long over-due. It was done in many installments. I never edit or read through any of my posts, so I hope there's enough coherence and continuity to make sense!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Dream Girls!
I had this dream middle of the night before last. During the wee hours of the morning, in a half-asleep, half-awake state, I replayed (yes, REPLAYED) the entire dream just so I don't forget it and can write about it to Boo and Yaada Yaada (YY) But the entire following day I totally forgot that I had even dreamt anything. Then, last night, in the same semi-conscious state, I remembered not remembering the dream and AGAIN replayed the whole thing in my mind, forcing myself to remember all the details! So here goes...
Boo and YY live abroad somewhere. I live in Mumbai. And I am on my way to join them. I go to the airport. It's a complete indoor setting. Following a red carpet walk, there's a Sufi temple (This is nothing... wait for more!) entrance next door and there are women in burkhas and men in the male equivalent of burkhas (whatever they are called) going in. There's a Yasser Arafat-like-dressed-man at the entrance smoking on a hookah and spreading out fragrant smoke, welcoming everyone. The next door is a glass door and leads to the airport. There's lots of cartoon characters a-la-disneyland welcoming everyone. I walk in empty-handed, because my sister has promised to pack all my stuff and bring it to the airport. Now this is pretty wierd (really? Just this part?) because I am coming from home and my sister is away at work and somehow she's the one doing the packing and bringing the luggage over! Anyways... I see my very close friend there who is also doing international travel. She has a 9-month old son with her and her mom has come to drop them off. And in my wierdoland, this friend wants to go home and drop off her mom, who has actually come to see her off... Go figure! So she asks me if I want to accompany them. I agree (my flight leaves in an hour, by the way!) and in the next scene we're all travelling in a cab, about half-way from the airport and suddenly, my brain alarm goes off, I do some quick mental math (hear hear) and figure out that I'll actually miss my flight as Bangalore traffic (Note : Bangalore as against Mumbai, where I'm supposed to be living!) is really bad that time of the day. So I apologise to my friend and WALK BACK to the airport. Same doors, same burkhas and same cartoon characters. This time they shake hands with me, gift me lots of balloons and streamers and wish me a safe trip. I walk in to find my sister and niece frantically searching for me. (Guess this was pre-cell phone era) And get this... I'm mad at her because all she has for me are two books to read during the flight!!! I ask her about the promised packed luggage and she gives me a wierd look and says "I thought you were coming from home. Why didn't you get it yourself?"
Cut to the next scene... somehow magically I am at my destination. Wearing some really cool clothes that belong to either Boo or YY. (Now, this is nothing new, as I've spent practically my childhood years well into teenage wearing their hand-me-downs. But, interestingly, I can fit into neither of their clothes at the moment!) So, coming back to the dream... it's a really beautiful, picturesque locale and I'm sitting under a HUGE lovely tree with some guy, who is supposed to be YY's friend (Pretty good-looking one, actually! Wink Wink!) with 2 bikes parked next to us.
And........... very very VERY unfortunately, Joy chose this moment to bring me back into reality with her characteristic tossing and turning! So... that's about how it all ended! Damn... HOW I wanted to get to know the guy better! And God found this really wierd way of punishing me by cutting it off right there! It's like "You have a baby on your hands woman! Stop dreaming and get back to work!" Ah Bah!!!
Boo and YY live abroad somewhere. I live in Mumbai. And I am on my way to join them. I go to the airport. It's a complete indoor setting. Following a red carpet walk, there's a Sufi temple (This is nothing... wait for more!) entrance next door and there are women in burkhas and men in the male equivalent of burkhas (whatever they are called) going in. There's a Yasser Arafat-like-dressed-man at the entrance smoking on a hookah and spreading out fragrant smoke, welcoming everyone. The next door is a glass door and leads to the airport. There's lots of cartoon characters a-la-disneyland welcoming everyone. I walk in empty-handed, because my sister has promised to pack all my stuff and bring it to the airport. Now this is pretty wierd (really? Just this part?) because I am coming from home and my sister is away at work and somehow she's the one doing the packing and bringing the luggage over! Anyways... I see my very close friend there who is also doing international travel. She has a 9-month old son with her and her mom has come to drop them off. And in my wierdoland, this friend wants to go home and drop off her mom, who has actually come to see her off... Go figure! So she asks me if I want to accompany them. I agree (my flight leaves in an hour, by the way!) and in the next scene we're all travelling in a cab, about half-way from the airport and suddenly, my brain alarm goes off, I do some quick mental math (hear hear) and figure out that I'll actually miss my flight as Bangalore traffic (Note : Bangalore as against Mumbai, where I'm supposed to be living!) is really bad that time of the day. So I apologise to my friend and WALK BACK to the airport. Same doors, same burkhas and same cartoon characters. This time they shake hands with me, gift me lots of balloons and streamers and wish me a safe trip. I walk in to find my sister and niece frantically searching for me. (Guess this was pre-cell phone era) And get this... I'm mad at her because all she has for me are two books to read during the flight!!! I ask her about the promised packed luggage and she gives me a wierd look and says "I thought you were coming from home. Why didn't you get it yourself?"
Cut to the next scene... somehow magically I am at my destination. Wearing some really cool clothes that belong to either Boo or YY. (Now, this is nothing new, as I've spent practically my childhood years well into teenage wearing their hand-me-downs. But, interestingly, I can fit into neither of their clothes at the moment!) So, coming back to the dream... it's a really beautiful, picturesque locale and I'm sitting under a HUGE lovely tree with some guy, who is supposed to be YY's friend (Pretty good-looking one, actually! Wink Wink!) with 2 bikes parked next to us.
And........... very very VERY unfortunately, Joy chose this moment to bring me back into reality with her characteristic tossing and turning! So... that's about how it all ended! Damn... HOW I wanted to get to know the guy better! And God found this really wierd way of punishing me by cutting it off right there! It's like "You have a baby on your hands woman! Stop dreaming and get back to work!" Ah Bah!!!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Kiss me baby one more time!
The first few times, I DID notice it, but looking at Joy opening her mouth in a wide "O" and licking the cheek of the person carrying her, I assumed she was hungry! But when she kept repeating it, on and on, even after a full feed, that's when it hit me! My sweetie pie... with all her drool and everything... was kissing me for so many days and I didn't even realize it! Speaks volumes about my intelligence, but Joy being the idol of patience that she is, kept doing it again and again until her mother's pea-sized brain could finally comprehend it!
Whoopieeeeeeeee......... My baby has learnt to kiss! And I cant get enough of it!
Whoopieeeeeeeee......... My baby has learnt to kiss! And I cant get enough of it!
Life is sick these days...
Yep! Joy is sick. I am sick. My mom is sick. Sick Sick Sick!
Joy constantly has nose blocks, but this is her worst ever! She was completely breathing through her mouth. Nursing and sleeping for her has been nightmarish. The doctor prescribed a decongestant and she's slightly better since. But the girl is an absolute doll I tell you! So patient and so adjustable and smart enough to think of alternate ways of sleeping and nursing... I've had tears in my eyes more than once, and not just because of my cold!
I've caught the worst cold, cough and sore throat ever! So I'm both sick AND dumb!. (Like I needed a reason to be dumb) It's sign language all the way! Plus I've hurt myself somehow, sometime, in a very sensitive part of my body and so nursing the squirming, stuffed-nose Joy has been fist-clenching to say the least. But the best part is, she somehow KNOWS that I'm hurting. And in spite of all her troubles, every so often she looks up at me with this kind of cutesie enquiring look that speaks a thousand words... and the moment I smile at her, she smiles back, relieved, kicks her legs in happiness (ouch!) and resumes her job! Sigh...
My mom is down with fever, cold, cough, sore throat... all the works! Looks like bugs have hit the household with a vengeance. With an extra bug added to each older generation. Luckily it's not the other way round... thank God for small mercies! Guess the change of weather is to blame. (In Bangalore, we blame everything on the "weather-change". Any other reason is dismissed with a wave, however viable it may be. It's like PMS!)
Talking about the household... we were hit with an extreme high voltage surge a couple of days back. We lost the TV, water pump, UPS and the washing machine. The TV was on, but the rest were all switched off and their only misfortune was that they were plugged in at the time of the surge! It took 2 days for the pump to get replaced. One can imagine how we survived an almost waterless 2 days! The washing machine luckily is fairly new and so is covered by warranty. It should be up and running in another couple of days. The UPS is still awaiting inspection. The TV is lost to oblivion and is last on the priority list. I discovered yesterday that my cell phone charger is gone too! I was trying not to imagine the horror of living without it for a while and luckily my niece came to the rescue and loaned me her old one. What we did before the advent of internet and cell phones I just can't recollect, try as I might!
Soooooooo... that's pretty much the current state of affairs! With saturday being Joy's next immunisation day, nothing great to look forward to either! And what with my sister, younger niece and sister-in-law all being sick in different parts of the continent, all I can hope for is, the family that falls sick together, stays together!
Joy constantly has nose blocks, but this is her worst ever! She was completely breathing through her mouth. Nursing and sleeping for her has been nightmarish. The doctor prescribed a decongestant and she's slightly better since. But the girl is an absolute doll I tell you! So patient and so adjustable and smart enough to think of alternate ways of sleeping and nursing... I've had tears in my eyes more than once, and not just because of my cold!
I've caught the worst cold, cough and sore throat ever! So I'm both sick AND dumb!. (Like I needed a reason to be dumb) It's sign language all the way! Plus I've hurt myself somehow, sometime, in a very sensitive part of my body and so nursing the squirming, stuffed-nose Joy has been fist-clenching to say the least. But the best part is, she somehow KNOWS that I'm hurting. And in spite of all her troubles, every so often she looks up at me with this kind of cutesie enquiring look that speaks a thousand words... and the moment I smile at her, she smiles back, relieved, kicks her legs in happiness (ouch!) and resumes her job! Sigh...
My mom is down with fever, cold, cough, sore throat... all the works! Looks like bugs have hit the household with a vengeance. With an extra bug added to each older generation. Luckily it's not the other way round... thank God for small mercies! Guess the change of weather is to blame. (In Bangalore, we blame everything on the "weather-change". Any other reason is dismissed with a wave, however viable it may be. It's like PMS!)
Talking about the household... we were hit with an extreme high voltage surge a couple of days back. We lost the TV, water pump, UPS and the washing machine. The TV was on, but the rest were all switched off and their only misfortune was that they were plugged in at the time of the surge! It took 2 days for the pump to get replaced. One can imagine how we survived an almost waterless 2 days! The washing machine luckily is fairly new and so is covered by warranty. It should be up and running in another couple of days. The UPS is still awaiting inspection. The TV is lost to oblivion and is last on the priority list. I discovered yesterday that my cell phone charger is gone too! I was trying not to imagine the horror of living without it for a while and luckily my niece came to the rescue and loaned me her old one. What we did before the advent of internet and cell phones I just can't recollect, try as I might!
Soooooooo... that's pretty much the current state of affairs! With saturday being Joy's next immunisation day, nothing great to look forward to either! And what with my sister, younger niece and sister-in-law all being sick in different parts of the continent, all I can hope for is, the family that falls sick together, stays together!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Drumroll...
...for my baby's first roll!
At last, after so many many attempts, frustration, repeat attempts, tears, etc. etc. (all on her left side) she finally rolled over (on her right side) in her birthday suit!!
At last, after so many many attempts, frustration, repeat attempts, tears, etc. etc. (all on her left side) she finally rolled over (on her right side) in her birthday suit!!
The Daffodil Principle
This came by e-mail from someone I know. It must've been forwarded and re-forwarded a million times. I don't even know if it's true. But, it's the first thing I read this morning and somehow it made me sit up and think a little! And the picture just made the muggy, cloudy, drizzly Bangalore morning a little brighter! So, here it is...
(For some reason, the fonts and colors seem to have a mind of their own and I'm not able to control them!! Please bear with the inconvenience!)
Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.
"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"
My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother." "Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.
"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."
"Carolyn," I said sternly, "please turn around." "It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, " Daffodil Garden ." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.
(For some reason, the fonts and colors seem to have a mind of their own and I'm not able to control them!! Please bear with the inconvenience!)
Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.
"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"
My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother." "Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.
"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."
"Carolyn," I said sternly, "please turn around." "It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, " Daffodil Garden ." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.
It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. There were five acres of flowers.
"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn. "Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.
On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."
For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.
That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things.
"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"
My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.
She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"
Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting ....
Until your car or home is paid off
Until your kids leave the house
Until you finish school
Until you organize the garage
Until you clean off your desk
Until you lose 10 lbs.
Until you get married
Until you have kids
Until the kids go to school
Until you retire
Until summer, spring, winter, or fall;
There is no better time than right now to be happy.
Wishing you a beautiful, Daffodil day!
Friday, February 8, 2008
At random...
It's been very busy lately... Anything I do somehow seems to need more than 24 hours. And I hardly do anything! How is that? There's a household full of people to keep Joy fully occupied. (Sorry, it's actually the other way round! Anyways, point being, everyone is happily busy!) So I have all the time in the world to do what I want to do. And what did I do?
I watched Taare Zameen Par. In about 10 installments! And yes, with a pirated DVD! Hey, they probably make these for sleep-deprived, outing-deprived new moms like me, alright! So stop judging me! The movie itself was amazing. Now, I'm not one for crying at movies. However touching and moving they may be, the most they can do is sort of lubricate my dry eyes! (I hasten to add, I'm not heartless... this is just the way I react to movies. A movie IS after all, a movie!) And inspite of me being me, this one really had an effect. I was left totally speechless and this is one of the very few movies that actually sort of jerked me up. A teensy warning here... this may not be so good for new moms! There was many a scene (especially the ones where the mom replays videos of the boy during his infancy, his first day at school, etc.) where I found I was actually picturising myself and Joy in similar situations. *Shudder Shudder*
Then there was this project I had started during pregnancy and had to follow-up on. I started picking up the threads recently... and am still in that process! Not even close to finishing it! Guess I'm taking the client for granted!! (Note: Taking the client for GRANTED and not for a RIDE! It hasn't reached that stage yet!)
I've been spending considerable amount of time in front of the mirror... and I can't even start to recognize myself! There's flab everywhere, the newly acquired paunch seems here to stay and my entire body seems totally disproportionate! I still fit mostly only into my pregnancy clothes and I'm going about narrating my sob story to all and sundry! Finally I decided to something about it, now that the 3-month recovery period is over and was planning to enroll myself in the gym that's right next door. Wanted to start from Feb 1st but one thing led to another and then one of my friends frightened me a little about gymming so early post-surgery. So that plan was shown the door! Have started going for walks... remains to be seen how long before that too becomes history!
Joy has entered the "extreme playfulness" and also the "over-working the vocal chords" phase. Which has led her to almost forget that she has a stomach and that she needs to fill it up now and then! Never ever did I imagine the first 3 months that I will be faced with a situation like this! So now I'm having a pretty tough time trying to get her to nurse, and it's proving a lot more difficult and time-consuming than I'm comfortable with!
And of course, it's been a while since I updated my blog! I received comments from so many bloggers... and never paid back the courtesy of replying to them or visiting their blogs! The former is being worked on as I type and the latter I hope, will soon follow, Joy-permitting! (In the past few days I've written almost a million different posts. In my head! And didn't get a chance to get to the comp even!)
So that's whats been happening in the recent past... more posts to come I hope... until then... signing off!
I watched Taare Zameen Par. In about 10 installments! And yes, with a pirated DVD! Hey, they probably make these for sleep-deprived, outing-deprived new moms like me, alright! So stop judging me! The movie itself was amazing. Now, I'm not one for crying at movies. However touching and moving they may be, the most they can do is sort of lubricate my dry eyes! (I hasten to add, I'm not heartless... this is just the way I react to movies. A movie IS after all, a movie!) And inspite of me being me, this one really had an effect. I was left totally speechless and this is one of the very few movies that actually sort of jerked me up. A teensy warning here... this may not be so good for new moms! There was many a scene (especially the ones where the mom replays videos of the boy during his infancy, his first day at school, etc.) where I found I was actually picturising myself and Joy in similar situations. *Shudder Shudder*
Then there was this project I had started during pregnancy and had to follow-up on. I started picking up the threads recently... and am still in that process! Not even close to finishing it! Guess I'm taking the client for granted!! (Note: Taking the client for GRANTED and not for a RIDE! It hasn't reached that stage yet!)
I've been spending considerable amount of time in front of the mirror... and I can't even start to recognize myself! There's flab everywhere, the newly acquired paunch seems here to stay and my entire body seems totally disproportionate! I still fit mostly only into my pregnancy clothes and I'm going about narrating my sob story to all and sundry! Finally I decided to something about it, now that the 3-month recovery period is over and was planning to enroll myself in the gym that's right next door. Wanted to start from Feb 1st but one thing led to another and then one of my friends frightened me a little about gymming so early post-surgery. So that plan was shown the door! Have started going for walks... remains to be seen how long before that too becomes history!
Joy has entered the "extreme playfulness" and also the "over-working the vocal chords" phase. Which has led her to almost forget that she has a stomach and that she needs to fill it up now and then! Never ever did I imagine the first 3 months that I will be faced with a situation like this! So now I'm having a pretty tough time trying to get her to nurse, and it's proving a lot more difficult and time-consuming than I'm comfortable with!
And of course, it's been a while since I updated my blog! I received comments from so many bloggers... and never paid back the courtesy of replying to them or visiting their blogs! The former is being worked on as I type and the latter I hope, will soon follow, Joy-permitting! (In the past few days I've written almost a million different posts. In my head! And didn't get a chance to get to the comp even!)
So that's whats been happening in the recent past... more posts to come I hope... until then... signing off!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Happy 3 months Joy!
Yoo hoo.......... The little one is 3 months old today!!!!!!!!!
Decided to make a list of her quirks (gasp... already??!!!) to make her day special...
She L.O.V.E.S watching laundry being folded. The happiness on her face and her excitement in kicking and cycling away is amazing! What she finds in the oh-so-boring chore... she only knows!
Continuing the laundry theme, when the weather was very rainy and muggy few weeks back, my Dad hung up a couple of clothes lines in the hall (yeah... we don't care what our guests think! This is our house and we like to live the way we want!!) and put up all the wet clothes on them. Little Joy had a field day... So many different colors, all swaying gently whenever anyone moved and there for her to enjoy 24/7! Man, what else can one ask for!
All her toys are subjected to the the pecking order. The first month she enjoyed exactly 1 rattle. Out of about 10. Anything else, she would either cry or turn face away. She especially hated one particularly noisy one. The second month, she loved a multi-colored ball. The beloved rattle was subjected to face-turning behavior!! The third month was dominated by elephant rattle. And oh, the hateful noisy rattle became a pet too! She wouldn't go to sleep without it! The slightest noise and she wakes up... while the damn noisy rattle actually PUTS her to sleep! Go figure...
(BTW, all the above toys except the noisy rattle... courtesy Ashu. Thanks a ton Ashu... what would we do without you!)
The first two months Thatha was her favourite. She sees him and there's a brilliant smile. He moves away and the smile fades out. It's sleepy time and he HAS to carry her. Else, no sleep for the day... try all u can! She wakes up from sleep in the morning... he HAS to wish her "Suprabhatham". (My parents insist on traditional greetings! It has to be Suprabhatham for Good Morning, Shubha Rathri for Good night and the likes!) Her best smiles and gurgles were reserves specially for him! And now... move over Thatha... It's Pati time! She doesn't as much as second glance him now!!! It's Pati all the way! Oh, she loves him and smiles at hima nd everything, but the special twinkle in the eye is all for Pati alone! This kid... I tell you!
(Psst... little secret.. Thatha was needed the first 2 months to put her to sleep and now Pati takes her outdoors to watch the traffic AND sings to put her to sleep... so it's all about the math, really!)
She has learnt to cover her face with her tiny hands while I nurse her. And what EVER happens, I am not to move it! I move it thinking she's asleep, and back it comes again with the tiniest hint of irritation!
This one is not a surprise lover. Anything new suddenly thrust on her and she bawls out like crazy! But, tell her what you're going to do and then do it, she's a doll! (I swear... even when she was as little as 6 weeks old!) No surprise parties for u, kid!
She loves it when I clean her ears! Seriously... After her bath, (by which time she's howled the whole place down! Yes.. she's a water-hater!) I wipe the water out of her ears and she screws up her face and hands in concentration and has this hilarious expression of satisfaction combined with pleasure combined with curiosity on her face!!! Have to capture a picture of this sometime...
3 months and already so many... wonder what I'll do with this kid as she grows... Well, I guess I'll have to make peace with the fact that it will always my baby who will spring surprises on ME and never the other way round!
Decided to make a list of her quirks (gasp... already??!!!) to make her day special...
She L.O.V.E.S watching laundry being folded. The happiness on her face and her excitement in kicking and cycling away is amazing! What she finds in the oh-so-boring chore... she only knows!
Continuing the laundry theme, when the weather was very rainy and muggy few weeks back, my Dad hung up a couple of clothes lines in the hall (yeah... we don't care what our guests think! This is our house and we like to live the way we want!!) and put up all the wet clothes on them. Little Joy had a field day... So many different colors, all swaying gently whenever anyone moved and there for her to enjoy 24/7! Man, what else can one ask for!
All her toys are subjected to the the pecking order. The first month she enjoyed exactly 1 rattle. Out of about 10. Anything else, she would either cry or turn face away. She especially hated one particularly noisy one. The second month, she loved a multi-colored ball. The beloved rattle was subjected to face-turning behavior!! The third month was dominated by elephant rattle. And oh, the hateful noisy rattle became a pet too! She wouldn't go to sleep without it! The slightest noise and she wakes up... while the damn noisy rattle actually PUTS her to sleep! Go figure...
(BTW, all the above toys except the noisy rattle... courtesy Ashu. Thanks a ton Ashu... what would we do without you!)
The first two months Thatha was her favourite. She sees him and there's a brilliant smile. He moves away and the smile fades out. It's sleepy time and he HAS to carry her. Else, no sleep for the day... try all u can! She wakes up from sleep in the morning... he HAS to wish her "Suprabhatham". (My parents insist on traditional greetings! It has to be Suprabhatham for Good Morning, Shubha Rathri for Good night and the likes!) Her best smiles and gurgles were reserves specially for him! And now... move over Thatha... It's Pati time! She doesn't as much as second glance him now!!! It's Pati all the way! Oh, she loves him and smiles at hima nd everything, but the special twinkle in the eye is all for Pati alone! This kid... I tell you!
(Psst... little secret.. Thatha was needed the first 2 months to put her to sleep and now Pati takes her outdoors to watch the traffic AND sings to put her to sleep... so it's all about the math, really!)
She has learnt to cover her face with her tiny hands while I nurse her. And what EVER happens, I am not to move it! I move it thinking she's asleep, and back it comes again with the tiniest hint of irritation!
This one is not a surprise lover. Anything new suddenly thrust on her and she bawls out like crazy! But, tell her what you're going to do and then do it, she's a doll! (I swear... even when she was as little as 6 weeks old!) No surprise parties for u, kid!
She loves it when I clean her ears! Seriously... After her bath, (by which time she's howled the whole place down! Yes.. she's a water-hater!) I wipe the water out of her ears and she screws up her face and hands in concentration and has this hilarious expression of satisfaction combined with pleasure combined with curiosity on her face!!! Have to capture a picture of this sometime...
3 months and already so many... wonder what I'll do with this kid as she grows... Well, I guess I'll have to make peace with the fact that it will always my baby who will spring surprises on ME and never the other way round!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Hell hath seen no fury...
... like a baby provoked!!!
January 26th, 2008 goes down in history. In my baby book, that is!
It's 10.00 AM. Colleagues call... they're coming to visit us and more specifically to "play" with Joy.. thanks to the endless phone calls I've bugged them with, bragging about how wonderfully my little one plays, smiles, laughs, talks... you get the drift! I have a hurried shower. Meanwhile, Joy is sleepy and oh-so-slightly cranky. My mom wants her to be up to the occasion... so out come the gold bangles, to replace the tiny black ones Joy has been wearing since birth. Some irritation, some tears, the mood dips a little more. But hubby carries her and she seems content.
And then they walk in, helmets and all! One of them makes straight for her and picks her from Hubby's arms. A split-second silence.. and that's it! Ceilings shimmer, walls vibrate, glass rattles.. it's unbelievable! She's almost breathless crying! And this, from a normally pleasant tempered, sweet smiling, mellow voiced, peace-loving babe! In her almost 3 months of life, she has never EVER cried like this! Four helpless adults around her, all trying to get her to simmer down... not working the least bit! If anything, the bawls and howls get even louder and stronger, while the visitors watch dumbstruck! I try to nurse her and even that doesn't work. The air is filled with a tension that's bristling with current! My mom, with a sudden spurt of experienced wisdom, puts a couple of sugar crystals in her mouth... slight improvement. Then takes her out to watch the traffic.. usually a treat she loves! Slowly and steadily the wails come down, the breathing gets raggedly back to rhythm, though it's still a long way off from normal. And the air inside slowly limps back to normalcy. My colleague is speechless and has her hands on her mouth and ears!!! (And that's saying a lot, considering the woman talks nineteen to the dozen 24/7! I'm sure she talks even in her sleep!)
And then finally, she goes to sleep in my Dad's arms. Phew... everyone heaves a sigh of relief. The 3 of them run away promising they'll come back another time!!! And all of us can't stop wondering what the heck happened! Maybe it was the immunisation thing still working her out. Maybe it was all the previous crankiness put together with many new faces. God only knows! Anyways, she wakes up a half hour later... all smiles and playful! We all heave huge sighs of reliefs! But wait... somethings not right ! The face looks dull, the eyes aren't twinkling and the smile looks forced!
And thus starts Joy's first bout of fever.........
P.S. Ttwo days and 3 doses of Metacin later, she seems finally back to her state of normalcy! Thank God for small mercies!
January 26th, 2008 goes down in history. In my baby book, that is!
It's 10.00 AM. Colleagues call... they're coming to visit us and more specifically to "play" with Joy.. thanks to the endless phone calls I've bugged them with, bragging about how wonderfully my little one plays, smiles, laughs, talks... you get the drift! I have a hurried shower. Meanwhile, Joy is sleepy and oh-so-slightly cranky. My mom wants her to be up to the occasion... so out come the gold bangles, to replace the tiny black ones Joy has been wearing since birth. Some irritation, some tears, the mood dips a little more. But hubby carries her and she seems content.
And then they walk in, helmets and all! One of them makes straight for her and picks her from Hubby's arms. A split-second silence.. and that's it! Ceilings shimmer, walls vibrate, glass rattles.. it's unbelievable! She's almost breathless crying! And this, from a normally pleasant tempered, sweet smiling, mellow voiced, peace-loving babe! In her almost 3 months of life, she has never EVER cried like this! Four helpless adults around her, all trying to get her to simmer down... not working the least bit! If anything, the bawls and howls get even louder and stronger, while the visitors watch dumbstruck! I try to nurse her and even that doesn't work. The air is filled with a tension that's bristling with current! My mom, with a sudden spurt of experienced wisdom, puts a couple of sugar crystals in her mouth... slight improvement. Then takes her out to watch the traffic.. usually a treat she loves! Slowly and steadily the wails come down, the breathing gets raggedly back to rhythm, though it's still a long way off from normal. And the air inside slowly limps back to normalcy. My colleague is speechless and has her hands on her mouth and ears!!! (And that's saying a lot, considering the woman talks nineteen to the dozen 24/7! I'm sure she talks even in her sleep!)
And then finally, she goes to sleep in my Dad's arms. Phew... everyone heaves a sigh of relief. The 3 of them run away promising they'll come back another time!!! And all of us can't stop wondering what the heck happened! Maybe it was the immunisation thing still working her out. Maybe it was all the previous crankiness put together with many new faces. God only knows! Anyways, she wakes up a half hour later... all smiles and playful! We all heave huge sighs of reliefs! But wait... somethings not right ! The face looks dull, the eyes aren't twinkling and the smile looks forced!
And thus starts Joy's first bout of fever.........
P.S. Ttwo days and 3 doses of Metacin later, she seems finally back to her state of normalcy! Thank God for small mercies!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Happy Birthday to me!
Another year older, and hopefully another year wiser! Trying to put aside the dreadful thought that I'm dangling on the verge of being thirty (sob sob) and enjoying with hubby, my parents and my best gift ever... my little bundle of Joy!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
It's THAT time of the month again!
It's Joy's next immunisation day tomorrow! The last one still stands vivid in my memory... the crying, the discomfort, her looks and cries of distress, my helplessness knowing how much pain she was going through, understanding it's for her own good, but still torn apart by not being able to make it easy for her. And finally praying and thanking the Almighty (and Metacin!!) for letting her sleep through most of it! She slept almost 2 full days straight! And that was probably more than what she had slept in her entire tiny 2 month old life put together!
And now already another month has passed, the question list for the doctor has increased, the anxiety is showing up and the praying has started! The only comfort is in knowing that my poor little darling will emerge stronger and healthier to lead her life ahead! Here's to your health, little one!
And now already another month has passed, the question list for the doctor has increased, the anxiety is showing up and the praying has started! The only comfort is in knowing that my poor little darling will emerge stronger and healthier to lead her life ahead! Here's to your health, little one!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Joy Story
Joy arrived on October 30th, 2007 at 12.30 PM. She was all of 3.5 kgs (7.7 pounds) and 53 cms (21 inches) screaming at the doctor and everyone else for having disturbed her slumber! Once she was cleaned up the nurse cuddled her up to my face... I was so choked up and everything! She was staring out of her huge round eyes and every time there was a cuddle, she would close them up tight and screw up her wrinkly forehead and wait for more! It was a Kodak moment... one that will remain fresh as ever in my memory... forever and ever!
The lazy bum had to be pulled out of me by means of a cesarean section. She was 5 days post dated and refused to move out of her cozy home. And once she was out, man did she go on strike! She refused to sleep from the word go! Her eyes wide open since the instant she was born, it required the combined efforts of my mom, my sister and my dad to get her to sleep! Post-surgery, I wasn't in a position to do much for myself, let alone her... so the first few days went by in a blur with me trying to get on to my feet, nursing her, learning to handle her and the likes! Nursing her was a breeze... she caught on almost immediately and the only problem was that she was draining me out far too much! After innumerable crying sessions and sleepless nights, we learnt from the doctor that she is a "hyper active" baby! As in "baby who hardly sleeps", "baby who should have stories narrated to, be sung lullabies to, shown toys to", "baby who brings the ceiling down crying at nights", "baby who needs change of rooms/toys/other forms of entertainment at the rate of about 15 mins per activity just because she's BORED"... all this right from the ripe old age of about 10 days!!!!!!!! I mean, can anyone beat this??
It's 11 weeks since, and Joy has worked her way to come to terms with the human world! From being a totally sleepless baby, she graduated to being a day-time sleeper and is now almost a full-night sleeper! Daytime naps are few and far in between, with a maximum duration of about 15 mins, if any! From being an almost continuous feeder driving me close to the verge of picking up formula in desperation, she now has a healthy 2 hour staying time between feeds of about 20 mins each! Most of her hyper activity is now being diverted to constructive activities like cycling, kicking (What a kicker she is! If she had kicked half as much while she was due to come out of me, I would've been minus a large rip in my belly!) She smiles divinely at anyone and everyone. The large gummy grin and the bright twinkly eyes make me swell with pride every single time! She is in love with her own voice and cannot stop using it! There and aas and oos and goos and "amma"s (collar up!!) galore in the household now! The bubbles have started coming in cartloads! There's spray for a few metre radius all around her! She has discovered her own hands and spends hours in their company, talking to them, moving them, admiring them! After every nap, that's the first thing she looks at, making sure they're still intact! She loves having people around, identifies everyone at home and instantly knows if there's a newcomer in the midst! Anyone walking anywhere close to her CANNOT move away, without having spoken to her first! The tiny little pixie demands attention like crazy... and makes sure she gets it!
The more I look at her, the more I wonder... did we really create this wonder? I mean, zombies like Hubby and me... did we really make up this lovely little, twinkly eyed doll? I got to believe it... I actually saw her coming out of me... but still I wonder... at this adorable gift we have received from heaven... and every time I pray to God and pledge to myself... to protect her, to nurture her, to spoil her, to bring her up into this confident woman who spreads joy and cheer everywhere she goes, to be a good friend a great mother to her! I hope and pray that your life will be as successful and fulfilling as possible, my little bundle of joy, and I promise you, I will leave no stone unturned in helping you achieve all that you want! You are and always will be the center of my life, the apple of my eye! I love you and adore you with all my heart!
The lazy bum had to be pulled out of me by means of a cesarean section. She was 5 days post dated and refused to move out of her cozy home. And once she was out, man did she go on strike! She refused to sleep from the word go! Her eyes wide open since the instant she was born, it required the combined efforts of my mom, my sister and my dad to get her to sleep! Post-surgery, I wasn't in a position to do much for myself, let alone her... so the first few days went by in a blur with me trying to get on to my feet, nursing her, learning to handle her and the likes! Nursing her was a breeze... she caught on almost immediately and the only problem was that she was draining me out far too much! After innumerable crying sessions and sleepless nights, we learnt from the doctor that she is a "hyper active" baby! As in "baby who hardly sleeps", "baby who should have stories narrated to, be sung lullabies to, shown toys to", "baby who brings the ceiling down crying at nights", "baby who needs change of rooms/toys/other forms of entertainment at the rate of about 15 mins per activity just because she's BORED"... all this right from the ripe old age of about 10 days!!!!!!!! I mean, can anyone beat this??
It's 11 weeks since, and Joy has worked her way to come to terms with the human world! From being a totally sleepless baby, she graduated to being a day-time sleeper and is now almost a full-night sleeper! Daytime naps are few and far in between, with a maximum duration of about 15 mins, if any! From being an almost continuous feeder driving me close to the verge of picking up formula in desperation, she now has a healthy 2 hour staying time between feeds of about 20 mins each! Most of her hyper activity is now being diverted to constructive activities like cycling, kicking (What a kicker she is! If she had kicked half as much while she was due to come out of me, I would've been minus a large rip in my belly!) She smiles divinely at anyone and everyone. The large gummy grin and the bright twinkly eyes make me swell with pride every single time! She is in love with her own voice and cannot stop using it! There and aas and oos and goos and "amma"s (collar up!!) galore in the household now! The bubbles have started coming in cartloads! There's spray for a few metre radius all around her! She has discovered her own hands and spends hours in their company, talking to them, moving them, admiring them! After every nap, that's the first thing she looks at, making sure they're still intact! She loves having people around, identifies everyone at home and instantly knows if there's a newcomer in the midst! Anyone walking anywhere close to her CANNOT move away, without having spoken to her first! The tiny little pixie demands attention like crazy... and makes sure she gets it!
The more I look at her, the more I wonder... did we really create this wonder? I mean, zombies like Hubby and me... did we really make up this lovely little, twinkly eyed doll? I got to believe it... I actually saw her coming out of me... but still I wonder... at this adorable gift we have received from heaven... and every time I pray to God and pledge to myself... to protect her, to nurture her, to spoil her, to bring her up into this confident woman who spreads joy and cheer everywhere she goes, to be a good friend a great mother to her! I hope and pray that your life will be as successful and fulfilling as possible, my little bundle of joy, and I promise you, I will leave no stone unturned in helping you achieve all that you want! You are and always will be the center of my life, the apple of my eye! I love you and adore you with all my heart!
Friday, January 4, 2008
What's the deal about blogging anyway?
Almost everyone I know blogs... they have been blogging since quite a while now. And I have been a blurker from as long as I can remember! So what is it about blogs? I mean... as far as I know, most of these people had never been in the habit of writing diaries... and in any case, aren't diaries meant to be personal? So what's with blogging on the net, where millions of people can read about your innermost thoughts on just about everything on the planet... and beyond, and even leave comments about it? I think and think... and have no answer! The damn bug has actually caught even ME!!
Reading blogs... yes... I have always been a reader, lapping up anything and everything that comes my way. Blurking... yes... coz I have never written anything in my life, except for a study tour report in college, and that too only because my lecturer threatened to show his capabilities in my internal marks sheet!! (Come to think of it... I had actually won a "Creative Writing" competition in college... something about "A strand of hair" or the likes... he he he...) Anyways, coming back to blurking... I don't think I have ever left a comment on any of the blogs I read, which are quite a lot by the way! People write what they like and who am I to comment on their opinions anyway?... is my thinking! But hey, guess what... looks like I'm growing up... ' I ' am blogging!!! In spite of some big-time obstacles like... what do I call it, and what do I call myself, and what if someone I know reads it and finds out it's me, and so on.... oh, and the great Blogger.com vetoing every single witty (supposedly) blog name I came up with, saying it's already taken! Bah... and most of them have stopped blogging years ago!
So yes, Hello blogdom... here I am... I will ramble all I like and as often as I can... and yes people, if you care enough to comment on my blogs, go right ahead! I'm just glad u dropped by! And if you know who I am, aw man, just don't ever tell me you found out!!!
Reading blogs... yes... I have always been a reader, lapping up anything and everything that comes my way. Blurking... yes... coz I have never written anything in my life, except for a study tour report in college, and that too only because my lecturer threatened to show his capabilities in my internal marks sheet!! (Come to think of it... I had actually won a "Creative Writing" competition in college... something about "A strand of hair" or the likes... he he he...) Anyways, coming back to blurking... I don't think I have ever left a comment on any of the blogs I read, which are quite a lot by the way! People write what they like and who am I to comment on their opinions anyway?... is my thinking! But hey, guess what... looks like I'm growing up... ' I ' am blogging!!! In spite of some big-time obstacles like... what do I call it, and what do I call myself, and what if someone I know reads it and finds out it's me, and so on.... oh, and the great Blogger.com vetoing every single witty (supposedly) blog name I came up with, saying it's already taken! Bah... and most of them have stopped blogging years ago!
So yes, Hello blogdom... here I am... I will ramble all I like and as often as I can... and yes people, if you care enough to comment on my blogs, go right ahead! I'm just glad u dropped by! And if you know who I am, aw man, just don't ever tell me you found out!!!
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