tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-339617932012-01-24T18:41:47.462-08:00A few thoughts, comments and musings of a brand new Mom!K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.comBlogger2511100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-29665167321981539442011-06-23T09:22:00.004-07:002011-06-29T15:32:05.027-07:00

A friend commented on Facebook a while ago - "8 year old kids today have Facebook, Twitter, phones, iPod. When I was there age, I had a coloring book, crayons, chalk, and imagination." A lot of responses lamented the fact that today's kids have the latest tech gadgets and have no three dimensional friends. My take on this is entirely different.As a parent, I think 8 years is too young to be on

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-90639202271506590012011-06-14T10:24:00.000-07:002011-06-14T11:22:30.606-07:00

At Kochunni’s pre-school the teachers started a reading challenge some months ago. Every time the kids read a book they got a little magnet to take home and put on the poster. The idea is to encourage kids and give them the magnet as motivation to get through the 15 or so books. As you can imagine these are just simple books about a few pages long that help kids start to blend, rhyme and read.A

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-8431278712305951742011-05-13T15:40:00.006-07:002011-05-16T16:20:07.498-07:00

Walking!!!Kunju has been trying to walk for a couple of weeks now but yesterday he seemed to be more sure of himself and took many steps together. He still prefers to go on all fours when he wants to reach something quickly but he is definitely more sure of himself as he take steps towards us.With his Ammamma and Muthu around he seems to be learning new tricks everyday from giving us High-fives,

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-51364197582215553192011-04-15T22:55:00.001-07:002011-04-16T12:52:34.470-07:00

Happy Birthday, my baby.Happy Birthday!! Happy Birthday, Kunju.Today was a double whammy celebration at our house, with Vishu falling again on the 15th of April and our little baby turning one, and yes we had a blast.We set up the Vishukani the previous night and also talked about it to Kochu so that when we would wake him up early morning he will not be upset. As expected, the appealing factor

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-34365890372170978132011-04-11T16:03:00.003-07:002011-04-14T17:20:00.388-07:00

Dressed in a white, full-sleeve shirt and a mundu I remember my Chachan (maternal grandfather) as a very God fearing, humble, down-to-earth person. For as long as I can remember his mornings were spent in reciting Gita and other prayers, the only break he took was for a half an hour for breakfast and then he would go back to his prayers until afternoon. After his prayers he would offer everyone

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-31871539844250597692011-04-07T10:26:00.000-07:002011-04-07T10:37:48.023-07:00

I am a definite lover of sports, and cricket like many Indians is one of my favorites - to watch, to cheer and to cry. Though I haven't followed it closely for many years now especially after moving to US, I still get connected when there is a big event like the World Cup. That is to say to some extent.When they make Sachin Tendular into a modern day God and idolize him I find the whole matter

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-32930161149156911232011-04-04T14:19:00.004-07:002011-04-05T16:25:00.769-07:00

Just got back from a 3 week trip to India – specifically Bangalore and what a time it was. To start off I was traveling for the first time with two kids. I knew going in it would be one hell of a 24 hours but all I could think of was seeing family and friends after a gap of almost two years that I was without worry. As it turned out the forward journey went off without too many hassles. I got a

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-67006747529771092622011-01-19T14:33:00.000-08:002011-01-19T15:42:39.494-08:00

Kunju has been keeping a pretty low profile on the blog, though that is not the case at home. He is a very vibrant kid, though being in awe of his big brother he seems much more laid back.It's now 9+ months since he joined us and as Kochu's euphoria has died down he can't seem to wait for Kunju to join the fun. He still wants to help though he wants to keep touching the baby much more. But

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-86477093992263462932010-10-25T17:45:00.011-07:002010-10-30T08:31:50.998-07:00

Kochu started at his new school in August and the first few days it was, well interesting for all of us. For Kochu he was meeting new kids, learning new songs and getting adjusted to early mornings while for us it was getting used to the new schedule. But one thing was easy - planning his lunch.We bought a Buzz light-year lunchbox and send rice - red rice (beetroot) or green (spinach) or some

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-13970328312177145772010-10-10T17:21:00.003-07:002010-10-31T14:33:49.912-07:00

- Kochunni pastime these days is to drop the P words at any opportunity he gets. His fascination with the words might seem uncharacteristic to most, but a few moms seem to relate. Like my cousin whose kid loved to make 'fart' sounds at the most (in)appropriate moments. Kochunni hasn't figured that out yet but he loves to sing nursery rhymes, film songs etc to the tune but with the words

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-2217894164310002222010-10-04T20:14:00.007-07:002010-10-06T17:09:42.438-07:00

Today morning Amma and Achan left to go back to India.It was more than a year ago when they came here for a visit and it got extended when I got pregnant. They stayed on for the delivery and then longer to help us out. Even though Achan made a 4 week trip in between, Amma was with us for the longest time after a very long time. The last time we were all together for such a long time was before my

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-28719187877360089112010-09-27T19:38:00.009-07:002010-09-30T11:43:27.421-07:00

With my parents in town, there was a debate on where Kunju’s choroonu should occur. The plan was for all of us to go to India in Nov/Dec and do his choroonu in India. But that could not materialize as we were pretty laid back with applying for the necessary paperwork for travel (as usual). So after much debate we decided to do his choroonu here in US. So my mother-in-law joined us for the big

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-39390605114851403922010-08-23T11:21:00.001-07:002010-08-23T22:36:18.038-07:00

Kochu went to the BIG school today!!!!His time at the local Montessori daycare/school ended a month or so ago. He did not realize the significance of it on that day. Though his teachers gave him a hug and we talked about coming back to visit etc he just gave the widest smile and said the usual byes not realizing that it was an end of chapter. I was a sad - we were saying goodbye to the school

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-83364170415827183922010-07-16T14:29:00.000-07:002010-07-17T11:19:45.351-07:00

As superheros becomes part of your car and truck collections, as you become a little taller, as you turn from a toddler into a BIG boy, I wish you the very best.Kochunni still has the charms that can steal my heart, the smile that lights up his eyes, and when he knows he has been naughty that very smile turns into a giggle that puts a twinkle in his eyes. Even though he loves to play in his

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-38409302687308343152010-07-12T11:12:00.000-07:002010-07-14T12:42:08.586-07:00

It's my last week of leave. As usual, 3 months flew by quickly and it feels like there was not enough time to spend with the baby.My heart very openly desires more time, so much so that I secretly wish for some sort of a lottery ticket that would help us financially just enough that I could maybe work part time or not at all for a few extra months. On the other hand, I have to be thankful for

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-66712792139846718792010-06-28T16:02:00.003-07:002010-06-30T15:11:37.730-07:00

Some secrets in life you can learn from watching babies.Kunju might still be learning the ways of the world, but he can easily teach you a thing or two about living life. He always goes to sleep with a smile on his face and wakes up with another one. He amazingly watches people's face and gives them the widest possible smile that can melt even a rock. Whenever I watch these two gestures, it

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-35041265677876604092010-06-22T01:27:00.002-07:002010-06-22T10:56:43.578-07:00

It's around 1 AM and I am wide awake typing up this little thought into my iPhone.These days being awake for feedings are easier and far more interesting; catching up on news, checking updates from friends on Facebook and of course reading up on blogs has becoming a customary outing at night. Four years ago with Kochu the nightly feedings in comparison was much more mundane, almost archaic in

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-41897676128616200912010-06-18T11:31:00.007-07:002010-06-19T13:33:01.324-07:00

About four days ago, Kochunni asked me for a car - to be specific a "Dinoco car" from the Cars movie. This was not the first thing he asked us for. There have been other things before - like the time at the shop when he asked for a toy car or when he told me his friends have a "big Iron man" and he would like to have one too. If we are out shopping, I would tell him that we came to the shop to

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-65533098828684252442010-06-08T06:56:00.000-07:002010-06-08T13:38:29.520-07:00

A spellchecker is a very handy tool. But remember its just that - a tool. It cannot replace proofreading. Repeat, it cannot replace proofreading.I am enclosed herewith - Guess we are living in the Matrix after all?Bare in mind to leave there things where you find them. - Your 'naked' mind is probably best to be left inside 'were' you are likely to find them easily.Perfectly sound sentences if

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-67795795223518425962010-06-01T11:19:00.008-07:002010-06-01T21:14:17.996-07:00

Before Kunju was born I wrote a post about changing family dynamics, about foreseeable fights between siblings. Of course family dynamics have changed - there is a toddler and a baby in the house, which means their needs, their choices are vastly different from each other. But for now the the famous siblings fights are far away. (kala tikka)Kochu loves his brother - his baby. He helps me when its

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-17265047538138340522010-05-17T21:34:00.001-07:002010-05-17T21:42:25.090-07:00

The naming ceremony is the first major celebration in a child's life. In our community, traditionally this ceremony is performed at six months along with the Choroonu ceremony, but somewhere along the way 28th day or the one month mark caught fancy. Often until this day the baby is kept inside the house. I have heard that some other days like the 6th day, 10th day are also used by other

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-82559990668685906702010-04-22T22:11:00.001-07:002010-04-22T22:50:37.921-07:00

Happy Vishu!New year came with a bang in our house with the arrival of little baby boy. Unlike Kochunni who was late and kept us waiting for weeks on end, this guy ended up being early. At 6 lbs and 3 oz, 20 inches long he is our little Vishukaineetum, being born on April 15th. This wonderful tax-deduction was pleasantly welcomed by Kochunni. He has become my little helper - helping me during

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-37746335458955134442010-04-02T19:48:00.002-07:002010-04-22T21:25:59.566-07:00

Towards the end of the “being pregnant” stage of life. This is likely to be my last which means in a way it’s truly the last few weeks of eating what I want (ok mom/husband pretend you did not read this), of baby kicks, of being round and proud of it. It’s end of a chapter and of course it will begin a new more challenging and hopefully a fulfilling one.In a way I can't wait to meet the little

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-72724356964183723212010-03-18T15:32:00.003-07:002010-03-18T16:53:38.035-07:00

I am an only child. There I said it loud and clear. Now go on think back to all the readings you might have on this blog - do I sound selfish, bratty, aggressive, lonely, or even spoiled rotten? I can deny it, but you would want to talk to my mom or dad first, wouldn't you? I get it, it’s the bad reputation that we ‘only children’ have. But from my perceptive, family comes in all shapes and sizes

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-79500521243710544852010-02-12T15:17:00.009-08:002010-02-12T16:37:03.957-08:00

Finally my genes seeping through ...A voracious reader in the making - lounging on the chair, covered in my favorite blanket lost in the world of words (so what, if he is just looking at pictures - its the pose that matters!) I was in for a surprise on Thursday as I picked up my voice mail at my office phone. The receptionist informed me that I had some flowers that

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-78932352866419060292010-01-25T16:18:00.001-08:002010-01-25T16:30:52.656-08:00

So after the scare a few months ago, pregnancy is going well currently (kala tikka). It is actually fun - I can feel the baby move around quite a bit and the kicks are quite a tickle. I often try to grab Kochunni’s hands when the baby is moving to let him feel the baby but so far haven’t been very successful; maybe a couple of times but I am not sure if Kochunni has really felt it, since the

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-88881780272901261712010-01-22T16:24:00.004-08:002010-01-22T16:46:43.430-08:00

So it’s been a week of rain, strong winds, and then a tornado warning! There have been flooding on local streets and days that look like evenings. The sun hasn't been visible and being stuck up in house all day, does makes us all pretty dull. And to think that this is supposedly sunny California!?!Our garden is overgrown with weeds, my jasmine plant stooped over due to the high winds, but a ray

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-78621516444987065372010-01-15T12:49:00.007-08:002010-01-15T14:08:09.123-08:00

As I read UTBT's post a few days ago about the stages of growth in a kids speech, art, music – their development; I lamented about Kochunni still in the scribbles phase. Of course he was coloring (inside the lines even, mostly) on the coloring sheets he was given, but drawing on his own was still scribbles – just lines going all over the white board or paper. He would claim it was the fish, the

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-72846652266666190922010-01-11T16:42:00.008-08:002010-01-11T19:21:35.963-08:00

Winter days are a challenge when you have a toddler at home. Over time though 'we' have up with some little ideas to spend a few hours of fun together. I say 'we' because some of these are things that Kochunni has helped carve along the way.Role Playing – Kochunni becomes the teacher, while we become his students. Of course it’s a good way to get Kochunni to talk about his activities at school

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-91932210738157357152010-01-06T12:36:00.000-08:002010-01-07T09:24:43.033-08:00

I probably watched a record number of movies over the last two weeks of 2009 than compared to the whole year. So much so that now every time I would switch on the movie Kochunni would stop playing with his cars and run shouting “Samayam Aayee” (Its time) and sit down cross-legged on the floor, with a wicked grin lighting up his face. Then when the movie would not start immediately but rather the

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-1702008857169860902010-01-04T18:57:00.005-08:002010-01-04T19:28:39.836-08:00

So would you call this year Twenty Ten or Two Thousand and ten? Would it be bad grammer or as much of the English language over the long run one wouldn't care one way or another. After all the epic question from one of my all time favourite profesors of Botany "Yeh Do (pronounced as Du) hota hai, aur Go (pronounced go) .... yeh kasie?? Do Du hai to Go GU kyon nahin ho sakta???" has never been

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-70201255594157737692009-12-29T19:52:00.002-08:002010-01-04T11:40:30.761-08:00

Christmas weekend resulted in a trip to Dallas and spending time with family and friends. Kochunni was anxious this year to get "shoes that light up" from Santa, though luckily he did not seem to care that we will not be at our home for Santa to come. We made sure to buy the shoes and took it with us to Dallas. Rest of the christmas shopping this year turned out to be easy with online

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-42145690987520856302009-12-17T13:32:00.005-08:002009-12-17T15:59:17.364-08:00

The last post is something that I had mentally written almost a month ago but never got around to post it. First of course like many folks I waited for the crucial first trimester to tide over and then as I started to figure out a cool way to announce it the world but as I realized that it’s now or never, I had my 2nd trimester blood screen and it came back with some markers for down syndrome

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-41405768186160064232009-12-10T13:32:00.010-08:002009-12-10T17:05:30.260-08:00

Part twoClimate can have an important affect on your feelings, there is no doubt about it. When it’s hot, really hot, you are tired but sleeping or lying down is not an option so its irritating. When it’s cold and rainy you would rather curl up in bed and lament about not being able to go outside. One interesting part of living out here in United States is our introduction to new climates like

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-24080004710380315232009-12-08T11:02:00.004-08:002009-12-08T11:54:53.472-08:00

Its been a little more than a year since Kochunni started his new daycare, a Montessori school. Lots have changed from the first time we dropped him off at his original daycare - he doesn't cry and is happy with an 8 hour school. He has definitely learned many things from alphabets, numbers, and songs to even writing and recognizing them. Though for some reason, he doesn't share the details with

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-82821938614893507452009-12-03T17:23:00.001-08:002009-12-03T17:24:42.203-08:00

This past Thanksgiving weekend, after much deliberation we rented a house in Lake Tahoe and headed out with some family friends. It was supposed to nice weather and the snow had just started a couple of weeks ago, so the guys were all ready with their ski gear.We packed enough food for us to have some nice potluck, but as luck would have it we forgot the rice cooker. Luckily the house had a nice

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-43077364144329568152009-11-18T09:13:00.001-08:002009-11-19T10:05:27.188-08:00

And so it begins … the hooked on (blank) phase!Two weeks ago we came home with at least 6 toddler books from the library, ranging from colors, trucks, level 1 reading (no he can’t read yet). There was one about Dora and oh boy did he get stuck on that one like a leach. Of course it was about how Dora and Boots worked together to help the ice cream truck that was stuck, which probably fascinated

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-17975780966520081782009-11-10T16:39:00.003-08:002009-11-10T16:50:50.474-08:00

Every month, every year passes by and each time I think this is truly the best time to be around this wonderful kid. It was a great ride when Kochunni was still a baby and would gurgle at our antics of peek-a-boo, it was fun zoo at the house when he started to crawl and nothing was off limits, it was beautiful when he christened every member of the family from Muthu to grandpa in his own sweet

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-36483531223236284652009-11-02T16:13:00.011-08:002009-11-03T13:20:37.061-08:00

Halloween turned out to be a full blown party at the house. First comesKochunni and his classmates dance to the Thriller tune at the daycare (the kids even did a little robot dance), next comes making cute & scary hand puppets for each member of the family at the local library, then comes making our first ever Jack-o-lantern and finally trick-o-treating. Kochunni again donned the “Bob the builder

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-26008155179936708212009-10-27T16:43:00.005-07:002009-10-28T11:39:04.046-07:00

The New York Times reported of the major recall of the Disney DVD – Baby Einstein videos which mainly promoted babies to turn around into Nobel prize winners as they watched these shows. Of course there has always been a controversy around showing TV for infants, with most doctors recommending no TV for children under 2 and just moderate activity for toddlers.No TV until 2 is probably a lot

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-79557618692428513212009-10-16T08:37:00.000-07:002009-10-19T11:28:01.506-07:00

SienaA quaint little town tucked away on the hills - that was my first impression as I stepped down from the bus. Our hotel was located a few blocks away from the main town square - Il Campo. The city could be a coin toss between - a smokers paradise or a pedestrian heaven.The air is tainted with smoke every corner you turn becoming the one drawback from a non-smokers perceptive. While the city

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-4890759037340230282009-10-14T08:23:00.000-07:002009-10-14T21:10:25.498-07:00

Its been a while since I used paper and pen to jot down memories. But being in a town square of Siena where everyone walks & seems to know everyone, this seems a logical choice.Yes I am in Siena - on a week trip to Italy. Our first stop was Rome - the old town. Rome was what one expected - a city built around the ruins and grandeur of the past. It seems like the bygone generation wanted to stand

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-87423044935016535622009-10-12T10:20:00.001-07:002009-10-12T18:02:59.297-07:00

Being miles away from home, we traditionally save our holidays for the one big trip home. Of course, with such a trip means traveling miles within a span of weeks. Its an ordeal and a vacation rolled into one. After all meeting your college buddies, getting home made food is fun part of the trip, while planning to meet everyone and yet coming back realizing that we did not get enough time with

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-16878585822753129642009-08-18T13:23:00.000-07:002009-08-18T13:56:14.066-07:00

A long drawn out affair, a 100 page potboiler indeed; mostly tiring, sometimes messy - this is the saga of Kochunni's tryst with the big potty.CharactersKochunniAmma - A harried, busy woman who was having nightmares of her boy being married in diapers.Achan - A super busy dadMs. L - A teacher who was deemed an expert at potty training childrenSi-chechi - Kochunni's chechi - adored by one an

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-16598325659754165652009-08-15T09:33:00.003-07:002009-08-15T12:23:35.900-07:00

A long time ago, a girl her father and mother would take the bus to go up about 2 miles to reach a little park in the middle of the town. It wasn't huge, rather small that had little trails weaving in an out of grassy patches. All around the park were tall buildings, and the park seemed a little oasis in the middle of the concrete jungle.Often the father would buy a small pack of roasted peanuts

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-85821017910291755192009-07-17T12:30:00.000-07:002009-07-17T16:32:25.555-07:00

It seems ages since I have surfed the blogosphere, no good reasons really – just that work caught up and with the economy where it is, it seemed like a good idea to keep your head down and work away. Plus with an awesome summer days (read hot, very hot), weekend turned into trips with friends to the park, to the railway line, to the beach, to the winery. So to play catch up, here are some

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-35113667201219954762009-07-14T16:21:00.008-07:002009-07-15T10:17:40.333-07:00

Today is Kochunni is 3rd birthday. My little guy is no longer a baby – he is a big kid now, reaching almost up to my waist and talking a mile a minute. His eyes still sparkle when he is being mischievous or gets a big treat (read chocolate, he finally figured it out), though temper tantrums are still very much part of him. He knows his numbers and alphabets, shapes and colors. His love of cars is

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-44838893790630748682009-05-29T14:36:00.001-07:002009-05-29T15:07:04.267-07:00

I have been tagged by Abha a month ago to do this tag (sorry been lazy)“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."But since it’s almost end of another month, I figured I should get it over with and since its May I tweaked the tag a bit to make it the 5th folder, the 5th picture. :D

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-52713707565085317392009-04-30T15:26:00.005-07:002009-04-30T15:34:24.195-07:00

Everyone tends to remember and recall certain things, childhood memories, important days or events; though it works differently for everyone.I am weak in recalling numbers, I can store about 4 phone numbers – the first phone number that we got (not in use today), it was mainly a source of pride that we finally had a phone and did not have to rely on neighbors to call home or call someone. It

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-9264380822935552392009-04-22T13:30:00.002-07:002009-04-22T16:35:33.826-07:00

There is a tag that been going around for a while in mom-o-sphere blogs, known by various names - ‘around the world in 80 clicks’, motherhood – why do I love it etc, that grabbed my attention. The reasons were varied and many but a universal theme of love certainly binds these conglomerate of posts together.Even before Kodi's Mom tagged me for this tag, I was thinking about what would be the five

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-38991996885305192452009-04-21T22:33:00.000-07:002009-04-21T22:33:00.776-07:00

Pull out a big tub,fill it with some water,get the water toys .... AND ....let the kid splash up some joy!

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-79254980081677535162009-04-20T16:25:00.005-07:002009-04-20T22:25:40.836-07:00

With toddlers, day trips are easier, rather fun and relaxing. Last weekend we made a trip to the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad for a picnic lunch, train & carousel ride. Three families, three kids and a nice warm day - a fun day for picnic.Now even though I am pretty decent at organization at work and get things done in a timely manner, at home there are a lot of times where I seem to be playing

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-62396429532180512132009-04-14T16:16:00.009-07:002009-04-14T16:30:52.113-07:00

With two young corporate go-getters and today being a weekday, this year’s Vishu celebrations at our house is a bit subdued than previous years. But trying to be a good mother, you do your best. And so after Kochunni went to bed yesterday, I set up a small Kani. Today after waking up early, I lit the diyas and woke up the husband and then took the sleeping Kochunni to the puja area to show him

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-8734351289424672822009-04-09T16:32:00.003-07:002009-04-09T16:40:49.285-07:00

How cute is this? This guys seems to know Hindi and Russian and can definitely sing a tune.Original Songs:Jimmy AajaGoro Ki Na Kalo Ki

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-65089976598431893752009-04-07T11:54:00.004-07:002009-04-07T12:41:41.405-07:00

For a while now, Kochunni prefers to eat his lunch/dinner in front of the idiot box watching his cartoons and songs. It’s the daily ritual and seems like the food wont travel down his throat if the TV isn’t on, though our recent India trip dispelled this myth, making me want to clear the clutter on the dinner table and use that for a family meal. Of course easier said than done , with too many

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-60559637525103099012009-04-02T13:07:00.001-07:002009-04-02T14:37:12.121-07:00

Today morning as I was getting ready to leave, I asked Kochunni for a hug, but since he was buried in his cars, he barely even looked up. This is often the scene in the morning and sometimes I have to ask for a hug a couple of times, before I get one. Today for some reason he was totally not interested.As I started to do the last minute mad rush - pick up of my bags (laptop, lunch, purse), check

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-45413431844633010702009-04-01T11:42:00.001-07:002009-04-01T11:45:19.177-07:00

For a long time now, I have loved to read, be it a magazine or a good book I could read into the wee hours of the night. I still remember the Wednesday afternoon in 4th Standard that my mom came with me and talked to the school librarian to let me pick out a book. In those days, the school library was mainly available to students in secondary classes – I guess, it was there way of making sure

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-8420857365137625362009-03-30T19:45:00.003-07:002009-03-30T19:55:54.580-07:00

The doctor just called, the results are negative so at least no Salmonella. The diarreha was probably just some viral infection.He is much better today, so for now the household is back on track - work, potty training, spring cleaning, backyard work and the list goes on ....

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-55508118251120898122009-03-27T14:59:00.008-07:002009-03-29T16:34:23.989-07:00

Kochunni has been having some trouble in tummy lately, Sunday it was constipation by Wednesday it was loose-motion. He was clingy, had a little cough – All minor things when looked at in isolation especially for a kid going to day-care. We kept an eye on him and kept calling the day-care at regular intervals to keep tabs on him. He was fine – no other signs of discomfort, no fever, that we even

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-22963948206623019072009-03-24T16:44:00.007-07:002009-03-26T11:44:36.586-07:00

I had some free time, so I took up this quiz. The results: You are a mama of the earth!Eco-protector, green thumb, way cool, I said. I gripe about the extra running water when you're brushing your teeth, it takes only a second to close and open the tap when you need to. And oh don’t you dare let the light/fan on when you are not in the room.So let’s see what juice box jungle had to say –You

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-33372775738482422752009-03-24T13:50:00.003-07:002009-03-24T16:41:11.245-07:00

Back from a whirlwind tour-de-India, and we are in throes of major changes. After the first four days back in daycare, Kochunni’s teacher Ms.L, asks if we have any objections in moving him to the next class. We are dumb folded. Is he ready? He is not potty trained yet? A million other questions surge to our lips. Not to worry, she says. They will slowly ease him into the new class probably

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-13212546234939148442009-03-08T13:46:00.002-07:002009-03-16T12:38:29.165-07:00

We reached the shores of Dubai Thursday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised by the chilly winds that awaited us. It turned out to be a really a great time to visit Dubai, the weather being just right, and with two nights to spend in town, we decided to hit one of Dubai’s main attractions – shopping – the first night.The next day we went to the Jumeira beach – a magnificent picturesque beach,

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-51922267794658249612009-03-03T21:34:00.014-08:002009-03-13T14:38:48.296-07:00

We are at the tail-end of our trip, tomorrow we travel to Dubai for a small stop over before heading back to US.Kochunni did not have any stranger anxieties and enjoyed meeting the extended families. The influence of family is easily noticeable as he speaks Malayalam more fluently making full sentences.Here's Kochunni with his Ammamma, having a "tickling match"Some of his favorite times was going

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-28659293912316739752009-02-27T21:13:00.007-08:002009-03-12T09:35:35.049-07:00

Somethings are still the same here; spelling errors on a bus ...

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-2592398551812626832009-02-26T06:53:00.012-08:002009-02-27T21:55:36.958-08:00

Since one of the main reasons for this trip was Kochunni's Vidyarambham we decided to ensure that both sets of grandparents were with us to enjoy the proceedings. We rented a car from Bangalore and traveled further south to Kollur and then to Kerala to visit our home town - though we really have no stake in it. Both sides of the family have let go or been pushed into letting go their respective

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-18936848090885628172009-02-23T19:19:00.006-08:002009-02-27T21:08:12.379-08:00

Today was Kochunni's Vidyarambham - the initiation into learning and writing in front of the Lord. This was one of the main reasons for our journey. We reached Kollur yesterday evening after a long car ride from Bangalore.As the sun rose we quickly got ready for the big event. Luckily Kochunni was showing little signs of tiredness and we hoped that he will be a happy fella during the puja

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-84229800239643081792009-02-15T08:48:00.008-08:002009-02-25T19:18:34.724-08:00

Another 6 more to go before I we touch base with family. Currently at Dubai Airport, waiting for the next flight home. Its been a long 16 hours with Kochunni getting some uncomfortable sleep on my shoulder and on the seat. We barely got any sleep. The flight (Emirates) itself was a comfortable ride though since we got in late to the airport we did not get any time to eat lunch. Being on an empty

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-39317811372489040232009-02-05T16:43:00.005-08:002009-02-06T14:06:45.735-08:00

We are off to India, what many folks here would consider a vacation of dreams – for 3 whole weeks! My colleague almost fell off her chair, saying that it was 'awesome'.Now tell the same thing to your desi friend and they give you knowing smile saying its been a while since you have gone back, haven’t you?But it doesnt matter, 'coz I AM GOING TO INDIA IN 8 DAYSI can’t hardly wait. To meet my best

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-1939868753442921932009-02-03T14:18:00.009-08:002009-02-03T15:17:00.272-08:00

Lists are sometimes fun, and especially cute when it’s about babies right. So when I saw this on Shine I could not help but take it up. About a 100 items to do before – gasp – our precious babies are off to school. Well, Kochunni is 2 and ½ and am sure the next years will be gone in a jiffy, so I really need a list to keep up pace with his growth.Here we go (green ones are ones we have done

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-53866449622676768872009-02-02T13:00:00.004-08:002009-02-02T14:00:30.621-08:00

A few days ago I was talking to a friend about some of the shows on Indian television – it seemed like the dark ages showing off the saas-bahu dramas, the pain of a father trying to get his ‘dark’ daughter married off, and of course sad stories about the woman who can do no wrong - who is always in one mess or another because of course the whole world is crooked and she never has the guts to

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-28456437133396524332009-01-31T10:19:00.000-08:002009-02-02T10:35:07.784-08:00

I am wearing this badge (courtesy MayG) – and reminding every reader, every individual that Freedom is our right and let no one take that away, Again!This is in response to what many fellow blogger's have already written so eloquently about.

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-47696986271778479502009-01-22T15:18:00.003-08:002009-01-23T10:10:36.874-08:00

Finally after 2 and 1/2 long years I hear these words – “MY” amma - spoken today morning with every ounce of emotion that a 3 feet, 2 year old can muster – a possessive, matter-of-fact sound that’s usually reserved for his toy cars and fire trucks he plays with.A little mommy’s heart no doubt is joyous and ecstatic. Be back after my feet touches the ground, ta-ta! :DEd to add: Kochunni calls me

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-78044347803321094712009-01-20T16:18:00.010-08:002009-01-21T16:48:39.761-08:00

Movies, I admit are one of my weakness. Does this make me any less smart?Wanna watch a movie where a ‘pharin-returned’ (foreign) hero is so dumb that he keeps his hard-earned cash with him rather than a bank and then goes on lose it all in a fight with the bad guys on a rainy afternoon – watch Maine Pyar KiyaIf you want to watch a couple fall in love with one massive blow out kiss in rain and

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-47338824475210862422009-01-16T16:03:00.004-08:002009-01-16T16:14:39.417-08:00

Kochunni is officially 2 and ½ years, and I have absolutely no idea how the past years went by. Today can’t imagine the lifetime before we had him (not true I remember the days I slept for 28 hours over a 48 hour period). He is almost a boy, playing with his trains and cars lying flat on the ground.Gone are the days when he got his first red car (a hummer) and all he did was to hold it without

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-82634039649253154652009-01-08T13:10:00.004-08:002009-01-08T14:07:12.077-08:00

What a great start to the year with this wonderful award from Preethi (sorry gf for being late, been sorta distracted). I can’t thank you enough, you Da Best![This award is given to a blog that invests and believes in PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-82232883359238114702008-12-31T15:45:00.002-08:002008-12-31T15:53:38.324-08:00

So how do I do the last post of the 2008?I have been racking my brains on this – seems like a big thing – you know ‘end it right’, sorta thing. Thought of many things to do - a summary post (who has time), a time capsule (Dottie did a far better job already, see here), a resolutions list (come on you know I won’t keep it) or maybe a snapshot of the blog that is rocking and all that jazz (who am I

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-89215942029925634742008-12-29T16:11:00.006-08:002008-12-29T18:09:15.752-08:00

Full of gifts for the little fella, two parties and one enjoyable train ride. This year too, Kochunni did not grasp the full meaning of Christmas, Santa Claus or the gifts – he seemed to just take everything in stride with a curious sense of joy and wonder, which after all is the true spirit of any festival. He picked up the plane and his truck as the first gifts to be opened but in a little

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-68413790156365325012008-12-24T16:18:00.002-08:002008-12-24T16:34:18.736-08:00

Snow has fallen, winter has set,The houses have been lit as the year draws to a closeSanta has started his wonderous journeyAs we will soon scramble to bed.We will be back up in a while to wrap up Kochunni's giftsPlaying our parts as Santa's little elves.Here's wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!Image from Christmas MySpace Animations

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-7351239538730754112008-12-23T19:15:00.000-08:002008-12-23T19:15:52.418-08:00

One of my fondest memory from my childhood is during the power-cut hour, sitting in front of our house in Bangalore, with my grandfather - him on his lazy chair, the rest of us on the ground, or the stairs, telling me wonderful stories. There was something mysteriously fun about sitting outside in pitch darkness with only the light shimmering from the million stars above, listening to the

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-13112537532930564072008-12-22T13:02:00.000-08:002008-12-22T13:03:11.621-08:00

Its almost been a month at the new daycare of the little fella, of course with some vacations and his ill heath it hasn’t been as continuous, nevertheless. So some updates (just a fancy way of scrap booking the noticeable changes)For the last two weeks, when we drop him off he looks at us (reminding me of the cat from the movie Shrek) and reminds us “vegam varane” (come early). Of course, it’s

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-10425764066478927322008-12-19T13:57:00.007-08:002008-12-19T14:21:38.733-08:00

So if you are busy with shopping and stressed out every time you see "Only 6, 5, 4 days to Christmas" - almost an end of the world sort of message, here is some holiday humor. Enjoy!

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-26127118245775359052008-12-18T13:34:00.000-08:002008-12-19T13:56:49.529-08:00

The stores were decked out two months before and the discussions around ‘what to buy’ started even before. Now with the ‘big’ sales – Early Door busters to Midnight sales – everyone is scrambling to get something for someone.This time though I really would love a real Santa- just seems that it will save me some hard cash. :DBut then again, wasn’t the festive time more for celebration, for family

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-72987057990155991452008-12-15T15:44:00.003-08:002008-12-15T17:22:01.225-08:00

To the dad ...who would never forget little treats for his girl; however late he waswho would always act surprised when he finally found the girl hiding under the bedwho taught her how to ride the bike and play badmintonwho always argued a case with her until another joined the fight, that they would mysteriously become best friendswho made her laughwho wrote up a new lullaby for his grandson (

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-67310059244840020002008-12-15T15:34:00.003-08:002008-12-15T15:41:37.784-08:00

Coming back from our trip from Legoland, Kochunni had cough that did not seem to go away. Later in the night his whole body was rocking as he was breathing but calling up the nurse line we were told it might just still be because of stuffy nose. The husband being extra cautious type decided to take him to the doctor, which as it turns was a good thing. It seems he had a wheezing cough that was

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-16507882078073771442008-12-10T16:36:00.005-08:002008-12-11T12:35:34.881-08:00

Reviews are a matter of opinions, you take it or leave it, but it also adds a little perceptive to our thoughts. We saw the movie ‘A Wednesday’ at our cousin’s house at my jiju’s insistence – really it was the battle was between Bejja Fry and Pirates of the Caribbean and somehow this little known movie won. Its just a story that happens on a Wednesday and therefore the name, It has elements of

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-48242185805568908332008-11-27T11:48:00.005-08:002008-11-27T12:05:42.943-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, Tharini of Winkie's way's posted a text challenge - basically offering 6 words that we needed to work into a sentence, it reminded me how years ago when, as part of language exams we were given a word that we had to use in a sentence. This was one of my favorite parts of the exams - for once you could not memorize anything, had to come up with the sentences in the one hour

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-2864040692845142942008-11-25T17:01:00.005-08:002008-11-25T17:16:53.874-08:00

With a couple of PTOs that both of us needed to take we decided to take some time off work and of course being parents holiday have to be decided with kids enjoyment in mind, we decided to drive down to Lego land.The first big car ride alone with the fella, to say we were apprehensive would be a minor statement. I packed along a few books, a little coloring notepad and some of his cars. Of

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-84362802329185374622008-11-18T13:14:00.003-08:002008-11-25T14:58:02.194-08:00

*** I wrote this post on the 18th, but never published it, so back-dating it! ***Yesterday was Kochunni’s first day. Unfortunately I could not accompany the little guy as I had urgent stuff that I need to get done at work every Mondays so his dad took him in. We deposited the bag of diapers, wipes and lunch and bid adieu. The little guy cried at such a change in setting, as expected but a phone

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-30606380122373761452008-11-16T12:55:00.000-08:002008-11-18T13:08:28.787-08:00

So after full two weeks of looking (hunting) for a daycare cum preschool for the little fella we finally choose a Montessori which is 4 miles away from home but was the only one that had a better reputation and came close our liking.The local Montessori that we checked out last was bad mouthed by Mrs S (Kochunni’s home day-care aunty). And the other Montessori that everyone loves around here is

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-836436853343875382008-11-06T11:11:00.003-08:002008-11-06T13:58:26.657-08:00

Monday evening: First day after the time change, it was cold, dark and raining a little by 5 PM. As I park my car and walk up towards the back of the house to pick up Kochunni from his home daycare, the lady of the house and his teacher comes in from the front and stops me. Unusual, I think! There is not a smile on her face, just tiredness. My brain goes into fast drive, what did Kochunni do? Did

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-77786431443250196342008-11-05T12:19:00.004-08:002008-11-05T14:06:30.193-08:00

Of jubilation's, of tears, of winning! And wonders of wonders, a nation, a world watched an historic event unfold. As Obama made his speech, his words rung true to millions of Americans across the country –“ Yes, we can” do what we set our heart & our minds to do. And as I see little Kochunni say the same slogan like his favorite TV character I can dream a little dream – maybe the world will be a

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-18398564310109676592008-10-31T15:32:00.005-07:002008-11-03T20:24:49.732-08:00

Boo-tackular and b-elicious! Halloween of course. Kochunni dressed up like his favorite character “Bob the builder” with a tool belt, orange vest and light brown suspenders’. And even if I say so myself, he was just too cute!First stop, his amma’s Spooktacular party last Wednesday … I picked up the little fella from daycare right after naptime and drove him to the party and he even got to see my

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-1305879929767931182008-10-28T16:24:00.007-07:002008-10-28T23:19:25.783-07:00

Wish you all a very happy diwali, may the lights shine on you and your family and bring you all the happiness.We celebrated Diwali in grand style this weekend at the temple where I got some henna done on my hands and Kochunni wore the kurta that we had bought for his first birthday. At first he was freaked out by the outfit and kept trying to pull it off his head, when finally I showed him his

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-27351162938828669852008-10-20T14:56:00.004-07:002008-10-24T11:06:54.682-07:00

Please tell me that they are…. For I do long for a change. When we ordered Direct TV last year I had hoped that watching some good old desi-TV would be a good break from the reality TV shows that now have filled up most of the prime spots on the television. When horrors I realized that the soaps with its regressive values still run the gamut of Indian television! Have you seen the ad for Grihasti

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-68465876707117428962008-10-15T11:04:00.007-07:002008-10-15T11:37:10.944-07:00

Its Blog Action Day TODAY! I think it should be an ACTION day every day, even every minute if possible. India is one of the biggest growing nations these days, people seem to have enough cash to buy their iPODs/iPhones to their Swifts and everything in between. Places are lined with malls, inviting the wealthy to spend. Turn around, do you see that little street urchin who hasn’t had a proper

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-77779444622176392542008-10-14T16:30:00.003-07:002008-10-14T16:30:00.560-07:00

There was talk on a radio show that I often listen to on my way to work about Ivana Trump getting married to her boyfriend who is quite a few years younger to her. They kept calling her a “couger”. Now, in reality couger is a mountain lion or panther – a beautiful animal native to the Americas. But here the reference is more of an older woman who preys on younger men. Note the word is even the #1

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-19215021582040540592008-10-13T14:04:00.003-07:002008-10-13T14:36:02.575-07:00

Saturday, honey came back from a two week long trip to India and it was perfect. Kochunni got tons of books that my mom sent, a little wrist watch and even a wooden car that he played around for hours on end. Of course poor honey was tired from jet lag, but the little fella wanted to do everything with his “Acha” (daddy) – from sleeping on his shoulder to playing. By Sunday he was in full swing

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-40760485119299301642008-10-06T16:26:00.004-07:002008-10-06T21:59:22.014-07:00

In high hopes that Kochunni will be trained to sleep on his own, in his own room, we moved him to his room that has all the things a boy could desire (or so we hoped). We had painted the room a nice shade of blue and adorned one wall with pictures of cute animals – a hippo, a giraffe, an elephant. A nice placard displaying his name in bright orange colors. A little night-light atop the dresser.

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-75013392343899898902008-09-23T16:31:00.005-07:002008-09-30T15:58:37.429-07:00

Mystic Margarita tagged me to doing some real soul-searching, so here goes:The rules for the tag are:RULE #1 People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.RULE #2 Tag 6 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33961793.post-49571478275561910612008-09-22T16:36:00.000-07:002008-09-23T11:29:19.837-07:00

That does mean I am becoming popular, right. Thanks Ray for this wonderful award …. Just have to figure out if I cash this thing, right!? LOL!In keeping with tradition I pass on this award to some very good friends ~The ‘Mystic’al rock star with a ‘Margarita’ in her handThe 'glowing’ Ms. Extraordinaire ;)The lovely Miss whose posts make the ‘highpoint of any day’An 'exotic mind'A 'writer' in

K 3http://www.blogger.com/profile/17694781544928449190noreply@blogger.com13