till regular programming begins!

Staying at home obviously leaves very little time to blog! Bah! Plus we shifted homes (yes Again!) and there was no internet for a few days and a multitude of boxes to unpack. We are still living in boxes...errrr rather out of boxes. The basic clothes and kitchen is set, but we have no space mainly for four boxes full of books and our decorative stuff etc. Ho jaayega dheere dheere.


Right now we have left M alone and Bangalore and the kids are soaking up a whole lot of grandparent love in Bombay. I am feeling nostalgic and very very sweaty! :p From here, we go to Kolhapur for my cousin's wedding. Bub's first train trip! Cub's was also to Kolhapur when he was 9months old and Bub is doing it even earlier at 6months. That said, yup, Bub has completed six months of giggles and gurgles! Have to do a propah post for her. Will do it next. Right now, just sharing photos of my Devils in disguise of Angels. How I love Bombay for selling such cool stuff on the streets! :)

I plan to buy a dozen of these and take em to Kolhapur for all my nieces and cousins. Hopefully take a group photo of all of us wearing some Horns! :p

Summer vacations treating you guys good? What have you been up to?

Jeevachi Mumbai!

Bombay holds a charm almost no other city in India can even dream of. Even recent terror attacks notwithstanding. I remember so many of M's relatives came for our wedding because it gave them a chance to visit Bombay. Having lived there almost all my life, meant we take most of the things for granted.

This time when we visited Cubby, we wanted to show him all the things that were special to us and otherwise. With not too much time on hand we managed just bit of South Bombay and Juhu Beach. Cubby had a brilliant time and though I don't know how much of it he will actually remember, I was happy to be there with him. Doing the boat ride at Gateway that I did as a kid, shopping at Colaba which was a much looked forward thing in college and working life, Marine Drive where friendship and courtship happened and ditto for Juhu Beach. I was amazed at how familiar it all felt and what fun it can still be especially when you look at with the wonderment in your baby's eyes! :) I loved pigging out on Pav-Bhaji and Bhel Puri at the beach!

Also when I gave birth to Cubby, there was a flurry of excitement in my building. They all knew and loved my family and me, and now they had welcomed Cubby with open arms and love I cannot even imagine. After that everytime Mayunk went there the kids would ask "Cubby kab aayega?". This time when Cubby reached there he was smothered with their affection for him. Kids aged between 2 - 10 kept him entertained and enthralled. They generously shared their toys with him, tried to include him in their grown up games and generally tired him out every single day! :) It was also very humbling to see Cubby play in the terrace I used to as a kid and I couldn't help but count my blessings.

The grandparents ofcos went absolutely ballistic! NOTHING can make them happier than their grandchild. You might have won a Nobel Prize, but for them the grandchild is the biggest achievement ever. Its like seeing the completion of circle of life, I guess. My mom kept talking to him, playing with him and enjoying every bit of his antics. My dad became a champ at putting him to sleep as he showed him crows and kabootars from the balcony. Their love is so intense and beautiful... it's a treat to experience it! :)

The icing on the cake? My brother made it from the US. He gave the parents a shock by knocking on the door at 330am. Only M and me knew he was gonna make a trip. The timing was so perfect. Cubby got to know his Mama better and can now recognize him from photos! :) It was so much fun seeing them together and the brother is pretty good with kids. The family was complete in every sense of the term! :) Thanks for making it dude!

I will let pictures do rest of the talking!

Gorgeous South Bombay

The kid was totally obsessed with his "Baoon"! At Gateway of India


At Gateway with Bro n me. Don't forget to notice the Baoon! :p

In the boat that takes a round at Gateway. Don't you love it when lights play such lovely tricks?!

Mommy itta saara paani!. Cubby thrilled with the new experience.

taking a break and snacking at ever gorgeous Marine Drive.

Christmas Party and Kids!

L'il Santa on Christmas Day! His "Aaji" got the costume et al.

Kids enjoying the food at the Christmas Party.


Santa refused the beard ofcos. But tried to put on the cap himself!

Enjoying the attention and the fun!

Stop taking pictures. When is a kid supposed to play?!

Even Goa wasn't this much fun! Juhu Beach!

Getting the feel of the beach walking with Mom and Aaji

Wanna bet WHO is the asli monkey?! :p


Gaadi! Gaadi! was the chant as Cubby enjoyed his first amusement ride!

Ofcos I asked if he was sure he wont make me get off due to excess weight! There's lil Cubby on the seat too!

With his Papa who was mostly the official photographer!

New word learnt and object liked that evening?! Tooppee! :)

The phamily Photo! And yes, a baoon was obviously bought here as well! :p

The Phive Star Experience

Cubby being serenaded with Twinkle Twinkle!

He lost interest pretty quickly after being totally fascinated initially!

The Grandparents (??) who give parents run for their money when it comes to looking young and their enthu and energy levels!

With Mama, wearing the Tee he got from his Univ.

Random Notes

The couple cooking up a mean chinese lunch with errr... Knorr Make - a - Meal!

Playing it rough and laughing away with his Aaji!

It was such a beautiful n perfect trip! Hope we can do it soon again. Make some more amazing, remake old connections and forge new bonds! :)

not the kinda century I imagined!

Last evening we got out of the house clueless, hoping to have dinner and catch a movie. A friend called and movie got scrapped and we had a nice dinner instead. Got home by11, put Cubby to sleep and went off to sleep too to be woken up at 5am to a cat entering our house through the bathroom window. After we had shooed it away, I looked at my phone to see the time and my phone read 1 new message.

I read "heard about terrible attacks in Mumbai, trust everyone at home is ok." I showed it to M and he checked his phone to see similar sms from Papa. Since we don't have cable TV at home, we logged on to the internet and came across the goriest images and worst news we have read in a very long time.

Yet another terror attack on Mumbai. Not some bomb-blasts orchestrated by some militant group but actual people blazing guns in some of the biggest establishments and most popular areas and haunts in Mumbai.

After a long time, I cried reading the news and seeing the images. I have lived in Mumbai and seen the first blasts that rocked the city and over a period of time just got numbed in acceptance of the situation. The way shit happens, bomb-blasts and floods happen. WE laughed and sang our way home through waist deep water till even the water decided to kill.

And yet we kept saluting the spirit of Mumbaikar. What choice does he/she have but to go on living. Even my mother matter of factly said trains are running and she may go to work and we told her nothing doing. Stay put at home. But thats how we are now.

Yet this time, it's sending chills down my spine. Holding people hostages, indiscriminate shooting and killing of people by some who look 16years old and should be in school...

It's been over 12hrs and the situation is yet to come under control. Brave police officers and innocent civilans are still dying and I don't think I want to watch it live on TV. Relaity TV was NOT meant to be this, was it?!

This is not the time to come up with blanket generalizations and simplistic solutions like wiping out a race as a solution to these constant attacks.

Let us keep the faith in humanity. Like M said in his comment in my previous post "But overall, I guess it is better to trust and love in these belligerent times than to suspect everyone. Aage, sabki apni kismat..."

I cannot help but agree with him. I don't mean be careless and don't be vigilant, but please dont let your prejudices stop you from reaching the best in you.

This is my 100th post and I had requested M to do a guest post, but this isn't the time for it.

Instead I am linking his Brilliant post here. Maybe he can write the 101st for me.

Please pray for safety of the hostages and pray for the city that once never slept because there was so much camarderie and friendship around...

dil dosti etc! :)

"Friends" is one word that would always bring a smile on our face! It reminds me of masti, trust, conversations over coffee... a heart to heart chat or a laughter session! Friends make me count my blessings and i feel lucky to have them as an integral part of my life.

This one is for my best pals since last 10 years! These people have been there with me through all the highs and lows of my life and survived! :) So, heres to you girls, M and S for always making me feel special!

All three of us have given birth to our babies within this year! :)

M and me shared our pregnancy times and Atho was born 2 months after Kabir! M lives in Australia and both of us havent had a chance to see each other's babies except sharing photos and videos. Its so much fun seeing Atho through all the stages Kabir did and I do love giving gyaan to poor M who never complains!

Of course I admire M terribly. She has been taking care of Atharva all by herself from month 2 including maalish and bath and no maid! Hats off to you girl!! Am so so proud of you!! I cant imagine surviving it the way you did! Atharva also seems to be ebcoming quite a brat and is looking cuter by the day! God Bless Him! :)

S delivered a baby girl on 18th this month! Congrats girl!! :) That poor girl has suffered even more advice from this new mom! It's the first baby girl I have heard in a long time amonst all our friend and S is terribly lucky! Touchwood! :) S now lives in Mumbai and I havent had a chance to see her baby, Momo (till actual name is decided), but my parents managed to visit her at the hospital and i got a first hand account! Mom said Momo looks a lot like S and is quite tall with nice eyes! (I still cant make out who Kabir looks like!).

S just enjoy this time! Even when the going gets tough things do get better and in sometime all your l'il troubles will melt away with Momo's charming smile! God Bless Her! :)

As happy as I am for all three of us, somewhere I keep wishing we were in the same city and just MAYBE Atharva, Kabir and Momo would have been best friends too! :) It would have been SO much fun for us new mommies to catch up often, have picnics, go shopping, take turns at baby sitting and generally have fun!

Yet life can come up with most unexpected surprises! Maybe someday we WOULD be together and even if we dont our kids might just end up being good friends anywayz??

Another person who was a part of this group is now my hubby dearest! Thanx for being my best friend AND soul mate and for making a wonderful father to Kabir! What would I do without you??!! :)

So M and S, love you girls lots and heres wishing you amazing times ahead with your bundles of joy!! And keep being the buddies you always have been!

and yes, I'll be there for you!! (to be sung like Friends song!;)

Hugs!! :)