a quick getaway with grandparents!

I was just sifting through old blog posts to find a post I had written on our Masinagudi trip for JLT. I obviously meandered and realized there are so many things I have forgotten and the only record is my blog posts. I instantly felt terrible about not being as regular. There are hardly any Bub posts in here. And so many new things Cub keeps doing too have found no mention and are now lost forever! :(


So here's a catch up post of a short getaway we did to Jungle Lodge's, Bannerghatta National Park. Yes, right within the city and yet once you enter, it is like you have left it far behind. Much fun was had and you can read my official guide HERE for the more practical aspects! Thank you Art for the recco!


We loved pretty much everything about the place - the accommodation in the tents, the hammocks strung around everywhere, deer walking in unexpectedly and the open space. The food and the service were a tad disappointing, but nothing you cannot live with for one night.


Here are the photos! The kids were especially thrilled to have their Aaji-Ajoba around! :)

Cub trying to save the Bub from falling into the gap! :)

Getting the hang of the hammock! No pun intended! ;)

The Girl with the Red Umbrella! :)

The brother in green joins her! :)

I LOVED the tyre swing! what is there not to like, eh?! 

With the bada baby at the zoo! :p

The brats with the grandies! :)

everyone trying to save the food from Bub the Bhukkad! :p

Cub at the front of the Safari bus. The driver let him change the gears later. Holding his hand ofcos!

Near the Butterfly park! :)

The entrance to the Butterfly park. While the number of butterflies were few, its a gorgeous place. And do NOT miss the museum.

In the Butterfly park!

The Bub relaxing in the hammock!

Just sitting around enjoying the place! :)

i LOVE this photo! Just like that! :)

Hanging out together! :)

And we found some friends to kick the ball with! :)


We were back by next day lunch time. It was a short and sweet break and Cub was quite upset that we did not stay another night. All in all, much fun was had. Thank god for such mini-breaks, eh?! :)

when you are on a summer vacation...

at your Ujoba's house in Ichalkaranji, it cannot be but a lot of fun!

because you can stop by for a Goti soda on the way!

And sit naked and eat mangoes all day along once you get home!

Or just fool around in the balcony while aaji catches up on the day's newspapers! 

wear bindi and play with katoris in the sun!

Practice your photography skills in the verandah (taken by Cub)

Learn how to put clothes in a front load machine

and push them in with all your might

till the bucket is empty!

sit on the table at a small l'il restaurant!

and get your pictures clicked with Ujoba!

and eat mangoes once again when back home! ;)

go to a green house that grows roses and bell peppers!

Indulge in shadow play with your mother!

convince Papa to hand over the handy cam to you and then pose with it!

get carried around first by Ajoba...

and then by Ujoba!

while one cannot even walk the other wants to jump all around!

you even get to fool around in Ujoba's office!

and get a good-bye kiss from Ujoba's dog - Hero!

how can he be called anything but that with those good looks, eh?!

There are smiles but we are not very happy to leave

With Ajoba, Aaji and Ujoba. happy for the good times had!


Thank you SO MUCH Ujoba for such a great time! We were there only for two days, but fun and relaxation we managed in those two was just incomparable. We hope to spend longer time next time! :)

Ps: My kids call my Dad, Ajoba. He has two brothers Ulhas and Vikas. So as to not confuse Cub, we call Ulhas Ajoba - Ujoba and Vikas Ajoba - Vijoba! This was lest you were wondering what the heck is Ujoba! :D

Bub - The Bubbly Babli!

I guess this blog is still to come to terms with the second child and lack of time that comes with it. Of course I cannot even blame Bub for lack of time because she is quite the sweetheart! One does get more time to blog with 8 hours plus of internet at office which I can only dream of at home as of now. I am enjoying this phase, but that for another post someday. This post is meant for the Daughter of ours. I just love even the sound of it. The father is of course hopelessly in love and smitten beyond repair.


So the Bub turned 6 months last month and what a joy ride it has been. The first three months were obviously dull, what with just sleeping and pooping most of the time and almost complete lack of expression. Are we the only parents who found both their kids in newborn stage terribly boring and not to mention dried raisin looking?! :p


But since month 4 Bub has been bestowing her gorgeous smile on everybody. And when I say it's stunning, I am not being the fond mother! I Hope! ;) She wakes up the morning and there is a biiiig smile as soon as you smile at her. Say something funny and she will grin again. The laughs though are reserved for her darling Brother, the Cub. None of us can make her laugh as easily as he does. He can say or do just about anything and we hear the happy gurgles which in turn make all of us laugh.


She rolled over around 5 months and now is trying VERY hard to start crawling. She still is not able to and gets very frustrated every time the attempt fails. This does mean she cannot move and one can never find her where she had been kept originally. She creeps a little and rest of the movement is through series of rollovers.


Like all babies, she loves grabbing glasses and pulling hair. She also enjoys just touching and holding your face if you bring it close and we never seem to get enough of that! :)


She hates being left alone and bawls her lungs out every single time this injustice is meted out to her. She HATES being kept on her back for too long. So we have keep propping her up so that she can keep standing and sitting as it pleases her while holding on to our hands.


She has quite a grip and its not easy to get things out of her hand. Also, anything that goes in her hand HAS to go into her mouth. Absolutely everything. Clothes, paper, toys, cell phones... she is not partial to anything. Often after she gets bored of eating her fingers, she chomps on her toes. My mom says if she can keep up with that exercise she will always have a flat tummy! Hehe!


That said, she LOVES to eat all the normal edible stuff as well. Give her something to chomp on and you won't even realize that she has no teeth! She especially enjoyed mangoes to the hilt this season. Her first obviously. She enjoys being given really small pieces of chapati, licks of ice cream and chocolate, fruits, biscuits... well you name it and she wants to eat it. I hope this happens when she really moves to proper solid meals! :p


All in all, she is a complete sunshine girl right now and we are totally blessed to have her in our lives.


Love ya our little angel. Keeping being as gorgeous as you are!

Of course, here's the photos!

This one is coupla months ago, but its such a keeper! :)

Super thrilled with Aaji ajoba in a cute jhabla gifted by gauri mavshi.

Excited during her first outing to the beach. At Juhu Beach in Bombay

Chomping on a carrot at a resto while we ate our khaana.

Magan-Lal - First taste of  Chikki on her first train trip ever! An overnighter to Kolhapur!

Didn't i say she LOVES mangoes?! :)

and this is what happens when you give a 6month old chocolate biscuit in her hands just to keep her outta your hair! :p

Yup! She likes being made to sit and stand every now and then!

In the gorgeous outfit gifted by Mugdha Mavshi. The wedding eve at Kolhapur.

And the actual wedding day. A halter neck lehenga - choli from Bhavya. can you see the tiny green and gold bangles?! :)

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?