Theme Change and general rant

I have been using the same theme for so long now that I opted for a change - I did not want to lose my window settings and so I chose from the same theme category. I may change it again before long as it looks too pinkish for my taste but lets see.

If you have subscribed to my blog you may realize that I am back-posting stuff. I have been busy and tired and worn out but I really really wanted to get back to some of the things that used to and continue to matter to me - like my blog, my reading, my fitness etc etc in that order.

Kuku has gone back to school after his holidays and Bubu is fast asleep - I should be sleeping but I wanted to get at least a single guilty pleasure out of the way before he wakes up and so here I am :)   

I am yet to post the X-mas decoration pics which I always do - waiting as usual for the Arien. The moment he steps in to the house, I have a whole bunch of requests - get this, buy that, hold him, feed him - I meant him not him, etc etc and so the Arien now feels that the office is the only place he can get some peace :D

I hope to get back to reading soon but I doubt Bubu will let me get back to that. Lets see :)

... Its a Boy!

We welcomed our second bundle of joy, a baby boy, on November 20th this year. All that I had forgotten or romanticized about newborns came back with full force! I kept yelling at the Arien "How could you not remind me about sleep-deprivation, horrid diet etc etc?" while the Arien ignored my complaints.

Some days are good;
Some days, I want to curl up and sleep and wake up on my own - not because a lil one is screaming; Some days, I want to cry.

I wish for additional energy, strength, patience to support both my bundles of joy and the Arien, of course :D 

Visiting Relatives over the Weekend

For some reason, it is very difficult for me to get going on a weekend. When we meet my relatives for lunch, we are usually the last to arrive. This is usually my fault. The Arien hates being late and so is usually ready before time. I find it very difficult to be like him. Kuku can be ready quickly or will throw the spanner in the works by shouting NO when I try to get him ready and so that day is doomed.

Last week, we visited my uncle and their family around 12:45 and came away by 2:30. However, I realized that that timing does not work for all especially since we are not meeting at their house for lunch. It actually disturbs everyone's routine and delays lunch. My lunch got pushed by 4 hours because I could eat only after Kuku finished lunch and was put to sleep. While Kuku was cranky, so were the two of us. We thankfully, did not visit anybody else that weekend.

This week, we decided to have lunch at 12:25 and leave. Kuku insisted on eating breakfast very late around 12 and so we were sure we could manage till 3 with fruit and light snacks for him which we packed. We visited my aunt this week. Reached home around 3:45. Kuku was given lunch and he fell asleep at 5. I was more relaxed as I was not hungry but the Arien was tired as he did not get his siesta. Hmmm..

This happens only over the weekend. I don't struggle so much on working days or on days when there is school. Next week, we will be visiting another aunt and I hope we find something that works for all of us. Right after breakfast works but I should get ready by then. Well, lets see.  

Does this happen to you? How do you work around it?

Burger King Visit -- Restaurant Review

CheesyItalianFries--Too Tangy

It was a day for completing a lot of necessary Bank work and so I left early from office. The Arien promised to pick me up from office and he did. After the boring work was completed, we found out it was too late for lunch and so we decided to walk into Burger King. This was our second visit but I really liked the options. Both of us were very hungry and went overboard. The Arien ordered the mutton whopper while I chose the regular veg whopper. We also ordered the Hi-fries (I chose cheesy Italian Fries) and the thick mango shake with it.

The burger buns were fresh and the size was definitely bigger than McD's usual. When McDs came to India first, their burgers were huge too though that has changed over the years. The cheesy Italian fries was a bit too tangy for me. Also, the whopper has pickled cucumber which adds a tangy taste and so it all became too much for both of us. The Mango shake was absolutely amazing - we ordered one between us and so it was manageable. It was very very tasty.


The Arien felt guilty about having an outing without Kuku. If Kuku had been part of this trip, we would have been two hassled parents running after him. This time, we ate together (that almost never happens), we had a bit of conversation (i.e we actually spoke to each other not announced stuff in the vicinity of each other), even joked a bit. I called this our time-out :P

Funky Monkey -- Kuku has fun

Kuku has been spending a lot of time watching YouTube videos of kids playing in these indoor play Centers. We started him on Rhymes and suddenly he was watching these kids videos (Videos of kids made by parents such as Toy Reviews, family play time etc) and now he refuses to let us guide him to the videos which we want him to watch, So, he pretty much watches any video he likes. Anyway, while watching the play center ones, I wondered if we had any in the city for a toddler and I chose Funky Monkey. Its quite close to my Aunt's place where we usually congregate for Pongal/Sankranti and my cousin was visiting with his 12 year old daughter. The age group was supposedly 0-12 years and so I thought my niece would like it but she is a grown-up twelve and did not want to enter the place. So, only Kuku had the most fun on that day.

They charge ~500 for 90 minutes and either the mother or father or a sibling must accompany small kid(s) into the play center or arena. That person must wear socks or buy socks from their counter. It was pretty crowded as a birthday party was going on as well. Kuku, of course, did not want to play on anything specific to his age. He wanted to go down the huge slide and he did so a gazillion times and sometimes in reverse i.e he turned around and sat looking to see if anyone else was coming after him. The Arien was fed up and completely exhausted at the end of 30 minutes :) We had another 60 minutes to go :( I cleverly opted out of going into the play arena with Kuku. It was fun for Kuku though. He was very happy.

We stopped for a snack at 'The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf". We ordered the usual stuff. All of them were good but their omelet was really good. The Arien said that we should have ordered that for Kuku instead of letting him feast on blueberry cake which though he loves he does not handle too well. We plan to do this again next month. Lets hope its not like our other plans :)

An interesting evening -- Kuku's II Metro Ride

We wanted to visit the play-gym near our home but when we reached there, it was closed. Not wanting to spend the evening at home, we decided to go on the metro. Kuku has not been on one for almost six months now.

We parked at the Byappanhalli station and walked in. I forgot all about the frisking and walked toward the escalator when I was asked to go back. Kuku didn't want to wait and decided to go on the escalator by himself. He made for the escalator but the security guard, decided to stop Kuku. Unfortunately, he was not aware that Kuku hates to be carried by someone he does not know. In seconds, ppl looked shocked at the volume on Kuku! I was handed the screaming toddler with a smile while he continued bawling away. The screaming toddler suddenly had a bucket full of tears falling from his eyes and he wanted to get down while wiping his tears with his hand. Uff!! I was ready to sit down and cry - seriously!  I was already wondering why I had even thought this was a good idea but the rest of the evening was actually quite nice.

Anyway, after all the hoo-haa, we reached the platform without any more incidents. Kuku stared awe-struck as the metro train silently entered the station. After we boarded the train, he held on as if for dear life. The snap shows how scared he is :)

He also watched as the door beeped every time it opened and shut (at every station). At every station he kept saying 'Aaachu" (finished). We wondered if he wanted the ride to be over or he wanted to know if it was over.

We got off at the MG Road station and took a walk on the MG Road boulevard. It was quite late in

the evening but not very cold and so we happily walked almost all the way. Kuku really enjoyed the walk. He insisted on walking and refused to be carried and he made cheeky faces at his dad as his Dad was busy shooting candid pics.

It was a nice walk and there was a nice little Dasaprakash which did not look like it was functional but surprisingly it was. We decided to stop on our way back. The Arien ordered for a masala dosa and coffee. I ordered for vada. Vada was badly burnt and tasted awful. Masala dosa was yummy. Coffee was good as per the Arien.

Then came the shock - no return metro ride. It was after 8 and apparently, for a few days the train was not available after 8. We could not get an auto and we kept walking. It was not a warm evening and we were not dressed for walking in the cold. We finally got an auto and we were trying to protect Kuku from the cold air and he tried to push my hand and duppatta away! Uff. I do not think we have ever been that happy to see our car as we were that day. Serves us right for not looking for notices :(

An interesting evening!!

Kuku's First Haircut -- Another First this month

So, our trip to Chennai resulted in Kuku falling sick - thanks to the weather change. After the fever and resultant sickness went away, the Arien insisted that we cut his hair. So, the next weekend, Kuku had his first haircut.

Just before the Haircut

Kuku was extremely happy with all the attention as he sat on a high chair etc. but cried incessantly as the guy tried to cut his hair. I was holding his right hand, the Arien was holding his left hand, and the Senior Arien was providing support by standing behind Kuku but nothing really worked... he wanted out and he cried till he could get out :(

So, the haircut while mostly done was not perfect as he refused to let the guy cut some of the slightly longer ends. I did not want to force him. He was crying so much his nose was running :(

We decided to feed ourselves as a reward for the tough job that was completed. All of us were quite stressed :) We spotted a nearby Chaat place and all of us enjoyed Chaat. Kuku was provided puffed rice in a Katori and that kept him occupied while we ate the Chaat.

And just like that, I had another first with Kuku. Nice!

Uttama Villain -- Movie Review

I am a Kamal Hassan fan. His movies and roles are usually well-chosen (not always though), his acting is always top-knotch, and you either enjoy the movie and want everyone to watch it or you totally hate it and want to tell everyone to not watch it. He has had his flops, his commercial hits some of which were total masala potboilers as well, but you wanted to know what he had to offer and so you would always go to watch his latest movie.

As per the latest news, Uttama Villain is a hit and has had a good opening. The reviews have been uniformly very sweet - positive response and critical appreciation n all that. So, this is one scary review to write. ** Spoilers Ahead**

Story:
Kamal is Manoranjan, an aging super star who is still loved by the masses. He is married to Varalakshmi (Urvashi) and has a son. His father-in-law is Poorna Chandra Rao (a famous producer). He is in the middle of an affair with his doctor, Arpana (Andrea Jeremiah) and his latest film is a sooper hit. He occasionally takes a  swig from his bottle and sometimes faints in the restroom.

Image Courtesy: http://stargallery.in/uthama-villain-movie-new-stills/kamal-haasan-pooja-kumar-uttama-villain-movie-stills-10/

His manager, Chokku (M S Bhasker) is in-charge of keeping a lot of this hidden from the press and from his family. His co-star is Pooja Kumar. To celebrate the success of his movie, a party is organized at his home.

At this party, he learns two life-altering truths. How does he handle both the situations forms the rest of the story.

K Balachander, the director, plays director Margadarshi in the movie and makes a movie for Manoranjan.  

Image Courtesy:  http://silverscreen.in/media/photos/uttama-villain-movie-stills/

Some scenes that stayed in my mind:

• Dr. Arpana is going to share the first of the life-altering news with Manoranjan and she is unable to handle the same. That was what it was supposed to be - but what it looked like - a) Dr. Arpana was doing a wild, wriggly, snake dance to catch Manoranjan's attention b) Dr. Arpana had just been groped by the other actor in the scene, was trying to squirm away from another grope, and calling attention to the same c) Dr. Arpana wanted to use the loo and the director insisted on completing the scene before he allowed a loo break d) Dr. Arapana's beautician or make-up lady has gone on long leave and she has no idea how she can continue to look as fabulous without her e) The Director said that no free lunch was going to be served that day
• When Manoranjan refers to his driver as his sotthu (Riches or Treasure) and the driver sheds tears of joy. You want to yell 'Yenna Mirugam Aaakathe' just as S Ve Shekar does in most of his dramas.
• When Manoranjan hears the second life-altering news from Zachaeriah (Jayaraman). There is no histronics or melodrama or over the top acting but there is also not much anything - like emoshun or acting. It fell flat - I did not feel that Kamal was much upset - his dialogues were sharing his grief and shock but no emoshun except a very exaggerated sigh and some rolling of eyes. He has done that way better in gazillion scenes in so many movies - I could not comprehend it.
• When Chokku is asked to read the parting letter from Kamal's old flame out loud. Dr. Arpana tries to leave, Mano roars SIT DOWN. Chokku squints or blinks and then comes forward to read it near the reflected light from the screen. There must have been some major meaning to this scene but I did not get it. The letter was so blaah.. it was so not worth the SIT DOWN or the theatrical touch.

Blast From the Past - A still from MMKR

Its not that the movie does not have some genuinely funny scenes or sequences - the ayyo appa and ayyappa scene in the movie within the movie, the scene where Urvashi is admitted in the hospital and says that she was quite beautiful years ago and she has spoilt her looks by eating - you cannot help smiling as you remember Urvashi and Kamal from the movie 'Michael Madana Kama Rajan'.

Image Courtesy: http://www.indiaglitz.com/another-interesting-addition-to-uthama-villain-star-cast-tamil-news-104616.html

Also, the scene where Kamal meets with Margadarshi and he shouts at Manoranjan for doing masala potboilers and various meaningless movies. Some of those dialogues were quite close to the truth.

But, the funny scenes were too few in number and do not save the movie from falling flat. The movie within the movie was funny for a bit and then it got too bizarre and the thaiyyam n koothu while artistically well executed - did not help the movie at all.

Image Courtesy:  http://www.cinedesh.com/tag/uthama-villain-heroine/

Sorry, Kamal, this movie was way too indulgent even for you Or maybe it was too intellectual for me.

First movie experience with Kuku

While on our shortest visit to Chennai, ever, we managed to catch the latest Kamal Hassan movie, Uttama Villain. You can read the review in my next post. It was Kuku's first movie experience.

To start at the beginning, we thought the drive and the popcorn that we were eating outside was a good prelude to the movie for Kuku. But, Kuku believed otherwise. He ran all around the place, accepting popcorn from my niece - who gave him tiny bite-sized bits for easy chewing. He attempted hide n seek but seeing the crowd decided against it. And then he went from one person's arm to the other. We were about 10 ppl watching the movie and so it was a while before he came back to me :) All this happened outside the screen.

Once inside, Kuku was quite surprised that we all had to stay put in one place and shrieked. The Arien dutifully walked him down to the lowest or first row. Then the lights dimmed and Kuku wanted to climb up and down in parallel to the rows of seats - so, the Arien took him up and then down and then out. I was so guilty that I timed myself to step out exactly after 30 mts to bail the Arien out. I got up from my seat only to find the Arien standing near the stairs to the exit with a fast asleep Kuku in his arms. He slept for about 30 mts and then same issue - lets go up and down, up and down, up and down. Thankfully, it was Intermission by then.

Post Intermission and a few scenes later, I decided to relieve the Arien and found them near the stairs leading to the exit. Arien was watching the screen, Kuku was watching his rhymes on the Arien's phone! I watched the rest of the movie from the stairs while Kuku continued to watch his rhymes so the Arien could sit in his seat for a little more than 15 mts.

So, that was our amazing (???) experience at the movie hall. On our drive back, the Arien whispered, "Lets not watch a movie in a theatre until he is old enough to sit and enjoy the same." I had to agree. So, while we will continue to watch movies, it maybe in our home rather than on the big screen, for a while at least.  


     

Breakfast at MTR, Metro Ride, and Meeting a friend at the Hospital -- Eventful Day

It has been a while since we had breakfast together as a family though we live in the same Apartment complex. So, when the Arien suggested we all meet up for breakfast outside, all of us agreed. The Taurean wanted to eat at MTR, Indiranagar, and thats where we went.

We started on time, around 8 am. We were surprised to find that we had to wait to be seated. Anyway, we went in and the Arien asked the waiter for the menu. They do not maintain any. The waiter instead, rattled - "Idli, Dosa, Masala Dosa, Neer Dosa,...". The Arien interrupted him with "Do you have any Rice Bath?" The answer was No. Before he could repeat his menu, the Arien asked "Do you have Poori?" The answer was No again. Arien asked "Do you have pongal?" The answer was No again. I asked for Onion Oothappam and received yet another NO. I have been here before but not for breakfast. I did not know that they did not serve some of the breakfast options. So, instead of wasting time, we ordered masala dosas and Idlis. The masala dosas arrived quickly enough with a small Katori of Ghee. As we ate, we noticed giant Mangalore Bajjis which looked like pooris from a distance. We realized that we had interrupted the waiter so many times that he forgot to tell us about the bhajjis. Anyway, the Masala dosas were crispy and yummy, the green chutney was pretty good - white chutney not so much, ghee seemed excessive. No opinion on the Idlis. But, the Neer Dosa was  pretty good too. Tea or Chai was good. Usually, most places serve great coffee but Tea is supect but I liked the Tea here. It was served hot with no sugar. The Arien and self shared a cuppa. The Arien was a tad bugged with MTR because he wanted to eat 'Rice Palav' or 'Pongal' or 'Poori' none of which they served - I never eat Masala Dosas but I ordered it here. I liked it.

On our return, we took the Metro. You can read 'bout that here.

As soon as we reached home, I tried to put Kuku to sleep. With all the excitement, he fell asleep almost immediately which surprised me a lot but I was glad. I was planning to visit a colleague whose son is sick, at the hospital. Four of us were supposed to go together but we left separately and two of us came back together. The visit was upsetting and I hope and pray that God gives her the strength to continue to be strong.   

Pulse Polio @ Masinagudi

So, I was supposed to send a reminder out about the Pulse Polio vaccinations on Sunday (22nd Feb) but forgot all 'bout it in the rush to pack. I was actually worried if we could get the vaccination done because we were not in Bangalore. But, I needn't have worried. We got Kuku's polio drops @ a health center in Masinagudi.

We had, by the the time we got the vaccination, received a gazillion calls from family members reminding us to get the vaccination. So, we spent the rest of the time, informing folks that "Yes, we got it done", "No, we are not in Bangalore", "Yes, it was possible here as well" and other variations of the same!

Hope you got it done as well!


   

Barbeque Nation - Restuarant review

This was not a milestone anniversary - its not even the anniversary after Kuku was born - its just another anniversary that comes every year. I cannot even remember what we did last year, we probably visited my MIL and showed kuku off.

This year, we had lunch at BBN. This is not the first time I am visiting BBN but it has been so long since I last visited that I had forgotten all 'bout it. The Arien had had this restaurant on his Christmas wishlist but it did not happen. So, we somehow made this happen for our Anniversary. Apart from the OhmyGod! food, the visit gave me a post - Hurrah! Another first - my first restaurant review for this year.

Some things to note if you have not been there before: BBN is not a place for vegetarians who do not prefer restaurants where both veg and non-veg is cooked and served. Its also not a place if you do not like barbeques or grilled starters. Its also not a place for a person on a diet.

If the above points do not apply to you (I put off my diet for the meal), its decent fare. The service was good. The vegetarian starters consisted of: Paneer, Bhindi, Stuffed Litchi (very different), Soya (Nice), Mushroom (So-so), and Potato Wedges. Paneer, Bhindi, and Potato are staples and they were as ok as can be. There was a seafood festival going on and so the Arien enjoyed his starters - Squid, Prawns, Fish.. I was quite busy with Kuku to pay attention. The Arien ordered French Fries for Kuku which came unsalted but Kuku managed to have 2 (amazing).

By the time, I had tasted a bit of each of the starters, I was feeling kinda stuffed. And, then the Arien asked me to get some of the main course while he held Kuku. My memory had gone with the last of the starters, I think :P I opted to have a bit of the Kashmiri Pulav (Kuku seems to like Basmati rice a lot) and Schezwan noodles. I did not want to have any rotis. Kuku was stuffed too.. he refused to take any more. They had a decent dessert section as well - but we dropped it to try the Kulfi. I wanted to know what the fuss about the Kulfi was. I chose the mango Kulfi with mango crush - overdid the mango bit but it was ok. The Arien chose the kesar pista Kulfi which was chopped into slices and had nuts, roohafza et al. I was feeling quite stuffed after the meal and it was ob. I had kissed my diet goodbye not for this meal but for an entire week :(

The Arien really enjoyed the food, Kuku was better than usual, and just when we were ready to leave, some of the serving staff decided to dance for Remo Fernandez's goan songs. The songs are infectious but the dancing was totally so-so. Kuku was zapped at the music and stared at the dance unblinkingly. And then we were off for the visit. When we returned home it was 8. All three of us were tired out of our senses but it would be 12 before I slept. Kuku took a while to get sleeping and so I could not fall asleep earlier. Inspite of that, it was way better than last year.

First Ride on the Phatphatiya

Kuku took his first ride on the Phatphatiya on Sunday. I thought the hassle of taking the car and finding a place to park it would be an issue and so I suggested going by bike. Also, Kuku has not taken a ride on the bike and so I thought it would be fun. Hahahahahaha :D

Getting onto the phatphatiya was a breeze earlier but getting onto one with Kuku in my arms was an entirely different thing. And the joke, he refused to recognize the Arien, who was wearing his helmet and wailed shrill-ly until the Arien took off the helmet. After Kuku could see who it was, it still took a while to calm him down. Anyway, I got on and took him. It was obvious it was all new. Kuku wanted to continue wailing as the breeze hit his face full-force. Thankfully, he saw a cow grazing on garbage and he went 'MAAA' and no - it is not what you think. Kuku was not calling the cow his mom or his mom a cow but was actually imitating the sound that the cow makes.

Kuku was not interested in sitting in front i.e on the front seat or actually the petrol tank of the bike, at all. He was not comfortable riding pillion with me but of the two, he was ok with the latter. In fact, after the Polio drops session, after we reached our parking lot, I tried to move him to the front seat and he screamed - again, the Arien had to remove the helmet and calm him down. (I guess he thought the Arien was an alien from the way he screamed.) He was ok but not really comfortable - more like - I will put up with this for a few seconds and then I will wail. And then, finally, a small smile to say - Oh OK - when it ended.

The ride as such was fun because it was for a short distance. It was awkward for me as well. I mean, I dunno how zillions of women do this. I was terrified that I would lose my balance and fall down - probably on Kuku. I was terrified that the Arien would lose balance and we would all plonk down. I was actually glad it was over. I think so was Kuku :)

Eureka!!

So, the other day I was cribbing to the Arien about how the number of blog posts per year seems to be going down steadily in my blog. In fact, I mentioned that it may reach zero soon. I must have sounded really upset because the Arien offered to share his pics and play the role of a guest blogger in times of need.

Yesterday, I shared one of his latest pictures for my Wordless Wednesdays post. The pics I share are usually always taken by him and so its not such a big deal but still -  that was enough to make me go - Eureka!!! At least, my blog will not be starved of posts in the eventuality that I (in spite of resolutions) forget to write/post.

Oh and Happy Sankranthi - Happy Pongal Folks! Have a nice one :)

Wordless Wednesdays -- Urban Landscape

Shoes shoes shoes everywhere -- Not one I am allowed to buy

I am crazy about shoes. Something about shoes, trying them on, buying them is like therapy to me. In spite of the Arien, I manage to indulge in this expensive hobby from time to time. You can read about the difficulties I face in getting the Arien to agree to my therapy, here.

Today when I was browsing the Internet, I noticed an article that listed specifically the different types of shoes that a woman must own or have in her closet. I was hooked. The thought running in my head was "I have an excuse to buy more shoes - Yeah!!! " Considering I have not stepped out much or purchased new shoes in almost two years - you will understand why I am so excited. I also knew that the Arien will not kick up a fuss because of the same reason. This time I was determined to research my collection before uttering a word to the Arien. That way I will catch him unawares and he will have no other option but to go with the flow.. I am so EVIL (evil laugh).

A few hours later, the Arien was busy fitting the car seat in the car and had taken Kuku with him, I realized that identifying the category my footwear belonged to was a bit confusing for me. For the folks who are unaware, your footwear is usually one of the following:

a) Pumps - These shoes cover your feet on all sides. Nude pumps are very popular with celebrities but I think black pumps are the ones that go with any outfit. Usually, pumps have medium to high heels. A variant of this are the peep toes. The pumps which have a cut out near the toes so your toes can peep out are the peep toes.

b) Ballet Flats - If your footwear covers your entire feet but has no heels, the footwear is known as ballerinas or ballet flats. It is basically a pump with no heels :) These shoes are comfortable and are easy to slip on. I also like the fact that they prevent your feet from tanning.

c) Juttis - This is part of Indian ethnic footwear. Actually, it is a ballet shoe (pump with no heels) of various vibrant colors or made of faux leather and can be worn with traditional outfits. I purchased one from a local vendor in one of the side streets of comm street. Painful Fact: You may suffer from shoe bite when you purchase from local vendors :(

d) Sandals - This is a good weather footwear. They usually have straps and are very casual. Its great for showing off pedicured feet, for a visit to the beach, generally summer footwear so your toes can breathe. Sandals have a number of variants - some have a single strap with buckles, some are slingbacks, some have metallic look, animal print etc. Its a huge list :)

e) Mules - This is the footwear that does not cover the back of your foot. It usually has a fair amount of heel.

f) Sneakers or Gym shoes - This footwear is usually worn to the Gym, some women also wear it with Jeans.

g) Espadrilles - This footwear is like a slip-on and has no heel to talk about. It very comfy and comes in a variety of colors and is a favorite of folks who are really particular about their feet or have corns in their feet or other sole issues. 

And then the most important aspect - the heels: Well, there are only a few:

a) Stilettos - The pencil heels that make your feet look longer and create an impression. Crazily uncomfortable but you look great. Most folks have at least one pair which they may not wear often or at all.

b) Wedges - You love heels and the pencil heel is too painful, an attractive option is the wedge. It is triangular in shape and extends from the heel to the toe. It can look like an inverted cake slice too :) I love wedges.

c) Kitten Heels - These heels are only about 2 inches but have a sleek look that goes well with both formal and casual wear.

d) Platform Heels - This type of footwear has a thick sole in the front part of the foot, giving additional support and is usually teamed with a wedge or stiletto or chunky heels.

Now, if you look at the categories of footwear and the heel categories, you realize that there so many options. Trying to figure out what I have is driving me crazy but I better have some answers ready as I do not have all day. For instance, I have an ankle strap sandal with medium heels. Does that mean I cannot buy a sandal of medium heel?? Ayyyyyo!! I have two strappy sandals with wedges. Oh no!!  Foiled - yet again :(

I started taking pictures of the various pairs of footwear I own and I may either add it to this post or create a separate picture post of my footwear.. soon. For now, this is bye! (It has been a looong post).

This day last year -- XIV

Last year, this day, I was getting a scan done. My due date was still two weeks away. I was having various complaints - could not sleep though I wanted to sleep - in fact could not even lie down without waking up with a sharp twinge of pain. I was always uncomfortable and it felt great to be seated with my back against the wall. But, only for a bit. Walking to and fro helped for a bit. Almost everything helped but only for a bit. It was like I had to be moving all the time. It made me feel so restless.

In a home filled with males, nobody bothered beyond "Do you think you are in labour? No? OK. Cool". I was getting bugged and a bit cranky. It was just an ordinary day. If I had known I was going to deliver the next day, I would have panicked big-time and drove the others nuts! 

All 'bout lil Kuku - Part 2 - XII

We landed at Thanjavur and opted to catch a passenger train to Nagapattinam. We usually take a bus but this time we were taking the train. I cannot remember much of that journey except that I was fast asleep and Kuku was fast asleep in my arms. When I woke up, I noticed that most of my co-passengers including my relatives were all in different states of sleep as well. We got off at Nagapattinam and then took a taxi to Velankanni. It was warm and felt like 1 or 2 in the afternoon but it was barely 8:45 in the morning.

The moment we check into a hotel, all of us were glad to be out of the sun and Kuku was very happy that he was allowed to crawl. He went from one end of the room to the other and actually giggled.

The mundan was planned for sometime between 2-4 and all of us were ready or so I thought. Kuku fell asleep around 12. Completely and totally tired out with a light fever. I fell asleep in the middle of a conversation with the Arien. I woke up an hour later. Actually, I almost jumped out of the bed in fear that Kuku had fallen off the bed. But, he was still sleeping soundly. Everyone had had their lunch and the Arien had brought me something to eat which I gladly wolfed down. Just as we were wondering what to do - Kuku woke up on his own. He was a lil run down but very glad to see us, it seemed.

The actual mundan process took less than 20 mts. Kuku was totally oblivious of what was going on or did not care. So, the first part when smoothly. And then suddenly, he cared a helluva lot. He started screaming, I was ready to cry, the Arien hoped that Kuku would not get cut, and just like that it was over.

And the joke - Kuku does not think there is anything different in his reflection. I mean, U'd think he would notice that there was no hair but No, Kuku hardly notices. He waves to his reflection, tries to kiss it, and makes faces at me in the mirror. Well, glad that that is over. Big sigh of relief.

First Auto Travel, First Train Travel, and my learnings -- All 'bout lil Kuku Part 1 -- XI

Just when you think you can really post everyday, something will change that. Well, the trip changed it for me. It was Kuku's first auto travel and he was quite surprised that his Dad was not driving. He kept looking up at his Dad. It was funny :) It was also his first train travel. He seemed very enthusiastic and waved at the train. He was for most part well-adjusted and had a lot of fun but it was either too warm or too cold and so he was unable to sleep which meant most of us slept badly. I received a lot of unsolicited advice but took it well.

Of course, I have been in situations where I am thinking: "Oh gawd! They are traveling with a baby - bloody hell - I can as well kiss my sleep goodbye. The baby will squeal and scream through the night and I have to act as if it is all part of the decision I made when I opted to book tickets on this train. If the baby does not cry, the baby decides to be friends with me, while I am openly ignoring the baby by covering my face with a big paperback. And then, I have to go "hullo, hullo, kootchie kootchie etc." while the baby shrieks with laughter. Now, I was in the opposite end of the spectrum.

Anyway, train travel with Kuku was absolutely uncomfortable because:

• While it is absolutely stuffy, dirty, and smelly in the train,  Kuku wanted to explore every nook and corner by crawling to it or somehow reaching for it. When we did not allow him to crawl, he threw a tantrum and shrieked so loudly, people came to our seat to see why we were torturing the poor baby.
• The berth which is just 'bout bearable when you are the only one lying on it, can become absolutely impossible when you are sharing it with a baby. Especially since Kuku likes his space. He has his own bed at home that occupies almost half our bed. And he likes to sleep with his arm flung out and does not like it if his arms are moved closer to him.
• When I finally managed to get him to sleep, he slept for 1.5 hours and woke up crying because he was too warm. This continued till we reached our destination. 
• Trying to calm a baby in the lower berth while the middle berth is put up can be a very painful experience. It is a miracle that I do not have a permanent neck crick. 

And this was only the onwards journey. I think I was running on some adrenalin rush because apart from saying "This is hell.." out loud, I just looked at comforting kuku and trying to grab some shut-eye. Interesting!!

Planning for a pilgrimage and a tonsuring -- X

So, lil Kuku is going to turn 1. I cannot believe how quickly time flies. As part of our religious practices, tonsuring (chudakarana) is performed for the baby either before the first birthday or after the third birthday. The Arien opted for the former. This meant we were traveling just a week before his birthday. The Arien was caught up in the booking and cancelling of train tickets. After booking tickets for the entire family, we found to our chagrin that some of them cannot make it. The Taurean was traveling to the US on short visit and so we had 1 cancellation from my side. The Arien had a solid 5 cancellations and was a lil grumpy. Anyway, the religious trip was planned for the coming weekend (10-11-12 October). It is not a hectic trip but the place is in Tamil Nadu and is blistering hot most of the time. All the Best to us.