New Baby

I know I haven't been here for a long long time. Almost a whole year. My last post - for the indiblogger contest  was more of a challenge I took up; just to get creative and write something.  I don't know if the judges will see my compilation as stylish enough, but I had a whole lot of fun bringing it together.

I had a good reason for not being here this whole time- I was too busy having a brand new baby! Yes, we had a girl! Our princess showed up a  week before her due date on August 23rd and via c-sec. So yes, I was totally drugged  and if I ever boasted of enduring labour pains, that would be a lie. But trust me, post surgery pain coupled with constipation (I can't believe I said it!) is terrible enough. 

Unlike the first pregnancy when you can put your feet up, pamper yourself and and take it easy, the second one just zooms by. But because you have done it before, you are not going to be googling every little thing or constantly bookmarking your copy of the 'what to expect when you are expecting'.

This time, I felt I had a whirlwind of new emotions to deal with. The first being 'possessiveness'. How could I possibly love another child? My first born is my first born and how can I share that selfish love I have for him with anyone else? I could not feel love for the new baby in me. And this frightened me. My mothers reaction to this anxiety attack was casual, "Oh you will get over it. Have another 2 and then you will be fine". She should know, I am her third child. And I never felt unloved. And its true, it happens, the love begins to grow from the moment the little one moves inside of you.

The next thing that had me worried me was how my son would deal with having to share his center position in our universe with someone else. Someone he has never met. Will he be sad? Will the smile that usually lights up his face be of a lesser intensity? Will he feel betrayed? Will he think its unfair? It drove me crazy. And it was tough. He did feel betrayed and insecure. Tantrums were on the rise. I think it took a good 2 months and a whole lot of support from family to deal with this. Now he is crazy about her and you have to see the way he makes her smile and giggle.

Fortunately he never harmed the baby and I thank God for that. I have heard of numerous scary stories where the elder child attacks the new baby out of insecurity. He would want us to keep her down and pay attention to him, rock him and even burp him, but he would never attack the baby. Phew!

I dreaded the 4 nights at the hospital. Not one day, since the moment he was born has he not slept without me, or I without him. Will he miss me? Will he be OK? The evening after the surgery, they let him in to see me for a minute and I saw a sadness in his eyes I had never seen before. Then the next day and the next and for a few days after that, I noticed he was not looking into my eyes. It was like he felt betrayed and he would not give me his heart again. Its like he became a big boy over those 4 days. (Sounds sloppy but I have tears in my eyes as I revisit this moment.). I yearned for him to come and hug me like he used to do, but he would not. One night, he looked at me and said, "I like amma" and then he left with tears in his eyes, to sleep with his dad in the other room. This was by far the toughest part for me. For me and him. To break our bond and then re-tie it with one more person- his sister. He probably does not remember it. But I can never forget it.  

But all is well that ends well. A gem of a husband and a very supportive family made the experience  smooth  and memorable. 

So if you're expecting a second baby and you have similar fears.. hang in there.. this is life. It hurts for a while. But there is enough and more love to heal it soon after.

PS: That's a picture of her cake at the christening ceremony. Gorgeous right?

The Perfect Festive Look

This is most festive time of the year-  Diwali kicks it off with sparkling fireworks and then makes way for Christmas trees, carols and sweet smelling plum cakes before starting the final count down to a brand new year. 

Its a time to be merry, to eat, to drink, to give and to get (gifts ofcourse!) and to celebrate with loved ones.

And for the diva in you, there is nothing more exciting about this season than 'what to wear?'! No better time to deck yourself up. Top to toe. 

Shopping during the festive season is definitely exciting what with the new collections, the big discounts and every store is decked up …but at the same time it can get tiring with the rush and the long queues at the cash counters.

Shoppers Stop comes to the rescue with its online store shopperstop.com. You could be sitting at home, sipping chai, listening to your favourite music and creating your own stylish outfit with just a few clicks.

After mixing and matching outfits and accessories on shoppersstop.com, here is my idea of a fuss free and stylish ensemble for this festive season. 

The Kurti, from  Taj The poetry collection- is in classic black and white but with just enough fuchsia, purple and gold to make it festive and fun. With an intricately embroidered yoke this stylish kurti paints a very elegant look. Both its V neck and ¾ sleeves have pink, purple and gold detailing. 

One could easily pair this with a black, or white churidaar bottom, but this fuchsia one from Stop Mix n Match would be a more vibrant choice.

To add to the oomph factor, you need to accessorize. And with the bold combination of black, white and fuchsia, one could choose fine jewelry that is subtle and sophisticated. And nothing says it better than diamonds. A girl's best friend. Buying a few timeless pieces is definitely a worthwhile choice. Fortunately shopperstop.com offers a sparkling range of fine jewelry and here are some hot picks.

These pair of Nirvana diamond earrings are classic. It can never go out of style. It looks longer than a stud yet is not a dangler. How pretty is it? And definitely worth it at 25% off!

Your neck piece should be this stunning Carbon Diamond Pendant but pick a delicate chain that lets it fall just between your beauty bones.  

If you felt the earrings and the pendant was a splurge, cheer up and save on this 18K gold plated Infinity bangle. It’s beautiful and definitely looks like the real deal.

For the time piece strap on this Titan watch- in a gorgeous gold tone and studded with Swarowksi crystals. 

For your pretty feet these antique gold sandals from Lemon- Ladies foot wear will blend well with your traditional attire- Don’t forget to pamper your feet with a  pedicure and some hot pink nail colour before you slip these beauties on!

Hold this this fuss free Haute Curry clutch in black , that looks clean and stylish and formal with its studded clasp. 

Complete your stylish ensemble with a dash of your favourite fragrance and you are ready to be the show stopper this festive season!

Who knew it was so easy? 

This is an entry for the competition “The Perfect Festive Look” by Indiblogger and Shoppers’ Stop.

Grilled Cheese with Mushrooms

This was an on the spot concoction to satisfy an incredibly huge craving for a grilled cheese sandwich. Its simple and quick and absolutely yum!

- Slice half an onion, a small tomato, 1/4 to 1/2 capsicum and 8 to 10 (big) button mushrooms. Mushrooms shrink in size so don't make them too thin if you want a bite to the sandwich. And if the mushrooms are small you can throw in some more. 

- Heat 1 table spoon oil in a pan, and add all the ingredients and all the spices you like. I added salt, pepper, turmeric and chilli powder. 

- Cook till tomato is mushy, onions are slightly browned and mushrooms begin to caramelize. (are you drooling already?). Move to a dish. 

- grab a slice of bread and spoon on sufficient mixture, top with a slice of cheese and complete the sandwich. 

- Take it back to your non stick pan on low heat. there should be some oil left in the pan, if you feel that it is not enough to brown your bread, you could add some butter or a few drops of oil. Cover and let one side brown. In a less than a minute you could flip it over to brown the other side. You could press it down (like in a panini) with a flat spatula. Covering helps the cheese to melt. 

Tada! With some crunchy potato chips on the side, this is definitely a drool worthy recipe.

I know a recipe is never complete with a fantastic picture of the end product, but I was just too hungry to click. Maybe next time.

What are you craving today?

My  blogging in the new year has taken off on a very slow start… in fact I am almost ‘anti-blogging’ (if that is even a word), which is very unlike my last few months… 

I don’t feel that ignition, that spark, the flow of words. I open my blogger dashboard and roll down my favourite blogs… feeling envious. How come everyone has so many ideas and I have none to share? I leave and come back later and read some of them and I don’t comment. I want to say something, but I cannot find the words. Again, very unlike me. 

I am in a shell. 

But it cannot stay like this much longer….

The clouds will part, the sun will come out, the birds will sing (loudly) and I will emerge out of this. 

This too shall pass.