To My Lil Gurl..

Since the point I dreamt of being Mum, I had You, in my Mind. From the time I was expecting, I had You in my Heart. Ever since you were born and now that you turn one, you have become My Whole Wide World ! You'd so believe my desire to have a girl, when you read the post dated August 7th 2008 on this blog on which Neha Aatya commented ! :)

Even though today, you turn a year old, for me you are a year and 9 months more, cause that is how long I know you and to your each passing year, those 9 special months will never be forgotten ! Your Dad n Me, were the one's to hear your heartbeat, even before seeing you in person ! Experiencing life within you, even before it takes birth, is an indescribable feeling which I am glad even you will luckily have an opportunity to understand and experience !

When we thought of you, before you were born, we always thought of a GIRL with long eyelashes, big eyes, dimpled smile, chubby cheeks and yes, a chubbier bottom :) and you were born with all that and even more - your chubby thighs which we love calling Chicken Wings :)

As Lata Aajji rightly says, you look 70% like Daddy (with dark shapely eyebrows, long thick lashes, dimpled smile) and 30% like Mommy (big eyes, chubby cheeks) ! :) While the color of your eyes resembles Baba Ajoba's, the color of your skin resembles Daddy Ajoba's and Kalpana Aajji says you get your voice from her - loud and clear :) your habit of being happy sitting at one place is what you adopt from Lata Aajji :) and I certainly hope that a spirit to fight all odds and emerge victorious is what Anant Mama will inspire in you!

Like all the other babies in the world, You too are an adorable baby ! :) We are the ones who gave you your name and you would be the one to redefine our identity - to make us proud for the kind of human being you will grow up to be ! Like all other parents in this world, I am completely clueless about who you will grow up to be, or what you will choose to do with your life. God Forbid - On our Journey together, if I were ever to be seperated from You, I would want you to always remember ...

"There will always be 10 people more successful, powerful, affluent, wealthy, luckier than you - at the same time there will be 10 others who would be less fortunate or less-abled than you : Do not ever let anyone else's successes/failures be the yardstick for your own accomplishment. Understand the importance of good relationships, the value of time, the worth of being healthy - chances are that you will have the true satisfaction of a Life Well Spent ! Enjoy the Journey, Make the most out of each phase in Life so that when you look back, you Smile and Thank God for what he Gave U !" :)

I will always Love You to Eternity more than anything and anyone else in this World !

Happy Birthday My Love and Bless U always ! :)

Cuddles, Hugs & Kisses

- Mumma ! :)

Are You The One Other's Love To Befriend?

At the end of a conversation with your acquaintances / companions / friends have you ever felt full of energy, enthusiasm, self belief and motivation as against pessimism and bouts of negative energy that makes your head spin ?

Have you ever wondered why some people always manage to leave a positive impression and leave us inspired by their presence and interaction ? What sets them apart from the rest ?

Well this is what helps us in becoming the people we love to interact with:

1: Accommodating: They are always willing to help. They will walk the distance to get you out of any troublesome situation. They will help, when you are in need, but will never invade your privacy or try to be intrusive.

2: Non-Judgmental: They never judge people or think they have the right to criticize someone Else's way of life.

3: Respectful: While being polite and courteous themselves, they also respect other people for who they are and the choices they make for themselves.

4: Appreciative: They are quick to complement every nice thing they notice.

5: Optimistic: They always see the good in any person or situation.

6: Keep Positive Company: In spite of being the most open minded and understanding people, they never fear getting rid of people who repeatedly insist on bringing negativity in their lives, even in the most adverse of their times. They are not afraid to tell negative people to get out of their bubble!

7: Follow the 90-10 Principle: As my Mother often tells me, no Human Being is 100% saintly. 90% of every person is a good human being and 10% of every human being is a Villain. Each one of us has a Villain within us, who at some point or the other, unknowingly emerges without warning. When we accept this truth, it is easier to deal with people and maintain lasting relationships.

Have you observed a quality you would love to adapt, from a person you love to spend time with ? Wish to share it ? Then go ahead and leave a comment ! :)

The Thought Behind The Creation...

Sometime back, I remember doing a series of posts on different kinds of attire. This is the newest and presumably, could be, the most visited section on my Blog: "Accessories for the Fashion Conscious Girl :)"

Well, I was to label it "Accessories for the Fashion Conscious Woman", but I realized I have a Daughter :), who I am sure, is going to Love to follow my Blog. I would like it, if she picks up her trademark style to become a trendsetter herself and thanks me, for being the inspiration ! :) ;)

This is also going to be, the first ever section on my Blog to sport Pictures and Images ! I started out blogging with the thought that my vocabulary would be the only powerful medium I would use to get across my views. But somewhere down the line, that thought changed - hopefully for the better. Remember the saying "A Picture is worth a 1000 Words ?? :)"

So stay tuned in, and hopefully someday I will gather enough gyaan on Men's Fashion as well . For now however, to the Men I say - "Go ahead, educate yourself". So the next time you think of Gifting a Woman, you can be sure never to go wrong ! :)

So therez a Pattern..

Going by the statistics of the last 2 years since I started to blog, just noticed that, I begin each year with renewed enthusiasm for writing. But it seems to last only the 1st quarter of that year and then, the number of posts starts to reduce dramatically!!

Wonder what I get so caught up into ! :) This time around I am going to try real hard to stick to atleast 4 posts a month - that's about one a week. Now methinks, that's a modest goal ain't it ?

Even with an adorable little daughter who will 1 in just 1.5 months time :(. Can't believe shez going to be no more that bubbly cuddly tiny baby - shez going to be that mischievious toddler with bouts of curiosity and energy !! ;) I am sure that phase too is going to be the one to look forward to ! :) In the mean time I am going to sit back and enjoy to the fullest these last 2 months of babyhood ! :)

So my plate is full - trying to make the transition to full fat cow's milk for AVANI, preparing myself to part with AVANI even if it meant for a few hours, making the right & the most difficult choice for a couple of hours of Day Care, trying to think about how WE would want her 1st Birthday to be, preparing for our Trip to the Pricey land of Chocolate, Cheese, Cuckoo Clocks and Jaw Dropping Natural Beauty - Switzerland and keeping up with my Exercise Routine.

Hope I am not biting into more than I can chew ! As always need loads of good wishes :) n prayers too :)

Add Some Color to Life ! :)

Everytime Spring is here, I am enthusiastically working out for that Summer Body, just to go out and shop for the most flattering clothes. But staying put in Luton told me to wisely invest in some winter clothing instead. And even tough my wardrobe is rearranged in such a way that I can see all my summery skirts n tees in the most acessible place, makes me kind of wonder if I have been having too much of the very same colors for years now. I have no Pink and no Yellow compared to tons of Greens, Black, White, Blue & Red ofcourse.

So I thought of revisiting the basic color palette to learn what Colors reflect about ones mood and personality to make sure I shop for some Yellow and Pink too. Here it goes:

White: A popular color in Fashion. Light and neutral, it goes well with any color.
Considered a summer color, a good choice for tops. Always have some in your wardrobe. It readily matches bottoms of any color; a pair of blue denim jeans, Khakis pants, a gray skirt, a bright colorful beach bermudas? You name it!
Associated with cleanliness and purity, innocence and gentleness, it gives you a feeling of freedom and uncluttered openness. Women just always look that lovely in their snowy white wedding gown, don’t they?

Tips: Add a little touch of white to brighten or lighten up your mood Eg. a white tank top with blue denim jeans, white cotton jacket over a hot pink velour smocked baby doll dress or a simply all white for a simple breezy look.

Black: A popular color in Fashion, always stylish and never out of trend.
A good choice for bottoms. Directly opposite of white, it readily matches tops of any colors. Nonetheless, it is also a popular choice for tops, making the wearer appearing slimmer. A great complementary color for accessories like a pink sparkling evening bag, a diamond necklace…
A mysterious color, it gives you a feeling of perspective and depth. Symbolizing elegance and refinement, it is always regarded as a prestigious color.

Tips: Pair up black with other dark colors for an attractive mature look Eg. a brown wool button front cardigan with black pinstripe bootcut pants, gray tweed cropped blazer with black stretch pintuck pencil skirt - an absolute WOW ! :) ;)

Red: An expressive color extensively used in fashion.
Most visible and lively of all colors, it creates attraction and excitement. The wearer naturally portrays an image of excitement, energy, enthusiasm and confidence. Nonetheless, it also suggests an erotic feeling... a lady in red?
A physically inspiring color often associated with vitality and ambition, love and passion.

Tips: Pair up red with colors within the red family itself for various moods, i.e., a red retro style tee with maroon pleated skirt, hot pink cotton v-neck tank with red fleece collegiate mini skirt

Yellow: A color commonly use in casual fashion.
Similar to red, it creates attraction and excitement. However it suggests a more fun and sunshine-y mood. The wearer tends to bring about cheeriness to the group. Usually liked by those who embrace changes.
The color of sunshine, often associated with joy, liveliness and optimism.

Tips: Pair up yellow with dark or lucid cool colors for a striking youthful look, i.e., a yellow ruched halter top with black wool full skirt, yellow roll edge t-shirt with turquoise polka dot tiered mini skirt

Blue: A popular color liked by most.
Emotionally opposite to red and yellow, it brings about a very soothing and relaxed feel, pleasant to the eyes. Naturally refreshing in mood, it’s a good choice for daytime wear.
The color of summer skies and the sea, often associated with calmness, affection, idealism and inspiration.

Tips: Match blue with white for a refreshing and sporty look, i.e., a bright blue cotton v-neck hoodie with white stretch cotton studded pants, white terry track jacket with pale blue faded jeans.

Pink: A feminine color for girls.
Similar to blue, it’s soothing and pleasant to the eyes. Naturally sweet in mood, it has a lasting girly appeal. Girls in pink tend to portrait a very sweet and pleasant image, always attractive to the guys.
The color of cotton candy, often associated with warm, everlasting affection and tender love.

Tips: Add a little pink to bring out the feminine touch, i.e., matching your black satin strapless sash dress with a neon pink nylon 'Tessuto Sport' baguette, pink collar tee with black stretched cotton cropped pants.

Well, there are simply too many colors if one were to go on. I believe you should now have a feel of how the matching of colors can be of so much fun! In short, just play by the color rules:

* Stick to one color (all white, blue, red…)
* Hot goes with cool (match yellow with green or blue not with red)
* Use neutral colors to draw looks together (white, gray, beige and black are good neutral colors)
* Play around with colors of the same family (pink with maroon, sky blue with navy blue…)

And hopefully this exercise isn't gonna go waste when I dare to put on some Yellow ! :) After all the sunshine - y days are already here .. well... almost ! :)

No More WASTED Tomorrow's !! :)

Its been 10 Days since my last post "When Today Was a Waste Tomorrow's Got to Be Better!!" Yes, the next day was definitely better but what was even better was the whole 10 Days ! So what made the difference : Well, getting up just half an hour earlier left me with a lot more time to get more things done and then devoting a good amount to myself as well !!

But there was 1 paper that changed everything ! It is this very same paper that hangs right up on the wall above my kitchen sink. This is what it says:

CHECKLIST

1: Did the Dishes ?
2: Cleaned the Sink ?
3: Cleaned the Platform & the Cooking Hob ?
4: Mopped the Kitchen Floor ?
5: Binned the Garbage ?
6: Put the clothes on the Clothes Dryer ?
7: Put away the utensils in the Right Place ?

No ?? Then Tomorrow is going to be a

• Messy
• Stressful
• Unproductive
• Mis-Managed
• Disastorous
• Wasted
  

Day of your SHORT LIFE!!

Now, whenever either of us thinks of going off to bed without even one of these things getting done, we know what that is going to lead to. :)

So yep, sometimes instead of relying on your body to signal you to do things, you are better off putting PEN to PAPER and sticking up that CHECKLIST right where you can see it !! This trick really really works !! Now both ABHI and me have got into a habit of following this routine ! And I am sure it's here to stay !

Have something similar to share ? Leave me a comment on how you manage to get organized and shed away that laziness :)

When Today WAS A Waste Tomorrow's Got To Be Better !!!

2 mistakes that I did yesterday that cost me 24 hours of my Life !!!

1: Dint do the dishes and hit straight to bed last night!
2: Forgot to switch on the water heating system and the taps ran freezing cold today morning!

The result: Well ABHI runs late to office cause he had to wait it out till the water heated. I spent a useless half hour 1st thing in the morning doing dishes while I should have been up having breakfast on time ! None of us had a bath on time and I missed out on taking AVANI to the Toy Library. I had to skip breakfast, could'nt fix up lunch for ABHI, AVANI got cranky cause her Massage was delayed and a ton other things that have me feeling sick about myself ! I even skipped my Gym today... nothing got done.

Yes! Thankfully I have found time to pen in this post so that I reinforce some discipline so that my loved ones don't suffer. So have made a Weekly Time Table for AVANI that lists out the activities I involve her in (Rhyme Time, Stay n Play Sessions, Toy Libraries, Swimming). So the moment any one of us thinks of going to bed without doing the Dishes, we know what it is going to cost AVANI - a day of Fun, Frolic and making Friends.

Wish me a better week ahead ! :)

Weekly Workout Plan

My Fitness Goals

1: Drop 6 inches on my Waist
2: Toned Biceps
3: Toned Thighs
4: MAINTAIN my weight and not Loose even a kg ! It's no longer about the weight. Now its only about the INCHES ! :) Yea!

June 1st week I will come back here and write in a post about whether I met my Goals ! :) ;)

Postnatal Weight Loss Without High Intensity Training

Yippeee tomorrow is The DAY !! My last day at the Gym was the day before I went into Labor - May 30th 2009 ! Feb 18th 2010 [close to 8 months post delivery] is the day I feel well enough to resume Gymming n Swimming !!

Yes, delivering a Baby can make you weak in the knees - literally ! When my mum n my mum in law said be it a normal pregnancy or even otherwise you will need 8 weeks of rest I thought were they out of their minds ?? I was craving to get onto my feet and jump! On July 26th AVANI's naming ceremony, exactly 9 weeks post delivery I literally broke all rules and binged on spicy food and choose to walk the way back home from the party at the hotel. The result - I was ILL and bad time ILL cause my body suffered from grueling pain and it was then that I realised , MOM's ARE ALWAYS RIGHT !!

How then, did I loose those pregnancy pounds within 8 weeks with no high intensity exercise:

1: Watching your weight throughout Pregnancy:
A weight gain of 10-12 kgs is normal. I had put on a good 14 kgs by May 31st (Labor Day) and lost 8 kgs on June 1st (day of the Delivery) out of which the baby contributed to 3.5 kgs and the rest was the placenta, blood, amniotic fluid which was 4.5 kgs.
2: Breastfeeding:
Apart from a 100 other benefits, Breastfeeding helps you loose weight faster than exercising - 200 calories a day to be very precise! So therez the biggest secret ! :)
3: Keep your stomach tied: (preferably with a 6 yard saree tied quite tightly around your abdomen) ONLY IF you're lucky like me, to have not had a c-section.
4: Warm / Close to Hot Water:
Keep a thermos flask filled with hot water and drink only warm water throughout the day every day.
5: Ayurvedic Churna:
Mix Amla Powder, Turmeric Powder, Honey, Ghee in equal quantities (1 tsp each) and have this mixture on an empty stomach early in the morning.
6: Watch what you Eat:
Breastfeeding your baby can make you extremely hungry and leave you craving for a whole lot of food but exercising restraint in not the quantity but the quality of food will go a long way in ensuring good health of both the mum and the baby. 3 Meals + 2 Snacks [+ at least 10 glasses of water] comprising a wholesome balanced diet with JUNK food being an absolute NO-NO.
7: SuryaNamaskars:
This low intensity but whole body workout done gently keeping in mind your strength and stamina post birth can actually help you get back onto your feet and feel normal again.

For every Woman Pregnancy, Labor and Birth is a Life Changing experience and most Mum's are prone to going into a depression only because they don't see the same being in the mirror that they saw 9 months prior. The only way to get over that "I hate to look myself in the mirror" feeling is to take care of yourself. "Because - You're WORTH IT !! :) :) :) " Does this ring a bell ?? The LOREAL AD ! :) Cheers to Mommy's !! :)

I Hit a Century ! :) ;)

Okay ! Now here's a confession: My 100th Blog Post was the one on How to Care for Your Laptop. But "100" made me think, it's time I penned in something a lot more personal! Jan 17th 2010 My Blog turned 2 years old, but there wasn't much to celebrate, since there were about 18 posts in Drafts that remain unpublished !

It is times like these, that drive my mind into a reverse gear and there I am into my past, when I penned in my very 1st post promising to make reading a pleasure. Now I think, my enthusiasm for writing kind of spiraled down with time and so did my linguistic skills ;) :)

But that does not deter me from thinking in what ways then, had my Blog Grown Up in the past 2 years ! :) ;) Well, My Profile sports a Wish List which I am sure will keep growing with time (Girl's never get enough of what they want :);)). I am sure since your last visit you also noticed My Blog now Sports a Search Button, A Follower's List (with 0 followers on it !! :))))), and it even shows me a Visitor Count by Country ! Gr8 ! Okay now all you techies out there sure do know its no Rocket Science to add all of these to your Blog, but yes I am at it again: "Self-Encouragement is the Best Encouragement ! ;) "

So a little bit of sarcasm and jokes apart herez (Cheers) To Writing and herez to My Blog ! Hopefully, I will have more reasons than one to write n celebrate for as long as I live ! :)

The next post however, will be the one I failed to complete - Yes, the one on caring for your laptop, cause I just realized I had been taking my Hard Earned Dell Inspiron 1525 (once a cherished item on my old Wish List) for granted. So before it gives me a Thumbs Down I think I should Nurse my Heart and Fall in Love with it All Over Again! :)

How To Care For Your Laptop

It happens to us all the time. We all take care of our possessions as long as they are new and then, we forget that we were the ones who were responsible in aging them. Its obvious that most laptop owners do know about caring for our laptops but how about some re-enforcement , just in case your memory did a slip.

Drain the Laptop Battery & Recharge:
First thing most people forget about is the battery. To properly care for your battery you need to drain and recharge weekly. You need to do this so it remembers it can fully drain, and it will extend battery life.If you use your laptop as desktop replacement, do not leave it plugged most of the time to avoid detrimental effect on your battery life. Or you can keep it plugged all the time but remove its battery. This will help your battery last longer.

Protect the LCD Display:
Always close down the lid when you are not using your laptop. Avoid touching the LCD screen that leaves fingerprints. Regularly clean it with cloth or one of those anti-static monitor wipes. When you shut your laptop, make sure there are no small items, such as a pencil or small ear-phones, on the keyboard. These can damage the display screen when shut. The screen will scratch if the item is rough. Close the lid gently and holding from the middle. Closing the lid using only one side causes pressure on that hinge, and over time can cause it to bend and snap.

Ventilation:
Keep your laptop in a well-ventilated place and don't block the fan grills on the sides. Heat can destroy the motherboard.

Clean up your system:
Keep the bad guys OFF. Install a good ANTI-VIRUS and ANTI-SPYWARE to help protect your system from viruses and malwares. Turn on your Firewall for added layer of security. Turn on pop-up blockers to avoid those intrusive advertising that may install software on your laptop.
Make sure you have the latest patch for your operating system and latest definition for your anti-virus. Defragging hard drives not only speed up data access, it also improves performance. Remove unused programs and other components that only consume memory. Clear your temporary internet files folder and cookies. Delete duplicate files or other huge files that you no longer use to free up space.

Take care of your Laptop Cord:
Don't roll your chair over the computer cord. Stick the cord onto your desk with tape or a special computer cord tie which can be easily undone when you've finished using the laptop. Always try to keep most of the cord away from the floor or your legs; sometimes you can be so engrossed in what you're doing that you move your legs and forget the cord is there.

Clean Hands: Always have clean hands when using your laptop. Clean hands make it easier to use your laptop touch pad and there will be less risk of leaving dirt and other stains on the computer. In addition, if you clean your hands before use, you will help reduce wear and tear on the coating of the laptop caused by contact with sweat and small particles that can act upon the laptop's exterior underneath your wrists and fingers.

Handle with Care:
Don't leave your laptop on the edge of your desk because one ill-fated drop could mean goodbye to your mobile device.Hold and lift the computer by its base, not by its LCD display (the screen).

Visit the Doc at least once a Year :) ;)
Have the unit cleaned once a year to remove internal dust. Get this done by a computer professional. If dust accumulates, the system cannot cool itself correctly.

So hope that our love for our machines is renewed and they give us company for real long ! :)

ASOS | ASOS Tailored Scoop Neck Dress at ASOS

ASOS | ASOS Tailored Scoop Neck Dress at ASOS

ASOS | ASOS High Waist Hobble Hem Tailored Pencil Skirt at ASOS

ASOS | ASOS High Waist Hobble Hem Tailored Pencil Skirt at ASOS

My Year Twenty O 9 In A 1 Pager !

It's been an overwhelmingly challenging 2009! Although the number of posts on my blog dramatically reduced, there was sure a lot I could've penned down and shared with you all. The house hunt in the 1st quarter saw Abhi and Me shift from our old 6th floor apartment [with a non-functional lift forcing me to climb 112 steps a day] on Midland Road to this new 1st floor Home on Grove Road in Luton.

Shifting home when you are 8 months pregnant can be a daunting task, especially when the lift to your apartment does'nt work. But Anshuman (Abhi's long time friend) was our God Sent Angel who came to the rescue and everything fell into place. It was now time for my In-Laws to arrive and yes the much awaited Baby !! :)

I've had the most memorable Pregnancy (Doing Yoga, Pilates, Swimming, Brisk Walking on the Treadmill, Using the Cross Trainer), Labour (26 Hours in Labour with 4 hrs 38 mins of Active Labour) & Birthing (Forceps & Episiotomy owing to AVANI being a healthy 7.7 pounds at birth on June 1st 2009 9:08 PM UK Time) experience one could ever imagine.

The only thing that broke my heart was AVANI needed special care immediately post birth and was at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for 7 whole days and later we spent an additional week in the hospital owing to the Intravenous Antibiotics she was being given to prevent her from catching on any infections in future. Those will remain the Llllloooonggessssttttt 15 days of my life !! I counted every second till we were home.. truly !

Soon there was cheer all around - I was a new 1st time Mum with Abhi by my side and both my Parents & In Laws to offer me all the help I needed - And I truly needed a lot of it !!!!!! When all felt well, both our [Abhi’s n Mine] Parents were sent off on a Europe tour - Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome in their 1st Lap. Switzerland & Vienna in their 2nd lap. London, Stonehenge & Cambridge on days in between.

It felt truly very satisfying to see the 50+ Mums in Jeans & T Shirts, Trousers & Kurtas and the 60+ Dad's in Dark Sunglasses, branded sports shoes & posh Cameras ! :) It just felt like they deserved every bit of this experience - they'd worked so hard all their lives, this was truly their most memorable break - one that will be treasured by every member of our families for generations to come. "AVANI ne Avani Daakhavli" soon became my Mum's patent saying ! :)

Come October and the Home felt empty. We had started to miss the presence of each of our parents and soon we started to count days to December - that time of the year again when we fly down to India ! :) It was a treat to walk into our very own hard earned 3 BHK apartment, currently under construction in the plush suburbs of Baner. This purchase truly remains a landmark achievement of our wedded years together. However, the Salisbury Park Residence too, has its own charm and its very own irreplaceable place in our lives. Christmas Day we celebrated our 4th and our 1st ever Anniversary with AVANI ! :) The last 4 years have been a very realistic journey together, full of up's n down's and surely the bond only gets stronger with time.

We continued the tradition of hosting our friends over for a New Year's Eve Party. This time we added one more couple to our Social Circle and it only gets bigger with each passing year! :) The 3 weeks of holiday in India felt too short and soon we were back to the snowing Luton and into The New Year 2010!!

AVANI's Birth, Purchase of a 2nd Home in Pune, A European Holiday for our Parents, & Getting back into Shape in just 8 Weeks Post Birth were things that proved 2009 to be a Landmark Year of my Life ! Hope yours was equally memorable and herez Wishing you and Your Loved Ones a truly Fulfilling 2010 ! God Bless US ALL!

Lotsa Luv N Luc As Always,
- Sayli :)