Rage

Bed-times for me are precious. It is the time when I put my work away, dim the lights, and cuddle up with my 3-year son.
We laugh, tell stories, and get all cute. I treasure these moments.

Today was different. 'Why are you so sad today' he asked me. He had only today discovered a new word - 'sad', and I thought he was only trying to use it as much as possible like he always does with new words.

But yes, I was sad.

The entire day I was dodging the thoughts of it, hiding all Facebook posts about it, determined not to read the details yet the headline gave much away, and now as I relaxed for the day it all came back. Just the headline, still have not had the courage to read the article.

This time a mother. For the sake of some depraved man's sexual cravings, a little child lost his life. Each time I read about a rape story I feel a helpless anger.

This time, I feel rage. 'Why are you sad, mummy?' he asks again and I only tell him to go off to sleep for in him I see the little child's face.

I feel like going there and ripping that man's heart out of his body, stabbing him a thousand times, and then crying my heart out in the hope of calming this rage, yet I know it will hardly make any difference, for the child is not coming back nor is the woman's soul.

Each day I feel scared of the day my son goes out into this ugly world and meets men who for some reason have lost all sense of sanity, of humanity, and are so frustrated with life that they feel no remorse going down to any level.

I have no words to describe how I feel for a fellow mother who lost her child in the worst way possible and had to go through what she had to.

Praying that she finds peace someday somewhere somehow.

As for the men, I only hope they suffer more than this mother. There cannot be a worse punishment than that.

Settlement

'Settle ho jao beta'

'He is all settled'

We crave settlement. Settlement brings in predictability. It brings in a sense of security.

And it brings in boredom.

I work for an organisation which has a significant proportion of people giving 30-40% of their lives. Sometimes more.

They know / knew exactly how their next day, month  or year will be. Probably not exactly, but the variations too are predictable.

I long for such predictability every once in a while. And then instantly I dread it too.

It is as if I know what I don’t want, but I am not sure what I really want.

It has been a good 10 years like this. I work hard to achieve something which people long to have precisely for its stability, I get it too and then I begin to dislike it precisely for its stability.

It is too stable. Too boring. Too predictable. Too mundane.

I love madness. I want each day to surprise me.

Yet a part of the middle-class Marathi woman inside me craves for settlement. Predictability. 

Looking for a place where I can get both, and then I will settle right there. Probably.

Why?

Friend: What is the logic behind having a kid?
I mean, why in this world would I want to disturb or give up my current life?

Me: There is no logical reason, only an emotional one.

Friend:..and which is?

Me: Someone to love insanely and having someone who loves you back even more.
Such a beautiful relationship as a part of your life makes it so awesome.

Friend: (Raising an eyebrow sarcastically) That's your reason? Isn't it too much of a  trouble for this?
It is such a major responsibility and my life is gone once I become a mother.

Me: That is such an awesomely perfect reason!
And about the responsibility bit, well, I love having this responsibility. I love having to create a little person.
It does overwhelm me at times but a step at a time and it works.
As for my old life, I don't miss it. I just don't.
I miss some activities rarely but very momentarily.

Friend: And then why did you scream that day on whatsapp saying you needed a break? (sarcy smile)

Me: Who said that I don't feel like pulling my hair out and sneaking away to check myself into a hotel room for a full night's sleep?

And I know what I will do if I ever check myself alone into a hotel now for a break.

Friend: And what is that?

Me: I will check pictures of his on my phone through the night :-)

Disturbingly illogical and profoundly fulfilling, truly.

Therapy

Something did not feel right...

A strange unease. Restlessness...

What was happening?

I could not focus on work, the office seemed too stuffy, the AC too strong.

Enough is enough I decided.

I picked my laptop, chose a secluded spot.

Then Amazon, Fashion n You, Flipkart... shop shop shop...

With every item added to the cart I felt slightly better. I could feel the restlessness reducing.

And finally after buying 10 items of clothing (all necessary), I finally felt good.

Phew!

Thank God for online shopping :)

5 Reasons

As a woman in a highly demanding and rewarding job; having a baby may seem like a break - one that can set you back by atleast a few years even if you resume work as soon as your maternity leave ends, because mothering does not end with maternity leave.

From this side, I can clearly recall my dilemma when I wondered the need for a child. Then, a baby for me meant a break in the career for which I had worked so hard. A baby meant never again, atleast for a few years, being able to put in those crazy hours at work. And I did love my work.

(There were other non-work related reasons too for the dilemma. But this post is not about those)

But now on this side, here are a few reasons which would have made my decision a little easier and the break look a little less like a 'break' - 

2. A baby is the best motivation, beyond any self-help book.
My baby for me is someone who is continuously watching me, imitating me, and learning from me. So even if he is not around I want to do the right thing. I will be his role model atleast for some years. I want the model to be good.
My baby taught me patience, anger management, rational thinking, standing up for self and others, speaking up and accepting things I cannot change.
A lot of which that the non-mother me always wanted to learn but had never managed to.

3. Mothering, especially after I resumed work, made me realise that I am a superwoman.
Before my baby, a hectic day at work would mean that I would flop on the sofa and do nothing till bed time. Sleep for 8 hours straight and go back to work still reeling from the effects of the previous hectic day.
After baby, a typical day is atleast twice as tough as the then hectic day, and the sleep hours are about 6 with atleast 2-3 sessions of diaper change / feed / water.
Yet I have managed to make very important presentations the next day and managed pretty well.
I never really knew I was capable of stretching myself so much. But I now know. And my baby will not forever be so demanding (atleast in terms of the physical effort required of me).
And then, I know I will be able to pull off much more than the non-mother me was ever capable of :-)

4. Sensitive me.
I was always pretty sensitive to people, to sufferings of people, towards the environment.
A baby however has shown me a completely different level of sensitivity. These days, I certainly show much more regard to trees, plants, animals. Towards underprivileged kids or tragedies. I smile more at strangers, I befriend them more. The world overall seems like a kinder place and I WANT to make it a kinder and nicer a place.

5. Awareness
A lot of self-awareness gyaan revolves around how we 'look' and don't really 'see'.
Or how we 'hear' and don't 'listen'.
Well, I now notice every small thing and noise. I never knew that a concrete mixer was so fascinating nor had I realised how super cute an autorickshaw really looks.
But now I notice. I know how to 'see'.

There is of course the tough stuff to this. A baby does test you in more ways than you could imagine. 
But apart from the sentimental reasons, above reasons surely make a great case for that tiny career break. Consider that as an education sabbatical. Afterall you certainly do emerge out of it smarter, better, and more awesome.

PS:
The no 1 reason will always be - 

1. One more person to love you. Fiercely.
Can you ever have enough people who love you like crazy? 
Having one more certainly makes life awesome :-)

So how does this work?

Every morning I make a decision. A tough one at that but once made it makes it easy for me to go through the day.

Each morning I decide how much of a mother I can be today.

Will I be a 100% mother? 80% mother? 50% mother or 20% mother.

100% is on weekends.

80% is on very relaxed work days when i can leave early for some reason... Come home, play with Kabir, feed him something interesting, take him out probably.

50% is on regular workdays. Come home on time... Take him swimming or to the garden, feed him, read a book to him.. Put him to sleep.

20% is on days like today. Leave early for office, Come home late, by which time he has already had his food.. Put him to sleep.

Every day I strive to achieve a max percentage of this.

Which also means that each day I try and minimise my other commitment.

Also, irrespective of how much of a mother I am on each day, I am a 100% mother mentally. All the time. subconsciously if not consciously  thinking as a mother me.

How under these circumstances can I ever manage to match up to the performance of the pre-mother me?

Yes I can decide that all weekdays will be 30% or less of mothering and weekends will MOSTLY be all his.

Some do that. And those are the few ones that stand as an exception against the otherwise men majority company leaders.

There are other ways to this -

1. You work for a company which allows you to be a 50-80% mother on all days yet also trusts you enough to put you in a high stakes, key role.
(Oh the work culture shift that this will require!)

2. You be happy with 30% mothering. Kids actually may turn out to be fine irrespective and let your Mother in Law/caretaker/daycare be the 100% mother.

You do not have the option of staying in a conventional work culture company, in a key role, and be a close to 100% mother.

Reason? Simple. There are enough others, who can give their 100% to do your job.

The option 3 then is, to make your 20% 'non-mothering' still better than a 100% of that of those others?

Can you be thaaaat awesome?

PS- percentages in a blog post are a clear indication that I must now get my head out of that darn powerpoint!

Love thy job

The world keeps doing a seemingly important task. Of reminding you of what you do not have.
That's how progress (consumerism) works after all.
It is quite interesting how it on one hand tells you to have the bigger phone, smarter house and at the same time tells you that you must love your job and not work for money.
It is a thorough recipe for making one feel miserable about his or her life.

Dangling a carrot above you and then telling you that building steps to get that carrot is wrong if you do not like building steps.

Love your job. Follow your passion. Shun the 8-7 routine. And then be prepared to be snubbed by that loooong car you see from the auto rickshaw. Brain f***ing material.

The question then arises is does everyone have the luxury to do this? For some the carrot is simply two square meals.

That apart my key point here is of capability and your passion.
In an ideal self - help book you may read that when you are passionate about something you give in your best and the result is always miraculous. Yes. For you.

Is it miraculous enough to get you to the carrot?
Having the luxury to follow your passion is one thing.
But having the Capability to do so, is a different part altogether.

All the inspirational photos and quotes must come with this disclaimer.
So people stop feeling guilty or miserable for taking the road most travelled.

Afterall there are many who did not get an opportunity to travel even that one.

Alternatively, chuck the carrot and go for a lemon instead. Lemons are good too. I like lemons.

The Working Mother

The term can offend mothers who choose to be stay-at-home-moms.

They work too and a lot. But well, this post is not about Stay-At-Home-Mothers versus 'Working mothers'.

This post is also not about 'working mothers'. It is about corporates and how they deal with them.

Actually it is not even about that.

It is actually a rambling by a mother who is trying to do too much of 'working' and wants to do a lot of mothering too, and is thus trying to figure out how to become a super human.

Women's day just went by and like every year, a lot was said and appreciated. On social media, it was all about Nirbhaya and on the corporate media, it was all about gender-balance.

Corporations traditionally were made by the men for the men and of the men.

The culture of course thus evolved around them and according to what suited them. They had wives at home looking after their kids and they could work full-time to provide for them.

Thus came the corporate culture with its 45-50 hours a week working, weekends on call, networking on evening drinks, and Commitment to work. Make work your no.1 priority or perish.

When women entered this field, they were in minority and had to adjust to this culture. Some survived till they had a kid and others decided that it was not worth it.

Till companies realised that their leadership teams severely lacked women and woke up to the reality of their company's 'for men, of men' culture.

Steps are now taken to modify current systems to suit women.

Most women's no.1 priority will be their family. Make no mistake there.

Thankfully this fact is now acknowledged and companies are trying to ensure that they become a very close second priority which does not come in the way of her fulfilling the first.

Thus, extended maternity leaves, work-from-home options, sensitization workshops, transport facilities are coming into picture.

I am sure these will save a lot of women of the difficult decision of shelving their careers till such time as the child is old enough (And when exactly is that?).

By which time however, she loses touch with her field and starting where she left becomes difficult.

So yes. These policies, the latest announcement coming from Vodafone, can make a difference. To some extent.

But let's look at the bigger picture here. This woman is competing against her male counterparts.

These men continue to put in those long hours, without having to worry about whether the kid has pottied today.

Can these companies guarantee that on the darned bell-curve, she will be given equal opportunity to be in the top percentile? Without bias? Without her feeling forever indebted to the organisation for this 'favour'?

Yes, she will get her full-pay, now.

And if you guarantee that she will be judged basis the fact that her work responsibilities were reduced and correction will be done to ensure there is no impact on her ratings and promotions, is that fair to the men who have worked harder than her at this job?

It is tricky this gender-balance thing. As one of my cousins had said "women have all the fun. They get free salary for a good 9 months when they have a child, and when the come back also they don’t work and rush home early."

I am waiting for the time when his wife becomes a 'working mother' but till then,  this is gender-discrimination against him and it will show up in his attitude when he deals with his women counterparts and reportees.

These tactical changes are few and as I said 'tactical'. If companies genuinely want to build a culture which suits women, they need to do much more, and without tilting the balance the other way either.

The solution? How about building from scratch a culture around women instead of taking these corrective steps in the existing culture?

And how will that look like?

Well, for starters, how about having a creche as a compulsory corporate facility, just like a canteen now is?

And then using technology to help women work when they want. Smart phones, smart computers, use them.

How about networking over play-dates too and not just over drinks?

Babies have extremely varied sleep-play-cranky time patterns. Asking all women to be available from 9-5 is like assuming all babies will be cooperative at the same time. Impossible.

Yes, there is a certain time when all need to be available to ensure no work is blocked. But that's what calendars are for.

And I am sure if you have to try hard to set up a meeting, the commitment will be honoured and also the time will not be wasted. Not to mention the cutting down of a lot of unnecessary meetings.

And this is good for office based employees. What about those that need travelling? Sales?

Firstly, a culture of 'of women for women' will really help ensure there is minimum unnecessary travel. Thus, the system gets automatically efficient.

As for sales calls, yes they have to be done when they have to be done. But how about making 1-2 each day which genuinely work out and not doing 13 of which none do? Or having an option of carrying your baby and nanny to the meeting wherein they can wait up in the nearby mall?

You can work things out if you want to.

May sound difficult to implement at first, but it will certainly make for a great loyal employee base, and a very efficient one at that.

The idea here being that, making ad hoc and tactical changes to the existing culture and structure will do little to ensure the equality.

A culture made by the women, for the women, and of the women of which men also become a part, and not the other way round will make the real difference.

Not to mention the happier kids of these men who will see their fathers more often and happier (stress-free) wives as well :)

PS: One day some day I dream of setting up such an organisation. Amen!

PS2: As a friend pointed out, the above culture sounds like tilting the balance otherway. That was not the point though. 
When we say a culture taking into consideration the other commitments as well, it surely applies to men too.
and the commitment is NOT necessarily kids but it could simply be a hobby you wanted to always pursue.
Bottomline - If technology has helped us work faster, why do we have to now work for more hours per day than we had to a few decades ago? 

Pseudo family

Corporate job comes with benefits (apart from the monthly paycheck).

It gives your life a routine. it also gives you an opportunity for social interaction – even if formal.

Being at home, if there is anything I miss, it is this part.

I love baby-talk alright, but I do crave for some grown-up talk too.

So I have found this new social circle for myself consisting of 3 other women.

They are quite cool and we meet up every morning. In fact, if on any particular day, any one of them decides to not show up, it gets pretty sad.

So these women and I chat up about anything and everything… and instead of chilling around the water cooler, we chill around the paani ka matka.

It is amazing how much knowledge they have about topics such as baby-care, first-aid, baby food or even current affairs and political issues.

Pretty well-informed a bunch I must say. Certainly broader in terms of the topics we discussed at office Chai sessions.

Chatting up over chai was always fun in office, and it continues to be so with these ladies.

We also discuss family issues extensively and are there to help out each other if the need arises.

If on someday I am unwell, I can be sure that these women will extend a kind word and even go out of their way to make me feel better.

If I am too engrossed in work, they will remind me that I haven’t had my breakfast or that my chai is getting cold.

When Kabir gets super difficult, I can trust these women to understand and help me out with him.

They don’t come even close to a family, but they most certainly are my best support after them.

My house-maid, nanny, and cook. They rock :)

Superbottoms

Mission: Spread smiles, Babies’. Mothers’. Earth’s.

The Brand: Superbottoms, started by two new parents who got a little too fascinated by the entire potty management aspect of raising their new baby.

Initially, they kept struggling with the langots and disposable diapers and diaper rash creams until one day they finally found the ultimate and the perfect solution.

They were so enthused by the Cloth Diapers that they could not stop raving about them. Slowly many of their friends began to avoid them for their irritating enthusiasm pertaining to their son’s potty and the cloth diapers.

But Pallavi and Salil were far from being discouraged and in fact went a step further to launch a brand of advanced cloth diapers in India.

Thus was born Superbottoms.

Superbottoms Diapers: We at Superbottoms have designed our diapers after a lot of experimentation with various designs and cloths.

As parents, we have very carefully chosen the features that went into making these diapers.

Right from the double leak guards on each diaper, to the best suede lining, to the idea of using square tabs. Each small feature, we believe, can go a long way in making your and your baby’s experience with cloth diapering a pleasure.

Superbottoms Promise: We understand that though we have extensively experimented and researched before designing our product, there is always room for improvement and the best ideas come from the customers.

So, we assure you that any feedback shared by you will be enthusiastically worked upon by our team to improve Superbottoms.

Being parents, we know that no query is too small or unimportant when it is about your precious little one. So if you have any doubt, please feel free to reach us any time and we promise to get back to you with answers as soon as possible.

The Team: Apart from Pallavi and Salil, the team comprises of Dr Neeta who is our design consultant and Dr Milind who is a pediatrician and patiently addresses all our questions about potty management.

And Pallavi and Salil’s baby who is Superbottoms’ first and also the most critical customer.

Immature Supervision

So I have taken to reading Seth Godin's blog a lot lately.

Recently he wrote a post about how people's reaction to pressure is what really matters and not the pressure itself.

Which reminded me of one common feedback I received when I quit my job at Piramal.

"Even under the worst pressures, you will see Pallavi calmly doing her work, methodically, unfazed"

They even showed that in a video made about our team... everyone is running around, and I am sitting at my desk and calmly working.

And this feedback got me by surprise and in fact made me feel angry.

I remember those chaotic moments very well and I also remember that my mental state at that time can be described as anything but calm. I would always feel like I was on the brink of a breakdown.

but it appeared to my bosses that I was all gathered... 

Yes, after the work was done or when I would finally come home, my husband could see the chaos in my head (and probably experience the 'heat' too)... but while at work, no one ever noticed!

And no, I did not particularly try to mask it... I was just doing my work and I knew that in chaos, chaos was counterproductive. 

What is important here is not the part wherein I tried to do the job under pressure but the part wherein all my bosses (and superbosses) misunderstood me. 

When a person is trying very hard to keep things in order in a hopelessly pressurized situation, the last thing she needs is an assumption from the bosses that she can handle pressure well....

and then be surprised when she finally snaps. 

As a boss, your short term goal is to get the job-on-hand done.

But a seasoned boss knows that knowing exactly what the person working for you is going through can help him in the longer run...

Gratitude

Being grateful is not easy. Not when your mind is so accustomed to finding what you don't have and to trying to achieve it. We call it progressing.

But being grateful is the first step to tuning in to the universe.

How does one be grateful? What does it mean to be grateful? How to be grateful without entering into the feeling of getting something despite being worthy of it?

Being grateful is to be humble.
Knowing that there were a lot of things the universe did so you could give in your best and get where you got.

Being grateful is to feel protected.
Feeling the ball of light around you.

Being grateful is to be at peace.
If the universe helped me with this, it will help me again when I need it.

Being grateful is being happy.
Value that what the universe gave you. Respect it. Don't sob and undermine it.

Being grateful is to always remember friends and family.
Gratitude is not just restricted to the universe. Never forgetting how and when your friends stood by you, especially when you are on the top, that is being grateful.

Being grateful is being proud.
Being proud of yourself that you were able to attract from universe those beautiful things that you got. You got them only because you deserved them.

Be Grateful. The universe loves you.

PS: Apart from those who are a part of these discussions, people will find this post to be random. Kindly excuse :-)

Down to earth, yet a star!

Dear Kabir,

Weekends for mom and dad have always meant bhatakanti. We would go to random places - in and out of Mumbai, aimlessly...super fun!

With you coming in, we are going to continue the trend. Yet, most places we went to, might not really be good for you at this stage :)

And taking you out to a huge brightly lit, air-conditioned building with 100s of shops you hardly care about (except hamleys) and 100s of restaurants you hardly care to taste (gimme ma milk and i shall be an angel) does not appeal to me. 

So we decided to check out the many parks in and around Mumbai! Yesterday was Hiranandani Meadows Park day... 

Since you love standing on your own 2 feet these days, we decided to give your feet some other surface to feel (apart from the usual ones such as mommy's face)

And you loooooved it!

Down to earth

Next week - next park, more fun!

May you always be the star that you are, yet stay down to earth :)

Love

Mommy

Priceless

So how do you become a mom?

There is a traffic island at bandra which says "a child gives birth to a mother".

Well, so does giving birth make you a mom? Hardly. Giving birth only makes you a tired, aching, cranky, sleep-deprived, and an odd-shaped woman. Not a mother.

Becoming a mother takes so much more than giving birth!

And pregnancy is the easiest part :-)

So when during pregnancy you had mood swings which got the better of you...

Who was there to bear them? Mom (husbands apart)

When you delivered, and came out, and could hardly manage to sit, forget feeding, who helped you sit up and feed each time? Mom

When you were hardly able to get out of the bed, and did not do much apart from feeding your baby and eating and sleeping, who ensured that you got all the right nutrition, meals at the right time? Mom

When you cried because you found the entire process overwhelming, who helped you deal with it? Mom

When your baby began to wail and just would not calm down, you got worked up and shouted at whom? Mom

When you got anxious about how will you manage your job and the baby, who gave you strength? Mom

When in the middle of the night, your baby woke up and you were too sleepy to put him to sleep, who stayed up all night and told you to sleep? Mom

When the hormones got better of you and the cranky baby wouldnt let you calm down, who did you hand over the baby to? Mom

Who taught you to change diapers, feed the baby, clothe the baby, clean the baby, love the baby? Mom

Whose repeated advice about eating well, sleeping well you kept ignoring? Mom's

Where did your baby learn all those goofy songs from? Mom

Who compromised her work to make sure you were comfortable? Mom

Who stayed away from her home at your home to help you get going with baby care? Mom

And who do you therefore miss terribly when the baby gets cranky now and you are on your own? Mom

And they say a child gives birth to a mother? I disagree.

A mother gives birth to a mother.

As the old mastercard ad goes,

Hospital bill of having a baby: rs 50000

All the baby gear and clothes: rs 15000

Having a full time nanny: rs 8500

Having your mom to help you become a mom : Priceless

1 year of missing you

Dear Ajji,

Hope this letter finds you in a great 'spirit'. Literally.
I am not usually much of a believer in life after death and spirits etc. But in your case, I have made an exception. It is easier that way.

I believe you are present around us in spirit...
nodding your head in disapproval everytime we have baths after 10 am...:-)

This letter to you I am writing on the day of your shraddh.
Which also happens to be the beginning of a new year.

So let me at the outset tell you that your unnecessary worrying about whether we will remember you once you are gone, was completely as I said, unnecessary.

We remember you. Every time we have pav bhaji, or dabeli.
We remember you each time we go to 'ajjichi kholi' (yes we still call it that).. I remember you when I wash my face and mess the wash basin.. I can in fact hear you telling me not to splash so much water!

We remember you. Yes. And a lot. So be happy.
Let me also share with you some key updates of the year.
Firstly, your family tree this year saw an expansion with two babies... Geet and Kabir.
(I know you might not have approved of the name Kabir... :-)
The tree that I planted in your memory, bucha cha zaad, is seeing rapid growth...
And yes! Aplya limbachya zadala finally limba ali ya varshi.. 12 varshanni!

So all in all a good year 2013... But yes, we missed you.
I really wish Kabir would have gotten a chance to meet you in person. Though I know you bless him nonetheless.

They say kids can see and talk to friendly spirits... Is that why he keeps staring at your photo all the time? I wonder.

Today, in your memory, we are going to have an awesome meal... And we know you will be present there, to enjoy it with us.

Love you.

Always your favourite naat ;-)

Pallu

1 month young, already!

Raji maasi: "One month? Already?"
Mom: "Yeah! I survived!!"
Neha maasi: "Of course you did, dodo"
Mom: "No really, I indeed wondered at times if I would..."

Me: "and dude, I survived you too!!"

Mom has been planning to post about me since 7/11/13 
but of course I have ensured she hardly got time.

I have now trained her to change my nappy fast (her best time is 12 sec), feed me promptly when needed, and to hold me close to her when i wish to sleep (listening to her heart beat. :-)

Once, I heard her cribbing to Asha Ajji that she is tired and sleep deprived.. 

so to motivate her, every once in a while I give her one of my cutest smiles, like the one in the video below... and she gets hyper excited, it is funny...

And I wonder, what is the big deal here? I only smiled, right...? but well, whatever keeps her going...

So let me introduce myself. My name is Kabir alias Bhishek alias babbby alias piddu alias... sigh... wonder what my real name is indeed...

As it happened, on the morning of November 7, mom told me that it is time... That I have to now come out. I was excited. 

At my birth, in the operation theatre, I could hear many voices, laughing, cracking jokes, Dr Neeta, Dr Sachin, Dr Prashant, Milind Kaka, papa, and even Nitu Maushi! It was like a party... I smiled. 

To be born in a party seemed nice.

After some time, I felt a strong tug, and pull, and I was yanked out of my home of 9 months by Dr Neeta Maushi, and I took my first breath.

My gender was thereby announced, breaking a 9 month suspense...

My mom, being the hopelessly sentimental bloke that she is, began weeping...and Dad, not to miss a moment, kept video shooting me!

After Milind Kaka announced that "All is well" I was brought out... To meet the rest of my family...

And woah! I came to know that I was a celebrity! I felt like the paparazzi was waiting for my arrival, cameras went on a frenzy, there were ooohs and aaahs and everyone wanted to hold me, such cute chaos... 
It was my day. And I loved it.. :-)

The past one month has been challenging. I indeed learned to breathe and digest my own food... No mean achievement that!

and i am growing fast! Each day I am changing my sleep patterns, the way i look, or cry or even feed... 

and so Mom keeps fretting and pestering Milind Kaka about everything, right from my snoring, to my meal timings to every small mark on my body to even my potty colour.. And he patiently tries to put her worries to rest.

I keep trying to tell her that I am indeed perfect, but she does not listen... Moms, I tell you... **eyes rolling** 

In the past month I have tried to understand stuff here; what is world and life... 

So basically the world revolves around me. 

And in this world are people who love me and cannot stop talking about me. 

Apart from mom and dad, there is Asha Ajji who sings funny songs to put me to sleep... Ratnakar Aaba whose tummy is superbly comfy to sleep on... 

Then there is Sujata Ajji who misses me a lot and keeps coming to visit me every few days... and cant keep me away when she is around... :-)

Vishwas Aaba is the one with the ipad... he cant stop clicking my photos... 

Nitu Maushi who calls me shhhhooooonnneeee and Milind Kaka who always keeps weighing me.

Sanket Kaka is the one who is responsible for my social media presence. He apparently has put up my snap on something called facebook and lotsa people liked it :-)

Rahul Mama is the one who brought me home from the hospital and decorated the house...

Neha and Raji maasi are people who my mom continuously yapps with on the phone... 

And Aaru Dada is the one who calls me eeeeeeee...

So that is how I see the world, and I love it :-)

Soon I shall be acquiring newer skills and also become cuter (yeah cant believe there still is room for that eh?) 

and will keep you updated by hijacking my mom's blog once in a while to write to you...

love talking to you guys.

till then... ciao.