Photo Blogging for Dummies.

Since no one read the previous post and only went gaga over the pictures, heres one more.

Heres how to do it.

1. Find yourself jobless. When the older one is in school, younger one is napping and the husband in traveling. Or you can just shut yourself in the bedroom while the above mentioned threesome are wrestling in another room like I did.

2. Go through the older ones baby photos and narrow down on the ones where you have still kept the outfit.

3. Dress up the younger one in the said outfit while convincing the jealous older one that its an old dress!

4. Position the subject of the photo in the same way the older one has posed. Try to take the photos in the one second that the subject keeps the pose.

5. If the older one is willing, use her as a prop to make the subject look up, look down, look here, look there, etc...

6. Click. click. click.

7. Make a collage of the old and the new photos to generally confuse the hell out of people.

8. Dont forget to send it to the target audience - the grand parents.

9. Blog about it, of course!

10. Ta da!

Apples & Oranges.

They say you should nt compare the siblings. But I so do that. Sharing some of the lesser of the evil comparisons here.

Breast feeding was a huge struggle with Ashu. Being new at it, I totally blamed myself. But with Antu, things were so easy that I could nt believe it. Only then did I realize that it was nt my fault the first time and Ashu was just a lazy bum baby who thought it was too much trouble to drink from the breast and bottle was so much easier.

Ashu was and still is a fussy eater. When she was under 1, she preferred Cerelac to Kanji. Ate only bananas and apples. Would nt even taste biscuits, cereals, rusk, ...Survived mostly with milk. Antu can chomp off your thumb and eat it if you hold it near her long enough. As yet.

Ashu went from breast to bottle to sippy cup to regular cup like a text book child. Antu is still swatting away the sippy cup filled with water. Im wondering how shes going to drink cows milk when she turns one. (any ideas?)

Ashu was easily scared. Pressure cookers, hair dryers and vacuum cleaners used to terrify her and she screamed when she heard the noise. Antu crawls towards the source of noise and tries to operate it on her own! With a smile to boot.

Even by 6 to 7 months, Ashu used to stop in her tracks when I said a stern NO. An aunt of mine has nt stopped telling about it to anyone who would listen how she listened to me even long after Ashu has stopped doing that!! Antu took her time but shes getting there. Today I yelled NO ANTU from the kitchen when I heard her crawling towards the bathroom. A minute later, I walked there to see that she was quietly sitting outside the bathroom wondering whether to go in or not. Now I can sleep in peace knowing that my dad will be cursing me for being a tyrant to both the kids not just his favorite! ;)

Though Ashu learned to crawl and cruise earlier than Antu, she was never too mobile. She ll only crawl towards a set target. And settle there. Antu is an explorer. While Ashu was always in the same room as us, Antu is a daredevil. Half the time, I dont know which part of the house she is in.

Ashu loved sleeping in her tummy. On our shoulders. And never learned to sleep on her own until recently. Antu is a pro. She never bends her back nor puts her head on our shoulder but sleeps on her back and goes to sleep on her own.

Ashu was never so wriggly while changing her diapers. She used to cooperate and I remember my mother mentioning with wonder. I thought it was the adoring grandma speaking. Now I know and how!! Try dressing up an octopus. Thats Antu for you. If you hear me yelling at Antu, then you can assume that Im changing her diaper.

Ashu was very patient. Even when she was hungry, she used to wait without crying until I made her bottle or mixed up her cereal. Antu is a different story. Even when I lag a second or two between spoons, she lets out a growl!

Stranger anxiety just about set on Ashu around this time and even when she used to let a stranger carry her, she used to keep an eye on me. Antu happily goes to anyone and does nt even realize if I leave her and go!

By this age, Ashu already had a favorite book, favorite toy, favorite place, etc... Antu does nt believe in material things as yet.

Ashu was very adjusting too. She ll come for a bath without fuss, leave the tub without fuss,.. Antu is already screaming when I take her out of the bath tub and wants to stay in the tub forever! But Ashu used to and still screams when she gets water in her eyes. Antu on the other hand would give Phelps some competition!

By 10 months, Ashu had a couple of teeth. No sign of anything as yet in Antu. We ve been telling like puli varudhu puli varudhu for the past 6 months, "may be shes teething" even when she farts loudly!! But zip!

Ashu stood on her own without support around 10 months and walked just before her frst birthday. She cruised like a pro even before. Antu is just about learning to cruise and standing without support for 2 seconds.

With Ashu - I could nt wait to see whats next and was always in a hurry to see her grow up. Still am. But with Antu - I want her to take her own sweet time to do everything and actually want time to go slow. Also because I know whats coming. *shudders*

ps.

Antu is 11 months old today. One WHOLE year next month. Sigh!
Ashu is 4 years 1 month old today. Wheres my little baby?

I think God reads this Blog.

Why else would He test me if I'm fit for mommy heaven so soon after this post of mine? So yesterday I get a reminder email from school informing about the alphabet day today and to dress up the child. Sounds easy, no? Except that its the first time Im hearing about it and did nt get any email or information earlier! It was 6 pm already and Hd is out of town and I had to act fast. Thanks to Tharini who was asking for ideas about Alphabet costume in this post and thanks to Kodi's Mom who had left a link in that post, I came up with a simple idea. (Ironic that I left a link in the same post, huh?) U for Umbrella. So I followed this project to the last detail, punched holes on the card, tied a string and hung it around Ashu's neck. For good measure, sent her with a pink umbrella to school. Shes going to say, "I am U. Do you know what goes UP when the rain comes DOWN? An Umbrella. U for Umbrella." But I can bet my last penny, that she would put a finger in her mouth, look down and refuse to say anything when the teacher asks. May be I should have kept her home today and sent a mail to the teachers saying, "Ashu is going to be absent today. A for Absent!"

Paadhi kaadhal paadhi mutham...

Hd is away again. For 4 days. Today is Day 2. Though he has been away at least one night every week for the past one month, you did nt hear me whine because I have grown up now. About time, huh? OK, who am I kidding! More like Antu has grown up and if I let her, she ll take care of even Ashu. Loads of people go, "you are managing two kids on your own? I can never do that. Hats off to you" and probably muttering to themselves, "Should make husbands favorite food for dinner tonight." Whats the big deal, I ask? Antu is in the glorious phase where she can play with a cup and a spoon for hours. Ashu goes to school for 3 1/2 hours. Add 1 to 2 hours in the park. Both sleep for 10 hours. Antu takes two naps in the day. An hour of TV, some time in craft and puzzles and books for Ashu. Antus a good eater and Ashu starves herself by her own choice and I ve stopped caring. Whenever Hd is nt home, I hardly switch on the stove. Easy Peasy Japanesey! The fact that I miss the man like crazy is altogether another issue. Especially in the dead of the night when I have to take Ashu to the loo. :D

Oh, I found a song this time too. (read this post and this one for a little history) Though it is nt as mind blowing as the previous ones, its good. And its on non stop loop and thats what matters. Miss you, dear!

The song is Paadhi Kaadhal from the movie Modhi Vilayaadu. (Music by Hariharan and Leslie. Sung by Bombay Jayashree and Sunitha Sarathy, what a voice combo!)

ps.
Thanks Deej for the mujik. :)

Bake a Birthday Cake - Check.

As if the class party and the play park party was nt enough, Ashu had another birthday party yesterday. We had invited some of our close friends and their kids. I decided enough is enough and baked a cake myself. And wonder of wonder, it turned out awesome and you guys were spared an alu paratha post!!

Since yesterday was Mothers day, I decided to write "Moms Rule" on the cake instead of a boring "Happy Birthday". Now that Ashu can read bits and pieces, I thought I ll pull a fast one on her when I still can. But Ms.Smarty pants would have none of it. "Wheres the H in Happy, Amma", "Wheres A for Ashu?", she asked. So I had to come clean and asked her to share since its Mothers day too!!

On Saturday night, I was making chocolate muffins. Had the crazy idea to make mini muffins and bought those mini muffin paper cups. I could put only half a teaspoon of batter in each cup and I ended up making batch after batch for hours!!! I went though the 100 cups in the pack and I had still some batter left which I threw out before I could change my mind! Phew!

For the record, I made Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting, mini(!) chocolate muffins, Spaghetti with Pesto sauce, mac and cheese and salad. Served store bought mini pizzas, chips, dips, ice creams, ... Got small toys and candies as return gifts for the kids and some pretty candle holders for the moms to mark Mothers day. Went with everyone to the play area downstairs and the kids had a blast. I had also bought a bead kit to make some Key chains with the kids in case if it rained. But thankfully, it did nt. So all in all, the party was a hit! *takes a bow*

Now that I have baked a birthday cake for my child, Im sure Im eligible for Mommys Heaven. Next in list - Make a costume. (yeah right! Which direction did you say Hell was? ;)

Boo is the Best in the Business!

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing woman out there! Please check the below link to see how the world celebrated the 2009 Mother of the year!! ;) Muahahaha! Thank you, Sis! You made my day!

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=AUZ421ZvwW6TJAZy7RbhjjEzMjY0NjE0&referred_by=16343635-8AHsvSx

Life in plastic, its fantastic...

So Ashu had a class party on 27th. Where she took a cake, showed her baby and age 1,2,3 photos to her friends, went around the sun 4 times,.. the usual routine. Then this Monday, Ashu and her best friend had a birthday party together in an indoor play park for their class friends. G's birthday is next week and her mom suggested we do a double party and I was all game. The kids had a blast and us moms did nt have to do anything other than show up. The dads paid. Win-win, huh? ;) Ashus first birthday where she actually showed interest in her gifts and went all ga-ga over them when we opened them later at home. Even though I have nt bought a barbie for her yet and the 2 barbies she got as gifts earlier, I hid them and gave them away to some other kids, this time I could nt bring myself to do it. She got a couple of barbies and my little ponies among other gifts. Poor girl did nt know it was called Barbie and told me, Look amma. this is princessaa. So I started calling the wretched doll Princessaa too. Until today that is. In the evening she came to me and asked,
"Can we please take the Barbie out of the box today, Amma?"
"Barbie? Who told you this is Barbie?"
"It says so in the box, Amma. Look this. B-A-R-B-I-E. Baarbee! "

What the...!