tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80692895429303607052012-02-16T05:50:22.003-08:00I have tried penning down my experiences on this beautiful journey to being a mother... Hope the babies would like reading them when they grow up...Seemanoreply@blogger.comBlogger451100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-2503800772985247522011-10-16T06:09:00.000-07:002011-10-16T06:09:42.577-07:00

Moving from Blogger to Wordpress. I have been planning to take a backup of all my posts, so I created an account in Wordpress and I was really impressed with all the features it has on offer. As of now, I will continue to host my food blog  in Blogspot but have moved this space. Please update your readers to the new link... http://seemabbas.wordpress.com/

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-27275031023764736512011-10-12T11:15:00.000-07:002011-10-12T11:17:36.535-07:00

“Millions saw apples fall, but Newton asked why.” - Bernard Baruch I choose to be an optimist while I answer the incessant questions barraged on me by not-one-but-two 3 year olds. And my mind has to channelize its thinking in different directions as both the kids choose NOT to speak about a single subject at any point of time. Both demand attention at the same time and expect an answer from me

Seemanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-20526547007070864042011-10-05T10:54:00.000-07:002011-10-05T10:54:20.715-07:00

Our washing machine is placed in the living cum dining room adjacent to kitchen. What kind of a nutcase family we are, you may think! Actually there was a water inlet arrangement already made with the basin when we moved into this apartment. And since we had plans to move from here, we didn’t bother much (Yeah, we are nomads). There was no outlet for water to go away so we bought a pipe and

Seemanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-39686229983142470502011-10-03T10:03:00.000-07:002011-10-03T10:03:47.607-07:00

They spotted a “Pizza Boy” delivering Pizza to a nearby shop while I picked them up from day care. Tammu said “Mujhe bhi Pizza khana hai!” Although I am not the kind who entertains all their demands, I suddenly realized that the last time I had pizza (not made by me) was before they were born. I make Pizza at home mostly by buying store bought pizza bases and we all enjoy them. But because Abbas

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-34894156606718401172011-10-02T09:39:00.000-07:002011-10-02T09:44:42.363-07:00

When I recently saw Shruti's blog and all the artworks done by her daughter, I was awestruck. I felt like a laid back mommy. I hardly did any crafts with my kids! I went through her archives and picked up this and this to be done during the weekend. We all enjoyed painting. My hubby also got inspired and pitched in, drew those small plants in both the paintings. (Yeah, he also took digs at me

Seemanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-33958834441045561152011-09-27T12:46:00.000-07:002011-09-27T12:46:30.124-07:00

RS tagged me to write about Mommy guilt: 1.Write about 2 instances where you have put yourself before your child/ children… been a wee bit selfish. 2.How did you feel? Did you feel a pang of guilt or were you comfortable? 3.Tag 2 more moms Mmmm, well! I have had my share of outings by leaving kids with their nannies, grannies and at the day care as well. I did not feel guilty, at all.

Seemanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-58716359078048891952011-09-26T12:27:00.000-07:002011-09-26T12:27:00.412-07:00

Dolphin and Fish That's supposed to be Mamma's fridge! Supposedly a ball!  The Ball then became sun! 

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-28027538551438728332011-09-25T12:26:00.000-07:002011-09-25T12:27:18.762-07:00

Jotting down scenarios where kids were playing ‘me’. Kids and I come back home on a weekday. We remove our shoes, they place theirs on the shoe stand. But I forget to keep mine. Mannu says – “Mamma, joote stand pe rakha nahi kyu?” I apologize for failing to remember and put my shoes on the stand. And they applaud in chorus “That’s like a good girl” Tammu spots a small wound on my foot. In a

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-44708608981143843292011-09-19T18:56:00.000-07:002011-09-19T18:56:39.198-07:00

They are undoubtedly ‘Pee’ and ‘Potty’. Please hit the X right away coz this post is all about these 2 P words. ........................... ........................... ........................... ........................... ........................... Still reading? Good luck then! We refer these P words differently with words or rather sounds of disgust. We call Pee as ‘Sheee’ and Potty as ‘

Seemanoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-63039917074788452132011-09-13T11:36:00.000-07:002011-09-13T11:38:15.339-07:00

/*This post was lying in my draft as I was unable to come up with an apt title. So kindly 'adjust maadi' */ Gone are the days when we could easily fool around with Mannu Tammu. They would blindly trust us and we could conveniently fake. But they are getting smarter and we have to rack our brains to trick them!!! Here are a few instances and you will get the drift: We had gone to a restaurant

Seemanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-75899034975260650102011-09-09T21:28:00.001-07:002011-09-09T21:28:50.415-07:00

Their school declared that they would be taken on a field trip to Bannerghatta Zoo. I was super excited as usual and signed the permission sheet which was sent to know parents’ approval and I had also informed Abbas about the trip. The next day when MIL asked me “Are you gonna actually send the kids?” I said “Yes ofcourse” Abbas said “Well, I still haven’t given my consent. I’m not prepared for

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-58779415804566329802011-09-07T10:19:00.000-07:002011-09-07T10:20:36.120-07:00

I was busy cooking in the kitchen and left kids in the drawing room with colouring book and crayons. When I came back to check on them, I noticed that Tammu had coloured Grapes with brown colour. I asked her “Tammu, what colour are grapes?” She said “Green Mamma” I asked “Then why did you use brown colour?” She diligently said “Because my stomach was aching Mamma!” Duh?? Recently Pizza fever

Seemanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-37005173102177630212011-09-06T09:20:00.000-07:002011-09-06T09:28:13.841-07:00

My mother tongue is Konkani, Abbas’s is Bengali. What should our kids’ be?? When I first held my daughters in my arms in the nursing home, I saw other moms around communicating with ease with their just borns. I was a confused mom. I didn’t know what to speak to them. And most importantly which language to speak! I was surprised at myself having never thought about it before. I found myself in

Seemanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-29421229443337936182011-09-05T10:48:00.000-07:002011-09-05T10:49:25.416-07:00

Everytime Mannu Tammu n I snack on something on the way back home, I always ask to them to keep aside a little for their Didi… They too have gotten habituated to reserving anything that they are munching on for Didi. Looking at our consistent behaviour one of the regular co-passengers inquired me one day “Do you have three children?” This lady knew that I was picking up my twins from the day

Seemanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-49502494634289881962011-08-29T10:58:00.000-07:002011-08-29T10:58:45.848-07:00

Last post talked about Mannu all the while. I have gotten into a habit of striking a balance between my actions so that none of the kid feels I'm favouring the other. I have got to do a separate post on that. Well so here I'm with a few events where Tammy came up with dialogues worth documenting!! I had given Guava in their tiffin box to be had in the evening. On the way back home in the rick,

Seemanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-89911288802840493492011-08-26T13:04:00.000-07:002011-08-26T13:04:09.159-07:00

Thursday morning - Abbas driving Bulu (our Blue car). Me and kids sitting in the rear seat. Me combing their hair and tying 2 ponies on each head. Mannu suddenly spots something on the street and goes 'Oita dao!' (meaning give THAT to me) I inquire what she wants. She repeats those two goddamn words for like 1024 times (yeah I'm into IT industry, u c?) and Abbas and I both start asking her cross

Seemanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-20746993968911944692011-08-23T10:40:00.000-07:002011-08-23T10:56:54.957-07:00

As a kid I was timid and and lika a recluse, I secluded myself from the crowd or strangers. More often than not, I found it hard to mingle with people. I preferred to stay in my cocoon and hardly socialized. At school, I was good at academics but  a zero when it came to sports or dance or even elocution's for that matter. I would participate in offline activities like drawing, essay writing,

Seemanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-31604198888849248232011-07-31T22:56:00.000-07:002011-07-31T23:10:01.890-07:00

There is frequently more to be learned from the unexpected questions of a child than the discourses of men. - George Bernard Shaw Some memories in random order... I don’t remember exactly where we were… Nature called Mannat and we had no option but to ask her to sh*t in her diapers! We were not in a position to change her diapers and in a while the stink engulfed us. Surprisingly unaware Tammu

Seemanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-4058995337794353642011-07-29T01:01:00.001-07:002011-07-29T01:01:22.697-07:00

I used to bring them along to work as they stayed at my office crèche all day. I got popular in the campus because of them. Many a times I have people smiling at me while I’m clueless as to who they are. Now I have got the hang of it and smile back at them. They were given identity cards along with lanyards and they would daily stop by the gate and look at the security guards, exhibit their ID

Seemanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-64074381374317718502011-07-27T23:26:00.000-07:002011-07-27T23:26:03.592-07:00

It’s hard to believe that even in today’s age, people still crave for sons, they still believe in the funda ‘Atleast a son’. People shower me with unnecessary sympathy when they learn that I have twin daughters “Tch tch, achhochho, Ayyo, Both daughters??? How good it would have been if it was one boy and one girl?” No thanks, I’m thankful to God he blessed me with 2 girls. And then some people

Seemanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-87210918259725008682011-07-21T21:51:00.000-07:002011-07-21T21:55:02.508-07:00

‘My kid doesn’t eat’, ‘He is so fussy with food’, ‘She hates food’, ‘Feeding him is like winning a battle’… Do these lines sound familiar? I have heard these rants from many moms. But touch wood, I am not one among them. My kids had just begun throwing tantrums when I simply nipped it in the bud. They’d say they don’t wanna eat and I would say ‘That’s fine with me. It’s upto you’ I would rarely

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-6469275511928170752011-06-26T23:39:00.000-07:002011-06-26T23:40:53.750-07:00

My kids’ 3rd birthday was round the corner. We had huge plans for their birthday. Last two years’ celebration was restricted to just family, prepared some good food and 2 cakes! Ever since they joined the crèche, they had been part of their peers’ birthday celebration and would come home with return gifts. They would ask me when they would be celebrating their birthdays. This year, June 8th was

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-77282010933702458402011-06-16T22:19:00.000-07:002011-06-16T22:19:09.085-07:00

Have been collecting some of their acts or words that brought a smile to our face. Before they fade from my memory, here I document for future reference: It was when they were barely 2 years old and had just then begun rolling their tongues to speak. They were very timid and hardly socialized. Mannat was very clingy and would throw tantrums if any stranger came close to cuddle her. We were in

Seemanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-17499543915374565652011-06-15T23:22:00.000-07:002011-06-15T23:22:56.689-07:00

They are going to school now. Yes they have grown ‘Big’! It’s as though my butterflies have come out of the cocoon and ready to take flight… The mommy in me is concerned about outside world that they would be facing head on. Abbas and I aspire to be the kind of parents they could easily confide in. Ofcourse friends are friends and parents can’t become their kids’ “friends”. But I believe parents

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-50959619835174043912011-04-17T06:48:00.000-07:002011-04-17T06:48:09.360-07:00

Continuation of previous post: ·         Abbas was playing some rhymes in his laptop and Mantam were watching and enjoying themselves. He then played a slideshow of some old pics and was asking them to recognize the people in the photos. I was carelessly watching TV as kids were being taken care of. And suddenly I heard Mannu’s outburst. She was conitnuously sobbing and I panicked and rushed to

Seemanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-78535003844818686252011-04-05T23:19:00.000-07:002011-04-05T23:19:43.266-07:00

They say ‘Kids are a form of god’. They sure have powers to relieve your stress, conjure a smile on your face, make you forget all your qualms and worries. I am double blessed to have twin fairies for daughters…. They’re going to turn 3 in a couple of months from now. How time flies! It seems like just yesterday that I was counting their age in days. They have grown big enough to choose their

Seemanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-53231086045510886392010-06-24T05:03:00.000-07:002010-06-24T05:07:56.236-07:00

Last couple of months has been quite eventful. (Frankly last one year, I would say) Feel pity on ManTam at times, coz while we are striving to steady our professional lives, their life’s going through a topsy turvy ride. Fortunately they have adapted to the haphazardness quite well. First 11 months of their life flew very smoothly… Their first nanny Savita was a boon for us. Since she had joined

Seemanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-5355842249408681562010-05-05T13:52:00.000-07:002010-05-05T13:52:29.840-07:00

“You will realize my true worth only after getting married”, she would chant to me and sis once in a while. Those words would hit our opaque ears and they hardly mattered then. Yes, with Mother’s Day around the corner, here I am with all my guts accumulated to go public in apologizing to my Amma. I feel terrible for having taken you for granted – not once, not twice, I don’t even have a count of

Seemanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-10392479783011341332010-05-04T02:41:00.000-07:002010-05-04T02:48:34.834-07:00

Hello readers, If you are a Mommy Blogger and you happen to blog about your family, kids, parents or parenting in general then BINGO! IndusLadies has brought to you an oppurtunity to make your Mother's Day even more special. All you have to do is submit your blog details with Indusladies.com, a Global Online Community of Indian Ladies. So go ahead and make make your blog available to over

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-3814969740629527052010-04-06T13:24:00.000-07:002010-04-06T13:24:04.240-07:00

I had concluded my previous post looking forward to Abbas’ arrival and how curious I was to know ManTam’s reaction to see their Baba after 3 months. To my awe and his glee, they swiftly clinged on to him as though were demonstrating magnetism. Instantly I turned green with envy recalling how my daughters treated me on seeing me after a short absence. Well, nature enriches a woman with endurance,

Seemanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-33746179151390041462009-12-17T12:03:00.000-08:002009-12-17T12:04:53.612-08:00

I had taken the day off. Since I was working in graveyard shift starting that week (i.e., from 6 PM to 3:30 AM) I had come home early morning that day. Couldn’t sleep at all considering the fact that there was no bedsheet at home, I was sleeping on an iron cot that the owner had provided which was playing music in sync with my movements. When I had reached home, I was very thirsty and there was

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-9712362321333148032009-11-06T12:48:00.000-08:002009-11-06T12:49:25.579-08:00

It was 13th September 2009. I have heard some people believe that 13 is inauspicious. But we had chosen that day when we booked our flight tickets coz I had to join my new company on 14th. When I look back at that day today, it’s difficult for me to express my exact feelings. As a mother, when I looked at my kids, I was unsure if they would have judged me, had they been mature enough!!! But when

Seemanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-82518439879003777602009-10-05T14:20:00.000-07:002009-10-05T14:20:41.709-07:00

Our life was smoothly sailing through the usual ups and downs. Content, though Abbas and I were at the family front, professionally we were both disturbed due to reasons, better left unmentioned in public. We were quite well off to manage a family of 4 adults and 2 infants efficiently. But in today’s competitive world, one can’t afford to be stagnant. If you don’t move with the pace, it will be

Seemanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-35693686923250636592009-04-30T23:11:00.000-07:002009-07-25T10:36:53.472-07:00

As days passed, both my daughters amazed me with all the new skills that they developed. They learnt many things by imitating their elders. But things that they captured on their own really marveled me. A smile from a baby is an instant rejuvenator that makes one forget all his worries, qualms and stress. Your baby’s touch especially when she rests in peace in your arms is simply out of this

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-43990080195865139492009-01-03T09:27:00.000-08:002009-01-03T10:01:19.120-08:00

Abbas had decorated our bed with streamers and balloons… It was a lovely surprise… And immediately then the timer for me to “stay on my toes” was triggered…. It only stopped when they tuned around three months old… The lower tummy area where the incision had been made kept throbbing. Our nanny Sabita joined only three days of our arrival. Washing their clothes and the kitchen chores fell into Ma’

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-43059452302794047672009-01-03T09:11:00.000-08:002009-01-03T09:23:25.717-08:00

All the nerve that I had pre-operation had sunk down to great depths. When I was first asked to come out of my bed and walk to the bathroom myself… it was like a nightmare. I had never seen my self-confidence at such a low. The pain made me too nervous to even think about the discharge… I was unsure if I would be able to take care of babies well enough in a condition like that. We had not even

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-45886259116827908252008-08-17T07:03:00.000-07:002008-08-18T03:00:02.838-07:00

Contractions had begun a week before their arrival... I was not sure they were contractions actually. So I kept it to myself for a day. The next day I wanted to take the burden off me and learn if it was normal. I told Ma and she said you immediately call the doc and tell him how you are feeling. Her anxiety doubled up mine, a ring to Dr. Ranjit Roy and he prescribed an extra dose of Duvadilan

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-84266914745578709822008-05-29T02:56:00.001-07:002008-05-29T02:56:48.285-07:00

He has always been the most loving and caring friend, lover and husband. And ever since I’m pregnant the care has only increased and I enjoyed all of it. He accompanied me to almost all of my visits to the Doctor. I would name a thing that I felt like eating and BINGO I would have him at my service. Only when I would name a Konkani food that my mom used to prepare, his face would crunch out of

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-16667396547924796342008-05-29T02:55:00.000-07:002008-05-29T02:56:21.753-07:00

Here are a few guesses:Rashmi Maity – One of my colleagues who is damn sure that one of the babies is a boy. She has also gone one step ahead in forecasting that I would have the naughtiest of kids who would keep me on my toes and pull the hair off Abbas’ and my head.Moutusi Sarkar – Another colleague of my mine who believes that her instincts don’t fail her. She used to initially say that I

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-75878065761774683462008-05-29T02:53:00.002-07:002009-10-02T07:30:52.602-07:00

Khotto and chutney – This is the version of Idly steamed in pouches made out of Jackfruit leaves. My Amma prepares the BEST khottos in this world which I really missed out on…Upma – Although I prepare it myself, miss Amma’s Upma a lotValval – This is a preparation which is made all kinds of vegetables you can manage to put in gravy of coconut milk. As I liked cashewnuts a lot Amma used to prepare

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-23088959441626834412008-05-29T02:53:00.001-07:002008-05-29T02:53:30.429-07:00

Generally USG is done after 4 or 5 months. But due to the mishap I had during my 3rd month, I had an early USG.(I had always craved for twins. My mom had only added to the craving as she used to always tell that either me or my sis would have twins as it is in our family history. I used to tell Abbas and Ma (my mom-in-law) also that there are chances of us having twins. But they would take it

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-82570350698428373592008-05-29T02:52:00.001-07:002008-05-29T02:53:03.215-07:00

It was on 10th December 2007… Abbas and I were to attend a common friend cum colleague’s brother’s reception. I had had fruits during lunch in office that day… and at 6:15 pm rushed to the rest room to change into a saree. Quickly draped it around and a li’l dash of make up, set my hair right, wore the accessories to match with the saree, and packed the dress I was wearing – ALL in 10 minutes.

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-35094088257358291432008-05-29T02:51:00.000-07:002008-05-29T02:52:14.707-07:00

I had learnt from experienced mothers and also the mother care books, that first trimester comes with nausea, morning sickness and other kinds of symptoms. But luckily for me I didn’t have any of these in the first trimester. In fact everybody who knew that I was pregnant would only exclaim, “How lucky!!!” when they learnt that I didn’t have any discomforts. The only craving I had was to sleep. I

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-1982358917908442582008-05-29T02:48:00.000-07:002008-05-29T02:51:39.711-07:00

October 2007 was a merry month for us as my bro-in-law and family had arrived to Kolkata. But we had an extra reason for our joy and it was only between Abbas n I. I knew I would be breaking it to my sis-in-law first. But every time I decided to tell her, a sense of shyness would crawl over me and prevent me from sharing with her the great news. One day I somehow let her know and as expected she

Seemanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069289542930360705.post-72098027024421920012008-05-29T02:45:00.000-07:002008-05-29T02:51:15.584-07:00

Abbas and I were never certain what would be the right time for it. When our sis-in-law moved to Bangalore with the sweet li’l kids, a sense of emptiness filled our house. We had slowly learned to live with it. Yet the absence of babies in our house made us crave for one. Quite often either of us would ask the other, “Should we have a baby now?” Thinking of the financial aspects attached to it,

Seemanoreply@blogger.com0