No No I am not talking about a gift that I received.I am talking about the gifts that we buy,for someone else.Every month we have 2-3 invites for DH’s Desi colleagues kids’ birthdays.More often than not,I don’t know these people and its like a first meeting of a kind.So,what do you buy for a kid you don’t know?sometimes,DH doesn’t even know the kid’s age or name..you know..if the invitation is extended in lunch hour..saying ki achcha come for my kid’s birthday tomorrow at so-and-so place. Or if you are invited to a colleagues home for an informal meetup with the team and spouses.
Now,I love giving gifts ..but I am at a loss,when buying gifts for such occassions.I don’t want to bring wine to a non-drinker’s home or fit for a 3 yo gift to a 7 yo.So,mostly I ask DH to atleast check the child’s age or try to understand the hosts personality,by asking questions about him.The age he can find out(mostly)..on other occasions,he finds it too awkward to ask the parent..how old his/her child is turning!WHY?? I dont know!As for the occasional dinner,I have resorted to taking flowers or boxed candy.
Now,as for the kids,I set a budget…say X amount for someone we barely know..to Y for someone DH/I like and know and may be Z (more than x+y) for a house warming or something. When,buying gifts for kids,I normally,stick to age appropriate gift.If I know the child personally then,depending on his or her likes or hobbies.Mostly its fine and sometimes,if I like a particular gift..I buy it,even if its a few dollars more than the budgetted X amount.
But,what do you do,when you find a gift that was originally priced X(your budget) but is on a special sale with nearly 80% off? Do you buy it and pat yourself for finding a bargain or do you buy that discounted gift and also buy something for your child,and still have money left and look at yourself and say,’How Cheap?’
This is the second time its happenned to me..and I don’t know what to do..The first time was way back in September.We got one of those kiddie birthday invitations and I went to buy a gift and found what I liked and at check-out,the price was in a single digit.And this month,for another last-minute invites,I went to buy a gift and it was originally priced at X amount..and because of some ongoing sale,I got it for more than 80% off!!
The first time,I was too shocked and added some candy to the gift..to make up for the remainder of the X amount.This time,I just bought something else for Aadi.And even then,the total was not X..After finding the said present,we walked around,looking for something else,equally nicer for X amount..but everything else was more expensive,than X. So,we just bought this..after thinking and re-considering our decision over and over.But,like I pointed out to DH,if we had bought it last week,then we would have paid,full price!
What would you have done,if you were in my place?

Big Three-Oh is here..and I must say,upclose it doesn’t look any different from any other day.I don’t know what was I expecting..was I expecting to suddenly grow a pair of wings or wake up with 30 written in pink glitter on my forhead.??Why Pink glitter?I dunno..just feel it would have been pink glitter.Nope,I woke up..and everything was the same..I had to still sneak into the toilet quietly,so as to not wake Aadi up..and while I was in there,I had to still answer to her banging the door,telling her,I am in here..go back to sleep till I come and get you..:) Yes the world is still the same.
DH DID take the day off and it was nice to have him around.He told me to not enter the kitchen,he wanted to tidy it up..It was nice to just sit and be served tea.very nice 🙂
After tea and some munchies,we were off to Aadi’s school.The form has been submitted,fees paid..and she can start in April,after she turns three.Then,we went out for lunch..had a nice leisurely lunch..with nowhere to rush too..and since we hadn’t eaten out in a long time,it was a nice change..and definitely festive.
In the evening,Friend S came over with the most delicious mini cupcakes..very cute and delicious..
I spent a lovely day with the two people who matter the most to me..I am happy.Through out the day,my phone kept ringing..and every call,message,email left me feeling fuzzy inside.Thank you,everyone.
Almost everyone asked me how I felt,turning Thirty..I think,I feel just the same..I am excited and nervous of getting old and nooo..I am not scared of wrinkles,I am just scared of being not-so-cool 😛 In a way,I am glad to be out of the twenties..I was happy till I was about 25-26..but when I was 29,I didn’t feel like I belong..I was just waiting to cross over!:D
Looking back,I don’t think,I have any regrets for the last decade..I am happy where I am,what I am doing..I am happy.I did want to have 2 kids before I turned thirty..but hey..the thirties are here for the next ten years..and even longer..:P if I decide to freeze my age at 30,isn’t it?And I do want to get financially independent and I am working on it..
I was talking to the DH and realised that I have spent every end of the decade birthday in a different country..so 10th,20th and the 30th birthday,celebrated in three different countries and 2 different continents..Cool na?
I thought long and hard,about what to write today…my mind is still fuzzy with all the birthday wishes and so I decided to ramble on,like I always do.
And also because,when I tried talking to DH about all the things on my mind..he got into his preaching mode,and explained the ways of life to me..sidetracking whatever I was saying..LOL! And when I asked him,”can I talk now?” ,a little voice quipped from the back-seat..”No no,you wait..can I talk now?”..Sigh..See..they don’t let me talk,so I keep this blog..where I can ramble on and on,without waiting for my turn!
And I so wanted to have a breezer today..actually,I have been wanting to have one for the last 4 weeks,just never got around to it..And I know I’ve missed the deadline..but its my birthday..or was ..so..I can cut some slack,huh?
Edited to add- Oh there were some cards,flowers and Rochers waiting for me,at midnight..:D

Last time I tried to sew the gift bags for Sew-it on SCU,I faced a road block.The stitching was uneven and the backside had lots of knots,thread was skipping.I looked online,asked sweet Nima and she asked me to check the various steps of threading and tension etc.I did..but didn’t know where to adjust the tension.I tried again..and gave up.
This morning,after breakfast,I brought the sewing machine out,dusted her off and started reading the manual,carefully threaded her and then tried on a scrap …still the knots were there.Readjusted the tension dial and bingo!!neatly arranged stitches.That got me excited.I pulled out the unfinished sundress from this Sew-it I started it..but got my India ticket and was tooo excited to finish it.
It took me less than half an hour to finish it.It was already half done.I tried it on Aadi..and she refuses to take it off.

I still need to finish the hemming and may be next time,I’ll make longer ties.The bottom edge is the original material’s bottom edge,so there are no loose threads there.
P.S.- I have had this fabric since Aadi turned 8 months old..I bought it to make a night dress for my cuddlebun then..may be this sundress will be her night gown..She is dozing off wearing it now.
Mayya,thanks for sharing the tutorial on SewChicAndUnique.

and its weigh-in time.This week,I lost half kg. Not a lot,but,NSV are considerable.Knocked off 3 quarters of an inch from the waist and another inch from the bust.Everyone keeps telling me,that initial weight loss is only water loss..But I like the shrinkage! 😀
And I stayed on the diet for 3 whole weeks!I was PMSing badly last week and end of the week before,so did go off on certain days,but I made sure I compensated with other things..like a long walk followed by lighter dinner.
Then,Aunt Flo was here..and so yoga was out.But in my state,arrival of aunt Flo without meds is a big achievement.I am so excited to start the yoga again.I didn’t excercise much.But,I was very active.I surprised myself,so many times,in the last week.Previously,arrival of aunt flo meant,unrestricted guilt-free pigging and sleeping..I am in too much discomfort to think or do anything else. But this time,I went out every day.Either in the park,or garden or mall..every day.The dropped pounds,make me feel more energised.
Though,very few people commented on it yet,I can feel it and see it.Everytime I look into the mirror,I see the differences.My clothes fit differently..I can look at my face and not see only puffiness.The Acne/break-out is less..all the painful pimples are gone.I am happy.
Ohh and yesterday,I made this for Aadya..check out her excitement..

Here she is making the birdie fly.

BTW,she’s named the birdie,Chup-Chup..and birdie hasn’t left her side,since she came into existence..Details here.

Words… “Its only words and words are all I have to take you heart away”..I am thinking these famous words.I have always been a spontaneous writer..I write when inspiration strikes me..even if that means getting up at 3 AM and penning down a few lines.While what I write on such moments still remain some of my best write-ups..I have come to realise that the mind needs to be trained to be spontaneous.I cannot just wait for those bursts of inspiration..if I have to write something seriously.

I read a post on Desi Moms nearly a year back.It was a guest post by  a published writer and she said,That everyday,keep allocate some time to write.Even if it means,you are just writing about the weather,but make sure you write a few lines everyday.
In her own words-

1. Write everyday, even if you don’t write everyday.Keep in touch with subject matter mentally on days when you aren’t able to write. Think about it – think actively and constructively about your manuscript – sometime every day – maybe not when you are driving to work, but perhaps at least when you brush your teeth at night. Why? It keeps the subject alive in you and makes it much easier when you finally do get time to sit and type at the computer. (Having lived in America for so many years, I feel almost compelled now, to add, WARNING – This tip is not to be practiced behind the wheel; dreaming about your book while driving can cause accident, serious injury or worse).

I have a story in my mind..I have had it for nearly three years now..I kept putting it off..I told myself,I will start writing it,when,we settle down somewhere..or when we move to Australia..its been more than one and half here..but I still haven’t gotten around to writing it.I kept waiting for “it to come to me”.Naturally,it didn’t. Sometime in late september-early October,last year,I sat down one day,with the intention of making a start.I wrote a few lines and stopped.I started and stopped again..and finally,one day,when Aadya was napping,I started writing..really started writing and finished the first chapter.And I read it again..I was kicked..I already felt like I have achieved something.And then,came the surprise India trip.I thought,I will have all the time to write,there..but,nothing.I got nothing done.

I came back and looked at my diary everyday..and told myself,I should write..but didn’t or couldn’t.If anything,I kept the diary well hidden in my drawer. Today,i took it out,to check something else..and I read my finished chapter-1 and the lone sentence of chapter-2.I looked at it long and hard..and then looked some more…then,finally started writing..Aadi interrupted me for something,that was followed by a teary meltdown..Hers not mine..I stopped again..When she took a nap,later today,I sat down and wrote some more.

I don’t know..if I will ever finish it.I want to..I don’t know,if it will ever get published..but,I will be happy in the knowledge,that I did what I wanted to.May be I will just use one of those book printing softwares and print a copy for me to read when we are old and grey..I don’t even know why I am writing this ..May be I need to put it in words to get that “Push”..

Speaking of “Push”..this friend of mine,took it upon herself to keep sending me virtual pushes..Even couple of weeks,she would send me an email with only one liner- Push..hope you are working on it!She has just adopted the most adorable little Baby Boy,who is 1 and takes up all her free time..So,darling Amita,may be I had to write this post,to tell you,that I am working on ‘it’!

And all you lovely people..cross your fingers and send up a prayer..and feel free to give me that PUSH..when you think,I need it.