15 Marbles

Moments.Musings.Memories. ❤️Gathering little marbles from ordinary days and keeping them for our memory jar. ❤️

recent posts

about

  • What did I do-Day 29

    Recently I shared a picture on FB and since then I have been receiving emails from friends asking what have I been doing to lose weight..My first response is nothing really..But,then,the more I think I realise..its the small changes that make a difference.
    Here’s what I did-
    1) A bit tedious but I counted calories..(have been slack for the last few weeks) but still do..That and lots of walking.I used myfitnesspal to calculate calories. It even has a tool for calculating the per serve calories,so that way,if you cook your own meals,you don’t have to guess the calories.
    2) Replaced as many processed things with fresh as I could-Did a big pantry clean out and literally dumped the things that I couldn’t resist..read Bhujiya! Moved most of the snacks for SD and kids to another shelf and my healthy snacks to the one with easy access.
    3) Upped the fibre content with fruits and veggies.
    4)MFP told me that even 1 tsp olive oil has 150 cals..So,I replaced it with oil spray or just used 1 tsp to grease the pan and then poured it out.
    5) calories Consumed- 1200 cal to lose,1500 if you are nursing/pregnant.
    6) 5-6 meals during the day- brekky/lunch/dinner-300 cals.. and 3 100-cal snacks. I was targeting 1500 so I did 300 for brekky,400 each for lunch and dinner and 4 100-cal snacks- one of which was almost always a cup of milk.
    You might have noticed,most of it is food related..well it was-I have to be honest I tried my best to workout for the first 3 -4 months of the year..after that,as it got colder,I started working more,SD’s travels etc.. workouts are out..I was lucky if I can get one in 10 days. So,I try to eat clean..some days I slip up and then the very next day,I start eating clean! Michelle Bridges of the biggest loser fame,says that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% workout..well I am trying to give my 80%:) Since the last 2 weeks,I am trying to be more strict with myself and schedule a workout/walk 4-5 times during the week,first thing after school drop-off,that way,its done before my body has a chance to complain!
    Also read the Kardashian mum say- they follow the 80-20 rule.. eat clean 80% of the times,so if you have an occasional treat..its not so bad!
    Hope this helps:)

    My sister doesn’t approve of my ‘diet’ because I eat everything..but I eat in moderation..and I firmly believe that if I go without something for a long time,1)there is a big chance of self-sabotage- I will miss it so much and then binge!
    2)when I start eating it again,I will put the weight right back on!

    So..there you go,I have said it as it is..I have lots heaps of kgs but I still have a long way to go,till I will be happy with the way I look…:)
    Hope this helps,

  • 16 month letter..Day 29

    Hiii Ananya,
    Sorry,Hii Naanna,you are 16 months old young now!Whenever we call you Ananya,you correct us and say,Naanna..:)
    Something’s definitely changed.Almost overnight you have grown up..your face is changing,you are cutting your 3rd bottom tooth and you have a big girl look about yourself.There I said it! you are turning into a toddler! you have turned into a toddler.You want to walk everywhere.When I pick you up,you give me a hug and wiggle out of my arms. If you know a place,you don’t want to hold hands..So,its very very tiring taking you to Didi’s school and Coles! You are not even scared of the crowds!
    You now know how to throw tantrums and let me tell you darling,you beat your sister hands down! If I thought her twos were terrible..I am dreading to think what yours will be like. You have already had 2 major public meltdowns in the last 3 days..OMG! Nanhi,you have a temper and you have even thrown a fit in the pool!Really..in the pool!!All I wanted to do was put the dolphin back in its basket,just like ALL other tots were doing,but NO! you decided that Mumma did a bad thing and had to punish her by throwing a body flinging tantrum in the pool!! Let me just tell you,kiddo-it may have been amusing for everyone else,but I wasn’t impressed!

    You are fear-less..I can’t get over that bit..You climbed up on Mumma’s exercise bike,in less than 10 secs..both Mumma& Papa had our hearts in our mouths,but you couldn’t care less.You climb up on your cars,just to get a better view of the TV!You have learned to balance on the push-along walker,to get a glimpse of your ‘babies’-Magic and Sparkle!
    You are saying more and more words..Your latest words are- ‘More’,Gandee(Dirty!),Guna(=Gunda=Naughty brat),gimme,dedo(give me!) aaja-aaja(come) aaowie aaga ( ouwie laga-got hurt!) Naaanuuu(you pick up the phone a thousand times during the day and say,NAanu!!),Daadu,Dadi,Khaega!
    First thing you do,when you wake up is look for your plate-there are two plates that have to always stay in the bedrooms- a purple one in mumma bedroom and a steel one in yours and didi’s. And the moment you wake up-in the morning or from a nap,you pick up your plate and say Khaega! LOL!
    Something’s changed in the last few days-you have started moving around on the bed..I wake up in the middle of the night,panicking,looking for you,only to find you sleeping near my tummy,bum in the air..or there are times,when I have been woken up you,snuggling up close to me..:) you are not that sticking-to-mumma sleeper anymore..and that just makes me want to hold you closer.
    You are going longer and longer between feeds.You enjoy your food and drinks but still come to me every few hours saying ‘This gimme’.You follow your sister everywhere and have to copy EVERYTHING that she does.
    You are a cutie,Ms.Anan..but you are very cheeky.When we pretend to ‘tell off’ you or your sister,you take it very seriously and personally.Up goes that little finger and your mouth is set in firm lines and YOU tell us off..and then walk off,turn around,scold some more and then stomp off!Its hilarious!
    Can’t believe it that this time last year,you were just an itty-bitty cuddle bum!
    Ummmmaaaaaaaaah,my laddu!
    Love you loads,
    Mumma!

  • Day 27

    Today started at 5:30 am with a loud clap of thunder.It was so loud,literally felt like someone is trying to break into the house.Aadi woke up scared and ran into our room.
    At 7 am,the skies were so grey,it almost felt like night and it was pouring.I told Aadi that she could stay home,if she liked.And she got so upset.She wanted to go to school,because it was the day of Performing Arts. So,we woke up and got dressed.
    And then,it was just the usual day..
    By school pick-up time,the skies had cleared and the weather had improved.So,we decided to go for a walk before dinner.Nanhi in her pram,Aadi on her scooter and SD and I walking along.I love love love such family times.The last time we took the scooter out,Aadi was bored of riding in the first 5 minutes.Today,we were out for 45-50 minutes and she rode the scooter,for the first 30 minutes or so and then she got tired.By then Nanhi was also tired of sitting in the pram,so we let her walk.They both walked holding SD’s hands .. A sight that made my heart turn into mush…
    Some more mush..
    Aadi was walking/running ahead of Nanhi & SD and Nanhi called out to her,’Aadi..aaja aaja’

    Aadi ran up to the pram to grab her water and picked up Nanhi’s also and gave it to her before drinking her own!

    When Nanhi wanted to walk,SD objected saying,she might want to go on the road.And I told Aadi,’Papa used to say the same thing to you..and he would get mad at me,for making you walk on the road,even though you wanted to.’ And in all seriousness,Aadi told SD,”Papa,Nanna is very cute..look she really enjoys walking,you shouldn’t get angry with mumma or her..She is really cute,Papa.” I told her,Aadi you are cute also..and her response..”yes I know..but she is my little sister and so she is veryyyy cute!”
    erm.. OK..this generation knows no modesty!

    The best part- I remembered to wear my heart-rate monitor and wore my walking workout shoes,that one of the mums at school gave me.And when we finished the walk,I had burned 215 cals and everyone had a great time..win-win!
    Hope you had a nice day too..

  • Mommy guilt..Day 26..

    4 years back when we had first moved to Melbourne,Aadi was a very very poor sleeper.And what was worse was that she took F.O.R.E.V.E.R to fall asleep. SD was working super-long hours,Aadi was super-clingy with me and I was literally lying in bed with her for 2-3 hours at a stretch,only to have her sleep and then wake up within 10 minutes of me slipping out of bed.Add to that equation an impossible neighbor and I was at my wits ends.
    One time I had gone without rest for more than 2 days..the only rest I got was 5-6 hours of sleep each night. I snapped.The neighbor had taken to leaving notes on my door and I couldn’t take it anymore..When Aadi didn’t sleep,I picked her up and came out to the living room..She looked out the window and was scared of the dark.She started crying and I yelled at her.Its very rare that I yell at her when she is crying..I tell her off later and now,we argue..when she is throwing a tantrum..LOL! the joys of having a girl!
    Anyway,she started crying and I yelled and she cried even louder..SD tried to take her away and she refused to go to him..I was ready to snap…SD pried her away from me,she continued screaming..I locked myself in the bathroom for 10 minutes..or may be 5..I don’t know.But when I came out,I was calmer..but she was still crying.I hugged her and we cried some more together..It was one of those moments when you feel so hopeless and helpless that you don’t know what to do with yourself. But it passed..and as soon as I cuddled her,she fell asleep. But I still feel guilty when I remember that night or when she is scared of the dark.
    Anyway fast forward to 5 years later,tonight-Nanhi was so sleepy.She was literally walking into walls.I was trying to rock her to bed,and she kept sliding off my lap.SD tried to pick her up and she thrashed at him.Just sliding on the floor and thrashing and rolling.I picked her up and took her to the back door.I felt guilty,but I pointed out the door-“Do you want to go out there?”..”No”,she said.. “Ok then,go to sleep!”I told her..and surprisingly she just snuggled up and fell asleep and my guilt increased by 10 times. First about not being so patient with Aadi and second about introducing Nanhi to the darkness..:(
    I thought a lot about putting this in words and about publishing these words,but I had to get it off my chest.Please don’t judge me…I am only a mom.My only consolation is that Aadi doesn’t care about the dark anymore..she now knows it gets dark because of the sunset.As for Nanhi,she is a fearless chickie.. I think when I asked her,if she wanted to go out there,she didn’t want to go bye-bye..I think! That and in a couple of years,she won’t remember this,just as Aadi doesn’t anymore..BUT,what about me? I don’t think I’ll ever get over it:(