Here i am, back.

After my big flop show on trying hands at blogging marathon, many times i sat down with mind full of thoughts to pen down....but as soon as i started writing i felt i need an explanation to all, a good enough one, for failing to write. So i thought and thought some more.

Home situation with no baby-sitter?
My Lil Bun's teething phase ?
Our summer vacation, which we finally managed, and visited my sister.

Ohh did i tell you about it and that how much Lil Bun loved it? He loved running in open back yard, he watered the herbs, he fed salad to chickens, he enjoyed the swings and loved the tree-house. It was so nice to see him happy and we were so happy to manage some family time together.

Only thing he didn't eat much... may be it was over-whelming everything new stage, his teething stage, or not having his dinner chair around...we could not figure it out. Then he fell sick the week following we were back and after that things have approved and he is working on getting his rosy cheeks back, almost there :-)

So you get the picture. And also last but not the least...my laziness and guilt of quitting marathon so abruptly and then not being able to drop by to say how shameful i felt about it.
But finally i have braved and i am here, writing once again.

One more thing that i am trying to get back once again is painting, sorry not painting actually but sketching. I did a lot while in school and haven't much lately so i thought why not !
Also trying to get back to cooking and trying new things.
Now let's hope i don't fall of this bandwagon this time.

Wish me luck.

Ohh and yes, also my first Karwa Chauth this year. Not first after the marriage but first that i decided to celebrate.

Happy KarwaChauth all lovely people out there celebrating.

Life in a Blur, and still so good.

Remember those times when you feel like you are living  life out of a book.

And times when you are living life in a blur.

That's what happening to my life. I don't even know if i am living it or it is living by itself.

You love to write (You means me here), everything you come across you promise yourself that you will write about it, and then it just blurs out.

So much happened in the time that lapsed. 

Lil Bun turned one end of the May. Past months he faced ear infections (twice) and had a sick period but look at him now is no more a baby, almost walking. Almost because that is as long as he doesn't know he is, as soon as he realizes he is walking on his own he comes and holds your hand. So now i am finding tricks to make him more absent minded so that he doesn't realise he is walking. Does it make sense to you? You believe and try to picture everything i say, don't you? I know. hehe 

Also I am back to love cooking, (and take pictures of it like some food maniac so that can blog about it, and then keep prostrating ! Sigh). Have so much lined up, i will get back to it. I promise. Meanwhile seriously want to get my blogs new look and feel, but i do not know how and love of my life is too busy now a days to help me out. So basically i am just waiting for some miracle to happen.

Have been feeling good to fit in old cloths ( not "old" old, but those from pre-pregnancy) but at the same time very well aware that still not back at what i used to be. But what does it matter as long as you feel comfortable under your skin. And let's face it i am not the same anymore inside out. I am a mom of a little miracle of our lives that indeed changed us and our lives inside out.  

If you don't feel good in a dress, don't buy it. If that dress is too tight for you, just notch up a number and go for another dress, as long as you feel good and you are comfortable.

Life is too short to be worried, to take stress and to worry about what other people think about you or they like you or not. 

Now that we are catching up on time lapsed inbetween, let me admit.... ahem, I also got a year older (and wiser, hopefully) this April.  It must be wiser to overcome obsession of FaceBook for say. But i am still there to keep a check on you that you don't do anything ridiculously naughty. Ohh did i just say that? What i really wanted to say is don't care for people thinking it is because of side-effect of having a baby which makes you to have not enough time. It might be true at times, but it will never be true to the core for always. Having him in our lives just taught us that there are more important things in life than living a virtual life, picturing a perfect life and eyeing other picture-perfect lives. 

I don't think being fake, jealous, judgmental or to be around such negative auroras was going to do any good to me. Instead of pretending why can't i just be what i feel like, why can't i just say what i think about.  And who cares seriously, well i know we all do care at one point or other but i mean isn't it good that you get to miss me and long to see me, just so that you can go being your bitchy/ judging self? haha But i like the part that you long to see me, i will ignore the rest ! I am in a good mood you see?  

Just my 2 cent of advise, having an awesome life in real is more important than having an awesome virtual life. Virtual life can wait, real life won't.

See i told you, i am getting wiser with age. Now don't roll those eyes, okay?

So back to so much happened...

I am really happy as after about one year i managed to be back at reading. Reading is something i always loved since i was a kid. Haven't be reading any intellectual stuff really if you ask me. Just some chic lits from Jill Mansell, just because i liked one of hers and ended up ordering so many from her. Light, and very chic. And with characters you can relate and can take you back to those bright dreamy days of hopeless romance your eyes sparkled with, once upon a time. I feel happy. All books end happy. Perfect. I love happy endings. Eventhough it doesn't make any sense in the real world still i do, I am a girl you see.

We managed to take some vacations. I don't remember if i mentioned before but i had such high hopes from Easter holidays. But i ended up cancelling and re-scheduling bookings to May because of weather (too much rain, too cold, snow in spring, seriously?) and health of my lil Bun. 

But the weather started getting better, and so did everything around us. We made a trial trip to small beautiful town of Belgium "Kortrijk" and a beautiful city from France "Lille" and of april. It was great, eventhough i was sick at the time, i felt great. We were out, breathing fresh air, bathing in sun, eating good food. Happy. Good.

And we made my re-scheduled trip from march in May. We been to Malta. Honestly it was nothing compared to what i had expected out of it. 

All I thought about was beaches, sun and warmth. And not to forget convenience of speaking english. But it ended up surprising me with much more than that it has to offer. Whether it was having a stroll in it's capital Valletta, or getting lost in time capsule in old city Mdina, or just simply standing there overlooking the Bastions ! It was perfect. 

We explored almost whole island and our lil Bun behaved himself like a pro-traveller. So proud of him. And so happy that he inherited liking for travelling from his parents.  He was so happy to be out, to enjoy the freedom of playing in open air, to stand at the balcony and gaze at sea while the breeze plays with his face. He smiled, he laughed and we all felt utterly happy. 

So what else can i say, just that Life is good. Thanks for everything that i am. And thanks for accepting me as i am. You didn't mean to me this much without a reason. Yes i mean you, you !

A Special Valentines' Day to all !

This valentines' day is special and perfect. Of course it has to be as i have two valentines this time.

Celebrations might not be the same as it used to be, but i have never felt so loved ever before in my life.

Our lil Bun has been daddy's boy from the start. At the hint of his papa's voice he jumps and now suddenly he is giving me all the attentions of the world! Could i be happier! (May be he knows that it's valentine week, so thinks let me make mummy happy ?;-) )

It is amazing to see how he understands and knows when we are at home and runs towards us blabbering something which can be easily translated in "Ohh, here you are, didn't you know how much i missed you !! " 

I love the way he looks at me when i enter the home tired from work, he stops anything he has been busy doing and starts rushing towards me blabbering in his language. And all i can say is "i missed you too baby !!" He jumps in my hand and i shower him with kisses.

He makes us happy and he teaches us we do not need reasons to be happy, being together so much in love is reasons enough.

People say your world changes with the baby and things will never be the same again. That is true, things will not be same ever again, but would we ever want it to be the same? Never Ever. We will never want THIS to change. 

From what we kept hearing it seemed it is natural that our relationship as a couple will change, and it did but it only did for good, it got stronger and better.

I am proud of being married to him; he loves both of us (me and lil Bun) with all our imperfections and makes sure new addition in our lives doesn't mean things change between us (me and him). 

When having his favorite baguettes with aioli, if there is last piece left then in stead of gulping it he asks me to take it and if i deny then he still insists and leaves me half of it ! 

Whenever we manage to go out for our 'alone' time (don't know how can it be alone with two of us together but cannot think in my current sleepy state how to put it otherwise), he doesn't make fuss about missing ten mins of his favorite Man.Utd. vs Real Madrid game. ( That doesn't mean he didn't run in front of tv even before parking car properly or didn't ask if i could park for him ! ) 

If one who can be lacking then it can only be me at times but never him. 

He is never demanding and he won't ever miss adding "and to you too" looking at me, every time he kisses lil Bun mumbling love you babbyyyy. :-)

That's our loving man.

Touchwood.

So I feel blessed. And we feel complete. 

That's to us, and to you all a very Happy Valentines' day.

I don't think i will manage baking a cake this time, but here is one that i did on one of those times.

Valentine Cake

Recipe... Here.

Lil Bun's Diary # 2, Being Naughty !

There is no formula or date on how and when these little bunnies become little monkeys.

I had a surprise in store this weekend, a shock that this little man can think ahead and can infer the implications.

Our lil Bun has always been fond of greens, not to eat but to hold, break and play with. When he was a little baby, he will be fascinated with plants and leaves and will try to catch it every time we pass by with him in hand.

Now he runs in his walker and crawls on his legs/ feet, he got more freedom to explore so what else can he ask for!

Yesterday i was in the kitchen and as i needed to do something, i put him in his walker for those few minutes. Then suddenly i notice there is no running around, crashing in furniture sound. Everything went quiet (like in those suspense movies before a big wooooosh).

I called his name and no response. 

I walk out of kitchen looking for him and what do i see, he is hiding in a passage. As I walk further near to him I see he is actually eating a leave from the plant standing there quietly. 

Me: Hey what are you doing here??? 

He looks up at me, a naughty smile appears on his face and next moment he starts running... not towards me but in the opposite direction so that mummy can't catch him!

I was amazed, surprised, puzzled all at the same time! 

How did he know that he can hide and do things we say not to do?

When i approached he inferred that he needs to run away if he wanted to keep eating that leaf in his hand!

And he didn't forget to pass me on that heart-melting sweet naughty smile, after which mummy can only smile and can't be angry on lil Bun!

Ohh boy!

Really?

My lil Bun is growing and growing naughtier!

Lil Bun is now 8 and 1/2 months old.

Finally... Up in the air!

Do you remember I was planning to do something special on our Anniversary which the weather didn't allow us? (HERE)

Well finally we did it this weekend.

That was the surprise I had planned for Ashu booking a hot air balloon flight for both of us. First time on our anniversary, day was nice and sunny but it had been raining previous week and so fields weren't dry enough for take off and landing. Second time re-scheduled on weekend of my birthday, again day was nice and sunny but it got a bit windy in noon and in a direction which meant going towards sea, not nice thing.

Only thing it didn't remain surprise until we finally did it. After two failed planning, I had to let Ashu know what was that surprise! And you would have seen his face at that moment when I told him, aaah lit with delight hehehe.

And then he was no more upset with what it is, why not this time, this is not done and all frustration and he started looking fwd to it as much as I was.

We had re-scheduled it again for this weekend and finally it was weather perfect, nice sunny warm, perfect for outing, or shall I say outing in the air !

We started for Amersfoort - Hoogland from where our flight was to take place in the evening. We were to meet at this small field from where we would take off. There was one other balloon flight too apart from us which was taking place.

It started with Michael, our pilot briefing us on to do-- not to do and how to do! Sanne, who was my contact through mails, helped us to understand a few things by translating in English.

Most exciting part of whole experience was take off. We started with inflating the balloon with cold air first. Then filling it with hot air. When there is enough hot air inside it starts getting up. Ohh and you are supposed to be inside the basket before it's up.

So while basket is lying on the ground, half of us get into that, apart from those helping with the task of holding balloon straight. Then as air fills in basket tilts upward making it straight and that's the time rest of the passengers gets in.

And then before you know it's in the air. Obviously while it's straightening it's tied with jeep as well until it's straight enough to avoid accidents.

It was a wonderful sight from above. We could see Amersfoort, Utrecht also Amsterdam, Rotterdam at distance.

Awesome view!

Spotted palace from above...

Spotted some fellow travelers in the air...

Awesome sunset view, loved it :o)

Spotted some wild cows in the woods...

That’s the ground where we landed…

We landed at Hilversum - Flying school ground. There were some small cute planes lying around there... hehe

That’s top of balloon opening for hot air to escape….

And perfect landing….

Trying to flatten the balloon, look how tiny they look against the balloon!

When we reached other crew members were already there with help of GPS.

We all helped with again flatting the balloon and packing it.

After everything was packed, Michael again gave a small speech on history of ballooning. Then we had tradition of "champagne christening", followed by a glass of champagne together.

This is the view I captured after pack up…

I don't need to mention it was such a memorable evening or do I? :o)