Seventh Heaven

It's official...today's our 7th wedding anniversary. I thought of writing a poem, but I think these photos really tell all. Marriage truly is a blissful thing and it gets better with each passing year. There are the ups and downs and giggles and frowns, but add enough trust, chocolate, vacations and humor and you can really make it fun.











The first time we met in Jacksonville, FL

Our wedding day in CA









Making the most of our two years in snowy Rochester, NY and the surrounding sites










Vacationing in San Diego, CA















And of course, welcoming the two loves of our lives, Saloni and Sohan







Saloni (at 19 months)
Sohan (at 9 days)

I Love Being a Loser

I really wouldn't want to add a photo to today's subject - weight loss. Honestly, there's an area of the mirror I just don't enjoy the reflection of but have to face. Ten days into the second chapter of motherhood and I lost 15 pounds. Yeah! I can only half celebrate though because I have 15 more pounds to lose. I gained 30 wholesome pounds during this pregnancy and I intend to lose it all. I have to. I've been waiting oh so patiently to get back into my beloved chinos and summer skirts. Not to mention everyone around me (suddenly everyone seems magically skinny) is wearing the cutest bermuda shorts and breezy tops.

Those of you who know me well know that I love fashion and live for dressing well. My current subjection to Sunil's t-shirts and old elastic-waist shorts only seems to prolong the feeling of being pregnant. I have focused on the health of the baby and my family to now wake up and focus on my health and the weighty feeling of this baggage I'm carrying.

Our evening walks have been wonderful and have jump started my need to exercise. And please don't laugh at this...but I used to work out to Denise Austin in Rochester and can't wait to drag that video back out! I'm up for anything, so send me any suggestions you have. For now, there's a diaper to be changed and a pint-sized angel to be put to bed. And oh, my darling hubby to be kissed. Tooda loo!

I loves you Sohan!

Hi little Sohan, whatcha doing today?

I can't wait for you to run and play!

I'm giving you kisses, one two three,

I loves you so much and I know you loves me!

The Encyclopedia of Children

beauty. wonder. love. joy. owies. band aids. reaching up. clapping hands. singing out loud. crying out loud. smiling. whining. spaghetti on the floor. spaghetti in their hair. baby bottles. sippy cups. baby wipes. out of sights. cartoons. walks. nature. flowers. butterflies. crawling buggies. flying buggies. wind in their hair. sun in their eyes. tv time. dinner time. play phones. play remotes. lego. blocks. construction. destruction. frustration. nap time. dream time. sleepyhead in bed. stretch out. ready to dance. kick a ball. stand tall. walk up stairs. run down halls. fall. trip. bump a head. scratched up knees. kisses. hugs. consolation. trying to burp. throwing up. washcloths. swaddle cloths. after school talks. bedtime stories. bath time. making bubbles. rinse here. scrub there. soft pajamas. sweet dreams. school. home. shopping. parks. indoor play. outdoor fun. learning. reading. sharing. perspiring. round toys. big toys. no batteries included. new clothes. tired shoes. missing socks. magazines. books. french fries. curly fries. button nose. lovely eyes.

so much energy. such pint size wonders. god bless them. we love them. no manual required.

Our darling is Here!

We're so excited to announce the arrival of Sohan Sunil Joshi! He came hopping out at 1:58pm on Tuesday, May 13th and is an absolute cutie! Weighing in at 6lbs. and 9oz, he is doing well, thank God. It's funny that when I last wrote on this blog at Monday around midnight, little did I know, Sohan was cooking up a plan to say hello days before his due date of May 19th. We just came home yesterday afternoon, so here are some initial photos, and more will be coming...



Hello handsome!


Hello everyone, I'm here.



Look Daada, that's my little brother!



We're Grandparents again!



Gotta nap while Sohan sleeps...



On my way home

The Countdown is On

It was a fun-filled three-day Mother's Day weekend. Sunil's office showered us on Friday with a wonderful afternoon shower. Plenty of jokes, gifts and mom's tales went around the room. And the cake was just what the doctor might have ordered at this time in my pregnancy!




While the tension and winds amped up at the local Players Tournament at the PGA TOUR, we began our countdown to the birth of baby Joshi. Yup, less than 10 days away from the due date! Saturday we went to the new Pizza Palace in Riverside and then went to the park in the evening to shoot some hoops (yeah, even big me tried my hand at it!) while Saloni giggled her way onto the swings.



Sunday was a nice and simple Mother's Day starting with a big breakfast, lounging in pajamas most of the day and then Sunil making his awesome grilled cheese sandwiches. I was thrilled that Sergio Garcia won the Players after years of determination and hard work. It was fun to watch and even Saloni cheered on the different players. But aside from the golf game, we just couldn't believe that soon, days from now, a new little Joshi will be joining us. And we pray that he is happy, healthy and ready for the world.




I loved capturing these photos today of Saloni, who regularly talks to my tummy and asks Baby Joshi if he'd like to wear shorts like she does when he comes out! With the heat starting to rise, I'd love to get back into shorts too. Just when I'm back to my normal self. So, day by day, the countdown continues and I am thankful for each healthy moment. Till the big day, thank you for your advice, laughs and prayers. We can't wait now!

The Essentials

I was in the mood for lists today. I'm sure you all have an unwritten list of essentials that help get you through the everyday. Here's seven things that really make my life easier.


1. My Palm. This is my third Palm (they keep changing the technology so fast!) since 2000 and I am forever indebted to my old boss, Dana from Dun & Bradstreet for turning me onto this tool. It keeps my addresses, photos, notes, calendar, to-do's and other do-dad's all in one place. No sticky notes required - even though I still write to-do lists every now and then.

2. My Eye Mask. If you're like me, a tiny nightlight, alarm clock glow or light sneaking in from another room keeps you awake. I take my eye sleep mask wherever I go. It really does its job in letting me get some shuteye no matter what time of the day.

3. My Massage Membership. I started this last year as part of my pregnancy well-being and the best part is that the monthly membership "forces" me to take care of myself and mend those creaks and knots from getting worse. Oh to be 36!

4. Lipstick. No matter the mood, time of day or lack of celebratory moment, lipstick is the one thing that can cheer you up. It's adds that rosy glow to a face that after laundry, dishes and picking up toys, deserves a little cheer.

5. My Slippers. I'm addicted to wearing them. Even Saloni panics when she sees that they're not on my feet! They're the perfect cushion for endless trips up and down the stairs and I don't feel the hardness of wood floors or tile...I highly recommend a pair.

6. My Foot Scrubber. Yes, feet are important to me especially with all the work they do. I found this suction cupped foot scrubber that's in the shape of a foot and it is just perfect for keeping them soft and callous free. Plop it on the shower floor, add shower gel and scrub away.

7. Milk. I love a cold tall glass of milk. I can even drink half and half if need be. (Actually, half and half with cereal is really good.) Growing up, I used to drink five glasses a day, now I'm down to three, but still loving every sip.

What are your essentials?

Coming out for Oxygen

How could I forget to mention the best part of the weekend? The American Lung Association's Oxygen Ball was Saturday night and it's a charity event that we look forward to all year. With just two weeks left in my pregnancy, this was really special to me as I know I shall be homebound for a while once our little tiger is out!

The appetizers, food and crowd is always great. And knowing it's for a good cause made the night even sweeter. Sunil met old colleagues and we both met friends that also make this night an annual outing. It was hard to talk with my crackling, congested voice over the crowd, but when you're out, you gotta make the most of it. The icing of the evening was re-connecting with Jimmy Smith, our good ol' former Jaguar. Sunil had met Jimmy years ago and through the years of Jaguar games that we have traveled to, he has always made it a point to say hello to us no matter how busy he was. What I find amazing for someone like him who must meet hundreds of people at events like these is that he really does listen. He remembered to ask about our daughter and he and his wife Sandra were excited that we are expecting a second baby. We even laughed about how we were supposed get together for Indian food but that the days had just slipped by.



For those of you that are football fans, you will easily remember the magic of Smith and McCardell. They were a mighty combination of speed, athleticism and sheer determination and their chemistry with Brunell is something everyone still talks about. Football is one sport whose season is not long enough and the reruns are never played enough. It's where heroes and egos clash and where good deeds sometimes get overshadowed by the glamour and money. So I salute to those that played the game with passion and deep down are just like us...happy to stop and say hello.

What a Week It Was!

It seems that everytime I want to sit and write, I find excuses these days to put if off until tomorrow. So unlike me! I think about blogging more than my fingers get to play on the keyboard. But I must say that last week was quite a week. I don't know when I would have written and how it would have come out coherently. From my car getting "gassed" out by Nissan - a whole story in itself - to running more errands than on my daily list to Saloni getting the sniffles and night coughs and finally to me getting a full fledged sinus and chest congestion combo. Oh yeah, it was a week! Friday morning I just wanted to sleep, drink water and sleep. I have been told many times that when things get rough, it is best to move from where you are and find a nice view. It could be of anything. So I threw open the front door and sat with Saloni to engage myself in the trees dancing across from our front door. Isn't this an awesome view? It sure helped me get my mind off the week.




But today is Tuesday and with Saloni back in school, the house is quiet, the breeze is summery and my congestion (thank you good old fashioned Vicks Vaporub!) is much better. We also had quite an eventful weekend. Friday night Saloni got to hang out with her favorite Dada and Dadi and we went for an eating fest at a local diner. Saturday, Saloni's aunt Adeeti and uncle Nikhil, their baby Neelam and son Arjun came as a surprise for the weekend. Nothing's more fun than seeing Saloni and her favorite cousin brother in action. She just couldn't give him enough hugs and we were all having fun being entertained even though I was voiceless!

Which reminds me, time for another drink of water...