3am Eternal

I'm not sure how many Moms may think I'm nuts, but I'm starting to enjoy the 3am wake-up call to feed Sohan. He is such an adorable sight when all the world is sleeping and it's quiet in the house. I love that look he has on his face when I take him out of his crib and snuggle up to give him his bottle. He makes me think his soy milk is so yummy.

Sunil and I stay up till 11pm/12am to talk, check email and watch TV on a daily basis. That 11:30pm Seinfeld is our last call of the day for laughs. So when the lights go out and a few hours later I'm in Sohan's room, it's almost like a little getaway. I even brought in my Walkman (yeah, I still own and use one!) and caught up on some music. Hey, us Mom's have to sneak in entertainment any way we can, especially when the TV is monopolized by kids shows.

It gets old when people tell you that time flies with kids. I honestly have relished every moment and am glad time is flying the way it is. I love watching the growth, the new joys, the new words, the little "everythings" they do to make each day full of adventure. Well, it's 10:34pm right now so I'm going to enjoy my hubby time before my 3am call of eternal joy.

The Wiggly Workout

I'm not sure which I can win the battle against. Our seemingly "broken" weighing scale or my daughter's love of The Wiggles show. In any case, I've succumbed to both. While it was great seeing the first 15 pounds of post-pregnancy weight slide away, the remaining 15 pounds are stuck on me like an 80's song in my head. They just won't budge. Mind you, it's great that friends and family keep saying they don't notice it, but the mirror doesn't lie and neither do clothes that don't fit. Saloni loves watching this show at least once a day. So, while I have to give in to her love of those four Aussies, I thought to myself, why not make all their song and dance worth my while? And so, the Wiggly Workout was created. An hour a day of dancing like a crazy Aussie, but my what a workout it is. It gets all your body parts moving and grooving and in this hot weather, it's a good sweat session too.

I'm hoping all this will get me somewhere closer to being in shape. Lord knows I've waited long to be fit again. Any suggestions on your post-pregnancy weight-loss success are welcome! For now, the Aussies have me hooked. Lights! Camera! Action!

It was A Happy Father's Day Daddy!

It started with Sunil's birthday on Friday the 13th. He was out of town for work and came back in the evening. As soon as that garage door opened Saloni and I rushed to say "Hapeeeeee Birthdayyyy!" Sohan was fast asleep but woke up later with a big smile on his face. Saloni made this really neat clay hand print in school with a decorated card. She loved gushing about how she made it "just for my Pappa".

Saturday we went to the zoo on a whim and had a great time. I do admit that it was quite muggy and sticky, but seeing some pretty incredible birds and animals made up for the heat. And we became kids again by hopping onto the Merry-Go-Round twice - at Saloni's request. We were there for a few hours and just after we left the parking lot, Saloni and Sohan were fast asleep in the car! (We wished we were napping too.)

On Sunday, Father's Day, I cooked a full Gujarati dinner and invited Sunil's parents to feast with us. It was great seeing three generations of Joshi boys together and let me just say that Sohan shares his good looks with Grandpa! We then went to the Hindu Temple to bless our little guy who turned a month old on the 13th. A month old already? Yeah, it's great. Here's to watching him grow and explore and love life.

That Summer Air

Saloni and the outdoors - it's a love at first sight relationship. And it's perfect because getting outside even on warm evenings feels so good. The temperatures here have been getting into the lower 90's and the humidity...well, I won't get into the wet state that creates!

Our good friend Anjan came over for dinner Friday and we caught up over many things. But what got all of our attention the most? The kids of course. The long hours of the day can be tiring with their endless amounts of energy. But at the same time, it also feels wonderful to have the sun beam on your face long after 5:00pm when you've spent time couped up doing the dishes or writing bills. Although I miss having our own little mailbox outside, I feel fortunate that the neighborhood multi-mailbox forces me to take a walk after dinner with Sunil and the kids. (Oh Lord, I feel old saying "the kids").

While the air-conditioning is going to be a mainstay for this season. I'm going to try and breathe in the fresh humid air as much as I can. Because we're just 10 minutes from the beach, that ocean air does keep it breezy enough to make our backyard comfortable. So grab your vacation bags my friends, and come see us!

Gunn's Got it!

Yes, believe or not, you've caught me reading an actual book again! While I'm still finishing "Happy Housewives", I've started to explore Tim Gunn's new book, "A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style". Into the second chapter, I'm enthralled. His philosophy is "spot on", a British term, and I can just see my Mom agreeing with him as well.

What is wrong with the nation? What happened to dressing up for work, for travel, for meeting friends? When did t-shirts and flip-flops become the acceptable dress code for just about anywhere? I've been to Blockbuster countless time witnessing the flannel pajama pants worn as real pants. Did I miss something? I recently went to a graduation dinner where everyone was nicely dressed in semi-casual attire until one of the guests arrived in a Hawaiian shirt looking like he just landed from the islands.

Tim talks about how merely "leaving your home is a set-up for engagement." That whether we are buying tomatoes or meeting friends for lunch, both are opportunities to represent our style and our choice for quality as supposed to looking like we rolled out of bed. Let's face it, we are who we dress. We are more likely to turn out heads for a polished look than a dorm room lounge look. Then of course, there's the over-the-top phenomenon in which people get so dressed up, I fear they missed their flight to the Academy Awards show. But nevertheless, I applaud the overdressed vs. the under, for at least they made an effort and will leave with an impression.

Well, I'm only into second chapter which is about size and proportion and getting an excellent tailor. A good fit can make the cheap look expensive and your body look divine. I've seen what tailors can do and have salvaged many outfits by changing their size and shape. And while you do get dressed today, remember what Tim would famously say, "Make it work".

I Got the Buzz!

I was so happy to delve into my work again today. I've been trying to derive inspiration from my artist friends who somehow can find time between doing laundry and errands to start and complete a project. It was hard for me to sit still though. I heard the laundry calling my name. Then the phone rang and I caught up with my Godfather. Then Sohan needed his bottle. Then I remembered I hadn't checked e-mail in a few days. And then...

I sat and said no matter what, this shall get done! I made and finished 35 cards. Yeah! I also unwound a stack of ribbons, sorted through photographs I've been meaning to put on my display wall in the studio closet and actually ate lunch on time. Oh, it felt good.

There's nothing like work to get the mind going. If I didn't have this wonderful creative business, I'm not sure what would be occupying my time. There's a special part of our brain that if tapped just right, it gets all the muscles in the body going not to mention a giddy feeling of empowerment that anything can be done if we just stick to it. You know what I mean?

I'm excited also because this summer we are going to launch a line of little girl's handbags. Here's a sneak preview:

Now I've got to work on my June newsletter to my customers. Can't wait to feel that writing bug. But for now, I shall create another project tray for the next time my mind gets the buzz. As Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing."