There Is A Mountain

This post is a little off-beat, yet a little "on-beat". Why? Well simply because I decided to put up the link to a song that perks me up these days like nothing else. The first time that I saw the video to this song was on Playhouse Disney (yes, its my new hot channel *wink*)...and I instantly fell in love with it. It's for kids, so its obviously so chirpy and hummable. Besides, it makes me forget my blues. Also, the tune has this very mystical feel to it that goes great with the soft music. The lyrics really do not make much sense, but who cares... !

So if you were wondering what kinda title my post has, well its the name of the song. It's sung by singer Kenny Loggins and I think he not only has a great voice but (ahem) looks as good too. Yeah I know he's probably our Dads' age.....but hey, you cannot deny he does look good in this video. Watch it and you'll know what I'm saying. Okay okay, I'll stop at that and allow you to see the video...!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4UkZ6J9A58

ENJOY!!

When 2 Indians have a French Daughter...

When my daughter arrived into the world 4 weeks ago, we were prepared to expect the unexpected...perhaps she wouldn't look like either of us, maybe she would be competely different as a baby to hubby Srikanth and I...we also did a few silent prayers that she wouldn't inherit our worst features.

But nothing prepared us for this.

My daughter's first and favorite word was - lait. Not 'lai' like a punjabi kuddi or 'le' like a good hindi speaking child - but lait. Clear as crystal. And yes, she did mean 'milk'. She says waah, aaan, uh-uh-uh for different things but when its mealtime, its that one magic word - lait.

I now live in the uncertainty of whether I will be known as 'lait' all my life or if some day she will deign to call me 'mama'...at this point i will even settle for 'amma'(something i never thought i would agree to...but when you're in a corner...well!)..anything but lait. Heaven help us if she decides to study in France. I can just see it now. The 3 of us at a cafe by the Seine, Srikanth orders his cappuccino, Mihika settles on an espresso and then she turns to me and says, 'Lait, what will you have?'.

Time out, anyone?

I don't know if I am the only one who feels this way? And just thinking that I may be the only one makes me feel like the worst mom on planet earth.

Have there been moments in your life, after baby, that you wanted a break. Just to do NOTHING? To chill and relax. To get some "me" time? I seem to want it every now and then. And, when I do not get it I get even more pissed off with myself. Being a mom is rewarding of course, but taxing and tiring nevertheless. I think we deserve breaks. But sadly we're the ones who are so connected to these lil ones that no one else seems to be able to take care of them as we would. Well, that is why we are their moms!!! But, I am always open to the idea of a few hours of free time. I don't think I can last beyond that ... my mind will start going back to Samvit and how he is and what he is doing if I stay too long from him! But I still want breaks.

Am I the only one feeling this way?? Am I wrong?

On a seperate note

Hey Guys,

Thought would write about something non-mommy related for a change today. After all we do have other roles to play than being a mom.

Its been 13 years since I left Sophia's - where I studied till that 10th. Long time.....makes me feel very old......but then oh yes I am old:(
Today some batch mates from my school got together to remember good ol times. And boy was it fun! I really pity all those people who had come to the restaurant to have a quiet lunch - we were one boisterous bunch of super excited gals. Spent the afternoon remembering all the things we did in school and the names we gave our teachers, the pranks we played and ofcourse bitching about some of our snotty class mates (bitching is our birth right as girls.......aint it?). All in all a very well spent day.

Why am I boring you with all this details? Well cause I thought it would be really nice to catch up with all of you too. I know we are all in various parts of the world. But we could organise something when you travel back to Bangalore and try and get as many people as possible....right! I mean where there is a will there is a way.

Hope that happens soon!!!!!

Cheers!
Komal

Sleep glorious sleep!

Komal, this one is for you!

Don't fret. I think both Liz and Ramya have given you good pointers. As of now how many naps does Kyra (she loooks adorable in that pic btw) take during the day? At her age Samvit used to take about 3 naps. One mid morning (arnd 10am) for about 1/2 to 1 hr. Then at noon for about 2/2.5(around 2pm) hours and then another 1/2 hr (around 7pm). But like Liz said the naps drop down slowly. By 10/12 months the eve nap went off.

As of now he still has two naps. One in the morning, which I know he wont really need ... but I make him sleep so that he will have his food on time. So every morning (around 11/11:30 after a good warm bath) he sleeps for about half and hour and then I wake him up. That is because if I let him sleep mid morn then he will be up all day and then sleep in the evening which ruins his night sleep. So I wake him up in like 1/2 hr and then he sleeps again at noon for a good 2-3 hrs. The key here is like Liz said.. keeping then active and waking them up if required. Yes, it may sound horrible, esp. when you see them sleeping so soundly. But, that is the only other thing you can do to adjust their sleep patterns.

Also, try to keep her on a routine/schedule. Babies like schedules apparently. Over time, try to see how long she can stay up without feeling tired so you can adjust naps such that she wont sleep in the evening after 6/7pm and then make her play then.

Allow her to sleep for a while in the morning. Then let her eat lunch and play with her for a while (you or anyone else can do that), just so that she gets tired and takes a good long nap at noon. Then she can have here evening milk and keep her up. Its VERY TOUGH. I know it because many people told me the same thing (to not let him sleep in the evenings) but its nearly impossible. But eventually they get into the grove.

Apart from this, I wanted to know if you are putting her in her bed? As in, have you done it anytime? I think she is still small to sleep alone. More so because she is used to sleeping with you. Its different if we put them separately right from the start (which we cannot imagine doing!!) Perhaps she woke up sometime in her bed and did not find you around and so from then on she feels she has to keep waking up to make sure you are there. (And yes until ur breastfeeding they do wake up a bit, but dont stop for that sake.. its no reason to stop!!). Don't worry too much about having her sleep separately. Most kids want their folks around them at night..and that will only ensure their feeling of safety. If you try putting them to sleep separately too early, they might develop a fear of insecurity and lose trust. I dont think any of our parents put us separate for a long time. But we all eventually did sleep on our own. I think once they start preschool/school they being sleeping at a particular time and waking up on time. That is when we can make them sleep on their own by telling them "See u need to sleep now, so you can go play at playschool/KG tomrrow with your friends". (I'm talking like I know it all...haha)

Phew, that is another task...schooling!!!!!

Lastly, try giving her a soothing bath at night. I know its a lot of work, bathing these babies. But may be it will calm her down. Then give her milk and put her to sleep.

I hope something works out! All the best.

Mission Accomplished!

Mom's who have passed this phase knows better i guess..its just not a shitty topic but a big achievement in every parents life.Hmm i have gone thru much exactly the same as Deepti and Liz are going thru..but ladies don't worry..just think that one day our kids are eventually going to do it..everybody has done and so will our children..this was said by my husband when we were thinking of potty training Anish.And he also said that imagine Anish is 10yrs old..u think hes never gonna be trained..its all in their mind..they just need to understand the concept better.My friend said to me once that all the world starts and ends with the 2yr old..they think tht way..and ladies i have to tell you one funny thing.." The poop is considered very special/important to the kids".they think that some part of the body is just flowing out. so give them all the time that they need..but never stop trying.

First of all we mom's have to relax..make them understand that pee/poop shud be done in the Toilets..if we are rushing then its going to be more hard..

we started training anish when he was 18 mnths old..mainly coz of my mom..she kept telling me that in india all kids of his age uses the toilets.so i had a pressure.we had got him a nice elmo potty training kit..and told him to pee in that..oh god..it was so so difficult..so i just left it for days in the bathroom..then one day Anish all by himself peed in potty.."yeeee" oh that was such a happy moment we sang..and we cheered him and offered him his fav snack..(tht was a mistake..) haaa...from the next day he did it 10 times and asked me for his snack..god i used to be tired cleaning his potty chair..then he was not ready to wear diapers all the time so his training pants were on..he did have accidents some times on the carpet but eventually understood till he was comfortable to come and ask me to remove his pants.

Then we thought that training for poop will be easier,..but NO it was harder than we thought..he was asking diaper only when he had to poop..he used to get it..all by himself just to poop..oh such a waste i used to think..(Diapers are expensive...)then he took almost 2-4 mnths to get trained for poop..

Hard isn't it...

Now anish is 21/2 yrs old and comfortably doin "Everything" in the BIG Potty.. :-)

ok Ladies..some tips

1) Don't get too stressed they are going to do it..some are early some are late..( all kids are different)

2)Let them understand the words first...that u relate them with pee/poop..

3)Keep trying step by step..

First start with a small potty chair..they shud go and sit by themselves comfortably..

Then slowly move on to the big one..

4)If they r not ready just leave them for 2-3 weeks..start again fresh

5) Tell them that pappa mummy everybody uses the potty and they are soo happy doing it there.(as rewards u can give them vitamin gummies)

6)when they talk its more easy..they can understand better...

7)After they poop in diaper just put the poop in the toilet and ask them to flush..(i did that with anish)

Flushing is very important..some kids are reluctant to flush..i have heard..

8)If nothing works..u shud start taking them with u to the restrooms..(sound yukky....but every ones done it)

After this another important step.."Night time training(in Bed)." we can discuss this in the next posts..

Hope this was helpful.."Happy potty training"All the best

Sleep on it....ho payega?

Getting a good night’s sleep can actually help you solve problems (and you thought “sleep on it” was just an expression). But the key is to get a good night's rest.....ah how I wish that was possible!!!!

The first few months when Kyra was born, was blissful. I was so happy about the fact that she would sleep 6-7 hrs at the stretch in the night and wake up just once for a feed. I would keep bragging to everyone whoever bothered to listen, about well behaved Kyra was and how she does not trouble her mother at all.

Well now she is more than making up for that. She is 7.5 months now and insists on waking up multiple times now. Everyone told us, that training her to sleep thru the night is a 3/4 day and sometimes at max a 10/12 day procedure. But now it is close to a month since we have been trying to make her sleep thru the night. I would put her to bed every night with a silent prayer, but all those have been unanswered so far. She now wakes up every 1.5 to 2 hrs to try her luck at getting some milk, needless to say that I wont give in to the demand. And would pat her back to sleep, only to be woken up again what seems like 10 mins. The very fact that she goes back to sleep when patted back, shows that she aint hungry and just wakes up out of habbit. I also make sure she goes to bed with a full stomach, enough to last her for atleast 6-7 hrs.

Most books and websites say that the baby would wake up for reassurance....but that aint the case for Kyra. She co-sleeps with my hubby and me on our bed. Thats project no. 3 - putting her to sleep on her own bed.

Read somewhere, that lack of sleep leads to weight gain....no wonder my trousers are a bit snug and the lazy ass that i am would not excercise and just wait and pray for a miracle to happen ;)

All you experienced mothers, please help with suggestiong, tricks to help Kyra sleep thru the night. Have loads of projects (2 and 3) lined up after the completion of this one. Wonder when that's going to happen though

Mission Possible... indeed!

Just before I chatted with Deepti today about my frustrations on being a mom.. I had a high point in the day. Jaiden went first time potty today in the bathroom! In the two years of being a mom... I have never felt such great joy!! (sounds weird but true!) I literally felt I made an accomplishment as a parent.

Potty training is something I actually dread. Yes pampers are expensive, and that would save us some more money if our kids were potty trained early. I started training Jaiden around the same age as Samvit. I don't remember Jaiden crying when he sat on the seat.. but he never did the job. He wanted to get off the seat or play with the things in the bathroom and never would listen to what I was saying. there were times he got frustrated and then I decided ...ok he isn't ready. I did read somewhere.. I think it was babycenter.com that if your child shows discomfort or starts to cry and refuse to sit.. just let him go and stop the process of training for a couple of days and then start again. It could mean stopping for 1 week or 2 weeks or even more. Which is what I did. I stopped training him after the first couple of trials and i think didn't start again after couple of months. Again same issue and stopped again. One thing you don't want is your child to get scared of the potty. So moms... try not to yell and this is where we really need to be patient. The last thing you want is your child to be scared of the potty and not go at all and literally "shit in his/her pants". So take it easy and step by step. It is i think one of the most difficult tasks to do which is why i dread it!

Sooo now Jaiden is almost 2. and i need to get him trained. I have heard there are kids who get ready only by 3. That is disappointing to most of us, but the way i look at it is.. at 3..they understand more. So a 2 year old who takes 5-6 months to be trained .. a 3 year old might take just a couple of weeks. 3 is really late.. but if your kid isn't ready.. he isn't. Cant go beyond 3 though. Anyway I started with Jaiden again yesterday. so i put him there... sat with him for almost 20 minutes.. and nothing happened. So then i decided to get a diaper and when i came back to the bathroom ...he was peeing in the potty! I was thrilled. none of us expected it but I guess it just happened. So i congratulated him.. did a cheer and everything and the minute i put on his diaper .. he pooped ! So anyway i kept telling him.. no poopy in diaper. I went to this website http://www.pull-upspottyproject.com/ and just showed him and was trying to explain ok this is how you should do it. I don't think he wanted to listen.. so after a point he got bugged.

Today i did the same thing in the morning. After he ate i put him on the seat.. nothing happened. He was pretty reluctant today. and I tried again again after he had his lunch and we sat there for 15 minutes.. singing..playing with his toys..and in between telling him... " you have to poop in the bathroom. And then suddenly, it happened. We both looked at each other and i went yeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!! good job jaiden!!!! and then he went again... and i kept cheering and cheering till he finished! You should have seen the look on his face! He was sooo thrilled!!! I don't know if he understood... but i kept cheering and saying what a good job he has done and that made him so happy!

So we were happy today!! I don't know if the same thing is going to happen tomorrow... but atleast now he kind of knows how it feels to not go on his diaper. But i will keep trying. So deepti don't worry.. if samvit hates it now. if you have tried for some days...give him a break. start again next week.. and put him on the seat when you know he might go. I don't have any major tricks up my sleeve but I try to make jaiden sit there as long as he can (20 minutes). i think beyond that will be too frustrating.

So that's my story. Again.. Jaiden is not potty trained. It just happened that he went today. Not sure how it will go tomorrow.. but its a start!

Mission Possible?

You guessed it. I am at the first chapter in this new venture - Potty Training!! Sorry for starting off our discussions with such a "shitty" topic, but, face it.... We're all going to get there some day!

Samvit is turning one and a half soon, and I thought I have had enough of diapers. Sometimes, I think it's so much better in India where they limit the use of diapers to a great extent. So, potty training just happens as an outcome of not using diapers. Out here, its like a life saver for stay-home moms (and not to mention cook, dhobi, cleaner, playmate, wife, etc. - all rolled into one). I personally think its a boon. Had there been no diapers, there would be no Deepti by now. Haha, look until what point we get in this parenting ride.

Anyway, all said and done. I decided I should start. I bought training pants and a soft potty seat (and said a silent prayer as I paid the bill for these things hoping that things will move smoothly). Boy, was I wrong!!! But, I guess its way to early to comment since I have just begun the "process". So, this afternoon I put the potty on our toilet seat and made my little man sit. And, the next instant there were wails and screams as if I had thrown him into the mouth of some sort of a blood...er, butt eating... dragon. So I simply took him off the seat and stashed him back in a fresh diaper and flushed away my hopes.

What do I want? A potty trained Samvit. That's what I want!! I'm looking for tips, tricks (and rewards) if you mommies please. Share your ideas (and success stories!!) and help me get this chapter over and done with.

Wonderful memories-"Bundles of Joy"

Thanx Liz and deepti for sharing Ur memories......

Its always nice to go back and refresh all our memories.Just today my friend (who is from turkey)and i had a discussion about Indian's and marriages and how i got married.It made me so happy just to see those wedding pictures and actually sink in that past feeling.Marriage is so important to all of us and it was important to me too..may be because there was a lot of pressure in my house to get married as soon as i finish my education.So soon after my MCC graduation there were lot of proposals and i hated to get dressed and go stand just like a show piece front of them.So in between i convinced my dad tht i cud study in correspondence.He had to agree coz for some reason my marriage was getting delayed.Then i joined BIT for MCA and also got a job in JNCASR .

Here my life had started to take a new turn when i got a spam email from my husband(vikram).First ignored it..but eventually started chatting and exchaging emails.Then we decided we shud meet and after tht fell in love .It was a huge step for me becoz love is treated as a sin in my house and i didnt want anybody to know abt it.Luckily Vikram was also the same caste(...) so managed to make it look like an arranged marriage.It was dream come ture for me because from the time i met vikram i wanted to be with him for the whole of my life.Then after tht life is moving in full speed.I quit job got married in 2004.Then we went to korea but cud not stay there so came back.Then in 2006 he had got a project in San Diego but i was pregnant with Anish.

So our son "Anish" was born and then came here coz Vikram was already here.So new people new place..all for good..but just waiting to return to the land where we always belonged.

My Past On A Page

First, let me give Liz a big Thank You for putting up a post and sharing her story with us. I was almost tired of being the only one writing on the blog.

Where do I start? It has been a long ride...yet, the world tells me that it is only the beginning. So, before I begin to bore you with philosophy let me hit the rewind button. I'll try keeping this as short as I can, but if you find me getting into nitty-gritty details just jump to the next interesting line you find.

So, just after college I began work. I could not think of studying more since I was handling two courses in college itself - our B.Sc. and a three year graduation course in NIIT, side by side. It took up my entire day and I simply did not want more books. So I began working. Getting my first job was a breeze. Funny enough as it may seem, although I was so inclined to get into the IT industry, I entered the service industry as a Customer Care Representative in a car showroom...yes, I'm sure most of you did not know that! I changed jobs and with a measly experience of 6 months I managed to get promoted into car sales in the second firm. Can you beat that? Well, it was a short stint though. And, while my employer and co-workers firmly believed I could do very well (which I would proudly say I did, since they still remember me in those companies! haha!!) I knew that was not my cuppa chai. I was thirsty for something more.

While I began my search for a better career, something where I could prove my mettle (and make use of all that I had learned back in college and NIIT), my family began the search for my better half. I let them do their bit while I did mine. I simply was not interested! But, like they say, "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans". As you might have guessed I got married in 2002. Deepak, my hubby entered my life and so did a great job. And, then on there was no stopping for good times. Although I was employed to be a Relationship Manager, I ended up working as a Content Developer and Designer, for starters, and then over a couple of jobs I moved onto Technical Writing (main job profile) and also handled assignments that dealt with designing. Was I happy? More than you can imagine. I loved writing, so I loved my job - The last one being at i-flex solutions ltd., Bangalore back in 2006.

Things could not have been better and time moved on. But, that is when we knew something was not right. There was something incomplete in our lives and something missing. Of course, that is not difficult to realize. It was - A baby! While it could seem like the easiest of things for most people, for us it was perhaps the first challenge we faced as a couple, as a family. I got diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and we went from pillar to post looking for a (possible?) solution. I saw about a dozen doctors, went through a hundred tests, ate a thousand pills, had a million ultrsounds - all for zilch! The only thing we got out of all this was frustration and a feeling that life was just plain bad. So, plans for a baby took a backseat in our lives but hope never died.

Early 2006, Deepak got deployed here in New Jersey on a project. I quit my job and joined him soon. I came here on a dependant visa (and still am), so I am on a sabbatical of sorts. Life in a new place came as a refreshing change. Almost like a breath of fresh air. And, I believe it is that which helped us in a way to re-analyze things. To re-start and re-live life all over again. While, visits to the doctor (yes, ONE - not n) continued here too, we decided not to think too much about it. I, for one, decided to enjoy my life. So what if we did not have a baby....We had our whole lives ahead. (at least that is what I convinced myself into believing, but it was so hard, I cannot explain!!). So I decided to live it to the fullest. And, just when I thought that way and put loving life in front of hating it, God perhaps decided that we had gone through enough. Sometimes things work best when you stop worrying, they say. I cannot agree more!

We were blessed with baby boy Samvit, early in January 2009 and like most of you have put it... I joined the roller coaster ride too! Today, he is all of 17 months old and is my happiness personified. Yes, that is my little dose of nostalgia .... my past on a page.

Going Down Memory Lane

Ok.. finally getting to sit down and actually do some blogging. After Deepti put a lot of effort into initiating and creating this blog, I think it was time I wrote something! So like Deepti suggested, I thought going down memory lane would be a nice way to start.

The three years that I spent in bangalore was time I know I can never get back. I look back at those times and wish , if only I got it back just to have that same kind of fun we used to have. Offcourse we did have our share of bad grades , trying to figure out what 'rings' are in those math classes and getting yelled at by Lakshmi ma'am for not understanding those statistic theories. But we also had laughs in those classes too. CMS girls remember the word "corresponding" ?! We had so much fun in that CS class just making fun and that word never got out of our heads! Lakshmi ma'am was fun apart from her serious classes and I enjoyed her classes. As far as math is concerned.. I can't remember much(oops)! The ladies can fill me up on those.

After MCC, my parents told me to try and write my GRE exams so that I could have a chance at coming to the US to do my MS . Since the schools here have 4 years of their bachelors, I went to chennai to do a one year course and simultaneously studied for my gre exam. I will never write that exam again!!! Once that was done, I applied to schools here and got into a school in New Jersey for MS in CS. Not that I had this urge to come here.. but took it as a opportunity and decided to come to the US.

So I did my MS here then worked for a year in Atlanta. Got married in 2006 to my dear hubby whom i met in school here. And then we became parents. We have a wonderful son named Jaiden , who is going to turn 2 next month. What can I say about him.. apart from being curious, naughty, tactful, playful, notorious and looks like he is on a caffeine rush all the time.. he is simply adorable. He has a mind of his own that I fail to understand 90% of the time, and has a huuuugge loving heart.

As far as being a mom.. it is a roller coaster ride ( I hate roller coasters)!! From the day he was born till this moment... it is one continuous effort to be that one good parent. The past two years , I must say .. has been such a learning process and still haven't learnt enough. Apart from me screaming my head off to him for not listening or eating when he should , and having "wars" with him.. there are moments of great joy.. in his laughter... when he plays, when he took that first step, when he repeats a word that you just taught him , when suddenly he tries to sing that song that you have been singing to him for a long time and finally when he closes his eyes at the end of the day to only realize that he is an angel (Plus this whole roller coaster ride starts in the morning again)!.

I think I have written too much! ok ladies... that is my memory lane. I hope to read more about all of you and let me congratulate all the moms and to-be moms out there! oh yes...cannot forget the fathers.. Happy Father's Day to the fathers out there !

Get in the Game. Now!!

The blog is up. The instructions are here...
Still need ideas to get started?

Okay, here it comes. How about doing re-introductions?
So each of us puts up a post narrating what happened after the Final Exams of Final Year B.Sc 2001. Let's fill each other on everything that transcended from that point until now.

Get in the Game. Now!!

What Next?

Hmm. Now that the blog is up, what do we do next? Well, that's simple. WRITE!! The forum is open for posts and YOU can author them. So, just to make things a little easier I thought I will give you all a brief on how you can go about putting up posts/articles on the blog.

So, let me start of with one thing at a time.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

For now, you will be allowed to Write, Edit, Publish and Delete posts. You can only delete posts that are written by you. Currently, you will not be able to change the template/style sheet of the posts. But, you can change fonts and colours within your article. That means your text content can be edited to the way you want it in the Post Editor, whose explanation I will come to shortly. Apart from all these editing options, you can also insert links in your posts to external sites OR to articles/posts written by others in our blog. That amounts to tagging each others topics and creating conversations...And we all know how much we like that!! Oh, and we also have spell check to keep a tab on typos. Pretty much like MS Word. Hmm! Then there is the option of adding images and video to your posts. How cool is that?! And, before I forget...for those you who can deal with HTML, the Post Editor comes with a HTML editor tab... So ENJOY!! I, for one, seem to need a mega HTML refresher course. Duh.

HOW TO DO IT?

Ok. I know you have a zillion things that you think you can put across on this web page but seem to be a but lost as to HOW to do it. Well, no fret! It' way easier than changing a squirmy baby's wet diaper. I'll pass on the instructions right here, right now.

How to Post Articles

- Log in to http://www.blogger.com/ with your google/gmail id

- You will see a page with information about the blog and also tabs with the names Posting, Setting, Layout, Monetize. By default, the Posting tab contents are displayed

- Here you will be able to see the NEW POST button

- Click the NEW POST button and you will be taken to the Post Editor - The little space where you can pour your heart, mind and soul out. Here is where you can change colours, fonts etc. just like MS Word or any typical content editor. You can insert links, images and video too

- Type to your hearts content. Your data will be automatically saved as you type. But, don't forget to click on the SAVE NOW button (at the bottom of the Post Editor) if you happen to leave the post mid-way when your little brat/bratellina (haha reminds me of Brangelina.. or Saifeena... ugh! Let me stop!!!) needs your time (which happens almost always!!)

How to Publish Your Post onto the Blog

Now that you have your content ready and saved, how do you get it up on the blog? Well, you have to publish it. Here is how you do that....

- Once, you are done with your post/article you click on the PUBLISH POST button (at the bottom of the Post Editor) and your post will be published onto the blog. Tada!!

Editing Published Posts

Of course, it does not mean that once the post is up you cannot edit it again. It's something I do pretty much always...more often because I would remember something more to put into my post! So here's how....

- Go to the Edit Posts sub-menu under the Posting tab and you can see a lists of post(s). This is where you click on Edit and you will be guided back to the Post Editor

DONE. DONE. DONE!!

So, that was my mini-tutorial and I do hope it helps you all get a head-start on putting up all that you want on the blog. Once I see more articles pouring in (and more members) and we know that we have settled into a smooth rhythm, I will grant Admin privileges to those of you who are willing to take it up. Will be a BIG HELP for me.

Why wait, get typing and publish those posts!!!

Footprints?

While most of you would have guessed why I have used those two pairs of footprints as a part of the header.. I would still like to put in a couple more thoughts that crossed my mind while I was thinking of an image to put up there.

They say a picture speaks a thousand words. Of course, it does. But just as I sat down to design a header for our blog I simply could not think beyond a baby holding a mom's hand or a mommy and baby graphic or just simply peas in a pod or something on the traditional lines. Then as I sat and whacked my brains out for a good two to three hours yesterday, my son (Samvit) came up to me and held my hand and wanted me to take him for a walk. And voila, it struck me with a bang. Footprints. That's it!

Yes, it does mean the footprints of a mother and a child.

But, I would like to think it goes beyond that. It symbolizes a lot more things which I thought I should share with you all.

For starters.... it means - Leaving your mark. Putting forth your thoughts and ideas. Which is just why the blog is here.

Then, as a depiction of how far we all have come. You could look at it in this way too - That the small footprints represents us when we were back in college... not so mature, and ready to explore the world. And, the bigger pair represents us now... with professions, families etc.

And of course, the last thing that occurred to me as I put the graphic up was...moving ahead, moving up!

So there goes my little explanation of why I chose footprints as a part of the title. I will shortly be posting a poll to see how we all like it. For now, check your inbox to view your invites to author the blog!!

Oh, and why purple? Why not pastels and gentle colours to represent this blog? Simply because I think pastels, for one, have become cliched with this whole mommy/baby thing. I wanted something bold, yet striking and royal too. Royal? Purple!! But, then again.. these were just my ideas. We can change it as time goes by and we get new ones (or simply get bored of seeing the same thing!!)

Happy Blogging Ladies!

The Birth of Mommy Center

Image by harold.lloyd (won't somebody think of the bokeh?) via Flickr

Here it is ladies. Finally, its born. Thank you all for your inputs and support. And, I know the fun has just begun.

I wanted to start this all by myself. Then, after days of toying with the idea, the one thing I could imagine myself doing was sitting across a coffee table to discuss everything "Mommy" with you all. Of course, time and distance (and the very fact that we are mothers) does not grant us such privilege. Hence, I hope this blog, will give us, a place to hang out.

A place to laugh, share, learn, cherish and live!