Ilakkiya:

What better celebration can I have than a 15 month old turning the house upside-down? Ilakkiya has started to run around and she has decided to burn down every single calorie. She has started to repeat single words and she loves imitating every single person. We also had our first fight this month. I am planning to write about it in a letter to her. She also did the regular phone conversation imitation using my phone with her cute babbles. She is slowly becoming daddy’s girl and trust me, I love it because I get the free time. Maybe, I will think differently as she grows. She is having an awesome week with her maternal grandparents and that’s the main reason I am writing this post early. Ilakkiya loves to dance and drum. She loves the guitar too. The most crucial change for me on her schedule is that her naps changed from 2 to 1. So more power to her to run down the house and more power to me to keep my calm!

Parenting:

Her 15 month vaccine happened early this week. I was surprised to see the little one crying only as the doctor inserted the injection in her thighs. Earlier, she used to cry immediately when I hold her hands, but this time she was curious in observing the madness around her and cried when she felt the pain. Weight gain is a issue in some kids. Even if they eat a elephant some kids will only look like an ant, maybe a big black ant! That’s all. I am bombarded with questions on her weight for almost 6 months now. So after being asked 1000 questions every single day for the last 5 to 6 months now about her weight gain issues, I have finally found out an answer for the most concerned outsiders. I am glad this brings more peace to me and I don’t really have to push my daughter anymore too. I just stick to plain simple truth. I just remind people that every child is different and chubiness doesn’t mean a child is healthy. Though I would love to see my child chubby too, I must remember none of us were chubby! Half of parenting falls into the category of answering unknowns about my child. I have a strong, healthy and sweet kiddo, this is all that matters to me!

Celebrations:

August is the month of celebrations. My sister completed a decade of her married life and she had come home this year. We had a wonderful time at our once-upon-a-time ancestral house, which is now reconstructed, but the good thing is my aunts stay there, so we still call it our grandma’s home. We had a nice lunch and chatted sometime. However, we sisters cherish this month more because we shopped, we had nice long conversations, laughed till our tummy ached and gossiped like we always do. Ilakkiya enjoyed with her aunts and grandmothers since all uncles are away at work.

T and I completed our second anniversary and this year it is all the more special. Last year, I was at mom’s since the baby was just 3 months old. This year we spent it together and it is more special because you will know it as you read on. (Well, don’t let your mind wander).

My in-laws completed their 41 years together and still they fight and talk again like they are newly married. At times, old couples are fun to watch. Wait till I post about my parents. Their wedding day is in 2 days and my sister and I are beyond excited about the celebrations. It is their 32nd and I love their silly fights. My sister and I always make the best audience. Well, we have learnt to become good audience now.

Sharing the wedding month with my parents and in-laws makes me realize how different we all are as couples and yet similar on many fronts.

Writing:

I loved sharing Much Love Monday stories on my blog this month. I wrote for 2 weeks and felt that’s the way I wanted to share. I wanted to share two stories a month going forward. I must make changes to the disclaimer I made for the same. I loved sharing those stories and I am also excited to ask about “How’s your Monday?” to many now. I feel better listening to their stories and this has opened a new dimension to the otherwise talkative me.

I also signed up for MyFriendAlexa campaign this month. This is my first season with them, I am excited as well as nervous about how it is going to be. With September filled with an array of festivals, I know it is going to be challenging. I watched one part of Blogchatter’s session on Facebook and I still have 3/4th to go, but that answered few of my questions. Especially the one on what I must be prepared for. So with Vasantha’s endearing words and always helping attitude, I know I will find my way next month.

Work:

I am a failure. I took a couple of projects and gave my best work and my best deal. They just turned up saying inaccurate work. I felt that I was being cheated instead of feeling like a failure. Yes, I trust my work and I know when I give my best. I have learned from my mistakes to always give the best work. I do just that. I called myself a failure because I just didn’t know to identify a fraudster from a genuine person. This month taught me an important lesson on the work front. I found what I love to work on and also my weaknesses. I love to write articles, edit and proofread them. I also found out that I sound desperate when I ask too much details instead of curious to know about the job. I am not sure how to work on it though. I need to know the details before I work, that’s how it works right?

Somehow in almost 3 years of freelancing, I found “Too many options, too little knowledge” being the base of many fraud happening in this field. No one is ready to get the complete details of the work before they take it in their hand and I am called silly for asking those details. Anyway, I feel I have grime all over me already that I need to bathe and start fresh.

Love & Relationships:

This! This is where I want to cry this month. I cried and cried for a week that I have no more tears. No, it is not something really serious. It is just that the Husband is on travel and I need to stay away from him. Though my logical mind clearly says, he is just out on work and this is what we wanted before and I have so much of work to finish here before I travel with him, I just couldn’t hold back my tears. We cried a little together and that made us feel better. Ilakkiya misses her father already, I never expected this. Still, she sees her father’s photo in our room and points him out to me. I decided a change of place might be good for both of us and came to Mom’s. We feel better and though as I type this, my eyes are filling up and my throat is blocked, I know I will eventually be okay.

I love my family for all the support and all that. Yes, both sides, actually all sides. It’s just the missing part that I cannot really bear. I don’t want him to miss out on her growing up. These are crucial years and I hope we travel soon. Though we decided this method to work on our commitments, we also decided to wait it out for 6 months. 180 days look better than 6 months, no? Anyway, I am glad to take up challenges on the personal front and with life in general to keep myself productive(seriously, not busy – this won’t get me anywhere) so I finish what I set out for and travel to set up our cocoon.

I know this will be the best challenge in my life to parent singlehandedly, also manage the house and myself. I just wish I find the courage, strength, patience and kindness to handle myself well, so I handle others in the same way.

Journal:

This is my everything. Though I didn’t journal much this month, I have started the 180 day project to journal just about everything, No judgement there. For once, I am okay to open up to my journal, to keep my sanity in check. I am okay to give a vent to my feelings and give them a way out when necessary. Life isn’t going to be a bed of roses anymore, probably it never was, now I just see it with eyes wide open. Thanks to my journal for bearing it all.

Books & Reading:

I was in tears when I finished “A man called Ove”. I haven’t reviewed a book it, because I am good at recommending them, but not reviewing them. I am bad at giving glimpses without the spoilers. However, this book is different. I could just come up only with this small poem as an ode to the author and Ove.

I laughed uncontrollably that people wondered what I read,
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I was nearing the end,
I was scared to bits when you fell on the snow that night,
I couldn’t deny that you were the only grumpy man I loved to know more about.

I am currently reading Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In for Graduates. I found a similar one in Shailaja’s recommends. My father has a great collection in his book shelves. He has always bought books, read them, recommended them to us and finally, left it in his shelves. I didn’t know about them earlier, but now I love each one of them. I have a big TBR list and told him I will take two or three and return them before I take the next list.

My August was awesome, even with all the glitches. I am looking forward to a Splendid September with Blogchatter and MyFriendAlexa campaign.

How was your August? I would love to know about it!

Linking with Vidya’s GratitudeCircleBlogHop

The post August Gratitude List appeared first on JAYANTHY'S FREE SPACE.

Image Source: Google

Dear July,

Where did you go? You went past me in a jiffy. I am blushing and staring at August wide-eyed!

July was a month of fun with cousins, writing, KABALI with family, wedding work and lots of planning for the coming month!

With cousins scattered all over the globe, it was good to meet them again this July. We roamed and shopped in the last week of June in Hyderabad so we decided to enjoy at the theme park. The last time we visited MGM- Dizzee World was during my school days, like 10 years before. Some of my little cousins were kiddos then! *ahem ahem*

I am happy about my writing this month. It all started with Write Tribe’s 7 Day No-Theme Blogging Challenge. Though I started it a day after the actual challenge started, I enjoyed posting for the remaining 6 days! Thanks to Corinne!

Haiku, Writing Wednesdays, Friday Reflections, IndiSpire and A to Z Meme were other wonderful ways to keep this blog going. 

It’s been quite some time since I read books. Right now, I am spending time ‘only’ reading catalogs and long application forms. Lucky enough to keep the reader in me active by blog-hopping the blogs I follow and reading articles on the go.

My best friend and her family had come to Hyderabad from Dubai for her kid’s summer vacation and she had to spend her whole time at her hubby’s place. We clearly knew it was difficult for us to meet this time. One lucky day, I got a call from my her brother who was in Chennai for a few hours before their train back to Hyderabad. 

Uncle was with him and our actual plan was to meet over for lunch since it was doubtful for their visit to my wedding. Just an hour before his call, I confirmed my visit to the seamstress to get the designs finalized. Dad was out that day and mom was half-sick and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity to see these guys. It’s been ages since we met! I had no idea where I was going to be in an hour. With all sadness, I called uncle and told him I was so packed, that it would take me at least an hour or two before I can start from my home and so I won’t be joining them for lunch. 

The next moment Uncle just smiled and told me, “Beta, don’t worry! We are not going without meeting you! We are coming home!” I was beyond excited to even answer him! I just told him to book a Ola Cab! 🙂 After an hour, we were all together talking about old times over a cup of filter coffee! 🙂 That was a #BlessedFeeling moment!

With the little family time we got between running around, we went to watch KABALI! *My second time* #Maghizhchi. I am an ardent fan of Rajini and my Rating for the movie is 5/5. I am not rating it only because I am an ardent fan, but mainly because of Rajini’s role in the movie. It is simple and that’s incredible. A simple man who chose to become the Don to keep things in the right track and lost his family on the process. Obviously, he would search his family and get them back before doing anything else. Wouldn’t he? Well, without any argument, this is one of the best movies of Rajini, I would love to watch again! *Mesmerised*

Dear August, 

Welcome! 

KEEP CALM Wedding is Coming!

Image Source: Google

So, How was July for you?

Linking Post to Sanch’s Blog

 

The post Rewind – July 2016 appeared first on JAYANTHY'S FREE SPACE.

Dear June,

You were very kind to me despite my little mistakes. I adore you! There were many ups and some downs this month, but overall I am slowly raising my writing bar for the better. June has been an excellent writing month with Kwizgiver’s challenge. Her challenge kept me occupied for almost three weeks straight. I did the last bits just before a couple of days!

This is my last fling before the ring. Most of my family and friends who sent me birthday wishes, have been very specific about this. My sister’s a foodie and she brought me one of the best chocolate truffle cakes from the cake shop nearby! We froze it completely. Though it was very difficult for me to cut the cake, it tasted heavenly as it started to unfreeze slowly. Each bite felt like the first one, but mom gave us only half the cake. 😀 

Everyone from T’s family wished me and made my day. My grandmother had arranged a Sai Ram bhajan that day and I made Jamuns as prasad for all. I attended the bhajan that day and thanked god for making all this possible. 

I took a break from writing to celebrate my little cousin’s wedding and it was quite an enjoyment! Somehow, it’s last minute shopping that has worked well for me till now. I dedicated the last 10 days of June to family. That was time well-spent. My first flight trip happened in June and now I am already planning my next trip! 😛 Time spent with my aunt in Hyderabad gave birth to many new ideas. The lovely point that she insisted she learnt from her kids is, “If you have to put your foot down, do it and there’s no one stopping you!” Sometimes I really need this!

The trips to Vadapalani Murugan Temple to complete the registration process kept me a lot busy than the previous months. While I signed the Affidavit, it took me a moment or two to come back to the present moment and accept me as I am.

Good bye June! You were so much fun and helped me take another deep dip within myself.

Image Source: Google

Image Source: Google

Hello July, 

A fun trip to MGM Dizzee World with a whole bunch of cousins is definitely a nice start to a month! With only 46 days left for the wedding, I am excited and nervous at the same time seeing my never ending list of things to be done! All I know is that I am going to be very busy this month doing things that has to be done as soon as I sense it! 

The post Rewind – June 2016 appeared first on JAYANTHY'S FREE SPACE.

I love and hate May.

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My fiancée surprised me with my birthday gift well ahead of time. It’s a Laptop! 😀 It all started when my cousin sister asked me what I want from the UK since she will be here in a month from now. My desktop broke down recently and I stayed away from my regular freelancing and most of my work from my Smartphone. It was difficult and it strained my eyes that I was restless and sleepless. I felt frustrated half the time. Without much ado, I asked my cousin to buy me a Laptop. She agreed and I was happy. I informed my fiancée about this and he told me that a laptop without International Warranty is of no use. He tried to give various excuses and it confused me because he knows how much I need a Laptop at this moment. I was totally disagreeing with him and told I won’t tell her to cancel my order. That’s when he told me he was planning a surprise and now I broke the suspense. I was blushing and couldn’t reply anything. I immediately informed my sister and she totally agreed. Within 2 days time, my fiancée came home with the Laptop. He informed my parents and asked them to keep his visit a secret. On the 29th of May, he came home and gifted me this Laptop and I am writing my first post from it! 🙂

Today I fought with him. I see how misunderstanding leads to negative thinking and spilled words cannot be taken back. Sorry has very little meaning to it after incidents like this. As I write this down today, I deeply regret what I spoke to him over the phone. I accept the frustration I put myself in and as I analyse how I could have handled it, I see it’s all down the drain. Instead I just choose to accept my mistake so I can move on and work on my anger more sincerely.

Now that I have accepted, I am moving to one of the most exciting projects of this month. It’s the brochure that I wrote for a friend. I was nervous but completely willing to learn about this new venture. It worked well and both were happy at the end of the project. However, I was super-excited after completing it.

With little money showing up from freelancing, I have decided to revamp my wardrobe. Well, I don’t really have one! I have always preferred comfortable clothing and have not moved an inch out of my comfort zone. As a result, my wardrobe ages back in the 2000’s. Yes, I haven’t gained much weight over time! As I move towards keeping fit, I need vibrant clothing to keep me going.

April was a month of two big losses. My school friend passed away after fighting a tumor for 6 years. It troubles me to think about her loss, but what keeps me going is her smiling face, her confidence and her cheerfulness. She reminds me “Life is to Live and not cry!”

The other loss is of my pet who was just 7 months old and passed away due to Distemper. She is a reminder of how female dogs suffer in a society like ours. Every person who came to our house had given only one suggestion, “Sterilize the Dog” and that killed her.

Death and loss teaches us lessons that life doesn’t.

I attended First Degree Reiki Session last weekend and I feel lighter than before. I was hesitant to attend it, but the two-day session is more of Self-Acceptance and I needed it very much. The simple concept of “Managing Yourself” is all every art talks about. It’s a week since I attended the sessions, but I don’t spend 1.5 hours for myself everyday, but the days I spend 1.5 hours have been different from the ones that I don’t.  How much time do I really spend for myself? is a question that I ask myself more than before.

May 22nd, I love you! 😉 4 years already! 😛

There were days I was down,
There were days I was super-excited,
There were days I was happy,
There were days I was sad,
But there was not a day I spent without thanking God to where he has brought me and how he has made my life better!

Overall, this month has helped me understand myself better!

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My birthday is just two weeks away! I love that about June!

The post Rewind – May 2016 appeared first on JAYANTHY'S FREE SPACE.