September
| Image Courtesy: Google |
A month that has changed a lot since last year. Last year this time, Ilakkiya was five months old and I was a new mother apprehensive about taking care of her all by myself. I am happy to share I got help from unexpected front and I feel grateful about that. Now, after a year, I am a calmer mother (okay, not a saint yet, I don’t think I will ever get there), improving my consistency towards daily life and I have taken the liberty to follow the 15 minute slot for most things I do. These are some of the best things this September.
This month has made me stronger than I thought possible. Life isn’t easy when you are staying away from your hubby. The only person who understands”why you do what you do” with an air of confidence. Also, I see that he has shielded me from so many daily nuisance. Some moments happen and it is like adding salt to a raw wound, but I am learning. I am really learning what it is like to be a woman and an opinionated one at that. I am learning when I must share my thoughts and when I must not. I am learning when I need to trust my decisions and when I need to open up and talk. I am thankful for friends who help me find my voice when I am filled with doubts.
Family
I love the fact that I spend the last week of most months at Mom’s. This helps me rejuvenate and also write the gratitude post in peace. I am thankful for my family, even though we are a crazy bunch, I love them.
With a working mother who keeps us on our toes,
A retired father who thinks we are still 5 year old,
A Martial Arts trainer sister who wants us to wake up everyday at 5 so she can train us to connect with our chakras,
A stern aunt who shares very little in common with us,
A funny uncle whose dry wit about my mother (his sister) cracks us,
And the craziest grandmother who is still a teen at heart,
Ilakkiya is enjoying her ride on this fun train.
Oh, I must share about her two fur friends. After all, she bosses over them. She asks them to come near her and when they do, she runs and hugs her grandpa! Well, she loves to feed all her goodies to both of them, yes, only if she doesn’t find them tasty, that is!
Ilakkiya
She just completed her 16th month. She has started to run faster. She is in the other room before I could turn around and ask her something. She is still contemplating whether she can climb down the stairs or not. Those are my scariest moments. She loves to climb up, however, she holds me when she finds one or two difficult. She has her own brushing kit now. I used to brush her teeth without a baby toothpaste before, because trust me, I was really worried about her swallowing it all. Baby toothpastes indicate it is okay for them to swallow. I am still not getting myself around it, but I am trying to make it minimal. Some vaccine months are complicated due to a rise in temperature. This is one of them, I need to see how it goes. Ilakkiya is enjoying her new book from the library. It has bright colors and figures for her to touch and feel it. And my baby girl is curious about everything. She loves to wander and find things from most corners of the house.
Writing
I enjoyed writing posts this September. I was happy to participate in #MyFriendAlexa with Team Blog Chatter. I planned the month ahead and I enjoyed writing down my schedule in a notebook. This is the first time I planned an entire month ahead. It felt peaceful. I was able to write and post them per schedule. I felt amazed at how much I could achieve. However, I completed 6 posts instead of 8. Somehow I felt this is what I could do this month and I stopped. I wasn’t very convinced with the campaign midway and felt a little disoriented about the approach. Anyway, I am happy that I participated and learnt my lessons. I am thankful because I needed that push before a month, and I saw a huge change in my Alexa Rankings. I am glad it is over now.
Reading
I read so many blogs this September. I found so many interesting bloggers whom I might have missed otherwise. I read so much on parenting and travel that I am okay to venture into the unknown now. I loved the reading list sent by the team, but managed to continue my very own reading list without any hindrance. I am glad for that. I learnt so much from so many blogs. I am excited about blogging and I will follow some of the new blogs I found through the campaign.
I am currently reading two books. Sheryl Sandberg’s, Lean In for Graduates – my ideal read every morning and night. She inspires me and makes my day productive. She has helped me gain so much insight about career choices that women make. I am rethinking my own options. For the slow afternoons and 5 minute breaks, I am reading The Listerdale Mystery by Agatha Christie. I am glad to have this shift to Christie. I haven’t read much of her works before, I wonder why!
Parenting
Finally, I made peace with baby girl’s weight issues. Ilakkiya enjoys eating and burning down those calories. When she happens to annoy me with something, I just tell my mother how irritating it is. My mother, grandmother, and my father laugh it out and say, whose daughter she is! I decided not to complaint to these people. They make me the laughing stock. Anyway, I enjoy every activity she does, even if it is utterly annoying. She loves to wipe the floor with water and kiss her hands right after that. Trust me, I don’t do anything of that sort, in case you are thinking maybe she follows it from us! When I explain little one’s bossiness to some, people just say, after all she is your daughter! Well, I need to think twice before saying a word again! 😉
Work
I have taken a step back when it comes to Work this month. I haven’t come out from the fraudster pranks from last month. I decided to keep it slow. I am in the process of learning and I am sure I will. Some great bloggers shared their thoughts about it last month in my gratitude post about online work. I am glad to find them positive and focus on improving my skills.
Gratitude App
I am excited about the Gratitude Pie App by Upasna. It is an interesting app where we can list our daily gratitude and it forms a lovely pie. I have been a part of Upasna’s gratitude pie circle and I am so happy to see that her dream has come true through this app. You can download it from Play Store for Android. I am bad at drawing circles, this app makes things simple.
How did your September go? I would love to know about it.
Joining Vidya Sury’s #GratitudeCircle
How lovely that your little princess is growing beautifully – your pride comes shining through!
I bet you have a lot of fun packed into your life with all the people around you with distinct personailities and interests. It was amusing to hear you about complaining about your daughter to your side of people and their reactions. Never mind. Don't lose heart. Just pour it all out here on your blog. Since you are reading Sheryl Sandberg, I would like to make a polite request to stop calling your daughter bossy and consider it as her preparation to be a leader in the future. Let her be and enjoy the time that is at present.
Its lovely to read about your little one growing up. And surely a blog is a good way to document her months and years.
Discovering new blogs, networking and connecting is such a good way to learn. I have made some virtual friends, really good ones, only through their blogs. We leave a trail of our personality on blogs.
This is the best phase of your time with your child. I can imagine how much joy she must bring to you. I loved the way you've described each of your family members.
Thanks so much Corinne. It is true. I am truly enjoying the moments even though I stress over certain parenting nuances. ?
Thanks a lot Anamika. I am enjoying my time as much as I am running behind her over-time. Yes, I meant the bossiness is really adorable. Maybe, I didn't put it right here ?
Oh yes Ramya. Very true that. Thanks a lot for stopping by.
Thanks a lot Vinodini. It's indeed a pleasure to enjoy these moments as these little ones grow up so quick.
Very pleasant moment, seeing the growing child. Every second is precious. I was visiting many amazing Places in India in the month of September. It gave a lot of memorable moment.