Parita - My Inner Shakti

Random Musings – Motherhood, Life, Beauty, etc.

It’s been a while since I’ve just typed. I usually stick to a plan when blogging, but sometimes it’s nice to see where your fingers take you!

In terms of Kaiden updates, I don’t have too much to share…finally. Ha! Overall, the past few weeks have been great. A few bumps here and there, but he’s doing so well. My fingers are perpetually crossed in hopes that our three month sickness streak is over. It’s so nice to see Kaiden without a stuffed nose. My baby can breathe! Although, his teething (or what we think is teething) symptoms are a little out of control (re: diarrhea galore) . But hopefully a few chompers will be in soon!

Kaiden with the wild hair!

Out and about enjoying the beautiful weather (last week)!

Me on the other hand? I’ve been experiencing a weird allergic reaction to some unknown thing since last Tuesday. I broke out in hives after being outside for a few minutes, and it’s been on and off (mostly on) ever since. So I’m now on Allegra until we figure this thing out. I’m seeing an allergist this week, so hopefully I’ll have some answers soon. Please send some soothing/non-itchy vibes my way!

Vishnu remains unscathed by everything for now. Really (really!!!) hoping it stays that way.

The best development over the last week is that we have a mobile baby now! Kaiden started crawling early last week and has been on the move ever since. And now that he can get to the furniture, he’s also trying to grab on and pull himself up. It’s all so bittersweet! I love seeing him develop and become more and more aware of the environment around him, but at the same time, I miss the newborn days where all he wanted to do was be in my arms!

As the above clearly shows, motherhood is full of ups and downs (luckily ours are minor). Sometimes I feel like when things are on the up and up, I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I mean, I know it’s coming. Just a matter of when. On the flip side, knowing this journey is essentially one wave after another, I do try to enjoy the good stuff as fully as possible.

I also have to state the obvious. Spring needs to get here (and stay!) pronto. This gloomy weather is making me emotional (i.e. sad) even though I have no reason to be. I can handle the cold temps, but I need sunshine. COME ON!

Let’s switch gears to the good stuff. We have some fun travel plans coming up. Both with Kaiden and without. Vishnu and I will be in LA at the very beginning of June for a friend’s wedding. V’s parents will fly up to watch Kaiden – more grandparents time! And then soon thereafter, the three of us will fly to Atlanta to spend some time with family and celebrate K’s 1st birthday (WHAT?!?!). And then later in the summer, we’ll all be heading to Vail for Vishnu’s cousin’s wedding. Fun times ahead!

I have a skincare post in the works, but for now, I just have to share that Drunk Elephant products are so wonderful. And I love that I don’t have to worry about what I’m exposing K because everything is so ‘clean.’ More to come.

I’m also still loving the Namskara castor oil I shared about on my Instagram Stories. I can’t say tell yet if my brows are growing in more rapidly, but I’m definitely not losing any brow hairs. I’ll take it! If I do see considerable growth in the next few weeks/months, I’ll definitely post about it.

Another product I shared about on IG but have yet to follow-up on is the Eva NYC Mane Magic 10-in-one spray. I love how it keeps my coarse hair manageable and soft. Tis stuff is liquid hair gold. If you’re looking for a product that protects from heat styling, tames frizzies, etc., this one’s for you!

Other truly random musings…

I still get super irritated when people see me trying to maneuver our giant stroller in and out of doorways and offer no help whatsoever. I don’t expect it because I can and usually do figure it myself, but a little help never hurts!

Our thoughts are super powerful. I truly believe this. However, sometimes I feel like my thoughts actually create my life situations. For example, this past Sunday I woke up thinking about how K’s poops are super healthy (he was constipated for a while) and how a major blowout hasn’t happened in months. Well, guess what…he now has diarrhea. Coincidence? Probably. But this isn’t the first time my thoughts have literally manifested themselves. When I told Vishnu about this, he laughed and told me to think about his dream car. Ha! Jokes aside, I really should think more positive thoughts. You know, just in case I can make things happen!

I’m excited to share that I’m launching a ‘Working Mom’s Diary’ series very soon – Q&As with fellow working moms, topics specific to the working mom life, etc. Obviously, I have a vested interest in this topic and am super passionate about it. I hope, if nothing else, other working moms will read some of these posts and feel less alone (day-to-day life can feel very lonely).

Read this article about maternal grandparent advantage and please share your thoughts if you do! I want to write about my own take sometime soon.

If you have 53 minutes (give or take!) to spare, listen to this podcast about parenting. On point!

Annnnd…that’s all she wrote…for now. Have a great Tuesday!

A C-Section is Not the Easy Way Out

written by Parita 4 Comments

April is National Cesarean Awareness Month. When I learned this, I wanted to share something that’s been on my mind for a while now.

There are people out there who think c-sections are the easy way out (I’ve seen plenty of disgusting comments/headlines about this topic). A lazy mom’s journey to delivery, if you will. Having gone through it myself, I’m here to tell you it’s not easy. Not by a long shot.

I honestly no longer think too much about my emergency C-section. It happened. At the end of it, I got my beautiful, healthy baby boy. My experience, while scary, turned out ok. Thank goodness.

Now, before I share more of my thoughts, I have to state that I’m not pitting c-section moms against vaginal delivery moms. Or saying one way is harder than the other. Not by any means.

It’s all hard! I have yet to meet a mom who truly thinks her delivery was easy. The process of bringing a baby into the world is hard work. Period.

I envisioned a vaginal delivery up until the very end. Having to come to terms with the fact that we were now facing a situation I never thought about or planned for was not easy. And honestly, I dealt with those emotions for weeks after Kaiden’s birth. That wasn’t easy either.

The operating room felt like it was 30 degrees. I don’t think I’ve ever shivered that much or that hard. I couldn’t focus and wanted to cry the whole time. Not easy.

Because of the infection running through my body and the fact that the doctor had to cut through my belly into my uterus to get my baby out, I couldn’t hold Kaiden right away. They had to administer a number of tests first. Not the end of the world but not easy.

A picture I’ve shared on the blog before and likely will for years to come! Our first mama + K pic!

I couldn’t get out of my hospital bed for over two days, and when I tried, I fell right back down. That 10 inch incision in my belly was painful and not easy to deal with.

The pain didn’t stop at the hospital. I continued to roll out of bed (like I did during pregnancy) for weeks because any other position hurt like hell. Not easy.

Oh and that scar? It still itches from time to time. And yes, sometimes I feel a strange sensation too. Eh, not too bad!

The point of this post is not to claim all the ways ‘woe is me.’ Like I said right up front, we have Kaiden now and that’s all that matters. He met us via a different ‘door’ if you will, but he’s here nonetheless. And for that I will be forever thankful!

Something else to understand about c-sections is that most women don’t plan to have one. Some do, I know, but all of the women I know who ended up having one didn’t plan on it (it’s actually very risky). A long labor process, an infection, the baby’s positioning, or some other circumstance took them down a different path. An unplanned path I know they were all ultimately thankful for.

So while it may seem like major abdominal surgery is the easier way to deliver a baby, trust me, it’s not.

There is no easy way out regardless of what path you end up going down!

My New Fitness Challenge – Kayla Istines’ BBG Workout

written by Parita 4 Comments

Everyone around me is participating in some sort of challenging fitness endeavor. My BIL, Niel, is running the Chicago marathon in October. My sister, other BIL Adarsh, Vishnu, and few friends are participating in the Tough Mudder in August. Me? Nada. Until now that is!

Enter Kayla Istines’ BBG workout…

Ok, fine. There’s no real end game for me. BUT, I am challenging myself in a new way. Why? Because everyone around me is. Not the most compelling reason, but there’s nothing like seeing the people around you push themselves a bit to make you want to do the same.

Vishnu, for example, recently joined a gym in our neighborhood and is taking all of these really cool classes like HIIT, spin, boxing, etc. The plan was for me to join as well, but I ultimately decided not to right now because the timing of the classes doesn’t really work with my work + Kaiden schedule. Yet another reason for me to start BBG.

What is BBG?

BBG stands for Bikini Body Guide (I literally printed out a PDF guide with all the workouts mapped out). In my own words, it’s a 12 week fitness program focused on high intensity workouts. Each week you complete three 28 minute (ideally) HIIT workouts. For example, I just completed week one, and here’s what the workouts looked like.

Monday – Legs + Cardio (lunges, squats, burpees, etc.)
Wednesday – Arms + Abs (pushups, reverse pushups, bicycles, etc.)
Friday – Total Body (burpees, lunges, squat + press, etc.)

In addition to the above, I did a 40 minute run/walk workout on Saturday to round things out, and I also consider my walks to and from work as solid activity (I walk fast!).

I found week one to be pretty challenging, as evident by my super sore muscles. Every time I sneezed, some muscle/muscles screamed…usually my abs.

Why BBG?

I chose BBG instead of another program because it perfectly fits my workout criteria – 30 minutes ish, can do it at home, minimal equipment, and is (very) challenging.

Diet?

I’m not following the prescribed diet (I don’t believe in the word diet!), but I am maintaining a few simple rules – LOTS of water through out the day and no snacking after dinner (kitchen closes as soon as we finish cleaning up). Other than that, I’m going to try to make the best choices I can, eat lots of fruits and veggies, etc.

Goals?

My overall goal is to tone and tighten up a bit. I’m happy with my weight at the moment, but my tummy area could use some work as could my overall strength and endurance.

Any cons?

The only con I can think of after week one is injury. A big one I know. Because the workouts are timed + high rep, it’s easy to focus on that versus form. Knowing this, I constantly tried to ensure my form was on point, and if it’s not, I’d modify the move. My motto = slow and steady vs. injured and unable to exercise at all.

I don’t plan on sharing a weekly recap (as I did with T25 and my half marathon training) because, for example, weeks 1+3 and 2+4 are the same. So instead, I’ll share my thoughts after weeks 4, 8, and 12.

Feel free to share any questions or thoughts in the comments!

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Manuel Antonio was specifically chosen for its location on the Pacific coast! My sister and Adarsh knew that after a few packed days in La Fortuna/Arenal, we’d be ready for some R&R. Personally, I LOVED Manuel Antonio, as lazy beach days are my favorite!

Let’s take a look at where we stayed, what we ate, and what we did…

WHERE WE STAYED

Our Airbnb in Manuel Antonio was the definition of spacious and luxurious (and expensive!). Totally worth it! When we walked into our unit, we were all confused and so so excited. First of all, we had our own elevator. And the rooms were beautiful, the bathrooms had rain showers, there was an awesome game room downstairs. I told my sister I wish we had a couple of more days to enjoy the place! Not to mention, the location was perfect too. HIGHLY RECOMMEND splurging a little for a place like this!

WHERE WE ATE

I really liked the meals we enjoyed in Manuel Antonio. Everything was fresh and tasty and made with care. Super fan over here!

Sancho’s – We ate dinner at Sancho’s on our first night and loved the food/service. They’re known for the wet burrito (a stuffed burrito covered in their special sauce). I wasn’t too hungry, so I didn’t order that (Niel and Adarsh did and loved it), but my tostada was quite tasty.

Emilio’s Cafe – We loved this place so much we ate breakfast here twice! The view is incredible, and the food and fresh juices are super tasty. I personally loved the veggie, cheese, and egg croissant sandwich. Simple yet so good! I also loved Vishnu’s dish on day 2. He ordered a savory French toast stuffed with an herbed cheese. Oh my gosh! It was perfection!

Café Agua Azul – We ate dinner here on our last night. I’ll be honest. Mama may have had a little too much wine beforehand, but I do remember the burrito my sister and I shared being pretty good. The boys all ordered fish and said everything tasted super fresh. Loved the ambiance here, so would recommend it for that reason alone!

WHAT WE DID

ATV tour – This was the only excursion we did in Manuel Antonio, and I think it kind of fell short of everyone’s expectations. Except mine! The boys and my sister wanted to go fast, however, the guide made me go first right behind him. I didn’t drive fast…at all. When we finally stopped for a break, I pleaded with the guide to let me move to the very back. He finally agreed, and everyone had a much better time for the last 25% of the ride. Haha! I also had a lot more fun riding at my own pace!

Beach days! – We spent 1.5 days hanging out at two different beaches. While I didn’t partake, the rest of the group did some boogie boarding. I did, however, read and get plenty of sun! Someday we’re going to own a house by the ocean…someday!

And that’s a wrap on our trip to Costa Rica! So many adventures, so much great food, so many memories! Can’t wait to vacation with this group (of my favorite people) again. 🙂

La Fortuna/Arenal, Costa Rica

written by Parita 2 Comments

Now that I’ve shared my personal must pack list for a trip to Costa Rica, let’s dive into the details of our getaway.

We (me, Vishnu, Vishnu’s brother, my sister, and her husband) spent a total of 6 nights in Costa Rica, including short stints in San Jose on our way in and out. I wasn’t necessarily a huge fan of where we stayed these nights, but they served the purpose and were super cheap! I will say, though, that the fast food in San Jose, namely Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, tasted pretty delicious. Even better than the states!

Ok, so we woke up super early on Thursday to drive (we rented a big SUV) to La Fortuna/Arenal. We were being picked up at our La Fortuna Airbnb around 9 am for our hiking excursion. The drive took a little over 2.5 hours and was scenic and beautiful.

And that was the start to a very fun 2.5 days in La Fortuna/Arenal…

WHERE WE STAYED

I’m very thankful to my sister and Adarsh (my BIL) for doing the majority of the planning behind this trip. They did an amazing job picking great places to stay and the best excursions.

Like I said, we stayed at a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom Airbnb. The whole vibe reminded me a lot of India. We even had a mini farm next door!

In my opinion, the best part about this particular home was the fact that the owner was incredibly gracious and kind. And that it had a washing machine for all our dirty hiking, rapelling, and rafting clothes. I bet everyone else would say they loved the hammock and the location! Ha!

Overall, I think all five of us would recommend this place.

WHERE WE ATE

In terms of meals, we really only had to think about dinner because we ate breakfast at home (in the form of bananas, bars, and PB sandwiches) and lunches were covered as part of the excursions, with the exception of zip lining.

Rainforest Café – We had high hopes for this place as it came recommend by one of our hiking guides. Personally, I felt like the food was a bit Americanized and not as authentic as I wanted. My sister and I shared some yucca fries and nachos, while the guys ordered special plates with a few different items. I did, however, love the fried plantain with cheese on Vishnu’s plate and had a few bites of that.

Don Rufino – This was our more fancy meal while in La Fortuna/Arenal. Overall, I really enjoyed the ambiance and food. There weren’t too many vegetarian options on the menu but what they did have was great. My sister and I shared a cauliflower steak with couscous. However, the butternut squash risotto that came with the chicken dish stole the show. I’m already thinking of how to recreate it at home!

Chill Out Café (lunch) – Because we had a 5 hour drive ahead of us, we wanted to make sure we ate before heading from zip lining to Manuel Antonio. I will say, for what it was, the food at Chill Out Café was pretty decent. I ordered a veggie quesadilla and fries (because duh!) and liked it a lot. Everyone else ordered tacos and said they tasted better than expected.

WHAT WE DID

La Fortuna Extreme Hike – This was a crowd favorite excursion. And I liked it a lot too! I will say that a baseline of fitness is probably something that should be recommended, as certain portions of the hike were very challenging. My favorite parts included seeing all the cool animals and birds, the views of the volcano, the team work our little group displayed as we climbed up and down for eight miles, and our super energetic guide. At the end of the hike, you go to a hot ‘river’ for an hour to relax. Not my favorite as the river was very rocky and the water pressure crazier than expected, but all in all, it was a great way to end the day!

Desafio Combo Canyoning and Rafting – I ended up loving both of these excursions more than I expected. To be fair, my bar was set pretty low to begin with. The waterfall rapelling (crayoning) definitely got our adrenaline up and proved to be a challenge. Essentially, you rapell down four waterfalls and incur two ‘ wet surprises’ along the way. There is a bit of ‘hiking’ involved with this so I highly recommend taking your water shoes with you. After a breakfast break, we headed to the river for the rafting portion of the day. This was a ton of fun, mainly because our guide was awesome. He let us get in the river and float along, and he also let a few of us ‘ride the bull.’ FYI – I didn’t do this! All in all, I would highly recommend this combo package – just remember adventure is the name of the game. Oh and lunch was pretty delicious too!

Sky Trek Zip Lining – I ended up loving this more than I thought I would (a personal theme for the trip!). Don’t get me wrong, it’s frightening if you think too much about what you’re about to do, but if you can get over the height element, it’s amazing! We zip lined across/down seven different paths, all of varying heights and lengths. The guides were awesome and made sure you had a lot of fun along the way. Again, highly recommend this adventure!

Next up, a little bit of adventure and lots of relaxation in Manuel Antonio…

P.S. To be honest, I was very nervous about all of the excursions we signed up for. I kept imaging someone getting seriously injured. I’m happy to share no one in our group got hurt over the course of our 6 day trip. We owe this in large part to our guides and the safety standards they follow. I felt safe and secure at all times. Also, as Vishnu pointed out, the safety regulations in Costa Rica probably surpass those in the US, as tourism is their main industry.

Must Pack List for an Adventure Filled Trip to Costa Rica

written by Parita 2 Comments

I thought I’d start my Costa Rica posts with one about my personal must pack list. Personally, this was a unique trip for me because our days were filled with so many adventures/excursions. Let’s put it this way – you’re not packing for just the beach!

Let me provide some context about our trip. We were in Costa Rica for 6 nights total – mainly in Arenal and Manuel Antonio. Over the course of four of those days, we participated in five different excursions (I’ll share more detail in my other posts). As you can imagine, shopping and packing for this trip was interesting.

With that being said, here is my must pack list for an adventure filled trip to Costa Rica…

1. Water shoes – These bad boys saved my feet/toes multiple times as the hot springs and beaches can be quite rocky. We also wore our water shoes during the waterfall rapelling and white water rafting excursions, and they were the perfect footwear. Highly recommend!

2. Hiking boots – I was super skeptical about this purchase, but looking back, I’m so glad both Vishnu and I splurged on good quality hiking boots. If you’re planning to do any kind of hiking in Costa Rica, I recommend a solid pair of boots. I almost rolled my ankle twice! We also wore our boots in place of sneakers for all other excursions. We bought ours at a local REI. I recommend getting fitted if you’re new to this just like you would for running shoes. The last thing you need on an eight mile hike through the Costa Rican rainforest is an uncomfortable pair of shoes.

3. Rain jacket – Even if you’re travelling during the dry season (which we did), I still highly recommend bringing a good quality rain jacket with you. It drizzled during our zip lining excursion, and while our jackets didn’t necessarily keep us warm, they did keep us dry which was as good as it got at the time!

4. Bug spray – A strong, good quality bug spray is a must! Those Costa Rican mosquitos aren’t messing around. For those of you who follow me on Instagram Stories or have been reading MIS for a while, you know my favorite natural spray is Bug Off by Me and a Tree Skincare. This stuff has travelled with me to India, Panama, Florida, and now Costa Rica. Not only is it safe to use, it really does keep the bugs away. I didn’t get a single mosquito bite during this trip (or any of the others)! And an added bonus – it smells amazing!

5. SPF – Don’t forget a good quality SPF for face and body. Personally, I like using something different on my face because of how sensitive my skin is. I can’t recommend the Drunk Elephant SPF enough. I use the tinted kind and LOVE it.

6. Hat – This may seem like a ‘maybe/maybe not’ kind of item, but it’s a must because that sun isn’t messing around. All five of us wore our hats daily.

7. First aid kit – So technically, we didn’t have to open our first aid kid during this trip. However, I still recommend bringing one, especially if your trip is excursion heavy. I scraped my knee pretty bad during the waterfall rapelling (at the VERY end while we’re walking to lunch…ugh!), and I’m so thankful someone else in our wider excursion group had a water resistant band aid. Rafting would’ve been very painful otherwise.

8. Sunglasses – Be sure to bring a CHEAP pair of sunglasses with you. Keep the good stuff at home!

9. Pants/hiking pants – While it may seem counterintuitive to pack pants for a HOT Costa Rican vacation, hear me out! A good, comfortable pair of pants/hiking pants will protect your legs from scraps, bugs, etc. The boys wore actual hiking pants (I got these for Vishnu, and he raved about them such great fit/quality for the price), while my sister and I got away with workout leggings.

10. Water bottles – Obviously, bottled water is sold everywhere in Costa Rica. But you’ll appreciate having a liter (or more) bottle of your own after a few hours in the sun. I got two of these bottles for me and Vishnu and feel that they served the purpose, not only when we were out and about, but also when we were just hanging out at our Airbnbs. A little tip – instead of buying small individual bottles, buy a (or more!) 6 liter jugs. Life saver!

Obviously, we packed other things like nice dinner outfits, bathing suits, flip flops, etc. But the 10 items above are the ones you really need!

No portion of this post is sponsored. However, affiliate links are included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links. Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

State of Our Household [Month 9]

written by Parita 1 Comment

I can’t wrap my head around the fact that Kaiden’s 9 months old – the same amount of time he was in my belly! Woah! As excited as I am to see our baby grow and show us who he is, I desperately want time to slow down. I mean, how is it already almost April 2018?!

Anyways, enough chit chat. Let’s take a deeper dive into month 9.

STATE OF KAIDEN

First and foremost, Kaiden’s short vacay in Atlanta with his grandparents was a huge success. From what I heard and all the pictures/videos I saw, he truly had the time of his life. After we got back from Costa Rica, my mom shared that day one was a bit of mess and full of tears, but after that, he was living the good life.

Speaking of grandparents, month 9 also brought with it tons of boding time with his amama (paternal grandmother). My MIL stayed with us for three weeks, which was a huge blessing in so many ways. Especially because Kaiden got hand, foot, mouth disease. But I’ve talked about that enough on here!

Another huge win this month included Kaiden finally starting to sleep through the night. All it took was one night of crying it out (CIO). I know the CIO method is controversial, but goodness it worked for us, and thankfully, it didn’t take days or even weeks to ‘train’ him. [KNOCKING ON ALL THE WOOD!] As of right now, K goes down around 6:15p, falls asleep on his own by 6:45p at the latest, and wakes up at 5a for his first feeding. Vishnu and I are currently trying to figure out how to push the 5a wake up call to the 6 o’clock hour. Don’t get me wrong. We know how lucky we are to get a full night of sleep (finally), but with both of us working and trying to get out the door by 7a, it would be nice if K woke up a little later. Even if it doesn’t happen, I’ll take this new situation any day!

In terms of food, Kaiden is now eating chunkier meals, as I want to transition him to table foods soonish. I’ve noticed a little more interest on his part this week in grabbing food and putting it in his mouth. It’s a VERY messy but fun process! We’ll see how it goes.

K’s also on the verge of crawling. He’s scooting for sure, and rocks back and forth on all fours all the time, but it may take a few more weeks for him to put everything together. But once he does, Vishnu and I are in for the time of our lives I’m sure! K also regularly tries to pull himself to standing. It’s to the point where if you try to position him a different way, he’ll fight it by stiffening his little legs. So cute!

My favorite new development which is also the most frustrating at times is how active Kaiden is when we’re getting him ready for bed (post-bath time). He literally wrestles with us and won’t stay still – twisting, turning, flipping over, getting on all fours…and then eventually whining when we get him back in position and continue with the process. It cracks me up!

This month also brought out more of K’s personality. If I had to pick one word to describe him at this age, it would be curious. Boy loves to be in the know with everything. You can’t get anything past him. Once he sees/hears something, he has to know more. He definitely gets this from Vishnu, and I’m so glad because it’s one of the things I love most about V.

While month 9 was pretty great (aside from the HFM), it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. One example of this would be Kaiden’s need for company at all times. He does not like to be left alone and has no problem letting you know. I don’t think its separation anxiety because he’s fine when we leave him with other people. I honestly think he just hates being alone, which obviously creates some interesting situations, especially when one of us is home alone with him. But we’re working on it.

Overall, this is such a fun age! So much yelling, babbling/talking, giggling, smiling, and JOY! I can’t imagine it getting any better than this.

STATE OF MAMA

Overall, I’m feeling pretty good. This month was certainly stressful at times, but having my MIL stay with us taught me it’s ok to ask for help. This doesn’t mean you’re any less of a mom. In fact, I felt like the best mom over the past few weeks. This mayyyy have something to do with getting more sleep…just a thought!

I’m also happy to report that I survived leaving K with my parents for six nights. There was a little bit of sobbing at first on my part (in the middle of the airport no less), and it was weird to have some much independence for so long, but looking back, I can honestly say going to Costa Rica was good for all three of us.

Other than that, I’m really looking forward to spring – better weather, visits to the park, exploring different parts of Chicago, etc.

STATE OF DADDY

This past month was full of weird work shifts for Vishnu. He covered for a few different people, which meant things were constantly changing for us. And the next two months are also pretty intense. He has three tough back-to-back rotations. When I think about this and get ahead of myself, I feel super overwhelmed. That’s when my mama motto comes into play – one day at a time.

Vishnu also faced his own sickness this month – strep. Ugh! Although, the other day he mentioned how it could’ve been a version of K’s HFM. We’ll never know, I suppose.

And you guys, you should’ve seen V in Costa Rica! He had the time of his life. This alone made my heart smile. I’m pretty sure we need an annual family vacay (I want to bring K with us next time) during the winter to a warmer place. It’s good for the soul!

Other than that, Vishnu is looking forward to life as a family of three again!

STATE OF VISHNU AND PAR

You guys, I went ahead and started Dark Places without Vishnu! I’m hoping he catches up soon because I’m not letting myself read more until he does. I wouldn’t say it’s Gone Girl good, but it’s pretty decent so far. More to come…when we get through the whole thing…together.

Costa Rica was good for Vishnu and Par. We needed a vacation, and it was starting to show. Now we’re working on scheduling other activities and planning things out in advance.

Putting aside our bucket list, our real goal is to stay as connected as possible. And more than anything that means really listening, talking, and making quality time for each other.

And that’s month 9 in under 1200 words! On to the double digit months…ahhh…and all the fun to come!

Random Musings – Motherhood, Life, Beauty, etc.

A C-Section is Not the Easy Way Out

My New Fitness Challenge – Kayla Istines’ BBG Workout

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

La Fortuna/Arenal, Costa Rica

Must Pack List for an Adventure Filled Trip to Costa Rica

State of Our Household [Month 9]

categories

Archives

Follow me on Twitter

Instagram