motherhood Archives - My Inner Shakti

Tips/Tricks for Flying with a Two-Year-Old

Flying with Kaiden up until now has been fairly easy. I say fairly because of course we’ve had our shares of ups and down. But this is how it usually went– get on plane, let him crawl around and play with whatever, K passes out in my arms as soon as plane takes off. See, fairly easy.

So you can imagine how nervous I was flying with him for the first time since he turned two. Why nervous? Because after kids turn two, they get their own seat. And my Kaiden isn’t one to sit for prolonged periods of time.

Thankfully, the flight time from Chicago to Atlanta is only about 1.5 hours. A good testing ground I suppose.

Given this was my first time flying with a two-year-old, I’m certainly no expert. But here are a few tricks/tips that worked for me.

TIP/TRICK 1 – Now that Kaiden understands what we’re saying, I tried my best to hype up our ‘airplane’ trip a few days before we left. That excitement helped us get through security, to the gate, and on to the plane.

TIP/TRICK 2 – One word – snacks…and lots of them. I brought so many snacks, including apples, a PB&J sandwich, cereal, freeze dried fruits and veggies, etc. He didn’t eat much of it, but I did have peace of mind knowing I was prepared.

TIP/TRICK 3 – Don’t be afraid to ask for and/or accept help. For example, when we were standing in line to board, the man in front of me asked if I wanted him to carry our stroller on to the jet bridge. He carried it out for me as well. I could’ve easily said no and looked like a crazy woman trying to wrangle her toddler, carry two bags and a stroller. No thanks! Example number two happened when Kaiden wouldn’t sit in his seat. I quietly asked the kind man sitting next to me to tell K to sit down and put on the seatbelt. At first, he was like, “You want me to tell him that?” And I said, “Yes, please.” He did it and guess what…K sat down and let me put his belt on!

TIP/TRICK 4 – The things that saved me this time around in terms of toys/activities were the Crayola Color Wonder Markers and Paper. This kept Kaiden entertained in some form or fashion for longer spurts. And because these markers only work on the special paper, they didn’t transfer on to the seats, our skin, our clothes, etc.

I also brought two brand new little trucks and a pack of stickers for K as ‘surprise, be good now!’ treats. They entertained him for a little bit. Ha!

TIP/TRICK 5 – Forget about everyone else and do what you have to do. Flying, in my mind, is grounds for going into survival mode. Anything and everything goes.

That’s all I have in terms of tips/tricks. I’m hoping to build my toolkit as we travel more with K. We have our trip back home to Chicago on Sunday, as well as a trip to Cabo and the Bahamas coming up. Cross your fingers for us!

I will say that Kaiden did relatively well for most of the flight, excluding the last 20 minutes. He was pretty much over it at that point and wanted to sit in my lap. I sang him songs and distracted him as much as I could, but boy, those 20 minutes felt like 2 hours!

Please share your best tips/tricks for travelling with kids!

Why We Chose to Send Our Son to Daycare

written by Parita 3 Comments

Since starting Kaiden in daycare at 6 months old, I’ve gotten a lot of questions about why we went down that path, why we didn’t go with a nanny, how we survived the daycare germs, etc.

It’s been 1.5 years since that time, so I thought I’d share our experience and insights for anyone who also ‘struggled’ with the question of which childcare option to choose.

NOTE: I’m starting and ending this post with the same sentiment – this is not a daycare vs. all other childcare options post. This is simply about our experiences to date!

The Beginning

When Vishnu and I moved to Chicago in June 2016, we weren’t pregnant, and although we were trying, childcare honestly wasn’t something we were thinking about at the time. So when it came time to choose a place to live, we picked the building we did for lots of different reasons but not because there was a good daycare nearby.

Fast forward to three months into my pregnancy. We went to visit my friend Erin and her new baby at the time. Vishnu and her husband were chatting when Shahan asked V about our childcare plans. He mentioned that the city daycares have waiting lists (sometimes a year or longer). On our way home, Vishnu told me about this convo and how we needed to get on it quickly.

Within a week, we had appointments at all the daycares in area. Luckily, the one we absolutely loved had an opening for January 2018 in the young infant room. AND it ended up being the closest option in terms of proximity to our apartment.

Why Not a Nanny

So K’s school is four blocks from where we live. It’s on the way to both the train for Vishnu and downtown for me. We are VERY lucky that we can just walk him there so easily.

We honestly didn’t consider a nanny because (at the time) we didn’t feel comfortable leaving K home with someone who would essentially be a total stranger. Of course, we know get that you interview people and all that, but at the time, it wasn’t something we wanted to do given the school was so close to us. Vishnu was also really adamant about daycare for the social aspect. We wanted K to be around other kids from a younger age. K’s school also does music class, yoga and lots of other fun learning activities. Not all nanny’s are former educators, so we definitely took this into consideration. We also loved the fact that K could attend the same school all the way to pre-K if needed.

And finally, from a logistical standpoint, we live in a small apartment, where my ‘office’ is a small corner between the kitchen and the living area. I work from home a lot. If we had a nanny, I would have to go to the office every day or find another workspace. Vishnu’s schedule also varies sometimes. So given the lack of consistency, daycare felt like a good choice for us.

Surviving the Daycare Germs

When I talk to friends who are considering putting their kid in daycare, the first question that inevitably comes up is, “Are the germs that bad?” I’m here to tell you that they are in fact HORRIBLE!

Not to scare anyone, but within the first week of Kaiden starting school, he had a nasty stomach bug that literally took me and Vishnu down too.

Let’s put it this way. 2018 was hell in terms of K being sick. We (sometimes it really was the collective we) experienced everything from colds to stomach bugs to hand foot mouth to Roseola to ear infections to random fevers.

BUT…the plus side to all of that is K’s immune systems is definitely stronger now. 2019 has been pretty good to us so far. He’s only had two random fevers that went away in a couple of days. He’s also had a runny nose here and there but that too goes away fairly quickly.

From what I’ve been told (by other daycare parents) is that while the first 12-18 months are rough, your kids are so much less likely to get sick when they enter pre-K and beyond. FINGERS CROSSED!

The bottom line is if you put your kid in daycare expect them to be sick for a while. And once you’re past that, relish in it!

Daycare Costs

Daycare, especially where we send K, is expensive. It’s essentially rent 2.0 for us. However, this is the place we wanted, so we sucked it up.

In terms of the comparison between a nanny and daycare, daycare still works out to be cheaper in Chicago, even when using the lowest hourly rate.

What I Would Have Done Differently Knowing What I Know Now

Well, for starters, I wish I could’ve taken off a whole year to be with K. But that wasn’t possible. I got 16 weeks of maternity leave and then my dad came to watch K for a couple of months to close the gap. My dad did offer to stay with us until Kaiden turned one, but we told him it was ok. I didn’t want to take him away from my mom for so long!

I don’t know what Vishnu would say, but in all honesty, I wish we had waited until K was one to start daycare. Looking back, six months feels a little too young. But we did what we did with the information and knowledge we had on hand at the time. #noregrets

How Kaiden is Doing in Daycare Now

Kaiden adjusted quite well to daycare from the beginning. The only time he has trouble is when he transitions to a new classroom. Other than that, he loves school. Right now, I think yoga Tuesday is his favorite.

I think you’ll hear this from a lot of daycare parents, but kids are so different when they’re there versus at home. K eats the majority of his food at school (even things he won’t touch at home). He naps for the full two hours, which as you guys know, is hit or miss at home. It’s honestly great!

Well, I think that covers the question of why we chose to send K to daycare. Like I said, this was not meant to be a daycare vs. all other options type of posts. I do think it gets a bad rep sometimes, so I want to give parents-to-be and new parents some sense of relief that you’re not bad parents for sending your kid to daycare! Any option that works for you and your child is a GREAT ONE!

If I missed anything or if you have any additional questions, leave a comment below or send me an email!

Life Lately on the Fitness Front

written by Parita 2 Comments

I used to blog regularly and in tons of detail about my workouts. Everything from about 2011 to 2016 is on MIS. Jillian Michaels, half marathon training, T25, Tough Mudder training, Barre3. It’s all on MIS!

I haven’t talked much about my fitness endeavors as of late because they don’t feel all that monumental. I’m honestly just trying hard to listen to my body and work out appropriately when I can. There’s not much more to it. The one thing that has changed are my workouts themselves.

Let me back up…

In March, I joined the gym across the street from where we lived. Not because I was itching to, but because Vishnu realized that despite his best efforts, he wasn’t going to be able to go as much as he wanted/needed to. We didn’t want to pay the cancellation fee, so we essentially worked with the gym to transfer his membership over to me.

As you guys know, I’m a home workout kind of person. I absolutely don’t mind doing Barre3 online at home or using YouTube videos or even going to our apartment gym. It’s what I’ve been doing for years. But when Vishnu raved about the group fitness classes at this gym, I said, “Why not?!”

Guess what…

Vishnu was right! I LOVE the classes and the instructors. And lucky for me, there are quite a few good ones that fall around my lunchtime, making it extra convenient on the days I work from home.

In terms of the workouts themselves, I take a class called TAP, a Barre Cardio class, and a Cycling class.

TAP
TAP stands for Total Athletic Performance. It’s kind of like a low-key version of CrossFit from what I gather. The gym offers two versions – a conditioning class and a strength class. Depending on the week, I’ll take one or both. The conditioning one is more cardio – running, rowing, ropes, ball slams, body weight exercises, kettle ball swings, etc. Lots of aerobic stuff mixed with a bit of strength. The strength class is the opposite. Lots of strength moves with barbells, hand weights, kettle balls, etc. and very little cardio. Both great options! Both leave me drenched in sweat at the end.

Barre Cardio
The Barre Cardio class is exactly what it sounds like. Barre with a mix of cardio in the form of jump squats and just faster moves to get your heart rate up.

Cycling
The Cycling class is a typical gym cycling class, but I love the instructor so that’s why I try to go once a week. She mixes in a little bit of arm work too, which I love. It’s no Soul Cycle, but it’s a good workout.

Other than that, I still do Barre3 Online at home, especially on the weekends. I’ve done BBG on days where I couldn’t make it to the gym. And I still very much love my treadmill walks and run/walks.

So with that being said, here’s what a typical week of workouts looks like for me.

Sunday – usually a rest day, but if I’m engaging in anything truly active, it’s usually a treadmill walk
Monday – TAP (conditioning)
Tuesday – If I’m working from home, I’ll head down to our apartment gym for a treadmill run/walk. If I’m in the office, then my walk to and from work counts as my workout!
Wednesday – TAP (conditioning)
Thursday – TAP (strength). If I’m in the office, then my walk to and from work counts as my workout!
Friday – Barre Cardio
Saturday – Cycling

Like I said, this is a typical week but it’s not an exact science. A lot depends on when I’m in the office vs. at home and how I’m physically feeling. The TAP classes are really challenging and I don’t push myself to do two in a row unless I really feel like I can handle it.

I’m also a huge believer in everyday activity serving as exercise, so on those days where I don’t make it to the gym, I just try to stay off my butt as much as possible. Having a very active toddler definitely helps!

And that’s where I’m currently at. Trying to challenge myself a bit more with the classes, but also listening to my body and getting rest when I need it. Not rocket science, but thought I would share since I’m in a different season of life.

State of Our Household – 2 YEARS OLD!

written by Parita 2 Comments

I honestly can’t believe we have a two-year-old! When I think back to right before Kaiden was born, it honestly feels like yesterday. I remember it all so clearly.

With that being said, for us, year two literally zoomed by when compared to the first year. Vishnu and I were talking about that the other day. It feels like Kaiden went from turning one to two…just like that!

Two is a lot of fun. And it isn’t all terrible like they say. But in all honesty, it’s more tiring than anything else with plenty of terrific moments to keep you going.

But overall, our little guy is super sweet and very loving, with a side of stubborn and clingy! HA!

Let’s take a look at how each of us is doing at this point in time.

STATE OF KAIDEN

State of Kaiden…where to start? I’ll start with the basics.

Knock on all the wood, but K is a great nighttime sleeper. He goes down around 7:30 and wakes up between 5:30 and 6. We did hit a two year sleep regression a month or so ago where he would wake up every so often throughout the night screaming. We opted to let him cry it out after the first few nights, and he’d generally go back to sleep after 5 minutes or so. Naps are also better than before. At school, he’s napping for 2 hours, but at home, we’ll usually get anywhere from 45 minutes-2 hours. It really just depends. On what? I have no idea!

As far as eating is concerned, he still eats great at daycare. Like one of the best in his class. At home, it just depends on his mood. Some days he amazes us and some days I can’t wait until daycare because I know he’ll eat there. He loves Indian food, with khichdi being his favorite. He also usually loves pasta with pesto or red sauce. In terms of other foods, his favorites include yogurt, bananas, apples, broccoli (roasted), cauliflower (roasted), peanut butter, toast.

Kaiden has also now mastered climbing up and down stairs (while holding the railing). He’s also amazing at throwing balls. His aim is pretty good. Dancing is also one of his favorite pastimes, and he’s got some moves!

What else? He’s still obsessed with balls. In fact, he sleeps with two different footballs. Elmo is his absolute favorite. He also loves Curious George (Georgie!). Daniel Tiger is up there but I think it’s a little too much talking for him at this age. Kaiden is also newly obsessed with boats. Our balcony overlooks the Chicago river where all the architecture boats tours come through, and every day (multiple times a day), without skipping a beat, he says, “Mama, BIG BOATTTTTT.” It’s the cutest thing! Trucks are also becoming a favorite, as are dogs.

His language skills are getting better and better by the day, but I’m pretty sure Vishnu and I are the only ones who really understand him! We’re trying our best to not give in when he just points to stuff and instead ask him what he wants and to name it. I can’t wait to see where he is in 6 months time!

In terms of his demeanor and personality, Kaiden is very sweet and really funny. Once he sees that something he did made us laugh, he revels in it and does it even more! He loves giving kisses, imitating us…what we say and the voices we say them in, cuddling with mama, reading books, and counting to 10.

On the flip side, he can be stubborn and go from 0-60 without any warning. It’s insane how something as simple as a question, saying his name or even me whistling can set him off. Sometimes Vishnu and I look at each other and laugh…other times, not so much!

I’m honestly looking forward to this year and watching K grow and develop even more, although I do miss my little baby!

STATE OF MAMA

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, motherhood definitely turned my world upside down for the first 18 months or so. It was more wonderful than I ever imagined and A LOT harder. But the past few months have been really good. Not without trying moments and days but good. I feel comfortable in this role, and honestly, I also feel less alone now that Vishnu’s home more.

Kaiden and I have a very special relationship, and I love that too. He’s my little boy, and he makes sure everyone knows it. When anyone else gives me a hug, he says ‘noooooooo…mineeeeeeeeee.’ HA! Still trying to get him to understand the concept of sharing!

Other than the day to day of being K’s mama, I’m doing really well. I love the gym I joined back in March. I go to group classes a few times a week and am starting to see real results. More than anything, it makes me feel mentally strong…like I can do anything.

Work is still the same old. I may have some travel to London coming up towards the end of the year. I’m ok with a little travel here and there, but after our trip to Anguilla, I realized a job with extensive travel is just not for me.

Other than that, I’m just trying to get out and enjoy the Chicago summer (all two months of it…HA!).

STATE OF DADA

Now that Vishnu is officially a fourth year Radiology resident, life gets easier for all of us in some ways. No more boards to worry about, no more excessive (in my opinion) call shifts, etc. We’ve had him home with us and very present the past couple of weekends, and it feels so nice…and a little strange! We’re super excited to explore Chicago a little more as a family, given we only have a couple of summers left here.

On the downside, with Vishnu having been busy and away from home the past 6-12 months, Kaiden is not always as nice as he should be. Like I said earlier, he’s still going through a mama phase, which leaves little to no room for dada. I’m trying my best to disappear every now and then so V and K can bond, so let’s see how that goes!

Other than that, Kaiden loves to go straight to our bed in the morning and say hello to dada and give him kisses. He’s also all about dada when Vishnu’s not home. Crazy kid!

And that’s all she wrote, folks! This is two and we’re here for it (most of the time!).

Q&A with Mama and Food Blogger Meeta Arora

written by Parita Leave a Comment

In my opinion, today’s mama Q&A requires no introduction! If you own an Instant Pot, I’m 99.9% sure you’ve come across Meeta’s blog – Piping Pot Curry If you haven’t tried her recipes, what are you waiting for…? Seriously though, her blog is a go-to for simple, easy, and delicious recipes and meal ideas.

I love Meeta’s story because she truly went from pursuing her passion on the side to turning it into a venture – a true momprenuer. I think you guys will be super inspired by her journey, the hacks she shares and more.

Over to you, Meeta! 🙂

1. Tell me a little more about your family – number of kids, names, ages.
Hi, I am Meeta, and my husband is Mahendra. We have an adorable daughter Riya who is almost 6 years old, and we are expecting our second in July this year. My daughter is super excited and looking forward to meeting the baby.

2. Tell me more about your line of work.
I am a former Product Manager by profession, where I worked at an insurance software company building and improving software products. What that really means is I was responsible for defining the direction and for improving the product I managed. Before that, I worked as a software engineer. I made the switch to product management after doing graduate studies in management.

Currently, I manage my food blog called Piping Pot Curry, where I enjoy combining my culinary skills with sharing my love for delicious and healthy food with others. Having been a working mom, I understand the challenges faced by mom’s where they want to feed their family healthy food, while not spending a ton of time in the kitchen. It is all about efficiency. So I share recipes and tips to make cooking easier, and lots of my recipes can be made under 30-minute.

3. Tell me more about how you got to where you are now with Piping Pot Curry.
As I was working in my previous job, I wanted to do something on the side, a passion project. All that came to mind was food. I am a complete foodie. I love to cook, I love to go out to eat. Cooking is like unwinding time for me. At the same time, I met some friends who were into blogging. So after learning about their passion and success with blogging, I decided to start a food blog.

In February 2017, I launched Piping Pot Curry. It has been a wonderful journey. Initially, I was doing it as a side project on the weekends while working. But then for completely different reasons, I decided to leave my job in August 2017 and had more time to work on the blog. I spent some time learning photography, all the social media, creating videos. It has been super fun learning about this whole new world of blogging. I also saw good traction on the blog. So here I am almost two years later and still enjoying doing this full-time.

4. What does a typical day in the life look like for you?
Our day typically starts around 6am, when my husband and I wake up. We go downstairs, I make tea, and we both get some work done while sipping tea until 7 am. Then we start getting ready and making breakfast/lunches.

My husband and daughter leave home at 8:20 am and he takes care of the drop-off. This is when I finish cleaning up/getting ready and start my work at home around 8:45-9 am. My work involves cooking 1-2 days in the week, and most of the other time is spent on the laptop writing posts, social media, etc. (yes, this might seem counterintuitive, and I don’t always have to be cooking even though I have a food blog).

Depending on the day, my daughters school ends at 3:15 pm or if she has an extra-curricular class at school around 4:30-5 pm. So I wrap up work and pick her up. We come home and finish homework, which is luckily just 15-20 minutes currently. Then my daughter gets some relaxing time to play with her toys or watch a little episode of TV while I prepare dinner.

We then play some games or practice music or just do some artwork. Riya loves to play some board or card games every day. We have dinner around 7 pm. Most days my husband gets home around the same time, so we can have dinner together. Dinner is a struggle with our very very picky kid who can live on snacks but no real food. I have to give in extra time to get some nutritious food in her belly.

Then my husband or I go through our bedtime routine with Riya – shower, reading, sleep (by 9 pm). This gives the other person time to finish up the dishes, clean, etc. If given a chance, my daughter would love to stay awake and keep playing, reading, etc. So we have to make a real effort to get her in bed by 9 pm. She does make sure to get enough sleep by only waking up after 7 am. And then we go to sleep around 10 pm. Some days it is later depending on any chores we have to complete. Some days I wake up earlier at 5 am to finish up work or my husband is working late to finish his office work.

Weekends are for chores around the house, meeting up with friends, going to the park, grocery shopping and just having some family time. We try to also watch a movie or show after putting Riya to bed.

Now, this typical schedule is completely going to change once the new baby is here. I plan to take a couple of months off and then ease myself back into work by getting a part-time nanny.

But overall, I love the flexibility my work allows. It is satisfying as I get to do what I like and do not have the pressure of reporting to someone. At the same time, I do have my goals for the blog and am committed to making it a success.

5. What are your best hacks, tips, and tricks for getting the most out of your day?
The main mantra to follow here is to be present in what you are doing. In the evening, I completely block out work and only focus on home and my daughter. And during the day, I focus on working on the blog.

Planning the week helps a lot too. I use Asana to help me plan out my work week. I can add tasks and assign them to specific days of the week to make sure I accomplish my goals.

We also try to divide up chores between me and my husband which makes it easier to manage the day…using the calendar is our friend. Any task that needs to get done by a specific time goes on the calendar. My husband and I add each other to the tasks or events which need both our attention. This also helps to not double book ourselves or over-commit.

6. What are some of the big challenges you face and how do you overcome them?
Even though I get a good amount of time in the day, it feels like I am never able to get done all the work I planned out. I guess we all have a long to-do list of things to do both for home and work. And it is best to accept that the list is never coming down to zero.

That said, how I tackle my list is by “prioritizing.” Whether it is work or home, we sit down and think about the most important tasks to finish on a day or on a specific weekend and try to get them done. For example, on the blog, I am deciding between creating a new recipe versus creating a video for an existing popular recipe. Or when I have less time in the day when my husband is traveling for work (typically 1 week in a month), I plan accordingly.

On the side of spending time with Riya, there are always so many things we want to do along with her such as taking her to the park, zoo, museums or just spending the evening coloring and reading books. We are not able to do it all, but the idea is to have small wins and feel like we are making some progress.

7. How do you deal with mom guilt?
I am the person who does not feel as much mom guilt. I feel like I’m now able to give my daughter a good amount of time when I can pick her up before 5 pm (some days at 3:15) and spend 3-4 hours with her in the evening. This was different in my previous job when I could only pick my daughter at 5:45 pm every day. So the time I get to spend with her is much more now and we definitely cherish it. This will change as the new baby comes and the time will get divided between the two.

Oh…a couple of areas I feel where we can do much more is in taking her out to various weekend learning activities such as the museum, exploratorium, etc. We also want to get the kids (and us) to spend more time with nature and get some exercise, but we have not been able to incorporate much hiking in our routine in the last 1-2 years. We used to be able to do much more of that.

8. How do you carve out ‘me’ time? What does ‘me’ time look like for you?
As I work from home, it is much easier to carve out me time. It is mostly a massage or catching up with friends over lunch/coffee for me.

9. What are some of your guilty pleasures?
The simple things! Enjoying a good cup of coffee with a croissant while I work being one of them. Or there are days when I am not in a mood to work (especially if it is a day when I am at the laptop writing rather than cooking) or I’m too tired from other chores. Having my own work, also means I can decide on a whim to take time off and go for a massage!

I need to work on my health goals, but I also enjoy desserts, so there is no way I am dieting or leaving desserts out of my life!

Also, we don’t leave a chance when we can have a date night, by dropping Riya off for a play date with friends.

9. What’s your mama mantra?
Prioritize the most important things to be done and be okay with things not being perfect. Every child (and life) goes through phases. Some will be wonderful and some not so much. Remember that if you are in a phase where you are stressed or are not enjoying as much, it too shall pass.

Thanks for making time for this Q&A, Meeta! I love that you followed your dreams and made PPC a reality! I can’t wait to see what’s next…including your beautiful baby of course!

Weekend Rehash – A Whole New World

written by Parita 1 Comment

The title of this post has nothing to do with our entire weekend…just a small part of it. But given that Aladdin is one of my favorite movies of all time, it felt right!

FRIDAY

Friday was my most productive day. I think it had something to do with getting my grocery shopping and the majority of my food making out of the way first thing in the morning versus walking over a mile to go to Soul Cycle and then doing everything else.

Anyways, I went to TJs and Target first thing, which was nice because both stores were practically empty. I then came home and cooked for two hours. I made The Chutney Life’s Instant Pot Lasagna Soup and her Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers. Both recipes are really good and a huge hit in our family!

I headed to the gym for a Barre class around 11:30, which was a nice change of pace. The class was hard but I loved it. So many shakes and quakes!

After coming home and showering, I ran to Costco to get some essential items like toilet paper!

I wrapped up my Kaiden-free time by making my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but these are so good. As evident by the fact that the 24 muffins I made are gone!

After picking Kaiden up from school, we headed to the park since it was such a beautiful day.

SATURDAY

Saturday started off strong. I went to a cycling class at my gym…it’s no Soul Cycle but it’ll do!

Kaiden and I then headed to a fun brunch with a few girlfriends (all boy moms!), including my good friend Ruchi who is in town as part of her annual US trip. So fun to see her and catch up with everyone. I wish I could say Kaiden was a perfect angel for this meal. He ended up falling asleep in my lap at some point, which means the rest of the day was kind of hit or miss. I didn’t want to miss out on seeing Ruchi and knew that would mean messing up K’s nap. I was hopeful it wouldn’t but it did. I didn’t want to keep him at home because Vishnu was studying. Ah well…you live and you learn…that it’s one day of many!

The weather was a little iffy in the early afternoon, so I took Kaiden to Target just so we could get out of the house. The park was an option…just one I didn’t want to entertain because I was tired!

Vishnu stopped studying when we got home (!!). We played and sang and danced.

My sister and BIL stopped by for an hour or so right before K’s bedtime, which made him so happy. Aekta and Adarsh are two of his favorite people. To illustrate, imagine this – we were walking to Target and he started chanting their names! And this happens regularly!

Anyways, my coworker and good friend Lamia and her husband Dusty came over after K went down for the night. They kindly agreed to stay at our place so Vishnu and I could go see ALADDIN!

You guys! Go watch this movie, especially if you grew up loving it as a kid. The only thing I would say is expect it to be a little different. For example, Will Smith brought his own flavor to the role of the genie. A lot of people feel like Robin Williams can’t be replaced, but I think of all people, Will Smith did an amazing job. Think of this version of the movie as a modern one!

SUNDAY

This brings us to Sunday. The hardest day!

I don’t know what it was. Maybe the lack of a good nap on Saturday. The 5:15 am wake up. But Kaiden was in a mood.

We headed to the Children’s Museum for what I thought would be a fun morning in a different environment. All was well until about 9:40 when more kids showed up and also wanted to bowl. This meant Kaiden has to share the space and the balls. He didn’t want to. I took him to another area of the museum that he usually loves. Didn’t love that. I took him to an entire floor altogether and offered him some snacks. Didn’t want any part of that. So when the screaming wouldn’t stop, I decided to take him home. I find that sometimes just getting him of the environment is best for everyone.

So then we came home, ate a little snack, put on our sunscreen and headed to the park. This worked out a lot better for the most part. He didn’t want to wait for people to finish with his favorite swing so when they saw Kaiden making a fuss they kindly got off and offered it to us. To be honest, I was thankful and a little embarrassed. But it is what it is. Another boy mom at the park told me her newly minted two year old refuses to share and is lacking major patience…which wasn’t a thing before. Good to know we’re not alone! With that being said, Vishnu and I are brainstorming ideas for how to help Kaiden when he’s feeling these big emotions. Will keep y’all posted on that!

Kaiden ended up taking a 1.25 hour nap after lunch, so I decided to take advantage and nap too. It wasn’t the most restful sleep but I’ll take what I can!

Later in the afternoon my friend Pankti and her little guy Arjun came over for an impromptu play date. We headed back to the park so the boys could run around and expend some energy. All was fine until Kaiden decided the water fountain was his new BFF. I was fine with him splashing himself and playing with it, but then he started reaching for it when other people were actually trying to use it. To make a long story short, our park visit ended with me carrying a kicking and screaming kid home. Ay, ay, ay!

The rest of the evening was spent playing and home and chatting with Pankti. Kaiden continued to have his moments but again…it is what it is! He’s almost two!

After I put K down for the nap, Vishnu and I talked for a bit about what we can do to help him and where a lot of this is stemming from. And the only conclusion we came to is that we have to be more strict about his naps on the weekends. No exceptions! When he doesn’t nap, he’s a different person. And not a pleasant one!

Anyways, I’m going to stop right here with this lengthy post and wish you all a happy week! If you made it this far, thanks for reading. 🙂

Diary of a Working Mom – Q&A with Aartee Badiani

written by Parita 1 Comment

It’s FriYAY, and I’m back with another Diary of a Working Mom Q&A!

Today, Aartee Badiani is sharing a bit more about her life and how she juggles being a working mama to not one, not two, but THREE boys!

Aartee and I ‘met’ on Instagram a while back (story of my life it seems!), and we instantly hit it off. Her page is full of the awesome books she reads to her boys every night, and I get so much inspiration from it all. Makes me want to buy all of B&N for K! 🙂

More than anything, I love how Aartee keeps it real and doesn’t sugarcoat motherhood. She’s my kind of people!

1. Tell me a little more about your family – number of kids, names, ages.
We have 3 boys! Neel is almost 7, Nish is 5, and Nirav will be 2 in July. Funnily I always wanted 3 kids even when I was little!

2. Tell me more about your line of work, role, responsibilities, etc.
I work in customer information. I essentially review account data, set up new accounts, make changes to existing accounts, etc.

3. Walk me through a day in your life.
My alarm goes off at 5:10 am, and I generally snooze it at least once! I take a quick shower and then get ready for work. If needed, I finish up anything I didn’t get to the night before – so lunch boxes, the kids clothes, setting out backpacks, etc. Then I head to work where my day runs from 7:00 to 3:45.

After work it’s off to the races! I pick up Nish and then Neel. Sometimes I’ll do a quick grocery run with them, but I try to get that done on the weekends. We get home, and I give the boys about 15-20 minutes time to unwind while I empty lunch boxes, go through backpacks, and give Nirav some attention.

My in laws live with us and my MIL will cook a few nights of the week. If I am making dinner, I get that started while the boys are doing homework. If I am not making dinner, I stick Nirav in his high chair with some crayons and paper while I help the other two with their homework. I probably also throw in a load of laundry at this point as well. After homework, I just keep them at the table and serve dinner. Post dinner is bath time and then they are allowed to watch TV or play if they have any time left. They usually don’t to be honest, so it’s story time (our favorite), prayers, and bed! I try to tie up all the stuff for the morning the night before, but if I’m being honest, there are days I fall asleep with the kids!

4. How has becoming a mom influenced your role at work?
It’s made me value my time more! You don’t realize how much you can actually get done in a short amount of time until it becomes a lifestyle! 🤣

5. What is your favorite tip on how to integrate work and life?
Cut yourself some slack! Laundry is never ending in my house, and I struggle to find a way to manage it. That being said, I do the best I can and I have to be ok with not getting to everything!

6. How do you handle mom guilt?
I struggle with this daily! Lol. If you have tips I need them!

7. What is the most surprising part of being a working mom? And the most rewarding?
The most surprising is know your kids are ok without you! Which sucks to know, but they benefit from everyone in their lives in some way! The most rewarding has been knowing that I will figure it out and balancing the two worlds!

8. How do you carve out ‘me’ time? What does ‘me’ time look like for you? On that same note, what’s your guilty pleasure?
Right now I’m bad about me time because at the end of the day I just fall asleep…. My guilty pleasure is definitely bad reality TV though…when I get the opportunity!

9. What’s your mama mantra?
Prioritize what’s the most important and focus on that! You’ll figure the rest out.

10. What’s the best piece of advice you received when returning back to work after having your baby?
Funnily your mantra! Take things one day at a time!

11. What advice would you give to mamas-to-be about returning back to work?
Don’t worry about everyone else! Figure out what works best for your family and stick with that.

Thanks for stopping by, Aartee! Your boys are so lucky to have a mama like you!