My Inner Shakti

finding strength in everyday things

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Restaurants
  • Recipes
  • Par’s Picks
  • Privacy Policy

This is FOUR!

written by Parita 1 Comment

My little guy is FOUR today!

I know it’s so cliche to say, but it really does feel like he grew up in a blink of an eye. I still remember everything leading up to his birth as if it happened yesterday. I remember the exact moment we heard him cry and when the nurse placed him on my chest. I remember taking him home, and Vishnu driving like 30 MPH down Chicago Avenue.

And then boom!

One day we wake up and he’s FOUR!

Kaiden is truly the sweetest boy with the biggest heart. He loves everything and everyone, and my favorite part is that he isn’t afraid to show it! He wears his big old heart on his sleeve.

He’s kind and loving and smart and sassy and emotional and fun and still very much a mama’s boy!

Happy birthday, K! I hope your day is magical, special, silly, fun and so much more! We love youuuuu!

Written on June 29, 2021 Related:Parenthood

A List of Tried and True Toddler Blankets

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Kaiden sleeps with two blankets, one my mom made him that’s fairly large and very soft yet heavy and a smaller baby blanket that’s his ‘cape.’ He also sleeps with a towel (re: towel cape), but that’s neither here nor there!

Now that he’s getting taller, I think he needs a new bigger blanket. He also doesn’t stay in one place when sleeping, so I feel like he needs something that will stay on as he bounces around. But when started researching different options, I got overwhelmed and stopped. I then took my question to my Instagram community, and my mama peeps didn’t disappoint. I got a ton of recommendations that are tried and true, so I thought I’d share for anyone else in a similar dilemma.

YNM Kids Weighted Blanket – I was told this person’s neighbors also got this blanket for their kids and love it too!

Roore 5 lb Weighted Blanket – A few people mentioned this one!

Aden + Anais Dream Blanket – A couple of people love this one.

Sivio Kids Weighted Blanket

Pillowfort at Target – A lot of people suggested blankets sold at Target.

And if you live in Canada, you can try the Life Comfort Weighted Blanket for Kids (available at Costco if you shop there!).

I think we’re going to try a weighted blanket and see how that goes. I’m debating all the ones I listed here. Ahhhh…so many choices when it comes to kids!

Well, I hope this helps a bit! Let me know in the comments if you have any other suggestions.

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!

Written on November 16, 2020 Related:Toddler

Edwards Apple Orchard

written by Parita 2 Comments

It’s been a minute since I’ve checked in on here. Honestly, this space is taking the back seat right now, but I’m staying true to my word and checking in when I can.

I wanted to share about our day trip to Edwards Apple Orchard because it exceeded all of our expectations. And most importantly, Mr. Kaiden had an amazing time!

Vishnu and I decided that we wanted to visit an orchard, but we were a little (lot!) late to the game. A lot of the nearby orchards are closed for the season. Vishnu did a bit more research and came across Edwards Apple Orchard. The website looked great and there were three varieties of apples still available for picking.

The only con was that Edwards is 86 miles from where we live in the city. But we decided to go for it. We brought our own lunch since the restaurants are closed, and headed out fairly early.

We got there around 10:45 and headed straight to the area where the tractors meet you to go picking. The first thing I noticed was how everyone was wearing a mask. Phew! One worry off the list. The second thing I noticed was just how beautiful this orchard was, and how well organized the place seemed. The process to get our tickets, get on a tractor, and go to the orchard was super quick and easy. Everyone was social distancing, and it just seemed so seamless.

The orchards themselves still had plenty of delicious apples to pick from, and we definitely went to all three. We got a basket for $48 (up to 6 people) and filled it 3/4 of the way. Kaiden had the best time being on Vishnu’s shoulders to pick the highest apples!

After were were done picking apples, we headed back to the main area where the big store/barn is. Again, there was a line to get in with markers on the ground, and everyone was still wearing their masks. The barn itself was spacious and smelled like heaven (fresh donuts!). We got a few goodies – spicy strawberry jam, salad dressings, popcorn, etc. And of course, we couldn’t leave without getting a few donuts, which in my opinion were the highlight of the trip. So warm with a crispy sugar +cinnamon exterior and a soft pillowy interior. YUMMMMMMM!

We debated going to the huge pumpkin patch on site but decided to eat lunch and head home. We were hoping Kaiden would nap a bit on our way back, but he didn’t! Of course!

I can only imagine how magical this place is during non-Covid times, but because we had such a great experience, I wanted to share in case any of you are local readers and are looking for a new orchard to visit!

Thanks for a great experience, Edwards Apple Orchard!

Written on October 13, 2020 Related:Chicago, Family, Weekend

A Crazy Monday!

written by Parita 1 Comment

Well, Monday didn’t go as planned!

Let’s start from the beginning…

When Vishnu and I woke up, he happened to see that there was some unrest in Chicago the night before. We didn’t think too much of it, so he went to show, and I went in the kitchen to make his lunch and get ready for my day. I happened to glance at my phone and saw that I had a note waiting for me in the school’s app. It said that school was closed because of CTA being closed and the damage done in the surrounding neighborhood.

Of course, I totally understood why the decision was made, and I 100% agreed with it. But that didn’t make moving my day around any easier.

When K woke up, I told him there was no school, and he enthusiastically said, “YAY!” That made me smile!

Between a healthy dose of screen time and hands on time with me, we made it through the day. To be really honest, it made me very grateful for K’s school and all the precautions they take whether it’s Covid related or something like this.

Here are a few highlights/funny moments from the day:

  • Kaiden ate more for breakfast than he has in the past 2 years – a whole apple, a half a piece of Dave’s Killer bread with cream cheese, and 2 thick turkey slices.
  • Kaiden had to poop during a call I had (with an external speaker we’re working with on an event). Of course, I was frazzled, but it all worked out. I’m pretty sure my other colleague on the call with me wanted to bust out laughing.
  • Kaiden skipped his nap (of course!), but he definitely tricked me. At about 12:45 pm, he declared that he was tired and wanted to take a nap. I got him all settled, tucked him in, and of course 10 minute later, I hear a little voice yelling MAMA!
  • We read two Berenstain Bears books, and it made me excited because I feel like we can dabble in longer chapter books soon!
  • We also played in bed which means I ran and jumped and Kaiden laughed. Best 20 minutes of my day!
  • We watched Aladdin in the afternoon. Seriously one of my fav movies!
  • In addition to everything that happened overnight, we also experienced a crazy storm in the late afternoon. It spooked Kaiden out, and I was pretty sure out patio furniture was going to end up in the Chicago River. It didn’t. However, there as a lot of destruction across other parts of the city.

Anyways, that was our crazy Monday. Not as expected, but I think I handled it with as much grace and calm as I could muster. I give so much props and credit to those working parents who also have to play the role of teacher at home during this crazy time. Hats off to you!

Written on August 11, 2020 Related:home, Life, motherhood, Uncategorized

Kaiden Says the Darndest Things [1]

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I really wish all parents would broadcast the things their kids say (especially around the 2-4 age) because it’s so darn funny! Our little guy is a talker and always come up with the funniest (to me at least!) little sentences/phrases. Let me share a few examples…

Me: Kaiden, clean up all your toys before you start playing with something new.
Kaiden: [in a low voice] If you want to clean, you do it.

Ok fine, that was funny but fresh. Don’t worry, I talked to him about it!

Kaiden: I said you’re a silly goose.
Me: Who did you say that to?
Kaiden: To Augusta (his classmate).
Me: What did she say?
Kaiden: She didn’t say annnyyything.
Me: Oh, what did she do then?
Kaiden: She laughed and I said rawr!

Me: Ok, let’s say our prayers. Nana, nani…
Kaiden: No, just the ladies.

Me: God, we thank you for our health…
Kaiden: OH MY GOD!

Me: I’m going to give daddy a big kiss.
Kaiden: Aww, that’s so so sweet of you mama. So sweet!

[Walking out of his room one morning…]
Kaiden: Who’s that little man sitting right there? [It was Vishnu.]

Me: Ok, let me go get my phone and we can leave.
Kaiden: Mama, turn off the light.
Me: Why?
Kaiden: We don’t want to waste the light.

Me: Kaiden, you look so handsome.
Kaiden: Let’s go look in a mirror. [Upon seeing his reflection in the mirror, he stares and smiles.]

Kaiden: Mama, I’m going to fix your hair. Ok, you look so beautiful now!

And that, my friends, is the first edition of Kaiden Says the Darndest Things because I’m pretty certain there is more hilarity to come!

Written on July 22, 2020 Related:Toddler, Uncategorized

State of Our Household – THREE YEARS OLD!

written by Parita Leave a Comment

We officially have a three year old on our hands! WHAT?!

I know this is the most cliche thing to say on your child’s birthday, but I remember every last detail of the days leading up to my delivery with so much clarity. If you want to know more about how Kaiden was brought into the world, read his birth story.

Anyways, let’s get to the details of this post and see how each member of our household is doing!

State of Kaiden

Oh how Mr. K has grown! I feel like just over the past three months, he’s grown in leaps and bounds. Some days, I feel like he’s three going on thirteen. But this age is still so much fun! You don’t know what he’s going to do or say…that element of surprise is a real thing, y’all!

In terms of his personality, he’s one of the funniest people I know! He’s so witty and knows how to get laughs. And if you don’t laugh, he’ll look at you and say, “LAUGH!” Well, ok then! He’s also really sweet. He doesn’t like to see people upset or hurt. I hope his sense of empathy only gets stronger as he gets older. In some ways, Kaiden is like me, he’s super emotional and can get upset quickly, but he gets over the situation quickly. He doesn’t hold grudges. What else? He’s also very stubborn (like most three year olds?!). Kaiden is always down for a good time. It takes him a bit to warm up to people, but once he does, there’s no stopping him!

In terms of sleep, we’re doing well. He goes down between 7:30-7:45p every night (although the antics have definitely started where he tries to keep me in the room as long as he can!), but he’ll fall asleep anywhere from the minute his head hits his pillow to 9 pm. Before he started school again, he was waking up between 7:15-7:30a most days, and now he’s up between 6-7a. Not an easy transition for his parents either! Naps are hit or miss, mostly still hits (those days are rough!). I think pushing his nap time back to 1:30p (vs. 1:00p) may help. We’ll see!

He’s still a pretty good eater. K loves most things, but it does take a bit to get him to the table. Once he’s there, he’s good. Like most kids, we still have our days where he doesn’t want to eat something and will say he’s full after a few bites. It takes everything in me to just be ok with that, but I’m trying! I want him to listen to his hunger cues, so I’m going to chalk it up to him truly not needing any food. Who knows!

Kaiden is now talking a ton! It’s incredible to see and probably one of my favorite developments over the past year. His vocab is pretty great, but what gets me is how much he can say in the correct context. It’s insane!

Like most toddlers, K doesn’t like hearing no or being told what to do. So we have to get creative! Ha! But I will say, if we can just stay calm and meet him on his level, he’s pretty good. It’s not like he won’t budge.

I know this is a very biased this to say, but I think I have the cutest, sweetest, happiest baby boy in the whole world! He really is the best, and I LOVE HIM SOOOO MUCH!

State of Mama

Mama is doing well! I really do love this age, so even though things get rough from time to time, I find that it’s easier to handle.

Quarantine was interesting. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that work + K wasn’t easy. Something I haven’t talked much about yet is self-care and energy management. I did/do work out every day, but I still haven’t been able to drop the pounds I gained last October. I was on a good path up until mid-March, and then it all went downhill. So I’m trying to focus on regular movement and healthier eating. Easier said than done, but I’m trying!

Other than that, I need to get on a better night time routine. I haven’t been going to sleep at a consistent time, and it shows! Every Monday, I tell myself this is my week! But nope. Two days in and I’m all over the place again. Let’s say this one is a work in progress.

Other than that, everything is the same old!

State of Dada

Vishnu graduated residency earlier this month, which was a momentous occasion for us! Woo hoo!

He’s now gearing up for fellowship and all that brings. It’s going to be a busy year!

Other than that, I’m happy to report that Kaiden and Vishnu’s relationship is the strongest it’s ever been. K is still very much a mama’s boy, but he loves his dada…always asking for him and wanting to wrestle with him! It’s fun to watch, and also a big relief because I’m not the only one he will go to! Woo hoo!

I’ll share another update at 3.5. I love rereading these posts and thinking back on little K!

Written on June 29, 2020 Related:motherhood, Parenthood, Toddler, Uncategorized

Kaiden Starts Preschool!

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I shared on my IG page that Kaiden started back at school (PRESCHOOL!) this past Monday, and I just have to say that I love my little community…so much support and love for that little announcement.

I thought I would share a little more detail behind our thinking for sending him back, what his school is doing to minimize risk, how K is doing, how I’m doing etc. because while not everyone is in our same boat, I think reading/hearing other people’s perspective, especially in a situation like this, is helpful.

Our thinking behind sending K back

So the plan was always to send Kaiden back when Vishnu started fellowship, if school was open and if we were comfortable with the situation here in Chicago. This would’ve been on July 6th had we stuck to our original plan.

We opted to send him back two weeks sooner for a few different reasons. One, you guys, Kaiden was so bored at home and getting super restless. Vishnu spent one morning with him and was like, “Par, he has to go back sooner than later.” So we talked and decided this past Monday was a good time to start back.

Two, my work day can be VERY call heavy. Some days, I have up to 6 hours of calls. Juggling that, with work that needs to get down after my calls, plus Kaiden is A LOT. I’ve been able to manage the past few months because Vishnu’s been home more. But once he starts fellowship on July 1st, I’m on my own for the entire day plus some.

Three, our school has been very proactive with everything and ensuring proper protocol was in place before they opened. That gave us a lot of comfort in our decision (for now).

And four, Kaiden thrives when he has some structure, and as much as I want to provide him that at home, it’s impossible given how much my work schedule varies. And the opportunities he gets to socialize, learn and develop at school just aren’t possible at home right now.

New protocols at school

As happy as I am that our school is super strict about their operations now, it also makes me sad that things won’t go back to the way they were any time soon.

Anyways, in terms of new protocols, let’s start with drop off. No more stroller storage. Only one parents (with mask) allowed in the school lobby for drop off. Only two families in the lobby at a time (6 ft. apart of course). Temperature checks for child and parent. Hand sanitizer for child and parent. Teacher takes child to classroom (I haven’t even seen Kaiden’s new room yet!).

In terms of the day to day – trying to get kids to wear masks when possible. Kids are kept apart as much as possible (for example, when sitting for story time, they are spread out on the rug versus right next to each other). Lots of handwashing. Lots of outside time. No mixing of teachers and kids between classrooms. All teachers and administrators wear masks 100% of the time. No outside teachers/class – so music, Spanish, and yoga is virtually done. Reduced hours (used to be 7a-6:30p, now 8a-5p)

Then for pickup – only one parent again (with mask). And a quick departure!

How Kaiden is doing

Ok, so Monday was ok until I gave him a hug goodbye. That’s when he started screaming, “I just want to go home.” His teacher was right there and whisked him away very quickly. I called later in the day to see how he was doing and was told he only cried for 5 minutes. At pickup that day, he was all smiles and a chatty Cathy!

On Tuesday, he started crying the minute we stepped out of our apartment and didn’t really stop. Again, they told me he calmed down pretty quickly. And like clockwork, Mr. K was super happy at pickup. We went to the park after school and looked for helicopters and sticks. He didn’t stop talking the whole time;

That brings me to day 3 (yesterday). He cried a little at home an hour before we had to leave, but I told him we weren’t going anywhere yet, so he calmed down quickly. And then, like I had been since last Friday, I talked about how brave and strong he is. And how it’s ok to miss mama and dada, but just like every other day, I would be there to pick him up in a few hours. I then talked the whole way to daycare and played little games to distract him. We let him bring Mr. Elephant given I would have to bring him back home. HE DIDN’T SHED A SINGLE TEAR! Something I said must’ve stuck because he was so strong and brave! So very proud of my little guy! And pickup was again a cinch.

So while Kaiden is super happy when I pick him up and very chatty, he still has random meltdowns once we’re home. He is almost 3 after all!

Overall, I think it was a good decision to send him back because, like I said, he’s like me and thrives with a bit structure like me!

How mama is doing

When Vishnu fist mentioned sending K back 2 weeks early, I broke down and cried. I wasn’t against the idea…it just caught me off guard. I had July 6 in my mind and was planning towards that.

I was honestly fine with everything (day before, morning of, drop off) until we came home that first morning to a Kaiden-less apartment. I sobbed for 5 minutes before getting to work. I definitely watched videos of Kaiden whenever I could and eagerly waited for updates from the school. I did my best to keep my mind off the fact that he wasn’t home with us. But I couldn’t help but look back at the couch imagining him sitting there talking to me or asking me for more milk! Overall, I did better than I thought I would!

The next two days were honestly fine. I still miss him obviously, but my main focus is to help him transition and bringing my emotion into it won’t help…it’ll only make him more nervous.

With that, I will say that I have this voice in my head telling me to not get comfortable with our new routine. Things could change at any time. So per my mama mantra, I’m taking things one day at a time and hoping for the best – for the teachers, for the parents, and especially for the students!

If you have any questions, leave them in the comment box or message me at myinnershakti@gmail.com. Happy to share more!

Written on June 25, 2020 Related:Parenthood, Toddler, Uncategorized, working motherhood

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 16
  • Next Page »
Welcome to My Inner Shakti! This is my little corner of the internet where I explore and share more about the things that give me my inner strength. I hope you stick around! Read More Here...

MIS gives back!

All advertising proceeds from this blog will be donated to a different charity every month!

Subscribe to MIS

Sign up now to receive all the latest from My Inner Shakti straight to your inbox!

Follow me on Feedly!

follow us in feedly

LOVE my blog!

Follow on Bloglovin

Web Hosting

categories

Archives

Top Posts!

  • Marriage Advice for My Little Sister
  • My Experience with Apple Cider Vinegar
  • DIY Diaper Pail
  • Vidhi
  • Drunk Elephant Daytime and Nighttime Skincare Routines
  • Acne Update: Jojoba Oil + Tea Tree Oil
  • The Coffee Protein Shake We’ve Been Drinking for Years [Recipe]
  • Diary of a Working Mom – Q&A with Shraddha Patel
  • The 3 Things I Am Not
  • Our Indian Baby Shower!

Follow me on Instagram!

Copyright ©2022, My Inner Shakti. All Rights Reserved. Custom design by Pixel Me Designs