My Inner Shakti

finding strength in everyday things

Friday Randomness

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Welcome to another addition of my Friday randomness! Also, Happy Valentine’s Day!

You guys, we are almost one week of Vishnu’s night float rotation (out of 2), and I’m ready for it to be over.  This may be our last time ever experiencing nights (FINGERS CROSSED!), but man, when his entire schedule flip flops, it feels like ours does too!  Also, I just miss my partner-in-crime!

Because Vishnu sleeps during the day, I need to figure out how to keep Kaiden out of our room on Saturday and Sunday.  He loves to ‘go see’ dada, which never ends quietly.  I’m thinking a museum date and maybe even lunch out on one or both days may be in order!

Anyways, I still have approximately 20 hours to figure all that out.  Let’s get on with my Friday favs…

ONE

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I challenged myself to read 20 books in 2020.  You guys, I’m already on #6!  Getting a library card definitely helped push me a long because a lot of the books I put on hold are popular, so essentially, I need to read fast! 

Take book #6 for example – You Were There Too.  I got a notification on Wednesday telling me I have to return this book Friday.  I was only 60% of the way through at the time, so that forced me to read my little heart out on Wednesday and Thursday nights!

TWO

Speaking of challenges, my sister and I decided to take on a ‘no dessert February’ challenge.  And dare I say, it’s going really well so far.  If we do end up eating something sweet (as in a dessert and not ketchup), we owe the other person $5. 

I plan to share more about why I’m doing this, the results, my new plan regarding desserts, etc. very soon.

Wish me luck for the second half of the month!  If I make it, this will be the longest I’ve EVER gone without eating dessert.

THREE

Speaking of sweets, did guys know there’s a Food Network show called ‘Chopped Sweets’ now?  It’s essentially like Chopped but all about making dessert like creations.  The episode I happened to catch had ingredients like lamb vindaloo, which some chefs turned into chocolate mousse.  I LOVE FOOD NETWORK!

FOUR

There’s no way to transition from that to what I want to share next, so…#sorrynotsorry!

I wanted to share a quick potty training update because I think I figured out the key to making this transition a success…CONSISTENCY!  No matter what you do, you have to stay consistent.  It doesn’t matter if your kid has accidents or is regressing.  Stay consistent!

Trust me, it’ll be easy to just put them in pull ups during the weekend and kind of half-ass the whole thing…but don’t!  You’re only prolonging something that can actually be accomplished in a relatively short amount of time. 

In terms of Kaiden, he’s doing well.  His issue is getting to the potty in time, especially at school.  We’re working on it!  He’s also gotten to a point where he doesn’t like to get his pull up wet/dirty, so that’s a move in the right direction!

I hope that by April we can have him trained so that he doesn’t need a pull up at naptime.  Wish us luck!

FIVE

Ok, so no transition again…just a cool new gadget!

I love cooking don’t love the prep (i.e. chopping vegetables).  I always say that I wish I could just magically have my veggies chopped by someone/something else.  That would make so much more fun and a lot quicker too.

Well when my IG friend Aartee shared this chopper in her stories, I knew I needed it!  She’s a busy mom who could also use all the shortcuts she can get, so I thought, if she likes it so will I!

And guess what…I love it!  This thing is perfect to chop up onions, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, etc.  I still have to cut the veggies into smaller chunks, but it’s not as labor intensive as having to chop up everything by hand. 

If you cook a lot at home and hate chopping as much as I do, get this!  It will change your kitchen game!

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!

High 5 on a Friday!

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Oh man, what a week!  There’s a reason why I haven’t blogged in a while.

While things were pretty up and down for the past 10 days or so, I’m happy to report that everything is fine now.

So with that, let’s get to my five things for this week…

ONE – I’ll begin with the one that didn’t start out on a high note.  I mentioned in this IG post that I was experiencing a rash/hives of some sort.  I experienced something similar last April, so I knew what this could lead to which forced me to go to doctor sooner than later.  To make a long story short, I ended up having to go on steroids for this random episode of hives because none of the over the counter stuff was helping…at all.  After lots of itchiness and two major ‘attacks,’ I’m happy to report that it looks like this gross (you should’ve seen my skin!) episode is over.  I’m not thrilled about having to take steroids but am thankful to have found something that works for me.  I’m very well aware of the side effects and am definitely monitoring my state of mind, emotional responses to things, and my hunger levels.

You’re probably what the heck caused this.  Well, the short answer is we don’t know.  We couldn’t pinpoint an exact cause last April, and I don’t think we’ll know with certainty what brought on this episode either.  Vishnu and I think it’s our detergent, but again, that’s just an educated guess.  I’ve done the full panel allergy testing, and nothing out of the ordinary showed up.  My doctor thinks I may be one of those people who randomly breaks out in hives every so often. Yay.  I’m going to take the extra step and do a little more follow-up with my doctor before the end of the year because there’s a slim chance this could be more serious.  Here’s the hopefully getting some concrete answers!

Also, I should mention that while all of this was annoying to deal with, I feel very lucky that it was something we could deal with. #silverlinings

TWO – Moving on to happier things.  My in laws visited us this past weekend, and it was a blast!  Kaiden really enjoyed getting in person one-on-one time with his Achacha (grandpa) and Ammama (grandma).  The minute we opened the door and let them into the apartment, he was standing there swaying and smiling!  My FIL attended a conference Thursday-Sunday, which meant his time at home was a little more limited, but overall we got to squeeze in a few fun things and are really looking forward to getting some time together over the holidays when we’re in Atlanta!

THREE – You guys!  I think Kaiden’s going through a major development/growth spurt.  For one, he’s been a little moodier than usual, which usually means something.  But more importantly, he’s talking in full sentences now (for the most part!).  It’s insane.  Every time he puts a subject and verb together with the words a or the, my mind is blown! How is my baby old enough to be doing this already!?

K will also be moving on to the older two’s classroom at the end of the month, and that means he’ll be with older kids (2.5-3 yo).  I’m hoping this continues to help him grow, learn, and develop!

FOUR – The most exciting update I have today is that we leave for Cabo tomorrow!  YAY!  I can’t wait to spend 5 whole days with my family relaxing and reconnecting!  I’ll be sure to do a full recap post for anyone who’s interested (and so I can selfishly relive this vacation for years to come).  Kaiden is super excited about going on an airplane again and going to the beach (his first time!).  Now if I could just get a magic packing fairy to come pack for me!  😊

FIVE – A few days after we get back from Cabo, I leave for London (for another 5 nights).  But before I go, we are getting together with a few of my Chicago friends, their hubbies, and their babies to celebrate Diwali!  More than anything, I’m so thankful for the good friends I have in my life right now.  The friends that just get it and don’t judge.  These ‘normal’ friendships are everything right now, and I’m so thankful that Kaiden and Vishnu also get their own little crews as well. 

Well, you guys, that’s all I have for this week!  Be sure to follow along on Instagram for more behind the scenes type stuff over the next few weeks.  I’ll probably be more active on there. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

High 5 on a Friday!

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Another week in the books! And it was a good one. I got a big project out the door for work while kicking off another one. Kaiden just seemed to be extra happy this week. And we have Vishnu back. A simple yet good week!

With that, let’s dive into my 5 things!

I didn’t have any other pictures that went with this post! Even though you can’t see his face, isn’t he the cutest? Look at his little foot!

ONE – Ok, I have a water bottle rec for all my moms out there. Kaiden’s never been a big water drinker, but ever since we got this bottle, he’s drinking H2O like crazy! It’s not completely leak proof, but it does the trick. I’ve been looking for good straw bottle for a while and am so thankful I found this one!

TWO – My friend Shelly started a company to help pass on the Indian culture to her kids. It’s called Khyalo Toys. She sent me her first product, a Diwali book, and guys, it’s incredible! The storytelling, the illustrations, everything. And did I mention that Shelly is a lawyer, a mom of 2, and a wife (#marriedtomedicine). Remind of this when I start making excuses! I’m going to be sharing more about Shelly and Khaylo Toys in future posts and on my IG page, but wanted to share now so you can check out her book!

THREE – Our weekend plans consist of a Friday night movie (for me!) because Vishnu has to work an overnight shift; errands/library on Saturday morning and a play date in the afternoon with a good friend of mine and her son (we’re thinking of letting the dads take over and heading out for dinner and wine because we haven’t had a chance to catch up in a LONG time); and a Sunday morning play date with another friend who has kids around K’s age. Love it when this stuff aligns!

FOUR – I took a strength based gym class this week and decided to up my weights and really push myself. Holy moly! My arms and upper back were so sore the next day. So much so that the next day I walked all the way to the gym for another class but turned around as soon as I got there. Ha! My gut was telling me to rest even though I wanted to push through. But then I had Vishnu’s voice in my head telling me to take it easy and not hurt myself. So treadmill intervals at the apartment gym it was!

FIVE – You guys, bath time in our house has recently gone from fun and easy to chaotic and crazy. It’s hard to convince K to get in the tub, and it’s also hard to convince him to get out. We can’t win!

That’s all I’ve got, guys! I hope you have a fun weekend.

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!

High Five on a Friday!

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This week’s been a good one overall.  I was a little nervous about solo parenting (Vishnu’s in Germany for a bachelor party), but I think we’re managing ok.  It’s the anticipation that gets me to be honest.  If I can manage that, I’m a-okay.

Anyways, let’s get right to it…

ONE – I could not get over Chrissy Teigen and John Legend’s Twitter war with Trump.  For so many reasons.  And then came Chrissy’s interview on Ellen.  I love her!

TWO – Other than solo parenting going ok, I do have to say it’s been, dare I say, easier than I thought it would be.  Especially now that K’s older and understands more.  Don’t get me wrong, we still have our moments, but it’s honestly fine.  I also took matters into my own hands and made several plans for us over the weekend. Some for me and most for both of us!  Ha!  I figured it’s better to have things lined up than risk him going stir crazy at home.  Cross your fingers for us!

THREE – My grandparents left my parents’ house this week and are now back in California with my masi (aunt).  They took a ton of pics before leaving for the airport, and every single one brought me to tears!  I know how much my parents loved having them around, so it broke my heart that they were already leaving. ~8 weeks went by fast!

FOUR – Toddlers and food.  Enough said!  Overall, K is a pretty good eater, especially at school.  I wouldn’t call him picky by any means.  But when it comes to eating dinner at home, it’s so freaking hit or miss, regardless of how routine our routine is (if you know what I mean).  For example, some days he eats everything + more, and other days, he eats a bite or two and then says he’s done.  I’ve even tried pushing dinner time back, but that doesn’t make much of a difference.  Thank goodness for daycare because at least he eats there! 

FIVE – I don’t know why I steer away from the methods that work for me, but lately, I haven’t been as diligent with my list making.  This week, I started writing everything down again, and it helped soothe my stress SO MUCH!  I felt productive and like I had an actual plan.  So now I’m going back to the basics and writing down EVERYTHING!  Stress begone!

Happy Friday and weekend!  Make it a great one.

High Five on a Friday!

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ONE – After working from home for almost 2 weeks, I finally went into the office yesterday! And boy did it feel good. I facilitated a session on mindfulness with some of my colleagues, so I put a little extra effort into what I looked like/wore, and it was worth it because I felt good! I even treated myself to an oat milk latte!

Working mom or not, this is just a testament to the power of getting dressed and ready for the day. Even if you don’t do it often, make it a point to take your time, do your hair and makeup (if you wear it), and pick an outfit that you feel good in. We deserve it!

TWO – For those of you follow me on Instagram, you know that I recently shared a post about my most favorite bug spray ever. Two things – I wish I had shared about this earlier, and I wish I had this discount code ready to go before I shared the post. Lesson learned!

If you haven’t hit purchase yet but want to, please see the details for how to get 10% off your order…

THREE – Ok, let’s talk about the Big Little Lies finale! Personally, I loved this season and the character development. There were a couple of episodes where it felt like nothing was happening, but other than that, I enjoyed it. The finale, however, I have mixed feelings about. Especially the very end. I mean, I get why they did that – regardless of whether they renew for a third season or not, there’s some closure. But I didn’t feel like I got closure. I need a season 3, and knowing there may not be one makes me want to pull my hair out! Anyone else have strong thoughts about this show? Please share!

FOUR – Kaiden and I are heading to Atlanta in August for a week! My grandparents are staying with my parents right now so we’ll get a lot of time with them, AND it’s my best friend’s baby shower one of the weekends! I can’t wait to go back and see all of my favorite people, eat my mom/ba’s food, and hang out. And by hang out, I mean work from home, but you get the gist!

The best part is Vishnu will be able to make it home for the shower (it’s more of a get together with friends/family than a traditional baby shower). I feel like over the past few years, he’s had to miss out on so much. This was a near miss too, but he was able to get coverage for his Friday shift! YAY!

FIVE – This is an older article, but it’s fascinating nonetheless. It talks about how the brain actually changes with pregnancy and motherhood. CRAZINESS!

Happy weekend, y’all!

Checking In

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Happpppy Tuesday! It’s been a while since I’ve checked in and shared the random stuff we’ve been doing, reading, eating, etc. Today’s the lucky day!

Fair warning. This post is going to be a bit all over the place. 🙂

Vishnu and I are trying to cut back on the number of toys we get K. Vishnu’s also trying to get rid of some of his current trinkets. With that being said, while I do think less is more, especially for young kids, sometimes I can’t resist and I end up buying something on Amazon. Take these big stuffed balls as an example. Kaiden is OBSESSED with balls, so how could I not hit purchase? And in my defense, they’ve been a hit!

When it comes to books, I don’t hold back! I really want to instill a love for reading in K starting at an early age, and thankfully, my persistent ways seem to be paying off. Kaiden loves it when we read to him! The other day, he brought me a book at 5:30 am. Ha! And while I think all books are great, I wanted to see if K would take to science oriented books, so I bought Hello World! Solar System and the Baby Loves Science Board Book Set. I loved science books as a kid (my favorite one was about dinosaurs), and I still do to an extent, so I figure it’s a win-win for all of us!

And when I’m not reading to K, I’m trying to find time to make a dent in book #5 of 2019, I’m Not Judging You. So far I really like it – it speaks to so many truths in a funny way. Will share more when I finally finish it!

Going back to Kaiden and his obsession with balls, you should’ve seen him at the Children’s Museum this past weekend. The only thing he wanted to do was bowl. Such a big change for my little guy who usually just wants to hold the bowling ball and roll it to me. But this weekend, it got to the point where I had to carry an upset little Kaiden out of that specific area because it was time to go! Such a little character.

In terms of meals we’ve been loving, The Chutney Life’s Instant Pot Lasagna Soup still tops the list. It’s so easy to make and it tastes so damn good! A must make IMO. We’re also loving the Trader Joe’s mushroom and truffle ravioli paired with the kale and cashew vegan pesto. I think K ate like six ravioli in record time!

For those who follow me on Instagram, you may be aware that Vishnu and I are trying to up our salad intake. I’ve been sharing my daily (ish) salad creations on IG, and so far, people have been loving it! All of this started when Vishnu proclaimed that he didn’t want to take a sandwich to work every day. He wanted to go back to the salads he used to take, but this time, he didn’t want me to get the prepackaged kind. He suggested that we make our own! I jumped on the salad bandwagon because I definitely needed to add some good things to my diet. It’s been a few weeks now, and we’re still going strong! Here’s to more veggies and lots of fun salad combos to come.

Switching gears a little bit, my friend Sonal featured me on her blog Coffee & Chai. I wrote a post about what it’s like to raise K as an Indian American, what our biggest priority is, and some of the small things I do on a daily basis to instill our cultural values in him. Give it a read and let me know what you think!

And finally, I just want to share something super small and unimportant. Our cleaning person came on Monday, and it made my day! Our apartment was very crumby and just didn’t feel that clean to me, and by the time she left, it looked like a brand new place. It doesn’t hurt that Nermina is now like a friend and always a pleasure to see! Now to only find a way to keep it this way for longer than five hours!

Ok, enough of my randomness for one day! Have a happy Tuesday, y’all!

P.S. Also, be on the lookout for an exciting blog related announcement this week! Can’t wait to share. 🙂

random mommy musings

Random Mommy Musings

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As I mentioned in Friday’s post, Vishnu worked a 24 hour shift from Saturday AM to Sunday AM.  Up until a few weeks ago, I would’ve stressed about being home alone with Kaiden.  I’m happy to report that I now have adequate confidence in my mommying abilities and am able to manage my child solo. 🙂

With Kaiden on a predictableish (not a word, I know, but go with it!) schedule, I sometimes actually find myself with some time to sit and think.  This usually happens when I’m too physically exhausted to actually do stuff around the apartment.  I just plop myself down on the couch, close my eyes and think.  If there’s a notebook nearby, I jot down my thoughts.  It’s a nice way to release all the mumbo jumbo in my head.  And trust me, there’s a lot of it!

random mommy musings

Unsurprisingly, my recent thoughts tend to be more maternal in nature.  Some personal, some general, and some stemming from stories/incidents fellow mamas share with me.

So with that, here are some of my recent random mommy musings.

Kissing children on the lips
I’ve recently come across more than a couple of articles about whether or not parents should kiss their children, including babies, on the lips.  Why the hell is this even up for discussion?  Of course you can kiss your child on the lips.  I mean, I get it.  If your child is uncomfortable with it, then obviously don’t.  Also,  I have a 3.5 month old, so what do I know.  I’m just going to keep kissing Kaiden until he says no or pushes me away (the saddest day of my life!).

Unsolicited advice
Why do people feel the need to give new moms unsolicited and oftentimes very critical advice?  If you have something possibly helpful to share, figure out the best way to do it and then speak.  Don’t just blurt stuff out in the middle of a chaotic moment and expect the mom to be ok with it.  Thankfully, I haven’t experienced this yet, but a couple of my friends have and it’s freaking ridiculous.

Celebrity moms
New pet peeve alert!  When everyday women look to new celebrity moms as goals.  Ummm news alert.  Most celebrities have $$$ to spend on help and lots of it – nannies, cooks, cleaners, trainers, gyms, you name it.  Those of us in the real world mostly rely on ourselves, and if we’re lucky our spouses, to get stuff done.  Like, of course Beyonce ‘bounced back’ after having twins.  She can afford to!

Winter is coming
I’m really trying my hardest not to stress too much when it comes to Kaiden.  Especially over the little things.  But something I can’t seem to chill out about is how to dress him for the Chicago winter.  I mean, I know he needs a jacket, hat, mittens, etc.  But like how many layers and WHAT EXACTLY should I buy.  I had lunch with my friend Erin a few weeks and asked her what she did for her son, and she shared some good tips.  I’m going to start there and probably buy more than we need.  Oy vey!  I’ll be sure to share my purchases in a future post.

Kirkland (Costco) diapers
You guys know I LOVE Costco.  After Target, it’s my favorite ‘go to’ store.  Everything about it is wonderful – the products, the prices, the samples (ha!).  So you can imagine how disappointed I was when we bought and tried the Kirkland diapers and had not one, not two, but MULTIPLE accidents.  The online forums are filled with moms who love these diapers, but we hated them with a vengeance.  In my opinion, a good diaper should lock in and hold pee/poop so that accidents are far and few between.  The Kirkland diapers do the exact opposite because there’s no absorbency factor.  I know it’s a little TMI, but in our experience, everything just stays at the surface of the diaper, and it’s not pretty.  NEVER AGAIN!  The Kirkland wipes, on the other hand, we LOVE!

Google at your fingertips
As a new parent I’m mostly glad I have the internet to either calm or feed my crazy.  I find myself asking Google so many random questions throughout the day.  For example, I wanted to know the average age of a 50 pound child.  Why?  Because I wanted to know how long we can use our stroller’s toddler seat.  You guys, Kaiden weighs 14 pounds ish and just started using the seat this week.   I need to calm down!

Help a mama out
Kaiden’s stroller is kind of big, so naturally, when I take him out on my own, I sometimes have to navigate sidewalks with no ramps, open doors and push the stroller through at the same time, etc.  It seriously warms my heart when random strangers offer to help, and I usually come across someone like this every outing.  Love it.  What I don’t love is when people see you struggling and do nothing.  I don’t expect anyone to go out of their way to help me.  After all, it’s my baby and my choice to venture out solo.  But it’s also rude to not offer, especially when the mom is struggling.  So remember, always help a mama out.  She’ll appreciate it more than you know!

Self-care
It’s easy to view self-care as a selfish thing, especially as a brand new mom.  I used to (albeit for a very short period of time!).  But trust me, it’s not an indulgence, it’s a necessity.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – happy mama = happy baby.  Take a break every now and again and do you for you!

You’re not the only one
As a mom, I can see how easy it is to fall into the trap of thinking you’re the only one.  The only one with a baby who doesn’t do/does X, the only one with a spouse who doesn’t do/does X, the only one who doesn’t do/does X.  To that I say, relax!  You’re not the only one.  We’re all more similar than you think.  This musing is worth a deeper dive, so be on the lookout for a funny story that illustrates this point perfectly.

So there you have it, a few of my random mommy musings.  Feels good to get it all out.  Thanks for listening (reading)!

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