Things

My 2 year old asked me for a napkin, when I set her down for dinner last night.
We cannot leave house without our jackets anymore - jacket police aka kids are onto us if we do.
We cannot skip parts of a song, we are caught.
We cannot sing along songs, we are told to stop sternly.
We cannot eat desert without sharing.
We cannot go to the park and not feed the ducks.

They can say a lot of words now.
They can skip and hop.
They can fake cry!!! (This is big)
They can tell us when they have pooped (Time for potty training)
They think of themselves as the boss of our phones (Like a friend said, we have to take it from them on loan)
They want to dress and undress themselves. (You would think, we like that, think again)


Last week when G was traveling, I was getting the kids ready, giving them a bath etc. While I dressed N and M was already done, she started cleaning up, putting the dirty clothes into the hamper, keeping the lotion away and even throwing away the soiled diapers. My girl is one big helper and I am amazed at how much she resembles me in wanting things to be in their place the whole time.

G now knows that it is useless to fight M, if she first wants to wear her jacket and then shoes, then that is the order, else there will be unnecessary delay. Me being the brains of the marriage, knew that well before ;)

N knows how to manipulate his Mommy (the smart brains comment above, can be pretty much scrapped). He has me wrapped around his little finger. He will just give the signal that he wants to be held and I will oblige. G and M have the same relationship.
But, really there is a reason for it, N has been sick a lot lately, cough, cold, ear infection have not left his side for over a month. All this leads to his losing weight and being unhappy.

This has been a grueling month for me at work, in a good way, but too much pressure to release untested things into production. It's been taking toll on my general happiness. HEHE.

On the boot camp front, the camp went through major changes and our work outs now are killer! It's really awesome and I can see a lot of changes in myself. I had better lose more weight in this camp, because in the second camp, I didn't lose any. Yeh - sob a tear for me will ya?

I can't believe this is only my second post this year, I am slacking!

Ohhh..before I forget, we took the kids to Chucke Cheese a couple of weeks ago. It was a blast! We had never been, and is this place the bomb for kids or what? It's a pretty cool place, with a lot of fun activities for kids. M couldn't get enough of the slide and N of the rocking animals there.  We had fun watching the kids and our friends kids, who introduced us to the place. We might be going back there today!

Have a good week end folks, until next time.

New Year!!!

Hello 2012! supposedly you are the last year we are supposed to see, supposedly we are all going to perish on 21st Dec 2012. We will just have to see about that now.

So, we had a great NYE, the weather gods, were bountiful and we got a splendid day, the high was 74F that day, so we hung out in the park with the kids for over 2 hours, we walked around one of the prettiest shopping block and then headed to get some pizza. The kids fell asleep in the car after that and G and I drove around Dallas downtown, saw all the party people dressed in skimpy clothes and stilettos and the insane crowds near AAC. It looked like Dallas was a party capital. We got home, put the kids to bed and then saw a fun thriller movie - Super 8. It's a fun watch and the best part is there are good close ups of the monster!

We had a rough ending to last year, the entire family was sick, luckily G had the last week of the year off, so he could stay home and take care of the kids, while I worked. We are still recovering and it is very annoying.

I am smelling nice food, which means it is lunch time! So off I go!

Wrap up 2011

Another year bites the dust ...and I am neither sad nor glad. I just want the year end holiday to come so I can put up my feet and drink my chai in peace ;)

So this has been a busy year, with the kids, new job and new school. The first quarter of the year seemed to have gone by pretty well, not much to complain about, the kids were home with the Nanny and though I wasn't happy in my job, I had one and I was ok with that. Then things changed in April. My then boss became very rude and mean, his way of trying to save his a$$ and I started hating my job, my blood pressure sky rocketed and I was very nervous all the time. G took things in his hands then and before I could wink, he was working on my resume and talking to his contacts for a job for me. I cannot thank him enough for encouraging me to take this big step, for now I work closer to home, the work hours are better and the stress is manageable.
The new job has also help me evaluate myself as a professional, programmer, co-worker and employee. And I have arrived at the conclusion that I can be a more friendly co-worker. I am a very professional employee and very conscientious. If I miss hours because my baby was sick, I will make up for it. As for programmer, I am really good at what I know and good at learning, but I don't often learn new things willingly, which is primarily due to lack of time and I would do good to learn more. What I am most happy to report is that within 2 weeks of being in my new job, my new Boss was more than confident in my abilities and would often boast to our PM that I can knock off tasks and defects very quickly. That was very confident boosting to hear :)
What's changed this year and I have spoken alot about is the kids going to school. Which is going very well thank you, except of course the occasional ear infection, bronchitis, perennial cough and cold. But, still a good time.
My Mom and G's Mom visited us. We had a great time with both. And then the family made a trip to Iowa and Minnesota. It was the first flight for N and all of us as a family. It was a blast, kids were both well behaved and happy. I don't think the other passengers had anything to complain about either . HEHE. It was a great vacation, our only this year, and all the kids had a blast.
India won the World cup and Mavs are the NBA Champions, what a dream year right?!
The kids have become toddlers now, they have opinions and demands. Demands which G and I don't understand sometimes and sometimes pretend we don't understand. Our kids were never into TV, but the bronchitis and  hence the nebulizer prompted us to start showing 'Barney' to the kids. And now there is no turning back. I am hoping this is a phase and that they will soon outgrow it. Yeah right! Who am I kidding?

The kids are now talking in third person. M wants, N also says M wants when he wants something. Cute.
They have taken to telling us who an object belongs to..'Papa', 'Mummy', 'Dodo', 'M','N'. Always and constantly. Annoying!

2011 has been a great year, we have had ups and downs, highs and lows, but I wouldn't give up any of that, or trade any of it. I love my family and my life. I would love to be a thinner, smarter and more patient, but I wouldn't wish for a different family or set of friends. Thank you all for reading (if you were i.e.) and here's wishing us all a Great and Fabulous New year 2012!

Another Attempt

You know me, the fat one, always up to some or the other way to lose weight. I don't think I have ever gone an entire month of no exercise or diet since 2006. Except of course when the babies were in me and then out for 7 months or so. So back then I had lost weight and I was looking good, but now I am just a cow or I think I am a seal - have you seen my swagger

So last month after having done P90X not so continuously, and with a maximum time of 40 mins, I decided that I needed powers greater than those of Tony Horton. So those greater powers sent me a groupon/living social deal for a boot camp and that too within 5 miles from home. It was going to be at the ungodly hour of 5:30 am to 6:30 am, but since that was the time I would usually exercise at home, I knew that it would have to work. So, after consulting with the hubby, I decided to join.
It has been 3 weeks and I am dead. DEAD! But I feel great, I am 8 lbs lighter and 2 belt hoops thinner. But my body aches, every single muscle cries for rest. The thing is that since rain often interferes with BC, it is out in the open, classes get cancelled and instead of having classes every other day, they become consecutive and the body takes a toll. I haven't had a proper nights sleep in 3 weeks now, the body is so used to waking up at 4:30 now that no matter what time I sleep, I am up at 4 or so.
It's been a rough three weeks and I am getting very impatient with the weather, please don't rain from 5-6:30am CST on M W F next week please. So we can have a proper week and I can be done with it and then go back on the 9th Jan for another round of 'oohs' and 'aahs'.
Please excuse the rant post, it needed telling and it's done :)

Happy 2nd B'day my Babies

They've entered Toddlerhood! Let's see how this phase goes.

Here's wishing you dream big and aim high, be nice to each other and others and obey.
Be healthy and eat well and be wise.

Water fun

First day of Montessori

Being friends

Manya tantrum

Neev tantrum

Rakhi

Sticker fun

Opening presents

These pictures pretty much summarize their year. It's been a fun year and I wish for us to have many many more. Can't wait to celebrate with all our loved ones on Saturday!
Happy Birthday my babies. We love you soo much!

Tomorrow won't be like today

And I mean that quite literally.

So if you know me at all, like the guy who meets me when I go to get water at the water cooler in the office or the eyebrow lady, who I visit once in 6 weeks, you will know that my kids are about to go to Montessori. Or to put it simply, will not be at home 24 X 7. I let everyone and anyone in on this fear of mine, this one thing I don't want to do.
 
So why are we doing it then? Well, lots of reasons.
- One would think that being twins, M n N would be born socialites - well, not much at all. They aren't good around other kids when not at home. Bring a party over to the house and they're great, but go to the park and they don't want to interact with other kids.
- The Nanny . She's been one helluva nanny for the past 21 months. Don't get me wrong, but she is not growing with the kids. She doesn't do the things one would expect to do with a toddler. Read to them, sing and play with them or teach them colors and shapes. She is just good for feeding.
- Because I don't want to find another Nanny.

So school it is.
I had written the above the day before kids started school. So much has happened since. They have been in school for almost 4 weeks now. The last day - 13th Oct - before they started school, I was an emotional wreck. I didn't want to send my babies to school, it felt like I was coming back to work after the kids birth for the first time, all over again.

So now that we are in school, uniform and all, we are better with putting things back in place, so much so that when we see Mommy/Daddy sitting without their shoes on, we get the shoes to them and force them to wear them, after all the rightful place for shoes are on the feet! We have also become very aware of what is ours and what is not. We are territorial about our sweaters, shoes and cups. (Since M n N have these clearly marked out, we have to follow the rules, cannot falter). The teacher Ms J has also noticed about this and commented on it. I don't know if this is going to cause them to be un-sharing, but right now it is good, they like to drink from their own sippy cups and it gives me hope that they will not drink random things. Yeah..didn't you know already I like in a country called Utopia?

We are becoming more talkative! We saw a lot more words now, try our best communicate and are constantly talking. Esp. M. She has things to say all the time. We also ask after each other. Like the other day when N had a gag reflex, M looked at him, pointed to her mouth and said something in abracadabra , N in turn - pointed to his mouth and replied in abracadabra and then both resumed their earlier activity of fiddling with their seat belts.
We also don't like to eat dinner anymore! Mom loves to force us to eat, but she forgets in this house, We rule.

So after that little interlude by twins I am back to regular programming. I am glad the kids are doing well in the Montessori and becoming more aware of people, things and actions. I used to hate the fact that they wouldn't be home, till I realised, what is the point, when we are not home! And this single realisation has made me sleep better and be more relaxed. It may seem little to you, but it's been my all consuming thought. I am just glad that they like school, like to explore and learn and are generally well behaved kids. I use the word generally very liberally ;)

Phew! took a month to finish this post! I will try and be more regular.

Moral Ground

This past weekend, I was talking to an elderly woman and I just mentioned that I don't like watching a certain Indian Actor anymore because there have been rumors of his infidelity. She looked at me rather sternly and asked what about the 'other woman', who is also an actress? Do you want to see her movies? Do you not have a problem with her. And my response was simple, well she is wrong definitely, but she is not married, he is, and therefore the blame lies with him more, for cheating on his wife, if he has.

She was quick to point out that the woman should not have had an affair with a married man.her exact words -"woh uske peeche kyun padi" (why was she after him) . And this incensed me even more, why is she quick to assume that the woman is to blame and not the man?

Then she says - the wife should have better control over her husband. I didn't know how to react to this and not scream and yell at a person who is my senior and I am supposed to show respect to. So I walked away, seething with rage.
Why are woman woman's worst enemy ? Has anything not taught us anything? We as a gender class totally suck - not all of us of course but yeah well , most of us and esp. those from the Indian Subcontinent.