Amongst equals...

Being used to all the exclusive special treatment for seven months now, I suddenly landed up in a place where everyone seemed to be extra important. I no longer was the only centre of attraction and each of us seemed to gel in very well. Perhaps it took me some time to understand that at an Ante-Natal class, all pregnant women are equally important and I was no queen.

Yeah, a pregnancy class or a birthing class, etc etc....is what Mohit and I attended over the weekend. While he was extra excited about the whole affair, I seemed to miss the attention. LOL.... But it was an experience in itself. With so many pregnant women around you, the room seemed to be abuzz with baby talk from first time mothers.

Everyone was confused and excited to the brim...Dumb questions, stupid answers and worse actions is what we all portrayed collectively, but at the end of the day, we were all special...Special in our own ways to the man who sat besides us and also to the rest of the world who watched us sashaying down slowly for a toilet break.

From the eating tips to the exercise regime to the intricacies of labour, discussions galore followed...While everyone tried to show off how good they were with their eating, none seemed to be hot on exercising. Except a certain lot who is always bothered about your expanding waistline. As all the mums to be showed total enthusiasm for the diet plans, few takers were found for the exercises. But the 'Pa's' were all so keen on this in unison. To the extent that my better half even came back home and revised the exercises with me...And continued to bicker about them the succeeding night..And continues to ask if I exercised every now and then. Maybe its them who should put on the weight and then try to fight it off so they know how it feels...

But if the past seven months were spent wondering, waiting and watching, the 2 hour session surely was a learning and bonding experience. With so much love exuberant from the eyes of each beau, the room seemed to be full of the care that we see from men in only these nine months. With him walking with me step by step and telling me about that stone around the stairs, all of a sudden courtship days came running back. Except this time around, there is another small, little participant in the couple's life making us a happy threesome....

Stop with the vacation pics....already!!

Sitting lonesome in my room and having Facebook as a steady mate through out the day, I hate but notice one thing. The whole world seems to be vacationing while I sulk sitting home alone. Each day as I turn on my FB page, newer and more exotic locations are tagged on various people's vacations. All of a sudden, it seems like I am the only constant while everyone else is moving.

If yesterday I saw someone visiting the Tower of Pisa, then today it was Vegas, God knows what tomorrow might see. Going by the number of travelers I know currently, it could be anything between Macau, Jo'berg or Miami. It seems I had forgotten that June is vacation time across northern India. And till last year, I was also on the travel bandwagon and didn't seem to notice or bother other people's vacations pics amongst mine. All of a sudden, with no vacation lined up this year, the pics are the only thing I have to see as vanity.

After dropping two people at the Int'l Airport within a space of 5 days last week, the whole vacation air seemed to drive me crazier. As the Airport neared, my excitement seemed to beat those of the travelers. But well, then again, I came back on four wheels while they flew off in a jet.

Now I clearly know how everyone in the past must have felt when I discussed my travel plans with them. I sail in the same sulking boat now trying to act over enthusiastic on their excitement. While the inner core was all about wondering how it would be at World Cup Football in South Africa. I'm sure Mohit shares the feeling. He does come up with the best line to strike out all travel blues and show me the brighter light at the end of the boring tunnel, "Baby, you get the trophy in Sept while the others just get 10 days of thunder."
True, how true!
So travel people, have fun and next year, same time, get jealous seeing me, my husband and our li'l one in some crazy and hot destination.............

Changes....then and now!!

It has been a long time since I wrote on my blog. In fact, this line has become a cliched starting line for some of my recent posts. Well, the lack of any writing hasn't been due to less happenings in the recent past but due to lack of interest on the part of the writer. Talk of happenings and never has so much happened for me/us in the last six months than any other time.

If I compare the last year, same time to this year, same time, then things are so different. We were holidaying in London last year and trying to cheer India's sinking cricket ship in the WC20-20. This year, I'm just commenting on how good people's holiday pics look on FB. Last year, I was trying to lose weight and look good. This year, I'm bothered I'm not gaining enough weight.  (Yeah, I have actually asked my doc that)

Same time, last year, I was happily spending money and wanting to spend more while this year, Mohit and I sit every night discussing investment and saving plans, something we've never done before. If last year was all about the couple that wanted to have fun, travel and generally give a damn. This year is all about being a family.

We've already had one addition to the family in the form of Ishaan, Prerna Didi and Jiyaji's first born. And now we're awaiting the second addition to the Bansal clan. Yes, for all those who are dull and still haven't understood, Mohit and I will be parents soon. We're expecting our first child and are thoroughly excited about it. From disbelieving friends to a happy MIL to a never-seen-before smile on Mohit's face, the mum-to-be is seeing it all. Of course, the nausea, the cramps, the baby ponch and the back pains are all there. But so is the thrill that came from that first kick on 20th May. Such are the changes in this year.

If 2009 was exciting and daring but full of a few let-downs, 2010 seems promising and will hopefully see brighter days. And if the sudden spurt in the baby kicks is any signal, then that's an 'Amen' from his/her side to that.