Mountain Buggy Urban Double

I wanted a double stroller, for all those times I'd be taking walks - by the river and in the neighbourhood. I knew having a good double stroller was the key since the doubles were heavy and huge, and I didn't want them to deter me from getting out.

I looked at
Bob Revolution Duallie
Mountain Buggy
Valco Runabout Trimode
Easywalker Duo
Bumbleride Indie Twin

After a lot of research and bargain hunting, I settled on the Mountain Buggy Urban Double (MBUD). I got one off of Atlanta's Craigslist for $350, a decent deal for the Elite version.

Weight/Footprint:
Its heavy!! And a rugged beast at that. I could get it through all the doorways at home very easily, but loading it into my CRV was a problem. The handlebar had to be folded down completedly while I huffed and puffed to hoist it up, and it took the entirity of the trunk space. lying flat. NOT a good choice if I had to be lifting it in and out of the car all the time.

Steering:
Is just amazing! It moves so smoothly that I didn't mind pushing it uphill either with almost 80lbs (Sudha - 30lbs, Brinda - 10 lbs, Stroller - 40lbs). On level ground, I can push it with one finger - literally.

Seat/Comfort/Canopy:
The seat reclines completely flat for Brinda. She has gone to sleep every single time, so I can only imagine that it is not uncomfortable. It doesn't sit up 90degree upright in the "upright" position for Sudha, but then I'm yet to see a stroller that does.
The canopy is my greatest peeve, it is a single canopy and is quite inadequate when I go walking in the evenings. I got the sun/bug screen to go over the MBUD and it does a great job of shielding, although Sudha hates being "covered up".

Price:
I'm never one to pay full retail price. New ones (older models) are around $500-800.
Sell for anywhere between $250-400 on craigslist.

Overall:
Awesome double stroller, rugged, minimalist, no cheap plastic, great steering, great resale value. Just wish it was a few pounds lighter.

Sudha's bedtime routine

starts with her being hoisted on Dad's shoulders amidst squeals of delight at the play and screams of despair at having to end it all by going to bed.

The Big Blue Bug

The Big Blue Bug hit on Thursday.
And it hit bad.
And hard.

Around 5000 IBM employees were layed off all across the country, called "Resource Action".

I am so thankful to God that Guru wasn't part of it.

Friends of our were though.



IBM didn't NEED to layoff people - they posted profits in the last quarter (unless they cooked up the numbers in the books).
IBM is negotiating with Prez. Obama to get some part of the stimulus money for some project that reportedly will create 900,000 jobs.
IBM is sending off atleast 50% of these layoff jobs to Brazil, India and China.
IBM totally took advantage of the economy to pretend they needed to cut jobs, when they were actually just trying to increase profits by exporting 50% of those jobs to lower cost countries. The other 50% was unfortunately, a true layoff.
IBM could've offered buyouts to their long term employees before the layoff(lots of people 50+ actually wanted it), so the layoff could've been reduced in half and saved a lot of jobs.

I am a complete capitalist and am all for the power of free economy, but it is things like this that makes me want to turn and rant about the greed of the corporate.

Sigh. I am so thankful that Guru still has his job.
But I'm mad that I am basing our happiness on someone else, and its not in our hands.
I am thankful that had something happened, we didn't need to have panicked.
But I am mad that had something happened, we would've have cushion only for 4-6 months and then nothing.

Happy Ugadi

A Very Happy New Year to all my Family and Fellow Kannadigas.

The funniest joke ever

is apparently when I sing !

Brinda looks at me like I've lost my mind and starts laughing her belly out. Hmmmpf .. I had always considered myself a decent singer. Trust these kids to crush you pride :)

Tummy to Back Rollover

Brinda rolled over twice !!!
She tilted to one side and slowly and deliberately put her head down and stayed there for a while, and kind of shifted her leg around a while until she was flat on her back.

She did it once more and got bored the third time and preferred to eat the blanket. Same thing when I tried later on. She would roll over once, but if I propped her back on her tummy she would refuse to roll.

Sudha never got to any of the physical milestones so I am super excited.

On a "Zari langa" kick

Sudha wants to wear one every single day. This pretty one was a gift from Shali.

I want to ........ again.

I want to feel the flush of love again.
I want to look in your eyes and get lost in them again.
I want to daydream while at work again.
I want to call radio stations and request them to play favourite love songs again.
I want to dance the Rhumba, and the Waltz again.
I want to walk on the streets with my shoes in my hands and giggling with you again.
I want to have something to look forward to everyday again.
I want you to serenade me again like I was the only woman on earth.

Geez, I'm all harmonal and sleep deprived ... again.

This post could have so many titles

"The fable of Friday the 13th is true"

"WHAT!!!"

"I knew something was up"

"I should've trusted my pregnant instincts"

"The day Amma wanted to find that article on coconut oil"

"Why am I feeling drained?"

"Shouldn't I be feeling more?"

"What could I have done to prevent it?"

"What can I do to prevent it in the future?"

"Thinking about accountability now, eh?

"Why me?"

"How can I stop having nightmares?"

"How can I stop worrying every single week?"

"How can I learn to move forward?"

and finally -

"The ball's not in my court anymore now, but I will continue to play the game and not forfeit."

3 months old

The "good" kind of pain

I am sore all over from self inflicted torture at the Boot Camp from Saturday. Every.single.muscle in my lower body hurts.

But I am going to keep up with it. I need to do it for me.

Pet Peeve About Blogs

I love reading blogs, especially ones that are more "personal" (i.e, non-political or non-general). It used to be websites, now blogs have taken over. I like the idea of blogs, because its so much simpler to maintain. But the UX person in me cringes everytime I see some blogs.

• I hate it when images on the blog are all oddball sizes. There are three sizes you can choose when uploading a pic(in blogspot atleast), why not choose the same size consistently every time!
• I hate it when images are not lined up. You don't have to do anything extra to line it up, so why don't you?
  
• I hate it when people change the text size for no rhyme or reason. Blogger's editor gives a title text - change that in the settings so it will be consistent throughout all your titles. Use ONE other change inside the content if you really have to, and that needs to be smaller than the title text. If the title text is smaller than the content text, what is the point in making it the tittle text?
• I hate backgrounds on the content text. Some background obscure the clarity of the text, so why use it? Nothing against background that are outside the content area, but still wish it would be something that is meaningful to the blog. (This peeve might be just me, I'm sure some people think my blog's background/template is plain and un-interesting). While on the topic of background - why do people think back blackground with white text is great? Every design study confirms it gives the reader a squint.
  
• I hate it when the title of the blog is more than half the page fold area. It pushes most of the latest post below the fold. And keeping the post above the fold makes great readability.
• I hate when content text is some wierd scrolly font which is very very hard to read. Why? Why? Why? What is wrong with simple verdana (not Times New Roman)?
  

Smiling model for mama-made longies & socks

Snow Day !!!

And in March too !!! (And some people claim that there are no climactic changes taking place)

Snow "Ghost" that Daddy and Sudha Built

Goofing around with a "Sari"

I doubled up my dupatta and tied it around Sudha as a mock "Sari". It was draped on her better than I had even draped it on myself. :)

First Temple Visit

Getting ready to take Brinda on her first visit to the temple - in pouring rain, on a Friday evening!

Sudha's Punyakoti Dance

Sudha participated in the Sankranthi celebrations and was part of the Punyakoti dance. I might be partial, but I think she was the cutest li'l calf there.

Disclaimer : Guru's camcorder skills are not a reflection of Sudha's stage performance.


Some pictures from the dance.





The story for anyone interested.

This is the story of punyakoti who believed in truth as God.

In the heart of place named Dharani Mandala in Karnataka state lived a Shepard by name Kalinga.
He had bath in river and sat below the mango tree in the wee morning hours and played his flute to call all the cows.
He cried loudly to call the cows Gange, Gauri, Tungabadre and Punyakoti.
All the cows gathered hearing his voice and the tumbler was soon filled with their milk.

There lived a tiger by name Arbhuda in the near by surrounding forest hill who was hungry for food.
All the cows were scattered when he sprang with a roar of thunder and anger.
Cow Punyakoti on remembering the hungry cry of its calf was in a hurry to return in order to feed her baby.
The cruel tiger quickly sprang to stop the cow thinking that he got his food for the day.
The cruel tiger roared in anger and said “I’m hungry; I will split you apart right now”.
The cow said “Oh humble tiger, my hungry baby is waiting for me back at home. Give me a minute; I will be back once I feed my baby.”
The tiger said “You are lying to me; you will escape if I leave you. I’m not a fool to loose my delicious pray.”
The cow said “Please believe in me. Truth is everything to me, I swear upon my parents and relatives. God will not forgive if we lie”.

It returned back to baby after convincing its promise to the tiger who wanted to kill it and told the baby about the incident.
The baby cried “With whom will I stay if you leave? Whose milk will I drink? With whom will I sleep? With whom will I live? Who will take care of me?”
The cow requested its group people and said “Oh my mothers and sisters please take care of my orphan baby as your own child. Please don’t pierce your horns at him if he comes in front of you and don’t kick him if he comes behind you.” Then the cow embraced its baby and cried in pain thinking that it’s going to be orphan.
Without making any further delay the cow left the calf and was soon standing in front of tigers den.

The cow said to the tiger “Oh tiger, I have returned back as I promised, I offer this body to you, my flesh, bones and hot blood are all yours, have them all and be happy”.
The tiger repent and tears rolled down on listening to what the cow said. It realized the sacrifice the cow had made for the sake of truth. It realized that God would never forgive him if he killed such a truthful cow and would never be happy by hurting such a innocent soul.
The ashamed tiger said “you are like a sister to me, what will I achieve by killing you”, saying thus the tiger sprang and committed suicide.

Happy with this, punyakoti returned to feed its baby calf. Called the Shepard and said “All my cow siblings and in your Shepard siblings may worship lord Krisna in sankranti”.
He is the only gracious one who protects.

- the strength of truth

What I am aiming to look like

These pics rotate on my desktop as well, in the hope that it will give me the much needed inspiration to get down and get moving.

All pics from the summer of 2005, the month I got pregnant having lost 30 lbs in 3 months just before.

Time stops

"Time and Tide wait for no (wo)man"

But it does.
The entire world around me stops when Brinda looks up at me and smiles.

A deal too good to pass up

Babycenter was going out of business and had the Babymel Amanda Diaper bag at high discounts. At one point, it was discounted to $29 and I could just not resist it (I really am not addicted, I didn't have a diaper bag for Brinda at all).

The bag came super fast, and the moment I set my eyes on it I realized - a "print" bag is not for me. The bag was beautiful and everything looked perfect, but it was the print. It reminded me too much of Grandma's handbag. (I had had the same issues earlier with Lexie Barnes Darling in Viona. But I'd assumed it was because of it being messenger style since I love my LB Echo in Viona for a laptop bag). It is a vinyl type wipeable material and I don't think that gels with me either. I find that the wipeable fabric (an absolute great feature for a diaper bag) makes me think diaper bag ... du'h it IS a diaper bag.

The Amanda is on the larger side, perfect for a Cloth Diapering mother, or a mother of 2, or an overpacker, or a mother of a potty-training-in-process kid. In short, it is great for almost everyone. The inner fabric is water resistant and has great pockets for organization. Insulated blottle holders on the outside in zippered pouches provide a nice touch. The best thing - the changing pad is in a outside pocket. So it doesn't take up any space on the inside. The straps on the Amanda can be shortened to tote style or lengthened to wear messenger style cross body.

So, had it not been for my personal quirks, I am sure the Amanda would've been a great choice. As it is, I could not live with those quirks so the Amanda is off to a home where she will be well loved.

In the quest for THE diaper bag

I think I am *this* close to finding it in - Ramalama Drew.



I had stayed away from this for a long long long long time. For one, at $365+ it was way too expensive for me to think about buying new. And the vegetarian me wasn't comfortable buying a leather bag. Then I got this deal to buy a well loved Ramalama Drew in distressed Olive from another mama, and I couldn't resist. (Let me stress that at this exact moment I have only 3 other diaper bags - a Fleurville Sling Tote in Ballistic Black - my car bag, a Lexie Barnes Duchess backpack - my small day trips backpack, and a Posh Baby Ultimate - my travel bag)

I couldn't wait to rip it open and "wear" it. From the first moment - it just felt right. Although it was well loved and the leather has been broken into, it still was soft to touch in places and moulded so well against my body. It is extremely lightweight, and any of the weight that I feel was from the metal hardware. Although I'm quite short, the bag sits right on the lowest setting.

It has 6 large internal pockets, plentiful for diapers, wipes case, snacks, sippycup/bottle and anything else. I love that the internal is a differnt colour lining, and not a black hole as my other diaper bags are. I don't know if the lining is wipeable and stain-resistant, but I suspect it is since it seems spotless inside.

My only caveats with it - it doesn't have external pockets. I like having my cell phone on the outside, and the keys too (even though there is a key hook inside). I wish it closed securely instead of with drawstrings - it makes me just a little paranoid when I put my wallet in there with the other stuff.

Since I got this well loved, it didn't come with any accessories, so I cannot comment on it.

The Ramalama Drew looks like an excellent bag to take to work with a laptop insert. I am going to try that out if/when I get a chance to go into office. It is a bag that will live far beyond the diaper days, and bag that screams "I am a woman" instead of a "I am a mom".

Now, I'm hoping to sell a few of my stuff online so that I could buy the Ramalama Ava. Err... I'm really not addicted, the Ava's more structured and has external pockets and would be a good replacement if I decide to use the Drew as a work bag. :)

My first all terrain stroller

For the past 12-18 months, I've been using this stroller for sidewalks, trails and roads and I'm very satisfied with it for the value for money. With some amazon.com discounts, I paid $100-120 for this. I didn't know about better strollers and at that time felt this was the best. With my current knowledge about strollers, I'd probably put in another $100 and buy a Easywalker Sky from mamabargains.com or a used Bob or MBUS.
But for someone on a budget, this is a great option.



Pro:
- It works wonderfully on all types of surfaces. The swivel is excellent.
- Though its not exactly lightweight to lift up and down a cartrunk, its featherweight once it gets moving.
- My 1 year old is very comfortable in it and goes to sleep almost always.
- Folds compact enough, though I've only used it in my CRV and I dont really take all the time to go to the most compact level.


If I had to be really really picky about things I don't like.
- the parent cup holder holds a coffee cup great, but is too small for a water bottle. The cup holder in the babytray surprisingly holds a sippy cup and an adult water bottle perfectly.

- the sunshade canopy is not enough to provide shade, but then I guess every stroller has the same issue when the sun comes in at an angle like in the mornings or evenings. I use an extra shade from kiddopotamos a few $$ more and it works instead of having to spend a lot more $$ for a model with the swivel canopy.

Cupcake FAIL!

Recipe used: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chocolate-Cupcakes/Detail.aspx

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool.

Daddy and his girls

Getting the Itch again

... to go back to work.

On one hand I look at little Brinda and cannot imagine leaving the sweet innocent baby and going off to work to satisfy my own selfish motives.
On the other hand I look at life around me and find myself being hedged in with everything closing around me and I want to get out and breathe some.

I am praying that I find a job that is atleast 20 hours/week and would let me work from home. I would have to earn atleast 2k/month to be able to make up the cost of Sudha's daycare/preschool and Brinda's babysitter/nanny (for I am sure that I want someone come home and help me, rather me drop her off at someone else's place).