Shreelu's Annaprasana

Annaprasana:

Annaprasana is a Hindu ritual celebrated on the occasion of baby's first intake of food other than milk.

This ritual is usually done on 6th month. If it is done on 6th month 6th day we need not see the tithi, nakshatram, etc. If we have to choose some other day then we have to see those things.

This can be done at home and some people choose temple also to perform this ritual. A bowl of Paravannam (prepared by overcooking rice, add milk, jaggery and ghee) is prepared and a small pooja is performed by purohit. Baby is taken on mother's lap and father feeds the first rice to the baby with a gold ring, followed by mother, uncle (mama) and other elders. 

Later a game is played lying the baby on the carpet on which different items are placed. It is believed that what ever the baby holds first, second and third it will be her/his profession or interest in future. These include Gold(symbolizing wealth), money, pen symbolizing profession and career, bhagavathgeetha symbolizing spirituality, knife symbolizing bravery etc. 

Shreelu's Annaprasana:

We chose 6th month, 6th day to perform Annaprasana for Shreelu, which was on 28th July 2014. It was performed in Tirupathi at my In-Laws place. Though it was informed in short notice most of relatives and friends made their presence.

After the ritual of first rice was performed, the game started and we lied Shreelu on carpet with all the items in front of her. Along with the traditional items which were placed, we also placed a ball to symbolize sports on Shreelu's Nanna's demand. 

Shreelu went ahead and held gold first and as soon as she touched all our friends started screaming and clapping and Shreelu was scared and stared crying. Then we had to take a break and pacify her and changed as her jewels and dress was irriating her. For the second time, she held Pen and third time it was Bhagavathgeetha. Don't know how far this game comes true but it was real fun to play it. 

P.S: Thanks to Eswar and Shabbir for Videos. 

Father's day - A gift to hubby

I have known my husband for 4 years, I have struggled a lot to find out what surprises him and delights him, but the truth is Ram is not a person who is concerned about material things. So for his first father's day I was determined I would give him something that makes him smile. After all he is the world's best father and husband.

Since I was alone looking after my LO, I could neither go out leaving the kiddo at home nor I could take her along with me. I decided I would give something hand made  (I had never ever did in my life till now). 

I went ahead and ordered printed T-shirt written I love Dad on it online. Then searched some gifting ideas on internet. I took the foot prints of Sreelu, and printed out a good poem. 

Obsessed with Cloth Diapers

"CLOTH DIAPERS" this word was first heard by me through a club Yummy Mummies, of which I am a part from my preggy days. Contemporary mommies started buying all the baby stuff from their 8th month it self. But I was not allowed by my mom, as we in South India say we shouldn't buy any new things for the baby until he/she is born.

Diapering is an essential part in raising the kids healthy. Firstly I was against using disposables to my lo. But I also knew using cloths was a very tiring job one can handle. I had to think wise and act smart to keep my daughter healthy and at the same time make my job easier. Andd I knew Cloth Diaper was the solution.

I did alot of research and was very confused to start it. My husband wanted me to think if I really want to use it and will be actually using it as he knows me as a lazy lady. I too wanted to make sure if I will really use it or end up switching to disposables after investing dollars on CDs.


Reasons to Cloth Diaper:

1. Safety:
 Disposable diapers have many toxic chemicals like Dioxin, Tributyl Tin, Sodium polyacrlate etc which can cause hormonal imbalances, skin allergies, cancer etc. These cloth diapers do not have such chemicals.

2. Economy:
You invest around 25,000 INR for nearly 25 - 30 diapers and you can use it till the baby is potty trained, which is far less than the ones you invest on disposables.

3. Environment:
Cleaner planet, as the disposable diapers take 500 years to decompose.

4.Easy to use:
It is easy to clean up when compared to the typical old cloth diapers.

5. Cute Factor:
These cloth diapers come with adorable prints and are very cute.

I started off with buying 4 CDs which costed around 4000 INR. Now I understand modern cloth diapers are very easy to handle almost as easy as maintaining any other garment of your little one's laundry. Now I am completely obsessed with cloth diapers and I'm lovin it!!!!!!!

My Cloth Diaper Stash:

I have been using cloth diapers for 3 months and I find it really very easy. Here is a set of my stash.

some of my cloth diaper covers

These are All in one size pockets i.e. they can be used until baby is fully potty trained. There are various snaps on the pockets and can be adjusted according to baby's weight. 

Cloth diaper cover without insert

Cloth diaper cover with microfiber insert

Diaper showing various snaps that can be adjusted 

Diaper inserts and some flats:

Inserts for cloth diapers

These are the inserts that are inserted into to covers.

inserts made of microfiber

these are the flats made of muslin cloth that can be folded and inserted

How to Clean and Wash Cloth Diapers:

Change the diapers as soon as you notice they are soiled or wet.

Place it in pail them in a bag or bin for washing.

Allow baby's bottom to air dry and give some diaper free time.

Use the water sprayer and remove the contents of the soiled diaper in the commode.

Soak the CDs in cold water for half an hour and machine wash it later in baby mode(LG front door washing machine has this option).

Dry it in sunlight. It does magic.

I use the same detergent which I use for other baby's laundry.

Organic detergent which is baby safe

Here is the CD fitted on my lo.

Shreelu's roll over.

Me being from Rayalaseema.. Did not know much about the pillala vedukalu (baby rituals) celebrated.

In this part of Andhra Pradesh, we only have these rituals: Namakaranam, Annaprasana, etc..

But as my husband is from Andhra.. I got to know some small rituals through my husband's nayanamma(paternal grand mother) which is practiced in Andhra Pradesh for some of the mile stones a baby passes..

I felt this is a very good idea to leave these mile stones unforgotten, decided I would do these to my LO.

By the time i got to know about these, Shreelu had already passed one of the mile stones.

The rituals are celebrated by preparing different kinds of Andhra recipes for each milestone and distributed among the neighbors and family.

 If the baby smiles for the first time(not the one in sleep but the one where they actually smile back to people) Nuvvula undalu are distributed. Pillalu modati sari navvithe Nuvvula undalu panchipettadam jarugutundi (I missed this for Shreelu.)

Borla padithe bobbatlu which we in Rayalaseema call it as polilu.

Gadapa dhatithe Garelu and Adugulu veste Ariselu.

Shree's roll over:

Shree rolled over for the first time on her 3rd month 10th day(June 2nd). My mom and I were sitting and having a chit chat with tea and snacks on the rainy day and suddenly we noticed Shreelu on her play gym turned over on her tummy.. I soon grabbed my mobile and clicked.

The following day we made bobbatlu and distributed in our apartment. I was so happy and excited.. My DD crossing her milestones one by one!!

Naa chitty thalli ki laali paata!!

Just before writing this post I remembered a conversation with my vadina (SIL) who is a mother of a year old boy Chotu(Adithya) before 2 months when Shree was 2 months old..

Vadina: Enti Sreelu padukonistonda?(Is Shreelu allowing you to sleep?) How is everything going? (She always knows I am a lazy gal.. sorry I "WAS" a lazy gal)

Me : Asalu Shreelu emi allari cheyadu vadina, maname every 3 hours ki lepali to feed her. Asalu edavadu.. She behaves so well..(Sree is a darling, she is very calm, we ourselves have to wake her and give feed, she doesnt't cry.)

Vadina: Pillalu 3 months varake calm ga untaru.. 3 months dhataka vallu em chesina manam dhaniki thaginattu undalisinde.. Ipude em leliyadu le.. She gave a sarcastic smile saying 2 months tarwatha ide maata cheppu!!(Told me to tell the same after 2 more months)

Cut cheste..

From a week or 2, I mean from when she rolled over.. She doesn't want to sleep at all..

She wants to roll over, she wants to play.. She tries to grasp things.. She loves to play on her play gym.. I had become a living zombie so desperate to sleep.. Both me and Ram had to try had to make her sleep.

One fine night.. She hadn't slept yet and it was 3:40 AM. My mom, Ram and I tried all possible means to make her sleep..  Then.....Meri dimag ki batti jal gayi.. Opened youtube and searched for a song which I heard from my grandmother singing to my cousins when I was young.. She used to sing many but when I thought about laali paatalu, this one was the 1st one which came to my mind..

It did a magic.. A 5 minute song made my kiddo fast asleep with in 3 minutes.. And now its her favorite song and mine too(Its my weapon now)..

Soon I learnt this
song and when ever I want to make my lo sleep I play it and sing along with it. It goes on like this..

Raama Laali.. Megha syama Laali..
Thamarasa Nayana Dasaradha tanaya laali..

Achha vadana.. Aataladi alasinavu ra..
Bojjalopali paalu arigedhaka nidurapove ra..

                                                                     ||Rama||

Jola paadi jo kodithe aalakinchevu ra..
Chalinchi orukunte saiga chesevura..

                                                                    ||Rama||

A Mom was born!!

Hello,

Some where around this time last year We got to know we are pregnant. And from there our joy and happiness began. I am a kinda person who never like to visit hospitals and doctors.. But still these 9 months Ram(my husband) and I desperately waited for the doctors visits.. Just to listen to the heartbeat of my little one and to see her.. For the first time when we listened to the heart beat of the baby, we both were blushing looking at each other.. And From then we were always super excited.. My sister(Pinky) had her 1st look at the baby in the NT Scan for which she had to bunk her internal exams.. Then my brother in law(Eswar) gave up his Dasara celebrations to have a look at the baby. Shree is lucky to be the eldest baby of the family both mine and my hubby's. And she was the most awaited gift for all of us since June!! 

On November 14th 2013, an unexpected thing happened to us..  I was having a severe back pain which was unbearable had to rush to the hospital where we were asked to have a OB Scan to check if every thing is fine!! And guess what my little one was in a mood to show her face to us!! 

4D Scan!

I was just having tears in my eyes without my knowledge!! Later came home took out the scanner and scanned this photo and mailed it to all my close friends and family(stupid me!!).. :P 

I always wanted my baby to be born in Tirupathi, AP where both mine and my husband's family is located. This was the place were I first met my husband and this was the place we got married so I was sentimental about Shree's birth there though my husband preferred Bangalore I convinced him ;). I left from Bangalore for my delivery a month prior to my EDD. Poor Ram used to travel every weekend to visit me.. :(  I wanted my baby to come out on a week end because I wanted my husband to be with me for my delivery and also I wanted him to see my little one as soon as she came to this world. 

22nd Feb 2014, As usual it was a week end and Ram was there with me. Slept around 3 o clock after watching some movies with Ram and Pinky. Suddenly around 5 o clock I started feeling light contractions but did not wake any body as I had few false ones before too.. But around 7 o clock I just called the doctor 1st before panicking my family as they are super panicked always for silly things. Listening my voice I don't know why she asked me to come immediately to hospital. I woke up Ram and also informed my mom and dad to come only if its needed and we both left to hospital. That time I did not know that it was A BIG DAY. Doctor asked me to get admitted seeing my NST reports. We informed my parents and in laws and they were with us in few mins. Now my husband was super duper tensed seeing me and went to doctor and asked for a C section which was planned!!

My mom, dad, MIL, FIL, Pinky and Chitty(my sissy's frnd) and my Husband everyone were anxiously waiting outside the OT. Faith in God made all of us strong and sail through those anxious moments. 

FINALLY... There came out my little one after a 9 month stay in my womb!!!

Shree's 1st pic

Anddd.. There she is!! On 23rd Feb 2014 2:16 PM, Our little star was born.. As well as A MOM WAS BORN too.. I could hear her cry!! While getting stitched she was brought to me by a nurse. OMG!! I could not believe it!! It was a cute little girl. I asked the nurse to get her closer me and I welcomed her into this world with a kiss!! 

Happiest Dad!!