The Blogger Mommie

Beautiful minds inspire others.... Ever since I became a mom, I have often thought of those who have inspired and helped me be a better mom. So I felt the need to write this post and honor them for I truly understand now many of the sacrifices they made during their journey through motherhood.To me, they will forever be supermoms to the power of infinity. The first person on my list needs no introduction. I am here because of her. My mom! my life, my everything. In all my years I never quite put a thought to the biggest sacrifice she made...until, I became a stay-at-home mom. She quit her job as a teacher to care for my brother and I. We of course were oblivious and were just happy to have her to ourselves. I look at my son and wonder if he will ever know... Yet here I am strong willed, independent and capable all because of her (even though we don't see eye to eye sometimes...ok a lot of times). Mommy, you are my inspiration and although a little late, I am ever grateful fo...

Inner peace.....inner peace. No, I haven't been hibernating or learning the art of Chi (considering I got to watch my favourite movie after a long time). But jokes aside, I have been trying to stay calm as my first trip alone with Baby A looms large in the next few days. Vacations are exciting. But with all the excitement comes anxiety,  the fear of the 'unknown' and NO I am not really thinking of how I'll use the washroom at this point of time. Words of wisdom to my first time travelling mommies: pack light and limit yourself to a diaper bag (preferably a sling bag). Check, no double check where you can source local products like diapers, wipes etc. so you won't have the extra baggage. Online shopping works wonders during these times and you can get great discounts too (just remember that brands differ). Here are my thoughts on some of the most important travel items. Medicines. Best to carry all required medicines. Some countries do not sell otc medicines and...

I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes  (GD) when I was six months pregnant. It was no surprise as I worried about it constantly. I was not overweight when I became pregnant, neither was I diabetic so I was quite angry and ashamed. Being angry was understandable but I was ashamed that I had somehow neglected to: exercise earlier in my pregnancy (like I didn't have other things to deal with), pay attention to my diet (after all everyone tells you that you should be eating for two!). It was a lot of going to and fro to point out what could have landed me in this unpleasant situation. The icing on the cake was yet to come! My doctor referred me to an Endocrinologist and I googled diabetic medications to check if it was harmful. I was all set until...the doctor said " insulin". I think I went deaf for a couple of minutes. Everything after that was a blur and I vaguely remember him showing me how to inject myself. I nodded, no time to even cry. Words I remember includ...

My first day as a stay-at-home mom was quite like I anticipated. We had just moved to another house and I managed to sort through several boxes (while my Baby A reshuffled everything). Cooked a two course meal. Cleaned and tidied the house. I even snuck in for a shower (while my toddler slept) and wore my favorite home clothes to show the hubby what an awesome job I did! Five months later..the perfect first day has undergone massive changes and that's why the need to put this on paper. Mostly as a lesson to myself and to remember that the first day was the only day I managed to do ALL that. The most important thing to accept when you decide to SAH is that everyday brings new challenges and learning (pretty much like your normal office job). But the Boss is very demanding and you cannot walk away or take a break. Take for instance the simple task of having a shower. Soap in eyes and shampoo on head. That's exactly the time Baby A would choose to wake up! So showers were a q...

Vaccinations. Need I say more? They make you wish that: a. you could bear the pain for your little one. b. you could invent needles that do not cause pain. c. you could do a lot of other things. But in reality they are very important and required to protect our little ones from all sorts of viruses. So rather than wish all those things, it's best to get on with it and accept that there will be tears (mostly you will be teary eyed for the first few). So if you find yourself worried and terrified of that first vaccine just remember that babies can and will forget pain quickly. Distraction is key! There are several vaccines during the first two years (almost every two months!). So it's best to get a list (or check if they're listed in your baby's record book) before you leave the hospital. It's also best to set reminders as you will be caught up with a lot of new mommy stuff and then realise! Don't panic if you've missed a vaccine as your paediatrician can a...

"Reading to children, even before they can understand words, teaches them to associate books with love and affection". I firmly believe in this quote. I chose to write about books and reading today because the UAE is promoting "book day" and encouraging parents to read to their children for at least ten minutes a day. Kids these days seem disinterested in reading and that is alarming. The benefits of reading to your children are countless. The earlier you begin, the better. With busy schedules and jobs its a nice way to bond with and encourage them to read. I got Baby A his first book when he was three months old. I think most of my friends thought I was out of my mind. But I bought it anyway and read it to him everyday (sometimes more than once). It was a "Peppa Pig" book called "My Daddy". I know he loved the pictures and he made delightful baby sounds like he was enjoying it. So, I read and read and read - I kid you not but his first words...

We're all trying to be Super Moms. But in our hurry to get there we often forget one simple fact: That we became Super Moms the day we found out we were going to have a baby! It's so easy these days to get lost in the ocean of being a perfect mom and question your ability on some of the choices you make for your little one. I often asked my mom how she knew what choice to make (when the Internet never existed and her own mom was a million miles away). She always said that her instincts guided her to make choices and she did absolutely awesome raising two kids. I always like to relate my thinking with stories of my adorable Baby A. He suddenly got very clingy a couple of months back. This was at home (the most unlikely place where he should even worry) and the incidents were mostly in the kitchen. He would cry and hold on to me and It was so difficult to finish whatever I started. So, off I went to check what I could do to remedy the situation. Advice ranged from ignoring the b...

Isn't it strange that no one talks about the baby blues or post-partum depression during pregnancy or after? I've seen videos and fliers on getting through those first few weeks, breast-feeding advice, stem-cell banking, baby photography (to capture those precious early moments). It goes on and on. Maybe it's because it's not a happy thing or maybe I missed reading about it. But, that's not something you want to read because you think it will never be you. I don't remember anyone telling me that there might be a chance of having the "blues" after a baby. I am sure I would have been in denial😊. It's not bad to feel overwhelmed during those first few days. You want to be a perfect mommy, you see countless moms doing an awesome and you just don't want to give into these feelings of being tired and overwhelmed. Pause. This is one of those times you going through a "blue" moment. Pause. It's okay to feel this way. Pause. No one tells...

When your little one wakes up with a cold or fever, be prepared for a painful, long, unhappy day (not for you but for your little bub). YOU will need a lot of patience, very comfortable sweat pants and a t-shirt that can camaflouge tears, runny goo, orange sticky medicine and some more. It's not a nice feeling to see your little one down and quiet. It can also result in panic (when you're trying to figure out what to do) and can be nerve racking trying to comfort a crying baby who will cling to you. You must also know that you might never get to do anything around the house other than cuddle and comfort your baby. There will be LOTS of cuddling, comforting and "do what makes you happy baby". Some things you might want to have at hand during these times include: Saline drops and a suction bulb A thermometer that can read temperature in a second (check braun) Lots of soft wash cloths for that little nose Medicine approved by your doctor (if required) Favorite t...

One of the many words that toddlers learn quickly is "No". At least that's what the stats say. I've been teaching Baby A to say no but he only understands the "action" (head shake violently to the left and right). I did not teach him that😁. While at the supermarket, I was showing him stuff and saying "no" when the hubby suggested I teach him to say "yes" instead. Imagine, I didn't even think of that because whatever I'd read suggested the negative. Of course we need to teach our kids to say no but how much nicer does it sound when your toddler says "yes". Think about it. I suppose they learn to say no because they hear it countless times a day. "No, don't touch that", "No, not the phone."....no, no, no. I've done it too but I can't do it anymore. Toddlers want to defy you when they hear that word. All they want to do is explore and make a mess and drive you to the point of (I don't k...