Random Notes

Too many things (once more) to write about.

Attended 21 yr old cousin's wedding last week. Needless to say it felt like we were getting a child married off. But she wanted to get married. I envy her lack of ambition sometimes. Makes life so simple if all you want from it is a husband, money, new clothes and parties to attend every week. 

Have realised that marwari wedding songs are super fun. There are songs for every part of the wedding festivities, songs for the bride and groom and songs for their relatives. Add to this traditional rajasthani tunes and awesomeness is guaranteed. Even a week later i find myself humming and singing  these songs.  Who knew i'd like something else that was marwari other than the food! 

Caught up with friends in Jodhpur. Yes. I have friends in Jodhpur. Never did i once think, in all my years of visiting the grandparents and extended family there, that i would, one day, have friends to meet. It was such a new feeling, even after having lived there for 2 years, to hang out with friends in a city i primarily associate with vegetating at the grandmom's house and meeting boring relatives every evening. It was worth it, even if i had to listen to the grandmother grumbling about me never being at home.

I'm a besotted aunt. My 13 month old niece has been going *bua bua bua* ever since i got here. Full heart melt happens. Of course, when she refuses to sleep and bawls her head off, i feel like smacking her. I'm fair like that. Adorable is in it's place but needing an army to feed and entertain her is another. Also the dog is feeling totally ignored and left out because the baby gets all the attention. So i've been sneakily feeding her almonds every couple of hours. 

My immune system is shot. A fortnight back i woke up with a sexy cold voice and a stuffed nose. For 2 days i walked around with a box of tissue papers and ended up with one less layer of skin on my nose. Thankfully my Rudolph impersonation ended before the wedding. Imagine the photos! Unfortunately, a cold wave hit Jaipur and the sexy cold voice was back. But you know how sexiness fades right? Yeah. Now i sound like Lurch from the Adam's family. Not sexy. Also i seem to be setting a record for most snot produced in 3 days. Yes, i said snot. Oh, and every time i blow my nose, the niece giggles. 

All of last week has been about everyone around me asking, no, telling me to have a baby. It's mildly gross and extremely annoying. Gross because your grandmother is telling you to go do it and annoying because it's none of anybody's business really. But all sorts of motivation is being provided. From cute custom baby furniture and clothes/accessories to expensive gifts. I personally believe that since there are to be no more weddings in the family for at least 3 years now, people just need another reason to party. 

Oh, and i think i have a crush on Ram Kapoor. What? 

A Rose By Any Other Name...

I became an aunt on January 14^th 2011. And today, I still can’t give you a name for my month and a few days old niece. And not because her parents can decide upon one name. No siree. It’s because her greatgrandmother, grandparents, grand-aunts and uncles and aunts can’t decide upon one name.

And it’s beginning to get a little much, all this joint family love that is being shown. I mean, its awesome that the little one arrived amidst a wedding and all of the extended family. But taking into consideration every one of those extended opinions has only resulted in the baby remaining unnamed. Even a nickname hasn’t been decided upon. The only thing everyone is in agreement with is that the new greatgrandmother not be allowed to saddle the little girl with names like laddi, bitiya, barfi and other similar concoctions. Her latest offering was Laali or something similar. Yes. I know. She needs help.

But before that, *we* need help. And a name.

Edited: The day after writing this post, the baby finally had a name. Nandini.

Of Kites, a Baby, the Dog and Names

Since the last post so much has happened that i dont know where to start. Do i talk about how our kite flying was prematurely interrupted by the sister-in-law going into labour or do i start with how i spent 6 hours in a hospital room/corridor listening to the yells and shrieks that accompany the miracle of birth? Or maybe i should mention how the new baby is taking up all the attention and the dog is now spending several hours a day sulking and throwing dirty looks our way? And then i wonder if i should mention how (at least) 10 people have been trying for 5 days now to come to some kind of consensus on a name for the little one, and have failed spectacularly?

Either way, the story remains the same. Our lives have been thrown into a happy jumble by the arrival of a tiny little thing who is all sleep and no comprehension. The new father is still trying to *feel* like a father. We're trying to convince him that changing a poop-filled nappy will help achieve that feeling fastest. Meanwhile, the sister-in-law (who has conveniently forgotten her pain-filled, raise all hell shouting during labour) is in full new-mother mode and is a picture of bliss as she holds her little girl. Of course, i'm waiting for the day when her bliss converts into non-squeamishness at cleaning pooped-in nappies.

The new grandmother and great-grandmother are over the moon with joy and i foresee many a battle of wills about who gets to hold the baby the longest, who gets to bathe her, burp her and sing lullabies to her as she bawls her head off.

The brand new grandfather on the other hand, is more than content standing to a side and just looking at his granddaughter. His smile reflects his happiness and the fulfillment of a long-standing dream to have a daughter in the house (his own two sons not bringing the same grace and beauty you see).

The grandaunts are hovering around, knitting blankets and researching baby names. They're also quite useful when it comes to nappy-changing and gyan-giving (sometimes both together). And then they also have stories about how they did the same for the new father and it is only right they get pee-ed on by his baby too!

And us aunts simply have a new toy to play with. We're not of any help when it comes to cleaning her, feeding her or even managing her when she cries. But we can entertain her. And how. Yesterday she did the YMCA dance (with some assistance of course) and boxed her way into victory. She also gets rocked to and fro to Munni Badnam Hui and Sheila Ki Jawani just for kicks. And yesterday we got a bagful of baby clothes and toys, most of them just because they were just so cute.

So yes, it's been quite some 5 days we've had.

And the next 5 are going to be about the sister's wedding. But that's another post right?