Hey everybody!!

I haven't written on my blog in a really long time. In the last month and a half, things have gotten crazy busy in the D'Sa household because Naveen is growing like a weed and develops new skills everyday. Chris and I are going crazy trying to keep up. He's turning 7 months old on Friday and he's already able to go from a lying down position in his crib to standing up in it. He can even hold on to the sides of the crib and get himself from one side to another. And, if you leave him in an open area on the floor, be prepared to go after him. He's almost crawling, but not quite. Right now he's doing what I call the "combat crawl" where he drags himself on his belly by gripping his hands into the carpet. Crawling is a week or two away. I'm scared. He's only 7 months old...what happened to being a baby?! At this rate he's going to be walking in the next couple of months and probably talking too!! Needless to say, we are BUSY keeping up with our active little boy. And did I mention two of his teeth already broke through? People said they grow fast, but I wasn't expecting it to be this fast!

In the midst of all this, I got a job and am going back to work. Yay! but I also have sad feelings b/c Naveen will be in daycare from 8-4 everyday. I'm very, very sad about that. What if I miss something? The good thing is that starting in August, my mom will be watching him 2 days/week b/c she's going to a 3-day workweek, working 12 hours each day. At least Naveen will be home with family 2 days out of the week when that starts. I wish so much I could stay home, but I have to go back because I need to finish my internship hours so I can get licensed. I have a year's worth of work to finish my hours and then I can sit for my licensing exam and have a lot more flexibility.

So what about the job? I'm going back to the same agency I was with, Hathaway-Sycamores, but in a new position. I'm going to be a therapist in an elementary school. I'm really excited about working with younger kids. And there are alot of perks - the school is about 7 minutes from my house in Pasadena; the hours are great, 8am-4pm; and it's close to Naveen's daycare. I couldn't have asked for anything better. I start on July 2.

So that's the latest in a nutshell. Chris is doing great at his job and all else is well. Hope you are too.

Love, Shefali

I was recently reading the April issue of Glamour magazine and saw this very important article about ways to stop global warming. I have not seen "An Inconvenient Truth", but I realize the importance of stopping global warming. Plus, the little things you can do make a huge impact. So, I'm posting the article from Glamour here so everyone can read it. Let's all do just one thing to help stop global warming. Here's the article:

The top 10 things you can do for the planet
By Lori Bongiorno

Odds are, you’ve been wondering how you can help our precious environment, but you may feel overwhelmed (even the experts do!). Yes, the news is bad: Everyone’s been consuming increasing amounts of energy—using a whole lot of electronic stuff, burning lights, you name it—and guzzling gas. This means that more carbon dioxide, one of the main culprits behind global warming, ends up in the air. Is it a coincidence that 2006 was the hottest year ever in the United States? Scientists think not.

Thankfully, the situation is reversible—and many solutions are simple and bite-size. “These problems are significant enough that we need to do big and little things,” says John Passacantando, executive director of Greenpeace USA. Start with a few of these steps—a list our advisers came up with. They’re in no particular order, but each will make a difference.

1. Change a bulb.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use about 65 percent less energy than regular ones—which explains why a big government campaign, “Change a Light, Change the World,” is pushing for them. CFLs cost about 30 percent more but last up to 10 times longer. Buy a “warm white” kind, and the light should look the same as usual (stores like Wal-mart and Kmart have them). If every Glamour reader switched just one bulb, it would prevent major pollution—the equivalent of taking 82,000 cars off the road a year. Speaking of which…

2. Drive a fuel-efficient car.
“Driving a gas guzzler (as many SUV models are) for a year produces 95,000 pounds of global-warming pollution,” says Kathleen Rogers, president of the Earth Day Network. Hybrids use less fuel and don’t muck up the air as much.

3. Even better: bike or take public transportation.
And best of all: Walk! It’s good for you and the environment.

4. One word: recycle.
You’ve heard it a kajillion times: Recycle plastic, glass, paper and cans. It keeps them from filling up landfills and saves trees and energy. “It takes 20 times more energy to make an aluminum can from scratch than from a recycled one,” notes Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense. But there are other things to recycle, including “e-waste”—electronic goods like phones and laptops (for info, see rethink.ebay.com). You can also recycle shampoo and lotion bottles; look for the triangular recycling label.

5. Clean green.
Ordinary household cleaners tend to have potentially toxic chemicals; pour them down the drain and they can make their way into groundwater (buh-bye, clean drinking water). There are lots of effective eco-versions out there, like Seventh Generation and Mrs. Meyer’s.

6. Eat local or organic.
Getting veggies from a farmers’ market saves fuel, because produce isn’t transported long distances. And organic farming keeps chemicals out of the soil and you. “It’s win-win,” says Robert F. Kennedy Jr., president of the Waterkeeper Alliance. “You get better food and protect the environment.”

7. Buy energy-saving things.
Look for the “Energy Star” label on everything from computers to air conditioners.

8. Conserve water.
It’s in more limited supply around the world—including in the Western U.S.—due to increasing pollution and drought. “Fixing leaks can save hundreds of gallons of water a month,” says Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Also, try shorter showers.

9. Adjust your thermostat.
Move it down a degree in winter and up a degree in summer, and you’ll spare the air 500 pounds of carbon dioxide—and save up to 15 percent on energy bills.

10. Speak up!
Send an e-postcard to your Congressional rep at nrdc.org/action asking him or her to back legislation on global warming. Mention tips you liked from this piece to a pal. Tell Mom to buy a CFL bulb. But whatever you do, don’t get paralyzed by the enormity of the problem. “It’s not about doing everything,” says Laurie David, author of Stop Global Warming: The Solution Is You!. “It’s about everyone doing something.”

Lori Bongiorno’s guide to green living comes out in spring 2008.

MORE STUFF YOU CAN DO (PER GLAMOUR)
1. “Plastic bottles take a lot of energy to produce.” Most experts agree that bottled water isn’t any purer or safer than most of the nation’s tap H2O. Take your used plastic bottles (or, better yet, mug) and hit the faucet.

2. Watch out for "eco-friendly" stuff, but don't get scammed. Here are some things to watch out for:
Eco products are springing up like wildflowers. Good news—except that some companies are making unsubstantiated claims, known as greenwashing. The most common cons:

Bamboo clothes
A hot item at boutiques: sweaters and T-shirts made from this fiber. Sadly, though, it’s not all that environmentally virtuous. When a bamboo plant is turned into fabric, the process releases toxins into the atmosphere. Not good.

“Natural” stuff
These days, everything from cereal to laundry detergent is touted as “natural”—and often sold at a higher price. While the word can mean that something is made with truly natural ingredients, there are no government standards for anything except meat (where “natural” means there are no additives). Your best bet is to read labels and check for ingredients you recognize and that don’t sound synthetic or chemical-y (you can always go home and google anything suspect).

Organic fish
Sorry, Charlie: There are no guarantees that fish described as organic either at a supermarket or restaurant is free of pesticides or antibiotics, because here, too, there aren’t any government standards (though they are in the works).

AND HERE ARE SOME MORE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT (PER GLAMOUR):
…dry-clean clothes?
Probably not good for you, definitely bad for the environment. Fact: 85 percent of cleaners use a chemical called Perc that may be linked to cancer and reproductive damage, though there isn’t conclusive research. But it does pollute the air, and all that plastic wrapping takes lots of energy to produce. To protect yourself and the planet, you could “wet clean” (for locations, go to earth911.org, click on “green shopping tips” and “innovative technologies,” then enter your zip code) or “carbon-dioxide clean” (visit findco2.com for places). You can also ask to skip the plastic. If not, take clothes out of it and air for an hour, outside if possible.

…microwave in plastic?
It could be harmful to you and the environment. If a container’s not labeled “microwave safe,” check the bottom. See a number 3, 6 or 7? Don’t heat food in it; it has toxins that may seep into your meal, and it’s also less likely to be recyclable.

…cook in Teflon pans?
May be bad for you, definitely bad for the environment. Nonstick cookware is made with a substance that’s a probable carcinogen. But the biggest threat, experts say, is all the air and water pollution caused by the factories that make the chemical. So copper or aluminum are the more eco-friendly options, but there’s no reason to ditch anything unless it’s scratched.

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Glamour for producing a great article! I'm so much more educated now.

I've been wanting to do a post about this for a long time, but I keep forgetting. I finally remembered to do it, and it's going to be sort of an ongoing post.

It's always helpful to know what baby products out there are really useful to have while ALSO being worth the money. A lot of times people register for things and don't necessarily end up using them. So, here's my list of helpful baby items(if you click on the item, you can go to a link on the web that displays it. Some links don't show are the exact item I bought, but is very close and gives you a good idea):

1. Bumbo baby seat: I like it because sometimes, Naveen gets really tired of laying on his back or his belly. This helps him sit up with support until he learns to sit up by himself. Totally worth the money.

2. Pacifier clip (aka pacifier leash): Make sure you buy one if you are going to use a pacifier, and make sure that it snaps on to the pacifier with snaps, not velcro. The velcro will come undone the minute your baby learns how to pull on the pacifier. I bought mine at Babies R Us for like $2. SO WORTH IT. Minimizes me having to wash the pacifier everytime it falls on the floor.

3. Graco Pack N Play playard/bassinet: This is a great thing to have because you will get 3 uses out of it. It serves as a bassinet while the baby is little so he/she can sleep in it. We put it in our room next to the bed so we could easily feed him and check on him at night. It also has a little changing table and a tray that hangs off the side where you can keep diapers and anything else you need. It's so convenient for middle of the night changings. Once you don't need it as a bassinet anymore, it can be the playard that you keep the baby in when you have to leave him unattended to do something. Definitely worth the money b/c you are getting 3 things in one: bassinet, convenient changing table, and playard.

4. Graco Swing: This is the greatest invention. When Naveen is cranky and wants to fall asleep but can't, I plop him in this and he's out like a light. Plus it's another great thing to snap him into when I need to cook or clean. It has harnesses so he's safe and secure. A must have.

5. Papasan: Another great item to have to help hold the baby when you can't or your arms get tired. Naveen falls asleep in this too. It plays music and vibrates as well. The vibrations are supposed to settle a baby's stomach.

6. Sleep positioner: This item will give you peace of mind. It prevents the baby from rolling over on his sides or tummy. It keeps him on his back, which is how the American Pediatric Association recommends babies should sleep to prevent SIDS. Because of this item, I can sleep at night knowing Naveen can't suffocate himself. Plus it's adjustable as the baby grows. Very handy. Side note: we have another sleep positioner that keeps the baby at an incline. This one is also very good. I recommend having 2 positioners, because babies diapers leak at night and if one positioner gets wet, you have a second available and can wash the dirty one.

7. Diaper Champ: Can't live without this. We throw all of Naveen's dirty diapers in here, and you can't smell ANYTHING. We chose this over the Diaper Genie because you can use regular trash bags, and believe me you need this option. We empty this thing and change the bag once a week. The Diaper Genie only takes its own trash bags. I recommend this Diaper Champ over anything. It's awesome.

8. Changing table: You have to get one. I don't know how I could have gotten along without one. Yeah, you could position the baby on the bathroom counter or a dresser, but if you get a changing table, you'll be able to store everything you need in one place. It also helps when you have a wiggling baby and can't afford to leave him/her unattended to go grab a diaper or diaper rash cream from somewhere else(plus, in that split second you walk away, you better believe he/she is going to pee everywhere). We even use this table after we bathe Naveen because it gives us a place to lay him while we dry him off, put lotion, and get his diaper and clothes on. And ours has a mirror at his eye level, so he loves staring at himself in the mirror while we get him dressed or changed. Very handy b/c it stops him from wiggling all over the place, sometimes. Get a changing table, it's worth the money. You'll use it to death.

9 & 10. Changing pad/covers: You'll need both of these things. The changing pad comes with straps so you can strap the baby in while changing. Keeps him secure. The covers are great. If he/she pees before you can get the diaper on, you just pull off the cover and throw it in the wash. I recommend getting two so if one is in the wash, you can put the second one on the pad. I have terry cloth ones and they work great.

11. Waterproof pads: These are the best because they are washable and save everything from getting wet or stained. We have about 8 of these and lay them everywhere Naveen lays. We have one in his bassinet, on the quilt he lays on when playing, his crib, one for our couch in case he lays with us, and on his changing table pad over the changing pad cover. If he pees, drools, spits up, or anything else, it goes on the pad which absorbs it. Then we wash the pad and it's clean again. It has really preserved everything and keeps all of his linens looking clean and new. It has saved our couch too. You gotta get these.

12. Fisher Price Aquarium: I wrote about this toy in a previous blog. Check out my post and get one. Naveen loves his.

13. Little Tykes 5-in-1 Adjustable Gym: LOVE THIS TOY. It keeps Naveen busy for at least an hour, sometimes more. It's adjustable as they grow. Right now, as a baby, he lays underneath and kicks the spinning ball and rattle with his feet which causes music to come on and the lights to flash. That helped him develop purposeful, controlled movement with his legs and feet. Now that he can reach the balls/rattles with his hands, we position it over his hands so he can learn to grab things and develop purposeful movement with his hands. It's an awesome toy. Totally worth the money.

14. Infant Carrier Toy Bar: We bought this to attach to his car seat bar. It keeps him busy when he is in the car seat. It plays 4 different songs and also has things hanging down from it so he can use his hands to play with them. Naveen loves it. A great thing to have to keep him busy in the car. I searched high and low to find something to attach that would fit on the carrier bar, stay attached, and keep him busy. Bought a couple of things before I bought this. This is the winner.

15. Baby Einstein DVD's: A must-have. They are about 1/2 hour each and a set of 10 is $100 at Costco. Buy it, it's worth the money. Naveen is completely fascinated by the videos, talks at the TV when he watches them, and of course, he is learning too. We let him watch one a day because we don't want him to watch too much TV. It's a great investment.

16. Crib sheet clips: These keep the crib sheet securely fastened to the crib mattress so in case the baby pulls on the sheet, it won't snap off and suffocate him. And they are super easy to install.

17. Stay-Tuct suspenders: When you put a shirt on a baby, it constantly rises up when you pick him/her up, when they wiggle, etc. They never stay straight on, unless there are snaps on the bottom. These solve that problem.

18. Summer Infant video monitor: This is an awesome monitor. It's audio and video. It took us 5 minutes to hook it up and voila! We could see Naveen on the screen, in color. It's obviously pricier than an audio monitor, but we bought it anyway because we initially had an audio monitor and I still felt the need to check on him visually. You never know when babies can pull blankets, bibs, or anything else over their faces and suffocate themselves. And the handheld has a stand and belt fastener so you can prop it on the counter or fasten it to your pants. The picture is very clear too. We also didn't have any interference problems, even though we have cordless phones and wireless internet running in the house all the time.

So far that's what I have. I'll be adding to my list as he grows. Hope this helps, especially if you are a new parent!!

Yesterday was weigh-in day with my trainer, along with it being my last session. Drum roll please....................I've lost 3 lbs!! Woo hoo! Plus, I've lost INCHES. I lost an inch off my waist, an inch from thighs, 1 1/4 inches from my arms and 1/8 of an inch from my forearms. I'm very excited and motivated to keep going. I actually lost 5 lbs, but 2 of those pounds converted from fat to muscle (my trainer did all the measurements and some calculations and came out with that) so they are technically not a loss. I'm really excited.

So Naveen had his vaccinations on Tuesday. He had the regular vaccinations, but I also opted to give him the new RotaTeq vaccination that protects him against rotavirus. This vaccination was just approved by the FDA last year and I read in one of my magazines that all children should get it because they get rotavirus really easily. And apparently the virus causes severe dehydration because it makes you vomit and have diarrhea like crazy. Little children then end up in hospital inevitably on IV to get rehydrated. I don't want Naveen going through that so I chose to have him vaccinated. I'm just a little worried because in very rare cases it can cause intestinal problems. So for about the next week I'm keeping a close eye on him. Hopefully it's ok because he has to get the second dose of the vaccination when he is 6 months old. Apparently the vaccination series cannot be started after babies turn 6 months old, so it's do it now or don't do it all. We'll see how it goes.

So here's my weekly American Idol recap:

1. Haley Scarnato: Surprisingly good. She might just bring it. The song choice was very good for her because it was upbeat and actually kept my interest! I caught myself smiling while watching her this week. Still a wait and see for me, but I cannot tell a lie: I liked it. She tapped into her strengths. FINALLY.

2. Chris Richardson: Good. He's a little nasal-y (is that a word?) for me, but I liked it. The only thing I don't like about him is that he sometimes seems a little cocky. This is a downer for me. But, he's got the stage presence and this week he showed a different side to his singing which turned out really well.

3. Stephanie Edwards: She's ok. She won't win. She sounds too much like Beyonce, and we don't need another Beyonce. Plus she doesn't have that exciting stage presence. Tonight when she sang I caught myself updating my calendar. Side note: I really hope AI doesn't come up with another R&B artist. They're all starting to sound the same to me.

4. Blake Lewis: He's good, but I'm burning out on him. I need to see something new or different. I can't quite put my finger on it. And I'm not sure I'm liking the beatboxing thing anymore. The judges really liked his performance tonight, but I thought it was just good.

5. Lakisha Jones: She wasn't that inspiring this week. Some of the low notes sounded a little weird. I think she should have picked the other song that Lulu told her to sing. Simon nailed it...it was a little old, like she was 60 years old.

6. Phil Stacey: Didn't like it. Or didn't like him. I don't know. I didn't really get into the running around the stage with the microphone thing for him. I think my problem with him is that I can't fit him into a genre. None of the songs he sings fits for me. I can't put my finger on it, I just know he's not one of my favorites. I don't know what the appeal is in him. I haven't figured out why America likes him.

7. Jordin Sparks: AWESOME, as usual. The slow songs tend to bore me, but she sang hers with a lot of soul and sexuality. The mood she conveyed matched the mood of the song. Nicely done girlfriend.

8. Sanjaya Malakar: OH GOD. What a freakin' train wreck. And the girl who was crying b/c she liked him so much...NOW WE KNOW WHO IS VOTING FOR HIM!!!

9. Gina Glocksen: Love the chick! And singing a Stones song...totally cool. But it wasn't her best. I feel like she could have a picked a song that showed her singing ability a lot more. I've liked every performance of her up until today. God, I hope she doesn't get eliminated. I don't think she will.

10. Chris Sligh: He was OK. The performance kind of bored me a little. He needs some UMPH in his performances. I need some WOW factor.

11. Melinda Doolittle: As usual, amazing. They should just give her a record deal and let everyone else compete.

I have to say, today's show was the best so far. At least everyone sang decently, except Sanjaya.

My prediction: Phil Stacey is gone this week.

I forgot to write about my excruciating experience at the County Recorder's office on Friday while trying to get Naveen's birth certificate. I saw a sign there that said, "Marriage Licenses and Passport Applications here" (above a different window than the ones for birth and death certificates). I got excited because I thought maybe I wouldn't have to go to the post office or the Federal Building to get the passports done, maybe I could just do them here! So I get to the window and here's how my conversation goes. It's your typical conversation with an annoying government employee:

Shefali (S): Hi. I need 2 copies of a birth certificate.
Clerk (C): OK. Please give me your application.
S: OK. Also, I see you do passport applications. Is that for new passports only, or do you do name changes here as well? I need a new passport with my married last name.
C: You have to have a marriage certificate to do the name change.
S: Yes, but do you process those here, or do you only do new passports?
C: We do passports on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
S: Right, but if I have the necessary paperwork, can you process an application so I can change my name on my passport?
C: You have to make an appointment and you have to have the passport application. (hands me a piece of paper listing the requirements).
S: OK so you do process name changes here?
C: You can go to the post office, they can do it there.

OK what the hell dude?!

Last week was a crazy week and the weekend was just as insane. Chris and I decided that we are going to take a trip to Bangkok, Thailand for a week in April. We're invited to our friend's wedding and really wanted to go, but weren't sure if we could afford to go. Then our friend told us that they are paying for 5 nights at the hotel and two tours of the city, so Chris and I decided that would make it a little more affordable. So we're going. It's going to be so awesome, I can't wait. The first night that all the wedding guests get there, they have invited everyone to a sunset dinner cruise to start the celebrations. How amazing is that going to be?! We're going to take Naveen with us because we want to, and to make things even better, my parents are going to the wedding too so we will have some help. So last week was crazy because we had to get everything in order and apply for Naveen's passport. And wouldn't you know it...I couldn't find his birth certificate. The friends of mine reading this know that I'm SUPER ORGANIZED. So how the hell did I lose his birth certificate? I turned the house upside down looking for it. So on Friday I had to go get another copy and I ended up getting 2. I'm going to put one in the safe at my parents' house in case we ever misplace our copy again. I'm doing the same thing with the 2nd copy of our marriage certificate. Anyway, I also applied for my passport with my married name, so now every legal document of mine will have my married last name. Thank God. That is such an annoying process. Now I have to start planning for the trip!! I'm so excited.

Last week I witnessed something interesting when I went to Whole Foods to get a sandwich for lunch. If anyone wants to leave a comment on this, feel free to, because I'm not sure if I what I saw was good or bad. I was at the sandwich counter and a mom with her 2 daughters were also ordering. They ordered their sandwiches and the older daughter, who was about 10 or 11, told the guy, "Can you make sure you put just light mayo?" Part of me thought, that's really good, she's being healthy. Especially in this day of childhood obesity being so prevalent. On the other hand, I thought, should she have to worry about light mayo, being so young? I don't know why she wanted light mayo, so that would make a difference too. Maybe she doesn't like mayo that much. Or maybe she is worried about how she looks. I don't know. It was an interesting thing to see because I've never seen a child be so conscious of something like that. Interesting.

And tonight, aaahhh, I can't wait - "Dancing with the Stars" is back!! Woo hoo!!

Naveen has a bedtime: 9pm. YAY!!! Sometimes it's even earlier, like 8:30pm. When he was going to sleep at 10pm, he finally stopped waking up in the middle of the night. But all of a sudden in the last couple of weeks, he's been naturally falling asleep between 8:30-9pm. I'm trying to follow his natural lead on bedtimes, feedings, and interests b/c I don't want to be one of those moms who pushes things on him just because it's the "right" thing to do. I'll have plenty of opportunities in his lifetime to teach him the "right" things. Right now, he's young and he seems to be getting things naturally on his own anyway. Plus, I want to do things in stages. Now that we've established a bedtime, the next step in a couple of months is to move him to the crib. I've slowly started the transition by putting him in his crib for his naps during the day. Anyway, we're back to getting up in the middle of the night to feed him, but I don't care. I love the little guy, but it's so nice to have the evening to ourselves. I get to check my email, blog, or just watch TV. I can also finish up housework and get ready for the next day. It's great!

More good news: I lost a pound!! Woo hoo!! My trainer and I have a goal for me to lose 10lbs. I've lost 2. But as I wrote in a previous blog, losing weight is going to come after my excess fat has finished turning to muscle. Let's hope the weight loss continues.

So as I'm writing this blog I'm watching American Idol. It was a pool of mediocrity and a couple of really bad performances. No big surprise, Haley and Sanjaya were the worst. The guys are not that good. I just can't get behind Phil Stacey. I don't particularly care for him, I don't know why. I had high hopes for Brandon, but he ain't deliverin' these days. Chris Sligh was off, and he should have kept his glasses on. It gives him more character. You already know my feelings on Sanjaya. Blake and Chris - if I had to pick guys that I like, these 2 would be it. They are somewhat decent singers and have good stage presence. But as Simon says, this is a SINGING competition. They need to deliver more. The GIRLS - so much better! As usual, Lakisha and Melinda were the BOMB. Stephanie disappointed me. She sang one of my FAV Diana Ross songs, "Love Hangover", but she never went into the disco part. That's the best part! And her vocal was not her best - it seemed she was yelling a little too much. Haley - already said my story. Gina was totally good. Not her best, but she rocks, and the song choice, "Love Child" was awesome. I just love her vibe and I thought she picked a good song. Jordin - LOVE HER! She gets better every week...she's actually one of those contestants that goes through AI doing what she's supposed to do: take criticism and get better. She's awesome and has the cutest smile! Total star quality and the voice is good too. You go girl!

Signing off! Good night.

What a busy weekend! We watched a couple of movies and went out for dinner. We also went to Pinkberry and introduced a couple of our friends to it. Don't know if they will go back, but they tried it at least. I of course enjoyed every morsel of my yogurt!

On Friday night we stayed home and watched "North Country" with Charlize Theron. A very good movie and I would recommend it to people to see. It's based on a true story about a woman who gets a job in mine. She finds out that the few women who work there are being sexually harrassed on a daily basis, including her, along with being demeaned and physically attacked sometimes if they don't succumb to their male coworkers' requsts. You should definitely see it.

On Saturday I was super busy but had so much fun! I went out to lunch with my friend Lisa to this place called Three Square in Venice Beach. It's a cafe and bakery. The food was AWESOME. I can't wait to go back. I shared an appetizer of avocado fries with fire roasted tomato salsa. Then I had a grilled bread salad with mozzarella and tomatoes and for dessert, we shared a plate of honey madeleines with honey thyme ice cream. OMG - one of the best desserts I've ever had. Who thought thyme in ice cream would be SO GOOD?! We also went shopping on the street that the Three Square is on, because it's a street known for its cute boutiques. I bought some Vosges chocolates (www.vosgeschocolate.com) from this boutique. Vosges chocolates are amazing chocolates in really unique, interesting flavors. I bought a box that has 4 bars in it with the following flavors:

Black Pearl - ginger + wasabi + black sesame seeds + dark chocolate
Naga - sweet Indian curry powder + coconut flakes + deep milk chocolate
Red Fire - Mexican ancho and chipotle chili peppers + Ceylon cinnamon + dark chocolate
Gianduja - almonds + hazelnuts + deep milk chocolate

Don't those sound yummy!? I tried a piece of the Red Fire...it was really good!

Saturday night we went to a place called Cinespace (www.cinespace.info). It's a place where you can watch a movie on a theater screen while having dinner. The movies are no longer in the theater. We saw "Half Nelson" with Ryan Gosling. He was nominated this year for an Academy Award for Best Actor. It was ok...a little depressing and slow. He acted very well and it's a good movie to watch on DVD.

Sunday evening we went to a visit one of our couple friends and as I mentioned earlier, we all went to Pinkberry. Sunday night Chris and I FINALLY watched "Borat" on DVD. It was definitely funny, definitely GROSS in some parts. It wasn't amazing, but it was good a movie to watch on DVD. I'm glad I didn't spend money to see it in the theater.

NAVEEN UPDATE
He's holding his bottle on his own (sometimes), but you have to watch him b/c he'll let go and the bottle falls. It's kind of funny. It's b/c he doesn't have total control over his motor skills yet. But he's getting there!

Also, he LOVES Baby Einstein DVD's. We bought a box set from Costco. I don't let him watch everyday, maybe every other day b/c I don't want him to get hooked on TV. But they are good DVD's and they are educational. I like watching them too...LOL.

I also received the Bumbo (www.bumbobabyseat.com/) chair and tray that I ordered last week. Omigod - Naveen loves it b/c he can sit up. That's all he wants to do these days, is sit up! This lets him and I can't wait to take it to a restaurant with us so he can sit with us at the table! Yay! He's going to be a big boy :) He's growing so fast!

Daycare update!! I didn't remove Naveen from the waiting list at the daycare that I complained about. I would have, except that I have waited 5 months already and I don't want to start the clock all over again at some other place just b/c I'm annoyed with the current place. If I do that, the only person that gets screwed is me, unfortunately. And we didn't put our names on the waiting list for the daycare we checked out on Tuesday, because they told us it would be anywhere from 8-12 months before we get a spot. GREAT. I'll just stick with what I've got right now.

So I called the daycare (we'll call it Happy Kids) on Tuesday and talked to someone named Candace who said she is going through the list to find out if people are still interested. She said to call her at the end of the week to find out where we are at. So I called her today and she was really nice and professional. And she told me that there are now 8 people ahead of us, instead of 11. And if 2 of those 8 don't call her back by the end of today, there are only 6 people ahead of us b/c those 2 will get knocked out for not returning the calls in a week's time. SO...everyone cross your fingers. Now let's just hope there are no siblings that pile up on the list again.

OK...I've been blogging about American Idol, trying to express how I feel about the singers. This article that I found on the internet says it all. It's exactly how I feel about the 12 finalists. If you want a really good laugh, check it out. Disclaimer - you have to be watching AI to understand some of his comments. If you want to read the article, click here.

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED ON AMERICAN IDOL TONIGHT?! I feel the need to type in caps for this post, but I won't. So I made my predictions of the 4 who were going to be voted off tonight - and I was spot on about all 4 actually - but only 2 of them actually got voted off. The other two, Haley Scarnato and Sanjaya Malakar, SURPRISINGLY made it. How did Haley make it and Sabrina Sloan get voted off? And how did Sanjaya make it and Sundance get voted off? The judges agreed with me on both of those. UN-FREAKIN-BELIEVABLE. America - what happened? Does anyone who reads this blog watch the show? Can someone tell me how Haley and Sanjaya made it? I have no words...This is a total outrage.

Some of you know that I've been really concerned about losing weight so I can get back to pre-pregnancy weight. I hired a personal trainer and have been going to the gym regularly. I think it's working...I feel like some of my pants are a little looser, but my weight has stayed the same. I talked to my trainer yesterday and he said it's totally normal. He told me that because I haven't worked out in a year a lot of my muscle turned to fat. Now, as I'm working out, my fat is turning back into muscle. One pound of fat is turning into one pound of muscle. Doesn't equal weight loss, it means the weight stays the same. But muscle is leaner than fat, and that explains how my clothes maybe a little looser but my weight is the same. He said once the fat to muscle process is done, I will start losing weight. YAY!! Next week is D-day...it's my last personal training session and we are going to weigh in and take measurements...UGH. I'll let you know the results.

One of the things that's been really hard about losing the weight is that I just don't have time on some days to go the gym because Naveen is really active and playful or cranky. Sometimes I don't have have time to go because we are busy running errands in the evening or Chris has work to do at home so I can't leave him alone with Naveen. This started disrupting my workout routine and I didn't know what to do. One day I was reading my FitPregnancy magazine and discovered their "Get Your Body Back After Baby" DVD. It comes with a resistance band which my trainer exposed me to at the gym. I decided to buy it and I tried it today. It's AWESOME. There is an ab workout, a 10-minute workout (b/c they know how busy babies can make you), a circuit workout which is combination of cardio and strength training and is only 16 minutes (again, because they know how busy you can be), and a full 35-minute workout that you can do after 3 months postpartum. I tried the ab workout, the 10 minute workout, and the 16-minute workout today and I was totally impressed - and sweating at the end! It was great, and I can do the whole thing at home. PLUS, they have ideas for working out with your baby - ab crunches with your baby, baby lifts that work out your pectoral muscles and arms, and exercises you can do while putting your baby in a front carrier. And then they talk about workouts you can do while going for a walk with your baby, like squats. It's seriously an awesome DVD and I recommend it to any mom who wants to get back in shape. You can buy it at this website: http://www.globalfulfillment.net/gfsnet/shapeboutique/10browse.aspx

The daycare drama lives on!

We went and checked out another daycare facility which we ended up liking alot. Of course, you have to leave a non-refundable deposit to get on the waiting list. We didn't sign up. I'm already on a waiting list with a non-refundable deposit, and at least on that waiting list I've been on it for 5 months. If I put myself on a new one, I'll be starting all over again. I'm not kidding - the next time I get pregnant, I'm going to put myself on the waiting list in the second trimester, before I even what the sex of the baby is. Isn't that ridiculous?! Maybe there is a worldwide overpopulation problem - and it's leading to this waiting list crap!

On another note, I watched "American Idol" tonight. The guys totally suck. There was not one good performance and I know I made predictions about who's going to get voted off this week, but after watching it tonight, I say everyone is vulnerable. I don't think any of them will end up as the American Idol.

Baby-related item: I LOVE the Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium. I bought it last week at Toys R Us and finally got a chance to attach it to the crib. That was kind of a pain, but I finally got it and Naveen LOVES it. I turned it on for him, and he just watched it while it made bubbles and the fish swam by on it. For those of you who don't know what it is, I've put a picture here. It's a great toy so far and keeps him totally entertained. It even plays different kinds of soothing music and it has a light in it. Good thing for him to fall asleep to. Love the toy...even I like watching it, LOL.

Subject: "American Idol"

I've never watched AI before, but I like some of the artists it's produced so far, including Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. So I decided, this time, I'm going to watch it from beginning to end, just to see if I get caught up in all the rage.

I started out excited because 6 of the 24 finalists were from California - woo hoo!! Unfortunately, only 2 are left. I have to say, I like it, but I'm not yet totally caught up. I think once the 12 finalists are announced today, I'll get a little more caught up. I think. Now I'm no great singer for sure, so I feel a little bad criticizing the finalists. But then again, America has to vote and these people knew they were up for criticism when they tried out. That said, I have to say that I don't think any of the girls or guys this year has made any kind of impression on me. Maybe that will change, but I was expecting really amazing singers. From what I'm reading here and there on the web, my opinion is in line with many others. Nobody is that super impressive this year. It is early in the competition so maybe these people will develop and get better and better, who knows. I'm still going to continue watching to see what happens. Here are my picks for who I think is pretty good so far:

GUYS:
Chris Richardson - could definitely do the pop genre, has a great smile
Blake Lewis - same thing. I love his beatboxing...fun to watch and he could make some money with 1 record. Don't know if his fame would last past that.
Phil Stacey - I like him because he has some kind of something about his personality, but I don't know just yet if I like his singing. This is a wait and see for me. I haven't totally ruled him out yet.
Sanjaya Malakar - I like him, and of course he's Indian so I'm totally behind my fellow countryman. But he needs to step it up and stop singing songs from the 60s. He's so young - he needs to show his energy. I have a feeling he's going to get voted off this week.

GIRLS:
Gina Glocksen - I've liked her since the original auditions. She has this cool, rocker chick appeal and last week she sang a really great song that suited her. It would be cool for AI to produce a female rocker chick for the first time.
Jordin Sparks - So young, sweet, and fresh - reminds me of Jennifer Hudson. Definite appeal for me. Hopefully she makes it far. Poor thing got caught up in emotions last week during her song. She has a very good voice though. Could totally do the pop thing.
Lakisha, Melinda, Sabrina, and Stephanie - I like them all and see them doing the R&B thing. They have really amazing voices and good charisma.

Who do I think is going to get voted off this week? Haley Scarnato, Antonella Barba (don't like her at all, never have), Sanjaya Malakar, and Jared Cotter.

My other guess: This year AI is going to produce a female Idol. There are more good girls this year than there are guys.

And here's something funny: I was watching "American Idol: Rewind" on Saturday night b/c I couldn't sleep. It was from the first season and Justin Guarini did his performance. After it, Simon Cowell said, "Justin Guarini, Justin Timberlake better watch out" or something to that effect. Um...yeah, anyways.

Subject: Daycare

So let me talk about the RIDICULOUS business of daycare. I'm scheduled to go back to work in April and am having a horrendous time. Here's the quick and dirty story: After researching and visiting a bunch of daycare places and options, we put Naveen on a daycare waiting list in October at a place we really liked. They asked us for a non-refundable $125 deposit and told us that he would most likely get a spot in April or May. We said that was fine because that's when I was going back to work anyway. So we signed up. In January I got a call from the daycare center verifying that I still wanted to be on the list. I said yes and asked them how many people were ahead of me. They said 7, which means we had moved up because when I signed up they said there were 11 people ahead of us. I was happy with that and hung up the phone. So last week I called and asked them where I was on the list. They said there were 10 people ahead of me. Wait...what?! How can that be, I said. So the girl investigates and comes back to me and says that there is a sibling policy they have which gives other infants priority if they have an older sibling already attending their preschool/daycare. OK - what the hell dude?! So I got upset and she offered to let me talk to the owner. So I did, for half an hour, and expressed my complete dissatisfaction at this stupid policy. My feeling about this is that I'm being discriminated against because I don't have a second child. She goes on to tell me that if I had a second kid this wouldn't seem unfair to me...WRONG! This would still feel unfair to me because I have to go back to work just as much as the next person! Regardless of how many kids I have! So then she tells me not to worry because Naveen is on the waiting list until he 2 years old b/c I chose that option. I told her, Are you kidding!? I can't wait for 2 years for him to get a spot! I also got totally pissed at her because they never mentioned this stupid SIBLING POLICY to me. So you're thinking - why don't I just take myself off the waiting list, right? Well then I lose my $125. It's a total freakin' scam and I'm writing this post because I want people to read it and be aware of stupid scams like this. I also went and posted negative reviews about this particular place. I'm basically stuck b/c I don't want to lose my $125. I am looking for new places b/c obviously Naveen is not going to get a spot at this place before I have to go back to work. So here are the tips you should know before you start looking for daycare:

1. Start looking while you are pregnant, like we did.
2. Ask how long their waiting list is. If they say 9 months to a year, factor in some prenatal time into that, plus when you have to go back to work. For example, if you have to go back to work in June, put yourself on the waiting list the June before, seriously. Daycares have ridiculous waiting lists.
3. Don't pay non-refundable deposits unless you have absolutely no other choice. It's a scam that locks you in and makes money for the daycare regardless of whether or not you get a spot there.
4. Ask about all the policies that could affect your spot on the waiting list.

I'll keep you posted on the results of my dilemma!

Naveen has learned to make noises with his lips! It's the cutest thing. He puts his lips together and blows air (I don't know how to explain this, but kids do it all the time) which makes his lips vibrate. He's also teething so some of his drool comes out. It's so adorable. It's like when you say vroom vroom to a kid - that's the only thing I can compare it to. I tried to take some video of it, but when Naveen sees the video camera, he stops whatever he's doing and just stares at the camera. He's getting smarter and more aware so I think it's going to get harder and harder for us to videotape him doing spontaneous things. We're going to have to get all covert about it. Anyway, this little thing he does is too cute.

I'm posting a recent picture here of him in case you haven't been to his website lately. This is one of my favorite pictures ever!

It's been a long time since I've blogged so I'm going to do a couple of posts today because I have a lot of topics to discuss.

So I'm experiencing some new postnatal body issues that I want to talk about. If any of you that have had babies can corroborate these experiences, I would greatly appreciate it!

My hair is falling out in chunks! It's crazy how much hair I'm losing. About 3 weeks ago, I was taking a shower and bam! A chunk of hair came out while I was washing it. I thought it was a temporary thing, but the next time I washed my hair, same thing! I freaked out and went researching online and found out this is a very common postnatal symptom. Apparently when you are pregnant, your body produced new hormones and these new hormones also produce more hair. After delivery, the pregnancy hormones cease production and all of a sudden, all the excess hair that you produced during pregnancy starts falling out. This is what I'm experiencing...and it's driving me crazy. I have to constantly vacuum the floors in my house b/c I find loose strands of hair all over the floor and it grosses me out.

So what can you do to treat it? I've been using shampoo that strengthens hair and my sister-in-law said flaxseed also helps. In addition, I bought ponytail holders that don't pull out your hair when you put them on or take them off. Other than that, I don't think there is much that I can do. Hopefully this post will help other women know that they are not alone in experiencing this madness!

So the other postnatal thing I was experiencing was really bad joint pain and muscle soreness. I didn't know how to stop it and I thought that going to the gym would stretch my muscles out and get my joints going again, hence stopping the pain. NOPE. I was getting frustrated and at the same time, I decided to hire a personal trainer (because I wanted help losing the last 10 pounds of pregnancy weight). What I like about 24 Hour Fitness is that when you hire a personal trainer, they also give you a meal plan with ideas for meals customized for your goals. They tell you to eat 5 small meals a day, and for every one of those meals, they give you 7 alternate choices. That's a lot of help and gives you no excuse to not eat healthy. I expressed my joint/muscle pain issues to my trainer and he told me to start taking calcium pills. I went to Costco and bought a large bottle. I took one pill when I got home and the next day...NO JOINT PAIN. It was like a miracle, seriously. I've been taking calcium pills everyday and since then, my joint pain has disappeared.

So let me rant and rave about my personal trainer now. The muscle soreness continued so I talked to my trainer about it. He told me to stop going to the aerobics classes because my body wasn't ready for it and also showed me some stretches to do to help the soreness go away. And I had told him when I hired him that I felt my core strength was completely gone and I wanted help restoring it. We've had 4 sessions now and my core strength is almost completely back! I couldn't get up from the floor when I first started, and now I can, along with doing other things. You don't realize how much you use your core until it's gone. Plus I've learned so many new exercises that I love doing! So my recommendation for postnatal care after all this: hire a personal trainer when your doctor approves you to start exercising again, and take calcium, also with your doctor's approval. As for the hair loss, my recommendations are above. And of course if everything fails, just remember the amazing little one that you gave birth to - I'm sure that will put a smile on your face, as it does on mine!

So here is my new obsession: Pinkberry. It's the BEST frozen yogurt! Why? Let me tell you. First, it has 0 fat and 0 cholesterol. There are only 5 grams of sugar in a serving. Super healthy, and it tastes so GOOD!!! I discovered Pinkberry when I walked by a bright pink wooden facade in Pasadena and it said, "Coming soon: Pinkberry." My curiosity was peaked, so I went online and looked it up. Turns out it's the biggest craze in LA and NYC right now. The Pasadena store hasn't opened yet so I decided to check out the one in Studio City since we were passing through a coupel of weeks ago. YUM!!! It's not your old school typical sweet yogurt. It's a tart yogurt, as if you're eating regular plain yogurt but it tastes better than that! And the store sells pretty much only healthy toppings, except a couple of sugary ones like Cocoa Pebbles, Cap'N Crunch, and Fruity Pebbles. And there are only 2 flavors of yogurt: original and green tea. The green tea one is OK. The plain one is the best and I had granola on it which was really good. There are a bunch of new locations opening in LA and I can't wait! Until then, I'll have to drive around Southern California and stop by them when I pass through a city that has one. Plus the decor is mod and very cute. I can't wait until Naveen can have solid foods...I'll be turning him into a Pinkberry boy! To get more info, visit www.pinkberry.com.

Subject: The Food Network show, "Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller."

This show is retarded and I don't know how this woman got her own show. The concept is good: take a few ingredients, prep them on the weekend, and morph them in to 3 different meals for the week. I like it. But I don't like her as the host/cook and her recipes are not good. I've tried a couple. They are bland and just plain don't taste good. Plus, she takes like 2 ingredients and gives the dish a title that makes it sounds so fancy you think you are really going to learn to make something. Then you realize, wait, I could make something better than that! For example, I was watching her make yogurt berry swirls. Sounds interesting right? WRONG. It's freakin' vanilla frozen yogurt with some berries in it and then you swirl it together with a spoon. WHAT THE HELL DUDE?! Does that even count as a recipe? I'm certainly no chef, but I know I can make better desserts than that! Plus a few times she has not washed her hands after handling meat, or she doesn't properly clean utensils that have touched meat while she is preparing meat. That's bad. Every cooking show I've ever watched makes a big deal out of cleaning utensils and washing hands after handling meat. It's a cardinal rule that you must do that. Anyway, I just had to comment on this show, because I can't believe it exists and continues to. It's just a bad show.

Aaahhh...I have so MANY things to comment on, where do I begin? Let's starts with celebrities.

Britney Spears needs a therapist...FAST. She needs rehab too. I CANNOT believe she shaved her head and got 2 more tattoos. To me it's self-mutilation. It's a way for her to release psychological pain she has collected from the last few years. From a clinical perspective, she's gone through too many major life stressors in the last couple of years (getting married, having 2 babies, moving, getting divorced) and it has resulted in her having an adjustment disorder. When you have an adjustment disorder, you do the self-destructive things she is doing - partying like crazy, drinking, and engaging in extreme behaviors. It's the only way she can feel things. I really hope this poor girl gets some help fast. She is going to lose those children if she doesn't get it together. I feel so bad for her little boys - after having Naveen and knowing how much attention kids need, I can't believe she leaves them to go out partying. She's missing out on the beautiful, amazing things that children too and she's never going to get those moments back. GET SOME HELP GIRL! YOUR KIDS NEED YOU!

Now let me comment on the Anna Nicole Smith story. People need to leave the whole topic alone. It's such a sad, sad story and I'm so SICK of hearing about it. It's ridiculous how much coverage it's getting and the sad part is that there is only person truly suffering through all of this: her baby. Her poor baby girl has lost her mother and her half-brother and will probably never know who her father really is. I really don't think it's that snarky Howard K. Stern. He's just a money-hungry nobody who was obsessed with Anna Nicole and her money. The rest of the freaks just want her money. It's so ridiculous. The only person that I think might really be the father is Larry Birkhead. Anyway, LEAVE IT ALONE PEOPLE. It's such a horrible story with a horrible ending. Nothing good is going to come out of it b/c it's laden with bad intentions from so many people.

So let's discuss a happy topic - Naveen's baptism. Naveen was baptized last Saturday the 17th. It was a nice ceremony and Naveen was such a good boy!! Whenever the priest would talk to him, he would actually look at the priest and coo at him. It was so cute! Chris's sister Carrol is his godmother and my brother is his godfather. I've put some pictures here and of course there are a lot more pictures at www.naveendsa.com. We had a nice luncheon afterward with family. It was a nice day and Naveen looked very cute. He's now officially a bi-religion baby: Hindu and Catholic. We've decided to raise him knowing both religions. He can pick which one he is happy with when he gets older.

Naveen got his first haircut this past Monday. It was the cutest thing! Before I comment on that, let me tell you about the adventure that we went on before getting the haircut. I found a place near us that specializes in doing children's haircuts. I made the appointment and showed up on Monday as scheduled. I saw a sign that said, "Cash or Check only." Would have been nice for them to tell me that on the phone, duh. Who the hell doesn't take credit cards?! I had a little bit of cash but not enough to cover the haircut. I asked the girl where the closest ATM was and she said I just go out the door, turn left, and it's right there on the corner. So I was like, OK no big deal. I picked up Naveen out of his carrier (I need to comment on infant carriers, but that's another post), got the camera bag w/the camera in it b/c I didn't want to leave it there, and picked up my purse. I walked outside with all of these things and Naveen in my arms thinking it's a 2 minute walk the way she made it sound. I turned right and kept walking and don't see the ATM. I keep walking and see that the freakin' ATM is a block away, catty corner from where I am. That means I have to cross the street twice to get to it. Did I mention it was 80 degrees outside and I was wearing a sweatshirt? So with Naveen and all of my bags in tow, I go to the ATM, get the money, and walk back. I was SWEATING by the time I got back to the hair place, and poor Naveen was hot and exposed to the sun b/c that DUMB girl did not tell me accurately where this ATM was. As someone who works with kids all day long, don't you think she should have told me to take the carrier or a stroller because it was a block away? AND, she should have been more accurate about how far it was. She saw me walk out holding two bags and Naveen and didn't even flinch. Stupid chick! Anyway, I was so exhausted by the time I got back, I cannot even tell you. That was my workout for the day.


Anyway, the positive side is that Naveen got the CUTEST haircut!! I've posted some pictures here. They put him in a chair that supported his back so he could sit straight (he can't sit up by himself yet). Then she put a smock on him (SO CUTE and TINY!) and cut his hair. He was so good...he sat through the whole thing without crying or anything. The hairstylist was very sweet and made sure I got to take lots of pictures. They also gave me a certificate commemorating his first haircut, along with locks of hair in a little plastic bag. I saved both in his baby book.
So that's the story of Naveen's first haircut. An adventure to say the least and a great story to tell him when he grows up! Enjoy the pics!

Subject: Rachael Ray's stylist

OK, so I've been wanting to comment on this for a long time. I watch "30 Minute Meals" everyday and own Rachael's cookbook, "365: No Repeats." I also get her magazine, "Every Day with Rachael Ray." I even went to see her in December 2005 when she came to visit the local Sur La Table to autograph her book, which I got autographed. So you can see I'm a fan. BUT, can someone PLEASE get her a new stylist? The tops that she wears on her show are so unflattering!! Any stylist knows that when you have a small chest, you have to wear things that accentuate your assets and make the best of what you've got. And this has been going on for years, because I've seen episodes from 2004 where she's wearing the same kinds of shirts. Someone has got to know about this at the Food Network. I feel like I need to start a petition to get her a new stylist. Does anyone agree? Does anyone else watch the show? Email me or leave a comment here.

Another item I have to comment on. I'm watching E! and see them doing a piece on Eva Mendes' weight loss. WHAT THE HECK?! She was never even fat! I always thought she had a great body and was so happy that she was one of the few actresses in Hollywood who was curvy and voluptuous with a realistic body type. She actually looked healthy instead of looking like a walking skeleton with visible bones. Apparently Hollywood thought she was overweight...why else would she lose weight? I'm so glad that "Ugly Betty" is changing the way people look at women and the way women look at themselves. By the way, if you go to www.beugly07.com, you can buy the cutest t-shirt that says, "Be Ugly" and the proceeds benefit Girls, Inc., a nonprofit organization that inspires girls to be strong, smart, and bold. I'm totally going to buy one, and if they sell baby clothes, I'm going to get something for Naveen too. I'm going to make sure that as a boy, he supports women and a healthy body image too!

It's been a long time since I've posted. I've been so busy with a lot of different things, including going to the gym to lose the excess 10 lbs. from the pregnancy. I hired a personal trainer last week. I'm really excited about it because I need some refreshing on working out and eating habits. I'm trying to eat healthier and have been cooking at home pretty much every night. I haven't lost any weight, but I haven't gained any either. I'm sure the personal training will help me get some more focus and give me exercises to do to lose the fat and tone my abs. I'm suffering from PTSD with the weight I'm at now because it's the same weight I was when I was in my last horrible relationship. It reminds of how bad I felt emotionally and physically back then. I told myself I would never be at that weight again so I need to lose weight fast.

So I got a haircut and I hate it. The girl that cut my hair did not do what I wanted. I can't really explain what she did, except that I told her to give me some bangs and she cut the long layers around my face to be the same length as the bangs she cut. It looks so retarded and I'm praying that these bangs grow to a decent length before I have to go out with people in public. I hate them that much...I haven't hated a haircut in YEARS. That reminds me, I have to call the salon today and complain about it. They need to compensate me in some way for the hairstylist's incompetence. I had a feeling she was going to screw it up because she spent a LOT of time cutting just a few inches. I told her to leave the length alone, to just clean it up. I couldn't understand why it took her so long...now I know. I don't think she knew what she was doing. I also showed her so many pictures of the bangs that I wanted and also showed her pictures of what I didn't want so she was very clear. Apparently that did no good. UGH...

It's dark, gloomy, and gray today. Depressing...it's going to rain which is nice because I'm cozy in my house. I don't like the rain when I have to work, but if I can stay home I don't mind it. I think I'll have some soup for lunch today. That sounds like a cozy meal for a rainy day. I think Naveen is feeling cozy too b/c he's been sleeping for almost 2 hours now. Watch, now that I wrote this he's going to wake up...LOL. That's alright, he's fun to play with.

Speaking of Naveen...the little guy has developed an affinity for TV. There are a few shows I watch during the day and when he's awake, I lay him on his Boppy on the couch next to me. He doesn't face the TV, he faces me. He could always look to the side and see the TV, but he never really showed interest in it. He would just look at me and coo and I would coo back. This past weekend...yup...we caught Naveen staring in fascination at the TV. NOT GOOD. Chris and I freaked out and now we have "Operation No TV" no going on in our house. We watch TV, but we put Naveen in positions so he can't turn his head and watch. We also spend even more time than before playing with him and stimulating him with educational things. I can't believe he's already watching TV!!! I bet the colors, movement, and sound fascinate him, but we can find all those things on educational toys. Raising a child is a lot of work!

TTYL...

So here is my Golden Globes fashion recap. There weren't that many bad dresses or hairdos this year. I was really surprised. Usually people are more relaxed at the Golden Globes so they get a little more funky with what they wear. Two colors people need to stop wearing are nude and gold, unless they have dark skin that will be accentuated when wearing these colors.

My first pick for best dressed is Eva Longoria for her navy blue dress and hairstyle too. I also loved Reese Witherspoon and Drew Barrymore. They both wore colors that nobody else was wearing and Reese's hairstyle was really simple and elegant. She looked very cute. I also loved Jennifer Hudson's dress and hair. She has a full figure and instead of trying to fit into clothes that are too small, she wears dresses that make her look sexy, curvy, and classy. Her hair looked adorable too. America Ferrera also looked very good and accentuated her body well in her dress. I LOVED Felicity Huffman's dress. She looked very classy and dressed her age, an important thing to do if you want to look good. I also liked her hair because it dressed down the dress just enough so she didn't look too stiff. Sofia Milos looked really awesome in her red number. I think she is so beautiful. Penelope Cruz looked classic in black. Her hairstyle was also very ethereal which I loved. I liked Jennifer Lopez's dress and hair too. Very Grecian, like Hayden Panettiere who I also thought was very well-dressed. Sara Ramirez from "Grey's Anatomy" looked beautiful in her scarlet red dress. She is another actress like Jennifer Hudson and America Ferrera who have normal bodies and wear their clothes well. Yunjin Kim from "Lost" looked very simple and elegant in her black and white dress. Other well-dressed peeps: Vanessa Minnillo, Jessica Biel (who pulled off gray the right way), and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

My picks for worst dressed are few. Most of them wore the nude or gold colors which totally washed them out. A couple of them wore gray which was so dull. Gray is a hard color to wear and if you wear it, you better have good make-up and accessories to highlight your features. Angelina Jolie was guilty of wearing gray badly. I don't think she looked good at all. Meryl Streep and Evangeline Lilly were guilty of being washed out...I'm citing them with fashion tickets.

Courteney Cox always looks good, but this year I thought her dress was too busy and textured everywhere. Beyonce was too flashy. She needs to start wearing different dresses and stop wearing sequins on every dress. I usually like Salma Hayek's choices, but this year I think her dress had too many bunches on it which took away from her curvaceous figure. Renee Zellweger's dress was too short and boring and I didn't care for her makeup or hairstyle at all. She needed some umph somewhere in those areas. Chloe Sevigny...what were you thinking? The dress was bad, but her hair, makeup and shoes needed makeovers even more. The Arquette sisters need a new stylist...they looked terrible and are capable of looking so good. Vanessa Williams...what was up with the disco fro!? And Sienna Miller...known for the beautiful, sexy smoky eyes look, but at the Globes she needed new makeup and hair. That Heidi hairdo just didn't match the dress she had on which was actually a really good pick.

The worst of the worst-dressed: Rinko Kikuchi who was in "Babel." She wore this pink dress with pom poms all over it...it was terrible.

So that's the recap! Till the Academy Awards...see ya!

This is a quick post to let everyone know that I've started my own event planning business. I have a lot more to write about including my Golden Globes fashion recap, but for now, I'd like to let you all know about my new business. I'm still going to continue working towards getting my license as a marriage and family therapist, but I want to see if I can make this business work. I've been wanting to start it for a long time and I finally got the umph! to do it after doing a large presentation last Friday on planning ethnic weddings.

My new company is called Events by Shefali and I'm open for business! I'm specializing in ethnic weddings but can plan any event.

If you or anyone you know is planning an event and would like help, I would love the referral. I've been planning events on a personal level for 10 years. I have experience planning large and small events, including: theme parties, birthday parties, bridal showers, baby showers, weddings and their related events (mehendis, sangeets, garbas), bachelorette/bachelor parties, baptisms, and parties to celebrate religious events (i.e., Diwali parties). Most of you have been to events I have planned so you've seen my work. I've also posted pictures here of weddings I've planned.

I'm available on different levels as well. I can serve as a full event planner (planning any and all aspects, calling all vendors, making all arrangements); as a day-of event manager (show up on the day of the event and make sure all vendors are on time, etc.); or as a consultant (meaning the host can call me for ideas, obtain vendor referrals, etc.).

Right now I am trying to build my portfolio so I am offering to plan events at a discounted hourly rate . I do not have a website yet but I'm working on it. Here is my email address if you are interested in hiring me: eventsbyshefali@yahoo.com. I'm not going to post my phone number because this is public, but if you email me with information and your phone number, I will happily call you back.

Spread the word! Thanks!

I went to the gym yesterday for the first time in a year because I got the go-ahead from my doctor that everything is healing well from the C-section. Apparently when you have a C-section, you have to wait 6 weeks to do any type of cardio exercise and 8 weeks before you can do any weightlifting or abdominal work. Man it felt good! I can only do cardio on the bike, treadmill, or elliptical but I don't care. It's better than nothing and by sitting at home my muscles are getting sore and tight. Plus I need to lose about 10lbs to get back to the weight I was when I got pregnant, and I want to lose 10 extra pounds on top of that. That means I need to lose 20lbs which I totally think I can do as long as I go to the gym. In a couple of weeks I can start lifting weights and doing some crunches. Going to the gym was really good for me because I got a break from Naveen (Chris watched him), I felt good about being active again, and I also felt like I'm on my way to getting attractive again. I was very relaxed afterward, it was awesome.

Anyway, that's the big update today. I'm going back to the gym today so I can start up a routine and form the habit. Oh! There are new videos up on Naveen's website, so check 'em out!

We had a great weekend! Friday night Chris, my brother, and I went to a pre-baptism class at the church where Naveen is going to be baptized. Chris and I decided we are going to raise Naveen exposing him to both the Catholic and Hindu religions (Chris is Catholic, I'm Hindu) because we respect each other's religions. This is something we discussed before we got married because more than anything, we believe it's important for Naveen to experience both religions and then make his own choice when he gets older. My brother went because he is going to be Naveen's godfather and it is mandatory for godparents to attend. Anyway, the class was pretty good. Brief, informative, and to the point. I understand the ceremony alot better and feel we will be more prepared.

Saturday was a fun day. Chris and I dropped Naveen off at my parents' house and spent the day together running errands, having dinner, and going to the movies. It was the first date night we had in a while. Before Naveen was born, Chris and I made it a point to go out alone together once a week and do something fun, like dinner, a movie, shopping...anything enjoyable. Since Naveen's been born I think we've done that twice, LOL. I think we'll be doing it more often now because we know how to handle Naveen better and feel more settled into our new life as parents.

Speaking of movies, we saw a great one on Saturday night. "The Pursuit of Happyness" was very good and I highly recommend it. It's a wonderful, uplifting story and I walked out of the theater thinking, "Man I can do anything I want if Chris Gardner could do this!" Jaden Smith (Will Smith's real life son) was really good and had the cutest lines in the movie. And Will Smith did an amazing job as an actor. I actually think it's a good movie for kids to see because the message behind the movie is inspiring and positive. Definitely go see it!

Sunday was a mellow day. I ran errands while Chris watched Naveen. I got Naveen's outfit for his baptism. It's so cute! We'll post pictures after the baptism so everyone can see.

Happy Monday!

OK I had to write about the most obscure thing I saw yesterday. I was watching TV and saw a commercial for creosote-based fire logs that are safer for the fireplace. OK that's good, but then the announcer in the commercial went on to say that these fire logs are approved by, get ready...the Chimney Safety Institute of America. SAY WHAT?! There is such an institute? Who thought of creating one and who in the heck works for it? I didn't realize that there had to actually be an institute to promote safe chimneys. Hilarious...I guess I should start taking chimney safety more seriously.

I don't have anything else to write about regarding obscure items, but I can write about how busy I am planning upcoming events. I LOVE planning events! I've actually been contemplating starting an event planning business, but I'm afraid that once it becomes work, I won't enjoy it so more. Right now I love it because it's fun and sort of a hobby for me. Some events I'm working on right now? My friend Kristin's bridal shower and bachelorette party, Naveen's baptism, and Chris's 40th birthday. Most of those events are in February so I've been quite busy with them the last couple of weeks. I thoroughly enjoy it though :) And I should thank Naveen, because if he wasn't such a good baby, I could never do it all.

Happy Thursday!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I can't believe it's 2007. I remember where I spent NYE of 1999, ready for the new millenium! Time flies when you're having fun :)

Well Naveen is growing fast and starting to do so many things! He now puts his hand on his pacifier when it's in his mouth which is his way of helping it stay in his mouth in case he moves. It's really cute. We also do some "tummy time" everyday where he lays on his tummy for a little while. His pediatrician told us to do that everyday so he starts developing strength in his arms and motor skills that will help him start crawling. He's really doing well with tummy time...he holds his head up and he's also able to hold himself up for a few seconds with his arms. Naveen is also smiling a lot more in response to other people's smiles. He also coos a lot. And, if you converse with him when he coos, he'll keep cooing in response to you. It's so amazing! Chris and I have so much fun making up what we think he is saying back to us...LOL. Physically, he's becoming longer and weighs more. We weighed him at home last week by laying him on the scale. He's 11 pounds and we measured him at 24 inches. That means he's grown 2 inches since he was born. We'll get the accurate weight and measurements again at his doctor's appointment on Jan 23. He'll also get his first set of shots that day...thank god!! That means we'll be able to go out with him...FINALLY.

So I've decided that I love being a mom and staying at home. I thought I would really get tired of it, but I actually love it. I love taking care of Naveen, cooking, and keeping the house together. It was hard at first because we had to get a routine going, but now it's great. I'm dreading going back to work and the thought of leaving Naveen in daycare alone without me or Chris is killing me. He won't see either of us all day...I'm worried he'll forget who we are! Plus, what if he does something exciting for the first time and we're not there? I don't want to miss a thing! I already enjoy watching him all day long and seeing all the new little things he does. I don't know how I'm going to do it, except to tell myself that it's only for a year until I finish my internship hours. After that I'm planning to quit my job, study for my licensing exam, get licensed, and go into private practice as a therapist. That way I can make my own hours and be home with Naveen as much as possible. We'll see how it goes.

Relationship-wise, Chris and I are doing well. He's a great dad and husband and I couldn't feel more blessed. One thing we miss doing is going out together, but this weekend we are going to have "date night." We're going to leave Naveen at my parents' house and go have dinner and see a movie. I can't wait. There are so many movies I want to see!!! Especially the Golden Globe nominated ones, because usually those are the ones that get nominated for Academy Awards. Every year I make it a point to see all the Academy Award nominated movies, but this year I don't think I'll be able to see all of them. I'll have to pick and choose this year which ones I really, really want to see. One movie I really want to see is "Dreamgirls." I love musicals, especially seeing them live. I also want to see, "Notes On a Scandal", "Blood Diamond", "The Pursuit of Happyness", "We are Marshall", "The Holiday", and "Bobby."

Since I'm on the topic of entertainment, I have to mention a great new show I saw last night. It's called, "Dirt" and it stars Courteney Cox. Last night was the premiere episode. It's on FX every Tuesday night at 10pm. Courteney Cox plays the head of two entertainment magazines and the show is about how she gets stories about Hollywood stars. It's a dark show with some comedic elements, but mostly it shows how the paparazzi and media ruin the lives of Hollywood stars. Courteney Cox also produces it and yesterday she was on "Ellen" and said she is doing the show because she wants the public to see the truth behind the paparazzi and how they ruin people's lives. I was totally riveted by the show...it's really good. If you can check it out, you should.

Well I'm off to eat lunch since Naveen is still sleeping. Happy 2007!