Autumn at Yale

Autumn's my favorite time of the year. Here in New England, the leaves began to turn color in October - lime green, bright yellow, rich gold, auburn, crimson, burnt orange, rust and every shade in between these... Subhan Allah, it's so beautiful!

From green at the bottom to gold on top

Fall medley

My parents and sister came to visit for Eid while Mr. F went to Pakistan for three weeks. It was a peaceful, relaxing time towards the end but I couldn't really spend much time with Dad and sis as they were here for only a week because I was in the middle of midterms. I spent my 27th birthday in Harvard Square and met up with some Princeton peeps after a really long time. We had pancakes and waffles at IHOP... yumm!

Baby M and Nano bonded over the time she was here... Mashalah. The grandparent-grandchild relationship is so unique... you get to be a doting parent without having to deal with the meltdowns and tantrums :-P.

Mr. F got me flowers for my birthday and Mum got me some too so I put them together... Since this photograph, the other lilies have bloomed too!

Birthday flowers from Hubby and Mummy

Long Overdue Update - Hello America!

So, a lot has happened between today and my last post. It's breezy outside and I'm munching on honeymaid graham crackers dipped in creamy peanut butter as I type this. Mr. F, Baby M and I moved to New Haven, Connecticut at the end of July. I started a Masters program, Mr. F became a stay at home dad and Baby M continues to be our source of entertainment and joy...

It wasn't easy wrapping up our house and leaving our relatively comfortable, settled life in Karachi but I guess iss mein Allah ki koi behtari thi (God had something better for us). We spent the last month getting settled into our new place. We're back to IKEA for our household furnishing needs (*sigh* I miss my lovely, beautifully carved sheeshan furniture) and I'm wearing my clothes from my undergrad days at Princeton (luckily I still fit into them!). Khaadi kurtas, chooridars and dainty sandals and chappals have been replaced with t-shirts, jeans and sneakers. It's also taken a while to get used to the idea of becoming a student again, with no source of income except for my savings :-S. Princeton, you spoiled me with your love and care and overdose of study breaks with samosas, ice cream, brownies and pizza... I'm cooking full-time now although Mr. F chips in quite a bit and he is usually the more creative cook.

Baby M has started day care 2 days a week when I'v scheduled most of my classes. It used to cost us Rs. 8,000 per month at my old office (full-time, 5 days a week). Here, it costs Rs. 80,000 per month for 2 days a week... so we're paying Rs. 10,000/day for child care... Shabana, I miss thee! And obviously no one can replace the genuine love and affection of the grandparents so Ammi dear, I miss you too!

The move has probably wrought the greatest change in Mr. F. From the snobby, corporate executive who sneered at the very thought of getting his own water, he's become a very hands-on daddy (yes to diaper-changing)/household help (honey, let me do the dishes).

:D

13 Months

So, some may remember that when I returned to Pakistan in July 2009, I was planning to go to Imperial College, UK for a Masters degree. Life happened, my visa got delayed, I started a new job, met Mr. F, got married and had a baby...

My priorities changed completely... all of a sudden, degrees and career aspirations took a backseat. I continued with work because I enjoyed the daily adult interaction, I enjoyed being financially independent and I was lucky to have family nearby in case of emergencies. I learned to appreciate the routine and predictability of the daily grind after the upheavals of pregnancy and new mommy-hood. When I switched to a part-time role, I used the free time to enjoy my baby... take him to the park, revel in his joy and excitement about everything from a tissue box to a set of teaspoons.

The first time I sat him on one of those automatic rides (the kind where you put in a coin and it starts to move with music), Baby M bawled his eyes out... lol. These days, he's learning to fetch and carry and follow commands, rather like a puppy =)

Potty training has been quite a challenge. It's hit or miss most mornings but the good part he knows what the potty's for :-p. Mashalah, he's been generally good about eating. He loves fruit and has relishes everything from apricots, peaches, guavas and grapes to mangoes, plums and cherries...  

Big changes expected in the coming weeks. I'm rather stressed, harried but hoping things work out for the best Inshalah.

Oh and Ramzan Mubarak!

Baby M turns One!

Mashalah, he's gone from being a bundle wrapped in blue with just his little face peeking out to an active and friendly chubby-cheeked boy running around in shorts and a t-shirt.

Baby M took his first steps a couple of weeks before his first birthday. In the beginning, he took tentative steps holding on to my hand or pieces of furniture and in a few days he was running everywhere with lots of trips, bumps and falls. I've started keeping an ice-pack in the freezer ready for his next "accident" :-S

We celebrated his first birthday in Harvard Square with breakfast at IHOP (strawberry waffles!) and had a mini celebration in New Haven the following day when Mr. F's friend Essa Uncle took us to an Italian diner for dinner. Baby M was probably the youngest in the restaurant but he was on his best behavior and had all the waitresses cooing over him. We ordered a brownie with whipped cream and put a candle on it and everyone sang happy birthday :)

Birthday party number 2 was on 26th May in Karachi. We invited Baby M's grandparents and great grandparents and all our friends with young children. I ended up doing a Winnie the Pooh themed party even though I'd had my heart set on Lion King but I couldn't find Lion King-themed decorations and it was too short a notice to place custom orders... so Pooh it was. We had lots of balloons, a jumping castle and Winnie the Pooh themed goody bags (hand-made by moi!). I did the goody bags in two batches: one batch for kids aged 0 to 2 (squeeze toys, board books and soft candy) and another for kids aged 3 to 6 (magic painting book with paintbrushes and mini storybooks and playdoh). Sadly, I was so busy greeting and entertaining our guests that I forgot to take many pictures. My sister took a few snaps but they were rather blurred. Anyway, we only had time for one game (passing the pillow) because most people showed up right around 7pm even though the original invitation was for 5:30 pm :-P. Baby M spent most of the party dancing to the music by himself even though we tried to make him play with the other kids but I think he enjoys his own company too which is good... We cut the Pooh cake at 7:10, people ate and then called it a day. He got lots of presents the best one being an ELC magnetic car set with an elevator, bridge and race track... Mashalah, he loves it (as do I!)

Since most of his Daycare friends didn't show up to his party, we decided to cut another cake at the Daycare center. The aunties decorated the dining area with banners and hangings and I made a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. I was rather short on time, so I just made a "1" with smarties :). I also got pizza and munchkins for the kids...

And finally, Baby M's first year was celebrated in Lahore this past weekend (15th June 2013) with the paternal side of the family. Thanks to the downpour the night before, we had to change the venue from the garden to an indoor hall at the last minute.. The party was themed Angry Birds and organized by Baby M's meticulous aunt. All the cousins had a blast and the girls looked very pretty in their princessy outfits :). The cake was Angry Birds (don't have a picture yet) and again Baby M got lots of pwesents... A big thank you to Aunty T for organizing the party!

And so, on to the toddler years... Please pray for Baby M's good health and safety. Ameen.

Princeton

Bright and early on Thursday morning (9th May 2013), Mr. F, Baby M and I took a day trip to Princeton. Luckily, there were two of us to manage Baby M's stroller, otherwise, I would have been in deep soup... The NYC subway isn't really designed to accommodate people traveling with small children in pushchairs or wheelchairs (Europe is so much more kid-friendly that way!).

It was pouring when we left New York. As we passed each station on the NJ Transit, Newark Penn Station, Elizabeth, Hamilton Station, Metropark, New Brunswick, Princeton Junction, my heart did a little jump. I was praying really really hard that the weather would get better and God answered my prayer :). When we disembarked at Princeton Junction, the sun had came out, stormy grey rainclouds had been replaced by fluffy cotton balls against the clear blue sky and a slight breeze made it just perfect. We took the Dinky to Princeton and I was literally jumping with excitement when it finally arrived at Princeton. It was exactly the same as I'd left 5 years ago... I went to Forbes College first and took a picture under the famous Forbes tree, the leaves were a deep, summery green and memories came flooding back...

We then went to the Wa and I bought a BLT sandwich without the B for old times sake :). We had brunch at Panera Bread followed by chocolate sorbet at Bent Spoon. I bought a few gifts from the new U-Store and spent the rest of the day walking around and taking pictures. I also ran into Alison Cook, the Forbes College coordinator outside West College and she actually remembered my name!

I dipped Baby M's toes in the Woody Woo fountain and he enjoyed splashing around... Good times!

Waisay, I didn't actually feel that old or out of touch... I know if I wasn't a mommy, I could quite easily slip back into college mode, put on a baggy sweatshirt and happily go back to school :-P (but, Baby M, worry not, you multiply my "happy factor" by 110% and I feel so blessed to be your momzy...)