The Lone Traveler on an Ideal Yatra

“Free as a bird to settle where I will.
What dwelling shall receive me? In what vale
Shall be my harbor? Underneath what grove
Shall I take up my home? And what clear stream

Shall with its murmur lull me into rest?
The earth is all before me.”

Wordsworth may have been delighted to leave the humdrum life of the city and settle down in the meadows that were home to him during his childhood but to escape the everyday grind of our mechanical life I need a vacation. And not just a vacation, I need a dream vacation. I need to feel the sand below my feet, I need the soothing sounds of the waves lapping at the shores, I need to wake up to the chirping of the birds and I need the mouth-watering aroma of food to tempt my dormant taste-buds. And I know the perfect destination where all my wishes can come true. Mauritius! Yes, that’s my dream vacation (of course I’m a Piscean, so I’m going to choose a beach destination)

With prior scheduling using the help of travel planning sites like Yatra and some meticulous comparison of flight prices it is possible to book international flight tickets at reasonable rates and cheaper flight tariffs mean more money for shopping. Yay!

Fortunately for me I can book a ticket with Emirate Airlines from Namma Bengaluru. But you know what I would desire to do? I would like to travel solo. Going on a vacation alone and exploring the world as a solo traveler- just thinking about it makes me feel exhilarated and nervous at the same time. It would be a new experience and I’d be checking off an item from my bucket list. So that decided, all that was left would be to plan my itinerary.

Ideally I would like to spend a lifetime lazing on the beautiful beaches, reading a book and taking moonlight walks in the night, but a little thing called reality creeps into these daydreams of mine. So I have opted to spend maybe 4 days on the islands of Mauritius (keeping in mind my budget constraints). One choice which wouldn’t be compromised for the sake of budget would be my choice of stay at a resort. Mauritius is home to some of the most exotic beach resorts and I would be spoilt for choices. I would want to stay in a room where I can be greeted in the morning with a view of a glorious sunrise. Now that’s some way of waking up, isn’t it?

The day would be spent indulging in various water sports and other water activities. The beaches of Mauritius are so pristine and clean that deep sea diving and snorkeling would be an amazing way to explore the marine life and the coral reefs. I have heard that the underwater sea walk is a unique experience that one must try out in Mauritius. The first day of the vacation would be devoted completely to beaches. The La Cuvette beach in the northern region, The Blue Bay and Belle Mare beach in the South East are perfect picturesque locations. The beaches are not very crowded and my plans to dip in the water for a swim and relax with a book fit in magnificently.

What better way to end the day than a drive in the Mauritian countryside with a wind tousling my hair and a drink in my hand. That is the way to live life, in my opinion.

The next day will be spent exploring the culture and the small, almost hidden, villages. The interesting thing about Mauritius is that the land is inhabited by Hindus, Tamils, Buddhists, Muslims and Christians and all of them peacefully cohabit respecting each other’s religion. In fact there is no “majority religion”, so temples, churches and mosques are all monuments that reside alongside with no violence. Maybe it’s time we took a leaf out of the Mauritian culture and learnt how to mutually respect each other?

This melting pot of land also has a mixed cuisine and the best way to taste the local cuisine is to hit the streets. The street food of Mauritius is a culinary paradise and one gets to taste the intricate flavors that are sure to titillate and fire-up the taste buds. Just yum!

Visiting Mauritius and not getting a spa luxury? That should never happen! So the next day would start with a rejuvenating spa therapy session. After all I’m on a vacation and I’m allowed to splurge a little. Mauritus is not just a beach destination but it also has lots of interesting museums and galleries. The La Vanille Nature Park is another tourist attraction which houses giant tortoises and crocodiles. The mystery of Chamarel, also called Seven Colored Earths because of the different hues of the soil is another must visit place.

The last day of the vacation would be completely devoted to lounging around the beaches and absorbing the mesmerizing scenes of Mauritius. What I wouldn’t give to have my own private piece of this paradise but all good things must come to an end and this vacation too would end. But the glorious memories would still linger in my mind until the next vacation. A new place to explore, a new land to visit and lots of food to eat!

Managing Airtel Services Through #MyAirtelApp

A Smartphone has become an absolute necessity for me. When my home network stops working, I’m completely clueless about what to do next-I feel like I’m marooned on a far away island. J

Source-http://www.airtel.in/myairtelapp/

I rely on the mobile internet to keep me connected and updated about the news around the world as I hardly have time to sit and read the newspaper in the morning. And that’s why I need a reliable and good connectivity network that will work, no matter where I am. My husband uses a SIM from a service provider for many years now, and every time we go to Shimoga, his hometown, there’s so much problem with the connectivity that it’s impossible to get uninterrupted network within the house.

I have been using an Airtel SIM for almost as long as 12 years and I love the clear network connectivity I receive no matter where I travel. I also love the services they provide for their users. Recently I downloaded #MyAirtelApp on my phone and I must say that it has made my life much easier and simpler.

My Airtel app lets me manage all my Airtel products like my prepaid SIM connection, DTH, broadband anywhere, anytime through my Smartphone. This app can be downloaded on any Android or iOS phones through the Google play store or app store. The download takes only few minutes and after you have installed the app on the phone, it allows you to pay bills, recharge online, activate 3G on your prepaid/postpaid connection, get coupons on recharging, avail special offers, raise any requests/complaints and so much more.

So here are 3 features of this app that I love –

Recharging my prepaid mobile SIM and my broadband connection.

I have several SIMs and a broadband connection and it has become tedious to keep track of the balance on each of these connections and also the due date before which I need to pay the bills. But My Airtel app allows me to view the balance and validity information for all my Airtel products, including prepaid mobile and broadband connection, and allows recharging using my phone. This has lessened my headache of remembering the dates when I have to recharge and it has reduced my fear of my broadband connection failing due to low balance or validity period expiration. My Airtel app allows me to manage both my mobile SIM and broadband connections in one place and allows me to organize the bill payments.

Managing my 3G plans and usage of 3G data.

I use a lot of mobile internet for checking on emails, connecting on Facebook/Twitter, reading blog posts and commenting on other blogs. My Airtel app helps me to select a 3G plan that best suits my needs. I can recharge my 3G pack and also check on the usage details on the phone. And the best part is I can set an alert for my 3G usage so that every time I exceed the usage limit on my plan, I get a notification.

Managing my Airtel broadband connection

Now, anyone who has a broadband connection at home knows how tedious it is to pay broadband bills or keep a track on the usage of internet. But with the Airtel app, I can not only pay bills in an instant but also I can check on the detailed bill and view the payment history on my broadband. I can also view any outstanding bill amount on my account. And the best advantage of using the #MyAirtelApp is that I get special offers each time I shake my phone.

I have started using the Airtel app and managing my prepaid and broadband connections have become much easier and hassle-free. Have you downloaded the app? No? What are you waiting for? Go on, you can download it here- http://www.airtel.in/myairtelapp/

Kapil Dev's Ek Nayi League

Kapil Dev has been trending on Twitter ever since he announced his new league- #EkNayiLeague and he invited several celebrities from different fields to play in his new league. But in all the videos that were made to introduce his new league, he warned them not to play with their hearts because if they do, then they were sure to fail. But what is this new league that Kapil is talking about?

The suspense will soon unfold but for now, let’s guess as to what Kapil might be referring to.  Is it a new game show? And since Kapil Dev joined the twitter bandwagon just to announce the new league, it may be an online game show.

What is the secret behind the multiple warnings issued by Kapil Dev in his deep, baritone voice about not using your heart while playing in the league? It kind of hints that either this is going to be a show which has to be played using a lot of wit and brain power or this might be another one of those reality shows where celebrities are pitched against each other and where emotions and sentiments take a back seat. Kind of those Bigg Boss shows where the contestants have to be ruthless and manipulative to survive. Survival of the vilest!

In the Youtube videos, Kapil Dev invited several celebrities, including sportsperson and men from the entertainment business- M S Dhoni, Sania Mirza, Yuvraj Singh, Kapil Sharma, to come and play in his league. So does this mean that the list of contestants is going to be a mixed bag from different professional fields? It will definitely make things interesting.

Another guess of mine is it’s going to be a show involving people who have retired from their professions because in one of the videos Kapil Dev mentions about how when he retired from cricket, Dev Anand, the iconic film star, mentioned that “stars never retire”. Could this be a hint that the new league will have a lot of experienced veterans in their second innings of their life?

Well, the guessing game is definitely fun and I’m waiting impatiently for the suspense to be revealed. So here’s my final guess-

Ek Nayi League has to be a game show, something like Kaun Banega Crorepati, where the questions posed to the contestants will require a lot of intelligence and knowledge of general affairs to be answered correctly. The show may also combine trivia questions with a little bit of physical challenges where contestants have to compete against each other to survive. If participants use their heart when playing or show emotional weakness towards their opposition then they would have to forfeit the game. And you know what would make things more exciting? If the contestants are celebrities from different walks of life, working in various businesses coming together in a game show providing fun, information and lot of laughs.

I’m waiting with bated breath for Kapil’s Ek Nayi League to be launched, so that I can know if my guess was right. What do you think Ek Nayi League is going to be?

Ek Nayi League

My First Smart Phone With Moto E #ChooseToStart

I read today on Facebook that a person spends 70% of his/her lifetime in recalling memories and thinking about a perfect hypothetical situation in their mind. I do that a lot! I love remembering and reminiscing about the happy moments of my life- the first day in my new school where I met my best friend with whom I’ll be celebrating two decades of friendship this year, the first time I had a crush and I proposed and he rejected (ok, that’s not a memory I love to recollect but it brings a smile on my lips), the first day of my dream job, the first salary check for a total sum of 4000/-, the first time I held my baby in my arms. But these days it’s not necessary to recollect everything from memory, which gets overloaded with excess information as we age.

With smartphones becoming more affordable and essential, it’s easier to just click photos and whenever you feel like going back to that particular moment just take out your phone and relive the moment again.

Of course the advent of the smartphone era dawned upon us only few years back and till then we had to make do with the grainy photos taken from a 2MP rear camera and if anyone would have uttered a word called selfie, we’d have probably misunderstood it for a kind of shellfish. Now even my 90 year grandmother knows how to click a selfie.

I got my first smartphone in August, 2012, a gift from my husband and it took him a couple of months to pay back the EMI which he had taken to buy the phone. Yes, buying a smartphone then cost as much as an entire month’s salary. For the first few months I didn’t know how to operate my smartphone. Whenever I tried to receive a call I had to swipe at the screen multiple times to answer it correctly. And the size of the phone was totally another matter. Sometimes I had to hold my phone in both hands while talking, because I was used to my palm-sized miniscule phone with a screen that was the size of my thumb.

Although there was an option to connect to internet on my phone, I never used it much. I preferred browsing using my laptop. And I didn’t know how to use the front camera. It was only when selfies became popular that I realized the worth of a good megapixel front camera.

It took me several months to become used to smartphone but once I got the hang of it, I became addicted. A smartphone has made life so much simpler and convenient. Ordering food, booking cabs, chatting with friends on Whatsapp, listening to online music, connecting to social media networks on the go, writing my blog posts, clicking pictures of perfect moments, watching videos with my daughter, playing online games-there is an app for every task in the smartphone. In fact the only thing that I use my smartphone very sparingly is for calling because I’m not a very call-friendly person. But still my smartphone is beside me at all hours of the day. Irony, isn’t it? But that’s the magic of smartphones-they are devices not just for calling but they offer entertainment and they keep me informed about what’s happening around the world.

My first smartphone is still with me; I haven’t bought a new phone because it was a gift from my husband and probably I’m waiting for him to gift me another one J

But it’s definitely time to upgrade myself to a better smartphone and the below image of my phone should justify my decision J

My next phone has to be sturdy because I carry my phone all the time and when you are around a hyperactive kid aged 3, there are more chances of your phone getting smashed/cracked/broken. (That’ll explain the above picture)

The new Moto E meets all my expectations and it offers cutting edge technology with user-friendly features in affordable price. The bright and colorful bands are easy to swap and give an extra dash of style and oomph to the phone. These patented bands come with a unique ridged pattern providing a better grip- a useful feature for me with a proven talent for cracking phone screens when chasing errant brats with phone clasped in slippery hands.

I also travel a lot and I’m scared of missing out on contests while I’m away from my home. My current phone has 3G networks and as for the speed of connectivity, the lesser said the better. As a result I lug my bulky laptop everywhere. How I wish that I had a new smartphone with a superfast connectivity using which I could submit a blog post in time. This is where Moto E fulfills my wish because with an ability to connect at 4G speed, I’d never have to worry about missing out on a contest. I can listen to music, connect on social media sites, read books on Kindle app and watch videos without being interrupted by the annoying buffering icon.

But when I’m constantly on the phone, I’d be worried about the battery life. I don’t want to carry my mobile charger everywhere, nor do I want to curb my fun because I’m worried about the battery on my phone going kaput. Moto E comes with a 2390 mAh battery that promises to last a full day so my recharging worries can be laid to rest.

But what good a smartphone is if I cannot click stunning photos? Moto E comes with a 5 MP rear-facing camera and a second camera in front which makes it perfect for clicking selfies or making video calls. Another feature of Moto E is Quick Capture which allows you to switch between front and rear camera just by twisting your wrist twice. That’s a wonderful feature to have for mothers like me who see a precious expression on their child’s face and wish that they had a smartphone to capture the moment. No more missing out on picture perfect moments when I have Moto E with me!

Images captured using my smartphone

The first picture that I clicked using my Smartphone

A smartphone is not just any phone. It unites the world together in happiness and grief. It allows to you to share and learn.  It becomes a true companion offering you entertainment and ability to connect with your loved ones even when you are far away in a distant land. A smartphone, in the present age, has become the smarter way of living.

All images sourced from https://www.motorola.com and http://www.startwithmotoe.com/

#ChooseToStart

http://www.startwithmotoe.com/ 

Discovering Far East Cuisine- Singapore The Food Paradise

Traveling and exploring new cities is fun and helps me to escape from the daily stress of routine mundane life. When visiting new countries for the first time I also try to learn about their culture and their tradition and if given an opportunity I love to savor their local cuisines. For a foodie like me, visiting a place where devouring delicacies is a national pastime and food is a national obsession is like attaining Nirvana. Yes, I’m talking about Singapore, the land of Fast East where food is used to promote diversity and global cultural interaction.

Singapore is an ethnic potpourri of the neighboring places that includes India, Malaysia, Chinese and it has reinvented itself as one of SouthEast Asia’s bustling and dynamic cities. While Singapore boasts of 5 star restaurants that dish out multi-cuisine delicacies, the local authentic food can be relished at open air hawker centers that are business areas for street stalls. Amidst these street stalls one can drool over spicy, aromatic food that is influenced from variety of cuisines ranging from Malay, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese.

A hawker center in Lavender, Singapore

Although Singapore is widely known for its sea food delicacies, I, being a staunch vegetarian (Ok, I am known to saunter around stalls serving boiled eggs, so staunch is not an appropriate word for me), started searching for local Singaporean vegetarian dishes. And the first dish that I loved is Nasi lemak which is a rice dish cooked in coconut milk and typically eaten for breakfast. Nasi lemak in Malay means oily or fatty rice but it also means rich or creamy in texture because the rice is soaked in coconut cream and then steamed to perfection. The steamed rice is then served on a banana leaf along with various side dishes like boiled egg, hot spicy sauce, cucumber slices, anchovies and peanuts.

Nasi lemak served with anchovies, peanuts, boiled egg, lamb curry, cucumber, and 

traditional chili paste.

In another variation, the rice dish is also served along with fish cake and because of its versatility Nasi lemak can be eaten at any time of the day and not just for breakfast.

Nasi lemak is traditionally sold wrapped in banana leaves

Nasi lemak, served with fish cake, ikan bilis, egg, and buah keluak chicke

Another dish that caught my attention was Rojak which is a traditional fruit and vegetable salad and if you are thinking that a salad is boring, then think again! Because Rojak is an eclectic mix of fritters, boiled vegetables, cucumber, bean sprouts all stirred in a spicy, sweet peanut sauce. Now that’s a perfect combination of heath and taste, isn’t it?

Indian rojak in Singapore

In some SouthEast Asia cultures, Rojak forms an important part of traditional prenatal care and ceremony where a special fruit Rojak, consisting of cucumbers, pineapple, deep fried tofu and bean sprouts are mixed with a dressing of sugar, chili, lime juice and shrimp paste. Another variation of Rojak that interested me was the Rojak Juhi, which contains fried tofu, fried boiled potatoes, cucumber, noodles, lettuce and cabbages with a dressing of peanut sauce, vinegar, chili and fried garlic. Isn’t the description itself mouthwatering?

Fruit Rojak in Singapore.

Now even though I’m a vegetarian there was this dish that I came across which almost made me want to jump over the fence and join my meat eating friends. And that dish was Bak-kut-teh. The name itself is fascinating. Bak-kut-teh is a Chinese soup that literally means “meat bone tea”. The soup is made of pork ribs simmered for hours in a broth of herbs and spices like anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and garlic. The soup is also made more delicious by adding other ingredients like mushrooms, fried tofu and finally it’s garnished with chopped coriander leaves and green onions. The interesting fact about the name of this dish is even though Bak-kut-teh has tea in its title, there is no ingredient of tea mixed during its preparation. The reference to tea is because men used to sip on a strong Chinese tea alongside this soup in order to dissolve the generous amount of fat in the pork consumed. Hmmm... Tea with soup? A strange combination!

Bak kut teh

For a non-vegetarian foodie, Singapore can be a Mecca of sorts because there are so many lip smacking dishes to relish and enjoy. A few of the dishes I’d have tried out had I been a meat-eater are

Hokkien mee which is a dish consisting of egg noodles or rice noodles stir fried with egg, slices of pork, prawns and squid.

Hokkien mee

Mee soto which is a spicy noodle/soup dish made of noodles along with slices of tomato, boiled egg, bean sprouts, peanuts, cabbages and beef or chicken meat. Broth is then poured over this combination to give it more soupy texture.

Mee soto

Nasi goreng which literally means fried rice and is made by mixing stir fried rice with shallot, garlic, tamarind and chili and it’s usually accompanied with egg, chicken or prawns.

Fried Rice in Singapore

I also liked this sweet dish called Cendol, which is a traditional dessert made with ingredients like Coconut milk, jelly noodles made from rice flour, shaved ice and palm sugar. Cendol is also served with Vanilla ice-cream topping which makes the dish more mouth-watering.

Cendol

The amalgamation of Singaporean culture and Western influences has brought out different twists to traditional dishes resulting in new and experimental cuisines with a lingering authentic taste.

Singaporean cuisine is a blend of spicy, saucy, sweet and aromatic flavors and it is guaranteed to titillate all taste buds. No wonder Singapore is heralded as the “food paradise” and Singaporean government even celebrates a day in July as “Singapore Food Festival”. Sigh! Well, we need all 365 days of a year to appreciate the delightful Singaporean cuisine.

Meme created by me

P.S- I've never been to Singapore but all the necessary information were referenced from Wikipedia

All images have been sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporean_cuisine

http://discover.stayfareast.com/

Together We Can

For every girl marriage evokes mixed feelings in her heart-while she is happy and excited to be part of a new family, she is also sad to leave behind her own loved family members- her parents, siblings, grandparents, her cousins and her aunts and uncles. While some do understand the pain and anxiety of the new bride in this strenuous phase of her life and help her to adjust and cope, there are some who take pleasure in embarrassing her and making her feel awkward. The only person that the bride is most comfortable with and expects to be at her side is her husband. And it’s the husband’s responsibility to ensure that his wife does not feel ill at ease in her new home.

Mine was an arranged marriage and my husband has a large extended family. When people joked and said that it would take at least a year to get to know all the members of my in-law’s family, I could feel my apprehension growing. My own family is a small but well-knit one and I was not really proud of my nonexistent social skills. I’m what you’d call as an introvert but I decided to keep my best foot forward and make an effort to please my in-laws by getting along with all.

After my wedding I bid a tearful adieu to my family and started my journey towards my new home. I sat with my husband as all his relatives came and introduced themselves. I tried to remember their names and how they were related to my husband. There was this lady, who was a close relative and while everyone was being extra nice to me, this lady started making snide remarks. She kept taunting me with a smile on her face. I tried to ignore her remarks in the beginning but after a while it started getting on my nerves.

Next morning there was pooja arranged in my new home and unfortunately this lady volunteered to help me get ready.  She started insulting my family by remarking on the poor quality of my saris and jewellery. That’s when things went beyond my tolerance level and we exchanged few words. I was really hurt because I didn’t know what I had done to antagonize her. When I talked to my husband about it, he said not to worry about it and not to react back. I was really disappointed and upset because I had expected my husband to stand up for me. I was silent and withdrawn for the next few days and if people realized it, they did not comment.

After few days my husband and I had to visit my family to complete a wedding ritual. I was happy and eager to be welcomed back with open arms. When I saw my mother, I couldn’t control the tears that welled up in my eyes. I chatted with my cousins like we had been separated for years. My brothers recalled all the funny incidents of our childhood that helped me lighten up. I felt my worries giving away with laughter and the fun that I was having. It was a perfect day and with the love and warmth that I received from my family I felt my strength and resolve returning.

In the evening we all went to the beach where I had spent many of my childhood evenings. My mother pulled me aside and asked me how I was doing in my new home. I confessed about my predicament and explained the hurt I had felt when my husband hadn’t supported me. My mother then advised me that the key to a successful marriage was communication and mutual trust and respect. She explained that it was normal to feel awkward in the initial phases of marriage but with time I’d feel as comfortable with my husband’s family as I was with my own.

Her wise words put me at ease and I vowed to be patient and strong. That day I spent with my family remains etched in my memory because I realized the importance of love, support and acceptance. The day that I spent laughing and having fun relaxed me during a turbulent phase and made me understand that life is a bed of roses and thorns and the bad days are needed for us to appreciate the good moments. 

https://housing.com/

Starting a New Life in a New Home - #StartANewLife

When I got married and moved to Bangalore, my husband and I shifted to a brand new home and though our first home was a rented one, we were terribly excited. I had so many ideas on how to decorate our house and the new items that we would purchase for our home. When we went shopping for furniture and electronic gadgets I was like a kid in a candy store. There were so many options to choose from and I liked all of them.

But soon I realized that staying in a rented place comes with its own share of disappointments. Of course you are not burdened with a hefty EMI, you have to just hand over the rent each month and forget about it. No matter how much I renovated our house and tried to mark it with my individual taste and creativity, at the end of the day the fact that the house is not mine always crawled into my thoughts. And there were restrictions- I couldn’t choose the paint, I couldn’t hammer the nails to hang the photos, I couldn’t add any additional furnishings other than what was provided by our owners.

Then in just one and half year, we decided to undertake a huge financial risk by taking a home loan and buying our own piece of heaven. We settled on the 4^th floor 2BHK house in the apartment at V B Layout. Honestly I fell in love with the area as soon as I saw it and after living for 4 years I still vouch for it as it's one of the best residential areas. It has parks, schools, restaurants, shopping malls and movie complexes all within short distance. It even has a library- JustBooks within walking distance. My husband thinks that it was the last point which clinched the deal for me J

We were worried about the home loan and the number of years it would take to pay back the loan but we knew in the long run it was a good investment. So after heavy discussions we decided to take the plunge and buy our flat.

The day of GrahaPravesh

I was super excited and almost every weekend I insisted on driving to our apartment and inspecting the progress, all though our floor was still in initial stages of development. We decided on the woodwork-the wardrobes, the TV unit and the kitchen cabinets. A few months after we booked our flat my husband and I got the biggest news of our lives.

I was pregnant!

The realization that we would be starting our new life in the new home along with our baby was the icing on the cake. We had to change our plans a little bit and the second bedroom was now converted into a nursery/ guest bedroom. We shifted to our home in November 2011, when I was 9 months pregnant and my daughter was born in March.

I love my house because it’s a place where I can just be, I can relax and unwind after a tiring day. The feeling of coming back home after visiting my mother’s place or my in-law’s place is one of pure joy and delight. Unlike my husband, I can spend days in my house as long as I’m provided with good books and endless supply of tea.

My favorite corner of my house is my bookshelf that I bought last year. I love turning my eyes towards it every now and then and admiring the rows of books that stand proudly on the shelf.

My precious bookshelf

Our new life in our home has brought so much joy and happiness and even though our EMI cuts into our monthly expenses it’s totally worth it. I think the decision to buy my own home was the best decision I have taken in my life.

https://housing.com/

The little things that keep my little one happy

‘How time flies’ I wonder looking at my 3 year old daughter talking nineteen to the dozen about the incidents that occurred in her school. Ever since she was just a year and half old baby she goes to daycare and contrary to the opinion that kids with working parents grow up to be spoilt brats, my daughter grew up to be a very cherubic and highly-spirited girl. She enjoys going to school and playing with other kids.

I think she has taken after her dad, because he is an extrovert and very outdoorsy person, preferring to roam around and meet his friends during his free time. I, on the other hand, love to curl up my feet at home with a hot cup of tea and a good book in hand. My daughter loves company and she can talk non-stop for several hours. Whenever a guest visits our house, my little one turns on her hyperactive mode, shifting into her perfect host avatar. She loves showing off her new toys and books and engaging them in conversation.

I always joke that we don’t need any form of entertainment in our house because our daughter provides it for us. She keeps us in splits with her antics. She also knows when my husband and I get angry and then she comes near us and gives us a kissy on the cheeks. She has become an expert at gauging our moods.  

My daughter Advika

So it’s extremely painful when I see my active daughter lying listlessly on the sofa whenever she falls ill. It’s difficult to confine her inside the house normally, but when she falls sick she looks so dull that it breaks my heart.

Although she may have not inherited my introvert nature, she goes after me in matters related to sleep. I love to sleep and in fact I possess this incredible ability to sleep at any time of the day or night. My daughter also loves to sleep but when she was a baby she used to wake up often during the night. My mother-in-law and my husband advised not to use diapers for her because they were scared of rashes or she getting used to diapers. As a result she used to wake up whenever she wet the bed and although we used rubber sheets to protect the bed linens, my daughter used to wake up because of the discomfort.

This happened for few months and I noticed that because of improper sleep and rest, she became cranky, dull and inactive. Her teacher in daycare also complained that she used to be drowsy throughout the day. She started eating less because of which her health started suffering.

That’s when I decided to try out the new Pampers pant style diapers that promised to keep the baby dry all through the night. I was happy when my daughter started sleeping soundly and woke up feeling dry and without any rashes. She was chirpy and got out of bed feeling fresh in the mornings. Soon she returned to her usual active self and I was very happy.

I think for any baby to grow into a healthy happy kid, proper rest, nutritious food and stimulating interaction and play are very vital.

Pampers Baby Dry Pants