Quantum of Solace!

No, not the movie, uh, maybe a little bit, but the solace that my helper has now brought to my life. To explain my cryptic statement, rewind to last week of October. To ferry a boat without hands, in a storm, in the dark would've been easier than to have managed my suddenly-tantrum-throwing-son and my newly-turned-antagonistic-maid and my-always-messy-cook, not to mention my-very-stressed-out-husband in the last week of October. Did I mention I had no one else with me? My m-i-l came with me to Bombay, gave me time to unpack and get my maid working again and returned to Chennai. And then the hurricane hit! I was clueless(actually still am) as to how to manage domestic help, my very-demanding baby and the house. I barely found time to bathe and eat before he would start screaming. So I began looking for a helper... and found one a week ago.

Raji is a godsend. She comes at about 9 in the morning and leaves at about half past five. She does all the odd jobs that stack up now that Button is here - from washing his bottles to hanging his clothes to dry and ironing 'em, to cleaning his stroller, straightening out stuff and watching over him when I eat and bathe... and he hasn't even started crawling! She is slowly learning to hold him and engage him. What I also like about her is that she is smart, quick on the uptake and willing to learn (and no, am not thinking about the day she decides to leave!)

In the last month, we also started solids for Button and discovered that he could easily be the world's spitting champion in the babies category. His aim (usually my hair) and timing (usually when am scooping his next spoonful) are brilliantly well-planned and fabulously accurate. He has discovered that he can sing.... for the neighbours...LOUDLY. Usually chooses his riyaaz timings when I just close my eyes for a fifteen minute nap, if am lucky I even get to sleep for 5 minutes. Oh, and he loves to roll over and that is reserved for mamma's bath times. Result? I have learnt to take a bath and change clothes in 4 minutes flat (and beating my own record every third day!) And the cup of naughtiness brimmeth over with his licking habit... he is ready to lick just about anything. Samples include ink pots, sofa legs, cell phones, his own diapers, AC remote, all his toys and their wrapping paper, not to mention his fave breakfast...the Mumbai Mirror! (Mamma likes it too, only to read though!) In short he is a handful and on his way to being naughtier. And aye yum luvving it!!

In early December, the husband and I are planning to take him to Guruvayoor for his annaprashnam. After Kerala, we are heading for home and shall be back only in end December.

PS: I went with my friends to watch Bond, leaving Button and hubby behind. Needless to say, I was super-stressed about Button missing me through the movie and Bond was so lack lustre that I obviously thought it was a waste of 200 bucks. Craig was so-not-hot (or have my interests changed?)

And and for the amrikaans, Happy Thanksgiving!