A bit different here...

Let me tell you.....

Oh, there's so many... MANY differences.  Where to begin?

Well, one of the first ones I think of is how much I hold Marlo.  He's at a very mama attached phase in his life - which I'm ok with - despite the heat and holding a baby so much just increases your warmness... but also, really more so... I hold him because, well, it's India.  Everything is dirty.  I know, I know, things are dirty everywhere, not just India.  But without health codes, sanitation regulations, food handling guidelines and a HUGE lack of public/private toilets... well, you get the picture.  I don't get to set him down on the floor somewhere unless I know it's clean.  And that's not very often.



Um, we also have ants.  We had them in the summer back home too, but quickly and naturally got rid of 'em.  Not in India, we've tried everything.  Here's a pic of a chalk line with a message for them.  I hope they get it.







We've made playing with ice a daily necessity.  Literally.  Probably twice a day, at least, we get a bowl of ice out of the freezer and let the kids play with it. Keeps us cool and gives mom and dad a break.   

 One thing I won't miss is the bug bites.  Look at those cute little legs, now look closer.  They're covered.  Mosquito's, ants... makes me so mad.  We respect all creatures and don't kill little bugs we find in our house.  This has changed, mozzys and ants are happily killed in this house while they're doing so much harm to us and our kids!

 It's a well known fact that Anjun likes bread.  Good news is he LOVES Indian breads as well.  Here he is with a dosa (indian pancake, kind of) but he also loves chapati... even samosas he'll try.


He even says 'dosa', whenever we go by a place where we've bought one before.  Cute, yes.  Annoying.... sometimes.

 Above, Sebas changed the thermometer on the shelf to Fahrenheit... when someone who hasn't been raised with Cecilius sees the temperatures in the 30's it's all too easy to just think 'yeah, it's warm'... then you see it.  95 DEGREES?!  NINETY FIVE DEGREES!!??  omg. 

Below, the boys at their happiest... playing with something that is sometimes now allowed.  And better than that, one for each of them.  wow.

 A local dog who hung out by our door for a day.  Anjun loves him, calls him 'weisser wow-wow'  = white dog. 

 Indian traffic jam.  They were laying a pipeline of somekind and there was quite a back up.  But then they covered the meter deep trench with about a 7 inch bridge, JUST enough to get a motorbike over.

Only in India.

 Above, our washing machine: two buckets and our hands.  Oh joy.  And below, drinking water.  Did I mention that you can't drink from the tap here?  That took some adjusting.  We have a tap out in the hallway that we use to fill up our drinking water bottle and bring inside.  It's difficult to be safe with water here sometimes, just imagine cooking... and try telling a baby/two year old to not get any water in their mouth during your daily shower!   

 This is my toaster.  yeah.  That's right. 

 And this is the security guard for where we live.  There's one here 24 hours (not the same one)... I'm sure you all are aware of the recent stories of India in the news, and even in a place like Auroville there are frequent thefts, harassment's etc.  But the guards here are great.  Anjun likes to hang out with him sometimes and he plays music for him on his phone.

 Check out Marlo , he's covered in sun screen... with a hat (I made it, don't make fun, please) and that crazy Indian sun just beating down on the poor guy.  In the picture it looks nice and sunny, but it's really almost impossible to stand in the sun for more than, say, 5 seconds.  Really. 

And I just have to mention, there are spiky plants everywhere!  So add it up, spiky plants, sand/dirt everywhere, when there is grass it's probably watered with treated waste water/been peed on by street animals/infested with bugs that like to bite, hot sun.... can't just let the kids run wild outside like at home.


If the kids were older many of these things wouldn't be quite such a big deal.  But did you see that first word there:  if.  There's been a lot of those... if's I mean.  Too many.


Specifically I mean we're being quite critical when it comes to considering moving here.  And honestly, at the moment, it doesn't look good.

Sadly, chasing dreams don't always materialize how you'd hoped.

Wrote this kind of fast, will upload a video soon and get back into a good rhythm with posting these regularly again.


LOVE

The Weddings

What are we doing here?

Marlo's look says it all....

 what are we doing here!?

 Sometimes I have these moments.  Then I try to remember, we're doing what some people never have the chance to do: to chase a dream, to try out a new and perhaps better life for our family, and to have some valuable time together - all four of us - all day every day.  We really need to take advantage of that last one.... it sadly won't last forever.

So, what are we up to?  Well, let me start by saying that keeping the rhythm of the day, household somewhat clean, two young children fed/clean/happy/diapered, meals, naps, etc - keeps us busy enough.  No, really.  It's crazy when we look back at when we were here without kids, and the differences there are.

There's lots of playing at home (above pic, sadly Marlo has this face quite a bit with Anjun in a terrible two/hitting phase) and playing out and about.  Below, checking out a childrens movie & dinner evening.  Anjun didn't like the movie (he's basically never watched tv/movies, let alone on a big screen) and the dinner was too late for us to hang around.  So we basically just hung out with friends for an hour, then left.

Anjun isn't too sure about this cow statue.  I don't blame him.  India, the land of contrasts.... trash/filth/dirt on one street and then a beautifully clean temple with fresh flowers on a big stone cow......  hhhmmmmm.


Jolly old Marlo, not much can keep him down.  Besides the occasional grumpy mood (teeth maybe?  that's what everyone says when they don't know what's up with a baby) and his brother causing trouble, he's a really happy guy.

They got 'em.  

Recently it was a Hindu Holiday....  Holi it's called I believe.  'Happy Holi'  You know, where you see Indian people throwing/rubbing bright colors on each other.  At the end of the day everyone is covered.  Thankfully we didn't hang around too long and get completely covered.

The kids got just a little bit of color.  And snacks.

Their fav spots.... Anjun on the motorbike.  Marlo standing.  The both do these activities as much as possible. 

Look, they're playing!!  Somewhat close to each other - dare I say together - and no one is crying, hitting, rolling on or taking anything from the other.  Take a picture fast!!


We tried the beach again.  Thankfully a friend took us to a much less crowded beach, and Anjun and Papa could check out the waves at their own pace, not surrounded by a sea of Indian people.  And Anjun LOVED it.  Didn't take long for the diaper to come off, and then he didn't want to leave.  

And lastly, a peacock update.  (See earlier blog to hear my rant on these birds)  Must be mating season.  Check out this poor male, spreading his feathers and fluffing his wings with all his might - and the FOUR (yes, count them, four) females around him couldn't care less. 

And they're still loud.  All. Night. Long.


That's all for now.



LOVE

The Weddings