I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack... (2011)

Last we left off, Hubs, Monkey, and I were spending our New Year's Eve cuddling in bed in my family's apartment in Mumbai.  Monkey's first trip to India was a success (barring some issues pertaining to his first tooth popping up 2 days before we left for India), and he even got to try and enjoy some new foods (Mutton Biryani anyone? My son is already a Foodie).  He even got to try his first taste test when we visited of Hokey Pokey Ice Cream shop, this amazing new ice cream joint blazing through India.  Monkey liked the Mango flavor the best.

2011 went by quick as well...every year seems to be going by faster and faster.  Is that what happens when you have kids?  We went back to work after our India trip, did some more traveling, went to a few more weddings, continued in our Mommy & Me classes, and even enrolled Monkey in Daycare a couple days a week.  Boy, was that difficult.  He cried every morning when I left, and every evening when I picked him up. I also went back to work on a more full time basis.  That was a lot as well. I also joined some girlfriends in a Community Board for our local Children's Diwali Shows.  That took up a lot of time, but the kids really enjoyed themselves.  We had realized the year before that, although Monkey is a very sensitive child, he LOVES performing.  He is such a ham in front of big groups of people! He does not, however, like loud noises.  Very ironic.  We also began the infamous NYC Preschool Search (see the documentary Nursery University).  Boy, what a process!  I hear the Kindergarten/Ongoing School Search is even tougher...(one Mom told me she stopped working for a year due to the Ongoing School Application Process).  Can you hear my knees shaking?
After the Preschool App process was said and done, we celebrated Monkey's 2nd birthday at a kids' gym (very fitting for my very active little boy) with a Superhero chocolate cake & cake pops (Check out my favorite Cake Pop Maker, Lerida, and her New York Cake Pops!) She made Monkey ones for Monkey's 1st birthday, and we had to continue the tradition.  Christmas was spent home with both our families together (which we hadn't done in a couple of years), and was loads of fun! Santa came out for the occasion and everything!

We spent New Year's at a really fun restaurant in the Meatpacking district, Villa Pacri, where dancing on chairs is encouraged, and bottles of champagne come out with sparklers.

It was a good year, but happy to move onto 2012 (as Li'l Sis so happily portrays above)!  Bring it on!

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack...(2009-2010 recap)

I know, I know...you're wondering where the heck I've been for the last 2 and some odd years.  I've been pretty busy actually.
The last you heard from me (September 24th, 2009), I was 3/4 of the way through my pregnancy.  Well, on December 8th, 2009, my li'l monkey (we had a baby boy!) was born in all his 7lbs 10oz and 21 1/4" glory.  Monkey was a handful from the get-go, and I went through a bit of PPD (more about that at a later date perhaps).  But boy, did I fall in love with this kid the moment they placed him on belly. That super pensive face--he always looked like he was deep in thought--I couldn't stop staring at him (can you imagine how he must have felt?  "Moooooom, STOP looking at me!) 2 1/2 years, about 100 milestones (and tantrums) later...and I still can't stand being away form him.  Needless to say, going back to work when Monkey was 3 months old was not an easy move for me. I went back part-time initially, but have been rockin' 4 days a week for the passed year.
Back to my lost 2 1/2 year timeline...
Tiny Dancer got married to Golden Boy October 2009 -- I was 8 months preggers and Mama could have delivered right there on the dance floor. (Thankfully, she didn't.)  We partied til the break of dawn, baby bellies and all.
Mama had a baby girl, my Stinkybelle, in November 2009.  She was a feisty diva from day one and I love every bit of her.
2010 seemed to wiz by...I turned 30 (woohoo!!), we did some traveling (Monkey got to meet all his British cousins!), took Monkey to a few weddings, made some new friends, and tried out a few Mommy & Me classes.  Monkey rolled over at months, pulled himself to standing by 8 months, stood on his own by 9 months, and started walking at 10 months...and within what felt like seconds, it was his 1st birthday.

We had a Monkey themed party (of course) with a big ol' chocolate monkey cake and some monkey cake pops. Of course, he spent most of the party crying or with pensive-face.

The following week, Monkey started getting his first tooth, and we left for his first trip to India to visit his Bada Nana (Great-Grandfather). Monkey had a lot of fun trying new foods, running around India, and meeting new people.  The three of us, Hubs, Monkey, and I, spent New Years Eve cuddling in bed together. Perfect way to end a busy year.

Sweet, delicious cravings

#15 on my Things to do Before I Go Broke list -- increase my baking skills, has lead some friends of mine to send over some very cool new recipes. Which got me thinking...if I had the time (like a couple of free weekends...of which I am not allowed to have apparently), what would I like to bake? Thus please see the following, and add any that you may like to try eating ;) At some point in my nesting stage, I will get to them all (in no particular order) :)

1) Strawberry cupcakes
2) Rocky Road Brownies--the dessert kind, not the Indian people kind ;)
3) Ferrer-Rocher Nutella Cupcakes
4) Margarita cupcakes
5) Champagne cupcakes
6) Scones (of any flavor)
7) Oreo cheesecake balls (although I HAVE made these before, I'd like to make them again)
8) something with coconut (suggestions?)
9) a peanut butter & apple cinnamon crepe (Mmmmm. had these in Vegas once...so friggin' good)
10) Okay, this is going to sound weird to most people, but remember, I am preggers -- Bacon filled waffles (as shown below via ThisIsWhyYoureFat.com)
11) Lemon curd cupcakes
12) Bakerella Cupcake Pops
13) Homemade Mini Donuts (in different flavors)
14) Butterscotch Pie
15) Sweet Potato cupcakes
16) Guiness Cupcakes (for ITPav)
17) Ooey Gooey Yummy Brownies (TGF Paul Deen)
18) OH's Creme Brulee French Toast
19) Fruit Turnovers (Strawberry, Apple, Pear, Blueberry, etc)
20) something with Dulce de Leche
21) something with caramel & fleur de sel
22) something with pumpkin (not pie)
23) Ice Cream Cone cupcakes
24) S'mores Cupcakes
25) Martha Stewart's Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

**I also want to learn to take better photos of what I bake so that I can post them up here on the blog! Any ideas would be most helpful!