I was a little scared. This is Sayalee's very first Diwali. As such, she is a fitful sleeper. I thought that the sound of firecrackers bursting all around her would make her irritable and cranky. Thankfully, that hasn't seemed to bother her much, and she is sleeping peacefully through all the ruckus.
Diwali this year, is extra special for all of us. This is our first Diwali as a complete family. Strange, when we were newly married, I couldn't conceive of life as a single person anymore. When Saee was born, it felt as though we were living in a bubble before she came into our lives. Like, life wasn't life when she wasn't with us. Now that Sayalee has arrived into our lives, it's like suddenly life is truly complete.
It's not all without troubles though. We have to schedule our work around her. When one of us works, the other has to remain free to look after her. I don't know how I managed to make chakalis and papadi though all that. Speaking of papdi, they are like small papads, made of chickpea flour which is kneaded int boiled colocasia roots (arvi), along with spices. The dough must be so firm that you can roll it into wafer thin papads, without using dry flour for dusting, or oil. My mother-in-law tells me that they used to have rolling contests, to see who can roll the papads the thinnest. She told me that you should be able to read a newspaper through it, that's how thin it should be rolled. I took it up as a challenge, but boy! Was it difficult! I wonder how the ladies who make Lijjat papads for a living, do it every single day. The rolling was tedious, for sure, but the kneading quite literally wore me out. Initially it's easy when the dough is soft. You keep adding the flour, till u think, okay! This dough won't accept any more flour. I took the dough, which I thought was perfect, to my mother-in-law for her approval, quite confidently, when she frowned and said, no! It's still way too thin! It needs more flour. After four more times of "more flour!" finally, she said, "looks okay!" :-(
My hands were so swollen from the kneading, it hurt me even to hold Sayalee's bottle. In the evening we went out and bought cute little clothes for Saee and a jumper and sweater for Sayalee. I even bought my dear Sayalee a finger-brush. Being the incorrigible dentist that I am, it is simply inconceivable that she shouldn't be able to clean her mouth every morning. Laugh, if you must, but people always compliment Saee's dentition.
Here's a picture of my little cutiepie on her first Diwali.
Diwali this year, is extra special for all of us. This is our first Diwali as a complete family. Strange, when we were newly married, I couldn't conceive of life as a single person anymore. When Saee was born, it felt as though we were living in a bubble before she came into our lives. Like, life wasn't life when she wasn't with us. Now that Sayalee has arrived into our lives, it's like suddenly life is truly complete.
It's not all without troubles though. We have to schedule our work around her. When one of us works, the other has to remain free to look after her. I don't know how I managed to make chakalis and papadi though all that. Speaking of papdi, they are like small papads, made of chickpea flour which is kneaded int boiled colocasia roots (arvi), along with spices. The dough must be so firm that you can roll it into wafer thin papads, without using dry flour for dusting, or oil. My mother-in-law tells me that they used to have rolling contests, to see who can roll the papads the thinnest. She told me that you should be able to read a newspaper through it, that's how thin it should be rolled. I took it up as a challenge, but boy! Was it difficult! I wonder how the ladies who make Lijjat papads for a living, do it every single day. The rolling was tedious, for sure, but the kneading quite literally wore me out. Initially it's easy when the dough is soft. You keep adding the flour, till u think, okay! This dough won't accept any more flour. I took the dough, which I thought was perfect, to my mother-in-law for her approval, quite confidently, when she frowned and said, no! It's still way too thin! It needs more flour. After four more times of "more flour!" finally, she said, "looks okay!" :-(
My hands were so swollen from the kneading, it hurt me even to hold Sayalee's bottle. In the evening we went out and bought cute little clothes for Saee and a jumper and sweater for Sayalee. I even bought my dear Sayalee a finger-brush. Being the incorrigible dentist that I am, it is simply inconceivable that she shouldn't be able to clean her mouth every morning. Laugh, if you must, but people always compliment Saee's dentition.
Here's a picture of my little cutiepie on her first Diwali.
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