Neha is here:)

It's been ages since I posted here. Time for an update:)
Neha is here, she was born on the EDD:May 3rd by emergency C section.
I had a regular appointment with the Dr. in the morning, I had been having contractions on and off, he did a non-stress test and was concerned about baby's irregular heart rate. He sent me straight to L&D to have a stress test so that he could induce labour. Even before they could start the I.V, I had a strong contraction & the baby's heart beat went down drastically, so they decided to do a C-section as soon as possible. Neha was born at 2.18 p.m. She weighed 3.445gms & was 48 cms long. The moment she came out, she let out a cry and then turned blue all over, they had to give her oxygen immediately, she also had low sugar & low haemoglobin levels. She was kept under observation for 4 days. Now she is completely alright. We came home on wednesday afternoon. She is doing fine and Maanasa is thrilled about having us home. Every time when Neha cries, Maanasa mimics her crying & tells me that 'Neha baby is crying like this.....':).
A few pictures:)



Neha means love/loving.
Yes, that is her hair, not a cap, lol.
I have got loads & loads of clothes for her, but in the hospital, she is supposed to wear only what they provide.
I can't wait to get back to scrapping, Sriram is at home next week too & I'm planning to catch up on scrapping (if Neha cooperates:).

Blogging after a long............. time

I'm blogging after such a long time that I forgot the password & I had to set a new one:)
It snowed only once this year so far & it is already march. Ok, winter is not my favorite season but I love snow, I love watching the snow falling & walking on fresh snow. This year I was even more looking forward to it as I wanted to introduce Maanasa to snow & I eagerly bought her snow boots, gloves etc, but it snowed only once & that too not so much ):
I am 33 weeks pregnant now. This baby is very active, kicks me quite a lot:), Maanasa is such an easy child, she slept through the night from early on & never gave us any trouble,even when teething, I'm not sure if we would be lucky this time as well.
I'm getting really uncomfortable now, can't sleep well & I'm feeling very thirsty all the time. Last time I had gestational diabetes, but luckily the sugar levels are normal this time, but I have problems with low B.P instead. I had emergency C-Section with Maanasa as the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, but the Dr. said we could try for a normal delivery this time. I'm excited about it, but I'm not 100% sure if I can manage it, lol. Can't wait for the next 5 weeks to get over fast.
Onto scrapping news, I'm loving these guest CT gigs, I get to know the designer's style & there is no long term commitment. I was on guest CT for Ake in January. This month I'm a guest CT for Teresa Ferguson at Sweet Shoppe & Cindy Irvine at Elemental Scraps & Bette Duganitz at SBE.
Thanks to Amy, I started a wishlist at Kabbodle & since so many digi stores are having a sale right now, bought a few things. Can't wait to use them.
Normally I don't win anything, anywhere, I'm so unlucky. I was so thrilled & surprised when I won a HP printer at Digiscrap info., but I could not use it here(due to voltage differences), Connie was so helpful in answering all my questions through mail & finally she offered me ACDsee photo editor instead of the printer & I jumped at the opportunity, I had downloaded the trial version & I love it, it just makes organizing so easy, I now scrap with things that I didn't even realize that I bought & downloaded, lol. I also won a 10$ GC to NDISB.
I'm slowly trying to experiment with altering my scrapping style, nothing drastic, but I do want to play with all these fab. doodles & swirls that seem to be the in thing now. I've tried a couple of layouts in this style & I think I like the result.
I have a great news to share, but I can't until the announcements are made:)
Some new layouts:
I did this for the eclectic team challenge at Jessica Bolton's blog.
My dh & dd watching a beautiful sunset on a glorious autumn evening.
Everything by Jessica Bolton at Scrapbookgraphics.


see here for credits.

See here for credits.

See here for credits.


See here for credits.

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Credits.

Back again, with a super-long post:)

I'm not even going to give any excuses for not blogging for so long.
I'm 24 weeks pregnant now & so far things are going great, ok, except for the one time that almost I fainted in H&M. Oh, it was scary. Not that I've never fainted in my life, oh yes, I've fainted 4 or 5 times in the bus in India & that always got me a seat (I promise you, I didn't faint for getting a seat:) once I fainted when I was having my hair cut & I was new to Switzerland, I couldn't speak German & everyone there panicked & were about to call an ambulance when Sriram came to my rescue & explained to them that it's nothing to worry & it happens all the time, lol. After that, when I was 8 weeks pregnant with Maanasa, I fainted in my office, that was so embarrassing. Just the previous day, we had confirmed my pregnancy & we decided to wait till at least 12 weeks to inform my boss. The next morning, I fainted in the lab & they had to call an ambulance because my bp was very low & I was sweating profusely & in the emergency I woke up & had to tell them about my pregnancy. I came back to office that afternoon & everyone was making fun of me.
All this was so different, fro my recent fainting attack. Normally, I don't worry about it much because I know that It's due to my anemia & I take iron pills on & off for that. But this time Maanasa was with me. I knew that I was going to fall down any second If I don't lie down & I knew that Maanasa was running around inside the shop & I had forgotten to bring her stroller in the car. I was panicking, but thank God, I was not alone, I went with my friend A & she was immediately running to check on Maanasa & she is 31 weeks pregnant & she also had to take care of her little one, J. Thanks so much A, without you, it would have been a real nightmare. So I decided not to go out alone anymore for another 10 weeks.
I miss my coffee ): Ok I don't drink that much, but I love to drink my morning cup of coffee (with lots of milk) after Maanasa naps. Its not coffee per se, that I'm missing, it is the whole coffee break thing. I'm not sure if I can explain this without sounding stupid, but I'll try. First of all, I love Maanasa & I love the time I spend with her (what's that got to do with the coffee, you ask me, wait.. I'm coming there:). But I also crave for 'my' time, my personal time. When Maanasa wakes up in the morning, fully recharged, she is super active & by the time she's ready for her nap, I'm ready for one too:) But after she goes to sleep, I make my coffee & sit in front of the pc happily browsing through scrap forums, checking my emails, reading blogs or sometimes just reading a book. I'm in a world of my own, till I realize that I've to finish cooking lunch before she wakes or finish up the washing etc. So that's why this coffee time is so important for me. I resent it when I've to miss this. But now a days, I hate coffee, I think it's got something to do with my pregnancy. I even threw up a couple of times after coffee. I don't remember having any food aversions when I was pregnant with Maanasa.
This time I also have cravings. I crave for fruits. You won't believe, after having a sumptuous dinner, I still eat 2 or 3 kiwis or half a mango or 4,5 oranges. I'm a little worried about this though. I know fruits are good & all that, but my GTT is coming up on feb 2nd & with last pregnancy, I had gestational diabetes, borderline, but still I had to control my sugar, carbohydrate intake. Scientifically, the biochemist in me tells me what fruit intake will not cause gestational diabetes, but still....
I'm sick. I have a horrible sore throat, blocked nose & cold. My nose & throat are so dry that they are bleeding a little bit ): I'm scared that Maanasa or Sriram is going to catch it from me ):
Maanasa speaks a lot now, she understands almost everything, now Sriram & I have to talk in English if we don't want her to understand what we say, soon she'll be able to follow English too, then I'm afraid we have to talk in codes only, lol. If she gives me a kiss, she has to go find Sriram to give him one too & vice versa, she is so sweet. She is such a happy child, always laughing, undemanding, we are so very blessed, which also makes me afraid that the next one is going to be the exact opposite, lol.
Look at these adorable hair bows,

My friend Marlena from my birth board made them for Maanasa. She makes & sells these, I already bought a lot from her & now I'm buying them to give as gifts. They don't fall off like the clips I buy from the stores here, I think it has a magnet or something. I'm so excited now because till now, Maanasa would always take out her clip/bow as soon as I put them on. Now after I comb her hair, she's asking for a kip (clip) :)
Onto some scrapping news:
Amy K & Tracy B have decided to stop designing (for time being, I hope) & I am so sad about it. I loved being on their teams. Both of them invited me to be on their teams & that was such a boost to my scrapping ego:), made me really think that my layouts are not so bad after all. Tracy was my first CT boss & I can't explain the thrill I experienced when I got a pm from her inviting me to be on her team. I hope that they'll start designing again & allow me to be on their team once more.
Lori of Diamante designs invited me to be on her CT & I was super excited. She sells at Digishoppe & SBB & her stuff is gorgeous. Some layouts with her kits:

I used 'Sensual- Paper & Element pack' by Diamante Designs at Digishoppe.
The action on the photos are Acidwashed 2 and Color Pop 5 by Michelle Pearson.

Credit:
'Treasure'from the 'Life's Little Moments Collection',by Diamante Designs, coming soon to SBB.
'Acid wash' photo action, by Michelle Pearson, on the photos.

Credit:
'Magical Moments' from the 'Life's Little Moments Collection',by Diamante Designs, coming soon to SBB.
'Lighten' photo action by Michelle Pearson.
I'm also on Ake Pangestuti's guest CT for January.

Ake Pangestuti's 'It's Party Time' @ SBE, Realistic Photo Shadows - Polaroids
by Nancy Comelab @ mydigitalmuse.

SaraAmarie has moved to oscraps. Here is LO I did for her CT with the oscraps mega kit for january.

I love the colors in this kit, it is gorgeous.
(Background paper by Debra Tope, Alphas by Vicki Stegall, Purple Flower & Stitching by SaraAmarie, Scalloped Ribbon by Genevieve Sass, Purple Ribbon & white flower by Maggie Lamarre, Journaling Block by Ronee Parsons)
Michelle Pearson's Lighten & Color Pop action on the photo.
Some more layouts:
After a long time, I did a non-ct layout & I love how it turned out.

Credit:
Floral Felties, Crayon Alpha, Dotty cream background paper- a blog freebie and Lil Flurries paper pack, everything by Gina Miller.
Color Pop & Extract photo action byMichelle Pearson.

Credit:
Gentle Papers, 'Felties - Flower Field', Big Honkin' Painted Alpha, Doodlies: White Vines, everything by SaraAmarie.

Credit:
'Power of Friendship' by Royanna Fritschmann@Divine Digital.
The action on the photo is 'Tinted Sepia' by Michelle Pearson

Credit:
Correen Silke's Coral Cabaret @ Silkescraps.I used Michelle Pearson's Urban Grunge Color pop, Soften & Black&white color select actions on the photo.
Sriram & Maanasa, watching the sunset.

Credit:
'She Said' by Rachel Dickson & Correen Silke,at Scrapdish.

Credit:
'Correen Silke's 'September Brunch'. The action used on the photo is Michelle Pearson's 'Warm Sunshine'

Credit:
I used 'Urban Flowers' by Audra Little at Digiscrapshak. I used 'B&W color select' & 'Urban grunge color pop' actions on the photo, both by Michelle Pearson

Lots of exciting stuff

As usual I'm here for my monthly update:) I'll not go into why I'm a bad blogger, I will not lie that I'm busy etc etc, it's just that I really didn't feel like typing an entry, moreover no one reads my blog:)
Ok I've lots & lots of updates.
Maanasa is going to be a big sister:) We are expecting our second baby in May. I'm super excited & just couldn't wait to share this with everyone, but I wanted to wait for the first 3 months. So far, everything is going on well. No morning sickness, lots of tiredness the initial 2 months, just like last time. I have horrible back pain though, so I resigned from 2 more CT's. I'm so sad about it, I really enjoyed working with Becky & Rose. But as it, I was slacking for the past 2 months & I was not keeping up my CT commitments, so I decided to quit.
I'm getting published:) I'm so thrilled. I submitted one of my pages to simple scrapbook & got accepted. It will appear in the Jan/Feb issue.
Maanasa has a huge vocabulary now, she repeats whatever we tell her:) It is so cute to hear her talk. She is also teething like crazy, she is not eating properly, poor baby): she is becoming a daddy's girl more & more:) I think it is inevitable, I was a daddy's girl too, (aren't all girls)
Lots & lots of layouts to share:

Credit:
Maanasa throwing a tantrum:) I used 'Alannah Collection', by Lyndsay Riches,at PDW.

Credit:
Merkeley's 'Spatter Crazy',at Digiscrapshak.

Credit:
Amy Knepper's 'Darling Dreamer' paper pack, the stitches are from her 'Vintage Vashon' kit,the ribbon from her 'Young and Carefree' kit, XoXo element from her Clay Creations, lovey dovey mix, everything available at the Digichick.

Credit:
'Mood Swings Collection - Sorta Solids & Sorta Whimsical' by Jeanine Baechtold,at Scrapdish.

Credit:
Amy K's 'The Little Boy Blue mini kit', at Scrapdish, one background paper is from her 'Beautiful Dreamer' kit.
Michelle Pearson's awesome Photoshop Adjustable ColorLighten Action, available at SBB for the photo.

Credit:
Merkeley's 'Dark Coffee' kit, available at Digiscrapshak, the stamps are from her 'Sepia Stamps' collection, Photobook from 'FlorishD'Automne' by Diamante Designs.

Credit:
Maanasa watching her favorite DVD.
SaraAmarie's Summer's End, at PDW.

Credit:
I was stroking Maanass's fingers as it was so.... very soft & suddenly she held my thumb. I was so excited & moved to tears. Afterall, she was only 2 days old.
I used 'Moroccan Influence', by SaraAmarie, at PDW.

Credit:
'Moroccan Influence' by SaraAmarie, available at PDW, the
journaling square is from her'Styrofoamies', the string attachment is from her'Autumn freestyle', everything available at PDW. I used 'Easy Blur' and 'Urban Grunge Pop' actions, by Michelle Pearson at SBB on the photo.

Credit:
I used Jen Reed's 'Made with Love' paper pack, the heart is from Kim Jensen's 'crazy Cord Bundle', at Scrapdish. I used Michelle Pearson's B&w action, available at SBB for the photo.

Credit:
Krista Mettler's 'Funky Fiesta',at Scrapdish. The action on the photo is 'Urban Grunge Color Pop' by Michelle Pearson,at SBB.

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Amy Knepper's 'Leaps & Bounds', at Scrapdish.

Credit:
'Whitewashed' at Digiscrapshak.Michelle Pearson's 'Warm Sunshine' action on the photo, it is at SBB .

Exciting news & layouts:)

This blogging has become a monthly routine for me, lol. I don't have the energy to write a lot. I'm down with flu, it couldn't have come at a worser time, as usual I got it from Maanasa, poor baby is coughing a lot & I just can't sleep in the nights if she coughs like that ): I think I'm coming down with a fever too, my heads hurts bad.
Just one exciting news, I have been invited to join to Events & Sponsor team at RAKSCRAPS, just when I thought of cutting down my computer time, lol, but how could I refuse, RAKSCRAPS in my scrapping home & of course I said YES:) I know that you would worry about Why I'm cutting down down the computer time:) Beleive me there's a reason, a very good reason & I'll tell you probably in my next post or the one after that:)
I've lots & lots of layouts to share with you all:)
I l...ove this photo:)

Credit:
Amy Knepper's 'Vintage Vashon' at The Digi Chick.

Credit:
'Bon Ami' kit by Becky vosburg, available at the Digishoppe.

Credit:
Background paper from Merkeley's 'Notebook Fun' kit, Journaling shapes 1, Stick pin & Tag from her 'Me & you' and flowers from her 'Flower mix-up' everything available at Digiscrapshak.

Credit:
I love this photo of Maanasa, though the quality is not so great,
Lyndsay Riche's 'Floral Fresh' kit & 'Essential Alphas Megapack', available at PDW.

Credit:
' Genevieve's Ephemera', the ric rac from 'A love for ribbons' by Merkeley, everything available at Digisrapshak.
The action used on the photo is Photoblast Golden Rod.

Credit:
Tracy Blankenship's 'Bug Hunter', available at ScrappingDigikreations & Digital Freebies, the Bull-Nose clip is from her Bull-Nose clip collection, available at Scrappingdigikreations.
The ric racs are recolored to match the photo.

Credit:
My dh & I last october.
'September' by Rose Farver, available at the DigiShoppe.

Credit:
SaraAmarie's 'Paradise or bust' kit available at PDW, Stitches from her 'Desert Sunrise' kit at 3 scrapateers, Flower, arrow & heart element from her 'Styrofoamies', available at PDW.

Credit:
Merkeley's 'Soft Cantaloupe'page kit and her 'Journaling Shapes' collection, everything available at Digiscrapshak.

Credit:
'Mood Swings Collection - Sorta Solids & Sorta Whimsical' by Jeanine Baechtold,the flower is from 'Meadow Walk Kit' by Krista Mettler, everything available at Scrapdish.

Credit:
'Paradise or Bust' by SaraAmarie, available at PDW.

Credit:
Merkeley's 'Glass Flowers',Binder Clips Punched Text, Distressed Nouns & Floral Border Templates, everything available at Digiscrapshak.com
I've been tagged by Melinda, Mish & Robin:) I'll do it tomorrow. I have some more layouts, but I'll upload them tomorrow or day after when I'm feeling better.