Baby talk and earthquakes

Almost a year has passed since my last blog post, so I thought an update was needed. There’s been good reason for my absence...we’ve been busy welcoming our first baby into the world. Ananya arrived in November 2013 and is currently a curious 4-month-old and a joy to be with.

But enough about her...what have we been up to? Well, Richard and I enjoyed a belated honeymoon in Maui in April 2013. Maui was and is a wondrous place, filled with amazing beauty and stunning dramatic landscapes. I can't think of anywhere else on earth that can boast a volcano, windy scenic roads with black sand beaches and tropical waterfalls at nearly every turn. With the flight only 6 hours from LA, we had to go. The only problem is we now want to go back and explore the other islands of Hawaii.  

The summer of 2013 passed with a sultry ease. Being pregnant can seem like a long time but when you factor in doctors’ appointments, gathering everything you need and trying to mentally prepare for this momentous event, it flies by. Before you know it you’re counting down the days and regretting the spicy chick-pea curry you’re convinced brought on labour.

Yes, I spell it l-a-b-o-u-r. I’m sorry but I’m only getting to grips with calling a nappy a “diaper” and a cot a “crib.” I also take Ananya out in the buggy, but it’s a stroller here. LA is certainly not short of its yummy “mommy” brigade and I’ve been fortunate to meet some lovely fellow first-time-moms to share this experience with.

As I was home a lot, increasing in size and decreasing in mobility, I decided to take some creative writing courses online during the summer with the Gotham Writers' Workshop. I really enjoyed them and came away with a few short stories under my belt. I may share them on the blog sometime if I'm brave enough! And if anyone's actually reading...

Since Ananya’s arrival in November life has turned on its head. For those who know me and know about my love of routine, I’ve begun to adapt to a life where things don’t always follow a schedule. I think it was about time really...Embarking on parenthood with Richard has been the best thing we’ve ever done, and doing it out here has been a great experience. Getting used to Ananya’s dual citizenship will take longer. To remedy that we’re making sure she’s exposed to as many episodes of Eastenders and Rab C Nesbitt as possible...

We’ve also had to deal with the ever-present earthquake threat in California. There have been a few this past month which have made the news and woken us from sleep and rattled the apartment. It’s a very strange and helpless feeling, experiencing a ‘quake, and the sound of it is unmistakable. A low, groan and rumble that you can’t predict. If anything it’s keeping us on our toes.  

Until the next post, bye for now.