Dahl and Roti

Dahl and Chapatti have become a staple in our home. When I went to the grocery store, there are only ingredients to make Indian food, they don't even have cheese, just sliced processed craft stuff. Everything is on the brink of expiration, so you have do go to the store often. Next time someone complains about walmart, I'm going to let them know what a world without big stores is like. Want matches? You have to drive 15 min to find a little store with just matches and other random supplies. Tape? Another store. It takes us all day to do our shopping.

If you have money here, you also have an entourage of a staff. The cast system is so interesting to me. A sweeper usually comes from a family of sweepers and they don't do anything else. So, if you want someone to clean your house, you have to have a toilet cleaner, a sweeper, laundry person... I was looking for someone who could do everything, but it doesn't work like that. Whenever we go out with locals here, they always ask the same questions, who cooks for you? When I say, I do the cooking, they look at me in disbelief like I told them ET was legit. We try to tell them that in America we do everything ourselves, no driver, no cleaner, no caretaker, and they can't even comprehend it. My cooking skill are lacking over here and we are both getting sick of having eggs and dahl everyday. It's time to get a cook. Adam doesn't care none, but I am clicking my heels. The last thing I like to do when I am pregnant is cook. Only one problem.... Our cook can't speak any english and only cooks Indian.



Adam got all Indianized. He loves his new white pants, he says it's like wearing pajamas on the street.

Every section of India has a different purpose. This town we went to was a woodblocking town. Almost every family does hand woodblocking in their homes and have been for ages.
The cows and pigs have no purpose or no masters. They just roam the streets as they like. I would kill for a hamburger right now
I was buying some baby blankets for the twins and Lulu had a death grip on that indianized sweater. They ended up giving it to us because she was going crazy

32 weeks

32 weeks- 4 more weeks until full term with twins. Cross your fingers. Adam saw these pictures and he doesn't think it gives my belly justice. It's so much bigger than it looks. I'll take a frontal view later that might give you nightmares.
This pregnancy has been so much harder than the last, given I'm having twins, but it really has been a whole new ball game. First, I was twice as sick as last time and I remember doing kickboxing and a weight lifting class the day before I gave birth to Lulu. Exercise this time around is out of the question. Walking, ok maybe, but it's a stretch to try and walk more than 20 min. I can't bend over or lift anything heavy and sitting too long in the car gives me kankles. One baby is constantly kicking my blatter, while the other is kicking my ribs. I loved being pregnant with Lulu, it was easy and exciting, but I find myself counting down the days until delivery, which should be around 4 weeks or so. Lulu had the hickups at least 6 times a day, and the boys haven't had them once. And sweets do nothing for me, but I can't get enough of the salties.

Indian pregnancy culture is so different than Americans. For example, yesterday I got a mcflurry at Mcdonalds and our driver couldn't believe his eyes. He was like, but baby, it's not good for baby. I was like, please, in America if I didn't get a desert people would be like, your pregnant, this is the time to eat whatever you want. Pregnant woman here are looked after and treasured like Gods. In Utah, we are a dime a dozen. And after they have the baby, they don't lift a finger for 40 days. That means no cooking, no laundry, not even bathing the baby. And a specialty post pregnancy masseuse comes to give the mother and baby a massage every day to help with the bone development of the baby and the recovery of the mother. Yes please. I asked a pregnant Indian girl over here what the name would be of her baby. She was so perplexed by my question because it's illegal to find out the sex of the baby and because a holy person determines the first letter of the name when the baby is born. This got my mind spinning and then I remembered circumcision. Rugh ro. Didn't think of that, but hopefully it won't be a problem because there are so many Muslims here and I think they circumcise. Cribs are looked at like a no need novelty and guy liner for babies is normal. The last time we went to the hospital, I saw a girl come out with her newborn and jump on the back of a motorcycle. This is India.

When we told some Indian friends over here how many kids were in our family, they had horror in their eyes and took us as poor folk. The norm is 1 -2 kids here, unless you live in the slums, then it is more like 3-4.

Pushkar

Last weekend we look a little trip to Pushkar to get away for a bit. It was a nice break from the city and I was so happy to be in the magical India I remembered. It's a quiet, beautiful and ancient town tucked away in the hills of the desert. We had our driver take us and it made a world of a difference not train hopping and haggling with tuck tucks. I want to go back, maybe next weekend before I pop.

Lulu has learned to surrender to the circumstances.
The buses are so jam packed I don't know how anyone can breath. I thank my lucky stars I don't have to take them. I am pretty sure I would have a panic attack


Gang of monkeys waiting to pounce on some tourists. They say if you leave your windows open, you are asking for it. The monkeys will come and steal stuff from you, but they played nice.
Olive garden my eye.

This was our hotel we stayed at. It was magical and the food was to die for.

The shopping strip in Pushkar is off the hook. They have the most amazing little treasures and thanks to all the cheap hippy tourists roaming the streets, the prices are low. I went into a shop right after a girl was haggling over 5 cents, so the Mr. gave me the same price. I hate bargaining, I usually get ripped off but I don't care. Our driver haggles for us in the city because you have to bargain for everything, from soap to oranges. I'm not down with that.



I like the hanging light
This little girl had the cutest haircut. She was only six months older than Lulu and I couldn't believe my eyes. Either she looks old for her age, or Lulu is stunted. We tried to give Lulu a similar cut, but it didn't turn out so good... her hair is just too thin.

What beat down hippy tshirts. They were covered in dirt and holes, and were for sale. We saw so many lifers in Pushkar, whities that came and never left. They roam the streets looking like homeless wanderers with no shoes.
That's our driver chigalal. If you were wondering, it means six fingers in Hindi, what a cool name. And yes, he has six toes. He picked us up from the airport by chance and we were sold, he is the nicest Indian around. Him and Adam are besties, they do everything together. He comes in stores with us too and watches Lulu. Consider him a part of the family.
Lulu was able to bring one treasure with her and she picked the bunny mo made her. She loves it.
If you can't beat em, join em I guess. We all have Indianized outfits now and Adam is going to get the thin white get up that all the Indian men wear. It's like wearing pajamas on the street. I bought an Indian dress and I wear it everyday, the heat is a comin. Modesty is the up-most importance in Rajasthan, I'm talking no ankles or shoulders showing. It makes BYU look like a playground.

I'm throwing my pride out the window with this picture. I look slammed and swollen. We had been traveling all day and right before the sun




I see Indian people checking out my shoes all the time, they are so hammered.