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Hi Guys!
My 2021 Annual Newsletter is here and it’s my final post of 2021. Since COVID hit last year, I am covering 2020 as well. Why? Well, because A LOT happened!
I love doing these annual posts so I can reflect. It’s also a good way to see my growth over the years and keep myself accountable for the following year. I think you’ll need some masala chai for this one. ๐
Pregnancy
As you are all well aware that Covid hit in March of 2020 and luckily I ended up getting pregnant in April 2020. Sanjiv and I welcomed our baby boy, Krish, into this world on December 16, 2020. He arrived 2.5 weeks early and we are so blessed he is healthy and perfect.
Motherhood… and how it changed me
For anyone who knows me will tell you I was someone who always feared motherhood, and quite honestly, my attitude was always if it happens, it happens. I was so content being the cool aunt cause you get all the love with zero responsibility. Oh, how things have changed!
When I first met Krish, I felt an instant love towards him, we were bonded for life. I will never forget the way he looked up at me so helpless and scared, and I felt this need to protect him – always & forever. With that said, I also found it difficult to connect with him because I was going through my own emotions and physical pain. Having a baby via a C-section is no joke, not to mention trying to breastfeed. It was a lot!
7 Months Later
Fast forward 7 months, and I can tell you my love for Krish has grown immensely. He has become so much more interactive. I could wake up in a bad mood, but seeing his face instantly makes me smile. He has the sweetest voice, is such a good soul, and such a happy, sweet, smart, calm, gentle, sensitive, funny, and loving little baby. He expresses his love with the best open-mouth kisses (lol) – just for his mama. His giggle is music to my ears and the best sound in the world.
Motherhood is hard as hell. Some days I wanna pull my hair out, but the love you feel for your child is the purest, most unconditional form of love. That’s what keeps you going. It’s true! Your heart is literally beating outside your chest. The little things in life bring these little people so much joy, and in turn, you start looking at life through their eyes. We are supposed to teach our kids how to live life and be the best versions of themselves, and in turn, they end up teaching us how we should live our lives and find joy in the simple things. Seeing life through your child’s eyes is pure joy. Now I can’t wait to take Krish to Disneyland. ๐
So yeah, Krish is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and my most favorite person in the world. Yes, I miss my old life at times, but I wouldn’t change any of it. He is my heart!
My little Family
My mom has been wanting me to have my own family forever, and now I finally have a family that I can call mine – Sanjiv and Krish. Sanjiv is my rock, strength, and support system. Our relationship has certainly changed since having Krish because now it’s all about Krish. ๐ I miss us – the way we were! My new rule is – we need to schedule date nights and prioritize ourselves. With Covid, it’s hard to go out often, so we try to have date nights at home, whether that’s a nice homecooked meal or take out or watching a movie together or chai time. I’m so thankful for Sanjiv in my life and for all that he does, not just for me, but for Krish too. He’s a great Dad and so hands-on. I love the bond he shares with our son.

Krish Updates
Our little Krishie started sitting up by 7 months and crawling at about 9 months. He recently started taking a few steps around his birthday. He’s not completely comfortable walking, but he can manage about five steps without falling. It’s really cute how he gets so excited when he walks. Soon he will be walking, and I’ll be chasing him all over the house. 😒
This past December, our baby boy turned one year old. We did a Smash Cake for him at home. I ordered everything on Amazon and his cake was from a local bakery. He had the best time smashing his cake and it went much better than we anticipated. His reaction is priceless – I can watch this video on Reels over and over.

Blog
If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know I’m working on my blog full-time. After having Krish in 2020, I decided to give the blog a real chance because it is my ultimate passion, and well, I feel my blog has potential. ๐ I’ve been blogging for a while now, but I never took it seriously. It was always a side hustle while I worked full-time.
Since 2019, I’ve been working really hard on my blog and I’ve seen continuous growth. I’m so thankful to you guys for always supporting me and making my recipes. It makes me so happy when I see your creations, especially for those of you who are new to cooking. While I’m so proud of myself for what I’ve been able to accomplish, there is a lot more to do and a long way to go.
I keep reminding myself that this is all part of the journey and it will all happen at its own pace. With a baby, it’s been hard to juggle full-time blogging, caring for Krish, and being there for my family. Thankfully, my husband is a hands-on Dad, and my mother-in-law has helped me a great deal since having Krish. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child. I’m still figuring things out on this journey. I’m taking advantage of this time I have now while Krish is still a baby and needs me.
Home & Family – Jersey baby!
Yes, Jersey will always be home for me. I have spent my entire life in Jersey and haven’t yet spent enough time in California for me to call Cali home. It’ll take time.
This past year I was lucky enough to visit home (NJ) twice. Back in June, I went home after 18 months to see my family – with a baby. Imagine that! My family missed my entire pregnancy and now I show up with a baby. lol. Everyone was so happy I had a baby and they all fell in love with Krish instantly. It was especially nice to see my mom interact with him. Here’s an emotional video of my family meeting Krish for the first time.
Sanjiv came to NJ towards the end of the trip and we were lucky enough to squeeze in a Date Night in New York City at Rubirosa – a great Italian restaurant and the pizza is on point. You guys know me, I’m all about my NYC food (here’s an updated NYC Food Guide). I wasn’t able to visit NYC during my last trip in November, but I’m grateful we were able to go in June.

Travel
Sanjiv and I love to travel, and we traveled a good amount before becoming parents. Our last trip was to Los Cabos, Mexico. We are itching to travel, but just like everyone else, we have to be safe and prioritize what’s best for Krish. We are holding off until the Omicron variant settles down. I’m hearing of more and more people getting it – including family members and friends. Once things improve, maybe we will consider doing a road trip. I’d love to visit San Francisco or Scottsdale.
Netflix
Some of my favorite shows/movies this past year:
American
- Bridgerton
- Maid
- Emily in Paris – seasons 1 & 2
- The Sinner – season 1
- Ginny & Georgia
- Clickbait
- Sex Life
- The Baker & the Beauty
Indian
Best of 2021
Blog & Instagram
I recently shared the Top 10 Recipes of 2021 – check out this post and see if your favorite recipe of mine made the list.
Most popular recipe on the Blog – Indian-inspired Tea Party Sandwiches
Most saved recipe on Instagram – Indian-inspired Tea Party Sandwiches
Most shared recipe on Instagram – Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Most liked photo on Instagram – Our first Pic as a Family of 3
Beauty & Fashion Top 3 Sellers
- Tatcha Eye Cream
- Madison Reed Hair Dye – PPD Free (my shade: 5.5NNN)
- Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Bitch Perfect
Goals for 2022
California
My goal for 2022 is to adjust better to life in California. I feel this is going to be an ongoing goal for me. It shows up on every annual newsletter. lol.
Friendships
I need to be better about making friends. I am an introvert to begin with and lazy about going out, so I can only handle a few good friends anyway. lol. Now it’s just a matter of making time, connecting with people, and prioritizing friendships that matter. I’m also at a point in my life where I only connect with a few people, so I can’t force friendships. Also, I need to do this for Krish so we both get out of the house and make friends – together. ๐
Instagram
I need to spend less time on Instagram. I hate saying it, but there is so much wasted time spent on IG. Rather than scrolling endlessly, I need to engage. I’m happy they have a new feature where you can set time limits. Mine is 30 minutes at a time and I receive an alert to get off.
Blog Goals
This past year, my goal was to post twice a week on my blog, but I wasn’t able to meet that goal until Q4. Since I had Krish in December 2020, I was definitely not able to blog consistently for a while. Next year, my goal is to post consistently and twice a week. Fingers crossed!
I’m looking forward to creating more recipes in 2022 and working on more seasonal content. Hope you enjoy what’s to come. January is going to be all about healthy-ish comfort recipes!
Accepting Help
I’m a control freak and I realize I can’t do it all. Motherhood is hard! I need to accept help when I receive it. I’m all about making life easy now – whether that’s ordering healthy take-out or just making something easy for dinner or eating leftovers or accepting food from family members. I just have to let go and prioritize my health.
Happy New Year
And with that, I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year! Here’s to 2022 – getting rid of Covid for good, bringing us all health, love, happiness, peace, success, meaningful relationships, and delicious food. Be safe, be healthy, be happy!
I’d love to see some of your goals and resolutions for 2022.
Love,
Nisha ❤️