New buggy!

After dragging along our disappointing and stupid purchase of a buggy for seven months we finally decided to test our luck and try to sell it. After advertising it on marktplaats.nl we got a respectable bid and S wasted no time in selling it. The buggy was gone, we were happy, but at the same time confused about our next purchase.
A trip to Prenatal helped us in choosing our next buggy. This time we knew what we were looking for. Our old buggy was very heavy, it was very difficult to lift it into trams and buses and it was not easily maneuverable. The only plus point with that buggy was that it had a very large spacious shopping basket under it, which has spoiled us.
We wanted a buggy which was small and smooth, but at the same time provided some storage space. On this basis we rejected our original choice of Quinny Zapp, even though we loved the way it just rolled around and closed into a compact little thing. Anyways we thought about how many times we had to close our old buggy and decided that size wasn't that big an issue for us.
Our eyes fell on Prenatal's own brand of buggy, which is basically an imitation of Mclaren Quest. It may not be the prettiest little thing, but it rides smooth, is light and easily maneuverable and has a decent size shopping basket under it.
All I have to say is life is 100 times better with a better buggy!
http://www.prenatal.nl/shop/Kinderwagens-Buggy%27s/Prenatal-Prenatal-Buggy-5-standen-Staal-92669.htm?startValue=&rangeValue=&prevVisit=&id=92669

Packing bags

The countdown to my trip back home has begun. No doubt, Amsterdam is my home now, but Lahore still remains my hometown. My family is my son and my husband, but visiting my parents and siblings is also the most beautiful part of my life.
Its been well over 18 months or so since I visited Lahore last, and its memory is getting shady in my mind. I have to concentrate really hard to imagine what my city looked like. Excitement and anxiety has enveloped me as every night I cross off one more day between me and Lahore.
Visiting Pakistan is not just about seeing my family again, its about being in my own country, where I wouldn't be a foreigner. Having said that, I do feel like a visitor rather than a citizen now that I visit Pakistan.
This is Mr Baby's first trip to my land. I am excited about taking him there, introducing him to my relatives and giving him a taste of life in Pakistan.
S is not happy with my departure, but he has made plans of his own, and I am sure he will survive without us just fine. He will miss us, and we will miss him, but our reunion would be very soon and sweet.
On a personal note I am really looking forward to a few weeks without the responsibility of managing my household duties, and a much needed escape from everyday life. Its vacation time for me, which I plan to enjoy in a relaxed manner.

Eid is here!

Its the last day of Ramadan today and I couldn't be more excited. Not just because tomorrow I will not have to fast, but also because tomorrow is Eid!
I have always loved Eid and celebrated it with much fervor and zeal, but this Eid is extra special, because it is Mr Baby's first Eid!
Coincidentally, this Eid falls on a hot day in Amsterdam, where the temperature is expected to raise up to 30 degrees! That is really hot for Netherlands. Trams and metros become extremely suffocating, buses however, are air-conditioned.
Considering this hot weather I went to buy some special summer clothes for Mr Baby. To my dismay, all the summer stock has finished, even the ones on sale. Maybe the Netherlanders were not expecting to have such a long summer this time, or maybe everyone just bought the summer stuff early on.
I already had a nice shirt for Mr Baby from Zara, which I originally thought he could wear with pants and shoes, but now I was looking for shorts and sandals. For sandals I went to Crocs, but the only shoes they had in Mr Baby's size were pink! Hush Puppies were too expensive, H&M only had brown. Finally I ventured into Zara and found nice looking sandals and affordable too, but they were either too small or too big. I bought the too big one. Mr Baby doesn't walk yet, so the shoes are just an accessory rather than a necessity. However, he does look like he has enormous feet in these sandals.
For shorts, I went through a similar dilemma. The only few places that were selling shorts were either not the right size or not the right color to go with Mr Baby's shirt. Finally, I walked into V&D but in their sale rack I found a pair of shorts which didn't look too bad with the shirt.
Atleast I had some clothes now, but I wasn't really satisfied. I showed them to S who liked them and that gave me a little contentment.
S and I are both very excited to give Mr Baby his Eid presents. I bought a ring stacking toy for him, and S got him a drum set. I can't wait for tomorrow to see my baby dressed in his clothes and playing his Eid presents!
Happy Eid everyone!

Ergo replaces Babybjorn

In a previous post http://myamsterdamlogue.blogspot.nl/2012/05/baby-loves-babybjorn.html I described my purchase of the famous babybjorn carrier and how much my baby loved it.
Well, three months and 2 kgs later the story has changed. While my baby still loves to be carried around in babybjorn where he gets a higher perspective on things, my back has been complaining from the weight it has to carry around. The result was that I had stopped carrying Mr Baby around for more than ten minutes distances.
However, my will for baby wearing hasn't died yet, in fact it has increased. I looked into buying these wonderful long cloth wraps to carry my baby in, but I concluded that these are not meant for lazy bones like me. It takes a good amount of time to put these on. S would surely never try them on, and I didn't want to spend so much money on a carrier that only I can use.
So then I was introduced to the Ergo. It was suggested when I had bought babybjorn, but at that time I refused it because it doesn't allow the baby to face outwards. After using babybjorn I came to realise that with the baby facing outward the back of the parent is much more strained, thus, these carriers like Ergo, Boba and Manduca only have the option of baby facing inward.
They are meant for older babies, weighing from 7 kgs upto 18, which basically means you can even carry you 3 year old in them if you want. Out of these 3 I chose to go with the Ergo because it has been around for a long time and has a lot of accessories to offer (not that I have bought any of these yet). There is absolutely no price difference, but I did get the Ergo slightly cheaper from www.amazon.co.uk
For newborns and babies less than 6 month old Ergo has come up with an infant carry insert. These carriers also give you the option of carrying your baby in three positions - the classic front position, hip carry position, or the back pack position, ideal for toddlers.
When I received my Ergo I tried it on with Mr Baby. It is a completely different feel from babybjorn. To me Ergo felt like I was naturally holding my baby, just with some extra support. I also tried the hip carry position, which I enjoyed even more.
Now the only issue was, will the baby enjoy it. Its safe to say that he loves it. He cannot face outwards, but he can still see side ways. He can look at mama, and if he is sleepy he can doze off and I can cover his face with the little attached hood.
I love baby wearing and I also feel that my baby is much happier and relaxed in the carrier than in his buggy.
Hence, Ergo was a good purchase!

New job!

Yes, I have found a new job. It is voluntary, so no money :( but the work is great and I am loving it.
I have joined the amazing team of volunteers at www.amsterdam-mamas.nl as their Social Media person. My job basically involves tweeting about Amsterdam Mamas, make sure they are known out there, and maybe attract some nice business and followers for them.

Amsterdam Mamas is a non-profit organistaion, which started just as a small facebook group and has turned into something extraordinary in just over a year! It claims to change lives of mothers in Amsterdam, and from personal experience I agree. It provides you a space where you can learn, interact, ask and most importantly even cry on. All the mamas run to give you free advice, consolation and even their lightly used products!
They arrange meet up events for mamas with and without children and have gained immense popularity in Amsterdam.
My new twitter account representing Amsterdam Mamas is AMS-Amal.
See you there!

My Breastfeeding Journey

Read on my article on breastfeeding published in www.amsterdam-mamas.nl
http://www.amsterdam-mamas.nl/stories/parenting/babies/my-breastfeeding-journey

In Westerpark

Today to celebrate Mr Baby's half year birthday I dressed him up really nicely and set out to meet a bunch of ladies from a meet-up group. The location was Westerpark, one of my favorite places in Amsterdam.

I have never met these ladies before, but I though it should be quite easy to find a bunch of ladies picnicking in a park. They said they would be in the east side of the park. So I went to what I thought was the east and ran my eyes around for some ladies. 

All I could see were families and children, gathered along a canal, using it as a swimming pool, rather as a beach. I looked at the time, I was already half n hour late, and who knows how long it would take me to find them. Thus, I decided to have a picnic of my own in this fun-filled area. I took off Mr Baby's nice clothes and took him in the shallow water with just his diaper on.

My six-month-old was absolutely ecstatic. He didn't hesitate a bit in befriending the water. His feet were already in it but he wanted to reach it with his hands too, so I carefully sat him in the water. He played for a long time and also enjoyed watching all the kids around him. 

I was so excited to see my baby having fun that I completely ignored my surroundings. It was really one of those special moments in which nothing else mattered. My eyes, ears, arms and mind were all only for Mr Baby. 

It was a really warm day, I could have jumped in the water myself if I had some extra clothes maybe. I just dipped my feet in that cold water and even that worked wonders in providing some relief from the bright sun.

I took him out, which I am sure was a little disappointing for him and went back to our red blanket, where he had his lunch - half a pot of french beans puree.

The exit from Wester Park wasn't very happy as for some strange reason Mr Baby kept screaming in his buggy. I thought he was tired and will go to sleep on the way back home, but that didn't happen.

I have had him for 6 months now, still can't figure this boy out!

Half a year

Half a year has gone already.
My baby is today 6 months old.
He can sit unsupported for quite a while.
He loves playing with anything and everything.
He loves eating almost everything mama offers him.
He rolls over and even tries to crawl backwards.
He goes round and round in his walker.
He smiles when he sees his mama and daddy.
He enjoys going out.
He loves watching nursery rhymes on youtube.
He sometimes smiles for his khala and oma on skype.
He has grown up from a tiny little baby to an active little rug rat.
He has given mama all the joy in the world, along with sleepless nights and many hours of tiredness. But he is worth it all... motherhood is worth it all. 

In Vondel Park

Today I decided to take Mr Baby to Vondel Park. Before hitting the park we made a few short stopovers. All this time, he was really happy, enjoying his buggy ride. However, by the time we reached Vondel Park he became a little irritable.
I couldn't believe how crowded Vondel Park was today. I kept on walking looking for a place which is not too crowded, but not too secluded at the same time. I decided to sit myself in front of the huge fountain in the middle of the park. There was a woman with a small stand selling ice cream, hot dogs and drinks. I bought a choc cone and spread my red blanket under a tree shade.
Mr Baby was quite fascinated by the fountain and also by my icecream. He hasn't been eating much today. I tried to feed him just before we left, but he didn't seem interested. And now, even when I became a naughty mama and offered him some icecream, he didn't want to eat it. I thought he might be thirsty form all the sun so offered him a little water I had took with me. I let him hold the bottle, he played with it more than he drank it. His whole shirt got wet, but that's the best part about summer, I didn't have to worry about wet clothes, the sun can dry them out. I wanted to take Mr Baby to one of the play areas of the park, but he started becoming agitated. 
I thought he might be hungry, so I set off in a search of a quiet spot in the park where I could sit and feed him. But alas, it was very hard to find such a spot. Instead, I found the exit, and decided to head home. Park time is no fun with a wailing baby. Thankfully, he calmed down in the tram, and my little wallet kept him occupied too.
As soon as we got home I offered him some milk. He jumped to it excitedly, but just after a few minutes he started smiling and babbling and didn't want to eat anymore.
Wonder where his appetite has gone...
Vondel Park - I shall visit you again, hopefully if the weather continues to be as beautiful and sunny as it is these days.

Summer Naps

I have no intention to complain how hot it is in Amsterdam these days. This short lived summer is more than welcome! I am taking full advantage of this sunny weather to introduce my son to nature and get some vitamin D in his body. Thus, every afternoon we walk to a nearby park with our little red blanket and find a nice spot under a tree where I can read a book and Mr Baby can play with his toys and the grass. He seems to be loving this adventure and one of its best perks is that he returns home quite sleepy.
So, today as we returned home from the park and Mr Baby silently drifted into sleep, I finally breathed a sigh of relief, took a paracetamol (I am a little sick) and lied down on the bed beside my baby.
Now, my lovely bedroom, with its lovely large windows is not very idyllic for an afternoon nap in the summer. Because of the heat we have to keep the window open, and when living on a main street, that is not a very good idea. While we have learned to ignore the tram and car sounds, the irritably noisy scooters of Amsterdam still act as an effective alarm to wake us from our peaceful slumber.
Summer has also made me realise how thin my bedroom curtains are and how ineffective they are for keeping the sunlight away, which these days shines right at our bedroom till 9pm.
Well, even with all these problems I got a nice one hour nap with my baby. Thankfully, he doesn't feel as hot as his Daddy yet, with whom sleeping in this weather is next to impossible.

Inner peace

I have realised that Ramadan does bring out the best in me. I have been reintroduced to the timid and submissive side of me again. The side that I am most comfortable being. I have tried standing up, making my voice heard, fighting for my rights, but I find it all very exhausting and stressful. And if I just start ignoring things that disturb me and maintain a positive attitude towards life, I feel light, happier and to a larger extent satisfied.
I owe this inner peace to this spiritual month, and hope that the change Ramadan has brought in my personality is permanent and not just for this month.
It also makes my belief stronger in the saying that in Ramadan satan is caged. Surely, it is satan's will to see us disturbed and quarelling with our loved ones. And once he is out of sight we find that there is nothing more important than love in life and relationships.

The story of the highchair

It is quite unfortunate, that S and I have had quarrels about almost every baby item we had bought. We never seemed to agree on anything and always blamed each other if we were not happy with the purchase.
Well, most of the damage was done - the pram, the bouncer and the carrier were things of the past, but we still had a chance to ammend our mistake. There was still one important baby product left to buy. I was hoping that maybe on this one we would agree and finally enjoy a purchase together.
But, alas, that joy remains a dream. The high chair, like all other baby products became a point of quarrel and distress. With me looking at the best high end brands, and S insisting on not wasting money. He called me wasteful and spendthrift and I called him stingy and miser. I am sure later we both regreted our words, being mean to each other just for a stupid chair.
We ended up with the cheapest option available. The simple and famous IKEA chair for only 12 euros, and even on that you get 5 cents back! S promised me that he will buy me a better one, and I should use this just as a temporary solution for weaning. But as I placed my baby in the chair and fed him, I realised how stupid we are to fight over things that the baby is going to use, while the baby is not even concerned with the product. He really doesn't care whether he sits in his walker, his bouncer or even in my lap, as long as he gets new things in his mouth. The high chair is just a convenience for the mother. I still think it is important to invest in a good quality product that you are happy using and that is safe and durable, but not at the cost of mean, heated arguments.

Ramadan 2012

This is going to be my second Ramadan in Amsterdam, but the first one that I am actually going to observe.
Last year because of my pregnancy I avoided the long fasts and paid fidya instead. Fidya is the money you pay someone else to fast in case you are unable to do so because of sickness or travel. Pregnant and nursing women are also allowed to do this.
This year I was also sceptical about whether I would be able to observe the 18 hours long fasts while breastfeeding my baby. However, I decided I would give it a try.
By the grace of God, yesterday the first Ramadan passed without any difficulty. I carried on with all my daily tasks, nursed my baby and just felt a normal amoount of thirst and tiredness.
This made me realise that fasting in Ramadan is a special thing. If in any other month I would be hugry for even a few hours my head would start hurting and I would feel like I am going to dye of hunger. But in this Holy month, Allah gives us the strength to be hungry and thirsty for the whole day. Our energy for this month does not come through food, rather prayer and faith acts as a fuel for our bodies and souls in Ramadan.
I am excited that this year I would be able to keep all my fasts. Inshallah!

Travel to Luxembourg!

Read on my travellogue to Luxembourg published on www.amsterdam-mamas.nl
http://www.amsterdam-mamas.nl/guest/hot-tip-for-a-weekend-away-luxembourg

Baby loves BabyBjorn

We have discovered that our baby doesn't like being treated like a baby very much. He is not even four months old yet but he likes to be at our eye level and look around, rather than sit peacefully in his place like other babies his age do. Some days he is happy in his buggy, but some days it seems just too boring or tight for him, we can never figure out. He keeps crying as if something is wrong but as soon as we pick him up he is fine and begins his cute coos. Hence, the solution we thought of was to look into baby carriers.
It is unbelieavable how many different types and styles of baby carriers are available in the market. Unfortunately, you do not know which carrier would be best for both you and your baby unless you actually try them on. We made a big mistake by ordering a Tomy carrier online. When it came we found it very complicated to use, by the time the baby was actually strapped in he would be crying to get out already. Plus, it didn't suit my body structure and put a strain on my back.
I looked at other moms walking around comfortably with babies double the size of mine, and thought that there must be a carrier perfect for me as well. I began snooping around and found out so many new names - Ergo, Moby, BabyBjorn and many more.
That's not it, every brand then has many kinds of carriers - original, sporty, organic etc.
On review sites every parent states their own personal preference, advantages and disadvantages. I was saved by a new mom-friend I found, who offered me to try on her BabyBjorn Active carrier. Her baby is the same size as mine. I found it very easy to put on and quite comfortable, but the best thing about it was the baby loved it.
Hence, I set out on a mission to find a cheap, second hand BabyBjorn, since we had already wasted money on a brand new Tomy carrier, which apparently no one wants on Marktplaats.
Not too long after, I found a seller, for only 15 euros she was selling her BabyBjorn because her baby girl had outgrown it. I was happily ready to spend that money on it. So I bought it, tried it and having been using it since. Its a nice feeling to have your baby attached to you, and the baby is happy with his full view of the world. The only disadvantage I can think of is that because he is facing outwards I don't get to see his cute face anymore.

Fijne Moederdag (Happy Mother's Day)

Two months ago my mother-in-law was wished happy mother's day by her son in England. She was a bit disappointed that we didn't wish her the same, but we explained that its not Mother's Day in Netherlands yet.
Two days ago my mother texted me a pic of herself and my sister in a restaurant with the caption 'Celebrating Mother's Day'. I again replied back saying that it wasn't Mother's Day here yet.
Finally, today its Mother's Day in Netherlands. Though the preparations had begun weeks ago, today is the day to finally celebrate it. Every shop had advertised a special offer in relation with Mother's Day - discounted perfume and gift sets, spa vouchers, lunch and dinner treats, there are various ways in which you can make your mother feel special on this day.
Mother's Day stopped exciting me the year I was separated from my mother. I think the first year I did send her a card, but I can't remember if she recieved it or not. When I was with my mother I used to give her a little something on every occassion - Mother's Day, birthdays, anniversaries. Now my younger sister has taken over the duty of pampering our mother with gifts. I, on the other hand give her a gift only once a year when we meet, and that gift is supposed to compensate for all the missed occassions throughout the year.
This Mother's Day would have come and gone for me in the same way if I hadn't realised that now Mother's Day has a new meaning for me. From this year onwards I sit on the receiving end at Mother's Day too. Even though my son is too young to give me anything on this occassion, that doesn't stop me from wishing myself a Fijne Moederdag.

Baby goes to creche (Day 3)

Today was the third day that I took my baby to the creche. My comfort level on leaving him had increased, and to me, my baby seemed relaxed as well. When I waved him goodbye he gave me a small smile as if saying "I know you will be back, I'll be waiting". I was confident that today he would be fine and when I went back to pick him up my confidence proved correct. He was playing, a sight that made me even more relaxed. The care taker told me that he slept and ate good today. My baby has grown up :)
When we came back home I fed him, as he laid in my lap I noticed he was caressing my arm. It is his new sense of touch that he must have been exploring, but to me it felt like he was reassuring himself that I am back and showing me his love.

Baby goes to creche (day 2)

Yesterday was his second day at the creche. I was more organised this time, I woke up early, fed him, talked to him a little and then got him ready to leave. He looked at me with his cute puppy dog eyes when he sat in his buggy, saying "I wonder where mama is taking me so early in the morning". Seven minutes later we were at the creche, and I again saw a scared expression on his face. I handed him to the care taker and then talked to him a little bit. He passed me half a smile and then I was ready to leave.
This time I didn't feel as wierd as I felt the first time. I was much more relaxed. I paid more attention in class and happily went back to pick my baby up. However, my mood changed when I reached the creche. I saw my baby wrapped up in a sheet sleeping in a bouncer in the middle of the room with a little towel over his eyes. The care taker came to me and said he doesn't sleep in the bed "he searches for you". They said he didn't drink much either. I felt so sad for my baby. What am I doing?! This course isn't worth putting my child through so much pain. If he wants to be with mama then he should be with mama. I made up my mind, I am going to cancel the creche and the course can wait or end or whatever, nothing is more important than my baby.
I narrated all these dialogues in front of my husband, who said I was stupid. Somehow he tried to convince me that its only eight hours in a whole week that he is away from me. "So what if he cries, he cries at home too" he said. "Don't worry, he won't stay hugry, he will drink when he has to." I don't know how but I got convinced to give this creche thing some more time. Maybe he will get used to it, or maybe he will keep hating it till I finish my course. Again a motivation for me to study harder, and that's exactly what I am going to do now.
Signing off.

Broken sleep

For the first two months of his life my baby had an enviable sleeping pattern. I was one of those lucky parents whose children actually sleep at night and wake up for a feed only once or twice. I used to put him in his cot in his own room, and sleep peacefully for at least five, six hours straight.
However, since he reached his 3 month birthday my life story has completely changed. He still sleeps at night (thankfully) but only to wake up after every two hours. As an example last night he went to sleep at 9. Then waking up times were 11:30, 2:30, 4:30, 6:00 and then finally at 7 when he was fresh and ready to start his day.
When he first started waking up more often at night I thought something was wrong with him. Stomach ache? Teething? Growth spurt? We were considering everything. I kept reading and asking the possible causes and soluutions to this damaged sleeping pattern. Since getting up from bed every two hours and going to the other room was getting too tiring I decided the baby should sleep next to me for some relief. Still, not used to this new regime I was greatly sleep deprived, compensating for my lost sleep on the weekends, when hubby was kind enough to look after him.
I tried everything from evening baths to top up bottle feeds, but now I have given up. I have realised that no matter what I do he will sleep and wake as he wills. The most I can do is hope this is just a phase he will soon grow out of, and by that time I would just get used to this broken sleep.

Back to school

In my previous post I did mention that I have rejoined my Dutch language course, but the post focused on how I felt being separated from my baby. In principle I should hate this course, which is keeping my baby away from me, but truthfully I don't hate it, infact I quite like it. This is a time where I am exercising my brain to learn new things, a new language, I constantly struggle to think hard about each and every word, and I enjoy it. I take this as an exercise in preventing my brain cells from getting rusty.
It was greatly encouraging to notice that I hadn't forgotten my Dutch in my four month leave. I was still on the same level as I left, which means that if I keep up learning, very soon I might be able to write a whole blog post in Dutch! My inspiration for working even harder now is to finish my course as soon as possible and get back full time custody of my baby.
Sucess (good luck) to me!

Baby goes to creche

As I restart my Dutch language course I was forced to make arrangements for childcare. Unfortunately, living alone in the Netherlands without any family or friends meant that my baby had to go to professionals. Before he was born, I was very comfortable with the idea of leaving him in a daycare, but once I had to do it, I wondered how mothers gather up the courage of leaving their babies in the hands of complete strangers.
I was clueless as to where and how to start this whole daycare business, but my problem was solved by Chikuba. It is an official agency that helps you find daycare and make all the necessary arrangements for it. Since I am not working and am following a Dutch language course through the gementee, I am entitled to subsidised daycare. That meant that I ended up paying only 1/6th of the total cost. It is still alot considering the baby needs daycare for only half a day while I am at school, but their policy requires payment for a whole day, even if the child stays there for only an hour.
My baby now goes to Caleido Kidzz. It is right next to my house, an apparently nice place with some nice ladies. This Friday morning I got up made some quick lunch for myself dressed up and then looked at my baby. Poor thing was sleeping peacefully, but I had to pick him up to change his diaper. I hated myself for disrupting his sleep, but as I began to unbutton him he did his usuals squirms and then opened his eyes to smile at me. I put on his jacket and put him in his buggy and off we went. He was very silent, probably confused as to where we are going so early in the morning. We entered the creche, I took off his jacket and then handed my baby over to the caretaker. He looked even more confused now, other babies came to greet him, and he stared at them with his big eyes. I stood by the door staring at him, I could stand there all day, but I had to go. So I bade farewell and walked out. From now till four hours I will have no idea what my baby does.
As I walked out of the creche I felt wierd, I wasn't pushing a buggy, rather swinging my arms on the side. I was looking around rather than looking at the cute face of my baby in front of me. When I entered the tram I was not confined to the buggy area, rahter I went inside and stood with all baby-less people. I approached my school realising that I had carried my baby to the school with me for eight months, and now I am going to school alone.
At school I could just not get my baby's face out of my head, the face that I left in the creche. In my break I called to find out how he was doing, they said he was asleep which calmed me down a bit. He was my only topic of conversation with my classfellows. The last half hour in school I kept looking at the watch of my classfellow
sitting opposite me. As soon as the lesson was over I walked at my maximum speed towards the creche. I opened the door and there he was, my baby. I couldn't stop kissing him. We came home cuddled and slept together for two hours. I just hope he didn't miss me as much as I missed him.

The perfect bike

Impressed by the Dutch cycling culture, my husband was determined to make cycling a usual habit when we came here, a year and a half ago. He already had a cycle, which he used for the first couple of months, until it had a problem with its pedal. "I think its time I buy a new bike." So, out he went on a bike search and came back shocked at the high prices of cycles in Netherlands. Even though cycles are the most common household items here, they are not cheap at all.
Hence, my husband bought a second hand mountain bike from one of his colleagues. It looked super cool, but we soon realised why his colleague wanted to get rid of it. If you want to ride a bike in the city, you don't want a mountain bike. What you want is a typical dutch bike with a large frame and large wheels, which doesn't look trendy or modern, but is just right.
My husband sold the mountain bike on marktplaats (another very important discovery we made, the local ebay), and ordered another one from there. This time again he was conned into buying something that was not worth it. That bike got returned and the search for the perfect bike continued.
When the perfect bike was found and bought, all he needed was the perfect weather to start cycling to work. But every morning as he referred to my technique of looking at the bedroom window to judge the weather outside, he would be disappointed. Netherlands would always be windy and rainy, and only true Dutch people can cycle in this kind of weather, the rest of us will just keep waiting for the perfect day.

Crazy weather of Netherlands

Yesterday morning my bedroom window gave me a good news. I didn't even have to open the curtains to judge the weather outside, as rays of bright sunshine passed through my thin curtains to wake me up. Koninginnedag brought along a lovely weather to Netherlands. It was the first time I took my baby outside without any jacket or sweater, and my husband was sweating even in his cotton shirt. I associated high hopes for the coming week, thinking how good it would be if the weather continues to be like this.
However, my joy was extremely short lived, as this morning I was woken up by a huge thunder. Rain poured down all my dreams of enjoying the nice weather.
Today I will again have to go out with jackets and rain coats. :(

Fijne Koninginnedag (Happy Queen's Day)

Today Amsterdam was painted orange in celebration of the queen's birthday. Everyone wore some piece of orange clothing or accessory to show their Dutchism or just to join in the fun! Groups of fun-loving youngsters dressed up similarly crazy were headed towards Central Amsterdam to party on the roads, streets, parks, canals - basically everywhere.
Vondel Park and many other parks and roads in every locality were laden with free markets - people selling their second hand items, a tradition of Konininnedag.
Last year I witnessed all of this, but this year our Queen's Day was spent at a friend's house, celebrating her son's first birthday. We still got to see alot of orange-ness on our way, but unfortunately we couldn't be a part of it, because our party clothes were not orange.
Even though our celebration had nothing to do with the queen we still had cake and some nice barbeque. Hence, a holiday spent nicely.
Definitely a fijne koninginnedag!

Nederlands leren (Learning Dutch)

When I was coming to live in the Netherlands I was determined to learn the language as soon as possible. On my very first trip to the market it became even more evident that there is a pressing need to learn the language in order to perform even the simplest of tasks like buying grocery. In Amsterdam almost everyone speaks a little or lot English, but they don't like writing English. So anything you want to buy, or any official letter you recieve will be in Dutch.
Hence, I contacted the local gementee, (council) which was kind enough to put me in a free one-year course to learn dutch. Four months ago the course kindly gave me a leave to perform my motherhood duties, and now I have been recalled to finish my unfinished business - the course.
I like learning, and this was my first experience of learning a new language, which was really fun. After my first few lessons I was able to make small sentences to introduce myself - something a five-year-old can do fluently, but I was proud of my accomplishment. Now, I can make people understand what I want to say in small words and broken grammar, but the harder part is understanding what they are saying. Even if I make them repeat themselves twice, the Dutch accent is just too confused for me to understand. Hopefully, by the time my course finishes, my one-way communication will reach atleast the level of a ten-year-old.
Sucess (good luck) to me!

Baby in the tram

During my pregnancy I especially noticed how people with babies manage their prams and little ones in the tram, and it all looked very convenient. For the first two months it really was convenient for me as well, because my baby used to peacefully sleep in his pram. However, as soon as he went over two months he began to wake up, and when he woke up he cried unconsolably. His problem - "Hold me! Why have you trapped me in this stupid seat?"
I again looked around helplessly at other people who had calm and silent babies peacefully sucking on their pacifiers sitting in their prams. Mine wouldn't even try his dummy. As if this crying was not enough, I was introduced to a new rule about trams that I was previously unaware of. The tram doesn't allow more than two children buggies at one time. Some tram conductors are kind enough to let a third one enter, but others just shut the door on you, and you are left outside waiting another ten minutes for the next tram with a crying baby.
I honestly thought that my days of going out have ended, but today magically, when my baby is three months old, he reached a new milestone of remaining calm in his buggy. He was queit all the way from my house to Prinsengracht, a good 25 minutes journey.
I can't be happier! Just hope it remains this way for years to come.
All smiles :)))

Travel to Berlin

I loved Berlin, just an hour away from Amsterdam on plane. Read my travel piece on the amazing city below http://issuu.com/sundayplus/docs/sunday_plus_25_december_2011#downloadpg.26

Playgroup

In my desperate attempts to have a social life I am always on the look out for places I can go and meet new people, and maybe make a friend. Well, after a whole year and a half of searching and trying I think I might have landed in the right place. The English Bookshop in Jordaan has a playgroup every Wednesday morning for babies and mommys. Its not expensive at all, for 2.50 euros you get a drink and get to spend a good hour with other mums and babies. So here I am at a place where I can actually communicate with other people in proper sentences rather than a mix of a few dutch words and sign language. The baby seems to love it, so its a real tenner.

Rise and Shine

All my life getting up early morning has always been my weak point. Everyday when my mom woke me up for school I used to count years until I finish my education, when I would be relieved from the misery of waking up at 7 am. Finished university and one of the best things about my first job was it didn't start early morning. In my recent unemployed years, I admitted that one of the many joys of being unemployed was sleeping for as long as I willed. Technically speaking I am still unemployed, but that is not entirely true. As I look at it I have a full time job now, which not only requires me to wake up early morning, but also several times in the middle of the night. My boss is my baby who gives me orders through wailing and screaming, and rewards me with smiles and giggles. Me signing off at 8:30 am.

Tulips!

'The land of tulips' I came to one and a half years ago, but to my disappointment I didn't live in a house facing the infamous dutch tulip fields. I live in an appartment that doesn't even have a garden, and whenever I try to bring some kind of plant in my house, the poor thing dies to remind me of my raw gardening skills.
The tulip fields are a very short lived attraction of Netherlands. They come around March and are gone by May already. For these two months opens the Keukenhof, the famous tulip garden of Netherlands adjacent to a big array of flower fields.
Last year in May with some friends from Canada we excitedly went to the Keukenhof. However, to our disappointment we found the tulip fields barren, and the garden flowers also breathing their last breaths. "It got too hot for them" said the garden manager. My canadian friend was more disappointed than I was, because somewhere in my heart I had a feeling that I will still be here next year, and maybe then I can see the tulip fields.
Well this year came March, and the opening of Keukenhof was announced. I asked my husband if we should plan a trip there and he looked at the baby, who hates his car seat. Sadly, we both fell silent.
Fate has its was of teasing me and on the iamsterdam website I found out that a sea of tulips is going to be displayed in the Amsterdam museum courtyard for four days 19th - 22nd April. This was my chance to see 30,000 tulips as advertised on the website. On Sunday, we got ready, and set off on the tram to the see the tulips. I dressed up extra special to take some nice pictures with the flowers. Excitedly we entered the courtyard and there in front of us was nothing more than four rows of red tulips. We stood in front of them looking at each other. "So thats it?" asked my husband. "I think when it comes to flowers 30,000 isn't a big number after all" I replied.
Once again dissapointed to have missed the sight of the tulip fields I hung my face down, but my husband eager to cheer me up said "Don't worry I'm sure we are going to be here next year too".

The joy of living high up

I live in an apartment on the 9th floor, and from my bedroom's full size windows I get an amazing view of the city.
Whenever I decide to go out I go to my room to analyse the weather outside. Since I am too dumb to understand the weather guide when it tells me the speed of the wind and amount of precipitation outside I prefer to rely on my own judgemental skills instead.
The tuincentrum (garden centre) in front of my house has mounted some banners outside it. If these banners are vibrating vigorously I know its windy, if they are gently swaying, I know its safe to go out.
Then there is the conundrum of how to dress up to go out. The inside room temperature of my house remains 21 degree throughout the year, which makes it hard to fathom how cold or warm it is outside. Again, I go to my bedroom window, and this time look at the people already outside.
The oldies would always be overdressed, the youngsters would always be underdressed. I keep looking until I find someone whose dressing sense I can rely on and then decide how many layers of clothing I need to wear while going out today. Not only that, but when I am really bored, my bedroom window becomes a big tv screen for me. I can choose which floor of the opposite building to watch. My favourite being the top floor, where I see a baby boy growing up to different stages. Its amazing how fast these little ones grow.

My baby and the laptop screen

When you become new parents you spend alot of time researching on how to raise a baby. What are the do's and dont's about feeding him, making him sleep, playing with him. Every website, book and peadeatrician gives different advice, and in the end you learn that the baby is the boss. He gets done whatever he wants to be done.
One of the point of conflicts is introuducting the child to television. When I was expecting I used to sit in front of the laptop alot and one day I thought, what if these rays are affecting my unborn child. My fears were soon subsided as I googled 'is it safe to use laptop during pregnancy'.
Before the baby was born I had a differnt idea about how I will raise him. I didn't want him to be over exposed to the television or computer screen. What I didn't realise at the time was that there will be times when he will wake up at 6am and want to be held, and I would seek refuge in my laptop to compensate for my sleepless night. That's when the baby is in my lap staring with his wide eyes at the bright computer screen in front of him.
Maybe it reminds him of the good old day in the womb.
Me signing off at 6:20 am.

Back to the baby

So, yes, I did announce a few days back that I have a baby boy now. Let's talk a little bit more about him today. Born on the 27th of January he is an aquarius like me, which makes me associate high hopes for him. Maybe he has also been born with a creative streak, and maybe he will decide to take a creative path in his career later on, and maybe he would do things that I couldn't. And at this point I am reminded of my mother.
As her first born, she had high hopes from me too. My results were never good enough, and I was never perfect enough for her. As for my younger siblings she was content on them being average.
However, I like to believe that my achievements were a result of my mother's motivation and pushing.
I wonder if I will turn out to be like my mother. Will I push my son to achieve more, or will I be happy even at his failures.

The free hand

Having a baby teaches you many amazing things. It shows you the enormous utility of a free hand. If you manage to keep your right hand free while holding or feeding the baby, then you can do wonders with that free hand. You can type, you can text, you can even play a silly game on your mobile phone, or use the phone for its primitve function - calling someone.
So the important trick is to keep the baby on the left side and carry on your own life with your right hand. You can gently stir the food, pick up dirty dishes and put them in the sink, and even make a bottle for the baby - just with one hand!

Re entry

SO, its been long, almost a year since I opened these pages. Sad indeed, because there has been so much to share in the past year. Problem with sharing so much information is you don't know where to start from.
So let's start from today - the cold morning of 17th April 2012. From my bedroom window the first sight I saw was the tuincetrum (garden centre) banners trembling in the cold wind. And there went my plans of the day, right out that window.
It is almost impossible to enjoy a decent walk in such a windy weather, especially if you are pushing a children's buggy. Yup, I have one of those now, and that's what I have been upto in the last year.
Blog has to stop here, baby crying :)