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.