From sink to bath tub

Sera must have realised I've been bathing her in the sink ... I'm sure of that simply because lately, she has been an absolute terror during bath-times. She'd complain and end up up crying whenever I tried to shampoo her hair, climbed out of the sink onto the side table, if not, climbed unto me, refusing to continue with her bath. Impossible!

"I''m not cutlery! I WANT to bathe in a bath tub!", she cried out.

Well not in so many words! But if she could speak coherently, that would have been her exact words. Ha ha. Ok, I hear you Sera, loud and clear! So over the weekend, I had to sadly forgo the convenience of the deep stainless steel sink, and relocate Sera's bathing facility to her own bathroom. Her very own bath-tub, what a luxury for her, which only means more cleaning for me now. Needless to say, she was ecstatic and was dancing away in her bath tub. To date, I'm happy to report, bathing time has become a pleasure for both daughter and mother.

Koninginnedag

And in English, it means 'Queen's Day' ... that is, for the Dutch.

The Dutch community held a little celebration for families, at the Diplomatic Club today. The weather was sweltering to say the least, 41-degrees, but the Dutch that attended wore their 'orange' very proudly.

There was an entire itinerary planned for the afternoon, starting with the cake cutting, a very large orange coloured cake, decorated with a crown and a windmill, but of course! Our family weren't so inclined to join in with the activities, instead we found a spot of grass by the beach and planted ourselves there for the rest of the afternoon.

Can you spot the Republican?

Sera was stuck to Johan the entire afternoon ... her favourite toy ever!

Bursting with happiness!

Sera's first experience of sand

Duckling dive

Sera, a little drenched after doing a 'duckling dive'.


I've been meaning to write about Sera's Waterbabes class on Wednesday, which I know you people are sitting on the edge of your seats, just waiting to find out. Ha ha. Try to feign some enthusiasm ok!

It started early as usual, but the weather was extremely hot. The summer heat is fast approaching and the day time temperature hits the high 30s. And that morning, the temperature felt like 39-degrees. All I know is I came out of the pool with a slight headache, most likely from the heat ... and maybe from swinging and swooshing Sera a little too eagerly.

So Sera did a duckling dive that morning, not that she had much of a choice. 'grin'. Oma was nervously watching as I counted 1-2-3 and pushed her head (about 30cm from the surface) into the water, followed by the rest of her body and then out of the water, like a wet little duckling indeed! She didn't cry, was a little disoriented and maybe had one two many gulps of the chlorine water. All in all, she was a real trooper!

Sera with her swim teacher ... experiencing separation anxiety? Actually I'm more disturbed by that floating plastic baby!

Is it or is it not peanut butter?

Since the discovery of Sera's peanut butter allergy (or so we thought), and the subsequent omission of peanut butter in her diet, the rashes have only worsen. And just over the weekend, a premature rash had appeared on her belly. So the burning questions these past few days have been, "Is it or is it not the peanut butter?" "Could it be the cheese then?" Ha ha, what big questions huh?

Anyway, we visited our pediatrician this morning to get the rashes checked out again. We went through the routine checks for temperature, blood pressure and ... WEIGHT. Sigh. I always get a little nervous when Sera has to be weighed since EVERYONE outside this family, loves to and freely comments on her above-average weight. So I was prepared, as usual, to practise restrain in speech and reaction, when I had to strip her out of her clothes for her weigh in.

"Ah, when mama is not watching, you must be feeding the whole kitchen!" chirps the nurse.

Ok that comment was wrong in so many levels - sentence structure, grammar, absurdity and factually. Thus I didn't even bother to reply or make a comment. I just smiled (most genuinely) and waited for more.

"Sera, you are eating everything, mama is getting more and more skinny!" says another one.

Again, I had to grit my teeth and clamp my mouth shut, for fear I may say something too intelligent for her to comprehend.

I know ... their comments are harmless and they don't really mean to be RUDE. But still, I didn't ask for their comments so they should jolly well zip it and only speak when appropriate! I mean, when it comes to the issue of weight, people are strange and contradicitng. Bear with me and I shall elaborate. When a baby is fat, people will very openly exclaim, "Ohhhhh you're so chubby!" Notice, people rarely comment when they see a skinny baby. And when an adult is skinny, people will comment (begrudgingly), "Oh, you're so skinny!" Why do you suppose people don't comment on an overweight person and say it like it is, "Oh you're so fat!" Hmm ...

So back to Sera's doctor's visit and her rash. Our pediatrician said from the look of the rash, she would call it eczema. Very common, apparently, and there are many causes for it - eggs, cow's milk, peanuts, wheat, soap, and synthetic material. Ok, she practically listed all of Sera's diet. And the one synthetic piece of clothing was Sera's cute little swim suit. Anyway, she told us not to worry too much because we just had to break the cycle of her 'itch and scratch', apply the necessary creams and try to avoid the usual food suspects.

Our pediatrician didn't sound too worried so I was appeased some what and honestly, Sera doesn't seem to be too disturbed by her rash outbreak.

Oh one more thing, just so I can erase all those astonished looks and raised eyebrows I have so politely received from some mothers. My pediatrician has confirmed that breastfeeding (for as long as two years) is the BEST for babies. And listen hard as it only gets better ... breastfed babies don't get obese when they're adults. Heard that? Oh fantastic!

So Sera ... drink up!

I am big, so hear me ROAR!

At the park

On Saturday, just before dinner, we went to the park near our house. It was surprisingly nice, and very green! One of the things I miss from home is the abundance of lush greenery. Back in Singapore or Holland, we are overwhelmed with greenery that we so easily take for granted. Here in Doha, we are pitifully without it, thus we have to search far and wide for small patches of greenery.

In this park, we found a field of undulating soft grass, dotted with the occasional date palm tree. It was a very welcoming sight. If I were a kid, I would be running and rolling in the grass. So how come our daughter wasn't showing much enthusiasm? Why wasn't she crawling frantically on the grass? Strange ... ?

So being laid back parents that we profess to be, we decided to MAKE her enjoy the park. ha ha. Johan carried Sera, about 15 metres, away from the mat and plonked her on the grass. We waited, waited .... and waited for her to crawl over to us. She however, seem very content just sitting in the middle of the field, picking and talking to the blades of grass and just enjoying the 'enforced solitude'. And when she decided to start crawling, she went the other direction. Ha ha. She was abandoning us! This pair of parents plus oma, started calling out to her and waving our hands like complete loonies, just to get her attention. A quick parenting lesson for us ... don't give her unnecessary freedom, she'll take it and run.



Sera placed at a distance


Abandoning her solitude, she decides to crawl back to us


On her springy motorbike

Janneke pyjamas from Holland

"Bedankt oom Bertil, tante Sieglinde en Zoe natuurlijk ....."

Under Pressure

In today's Waterbabes session, Sera tried to float on her back ... without much success. She was very unhappy being on her back for two reasons - she couldn't partake in 'people watching' therefore the reflex jolting upwards when she was laid on her back. And secondly, the strange sensation of having water seep into her ears. Well, I figured we were in no hurry to float backwards ... so no stress, no worries!

I think, for the most part, I'm a pretty laid back parent. The fact that we have joined this swimming class is quite a big leap for me and maybe for Johan too. My parents too, were pretty relaxed parents who hardly succumbed to the pressures of enrolling my brother and me in every imaginable 'enrichment activity' that was available. I remember I used to be very puzzled at how busy my friends were after school and during the weekends. And believe me, many were not too happy or excited about their 'enrichment activities'. So till today, I'm very grateful for the un-pressurizing and less structured manner of how we were raised. Hmm, where was I? Oh yes, Sera's swimming lesson.

The MAIN reason why we signed Sera up for swimming lessons was really for her social well-being. It's true! Personally I don't believe in swimming lessons, especially when no one in my family has taken a swimming lesson before. I still remember my grandfather throwing me into the adult pool when I was a wee little thing. Okay, I don't recommend every parent do that but my point is that learning new skills can be done in unconventional ways, not necessarily in a structured and methodical manner.

So before I side-track again ...

During Waterbabes today, I felt like I was back in school again. While I was getting ready to enter the pool with Sera, one mother casually came up to me ...

Mother: "So have you been practising?"
Me: "Hmm ... Oh! (I was initially confused by her vague question) ... yes?"
Mother: "What have you been practising?"
Me: "Oh, just swishing in the water, some submerging ... "

End of conversation, because the teacher had started singing 'Humpty Dumpty', which meant the mothers were all supposed to be in the pool with their babies sitting on the edge.

In the water, I bumped into another mother.

Mother: "Do you have a pool in your compound?"
Me: (oh boy, here we go again) "Yes"
Mother: "How many times do you go to the pool with your daughter?"
Me: "Well, about two to three times a week."
Mother: "Oh ...... "

Strange conversations, won't you say? I tried not to think too much about them but I couldn't help but remember those kind of conversations with certain schoolmates back in my schooling years. The smell of pressure and competition!

Anyway, Sera and I had a good time together. We did a few more submerging, 'jumping turtles', lots more swishing and whooshing and next week, we'll try 'diving duckie'.

Okay, I can't resist this ... but while I was getting Sera out of her wet swimsuit, I (unintentionally) eavesdropped on a pair of mothers from the next class, having the same 'investigative' conversation I had with those two mothers! I just couldn't help but smile.

Happy Birthday Oma and Opa!

Today is Sera's Oma's birthday and tomorrow is Opa's birthday ... and how nice that they're both in Doha at the moment. We spent a lazy afternoon at the Corniche today. The weather was perfect, a little warm with a balmy breeze. As usual, Sera was in high spirits the minute we propped her onto the mat. We had a light lunch of Arabic bread, juice and home-baked marble cake (ahem, I was in the mood and pretty eager this morning).

Our friend, Mary-Luz and her two sons, Juan-Camillo and Lucas joined us a little later, and Sera was simply unbashful, crawling over and tugging at the boys. Seeing Sera with the boys gave me a nostalgic flashback of me, valiantly trying to join my uncles and brother in their play. Hmm ... I see Sera has taken after some of my traits. Sera was especially intrigued by Lucas's little 'Winnie the Pooh' rider. She was raring to go, breaking out in giggles whenever Johan gave her a push.

Lucas and Sera

A push from Johan and off she goes ...

Wheeeeeeeeee!

We ended the day with a cozy dinner at Bukhara and later we surprised Oma and Opa with a birthday cake. I think it was the first ever birthday cake for Sera's oma. Fijne verjaardag Oma en Opa!

Sera blowing th candles with Oma and Opa

Waterbabe

All dressed and ready to go!

Today, Sera went underwater.

We had our first swimming lesson this morning, together with five other babies. I was very excited for her and had prepared a week in advance, buying the most crucial item - her swim suit. Well, it's always important to have a good swim suit as well as look 'smashing' in it. Ha ha.

The day started early, 6.15am to be exact, as we had to drive into town during peak hour. We rushed through breakfast,got into the Jeep and plowed along with the rest of the vehicles. Sera, who had to be woken up from her sleep, dozed off in the car. After a few detours, and with some good navigation from Johan's mom, we arrived just in time.

The babies, all girls, were dressed in cutest swimming suits ever, some even had sunglasses on. After a quick registration and introduction, the mothers had to jump into the unwelcoming cold and slightly murky water. In the 30-minutes, we learned different ways to hold and manoeuvre our babies in the water. As expected, the mothers were more excited than the babies, coaxing their babies to kick their legs, blow bubbles with the water. Sera was probably the most nonchalant baby of all - no squealing, no kicking or even crying. She was simply hanging over my arm, absorbing the scene around her.

So after several minutes of swooshing and swishing the babies around, we got to the more exciting part - SUBMERGING the babies into the water. Cool! So this is the method:

Hold the baby under their armpits. Count 1-2-3, blow into baby's face (this causes them to hold their breath) and then slowly pull them underwater

Simple huh?

Most of the mothers hesitated but I thought, might as well just get it over and done with. I mean, Sera would have to go underwater one of these days anyway. So following the simple steps, I gave Sera her FIRST experience of being underwater ... well second, if you count her swimming in my womb for 9 months. She was very calm underwater, even opened her eyes. She only started to gasp and struggle when she came out of the water. And she was the only baby who didn't cry after being submerged. I had to admit this proud mama was beaming inside. Ha ha.

Waterbabes in session

Post-submersion

A cookie after an exhausting swimming session

Easter

One of Sera's favourite toy is a little piece of rubber foam, in a shape of a lamb, from a book of animal shapes. It is nothing special really, in fact because it is white in colour, it has little stains on it as well. But everyday, Sera is sure to take it out of the book, to play with it. Today, as usual Sera took it out of the book and as the little lamb lay on the floor, it embodied a very special meaning for me. It reminded me of a beloved bible verse that is close to my heart. Happy Easter everyone!


The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to
lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths
of righteousness
For His name's sake.

Psalm 23:1-3

Sera's little lamb

A good time at Al Khor

The scenery along the way ... a herd of goats

Picnicking under a shaded cabana


This morning, together with Amy and Ted, we drove out of Doha, into an old fishing village called Al Khor. These days, this little town, considered to be the second city of Qatar, is an emerging town, serving the foreign worker communities that reside there. However, Al Khor, unlike Doha, is still a little rustic and laid back, reminiscent of its fishing village past.

After checking out some possible picnic spots, we finally settled on the beach by the Corniche. It being a Friday morning, the beach was practically ours to enjoy. The winds from the sea were blowing extremely hard and we had a most comical time trying to pin down our mats with the cooler boxes, bags, sandals and our heavy bottoms, of course. Sera was all the while, unperturbed by all the commotion. Instead, she was spinning around on her buttocks, reveling in the gusty winds and her fresh surroundings.

Our picnic basket was brimming with goodies - an assortment of homemade sandwiches, salsa and chips, fruit salad, fresh juices and even luxury chocolates (courtesy of Amy and Ted) and errr ... Starbucks coffee? So in our very idyllic setting, we alternated from eating, drinking and playing Boggle! Well, it was a little tricky playing a complete game what with Sera crawling over the game and wanting to be the attention.

We left Al Khor just before midday, a little tired, a little wind-blown but more relaxed and more happy.

Check out Sera's wind blown hair

The usual scenario - Johan lying down and Sera sitting up, playing.

Could I be any more relaxed ...

The magic of booth seats

Digging into our dinner ...

The things that we find ourselves doing, now that we're parents ...

I am constantly amused by how Johan and I have morphed into parents since the arrival of Sera. Following our very successful dinner at the fast food joint, where Sera happily stood on the booth seat while we ate dinner, we have now gone as far as to make a list of restaurants in Doha (that we know of) that have similar seating booths. Now that has to seem ridiculous to some, especially those who don't have children, but trust me it isn't. Eating at home together can be a challenge ... going out for a meal, now that is near to impossible.

However, that has somehow changed since we discovered booth seating. Ha ha. I forget to mention that Sera doesn't like to sit in baby chairs. I think it's a bit too restrictive for her ... hmm, she really is my daughter!

Yesterday, we found ourselves going out for dinner, just because we had to run an errand prior to dinner so there wasn't time for me to cook. Ahem, I do cook on a regular basis, don't assume otherwise. We went to our favourite Indian restaurant near our house. And what do you know, they had booth seats! You should have seen Sera, she was just beside herself ... could barely hide her excitement. Not only did she stand throughout dinner, she had some naan and cottage cheese! That girl never ceases to amuse us!

And as always, I had my camera with me to catch little moments like this.

House Arrest

Yes, Sera and I have been stranded at home, confined within our compound, for the last three days. Our good old Jeep had some mending to do at the service centre, so we have been left car-less. You see, in my opinion, living in Doha without a car can be a 'handicap'. I don't want to come across as sounding frivolous or materialistic but you can't walk out of this compound, hail a cab, wait for a bus or simply walk to a mall. Nothing is within walking distance here. And honestly, it is most unusual to find people walking to places here. People drive or get driven everywhere here.

So you understand my dilemma here?

Anyway, I had mentally prepped myself for the temporary 'house arrest' and was determined to hang on, come what may. Being house-bound for three full days meant that the house was cleaned more often, I was online for more hours, and the games I played with Sera became more imaginative as well as more animated. Being confined within the walls of the compound meant I walked the grounds of the compound more and chatted with long-forgotten neighbours and was even invited over for lunch by my friendly neighbour Amy, who rarely cooks. Nice ...

And being home all day meant I started to notice things like ... foreign 'droppings' in the cupboard under the kitchen sink! Ahhhhhhhhhh .... I had discovered not one but an ENTIRE cockroach colony! Thank goodness Johan came back in time because I fled from the kitchen and shoved him inside to eradicate the cockroaches. I know, how nice to be greeted by a screaming wife and 20 ugly cockroaches. But a man's got to do what's a man got to do ... or so the saying goes. The cockroach catastrophe didn't end there because this evening, Johan checked the cupboards and found two more smaller colonies! My oh my ... what are we to do???

Well, thankfully my good old Jeep has finally returned because first thing tomorrow, Sera and I will be heading to the store to stock up on roach killers and traps. 'Phew' ...

No peanut butter, pass the cheese please!

Sera getting ready for food battle

Apparently, Sera is allergic to peanut butter. Well it is no big surprise since nuts are a very common allergy with babies. I noticed a rash, a few weeks ago, on her back and it just got more nasty, spreading persistently on her little back. I had a suspicion it was the peanut butter so just to make sure, I visited the doctor yesterday. Yeap, the doctor said peanut butter was the likely culprit. I did let out a sigh because that meant Sera's diet would now consist of only cheese!

Yes, Sera has become, over the last few weeks, a cheese maniac. She has stubbornly refused my feeble attempts to feed her anything else. I consulted some baby cookbooks for some fresh ideas, made little flower and star shapes out of her food, even let her feed herself into a big, horrible mess. With no success, I have slowly conceded to a cheese-only diet.

So for breakfast, she has soft cheese with bread. For lunch, it's fromage frie (I can't even pronounce it correctly). Sometimes I try to slip in some mashed fruit but she'd eat it only if the mood suits her. For dinner, I still try to add some variety but usually the food is left to go cold or tossed over unto the floor. Johan simply says, "She is my daughter afterall!" Ha ha, her love of cheese must come from her Dutch genes!

So I'm wondering if cheese for her every meal is actually all right?

Anyway, I've stocked up the fridge with a good variety of cheese. From light cheese (cottage, ricotta, feta) to hard cheeses (edam, gouda, parmesan), you name it, I have it. Add to the selection are yoghurts of all sorts. Now that should keep Sera happy till she is passed this cheese phase ... or is it here to stay?

Not too pleased with the taste of orange ...


Give me cheese ... anytime!