What I Took From This Weekend

This weekend, was a learning experience for me. Being the forgetful old hag I have become, I thought it best to write it down and record all my learning.

My little baby is growing up, he is no longer a baby, but a boy (and hiding from facts don't make them go away.) It has been that way for long, but I have been trying to avoid the truth, pretending that he is still a baby. But this weekend, he shoved the facts into my face when he showed me that he can sit on a kiddy swing, the ones without any harness or safety belts, with just the two iron chains on the side, and a curved rubber flap for a seat, and enjoy it. He laughs out his heart at every push which sends him hurtling forward and even dares to get off it on his own. He enjoys the slides, doing it all on his own. New things make him look at them and wonder, like a cawing crow or a running goose. He is brave but cautious, and fun but safe, well mostly.


This weekend, we had no plans in place. The mandatory grocery shopping for the week, was already done, since the DH comes home early these days. So here we were, the we-hate-being-at-home-on-weekends family, with two whole days in hand, and not a single plan in place. So after a lot of dawdling, we landed up in a park on Friday evening, and it was nice. We stopped there, because we were passing by and had nowhere else to go. Seems like sometimes impromptu happenings are the most fun. The BB enjoyed swings and slides, and I soaked in the greenery I had been so lusting for. Observed a few Iftaar parties in the park, got some photos, and moved out just as it started getting dark. The BB wanted to run wild, and we let him, the only place where we needed to get a hold of him, was when he ran towards the dried pond, lake or whatever water body like thing was there. Did I tell you, my boy simply loves water, in any form he sees it.

There was a crow sitting on one of the poles close to the slide. The BB just sat on the top of the slide, staring at the crow cawing, till it flew away. I can see he is already observing things, and that fills me with an immense sense of satisfaction. We just drove around Dubai after that, with the BB happily dozing in his car seat.

Saturday we saw penguins, seals and some more. Yes, we saw real, live penguins. An amazing aquarium and water-zoo at the Dubai Mall it was for us.

Can't help the cliche - 'Sealed With A Kiss'

The BB is a complete water baby. He absolutely loves water just like me, whether its a fountain, a fish tank or just a half dried lake. He enjoyed the aquarium, the water creatures, the small water fall, and even the artificial lakes created for the fountains there. Every time he so much as sees a hint of water, 'Atu, atu atu', goes the BB. (Atu is the way he says water). He keeps showing me, just how much like me he is. I just hopes he learns to swim though, something I never did.

He looooooooooooves water.

I am fatter, heavier and shorter than the DH, but at this point in time, I am also fitter than him. Yes indeed! Who would have thought that is even possible. After walking for a straight four hours(at a mall of course), I was still fine and raring to go, while the DH was down with aching legs. That I have a cold now, is not the right thing to be mentioned here.

Ramadan is not the time to go out without having your lunch, atleast not here. Not even by mistake. Take-aways are allowed, but one cannot even sip water in public. You cannot be seen eating anywhere, even you car, nowhere except in the confines of your home. It is forced fasting for pretty much everyone. Its strange seeing the deserted food courts on weekends, places that are usually brimming with people. And it is just not much fun, when we first eat, and go out with a full and heavy stomach, all drowsy.

This weekend, we went out without the stroller and now I know we can do it. I hate putting the BB in the stroller, it just feels so wrong to have him strapped up, while he can walk, run and make merry. It does make life easier for us though, because we don't need to keep running around behind him. But its so not fair. So this entire weekend, we did it without the stroller, though not in a planned way, but it just happened and I feel so happy about that. We were at the Dubai Mall for over four hours, and he walked tirelessly with us, refusing any offers to hop into our arms. These little boys have so much of energy, it is unbelievable. Even the DH was tiered by the end of it. It was only the last five minutes or so of our visit, while we were walking towards the parking lot, that he finally agreed to and settled into my arms.

The penguins and us. The BB was enamoured by them. And he let me carry him, just to get a better view.

This weekend, I attained a lot of enlightenment, and had fun on the side too. Such weekends, so make the week worth living through especially for a person like me who lives the week just to make it to the weekend.