I felt different today as I got dressed up in my new clothes, the only difference now is that I’m not alone!! When I was much younger, I made it a habit to go shopping months earlier and before Eid to buy my very best clothes. This year, I just put on a new top that I bought last year and kept in the closest because I never found anything to go with it.

It was our tradition, on this lovely occasion, that we visit our relatives, and get together to enjoy a huge feast. Usually, my eldest aunt would offer to home cook some meat/chicken with rice. And over the years, we would have so many dishes with an additional dish of fish to satisfy all tastes! Other times, when it was not possible for us to have it home cooked; we’d order food from any reliable restaurant.

Today was a very special day for me and everyone else. I got up so early, and I was so restless because I had to do so many things in a short time. I had to bathe my baby, and dress him up first, which wasn’t easy because Sooni didn’t want to wake up when it was 10am, and when he did, he cried more than the usual! It didn’t take me too long to bathe him, but it took me sometime to get him dressed!

So anyways, when I got the chance, and found someone to hold him for me, I quickly got dressed and applied some make-up! I preferred Bakhour over any incense and Oud over any perfume. All in all it took me 15-20 minutes to do all that, I guess I’m slow! But, I couldn’t do better than that, and not today!

I don’t know why, but I really enjoyed today.

In Kuwait, many parents face some real problems when it comes to changing their baby’s diapers in any shopping mall, co-op or even hospital! All the time, when I walk in any restroom, let’s say at a shopping mall, I look around, and there are no changing tables! I’ll understand if we were back in the 50’s, but it’s 2006! And you’d normally expect to find one anywhere.

Mostly I’d be so stuck! I’d have two choices: to put my baby’s changing mat down on the dirty floors or any wet surface close to the sink. I’d usually go with the second choice not because it’s a great option, but it’s much easier to wipe the surface of the sink with tissues than the dirty floors.

Many times, I’d try to avoid changing my baby’s diapers unless he’s quite uncomfortable! I’m usually left with no choice other than leaving my baby with a wet diaper until we get back home!

It’s a shame really how many fancy places lack some good planning that could’ve included a diapering area or table in the toilets, and would make life a whole lot easier. I’m sure it won’t cost much if they added one in each restroom; even now it’s not too late.

P.s. I remember finding a changing table in Ikea.

Lol, I just noticed something about this sign I uploaded above, how come it’s always ladies doing the dirty work?! It’s so feminist …

Today we shopped at Marks & Spencer, and because my baby was on his stroller, therefore, we didn’t have much of a choice but to take the lift. So when we got in, I was amazed to see how the inside of the lift was in such a bad shape! There was rust everywhere, paint was peeling off, and everything else had dents & dings! It looked like a prison cell only made out of metal! I’ve never seen anything like it!

Three days ago, I noticed my baby was very irritable and as though in pain, then I looked at his gums and there was an unusual little white dot on his lower gums, which made me suspicious. I thought: ‘he must be teething!’

I guess I should be happy, and I’ve decided that the time has come to feed my baby solids, and I choose Milupa rice cereal because many studies showed that it doesn’t cause any allergies.

At the moment, I’m a bit unsure what to do next week. I thought I might switch to another cereal, maybe oatmeal or barley. I might need to go to the co-op before I make up my mind!

I’d like to wish my husband a happy b-day, he turned 28 today. I got him a perfume he’d wanted for so long, called Candies, and according to him it’s not sold here in Kuwait because he looked everywhere. So when my brother was in the states I told him to buy it for him, and luckily he found it!

I surprised my husband after we had lunch with Opera’s trifle dessert in mini glass cups; which spelled I love you.

Anyways, we decided we should go out with my sister-in-law and her daughter to watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at Muhallab. It wasn’t bad at all, but I don’t understand why it was censored?? I was able to predict the ending this time, it was so obvious …

I found a cool booth next to the cinema, called London Chocolates, which sells sweets imported from the UK. I bought myself some Starbursts original flavour for 500fils. I wish they had it when I was craving for it during my pregnancy!

Afterwards, we went to Biella, an Italian cafe or restaurant at the Marina mall and it wasn’t that great. I ordered salmon for my main course, no appetizers, and I had passione, a cold drink, which wasn’t that good either.

Lately, or particularly in the last month, I’ve noticed my baby had a preference to sleep on his side. At first, I wouldn’t allow this at all because I should always always place my baby ‘back to sleep’ as recommended by many organizations; even though there’s no history of SIDS in the family.

It’s unsafe, but babies don’t take no for an answer and besides it was the only way he could go to sleep now!

What I did is I had to place him on his side and for 5-10 minutes I’d usually observe my baby go into a sound sleep, then I’d turn him so gently and so slowly on his back. It worked for me, lol!

Ps. But I did find this info. on the following link about side sleeping as an alternative sleeping position, and according to this site, I can actually place my baby on his side, as long as I make sure to pull forward my baby’s lower arm, and this in turn would prevent my baby from rolling over on his tummy during sleeping … coool! The picture below illustrates the alternative sleeping position I’m talking about. I haven’t tried it yet …

I’d like to wish my older brother a happy happy b-day! Yesterday I couldn’t think of any better gifts for him, esp. with the party coming up; which is today, other than a perfume set from Amal Al-Kuwait.

I bought him a very traditional sort of fragrance called Oud Oil and incenses, or type of myrrh, called Bakhour. I bet anyone who has been to Kuwait or any other Arab country would surely know what they are.

Both are usually sold in one single tolah (around say 15-20 ounces). For example, one single tolah of Oud Oil or Bakhour could cost less or more than 30 kd, and this depends on the quality!

But generally, the price range is usually between 5kd-10kd as the cheapest and 50-120kd or more for the more fancy kind.

And even if you were inexperienced in this crazy business it won’t be difficult to distinguish or compare the best sorts of fragrances because they’d usually have strong distinct aromas. I know some people who’d get obsessed with buying quality oils and incenses, but for me, it’s a sort of thing I’d like to use strictly for special occasions.