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Baby Brain Weekly Memoir: 27th February 2015 … A Week At My Parents!

Hello all!

I hope you’ve had a wonderful week!  We had a rocky start to ours since Dubai!

We got back and Arjun had terrible diarrhoea. Preetam landed feeling pretty unwell too and I had a huge pile of washing to deal with! On top of that Preetam had to pack for a trip to New York with work departing two days later and I had to get mine and Arjun’s stuff packed to spend the week at my parents whilst he was going.

It was challenging to say the least with all of us feeling really jet lagged and a little unwell. By Sunday Preetam was feeling much better which was great timing for New York. That night I went to bed feeling fine, I woke up at 2am and felt really hot and odd. I woke up and went to the bathroom and felt like I was about to pass out – I vomited about 7/8 times and had horrible diarrhoea. I don’t remember the last time I felt so ill. Preetam woke up at the sound of it all and panicked with his flight just a few hours away.

I felt so rough. All I wanted was my mum. Preetam called my mum in the early hours of the morning and she came over. I’m such a big baby and it’s weird; even thought I’m now a mummy, I still take so much comfort in my own mummy. My mum came to my rescue (she knows I’m a drama queen) and to help with Arjun.

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Arjun and Nani moments … precious x
Later on, we made it to my parents in one piece with Preetam dropping us off and I slept pretty much that whole day. My body was aching. I really admire those women/men that bring up their children single handedly without any support. I couldn’t even look after myself let alone a baby! It felt so nice being in the comfort of my parents home with mum and dad running around trying to make things as comfortable as possible whilst also managing Arjun.
Preetam was a little emotional saying good bye when my dad went to drop him to the airport. The thought of being away from Arjun for even a day broke his heart. Plus the added stress of us being unwell but he knew we’d be well looked after.

Goov was also unwell (recovering from the same bug that had appeared to have knocked us all down!), so it was really nice to have her around even though we all pretty much spent the whole day in bed! Haha.

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Goov Masi and Arjy cuddles x
The first two days of us being at my parents was me trying to recover whilst the others took care of Arjun. It’s amazing how much a child changes you. I remember when I used to get sick before I had him, if I felt unwell, I wouldn’t care about fluids and food if I didn’t fancy it. Now that Arj is here I was drinking water like there was no tomorrow and was eating little bits to help me recover faster even though I had no appetite and felt so rough.

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The twins testing out Arjun’s love!
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Arjun LOVED bath time with his Masis!

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Arjun enjoying Nani’s prontah and dehi x
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Harv had taken the day off on Tuesday which was great timing. Her energy always keeps Arjun entertained and she’s also very up and go.  We popped in to local shops just to have a browse and to buy some basics like wipes. The fresh air did me some good. We had hoped to go for a walk that day but a quick trip to the local shops had pretty much wiped me out.

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Arjun enjoyed being outdoors but it was the first time I’d taken him to a shop where he can sit in the trolley with someone. When it’s just two popping to a local shop (eg Toys R Us), it’s ok as he’s facing me but this time the moment Harv or I went behind him he kicked off :/! Harv ended up giving in and carried him around the shop – not something I would’ve chosen to do! He’s hefty and a workout wasn’t what I’d bargained for lol.

Preetam FaceTimed us daily multiple times as he missed Arjun so much. He was so worried he’d miss out on a crucial milestone (Arjun’s close to crawling) or that Arjun would forget him!

I was nervous the first time we FaceTimed as wasn’t sure how Arjun would react – was nervous especially because of his separation anxiety but he was ok. He didn’t really acknowledge the face on the phone screen (perhaps because the screen was dark), but he did look around the room searching for his daddy’s face without tears thankfully.

After a few days,  Arjun began smiling and trying to grab the phone when he saw his daddy. Touch wood he wasn’t tearful though! I think his Masis and Nanaji and Naniji did a fab job at keeping him busy/distracted. It was probably a lot harder for Preetam being away from us as he was alone whereas we were occupied. We missed him lots though especially the first few days.

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In the mornings, my mum and dad would daily take Arjun to Babaji’s room and to do paat with him. We are blessed enough to have Maharaj at my parents home. Those moments are invaluable for Arjun and that time with his grandparents is priceless. I’m so blessed to have parents that are so involved with the Gurdwara, Seva and Simran. Arjun was so calm in the mornings and attentively watched my mum and dad’s faces as they recited paat. Nanaji would then make him his breakfast and they’d sit together whilst Arjun fed himself and Nanaji had his tea. Just watching them melted my heart and brought tears to my eyes – I have no idea why I’ve become such a crazy emotional old bag!!

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My Mamiji took half a day off from work to spend some time with Arjun which ended up being a really lovely chilled out day. We decided to go to Toys R Us to check out baby walkers and then an impromptu trip to Costco. It was so fun taking Arjun to Toys R Us as the last time I took him, he was asleep and to be honest had I been alone I wouldn’t have tested things out. But because I had my Mamiji and my mum, we trialed and tested some baby walkers and found his favourite! And Sod’s law it wasn’t in stock!

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I’ve heard lots of negativity around baby walkers which is why I didn’t get one before about how it can affect a baby’s walking and curl their legs inwards but after researching and speaking to friends I decided to give it a go. Especially given he won’t be in it for longer than 15 minutes a day!

Arjun was full of smiles and giggles at Toys R Us and was super excited to have his Nanis with him.

He fell asleep in Costco in the trolley which was really dinky – he used my mum’s jumper as a pillow!

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We spent Arjun’s 8 month birthday at my Rano Masis. It was a really nice chilled out afternoon with tea, Masi’s famous samoseh, mogo and lots of laughs!

They have an Akita and initially Arjun cried when he saw her. Probably because she looks like a big cuddly bear compared to Bruno! But he quickly warmed up to Nikita and kept flinging his body towards her.  She’s a gentle giant and wasn’t too bothered by Arjun being there.

Arjun got lots of love and kisses from his Rano and Gudo Nanis (who also later joined us). He’s also particularly animated with his Sabby Mamaji who’s quite patient and attentive. Probably a nice break from all the women! Haha!

Bhavan got some practice in too before her little bubba arrives – it was cute that her baby responded to Arjun’s little bum squished up to his/her mummys belly!

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That evening we were supposed to go out for dinner but we were all pretty shattered so the twins and I decided to order a sneaky cookie dough from Pizza Hut. Oh boy it was delicious but I could literally feel my tummy and love handles grow!! Even my elasticated leggings felt tight!  It was nice having that treat and over indulging though. I miss doing silly sisterly things.

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Arjun showed different sides of his personality so much this week – or I noticed it more! He was extremely cheeky one evening where he decided he felt sorry for Chico and would feed him his banana when he thought no one was looking! I love seeing his quirkiness coming through.  He has such a little personality shining through now and I fall more and more in love with him each day!

 


There were really precious moments – him doing paat with my parents was definitely one. Another was one evening when he was supposed to be going to sleep, he was half asleep on the bed and every so often he’d open his eyes and then to look at my sister and look lovingly in to her eyes and smile for ages. This went on for about half an hour till she was literally in tears because of how sweet it was!

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Our final day we spent doing lots! The day started off with my dad taking Arjun downstairs for breakfast. Once I was showered and dressed, I went downstairs to find my dad, Arjun and Chico all sitting together having breakfast. It was so sweet!!

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Our family friend Olivia popped by mid morning to see Arjun, Chico was equally excited to see her! It was a quick meet as we had to rush off to see my grandparents – I hadn’t had the chance earlier on in the week to take Arjun as we’d been unwell and I didn’t want to pass on our germs.

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It’s always lovely watching my grandparents interact with Arjun – they suddenly light up and are filled with energy. He has a really special spot for my grandma – he always reaches out for her to pick him up and with my granddad he’ll watch him attentively.  Arjun also tried to talk and gave them lots of cheeky smiles. My granddad was generally talking about how a mother is like a second God to a child – that’s exactly what my mum is to me. I wonder if Arjun will feel the same way about me when he’s older?!

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After my grandparents house, we took Arjun to the Gurdwara. It was nice going with my mum and dad. Arjun has definitely developed so much just from the time before we’d taken him (just before Dubai). He sat there looking at Maharaj and just absorbing what was going on around him. When he saw his Nanaji walk in, he tried to crawl (and miserably failed) towards him. He also got to have some langar this time – he shared Nanajis roti with him 🙂 He ended up in the Gurdwara office with my mum’s buddies and loved meeting all these new people and checking out new places. I’ve mentioned before; I love going to the Gurdwara, it always brings some element of calmness and balance to my mind.

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After the Gurdwara my mum and I popped to Southall Broadway to pick up a few bits, Arjun slept the whole way which was handy!

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When we got back, our neighbour Bina Aunti came over to see Arjun. She’s seen me grow up as they’ve known my parents since before I was born. We also took a trip down memory lane! So this week has involved lots of reminiscing and lots of happy memories.

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Preetam arrived later on that evening. When he returned Arjun looked everywhere but at him. I’m not sure if that was his way of showing his daddy he was mad at him for leaving or whether he actually didn’t realise Preetam was there! Lol. But put it this way, since last night the boys have been inseparable and Preetam even demanded Arjun sleep with us last night!  They spent the evening going through all the clothes daddy bought Arjun.

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I’m missing my parents home already. It’s strange how you spend 20/30 odd years living there, and it all goes by so quickly and before you know it I’m married with my own child in my own home. As much as I love my life now, I miss my life then too. I miss waking up and not being the one in charge of everything around the house, having the comfort of my parents there constantly – they are my strength, having my best friends living with me – my sisters.
Becoming a mother and a wife definitely means I have a new found respect for my mum. Even whilst I stayed there, watching her cook, clean, run errands and help take care of Arjun just made my love and respect grow for her – I’m half her age and still don’t have half the energy she does! She’s amazing. On top of that she’s awake at 2am daily to do her paat, go to the Gurdwara at 4am for Simran and then if she’s lucky she’ll get an hour or two sleep when she’s back. Whilst we were there she didn’t get the extra few hours sleep! I wish I could be half the woman that she is! A true inspiration and I’m blessed to say that she’s my mum x

The smallest things took me back to when I was living there – the smell of Goov’s perfume, the way the sun hits the room in the morning, hearing dad call out to Chico in the mornings to go for a walk, dad making me tea and toast in the mornings (his toast tastes the best), Harv and Goovs bickering in the mornings – all those things to name a few gave me pockets of nostalgia.

Lying here in bed in my own house and totally welling up!! I love them all so much. Although I’m lucky enough to have my family 15/20 minutes away from me, life changes after marriage. Your responsibility grows, your family grows and you grow. I’m blessed to have such loving in laws who have made the transition easier.
To all the unmarried women out there living at home; make the most of your time with your parents and family,  once you’re married you’ll miss it beyond words can describe! And unfortunately there’s no such thing as a temporary time machine lol.

So glad and grateful to God that we’ve been able to give our parents the gift of a grandchild. It’s the least we could have given them given how much they do for us!

Just before we left for Dubai, I thought I’d include a few bits that got left out as I didn’t do my weekly memoir whilst on holiday.

Arjun attended his first baby shower for his Bhavan Masi. It was a lovely shower with lots of food and fun – I missed out on all the games as ended up sitting in the other room with the other mums and babies whilst we tried to put Arj to sleep for his nap.

Arjun really enjoyed it – I hardly saw him other than when it came to nap time as he was busy socialising with everyone. He was the only guy there surrounded by women!! Even all the other little babies were girls.
He was loving the attention from the elders and especially from his Mamajis at the end.

We are so excited for Bhavan and cannot wait to welcome Arjun’s baby brother or sister in to the world! 🙂

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Arjun also had a spontaneous play date with his twin buddies Kaeden and Tiana. They are such adorable little babies and Arjun interacts with them so well. It was so cute watching them share/steal toys from each other, giggle at each other and try to babble to each other. Kaeden and Tiana’s mummy Baljit is someone I draw so much energy from. I admire her so much – she’s an incredible mother who she oozes positive energy and is someone I love being around.

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He also had a visit from his pooji and fufarji and especially enjoyed munching on jumper strings!

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How was your week? What did you get up to?x

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My Baby’s Second Holiday to Dubai – A Review with Lots of Pics & Videos!

Hello all!

So we’re back and suffering majorly with the holiday blues! It was such a fab trip and I’m so glad we decided to go for a few extra days this time! It’s never easy coming back is it?! Especially with no sunshine!

We had an amazing trip and it was so so nice to holiday with Preetam’s parents – it was Arjun’s first holiday with his grandparents and watching him interact with them in the pool, on the beach and at the aquarium were my highlights. I loved how happy and excitedly they reacted to this new little developments like his increased babbling too!

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As I have lots to say, I thought I’d try and separate things to make it easier to the eye! So here goes …

VIRGIN LOUNGE

We chose a night flight purposely and we flew business class so that Arjun could comfortably sleep (he’s too big for a bassinet). Also his daddy is a pretty tall lad (6’4) so it’s a lot more comfortable when sharing a seat with a baby. I’m a terrible flyer and before Arjun would fall asleep before the flight even took off and wake up just when we were about to land. I’m still a heavy sleeper on the plane and I’m so lucky I married someone that’s the complete opposite! Preetam doesn’t sleep a wink! Which works well with Arjun 😉 Preetam generally manages Arjun on the flight and I’ll manage him as soon as we land. It works well as it means one of us is semi rested at any given point.

Arjun was ok at the airport, enjoying the perks of the Virgin lounge! Their menu selection is brilliant for kids and as we are vegetarian, we went for veggie sticks for Arjun. He loved munching on them. He also had some fresh bread rolls which are available at the deli counter with some cheese as well as some mashed potato. His own mini feast!! High chairs are available but he was happy sitting on the sofa with us and eating. For adults, I’d highly recommend the deep fried brie (bye bye diet!).

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Arjun’s veggie sticks
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My yummy veggie mushroom burger and chips!
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Deep fried brie … DELICIOUS!
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Couldn’t resist …

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The Virgin lounge also has a games area which kept Arjun entertained – Preetam and I played a few games (namely Pac Man!) and Arjun had fun bashing the control stick around.

There is also a children’s play area with lots of fun toys. Arjun loves playing with trucks and lorries, he loved playing with some new ones here.

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The staff were lovely – very friendly especially towards him and engaged in lots of babble with him!

THE FLIGHTS

I wrote a post on some tips for first flying with a baby (my in flight tips), all those merged together really worked for Arjun the last time we flew. This time we weren’t so lucky!

Our flight took off at 8.40pm and usually Arjun would fall asleep around this time. He didn’t. He cried and cried and cried. Preetam tried to settle him, I tried to settle him. Nothing worked. All he wanted was his daddy, but even then he was struggling to calm down.

At one point Preetam needed to go to the toilet so handed Arjun over to me. He cried and screamed and was so distraught watching his daddy walk away. I’m not sure what the source of Arj’s separation anxiety is with his dad and how to help him. It’s heartbreaking to see but it’s also tiring. He’s absolutely besotted with his dad.

It took Arjun about two hours to fall asleep. He slept with me – it was a very tight squeeze and I barely slept a wink as I was scared of squashing him! A good remaining flight is what I’d hoped for!

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He woke after three hours.

Great!

Preetam was awake anyway so took Arjun but again he was quite unsettled for the rest of the flight.

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I was relieved when we landed. I found the air hostesses comments about “he is such a good baby!” Funny. Not sure if they were being sarcastic or if they didn’t hear him or if their definition of having a good flight with a baby is different to mine! Either way I was so relieved.

The cabin crew were great and so accommodating. We were provided with baby food and extra bread rolls for Arjun :). They were also great in getting us sterile water for Arjun to drink.

On the way back, Arjun was actually very good, he was playful and happy however he suddenly got diarrhea at the airport which wasn’t great! I’m not sure if he’d eaten something dodgy or if it was due to his teeth but it was baaaad! I was alone in the bathroom at the airport, and his clothes were covered when I undressed him, the kind cleaner in the toilets helped entertain Arjun whilst I washed down his clothes.

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The cabin crew on the flight were also really helpful – one of them even tried to feed him!

He slept most of the journey back and on landing we didn’t need to give him a bottle was he was distracted watching Mickey Mouse and laughed the whole way descending.

DAR AL MASYAF
I love this hotel as it oozes pure luxury and the attention to detail is right up my street.  The views are magnificent from wherever you are!

The Rooms

We stayed at DAM the last time we came to Dubai (November 2014) when Arjun was just 5 months old. Our expectations were yet again exceeded this time in many ways. We stayed in the Gulf Summer House Arabian King villa.

There are several other accommodation options which can be found here: Dar Al Masyaf

The Dar Al Masyaf is part of the Jumeirah group which also includes the Al Qasr, Mina Salam and the Burj Al Arab to name a few. All brilliant hotels. We chose this particular one as the rooms are very large villas with huge bathrooms (60 square foot) – perfect when travelling with a baby. The spacious rooms means there’s ample space to set up “stations” for changing, sterilising and feeding. There’s also plenty of wardrobe space for all our clothes.

The beds are also huge (super king) which is perfect for us. I’m a little uncomfortable with putting Arjun in a cot there (OCD) so we have him in our bed with us when on holiday.

Each room comes with a balcony and with a nice view – ours was of the river.

Private Pool/Main Pool

You also have access to a private pool which you share with three other villas. The pool is usually very quiet and was especially handy for when we didn’t fancy the hustle and bustle of the bigger pool. Or if we wanted to practice Arjun’s swimming. The bigger pool we used when Arjun was in his float.

I’ve never seen so many lifeguards in my life – there are sometimes more lifeguards than people actually in the pool! It’s really reassuring especially when you have a baby. The private pool has one life guard at all times and the big pool has a lifeguard every few meters.

The only thing I’d say is, going during half term meant the main pool was a lot more crowded than when we went in November.  We ended up using the private pool a lot more and dadaji and dadji had great fun splish splashing about with Arjun!

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Butler/Personal Service

An added bonus is that with Dar Al Masyaf, you are assigned a personal butler. Each butler takes care of two villas. Again not necessarily something we were looking for but definitely a nice perk to have!

Our favourite butler was Rem – he was absolutely amazing. He formed a very special bond with Arjun and went out of his way for us. He took the time and effort to really get to know us – our likes/dislikes and little gestures went a long way. For example, at happy hour (6-8), he’d especially arrange my favourite drink (lemon and mint) as we don’t drink alcohol. A few times when we ordered drinks he’d also bring up olives for Arjun as he knew Arjun loves them (Preetam would suck the salt out of them and let him have one – I’m not an olive fan!). Little things like that went a long way with us. Rem made such a fuss of Arjun, it was so sweet and Arjun took a natural shine to him too.

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The butler is available to help with most things from dinner reservations to spa treatments to arranging special days – for example Valentine’s Day Rem arranged flowers to be delivered to my room from Preetam and also a cake for our anniversary.

The butler service was handy with a baby as they were always on hand to e.g. help carry things up to the room (we were on the first floor) or arrange certain foods to be made.

The staff at the Dar Al Masyaf can’t be faulted – we felt like everyone from the restaurant staff to the pool staff made a huge effort to get to know us.  The staff got to know Arjun and made such a big fuss of him – he’s a friendly little guy and melts hearts quite often!

The manager, Eldar also contacted us when he found out we were staying there again.  He called us to ask how our stay was going and whether there was anything else they could do.  He also made the effort to come and see us in person just to see how we were doing.  Gestures like those made our stay so warming.

Thilakh at the Al Qasr restaurant for breakfast always had our order ready before we even reached his stand as he knew what we’d want (we ordered the same thing every day!).

Flora at the restaurant always grabbed a moment with Arjun and has promised him a trip to Africa! I wonder if that means mummy and daddy get a free trip!?

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Genisis the chef at the restaurant who always accommodated my daily Nutella need (yep it’s a need!)!

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Lorenso the Abra driver also made such a big fuss of Arjun, engaging in convo everytime we met and giving him infinite blessings. It was so sweet.  There were many Abra drivers like this who’d play with Arjun, give him their walkie talkies and sing to him.

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Ifran the driver on the way back to the airport was also so lovely.

Internal Transport

One of my most favourite things about DAM are the abras. Abras are beautiful gondola style boats that are used as water taxis. The abra stations are beautifully made and are so well kept. It’s like a mini Venice. You’d expect there to be a smell of damp with the river and boats but there isn’t. It’s so well kept, clean and tidy. The abra can be used to get to the other hotels, the swimming pool, beach, 40 restaurants, Madinat Jumeirah and provides spectacular views of Dubai including the Burj Al Arab and the beach.

I’m already missing my morning abra ride to breakfast!

Arjun loved the daily abra rides and was either super excited or super calm!

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As well as the abras, if you get sea sick (haha!) there are also buggies available to get around.

The only thing to note was; as we went during half term this time, the wait time for an abra (10-15 minutes) was a lot longer than when we went in November (2-3 minutes!).

The Food

My other favourite thing about this holiday was the fact that Arjun is now eating and is able to try new things. Going on holiday makes it so much easier to explore!

The hotel was exceptionally well catered for babies offering steamed vegetables, purées, fresh fruit platters to name a few! Children under 4 are catered for free.

Arjuns favourite and most balanced meal of the day was definitely breakfast. He loved it. He got to try such a wide variety of different foods such as different cheeses, breads, fruits and fresh juices.

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A typical breakfast for Arjy x

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I adopted a baby led weaning approach wherever possible whilst in Dubai as he was happiest feeding himself. It was also really nice as we were all able to have a meal as a family.

Arjun is a total carbaholic – he definitely hasn’t adopted daddy’s diet just yet! He loves all different types of bread (from Arabic bread, to tortilla wraps, to your bog standard bread and bread rolls!), potatoes (in any form!) and pasta! He always picks those over anything else on the plate APART from grapes! Those are his number 1 favourite thing right now.

The beach food facilities were also great for babies, they were more than happy to provide us with foods that weren’t even included on the menu such as steamed vegetables.  They also have high chairs which is handy though we didn’t end up needing one for now.

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Fresh mash with an Ella’s Kitchen pouch and a fruit platter for Arjun

We also went to the lobby area of Al Qasr a few times to have coffee with friends and sat outside.  It’s such a relaxed and peaceful setting and is perfect for catching up with friends.

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Delicious hot chocolate at the Al Qasr
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Us with Amrit at the Al Qasr lobbyx

For adults, I’d highly recommend Pai Thai – the best Thai food I’ve ever had! And for kids and adults, I’d recommend Tortuga for delicious authentic Mexican food – again the best mexican food I’ve had!

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Yummy veggie Thai food
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Arjun enjoying the beautiful view of the river from our seat at Pai Thai
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Arjun chiming the bell after our Thai meal
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Churros… yum!
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A chocolate cookie crumble dessert
 

Kid’s Club

The hotel complex also offers a kids club called Sinbad’s. Arjun is a little too young at the moment to really enjoy what the kids club has to offer but it’s great for older kids.  They have a separate closed off area with a fence around it, the pool has many swings, fountains and slides and there’s also a climbing frame and indoor play area.  They also offer a baby sitting service.

For more on Sinbad’s: Sinbad’s

THINGS TO DO

Staying in such a beautiful hotel meant we very rarely felt the need to go out. We wanted to make the most of our family time and enjoy what the hotel had to offer us. We did venture out a few times on our last trip to Dubai and this time.

Jumeirah Beach

Jumierah beach offers white sands and clear watered sea with stunning views of Dubai.  Our view to the left was that of The Palm – we have a clear view of The Atlantis in the distance. To the right you have a view of the Burj Al Arab.

Although we didn’t really take Arjun in to the sea – apparently the sea water although clear is heavily polluted in Dubai so we didn’t want to risk it, he really enjoyed watching the sea, walking with us in the sea and playing in the sand.

This was Arjun’s first feel of sand.  Initially he didn’t like it and flinched everytime he touched it.  But he quickly warmed to it and it wasn’t long before he was trying to eat it!  It seemed like he found it relaxing grasping sand in his hands.

We spent a few days at the beach – two of which were with Arjun’s dadaji and dadiji and they loved watching him.  He seems to grow so much when on holiday! It was on our anniversary at the beach that Preetam’s mum noticed his teeth had cut! I cried of course – how is my baby growing so so fast?! This also explained why he was not himself on the plane journey in.

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Cheesecake Factory

There is a Cheesecake Factory in The Mall of Emirates as well as The Dubai Mall. This is an absolute must especially as we don’t have it here in the UK.  But be warned, you’ll come out in a major food coma with an accompanying food baby! The portions are huuuuge and most things are deep fried (who doesn’t like deep fried food!?).  Us aside, this was a meal Arjun really enjoyed – it was his first proper three course meal where they especially give babies bread and banana for starters, we picked a cheese quesadilla for his main – he ate half, and strawberries for dessert. Preetam’s parents loved watching him in his element here.

He made the most of his meal – the proof was in the nappy that evening!

The staff at The Cheesecake Factory on all three times we visited with Arjun (over our two trips) are so so friendly. They made a huge fuss over him and the general atmosphere is pretty relaxed and fun.  Arjun loved it.

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Arjun picking his cheesecake before he’d even sat down!
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Arjun’s three course meal

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Our yummy food!

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The GuruNanak Darbar Gurdwara, Jebel Ali

The architecture in Dubai is phenomenal and this Gurdwara definitely doesn’t fall short of that. Last time we visited Dubai, I forgot that their weekend begins on a Friday, we ended up going on a Sunday which is their Monday and it was really quiet.

This time we went on a Friday night and WOW! We went with Preetam’s parents and our friend Amrit who lives in the UK but was also out there for business.  The traffic getting there meant a 20 minute journey took well over an hour so we only caught the last 20 minutes of the program.  When we entered, the divaan was absolutely packed and there was beautiful blissful simran happening. It felt so warm and comforting and so peaceful.

Straight after simran was the Ardaas, and as we were unable to do matha tekh on entering whilst simran was going on, Preetam was with Arjun right at the front of the queue. Arjun decided to flex his vocals to the top of his voice during Ardaas – i don’t think the local giani’s were too impressed! Oops!

The langar was delicious and it was a nice break from the heavy restaurant food we’d been having.

I love going to the Gurdwara, it always makes me feel so balanced and calm.  Going to the Gurdwara made our trip complete.

That Friday evening was the first time Arjun saw his dadaji and dadiji in Dubai (they were staying at a different hotel) and they were super excited.  Arjun made a fuss about going to anyone else other than daddy at first but quickly warmed up and it wasn’t long before he was getting up to mischief with his dadiji and trying to talk to everyone!

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From November 2014

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Indego by Vineet at The Grosvenor Hotel: Our Anniversary Dinner

For our three year anniversary, we decided to pick a slightly swankier restaurant to celebrate.  We don’t often go for dinner with Preetam’s parents in the UK so we really wanted it to be a nice experience for them too.

As mentioned, we spent the day with them at the beach and then headed out to the Grosvenor Hotel bar for a quick mocktail and chill out before dinner.

Indego  is a Michelin Star Indian restaurant based at a hotel by the Marina. A great restaurant for fine dining with a lovely view of the Marina if sat on the terrace.

The vegetarian selection was great and we went for the almond tikki, 3 chaats and the malabari magic.   Of the three, my favourite was definitely the almond tikki – perhaps because it was something new and refreshing to my palette. The chaats were also good and the noodles and sambar that came as part of the malabari magic were divine. Everything oozed different flavours.  The beetroot chutney with the poppadoms was delicious!

For mains we went for paneer makhani, dal maharani and aloo firdausi.  Everything was absolutely delicious and the flavours complimented each other.

Dessert was on the house as it was our anniversary – a nice little surprise, they bought out a rasomali cheesecake and it was AMAZING!  One of the best desserts I’ve ever tried. I highly recommend trying it!

Arjun again had plain naan with plain yogurt.  The yogurt tasted homemade – one of the best we’ve had at a restaurant.

The ambience at the restaurant was absolutely perfect – the decor inside is modern yet beautifully warm.  The warmth, the romance, the air of grandeur all manifest from the effective use of mood lighting.  The terrace offers a relaxing setting with a similar feel just with the added view of the Marina and the cool evening breeze.

The staff at the restaurant were very friendly and hospitable.  They made a great fuss over Arjun and also catered to all our needs.

We would highly recommend this restaurant – great food with a lovely view and it’s great value for money.

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Burj Al Arab Afternoon Tea

The last time we went to Dubai, we went for Afternoon Tea at the Burj Al Arab – it was a nice excuse to dress up and do something fancy as a family.

As we have a baby, our afternoon tea was on the first floor as opposed to the Sky Bar which I imagine would have stunning views of Dubai. Our view was ok, nothing to write home about though.

The 7 course afternoon tea was delicious and extremely filling! They catered well to non drinkers and vegetarians offering us non alcoholic champagne and yummy vegetarian alternatives.  They were also well catered towards babies and were happy to chop up some vegetables for Arjun to gnaw on.

The decor inside the Burj Al Arab is quite different to anything Arjun had seen, so it gave him something new to look at!

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The Dubai Mall & The Emirates Mall

The malls in Dubai are great if you fancy splashing out. For us, it was nice to window shop but most things are a lot more expensive when compared with the UK as most things are imported.  You’ll find all the usual high street brands as well as your luxury brands.

We went to the Mall of Emirates to go for dinner at The Cheesecake Factory and had a walk about after as we needed a few baby bits.

We visited The Dubai Mall with Preetam’s parents to go to the aquarium, see the famous fountains and get a glimpse of The Khalifa at the same time.

I’ve written about the aquarium separately below. The fountain display is absolutely beautiful.  It starts from 6-11pm daily and happens every half hour between these times.  I’ve never seen a fountain display like it before and Arjun found it mesmerizing. You also get a nice view of the Burj Khalifa at the same time.

We didn’t spend very long shopping at The Dubai Mall, purely because it didn’t really excite anyone – it just felt like being in London at Westfield and why would you want to spend your holiday feeling like you’re at home!?  I did manage to upgrade my busted flip flops for some Birkenstocks this time though 🙂 and a super cute outfit from Carter’s that was made for Arjun and his daddy!

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Arjun watching the fountains at the Dubai Mall
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A bit of baby sensory at one of the stores at The Mall of Emirates
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Burj Khalifa
 

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The Gold Souk

If you’re looking for gold or diamonds, this is your place. It isn’t a myth that Dubai is cheaper and the variety is immense.

We paid a quick visit on our first day, Arjun loves bling (Ring Inspector!) so was in awe of all the sparkles around him!!

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Meena Bazaar

Full of colourful fabrics and all things Indian. Not Preetam’s favourite place to go – he doesn’t like shopping! But it’s nice to have a browse.  You can find most things in the UK at similar prices.  The hustle and bustle of Meena Bazaar is nice – especially when you know you’re going back to a tranquil hotel setting!

Madinat Jumeirah

I absolutely loved being located here. People come daily from outside to the Madinat.  There are lots of little shops selling all sorts from diamonds to souvenirs to kaftans to costume jewellery to nuts to Havaianas! Most things are pretty pricey as it’s a tourist attraction but it’s nice to have a browse and a nice walk after dinner.  I picked up a few cute jewellery bits and the nuts they sell at the nut place (I don’ know the name but there’s only one!) are amazing – I recommend the honey roasted cashews!

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Arjun’s first pair of super dinky Havaianas from his Amrit Mamaji
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Us with Amrit at the Madinat
There are also lots of restaurants located in and around the Madinat ranging from your Starbucks’ to local restaurants.  I’d recommend the Times of Arabia restaurant for AMAZING Lebanese food and brilliant hospitality. This was my first experience dining at a Lebanese restaurant and the falafel, baba ganoush and the sweet chilli potatoes come highly recommended!  Arjun had some Arabian bread mixed with an Ella’s Kitchen bean pouch.

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Our waiter showing Arjun some love

I’d also recommend Ushna’s Indian restaurant.  We decided to go here on Valentine’s day as we both fancied indian food.  After receiving Arjun’s red roses and after he got suited and booted (minus the boots!), we decided to head out to Ushna’s.

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They recognised us from the last time we visited and chef came out especially to meet us and offered to cook us whatever we fancied even if it wasn’t on the menu – I went for Chilli Paneer! Arjun had his first taste of plain naan bread with plain yogurt here.  He loved it.

The setting is also beautiful in this restaurant – there are various seating options including a swing seat, booth seats and terrace seating. Arjun found the lights and mood lighting fascinating.

Abra Tour

As we resided at the Dar Al Masyaf, we had the privilege of having several daily Abra rides as our water taxis.  However even if you aren’t staying at one of the Madinat Jumeirah hotels, you can still book an Abra tour.  It’s a lovely experience and lasts about 20 minutes. They show you around the complex and you get a great view of the Burj Al Arab.  Arjun loved the abra rides and watching the water flow past.

The Lost Chambers Aquarium vs The Dubai Mall Aquarium

Definitely preferred the Lost Chambers aquarium at the Atlantis even though it’s pricier. We took Arjun there on our first trip – I preferred it but Arjun was still quite young to know what was going on back then.  This time we took him to The Dubai Mall and he had such a wonderful time trying to interact with the sea animals – his Dada ji and Dadi ji really enjoyed watching his reaction to it all. It was so cute. Banging on the crocodile tank was definitely a highlight – fearless now but I’m guessing one day he’ll be running away from that tank!

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ARJUN & HIS TRIP

Our typical routine was:

09.00: Wake up
10.00: Breakfast
11.00: Nap
12.00: Swimming
13.30: Lunch
14.00: Nap
15.00: Swimming
16.00: Bath
16.30: Snack and milk
16.45: Nap
18.30: Dinner
20.00: Walk at the Madinat
22.00: Bed time bottle
22.30: Bed time

Some of the key changes in Arjun whilst we were away:

Separation anxiety: I’ve mentioned before that Arjun is going through separation anxiety from his daddy.  That didn’t change on holiday! Sometimes it served me well (when i needed a break!) and other times it was difficult. For example, one day we were at the main pool (full of guests!) and Arjun was having a play on the sunbed, Preetam decided to go for a quick swim … the moment Preetam left, Arjun went in to a full blown distressed screaming fit.  I didn’t know what to do, my cuddles offered him little comfort and in the end i had to call preetam out in fear of upsetting all the other guests around us with his mini melt down!

There were many special moments between Arjun and his daddy which I tried to capture in the images below.  They really are so sweet together and Arjun absolutely dotes on his papa and Preetam is besotted by his son.

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Crawling attempt: Every time we go on holiday, it feels like Arjun suddenly grows up really quickly. I don’t know if it’s because he’s surrounded by new things or if it’s just because we notice it more but wow he’s like a different person compared to when we went a few months ago (expectedly!).

He was so over excited after his first Cheesecake Factory meal when we got back to the hotel, he was trying to crawl! It’s like the food gave him a super quick growth spurt.

Baby wearing vs Pushchair: The last time we went, we predominantly used the push chair. However due to Arjun’s separation anxiety with daddy, we used the carrier a lot more this time.  It meant Arjun was able to move a little more too.

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Communication: Arjun is not only trying to speak by babbling a lot more, but he’s also started showing us what he’s after which is bloody amazing! I know this is all pretty normal for a baby, but I find it so fascinating and I’m in awe of how much he changes and grows everyday!

He now takes his bib off when he’s done eating.

This video also shows him telling us he’s hungry!

TEETH!

Of course the biggest change is that he now has teeth! He has two little two pegs at the bottom, his gummy smile is going to be missed!:( My baby is quickly turning n to a little boy!

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More animated: Arjun’s so much more animated – especially compared tot he last time we went.  Now he’s splashing about more in the pool and isn’t so reliant on the baby float for comfort; trying to talk to the animals in the tanks at the aquarium and a lot more character.  It’s only going to get bigger and bigger!

He’s also a lot more animated when watching his favorite TV shows.  He’s a bit of a tele addict but managed to go a few days with no TV at all and when he did watch anything it was for a maximum of 20 minutes when in Dubai.  We had downloaded his favourite Baby TV shows.  He’s full of giggles and smiles when his favourite characters make an appearance on screen.

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Baby Led Weaning vs Spoon Feeding: In Dubai we ended up doing a lot more BLW just because Arjun was happier feeding himself.  This is a stark difference to our last trip where he was just starting to be weaned and would gnaw on a carrot for two minutes and quickly get bored. He’d them start crying and Preetam would have to hold him during dinner! Not the nicest dining experience! However this time, there was only one night where Arjun got upset during dinner, otherwise he was happy feeding himself and babbling with us during dinner.

Some of the new foods he tried whilst away included:
Carrot juice
Orange juice
Apple juice
Sweet corn
Melon
Cheese quesadilla
Naan
Bread rolls (usually standard bread)
Breakfast potatoes
Arabic bread
Freshly made hummus
Crepes
Cottage cheese pancake
Olives
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Dragon fruit

Rupa Masi!: We met my school friend Rupa who lives out in Dubai.  Some things HAVEN’T changed with Arjun – she was able to put him to sleep as quickly as she was able to the last time! She’s a natural with babies and Arjun feels some sense of comfort with her and was happy playing with her and rummaging through her hand bag!

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Arjy with Rupa Masi in November 2014
THE TURTLE!: The last time we visited the Dar Al Masyaf, they left a little bath toy turtle on our bed during turn down service.  That quickly became Arjun’s favourite toy back then and nothing changed this time.  He still had that same turtle from back then and was even given a new one this time.  I didn’t even bother buying any new swimming toys as I knew this is his favourite! It’s the simple things.

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We had a fabulous time in Dubai and would recommend it especially as a first holiday with a baby!

Where was your first holiday with your little one and how was it?x

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The First Step by Mighty Khalsa … My Sikh Roots 

Wow! I’m so glad we stumbled upon this! Coming from a Sikh family that are heavily involved in the Gurdwara, it matters a lot to me to give Arjun the same beautiful upbringing I had.

I was blessed enough to be born in to a religion that promotes equality, humbleness and humanity. Sikhism is not only my religion, it’s my way of life. I may not practice Sikhi to it’s strictest form but my religion and faith is so dear to my heart and I would love for Arjun to have the same basic teachings that I did.

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“The First Step” book is a hardback book with the first pauri (verse) of Japji Sahib (Sikh prayer). Each line is translated in to English in cute simplified baby speak for example “Kartaa Purkh – Vaheguroo made everything. The sky, the stars … And even the toys we play with”. The choice of translation words really helps for kids to relate and learn. I absolutely love it.

The illustrations are brilliant – bright and cheery and they really keep Arjun engaged. I also especially love that all the people in the illustrations are of different races, religions and ethnicities which reflects that Sikhi teaches us to respect all. The book is really well made and will definitely last.

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All in all, this is one of my favourite investments because it’s not just any book – it’s a stepping stone for Arjun to be introduced to the basic teachings of our Guru and he absolutely loves it.

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The book cost £6.99 and can be purchased from The First Step. The staff are especially helpful and offer such a friendly and personal service.

For a chance to win your very own copy, share the below image on your social media page and don’t forget to let us know that you’ve shared it! Winner will be announced on Sunday 22nd February 🙂

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Would love to know how your babies like this buy. Do share x