Long weekend! Always makes me feel good. Mommy and daddy usually at home or we are out and about. To make it special, this was my first Australia Day!It was good timing all through. Mommy had an annual company dinner - this time in Sydney. So we packed our bag on Saturday and headed off to Shangri-la for the weekend. The dinner was on Saturday evening. Tita and Lola had plans for the weekend. So my parents booked Uncle to look after me while they were out for dinner. Uncle arrived shortly after finishing his work - but just in time before my parents had to leave. I was with him for the rest of the afternoon. It was meant to be a nice little bonding time between the niece and uncle - and it was well on its course the first session. I played and ate with Uncle and listened to the music. Eventually I fell sound asleep. That was the start of a little problem - it's not always I get up and see myself with uncle alone. So when I did, I didn't quite like what I found. I was crying.
Uncle dialed in for emergency help - he called up daddy. In between dinner, daddy gave him instructions on how to manage me. From there on, Uncle's sincere effort to calm things down meant, I cried a little longer, fell asleep, woke up again, cried a little bit more and slept again. Finally when my parents arrived, they found both the uncle and niece sound asleep in the hotel room! So that was uncle's first official baby sitting duty.
Next morning, we went for a city tour. We the Sydney-siders don't tend to spend too much time in the touristy part of the town. So it was quite a pleasant day out for my parents. They spent some quiet time in Borders reading books as I behaved like the best little girl around, giving them the quiet they needed. We all bought a couple of books to read through the long weekend (I bought a In the Night Garden little library). Then back in the hotel to enjoy Australian Open with Jelena Dokic play Kleybanova. Boy, wasn't that a fantastic match to watch! While my dad was pacing the room, mom kept pleading to change the channel as she couldn't take the thriller and I kept on clapping seeing my mom and dad sweating it out just watching a game. I wonder what they'd do if they were playing it themselves.
Top: Sydney Harbour ferry race
Right: I am appreciative of a spectacular Sydney Harbour view celebrating Australia's birthday
It was Australia day the next day. We had a late checkout arranged so we could watch the ferry race on Sydney Harbour. I do take a lot of interest in the outside world, now that I can appreciate things moving around me. So mommy and daddy gets a lot of entertainment themselves just by pointing things out to me. Every now and then they were also getting excited seeing me stand with just one hand support and occasionally taking that hand off to stand by my own for a few seconds. I have also perfected the art of clapping and get a quite a bit of attention every time I demonstrate my skills.
After the race had ended, it was our time to checkout as well. We packed our luggage (gee, it felt we were out for the month!) and after a quick city-shopping sprint for mommy - we were finally back home. I missed my walker the two days we were away. So I was having lots of fun running around the house on my walker again.
Oh, before I forget, I must tell you - since last week I have picked up the healthy, hygienic habit of brushing my teeth regularly. Mommy bought me a baby brush and toothpaste suitable for my baby gum and two little tooth. I have been cooperating with the process of brushing my teeth as I know a good, early dental habit will go a long way in my dental life.
Whether it was a cultural thing, or the believe that my hair is going to grow fuller and darker afterward, or to give me a respite from the Sydney heat, my parents decided to set a new milestone right into the new year. They shaved my hair! Surely had I been a grownup with a voice to raise against this atrocity, this would not have happened. My parents knew it and they thought 8 months is the best age to carry out such a massacre. My beautiful, silky baby hair was gone in a matter of 60 minutes. It was daddy who carried out the task. I have been suffering a little cold lately. Even that did not melt his cruel heart. He was onto it with full precision, complete with his tools and techniques.
Well, a new year was meant to bring in some changes in life. Daddy had one in mind - he was growing his facial hair! That gave him the idea - lets bring one to baby Ayesha ... let's cut her hair. And a cut he did - first trimmed to the smallest length with his trimmer and then full on razor to shave it clean. To be fair to him though, he made sure I had it all done without any scratches and with as little razor burn as possible.
