Going to the malls

We're having winter right now in Germany.

I don't have as much problems with the cold as I have with the darkness of winter. Last week was gloomy and the sun rarely made its appearance. And even when it did, it emitted weak rays of light before diminishing behind the cloudy skies.

And as all stay-home moms will know, its tough to stay at home with baby all day. I usually try to take Sammy for a walk once a day so that I get some fresh air into my lungs and some daylight into my system.

The past few days though, we've been experiencing a brutally cold East wind and stormy weather. This meant that it would be painful (literally) to go out for walks. There was a recent news report of how a mother brought her baby out for a stroll and a gush of wind toppled the stroller, causing the baby to roll out of it, down a hill and smack into a river! The desperate mother jumped into the river and managed to retrieve her baby before it was too late. Sounds straight from a hollywood film right?

When I first heard the news, my heart went limp. I don't even want to think of what it must have been like for that mother to witness the possible last few seconds of her baby's life.

Anyways, my point of it all is that I have been desperately trying to figure out how to pass the time with a little one at home.

Stuttgart downtown has a wide array of stores. BUT they are all along the main shopping street and one would have to walk through the cold weather from one store to the next. This isn't entirely ideal for a baby wrapped up to the neck, who would be fine outdoors but sweating / be uncomfortable indoors with the heating.

And believe it or not, there is only one main shopping mall close to where I live. One.

I know that when I first moved here 5.5 years ago and realized that there was only one shopping mall near where I lived, my heart almost fainted. The Singaporean in me was devastated that my favourite pastime was reduced to 3-floors of shops in the same building!

Anyway, one is better than nothing. So I called a friend of mine and off we went to this mall with baby in tow. We didn't anticpate the throng of cars there waiting for a parking space! For every available parking space, there were at least 3-4 cars roaming around the carpark! I started getting sweaty hands when I pondered the possibility of spending our shopping day driving round and round the carpark!

Thank God after a couple of close-shaves-but-no-parking-lots, I managed to be at the right spot at the right time, just when some people were getting into their car.

These are a couple of pictures we took at the malls. Its so much easier to take care of a 4-month old outdoors. This little one simply wants to see people and be in a different environment. At home, I'm the one who has to entertain him. Outside, he's happy sitting on a couch and observing his environment.

I'm so big I get my own seat now!

Oops I'm tumbling... can't support the weight of my head and my broad frame

Oops.... I think I do prefer lying down instead!

Look at that happy smile and know that I'm contented going round and round the swivel chair!

Yes Mummy, I am a very good boy! Oh at least I try to.... People tell me I got nice lips...what do you think?

Let's see what's on the left...

 Now let's take a look on the right.....

Now I shall be nice and look at Mummy's camera!

 

My fist tastes sooo good!

   Yes and what were you saying here?

I think I prefer lounging on the couch instead!