My Baby's Window pane

Poor child. He's now begun to lost his socialability touch, (bahasa indonya kuper :(), not like he used to be. Now, he likes to climb on to the window and stare outside our apartment.

Well, this is what we get by living in a very closed environment. We cannot freely go outside and play. For some good reasons. First, the desert climate. The sun is very harsh especially during summer time - very bad for the skin.

Just the opposite of being in Amsterdam. I remember one cloudy day calling my mom then suddenly the sunshine stroke my window. When I was about to get off the phone, my mom laughed at me saying, "Poor you, never see the sunlight eh?!". Now, I have sunlight everywhere but just can't enjoy it.

Secondly, my security. As if it wasn't enough for me being stared by men though I walked with my hubby n baby. Oh please...!!! A friend of mine confirmed us that it is not quite safe for women to wander around by herself.

What am I saying here. I was just about to talk about my son's deteriorating social skill.

It was true that when his father went to KSA and left him for the first time exactly one year ago (Saturday, 1 April 2006, he was 4mos), he became quite touchy. He cried a lot everytime he saw new people, especially men. Evas experienced that as well. Then I took him everywhere. Strolling to the park and alongside the canal, shopping- either for groceries or just window shopping- enjoying Konninginsdag, and in the last week, visiting a family friend for a birthday party. In the party he was very nice and quite when being held by women, but cried a lot when taken by men :p.

Then we moved in June to Jeddah. Well, no way to socialize here. However, I don't know why, he drew lots of attention from children (especially girls ..:p) and adults. The first time we were quite shocked when suddenly a little girl of 2 or 3 years old came over him and kissed him on the cheek. Then it became usual for us to see some kids trying to play with him. Of course he was only sit nicely and laughing with them from his stroller.

In September finally we went to Jakarta. Here I realized that baby has a strong memory. he seemed to remember his Eyang Ti, who gave him mommy's milk in the bottle, changed his diaper to bathed him in warm water during the first three weeks of his life. I was surprised to see him hugging and putting his nose onto Mami's nose when he saw her again for the first time. Also that night, he cuddled her intensely and ignored the rest of his adoring fans.

In two weeks he become friendly to other people. And in the last weeks of our visit, he became alarmingly friendly. Why? Because he could get friendly to strangers very easily. To our friends and families. That was fine. Untill at the airport to Solo, he tried to "make friend" to a young girl of 20s. Finally, the girl opened her arms and called him over. And he WENT to her... Luckily, she didn't mean any harm and that we were around. What if it's the other way around.

It continued up to couple of weeks ago, when he boldly explored places he's never gone before (Star Trek kaliii). In the mall, we just watched him wandered around before started to run after him, if he went out of sight. He was also friendly to people who tried to communicate with him.

Now, he becomes shy and uneasy every time we release him from his stroller to let him walk around. He would clutch me or his daddy's shirt, asking us to carry him instead.

Oh, poor baby! We just have to make him socialize more and go outside again. How...???