Around the world in 180 seconds

Go, atleast once a year, to a place you have never been to before... Unfortunately, I couldn't travel anywhere this year. 

My last trip was in October 2018 during the second trimester. From then on, I couldn't travel long distances as my OB advised me not to. My placenta was just close to being on the lower end of the uterus. After delivery, I couldn't travel anywhere as the baby was too small and  SARS-CoV-2 cases were on the rise. 

It's been close to a year since I have been on a "proper" vacation. I have been at home on most days, owing to the maternity leave, numerous lockdowns and staggered duty pattern at the workplace. Some may consider this to be a vacation, for me it's not. My idea of a vacation is to run away from the usual, explore places, try out new cuisines and return home with great memories. 

Lately, I have been dying to go on a vacation so bad. If I didn't have the infant with me, I would have definitely packed my bags and headed out to Thailand inspite of the pandemic. 😂

For now, I will just have to be happy with these vacation photos that I managed to click over the weekend. 

2020 - The year so far...

2020 has been quite an eventful year so far. I didn't even think in my wildest dreams that things would be different this year. I have come to a point where I have stopped making plans  and go along with the flow. 

Covid-19 has gripped the world and how. Raising a kid at this time may be a challenge depending on how old your child is and where you live. 

In India, we have had four major nationwide lockdowns since March 2020 with some relaxations in between. 

I am grateful that I have an infant to look after during these times. Unlike a toddler or an older child, I didn't have to worry much about keeping my little one occupied with activities, monitoring online classes and explaining why he/she can't step out of the house.

I was on maternity leave since February 2020 for six months. The option for a paternity leave was not available. Thanks to the lockdown, my husband was at home on most days and helped around whenever needed. I can't imagine how it would have been if I had absolutely no help. 

We make sure that the little one interacts with her grandparents through video calls. The last time she met them in person was in Feb - March, with the exception of my dad who still hasn't held her in his arms yet. 

Over the last six months, we hardly took our baby outside, for the fear of getting her infected. The only couple of times she has been out were for random strolls on the terrace, vaccinations and short car drives. She doesn't get opportunities to interact much with people. Even if she does, they are usually hidden behind a mask. To most people, this may seem to be in best interest for the child. As a mother, I am concerned if this may take a toll on her social skills and personality. She still has to discover that the world she lives in, is a much bigger and beautiful place. 😊 I can't wait to take her to the park, beach, mall, church and places where she can meet more people. I can't wait to show her how a crow, pigeon, cat or a dog looks like... There are so many things that I want her to see, feel and experience...things that we took for granted before Corona arrived. 

I just hope, like any other person, that the current situation gets better. I am looking forward to the day when we can finally toss the mask away and walk around freely.