Blogging is definitely one of those things that I need to keep up with--just a little writing every day--or soon, weeks go by and I have these big 'GAPS' in my memory.
Fortunately, I have 'my life in pictures' to remind me of all the important things that have been happening in the last two weeks.
Here is little A dressed up as "Ophira the fairy". She got this costume from my parents, and she absolutely loves it! Please notice how she is SMILING in all (most) of the pictures. After I created the Canada trip slide-show, she comment that she was not in many of the pictures (mostly b/c she doesn't like having her picture taken). I explained to her that she would be left out of of our family story in pictures, if she did not cooperate and smile. VOILA! Check out those pearly whites!
Smile-ah has been working hard to push herself up. Here she is, propped up on hands and knees, getting ready to crawl. The minute you put her down on her back now, she flips herself over into this position.
Smile-ah has also been promoted to her own Stokke chair at the table. She has eaten avocado, oats cereal, apples, prunes and pears. She is a great little eater!
She also manages to prop herself up into a moderately stable seating position. However, we like to make sure that we are near by, as we have very hard tile floors, and I just don't enjoy the sound of soft baby heads thunking on the floor.
T N is a very happy and helpful big brother. He especially enjoys helping Smile-ah finish eating her food. I always put in a little extra cereal, knowing that he when he sees her settle down to eat, he will laugh, toddle over and open his mouth WIDE.
We celebrated a belated Thanksgiving dinner with our friends Uncle Pete, Yang and Juergen. The food turned out great and I must say that this was one of the more 'relaxed' dinners we hosted. I think we might be getting better organized when it comes to entertaining (Little A helped me make the pumpkin pie the day before, and we did as much 'make ahead' prep as possible). I actually had the opportunity to sit and enjoy a visit with our guests.
Little A was THRILLED when Ms. Yang showed up with a panda bear for her (she also brought some pesto). Little A has been reading her Zen books (Zen Shorts, Zen Ties and Zen Ghosts) and remarked one night how she did not have a panda bear (in her VAST collection of toys). I told her that we would ask Ms. Yang to bring her a panda the next time she went to China (one of those 'delaying' mechanisms that parents employ). When Yang asked me if she could bring something for the children, I told her that we had soooooo much, and that we only wanted to enjoy her company. So--how interesting is it that she ended up bringing a panda?? We have named the panda Stillwater, and he lives on Little A's bed.
We had a very busy two weeks of celebrations. Diwali and Thanksgiving were followed by Halloween.
Just a little word about Halloween in the UAE (something that annoys me EVERY year). Halloween, celebrated by pumpkin carving, children dressing up in costumes, and going door-to-door trick or treating, is a predominantly North American activity. However, here in our compound, we have some people who think that Halloween can be randomly assigned any date on a calendar, and often they want to move it to a Thursday or Friday, because they don't want it falling on a SCHOOL-NIGHT!! Can you imagine??
UAE ex-pats: Halloween is on October 31 (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday--NOBODY CARES). WE DON'T CHANGE HALLOWEEN!!
We had a great night and all the candy has been distributed and packed away (mostly to Malou).
We have been keeping up with T N's weekly speech therapy appointments (although we have now moved them to Sunday mornings), and our dance and music classes. Little A seems to enjoy her jazz class much more than the Dance Club, and I have not had to listen to her heart-breaking wails before nap for over a week now. Her 'private' ballet lessons are no more, as she has been joined by two little American girls, however she seems to really enjoy her new class-mates and has even asked that I arrange a 'play-date' for her.
Smile-ah is now much more mobile and independent. This week she has been pushing herself up into a sitting position, and if someone designed a onesie made entirely of Swiffer, Malou would be thrilled! She rolls all over the place and so we have to be really careful where we leave her.
To cap off our week, we helped Uncle Pete celebrate his 51st birthday. As 'the office' was already bringing in lunch and cupcakes, I opted to make him a birthday loaf instead. We had a great time at the office (I should drop Malou and T N there on a regular basis I think--so much room to play!!). Afterwards, we went to Carrefour, where we got locked out of our truck. However, we took Peter's car home and it was all good by 3 pm.
Today is the first of the Eid holiday, and now Peter will be home until Wednesday next week. We have plans to go on a boat trip with friends, and go to the beach at the Shang as well. I have given Peter special dispensation to golf on Sunday (as I will have Malou at home to help).
However, as today is Friday and Malou is OFF, I better go. Peter has been patient about watching the little ones while I update my blog...but I sense that his patience is going to run out very soon. Eid Mubarak!
Fortunately, I have 'my life in pictures' to remind me of all the important things that have been happening in the last two weeks.
Here is little A dressed up as "Ophira the fairy". She got this costume from my parents, and she absolutely loves it! Please notice how she is SMILING in all (most) of the pictures. After I created the Canada trip slide-show, she comment that she was not in many of the pictures (mostly b/c she doesn't like having her picture taken). I explained to her that she would be left out of of our family story in pictures, if she did not cooperate and smile. VOILA! Check out those pearly whites!
This guy has been driving us nuts as he seems insistent that he is ready to drop some of his nap-times. During the week that Peter was in New York, he refused to sleep in the morning AND the afternoons. Most days, Malou played with him in the afternoon (as I really needed the sleep). However, this special day, I decided to join him and practice making BUBBLES with a straw (which is not only FUN, but good exercise for his cheek and mouth muscles). As you can see, he hasn't quite mastered how to use a straw (but he sure liked blowing the bubbles down with his mouth!). We laughed and had a great time together!
Smile-ah has been working hard to push herself up. Here she is, propped up on hands and knees, getting ready to crawl. The minute you put her down on her back now, she flips herself over into this position.
She also manages to prop herself up into a moderately stable seating position. However, we like to make sure that we are near by, as we have very hard tile floors, and I just don't enjoy the sound of soft baby heads thunking on the floor.
T N is a very happy and helpful big brother. He especially enjoys helping Smile-ah finish eating her food. I always put in a little extra cereal, knowing that he when he sees her settle down to eat, he will laugh, toddle over and open his mouth WIDE.
We celebrated a belated Thanksgiving dinner with our friends Uncle Pete, Yang and Juergen. The food turned out great and I must say that this was one of the more 'relaxed' dinners we hosted. I think we might be getting better organized when it comes to entertaining (Little A helped me make the pumpkin pie the day before, and we did as much 'make ahead' prep as possible). I actually had the opportunity to sit and enjoy a visit with our guests.
Little A was THRILLED when Ms. Yang showed up with a panda bear for her (she also brought some pesto). Little A has been reading her Zen books (Zen Shorts, Zen Ties and Zen Ghosts) and remarked one night how she did not have a panda bear (in her VAST collection of toys). I told her that we would ask Ms. Yang to bring her a panda the next time she went to China (one of those 'delaying' mechanisms that parents employ). When Yang asked me if she could bring something for the children, I told her that we had soooooo much, and that we only wanted to enjoy her company. So--how interesting is it that she ended up bringing a panda?? We have named the panda Stillwater, and he lives on Little A's bed.
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| The two meat-eaters in our house preparing the turkey |
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| Staring Contest |
Just a little word about Halloween in the UAE (something that annoys me EVERY year). Halloween, celebrated by pumpkin carving, children dressing up in costumes, and going door-to-door trick or treating, is a predominantly North American activity. However, here in our compound, we have some people who think that Halloween can be randomly assigned any date on a calendar, and often they want to move it to a Thursday or Friday, because they don't want it falling on a SCHOOL-NIGHT!! Can you imagine??
UAE ex-pats: Halloween is on October 31 (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday--NOBODY CARES). WE DON'T CHANGE HALLOWEEN!!
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| Peter's skills are improving |
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| Local pumpkin: 2.90 dirhams/ kg |
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| Smile-ah and Belle (the Ophira costume was too long) |
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| First-timers (with our little 'local pumpkin') |
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| Seconds before our local pumpkin does a face-plant |
We had a great night and all the candy has been distributed and packed away (mostly to Malou).
We have been keeping up with T N's weekly speech therapy appointments (although we have now moved them to Sunday mornings), and our dance and music classes. Little A seems to enjoy her jazz class much more than the Dance Club, and I have not had to listen to her heart-breaking wails before nap for over a week now. Her 'private' ballet lessons are no more, as she has been joined by two little American girls, however she seems to really enjoy her new class-mates and has even asked that I arrange a 'play-date' for her.
Smile-ah is now much more mobile and independent. This week she has been pushing herself up into a sitting position, and if someone designed a onesie made entirely of Swiffer, Malou would be thrilled! She rolls all over the place and so we have to be really careful where we leave her.
To cap off our week, we helped Uncle Pete celebrate his 51st birthday. As 'the office' was already bringing in lunch and cupcakes, I opted to make him a birthday loaf instead. We had a great time at the office (I should drop Malou and T N there on a regular basis I think--so much room to play!!). Afterwards, we went to Carrefour, where we got locked out of our truck. However, we took Peter's car home and it was all good by 3 pm.
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| Happy Birthday Uncle Pete |
However, as today is Friday and Malou is OFF, I better go. Peter has been patient about watching the little ones while I update my blog...but I sense that his patience is going to run out very soon. Eid Mubarak!
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