I'd Like To Be Pushed In This Too...

Lucky for me, Lily (currently) likes me to take her out in her pram for some fresh air and a wander about.  Our local little supermarket is about a 10 minute walk away so Lily and I have been making our way there each morning and back without a peep from her.  She'll either nap or lie awake, soaking in the bump, bump, bump of the pavement.  

It isn't a bad pram.  The part Lily is sitting in is actually the car seat capsule that fits into the car and then locks into the pram.  The shade cover of both the capsule and the pram fold over so she can rest and have a darkened environment to nap.  And not get strangers heads in her face!

I'm lucky to have such a good baby.  I can't complain.  At 7 weeks of age she's rather good.  Sure she gets a bit cranky (usually in the morning) but come the afternoon she dozes and is generally pretty quiet.  That is just as well, as we are planning (*fingers crossed*) a plane trip in the not too distant future...

Big (little) Sister

Once we had Lily, Monet didn't seem so small any more.  After all, she had a new status of 'Big Sister'.  Her head, all of a sudden, seemed big to me, her hands, her feet and those big blues...

We've already had parent/teacher interviews at her school.  They were a few weeks back now and all I can say is that her teacher regards her as 'a gem' and gave her an absolute glowing report.  Monet is way ahead of her peers, it was noted, and there was no behavioural issues at all.  (Which I thought could have been a problem due to not getting as much attention at home as she once was.)  

It was suggested that Monet do an after school activity class which has been designed for children who are ready to read.  (At a cost you understand.)  So we paid our fee and Monet attended the first session.  We were told that this class was 'too easy' for her and was then placed in the 'Advanced' class.  So she is learning to read now and is getting very good.  We're very proud of her.  

The Big Sister role is a role Monet is filling nicely.  She adores her younger sister and I have noticed that Lily adores her big sister.  I think Monet has scored more smiles from the youngest than anyone else!

Monet's Doll

...is 6 weeks old today.

(I believe Lily looks like me as a baby in this photo...)

And yes, Monet does think that Lily is a doll half the time!  A real life one.  The girls are interacting with one another more so than ever.  It warms your heart to see.  I will never actually forget the first time Monet met Lily and then proceeded to sing her a lullaby.  :-)  I keep telling her that we have a lot to look forward to with Lily growing, as I know sometimes Monet struggles with having a newborn in the house (constantly told to shush; Monet doesn't know volume control in her voice!) but she's getting better with not being an only child any more...  When you hear Monet telling Lily how much she loves her or when Lily is presented with a drawing done by her big sister, you know everything is okay with the world.

So everything is going swimmingly.  She's a beautiful baby who is a hit with all the mum's at Monet's school (who coo and ahh over her every morning and afternoon).  

I can't complain about the lack of sleep I have because we have nights were I can get in a chunk of four or five hours solid sleep.  Some nights she'll wake up every couple of hours for a feed (like on Friday night but I suspect it was a growth spurt) and other nights I am getting up around 2 am and then 5am.  I am finding feeding so much easier second time around.  I had heard women say that but didn't believe it.  I believe it now.

Lily isn't a big dummy/pacifier sucker, but at times it does help when she just can't nod off but you know how tired she is.  She's not a 'spewy' baby either.  Sure there have been a few chucks here and there and a few dribbles, but otherwise she's not.  

And our girl is now most definitely into an Aussie size 00, or a 3-6 month old clothing.  Her Bonds Wondersuits in the 000 were getting a little too tight for the wee one, so last night she progressed a size.  

Lily's citizenship is in the process of well, being processed and once that arrives (hopefully in the next couple of weeks) we'll then get her passport.  After that it is hopeful booking of air tickets so our family and friends can meet our new addition. I cannot wait for Lily to especially meet her two Grandmothers and Great Grandmother, who I know feel the same...

Learning to Smile :-)

My beautiful 5.3 kilo baby is beginning to give us some rewards.  

By attempting to smile.

We've all had quite a few smiles given to us, but alas the camera is never there to capture the right moment.

We are nearing Lily's 6th week but it feels like she's always been here.  I know, I have said that before but it is so true.  She is growing wonderfully, sleeps pretty well at night, though it is pot luck if she sleeps for a 6-hour stint or a 4-hour stint at a time, but I'm not complaining.  When she wakes during the night (usually) after a quick 20 minute feed she goes back down without a drama.  We've only had a few nights where she'll cry and not go back to sleep at 1am (or whatever early am time it is) in the morning for a couple of hours.  

Clothing wise, she's out of the 0-3 month old wear.  She's definitely into her 3-6 month old wear (probably similar sizing to an Aussie 00) and before I know it, she'll be the next size up - she seems to be growing at an incredible rate.  

I still can't get over how much she looks like a baby Monet.  When feeding or holding Lily I feel like I am in a time warp of 5 years ago and I'm nursing baby Monet in Melbourne with our city view apartment.  It is scary stuff when that happens!

I'm blessed to have two most gorgeous girls and am very much in love.  

Especially when they attempt to smile...

Baby Steps

Nothing is ever easy in the UAE.

In Australia when you have a baby this is what happens, (if memory serves me correct).

1. 1. You give birth to your baby.
2. 2. Paperwork is filled out for the government to see if you are eligible for child support and for your 'Baby Bonus'.
3. 3. Paperwork filled out and a payment made to obtain a birth certificate.
   

Now, we are Australians who have given birth to a child in the United Arab Emirates.  This is what happens here.

1. 1. You give birth to your baby.
2. 2. Your doctor, a receptionist, your husband fill out paperwork and a small fee paid to obtain the Notification of Birth certificate.  This includes coloured copies of both parents passports, resident visas, marriage certificate.
3. 3. Husband to take the Notification of Birth to the National Health Authority to obtain birth certificates; one in English, one in Arabic at a cost.
4. 4. Birth certificates to be authenticated by the UAE government.
5. 5. Paperwork for Australian Citizenship to be filled out and signed by either an Australian Citizen working in a particular industry, in the country you are living in, or by a citizen working in a particular industry in the country you are living in.   At a cost.  This includes coloured photocopies of both parents passports, visas, birth certificates and marriage certificate.
6. 6. After waiting for the citizenship to come through (could take a number of weeks), an Australian Passport can be applied (and paid) for.  
7. 7. Residency Visa can be applied (and paid) for once Passport is obtained.  The child that is born in the UAE has 120 days where they can live in the country without a visa.  (This gives us up until January 3).  To get the visa, the passport is taken and can take up to 3 weeks to come through.
8. 8. After all the steps are done, you can relax.

Lots of steps eh?  We are currently at step 5, which was a little stressful for a moment there.  The fact that most people we know here do not fit the criteria was a worry.  And for any one of us or our neighbours to actually know an Emiratie was also proving a stress.  I do know an Australian nurse living in Al Ain (about 150km east of here) and as my last resort she offered to drive to Ab Dabs to verify who Lily was.  But then I thought of one of our lovely neighbours who I thought 'might' fit one of the criteria, or if not, she might know someone who does.

Well 'N' came to my rescue as she was able to verify Lily's photo as she fitted into one of the criteria.  *phew*  Lyndon is off to Dubai tomorrow to drop off the paperwork, so fingers crossed that her citizenship comes through within the next few weeks.  

Nothing is ever easy in this country, but by jingo ringo, doing it all for Lily is worth it.  Time and money.

Grandma's Birthday

For you Mum.

Did you ever think when you saw the Beatles back in 1964, that you'd actually turn 64 and the Beatles would sing the song that you'd find appropriate for this day?

Happy 64th Birthday Grandma.

*mwah mwah*

Naa-stee

Yep.  

Things are nasty around here.  

I might have a lovely newbie but since I have been home from the hospital I have had a run of bad luck.  They say things go in threes so hopefully next Wednesday sees me a glowing picture of health!  

What am I talking about?

You may recall I suffered a case of mastitis last week, last Wednesday night to be precise.  That was nasty.  The Wednesday night before, I woke up the following morning to discover a charming heat rash covering my torso (which disappeared before too long).  Last night (Wednesday night) I woke up to discover that my fingers had swelled into sweet little pork sausages, my face was puffed up like a balloon and I had swollen blotches over my chest, neck, arms.  Nasty.

I had got up to feed Miss Lily at 4am and knew I didn't feel good.  I woke Lyndon  for him to have a look at me.  My fingers were killing me, the fat little things they were.  Not good when you wear rings.  I managed to pry off my engagement ring but the wedding ring was staying put, along with the ring Lyndon gave me roughly 13 years ago.  

"Better get yourself off to hospital" Lyndon advised. 

So off Lily and I went (I was still in the process of feeding her so she had to come), leaving Lyndon at home to look after a sleeping Monet.

Our local hospital with 24hour Emergency is 10 minutes drive away (you can get there in 5!) and I was promptly looked at.  I must have looked a sight, let me tell you.  With a puff-ball face, red blotches up and down my arms, hair looking lovely from a 4am rise - I still had to stress that it was me who needed treatment and not my gorgeous little doll sitting in her capsule.  

Ends up that I had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics I am on for mastitis.  They treated me with anti inflammatory but we still didn't manage to get the rings off, though my fingers and face went 'down'.  I was discharged about 3 hours later with fingers back to normal and my face looking better than 4 hours earlier.  

Generally I am a well person.   For me to be allergic to something is a bit of a shock.  So I've had a rough run over the past three weeks.  Terrific.

I complained to Lyndon before that my legs are achy.  I hope I don't wake in the morning to find I can't walk.  It would be just my luck.  Humph.

In the meanwhile I will sit back and take it easy, before you all tell me so...