I've been busy organising our impending trip back to Australia, something we find we are needing. The girls and I leave and arrive two weeks before Lyndon can join us, which people look at me horrified that I am flying alone with a newbie. Monet is an old hand at flying so she'll (hopefully) won't be a problem and I'm sure Lily will be fine. We've had 'dramas' with getting Lily an Exit Visa but that is now all sorted and we're now set to go. My dad emailed to say there is excitement growing at the prospect of us returning for a holiday and I'm very much looking forward to it.
As much as I do enjoy living here, I feel it is time to have a visit back in Australia. I'm finding that I need a break from this country as I find I am getting more and more annoyed with certain things, like driving for example and the way certain things are done is honestly shitting me. Lyndon feels the same, especially now as he has been socondered(?) to a company in Dubai and has been doing stupid hours up there, a 150kms away from us at Abu Dhabi.
We enjoy being ex-pats but we are now wondering where our next step is leading us. Monet is a happy kid in school and at home (most of the time) so I'm sure we'll see out the schooling year (till June) and then reevaluate our situation and take it from there. Who knows, maybe after this UAE-break, we'll see everything in a new light again. Maybe I just need an Oz-dose.
Lily is now a thriving 11-week old who is a joy to be with. I'm sure she's not far off her first giggle (yay!) and is happy most of the time lying in her rocker or on her play gym but I think her favourite place to be is to hang in the Baby Bjorn and nap near my chest. She's not silly! I'm looking forward to the family to meet her for the first time and I'm sure my dad won't recognise her as the newborn we brought home close to 11 weeks ago.
The lovely and talented (& now famous!) Tracey has made a cute as a button Christmas dress for Miss Lily to wear so I am looking forward to seeing our baby in it (& I will be sure to post a photo of her in it when the time arrives!)
Lyndon and I (even some of the neighbours have commented) have noticed that Monet must have had a growth spurt. She has such long lovely legs and her face has got bigger and prettier. She brought home her first school report card last week and we're very proud of her. For that, we gave her a ticket back to Australia for a holiday. *heehee* (gee, I used to get 5 bucks for a good report! How times have changed! *smirk*)
(This photo was taken by a friend who was a parent on a recent school excursion to 'Children's World' in Dubai.)
Not sure when I'll be back posting, hopefully not too far down the track. And from a place that isn't the UAE. (Thanks to those of you who have been back checking this blog - hopefully I get my blog-groove back some time in the near future!)
9 comments:
Have a great time home with your family. Safe travel mate! Cheers :)
We are so looking forward to meeting Lily and having some great times with Monet.
Nanna & Poppy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(and you too Melody)
Sometimes you just need to 'escape' Abu Dhabi to rejuvenate yourself for the next stint :)
Hope your travels are easy and safe xxx
Oh, yuck. Dubai commute. Poor thing must be exhausted. I mean, the road is amazingly good, but I still find it an exhausting drive.
I'm very curious about how my trip home will make me feel. Even more homesick? Or, 'well, it's okay, nothing has changed, I can stay away another year and still have a home'.
Mind you, being in Paris is making me wonder why anyone would live anywhere but here! Oh, for an EU passport...
Anyway, I do think it's good to be with family at Christmas time. Just something about the continuity of it all.
See you in January.
PS For what it's worth, I think Lily is the ideal age for plane travel...it's the 18 months - 3 years age range I'd be fearing!
Textbook culture shock that EVERYONE living abroad has to endure. Start: new place, new energy. After a few months you notice more things that are different and that you don't like. The first holiday back home is highly necessary for recharging. You return ready to carry on. And with bags full of food from back home! ;-)
I hope the dress has arrived today. I would love to see a photo of Miss Lily wearing it.
hope that both of the girls snooze the whole way to Australia. I'm sure that's possible.
I am sure the visit home with rejuvenate - and I do think your Monet is growing up so much - you can see it in her face.
I am a very slack blogger of late. Its a busy-ness thing, or perhaps distracted.
You've maybe even GOT going by the time I've got here?
Hope I manage to see you while you're here!
Are you here yet? :)
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