I'm Pretty Sure These Lions Don't Bite

I swear, I saw a couple of lions in the room. One even had a dinosaur tail!

I saw one go that way.

No, look the other way!

Oh! My mistake, it was right in front of me!

Roar!!

Cuteness Factor 10

Gee, I really didn't want this blog to turn into a 'baby' one, but alas, it is. I can't deny it much longer.

Now, you don't have to watch the small video below, but I can guarantee that if you don't, you are seriously missing out on some cute baby action. And not just any baby, it is 'Wonder Woman Baby' and I get to snuggle/cuddle/kiss her every day! Jealous?

Did you catch that little smile at the end? Cuteness factor 10.

I am constantly hearing little oohs and ahhs from her, especially when driving in the car. I take a quick peek at her and the grin across her face is priceless. I have also noticed MissL being quiet as a mouse, when it is just her and I in a room, but as soon as she has noise competition I could probably do with a set of headphones. The noise! Man. She'll compete with any chainsaw this girl. (Her sister was pretty good at doing the same thing at the same age!)

If I could bottle this age, I would. If I could keep MissL at this stage I would. She's a great eater, a great sleep and a fabulous little entertainer. And she's pretty darn cute too.

Having A Dip

Miss M is doing pretty well in her swimming lessons she does at school. Considering that not that long back she'd have to swim with her swim vest on when she went anywhere near the water, to actually doing this 'dog paddle', we're really proud of her.



The next aim is to get her to swim with her head underwater. But she'll get there.

This pool is a neighbour's. Our villa does not have a pool (we didn't want to fork out the extra money to get one, but now were thinking maybe it could have been a good idea, but then I think 'nahh, not with a baby around'...) and yesterday it hit 40 degrees for the first time this year. We will stick with our little paddle pool I think. Hhmmm....

Miss L has been in the pool, but she isn't too keen on being in her swim ring and paddling around. Give her a bath, yeah, she's fine and dandy, give her a pool, no way. Instead we sit on the side lines together and watch her big sister.


Or sit and and play with a toy. One or the other.

Model Behaviour

I have a ham for an eldest daughter.




Well, she would be a ham if pork products were available easily (they're not) in this Muslim country.

(Pig images or anything to do with pork are generally banned and looked down upon. Imagine the look some students had, from one of the local schools my friend teaches at, where she brought along a pencil case a friend from Oz had given her - it had a pattern of pigs on it - and my friend didn't think anything of it - until it was reported! There is no viewing or reading of 'The Three Little Pigs' in this section of the world either and all books in schools/shops will not be available if the star is one of our Porky little friends!)

Speaking of ham, when we buy ham or anything to do with pork, we have go to a special 'Non-Muslim' room, behind glass doors to choose specific items, but only at certain supermarkets. Bacon is not something we take for granted!

Oh the things you learn in reference to ham. =)

New Wheels

We've been living in Abu Dhabi now for close to 18 months. During this time we've endured months of uncertainty with MrL's job. We've seen people come and go, been made redundant, given 'notice', leave back to their homeland. Because of all the uncertainty we have never bitten the bullet and purchased a car. We hire one. Two actually. MrL's contract comes with a car allowance which is swallowed up by the hiring of cars.

That was until last week. The bullet was bit. MrL has new wheels...

We still hire a car for me, which is fine by me and maybe down the road, who knows what will happen. If a certain contract is won by MrL's employer it may be I with some new wheels of my own in the months ahead.

MrL quite loves his new (2nd hand) car. So do I. In fact, so do all our friends! I'm yet to drive the 6-speed manual but the weekend is coming up... I don't think MrL is really wanting me to get behind the wheel because he knows I will love it and want it for myself.

Cars here are relatively cheap due to the fact there is no tax. To buy the same car back in Australia (same year, same model, similar k's on the clock) it would cost over AUD$20,000. We bought the car for roughly AUD$7000.

Roll on Friday. Roll on... Brrmm, brrmmmm...... =)

Mirrored Looks

I don't know what it is about MissL, but she is a very special baby. But you all knew that. She took a long time to get here and is probably the best baby on earth, in my humble opinion. She is pretty much a Mumma's little girl who looks very much like her father!

Lately though, when I take a picture of the both of us together, we are usually sharing the same facial expression, purely by accident!

See what I mean?

And this one...

...and this one!

I can't let this post slip without a mention of MissL's big, gorgeous sister, MissM. She is turning out to be a pretty good big sister to have, until the time comes when the littlest is crawling and messing up her Polly Pockets/Barbies/Little People - but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it! And no doubt you'll be reading about it online...

Aren't they gorgeous?

My Baby Calls Me Mum-ma...

Yep, she does. Over and over again. She muttered out those words on Friday, at six months and six days old. Only fair MissL said Mum first, as MissM's first word was Dad. One each.

So, besides speaking her first word, MissL is now sitting up straight as can be when plonked on the carpet...

...she's tasting new delights (Paw Paw a clear favourite)...

...and getting teeth. One has just about poked through on her bottom gum line. Poor Possum.

But the best news is, she is sleeping most nights from 7pm through to 7am. I am *so* loving that. (*knock on wood*)

How lucky we are to have this little six month old in our lives? =)

Happy Gappy

On the night of MissM's fifth and a half birthday (!), her first wobbly tooth was lost. We suspect she swallowed the tooth that had been wobbling in her mouth for the last week! It was either that or the Tooth Fairy had snuck in and taken her tooth already...

MissM already has 4 adult teeth but I have to say, she does look very cute with a little gap in her mouth, which won't last for long as I can already see the new one poking out...

MissM thought we could put her tooth into a jar for the Tooth Fairy. If we had the tooth. But I still suggested we put the jar out and the Fairy could possibly put some money in there for her. I also suggested a letter, which MissM promptly went and wrote. (Obviously with my help!)

Just gorgeous.

The tooth was not found, the Fairy did come and my first born was still as pleased as punch with the 20 dirhams left for her in the jar. I was mighty proud that she popped the money into her money box!

She Even Wore Goggles!

The mornings here in Abu Dhabi have been rather cool (since we returned from Australia 2 months ago), but during the day it has been heating up to around 28-30 degrees every day. But it will be getting hotter. Much (much) hotter.

I lashed out last week and bought a small wading pool for my girls. It cost me a whole 17 dirhams, which is equivalent to about five aussie dollars.

MissM got super excited at the prospect of her and her baby sister wading/sitting in about 5 cm of water! We got MissL all suited up in her cossie for the first time and MissM was rather thrilled that I allowed her to put on her bikini.

They both actually had a lovely time, sitting there near the BBQ....

...sitting there....

...sitting there....

Precious moments, even if they both were just sitting there.

A Tour of Our Home... (you lucky readers!)

We moved into a new villa...

It has more of an Australian feeling than an Arabian one (except for the shoddy finishes in all the rooms!)...

It feels like a family does belong in here...

The girls have their own bedrooms...

We even have a spare room with own en suite (so, who is coming to visit?)...

The backyard needs a garden (if you come to visit, guess what you'll be doing?)...

The kitchen is one that has inspired me to get back into it...

It even has a little nook for little MissM to watch her own DVDs....

This place feels more and more like home.

37

So, I am now 37. And you know what? I can probably say I am the most content I have ever been in my life. I have two lovely, healthy daughters and a loving husband who makes me laugh every day (when he hasn't been grumpy and arguing with Arabs at work). I've travelled to destinations time and time again which I never thought would ever be possible in the first place and I probably have everything I could want/need (except for another pair of the most comfortable linen pants I have ever worn, thanks to Next Clothing).

Not that yesterday actually felt like my birthday - it really did feel like another day. I think MissM was more excited than myself, who proudly presented me with a gift from the three of them, Lindt Chocolate Balls (my favourite) and a new watch. Like it? (Thanks to Google Images)

I actually love it. I had given MrL an idea of the type of watch (brand, width, face shape) I wanted and when he presented me with this, it was much nicer (and heavier) than I expected! I do have to get a couple of notches taken out of the watch ("I didn't realise how thin your wrist was!" said MrL)

We went out for lunch to a new pub located within the Park Rotana Hotel complex. That was nice. MissM even had her face painted...

We came home and just lazed around for the rest of the day. Though I did go for a walk with both girls around our compound. MissL made every one who saw her, smile and tell me how cute she was. Tell me something new!

I didn't have a cake (much to MissM's disappointment) but I do have all the ingredients on hand to make myself a Mars Bar Cheesecake - one of my favourite. Mmmm.... (guess what I'll be baking this afternoon?)

37. Another year I am looking forward to, if the past couple have been anything to go by.

My Name Is Melody and it has been 3 weeks since my last post.

Can you believe it? I have had an excuse though - we moved - and if you know anything about the UAE, moving from one place to another is not as easy as it can be in other countries. Trust me when I say, you have no idea.

So, we've moved and at long (long) last I am now back online. Connected this afternoon - woohoo! (I did have my iPhone to Twitter & FB with and that's about it!) We have settled into our new villa quite nicely - settling into the area (everywhere here is new) and getting on with our regular routine, which (unfortunately) includes the unpacking of boxes. (Soooo many boxes!) Good news though is that our new compound offers recycling (unheard of in the UAE) and a door mail service (the first of its kind in this country!)

MissM is blitzing school and our MissL is just about 6 months old! MrL started a new job which he is enjoying (it is more challenging and is now back based in Abu Dhabi, rather than Dubai where he had been for close to 4 months!) And me? I'm well, feeling good and getting ready to celebrate my 37th year tomorrow.... =)