This Ain't An April Fool's Joke...

On January 1st this year I gave up two of my favourite beverages; alcohol and Red Bull.  Not a drop has past these lips since.  Pretty good hey?  As much as I would love to have a sip of an icy cold Red Bull on a warm morning or a 'drink' at 5 o'clock, I haven't.

Not really by choice I admit.

I went cold turkey, because I found out that I was pregnant.

I am now over 17 weeks pregnant and all is going very well.  I am seeing the Head Obstetrician at a hospital in the city every four weeks, who knows my history and monitoring me well.  My 12 weeks scan went fine (a big hurdle for me) and my bloods are normal, so everything is heading in the right direction.  

We have seen our little baby on the ultrasound screen many times now and so far, so good.  It is going to be (another) big baby, as Monet was.   

My last appointment was on Saturday just past, so I don't see my Doctor again for another four weeks.  

I have already felt a bit of movement 'from within', which is always a relief.  We were told that the baby has long legs (via Saturday's ultrasound), but I don't need an ultrasound to tell me that, I have already got a little poking in the tummy region!  

We are all pretty happy around here and the friends from our street are too.  Monet has been asking many questions in regards to having a baby (literally) and having a new little person in the house.  She was awfully worried at one stage on where the baby will sleep, as we don't have a cot.  She was relieved when we said that we will go and buy a new cot.  Bless her.  I think she'll be a great helping hand for me when the time comes.  

I am hoping I survive the heat of a Middle Eastern Summer.  I was worried enough about it, not being pregnant!  Thank goodness our air conditioning is ducted into every room and works wonderfully.  

So, that my friends, is my news I have been aching to tell you all but I just wanted to make sure everything was pointing in the right direction before sharing.  

It might also explain why I haven't posted any 'beer' shots lately.  *heehee*  As no beer photos, here is a fairy photo instead...

No Stopping Me Now...

On Wednesday we *finally* went and lined up for two hours to get my UAE driver's license.  It was a case of handing over 220 Dirhams, getting an eye test, showing my Australian license, telling them my address and phone number and Bob was my uncle.  

I couldn't drive straight away, due to having to give the car rental company proof of my UAE licence.  We did that today.

My first car drive was around the villa compound, then a drive to the little Spinneys supermarket.   

I have been a passenger for the past three months so I have a pretty good idea of what it would be like to be driving on the right-hand side of the road.  It was like I always have driven this way, seriously.  

I offered to take Lyndon to (and from) the Shangri-La so he could have a beer.  (You can never drink and drive over here.  The UAE have a zero alcohol tolerance.)  I did rather well, but will need to get a little practice in heavier traffic around round-abouts before I get too cocky!

I wonder where I'll head off driving to tomorrow?  It is a great feeling now I know I have a little more freedom!  

(Photo below taken at the Shangri-La Pool Bar, which is where we were today...)

My Blonde Headed, Blue Eyed Girl.

We are living in a country where the site of a blonde headed, blue eyed child is not a common one.  Sure, there are plenty of westerners here with fairer haired children, but you can't be guaranteed you'll see them on an outing.  Most children you do see here are mostly Emirate children who are dark headed and dark eyed.  

When we go out, it is not uncommon for us to get smiles from the shop assistants, security guards, waiters, taxi drivers.  (Everyone bar the general public - there are a lot of rude people out there, let me tell you!)

Yesterday I ventured out to Abu Dhabi Mall with Monet and a friend down the road, Karen (whose husband works with Lyndon.)  As soon as we got in the taxi the driver greeted us with a smile so large it could have swallowed his whole face.  "Hello Baby" he said to Monet.  

As we wandered the Mall and went in and out shops we were usually greeted with smiles, due to us walking with Monet.  (This I know because I was alone at one stage for about 30 minutes - I wasn't greeted with big smiles.)  

At one particular shop the assistant patted Monet on the head (she's never impressed when this happens - and it happens a lot here - and I don't blame her!) and asked Monet "how old you are?  Your name?" She then produced a big pink teddy bear, fresh out of its plastic wrap, and gave it to Monet.  Shite.  Why doesn't this happen to me?  Admittedly Monet wasn't too impressed at first with being given a pink teddy for nothing (she's over the head petting act) but the bear grew on her and she ended up having a great day shopping with 'the ladies!'

In the taxi, the whole way home, Monet was chatting away per usual to Karen and I with the taxi driver in the front grinning away at her conversation.  (Monet's conversation was about her wanting to go to Karen's when we got home and me saying "no, not today - we've spent all day with Karen, she'll need a break".  But Monet got her way in the end and spent a good hour and 20 minutes at Karen's (about 5 doors down).  I don't know who was luckier - Monet or I?)

In other news I received a sad one from home.  My mother's nephew committed suicide in his parent's backyard.  I feel very sad for his parent's (my mother's brother) and their two daughters.  The son was a year older than I and it has been many years since I saw him, but it still has me wandering on how he got to that point.  So sad.  

Here We Go Again. (I don't think it will ever stop...)

Back in late June, I posted about things happening that I couldn't quite post about yet.  Well, I think I can now. 

We're moving. 

Lyndon has been given a work opportunity too good to pass up - it is a job that will hopefully go on to bigger and better things in the future for both him and us.  The job was offered to him a while back and it took a lot of umming and ahhing on our behalf to work out what is best for our little family.  This seems like the right thing to do at present.  

So, what?  where?  when?  Well, I can't tell all, but it seems as if we'll be gone sometime  in September.  So where?  where?  I hear you ask.  

Brisbane.  Or BrisVegas, which ever you prefer.

Cairns, you've been good to us, but it is time to move on.

The hardest part of the move will be those bloody water restrictions!!  *urgh*