Easter Bonnet

At the end of each term at Monet's school, they hold a fundraising event by holding a  Junior School disco.  This past term, the school decided to hold their Easter Bonnet parade at the same side.  

Trying to be prepared, I organised a bagful of goodies for Monet to make a Bonnet a couple of weeks before hand.  One afternoon after school she sat at the table and prepared her Bonnet (under a little guidance.)

As the Disco approached and with the hat at the ready....

Can she look any more worried?

 ... we went.  And as the Grade Threes paraded their hats, Monet was awarded one of the winners.  And she was as pleased as punch.  (I must admit I was a little chuffed too.)

I'm keeping the Bonnet for next year.  It is award winning after all.  

I Made Myself a Bag...

...and Monet liked it so much I offered to make her one too.  This one is going to be her 2013 Library Bag at school.

I used fabric which I had been holding on to for 18 months, left over from a skirt I made myself with material I had bought from a Japanese Fabric store in Barcelona.   I do anything to be walking through those doors again...  *heehee*

Always Something Different

I have my parents (VIPs) up from (cold) country Victoria for a visit.  Both girls are enjoying having a couple of different faces stay and so are MrL and I.  

Monet's school held their annual 'Grandparent's Day', the day after they arrived so everyone was happy about that.  Considering in Abu Dhabi schools, such a day isn't held,  it was good for Monet to be able to have two Grandparents visit her school and stay for the morning.   And by all accounts it was an enjoyable event.  

Yesterday I took the VIPs to the Flecker Botanical Gardens.  I swear, every time I visit (and the last time being early last month), I see something different.  

I guess this tree doesn't want anything climbing it's trunk!....

And look how long this flower is! Wow...

And I love seeing flowers that are not of usual colour, like black for instance...

I love seeing tall trees set behind lower ones.  Would make a gorgeous painting...

And then my Mum and I spotted these flowers and could not believe the colour....

Spearmint colour I suggested.

Lily wanted to pose on the little 'stage'.

And both my Mum and her wanted a photo (or two) taken on the park bench.

I wonder what I'll spot next time I am there?

Cairns Show

Last week I had the misfortune opportunity to visit the Cairns Show.  This show runs for three days and is the largest regional show in Australia.  Monet's school sent home a letter, saying that if your child was in the Ukulele Club (ahem.  Which Monet is.), then parents could meet with the club at the entrance and gain free access.  You little ripper.  

Even though Monet's school had already entered the Show (me not knowing) I just asked if her school had entered to the gate attendant and was told to go on through.  Bonus.  

I guess the payment was sitting for an hour, listening to another school's choir, then Monet's Ukulele Club play five or six songs (all in the Chord G) on those annoying little guitars...  

Considering Monet's only been playing for a couple of months she did really well.  She did look bored after about two songs but at least she was up there on stage, strumming along.

As soon as we could escape, we went for a stroll around.  Being opening day it was relatively quiet, but I forgot how many bogans and carnie folk there would be.  Belch.  The girls had a couple of rides (rip off) and then I let them pick out a Show Bag each.  (At $26 a pop!!! Heck!!)

I must say, even though the Show Bags cost a small fortune, there were squeals of delight coming from the back seat on the drive home, as they peered in their bags.  That, my friends, was worth it. =)

Good For A Giggle

I think one of Monet's favourite activities is dressing up her little sister.  Lily loves it just as much.  

The other day, Lily came out dressed in Monet's old Abu Dhabi school uniform, complete with cap and not one, but two backpacks.  It is a wonder she didn't topple backwards.  Oh yes, that's right, she did (in a fit of giggles!)

Monet pulled out her old school swimmers/bathers/togs.  We laughed for ages over that as Lily's nappy was sitting out of the back cutout.  She could get away with wearing them (size 8) if she wasn't actually half that size.

Olympic swimmer in the making perhaps? 

Reasons why I am happy to be back in FNQ and one reason I am not...

It is lovely being back where you feel like you belong, even though there is one element missing. And that's MrL. He is back in the sand pit of Abu Dhabi but it won't be too much longer until we are reunited for good in the tropics of Far North Queensland.

I wonder if you can see some of the reasons why it is so lovely to be back...

Monet is now back at school full time.  I still haven't co-ordinated my driving time to her school.  We've been quite early every day at both drop off and pick up times.  She's coping well, Monet, arriving at a new school with only a few weeks of first term left.  I still feel bad taking her out of school in Abu Dhabi where she had 'found her place' and had a nice group of friends, to now being known as the 'new girl'.  She will find some new friends all in due time (this is her fifth day), this I know.

I had my Mother-In-Law stay for a week.  She saw MrL for a couple of days before he returned to the sand pit and helped a lot with Lily.  Now since she has returned back to Victoria, it means I now have to start cooking meals! (instead of going out every night! lol)

I still need to find a place to live (our apartment has tenants in it still) for us to live in and wait patiently for our shipping container to arrive.  I'm missing our stuff!  Fingers crossed something comes up soon.

But it is good to be back in the humidity, the sunshine, the lush tropical surrounds.  This, makes me happy.

Over

I cannot believe how quickly the school year has gone.  Today is the last day of Monet being a 'First Grader'.  ALREADY!  Oh my.  And what a terrific year she has had.  We're awfully proud of her, she's coming along in leaps and bounds and I'm sure she'll have no problem being a big Grade Two girl come September.

Though with celebration comes a little sadness.  Monet will miss her teacher Ms Donna, but I won't miss Monet's impersonation of her.  Monet has her accent down pat.  And some of her mannerisms too.  We have a couple of families, of whom we are good 'mum-buddies' with, who are leaving the country.  One family is heading off to Canada for greener (sic) pastures and the other is heading back home to Australia.  Another Australian family too left last week, (hi Jenny!) for new adventures.  I am going to miss my morning and afternoon chinwags with people who understand totally where you're coming from.  But this is what happens in this country - people/families come and go.

So Monet, well done my beautiful girl - you've done us all proud.  Keep up the good work in Grade Two. *mwah* =)

Wonderful Reader

Monet got an award from her class teacher the other day...

Truth be told, all her class mates got the same award, but all kids are on different levels.  Monet has ended Grade One with a reading level of 38, pretty much equivalent to where she needs to be at the end of Grade 3.  !!  We just have to work on her comprehension of what she's reading (she's a bit like me when I read - in one ear and out the other - reasons why I've always been crap at writing book reviews and have never joined a book discussion club).

Can't believe Grade One finishes next week.  Where has that school year gone?  Monet's had a pretty good year and she's exceeding our expectations of her, bar the fact she gets awfully grumpy when she has to do homework and thinks she can't do it.  Children, huh, I tell you!

Watch out Grade Two, Monet's on her way come September 6.

Junie B.

When my parents visited late last year, little did they (or us for that matter) know what they started. My mother had bought for Monet (on a Dubai shopping trip) a 'chapter book', called 'Junie B. First grader, Toothless Wonder', bought especially because Monet had lost a front tooth during their stay.

I asked Grandma for permission to post this pic. =)

Roll on six months later and we've slowly been collecting the books (there is like 27 in all) which Monet can now (proudly) read to herself.

This week at her school is 'Book Week' - a week dedicated to all things bookish.

First thing first, was a Poster Competition (or book review or short story competition) which was handed into school on Sunday (the first day of the working week over here). Of course Monet insisted on Junie B. Jones and why not?  We've worked on it for a couple of weeks at home. I had drawn the outline of 'Junie B' but the rest of the work belongs to Monet herself. Oh, and I helped do the border but that's it. She did a beaut job if you ask me!

The last day of the working week here, Thursday, today, was dress up as your favourite book character. Gee, I wonder who Monet went as....you get one guess.

School was a hive of activity this morning and I'm a bit mad at myself not having brought my camera to school. There were Princess', knights, Thing 1 and a Thing 2, plently of Cat in the Hats, Where's Wally?, animals of all shapes and sizes, Pippy Longstocking, a Wimpy Kid and that's just scraping the surface...

Ahh, book week, what a fabulous thing for kids to be involved in.  Agreed?

Just so you know, I am Mum, not MOM.

Sunday afternoon saw the mothers from Monet's Grade One class, invited to school for 'afternoon tea'. Of course I accepted the invite (all the mothers did).

When we entered the classroom, we were greeted by our son or daughter and taken to 'their' chair. Monet even tucked in the chair for me. On the table was this...

A handmade card and a very special laminated letter, written by Miss Monet herself, saying all the lovely things I do for her (and Lily).  Quite touching, though it was addressed to MOM.  (However on the drawing she had done on the heading there is hand written 'Mum'...)

One of the head teachers of the school must've spent all weekend making quite tasty Love Heart shaped cookies, which were then decorated by our own child. I can tell you, Lily thought the icing was delicious!  They were eaten, served with a lovely cup of tea and then we got to giggle away look at our children's writing journals.  (My Monet has come a long way over the course of the school year.)

A Sweet afternoon, it was nice to way to spend a Mother's Day.

It's Monday. That means both Western and Karen to me.

Monet has a lot of stuffed toys. She's had a lot of them since forever and they are all individually named and loved. She goes through phases of they all go on her bedroom shelves or, like at the moment, most sit each morning on her made bed.

So here I introduce you to guys like 'Western', 'Bella', 'Pickles', 'Toast', 'Cheese', 'Lee and Karen' (the rats), 'Monet' (can you spot the Claude Monet stuffed toy there in the centre?) and 'Cricket' to name a few.  It is all rather cute and I am sure each one of them holds a special memory for the six year old.

I gave Monet a while ago, a little notebook for her scribblings. She likes to write little notes to herself, to me or to her teddies. A while ago she came up with this idea... I hope you can work it out.

She has written the days of the week, twice, and before each day she has written the name of one of those stuffed toys on the page.  This means that on that particular night, that particular toy gets the privilege of going to sleep with her.  (And you must notice she writes her name as Miss Lulu.  She wants to be a teacher you know.)

I just hope this isn't a glimpse of her future 20 years from now. Lol ;-)

Sponge

I know that I have been blogging a lot lately about our Lily and Monet has taken a bit of a backseat here.  However...

Our five year old daughter is doing stuff that is making us proud (and sometimes a little irritable) but she's our Monet and we do love her dearly.  Even if I am currently working on a 'Star sticker' system for her behaviour! (She can earn up to 3 stars a day to get a present after a certain number is earned. Currently it seems to be working.)

She is blitzing school.  True dinks.  She is really enjoying it, loves her (young) teacher, has a 'best' friend and is learning so much.   

I was thrilled the other night when Monet actually read a book to me.  To me.  For five years it has been me reading to her so it was lovely for her to be reading to me.  Sure it was about Clifford The Big Red Dog running (and winning) a race against Mac the Dog, but it was a book all the same and she read it to me.  I could have cried.  

And after spending the past four years with Monet in the pool, first using floaties, then a swim vest and her being paranoid getting her face wet, now she can swim underwater!  She does swim lessons at school and even after only a handful of lessons she is doing so well.  Lyndon is usually the one who takes her to the pool at our place so he is rapt!

Monet went on her first school excursion today...to all places, 'Children's world' in Dubai!(Who goes to Dubai on their first school 'field trip'?)  There they saw a little play about the five senses which they are learning about.  She said she had a great time and was rather pleased with herself for not falling asleep on the bus on the way home! (Dubai is 150 kilometres from Abu Dhabi.)

She can count fluently to ten in Arabic and French and sings songs and says words in both languages.  She is learning to write the numbers and letters in both languages too.  

Makes you realise how much of a sponge the brain is when you're a kid, if given the opportunity.  

We're proud parents (its my blog so I can gloat), but we are still ironing out some current 5 year old behavioural problems, but we're getting there.  S L O W L Y.

Ten Days On...

I'm still shaking my head in realisation that Lyndon and I are very lucky, to have two beautiful, healthy daughters.  

We are 'getting there' in terms of being organised in the morning, with getting both girls up, dressed and fed before we get in the car and take Monet to school.  For a baby who is 10 days old, Lily is coping with this routine much better than I had of thought.

This may change next week when Ramadan finishes (yee-har!) but it means that school begins at 8am (rather than 8:30am) and ends for KG2 at 1pm (rather than 12:45).  We will have to adjust our body clocks and be super organised for us to leave and arrive at school on time.  Lucky for me, two other families in our little street also have children attending the same school.  We are going to organise ourselves a car-pooling roster which will be great.  I may only have to do a couple of these early morning runs! 

Lily is sleeping  and feeding well.  I took her for a check up on Monday morning, where the Pediatrician announced that he thought I should have more children (umm, let me think about that one.....NO! He said this because he thought Lily was lovely and big and healthy) and that her birth weight was up by 700 grams.  I swear now, she would be a kilo heavier than when she was born 10 days ago.  

Myself, on the other hand, can happily announce that I have lost 12 kilos of the 15 I put on when pregnant.  I'm still in maternity dacks and my old tops are a little tight in the boob region (*grin*) but I am feeling really good.  My only complaint is a bit of a sore back and arm and that is put down to holding a 4.6 (or maybe 4.9 now) kilo baby in my arms.  

Lyndon and my dad have been a great helping hand.  Lyndon returned to work on Sunday and my dad has been getting Monet's breakfast in the morning, stacking the dishwasher and cleaning the kitchen at night, besides other things, (like keeping Monet occupied).  Lyndon has been cooking dinner - I have once myself but Lily thinks it is her tea time when we decide it is ours, so preparing and cooking dinner isn't on the cards yet... I need to get into the routine of preparing dinner way in advance...  All in due time of course...

A couple of you have picked up on the Monet and the Lily connection.  I do like to think of Lily as one of Claude Monet's Water Lillies.  *smirk*  (Thanks to Google Images)

And of course Lily's middle name, Venice, is after the awesome city that is Venice Italy, which I remember stating after visiting last year, that the city does steal a piece of your heart.  

My Venice does the same thing.

First Day Jitters...

Well, if Monet had any, she certainly didn't show them.

Up and about at 6am, I made her come and lie in bed with me for a good 20-odd minutes to talk away.  (Monet likes telling me about her dreams which usually crack me up!) After I showered I then had to help her get all ready for school.  You must understand that I live with Little Miss Independent, so a request from her to help her get dressed was a shock! 

 

We got to school early.   Typical of me and typical of her.  As Ramadan is on, all school begins at 8:30, rather than 8am, and finishes at 12:45, rather than 1pm.  Lyndon arrived from work and the three of us made our way to the meeting point for all children, which is the School Gym. 

Monet is in, what they call KG2, which is equivalent to the Australian Prep.  What they have done at Monet's school is stagger the entry for her year, so she went yesterday (Sunday, first day of the working week) but now has two days off.  The whole class begins on Wednesday.  This way Monet got to know her teacher (& the Teacher's helper) a little better and make a couple of friends, rather than be bombarded with another 16 kids in her class all at the same time. 

When Lyndon and I left at around 9am there were no tears but big smiles and sighs of relief.  "Bye Mum, bye Dad" said Monet in a big, happy voice, sitting crossed legged on the mat.  Smiling.  

When I picked her up close to four hours later she was still smiling away, glad to see me, but still smiling away.  

Her teacher said that Monet had to draw a picture of her favourite things during the day, and you know what she drew?  Her family.  Now, that was when I could have cried!  

A successful day all round.  She slept like a log last night and is itching to get back to school come Wednesday.  So am I.

When Did She Become Such A Big (little) Girl?

If I could, I would post piccies of Monet here with her new school uniform, but I don't want the whole world knowing what school she is attending here in Abu Dhabi.

All I can say is that she looks so incredibly cute!  I don't know how or when she became such a big school kid.  

Today we paid our school fees and bought her uniform, direct from the school.  She is excited to now be the owner of a school pinafore, two polo shirts, sports shorts and a skort (cross between a skirt and shorts), oh and mustn't forget the mandatory library bag.

We bought her school shoes and socks last week, so now she is all kitted out. 

 

Next Sunday is the BIG day.  She is already so excited, it is a wonder she can sleep at night.  

Then in two weeks today, Monet will be turning 5.  FIVE!  My goodness.  

And hopefully somewhere in between (or a little after) Monet will be a big sister.  

So much to look forward to.  And all in such little time.

Relief.

With great relief I can tell you all that I have got Monet into a School for the new school year. 

She begins KG-2 (like Aussie Prep) come August 30th, (which is during this year's Ramadan over here) and will be an orientation day for all new children and their parents; school tours, teachers met, school uniforms purchased.  I can tell Monet is looking forward to it already.  She got a *glowing* report from her Nursery School Director which I am sure helped.  (I have to tell you, it is very hard to get children into school over here - there are limited places everywhere it seems - and these schools are not cheap.  All international schools here are private.  The company Lyndon currently works for, will pay a certain amount for Monet but the rest we have to fork out.)

It will be a hectic time for us with Monet starting school, her 5th birthday the following week and baby #2 due.  

Speaking of, Monet took this photo yesterday of me, so for all of you who want to spy a 23 week pregnant woman look no further;

Monet was busy trying on her 'winter' clothes for London next week.  We had to purchase some new threads for her on the weekend as her legs seemed to have stretched over the past few months and she didn't have a winter coat, which will be needed going from 40+ degree days into the low teens.

(I can't help but look at that above photo and see that she's looking 'grown up'. When did that happen?)

Things are moving ahead, per usual.

First Week Down

Our first full week of Nursery School has now come and gone.  

It feels quite the 'norm' now for Monet and I to be out the door just after 7:30; me driving up the road (in horrendous traffic, let me tell you - some of the road designs in Abu Dhabi make you scratch your head and say 'Why the f**k would they design it like that?'), taking Monet into the building and saying goodbye.  

When I got to pick her up, leaving home at around 1:30pm and greet her out in the playground, with her being not-so-keen to come home.  She *loves* it.  She truly does and with that was a great relief for both Lyndon and I.

Yesterday afternoon saw her backpack stuffed with her folder of stuff done for the week.  If anything, I would say that what she is doing in class is more like 'Prep' stuff, rather than Kinder.  Practicing letters, numbers, dot-to-dot, colouring etc.  Each A4 piece of work is ticked by her teacher, 'Mrs Vicky', and things written like 'Great Work', 'Fantastic' etc., etc.,  

'Mrs Vicky' even said to me (I have bragging rights here) that it is good Monet is only coming for one term (Eight-week Summer holidays begin first week of July) as otherwise she'd be 'bored senseless - she is way ahead of the other students'....  Obviously the past 4 and a half years spent having constant one-on-one time, I was doing something right. (Well, that's what I like to think *heehee*)

Monet comes home one happy little girl.  She sings to us the songs she has sung during the day and is keen to go upstairs and play (and I actually don't mind going and playing with her for a while either.)  She's been in bed and asleep at around 8:30pm each night too, which is an achievement in itself for us, as she tended to be a bit of a night owl, but not anymore.  *fingers crossed*  (She still gets the 6 o'clock grumpies but hey, I let it pass, due to knowing she's tired.)

Lyndon and I  decided to reward her for great behaviour and a great first week.  

She's been 'bike-less' for a couple of months now with her Princess bike broken and beyond repair.  As her little friends in the street ride around she looks at them with envy, but not any more.  We try and not spoil her, not buying her any more than I would have when living in Cairns, but sometimes it is nice to lash out and buy something  just because.

Happy child = Happy parents...

First Day

Finally.  Our fully pledged Kinder girl!  Monet was so chuffed this morning to be headed out the door with her 'school bag'.

All went well on her first day of 'Nursery School', attending for three hours this morning.  She was fine and happy enough when I left.  (Remembering that Monet and I have spent practically every day of the past 4 and a half years together.)

She made a little friend (*phew*) and seemed to enjoy her time away from me.  She did say that she drew a picture of me in the sand and said she missed me which made me go all gooey inside.  

The Director of the Nursery said that Monet went really well and with us talking to her teacher, said she wanted another six Monets in her class.  That's our girl.

Tomorrow we start 'full-time' at Kinder, for a good 5 1/2 hours or so, five days a week.  Hopefully enough hours to wear her out and keep her happy.  And her mummy happy.  (I have a day set aside for housework, another for grocery shopping and another for a weekly lunch date with Lyndon.  Two days spare up my sleeve - bliss.  Though this all comes at a steep price as all Nursery Schools (along with Schools) are privately run...)

Our girl is growing up and my tummy is growing out!

Two Steps Forward

It has been a great thing, getting my UAE driver's license.  I actually hit the main road today, in full-on traffic as I made my way up to Monet's new Nursery School!  Not that she has started yet, but I didn't want to jinx myself by writing about finding Monet a position (which are as rare as hen's teeth over here) until I was absolutely certain!

The Nursery School is about a 10 minute drive away from our home and very direct.  (Gotta love that!)  I was met by the Nursery director, an Australian, who assured me that they were very pleased to have Monet attend, beginning next term. (April 19th)  A well set-out Nursery with lots of rooms (Art room, reading room, singing room, indoor gym, reading nook plus a huge grassed area in the back along with a gigantic shaded play area and a sandpit about the size of a small house!) and it was a relief to see it for myself with Monet in tow. 

I have been ringing nursery schools since mid-January only to be told time and time again that the 4 year old positions were full to the max.  I was about this close to getting onto a nursery school a few weeks back but it seemed like I just missed out on a position.  (always the way!!)

Last week I thought, feck it, I'll ring around again, you just never know.  Well, that is true.  You just never know what will come up.  I *knew* when I rang this nursery (one I really wanted to get into because of its proximity to here and was told it was quite good) that something could be available because the woman on the phone said, how old is your daughter?  can I ring you back in like 20 minutes?  Well, it seems like I was meant to ring at that particular time because, as fate would have it, a child Monet's age was exiting at the end of this term and they had just been notified of this.  

*one weight lifted off Melody's shoulders*

We went in today, to have a tour and a meet and greet and fill out some forms.  Copies of passports, visas, vaccinations, birth certificates were handed in and I have to return with some passport photos of Monet along with the (hefty) registration fee.  (Nothing to do with the fees for the term which are due in the week Monet begins!)

But we are happy.  Not only is Monet all ready and happy to go to Kinder, I am happy to be out and about on the roads with confidence!