Change

You may have noticed a change to the blog.  I like change - rearranging of furniture, sorting, throwing, piffing, organising, moving.  

We have some big changes happening soon with the arrival of #2.  There is light at the end of the tunnel as I am due 6 weeks today.  Shite.  I am excited and scared.  Monet was a baby five years ago - will I remember what to do?  

Not only will we have to be focusing on a newbie but also on getting Monet to school on time (she starts KG2 at the end of August) and picking her up (her school hours are 8 till 1.)  Luckily for us we have some terrific neighbours who have said that they will help out with Monet and school where and when they can.  Lucky too is that Lyndon is working very close to where she is going to attend and he can work around with the dropping off/picking up.  

We live in a two-bedroom villa, which may be huge, but at the end of the day, it is a two-bedroom villa.  We will survive living here but we do want somewhere with three bedrooms, and if you knew just how much we pay to rent this place year, you'd seriously fall over on the spot and say we were crazy.  Lyndon's work give him a rental allowance which covers it all but a possible move is not out of the question.  And as I said before, we like change.

Having no family around, we have no one to rely on except ourselves, but we're tough.  I'll have no family support or visitors when baby arrives, but we do have our neighbours.  I think we all consider ourselves family as we are all in the same boat.  It is nice to know that we have some volunteers to be here to look after Monet, when #2 decides to make an appearance, and people Monet is comfortable with.  

There is nothing in the world like meeting a newbie, like holding a newborn and saying "G'day, welcome to the world baby" and knowing that they will be all ours, when our family of three becomes a family of four.  A family who are not scared to face new challenges alone and who like change.

Roll on early September, roll on!!

Oh, and by the way, Happy 'big-number' Birthday to Big Sister yesterday, who bopped away to U2 in Ireland to celebrate last night.

It Feels Like An Ice Age!

Yesterday was the first time I took Monet to the cinema.  Yeah, I know, she is nearing 5 but she's never been keen to go, even though there has been many offers made in the past.  Monet is not a fan of loud noises, nor of darkened rooms.  She was never really one to sit there and continually watch something without doing something else at the same time.  eg. colouring in and watching tv.

But after some discussion last week and some flogging on the telly of Ice Age 3, she announced she'd like to see it.  So I took her, rubbing my hands together.  I (used) to be a big cinema-goer in my time.  I used to go practically every Friday night pre-Monet pregnancy with a girlfriend and before that, back in my Uni days, tight-arse Tuesday, used to see my sister and I go quite often.

Monet was very excited as I bought the two tickets at 30 dihrams a pop.  (About $10AUD!)

Inside the darkened Cinema, before the movie started, she sat nervously with popcorn in hand.  And my hand in the other. 

 

But once the movie started she kept looking at me with a big smile on her face.  "Ooo I like the cinema", she kept stating to me.

We both enjoyed the movie - even I thought it was better than expected.  We had a some big laughs together, enjoying the popcorn and M&M's we shared - a nice early afternoon togther.  

We've already picked out the next movie we're going to see at the cinema, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, though I'm a little unsure when it will be hitting our screens in Abu Dhabi.  As long as Monet is still keen to go, I'll happily see anything with her!

We live in a house, a very big house in Abu Dhabi....

Friday was shopping day for us.  

We wanted to hit some shops, as you do.  Our destination was 150k's up the road at Dubai Mall, the largest shopping mall in the world, located under the Burj Dubai.  The past couple of times we have been there it was still in the process of opening (shop variety wise) but when we pounded the mall this time, we found most shops were open.  Gotta love that.

On the way 'up' to Dubai we got pretty excited to see some camels wandering on the side of the road (behind a fence) and even on the way home we saw more.  Rather funny as it was the first ones we had seen like that (one after the other), especially coming from Australia where we would always see, yet still get excited, about seeing wild Kangaroos on the side of the road. 

Monet and I both love the aquarium at the Mall - you can pay to go through the aquarium itself (unsure of the price) but otherwise you can stand behind barriers and see the giant glass wall with coral and fish.  It is pretty awesome to see for yourself.

Lyndon has been quite keen lately to purchase a gift for himself - a train set, so he and Monet could enjoy together, but he didn't see one that 'ticked all boxes' so instead he got a Wii Fit.  How come no one has ever told us about how good they are before??  I swear I hadn't laughed so hard in ages with both Monet and Lyndon doing exercise.  (Mind the shite quality of this photo - I was trying to quickly take one on the sly...)

There is one section where you can go jogging and seeing Monet 'jog' (ie sprint) on the spot was too much for me.  Monet and Lyndon too doing yoga and exercise was amusing but they enjoyed themselves.  It will be great to use for me once baby has entered the world.  (It is recommended not to use when pregnant, well especially 33 weeks along like myself)

Back to Dubai Mall...

I was rather happy to see that a H&M store had opened (you should know by now how much I like H&M, great prices!) and that they basically had most of their store at 50% off.  Monet and #2 gained a few items (so cute) but I'm leaving clothe shopping for moi a bit further along the track.  

I did however purchase a few of my favourite little cookbooks and I lashed out and bought myself some new shoes...

How could I resist those little (well, not little) numbers?  Too cute I thought.  

We had a nice day out and the evening was topped off with us each enjoying an Export Quality Four & Twenty Aussie Meat pie for dinner!  You have no idea how good they taste when you aren't in the country of origin!  (We have a box of 24 which we got off the Dubai Dingos AFL club, located here in the UAE.)

One last thing, Monet made my day today by announcing that this is her favourite song.  She must be taking after me after all!  I don't even care that the song is 14 years old.  It is Blur and that what counts!

Rolling With It...

...I (literally) feel like a ball these days.

Even though I am close to being 32 weeks pregnant, the baby I am carrying is the size of one who might be 35 weeks.  No wonder I feel exhausted.  I have been having good days and some pretty shitty ones too, where I have major cases of the can't-be's, but I get on with it.  I have no choice.  I try not to complain.  I roll with it.

My body aches something terrible during the night, even though I am sleeping with a gazillion pillows around my body.  I don't feel 'normal' (as one can in this situation) until my morning shower.  I am 10 kilos heavier than usual and my body knows it.  

Lyndon and Monet are trying their best to help out which I thank them for.  

We've slowly been purchasing things needed when #2 makes an appearance (hopefully sooner, rather than later) such as a change table, nappies, clothes etc., but finding a cot we like is proving to be a little more difficult than what we thought.  I'm telling you, there are some rather horrible cots out there in the stores of Abu Dhabi.  *shudder*  (And I am sure half of them would not pass Australian safety standards.)  The one we did have our eye on in a particular store, we were told they don't have a supplier for it.  Figure that one out.  (And we're not fans of buying demo stock due to a few bad experiences in the past.)  But we will find one.  We've still got a bit of time up our sleeves.  

In the meantime, I have to roll with it, Little By Little. (With thanks to Oasis.) 

Enjoy the video - I love this song - starring the talented actor Robert Carlyle...

'Bout Time I Blogged.

You know how it is.  

I've been busy, alright!  Well kinda.

Last Monday Lyndon and I celebrated 13 years together, so I lashed out and bought some lovely new perfume I had been eyeing off for myself...

and we all went out to dinner at the Shangri-La for the Buffet, which was delicious.  And rather filling to say the least. 

Monet finished up Kindergarten last Tuesday and when I picked her up, she looked like this, my own beautiful butterfly...

Even though she only did a term of Nursery School she is off to Primary School come late August.  Or is that late September?  The Government can't seem to make up their minds in regards to the school year starting - during or after Ramadan?  That is the question.  I hope it is answered soon.  Then I know if Monet has 9 weeks Summer holidays or 12.  Hey, what's 3 weeks? *smirk*

We've been craftin', bakin', cookin', singin' and shoppin' together since last week.

Monet has spent hours colouring-in (per usual) and making loads of Chinese paper lanterns (which now hang down the staircase on homemade paper chains).  We've changed her room around, watched DVDs together (too many Barbie movies, Three Pigs and a Baby, A Night at the Museum #2 and Coraline - I love this movie!) and cleaned.  She's been a good helping hand to her 'big mumma'.

Me?  Just the usual.  

Been reading the Twilight series, watching DVD's (The Reader - better than I thought it would be, Angels & Demons - I preferred the book to the movie),  baking and cleaning, washing and sorting, (nesting!), entertaining the girl, Twittering, playing bloody addictive Scrabble on Facebook along with Farming!, changing the bedrooms around (Lyndon helped of course), whinging about my size, spending, visits to my Syrian Dentist (root canals don't hurt after the nerve has died - they just hurt the hip pocket), and visits to my Iraqi Doctor for regular pregnancy checkups. (Hopefully nine more weeks to go!)  Been building up our supply of Vegemite (there has been a clear shortage of the stuff over the past few months, so when I spy a jar it must be bought!) and we were glad when our order of a box of 'Export Quality' Four & Twenty Beef Pies arrived via the Dubai AFL club! (Trust me, Meat Pies have never tasted so bloody good - and I am not usually one to enjoy a pie!)

You know how it is when it is 50 degrees outside.  

(A quick word on the weather.  Yeah, it is hot, but you must remember that homes over here have been built to handle such conditions.  It isn't like in Oz where when you have a few 40+ degree days in a row your house becomes like an oven (even with air con) - homes are made fully from concrete and (most) with ducted air conditioning.  You wouldn't even know it was 50 degrees out there when it is half the degrees inside...)  

A Taste of Rainbow.

I don't know what has happened lately, but I've been baking, baking, baking.  I've baked Pavlovas for neighbours...

...along with other bits and pieces I have been sharing (with two neighbours in particular, who seem to thrive on what I am baking!), including this yummy Apple Custard Tea Cake.

I have now even got Monet in on the act. She enjoys helping me and I have learnt to become more patient with her helping me.  

Yesterday I gave her the choice in helping me make either a 'Marble Cake' (ie, white, pink & choc) or a Rainbow Cake (using all the colours of the rainbow).  You can guess what she choose.

A simple cake which she helped measure and place the ingredients in my faithful mix master.  She particularly loves to sift the flour (I remember loving that job as a child too) and then hand mixing, without help from me.  We divided all the mixed raw ingredients into seven little bowls and I dyed them, with Monet mixing...

...We then placed teaspoon after teaspoon of mixed coloured ingredients into the cake tin and baked for an hour.

We frosted with chocolate icing and coloured sprinkles for a true rainbow effect, which kept the girl happy.  Tastes pretty darn good too...

A Pain In The Tooth!

Monet may be fine now (even though we had to take her off her medication - she was going crazeeee...) but it is my turn now.  Not that I am 'sick' and my pregnancy is going along well (29 weeks today!).  My problem has to do with this bloody mouth of mine.  Dental problems.  

No wonder Monet has had trouble with her teeth when she has Lyndon and I as parents.  (Poor #2!) 

My greatest fear is going to the dentist.  Silly I know, but I just don't like people looking in my mouth and then looking in my wallet for the payment.  Both seem to hurt.  But enough was enough and I had to bite the bullet.  Literally...

Since being pregnant with #2 my teeth became all sensitive.  I tried all different type of sensitive toothpastes, which helped somewhat.  Though in the past few weeks I had been finding it hard to chew and if you know me, well, I love my food and the thought of not being able to eat a full meal was killing me.  Then about 12 days ago I felt something lodged in my tooth (thankfully a side-to-the-back-one).  I pried it with my tongue, and what do you know?  Part of my tooth fell out.  There was only one word I said and we can all guess what that word was.  (Begins with an 'f' and ends in a 'k' - yes, feck!)

I rang the dentist at our local hospital and made an appointment - I knew I couldn't live with a gaping hole in my tooth when pregnant and I knew I would get toothaches.  I was right on that, let me tell you!

So last night was D-Day for me.  I faced my fear.  I went in.  I told the dentist I was scared.  He (tried) to be gentle on me and my tooth.  With as little pain killer as possible he went in and said two words I was dreading .... "root canal".  F**k.  

I'd rather give birth than have a root canal.  At least when you give birth you get a wonderful present at the end.  With a root canal you get pain and a hefty bill.  Hey, I guess both are quite the same aren't they when I put it like that...  

He put in something to kill the nerve in my tooth (my God it hurt! - remembering I had minimal pain relief!) and I have to return late next week to begin the root canal which he will do slowly over time.  

So much to look forward to.  (Aren't you glad it is me and not you?)

Sick Girl

We had to take Monet to emergency last night, at one of our local hospitals.  Her body temp rose very quickly (was up past 39 degrees) so we went and got it all sorted.

Our girl has a case of tonsillitis.

She hadn't been herself for a couple of days.  We only noticed this when for two days in a row (yesterday and the day before that), after retuning from Kinder she sat on the couch and slept.  This *never* happens.

Her appetite had all but disappeared.  (This should have rang alarm bells for me!)

Yesterday after Kindy she fell asleep in the car.  When we got home she got on the couch and slept.  I took her temperature and discovered it a little higher than normal.  I checked it an hour later and it was a little higher again.  Then, at one stage, it had jumped by a degree within 30 minutes.  

Lyndon had literally just got home from work when I said "we're off to the hospital!" (said in a little panicky tone mind you!)  Lyndon didn't have time to change, let alone have a cool drink after being out in the heat all day.  

We were seen to rather promptly and they ended up putting Monet onto a drip of antibiotics (she was very brave, let me tell you!) and we left about 3 hours later.

Today she has been okay, but still not our normal girl.  It is a battle to get her to take her medication (you have no idea!) and for her to eat.  Her temp is running up and down but steady.  

We're meant to be going to see Barney tomorrow, but we won't be if I can't see a marked improvement in our little girl in the next 24 hours.  Sorry Monet.

(Photos taken last week in our little back yard.  Ahh, the fun of a sprinkler, just like the good old days!)