A Daisy update

I thought I'd do a post on Daisy as it's been a while since I wrote about where she is at.

She's now 16 1/2 months old and still quite slim but tall. She has dainty (NOT monkey) little hands and feet just like her mummy and also like me, is rather fond of shoes. She also very much likes hats. Her hair is now long enough to get in a little ponytail on top although she's a terror at pulling out hair ties and clips. She's now running and her latest task is learning how to walk up stairs which she approaches with steely determination. She loves the pool where we spend an hour every afternoon and she has become confident going right under the water. She does however still need to learn how to blow out, not inhale!

She's beginning to speak and although mama and dada are still by far her most popular words other words include bye-bye, yes, bath, bed, water, this and fish. She also has her own word for Geoffrey (all round top giraffe and best pal), which to be fair is quite a mouthful for a little girl.

She's not a big eater but eats a wide range of things with her current favourite being fish. We go to Costa for coffee every morning which is opposite a pet shop. As soon as the pet shop is open Daisy runs across there making a bee line for the aquarium whilst shrieking 'feesh, feesh'. I think she's yet to make the correalation between the fish at the pet shop and the fish on her plate....

She adores other children, both younger and older and apart from a slight blip recently where she started to hit (and bit twice, oh the shame) she's normally very affectionate and loves cuddling and kissing. However, I'm currently trying to teach her that full on snogging her little friends not only scares them but is rather inappropriate.

Books are still a big favourite as are soft toys. When she's not demanding my complete attention she can often be found in her playroom curled up reading a book with some soft toys. She also still loves birds and with numbers dwindling here over summer, spotting one is cause for huge excitement.

That's it in a rather large nutshell really. She's getting bigger everyday and my latest task is to try to get her in to a good school. It all seems too early to be worrying about but they start here the September after they turn three (THREE!) and there aren't enough places so it's a bit daunting. Her year, the 2009 intake, at our local school is already full so I'm looking further afield. The thought of her starting full time proper 5 days a week school at three fills me with horror but starting them later means it's even harder to find a place. Woe.

Andy has gone to the Irish Village for a night on the tiles with his workmates. Daisy, poor button, is in bed early with a fever. Which leaves me with only a large bowl of pasta and a good book for company. How very nice.

Bx

Jumping for joy

Our things our here eeeeeeeeekkkkkk! I'm so excited. The house is filled with men unloading boxes whilst I leap about shrieking and taking photos. Which I'm sure they appreciate. Daisy is asleep, she's going to freak when she wakes up. A very large box marked 'toys' just got deposited in her playroom. Ohhhh, and my cookbooks just landed in the kitchen. I think I'm going to cry.

Bx

The eagle has landed

Brilliant news this morning, our container arrived in to port yesterday and is getting delivered tomorrow. Yaaaaaayyyy! It's going to be a few days of boxes and unpackers descending on us but I can't wait. We've also had the garden done and are now putting enough water on it every evening to float the ark.

We've just had a really good weekend. It was the first weekend since we arrived that actually felt like a proper relaxing one - not just rushing around sorting things out.

Andy was out on Thursday night with David, Janet and Oliver. He came home rather merry and had a good time by all accounts. They went to a restaurant/bar/club at Jumeirah Beach. Daisy has been having some sleeping issues (now resolved, fingers crossed) so I stayed at home with her.

On Friday we met Tara, Dayon and Sanna for brunch at The Organic Cafe in Satwa. Sanna is one month older than Daisy and they are becoming good friends which is lovely. The girls spent the whole time racing around getting in to mischief and having a ball.

On Saturday we went the the Iranian Hospital and I got my health card and had my visa blood test - the last step in my residency process. We then went for lunch at The Lime Tree in Jumeirah where we ran in to Carmen, Graham and Jamie. Daisy and Jamie proceed to spend the entire lunch swapping (often already sucked) food and throwing it around. They made an outstanding mess. Late afternoon Andy met Clive (who lives down the street) and they trundled off to our local golf club for a few hits at the driving range followed by beers and rugby at the clubhouse. Daisy and I headed down for the last half of the game which consisted of England getting wopped again by the Saffies. Boo. The golf club is great, it's all rather swanky with a big restaurant/bar and a huge terrace overlooking the greens. Plus it has beer and shows sport which is all Andy needs to be happy.

Pre-weekend, I had a night out on Wednesday to Vintage, a great wine bar at Wafi City. It was with one of the coffee groups I go to and was a great chance to catch up and properly talk to everyone without the distraction of kids.

No post would be complete without talking about the weather so I'm happy to report that it continues to get hotter. Which means that it's now very hot - not a day under 40 I don't think. Ooo.

Bx

Photos

The photo upload function is really, no really, frustrating so I've stuck a link to 'latest photos' on the right.

Photos will appear there instead until I can work out what the hell is going on.

Andy

Photos

We still cannot upload photos, hence I'm trying another option. Click below to see some recent photos of Daisy.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/becandy/MayInDubai

Hope it works!

Andy

Jules and Gianni's wedding

I still can't get photos to load. Grrrr. It hasn't worked since moving to the Ranches so may be the connection here. Very frustrating.

Daisy and I just survived our first drive without Andy. The roads here are terrifying and scare the bejesus out of me. Everyone drives too fast, the roads are a mess, lane discipline is non existent and the body count is horrendeous. I have a Pajero on order but it will take until July to get here. JULY! Until then I'm in a sedan which feels rather small compared to all the monsters on the road.

Anyway, this post is meant to be about my recent trip to Australia. I was a bridesmaid at Juliet and Gianni's wedding which was amazing. SO annoying I can't put photos on. It was held at Thala, a resort just out of Port Douglas in North Queensland. It was a bit of a flying visit, only there for four nights as Andy and Daisy were still in Dubai. Andy could only get a few days off work and the trip was too long to put Daisy through for a short time so they had to stay behind *sob*.

Ruth and I stayed in an apartment in Port Douglas which was great. We both arrived on the Wednesday and went out for a few quiet drinks in the evening. It felt very odd to be sans baby.

Thursday was the Hen Day. We had a snorkel/dive trip on the Great Barrier Reef. We went to the outer reef which is quite a long way out and it was rather rough so there were a few green faces and sick bags out! We went to three locations during the day and each was amazing. The diversity and abundance of life once you peeked beneath the waves was astounding. In the evening we went to a great restaurant then headed off to a few bars afterwards. I think Jules had a good night which was the aim of things.

Friday we had a wedding rehearsal in the morning then Jules and I spent the afternoon being pampered at a spa. Ahhhh. We had a wedding party and family dinner in the evening then had an early night in preparation for the big day.

Saturday dawned bright and clear and I headed out to Thala to join Jules and get ready which we did over a relaxed lunch and champers. Jules looked absolutely stunning. She was always going to look amazing but she really did look perfect. Plus not a wedding jitter in sight! Golf carts took us to the start of the beach path where we began our walk down the longest aisle in the world. It was a beautiful ceremony, on a slightly raised area overlooking the beach. As is always the way, it seemed to be over in a flash, congratulations Mr and Mrs Pannozzo! Then it was photos photos and more photos and the reception began which was held in a gorgeous open walled circular platform amongst the tropical rainforest. It all went very well and we danced up a storm before bidding Jules and Gianni farewell and heading off on a wedding coach to town. Needless to say much more dancing followed and we got back to our apartment as the birds were getting up then cracked open the champers. I don't get to do it often so figured I may as well do it in style.

We headed to the airport at 10am on Sunday morning feeling well and truly partied out. About 26 hours later I was dashing up the stairs in Dubai to smother Daisy in kisses. I missed her awfully and from the sounds of things she really missed me too. From the stunned look on her face she had given up hope of ever seeing me again and wouldn't let me out of her sight for days. I think Andy was pretty pleased to see me too, he discovered that it's not all about lying round and drinking coffee!

Bx

A lot going on - and photo upload isn't working Argh!

There has been an awful lot happen since my last post! We've moved house and I've been to Australia. Daisy has also become a full time walker, it's quite odd watching her toddle round.

Two of Daisy's friends turned 1 recently. Oliver who held a pool party and Jamie who had lunch at The Lime Tree followed by a trip to Favourite Things. Much fun was had at both parties and Daisy loved the chance to eat as much cake as she wanted.

Our new house is great, although a little empty as our things are still en route from London. It's at Arabian Ranches which is about a 20 minute drive out. It's a semi detached villa with 3 bedrooms upstairs and study downstairs. Plenty of room for guests. We have a garden with a gate that leads on to a lake path - excellent for walks. Over the road is the communal area with a big pool, a baby pool, lounging area, grass area with bbqs, a playground and a tennis court. Result! Arabian Ranches has a central area with a golf course, polo club, school, spa and shopping centre. We are very pleased with it. Daisy is particulary pleased. She has gone from no room of her own for the past three months to a lovely big bedroom, her own bathroom AND and a playroom. The lucky bubba.

Australia post is up next.

Bx