What a difference a year makes

Bret came home on Friday with a dreidel. This would have been banned in Dubai. (Remember the book order??) Anyway, he taught us all how to play. I love all the things my kids are learning, because I'm learning too.

Bret with his dreidel

Christmastime in the city...

...is crazy!!! We took the train down the city on Saturday. It is a 2 1/2 hour journey from our house, not a bad day trip. We had Korean food for lunch then went to Times Square and to see the tree at Rockefeller Center. The Toys R Us at Times Square was complete chaos. It was the most crowded store I've ever been in. It freaked me out to be in there and I had to get out quick. And, I could hardly move around the tree at Rockefeller Center. As I was trying to leave, I couldn't push Laci's stroller at all, so this nice guy cleared a path for me to get through. Nick and I got separated, so this was very helpful. The next time we visit the city during the Christmas season, we will take the kids out of school and go on a weekday, although it was kind of fun to be part of the insanity.

Bret & Cole on the train

Drew & Laci on the train

Grand Central Station

Korean food - Bret and Cole both love kimchee

Times Square

Rockefeller Center

A new post....6 months later

After a 6 month hiatus, I'm finally updating my blog. An overseas move, a crazy summer, a new house, unpacking and settling in will do this to ya. Such is life. We're finally settled and life is getting back to normal as normal gets. The boys are enjoying their new school and they take the bus. (Yay for me!!) Drew is talking up a storm and likes to play with his brothers, he's even getting in on the wrestling. Laci is walking all over the place and into everything, like a good toddler should be. Here are a few pics of the new house:

The room of constant chaos...can you find Laci?

So fun to decorate a girl room

Drew & Cole's room

Bret's room

Help!!!

This is what I wake up to every morning:

And, she won't let me put anything in her hair without pulling it out. Oh well, at least she's cute.

First snow

The kids were all excited about the first snow. This was the first snow that Drew and Laci have ever experienced and the first "real" snow that Bret and Cole have seen in 5 years. There was about a foot of snow on the ground after the storm. School was canceled and the kids had fun playing in it all day. After living in warm climates the last 5 years, we've had to get all 4 kids winter wardrobes. Bret and Cole have to bring boots and snowpants to school if they want to go to recess, so we spent a lot of $ at Target a few days ago...tis the season.

Time to leave???

I'm at the kids' school playground yesterday waiting for traffic to clear out after pick up. I'm sitting on a swing watching Bret and Cole play. There is a boy, maybe 9 or 10, with his friend sitting on the swings next to me. The one boy says to his friend "I'm going to kill my f*****g driver. He's late! He was supposed to be here at 2:30. I'm going to kill my f******g driver." I couldn't believe my ears. I looked at him and was speechless. I didn't say anything. He then got up and walked away. Luckily, there weren't any other kids around to hear that kind of language, although I'm sure it happens a lot. This place never ceases to amaze me with the sense of entitlement that people have, even at such a young age. It's as if the world revolves around them. I think it's almost time that I get my kids out of here.

6 Month Appointment

I've never been too picky about the doctors I take the kids to. Throughout all of our moves, I've taken the kids to so many I can't even remember them all and figure they're all about the same. All I really care about is getting the immunizations, anyway. Well, that has changed. I took Laci in for her 6 month check up to the pediatric clinic at the American hospital here in Dubai, the same hospital where I had her. There are about 5 or 6 doctors and when I make the appointments I say that I don't care which doctor Laci sees. So, this appointment is with the same guy whom she saw for her 2 month check up. Red flag...if I can get an appointment the next day with this guy, no one else wants to see him.

We wait and wait, and he finally comes in the room. The first thing he says is "Oh, this is the tongue tied baby." (At 2 months he said she was tongue tied, which I doubted because she's had no trouble nursing and at 4 months, another doctor, a lady which I liked, checked Laci and said she was fine). I told him this and he said "How do you know? Is she talking?" He said this in a very condescending way. He goes on for about 5 minutes about how he has to give me his opinion and checks her again and says it's a very MILD case. Yeah, whatever.

So, next he asks me what she's been eating. I say that I started giving her some fruits and cereals about 10 days before she turned 6 months. He said "That's too early." So I say to him, "Oh, so the day she turns 6 months is the magical day that she can start solids?" He said, "Yes, and you should never start with fruits. Now she will never eat vegetables." Again - yeah, whatever. Then I say to him how my 6 and 8 year olds had vegetables first and now they won't hardly touch them. He says "I bet that's because your refrigerator is full of processed foods." Again - yeah, whatever.

I'm sitting there, really irritated, so I try to lighten things up a bit. I ask him where he's from and he tells me "I'm Syrian born, but I'm Albanian. Now I'm an American, though." He goes on to tell me where he has lived in the states, mostly Pennsylvania and Ohio, for about 15 years. He asks me where I'm from and I say that I'm originally from Utah. He then asks "Are you a second wife?" What??? Did he really just say that!!?? I say "Nope, first and only, thank you very much." What I wanted to say was "How many wives do you have?" Muslims can have up to 4, as long as they are treated equally. But, I just bit my tongue and just sat there politely until he left the room.

Needless to say, I will NEVER go to him again.

Laci at 6 months

Laci at 7 months

Musandam, Oman

With Joe & Annie here last week, we decided to be a bit adventurous and head over to the neighboring country of Oman. We went to the northern most part called Musandam, about a 3 hour drive from Dubai. It is right near the straight of Hormuz, only 30 miles from Iran across the Persian Gulf. This area is commonly called the "fjords of the Middle East" because of the beautiful tall mountains that jet up out of the sea. We took a dhow (an old wooden boat) cruise of the whole area. We all went snorkeling and even saw some dolphins.

Bret, Drew and Cole sitting on the dhow. There were rugs and pillows to sit on, the traditional Arabic seating.

This is what the dhow looked like.

Drew, enjoying the beautiful scenery.

If you look real close, you can see the dolphins. There was one swimming right up next to the boat for a bit, but by the time I grabbed my camera, it was gone.

This is a little fishing village.

Bret & Cole ready for some snorkeling.

Snorkeling

Laci resting on Dad.

Drew hanging out with Abdullah and Waleed.

We've caved

So, after nearly 2 years of living here, we finally gave in and are living like most of Dubai - with a live in maid. We resisted for so long because we didn't want someone living with us, but after nearly all of our friends saying how nice it is, we thought we'd give it a try for our last year here. And after about a week, I can say it is soooooooo nice. The dishes are always done. The house is always picked up (well, almost - Drew goes around and pretty much destroys things right behind her). The clothes hampers are always empty. The best part is not having to clean up the kitchen after dinner, which she cooks. Tonight we had a Filipino dish called chicken adobo...very good.


Her name is Marjory and she is from the Philippines. She is very quiet and polite. She has been in Dubai for about 3 weeks now. She has a cousin and an aunt here, so it is nice for her to have some family here. Marjory was a maid in the Philippines for 2 years before coming to Dubai. This the first time she ever left the Philippines and her first time on a plane.


How am I ever going to go back to doing things myself?! I'm so spoiled.

A day at the zoo & Laci's new do

Last week was spring break and one of the days we went to the zoo. We went to the Al Ain zoo. Al Ain is a city in the neighboring emirate of Abu Dhabi. It was about a 90 minute drive. There is a zoo here in Dubai, but we haven't been and heard it's not very good. The Al Ain zoo was a good size and there was no one there, except for the group of friends we went with. It was great. The kids had a good time and thank goodness it wasn't too hot that day. Here are a few pictures. I'm a terrible photographer and only got one animal in a picture....oh well.

Bret and the ostrich

Cole - note the mountains in the background - we haven't seen mountains in months

Drew pointing at a bird

There was even a train painted with zebra stripes

In one of my previous posts, I wrote how Laci has lost most of her hair - well, all but the top. I know it's just wishful thinking, but I've been pulling that little tuft of hair up with an elastic and curling it. When it's up, you can really see how bald she is everywhere else. We call it her "Pebbles" do.

How scary is this...

http://7days.ae/storydetails.php?id=75541&title=No%20way%20to%20avoid%20him

The fear now is that many of the labourers will run out into traffic to try to get themselves killed for the blood money. Blood money is money paid to the victim's family from the person who committed the "crime." They can work and work for their meager pay or do this and leave their families well off. Scary stuff.

Bumbo and Sword Fights

Laci is getting too big, too quick. She loves her Bumbo. She is also losing almost all of her hair. It is gone on the sides and back. She just has a little tuft on the top and some right above her neck. I'm sure it will come in blond, but maybe not until she's 4, if she's like I was.

While I was taking Laci's pictures, Drew came and brought me a sword. He said, "here mom, fight." This was our first official sword fight. After having many a sword fight with Bret and Cole when they were little, it was nice to get back at it again. I haven't lost my skills in the last couple of years. He's just starting to get his little imagination and I love it. Here's my handsome little knight:

Cole's 6th Birthday!

Last Thursday (Feb. 26) was Cole's much anticipated 6th birthday. He had a fun day at school. I brought in brownies for the class to share. Later that afternoon, he had a party at Chuck E Cheese. It opened last Fall - this place is becoming more and more like the US everyday. Cole invited all the boys in his class, about 10. He and his friends had a great time running around playing all the games and eating pizza. There was even a little ice skating rink that a few were brave enough to try out. He had a great day!