Not so fast.....

I don't know what I've posted on here, so just run with me here.

We've talked about July 15 being the date the government gave for closing the border. Yes, it did happen and then so did a lot of griping by a lot of people and one week later, behold, the border is open. Who knows when we'll go through it again.

Today I got a call from someone saying their company was moving them next month because visa requirements changed for visit visas (all of us at the language school are on visit visas). Apparently the UAE is requiring that you need to visit a European country before renewing your visit visa status. This is bizarre requirement. This means no quick jaunts across the border to renew the visa.

This is supposed to start in four days.

I have looked at a number of websites for our embassies, their embassies and residency sites and there is NOTHING about it. How the newspaper can publish four articles in one day on a major visa change and have nothing announced elsewhere, is a mystery to me.

So, I guess I'll ignore it.

By the way, Tom is off on his trip to Europe with his men from the other side of town. Getting that trip together is worthy of its own post, but I am still too sick of the whole thing to talk about it. Either way, Tom is gone for 10 days and that is why I am sitting at the computer posting things on my blog. Oh, also because we went to a wedding until 11pm last night and Layla is sleeping like crazy!!

I must say, I am looking forward to spending time in the US where I can leave the house without having to check for my passport, Layla's passport, both of my phones and money in two currencies....

Grandma is coming!

I know I mentioned this before, but I wanted to put up some pics of mom and Layla. I've had several people say that Lj looks like mom (=

She comes Aug 22 and we are very excited to have her here!!

Ding Dong.... "mah skeena"

In most parts of the world these ladies would be called beggars, but we call them "Mah Skeena" - a much nicer sounding word. We use the same word if a friend had a really tough day or if your teacher was really hard on you etc... Basically it mean - poor you.

So we get lots of them in our neighborhood. Maybe because we give them 5-10 dirhams which is about $2-3. I've started giving them clothes since several of them ask for that. I have NO idea what they do with our clothes!

Anyway, I've been quite proud of myself lately because I have started piling up "mah skeen bags" for us to give to folks when the doorbell rings. I put whatever I am getting rid of in the bags and Tom (who usually answers the door) knows what to give away.

So this afternoon the doorbell rang and I trotted out with my big bag of clothes and a mug (a hideous mug that was a gift from our friend across the street). I recognized this lady and asked her if she wanted clothes. She did not seem impressed and we were sort of struggling between language and culture rules for this dear poor lady to tell this poor rich foreigner what she really needed. We finally sorted it out. She just wanted uncooked rice.

When I came back with a ziplock bag full of rice she gave me a smile and a big thumbs up! I about died (= I also saw her gold ring on her finger....we ladies keep our dignity, don't we. Gold jewelry is the dowry for women here and it is one of the few things that is truly theirs and not their husbands'.

Since we are moving I have all sorts of things I can give away and I hadn't thought about rice. How silly. They eat it every day for lunch. You all have probably heard about food prices being 70%-80% up from where they were last year. This has been true here for sure. We have seen a dramatic rise in the last few months of folks stopping by the house.

I was at our big French grocery store chain across the border yesterday and there was a long list of food that now have price controls on them. It is the first time that has ever been done in this country. After I checked out, I realized that the cheese I buy has actually truly doubled in price in the last six months. I feel so bad for folks living in on the edge. On our side of town there are a lot of people in that situation.

About two months ago when Layla's crawling and development was really taking off, I was scrambling for things to occupy her attention. I started to sprinkle bird seed on our large window ledges to see if I could attract some of the birds from our neighbors trees next door.

It worked like a charm and Lj and I have been looking and birds and watching momma birds feed baby birds right in front of our noses. (The mirrored glass means they can't see us.) It has been fun to watch her hear the birds and turn her head to the window.

A few days ago I opened a wooden puzzle that someone had given us where the animal pieces make the corresponding noise when you put the piece back in the puzzle. The chicken sounds remarkably like a bird and it is SO funny to watch Layla stare at the window whenever we put the chicken piece back. We are no longer calling it a chicken.

Anyway, this afternoon Tom and I were both on the little couch in her room that sits under the window. This is where we watch the birds. Layla likes to clamour up on the top edge of the sofa and press her face to the window. As she was doing this, Tom noticed that she was sort of whispering and mouthing the word "birdy". After much coaxing she actually said it! Several times over. It was quite the moment since we were both there. Really sweet. She's still hesitant about it but clearly said it several times in response to seeing the birds (=

By the way, she turned 10 months old this week on the 19th. We think she is getting ready to stand on her own as well. crazy. Thankfully she is still napping three times a day. I'm SO grateful for this. She is eating a lot more foods and can even bite her cheerios in half and eat a Ritz cracker while she holds it!

Summer fun in the pool

She just looked too cute to not post some pics of her in the pool in her new swimsuit. I had been resigning myself to having to buy her a swimsuit at the GAP for an exorbitant price, but then they had a 70% sale! I was SO glad. She's grown out of her other three swimsuits (thanks Carrie!) and needed another one.

Anyway, Tom found a smaller pool for her that has an slightly padded, inflated bottom so she can be in the pool by herself. So I just sit by the side and chat with her (=

Mom - she LOVES those plastic stacking cups you sent. They are slightly rubbery and she just loves to chew on them. Unfortunately she's actually getting good at drinking her bathwater out of them. I don't care so much about the teaspoon of pee that is in the water - it the water itself that we won't even drink or cook with!

Anyway. She is loads of fun and can't wait for Grandma to get here on Aug 22!!! The picture of her with her head cocked to the side (her eyes are closed) is her new thing. I think she learned it in Turkey when she was getting SO much attention and starting leaning over the side of the stroller to stare at all the people (= It is really sweet - when she has her eyes open.

Layla Tries Frozen Juice!

In the hot summer, freezing juice boxes and eating them is a great way to cool down quickly. I usually have one while I am watching Oprah right before going to bed (=
We have the daughter of a friend staying with us for about two weeks and she was letting Lj suck on her juice box. I wish I had gotten her first few expressions of totally distaste at the temperature! So cute.

Little Climber

I thought this was the FUNNIEST picture! Layla was desperately trying to get over the seat to play the the pakistani guy in the seat behind her. He was so kind to play with her so much. She can really turn on the charm when she wants too. Anyway, I also thought Tom's expression was pretty funny (=

Border Changes

Well the border in town is now officially closed to foreigners. I had one last errand to run the day before so Tom and I went out to lunch with Layla at the mall one last time. Oddly I am not that upset or anything.... I rather like having my life simplified for me. Plus, I have stock piled the New Zealand beef which is the ONE thing from other side of town I really couldn't live without.
It is very tense and the police have been lurking about the borders - the old one that is now shut and the one we've been using where they are now turning away foreigners.

So what used to take 15 mins will now take at least an hour and require two visas.

On another note, we've had a load of arab guests lately. We usually don't get this many dropping it, but it has been fun and made me a little behind in the rest of life. I didn't have fruit to serve or even juice, my last big of Tang was a horrid looking congealed crust in the bottom of the jar. I think they knew we were back from Turkey and this month is when everyone else is on vacation. It is a fun time to be in town. It makes it all the harder to think about moving!! wow.

In other news, Tom is taking a 'vacation' with his buddies across town! They had been talking about taking a trip to Europe all summer. It was all InShallah until two days ago when Tom called to say he was coming over and they were at the travel agent. So typical. So Tom is going for 2 weeks! He'll pay for the flight and they'll cover the other expenses. What a crazy time and good time it will be for their friendships! There will be four guys all together. I've asked Tom if he thinks they'll be expecting to visit some prostitutes but he thinks not. Typically that is what they do on vacation (= I'm so glad my hubby isn't freaked out by stuff like that - he can some how take it in stride without making them feel dumb for it. I don't know. I don't think I'm saying this well (=

Anyway. I am headed to bed. I have lots of mommy guilt tonight...Layla just fussed and fussed for 20 mins tonight and I finally thought I'd try and see if she was wanting some milk and she drank 1.5 bottles!!! I felt AWFUL. Poor dear had just been HUNGRY! She dropped right off to sleep without a sound after that - much more like herself. ugh. I mean really. All I do is feed, change and play with her. It isn't that complicate! How can I miss that she didn't get enough to eat!?!

Change is in the air

Well, we're not ready to totally announce what is up ahead, but we are moving. It is rather disorienting as we had expected to be in this house and in this town for an extended period of time.

It is hard to know how to end relationships and draw things to a close. I am not a fan of this phase of life!

I am realizing that my capacity to live life well lasts for about 20mins at a time. I usually end up saying something dumb to Tom or getting irritated at something else. It is humbling to realize that I can only handle that much of life at a time.

Anyway. more news to follow.

Layla giggles with Luke

This was such a cute little clip. Luke was at our home right before our Turkey conference, attended the conference and then we hung out afterwards. Layla REALLY took to him and you can hear her giggles here. She hasn't taken to anyone like Luke - such a mystery, that little one!

Mmmm, Buttermilk!

They have a drink out here called Ayran. Tom and I discovered that we LOVED it when we were here two years ago. We think it is essentially buttermilk. It isn't quite exactly laban, like we have at home, but similar. Anyway. Lj LOVES the stuff. I mean really loves it. I put some in her sippy cup and she went to town on that thing like she never has before!!

I hope it is okay for kids to have! I've fed her anything and everything out here and I think she's doing okay.

We really like the food out here. My faves would be Pida and Tom's Durner. Too tired to explain, just think Yummy.

Layla sees grass

Yes, this is the first time she's seen grass! It was SO funny to watch her so fascinated with the stuff (= This is a lovely park about 5 mins from our hotel.

Cuter than Layla??

yes, it is true. I have found a babygirl cuter than Layla (=

She is Egyptian and is also 9 months old. Notice the HAIR!!! I love how both girls have the same mouth thing going on - droopy lip.

We're in Turkey

I tried to mention this before we left, but I had one shot and the silly site malfunctioned and said to try later (= We had a conference out here and now we have three nights on our own. We've actually been to Istanbul before and now we HIGHLY recommend it for families. People here LOVE children and are so kind and gentle. Every man you pass on the street just wants to touch Lj's little feet and kiss her cheek - it is so sweet. I can't belive how gentle these sort of gruff men can be. Our hotel is great - small and very european while being very Turkish still. The rooftop restaurant is SUPERB. There is a view of all of Istanbul - the Hagia Sophia, Topika Palace.....etc. We are really enjoying it.
The pic is of Tom and Layla in front of the Blue Mosque.

Never in America these days.....

does the heat get so bad that the car seat is literally too hot to put your baby in

so you hold her on your lap

while your hubby drives to a small cement building to buy three sandwhichs and two fruit shakes for $5

and you wait outside in the car with the car running for 10 minutes because it is too hot to turn off the car and you can't go inside because it is all men

and on the drive back neither of you have seatbelts on - and the baby is still on your lap

and your hubby is now driving with his knees while feeding the baby the fruit shake from a straw.

When this happend the other day, we just had to laugh (=