Saturday, September 12, 2009

Life in Saudi...

It is odd how my life has changed since moving here, I don't think I have ever spent so much time at home!  Not having a car really limits the options of going out, just running a simple errand such as dropping off pictures to print becomes a big deal because you have to schedule a bus to take you.  It is also surprising the way little things can help change your mood.  Like the bus making you angry because he is 20 min late (especially when you are on time) or finding bagels in the grocery store to lift up your mood.  This is why (at least to me) it is worth going to Tamimi (Safeway), it is a little more expensive for some things, but it is like a treasure hunt because you never know what you might come out with, like Root Beer or bagels, or Jumbo Rice Crispies!  It is the little things that matter.  
I am really ready for Ramadan to be over so that Lily and I can go out and do a bit of shopping, I miss just walking around the mall and getting a cup of coffee!  I was excited to think that we are almost at the end of it, the 22nd is when it is over, but no, then there is a week of Eid, a week of celebrating, kind of like a New Years thing.  Everything is closed at this time, even the Doctors!  So there is a week when we can't go anywhere or do anything, I am not excited.  The only bright spot about this is that Greg should be home more during this time, as most of the office will be empty.  I think we are going to spend a lot of time in the pool and at the park.
Gregs wine is turning out, to our happiness.  He racked off a sweeter white wine a few weeks ago, not to our taste, a bit too sweet, but there are some here who really like the sweetness, and they say it tastes like a decent riesling.  Greg was excited that people like his brew.  We have a red that will be racked off next weekend, and then a red and white each brewing away, they have a little over a month to go.  Greg is thinking about what he is going to attempt to do with his next batch.  So far everything has turned out pretty good, we are keeping our fingers crossed that this trend continues.  
Lily is doing really well, I am so proud of her, we are off all bottles, and hence formula except for one.  We still give her a bottle with formula at night before bed.  During the day I tried putting formula in a sippy cup for her, but she doesn't really want it, she would rather have cold cows milk.  YAY!!  She is still not walking, but I am not worried, she has all the potential to be doing it right now, I just think she knows we will carry her so she doesn't.  
Baby Boy Mickle is growing well, I feel like a whale!  We are excited for him to come, we are still looking at names, no decisions on that yet.  

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Our Cyprus Vacation

We went on holiday last week to the island of Cyprus.  Cyprus is famous for the birth place of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love.  It was lovely to get away from Saudi and Ramadan going on here.  Cyprus was a nice island, we didn't know what to expect, never having heard much about it.  Unfortunately we didn't get to tour about at all, we pretty much stuck to the hotel area because of Lily.  
It was great to see people wearing clothes instead of abayas, and to be able to have bacon and sausage, and drink real beer and wine.  Well Greg drank the beer and wine, I had a few sips.  We learnt a lot on this vacation, mostly about traveling with babies.  One, that you spend a lot more time in the hotel room, and two that it isn't as relaxing as you would like because you are always entertaining the baby.  We spent a lot of time at the hotel pool, not a lot of time at the beach, Lily was not very keen on the little waves or the salt water.  Greg thinks she is spoiled from the pool, I told him we would just have to visit the beach here more often to get her used to it.  Lily still napped in the morning and afternoon, when Greg and I would read and play cards on the balcony waiting for her to wake up again.  We walked out of the hotel and ate at local places once a day, which was a nice change of pace.  
One of the nice things about a vacation is coming home, and this was no exception.  We were glad to get back into our beds, and Lily was happy so see her toy boxes and to be able to crawl around and not be corralled as much.