Memories

6 months ago, our house in Datchet in the UK was empty apart from two travel cots. a bed, borrowed bedding and of course Oscar, Bailee, Stu, bump and I! I was 35 weeks and 2 days pregnant and we were about to hop on a plane the next morning to move to Dubai.

As you all know, Maple arrived just two days after arriving in Dubai. It was an absolute whirlwind as apart from everything in our lives changing, we had to work out urgent childcare for the birth and deal with insurance (15k's worth in GBPs)..... I really must publish Maple's birth story one day......

There are so many AMAZING memories from our time in the UK. We were so lucky to make a lot of friends for life. It is just wonderful to still be keeping the contact. Our lives have completely changed. We have met some very lovely people and Oscar and Bailee are making friend's.

We tried Maple with a dummy yesterday. She is sucking her thumb all the time, and I keep hearing of all these 30+ people that still do it.... We had a nightmare with Oscar and his dummy as we had to get up to give it back to him several times a night. I am torn what to do. She is a very sucky baby and had a good go with it. It dropped out and I haven't given it back to her today. Furthermore, Oscar woke up in the 4am slot this morning. He came in our bed and I asked him why he was crying. He said very clearly, "Oscar not got dummy, Maple got dummy."

I took Maple out shopping at lunchtime while the twins slept and Stu was at home. She ALWAYS just sleeps in the sling but for some reason today woke up screaming with hunger, (Also unlike her!) I have absolutely no issue with breast feeding in public.... my theory is baby needs lunch, feed her wherever, whenever. The problem is she has been extremely nosy and squirmy lately. This means milk time can be a bit of a circus act. I decided to try out a recommended feeding area in Mothercare and it was fab! Clean (Like most things in Dubai), spacious and there was even water! It wasn't next to stinky public toilets like most tend to be. (I refuse to feed in them; would you want to eat your lunch it a smelly loo?) Ironically, Maple had the best feed ever. She didn't squirm at all!

The photo today is of Maple in her cot (She spends a very short amount of time in there I have to admit!) She is always in a very good mood in the morning. I took this picture after she had been happily cooing at a soft book spread in front of her for at least 20 minutes. This picture also makes me laugh as Oscar and Bailee had almost nothing in their cots. As first time parents we were warned against the dangers. We are definitely more relaxed second (third?) time around.