Surprise surprise!
I won a Samsung Tablet from MomSouq.com and Ashraf Electronics.
Daddy C is now a proud owner of the tablet 🙂 it’s my anniversary gift for him (if I didn’t win he’ll get an equally cool gift from us – hugs and kisses).
www.momsouq.com is an online bazaar and community for parents in the UAE to share pre-loved baby products, get parenting tips & advice, promote their business or blog and score bargain deals on baby items.
We are counting 43 days till our annual vacation back home, I am excited and a little stress out thinking about it.
This is the first time I’m travelling with 2 kids- Kuya V 5 years old and LittleMiss C 11 months. I’m reading on tips on how to keep them busy and make our flight fun. I do want to avoid the stares of fellow passengers when the LittleMiss starts to cry; those look of “What kind of Mom are you?” and “Can you not do something to make your baby happy?”
Kuya V was 1 yr and 3 months when we travelled from PH to DXB, but he was a happy baby who only wants to sleep, cuddle and breast feed, well he did cry 10 minutes before landing.
I’m not worried much on how to entertain V, he’s happy with his Ipad games and movies. LittleMiss C on the other hand doesn’t like to stay in one place, the longest time she stayed happy inside the playpen was 30 minutes. I am assuming she will get bored constricted to just sitting with us and not be able to move around.
I still have month to prepare for our trip.
So far here are some of the things I have in mind to keep our plane ride stress free:
1) Games – to keep them busy, this includes card games and ipad applications.
2) Food – V is not happy with airplane food, he once called the attention of the FA and told her that the chocolate and food she gave was not good. I have to pack healthy snack for both Kuya V and LittleMiss.
3) Blanket – not really a blanket but a piece to keep them comfortable and “familiar” when it’s sleeping time
4) Clean Kit – wet ones, nose spray to decongest nose, eucalyptus salve, and extra clothes.
I might do a series of making “airplane fun” posts when LittleMiss give me some blog time.
Can you share your tips on keeping kids happy on a long flight?
Where did time go? I woke up this morning to her cry for breast milk and realized that she’s 10 months today.
10 months!
I’ve been busy preparing for her birthday party back home (hopefully everything will work out!) and still trying to figure out where to celebrate Manila or Davao?
Finally found time to bake her a cake -Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Carambar Caramel and Chocolate Ganache to mark this special day.
She’s been keeping all of us busy and demanding our attention.
LittleMiss milestones:
-Crawling fast and walking around the house with the help of furniture a
-Still no teeth.
-Can spend a good 10 minutes just tearing papers
-Cries and mumbles when we say “No”
-She’s enjoying eating by herself and actually eats a lot more compared to me spoon feeding her.
-Raise her hands and wave when she hears a music or when standing up she does the “Pocoyo Dance”
-Sleeps longer for nap (reason why I managed to bake cake today)
A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.
— Author Unknown
Eat, watch fountain show, visit footlocker, and say “Hi” to the crocodile – sums’ up our visit to Dubai Mall.
Crocodile! In the mall? Yes, a big one welcomes mall visitors as they pass by Rainforest Café.
This is our second time dining in the café and on both visit we celebrated something special. First visit was to celebrate V’s 3rd birthday and this time to congratulate him for doing a good job in school.
Thursday morning we told him that Dad and I had a surprise because he is a super big brother and for doing good in school. He immediately though of his SkyLander Giants collection and started talking about the characters he wants to buy. I told him it was not a toy but we are sure he’s going to love the surprise.
V was obviously excited that even the bus nanny told us that he can’t stop talking about the special surprise gift we have for him, he played a guessing game with his bus friends.
We walked our usual Dubai mall trail and when he saw me stop right in front of the crocodile (or is it an alligator) V gasped “Oh! I know! We are going to eat here?! It’s my surprise?!”
V got to choose where to sit and of course he wanted to sit near the fishes. Inside Rainforest Café you get a good view of the Dubai Mall aquarium, one of the divers welcomed us with a wave.
photo captured using FujiFilm X20
Our table was near the aquarium across the rainforest animals which was just perfect for us to enjoy a “jungle animal show” which happens every 30 minutes. During this time the animals (monkeys, elephants, and snakes) come alive making noises along with the sound of rain and thunder. LittleMiss C was screaming with them as well hehehe.
photo captured using Iphone 5 Panorama
Our server for the night, Abegail took our orders and suggested to have V’s food serve along with the appetizer that we ordered. Manager for the night Mr. Mohammed made sure that we were comfortable, he also did visit other guests as well.
Appetizer: Pita Quesadillas
Daddy C and I enjoyed every bite the filling was full of meat, cheesy and tasty. I didn’t mind the thickness of the pita bread but Daddy C would have liked a thinner bread.
photo captured using FujiFilm X20
V’s Kid Meal: Poppin’ Shrimp
The meal came along with a Apple juice that was served in a spill proof cup. V enjoyed his shrimps and finished the whole bowl and described it as “crunchy outside, soft and yummy inside”
photo captured using FujiFilm X20
Mom’s Main Dish: TBone Steak
Daddy C mistakenly requested medium well (I prefer med-rare) but surprisingly the “done-ness” of the steak was tender enough for my liking despite it being med-well. I also ordered Mango Monkey juice drink.
photo captured using Iphone 5
Daddy’s Main Dish: Steak and Shrimps
Daddy C ordered the winning dish on our table, he particularly enjoyed the buttered shrimp.
photo captured using FujiFilm X20
V also helped himself with a few bites of my steak and Dad’s shrimp and vegetables. LittleMiss C had corn and peas which I prepared at home or her dinner.
We didn’t have any room for dessert but was really tempted to order “Sparkling Volcano” I guess we need to schedule another visit and have some room for it.
Mommy notes:
photo captured using Iphone 5
Disclaimer: Rainforest Cafe, Dubai Mall invited us to enjoy and dine in the forest with them.
Maayong adlaw sa inyong tanan. Good day to all.
A party wouldn’t be complete without cake don’t you think. Please grab a slice of this Ube Macapuno Cake and let’s get started.
Hi! I am Abigail a stay at home expat Mama residing in sunny Dubai. This is my first Ultimate Blog Party and I’m excited to meet and read about you. First a big thank you to beautiful twin bloggers, Janice and Susan of 5 minutes for Mom for hosting this event. I first read about the party over at Grace of Sandier Pastures and I just think it’s a wonderful event to get to know people across the blog sphere.
We have been a resident of Dubai for 4 years now. Deciding to move here and leave my 8 years of corporate life back in the Philippines was quite difficult I didn’t know if I was ready to live a life away from the comforts of a paying job and the help I get from my relatives in taking care of my son. Looking back I don’t regret the decision I made, moving here made me into a Super Mom (but I do have my moments of tantrums which can be cured by having my nails done or a tub of ice cream).
Would you like a cuppa good coffee with your cake?
I am a Mama to Vierte – 5 years old and Chloe the newest addition who is 9 months old.
V currently is in Foundation Stage 2 class and enjoys singing (He just did a solo song number in their yearly concert), and currently collecting the Skylander Giants (and playing the ps3 game with Dad) he can’t stop talking about them and even ask me to record a video.
Our pouty LittleMiss C has just started to learn how to walk with the help of tables and chairs to pull her up and cruise around the house. She started solids at 6 months which I prepare at home but is not really interested and would rather breastfeed instead.
My two angels are keeping me really busy and my schedule depends on their activities. How do I manage to get some me time you may ask?
MyNappytales is my escape from the four corners of our home. I first started the blog to update our relatives then I eventually met some blog friends and talking to them online is like leisurely sitting on a café (while in reality I’m a MumPacifier to LittleMiss & mopping the floor).
Enough about us, I know you still have to party. Please leave a comment and link to your blog so I can party with you.
Before you do leave grab a chocolate chip cookie and subscribe to my RSS feed and via email and let us continue sharing stories.
Conversation with V before afternoon nap
V: “Mom, what are you?”
M: “What do you mean?”
V: “Mom like when my friend said that her Mommy is a dentist. How about you what are you?”
M: “I’m your super Mommy. A stay at home Mom”
V: “No! What do you like when you grow up?” (upset with my answer)
M: “My work before was helping people in the office with computer and internet problems”
V: “I mean now Mama! I want you to be something else like T’s Mama is a dentist. I want you to be something also.”
(By this time he’s already crying while repeating “I want you to be something else too”)
I too cried.
I’m really not sure why I did but I imagined him having a chat with his classmates with most of them having working moms and he doesn’t have anything to say on what his Mum do. V gets upset when he doesn’t have anything to say about something.
So I told him that being a SAHM is also a kind of special work and I get to be rewarded with spending every minute with them. I knew he wanted some other answer besides me being his Mum so I told him that Mommy is also a blogger and sometimes I get to be invited to events and write about it and Mommy is a baker that makes cake and other yummy sweet treats. I get to do all this cool work and stay at home with them.
I then asked him if he really wanted me to be something else and work out of the house.
He replied with a big NO.
I asked him again what my job was, and he happily replied “Chloe and mines super mommy.”
One of the many festival that we look forward too is Taste of Dubai (TOD).
TOD will feature about 30+ restaurants, and cooking demo with celebrity chef’s – V is looking forward to have his picture taken with Jeny Morris and Reza.
We went to our first TOD last year, the choices were overwhelming and we just manage to try food from 4 prominent restaurants. That’s why this year I am preparing our list on “What to eat at TOD!” with the help of my foodie friends from Fooderati Arabia.
Below is a list of food preview they had for TOD:
PearTreeDiaries – Thiptara & Asado Taste of Dubai Preview
IshitaUnblogged – Taste of Dubai Menu Tasting
the Hedonista – Taste Teaser
Foodiva – Taste of Taste of Dubai
My Custard Pie – Simple Italian Food
We attended our first tea party last Sunday held at Millennium Airport Hotel hosted by MamaKnowsDubai.
My family look forward to events organized/hosted by Kellie – Chief Mama of MamaKnowsDubai, she always make us feel welcome with her cheerful smile. Our first one was cineMama event held at Mercato.
The weather was perfect that afternoon cool breeze and a little sunshine to keep us warm. V had fun with the kids on the bouncy castle while Chloe was happy sitting on the grass with a cookie.
Every bite was yummy – Millennium Airport Hotel
I also got to meet Leslie of BuckleUpDubai and Julia of http://www.juliawhalephotography.com/ who took photos that afternoon. Chatted and shared a smile with other moms as well, I hope to see them again on the next event.
It was refreshing to enjoy the afternoon talking to other moms and just forget about house chores and what to cook for dinner.
Looking forward to the next event with MamaKnowsDubai
Hop on & bookmark
MamaKnowsDubai
for fun activities the whole family will surely enjoy.
Cuddles and Crumbs 