It has been a while

Again, it has been a while since I updated the blog - so here I am with some updates. It has been a busy month since Eloise's birthday and lots has happened and not happened all at the same time! Eloise is growing up so fast and it has become clear to us in the last month that we have a little miss on our hands at times. She has already given me a taste of tantrums and her new thing for the moment is sitting down and leaning back until she is lying on the floor on her back, whenever she doesn't want to do something or is having a moment. It is quite funny making it hard to ignore, but we generally can't help it and chuckle to ourselves. She is wanting to walk everywhere and that is generally what brings on the tantrums! Makes life in the shopping malls such fun, especially given most activities involve shopping malls as we are well and truly now in the indoors only weather. She also loves saying no, not that she says anything, but she communicates very well by vigorously shaking her head whenever she means no. Overall she is doing pretty normal stuff for 1 year olds, and Duane and I think it is great. She is certainly the little character and keeps us smiling constantly. As for Dubai, the weather or upcoming Summer holidays are the dominating discussion topics these days. The weather has well and truly set in and we have highs over 40 degrees every day. It is a lot cooler for us than last year as we are still swimming in our pool and enjoying the occasional outdoor activity which we were certainly not doing this time last year. It is nice. We have had a particularly cool (still high 30's - but trust me, that is noticeably cooler) last week and everyone has been commenting how nice it is! As a result of the hot weather everyone heads away for several weeks for the Summer. Most people head away for around 6-8 weeks so this time of year is almost like Christmas, with lots of dinners and social gatherings of everyone fitting things in before they head off. Life is keeping us busy, and we are enjoying it very much. Eloise & I will look forward to our upcoming trip to Perth and hope to catch up with everyone. Poor Duane has to stay home and work. :-( We'll miss him!