Hello.Again.Kitty | ExpatWoman.com
 

Hello.Again.Kitty

Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 August 2011 - 13:49
Hello Again Kitty, I began my life in the Emirates in an apartment and loved it. Actually, by nature I'm an apartment lover. When I got married I moved into our villa, still missing my apartment but when the children came along I was happy where we are. But, then again, this is our own villa and it's an excellent size - to me this makes a big difference because had we been paying from a set budget that could get a mediocre villa or a nice size apartment I may have (likely) chosen the latter. It's about what you think you can get from where you live, not the size or shape of where you live. hehe - you see, I'm a villa person (or rather a "house" person) normally - I lived in a flat once in the UK and hated every minute. Again, in the UK, we have a house with a lovely garden and when we move to a bigger place, I'll have a bigger garden and a veggie patch - don't really mind what size the house is, as long as we have a lovely garden! But here, as you say, looking at what we could get for our money (a Springs 2-bed or similar), I opted for an apartment and haven't looked back. Sometimes I do wonder if I'm missing out on something, but then again, apartment living is so hassle-free!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 August 2011 - 12:15
Absolutely a Villa. I mean let's face it, you wouldn't keep a medium sized dog in an apartment would you? Same difference really. and yet many adults are happy living in an apartment. I'm just wondering what you think mums of toddlers do - leave them in the flat all day while we go out and do stuff? We're also only talking about toddlers/ pre-schoolers here, so they won't be doing much on their own anyway. It's easy to go outside, even if you're in a flat! I'm just getting the impression that those who live in villas may have only lived in villas for their entire Dubai stay and it's true that villas offer things that apartments can't and vice versa. In exchange for not having a small patch of grass outside my back door, I have a full-sized swimming pool, a kid's pool with super-fandango water jets, a jaccusi, sauna, kid's playroom, full gym and tennis court without actually setting foot outside the building. In a 5 minute walking radius, I have a mall, The Walk, the marina-side walk where the kids can run and ride their scooters/ bikes safely, a dance school, a park, the metro, several bus-stops, the beach and more restaurants than you can shake a stick at. Still within walking distance, there are 3 nurseries, doctors, dentists, a new drop-in activity centre, 2 mother-and-baby/toddler groups... and all this is just marina-side. <em>edited by Hello.Again.Kitty on 31/08/2011</em>
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 23:13
All the mention of stairs; does no one fit stair gates? They're more hassle than they're worth when you have 2 kids, I've found! My eldest can open them herself and I've occasionally had to go and save my youngest who's been trapped on the wrong side. Yes, you can baby-proof your house til the cows come home, but it's far better to avoid the risk completely, if you have the choice... it's also far better to introduce the children to risk in a controlled way, rather than not allowing them use of half their house. I came over to Dubai adamant I could only live in a villa with a garden, then I came here, saw what villas could offer, saw what apartments could offer and hey, we've been in the Marina for 3 years now and never felt constrained or isolated. There's plenty to do, plenty of outdoor space and plenty of people. BUT, different strokes for different folks.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 22:59
I live in an apartment, have no small kids, but had the Grand Kids over last August, far to hot to take them out to play. In my opinion I cant see an apartment being ideal, as its quite hot most of the year. If I had small children I would go for a villa with a pool, play park near by etc. Apartments can be isolated too but so can villa's if you are not mobile. Sure, but with pre-schoolers, you would never be leaving them to play on their own in the pool (and indeed, if your garden had a pool, you may not be happy leaving them to play on their own in the garden)... so there's no difference to having to sit by the pool with them in your back garden or on your building's pool deck. I love my garden dearly in the UK and so do the kids - they had a whale of a time running around in it over the summer, but in a way, here, if it's too hot to go to the park, it's too hot to run around a garden.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 22:54
yes, you can and so pack a whole suitcase full when you get to the UK! It's so much cheaper there than here in Dubai, especially for organic stuff and the range is much better too. Only take what you need on the actual flight an be prepared to have to taste a random 50% of it at UK security (so only choose inoffensive flavours!). By dry things, I'm assuming you mean pacfks of snacks and not the dry-mix babyfood, which would be a nightmare to prepare on the flight. Take pouches if you can, or if not, jars/ pots. Your 4 year old should be fine with the in-flight entertainment and nicely timed children's meals. My eldest was 2.5 when I used to travel solo with her baby brother, so you should find it a doddle (in relative terms!).
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 22:45
Yup - apartment here too, as long as you are in a location with great facilities (ie, you can walk to the shops rather then having to pile in to a car every time you want to leave the house). There's far less maintenance to worry about too and until they're of an age to go ride their bike on their own, you can pass on having your own [high maintenance'> garden. I also worry about the stairs here - all tiled! My daughter managed to crack her head open on a window sill, so I'd dread to think about stairs here. We have carpeted stairs in the UK, so at least they've not got sharp edges. We're elsewhere in the Marina, but within easy walking distance of JBR (who don't have as good facilities for the residents), so have the best of both worlds. There are some great places out there and the M&B/ Toddler groups are very inclusive! <em>edited by Hello.Again.Kitty on 30/08/2011</em>
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 18:05
Why should antibiotics be a dead give-away? You go tell them you have intestinal parasites... people will change the conversation pretty quickly after that! Same with "showing"... many people (especially male colleagues) just simply aren't looking to spot the early signs of pregnancy. Wear some different clothes, tell them you'd enjoyed yourself at a buffet the previous night... burst into tears and flounce away shouting "I'm not fat!"... It is hard, I know... and there's no real reason why you should hold back, but I'm one of those who told a whole load of people and then had to tell them that I wasn't pregnant any more a few weeks later. My first pregnancy too. If you think it's difficult to make excuses not to tell people, it's harder still to tell them bad news.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 17:56
My second was about twice as long as my first, but sooo much more relaxed. I loved it, but you know me... I think that's actually the crux of it - second time around, you know what's meant to happen and when, what sometimes needs to happen and generally take a far more pragmatic look on the whole business. You'll know the signs of going into labour, what your body and your mind can expect and tolerate and almost certainly won't feel that out-of-control feeling if the unexpected were to happen. I think you need to weigh up how you feel about the process with the down-time a c-section will cause. Don't underestimate the level of activity having 2 under 2 will create! If you can get active help in for those 8 weeks of recovery and deep down you feel happier about the elective c-section, then I would choose that. If you can't, then I would try to prepare for a natural birth with an open mind. No two labours are the same, just as no two children are the same. You'll make the right decision anyway, whatever it may be.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 23:31
Aussiepup, it'll be better when your ac is cleaned out but don't stress yourself too much googling possible infections you might pick up;you have enough to worry about already. Legionnaires' disease and spores being disturbed are all together different. Legionnaires's disease is a bacterial infection which is spread by droplets of water - usually from ac cooling towers so there's little risk of it coming through the ac in your villa as the system. There may be fungal spores in the air from mould in the ac but we've all got pretty strong immune systems to deal with these things. "There are no human studies looking at exposure to mold during pregnancy." You're right, but do you (or any of us) happen to know how our A/C circulates? Legionnaires is indeed bacteria, mainly in large cooling systems which aren't maintained properly. Funnily enough, I have little confidence in maintenance firms or private LLs ensuring that their properties are properly maintained. Stuff that would be a no-brainer normal occurrence is often overlooked or botched here. It really does worry me in general, actually, and again was part of why I moved out of JBR. Another thing is that pg women and children (and the infirm and elderly) do have weaker immune systems than otherwise healthy adults. Sure, there may not have been any specific studies carried out on the matter, but that's no surprise - not many people would want to knowingly put pregnant women and unborn children at risk nowadays.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 22:27
plus the login boxes are on top of other text, clearly it wasn't tested for every browser, the formatting is wrong. I can't actually find the login box from the forum page, so I have to click on the ExpatWoman logo (brrrr) to go through to the home page, to then click on the login, which takes me to the log-in page and then because I quite frankly can't be bothered to even attempt to wade through the guffage to find the forum page again, I click on the "favourite" icon that I've made to take me straight there. Honestly, if I didn't have a slight addiction issue, this would qualify as commercide. Most people I know only search and arrive to where they need to go on EW through Google. Admins - stop adding to it, stop faffing about with the aesthetics and actually take the functionality back to basics. Nothing can be all things to all people, so work out what people actually use EW for (hint: it's the forum) and make it the best forum in the Middle East. Goodness knows there are enough graphics people, web designers, web/blog/ admins, copy-editors and beta-testers right on here to help you.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 19:14
The ONLY thing I like about the change is the new landscape design below our usernames. yup, but I have to do 5 full mouse-wheel rolls to see it! Rule 2 in "How to design a webpage" is "Forget about having anything meaningful under the fold". Rule 1 is "No bit of information should take more than 3 mouse-clicks to get to"... fail and fail. Actually, this font is making viewing the forum so painful, I might have to wean myself off it. Seriously, I feel like I'm staring at Notepad.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 19:08
gin. Lots of. Nah, in all honesty, well, yes, it does help... but on the plus side, I've found that there's a window of real difficulty between the time that the kid knows how to walk and when it has the concentration to sit through a whole film, so generally from 10 months to 2-and-a-bit years old. Neither of my two sleep on the plane, or rather they will conk out upon landing, often as we're taxi-ing in. Sometimes they both will fall asleep, which was fabulous when I was travelling solo with them. The EK flights to and from the UK are quite good though because meals seem to appear at just the right time, namely when they're nearly through one film and are wondering what mischief to get up to. I always find we have a bit of a mad 30mins/ 1h at about the 5-6h mark, when they are truly bored of sitting down and just need to rampage. It's difficult because there's no real way around it - 5 or 6 hours is a long time for a toddler! Just try to do what you can and when all else fails, smile have a sip of gin. When I get people looking at you disapprovingly (not "if"!), I actually engage with them and kick off with something like "well, I think they've done quite well really, considering they've been told to shut up and sit still for the last 5 hours!"... funny how people change their tack when you do that! Oh,a dn wish me luck - I'm flying tomorrow. I'll be the one ignoring two children whilst trying really hard to not spill my drink! Maybe I'll even get to watch a film... nah, there's a limit! <em>edited by Hello.Again.Kitty on 28/08/2011</em>
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 18:58
We did the sums the other night and not worth moving. If we can get things fixed even for the 10-12k pipes (not that we will, we'll be doing the quick fix and sending the report to the LL for the bigger expense), plus having the AC cleaned then its still cheaper for us to stay here. Honestly, some things aren't about the money. The state your house is in is a health risk and a serious one at that. You have problems with your A/C and its cleanliness - there could be a risk of Legionnaire's and I'm sorry, but that can be (and often is) fatal. For me, I honestly wouldn't have hung around for as long as you have because every day you stay there, you are at risk... and all the more so that you've now got people fiddling around and disturbing the spores or whatever other nasties have been quietly doing their thing in the background.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 18:47
The Times New Roman is making my eyes twist and yes, I'm sorry, but the sign-in should be apparent on every page... simple mistake really. I think they cover it on "Website Design for Dummies" ... and the primary school drawing has got EVEN BIGGER! Can someone remind me why a disembodied Western woman's head with greasy hair and no nose peering over the curvature of the earth is meant to be representative of ExpatWoman... or maybe it's actually not a disembodied head, but a morbidly obese woman with no neck. I had a funny notion that the ExpatWoman brand was meant to be professional and sophisticated, encompassing all nationalities.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 12:10
The mould is probably why RERA said DM as it's a very serious health hazard and to be honest, being prggers you (and the bub) probably shouldn't be living there. Which was what I said in Part I. What's it going to take?! This place isn't fit to live in and you're still there, AussiePup. Would you have put up with it in your home country? Go ballistic at everyone... properly postal. Tell the agent you don't want to see putty to fix this, that it's endemic and the whole house is rotten. You haven't paid your rent for a rotten house and by golly that wasn't in the agent's sales pitch when you signed the contract! Get your money back and move out. Yes, it'll be inconvenient, but a darned sight less inconvenient that ongoing medical costs if you guys get ill because of it.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 02:07
ie a special teddy standing guard, or sleeping with her head at the foot of the bed and vice versa, some special scent sprayed to ward off whatever frightens her...you are a caring mum and I'm sure you will think of a million other ideas to reassure her. It's a good idea to avoid a crutch to help her through it - if the special toy is "guarding" her and said toy is lost, then you could be facing a melt-down. Far better to empower her to solve the problem herself
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 August 2011 - 23:34
Hi kiwispiers, your reply got me thinking and started to worry for a few nights so now have got him to sleep on his back which took a couple of nights, but he is very happy with this also and I sleep better too :) Thanks for pointing that out! I had read some on the subject but obviously not enough so got to read much more since your post and decided to go for the change :) Don't worry too much - when DH was a baby, the advice was to lie them on their tummies at night, then by the time I came along, the advice was to lie bubs on its side, alternating every night! My mum used to wedge me in place with a soft toy - eeek! :\:
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 August 2011 - 23:24
Has she been able to tell you exactly what she's scared of? DD glimpsed a bit of District 9 on the plane when she was about 2.5 and for weeks (and months) afterwards would "see" (and be scared of) "dinosaurs" all over the place - in her room, coming over the bridge, eating at the table, coming through the door... and she was genuinely scared, not just putting on a performance (which she can also do with gusto). When I realised what it had all come from, I worked really hard to giver her the tools for her to help herself. I read that you should never pooh-pooh their fears and say things like "don't be so silly/stupid!" because their imaginations are so vivid, they actually do think these things are real... I mean, just look at how involved they get in their role play games! Anyhow, it took the form of very simple logic - dinosaurs can't get into our house because they can't get through the door/ push the buttons on the lift and just some coping things - the dinosaurs do as they're told, so if you say "go away!", they do! We had some fun games with this, where I asked her if the dinosaurs were there, she would say yes and point, I would say "go away!" and ask her if they had, to which she chuckled and said yes. For a good few weeks afterwards, I would hear her saying "go away" as she went into her room. If it works, then roll with it!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 August 2011 - 10:48
So you think they can just wear the swim nappy? I guess if they're not in direct sun they dont need their top half covered.... well, ideally you would have a full UV suit, but if they've only got one for a 1 year old, then it's not much use to you. You could pop him in a light cotton t-shirt if you want.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 August 2011 - 10:44
37 weeks is considered full term, so anytime after that and you'll be grand! 38 is at term... 37 is still early, but not worryingly so. I just know someone who spent the last 8 weeks in hospital with her twins, fighting to keep them in for as long as possible. I think she gave birth at 36 weeks in the end, but it just puts into perspective that although the last few weeks feel long and uncomfortable, anyone who's had a preemie (or two) would probably give their eye teeth for those last few weeks. Just looking at the range here, there are a good few of you who had them early! Gosh!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 August 2011 - 10:38
and i read somewhere that you should not introduce sippycups with milk in them, because then babies will refuse bottles and BFing. Try telling that to my two! DD never accepted a bottle (not for want of trying) but had a sippy cup from 5 months and carried on bf until 12 months. DS did take a bottle, but then I thought "what's the point?!", so stopped using one at around 4 months, started on the sippy cup at around 6 and he carried on bf until 13 months. No issues at all. Breastfed babies actually take to cups quicker (in general... apparently) than bottle-fed babies because the mouth and tongue positioning are similar.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 23:56
Eeek 40 plus sounds like torture! Hopefully everything will be ok for my flight in a few weeks. Dream date for me would be around 37 weeks! Thanks for sharing and the best wishes :) Don't wish them early - anything between 38-42 is perfectly fine.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 23:20
Apparently, a jar of Marshmallow Fluff from Safest Way will make you feel better. Well, I'll get one delivered for Monday evening! ;)
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 23:19
I was told bubs was more than likely going to make an early appearance. She was born at 40+1 and kept me guessing till the end! ;) I was sure DS was on his way out from 26 weeks, he felt that low, but no... 8 long days overdue. Typical!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 23:16
Beyond the Beach tried to sell me a suit for a 1 year old and said don't worry, babies grow fast. hmmm lol! If you get the Little Swimmers swim nappies, they are really good (and all UK public pools tell mums of small children that they need to wear them under their swimsuit anyway) and come up quite high, are study and grippy!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 23:13
Oh my, that is awful, I had it with my first pregnancy but it went away very quickly after the delivery, I didn't realise it could hang around that long. I've had it kick in much earlier with this second pregnancy - but will definitely crank up the exercises, I can't bear the thought of this lingering on after d-day! Thanks so much! I didn't have it at all during my first, but it started at about 24 weeks with my second... that and the fact DS felt as if he was going to fall out at any minute! It's my fault it continued for so long - I didn't do my exercises, didn't seek help when I should have done and pushed my body way too hard for way too long and PP, I only sought help when I literally couldn't walk. Lauren did a series of treatments and gave my physio exercises to realign my body (hip was twisting and locking pelvis that was twisting spine that was siezing up my shoulders - nice!) and strengthen it in the right position because it'd been wonky for so long, it thought that was it's "normal" state. Good luck. She's a miracle worker - but tell her to go easy on the massage unless you like it excruciatingly hard!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 21:46
Your happiness is important. Why do you need to live here if you are happier in the UK? I would consider moving back. That's a teeny bit simplistic, isn't it? Everyone needs money to live and there are lots of sectors where the UK job market has been on its knees over the last couple of years. Not everyone has the luxury to just follow happiness wherever it may take them. It takes a while to settle. For me, it took about a year to adjust.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 20:58
But I've been here now 4 months and am having an incredibly hard time coming around to it. I've lived outside the US in the past, and never have I had such a hard time with it as now. Could it be that I liked the vibe of the other places (Europe and North Africa) more? The weather? It [i'>is[/i'> a strange place and there's no denying that. If you're used to a community feel, living outdoors a lot, and a happy egalitarian society, then there's your culture shock right there. Add to that the fact that Dubai is a sort of Twilight Zone of being very, very different culturally, but trying really hard (too hard sometimes) to copy our, Western culture. I've lived abroad before and loved it, mainly because of the native cultural background's integrity and the ability to actually integrate within it. I still can't get over the fact that most of the "traditional" arabic things we can access are themed nights, tourist attractions and/ or brand new establishments designed to feel like they're hundreds of years old. I love the fact that the UK doesn't need to try that hard and feel that is has to thematise any and every aspect of life. But then again, it doesn't need to - it has the lazy confidence to just "be" - it has thousands of years of built, tangible history. I just can't see why Dubai in general doesn't accept that the richness of its past is in a transient, oral culture, not in palaces or built forms, or borrowed traditions.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 19:56
Yeah I'm doing them! Possibly not enough each day I guess... Thanks for the recommendation, will get down there this week! you can never do enough, I think! Basically, I was pregnant 4 weeks after finishing breastfeeding my first and they're 21 months apart, so my body never really settled back to normal hormone levels. Relaxin's the killer for SPD - it's great, in that it allows you to give birth, but yes, in our case, our ligaments turn to jelly, so any and all exercises that focus on your core muscles will strengthen them and help hold your bones in the right place. Do though, get it treated asap and treated well. I didn't (and soldiered through the pain when I had a toddler and newborn to look after, rather than looking after myself) and still occasionally get related problems 2 years on.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 18:52
Lauren at the Osteopathic Health centre on Al Wasl road. She sorted mine out (albeit not full-blown SPD and a year PP, so it was just the echoes) in 4 sessions. As well, I can't stress enough - DO YOUR PELVIC FLOOR (and core) EXERCISES... all the time! I wish I had more. Gosh, do I?!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 18:48
I would imagine that they wouldn't be on sale in Dubai (how many piggy-banks have you seen here?) , so your best bet would be online from the UK.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 18:47
I love the UK and I've had a fabulous time here this summer (leaving on Monday). When I first moved to Dubai I hated the place and always felt a sense of impending doom whenever my return was approaching, but now I've come to terms with the fact that each place can offer things the other simply can't and that we are in a privileged position to be able to enjoy both worlds. England is lovely. You'll always get people trying to rain on your parade and saying it's gone to the dogs and x, y and z is chronically wrong with it, but hey, if they can't see the positives in life, they only they are the cause of their negative outlook. Dubai also has a lo-... a modera-... some good points. ;) Make the most of it and be happy - we can come and go pretty much as we choose.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 17:11
40+2 and 41+1! Nothing wrong with giving birth in the UK either... I can think of worse places! lol
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 17:08
I've seen it at the Almaya under Dream Tower in the marina
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 10:19
Hi, not sure if this is what you mean........................... http://www.liferesearchacademy.com/regression/womb-regression.html wow... out there!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 09:38
you could try anothr brand, try one especially for kids, try a brand that is perfume and colourant-free, try an organic one (also paraben-free) or get him a head-to-toe sun-suit if all else fails
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 02:33
Thank you so much HAK and kiwispiers. Will fly tomorrow. safe flight! Oh, and enjoy it - it's one of the easiest flights you'll ever do with children!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 02:32
paraphrasing Babylons' post - I've just done something incredible that money couldn't buy and words couldn't express. I think I love you! :) You're amazing. Simples.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2011 - 02:28
yup, DD once decided to eat a fistful of crusty bread, munched it twice and tried to swallow... brought it back up and quite deftly didn't allow it out of her mouth, so just chewed it a bit more and swallowed when she was ready! Anyhow, a couple of things on what's been said... - don't poke your fingers down your child's throat if they seem to be choking - this could push it further in. There are several ways to get them coughing it up and I'd suggest looking online and familiarising yourself with them. - try really, really hard not to show your anxiety. This is almost a sure-fire way to pass on your fear to your child who will start worrying about something that's perfectly natural... and that worry, in your child, will take the form of refusing to eat, pretend gagging, fussiness, etc... - if you personally don't like eating something that you've given your child, don't let that show on your face. I've seen people grimace every time their child eats fish, for example, or make comments on how horrid sprouts are when a child is scoffing them quite happily. Again, children will copy the behaviour of adults in their company, so make sure all your food-related attitudes are open, happy and inquisitive. Enjoy the process. Mess can be cleaned up, it's no big deal. Mealtimes are more than pure nutrition - they are important social focus points and most of your child's good manners will come from the table.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 25 August 2011 - 10:21
(If you love her, do not take her out of her seat and feed her in a moving car) Not just that, but the UK takes car seat use very seriously. Not using one, regardless of excuse will see you land a £500 (3000aed) fine if your case goes to court. (just putting that in in case protecting the life of your child isn't enough of a compelling argument)
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 25 August 2011 - 10:12
BUT, just in case there are any mums-to-be out there getting worried, if you don't happen to have been/ be taking folic acid supplements, this doesn't mean to say that your baby is going to have problems. Hundreds of thousands of women haven't done everything the Drs recommend (because there're a lot of recommendations!) and have perfectly healthy babies.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 25 August 2011 - 00:57
Ok, firstly, don't worry. It'll be fine. Secondly, regardless of car journey time, when the car is moving, your baby has to be in a car seat. There is absolutely no option to sit in the back and have her on your lap, so if she's upset, you either keep driving (better that she cries than risks never crying again) or you just stop en route for a break all round. My parents-in-law are 2h30 drive away and I've done the trip with DD screaming most of the way before. Now I just lob snacks at them, but at 3 months, she's a bit young for that! Maybe try sitting in the back seat next to her car-seat and distract her with reading, toys... but the motion of the car will set her off to sleep more often than not. Thirdly, everybody does it differently, but I tend to go by the clock, not my body-clock when we've changed time-zones. The difference between the UK and UAE is handy in that it kind of skips from one meal-time to the next, so when your body is telling you it's normally time for lunch, it's the right time(-ish) to have breakfast. You may have to put up with her waking up for the day earlier, but on the plus side, she'll probably be ready for bed at a reasonable time in the evening! Again, you're probably feeding your 3 month-old every 3-4 hours round the clock, so she should adapt really well. Enjoy your trip! Oh, and pack a spare suitcase and sweep up all the summer clothes on sale!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 24 August 2011 - 22:36
top tip - just do it! second top tip - always supervise him. That's about it really. Babies have incredible gag reflexes and so will cough up anything that they were a bit too hasty to swallow. I once went to a seminar of resuscitation and the paramedic said that in all his 20+ years of doing his job, not once has he had to deal with a child that had choked on food. I always find that ricecakes are a good snack because they are finger food, but break down in the mouth. Pieces of fruit too (without pips/ stones), grapes cut in half... steamed veg... sausages. Basically pretty much anything.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 24 August 2011 - 21:45
Is it a real problem to let him feed himself with his own spoon? If he wants to, or rather doesn't want you to feed him with one, then it's a good thing really. Yes it'll be messy, but it's all part of the fun! I'm pretty sure both of mine had moved on to self-spoon-feeding before they got to a year old and were definitely on knife and fork at just gone a year. Nb: fromage frais are better than runny yogurts for little'uns to cope with.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 24 August 2011 - 21:38
I just attempted to remove the cover and just my luck...it's an IKEA sofa bed and all cushions except those with the stains are removable!! If the stains are that noticable and you're in a "it can't get any worse" situation, then unpick a hidden seam on the un-removable cushions, do whatever you need to do, put them back on and sew them up again. It doesn't have to be pretty. Alternatively, are they cushions that can just be turned over?
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 24 August 2011 - 20:01
I have a 7 day old navy blue sofa.....and my daughter who wears a back brace just layed on it. Her brace was washed in bleach and it was not quite dry when she put her brace back on. I now have 3 yellowish stains from the bleach...what's done is done but just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to cover the stains? I was going shopping tomorrow to buy a few things to complete the room - seems pointless now. I'm wondering if colouring in the stain with a navy blue texta may help...or make it worse. can you take the covers off? If so, do so, wash then and see how it comes up. If it still look a bit rubbish, then yes, you can try dying them, but you'd need to dye all the upholstery in one batch so that it ends up all the same colour. Alternatively, you could try claiming it as accidental damage on your home contents insurance.
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 24 August 2011 - 19:49
bla bla bla wot I said Fantastic advice!!! Well... I'll come back to you in 6 months and tell you if my son's mastered the art of rhetoric! Seriously though, I'm glad this thread came up because I am quite concerned about it all (what, HK concerned?!). It's just compounding to the second child guilt really... is it just him or is it because I didn't read to him every night/ do baby signing/ was too busy to just stare and coo at him all day long? He is quite chatty, but just not much that anyone else can understand... and none of the 2 or 3 word sentence everyone else's children seem to be coming out with. The speech therapist did say that the words he says (I listed them) are *interesting* in that he seems to have bypassed most of the first sounds that are easily imitated like m, b, d, p, t, h (he doesn't say p, t and h at all) but has managed a good few of the back of through sounds like gl, cl, k... so his word for "please" is something like "gleeh". I really hope it all falls into place soon. :(
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 24 August 2011 - 17:06
......Or if you don't want to take the hard line approach..... ;) Make it into a game, pieces of broccolii can be little trees and they can be giants eating them, "who can be first to eat something orange", etc. Put one piece of finger food on their plate each day and give a lot of praise to whoever tries theirs. Don't tolerate food throwing though, they are old enough not to do that, since you have 2, you can reward the one who isn't throwing (or hasn't yet thrown) and motivate the other to behave too. lol - maybe I shouldn't have said "hard-line" because it makes it sounds as if there's no fun involved! We always have a good social mealtime and we do have fun... maybe "zero-tolerance to mucking about" would be better! Anyhow, another thing that you could try is to get them involved in making their food. It's no guarantee they'll eat it afterwards, but could help. Mini pizzas, pies, cheese straws, meat and veg skewers... or if they've been really good, they could dip chunks of fruit in melted chocolate and roll them in sprinkles... hmm.. might do that right now, actually! lol. Try not to let the perk get centre-stage... like some people discovered their children will eat anything with ketchup on it - great, but do you really want them having ketchup with every meal?
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 24 August 2011 - 16:53
My son - yup 26 months old, is exactly the same. We have a 2 year check here in the UK and it was flagged up. They asked several times about his hearing, but he has no problems with that, so he was referred to a speech therapist. She was very lovely and said that he was still very young. The Book says that a 2 year old should have 50 recognisable words, but obviously all children are different. My son probably does have about 50 words, but only a handful are recognisable by other people. Apparently, once they get to the 50 word mark, it snowballs and they start forming mini sentences. Anyhow, top tips she gave me are: - read to him - when he says something and you recognise what it is, acknowledge it - so if he says "[i'>kah!"[/i'>, you say "[i'>Yes, it's a car!"[/i'>... *don't* say "[i'>no, say "car"!"[/i'> - when he says something, build on it (at his pace), so again, if he says "Kah!", you say "yes, a yellow car!" - when he's interested in something, talk to him about it. Don't pick up a random toy and start a lesson on it, but instead work with what he's already engaged in doing. - turn the telly and background radio off so that you and he can concentrate on having interactive conversations I'm also teaching DS some basic signs (have a look on You Tube for Something Special/ Mr Tumble) so that he can at least communicate whilst developing his speech. This should help with the frustration aspect, as well as being able to discipline when necessary. I had an incident a few weeks back where he pushed another child away (and he's quite strong) because she was trying to snatch his toy. With DD, I would have gone through (and did) the whole "no, you don't push, you say "please leave me alone"", but of course I can't do that if he's not actually able to talk... but I still need to give him a non-physical solution!
Hello.Again.Kitty
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 24 August 2011 - 12:32
Thanks ladies - see, I knew Ew'ers would know!! :) Are there any side affects? No, it's a completely natural component in food, the problem is, like many nutrients, the processes our food goes through means that we don't get enough in general. You don't *have* to take it before you conceive (quite a few people don't actually plan to get pregnant or know the exact date they'll do so) but it plays a very important part in your baby's neural development, especially in the 1st 12 weeks. It has been linked to avoiding spina bifida which is a horrid thing and often not viable. I started taking the Pregnacare tablets, which contain it, but only when I was 5 or 6 weeks pg, because before then, I didn't know I was... and it was a bit of a surprise!
 
 
How expats in Germany can get German pension refund

Bye Bye Germany - Hello German Pension Refund?

UAE Emirati Lawyer Awatif Khouri in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Meet the Emirati Woman Breaking Grounds in UAE Law: Awatif Khouri

Mashreq NEO NXT Account | Why Kids and Teens Need Financial Education

Why Teens Need Real-World Financial Education?

International university transition tips

How to Make the Transition to University Life Easier

How to apply for Germany VBL Pension Refund as an expatriate | Germany Pension Refund

Bye Bye German Public Service Job - Hello VBL Pension Refund

Tourist SIM cards in Dubai guide

Tourist SIM Cards in Dubai: Where to Get One and Package Prices

World's most expensive cities to live in 2024

These Are the World's Most Expensive Cities To Live in 2024

Dubai ranked as one of the best cities to work in 2024

Dubai Ranked Among Top 5 Cities in the World to Work In

What are the signs that your online date is a fraud

8 Warning Signs Your Online Date is a Scammer

10 Expat Experiences You Should Check Off Before Repatriation

10 Expat Experiences You Should Check Off Before Leaving For Good

Best and Worst Countries to Get Started Abroad for New Expats

Best and Worst Countries for New Expats to Get Started Abroad

Under the Mango Tree by Robyn Fok | Expat Books

Expat Author Robyn Fok's 'Under the Mango Tree' Deals With Pet Grief & Loss

Expat Wife, Happy Life: Interview With Expat Author Florence Reisch

(Images: Supplied)

Expat Interview: Meet Florence Reisch, Author of 'Expat Wife, Happy Life!'

Remembering Queen Elizabeth II: A Tribute by UAE Expats

Remembering an Extraordinary Woman: A Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

10 reasons why expat women love the UAE

10 Reasons Why the UAE is a Popular Choice for Expat Women

6 Common Fears of Moving Abroad By Yourself and How to Overcome Them

Moving to the UAE Alone: 6 Common Fears and How to Overcome Them

Ultimate Babyshop Baby and Toddler Travel Packing List

These Baby Travel Essentials Are Must-Haves For Your Next Family Getaway

Requirements to apply for a UAE Golden Visa

How Do I Obtain a UAE Golden Visa? Requirements, Eligibility, and Process Explained

5 Tip for Expats to Survive Long-Distance Relationships

5 Tip for Expats to Survive Long-Distance Relationships

Opening a bank account in the UAE

A Newcomer to the UAE? What to Consider When Choosing a Bank for Opening an Account

Culture shock in the United Arab Emirates for expats

14 Ways You Will Experience Culture Shock in the UAE

Why you shouldn't upload your resume on your LinkedIn profile

5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Upload a Resume to Your LinkedIn Profile

10 Secrets to Happiness as an Expat

10 Secrets to Finding Happiness as an Expat

4 Ways to Network as an Expat

4 Ways to Network as an Expat

8 Expat Problems That Are Just Too Real

8 Expat Problems That Are Just Too Real

How to Make New Friends in a Foreign Country

How to Make New Friends in a Foreign Country

Top 10 Countries with the Best Quality of Life

Top 10 Countries with the Best Quality of Life

The best European cities for new expats

Pictured: Prague

The Best Cities in Europe for Expat Arrivals

House in Husavik

10 Amazing Things To Do In Iceland

How to Make Your Own Life as an Expat and Why It’s Important

How to Make Your Own Life as an Expat and Why It’s Important

The Labriz eforea spa location

Why Seychelles is One of the Best Holiday Destinations

The Real Expat: Chasing Your Dreams to Find Your True Purpose

The Real Expat: Chasing Your Dreams to Find Your True Purpose

6 Annoying Things Expats Hate Hearing

6 Annoying Things Expats Hate Hearing