twin_butterfly | ExpatWoman.com
 

twin_butterfly

twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 14:58
im jealous of people with tanned skin... i wish i could tan... :( can u say: white and freckley :\: Not to mention people who have never heard or seen of a strech mark before... yeah i got some old ones on the inside of my thighs from when i was heavier... one of my friends asked me one time while at the pool "OMG what happened?" i explained they were strechmarks... she replied "i thought some animal attacked you..." no one is perfect but i personally think thats the worst way to discribe how they look... :( SA, I love white and freckles! My hubby is one of them and I am hoping our still unborn son will turn out like him too :)
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 14:50
cjb, mine also broke and got a new one at Waitrose in Dubai Mall last week
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 14:44
Jewelsmiddle, love your post – actually had it on my FB profile for a while. My story: during a business trip in Milan, one evening I was out shopping with a colleague when I saw a couple walking down the street towards us, him a tall man who hugely resembled my ex of 6 years with whom I lived in London, but had since the break up moved to Geneva. As they got closer, I realised it was him indeed (!) with his wife-to-be, visiting Milan for the weekend. He seemed totally embarrassed trying to explain to her who I was and struggled to reassure her it was nothing but a coincidence :)
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 14:40
VP, just bumping the question on licensing - as you seem to be the Godmother of all :) and also would like to work from home once LO is born
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 14:37
Darling3, sorry to hear the news :( when you first receive them it is always a shock ... not easy... I am afraid I cannot help answer your question but I hope the below helps a bit: My sister was operated from breast cancer at the beginning of the month and is due for first chemo session end of the month. When she first broke the news to the rest of us in the family, we felt like we’d been hit by a train as we had no history of cancer in the family. Now I am embarrassed at how the rest of us reacted, as she was nothing but utter inspiration to all of us - her energy, determination and positivity have been mind boggling. Do not let this happen to you; the person suffering with cancer is the one that needs to be surrounded by positivity and reassurance! Do lots of research on it, read on success stories, NEVER ever let them see you cry and always make sure they know how much you love them. I am in no way an expert, but if you feel you just want to talk to someone, do let me know.
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 14:22
Home alone and been laughing out loud whilst reading this thread ... just heard the cleaners outside the door - they must think I'm not all there :)
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 15:00
I am sorry to be the devil’s advocate: why all the secret messaging on FB? What does he mean by ‘nothing physical’? Has there been anything non-physical? Why did he not let you see the rest of the messages? And most importantly: why did he do it, for a start??? You need to feel comfortable in a relationship, especially after 5 years! Will you be able to trust him again? Can you see yourself in a happy relationship, always wondering whether you need to check his phone to reassure yourself that everything is OK? He can always get her contact details back – so easy ... As Dubai-Mum says, you cannot leave all the questions unanswered – sit him down, ask for his undivided attention and drill him with all the questions that are bothering you ... if you feel something does not add up, then trust your female instinct – it is most probably correct.
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 14:26
Oops ... sorry, also read meditation :)
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 14:06
We love it here for all the below-listed reasons, although the beach is not the best for spending long hours in the weekends but nice enough for evening walks. Traffic in the weekends is a nightmare as it seems to be the place to cruise around all day/evening and rev up you engine late at night. Having said that, if you are at the Abu Dhabi end of it (Amwaj or Shams) you are on SZR in a matter of two minutes. If you have not yet signed up, do try and get something with a balcony as we sometimes get through the AC vents the smell of smokers from other flats ... Have a browse through www.jbrcommunity.com for more.
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 13:45
Ahhh, every bride’s nightmare ... finding a simple and elegant dress in the UAE :) I looked around quite a bit and found nothing that suited my style so ended up buying a skirt and a top from 2 different designers , which worked beautifully (try Harvey Nichols or Boutique 1 at Mall of the Emirates, and also have a good stroll around the high-end of the Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates where all the designer shops are, if you do not mind going with a less traditional wedding look). Not sure I would trust the tailors here with a wedding dress ... I have had pretty bad experiences where lovely silks I had bought for evening dresses were completely butchered by 2 different highly recommended tailors! Did Pronovias offer you the option to also choose from their catalogue and have it ordered? They did when I went but I just did not want to have to wait that long ... also, have a look at dubizzle.com and souq.com – I have just checked and they do have a few things. Just beware that some of the images some of the posters use may not be close to the actual dress. If you do not mind having a second-hand, I would agree that you will probably get a good response if you post it on this forum. Alternatively, if you do have the time I would agree – have it ordered online and shipped over, then you can do the needed alterations here. Best of luck and happy wedding planning!
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 20 March 2011 - 22:38
also lastminute.com should have good deals, although the Russian holiday starts at around now and lasts for about 12-14 days so the rates will be at their peak as hotels are making the most of it. Lastminute have a programme called 'top secret hotel' where there tends to be a rather generic hotel description so you do not really know where you will stay unless it is a rather iconic and easy-to-tell hotel - no websites will beat these deals though. You could also try a page called Voyage Prive out of the UK and see if there are any special deals on Dubai (sometimes they have things on without flights). Alternatively, if you are really adventurous you could always try Bahrain or Oman ;)
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 20 March 2011 - 18:01
Always so much more interest to get involved where there is oil though ... sadly, same old story ...
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 20 March 2011 - 17:53
Why do countries not spend the same type of energy and time on other countries hit by natural disasters like Japan? There are millions of people without a home or a trace of direct family, in need of help ...
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 20 March 2011 - 17:13
I do love How I met your Mother- love Neil Patrick Harris. Right off to autotune that in the Du recorder. I haven't seen Mad Men but everyone raves about it. What is it about? Does anyone know if downloading programmes from the Du recorder onto a USB stick is possible? I have some travel and cooking programmes recorded that I would love to keep but just don't know how (or if) ...
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 20 March 2011 - 17:02
Oh my goodness ... there is so much to do! Learn a new language, help with charity work, read books that will change your perspective in life (some favourites of mine are ‘The monk that sold his Ferrari’ by Robin Sharma, ‘The art of happiness’ by Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler, ...) or just spend a morning in Book World at Dubai Mall and look for books that will help you identify a new hobby. Take up yoga or Pilates or any other sport that you may find fun. Le Meridien Dubai by the airport used run L’Atelier des Chefs, where you learnt new dishes whilst you cooked your own lunch – not sure if they still do it. Take a walk around Knowledge Village, you might find a college/uni that runs interesting courses which could help you with a change in career. You can also browse the Dummy Guide to ... (google it for their link) ... Pick up a copy of Time Out Dubai – it’s loaded with ideas of things to do in Dubai!
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 20 March 2011 - 15:25
After reading these lovely comments I am starting to have thoughts of changing my doctor... I do not want to mention the name of the hospital but this is my first pregnancy (high-risk) and every time I have an appt with my doctor he seems irritated by mine and my hubby's questions and he always seems in a hurry to get on with the ultrasound and see us out of the door. In my last visit he said I am thinking too much about the pregnancy! Now he has scheduled my c-section for a day when he is not even in the country, so it will be a different doctor performing it! It seems to me that he sees his patients' pregnancies like a business transaction rather than something as beautiful and exciting as it is for us, parents. Does anyone know how easy it is to change doctors this late in pregnancy (now on my 32nd week)? And how easy is it to get an appt with Dr Elsa as a new patient?
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 16 March 2011 - 20:38
I did quite a bit of research before buying mine: Maxi Cosi are compatible with the largest number of prams: all Quinny's, Bugaboo's and Mamas & Papas models, as well as most of the brands sold at Mothercare and Babyshop. The safest car seat base is Maxi Cosi Family Fix.
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 14 March 2011 - 13:11
Sounds all too familiar :) We are also in serviced apartments where the rental includes the cleaning boys (they normally come in teams of four) coming every other day. In a year and a half living here I have seen all sorts: when changing the bed sheets, the ‘fresh’ ones had clearly been lying around on a dirty floor, extra down pillows we bought were taken away to never be found again ... the funniest was when they switched on the dishwasher for 2 glasses and a teaspoon! I then left a sticker on it with red capital letters: 'PLEASE DO NOT USE' but I came back to a similar scenario where they used it for 2 bowls and 2 forks ... then it hit me that they may not be able to read English ... We continuously came back from work to unclean floors, terraces untouched and bathrooms where only the towels had been changed, etc, etc, etc ... Then friends of ours who live in the same building had things go missing (coins left in a bowl – repeatedly-, a mobile phone, ...) so we decided not to let them in while we were out and had the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door fixed with cellotape, so we started doing the cleaning ourselves during the week and called them only once a week to clean the floors. Well, ha ha ha ... I came back early from work one day as I was feeling fluey and found the door ajar and the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the side table in the hall, bedsheets and towels changed. I waited and waited and nobody came back. Then I heard them cleaning the apartment next door – I went over and asked them why they had come into the flat and was the door open: they denied taking the ‘do not disturb’ sign off and denied leaving the door open! I think that day the entire building must have heard me screaming :) Now that I do not work and cannot really do much around the house due to my high-risk pregnancy, I call them in when I feel the house needs a good wipe and can actually check they do it properly ... not much help – you would have to be following them round the flat to actually ensure they do! The latest: in the weekend DH cooked a yummy but messy dinner so got up early on Saturday to clean the hob (of which I was unaware) as he wanted to make sure it was properly cleaned. While he went grocery shopping, I called for the cleaners. This time the little brigade came with a 'supervisor' that was telling them to clean all corners and move furniture to clean behind it, etc ... I saw TWO of them cleaning the kitchen and one giving the hob a thorough wipe (at this time I did not realise DH had cleaned the day before), so it never crossed my mind to check they were cleaning everything as they seemed very enthusiastic and there was the supervisor. When DH came back, I went to the kitchen with him and what do we find: the cleaners had been re-cleaning what my DH had already cleaned and left all the dirty marble tops untouched with very visible crumbs and spills from the cooking of the previous evening ... In this country, this is my philosophy: always expect the unimaginable ... common sense is an illusion! I can’t help but wonder whether they really can be that stupid or they do it to test us ... :\:
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 13 March 2011 - 14:40
So lovely to see there are also 'good news' about maids :) ... if any of the below ladies is planning to leave the UAE in the next 3-4 months, I would love to 'inherit' their nanny/maid. Please do let me know as I am looking for a (very good) one to look after our (now still unborn) baby and the house when I go back to work.
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 13 March 2011 - 14:20
hi ladies, I just wanted to see if anyone was interested in a self-fertility massage that you can do on yourself - if so I can send you the info. I'd been trying for almost 3 years, and this was one new thing I did for the 2 months prior to falling pregnant, and my friend who was trying for almost 2 years also did it and is now pregnant. Of course I don't know if this was the one thing that worked - I had also been doing acupuncture with Dr Ou for ages, plus had really tried to drink more water and eat about 90% organic, so perhaps it was a combination of all those things or just divine timing, but I do believe it helped and I'd love to share it with anyone who is interested. Email me on caterina underscore strano at yahoo dot com dot au - I can email you the instructions on how to do the massage. It's very easy and soothing, you do it from end of period to ovulation. The massage is supposed to help with increasing circulation to all the reproductive organs, hormonal balance, helping a tilted uterus, can help to clear congestion from cysts and fibroids amongst many other things...check out this link - http://natural-fertility-info.com/fertility-massage My sister in law in the US sent me the DVD and I've written down the instructions (as I passed on to other friends) so am more than happy to send them to anyone. Hi Sydneygal, I know you posted this ages ago but I am rather new to the forum and only seen this today, so hope you do not mind me e-mailing you to get the instructions, as someone very close to me would probably love to try this out, after having tried many different things unsuccessfully.
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 13 March 2011 - 13:54
DubaiMaman, brilliant - many, many thanks! That is massively helpful - I do realise and appreciate it must have taken some time to write the response as there are so many things to think about. The list of toiletries is particularly of great help so again, thanks :) Also the packing list is fabulous - I will make sure I leave my bag ready this week as I will probably not feel like doing it when the rush to go to the hospital comes ... tiktok, many thanks for bringing up the question as there are items on the list I did not think of: slippers (which I know from my last admission to the hospital that they do not provide) and CAMERA :cool: Speaking to a friend a few days ago, she did mention not to forget the baby car-seat but I guess I will leave that for hubby to fix in the car when he comes to pick us up. I am thinking I will probably also need some entertainment (besides TV) when DD is not with me and there are no visitors, so have decided to take my iPod and a couple of books - one of them which I picked up this week is 'New Babycare' by Dr Myriam Stoppard. I liked it as it had pictures of a few how-to's such as how to hold the baby, dress him, breastfeed him, etc. Another book which seemed to have lots of info and a friend has also recommended: 'What to expect in the first year' by Heidi Murkoff. This one has no pictures but masses of info for the many different possible scenarios, so might as hubby to pick up this week for me. Happy packing!
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 March 2011 - 12:50
Thanks Dubai71. She was offered by her OB to have a chromosome count of the embryos in she wanted to have eggs taken out before the chemio. She has decided not to go with it, as she has now given up (hard as it is) on the idea of further IVF after this scare. It is a new development where they select the embryos with the highet chances of survival through a chromosome counting technique. Not sure if it is available here but in Europe it is. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110205205946.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12494767 All the best with the trying and let us know of the developments! Sis came out of hospital yesterday and in good spirits, next is chemio which is going to be quite harsh - I am hoping she won't loose her beautiful hair ...
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 March 2011 - 11:56
Thank you for all the suggestions Ladies! Now just need to wait for the bun to come out of the oven and see what works best :)
twin_butterfly
574
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 06 March 2011 - 14:01
Hi maariyah - I was lucky enough not to suffer from ms and I suspect this had something to do with drinking lots of home-brewed ginger tea which was prescribed to me by my acupuncturist. Good luck : ) Do try ginger tea - it seems to work for a number of things. I have always been a very good sleeper but since I got pregnant I have been waking up in the middle of the night and been unable to fall asleep again until the time the rest of the world gets up. Last couple of weeks I have been drinking hot water with a slice of lemon and a slice of ginger, and now I seem to be able to sleep through the night. Also, when I had morning sickness I always had crackers - it seemed t work.
 
 
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