Three under 3!

On the morning of February 6, 2016, we welcomed two perfect little girls into our family!

Having a Cesarean is the strangest thing. You are put on a stretcher, given a spinal block injection (which makes you numb from the waist down) and then they wheel you into an operating theatre. There you are prepped surgically, your birthing partner (spouse/ friend/ parent/ boyfriend/ girlfriend) walks in wearing full scrubs, and the operation begins. You feel a vague cutting, then a few tugs, and ta-dah! You've given birth! A few more tugs and ta-dah! You have twins!

The lack of participation on my part was quite shocking. I felt a bit cheated, to be honest; like I hadn't really given birth - which was true in the physical sense. Unfortunately both of the twins' heads were up under my rib cage (and making themselves very well known!), so that wasn't an option for me.

Regardless, I was and am delighted that both babies popped out fully developed, of a good size, and utterly perfect in every way. No bias here, of course!

When it came to naming the babies, Thomas was certain from the get-go that we were having one of each gender. We tossed around a few other names for girls and boys, but Thomas wouldn't commit to anything other than one boy and one girl. One girl was always going to be Alice, so naturally she was Twin A. When the second girl was born I turned to Thomas and asked, "can we name her Charlotte?" to which he readily agreed.

And so it was! Twin A became Alice Bindie Bouchery, and Twin B was named Charlotte Emma Bouchery. (See the birth announcement for the specifics.)

There's not really a whole lot more to tell. I spent 2 nights in hospital, with a lot of attention from the grandparents, Thomas, and Margaux. Thomas had a whole two days of paternity leave... Welcome to the Middle East. The recovery from a C-section is absolutely awful - especially if you have a low pain threshold - but thankfully now it's a distant memory.

A pregnancy timeline

OK, you've earned it. I've been saving up most of my pregnancy photos, which may have been a bit silly but there it is. Now I can showcase my growing tummy in one go. Pardon the repeats...

Part 1: The twins were labelled as Twin A and Twin B until they were born and I had intended to keep the names of them from you until I have a posted after their birth but I've just realised I put Twin A's name in! Oh what a bother. I'm not going to start the collage again, so please think of Twin A as just that. Unfortunately there were a bunch of limbs (not sure whose!) in front of Twin B's face so the gynaecologist couldn't take a 4D photo.

Part 2: 37 weeks is considered a full term pregnancy with twins, with high percentage of women giving birth from 34 weeks. My gynaecologist was prepared to wait until 38 weeks, but ended up booking me in for a Saturday morning Cesarean section just before then. 

As with Margaux, we successfully kept the genders of the babies a secret until they were born. It was time to meet the newest stars in our family constellation...

Welcoming the Aussie grandparents

We made some final preparations during our last few weeks as a family of three, before welcoming Mum and Dad in the last week of January. They arrived a week before the twins were due, which was brilliant. Margaux could have some time to relax with them, they could all make some special memories together, and we could generally all settle in to the start of 7 weeks (!) of consecutive guests. Mum and Dad stayed for four weeks, and then Rita and Jean-Paul for three.

We also welcomed Mala into our family at this time. Mala is our live-in helper from Sri Lanka and we honestly couldn't function without her these days.

Christmas with Uncle Jim: Part 3 (Returning home and farewell)

We returned home via a spectacular canyon and unbelievable lookouts at Jebel Shams.We were all awestruck by the place - and found it surprisingly chilly up on the bluff! James went for a run up the escarpment, from which he called, "Coo-ee!" - which became his moniker for the rest of his stay and now Margaux only refers to him by that name!

I was feeling - and I believe looking - pretty darn pregnant by this stage... the silhouette shot was an attempt at capturing it but I don't feel it has done it justice. Apparently I was small for twins throughout my pregnancy, but that was certainly enough for me!

The final few days with James were spent at home and in the local environs. James headed off to Australia on the 29th December and we prepared ourselves for a very early New Year's Eve - although it did mark 5 years since our Australian wedding!

Christmas with Uncle Jim: Part 2 (Two days and nights in the middle of nowhere)

We arrived at the Oriental Nights Rest House on Christmas Eve where we bunked down for two nights of fairly basic but perfectly satisfactory accommodation. Mohammed, the owner, was delighted with James' getup and was full of useful information and directions.

Our first stop was the stunning Wahabi Sands Desert, where we watched some crazy dune driving and enjoyed a bonfire while watching the almost full moon disappear behind the horizon. During the entire drive from home to our destination and back again Margaux became very excited by the sight of a camel - which was fairly frequent. She would point out the window and exclaim, "Amel! Amel!"

The Desert initially appears to be a vast expanse of nothingness - which, in reality, it essentially is - but then you discover there are slightly more worn paths and almost hesitant roads that have been made by so many 4x4 vehicles speeding along in the same direction. And when I say 'speeding', well... this puts any autobahn to shame.

And the dune driving! My goodness - hoardes of men in their impeccable white dresses (whatever they're made of is the most effective dirt-repellent I've ever seen) charging up these massive dunes at terrific speeds - either aiming to reach the summit or to make a 180* turn part way up. It was testosterone and machismo to the hilt, with not a drop of alcohol in sight.

We were Staggered there wasn't at least one accident involving one car sliding back down the dune while the next one was careering up it, or one driver that had successfully reached the summit and was now flying back down the dune crashing into a driver making the attempt up, or a car tipping over while on the curve of the turn... Apparently we were lucky because they happen frequently - the general attitude is that if they die it's because Allah willed it, so let rip! (And apparently this is also the reason that taxis don't have seat belts in the back seats and that kids don't have to be strapped in - let alone in booster seats. Astonishing.)

The following morning was a very low-key Christmas Day for us. We shared some gifts and then headed off to the picturesque Wadi Bani Khalid. I was feeling really rather pregnant by this stage so opted out of one of the walks that took the blokes plus an intrepid Margaux (who didn't have a whole lot of choice in the matter) into some spectacular scenery and rock formations. I must have had a smudge on my camera because all my photos turned out with a fuzzy kind of outline, unfortunately. Forgive me?

The photos here don't really capture the majestic beauty of the place but the Wadi was stunning, the waters were perfect for swimming, and it was accessible for all of us. James cut an interesting figure in his Pakistani garb and board shorts - much to the amusement of the locals!

Christmas with Uncle Jim: Part 1 (home and the Bimah Sinkhole)

My brother James arrived on December 19th and stayed for 10 wonderful days.

He really enjoyed interacting with Margaux as he didn't really anticipate what a proper kid she would be, compared to the almost walking, not talking little girl that he spent time with the previous Christmas.

After taking a little while to warm to him, Margaux enjoyed spending time in his arms and playing with him. He loved her sense of recklessness and she loved his height when it came the throwing her in the air! James also got a tiny taste of parenthood while feeding and bathing her, both of which they seemed to enjoy.

Much to the delight, surprise, and amusement of everyone we came upon - especially the locals - James had a Pakistani outfit tailored and bought an Omani hat, which he wore everywhere.

We spent some quality time at home and explored some of the sights of Muscat (including the Muttrah Souq, where James tried on an Omani dress and turban, pictured above) before Thomas took a couple of days off work and we had a very memorable Christmas exploring some of the Wahabi Sands Desert and Wadi Bani Khalid (a wadi is a valley found in Asia, the Middle East, and some part of Africa that is usually dry except in the wet season) a few hours' drive from our home.

Our first day trip, though, was the stunning Bimah Sinkhole, where the others had a paddle and I was a happy observer. James took the opportunity to dive into the water from a natural ledge half-way up the internal side of the hole, while Thomas and Margaux spotted little fish in the shallows.

We then geared ourselves up for a two-night sojourn in the desert...

Margaux's second birthday!

Oh good grief. How did that tiny bundle of vulnerable-ness and dependency reach TWO years old???

Margaux's second birthday - on the 1st of December - was a lovely, small affair. (If I were to compare myself to the efforts pretty much every other mother I know goes to for their kids' birthdays I would be pretty embarrassed, but that's not the case and, until Margaux starts to remember her birthdays, I think I will continue to refrain from extravagant, themed birthdays complete with professional photographer and a cake that looks more like a wedding cake than a DIY chocolate cake...)

I made cupcakes and took them to school, where they sang happy birthday to Margaux and gave her a crown to wear and a Happy Birthday certificate.

At home we had presents sent from Australia and France, plus we gave her a whiteboard/ chalkboard easel.

One special gift, from Mammy and Pappy, was twin dolls. Margaux cuddled them and played with them a bit, but to be honest they've really come to the fore since the twins have been born because we have a "monkey see, monkey do" mindset here! While I was pregnant though I would hold the babies up to my tummy and try to show Margaux that I had two babies inside me. About as effective as a chocolate teapot, I'm sure.

Anyway, I made a little video of how the days went. (Again, since we're doing this whole birthday thing our way, we spread it over two days. Worked quite well, actually.)

We had a special treat heading our way though, because Uncle Jim was coming to visit!

A Margaux Montage (and a pregnancy pic)

It's been far too long with too many incidental moments that I haven't shared, so here is a little Margaux Montage...

While the weather was delightful Margaux was going to the park at least once a day. She was also going for daily swims - usually after the park - and we were all loving living in Al Mouj, where this was all possible within a short walk or bike ride.

I was growing bigger daily, but apparently it just looked like I was having a singleton baby. It didn't feel like it! But then, when I look at photos of my first pregnancy, it isn't too much bigger - I didn't have the fluid retention this time around...

Barefoot and pregnant at 6 months...

The Sultan's birthday/ Oman's National Day

Sultan Qaboos bin Said has been the ruler of Oman since 1970. He has instigated, facilitated, and overseen Oman's rise and rise in the Arab and Western world through the power of oil, and has been the one to transform it into a 21st century society. He even changed the country's name from Muscat and Oman to The Sultanate of Oman!

It is not that surprising, then, that his birthday is Oman's National Day - which is on November 18. As an aside, in greater Muscat there are two main roads. One is called 18th November Street and the other is the Sultan Qaboos Highway.

Anyway... Every year there is a massive to-do about it all, especially every 5 years, which was the case last year. There were red, white, and green decorations all along the Sultan Qaboos Highway; cars were bedecked in red, white, and green stickers/ stripes; his image was stickered on car doors; patriotic slogans (such as "My Sultan, My Hearo" [sic]) were stencilled on car sides; trees were lit up in red, white. and green; there were fireworks over two nights... basically everyone went nuts.

At Horizons Nursery the children were encouraged to come in traditional Omani dress or in red, white and green clothes, and there was a parade over two days (so all the part-time kids could join in) which parents could attend where the kids walked around in a circle class by class showing off their dress.

Horizon Kids International Nursery (HKIN)

And so, on October 11, Margaux started her second nursery in 5 weeks.

Oh. My. God. The poor Popette was gripping onto me for dear life when it came time to say goodbye, and she screamed like she was being amputated - without anaesthetic. Still, the nursery was really good about it, giving me updates during the day (08:00-12:30) and reassuring me that this was normal behaviour.

With the weather being significantly cooler it was a joy to walk Margaux in the pram for the few hundred metres to the nursery from our home. She quickly fell into a routine with her gorgeous teacher, Miss Zhiwen, and began to enjoy drop-off. Hooray!

She loved the Splash Day (playing in paddling pools) that the school held and was quickly making friends with her classmates.

Our new home!

We had found a lovely, huge villa in a community in Muscat called Al Mouj, which is Arabic for The Wave (its previous title), before we left Dubai. 'We' being Thomas, who was going from a floor plan...

It's an absolutely gorgeous, light-filled place that we have PLENTY of room to play in. There are more bedrooms and bathrooms than you can poke a stick at, but we're going to enjoy it while we're here and be very content to move into something a little more homely once we leave.

Al Mouj is a community, but not gated or a compound. It's populated by western expats and tended to principally by Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Indians, and Sri Lankans. It's scarily reminiscent of The Truman Show, with its picture perfect lifestyle. It's honestly the most literally unrealistic place I can think of to live, but it's an absolute delight for families as there are three big parks, a shopping area that is reserved for pedestrians and kids on bikes, a nursery (which Margaux attends) on-site, private access to the beach, a good selection of cafes and restaurants... It's brilliant.

The day we were to move in, though, our stuff was due to arrive at 10:00. At about midday I received a call to say there were delays at the border and that they would keep me posted. Well, after all sorts of other problems, including access to the house, the unpackers showed up at about 20:00! Margaux and I helped for a while and then we headed back to the hotel for a final night's sleep there, while Thomas helped the movers until about midnight. Ugh.

We had a lovely explore of our new territory the next day, navigating our way around on our freshly unpacked bikes:

And with the 'pet' dog, Nico, that Margaux received as a Christmas present the year before: Nico

It didn't take too long at all for us to realise how much we loved our new home. Yes, it is vastly different from Dubai in many aspects (lack of commercialisation, lack of public transport, retention of beautiful architecture, retention of ancient culture), but it is still the Middle East with its restrictions on dress and women's liberties, and the fact that it's hurtling from the Middle Ages into the 21st century at breakneck speed thanks to the discovery of oil.

And, like Dubai, it has the superficial appearance of being a Western contemporary country, but not too far below the surface it's glaringly apparent that they just don't 'get' the nuances and culture that have shaped society over the last few hundred years in Western countries.

But this blog is about our family, so I'll leave you to do your own research on the place!

...And on to Oman!

After much throwing around of dates, we finally moved to Oman on October 7 - in time for Margaux to start nursery on October 11.

We stayed in a hotel for a couple of weeks, while all of the paperwork was finalised and our stuff was trucked down. We tried to make the most out of it, but oh Lordy it was still SO hot. And hotels are nice for a weekend, but, especially with an active toddler, they lose their appeal quickly. And this one refuses to sleep in any bed except her parents' when they go away, which we concede to because we all know she'll be in her own bed once we get home. :)

We spent the first weekend getting to know a little more of Muscat. We had a family outing to the Muttrah (or Mutrah) Souq (or Souk)... in the translation from Arabic to English a lot of words are given different spellings, which makes it awfully confusing!

A souq is a market in Arabic, and this one is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country. It's located in the Muttrah Corniche, which is right at the port of Muscat. Oman was traditionally a trading country with India and some African countries, and you can still see dhow boats (traditionally trading vessels but now sometimes venues for cruises) in the water.

Anyway... the Souq is made up of a vast collection of shops, from traditional Omani and Indian clothes and fabrics to trinkets to jewellery to cheap, plastic toys to cooking utensils to spice shops, food shops, and perfumeries. Bargaining is expected, which is of course a little confronting to the hapless Westerner who just wants to buy a little souvenir but finds themselves having to knock down the price from enterprising store owners.

Still, the atmosphere is great, the smells are enticing, the shops are plentiful, and the souq itself is a maze that you could literally get lost in for hours.

I was 5 months pregnant here and feeling it!

A brief reconnaissance in Muscat

(In fact, this happened before Le Jardin Enchante... that'll teach me - again - to leave things so late before writing!)

Having resigned ourselves to the fact that we would, indeed, be moving to Oman, Thomas co-ordinated with his work that Margaux and I would accompany him for a week when he had to go to Muscat.

And so we found ourselves in the last week of August in stinking hot Muscat - a change of scenery from stinking hot Dubai at least. I had been taking Margaux every day to different indoor play centres, which would entertain her for an hour or two but who wants to live in a mall? Anyway...

Before we arrived I had co-ordinated Margaux's and my attendance at two Mums and Tots groups, which I was very excited about. Apart from Margaux's and my social enjoyment, I had some serious interrogating to do of other Mums: I had to find out the mostly highly recommended gynaecologist, hospital for childbirth, area to live, nursery, paediatrician... And I did! I also met a couple of women who are my friends today, even though I haven't been to a Mums and Tots group since we arrived.

Significantly as a result of that, we ended up living where we do now, and I had a great gynaecologist who always had a long waiting list for appointments. I had hoped to see her while we were there but the only option was to take an appointment in a month's time (!), which I duly did. (I booked it for a Saturday so Thomas could look after Margaux. I flew down in the morning, bought a second-hand pram I'd found online that someone in Muscat was selling, had my appointment, and flew back in time for dinner).

We were mentally gearing up for the Big Move, but we still had to sit out the rest of the summer in Dubai... Ugh.

(This photo was taken on August 22)

Le Jardin Enchante

At the start of September Margaux (finally!) began nursery. We had enrolled her in a lovely French nursery that was a short-ish train ride from our apartment, called Le Jardin Enchante (The Enchanted Garden).

We thought there would be a few tears - from me at least! - but we weren't prepared for the gut-wrenching cries of despair as we left her alone in the classroom on the first day. For the first few weeks, actually. She loved it once she was settled in and was reluctant to leave when I picked her up, but until we left about 5 weeks later she would still have a bit of a whimper when Thomas pulled up at the front gate each morning.

She was placed in the Coccinelles (Ladybirds) class and she had an absolutely gorgeous teacher, Jennifer. She's in the top centre photograph. When talking with me, Jennifer tried her best in English and I tried my best in French, and somehow between us we managed to communicate!

It was with great sadness that we left Le Jardin Enchante, but new adventures were on the horizon...

The 'suggestion' to move...

I'm paraphrasing, but this is basically how the conversation went on the way home from the airport:

Thomas: I received a call from the HR director in Oman saying that there was the opportunity for a promotion if we moved there.

Jenn: And how did you respond?

T: I replied that we had initially been prepared to go to Oman, but they were the ones who moved us to Dubai. I explained that I was happy in my job in Dubai, that we had paid our year's rent, we had settled in, Margaux was about to attend nursery and - to top it off - we had just discovered you were pregnant with a high-risk pregnancy. So, thanks but no thanks.

J: Very good. I hadn't been sure about moving here, but now that we're here I'm happy and I think Margaux is too. I'm very pleased with the hospital and gynecologist I have for the pregnancy.

T: Yes, but then I had a call from the HR Director in Norway. This time he said "We'd *like* you to move to Oman."

Basically, Thomas was given the option of no option. With the barrel price below US$40, jobs in the sector are scarce and Thomas was still in his probation period.

So the mental paradigm shift began, and we started gearing up for moving to our third country in 5 months.

Holidays during Ramadan Part 2: A French Sojourn: Hardelot (part 2)

It was such a different and special holiday. Yes, Margaux and I had been on holiday with Marie and Scholastie before (see our holiday in Corsica with them in 2014 starting with this post) but now Margaux was that much more independent and a toddler rather than a baby.

We went on two lovely excursions while we were in Hardelot: one to the Aquarium and one to a sort of history village.

The history village covered all aspects of life in the 'olden days' (whenever that was) including shops, vehicles, entertainment, home life, farm machinery. It was very cute. The kids loved playing the games (hopscotch and such) and riding the tractors especially!

The aquarium was a slightly more modern affair! It had some fabulous displays, but by far the highlight was the seal show. Everyone - adults and kids alike - was captivated by these impressive beasts! There was a strange juxtaposition of the seals performing their tricks in a swimming pool with glass walls behind them that gave a view onto the vast, free ocean... still, these ones seemed happy enough and you can watch the excellent though shocking documentary Dolphin Cove if you want to be turned off watching performing dolphins etc.

Anyway, we all had a thoroughly lovely time, though Margaux wasn't too keen on the touch pool!

As usual, the holiday passed far too quickly. After spending a day with Scholastie's parents and relatives (her parents were taking over the parental role for the three kids over the next week) Margaux and I joined Marie on the trip back to Jean-Paul and Rita's.

We spent a couple of delightful - though always cold! - days there and then made our long trip back to Daddy without a hitch. Margaux was so happy to see him - and of course the feeling was mutual for him.

It was on the way home that he dropped me with the bombshell...

Holidays during Ramadan Part 2: A French Sojourn: Hardelot (part 1)

It was a mere two days that Margaux and I were in Dubai before we jetted off to our next destination: France! To be honest, it wasn't quite enough time to spend with Thomas - and I hardly had the time to do all of the unpacking, washing, and re-packing (we were going from a winter to a summer destination after all) before we were airport bound again. Getting over jet-lag was never going to happen!

This time my intrepid companion and I flew for 7 hours to Paris and from there spent three hours in the Charles de Gaulle airport waiting for a Very delayed train. All things considering, Margaux was a wonderful little travel buddy.

Scholastie and Hippolyte met us at the train station and took us to the D'Herlincourt family's gorgeous holiday home in the seaside town of Hardelot - a couple of hours' drive from Roncq and very close to Calais. In fact, on a clear day you can see England if you squint.

I didn't realise until this holiday what a boon it was for Margaux to be brought up bilingually. She could be completely involved in the games and activities with her cousins, and understand me in English. It was quite astonishing to witness, because previously we've been with Thomas who has acted as our go-between if needed. This time we were left to fend for ourselves... I felt thoroughly inadequate at times because Hippolyte or Josephine would speak to me in French and I wouldn't be able to fluently respond, however Marie or Scholastie were able to intervene when needed.

I was delighted to be able to share my pregnancy with them, and I even got the green light from Thomas to share the fact I was expecting twins. It was such a relief to be able to openly discuss it! (Of course when we all had dinner with Jean-Paul and Rita at the end of the holiday we had to hide our privileged information...)

The beach was a daily - if not twice daily! - highlight of the trip. Marie and Scholastie gave me some down-time every day of the 10 days we were there to have an afternoon nap (I was quite tired from the pregnancy) and prepare some dinner while they took Maggie with their kids to the beach. Again, it was so great that they could speak to her in French and she completely understood what they said.

Photos are good but movies are better... here's something to hopefully give you a better feel for how much Margaux enjoyed her time at the beach: Hardelot Beach, August 2015

The cousins were all that much older than when we'd last seen them (for Margaux's 1st birthday, about 6 months before) and they were really starting to enjoy - or get annoyed by, from Hippolyte's point of view! - each other.

There was more fun to be had than just the confines of the house, the beach, and the ice-cream shop - we had some exploring to do!

Holidays during Ramadan part 1: Australia: The Wonky Warming and Farewell

The Wonky Warming was held on the last Saturday I was there. The farm house was filled with a wonderful cheery ambiance on what was a bit of a chilly night. We had an obligatory BBQ, mulled wine, a roaring bonfire, and an impromptu (but thoroughly expected) open mic towards the end. The Wonky House was in fine shape and we all squished ourselves in for a slideshow presentation of go-to-woe. Thomas was given a special shout-out in absentia since it was his plan to build a straw-bale house that prompted the building of the Wonky House.

The warming was celebrated by all and sundry who had helped in the house's construction... see this post for specifics!

Andy was on crepe-making duties the following morning - much to everyone's delight - and after a very hearty breakfast we all headed homewards. It was a perfect way to celebrate such a community effort.

                                  ***********************************************

The last few days at home passed far too quickly although I did confuse my flight home (I thought I was leaving on Sunday when in fact it was Monday) so surprised myself with 24 extra hours, which was thoroughly delightful.

Mum and Dad accompanied Margaux and me as far as possible in the airport, which was greatly appreciated... travelling with an infant requires all sorts of luggage and paraphernalia (like the pram) that make it difficult to do while going solo!

Our flight back to Dubai was fairly lengthy (11 hours) but at least this time it was a night flight so we both slept a bit. We were SOOO happy to be back with Thomas. I wasn't sure how Margaux would go - whether she would be a bit reticent to see him after such a long time apart - but she gripped onto him like a limpet, which was gorgeous.

Holidays during Ramadan part 1: Australia: Four days of FREEDOM!

In the middle of our holiday to Australia I spent four days in Melbourne without Margaux. Four Days Without A Dependent!! Oh, it was bliss. I didn't call Mum and Dad once.

Nick and Jess were consummate hosts - from collecting me at the airport (where I was delighted to surprise them with the news of my pregnancy), to introducing me to some of Melbourne's best nooks and crannies, to morning coffee in their gorgeous backyard, to wandering around an indoor market, to an evening at the footy! They also gave me excellent suggestions of places to check out while they were at work.

I don't mean to be inanely repetitive, but the joy and freedom I felt by being able to get around unencumbered by a pram and an 18-month-old was truly wonderful. Suddenly small boutiques, shops with ornaments or potentially breakable items on display, trams, cafes, and general aimless meandering on my part became accessible options. Don't get me wrong - Margaux was significantly on my mind; I was just enjoying some 'me' time.

I had a delightful catch-up with my cousin Alison and her son Levi at a quaint little cafe just around the corner from Jess and Nick's place. It was so lovely to spend some quality time with her, especially as she wasn't able to attend the upcoming brunch we had planned.

(Top: Alison and Levi; Bottom: watching the Eagles defeat the Magpies; rugged up in winter woollies with Nick and Jess eating hot chips while watching the game - perfect!)

The above-mentioned brunch was held at Aunt Jane and Uncle Maurice's place in rural Victoria. There was a lovely group of one aunt, one uncle, seven cousins, and four niblings (apparently it's the collective noun for nieces and nephews, not a snack). What started as brunch turned into a day-long celebration of family, which was absolutely perfect. Of course I couldn't tell them about my pregnancy, even though I was dying to share the news!

After an uneventful flight home that evening I was more than ready to give my little Poppette a cuddle.

It turns out she had had an absolute blast with her Aussie grandparents... check out the photos from this post back for proof! Thankfully she was very happy to see me, too.

Holidays during Ramadan part 1: Australia: Catching up with friends

As usual, I had plenty of people I wanted to catch up with and far too little time to do so. And to be honest, it was so long ago now (my fault, I know) that some of the specifics have floated from my memory. The general feelings though were of delight and happiness at the opportunities to spend time with such special people from my life in Perth.

Unfortunately I had to keep my pregnancy from all these friends... well, most of them.

The first friend I had the privilege of catching up with was Lyn, who was the boarding house director of Presbyterian Ladies' College in Perth when I worked there, met up with Mum, Margaux and I for a lovely morning tea with her in a cafe in the hills. (She's in the main frame of the collage below).

Later, Margaux and I made the trek via public transport to Fremantle to meet up with Bec. Maggie had a brilliant time on the trains - running up and down the carriage while the train was in motion; swinging herself around the poles; charming the pants off/ making friends with fellow passengers... all in a day's work.

The three of us boarded the Ferris Wheel for a stunning view of Freo. Margaux was very brave and keen to look out of the glass gondola but rather ready to leave when the ride stopped! And Perth, being Perth, decided that it would be a great idea to have an outdoor ice-skating rink set up in the main park area of Fremantle to celebrate winter... great in theory; not so good in practice: the day was crisp but sunny, so by the early afternoon the ice rink had become a giant puddle and there were a lot of wet people leaving the skates behind!

Another dear friend we caught up with was Kirsty. It was an unfortunately brief, coffee-length catchup with Margaux plus her two kids in a cafe - and I have no photos to show for it. Still, it was quality time spent together and I'm grateful we had the opportunity to do so.

Margaux and I headed back to the same cafe in the hills a few days later to meet up with Janelle, a highschool friend, and her two boys.We decided to brave the outdoors this time as the cafe boasts a play area, which was great fun for all the kids - and a blessing for Janelle and me! (Margaux, Nicholas, and Arthur are pictured in the bottom left corner of the collage).

The best catch up of all, however, was with Bronwen, Amber, and Anna, plus all of our kidlets at Anna's place. (In truth this happened after MY holiday in this holiday - in which I travelled to Melbourne for 4 days all by myself - but for (my) convenience I have put it all in one post. Forgive me.)

Spending an afternoon with three of my closest friends and not spilling the beans on my pregnancy was a thought I entertained for about two seconds (at Thomas' request) and completely dismissed. What I didn't expect though was Amber asking if there was just one in there! Of course I couldn't lie, so the full secret came out.

We four also had a kid-free meal a few days later - a rare treat for all of us! - which yielded no photos but some special memories.

And now, for a post regarding four days of liberation for me...