D'is lekker by die sea!

We went to the beach for the first time in a while yesterday. We had so much fun. I didn't think Donna could contain herself-she was a typical Vaalie, I am very sad (but proud!) to say! She swam like only she can, making all those around her think she was drowning, only to stand up laughing! She built a "snowman", threw "snowballs", made tea, dug holes, and just rolled in the sea sand. She collected shells. She would stand up on "dry land" and announce to all who were listening (and there where many!): "1...2...GO!" and run into the sea until she fell face down into the water! She did that 1 000 000 times. Then she fell asleep in the car and slept for 3 1/2 hours!

She just loved it-we'll definitely do it again soon!

The Advantage of Living on a Flight Path...

Those that don't know; we live directly under the flightpath going to Dubai International Airport. It's actually not that bad, and we got used to it quite quickly, but this week we actually had reason to enjoy staying in the path of the flying machines: it was the Dubai Airshow, and we got to see it free! It was really great, got to see many planes, never mind that I had NO idea what they were, they were fast and impressive and Donna loved it! We went up to the shopping complex and had some coffee with friends in the square and watched the show. Donna so enjoyed seeing the aerobatics. She said, "Planes drawing picture in sky!" I thought that was so cute!

I went crazy with my camera...!

Growing up...

Something so cute happened today: Donna slept for longer than usual, that I first took advantage of, but then thought I'd better go wake her as it was getting quite late. As I got closer to her bedroom door, I hear her pram... When I opened her door she had gotten out of bed, put her shoes on (wrong way round, but on none-the-less) and was pushing her pram around with 3 dolls in, that she squashed together, and was quietly playing with Harvard (our cat) for I don't know how long! What a big girl!

The picture was taken just minutes after, with the shoes still on the wrong feet!

The Horses!

We went to the Desert Palm, affectionately know as the "Hidden Jewel of Dubai" and a place that I can only describe as the KZN Midlands here in the heart of the Arabian Desert! It is an Equestrian Estate with Polo fields, stables, dressage places and places to gallop (can you tell I'm not too sure of the Equestrian lingo?!). Regardless, it is beautiful, and reminds me so much of SA (South Africa, not Saudi Arabia!) that I love to go there. I know somebody that knows somebody who lives there, thus have enough pull to enter this little Eden, I haven't been stopped yet, so am enjoying it while it lasts!

Donna was so amazing. The last time we went there was before her first birthday, and then already she seemed to have an affinity for horses. Now I know you can't tell much then, but she wasn't scared, even when one relatively big horse came up to her and sniffed her all over, she just looked wide-eyed and reached out to rub his nose-it was adorable!

This time she amazed me even more. She so enjoyed peeping into the stables and seeing the horse turn around and walk towards us and then stick its whole head out for us to rub. She shrieked with laughter each time a horse sniffed and smelt her all over again. But then we went to the horse who were grazing in a field outside... She called out for them; "Horsey, Horse-come, come!" and then when they got close would feed them with these little blades of grass that she was picking up from next to her. Her whole hand was inside the stunning animal's mouth, but they were so gentle, only eating what they herbaceously should!

We had a great time!