Wow! What an interesting post, although it all sounds extremely stressful and complicated! Hope everything is good with you all - miss you loads xxxxxxxxx
Loved reading your blog.I have a 13 month old and living in Dubai.I have already listed him in a school.I have this all to look forward to.Great info....Thanks.xx
Autumn in Bexhill Hi Marianne et al,
Thanks as always for the blog. So far Autumn here has been very mild with the temperature hardly ever dropping below 10 degrees C day or night (that may be about to change!!!). Not quite up to Dubai standards but it is saving on the central heating bills. We do occasionally see the sun but mostly it is wet and windy, especially the latter which has been a feature of our weather for most of this year. Otherwise all is well here and I shall look forward to seeing your Mum and Dad and hearing about their latest trip to Dubai. Hope Max had a great birthday.
Love Ivan xx
Hi From Minnesota! Your blog posts are truly captivating! What a different world ... although it sounds like you are making it your own (despite the language barriers and bad drivers).
Your boys are handsome little men who are fortunate to have such worldly experience. Keep up the good work Marianne!
-Lena
Great update! Maryanne:
Hi! All is well in MN and it looks like you are doing well too! How long were you home in England for summer vacation? Glad you got moved into the place you wanted - the pics are great and the kids look terrific. Hope Michael is enjoying the flying. Did you all hear about the two pilots who were goofing off on their laptops and not paying attention and overshot Minneapolis by 150 miles. David Letterman said the other night they finally figured out what the pilots were doing...bidding on Fiestawear on eBay. Hysterical! It's been all over the news for the last few weeks.
Take care,
Christina
sand castle marianne,
I love reading all about life in Dubai. It is so interesting to see pictures about such a different part of the world. Good luck with the garden. Here winter has already begun- 80 degrees seems very nice and cozy in comparison.
Happy birhtday Matty! Molly just turned 5.
take care,
Tina
Thanks for the Blog It was great to hear from you again. I do love your chatty journalistic style and have not laughed so much since Morecombe and Wise were about!!!!! Not too much to report from once sunny Bexhill. Autumn is very much upon us with all those things you miss so much ie the wind rain and falling leaves etc. Keeping busy as always with running, walking, trips to concerts, folk clubs, Plumpton races, quiz nights et al. We are all well and, so far at least, avoiding the swine or any other flu. Hope the same holds true for you and yours. Love Ivan xxx
PS How is the lawn progressing and who is going to cut it?
Sounds like it was a hassle but your new place looks wonderful - the compound looks like a lot of fun for the kids to play in, and I'm really jealous of swimming at the Polo Club! Their room looks fantastic as well - my boys are in a tiny bunk room the size of a walk-in wardrobe, and no scope for decorating......such is life in a New York suburb where rents are astronomical.
Hello! Cherry forwarded me your blog to look at. Glad to see that you are doing great in Dubai ! I did end up having the twins, Sydney and Samantha, born early at 24 weeks 5 days. They and their big sister, Kendall, are doing well. Nice to see you and your family!
Deb Mattson
Hi Marianne, its just wonderful to get your updates, see how the boys are growing up and what life is like out there for you. I just wanted to say a quick hello and let you know that I am thinking of you. Again thnaks for sharing :)
Hugs
Karen
Fab house! Hi Maz
Good to hear from you once again and glad everything is going well. The house looks wonderful, and it must be great to be near shops/cafes etc. And glad the cat is with you!!!!
Missing you lots
G
xxxx
good luck! Hope the birth goes well. I'll be thinking of you. Would love to pop in if it is possible when you're up for visitors.
Loved the blog, Max certainly is a character!
Take care and hopefully see you and the boys before you all move on to sunnier climes! x
Desert Diary This is brilliant - the IKEA story really made me laugh. Andy and I have been together for 4 years and he's managed to avoid us going for 4 years! Dubai sounds like a really amazing life-experience and good on you for embracing it! I look forward to the next instalment, although with 4 weeks to go, I can't imagine you'll have much time to write. On the other hand... au pairs..nannies...good grief, why aren't I living in Dubai?!! x
Major negotiations I'm not sure if I'm consoled or horrified to hear that getting Max to do the simplest things is a "closely-fought contest". I can relate to them all with Isabel (who's now nearly a year old), so it seems to me that girls are no less strong-willed than boys and I, no doubt, have worse to come! I'm delighted you're doing so well - you look radiant and it's great to be kept abreast of your news! xxx
Know what you mean about the constant negotiations with toddlers - if nothing else, i think being a mother qualifies you for a job working for the UN....
Love the updates Marianne, I love love love hearing about your adventures in England. And Max is a completely normal 2 yr old. My 3 yr old still chooses when to listen to me (but listens to Dada and everyone else perfectly !) so we are all in the same predicament. Treasure these few months when Max will be an only child. IT'll be even crazier after he comes----but I know you'll take advantage of having nannies to help and not try to tough it out as we american women seem to think we must.
English seaside My mum and dad live in Littlehampton, very close to Bognor so I can identify with the weather conditions you had to endure. Such a brilliant blog and Rosie and I are featured in a photo! How exciting! Our first blog appearance!
You're a fantastic mum and they will be two lucky boys! I have been told on a number of occasions by well-meaning people, I'm sure, that boys are easier than girls. Great.
love Linda
x
Marianne Makdisi is a journalist and mom to three-year-old Max and his baby brother Matty. We live in The Sandpit (Dubai) and I blog as a welcome distraction from the domestic chaos caused by my beloved little people.... full info
Debs
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Your blog is fantastic and always makes me smile. Yes, hope Big boy enjoys school . xxxxxxxxxx