Our first rock concert

Johan and I went for a (rock) concert - Coldplay. It was my birthday gift from him and I have to say, this gift is going to be a winner for a long time. Coldplay, the one band whose music I listened to as I stepped into adulthood. And when Johan and I got together, we continued to enjoy their music together. Ha ha. I know, I'm getting sentimental here. So anyways, when I found out that Coldplay was performing a one night concert in Abu Dhabi, I didn't hesistate to drop the biggest hint, well actually declaration to Johan that "We Are Going!"

So we arrived at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, after a long two hours drive. The excitement in me started to build up once we entered the concert grounds. We headed straight to ticketing booth to collect out tickets, and got them exchanged for wrist bands. It was a strange, almost cosy feeling, hanging out with the other 15,000 people who had also gathered to listen and see Coldplay perform. I mean, aside from our similar music taste, we found ourselves lining up at the food stands, to purchase overpriced hotdogs, falafel sandwiches and cold beer just before the concert started. Talk about homogenity huh.

And under the same skies, even before the concert started, all of us felt the first droplets of rain! Johan went in search of the trash collector to swipe some bags from him, out of which we made very handy ponchos. Soon after, people were running up to us, deperately asking us where we got the bags from. Now, how funny was that? The trash collector really could have had his windfall that evening selling the bags! But he (and his colleagues) were smiling and happily handing out the bags to people who gratefully approached them. Aside from Coldplay, they were probably the most sought after men for the night.

So it rained, the winds came and the lightning electrified the skies above. I have to say, it only added to the excitement of the night. We were all in high spirits.

The concert started at 9pm. We were in the second standing section so basically the people on stage were tiny one-inch figures. Not that it mattered really. The two videowalls were gi-normous and the audio was simply superb. It continued to rain during the first half of the concert and our 'ponchos' did help a little though the rain felt like it was pelting from all directions. In any other time and situation, we would probably have felt miserable and even ridiculous. But that evening, it actually felt just right and even liberating. I would turn back to check on Johan every few minutes and get a glimpse of him encased by the garbage bag, his face all wet and shiny from the rain, himself sandwiched with all these equally happy strangers but on his face was the biggest grin ever. Ahh, I think to myself, what a guy huh!

Eventually Johan squeezed himself to where I was standing (on a manhole actually) and we got to enjoy the rest of the concert with his arms wrapped around me. I didn't want the concert to end ... it was almost magical. It gave us a few hours of not having to worry about our two girls (though they were very safe in grandma's care), his work, the coming morning, the oh so many worries that have been dogging us these past months. My heart sank a little and I sighed a little when the concert ended ... BUT eventually I turned around, gave him a hug and a kiss because I was even more grateful that I had this experience with him, to see Coldplay live in concert. Our first ever rock concert together!

We were looking silly ...

... but there were many who wished they had this 'fashionable' poncho

Midway in the concert, Coldplay performed on a small stage in the middle of the crowd. So this was how close we got up to Chris Martin. Ha ha

Gone are the days when the audience lit up their lighters during a concert. In the 21st century, the audience whip up their mobile phones!

Fans of Coldplay ...

Across the mall

So that's the helmet we got for Sera's scootering and eventually biking purposes. I have to say, she was more excited about the idea of a helmet but wearing it, well ... it's not staying on. But she's out scooter girl, who's getting pretty proficient on it and even strikes out some fancy moves on it.

Scootering is not allowed in the mall, which is normal I guess. But honestly, this mall is only doable with a scooter or even roller blades. So in this photo, Sera is all smiling and happy ... but in a few seconds the 'angry uncle' (security guard) comes up to her and squashes all her fun.

A satisfied customer. We just finished lunch at Organic Cafe. These days, Yas is vocalising all her thoughts and feelings, and her mouth, in turn, has followed suit in all its animation.

Doesn't this remind you of the children's story, 'Goldilocks and the Bears?'

It's her turn ...

As with Sera, we are now enjoying all the little surprises that Yas throws our way every single day. We thought having a second child, another girl for that matter, would mean less surprises or even less excitement but Yas had a character that is so unlike Sera. It has turned out to be so refreshing and so much fun for us all.

For starters, she has this naturally serious face that transforms to pure sunshine when she just but gives a little toothless grin. Unlike Sera who enjoyed independent play from very young, Yas dislikes being on her own. She would crawl all over the house (and sniff us out) just to be in our company. Yas, the more impulsive and determined one is already an efficient crawler and just a few days ago, she took a few wobbly steps with the help of the 'woddle toddle' (check out the video). She was so tickled and even giggled when she realised that her stubby legs and feet could do so much more. Ahh Yas, you're in for a treat!

Grandma's doing ... our little shoot

Ahh, this look of hers is so typical ...

Yas loved snuggling up in the sarong, she just couldn't stopped smiling

Here we go again ... with the sunnies (and this is Sera's)

Sitting on Sera's chair ... a new experience for her



Adventures on her woddle toddle from Que Sera Sera on Vimeo.

32

I turned 32 today. It was special in many ways. Firstly, having mama here is just wonderful. Sera kept singing 'Happy Birthday' to me, throughout the day. She and grandma spent the whole afternoon baking a lemon birthday cake, and cooked my favourite vegetarian dish ('chap chye' that consists of 10 different vegetables cooked in a kind of stew). And after the girls were tucked into bed, Johan and I went out with our friends from Old Town to have a small celebration just across the road.

Thank you dear family and friends for sending me all your lovely wishes from all over ...

She was very enthusiastic about her little project for the afternoon

Working those arms with the electric whisk

And finally spreading the lemon icing

Sera wanted to cut the cake after the icing was done but had to wait four hours later until Johan came back from work. The minute he walked in, she screamed "Let's cut the cake!" ...

Another surprise when out with friends at The Address

The mothers whose kids were all fast asleep ... phew!

The fathers who also had a break tonight

Sera and Yas in Singapore

The few weeks in Singapore were great. It was just enough time to meet up with good friends and family. Sera and Yasmin were easy travellers and both were just so happy hanging out with us everyday. Yas started to stand early into the trip and now, back in Dubai, she tries reach out for anything that gives her leverage to stand. Sera discovered a few things about herself when in Singapore. One was that she simply adored croissants, which she called 'little moons' and that she could 'scooter' pretty well.

So anyway, here are just some random photos that I didn't post, but thought to share with you guys. Enjoy!

A typical parent thing to do ... "It's a neck support pillow not a headset"

Sera discovered her love for croissants during this trip back

A typical Yas look

Our flower girl

Little poser on the streets of Chinatown, Singapore

Yas chilling out on a dim sum trolley

Surprisingly, she took to the scooter so easily ...

Hey guys, I'm standing now!

Cousins

Sera simply adores her two cousins, Isaac and Aaron, but sadly they don't get to spend much time together since we're lliving continents apart. However, the little time that they do spend together is always precious and funnily, they seem to easily re-ignite their chemistry once together. Yesterday, we had dinner together at Yum Cha, a dim sum restaurant in Chinatown, and the three of them were just outrageous together. Yasmin was highly entertained by them and was practically jumping out of her high chair to join in the fun. Here are some photos of the three of them. As usual, it is nearly impossible to get a proper photo of them together ... but then again, what's the fun in proper right?

We finally got them to sit down for 5 minutes while they devoured their dessert, mango pudding. Zoom in on the photo and you'll see that Aaron added chili sauce into his pudding thus the biggest grin from Isaac and the 'is he for real?' expression from Sera.

Must have been all that sugar in the pudding!

They inch closer together

Not sure what Isaac and Sera are up to but Aaron seems to be saluting someone?

A lovely photo, don't you think?

Moms and bubs hang out

This afternoon, the girls and I visited with auntie Evan, Chloe and Raphael. Sera and Chloe were busy playing while the little ones, Yasmin and Raphael tried to join in by crawling all over them. It was a chaotic but in a way, blissful afternoon. We even got Sera and Chloe to give us an impromptu performance!


Rocker chicks from Que Sera Sera on Vimeo.

By the beach

Today was a free and easy day. We spent the whole afternoon at the East Coast Park, after a long lunch at Sushi Tei. After lunch, we sat down at Carl's Junior for a milk shake fix (Johan always say that dessert goes into a different tummy!) while Sera busied herself with blowing bubbles.

The weather was almost perfect, a little on the sticky side but we decided it was time to move over to the beach. We asked Sera if she wanted to ride on her 'like-a-bike' and as usual, she said 'NO'. Hmm, this little rental was not kicking off with Sera. Anyway, we ignored her refusal and got the bike out from the car. Sera, we've learned, needs encouragement on certain things. And we, always need more patience. She refused to go on the bike so Johan went on it and that got us all laughing, of course. Sera finally went on it, for about 7 minutes, but at least she tried it and we hope she enjoyed it a little. We spent the rest of the afternoon quietly enjoying each other's company, watching Sera collecting casuarinas and Yas, chewing on twigs. We definitely need more days like these!

So we finally got her on the like-a-bike but it's definitely not a hit with her ...

A perfectly lazy day

Rapper chick

This trip to Singapore, Johan and I decided not to bring any toys, just a few books for Sera. So she had to really just amuse herself with little in our little room. Yesterday, she surprised us when she jumped unto the luggage that has been lying on the floor, grabbed Yasmin's hair brush and asked us animatedly, "Are you readyyyyyyyyyyy?"

Before we could even reply or recover from our surprise, she started belting out her nursery rhymes, giving them a hip hop approach, one after another. And she would wait for us to applaud before she sang yet another one and another one. Oh Sera ... you sure can entertain us.



Rapper chick from Que Sera Sera on Vimeo.

The horn of a rhino is made up of hair ... bet you didn't know that!

A visit to Singapore is only complete if we visit the zoo. And we did just that today. It was a perfect day because the rain only came down after we left the zoo! So we were very blessed with the best kind of 'zoo visit' weather - slightly overcast so that mean it wasn't too hot, with a little breeze. It's always nice to go to the zoo with Sera but now with Yasmin, it's really double the thrill for us. She was so tired since she missed her morning power nap, but she just could not resist the new green lush environment she found herself in. She got so excited whenever she saw the animals, especially the ones that actively moved. So the otters, the desert squirrels and the swinging orang utans were among her favourites. Sera always enjoys the zoo and this time round, she was just beside herself when she entered the newly revamped Kidz World, which had a really cool water park. Guess who the biggest kid was? Yup, that would be Johan. He was, I daresay, the happiest kid in the water park!

So it was a very full day and a thoroughly enjoyable one for all of us.

All set for the zoo ...

Come on guys ... even I know these ain't real!

A happy zoo-er

Kanga's open enclosure

Sera never fails to find her sticks

Desert squirrels

Check out that croc

Grandma and Yas along the zoo trail

Sera didn't know what she was getting into ... the zookeeper grabbed hold of her arm and the giraffe swooped down to lick off the carrot from her fingers! Wide eyed and about to scream, she dashed away from the giraffe after that.

Yas on the other hand was all calm and oblivious to his giraffe (check out that tongue!). She dipped her fingers into the bowl of carrots and wanted her share of the carrots!

Hey beautiful!

The kids come out to play!

There was no stopping ...

these two kids ...

who hogged the slides ...

Just look at them chilling out in the shallow pool

A tired and satisfied customer