A new year tradition

We welcomed the new year by visiting the same beach, last new year. We were missing our friends, the Cosse clan, but we have grandma with us this time so that made it very special. Twelve months ago, Yasmin was less than 6 months and still in my arms a lot. This morning, she and Sera were collecting shells, building sand castles ... such a pleasure to see them have such an easy time together.

And the other reason why we went to a beach was because Johan wanted to do something traditionally Dutch, so he says. Apparently, on New Year's, his countrymen have a penchant for taking a leap into the freezing waters. Hmm. So the water at Umm Suqeim isnt' freezing but it's cold. Uncomfortably cold. Sera was the first to jump in. I knew she wouldn't have been able to resist jumping in. Johan had no choice but to jump in because Sera's beach ball was drifting away and Sera was getting dramatically upset. He hesitated for a long time, which was a mistake because the ball drifted even further and he had an audience of sympathetic parents, who were watching and waiting for him to rescue the ball. ha ha. Yasmin avoided the water but in the end, accidentally slipped and fell into it. She cried loudly, complaining of the cold and ran to me for warmth. Needless to say, I chickened out ... but so did grandma.

Happy New Year everyone ... may your journey in 2010 be filled with good health, happiness, peace and love!

Of course I had to take a photo of the girls with the Burj Al Arab in the background

The weather was overcast with small pockets of sunshine and too much wind

Grandma took this shot ... a rather synchronised walk

Johan about to dive in to rescue Sera's ball

All ready for 2010