My pequeña Lulu

You are in for a treat!!!
 This was exclusively for Grandparents but share I MUST!
Forgive the laundry and my silly voice, and just enjoy. I'm in heaven!

Happy Birthday to me!

What a day!
I woke up to hugs and kisses from my little people and to a wonderful bouquet of flowers from my mom.

Aren't they so pretty? oh and they smelled SO good!

I had a great day and looked forward to a very nice dinner with my David that night. Being the chocolate lover that I was, and knowing my options for dining in the compound,  I already knew what chocolate treat I was having that night.

Later that day I received these flowers, the prettiest pink roses I've ever seen!

My mom, took me out to lunch with Victoria and Luisa. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed our lunch outside with a lovely view of the red sea and the Beacon.

She was SO funny! she tried to tell the waiter that it was my birthday but she gets WAY too excited, at the end of our lunch they brought this AMAZING chocolate cake. Oh So so good, but it was a WHOLE 9inch double layer cake!

 I told my mom we should just have it again at night with the girls. She agreed, funny story, I ended up paying for our lunch.

Later on another friend came to drop these and visit for  a little.

I was given plenty of time to get ready for my date with David but while getting ready he called to ask if I could pick him up instead of him coming home first ( I had the car) he said that way we could leave earlier.

 I got ready super fast and left to get my handsome date. 

Meanwhile another sweet friend brought me the bouquet of flowers that is still wrapped in the picture below.

How did they all know how much I LOVE fresh flowers? Our home was so beautiful for the next week :-)

After I get David I noticed he is driving towards the gate. I was a little shock because in our little compound there is one "fancy" restaurant and it is close to where we live, but we were driving away from it, the only restaurant that way is the one in the golf course.... and they only offer "healthy fruit platter" no chocolate dessert!!
I was panicking.

The next thing I know we are leaving the compound and I look into my sweet husband's face, he has that squint-y smile of his that says "surprise" and "I'm so proud for surprising you" and I tell him, "I don't have an Abaya you know!" ...... Panic face.

But we were going to the Economic city and there they don't really care if I have one or not.
We tried this little sandwich place, I enjoyed my food, but I could tell that they didn't have any desserts. Maybe David was taking me to Baskin Robin for dessert? I guess that was ok.
But then, I can't remember if he made it or received a phone call and he said "we need to go"

WITHOUT DESSERT PEOPLE!!!
Then he left to be on the phone while "I" once again payed the bill.

Then he drove in his Saudi style home ( it is about 30 minute drive but he made it in 20) and rushed out of the car into the house, while poor little Belky (without any dessert) unloaded the baby and close the car and the garage. I didn't want to go in and be a responsible mom again, I wanted to stay out and get my chocolate for crying out loud!!! plus the door was closed already..., anyway I got he courage to go in, baby in arms and when I opened the door.....
....SURPRISE!!!!
 Yes! my friends were there, 23 or 40 of them,you will have to ask David and my mom about that, I didn't count. I was just happy to see them there. My mom, with the help of David and a few other friends planned a fun surprise birthday party for me.  I loved it!! I chatted with my friends, ate even more food, danced! yes, and I even got to see some of my friends dance some Merengue, Ian figured out the trick "shake your bum from one place to another" it was fun!
And at the end, we had AMAZING chocolate cake that one of my friends made for me.
Actually there were three chocolate cakes, but we sang with one only, the rest filled my chocolate craving for the next week and  half :-)

 I guess it's ok not to be so "perfect" after all, "cubes" also have fun ;-)

Christmas and a double birthday

Oh the really anticipated Christmas. All the plans we had and all the excitement was filling our home for more than a month.
We had been reading our advent calender, we put up our decorations, the tree, opened the presents from Grandma and Grandpa ( new nativity set!) and had been wearing the special Christmas Pj's. attended the Christmas party, had special play dates, most of all, we had a great time spending time with each other.
I was specially HUGE, tired and breathless! all because of my little Luisa. On the morning of Christmas Eve, I was woken up around 4am (this was the norm actually) and was surprised to find myself in tons of pain. Oh the contraction kind, I timed it and I was really scared. I did not want a Christmas baby, I didn't want to be too late/early for the hospital.

We had a beautiful day that ended with a narration of the Nativity and no more contractions after my shower that day.

Christmas morning was so fun, the girls were SO excited to go down to the tree.

Elena was So funny. She knew we had the book "the Boxcar children #3" and had been asking for it, but she had to fill her chore chart before we could give it to her. Well I ended up wrapping it for Christmas and when she opened she said "Oh Mom! what I've always wanted!!"

Victoria and her little ponies, she was so excited about the whole celebration and told me "thank you for the makeup!"
I had NO idea there was makeup inside that box with ponies!!!

It was a morning full of books. I believe there were more than 10 opened.

Well, when you live by the Red Sea, nothing is more fitting than go and spend the rest of the gorgeous day at the beach. My mom went Kayaking.

and later her and David tried to get on this banana thing, but I don't think they figure out the fun in it.
I slept most of the time, while the girls had a blast with one of their favorite friends at a park.

Then came the double birthday!. Look at her sweet little smile! yes, next to "Victoria" it says David,but it didn't really fit :-(
I know it doesn't look amazing but it tasted really good. Red velvet with Cream cheese frosting.

The girls amazing friend, came and did face painting, and being so amazing, let the kids try their own creations. Here is Toria and Corby, these two are like brother and sister..

My little big tiger, YES! she painted her arms all by herself.

I did have more contractions but I REFUSED to go to the hospital, no Christmas baby for me!

The favorite one

Has always been Daddy,

This is how I found them most of the time during Christmas break

He taught her how to make those waves

So happy!

Daddy's toys from when he was little. They really like playing with these.

It is a good thing they have him, he has a gift for making they time they spend together very special.

Oh Baby!

I am so lucky to have such wonderful and super creative friends that were so sweet to host one amazing baby shower.

Some of the food

Goodies for the games and party favors.

My mother made all those bows... and more!

A few of the organizers

Amazing friends

Super fun friends

Look at those ladies!!!
The game was, split into teams, and each team was to choose a model and design a fashionable maternity wear, using toilet paper and balloons. Model for me and explain their design. Horribly "I" had to choose the winner, it was a hard decision to make but Trudy (second left to right) was amazingly accessorized and her modeling was superb!

Super Baby!

Yes, that is my face all silly but you see, I am holding baby Luisa's blanket.

The special thing is, that my friend Maria knitted it for Lulu. I was so touched because each of my girls have a knitted blanket made by a friend and I was sad that Luisa was not getting one. Now she sleeps with it every night :-)

Guess what?! I had a second shower the very next day. 

I felt SO loved by everyone. Thank you so much everyone and I'm sorry it took me so long to put this post up, and boy do I wish I could post the videos as well.

Love you all!