Amalia Turns 8!

These days Amalia is realizing that a summer (for desert standards) birthday is not quite as "outdoorsey" as the winter one her sister enjoys. It means having to move from indoor space to indoor space and be limited in the options one has, say, vis-a-vis one's sister. But for as long as we're in Dubai this will have to be the way it is....

But it doesn't mean Amalia can't have a great birthday! As it turned out we did squeeze in some outdoor time. Amalia's fascination with art continues to grow and, with that, her wanting to partake in art-based activities. So, with a few of her friends in tow, we had a bit of an art bash, followed by a swim in the pool. Thankfully, the water in the evenings is quite cool. 

But the celebrations did not end there. Eva, one of her closest friends, was able to stay the night (yeay!) and together they enjoyed the customary pancake breakfast. Our little tradition of her waking up to a series of "numbers" (in this case "8") showing her the way to her present, along with a pancake breakfast are still very much in line with any high standard birthday celebration. As is also now customary, the numbers are subsequently placed around her room as extra decoration. It's a great way to extend the day to an entire year. :-)

Later on the day we met up with Ralph, Anne and Maria who were all eager to let the girls (Amalia and Irini) loose with Maria on an indoor shopping extravaganza!  Despite our best efforts to keep these girls from being consumer-driven such events are always welcomed!  

This little girl, as anyone who knows her will acknowledge, has turned into a fun-filled, smart, energetic and caring young lady. She is empathetic beyond her years and is so often the "life of the party' around the house. She dances. She sings. She cracks jokes. She is always looking for creative ways to extend conversation and we love her for that and so much more!  Happy birthday beautiful!